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Parshat
Vayishlach
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Parshat
Vayishlach
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A Student Publication of Torah Academy of Bergen County
Parshat Vayishlach
18 Kislev 5763
November 23,
2002
Vol.12 No. 7
In This Issue:
David Gertler
Andy
Feuerstein-Rudin
David Glassberg
Halacha of the Week
Rabbi Howard Jachter
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This week’s issue of Kol
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Mamma's [Rejected] Boy
by David Gertler
David is a former Kol Torah editor-in-chief studying at Yeshivat Ohr Hadarom.
"And Reuven went
and he laid (with) Bilhah, the concubine of his father." (Bereishit 35:22)
The Gemara in Shabbat (55b) explains that Reuven did not sleep with Bilhah, he
only switched around the beds. The Gemara explains that it was because of
this action that the tribe of Reuven later stood on Har Eval (the mountain for
curse, see Devarim 27:13). The Gemara brings proof of this from the Pasuk
"Cursed is he who sleeps with his father's wife" (Devarim 27:20) which
is in close proximity to the mention of Reuven standing on Har Eval. The
Gemara goes explains further that the reason that Reuven moved the beds was to
protect his mother's honor. Let us attempt to understand who Revuen was,
what led him to move the beds, and how he changed afterwards.
We are introduced to
Reuven when we are told the occasion of his birth: "Because God saw in my
[Leah's] suffering, that now my husband shall be caused to love me" (Bereishit
29:32). The purpose of Reuven's birth is indicated in two ways. The
instinctual purpose is as a reminder of suffering, while the effectual outcome
should be causing a love that is to be brought from the husband to the wife.
The first active role that Reuven takes in Chumash is bringing the Dudaim to his
mother. We are told twice that Leah stopped bearing (29:35; 30:9), and the
second child of Bilhah is named in a way that insults Leah "I have fought
with my sister and I was able [to be victorious]" (30:8). In
addition, if we look at the fight between Rachel and Leah, it is clear that
Rachel acknowledges that Leah is suffering from lack of love. It is
specifically for that reason that Rachel allows Leah to sleep with Yaakov.
Here it is clear that it is an issue of suffering which then brings Yaakov to
love her. And it is Reuven that facilitates that love.
Here, as well, as we described above, Reuven is standing up for his mother's
honor. The Gemara explains that Reuven understood that it was because of
Rachel that his mother was not loved. However, after Rachel died he would
not be able to accept that his mother's suffering comes about by way of a
concubine. He therefore moved the bed, once again enabling his mother to
be loved by Yaakov.
It was apparent to Reuven that because of his actions he had been separated from
his father's love. It is for this reason that during the selling of Yosef,
Reuven attempted to regain his father's favor by saving Yosef. However,
Reuven was also looking for acceptance from his brothers, as they had lost
respect for him after hearing about Reuven switching the beds. Both the
above considerations made Reuven try to find a middle ground Yaakov's blessing
to Reuven indicates that Yaakov did not approve of Reuven's methods. The
characteristic of being "Pachaz Kamayim” – “unstable as water"
(59:3) indicates that Reuven will intervene wherever he is able to, just as
water flows to any spot that is open to it. This relates to us as Reuven
did not know when it was appropriate for him to intervene and to what extent.
It is because of these events that Reuven as a tribe struggles to find
acceptance, and they often finds themselves being afflicted. All the
primary events of Reuven: his involvement in the Korach rebellion (Bamidbar 16),
his request to settle Ever Leyarden (Bamidbar 32), and his building an altar as
a way of connecting to Am Yisrael (Yehoshua 22) were all ways of looking to
recover from having moved the beds, and now looking for a new way to gain
recognition and love from Am Yisrael.
Between his brothers and his father, and because a true compromise could not be
reached with his brothers, he lost the opportunity to be loved by his father.
However, we see that he tried to make it up by later offering his two sons as a
collateral for Binyamin when Reuven took him down to Mitzrayim (42:37).
All this suggests that after the incident of the moving of the bed, Reuven
became more sensitive to his father's and his mother’s love, and did what he
could to save his father from any suffering.
The Grandeur of Rome?
by Andy Feuerstein-Rudin
This
week’s Haftorah is the entire Sefer Ovadia, detailing everything Ovadia did.
In the first Pasuk of this week’s Haftorah we see a vision that Ovadia
had. “So says Hashem Elokim
concerning Edom:” Other prophets, who received predictions concerning Edom,
such as Yirmiyahu, Yeshayahu and Amos have heard a message from Hashem that many
nations will decide to go to war against Edom.
An ambassador will be sent around among the nations and will inform them
all “Arise and we too will arise to wage war against her!”
Hashem will then inspire the nations to attack Edom.
The word “Edom” can be explained in two different ways:
Rome, or all the nations that are descendents of Esav.
To understand this Pasuk we will analyze the last two definitions. The second Pasuk in the Haftorah says, “Behold, I made you small among the nations; you are very
despised.” The question then is
how does the explanation of this Pasuk tie into the definition of “Edom” as
Rome?
The Chachamim explain that Rome lacked the important characteristics to classify
it as a distinguished nation. Its
language is not considered significant by the Chachamim and succession to the
throne was not hereditary. In
Hashem’s eyes, the Roman Empire was inconsequential.
Hashem said concerning Yitzchak’s son Esav that “I know that your
parents found you strong and important and Hashem responded that I find you
inconsequential and I am not impressed by your strength.”
The Chachamim show us this with a parable:
There was once a lady whose son wished to enlist in the military, but his
application was rejected. She went
to the headquarters to complain, because she could not understand why her son
was not accepted. The captain then
asked “Who is your son?” The
mother then gave her son’s name and added “He is brave and strong.”
The commander replied that “He may be strong in your eyes, but all I
detected was weakness and cowardice.”
Similarly, Yitzchak’s son Esav was like nothing in Hashem’s eyes.
The same can be said about the Roman Empire.
Its impressive external appearance was merely a façade for corruption.
From the Pasuk where Hashem says, “In my eyes you are small and
lowly” we can understand this very important lesson, regarding our current
enemies.
Vein of Pain
by David Glassberg
One
of the three Mitzvot in Sefer Bereishit is the prohibition against eating and
deriving benefit from the sinew of the thigh-vein, the Gid Hanashe.
This Mitzva, found in this week’s Parsha is seemingly observed due to
the fight that occurs between Yaakov and the angel of Esav.
In Perek 31 Pasuk 33 the Torah states:
“Al Cain Lo Yochlu Bnai Yisrael Et Gid
Hanasheh Asher Al Kaf Hayerech Ad Hayom Hazeh Ki Nagah Bichaf Yerech Yaakov
BeGid Hanasheh,” “Therefore the Children of
Israel are not to eat the displaced sinew on the hip socket to this day, because
he struck Jacob’s hip socket on the displaced
sinew.”
If this is the reason, however, it is very difficult to understand why
just because Yaakov got into a fight and his thigh was injured, all future
generations of the Jewish people cannot eat the Gid Hanashe?
How does this fight relate to us today?
The Sefer Hachinuch offers an insight into the Mitzva and why it still pertains
to us even today. He first writes
that the reason we do this Mitzva is not because of this fight between Yaakov
and the angel of Esav. The words
“do not eat” are not stated merely by way of narrative; they are rather,
like the Gemara in Chullin says, a commandment from God given at Har Sinai.
They are placed here simply to shed light on the reason the Mitzva was
given. This explains why we
actually perform the Mitzva: because God said so.
But what is the root or the idea behind this seemingly strange Mitzva?
The Sefer Hachinuch continues to suggest that this Mitzva is an assurance
that even though the Jewish people endure constant troubles from the descendants
of Esav, we will persevere and the descendants of Esav will fall.
Remembering this Mitzva, and performing it, gives us a guarantee that
Mashiach will one day come to redeem the Jewish people.
This Mitzva should serve as a reminder that we should stand firm in our
faith forever and eventually the Mashiach will come and rid us of this
suffering.
We find in the Midrash that Yaakov fought with and was injured by
Esav’s guardian angel. This angel
wanted to obliterate Yaakov and his descendants; unable to do so, he pained
Yaakov and injured his thigh. While
the descendants of Esav wish to destroy us, they cannot; therefore they inflict
pain and suffering upon us. Nevertheless,
the Jewish people should not be discouraged.
For just as when Yaakov was injured “Vehu
Tzoleah Al Yiraicho,” “And
he was limping on his hip” (Perek 33 Pasuk
32) and as the Midrash Rabba states that the sun shone one him to heal him, so
too the light of Mashiach will shine upon the Jewish people and relieve them of
the troubles they face at the hands of the descendants of Esav.
One can clearly see how relevant this commandment is for us today.
It should be the will of Hashem that the observance of this Mitzva should
speed up the coming of Mashiach where the descendants of Esav will no longer
torment the Jewish people and there will be Shalom Al Yisrael.
Halacha of the
Week
The
Mishna Brurah (8:26) urges men to wear their Tzitzit “out.”
See Teshuvot Yechave Daat (2:1) and Teshuvot Tzitz Eliezer
(8:3) for a review and discussion of the differing opinions on this issue.
A man might consider wearing his Tzitzit “out” as an effective means
to help resist the seductive influence of the surrounding culture (see Menachot
44a).
Staff at time of publication:
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This publication contains Torah matter
and should be treated accordingly.