Please add to your prayers Rachel Izel bas Sara a young woman single parent who needs a big recovery.
Parsha Vayishlach
Many years ago, I heard
the idiom “Let sleeping dogs lie.” Why not visit as if nothing happened your
father after 34years that turn into 36years? You did not have to rub your
existence into Esav’s face. So it must be that Yacov knows the killer instinct
in his brother quite well.
32:4 And Jacob sent messengers before him to Esau his brother unto
the land of Seir, the field of Edom.
The word for Angel(s) and Messenger(s)
is the same in Heb. Malach or Malachim. It is reasonable to believe that since
he literally had Angels at his disposal he sent them. Another reason for this
is that by having Angels with him, Esav would think twice about going against
such a Tzaddik. Rashi believes it was a Malach Mamash thus, he might have sent
one along with two regular messengers.
5 And he commanded them, saying:
'Thus shall ye say unto my lord Esau: Thus, says thy servant Jacob: I have
sojourned with Laban, and stayed until now.
Lived or ‘Garti’ that Rashi points out
is 613 in Gematria. Meaning that even though I was with a wicked man like
Lavan, still I was able to observe Shabbos and other Mitzvos. This is another
hidden message to Esav that he not only has Angels but also Mitzvos to protect
him.
6 And I have oxen, and asses and
flocks, and men-servants and maid-servants; and I have sent to tell my lord,
that I may find favor in thy sight.'
I have enough and do not need anything
of your inheritance from father.
7 And the messengers returned to
Jacob, saying: 'We came to thy brother Esau, and moreover he cometh to meet
thee, and four hundred men with him.'
Now the return of the messengers in
plural seems to rule out Angels. The reason being that if Yacov was to send out
real Angels on a mission, one for example would bring Esav the message and the
other to return to Yacov. For we see that Angels have only one job to do at a
time. Example. Rafael comes to heal Avraham after his Bris. Michael to save Lot
(I am guessing his name). Gavriel to destroy Sodom (most likely him).
8 Then Jacob was greatly afraid
and was distressed. And he divided the people that was with him, and the
flocks, and the herds, and the camels, into two camps. 9 And he said:
'If Esau come to the one camp, and smite it, then the camp which is left shall
escape.'
Yacov makes plans to save his
family. He divides the camp into four sections far apart from one another. The
children of Zilpah and Bilhah in the two camps closer to the direction of Esav.
Followed by Leah and then Rachel. The second part of preparation for meeting
Esav was prayer.
10 And Jacob said: 'O God of my
father Abraham, and God of my father Isaac, O LORD, who said unto me: Return
unto thy country, and to thy kindred, and I will do thee good; 11 I
am not worthy of all the mercies, and of all the truth, which Thou hast shown
unto Thy servant; for with my staff I passed over this Jordan; and now I am
become two camps.
You have protected me these 34 years
from real evil and just miraculously saved me from Lavan who wanted to
completely destroy me.
12 Deliver me, I pray Thee, from
the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau; for I fear him, lest he come and
smite me, the mother with the children.
Over the centuries, Christians
especially and also Muslims wanted to convert Jews through being brothers,
husbands and wives. Every trick in the book. So save me from the hand of my
'brother' Esav and the hand of the wicked Esav who would force a conversion
upon me. [Our story this week I believe that I already posted it but it is of a
'brother' - husband as well as forcing conversion.]
13 And Thou said: I will surely
do thee good, and make thy seed as the sand of the sea, which cannot be
numbered for multitude.'
YOU promised me so please, now is
the time to fulfil the promise.
14 And he lodged there that
night; and took of that which he had with him a present for Esau his
brother: 15 two hundred she-goats and twenty he-goats, two hundred
ewes and twenty rams, 16 thirty milch camels and their colts, forty
kine and ten bulls, twenty she-asses and ten foals. 17 And he delivered
them into the hand of his servants, every drove by itself; and said unto his
servants: 'Pass over before me, and put a space betwixt drove and
drove.' 18 And he commanded the foremost, saying: 'When Esau my
brother meets thee, and askes thee, saying: Whose art thou? and whither go
thou? and whose are these before thee? 19 then thou shalt say: They
are thy servant Jacob's; it is a present sent unto my lord, even unto Esau;
and, behold, he also is behind us.' 20 And he commanded also the
second, and the third, and all that followed the droves, saying: 'In this
manner shall ye speak unto Esau, when ye find him; 21 and ye shall
say: Moreover, behold, thy servant Jacob is behind us.' For he said: 'I will
appease him with the present that go before me, and afterward I will see his
face; peradventure he will accept me.'
All this as a present – bribe to
calm down Esav. But Esav is so full of hate it is this emotion that is driving
him.
22 So the present passed over
before him; and he himself lodged that night in the camp. 23 And he
rose up that night, and took his two wives, and his two handmaids, and his
eleven children, and passed over the ford of the Jabbok. 24 And he
took them, and sent them over the stream, and sent over that which he
had. 25 And Jacob was left alone; and there wrestled a man with him
until the breaking of the day.
Yacov was like the wealthiest of
today's Billionaires but he forgot some trinkets that he could have gotten in
'a dollar store' back on the other side of the river and returned to get them.
For a Talmud Chacham must look after and protect his property. This 'man' was like
the 'men' that came to Avraham and Sodom. The 'man' was the Angel of Esav.
26 And when he saw that he
prevailed not against him, he touched the hollow of his thigh; and the hollow
of Jacob's thigh was strained, as he wrestled with him.
The Angel could not prevail against
Yacov but did do some damage that Yacov would limp.
27 And he said: 'Let me go, for
the day breaks.' And he said: 'I will not let thee go, except thou bless
me.'
Morning is breaking and I have to say
the hymns of Praise of Shachris of he Malachim. We have to remember that Esav's
Angel is like the rest of the Angels. Yacov has Michael an Archangel. Michael
can receive an exemption from prayer if he is on a special mission from HASHEM
as Shaliach Mitzvah is Patur from other Mitzvos while on his mission.
28 And he said unto him: 'What is
thy name?' And he said: 'Jacob.' 29 And he said: 'Thy name shall be
called no more Jacob, but Israel; for thou hast striven with God and with men,
and hast prevailed.'
You are like an Angel in the fact
that you are such a Tzadik that you can wrestle with angels and prevail.
30 And Jacob asked him, and said:
'Tell me, I pray thee, thy name.' And he said: 'Wherefore is it that thou dost
ask after my name?' And he blessed him there. 31 And Jacob called the
name of the place Peniel: 'for I have seen God face to face, and my life is
preserved.'
He will use this as a compliment to
Esav. But, now he came out victorious over the Angel of Esav.
32 And the sun rose upon him as
he passed over Peniel, and he limped upon his thigh. 33 Therefore the
children of Israel eat not the sinew of the thigh-vein which is upon the hollow
of the thigh, unto this day; because he touched the hollow of Jacob's thigh,
even in the sinew of the thigh-vein.
This is the third and last Mitzvah
given to us in the whole of Sefer Beresheis. Previous was be fruitful and multiply
and the Bris of Avraham Avinu.
33:1 And Jacob lifted up his eyes and looked, and, behold, Esau
came, and with him four hundred men. And he divided the children unto Leah, and
unto Rachel, and unto the two handmaids. 2 And he put the handmaids
and their children foremost, and Leah and her children after, and Rachel and
Joseph hindermost.
It should be noted that Yacov loved
all his children because Yosef would be an Orphan, he would get preferential
treatment. Benyamin never knew he was an Orphan as he was brought up from birth
by a step-mother. He would only be a bereaved brother. We see from the story
below of Reuven trying to bring Yacov's bed into Leah's tent that Yacov loved all
his wives too. But for Gashmiyous Values, the children of servants were less
Yichus than their half-sister-wives.
3 And he himself passed over
before them, and bowed himself to the ground seven times, until he came near to
his brother. 4 And Esau ran to meet him, and embraced him, and fell
on his neck, and kissed him; and they wept.
When Esav last saw Yacov, he saw a
63year old man with perhaps some or all black hair walking up right. Now he
sees before him a 97year old limping white haired man. He remembered a vibrant
enemy worthy of an army of 400 men. He realized that this disabled elder was
not physical threat to him and perhaps of mirror of Esav as they were twins.
His compassion was truly aroused. I know that Rashi brings down the Midrash that
Esav tried to bite Yacov's neck and his teeth broke causing him to cry. But the
Pshat seems that after 34years and seeing this fail old man, who had servants
and children ready to bow down to Esav that his true compassion was aroused. I
prefer this Pshat as sometimes the Rabbis painted Esav blacker than he was. For
he did grow up 15years under the influence of grandfather Avraham and he still
had connection to Yitzchak and Rivka.
5 And he lifted up his eyes, and
saw the women and the children; and said: 'Who are these with thee?' And he
said: 'The children whom God hath graciously given thy servant.'
As a warrior, he was concentrated on
his enemy. Now that he was at peace with himself, he looked up and saw the
others.
6 Then the handmaids came near, they and their children, and they bowed
down. 7 And Leah also and her children came near, and bowed down; and
after came Joseph near and Rachel, and they bowed down.
I assume that Yacov sent the
speedy Naphtali to run to invite his siblings to come to meet uncle Esav.
8 And he said: 'What meanest thou
by all this camp which I met?' And he said: 'To find favor in the sight of my
lord.' 9 And Esau said: 'I have enough; my brother, let that which
thou hast be thine.'
What was all these gifts for?
10 And Jacob said: 'Nay, I pray
thee, if now I have found favor in thy sight, then receive my present at my
hand; forasmuch as I have seen thy face, as one sees the face of God, and thou were
pleased with me.
After wrestling with the Angel, he
came up with this comparison.
11 Take, I pray thee, my gift
that is brought to thee; because God hath dealt graciously with me, and because
I have enough.' And he urged him, and he took it. 12 And he said:
'Let us take our journey, and let us go, and I will go before thee.' 13 And
he said unto him: 'My lord knows that the children are tender, and that the
flocks and herds giving suck are a care to me; and if they overdrive them one
day, all the flocks will die. 14 Let my lord, I pray thee, pass over
before his servant; and I will journey on gently, according to the pace of the
cattle that are before me and according to the pace of the children, until I
come unto my lord unto Seir.'
This has not yet occurred and is
described in the Haftarah. One day all of trans-Yarden will be ours but as for
now it is not.
15 And Esau said: 'Let me now
leave with thee some of the folk that are with me.' And he said: 'Who needs it?
let me find favor in the sight of my lord.' 16 So Esau returned that
day on his way unto Seir.
For the next 50 years, I believe that
Yacov and Esav will meet only for the burial of Yitzchak and then never again.
Yacov never goes to Seir.
17 And Jacob journeyed to
Succoth, and built him a house, and made booths for his cattle. Therefore, the
name of the place is called Succoth.
This is somewhere on flat ground
between Chatzor HaGalil and Shechem.
18 And Jacob came in peace to the
city of Shechem, which is in the land of Canaan, when he came from Paddan-aram;
and encamped before the city. 19 And he bought the parcel of ground,
where he had spread his tent, at the hand of the children of Hamor, Shechem's
father, for a hundred pieces of money. 20 And he erected there an
altar, and called it El-elohe-Israel.
34:1 And Dinah the daughter of Leah, whom she had borne unto
Jacob, went out to see the daughters of the land.
He had hidden her from Esav and
family so as not to have to marry somebody wicked. But G-D was angry at Yacov
for perhaps she could have gotten them to repent.
2 And Shechem the son of Hamor
the Hivite, the prince of the land, saw her; and he took her, and lay with her,
and humbled her. 3 And his soul did cleave unto Dinah the daughter of
Jacob, and he loved the damsel, and spoke comfortingly unto the damsel.
She was according to my calculation
between 7 and 9 years old. He must have been at least 13 or more. It is not
unusual for a Gazan or Taliban to marry a child of this age even today. So
although he raped her he expressed his love and only talked about marriage.
Dinah would have no say in the matter anyway. This is before the giving of
Torah and her opposition to such a marriage might have been small.
4 And Shechem spoke unto his
father Hamor, saying: 'Get me this damsel to wife.' 5 Now Jacob heard
that he had defiled Dinah his daughter; and his sons were with his cattle in
the field; and Jacob held his peace until they came. 6 And Hamor the
father of Shechem went out unto Jacob to speak with him. 7 And the
sons of Jacob came in from the field when they heard it; and the men were
grieved, and they were very wroth, because he had wrought a vile deed in Israel
in lying with Jacob's daughter; which thing ought not to be done.
Yacov was angry for her and perhaps
she cried unto Leah.
8 And Hamor spoke with them,
saying 'The soul of my son Shechem longs for your daughter. I pray you give her
unto him to wife. 9 And make ye marriages with us; give your
daughters unto us, and take our daughters unto you. 10 And ye shall
dwell with us; and the land shall be before you; dwell and trade ye therein,
and get you possessions therein.' 11 And Shechem said unto her father
and unto her brethren: 'Let me find favor in your eyes, and what ye shall say
unto me I will give. 12 Ask me never so much dowry and gift, and I
will give according as ye shall say unto me; but give me the damsel to
wife.'
Even though Shechem's behavior was
not proper, his father nevertheless wanted a proper wedding and a full Bnei
Noach wedding.
13 And the sons of Jacob answered
Shechem and Hamor his father with guile, and spoke, because he had defiled
Dinah their sister, 14 and said unto them: 'We cannot do this thing,
to give our sister to one that is uncircumcised; for that were a reproach unto
us. 15 Only on this condition will we consent unto you: if ye will be
as we are, that every male of you be circumcised; 16 then will we
give our daughters unto you, and we will take your daughters to us, and we will
dwell with you, and we will become one people. 17 But if ye will not
hearken unto us, to be circumcised; then will we take our daughter, and we will
be gone.' 18 And their words pleased Hamor, and Shechem Hamor's son. 19 And
the young man deferred not to do the thing, because he had delight in Jacob's
daughter. And he was honored above all the house of his
father. 20 And Hamor and Shechem his son came unto the gate of their
city, and spoke with the men of their city, saying: 21 'These men are
peaceable with us; therefore, let them dwell in the land, and trade therein;
for, behold, the land is large enough for them; let us take their daughters to
us for wives, and let us give them our daughters. 22 Only on this
condition will the men consent unto us to dwell with us, to become one people,
if every male among us be circumcised, as they are
circumcised. 23 Shall not their cattle and their substance and all
their beasts be ours? only let us consent unto them, and they will dwell with
us.' 24 And unto Hamor and unto Shechem his son hearkened all that
went out of the gate of his city; and every male was circumcised, all that went
out of the gate of his city.
Even after all the gifts to Esav,
the family was very wealthy and getting your daughter married to one of them
would be like marrying into the family of a billionaire.
25 And it came to pass on the
third day, when they were in pain, that two of the sons of Jacob, Simeon and
Levi, Dinah's brethren, took each man his sword, and came upon the city
unawares, and slew all the males.
The city today is not that large so
back then would be a village or a small town by today's standards. So they went
house to house with fields between each so that nobody would hear them. Also if
they did hear a scream it would be attributed to pain from the Bris.
26 And they slew Hamor and
Shechem his son with the edge of the sword, and took Dinah out of Shechem's
house, and went forth. 27 The sons of Jacob came upon the slain, and
spoiled the city, because they had defiled their sister.
In this time, she managed to become
pregnant and would mother Osnat.
28 They took their flocks and
their herds and their asses, and that which was in the city and that which was
in the field; 29 and all their wealth, and all their little ones and
their wives, took they captive and spoiled, even all that was in the
house.
Essentially, they captured the women
for wives their children would be either slaves or brought up like Serach bas
Asher.
30 And Jacob said to Simeon and
Levi: 'Ye have troubled me, to make me odious unto the inhabitants of the land,
even unto the Canaanites and the Perizzites; and, I being few in number, they
will gather themselves together against me and smite me; and I shall be
destroyed, I and my house.'
We made an agreement and now the
others in Canaan will hear and become like them and go against us.
31 And they said: 'Should one
deal with our sister as with a harlot?
Dinah had a full marriage
so she was not like a prostitute. Yacov as upset as two wrongs do not make one
right.
35:1 And
God said unto Jacob: 'Arise, go up to Beth-el, and dwell there; and make there
an altar unto God, who appeared unto thee when thou didst flee from the face of
Esau thy brother.' 2 Then Jacob said unto his household, and to all
that were with him: 'Put away the strange gods that are among you, and purify yourselves,
and change your garments; 3 and let us arise, and go up to Beth-el;
and I will make there an altar unto God, who answered me in the day of my
distress, and was with me in the way which I went.'
The captives might have had gold or silver versions
of the Saint Anthony of Shechem etc. They had to be buried, broken, etc. but with
no use while not being the possession of the children of Yacov.
4 And they gave unto Jacob all the foreign gods which
were in their hand, and the rings which were in their ears; and Jacob hid them
under the terebinth which was by Shechem. 5 And they journeyed; and a
terror of God was upon the cities that were round about them, and they did not
pursue after the sons of Jacob. 6 So Jacob came to Luz, which is in
the land of Canaan--the same is Beth-el--he and all the people that were with
him. 7 And he built there an altar, and called the place El-Beth-el,
because their God was revealed unto him, when he fled from the face of his
brother. 8 And Deborah Rebekah's nurse died, and she was buried below
Beth-el under the oak; and the name of it was called Allon-bacuth.
She
had to have been an adult of at least 12 or more to raise Rivka so that would
give her an age close to 145 or 150 or more.
9 And
God appeared unto Jacob again, when he came from Paddan-aram, and blessed
him. 10 And God said unto him: 'Thy name is Jacob: thy name shall not
be called any more Jacob, but Israel shall be thy name'; and He called his name
Israel. 11 And God said unto him: 'I am God Almighty. Be fruitful and
multiply; a nation and a company of nations shall be of thee, and kings shall
come out of thy loins; 12 and the land which I gave unto Abraham and
Isaac, to thee I will give it, and to thy seed after thee will I give the
land.' 13 And God went up from him in the place where He spoke with
him. 14 And Jacob set up a pillar in the place where He spoke with
him, a pillar of stone, and he poured out a drink-offering thereon, and poured
oil thereon. 15 And Jacob called the name of the place where God
spoke with him, Beth-el.
The
renewed promise for the land with 11 sons to take care of it and marry.
16 And
they journeyed from Beth-el; and there was still some way to come to Ephrath;
and Rachel travailed, and she had hard labor. 17 And it came to pass,
when she was in hard labor, that the mid-wife said unto her: 'Fear not; for
this also is a son for thee.' 18 And it came to pass, as her soul was
in departing--for she died--that she called his name Ben-oni; but his father
called him Benjamin.
In
the Chapter "From what do we light" regarding candles and oil for
Shabbos aka Chapter 2 that when a woman dies in childbirth it is because she
did something wrong. Here Rachel stole the idols of Lavan that were in her
possession.
19 And
Rachel died, and was buried in the way to Ephrath--the same is Beth-Lechem.
Until
Gallus Bavel, nobody would understand why she was buried there as the captives
prayed at her grave as the left Yerushalayim.
20 And
Jacob set up a pillar upon her grave; the same is the pillar of Rachel's grave
unto this day. 21 And Israel journeyed, and spread his tent beyond
Migdal-eder. 22 And it came to pass, while Israel dwelt in that land,
that Reuben went and lay with Bilhah his father's concubine; and Israel heard
of it.
Reuven
was between 11 to 13 and jealous for Leah and wanted to move Yacov's bed there
but it is as if he slept with Bilhah.
Now
the sons of Jacob were twelve:
Reuven
was still considered a son despite his poor meddling where he should not have
been.
23 the
sons of Leah: Reuben, Jacob's first-born, and Simeon, and Levi, and Judah, and
Issachar, and Zebulun; 24 the sons of Rachel: Joseph and
Benjamin; 25 and the sons of Bilhah, Rachel's handmaid: Dan and
Naphtali; 26 and the sons of Zilpah, Leah's handmaid: Gad and Asher.
These are the sons of Jacob, that were born to him in
Paddan-aram. 27 And Jacob came unto Isaac his father to Mamre, to
Kiriatharba--the same is Hebron--where Abraham and Isaac
sojourned. 28 And the days of Isaac were a hundred and fourscore
years. 29 And Isaac expired, and died, and was gathered unto his
people, old and full of days; and Esau and Jacob his sons buried him.
This
is the last we hear of Esav and only his children are mentioned in Yetzias
Mitzrayim either about Amalek or the territory near Har Seir.
36:1
Now these are the generations
of Esau--the same is Edom. 2 Esau took his wives of the daughters of
Canaan; Adah the daughter of Elon the Hittite, and Oholibamah the daughter of
Anah, the daughter of Zibeon the Hivite, 3 and Basemath Ishmael's
daughter, sister of Nebaioth.
The Torah is full of the
generations and Yichus of the nations. Sometimes we have no reason to know
anything of these nations born as the original 70 nations or the children of
Yishmael or Esav but still sometimes something comes up.
4 And Adah bore to Esau Eliphaz;
He and some of the
children of Midian appear in Sefer Iyob.
… 6 And Esau took his wives, and his sons, and his
daughters, and all the souls of his house, and his cattle, and all his beasts,
and all his possessions, which he had gathered in the land of Canaan; and went
into a land away from his brother Jacob. 7 For their substance was
too great for them to dwell together; and the land of their sojourning’s could
not bear them because of their cattle.
We saw this with Lot and
Avram and yet they could have just separated a short distance seeing that the
population was dozens and not millions like the tribes that left Mitzrayim.
8 And Esau dwelt in the mountain-land of
Seir--Esau is Edom. 9 And these are the generations of Esau the
father of the Edomites in the mountain-land of Seir.
These reddish mountains
are near Aquba in Yarden. We can view them from Eilat.
10 These are the names of Esau's sons: Eliphaz the
son of Adah the wife of Esau, Reuel the son of Basemath the wife of
Esau. 11 And the sons of Eliphaz were Teman, Omar, Zepho, and Gatam,
and Kenaz. 12 And Timna was concubine to Eliphaz Esau's son; and she
bore to Eliphaz Amalek. These are the sons of Adah Esau's wife.
We will see Kenaz
mentioned with Yael under the Judge Devorah. We ended up not battling Esav or
Eliphaz but in every generation Amalek..
…
31 And these are the kings that reigned in the land of Edom, before there
reigned any king over the children of Israel.
What is the meaning of
the kings of the Plishtim, Yishmael, Esav vs. the lack of kings in Yisrael? I
think it is a spiritual version of the animal kingdom. If we look at developed
animals and swimming mammals we find that Giraffes, Elephants and even
intelligent Dolphins start walking or swimming close to birth. But the highest
animal is the “Midaber” (talker) and the new born cannot move independently for
over a year so too among the nations the highest nation, Yisrael takes time to
develop.
…
43 … These are the chiefs of Edom, according to their habitations in the
land of their possession. This is Esau the father of the Edomites.
They all ruled before
Yisrael became a nation.
Ed-Op Rabbi Pinchas Winston Shlita Thirtysix.org and Torah.org
THE TALMUD RELATES how Eliezer, Avraham’s servant, went to Sdom
and what it was like for him (Sanhedrin 109b). Crazy is an understatement. They
had absurd laws that were truly backwards. When you read about them you think
to yourself, “Really? Was this the way it was, or is it just exaggeration?”
What’s the problem? The problem is that the people of Sodom kept
a straight face. Eliezer probably couldn’t, but the people of Sodom thought
their laws were clever. They made sense to them, which is what doesn’t make
sense to us. It’s one thing if people know what is right but they have chosen
to abuse the system. It’s something altogether different when the abuse is the
system, and people happily enforce it.
One thing is for sure. I never imagined I would ever see that
kind of thinking in my lifetime. The line between sanity and insanity has been
clearly defined for society, though there are some gray areas. One Flew Over
the Cuckoo’s Nest was a movie that had a lot of truth to it, but it was still
only a movie.
I’m not so sure anymore. I asked myself for many years, how
could a place like Sdom ever really exist? How could such thinking become
predominant in society? True, America has been compared to Sodom, but until
recently, that usually referred only to its level of material decadence. Now it
even applies to the American and Israeli governments, and the thinking of the
people in charge.
Truth is out. I know, I know, it was already written in the
Talmud that this would be the case (Sanhedrin 97a). But it is one thing to
imagine a society in which people lie about the truth, but another thing to
witness falsehood become more important than the truth. Cheating is so
acceptable, even noble to the people on your side.
When they pushed God out of the picture, they claimed it was in
the name of the freedom of something. But clearly it was to create a void that
falsehood could fill quite comfortably. When was the last time, in the West at
least, that speaking the truth could make you a traitor to the state and liable
to punishment?
Honestly, I’m not surprised. Anyone who saw the changes in this
direction decades ago should have seen this coming. It’s just so hard to put up
with, and it is so frustrating that it has become strong and is getting
stronger. This is so very scary because it always leads to collapse at some
point, and that’s when being Jewish can become very dangerous.
Who was La-La Silica?
by Rabbi Yerachmiel Tilles
http://ascentofsafed.com/cgi-bin/ascent.cgi?Name=1249-11
In the city of Fez, Morocco, near the graves of two famous Moroccan
rabbinical judges, Rabbi Yehuda ben Atar[1] and Rabbi Avner Hasaphatim,[2] lies
a grave inscribed: "La La Salica." This is the grave of the young
Jewish woman, Salica. These three graves are secluded from the others, and with
good reason; according to tradition, The Divine Presence dwells there! We also
know, from tradition, that those who visit the graves, praying to G-d on the
merit of the beloved deceased who rest there, are likely to have their prayers
answered
Who was this girl, Salica, buried next to two righteous tzaddikim?
Salica's family lived in Morocco. Her father, Shlomo, supported her
family through selling house utensils. He worked hard, with absolute honesty.
Salica's mother and sisters, as herself, were all modest and G-d fearing.
Salica, especially, stood out for her wisdom and goodness, and her graceful
Jewish charisma, beaming from her face.
Not far from her house lived Muslim families, some of whom belonged
to the elite circle of government authorities. One young man from these
families noticed Salica, the Jewess. Awestruck by her charm, he resolved to
take her for a wife. As he matured, and the time came for him to choose a wife,
he informed his father of his fervent desire to betroth Salica. "I will
have nothing to live for, father, if I don't marry Salica," he told his
father.
The father accepted his son's requests, and was certain that
Salica's father would be delighted if she were to marry into an honorable, rich
family such as his. Of course, Salica would have to abandon her faith, and
convert to Islam, in order for the marriage to occur. But neither the son nor
father saw any problem with this.
Now, this boy's father was a distinguished man. Normally, his
requests and desires were fulfilled on demand, immediately, without fail. So
when Shlomo, Salica's father, outright refused to agree to the marriage, he was
shocked throughout all his being. He decided to fulfill his son's will,
regardless of all obstacles.
Outraged, feeling his honor soiled, he prepared to take drastic
steps. "You shall see," said he to Shlomo; " your daughter,
Salica, will marry my son, for the good - or for the bad..." Adamant,
Shlomo turned his back, ignoring his words altogether.
As expected, a few days afterwards, Shlomo and his family heard
knocking on the door. "We come to take Salica, in the name of the
Law!"
The authorities had grounds for their decision. They had been
informed, fallaciously, by a certain rich and distinguished Arab, that Salica
had converted to Islam, but then returned to her heritage, her Jewish faith.
The police ransacked the house, searching for Salica. To their
surprise, she was not to be found! Reacting to rumors that the authorities
sought her arrest, she had already escaped to a nearby town, where she was
hiding with relatives.
The authorities were clever, and did not give up so easily.
Instead, they arrested Salica's mother as a hostage until Salica would appear
and hand herself over for prosecution. When Salica heard of this, she
immediately returned to the city, for the sake of her mother's freedom. Upon
handing herself over to the authorities, they arrested and imprisoned her.
A few days later, she appeared in court, for judgment. "How
dare you convert to our faith, then abandon it," roared the prosecution.
All the Jews of the community, her family, her friends - they
trembled at the aggressiveness, the recklessness of the prosecution. They
dreaded the probable verdict....
But Salica did not fear. She remained firm and strong, outwardly
demonstrating her will and determination, before the judges and prosecution.
She proudly maintained, "Never, never did I leave my faith. I never became
a Muslim, and I never, ever will! I was born a Jew, and thus shall I die!"
Nevertheless, the judges, accepted the accusations of the
prosecution, listening to their cursed lies. The prosecution "proved"
that she had converted to the Islamic faith, but then returned to Judaism, the
faith of her ancestors. The judges declared the verdict: She was sentenced to
be killed by the sword.
The guards, with cruelty and viciousness, imprisoned Salica.
Meanwhile, messengers from the wealthy Muslim families came to influence her
heart. Even so, isolated in a dreadful cell, Salica refused to listen. The
promised her riches, wealth, prosperity -- all the good in the world -- but in
vain. Salica would not give in.
Even the leaders of the Jewish community came to her, sadly begging
that she convert, and marry the Arab. Otherwise, they pleaded, the entire
community would suffer. Still, she remained strong. The pleading went unheeded.
Next, the prison guards were sent to brutalize and torture her, in
an attempt to forcefully persuade her to abandon her faith, convert, and marry
the Arab. The torture, the brute force, the terror - this, too, went unheeded.
"I cannot betray my G-d, the G-d of my ancestors, the G-d of the Universe."
The prison guards even forcefully brought the Jewish leaders, once
again, and compelled them under force, to command her to convert, and to marry
the Muslim. She refused, outright. Salica remained strong, in her heart and in
her mind; she would not betray her faith.
In the last few moments of her life, as she awaited the execution,
the final fulfillment of the verdict, she was visited by the Muslim boy, the
very cause of her misfortune, the source of her sorrow and torture.
He whispered, "Please, Salica, my love, listen to me. This is
your last opportunity. You can be saved, Salica, saved from death. You don't
even have to become Muslim, Salica. Just pretend to, outwardly. Just marry me,
please! I don't desire your death, your harm. Your religion is of no importance
to me."
To his shock, Salica turned her head, refusing to so much as
acknowledge him. In the last seconds of her life, bound in chains, while the
executioner held the sword high, raised above her neck - Salica screamed the
ancient cry of the Jewish martyr:
"Shema Yisrael - Hear, O Israel, G-D is our G-d, G-D is One!"
Salica sanctified the name of G-D in her life, and even more, in
her death. "A woman of worth, who can find? For her price is far
above rubies" (Proverbs 31:10).
~~~~~~~~~~~
Source: Adapted by Yerachmiel Tilles from the rendition in "Hear
and Your Soul Shall Live" as told by Rav Moshe Weber. First
published in Hebrew (in L'ma'an Yishma'u) by Rabbi Yitzchak-Ido
Erhlich-Weber, and roughly translated into English by Emanuel Behar and Ari
Chester.
Connection - weekly Torah reading of Vayishlach: the episode of Dina bas
Yaakov (Gen. 34:3-5)
Footnotes:
[1] 5416 (1656) - 19 Sivan 5493 (1733), the father of the Ohr HaChaim HaKadosh)
[2] Perhaps Rabbi Vidal Haserfati? (hyomi.org.il)
Milestone Helene Fortunoff, 88,
Jewelry maker. https://www.timesofisrael.com/helene-fortunoff-jewish-pioneer-of-a-us-jewelry-empire-dies-at-88/
Milestone Netty Gross, 66, report
voice of the unheard. https://www.timesofisrael.com/journalist-netty-gross-voice-of-those-who-otherwise-wouldnt-be-heard-dies-at-66/
Inyanay Diyoma
Massive Neo-Nazi Arms Cache in
Austria. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/316820
US covered up 64 civilian casualties.
https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/316820
Charedim are not working for
Netanyahu’s survival. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/316846
Protestors try to block Yerushalayim
over police murder of a 16year old. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/316845
Jew injured in Arab Yerushalayim
Rock incident. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/316840
150 Bison in winter migration. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/winter-migration-begins-as-yellowstone-bison-are-filmed-in-national-park-roads-180978991/
Polish Nationalists shout death to
Jews. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/316827
One Republican attacks Jewish Rival.
https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/316814
Crown Heights man punched slurred. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/316815
N. Korea has more material for Nukes. https://www.foxnews.com/world/north-korea-ingredients-nuclear-bombs
Vaccine Mandates are
unconstitutional. https://www.foxnews.com/politics/texas-sues-biden-administration-flaty-unconstitutional-federal-vaccine-mandate
School Admin. Spies on Parents. https://www.foxnews.com/media/arizona-parents-spying-school-administrator-ingraham-angle
Chinese tried spying on US Trade. https://www.foxbusiness.com/politics/chinese-spy-convicted-steal-us-trade-secrets
Body of backpacker found. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/316835
Nuremberg Trial and Vaccine Mandates Ed-Op Bederman. https://dianebederman.com/dear-doctors-time-for-you-to-clue-in-to-your-obligations-to-the-nuremberg-code-and-defense/
High Winds many terror related fires. https://www.timesofisrael.com/concern-for-human-life-100-homes-evacuated-in-northern-town-as-wildfire-burns/
Children’s Author accused of abusing
girls. https://www.timesofisrael.com/celebrated-haredi-childrens-author-accused-of-sexually-abusing-teen-girls/
Friday I saw a news item with no
name from: Sophia Boswell From Esther
Crouch "I just got a
message that Jonathan Pollard's wife situation with cancer is deteriorating and
she needs tefillahs badly her name is Esther Yohevet Bat Raizel Bracha.
May she have a Refuah Shlayma." Tefillah and Tehillim please!
Ukraine: 100,000 Russian Troops
Amassed near border. https://www.timesofisrael.com/ukraines-president-says-100000-russian-troops-amassed-near-border/
Scorpion Stings kill 3 injure many
in Egypt. https://www.timesofisrael.com/scorpion-swarms-kill-3-injure-hundreds-in-egyptian-city/
Uganda’s first Jewish Doctor. https://www.timesofisrael.com/where-there-is-no-doctor-ugandas-1st-jewish-physician-returns-home-to-be-one/
US and Israel partner to fight
ransomware attacks. https://www.ynetnews.com/article/rjcvaljuk
Gunfire outside of major Israeli
Hospital. https://www.ynetnews.com/article/sjcngbkdy#autoplay
India’s Military Chief visits
Israel. https://www.ynetnews.com/article/r1zcriawy
Metaverse Chips to be designed in
Israel. https://www.ynetnews.com/business/article/b1gbh9100f
Israel and Taiwan AI start-up QC
Inspection. https://www.algemeiner.com/2021/11/14/israeli-ai-developer-cortica-and-johnson-electric-launch-8-5-million-autonomous-inspection-startup/
Israeli star smashes records. https://www.algemeiner.com/2021/11/14/israeli-movie-star-gal-gadots-new-film-smashes-netflixs-opening-day-viewing-record/
Israel is in line for Pfizer’s Covid
Pill. https://www.algemeiner.com/2021/11/14/pfizers-covid-pill-to-arrive-in-israel-after-fda-approval/
We prefer no consulate no exemption.
https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/316917
Attempted Hezballah attack in
Columbia. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/316911
Shoot thieves and smugglers. https://www.timesofisrael.com/idf-updates-open-fire-rules-letting-soldiers-shoot-thieves-smugglers/
3 terrorists arrested in Liverpool. https://www.timesofisrael.com/british-police-arrest-three-men-after-deadly-liverpool-car-blast/
Sanctions on Gov. Offices that do
not move to capital. https://www.timesofisrael.com/ministers-approve-sanctions-for-government-offices-that-dont-move-to-jerusalem/
Gov. delays entrance to Sputnik V
injections. https://www.timesofisrael.com/israel-delays-entry-of-tourists-vaccinated-with-russias-sputnik-v/
DOJ harasses Steve Bannon. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/316889
Austria lockdown for unvaccinated. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/316904
Arab groom still wants to convert. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/316900
US Dollar falls to lowest level in
25years. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/317043
Israel shoots at ‘empty’ building in
Damascus. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/317060
The higher standards of Kosher. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/316981
Bar Ilan U. anti-diabetes study. https://www.timesofisrael.com/university-launches-major-75-million-project-to-combat-diabetes-as-cases-climb/
Uranium Centrifuge Plant back
on-line. https://www.timesofisrael.com/iran-said-to-resume-work-at-centrifuge-plant-allegedly-targeted-by-israel/
Incoming Corona Rules eased. https://www.ynetnews.com/travel/article/bkx4ouzdt
Israeli Mafia Kingpin convicted. https://www.timesofisrael.com/court-convicts-mob-kingpin-of-murdering-3-bystanders-in-failed-hit/
Armed hospital brawl shows
lawlessness. https://www.ynetnews.com/article/80LU8NU0M#autoplay
Turkish Interior Min. accuses
Israelis. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/317034
Ed-Op Fishman. Erdogan’s: ‘Midnight
Express’. https://www.ynetnews.com/article/rkko1vcvy
Ed-Op R. Pauli any
Israeli perhaps anybody who travels to Turkey, Afghanistan, Pakistan, N. Korea
and a few other places is a fool.
Daycare decree delayed until Jan. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/317020
Instead of increasing oil and gas
production in the USA Biden asks for some reserves from China. Virtual Summit. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/317033
Fakest of the Fake News no truth: https://www.algemeiner.com/2021/11/16/new-york-times-video-depicts-israeli-soldiers-winning-pizza-coupons-by-shooting-palestinians-for-fun/
Media silent on Biden trying to
force the PLO to accept Hamas who murdered their people. https://www.algemeiner.com/2021/11/16/media-silent-amid-us-eu-push-for-palestinian-unity-government-including-terrorist-hamas/
Duke Chapter of Support Israel
blocked. https://www.algemeiner.com/2021/11/16/national-pro-israel-student-group-disturbed-after-duke-university-chapter-vetoed-over-social-media-post/
US Born Lt. shows Ambassador and
others Iron Dome. https://www.algemeiner.com/2021/11/16/life-or-death-decisions-us-born-idf-missile-defense-officer-takes-american-un-envoy-on-tour-of-iron-dome/
NYPD investigates threats at Bagel
Store. https://www.algemeiner.com/2021/11/16/nypd-investigating-threat-at-kosher-bagel-store-remove-those-israeli-flags-or-ill-burn-the-building-down/
The Dark Side of Social Media. https://www.algemeiner.com/2021/11/16/jewish-author-david-baddiel-explores-darker-side-of-social-media-in-upcoming-bbc-documentary/
Israel will defend itself from Iran. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/317037
No forced mandate on vax for
children. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/317011
Greek Fortress destroyed by Maccabees
found. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/317000
Three arrested in Poland in
connection to Antisemites. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/316979
1Shachid 2stabbing victims. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/317108
Iran Doxing the man who is stopping
their cyber-attacks. https://www.timesofisrael.com/amid-ongoing-cyberwar-iran-uses-new-tactic-doxing-israeli-foes/
Couple jailed in Turkey return home.
https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/317139
Israel must improve ties with Egypt.
https://www.algemeiner.com/2021/11/17/israel-must-strike-while-the-iron-is-hot-and-improve-ties-with-egypt/
Homicide Bombing in Uganda. https://edition.cnn.com/2021/11/16/africa/uganda-kampala-explosion-intl-hnk/index.html
Levin: Most of the Media is racial
and antisemitic. https://rumble.com/vp8x39-levin-well-never-have-a-united-society-if-the-media-keeps-spewing-their-hat.html?mref=6zof&mc=dgip3&utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Mark+Levin+Show&ep=2
Hezballah Drug Cartel. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/317052
Secret Op to bring in Illegals. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/317024
The War on Christians (and of course
Jews) https://www.infowars.com/posts/gibraltar-cancels-christmas-despite-100-of-population-fully-vaccinated/
Ed-Op Ben Yishai moderate security
improvement. https://www.ynetnews.com/article/rkc5gagot
Shin Bet head meets PLO leader. https://www.ynetnews.com/article/s1hbwgb00k
Prosecutor’s office or police leaked
new details without informing Netanyahu delaying the trial. Like exculpatory
Rittenhouse Video. https://www.ynetnews.com/article/r1orxjbuf
Russian space missile test
threatened ISS. https://www.timesofisrael.com/russian-missile-test-causes-debris-cloud-threatening-international-space-station/
Victim 109 or 114 in Arab Sector. https://www.timesofisrael.com/man-shot-dead-leaving-funeral-2nd-man-the-intended-target-badly-hurt/
Arab Spy Chiefs embrace Syria with
US OK. https://www.debka.com/arab-spy-chiefs-found-an-inner-circle-in-cairo-embrace-syria-with-us-nod/
Close to 90 days after withdrawal
from Afghanistan families of 60 military men still left behind. https://americanmilitarynews.com/2021/11/60-us-troops-family-members-stranded-in-afghanistan-biden-admin-not-helping-them/
Mezuzos stolen. https://www.algemeiner.com/2021/11/17/at-least-a-dozen-mezuzah-thefts-prompts-new-antisemitism-task-force-at-indiana-university/
Knesset to investigate death of teen
in police ramming. https://www.timesofisrael.com/knesset-votes-to-investigate-death-of-settler-teen-in-police-chase-last-year/
Herzog to meet with Boris Johnston. https://www.timesofisrael.com/herzog-to-meet-with-boris-johnson-jewish-leaders-in-uk-visit-next-week/
UAE pays for solar energy plant for
Israel for desalination of water for Yarden. https://www.timesofisrael.com/israel-jordan-uae-reportedly-set-to-sign-massive-solar-water-swap-deal/
Helen Mirren to play Golda Meir. https://www.timesofisrael.com/first-look-at-helen-mirren-as-golda-meir-in-upcoming-biopic/
AI detects 73% of the time liars. https://www.timesofisrael.com/liar-liar-reading-faces-israeli-tech-spots-fibbers-with-73-accuracy/
Arguments to be heard in court cable
crash boy. https://www.ynetnews.com/article/rkpitpgdk
Herzog talks to Chinese Leader. https://www.ynetnews.com/article/bytdcogot
Rabbi gives homeless man his new
shoes. https://www.ynetnews.com/article/rjaituguy#autoplay
A strong health system key to
security. https://www.ynetnews.com/article/bjn2djzoy
Covid cases rise among non or
expired vaccinated. https://www.ynetnews.com/health_science/article/hyngaafuy
Miami Building collapsed from new
construction. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/317138
Weak Administration weak deal. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/317131
Charedim want Ganz to be PM. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/317123
VP incompetent that Dems want
replaced. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/317128
Where is Reporter outrage on raid? https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/317119
2 suspects in attack on Jewish
child. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/317116
Jewish Taliban to move to Arab
Country. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/317096
EMT saves life of Akko man. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/317106
37year high inflation & Psaki. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/317124
Whistle blower on FBI targeting
parents. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/317111
Swastika use by anti-vaxxers. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/317014
Iran deal good for Iran. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/316993
Israel discovers quantum encoding. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/317009
Austin Arson suspect charged. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/317007
Egypt gives Israel Hamas plan for
peace. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/317006
Alice to the moon Alice. https://www.foxnews.com/science/nasa-launch-of-first-moon-rocket-since-apollo-mission-february
UK declares Hamas a terrorist Org. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/317218
Journalist who mentioned killing
Brazil's Jews apologizes. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/317217
Charlottesville and gas the Kikes. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/317215
Haifa fire had residents trapped on
porches. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/317216
As in Israel, FL against Vaccine
Mandates. https://www.aol.com/news/florida-bans-strict-vaccine-mandates-221032230-004654981.html
Two Iranians charged with election
interference. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/317198
Ate only bread and water to say
kosher. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/317188
Shin-Bet failed to detect spy in
Defense Minister's home. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/317184
2023 Israel to join Visa Exemption
Program. https://www.ynetnews.com/article/by7a1g4dt
Price of Freedom: Bennett thanks
Erdogan for help. https://www.ynetnews.com/article/b1uriznoy
Rabbi helps save Afghan female teen
football team. https://www.ynetnews.com/article/b1xoep7dy
UAE and Saudis abandon Yemen's coast
could be from weak Biden. https://www.debka.com/saudis-uae-suddenly-abandon-red-sea-coast-to-iranian-houthi-control-a-shocker-for-us-and-allies/
The Michael Jordan of Israel a
documentary story of a true convert. https://www.timesofisrael.com/us-born-baller-who-became-israels-michael-jordan-in-the-70s-stars-in-new-doc/
Team Owner faces sex and crypto-currency
crimes. https://www.timesofisrael.com/beitar-jerusalem-owner-arrested-for-alleged-massive-crypto-fraud-sex-crimes/
Have a wonderful
Shabbos,
Rachamim Pauli
