Peace in Exile: Yaakov's Prayer against Brotherhood
From the Torah ofRav Dovid Matisyohu Rabinowitzהרב דוד מתתיהו בן יחיאל יהושע רבינוביץProfile ›
Bereishis 32:12
הַצִּילֵנִי נָא מִיַּד אָחִי מִיַּד עֵשָׂו כִּי־יָרֵא אָנֹכִי אֹתוֹ פֶּן־יָבוֹא וְהִכַּנִי אֵם עַל־בָּנִים
Rescue me, please, from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esav, for I fear him, lest he come and strike me, mother and children alike.
1“Rescue me, please, from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esav.”1 Notice the wording: why does the verse need the extra words “from the hand of my brother”?
הַצִּילֵנִי נָא מִיַּד אָחִי מִיַּד עֵשָׂו (לב, יב). יֵשׁ לְדַקְדֵּק, מַהוּ יִתּוּר הַלָּשׁוֹן ׳מִיַּד אָחִי׳.
- Bereishis 32:12. ↩
In shortWhy does Yaakov add “from the hand of my brother” when “from the hand of Esav” already names whom he fears?
2In his commentary on the Torah, the Baal HaTurim, R' Yaakov ben Asher, notes that the first letters of Hatzileini Na Miyad, “Rescue me, please, from the hand of,” spell Haman. It is a hint to Haman, who set out to strike “mother and children alike,” as the verse in Esther says of his decree, “children and women.”2 This is puzzling, for “in every generation they rise up against us to destroy us.”3 Why, then, does this verse about Esav hint at Haman's decree in particular?
וּבְבַעַל הַטּוּרִים אִיתָא, ׳הַצִּילֵנִי נָא מִיַּד׳, רָאשֵׁי תֵּיבוֹת ׳הַמָּן׳, רֶמֶז לְהָמָן שֶׁיָּצָא לְהַכּוֹת אֵם עַל בָּנִים, כְּדִכְתִיב (אסתר ג, יג) ״טַף וְנָשִׁים״. וְיֵשׁ לְהָבִין, דַּהֲרֵי בְּכָל דּוֹר וָדוֹר עוֹמְדִים עָלֵינוּ לְכַלּוֹתֵינוּ, וּמָה הָעִנְיָן שֶׁנִּרְמַז בַּכָּתוּב כָּאן בְּעִנְיַן עֵשָׂיו, דַּוְקָא גְּזֵרַת הַמָּן.
In shortThe Baal HaTurim finds Haman's name in the initials of Yaakov's plea; but why Haman, of all the persecutors in every generation?
3Let us first cite another passage of the Gemara, also quoted by Rashi and the commentators: “R' Yaakov bar Idi pointed out a contradiction. It is written, ‘Behold, I am with you and will guard you wherever you go,’ and it is written, ‘Yaakov was very afraid’ [why was he afraid, when the Holy One, blessed be He, had promised to guard him?]. Yaakov said, ‘Perhaps sin will cause the promise to lapse.’”4 This is puzzling, for the Gemara's question still stands. The Holy One, blessed be He, had promised him, “I will guard you wherever you go.” [The holy sefarim, the Arvei Nachal of R' Dovid Shlomo Eibeschitz and the Tiferes Shlomo of R' Shlomo of Radomsk, explain that Yaakov feared the impurity of Lavan the Aramean, lest Lavan lead him into sin, and he asked to remain in his own holiness. It was for this that he was promised, “I will guard you wherever you go.” He would be granted protection from on high, so that no sin would come about through him.] So Yaakov should also have trusted that sin would not cause the promise to lapse, and that Hashem's promise would be kept in any case. What, then, did he fear?
עוֹד נַקְדִּים מַה דְּאִיתָא בַּגְּמָרָא (ברכות ד, א) וְהוּבָא ברש״י וּבַמְּפָרְשִׁים, רַבִּי יַעֲקֹב בַּר אִידִי רָמֵי, כְּתִיב (בראשית כח, טו) ״וְהִנֵּה אָנֹכִי עִמָּךְ וּשְׁמַרְתִּיךָ בְּכֹל אֲשֶׁר תֵּלֵךְ״, וּכְתִיב (לב, ח) ״וַיִּירָא יַעֲקֹב מְאֹד״ [וְקָשֶׁה מַדּוּעַ הָיָה יָרֵא אַחַר שֶׁהִבְטִיחוֹ הקב״ה לְשׁוֹמְרוֹ], אָמַר שֶׁמָּא יִגְרוֹם הַחֵטְא. וְצָרִיךְ בֵּיאוּר, הֲלֹא קוּשְׁיַית הַגְּמָרָא עֲדַיִין בִּמְקוֹמָהּ עוֹמֶדֶת, דְּמֵאַחַר שֶׁהִבְטִיחוֹ הקב״ה וּשְׁמַרְתִּיךָ בְּכֹל אֲשֶׁר תֵּלֵךְ [וּבֵיאֲרוּ בַּסְּפָרִים הַקְּדוֹשִׁים (ערבי נחל, תפארת שלמה) כִּי יַעֲקֹב הָיָה יָרֵא מִטּוּמְאַת לָבָן הָאֲרַמִּי שֶׁלֹּא יַחֲטִיאֶנּוּ בַּעֲבֵירָה וּבִיקֵּשׁ שֶׁיִּשָּׁאֵר בִּקְדוּשָּׁתוֹ, וְעַל זֶה הוּבְטַח וּשְׁמַרְתִּיךָ בְּכֹל אֲשֶׁר תֵּלֵךְ שֶׁיִּזְכֶּה לִשְׁמִירָה עֶלְיוֹנָה שֶׁלֹּא יֶאֱרַע חֵטְא עַל יָדוֹ], הָיָה לוֹ לִבְטוֹחַ גַּם שֶׁלֹּא יִגְרוֹם הַחֵטְא, וְתִתְקַיֵּים הַבְטָחַת הקב״ה בְּכָל אוֹפֶן, וּמֶה הָיָה מוֹרָאוֹ.
- Berachos 4a; the verses are Bereishis 28:15 and 32:8. ↩
In shortIf Hashem's promise to guard Yaakov included guarding him from sin, why did Yaakov still fear that sin might cause it to lapse?
4It seems we can explain this through a well-known idea: there are two states of exile. In the first, the nations enslave us with troubles and hard labor, as in the exile of Egypt. In the second, we do live among the nations, but they show us the same kindness they show other peoples, and the bondage is not harsh. The difference between them is this. When the exile brings harsh bondage, then “the more they afflicted them, the more they multiplied and spread,”5 both materially and spiritually. The verse “Bnei Yisrael groaned from the labor and cried out, and their cry rose up to God …” comes true, as it did in the exile of Egypt.6 Then their spiritual state is good: they are united, they stand out as a people apart, and they hold fast to the Torah and the mitzvos. But when the exile is of the second kind, without harsh bondage, then, Heaven forbid, Israel begins to mingle among the nations, as the verse says, “They mingled with the nations and learned their deeds,”7 and it breaches the fences that protect the faith. We truly see this in our own time: wherever Israel has ease in exile, it begins to mingle among the nations and follow their customs.
וְנִרְאֶה לְפָרֵשׁ בְּדֶרֶךְ זֶה, וְהוּא עַל פִּי הַנּוֹדָע, דְּיֵשׁ שְׁנֵי מִינֵי מַצָּבִים בַּגָּלוּת, הָאֶחָד הוּא כְּשֶׁהָאוּמּוֹת מְשַׁעְבְּדִים אוֹתָנוּ בְּצָרוֹת וּבַעֲבוֹדָה קָשָׁה, וּכְמוֹ בְּגָלוּת מִצְרַיִם. וְהַשֵּׁנִית, הִיא מַצָּב שֶׁל גָּלוּת שֶׁבָּהּ אָמְנָם נִמְצָאִים בֵּין הַגּוֹיִים, אֲבָל הֵם מְטִיבִים עִמָּנוּ אֶת אוֹתָם הַטּוֹבוֹת אֲשֶׁר הֵם מְטִיבִים עִם שְׁאָר הָעַמִּים, וּבְגָלוּת זוֹ אֵין קוֹשִׁי הַשִּׁעְבּוּד. וְהַהֶבְדֵּל בֵּינֵיהֶם הוּא בָּזֶה, כִּי בְּאִם הַגָּלוּת הוּא בְּקוֹשִׁי הַשִּׁעְבּוּד, אֲזַי כַּאֲשֶׁר יְעַנּוּ אוֹתוֹ כֵּן יִרְבֶּה וְכֵן יִפְרֹץ, בַּגַּשְׁמִיּוּת וּבְרוּחָנִיּוּת, וּמִתְקַיֵּים ״וַיֵּאָנְחוּ בְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל מִן הָעֲבוֹדָה וַיִּזְעָקוּ וַתַּעַל שַׁוְעָתָם אֶל הָאֱלֹקִים״ וְגוֹ׳ (שמות ב, כג), כִּבְגָלוּת מִצְרַיִם. וְאָז מַצַּב הָרוּחָנִיּוּת הוּא טוֹב, וְהֵמָּה מְאוּחָדִים וּמְצוּיָּנִים, וּמַחֲזִיקִים בַּתּוֹרָה וּבְמִצְוֹות. אֲבָל כְּשֶׁהַגָּלוּת הִיא בָּאוֹפֶן הַשֵּׁנִי שֶׁאֵין לָנוּ קוֹשִׁי הַשִּׁעְבּוּד, אֲזַי ח״ו בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל מַתְחִילִים לְהִתְעָרֵב בֵּין הַגּוֹיִים, כְּדִכְתִיב (תהלים קו, לא) ״וַיִּתְעָרְבוּ בַגּוֹיִים וַיִּלְמְדוּ מַעֲשֵׂיהֶם״, וּפוֹרְצִים גִּדְרֵי הַדָּת. וְכַאֲשֶׁר בֶּאֱמֶת אָנוּ רוֹאִים בִּזְמַנֵּנוּ, בִּמְקוֹמוֹת אֵלּוּ שֶׁיֵּשׁ רְוָוחָה לְיִשְׂרָאֵל בַּגָּלוּת, אֲזַי מַתְחִילִים לְהִתְעָרֵב בֵּין הַגּוֹיִים וְהוֹלְכִים בְּמִנְהֲגֵיהֶם.
In shortHarsh bondage keeps Israel united and strong; an exile of ease and friendship leads it to mingle with the nations and breach the fences.
5aThis explains Yaakov Avinu's prayer. He was not afraid of the battle with Esav itself, for in that he trusted Hashem's promise. Rather, his prayer was about the exile to come. [For Yaakov's prayer was for the generations, as we explained at the beginning of the parshah in the name of the Midrash. The Ramban, too, wrote that this passage hints at the generations to come as well.8 See also the Torah commentaries of the Rosh and Rabbeinu Bachya, and the Panim Yafos of R' Pinchas Horowitz. Each explained in his own way that Yaakov did not pray for himself, since the Holy One, blessed be He, had promised him, but for his children, or for “the camp that remains to escape.”9]
וּבָזֶה יִתְבָּאֵר תְּפִילַּת יַעֲקֹב אָבִינוּ שֶׁלֹּא הָיָה יָרֵא מֵעֶצֶם הַמִּלְחָמָה עִם עֵשָׂו, כִּי בָּזֶה בָּטַח עַל הַבְטָחַת הקב״ה, אֶלָּא תְּפִילַּת יַעֲקֹב אָבִינוּ ע״ה הָיָה עַל הַגָּלוּת הָעֲתִידָה, [כִּי תְּפִלַּת יַעֲקֹב הָיְתָה לְדוֹרוֹת כַּמְּבוֹאָר לְעֵיל (בריש הפרשה) בְּשֵׁם הַמִּדְרָשׁ, וברמב״ן (לב, ט) כָּתַב, כִּי גַּם לְדוֹרוֹת תִּרְמוֹז זֹאת הַפָּרָשָׁה. וְעַיֵּין בְּפֵירוּשׁ הרא״ש וְרַבֵּינוּ בַּחְיֵי וּבְפָנִים יָפוֹת (פרשת שופטים) שֶׁפֵּירְשׁוּ לְפִי דַּרְכָּם, דִּתְפִלַּת יַעֲקֹב לֹא הָיְתָה עֲבוּר עַצְמוֹ שֶׁהֲרֵי הִבְטִיחוֹ הקב״ה, אֶלָּא עֲבוּר בָּנָיו, אוֹ עֲבוּר הַמַּחֲנֶה הַנִּשְׁאָר לִפְלֵיטָה]
5bWhat he feared was the second state of exile, the exile of ease, in which Esav and his descendants would live at peace with Israel. Then there would be reason to fear that Israel would come to mingle with them and learn from their evil deeds. For this he asked, “Rescue me, please, from the hand of my brother.” He asked the Holy One, blessed be He, to rescue Klal Yisrael from an exile in which Esav is “my brother,” that is, in which the nations live with Israel in brotherhood and peace. The word na, “please,” a soft word of request, hints at this too: the children of Esav would speak to Israel gently, as brothers. This is what Chazal meant when they said that Yaakov was afraid “perhaps sin will cause.” Perhaps the peace and quiet Israel would enjoy in exile would cause it to sin, for with brotherhood and closeness between them, Israel would mingle among the nations and learn from their deeds.
שֶׁהָיָה יָרֵא מֵהַבְּחִינַת הַשְּׁנִיָּה שֶׁל הַגָּלוּת הַנִּזְכֶּרֶת, שֶׁיִּהְיוּ עֵשָׂו וּבְנֵי בָּנָיו עִם יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּשָׁלוֹם, וְעַל יְדֵי זֶה יֵשׁ לָחוּשׁ שֶׁיָּבוֹאוּ בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל לְהִתְעָרֵב בָּהֶם וְלִלְמוֹד מִמַּעֲשֵׂיהֶם הָרָעִים. וְעַל זֶה בִּיקֵּשׁ ׳הַצִּילֵנִי נָא מִיַּד אָחִי׳, שֶׁיַּצִּיל הקב״ה אֶת כְּלַל יִשְׂרָאֵל מִזֹּאת הַגָּלוּת כְּשֶׁעֵשָׂיו הוּא בִּבְחִינַת ׳אָחִי׳, הַיְינוּ שֶׁיִּהְיוּ הָאוּמּוֹת עִמָּם בְּאַחֲוָה וּבְשָׁלוֹם, וְגַם הַלָּשׁוֹן ׳נָא׳ רוֹמֵז לְכָךְ שֶׁיְּדַבְּרוּ בְּנֵי עֵשָׂיו אֲלֵיהֶם בְּרַכּוּת וּבְאַחֲוָה. וְזֶהוּ שֶׁאָמְרוּ ז״ל ׳שֶׁהָיָה יָרֵא שֶׁמָּא יִגְרוֹם הַחֵטְא׳, הַיְינוּ שֶׁמָּא הַשָּׁלוֹם וְהַשַּׁלְוָה שֶׁיִּהְיֶה לִבְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל בַּגָּלוּת יִגְרְמוּ לַחֲטֹא, שֶׁעַל יְדֵי זֶה שֶׁיִּהְיֶה בֵּינֵיהֶם אַחֲוָה וְהִתְקָרְבוּת, יִתְעָרְבוּ בֵּינֵיהֶם וְיִלְמְדוּ מִמַּעֲשֵׂיהֶם.
In shortYaakov trusted Hashem about the battle; he prayed for his descendants, against an exile in which Esav acts as a “brother” whose friendship breeds sin.
6We find this very thing in the days of Mordechai. The Gemara asks: “Why were ‘the enemies of Israel’ in that generation liable to destruction? Because they partook of the feast of that wicked man.”10 At first glance this is still very difficult. Could so severe a death have been decreed on them for this offense, which is not so grave a sin? But we may say that they became liable to destruction because there was brotherhood at the time between the Jews and the peoples of the land. Out of that closeness the Jews flattered them, came to that feast and partook of it. That is why “the enemies of Israel” became liable to destruction. For in this way they inevitably come to mingle among the nations, and then, as the Gemara says, “today he tells him, ‘Do this,’ and tomorrow he tells him, ‘Do that,’ until he tells him, ‘Go worship idols.’”11
וְזֶה הָעִנְיָן מָצִינוּ בִּימֵי מָרְדְּכַי, דְּהִנֵּה אִיתָא בַּגְּמָרָא בְּמַסֶּכֶת מְגִילָּה (דף יב, א), מִפְּנֵי מָה נִתְחַיְּיבוּ שׂוֹנְאֵיהֶם שֶׁל יִשְׂרָאֵל שֶׁבְּאוֹתוֹ הַדּוֹר כְּלָיָה, מִפְּנֵי שֶׁנֶּהֱנוּ מִסְּעוּדָתוֹ שֶׁל אוֹתוֹ רָשָׁע. וְלִכְאוֹרָה עֲדַיִין קָשֶׁה מְאֹד, הַאִם מִפְּנֵי עָוֹן זֶה שֶׁהוּא אֵינֶנּוּ חֵטְא חָמוּר כָּל כָּךְ, בְּשֶׁל זֶה נִגְזַר עֲלֵיהֶם עוֹנֶשׁ מִיתָה חֲמוּרָה. אַךְ יֵשׁ לוֹמַר, דְּמַה שֶׁנִּתְחַיְּיבוּ כְּלָיָה הָיָה מִשּׁוּם שֶׁהָיָה אָז אַחֲוָה בֵּין הַיְּהוּדִים לְעַמֵּי הָאָרֶץ, אֲשֶׁר מִתּוֹךְ כָּךְ הֶחֱנִיפוּ לָהֶם, וּבָאוּ לְאוֹתָהּ סְעוּדָה וְנֶהֱנוּ מִמֶּנָּה, וּמִפְּנֵי זֶה נִתְחַיְּיבוּ שׂוֹנְאֵיהֶם שֶׁל יִשְׂרָאֵל כְּלָיָה, כִּי בְּאוֹפֶן זֶה מִמֵּילָא מִתְעָרְבִים בֵּין הַגּוֹיִים, וְהַיּוֹם אוֹמֵר לוֹ עֲשֵׂה כָּךְ וּלְמָחָר אוֹמֵר לוֹ עֲשֵׂה כָּךְ עַד שֶׁאוֹמֵר לוֹ עֲבוֹד עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה (שבת קה, א).
- Megillah 12a. “The enemies of Israel” is a euphemism Chazal use to avoid saying that Israel itself deserved destruction; “that wicked man” is Achashverosh. ↩
- Shabbos 105b (the sefer has 105a). The speaker (“he”) is the yetzer hara, and “him” is the person he addresses. ↩
In shortHaman's generation was condemned for Achashverosh's feast because it grew from a friendly closeness with the nations that leads, step by step, to idolatry.
7This lets us understand what the Baal HaTurim meant when he found that the first letters of Hatzileini Na Miyad spell Haman. As we have explained, Haman's story resembles what Yaakov Avinu prayed for when he asked to be rescued from Esav: that when Israel is at ease among the nations, it should not learn from the nations' deeds.
וּבָזֶה יֵשׁ לְהָבִין כַּוָּונַת בַּעַל הַטּוּרִים, שֶׁ׳הַצִּילֵנִי נָא מִיַּד׳ רָאשֵׁי תֵּיבוֹת הַמָּן, דְּעַל פִּי מַה שֶׁפֵּירַשְׁנוּ יֵשׁ דִּמְיוֹן בֵּין מַעֲשֵׂה הַמָּן לְעִנְיַן מַה שֶׁהִתְפַּלֵּל יַעֲקֹב אָבִינוּ ע״ה לְהַצִּילוֹ מִפְּנֵי עֵשָׂו, שֶׁכְּשֶׁיִּהְיוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּשַׁלְוָה בֵּין הָעַמִּים לֹא יִלְמְדוּ מִמַּעֲשֵׂיהֶם.
In shortHaman is hinted at in Yaakov's prayer because both stories involve one danger: Israel growing comfortable among the nations and learning their ways.
8My holy father and teacher, zt"l, was known for always speaking at length about how grave this matter is: how far one must keep from the customs of the nations, even in small and fine details. We have now explained how great a blemish mingling is, for the severity of the exile depends on it. We must therefore keep very far away from it, and in this merit may we speedily be privileged to hear the voice of the herald of redemption. Amen, may it be His will.
וְנוֹדַע דַּרְכּוֹ שֶׁל כ״ק אאמו״ר זצללה״ה אֲשֶׁר הָיָה תָּמִיד מַרְבֶּה לְדַבֵּר עַל חוֹמֶר עִנְיָן זֶה, כַּמָּה יֵשׁ לְהִתְרַחֵק מִמִּנְהֲגֵיהֶם שֶׁל הַגּוֹיִים אֲפִילּוּ בִּדְבָרִים הַקְּטַנִּים וְהַדַּקִּים. וְאַחַר שֶׁבֵּאַרְנוּ אֶת גּוֹדֶל הַפְּגָם בָּזֶה, כִּי גּוֹדֶל קוֹשִׁי הַגָּלוּת תָּלוּי בָּזֶה, לָכֵן צָרִיךְ לְהִתְרַחֵק מִזֶּה מֶרְחָק רַב, וּבִזְכוּת זֶה נִזְכֶּה בִּמְהֵרָה לְקוֹל מְבַשֵּׂר, אָמֵן כֵּן יְהִי רָצוֹן:
In shortRecalling his father's warnings, the Rebbe urges distance from even small customs of the nations and prays this merit bring the herald of redemption.
Takeaway
Yaakov did not fear Esav's battle; he feared his brotherhood. Harsh bondage keeps Israel united and strong, while ease and friendship among the nations draw us to mingle and learn their ways, beginning with something as small as attending a feast. Like the Rebbe's holy father, we should keep far from the customs of the nations even in small details, and in this merit may we soon hear the herald of redemption.
Learn this in the merit of Rav Dovid Matisyohu Rabinowitz. His yahrzeit and life ›
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English translation, notes and summaries © Zechusam.