Parsha Vayetze also spelled Vayeitzei — Chabad
Parsha Toldos ended with Rivka over hearing Esav talking to
himself or to Eliphaz about murdering Yacov. She then hatches a plan to get
Yitzchak to send Yacov away.
28:10 And Jacob went out from Beersheba, and
went toward Haran.
Rivka convinces Yitzchak to have a talk with
Yacov about whom to marry and stay away from. So Yacov leaves on Yitzchak’s
advice. Rivka is a genius she puts her ideas and philosophy and he takes it as
his idea so that even Esav will listen.
11 And he lighted upon the place, and
tarried there all night, because the sun was set; and he took one of the stones
of the place, and put it under his head, and lay down in that place to
sleep.
There was 12 stones and he placed them around
himself and one under his head.
12 And he dreamed, and behold a ladder set
up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven; and behold the angels of
God ascending and descending on it.
One Medrash says that he saw the angels of Eretz
Yisrael Ascending and the Angels for Gallus descending. Another Pshat from
Rabbi Simcha HaCohain Kuk TzZal that he saw his Angel going up then Esav’s
surpassing him and vice versa.
13 And, behold, the LORD stood beside him,
and said: ‘I am the LORD, the God of Abraham thy father, and the God of Isaac.
The land whereon thou lie, to thee will I give it, and to thy
seed. 14 And thy seed shall be as the dust of the earth, and thou
shalt spread abroad to the west, and to the east, and to the north, and to the
south. And in thee and in thy seed shall all the families of the earth be
blessed. 15 And, behold, I am with thee, and will keep thee whithersoever
thou go, and will bring thee back into this land; for I will not leave thee,
until I have done that which I have spoken to thee of.’
How does one tell a prophecy dream from a regular
dream? In the former everything is detailed and remember in the later can be
vague or very vague.
16 And Jacob awaked out of his sleep, and he
said: ‘Surely the LORD is in this place; and I knew it not.’ 17 And
he was afraid, and said: ‘How full of awe is this place! This is none other
than the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven.’
Yacov awoke and knew it was an awesome prophecy
dream.
18 And Jacob rose up early in the morning,
and took the stone that he had put under his head, and set it up for a pillar,
and poured oil upon the top of it. 19 And he called the name of that
place Beth-el, but the name of the city was Luz at the first.
Some commentaries place this on Har Moriah but
most at the spot we call Bethel today.
20 And Jacob vowed a vow, saying: ‘If God
will be with me, and will keep me in this way that I go, and will give me bread
to eat, and raiment to put on, 21 so that I come back to my father’s
house in peace, then shall the LORD be my God, 22 and this stone,
which I have set up for a pillar, shall be God’s house; and of all that Thou
shalt give me I will surely give the tenth unto Thee.’
This is the basis for Maaser.
29:1 Then Jacob went on his
journey, and came to the land of the children of the east.
There is a Medrash of Eliphaz ben Esav trying to
kill Yacov and Yacov giving him all he Jewels and gold. He then learned 14years
with Shem and Ever and then goes to Haran. The Pshat is that he went directly
east but the ages of the brothers works out better with the Beit Medrash story.
2 And he looked, and behold a well in the
field, and, lo, three flocks of sheep lying there by it.—For out of that well
they watered the flocks. And the stone upon the well’s mouth was
great. 3 And thither were all the flocks gathered; and they rolled
the stone from the well’s mouth, and watered the sheep, and put the stone back
upon the well’s mouth in its place.—4 And Jacob said unto them: ‘My
brethren, whence are ye?’ And they said: ‘Of Haran are we.’ 5 And he
said unto them: ‘Know ye Laban the son of Nahor?’ And they said: ‘We know him.’ 6 And
he said unto them: ‘Is it well with him?’ And they said: ‘It is well; and,
behold, Rachel his daughter comes.’ 7 And he said: ‘Lo, it is yet
high day, neither is it time that the cattle should be gathered together; water
ye the sheep, and go and feed them.’ 8 And they said: ‘We cannot,
until all the flocks be gathered together, and they roll the stone from the
well’s mouth; then we water the sheep.’ 9 While he was yet speaking
with them, Rachel came with her father’s sheep; for she tended
them. 10 And it came to pass, when Jacob saw Rachel the daughter of
Laban his mother’s brother, and the sheep of Laban his mother’s brother, that
Jacob went near, and rolled the stone from the well’s mouth, and watered the
flock of Laban his mother’s brother.
The Pshat is that he used his staff and a rock as
a fulcrum and used Archimedes Principle. Midrashim have him using the Divine
NAME or tremendous strength.
That Jacob drew near and rolled: As
one who removes the stopper from a bottle, to let you know that he possessed
great strength (Gen. Rabbah 70:12).
11 And Jacob kissed Rachel, and lifted up
his voice, and wept.
Kissing your Bashert in Public is not exactly
Yeshiva Bachur Behavior.
And wept: Since he foresaw with the
holy spirit that she (Rachel) would not enter the grave with him. Another
explanation: Since he came empty-handed, he said, “Eliezer, my grandfather’s
servant, had nose rings, and bracelets and sweet fruits in his possession, and
I am coming with nothing in my hands. [He had nothing] because Eliphaz the son
of Esau had pursued him to kill him at his father’s orders; he (Eliphaz)
overtook him, but since he had grown up in Isaac’s lap, he held back his hand.
He said to him (Jacob), ”What shall I do about my father’s orders?“ Jacob
replied, ”Take what I have, for a poor man is counted as dead." - [from
Bereishit Rabbathi by Rabbi Moshe Hadarshan]
12 And Jacob told Rachel that he was her
father’s brother, and that he was Rebekah’s son; and she ran and told her
father.
All of a sudden a stranger comes and kisses her
whither on her forehead or lips but he explains who he is and since he is the
second born and she the second born they are matched up from her birth.
13 And it came to pass, when Laban heard the
tidings of Jacob his sister’s son, that he ran to meet him, and embraced him,
and kissed him, and brought him to his house. And he told Laban all these
things.
Rashi explains a “French Kiss” to search for
Jewels hidden in his teeth. He also hugs him an gives him an “Airport” Search
pat down.
14 And Laban said to him: ‘Surely thou art
my bone and my flesh.’ And he abode with him the space of a
month. 15 And Laban said unto Jacob: ‘Because thou art my brother,
shouldest thou therefore serve me for nought? Tell me, what shall thy wages be?’ 16 Now
Laban had two daughters: the name of the elder was Leah, and the name of the
younger was Rachel. 17 And Leah’s eyes were weak; but Rachel was of
beautiful form and fair to look upon.
Leah was crying so much that she would have to
marry Esav that her eyes were weak. Probably near sighted or cross-eyed.
18 And Jacob loved Rachel; and he said: ‘I
will serve thee seven years for Rachel thy younger daughter.’ 19 And
Laban said: ‘It is better that I give her to thee, than that I should give her
to another man; abide with me.’ 20 And Jacob served seven years for
Rachel; and they seemed unto him but a few days, for the love he had to
her. 21 And Jacob said unto Laban: ‘Give me my wife, for my days are
filled, that I may go in unto her.’
We know not the ages of Leah or Rachel but Yacov
was 63 at the time of Yitzchak’s blessing. He then learned 14 years with Shem
and Ever arriving at the age of 77 by Lavan. He then was 84 years at the time
of the wedding.
22 And Laban gathered together all the men
of the place, and made a feast. 23 And it came to pass in the
evening, that he took Leah his daughter, and brought her to him; and he went in
unto her. 24 And Laban gave Zilpah his handmaid unto his daughter
Leah for a handmaid. 25 And it came to pass in the morning that,
behold, it was Leah; and he said to Laban: ‘What is this thou hast done unto
me? Did not I serve with thee for Rachel? Wherefore then hast thou beguiled me?’
She had a very thick veil and Rachel knew her
father was capable of killing and feared him. That is the Pshat there is a
story with switched communication signs.
26 And Laban said: ‘It is not so done in our
place, to give the younger before the first-born. 27 Fulfil the week
of this one, and we will give thee the other also for the service which thou
shalt serve with me yet seven other years.’
This time it was a week of Sheva Brachos and no
more delay until marriage with Rachel.
28 And Jacob did so, and fulfilled her week;
and he gave him Rachel his daughter to wife. 29 And Laban gave to
Rachel his daughter Bilhah his handmaid to be her handmaid. 30 And he
went in also unto Rachel, and he loved Rachel more than Leah, and served with
him yet seven other years. 31 And the LORD saw that Leah was hated,
and he opened her womb; but Rachel was barren.
If one has children or grandchildren he should
not show favoritism and each should feel special.
32 And Leah conceived, and bore a son, and
she called his name Reuben; for she said: ‘Because the LORD hath looked upon my
affliction; for now my husband will love me.’
See a son or see that I bore you a son Reu-ben.
33 And she conceived again, and bore a son;
and said: ‘Because the LORD hath heard that I am hated, He hath therefore given
me this son also.’ And she called his name Simeon.
The L-RD has heard me like Shema or Shomaya.
Hence Shimon.
34 And she conceived again, and bore a son;
and said: ‘Now this time will my husband be joined unto me, because I have
borne him three sons.’ Therefore was his name called Levi.
My heart and he will give me now his heart.
35 And she conceived again, and bore a son;
and she said: ‘This time will I praise the LORD.’ Therefore, she called his
name Judah; and she left off bearing.
Yehud or uniting joining together.
30:1 And when Rachel saw that
she bore Jacob no children, Rachel envied her sister; and she said unto Jacob: ‘Give
me children, or else I die.’ 2 And Jacob’s anger was kindled against
Rachel; and he said: ‘Am I in God’s stead, who hath withheld from thee the
fruit of the womb?’
She was like spinning around his head and he was
angry thinking what do you want from me or from my life. It is not my fault
that you are barren. I pray for you but we are not successful.
3 And she said: ‘Behold my maid Bilhah, go
in unto her; that she may bear upon my knees, and I also may be built up
through her.’ 4 And she gave him Bilhah her handmaid to wife; and
Jacob went in unto her.
She will be a surrogate for me and a baby nurse
and I will raise the child like mine. There is a Medrash told to me by the late
Rabbi Tuvia Mushkin that Laban had 4 daughters two from his wife and two from
his servant so all four wives were sister and from Lavan.
5 And Bilhah conceived, and bore Jacob a
son. 6 And Rachel said: ‘God hath judged me, and hath also heard my
voice, and hath given me a son.’ Therefore called she his name Dan.
Din a law or judgement.
7 And Bilhah Rachel’s handmaid conceived
again, and bore Jacob a second son. 8 And Rachel said: ‘With mighty
wrestlings have I wrestled with my sister, and have prevailed.’ And she called
his name Naphtali.
From my wrestling with my sister Leah.
9 When Leah saw that she had left off
bearing, she took Zilpah her handmaid, and gave her to Jacob to
wife. 10 And Zilpah Leah’s handmaid bore Jacob a
son. 11 And Leah said: ‘Fortune is come!’ And she called his name
Gad.
Gad is goat but also a sign for luck.
12 And Zilpah Leah’s handmaid bore Jacob a
second son. 13 And Leah said: ‘Happy am I! for the daughters will
call me happy.’ And she called his name Asher.
My late father had a grandmother from a family
that escaped the Inquisition. She named her sons with the exception of Wolf
after his grandfather but the other names were Spanish. She influenced my
grandfather to call my father Felix. I took this name for my second son and
called him Asher in Hebrew.
14 And Reuben went in the days of wheat
harvest, and found mandrakes in the field, and brought them unto his mother
Leah. Then Rachel said to Leah: ‘Give me, I pray thee, of thy son’s mandrakes.’
The root of the mandrakes is poisonous in large
quantities but a small amount was considered an aphrodisiac. It has
hallucinogenic properties and could cause a woman to have fantasies.
15 And she said unto her: ‘Is it a small
matter that thou hast taken away my husband? And would thou take away my son’s
mandrakes also?’ And Rachel said: ‘Therefore he shall lie with thee to-night
for thy son’s mandrakes.’
Tonight you will hire him with your son’s
mandrakes.
16 And Jacob came from the field in the
evening, and Leah went out to meet him, and said: ‘Thou must come in unto me;
for I have surely hired thee with my son’s mandrakes.’ And he lay with her that
night. 17 And God hearkened unto Leah, and she conceived, and bore
Jacob a fifth son. 18 And Leah said: ‘God hath given me my hire,
because I gave my handmaid to my husband. And she called his name
Issachar.
Literally I have received my payment.
19 And Leah conceived again, and bore a
sixth son to Jacob. 20 And Leah said: ‘God hath endowed me with a
good dowry; now will my husband dwell with me, because I have borne him six
sons.’ And she called his name Zebulun.
Honor of having half the tribes by now.
21 And afterwards she bore a daughter, and
called her name Dinah.
Din or law and G-D has ruled a girl.
22 And God remembered Rachel, and God
hearkened to her, and opened her womb. 23 And she conceived, and bore
a son, and said: ‘God hath taken away my reproach.’ 24 And she called
his name Joseph, saying: ‘The LORD add to me another son.’
Yosef or HE will add. In Gematria Yitzchak is 8
times the Divine NAME or 8 x 26. Yacov is 7 x 26 and Yosef is 6 x 26.
25 And it came to pass, when Rachel had
borne Joseph, that Jacob said unto Laban: ‘Send me away, that I may go unto
mine own place, and to my country. 26 Give me my wives and my
children for whom I have served thee, and let me go; for thou know my service
wherewith I have served thee.’ 27 And Laban said unto him: ‘If now I
have found favor in thine eyes—I have observed the signs, and the LORD hath
blessed me for thy sake.’
Before you came, I only had daughters. Now I have
sons.
28 And he said: ‘Appoint me thy wages, and I
will give it.’ 29 And he said unto him: ‘Thou know how I have served
thee, and how thy cattle have fared with me. 30 For it was little
which thou had before I came, and it hath increased abundantly; and the LORD
hath blessed thee whithersoever I turned. And now when shall I provide for mine
own house also?’ 31 And he said: ‘What shall I give thee?’ And Jacob
said: ‘Thou shalt not give me aught; if thou wilt do this thing for me, I will again
feed thy flock and keep it. 32 I will pass through all thy flock
to-day, removing from thence every speckled and spotted one, and every dark one
among the sheep, and the spotted and speckled among the goats; and of such
shall be my hire.
I will receive the new sheep that are speckled
and spotted ones I have as my own.
33 So shall my righteousness witness against
me hereafter, when thou shalt come to look over my hire that is before thee:
every one that is not speckled and spotted among the goats, and dark among the
sheep, that if found with me shall be counted stolen.’ 34 And Laban
said: ‘Behold, would it might be according to thy word.’
So Lavan made a contract with Yacov.
35 And he removed that day the he-goats that
were streaked and spotted, and all the she-goats that were speckled and
spotted, every one that had white in it, and all the dark ones among the sheep,
and gave them into the hand of his sons. 36 And he set three days’
journey betwixt himself and Jacob. And Jacob fed the rest of Laban’s
flocks.
Yacov gave his boys to ten after the sheep and
goats but at this time Reuven is only around 6 to 7.
37 And Jacob took him rods of fresh poplar,
and of the almond and of the plane-tree; and peeled white streaks in them,
making the white appear which was in the rods. 38 And he set the rods
which he had peeled over against the flocks in the gutters in the
watering-troughs where the flocks came to drink; and they conceived when they
came to drink. 39 And the flocks conceived at the sight of the rods,
and the flocks brought forth streaked, speckled, and spotted.
The child comes out with the thoughts of the
mother at conception. The rods were designed to produce sheep from the healthy
animals and the weaker produced for Lavan.
40 And Jacob separated the lambs—he also set
the faces of the flocks toward the streaked and all the dark in the flock of
Laban—and put his own droves apart, and put them not unto Laban’s flock. 41 And
it came to pass, whensoever the stronger of the flock did conceive, that Jacob
laid the rods before the eyes of the flock in the gutters, that they might
conceive among the rods; 42 but when the flock were feeble, he put them
not in; so the feebler were Laban’s, and the stronger Jacob’s. 43 And
the man increased exceedingly, and had large flocks, and maid-servants and
men-servants, and camels and asses.
Yacov increased Lavan’s wealth but in the meantime, he amassed a
small fortune.
31:1 And he heard the words of Laban’s sons, saying: ‘Jacob hath
taken away all that was our father’s; and of that which was our father’s hath
he gotten all this wealth.’
After years with only daughter, upon Yacov’s arrival, Laban had
sons.
2 And Jacob beheld the countenance of Laban, and, behold, it
was not toward him as beforetime.
Yacov was amassing wealth at his expense. He did not realize the
wealth came from Yacov‘s Torah and Mitzvos.
3 And the LORD said unto Jacob: ‘Return unto the land of thy
fathers, and to thy kindred; and I will be with thee.’
After a hiatus of 34years, prophecy, Yacov receives a message from
G-D. In short he was no Bilaam. Yacov does the Mitzvos and no need for
prophecy.
4 And Jacob sent and called Rachel and Leah to the field unto
his flock, 5 and said unto them: ‘I see your father’s countenance,
that it is not toward me as beforetime; but the God of my father hath been with
me. 6 And ye know that with all my power I have served your
father. 7 And your father hath mocked me, and changed my wages ten
times; but God suffered him not to hurt me. 8 If he said thus: The
speckled shall be thy wages; then all the flock bore speckled; and if he said
thus: The streaked shall be thy wages; then bore all the flock
streaked. 9 Thus God hath taken away the cattle of your father, and
given them to me. 10 And it came to pass at the time that the flock
conceived, that I lifted up mine eyes, and saw in a dream, and, behold, the
he-goats which leaped upon the flock were streaked, speckled, and
grizzled. 11 And the angel of God said unto me in the dream: Jacob;
and I said: Here am I. 12 And he said: Lift up now thine eyes, and
see, all the he-goats which leap upon the flock are streaked, speckled, and
grizzled; for I have seen all that Laban doeth unto thee. 13 I am the
God of Beth-el, where thou didst anoint a pillar, where thou didst vow a vow
unto Me. Now arise, get thee out from this land, and return unto the land of
thy nativity.’
This is a detailed account of what happened to Yacov in his dream
and what he should do.
14 And Rachel and Leah answered and said unto him: ‘Is there
yet any portion or inheritance for us in our father’s house? 15 Are
we not accounted by him strangers? For he hath sold us, and hath also quite
devoured our price. 16 For all the riches which God hath taken away
from our father, that is ours and our children’s. Now then, whatsoever God hath
said unto thee, do.’ 17 Then Jacob rose up, and set his sons and his
wives upon the camels; 18 and he carried away all his cattle, and all
his substance which he had gathered, the cattle of his getting, which he had
gathered in Paddan-aram, to go to Isaac his father unto the land of
Canaan.
Lavan was ruthless and could murder Yacov. They decided a
strategic withdrawal from the area before the wicked and jealous Lavan would
try to enslave him.
19 Now Laban was gone to shear his sheep. And Rachel stole
the teraphim that were her father’s.
This was his idol and Rachel wanted him to stop worshipping it.
20 And Jacob outwitted Laban the Aramean, in that he told him
not that he fled. 21 So he fled with all that he had; and he rose up,
and passed over the River, and set his face toward the mountain of
Gilead. 22 And it was told Laban on the third day that Jacob was
fled. 23 And he took his brethren with him, and pursued after him
seven days’ journey; and he overtook him in the mountain of Gilead.
Lavan can raise a posy to go after the stolen god. Riding on
horses or camels to overcome a family with flocks and a herd.
24 And God came to Laban the Aramean in a dream of the night,
and said unto him: ‘Take heed to thyself that thou speak not to Jacob either
good or bad.’ 25 And Laban came up with Jacob. Now Jacob had pitched
his tent in the mountain; and Laban with his brethren pitched in the mountain
of Gilead. 26 And Laban said to Jacob: ‘What hast thou done, that
thou hast outwitted me, and carried away my daughters as though captives of the
sword? 27 Wherefore didst thou flee secretly, and outwit me; and
didst not tell me, that I might have sent thee away with mirth and with songs,
with tabret and with harp; 28 and didst not suffer me to kiss my sons
and my daughters? Now hast thou done foolishly.
Yacov you are disrespecting and not take his leave as the custom
was.
29 It is in the power of my hand to do you hurt; but the God
of your father spoke unto me yesternight, saying: Take heed to thyself that
thou speak not to Jacob either good or bad.
What he says now is the truth because this was his purpose which
G-D stopped.
30 And now that thou art surely gone, because thou sore
longest after thy father’s house, wherefore hast thou stolen my gods?’ 31 And
Jacob answered and said to Laban: ‘Because I was afraid; for I said: Lest thou
shouldest take thy daughters from me by force. 32 With whomsoever
thou find thy gods, he shall not live; before our brethren discern thou what is
thine with me, and take it to thee.’—For Jacob knew not that Rachel had stolen
them.—33 And Laban went into Jacob’s tent, and into Leah’s tent, and into
the tent of the two maid-servants; but he found them not. And he went out of
Leah’s tent, and entered into Rachel’s tent. 34 Now Rachel had taken
the teraphim, and put them in the saddle of the camel, and sat upon them. And
Laban felt about all the tent, but found them not. 35 And she said to
her father: ‘Let not my lord be angry that I cannot rise up before thee; for
the manner of women is upon me.’ And he searched, but found not the
teraphim.
She was afraid now of being killed but because Yacov opened his
mouth about the thief being killed, she would get it at child birth.
36 And Jacob was wroth, and strove with Laban. And Jacob
answered and said to Laban: ‘What is my trespass? What is my sin, that thou
hast hotly pursued after me?
For 20years I worked for you. I made you rich and you still are.
Now I want to go home with the possession that I have acquired with hard work
day and night. Etc.
37 Whereas thou hast felt about all my stuff, what hast thou
found of all thy household stuff? Set it here before my brethren and thy
brethren, that they may judge betwixt us two. 38 These twenty years
have I been with thee; thy ewes and thy she-goats have not cast their young,
and the rams of thy flocks have I not eaten. 39 That which was torn
of beasts I brought not unto thee; I bore the loss of it; of my hand didst thou
require it, whether stolen by day or stolen by night. 40 Thus I was:
in the day the drought consumed me, and the frost by night; and my sleep fled
from mine eyes. 41 These twenty years have I been in thy house: I
served thee fourteen years for thy two daughters, and six years for thy flock;
and thou hast changed my wages ten times. 42 Except the God of my
father, the God of Abraham, and the Fear of Isaac, had been on my side, surely
now hadst thou sent me away empty. God hath seen mine affliction and the labor
of my hands, and gave judgment yesternight.’ 43 And Laban answered
and said unto Jacob: ‘The daughters are my daughters, and the children are my
children, and the flocks are my flocks, and all that thou see is mine; and what
can I do this day for these my daughters, or for their children whom they have
borne?
The daughter and my grandchildren and possessions are all from me.
44 And now come, let us make a covenant, I and thou; and let
it be for a witness between me and thee.’ 45 And Jacob
took a stone, and set it up for a pillar. 46 And Jacob
said unto his brethren: ‘Gather stones’; and they took stones, and made a heap.
And they did eat there by the heap. 47 And Laban
called it Jegar-sahadutha; but Jacob called it Galeed.
A heap of stones for a witness or border marker. One cannot go
across it to the other side with evil attempts.
48 And Laban said: ‘This heap is witness between me and thee
this day.’ Therefore was the name of it called Galeed; 49 and Mizpah,
for he said: ‘The LORD watch between me and thee, when we are absent one from
another. 50 If thou shalt afflict my daughters, and if thou shalt
take wives beside my daughters, no man being with us; see, God is witness
betwixt me and thee.’ 51 And Laban said to Jacob: ‘Behold this heap,
and behold the pillar, which I have set up betwixt me and
thee. 52 This heap be witness, and the pillar be witness, that I will
not pass over this heap to thee, and that thou shalt not pass over this heap
and this pillar unto me, for harm. 53 The God of Abraham, and the God
of Nahor, the God of their father, judge betwixt us.’ And Jacob swore by the
Fear of his father Isaac. 54 And Jacob offered a sacrifice in the
mountain, and called his brethren to eat bread; and they did eat bread, and
tarried all night in the mountain.
Yacov got off by the skin of his teeth from this cut-throat by a
miracle dream from HASHEM to Lavan.
32:1 And early in the morning
Laban rose up, and kissed his sons and his daughters, and blessed them. And
Laban departed, and returned unto his place. 2 And Jacob went on his
way, and the angels of God met him. 3 And Jacob said when he saw
them: ‘This is God’s camp.’ And he called the name of that place
Mahanaim.
Are Parsha ends with Yacov surrounded by Angels.
Parsha Vayishlach
Yacov has left Haran
(Turkey) Padam Aram and put up a border of stones between Lavan and sons and
Eretz Yisrael. This is probably in Lebanon or Syria. Yacov with his spiritual
powers now returned sees the camp of Angels from Gallus and those from Eretz
Yisrael exchanging their watch upon him and his family.
32:4 And Jacob sent messengers before him to Esau his brother unto
the land of Seir, the field of Edom.
There is no real reason why Yacov
should risk a confront Esav. Let sleeping dogs lie. Esav is probably in the
area near Akaba. Yacov is south west of Mentula. Why does he have to put salt
on old wounds and awaken bye-gone memories? The answer can be found in the Arab
behavior of today. The family ties are very strong and sometimes women in
danger from a husband or ex-husband will return from a safe haven to see or
meet with family and also find themselves is grave danger or even exterminated.
The ties of the middle-east family is very strong. He had longing for his
parents and to show off his family to them.
The translation says messengers and
angels are messengers. Rashi says basically that the angels were with Yacov
from Mahanaim and he sent real Angels to Esav. However, Esav being used to
Angels in his father’s house lacked fear or awe of them. His fear of heaven was
on the lowest level of priority.
5 And he commanded them, saying:
'Thus shall ye say unto my lord Esau: Thus saith thy servant Jacob: I have
sojourned with Laban, and stayed until now.
Rashi points out that the word in Heb.
Lived is Garti or Gimmel Resh Tav Yud which is 613 in Gematria. So Yacov is
protected with his Mitzvos by the angels. But that does not stop Esav from his
murder plotting.
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.' 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.' 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.' 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.
By splitting of the waters for many
commentators.
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.
Yacov is not so much worried about his
personal being but that the future of Am Yisrael is in danger.
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.'
Putting it concisely. G-D you told me
to return home. I am here but in grave danger please keep your 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.'
We one of the seed of Yacov goes to
meet with a Goy, he should pray, give a present to placate him and be prepared
for war.
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 goes before me, and afterward I will see his
face; peradventure he will accept me.'
He is trying very hard time after time
to placate Esav. Each time without success but warn down.
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.
He did this so if Esav fell upon one
camp, the other would be to refuge.
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.
This was Esav’s Angel. And then he saw
that he did not prevail for Shachris was about to be said in heaven. Yacov was
supposed to keep up his guard. He turned his back as he was thinking that the
Angel will fly off. But the sneaks up behind Yacov and gives him a strike on h
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. 27 And he said:
'Let me go, for the day breaks .' And he said: 'I will not let thee go, except
thou bless me.' 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.'
Yacov without the proper name could
not neutralize the Angel for future generations.
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.' 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.
As the morning came, this unarmed
97year old shepherd is left limping to defend himself against a 400 man trained
military grade force.
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. 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.
Since Esav, the strong hunter and
warrior was a twin of Yacov, he suddenly realized what he must look like age
wise and who he is up against. Time and distance has made his heart grow fonder
and he is over-come by compassion.
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.' 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. 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.' 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. 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.
Esav had plenty of wealth from his
home and plundering. He did not need it but never say ‘no’ to more.
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.' 15 And Esau said: 'Let me now leave with thee some
of the folk that are with me.' And he said: 'What need of it? let me find favor
in the sight of my lord.' 16 So Esau returned that day on his way
unto Seir.
Yacov never got to Seir according to
the stories in the Chumash.
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. 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.
Schem is about half way between east
and west and maybe like a bit north of center in north to south axis.
34:1 And Dinah the daughter of Leah, whom she had borne unto
Jacob, went out to see the daughters of the land. 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 must have been 7 or so at the
time. In the middle-east until this day girls that age do marry.
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. 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.'
Dina was nice to Schem and there
seemed to be tenderness involve. They put together a treaty to be one people.
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. 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 third day after circumcision, the
area is weak and the men were not expecting war.
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. 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. 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.'
What have you done to me. And the
nations arose and tried to attack Yacov at Har Bracha and miraculously a fog
appeared and they slew each other while Yacov and the family disappeared in the fog.
31 And they said: 'Should one
deal with our sister as with a harlot?'
Levi who did it for the
sake of heaven produced Moshe but Shimon’s motives were not so altruistic and he
produced Zimri. See Parshiyos Chukkas and Pinchas.
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.' 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 there God was revealed unto him, when he
fled from the face of his brother.
Yacov has returned with
more that a few meals and some clothing on his vow to HASHEM is now complete.
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.
The tree of weeping.
Devorah must have been at least 140 years old if we go according to the Ibn Ezra
that Rivka married at 14 and giving 20years plus minus for her nurse.
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.
He thanks G-D again.
15 And Jacob called the name of the place where
God spoke with him, Beth-el. 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.
Rachel – he is my poor
son aka no mother and Yacov he is my right hand son.
19 And Rachel died, and was buried in the way to
Ephrath--the same is Beth-lehem. 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.
The commentator say the Reuven
moved Yacov’s bed to be next to Leah and that was as if he slept with Bilhah.
Now the sons of Jacob were twelve:
Still from the next
Pasuk Reuven remained a son.
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.
In any even Esav came to
bury his father and both he and Yacov mourned together.
36:1 Now these are the generations of Esau--the same is
Edom. … These are the chiefs that came of the Horites, according to their
chiefs in the land of Seir. 31 And these are the kings that reigned in the land of Edom,
before there reigned any king over the children of Israel. … These are the
chiefs of Edom, according to their habitations in the land of their possession.
This is Esau the father of the Edomites.
Ed-Op Story
by Bat-Zion Susskind Sacks. 75 years to UN Mandate.
https://wingnsonawildflight.blogspot.com/2022/11/fleeing-from-babylon.html
Fleeing Babylon
Two days ago, Yisrael marked the
seventy fifth anniversary of the U.N. vote to divide Eretz Yisrael into Arab
and Jewish states. That event prompted a wave of exodus of Jews from Arab
countries to the modern-day State of Yisrael. Even prior to that historical
event, many Jews had been forced to leave their homes in Arab countries because
of violent attacks against their community. They became refugees, albeit,
forgotten refugees. It is time to remind our fellow Jews and the world of that
part of our history, lest we forget. This is the story of one person and her
family.
Rachel Hazan was born in Baghdad,
the capital of modern-day Iraq. Though her father’s family had originated in
Iran, on her mother’s side the family had been there for as far as they can
remember, possibly since the Babylonian exile following the destruction of the
first Temple in Yerushalayim.
The Jews of Iraq had a momentous
two-thousand-year-old history. They lived as an independent, homogeneous
community which was not only a staunch guardian of Jewish tradition but added
immensely to it.
During the 20’s and 30’s of the last
century, this community influenced almost every aspect of the Iraqi society,
primarily in the economic arena. It founded commercial bases in many of the
middle eastern and far eastern ports as well as in Europe and north America.
Under the hegemony of King Faisal, the first, Jews had conducted an
orderly life and lived peacefully alongside their Arab neighbors. They
regularly contributed to the social, literary, and scientific life of the Iraqi
culture.
This was the world which Rachel was
born into on an early day in the summer of 1925. She was the third child
in a family of nine children.
As a young woman who was reared and
raised in a conservative environment, Rachel was never sent to school. Her
father who was a skilled carpenter, earned a good living and provided the
family with all their needs. Other than sending her learning and mastering the
skill of sewing, Rachel was destined to stay home and help her mother raise her
younger brothers and sisters
Unfortunately, all good things come
to an end. The peace and tranquility which were the lot of the Iraqi Jews,
ceased with the outbreak of WWII. As a result of the ascension of Nazism in
Europe, coupled with the assassination of King Faisal, in 1937 and the pact between
the Mufti, Hajj Amin al Husseini and Hitler, antisemitism reared its ugly head
again. It also cascaded into Iraq and the surrounding countries in the Arab
world.
The Jews of Iraq were subjected to
many harsh edicts that were imposed upon them. They were constantly harassed
and threatened by their Arab neighbors. The attacks on them culminated in 1941
in what came to be known as the Farhud (Arabic term which means “pogrom” or
“violent dispossession”). It erupted on June 1st and lasted for
two days. During that time, mobs assaulted Jews, Jewish businesses, and homes.
According to the official report of the commission investigating the incident,
“128 Jews were killed, 210 were injured, and over 1500 businesses were
damaged.”
Fortunately, the Hazan family was
spared any attacks of violence. Their neighbors with whom they were in very
good relationships, protected and defended them.
Unfortunately for many other Iraqi
Jews, most of their Arab neighbors were not as kind. They either, actively,
partook in the attacks or simply stood idly and watched from afar.
The Farhud, as history illustrates,
raised Jewish national awareness, and increased the number of Iraqi Jews who
joined the Zionist organizations which operated as an underground movement and,
eventually, prompted many Jews to emigrate to Yisrael. That desire did not
escape the Hazan Family.
The first step towards making that
move was initiated by her uncle Ya’acov. A short time after the Farhud, he
decided to move his family to Yerushalayim in search of starting a new and
better life there.
Noteworthy to mention here is that
in those days, one passport was issued to all members of one family regardless
of the number of siblings.
Taking advantage of such a rule,
Ya’acov returned to Iraq and suggested that Ezra, Rachel’s oldest brother join
him, as his son, and accompany him to Yerushalayim. A year and a half later,
the Hazan family began to sell their assets, home, business, and many personal
items. Part of that money was sent through one of their trustworthy Arab
employees to Yisrael who, in turn, bought a plot of land for them in the
Hatikvah neighborhood of Tel Aviv. Her mother went to Basra, where her brother
resided to apply for passports for the family. Naturally, they were prohibited
from mentioning Yisrael as their destination.
Once their passports were in place,
the plan of their route of escape to the promised land continued to be woven
and started to take shape.
Since, as we all know too well, the
British limited the number of Jews that were allowed to emigrate to Yisrael,
Rachel and her family had an arduous and challenging project ahead of them.
That is where the Jewish Agency which operated in Iraq in a clandestine manner
entered the picture. To avoid any suspicion, the Agency advised Rachel’s
father to move to Turkey first. From Turkey, the family traveled to Syria under
the pretext of seeking medical treatment for Rachel and her sister Victoria.
Since they had taken too much luggage along with them, the Agency relieved them
of some and promised to deliver it to Yisrael where it eventually waited for
them.
The family spent one week in Syria.
From there, it crossed the border to Lebanon. In order to reach the Yisraeli
Lebanese border, the family had to travel four hours by car and then on for six
hours, not an easy mission for a family with eight children some of whom were
still very young, including one baby.
Luckily, they were guided by a
Jewish Iraqi police officer who was employed by the British but also worked for
the Jewish Agency. The officer also happened to be the son of one of the
Hazans’ close friends in Baghdad. It was his task to ensure that they cross the
border from Lebanon to Yisrael and safely reach Kfar Giladi which was situated
near the border with only an asphalt road separating between the two places.
At that spot, however, there was
also positioned a British Military base. Hence, one had to be overly cautious
not to be noticed.
Much to their dismay, that was a
rainy night which was interspersed with the occasional showers of heavy hail.
Just as they were all ready to cross
the road to freedom, a British soldier came out of his tent, turned on his
projector and inspected the area, as always, looking, mainly, for Jewish
illegal immigrants who were trying to make their way to a home that had been
given to them by a decree of the family of nations. Fortunately,
they were able to hide in a pit alongside the road, in an angle that the
British soldier’s projector missed.
Drenched, shivering hungry and
covered with mud, they finally reached Kfar Giladi where they were provided
with a room, hot water, and a nutritious warm meal. The police officer who had
escorted them could not stay with them. As an officer in the service of his
royal highness, King George the VI, he had to pretend and act in a “business as
usual” manner yet made sure that all their needs were satisfied.
After a few days, he arranged for
them to be transported to the central bus stop in Haifa where they finally
reunited with their uncle Ya’acov, his son Yoseph and their oldest brother Ezra
whom they had not seen in a few years. The three had all moved to Tel Aviv a
short while earlier.
Unfortunately, however, it was not
yet time to breathe a sigh of relief. It was almost Shabbat, when they
eventually reached Haifa, and no buses were available to transfer them to Tel
Aviv, their final destination. After a persistent persuasion process which
lasted close to ten hours, a bus was finally furnished for the large
family as well as for some other Jewish immigrants who had just arrived at the
shores of their future Homeland.
For a whole year, following their
arrival, the Hazan family lived in a tent which the father set up on the
property that they had purchased earlier. Later, a hut, constructed of wood and
stone, replaced the tent which was later succeeded by a comfortable house which
stands there until this very day and where Rachel still resides.
Rachel is surrounded and wrapped by
the love of her four children, thirteen grandchildren and twelve great
grandchildren. We wish her many more years of abundant health, Nachat and sheer
bliss.
Note: By 1951, ten years after the
Farhud, 92 percent of the Iraqi Jewish community had emigrated to the State of
Yisrael.
A Timely Crossing of The River by R. Yerachmiel Tilles
http://ascentofsafed.com/cgi-bin/ascent.cgi?Name=1304-11
"We will stay here
tonight," the Maggid of Mezritch said to his students who
accompanied him on his trip. They had stopped at a roadside inn, and requested
from the Jewish owner lodgings for the night.
The innkeeper, a G-d fearing Jew,
welcomed the party of Tzadikim (righteous people) with great joy and honor. He
thanked G-d that such a great merit had come his way, to host under his roof
holy people like the Maggid and some of his greatest students.
He hurried to arrange a table for
his guests laden with all the best food, after which he prepared beds for the
whole group. When the guests had finished their meal, the innkeeper approached
the Maggid and asked to speak to him.
The Maggid agreed and the
innkeeper said: "Already for a long time I wanted to come to the Rebbe to
ask his advice. I was about to leave for Mezritch and here the Rebbe himself
came to my house! Please Rebbe, give me your wise counsel."
After listening to the innkeeper,
the Maggid pointed at one of his companions, the youngest of his
students, Rabbi Shneur-Zalman of Liadi.
"Please go to him and ask
him for his advice," he said to the innkeeper. He added an extraordinary
remark, "He has exceptional wisdom, and the soul of the Ramban
(Nachmanides, i.e. Rabbi Moshe ben Nachman) lives in him. He will merit a son
like me. Do what he tells you."
The middle-aged innkeeper did as
he was told by the young Tzadik. He approached Rabbi Shneur Zalman and told him
what worried him.
For years the inn has afforded
him a generous livelihood, since many travelers stop there. He receives them,
gives them a place to eat and sleep, and so makes a good profit. Thank G-d, till
now the income he made was considerate. Lately though the expenses of operating
the inn grew, the rent was raised markedly and, in addition, a heavy tax was
put on his earnings. Now he couldn't make ends meet any more.
As a result, added the innkeeper,
he thought to leave this inn, with its high rent, and move to a vacant inn on
the other side of the river. The cost of running that inn would be less and he
would make more profit.
Rabbi Shneur Zalman heard him
out, thought for a while, then agreed to the move to the other inn. He told the
man that the move would be for the best, in light of the saying, "Changing
one's place changes one's fortune -- for good and for blessing."
The innkeeper was glad with these
words and Rabbi Shneur Zalman went to his room.
It was early morning, Rabbi
Shneur Zalman was in his room, learning Torah. When he left his room he was
surprised to see the innkeeper waiting at the entrance. Looking around him
Rabbi Shneur Zalman noticed that the inn was completely empty. There was nobody
there, nor was there any furniture or any of the other household goods that had
been there before.
The innkeeper saw his
astonishment and explained: "I heard an explanation of the saying of our
Sages '...and take advice from him', that the meaning is that after getting
advice from a Tzadik one should immediately act upon it, without waiting even
one moment. That is why, after I got your advice last night, I right away
started to pack all my possessions and transfer them to the other inn across the
river."
He added that the Maggid and his
other students had already moved to the other inn and they were waiting there
for Rabbi Shneur Zalman to join them.
The innkeeper and Rabbi Shneur
Zalman left the inn and got into the boat which would take them across the
river.
They had hardly stepped into the
boat when there was a sudden blinding flash of lightening followed by a
tremendous crash of thunder. The lightning struck directly on the inn, which
they had left just a few moments before. The lightning strike caused a big fire
and in no time the building went up in flames, leaving nothing but a heap of
blackened wood and ash.
Everyone was astounded by the
Divine Spirit of Rabbi Shneur Zalman and the tremendous faith in Tzadikim of
the innkeeper, who, by immediately following the advice of the Tzadik saved all
his possessions from the fire.
The innkeeper merited to live to
a great old age. In his later years he heard that Rabbi Shneur Zalman, the
author of the Tanya, the six-volume set of Jewish Law known as Shulchan Aruch
HaRav, and the founder and Alter (elder) Rebbe of Chabad Chassidism, had passed
away. His son, Rabbi Dovber, was his successor and lived in the town of
Lubavitch.
The innkeeper could still hear
the voice of the Maggid of Mezritch when he told him that his student the Alter
Rebbe would "merit a son like me." He decided to travel to Lubavitch
to see the son of the Rebbe.
On entering the room of Rabbi
Dovber, the Mittler Rebbe, he was amazed to see how much the Rebbe looked like
the Maggid. He knew that the young Rebbe was called Dovber after the Maggid. He
was so overcome with emotion on seeing the wondrous likeness between the Maggid
and the son of his student that he collapsed in a faint.
This story was told by the
grandson of the Alter Rebbe, the Tzemach Tzedek [the 3rd Rebbe], to his son
[the Maharash,the 4th Rebbe], so that one should learn from the
behavior of this simple innkeeper how to follow the advice of Tzadikim.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Source:
Adapted and supplemented by Yerachmiel Tilles from the somewhat literal
translation by C. R. Benami, long-time editorial assistant for
www.AscentOfSafed.com, of an article in the popular Israeli weekly, Sichat
Hashavua (#1775).
Connections (5!):
1- Next Monday night (Dec. 12), starts Yud-Tes [19th] Kislev,
a Chasidic celebration commemorating the yahrzeit of the Maggid of Mezritch,
successor to the Baal Shem Tov;
… 2 - the miraculous release from Czarist prison of Rabbi Shneur Zalman, the
first Chabad rebbe,
… 3 - and the publication of his magnum opus, Sefer Shel Beinonim
("Tanya" vol 1).
… 4 - Also, last Sunday was Yud [10th] Kislev, the anniversary
of the liberation of his oldest son and successor, Rabbi Dov-Ber [see the last
four paragraphs of the story],
… 5 - and the preceding day [last Shabbat] Tes [9th] Kislev,
was the date of R. Dov-Ber's birth and of his eventual passing.
Biographical
notes:
Rabbi Dov Ber, [c.1700 - 19 Kislev 1772], known as the Maggid of
Mezritch, succeeded his master, the Baal Shem Tov, as the head
of the Chasidic movement. Most of the leading chasidic dynasties stem from his
disciples and his descendants. The classic anthologies of his teachings
are Likutei Amarim and Torah Ohr (combined
by Kehas Publishing as Maggid Devorav l'Yaakov), and Ohr
HaEmmes.
Rabbi Shneur Zalman [18 Elul 1745-24 Tevet 1812], one of the main
disciples of the Maggid of Mezritch, is the founder of the Chabad-Chassidic
movement. He is the author of Shulchan Aruch HaRav and Tanya as
well as many other major works in both Jewish law and the mystical teachings
Rabbi DovBer Shneuri [9 Kislev 1773 - 9 Kislev 1827] was the eldest son
and successor to Rabbi Shneur Zalman, founder of the Chabad movement. The
author of numerous deep, mystical texts, he is known in Lubavitch circles as
"the Mittler (Middle) Rebbe.
Last week, leading Haredi Rabbi Shlomo Machpud was on his way to
circumcise a newborn baby, but a traffic jam changed his plans. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/363896
Milestone: Jiang Zemin, 96, made the
financial revolution in China for growth. https://www.timesofisrael.com/jiang-zemin-ex-china-leader-who-led-economic-boom-political-repression-dies-at-96/
Milestone: Rabbi Mordechai Sternberg, 78,the dean of the Har Hamor
Yeshiva. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/363954
Milestone: Steven Salen, 103,
Holocaust Survivor who tailored Nixon’s suits. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/363957
Milestone: Yitzchak Klepter, 72,
guitarist who chain smoked.
https://www.timesofisrael.com/iconic-guitarist-yitzhak-klepter-of-kaveret-fame-dead-at-72/
Inyanay Diyoma
Another Car Thief Vehicle runs Ben
Gurion check post. Passengers told to lie down. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/363835
Rocket gets reply and anti-aircraft
facility destroyed. https://www.ynetnews.com/article/syndx6fwi
Iran destroys family home of Hijab
protester. https://www.timesofisrael.com/iran-demolishes-family-home-of-climber-who-competed-without-a-hijab/
Putin supposedly fell down stairs in
Russia. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/363824
US releases info for Iran and China
on B21 super stealth bomber. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/363834
Trump over steps the line: It
happened with the election of Benjamin
Harrison. Cleveland then won big. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/363857
UN coordination says a scuffle to a
knifing and gun snatch attempt by terrorist. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/363836
USN stops gun running in the Gulf. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/363835
Free DNA kits for holocaust
survivors. https://www.timesofisrael.com/project-offers-free-dna-kits-to-holocaust-survivors-to-help-them-find-lost-relatives/
Not much but Lithuania to provide
some compensation for Holocaust Losses. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/363837
SLA daughter now IDF coordinator. https://www.ynetnews.com/magazine/article/h1c6f3lpo
In the past Jews were more
genetically diverse but had diseases. https://www.ynetnews.com/article/sj1132xbpi
Ed-Op Benyamin Netanyahu plays only
for himself. https://www.ynetnews.com/article/s100xazlpi
Walmart pulls elegant scarves after
it turns out to be a Tallis. https://www.ynetnews.com/article/s1glu004po
More plots from Iran against Jews
and Israelis. https://www.timesofisrael.com/rise-in-irans-use-of-hired-assassins-in-plots-against-dissidents-israelis-and-jews/
Emirates to work with new Israeli
government. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/363911
Putin to Israel requested not to
interfere with removal of air defense systems from Suria. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/363912
Iran says they shut down the
morality police but only propaganda. https://www.algemeiner.com/2022/12/04/iran-protesters-call-for-strike-prosecutor-says-morality-police-shut-down/
Lone soldiers neighbor’s grandson is one of
these he got a month off to go to Monsey. https://www.algemeiner.com/2022/12/04/idf-counts-6900-lone-soldiers-half-came-from-73-different-countries/
Explosions rocked two air bases in Russia on
Monday, Russian media reported. One of the explosions reportedly happened at a
base that houses nuclear-capable strategic bombers that have been involved in
launching strikes against Ukraine. https://www.timesofisrael.com/blasts-rock-two-russian-bases-one-housing-nuclear-capable-bombers/
NYPD 45 antisemitic crimes in Nov. https://www.timesofisrael.com/nypd-reports-45-antisemitic-hate-crimes-in-november/
Not only jealous men kill. https://www.timesofisrael.com/karmiel-woman-sentenced-23-years-for-killing-friend-over-ex-boyfriend/
Medical Marijuana scandal. https://www.timesofisrael.com/police-bust-network-of-doctors-allegedly-selling-medical-marijuana-permits/
Iranians speak with forked tongue. https://www.timesofisrael.com/us-says-no-sign-iran-improving-treatment-of-women-after-morality-police-said-ended/
BB gun attack on Jews in Bklyn. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/363953
N. Korea fires 130 rounds after
US-S. Korea Drill. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/363964
Drive by shooting on Highway 6 near Ben
Shemen Interchange. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/363977
Dov Hikind, a former New York state assemblyman and prominent
Orthodox Jewish community activist, lashed out at Donald Trump over his
November dinner meeting with rapper Kanye West and Holocaust denier Nick
Fuentes. He had backed Trump previously. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/363979
Trump also lost it with Pence. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/363974
McConnell Trump reelection highly
unlikely. https://www.timesofisrael.com/mcconnell-trump-reelection-highly-unlikely-after-dinner-with-white-nationalist/
Actress Kristie Allen passes. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/363970
Coyote tries to make 2year old
toddler its dinner. https://www.timesofisrael.com/coyote-grabs-israeli-toddler-outside-familys-home-in-la-father-chases-it-off/
Gym teacher accused of assaulting
students. https://www.timesofisrael.com/schoolteacher-suspected-of-sexually-assaulting-multiple-students/
Prosecutor in the Netanyahu case
files complaint on threats to her son. https://www.timesofisrael.com/prosecutor-in-netanyahu-trial-files-police-complaint-over-fresh-threat-to-her-son/
Iran kills 4 alleged spies. https://www.timesofisrael.com/iran-says-4-sentenced-to-death-for-alleged-collaboration-with-israeli-intelligence/
A dozen Ethiopian Jewish men received
certification as ritual slaughterers this week, becoming the country’s only
officially recognized kosher “shochtim,” following a months-long training
program. https://www.timesofisrael.com/12-men-trained-in-ethiopia-as-kosher-slaughterers-in-first-for-the-country/
Drones fly medical supplies to
hospitals. https://www.timesofisrael.com/israeli-startup-nabs-partner-for-medical-drone-delivery-service/
Yahoo buys 30% of Taboola. https://www.timesofisrael.com/yahoo-to-buy-25-stake-in-taboola-inks-30-year-advertising-deal/
Dubai busts super cartel. https://www.timesofisrael.com/police-in-dubai-elsewhere-bust-super-cartel-running-1-3-of-europes-cocaine-trade/
Israel will not be governed by the
Talmud. https://www.timesofisrael.com/netanyahu-vows-to-keep-far-right-in-check-israel-wont-be-governed-by-talmud/
Israeli Navy conducted a successful test of a
long-range interceptor missile against an “advanced” cruise missile, the
military and Defense Ministry announced Wednesday. https://www.timesofisrael.com/israeli-navy-tests-long-range-anti-cruise-missile-interceptor-from-advanced-corvette/
Arabs humiliate Jew in Old City. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/363838
Iranian assassins after Jews. https://www.timesofisrael.com/rise-in-irans-use-of-hired-assassins-in-plots-against-dissidents-israelis-and-jews/
Bribing Hamas for world cup quiet. https://www.timesofisrael.com/qatar-reportedly-pressures-hamas-to-keep-gaza-quiet-during-world-cup/
Host of I love Hitler West files for
bankruptcy. https://www.timesofisrael.com/owing-1-5b-to-sandy-hook-families-infowars-host-alex-jones-files-for-bankruptcy/
Teen from rival Arab family
kidnapped and released. https://www.timesofisrael.com/counter-terror-police-free-16-year-old-kidnapped-for-ransom-in-jaljulia/
Officer who killed terrorist being
protected. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/363904
AIPAC vs J-Street. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/363905
6 out of 9 members choosing Judges
will be politicians. https://www.timesofisrael.com/far-right-party-submits-bill-to-hand-politicians-ultimate-power-to-appoint-judges/
Third time this week smuggling
operation thwarted. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/364148
Half should learn Torah half in the
IDF. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/364126
Fence falls on 3year old killing
her. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/364136
Prisoner exchange Russian for
Brittany. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/364122
Foreign National steals car from
valent or other service at Ben Gurion. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/364152
Bill
would revolutionize Police. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/364139
Will Bernie run again? https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/364157
Injustice Dept. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/364151
Tried to spy for Hamas. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/364109
Iranian Patrol Boat tried to blind
US Ships. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/364028
Democrats take the US Senate. https://www.foxnews.com/politics/sen-raphael-warnock-wins-georgia-senate-runoff-defeating-gop-challenger-herschel-walker
Teva Opioid Settlement. https://www.timesofisrael.com/teva-finalizes-terms-of-us-opioid-settlement-worth-4-25-billion/
Neuroscientist wins EU prize. https://www.ynetnews.com/magazine/article/rjsgpfovo
Jewish Couple Slain a cold case. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/364143
19year old driver injured by stone
and glass. Father rescues him. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/364022
Dials 100 (911) orders Pizza with code
for help from violent husband. https://www.timesofisrael.com/woman-orders-pizza-from-police-dispatcher-in-coded-call-for-help/
Fire in office of Iranian Opposition
in London. https://www.timesofisrael.com/fire-breaks-out-near-london-offices-of-iran-opposition-group/
Bennett sues Rabbi for false claim. https://www.timesofisrael.com/bennett-sues-rabbi-for-false-claims-his-parents-werent-jewish/
MD delivers baby and saves mom from Stroke.
https://www.timesofisrael.com/jerusalem-doctors-deliver-baby-while-simultaneously-saving-mom-from-stroke/
An Iranian Jewess vs. Iran. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/364041
Have a peaceful, healthy
and blessed Shabbos Rest,
Rachamim Pauli
