Vayishlach – Peninim on the Torah

ויענו בני יעקב את שכם ואת חמור אביו במרמה

The sons of Yaakov answered Shechem, and his father, Chamor, with guile. (34:13)

Rashi defines the word mirmah, guile, b’chochmah, with cleverness. One who reads the narrative and delves into what occurred and the response of Yaakov Avinu’s sons to the moral incursion into their family, might discover mirmah, more as deceit than cleverness. Their intention was to convince the men of Shechem to have Brisim, circumcisions, for the purpose of weakening them physically. From the very beginning, the intention of Yaakov’s sons was to avenge the degradation of their family. Why is this considered to be “clever”? Horav Yeruchem Levovitz, zl, explains that ramaus, deceit, swindle, is a term that applies to…

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ותצא דינה בת לאה... לראות בבנות הארץ

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Vayishlach, 5776

And Dinah – the daughter of Leah… went out… to look over the daughters of the land. (34:1)

The Midrash Tanchuma makes a startling statement concerning Dinah’s journey to observe the girls of the land. Poretz geder yishchenu nachash, “One who breaches the fence will/should be bitten by a snake.” (This term is used in the Talmud Avodah Zarah 27b and is based upon a pasuk in Koheles 10:8, “He who breaks down a wall will be bitten by a snake.”) This is strong terminology to be applied to Dinah. Chazal continue: “Her father and brothers were sitting in the bais hamedrash studying Torah, and she went out to observe the girls of the land. As a result,…

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וישא את עיניו וירא את הנשים ואת הילדים

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Vayishlach, 5776

(Eisav) raised his eyes and saw the women and children. (33:5)

In his commentary to Parashas Toldos, Horav Mordechai Druk, zl, observes the glaring contrast between Yitzchak Avinu and his errant son, Eisav. The Rav begins with the maxim, “A person sees what he wants to see,” or, alternatively, “a person sees who he is.” We are creatures of habit, our human nature comprising who we are and how we live. Indeed, our nature most often dictates our perspective, how we perceive people and situations. Who we are determines how we look at concepts, events, people. A ben Torah whose life is molded by the Torah which he studies and to…

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וישאל יעקב ויאמר הגידה נא שמך ויאמר למה זה תשאל לשמי

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Vayishlach, 5776

Then Yaakov inquired, and he said, “Divulge if you please, your name.” And he said, “Why then do you inquire of my name?” (32:30)

Yaakov Avinu wanted to know the name of the angel with whom he had wrestled – and won. The angel responded, “Why do you inquire of my name?” The commentators debate if this was a question, more or less, as if the angel were replying, “What difference does it make to you what my name is? You cannot do anything about it. I am not reachable by name.” Others contend that his response was actually his name. In other words: “Why do you ask my name?” is the actual name of the angel. Horav Shabsi Yudelevitz, zl, explains this. When…

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הצילני נא מיד אחי מיד עשו כי ירא אנכי אותו

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Vayishlach, 5776

Rescue me, please, from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Eisav, because I fear him. (32:12)

Rashi explains the apparent redundancy continued in the pasuk: Miyad achi, miyad Eisav; “From the hand of my brother, from the hand of Eisav.” Sometimes Eisav acts like my brother, showing love and friendship which conceal his true, nefarious intentions. Other times Eisav acts like the evil person that he is, challenging me and stirring up adversity for me to overcome. Both the Kedushas Levi and the Chozeh m’Lublin write that Yaakov Avinu prayed to Hashem to spare him the challenge of Eisav, the yetzer hora, evil inclination, who was coming at him in the form of Eisav, his “dear”…

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ויענו בני יעקב את שכם ואת חמור אביו במרמה

The sons of Yaakov answered Shechem, and his father, Chamor, with guile. (34:13)

ותצא דינה בת לאה... לראות בבנות הארץ

And Dinah – the daughter of Leah… went out… to look over the daughters of the land. (34:1)

וישא את עיניו וירא את הנשים ואת הילדים

(Eisav) raised his eyes and saw the women and children. (33:5)

וישאל יעקב ויאמר הגידה נא שמך ויאמר למה זה תשאל לשמי

Then Yaakov inquired, and he said, “Divulge if you please, your name.” And he said, “Why then do you inquire of my name?” (32:30)

הצילני נא מיד אחי מיד עשו כי ירא אנכי אותו

Rescue me, please, from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Eisav, because I fear him. (32:12)

YEARS

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