2019/5780
Like everyone, Avraham Avinu wants to rest for once. He settles in Eilonei Mamrei, and the Torah uses the word “VaYeishev,” “And he dwelled” (BeReishit 13:18). Strangely, in many of the places in which the Torah uses the word VaYeishev, something that negatively affects the protagonist occurs. Indeed, Rabi Yochanan teaches us, “Kol Makom SheNe’emar VaYeishev Eino Ela Leshon Tza’ar,” “In any area where the word ‘and he dwelled’ is used, it is a term of suffering” (Sanhedrin 106a). The prime example, as well as one of the proofs that Rabi Yochanan adduces, is in the Parashah whose very name is VaYeishev. In VaYeishev, the first Pasuk states, “VaYeishev Ya’akov Be’Eretz Megurei Aviv Be’Eretz Kena’an,” “And Ya’akov dwelled in the land of his father’s residence, in the land of Kena’an” (BeReishit 37:1). By the end of the Perek, Yoseif is being sold. Interestingly, right after Avraham ‘dwells’, Lot, his nephew who had taken up residence in Sedom, is kidnapped; this accords with the pattern recognized by Rabi Yochanan.
The question is then raised: What is wrong with dwelling/settling? Furthermore, what did Avraham do that was wrong when he settled down in Eilonei Mamrei? Avraham was old at the time, and had already left his homeland at God’s command; what was wrong when Avraham dwelled for a moment? The answer lies in the very nature of the words. I would like to explore one more time when there is a word with the same root as the word VaYeishev in a completely different context. This is in the Parashah of Ki Tavo, where the Pasuk states, “VeHayah Ki Tavo El Ha’Aretz Asher Hashem Elokecha Notein Lecha Nachalah ViYerishtah VeYashavta Bah,” And it shall be, when you enter the Land which Hashem your God is giving to you as an inheritance, and you shall possess it and dwell in it” (Devarim 26:1). Hashem obviously doesn’t just want us to dwell or settle in Israel for a length of time; He wants us to settle in Israel permanently. The root Y.Sh.V, thus, means to settle permanently.
This doesn’t completely answer the question, since we still don’t know why settling permanently is wrong. Zig Ziglar has a quote that explains why the word VaYeishev portends suffering: “People often say that motivation doesn't last. Well, neither does bathing — that's why we recommend it daily.” When the Torah says VaYeishev, it is often figurative, not literal. When someone ‘settles’ in a permanent manner, they stop pushing themselves to become greater. After Lot left the house of Avraham for the city of Sedom, Avraham lost motivation. The same thing happened to Ya’akov when the threats of retaliation from Eisav and the Kena’anim (after Shimon and Levi’s massacre of Shechem) disappeared. In both cases, Hashem sent troubles to these great Tzaddikim, in order to make them turn back to Hashem and continue their improvement and development. We should bear this in mind at all times and resolve to never ‘settle’ permanently.