Lovon Agrees With the Derosha

The Minchas Elozor of Munkacs told this story. The Arizal testified that he saw the entire heavenly host, the pamalya shel maalah (the heavenly household), going together to hear the deroshos of Rav Moshe Alshich, and so he too went to hear his holy words whenever the Alshich sat and preached in public.

One time the Arizal was present when the Alshich gave a derosha about Lovon HaArami and how he swindled, tricked and deceived Yaakov. The pasuk says that Lovon cheated Yaakov aseres monim (Bereishis 31:8 and 31:41). The Alshich explained that this meant ten times ten, a hundred times over. He then detailed each of the hundred ways in which Lovon cheated Yaakov. The audience sat mesmerized and enjoyed the derosha as the Alshich listed, again and again, the tricks Lovon had used against Yaakov. During this derosha the Arizal laughed and left.

Afterward they asked the Arizal why he had laughed. He explained that he had actually seen Lovon HaArami standing beside the Alshich as he gave his derosha. “With each of the hundred deceptions,” said the Arizal, “Lovon nodded his head in agreement, saying, 'Yes, that's it, that's true, that's exactly how I tricked Yaakov and cheated him that time. Yes, and that is the other way I cheated him again.' That is what made me laugh.”