Divrei Torah Parshas Vayishlach
Torah Table of Contents
Yaakov is NOT Alone, Yisa Bracha, Parshas Vayishlach Prayers at the Speed of 'Bright', or at the Speed of Light? A Dvar torah from Reb Motti Rosen z"l
adapted from sefer Yisa Bracha, Parshas Vayishlach
"Vayevaser Yaakov levado, veyeiavek ish imo, ad Alos HaShachar - Yaakov was left alone, and he struggled with a man [actually, the guardian angel of Esav] until the dawn" [Breishis, 32:24]
The Midrash [Breishis Rabba,77:1] connects the above verse with, "Vanisgav Hashem levado bayom hahu - Hashem will be exalted alone on that day", a verse from Yeshayahu [2:11 and 2:17].
The obvious connection between these two verses is the word "Levado - alone", which seems to be their only common denominator. Still, Rebbe Shaul asks, what is the connection between these two verses? He implies that it must be more than just the two same words.
Indeed, Yaakov Avinu was born with a lot of promise. He received many blessings, notably from his father, who blessed him with, "The nations will serve you, the peoples will bow down to you, you will be a master over your brother, your mother's sons will bow to you, those who curse you will be cursed, and those who bless you will be blessed" [Breishis, 27:29].
Nevertheless, despite all these blessings, when on his way to encounter his brother Esav [over whom he had not yet become his "master", etc. and he didn't expect him to bow to him - as yet], Yaakov is alone - without help from anyone. "Vayevaser Yaakov levado."
But is he really alone? He is unaccompanied by any human help - but "Vanisgav Hashem levado bayom hahu" - he remains together with Hashem, the One Who alone does wonders - "HaOseh niflaos gedolos levado" [Tehillim (Psalms), 72:18 and 136:4].
In honor of the Yahrzeit of Rebbe Shaul Yedidya Elazar, the second Rebbe of Modzitz, Zechuso Yagein Aleinu v'al Kol Yisrael
Translated by Reb Yitzchak Dorfman of Yerushalayim, a Modzitzer Chassid
Prayers at the Speed of 'Bright', or at the Speed of Light?
based on the Divrei Yisrael, Parshas Vayishlach
"V'Ani esnahala l'iti" - "And I shall proceed at my (own) slower, gentler pace..." (Breishis 33:14)
The Divrei Yisrael draws an interesting connection between three different pasukim (verses) that each start with the word "V'Ani". These are:
The link between these three verses that focus on the idea of "my personal responsibility" ("and as for me") - in terms of how I [we] daven (pray). The two verses in Tehillim relate to how we might daven. When I daven by "proceeding at my slower, gentler pace", with proper intention and concentration, rather than in haste, then, "my prayer is to You, Hashem", and such prayer is worthy of being accepted. If, on the other hand, I said [prayed] in haste", without proper concentration and intent, then as a result, 'I am cut off from before Your eyes', and such prayer is not worthy of being accepted. Thus, the end of that final verse is even more clearly understood "but You heard the voice of my supplication when I cried out to You" - when the prayer was supplication and with proper intent.
If we invest our concentration and thoughts into our prayers, they become prayers that are "for
Hashem". If we hurry through them, with little or no "investment", they just don't make it. So it
pays to proceed at "our own" pace, the pace that achieves the best benefits for us from Hashem.
Translated by Reb Eliezer Weger of Rechovot, a Modzitzer Chasid
What does Hashem Elokecha ask from you, but to fear Hashem Elokecha and to walk in His ways? (Dvorim, 10:13)
A Dvar torah from Reb Motti Rosen z"l, grandson of Harav Shaul the Second Rebbe
Parshas Vayishlach
"Artzah Sayeer" (32:4) The Chumash tells us that Yaakov sent messengers to his brother Esav, in the land of Sayeer. Rashi explains that the word "Artzah" means to the land. He brings down a Klal, a rule, from the Medrash that every word that requires a "Lamed" (meaning to) at the beginning, can instead have a "Hey" at the end.
What is interesting is that the Medrash brings this rule earlier in Parshas Vayetze on the words "Vayelech Charanah" (28:10). So the question we can ask is why does Rashi bring the Klal here in Vayishlach and not earlier in Vayetze.
The answer to this question lies in the topic being discussed in this section of the Parsha. Yaakov was preparing to meet Esav, to have a confrontation. Rashi brings us a Klal, for dealing with confrontations. "Kol Taiva," the word "Taiva" means word, but the Gemara also uses it as a Lashon Hatzalah, to save. In the story of Noach it was the Taiva that saved them. "Kol Taiva Shzireecha Lamed," every time you need saving you may think you need a Lamed. Rabbi Akiva tells us that the Lamed is a remez to strength. This is because Lamed is the largest of all the letters. You may think you need to confront with strength, not so says Rashi. "Hey Bsofa" add a Hey at the end. The letter Hey is a remez to Teshuva, Chazal tell us that the word Teshuva is "Tashuv Hay," returning to Hey. The Hey is small and modest, which is what we become when we do Teshuva.
Rashi is telling us that when we go in to a confrontation with the Goyim, we should go not with strength but rather with Teshuva.
Submitted by Chumi Friedman, daughter of Reb Motti Rosen z"l
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