Preparation of this week’s Hamaayan was cut short by the passing of the editor’s mother. Please enjoy this abbreviated issue L’ilui Nishmat Chana Sura bat Moshe Aharon a”h.
“Yaakov became very frightened, and it distressed him . . .” (32:8)
Rashi z”l writes: “He was frightened that he might be killed, and he was distressed that he might have to kill Acheirim / others.”
R’ Uri Cherki shlita (rabbi and educator in Yerushalayim) explains: Yaakov’s fear of killing Esav arose from his awareness that there was some good in Esav; therefore, Yaakov was reluctant to save himself if it meant taking Esav’s life. Perhaps Rashi alludes to Yaakov’s concern about the good hidden within Esav when he uses the noun “Acheirim,” the same word that the Gemara (Horiot 13b) uses to refer to the Sage of the Mishnah Rabbi Meir. That sage was a relative of the Roman Caesar Nero, meaning that he, like the Romans in general, was a descendant of Esav. (The fact that Esav could have a descendant such as Rabbi Meir is evidence that there was a spark of goodness within him.)
How did Hashem respond to Yaakov’s reluctance? He sent Esav’s guardian angel to attack Yaakov (32:25), forcing Yaakov to fight whether he wanted to or not. Only after confronting that representative of Esav’s evil did Yaakov deserve to be called “Yisrael” (32:29), and only then was he ready to re-enter and settle in Eretz Yisrael. Notably, after defeating Esav’s guardian angel, Yaakov was even able to hug and kiss Esav (33:4). From a position of strength, Yaakov was allowed love his nemesis. (Nipagesh Ba’parashah)
Shabbat
We read (Tehilim 68:12), “The Master issued a declaration; they herald a mighty host.” Midrash Tehilim comments: Rabbi Yose ben Chanina says that just as a person bangs a hammer on a rock causing sparks to scatter in all directions, so the Torah says (Shmot 20:8), “Remember the Shabbat day to sanctify it,” but the Jewish People honor it with food, drink, and clean clothes. Not only that, they welcome Shabbat with Shirim and Zemirot (two words for songs), as it is written (Tehilim 92:1), “Mizmor shir for the Shabbat day.” [Until here from the Midrash]
R’ Eliezer Ben-Zion Brok z”l (1904-1985; founder and Rosh Yeshiva of the Novardok-Bet Yosef Yeshiva in Yerushalayim) explains: The Midrash is commenting on the fact that the first phrase in the verse in Tehilim has a singular verb (“The Master issued a declaration”) while the second phrase has a plural verb (“They herald a mighty host”). The Midrash resolves this anomaly by observing that what appears to be one Mitzvah (“Remember the Shabbat day to sanctify it”) actually has many aspects: eating, drinking, wearing clean clothes, and singing Zemirot. If one holds a hammer but does not hit a rock, he will produce no sparks. On the other hand, the harder one hits the rock, the more sparks he will produce. Similarly, if one does not delve into the Mitzvot, he will never discover how deep they are. But, if one does delve into them, he will discover many, many layers to them--like the “large army” referred to in the verse.
R’ Brok notes: We are accustomed to stopping work on Friday afternoon, either out of habit or because we are afraid of transgressing Shabbat even inadvertently. However, there is a much loftier and deeper reason for stopping work and preparing for Shabbat--namely, because we are running to welcome the “Shabbat Queen.” The Gemara (Shabbat 119a) describes how some of the Sages would welcome Shabbat and, based on those descriptions, R’ Moshe ben Maimon z”l (Rambam; 1135-1204) codifies the following Halachah: “It is a Mitzvah for one to wash his face, hands, and feet with warm water on Erev Shabbat, wrap himself in Tzitzit, and sit with great seriousness awaiting the arrival of Shabbat--as if one were awaiting a king’s arrival.”
How unfortunate it is if one’s Shabbat preparations are limited to stopping work, R’ Brok adds. On the other hand, how fortunate we are and how good is our lot that we are able to receive Shabbat properly! (Hegyonei Mussar, Pamphlet I, p.23)
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