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Bereishit 38:30
וַיִּקְרָא שְׁמוֹ זָרַח
vayikra shemo Zarach
he called his name Zerach.

The name Zerach (shines) symbolized the sun, whereas the name Peretz (interruption) symbolized the moon. The sun shines uninterruptedly,, daily, whereas the moon is ineffective towards the end of the month and at its beginning. The kingdom of David stemmed from Peretz whose dynasty symbolized the moon and its ups and downs. We know that the moon's orbit is completed every 29 days. This is why you will find that there were 29 righteous people descended from him listed in the Scriptures from the time of Peretz until the last king of the Davidic dynasty, Tzidkiyahu. They are:

Peretz
Chetzron
Ram
Aminadav
Nachshon
Salmon
Boaz
Oved
Yishai
David

They were followed by:

Shlomo
Rechavam
Aviyah
Assa
Yehoshafat
Yehbram
Achazyah
Yo'ash
Amatzyah
Uzziyah
Yotam
Achaz
Chiskiyah
Menashe
Ammon
Yoshiyahu
Yeho'achaz
Yehoyakim
Yehoyachim
Tzidkiyah

These comprise a total of 29 men corresponding to the days in the lunar orbit; the lunar "sun" sets after such a period of time. The dynasty of David underwent a similar decline after Tzidkiyah and this is why the Temple was destroyed during the lifetime of Tzidkiyah who was the twenty-ninth scion counting from Peretz.  The reason we do not count from Yehudah who was promised Royalty by his father may be that Peretz was Royalty already, his mother having been the daughter of King Malki Tzedek, identical with Shem. If you find it strange that our author lists Menashe as a righteous king when Sefer Melachim described him as the worst heretic ever, the reason many be that he became a penitent and G-d restored him to his throne as reported in 2Divrei HaYamim 33 something not mentioned in the Sefer 2Melachim 21.

However, in Shemot Rabbah 15:26 the calculation is described differently, and the month is given as having thirty days during the first half of which the moon is progressively becoming more powerful, whereas after that it declines visibly. According to the author of that list the first 15 days of the month are characterized by the leaders of the Jewish people from Avraham to Shlomo, whereas the last 15 days symbolize the decline of the Kingdom of Yehudah after the division of the country between Rechavam and Yerovam. This is based on Shemot 12:1. G-d is supposed to have told the Jewish people already prior to their departure from Egypt that the kingdom would not last for than thirty generations, hence the words, "this month (moon) is for you..." The Midrash lists verses in the Tanach to back up the contention that the early ancestors of the Jewish people such as Avraham and Yitzchak are already part of these 30 generations. It quotes a verse in which Avraham is described as "shining," such as Yeshayahu 41:2. It similarly is at pains to prove the same for Yitzchak and Ya'akov. Starting with Yehudah, there is no need for such proofs anymore. The author of the Midrash, aware that most of the Kings of Yehudah actually worshiped idols, does not describe them as an unending string of righteous people but lumps them together as part of the decline of the Davidic dynasty, in spite of the exceptions such as Chiskiyah and Yoshiyah to name but two. According to this Midrash, the prayers of the patriarchs on behalf of their errant children helped to persuade G-d to continue to let that Kingdom exist beyond the time it had a legal right to exist. The Midrash continues for several pages and I have decided to condense it in the interest of brevity. One of the more important points of the comparison between the orbit of the moon and the thirty generations of ascending and descending Jewish political power is the fact that King Tzidkiyah had his eyes gouged out by Nevuchadnetzar, King of Bavel. His subsequent blindness is taken by the Midrash as symbolic of the light of the Jewish "moon" having been extinguished.

Kabbalistically, the verse speaks of two births, two new human beings. There is a profound mystical dimension in this, something of great impact on the dynasty of the house of David. I will reveal to you a small part of that mystical dimension and I ask you to concentrate on what I am about to reveal. We know that the name אלו-הים (Elo-him), with which the Torah describes G-d during the report of the Creation of the universe describes Him as the King of the universe. This Name is identified with the concept תשובה (teshuvah), another name for the emanation בינה (Binah). In plain English, the Attribute with which G-d created the universe is that which is active in the emanation בינה (Binah), the third emanation counting from the highest emanation, i.e. כתר (Keter), down. We acknowledge this Attribute especially on Rosh Hashanah, the "birthday" of the universe, (creation of man) and the days between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur when we conclude the third of the blessings in the Amidah prayer by saying, "the Holy KING," or, "the KING who dispenses justice," instead of, "the Holy G-d," or "the King who loves rightesousness and JUSTICE." There is no King without a people or man that He can be King over.

When the Torah reports G-d's directive (Bereishit 1:3) as, "let there be LIGHT and there was LIGHT," this light came into existence by means of the power of the Kingdom of Heaven and Earth which is also known as אלו-הים (Elo-him). The repetition of the word אור (ohr - light) in that directive and the report that it had been carried out, suggests that there were TWO kinds of light. You do not find the subject of the directive repeated when the Torah reports of the directives G-d issued concerning the other days you only find the expression ויהי כן (vayehi-chen - and it was so) to indicate that the universe had responded to G-d's directive.

You should realize that though the Torah appears to speak of two kinds of light, the meaning is not that there were actually two entirely different kinds of light. What is meant is that this light embodied two sources of power, of energy. One of these forces is essentially male, the other essentially female. The creation of the original light, however, was the product of a single source of energy, one which combines within it both male and female elements.  The original light later on enabled the sun, the moon, and the stars to be derived from it and to be concretised.  The original light was independent of any physical matter, sunlight is not. It requires the sun, i.e. a physical body, in order to dispense it. The sun was endowed with the male properties of the original light, whereas the moon was endowed with the female properties of the original light.

Having absorbed this knowledge, we can understand what occurred in the case of Yehudah, Tamar, and these two children born to Tamar and Yehudah respectively.  By means of these two individuals, Peretz and Zerach, we can gain a better understanding of the whole process of Creation.  This is what Chazal had in mind in Berachot 55 when they said, "the kingdom on earth is essentially similar to the kingdom in the celestial regions." Yehudah's name יהודה, gratitude, as we know from Le'ah's feelings of gratitude to G-d meant that by having born more children for Ya'akov than any of his wives he would be appreciative of this. (compare Bereishit 29:35). Seeing that Yehudah was the fourth of the twelve sons who were to make up the Tribes of Yisrael, G-d's Holy Name is part of his name. His Tribe became the leading Tribe in Yisrael and the Kingdom of Yisrael was ruled over by a king from his Tribe, i.e. David and his descendants. It was therefore appropriate that Tamar, herself descended from Royalty, should be married to him. The name Tamar reflects the fact that the original light contained both male and female properties, seeing that תמר (Tamar), a date or date-palm, contains both male and female elements, or rather that the name for both a female palm and a male palm is the same. The לולב (lulav), palm branch, is indicative of the male element in the palm, whereas the fruit, the product of the female palm tree goes by the same name, i.e. תמר (Tamar). It is male on the outside wheres its גרעין (gar'in), its pit, is female. This is something unique, not found in any other kind of tree. It was therefore appropriate that Peretz and Zerach be mothered by Tamar. Zerach corresponded to the element sun, and the male element, the sun which shines without interruption, whereas Peretz corresponded to the element moon, the female element, a light which is uneven, sometimes stronger sometimes waning completely such as the light of the moon. It was therefore almost a historical must that the dynasty of King David be the product of Peretz rather than Zerach, seeing that he, Peretz, as indicated by his name already, represented the type of light we get from the moon, i..e. light which fluctuates constantly in intensity as does the light of the moon.

When the verse is examined intelligently we find that just as the sun is always aligned with the moon just like twins, so Zerach and Peretz were aligned in the womb of their mother, i.e. they were twins. This concept of their being twins was carried so far that even at birth each of them could be taken for the firstborn depending on whether you consider the emergence of the hand or the emergence of the head as determining which one is the firstborn of the two. The Torah describes Zerach as the firstborn seeing that his hand emerged first from Tamar's womb. It says "for he emerged first." On the other hand, the Torah continues with "it was as he was about to pull back his hand (inside the womb)." Note that the Torah did not say that he had actually completed the act of pulling back his hand. Peretz became the firstborn y reason of forcing his way out of the birth canal of his mother past his twin bother Zerach. This is why the Torah writes "after that, his brother, the one who had the red string tied to his hand, emerged." In other words, when we consider the emergence from the womb of the entire baby, as the dominant criterion, Peretz was the firstborn even though Zerach had first put his hand out of his mother's womb. The Torah determined that for halachic purposes emergence of a whole baby from the mother's birth canal first determines who is the true firstborn (Bechorot 46). This is why when the Torah revealed the names of these two twins it first gives us the name of Peretz. You will find an interesting verse in Tehillim 89:28, "I will also appoint him firstborn, highest of the kings of the earth." G-d is on record that He considers David, who biologically was the youngest of his brothers, as a firstborn. Seeing that the kingdom of the house of David is derived from Peretz, and Peretz in turn has been likened to the moon, Chazal formulated the words, David King of Yisrael is alive and endures," when we recite the monthly benedictions welcoming the arrival of the renewal of the light of the moon.

When we look at the plain meaning of that statement it means simply that the moon is equated with David, (in name), seeing David is descended from Peretz who has been compared to the moon. Furthermore, seeing that the moon has been described in the Torah as the "small luminary" (Bereishit 1:16), we find that the adjective "the small one" has also been applied to David (compare 1Shmu'el 17:14). When we say the words חי וקיים (chai vekayam - alive and well), in the recital of יקדוש לבנה (Kiddush Levanah), the sanctification of the new moon, the thought we entertain is that the moon has become visible again this month.

On a more mystical level, these words are a reference to the latent power of the moon which is also known as דוד מלך ישראל (David Melech Yisrael - David, King of Yisrael), in that the word ישראל (Yisrael) is a reference to כנסת ישראל (Knesset Yisrael), the mystical entity called Yisrael in the celestial regions. This is why this entity is described as חי וקיים (alive and well), enduring forever. Dani'el 7:9 alludes to this when he said, "until the thrones were set up." There were two such thrones. In Chagigah 14 Chazal have revealed to us how they understood this verse in Dani'el. "Some hold that one of these thrones was reserved for G-d and the other for David. A second opinion holds that one of these thrones would be used by G-d when He employed the Attribute of Justice, whereas he would use the other throne when employing the Attribute of Charity. A third opinion, that of Rabbi Ele'azar ben Azaryah, contends that one of the 'thrones' was for sitting on, whereas the other served as a footrest." It appears in that folio as if Chazal  of the first view disagreed with the view expressed by those who old that one throne was reserved for David. Actually, Chazal do not disagree with the basic concepts underlying all this. We know this as they derive their opinion from the verse, "and they will seek HASHEM their G-d and David their king." The words "and David their King" are a reference to this concet of K'nesset Yisrael. Concerning the moral/spiritual power represented by K'nesset Yisra'el, Chazal expounded (Zohar Terumah 175) that legally speaking the Benei Yisrael were not slated for exile from their land ever. The decree to exile them was not decided until they had rejected both the Kingdom of Heaven (G-d) and the Kingdom of David. This is based on 2Shmu'el 20:1 "we have no portion in David nor in any inheritance of the son of Yishai. Every man to their tents!" (a proclamation by Sheva ben Bichri, a dissident and heretic, arousing the people to oppose David..

It is important to realize that the word "David" and the words "the son of Yishai" are not a repetition referring to one and the same person as those commentators who concentrate on the plain meaning of the text would have us believe. The meaning of the verse is that Shea ben Bichri and his supporters declared their severance of allegiance to both the kingdom of heaven and the celestial aspect of the kingdom on earth as represented by David in his capacity as the son of Yishai. These people served idols instead. This is why he said, "each one to his god!" Chazal inverted the letters in the word לְאֹהָלָיו (le'ohalav), "to their tents," to read "to their gods," i.e. לאלהיו because the separation of Yisrael from the house of David was regarded as a necessary transition to idolatry; it was looked upon as leaving G-d and the sanctuary for the worship of idolatry in tents. The verses reporting the birth of Zerach mention the word יד (yad) "hand," four times, i.e. וַתִּקְשֹׁר (vatikshor),  עַל-יָדוֹ שָׁנִי (al-yado shani), וַיְהִי כְּמֵשִׁיב יָדוֹ (Vayehi kemeshiv yado), אֲשֶׁר עַל-יָדוֹ הַשָּׁנִי (asher al-yado hashani). These four expressions parallel the four times עכן בן זרח (achan ben zerach), stretched out his hand, i.e committed a trespass against loot captured by the Jewish people in their wars since their departure from Egypt. He hid and retained such loot from the battle against Amalek, against Sichon and Og, from the battle against the Kena'anim and from the capture of Yericho (which was not preceded by a battle in the usual sense of the word) (compare Bereishit Rabbah 85:14).

May HASHEM continue to enlighten us with the Light of His Torah.

- Chazal

Parashat VaYeshev

Bereishit 32:23
וַיַּעֲבֹר אֵת מַעֲבַר יַבֹּק
vaya'avor et Ma'avar Yabok
he crossed the ford of the Yabok

He wanted to test if the river bed would rise for him (Ramban) and would enable him to cross on foot. Once he saw that the water level was shallow enough, "he took them and brought them across the river." He then retraced his steps "and he brought his belongings across." He commanded his servants to do this. As a result he himself was the last one left on the wrong side of the river.


32:25
וַיִּוָּתֵר יַעֲקֹב לְבַדּוֹ
Vayivater Ya'akov levado
when Ya'akov had remained alone...

Chazal in Bereishit Rabbah 77:3 state that these words should be read as if Ya'akov was trapped there. Read lekado (for his pitcher) instead of levado (alone). This teaches that Ya'akov went back across the river to retrieve small vessels which had been overlooked. This teaches that the tzaddikim (righteous) are very meticulous even with relatively low cost items seeing that when you acquire things by making certain none of them has been tainted by being stolen or otherwise illegally acquired, one does treasure what one has more than do other people who dod not mind to acquire things less honestly. (Rashi).

Another approach is the vessels were used to drink out of and Ya'akov was concerned that the younger children should have a chance to drink from them on the journey.


וַיֵּאָבֵק אִישׁ עִמּוֹ
vaye'avek ish imo
a man wrestled with him.

The word וַיֵּאָבֵק (vaye'avek) is derived from אבק (avak) "dust." It means that Ya'akov became enveloped by the dust of the person engaging him in a struggle. The "man" was the celestial representation of Esav. It is well known that had it not been for the original sin in Gan Eden there would not be a noticeable difference between man and angel. On the contrary, man would outrank the angel in ever respect. We base this on Sanhedrin 93 "the righteous are greater than the angels." Accordingly, the "angel" came to try and find a sin Ya'akov was guilty of in order to use the sin as a weapon to overpower him. However, he did not succeed. The only "sin" he could find was that Ya'akov had married two sisters during their lifetime, something which had not yet been forbidden. The Torah alludes to this when writing, "he inflicted an injury on Ya'akov's hip joint." This was a euphemism for his sexual organs and the seat of sexual desire. The "punishment," such as it was, was administered near the organ so that Yaakov limped for a while. (Bereishit Rabbah 73:3 and 77:2)

Another allusion included in the words "he struck the socket of his hip," is that the damage inflicted by the celestial representation of Esav would manifest itself in later generations, among descendants of Ya'akov who would suffer under the Romans. When the Torah wrote that the "angel" was unable to harm Ya'akov, i.e. כִּי לֹא יָכֹל לוֹ (ki lo yachol lo), the meaning is that he was unable to harm Ya'akov personally. He did not have permission to do so as Ya'akov was unblemished. Later generations who would not be so unblemished would become victims of Esav, however. This happened in the generation of Rabbi Yehudah ben Bava and his colleagues when that Rabbi became a martyr in order to save his students during the period when the Romans tried to wipe out Jews and Judaism. (Sanhedrin 13). The Talmud tells the following story:

Rabbi Chiyah bar Abba said, "If someone were to tell me to offer my life for the Holy Name of G-d I would be prepared to do so on condition that they would kill me quickly. If I had been asked to do the same during the persecutions of Jews and Judaism under Emperor Hadrianus, I would not be able to do so as I am not able to undergo such tortures." What did they do in that generation? They brought iron bars which had been made white hot. They then placed these bars under the arm pits of the victims and this is the way these people died.


32:27
וַיֹּאמֶר שַׁלְּחֵנִי
Vayomer shalcheni
he [the angel] said, "let me go!"

The angel was afraid that if he were to leave without having obtained Ya'akov's permission they would punish him in heaven with having to endure the פולסי דנורא (pulsei denura) "lashes of fire", a physical punishment administered by a fiery rod and mentioned in Chagigah 15 and elsewhere as an instrument for disciplining wayward angels.  There is another reference to this incident in Hoshe'a 12:5, "He strove with an angel and prevailed; the other had to weep and implore him."

כִּי עָלָה הַשָּׁחַר
ki alah hashachar
for dawn as risen.

When the angel asked to leave before daybreak Ya'akov asked him, "are you a thief that you need to fear daylight?" He answered, "I am an angel and ever since I have been created I have not yet had the opportunity to sing a song of praise to HASHEM in the heavenly choir. Today is my opportunity." There is reference to this in Scripture, "When the morning stars sang together and all the angels shouted for joy" (Iyov 38:7). The time of dawn is the time when the קדושה (Kedushah) is recited as mentioned by Yeshayahu 6:3, "and one would call to the other: Holy, Holy, Holy." Hearing this, Ya'akov replied, "I will not let you go unless you first bless me." He wanted Esav's angel to acknowledge that the blessing he had received from Yitzchak was acknowledged by Esav as being rightfully his. Thereupon the angel said, "your name will no longer be Ya'akov but Yisrael." He meant that from now on people will no longer say that you obtained the blessing by subterfuge, but they will admit that you are the rightful recipient of them. Alternatively, what the angel meant was that if anyone were to accuse Ya'akov of having swindled Lavan they would be proven wrong as Ya'akov had been accorded the Attribute "Truth", i.e. that he had acted truthfully IN ALL his undertakings. This was confirmed in Michah 7:20, "You have given 'truth' to Ya'akov."


32:29
כִּי-שָׂרִיתָ עִם-אלוקים
ki-sarita im-Elokim
for you have contended with Divine forces.

In this instance the word elohim refers to the angel representing Esav with whom Ya'akov had wrestled. The words ve-im anashim, in the same line, refers to Lavan and Esav. According to Bereishit Rabbah 78:3 the words  mean כִּי-שָׂרִיתָ עִם-אלוקים (ki-sarita im-Elokim) mean that Ya'akov's countenance was engraved on the Throne of G-d and the angel had realized this after looking at Ya'akov.


32:30
הַגִּידָה-נָּא שְׁמֶךָ
hagida-na shmecha
please tell me your name.

He wanted confirmation of what the "angel" had said by being able to identify him by name. The name would give Ya'akov a clue as to the essence of that spiritual force.


לָמָּה זֶּה תִּשְׁאַל לִשְׁמִי
lamah zeh tishal lishmi
why is this that you ask for my name?

He meant, "we do not have a fixed name; our names always change according to the mission we are sent on." Another meaning of these words, "why do you ASK for a name seeing that we are not in the habit of revealing our nations?" The reason an angel does not like to reveal his name is so as not to appear to crown himself with the success of any mission he has been sent on. He does not want a human being to go around saying, "this and this angel has performed such and such miracle." He is a servant, a mere extension of his Master in Heaven and he is careful not to do something which would create the wrong impression. This was the reason that the angel who had announced to Mano'ach and his wife that they would have a son resented being asked for his name (Shoftim 13:18) saying that his name was פלאי (pil'i) "something concealed." This is the meaning of Yeshayahu 43:7, "everything which bears My Name, I have created it for the sake of MY honor." This is also the thrust of David saying in Tehillim 29:1, "ascribe to HASHEM, O divine beings, ascribe to HASHEM glory and strength."

The "angel" responded that Ya'akov did not need this information as he had already achieved a great deal and had risen to the level of disembodied heavenly spirits.


וַיְבָרֶךְ אֹתוֹ שָׁם
vayevarech oto sham
he blessed him there.

He acknowledged that Ya'akov was the rightful owner of the blessings his father had bestowed upon him.

According to a Midrash the blessing the angel bestowed upon Ya'akov at this time was identical with what wold later on become the standard formula of the Kohanim blessing the Jewish people as recorded in BaMidbar 6:24-27.


A logical / investigative approach:

The words, "a man wrestled with him," refer to Gavri'el (on other occasions Gavri'el is referred to as איש (ish) "man." According to the philosophers, Gavri'el is symbolic of the active investigative intelligence. According to Kabbalistic writings this disembodied intelligence supplies the outer form to human beings based on their endowments (genes). This force is the tenth of the emanations (the lowest counting from the top) the one we call מלכות (Malkut) which is just one rung above the physical universe, the עולם העשיה  (Olam Ha'Asiyah). This is the reason that the term איש which is usually only associated with tangible creatures is applied to Gavri'el. Ya'akov wanted to know if it is possible that this "man's" soul while still enclosed in a body would attain or represent a spiritual level equal to disembodied intelligence such as the force with whom he had done battle. In other words, this category of angel might be perceived as the link between the highest intelligence found inside a body and the lowest intelligence able to exist as a disembodied entity. The angel, i.e. Gavri'el, answered him that this was possible only after dawn, i.e. until the various forces which darken the soul have disappeared with the light of the morning. This physical light, though symbolic of spiritual light, is here described as עולם העשיה (Olam Ha'Asiyah).


32:33
עַל-כֵּן לֹא-יֹאכְלוּ בְנֵי-יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶת-גִּיד הַנָּשֶׁה אֲשֶׁר עַל
Al-ken lo-yochlu venei-Yisra'el et-gid hanasheh asher al
this is why the Children of Yisrael are not to eat the displaced sinew of the hip-socket.

The Torah goes on with a report of the consequences of this encounter. This means that seeing the נפש השכלית (G-dly intellectual soul) is meant to adjust to the norms of the disembodied intellect, the true Jewish people are not to engage in activities which arouse the libido which is seated near the hip-socket. The meaning of the word "eat" here does not only mean the actual consumption of this part of animalistic tissue but also what it symbolizes, i.e. absorbing the philosophy it represents.

From a purely physical point of view, the sinew is a very tough sinew and comparable to a tough cord. Cords become harder and tougher with use through pulling wagons, etc. Similarly, when one engages in such activities as arousing one's libido, this leaves a progressively deeper imprint on one's personality. The more frequently one engages in such activities the more they become part of one's personality. Hence, the prohibition of "eating" that sinew has also deep physiological significance for the Jewish people. Preoccupation with such concerns gradually estranges one to G-d. The act of "eating' if performed within reason, i.e. in quantities appropriate to the body's need, actually promotes both good physical and spiritual health. Eating to excess results in corruption of the body and health. Eating to excess results in corruption of the body and ultimately the soul. The same is true when one indulges any of the other physical desires.


אֲשֶׁר עַל-כַּף הַיָּרֵךְ
asher al-kaf hayarech
which is on the hip joint.

The importance of this particular sinew is that the entire body relies heavily on it so that if it is damaged one cannot even move. It therefore represents all physical desire.


עַד הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה
ad hayom hazeh
to this very day.

This does not refer to a specific date. The meaning of the words is that as long as the desires of the body assert themselves in man the restriction expressed in this prohibition remains in force. The arrival of the hereafter signifies a new יום (yom) "Day," as documented by many of our Prophets. Hence, the Torah says that as long as man (Yisra'el) is a mortal human being this prohibition will remain in force.


כִּי נָגַע בְּכַף-יֶרֶךְ יַעֲקֹב
ki naga bechaf-yerech Ya'akov
because he struck Ya'akov's hip joint.

The reason the Torah deliberately reverts to naming Yisrael "Ya'akov" at this juncture, is to stress that the influence of physical desire is what "separates the men from the boys," i.e. what is the true impediment of every "Ya'akov" developing into an "Yisra'el." It is within the power and scope of physical desires to drag down the נפש השכלית (G-dly intellectual soul) in man to the level represented by Ya'akov at birth, i.e. a degraded person who hangs on to the heel of this totally physically oriented brother. When G-d said to Yaakov, "You will no longer be called Ya'akov but your name shall remain Yisra'el," the message is not so much a compliment but a moral - ethical imperative to live according to the yardsticks applied to individuals deserving of the distinctive title Yisra'el. This is why Chazal in Berachot 13 stated that Yisra'el was henceforth Ya'akov's major name, the name Ya'akov being used only in a secondary sense. This also explains G-d's instructions to Moshe in Shemot 19:3 prior to the giving of the Torah, "thus you shall say of Yisra'el." The women were referred to as "Ya'akov," as they are adjuncts to the men (in terms of Torah study), the men as "Yisra'el."


33:3
וַיִּשְׁתַּחוּ אַרְצָה שֶׁבַע פְּעָמִים
vayishtachu artzah sheva pe'amim
he bowed earthwards seven times.

The Torah could have written "three times," as we find in connection with David and Yonatan (1Shmu'el 20:41) where we are told, "that David bowed his face to the ground and prostrated himself three times before Yonatan (the crown prince). The reason the Torah here mentions the number seven is to remind us that when a righteous person falls down even seven times, he will rise again and regain his composure (Mishlei 24:16).

May HASHEM continue to enlighten us with the Light of His Torah.

- Chazal


Parashat VaYishlach

Haftarah VaYishlach

Bereishit 29:2
וַיַּרְא וְהִנֵּה בְאֵר בַּשָּׂדֶה
Vayar vehineh ve'er basadeh
he looked, and behold here there was a well on a field.

Every single one of our Patriarchs had an encounter with a well and in each case the well was an allusion to future happenings. In Yitzchak's case the well he encountered was called  בְּאֵר מַיִם חַיִּים (be'er mayim chayim) "a well of living water." (26:19) Bereishit Rabbah 70:8 explains that to the Jewish people Torah is equivalent to spring water.


וְהִנֵּה-שָׁם שְׁלֹשָׁה עֶדְרֵי-צֹאן
vehineh-sham shloshah edrei-tzon
and here there were three flocks of sheep.

The Torah could have written "here there were three flocks of sheep and there was a well.." The reason the syntax was changed was to allude to a similar sequence in Yechezkel 3:23 "and here the glory of HASHEM was standing." Yisrael is called "the flock of G-d" as we know from Yechezkel 34:31, "and you are My sheep, sheep of My pasture, you are Adam..." The same thought is in Tehillim 79:13 "and we are Your people and the flock of Your pasture." The reason the Torah mentioned three flocks is that the Jewish peple consist of three flocks, i.e. the Kohanim, the Levi'im, and the Benei Yisrael. All of the Benei Yisrael used to make a pilgrimage to the Temple three times a year in order to be in the Presence of G-d.


כִּי מִן-הַבְּאֵר הַהִוא יַשְׁקוּ הָעֲדָרִים וְהָאֶבֶן גְּדֹלָה
ki min-habe'er hahi yashku ha'adarim veha'even gedolah
for from that well the flocks would be watered. And the large stone...

There is an allusion here to the Holy Name of G-d which was engraved in the Holy Temple. The line "for from that well the flocks would be watered," is a clear hint that the Temple would serve as the basic inspiration of the various sections of the Jewish people. The words וְהָאֶבֶן גְּדֹלָה (veha'even gedolah) is a reference to a "golden crown", i.e. the letter ד (dalet) in the Shema - שמע ישראל ה׳ אלוקינו ה׳ אחד (Shema Yisrael HASHEM Elokeinu HASHEM Echad). The last letter  ד which is in larger script in the Torah is equivalent to the final letter in the Ineffable Name, which alludes to G-d's Attribute גדולה (Gedolah).

29:3
וְנֶאֶסְפוּ-שָׁמָּה כָל-הָעֲדָרִים
Vene'esfu-shamah chol-ha'adarim
all the flocks would be assembled there [next to the well];

This is an allusion to all the Tribes of Yisrael from the extreme north to the extreme south who would assemble at the Holy Temple. The word וְגָלְלוּ (vegalelu) "would roll [the stone]" may be understood as similar in meaning to Berachot 7 "they will roll over Your Attribute of Mercy to 'exile' Your other Attribute." The Talmud there discusses the effectiveness of prayer. The words וְהִשְׁקוּ אֶת-הַצֹּאן (vehishku et-hatzon) "they watered the flock," describe how the Ruach HaKodesh was drawn down in order to provide the Benei Yisrael with blessing emanating from the Inner Sanctuary (in the Celestial Temple). The words "and they would replace the stone to its place," mean that seeing that they had previously elevated the stone (figure of speech) to lofty spiritual regions, once they had absorbed the proper spiritual imput from that region they descended from such a spiritual "high." There is a parallel comment in Sefer Yetzirah 1:4 "leave a matter in its proper state and restore the Creator to His realm."

A Midrashic approach: rabbi Yochanah interpreted the words וְהִנֵּה בְאֵר בַּשָּׂדֶה (vehineh ve'er basadeh) "behold here there was a well on a field" (v2) as an allusion to the revelation of the Torah at Mount Sinai. The words בְאֵר בַּשָּׂדֶה (be'er basadeh) are a reference to Mount Sinai. The words שְׁלֹשָׁה עֶדְרֵי-צֹאן (shloshah edrei-tzon) "three flocks of sheep," refer to the Kohanim, the Levi'im, and the Benei Yisrael. The words "for from that well the flocks would be watered," refer to the Ten Commandments whereas the words וְהָאֶבֶן גְּדֹלָה (veha'even gedolah) are a reference to G-d. The words וְנֶאֶסְפוּ-שָׁמָּה (vene'eshfu-shamah) "they were gathered there," refer to the Jewish people whereas the words וְהֵשִׁיבוּ אֶת-הָאֶבֶן עַל-פִּי הַבְּאֵר לִמְקֹמָהּ (veheshivu et-ha'even al-pi habe'er limekomah) "they put the stone back on the mouth of the well, its original place," are a simile for Moshe saying to the people at the end of the revelation (Shemot 20:22) "You have seen that I have spoken to you from heaven."


29:5
לָבָן בֶּן-נָחוֹר
Lavan ben-Nachor
Lavan son of Nachor.

The Torah should have described him as "Lavan the son of Betu'el," seeing Betu'el was his father. However, this is another instance where the Torah shows that grandchildren are equal to children (Yevamot 62). We have another such example in 20:12 where Avraham described Sarah as "my sister the daughter of my father," although in effect Sarah was the daughter of Avraham's brother Haran. He had meant "daughter of my father's son (Haran). It also possible that the Torah described Lavan as the son of Nachor, seeing that Avraham's brother Nachor was a well known personality, whereas Betu'el was relatively unknown. When people spoke of Lavan they never referred to him as teh son of Betu'el but as the son of Nachor. The Torah simply described things as they were.


29:10
וַיְהִי כַּאֲשֶׁר רָאָה יַעֲקֹב
Vayehi ka'asher ra'ah Ya'akov
it happened that as soon as Yaakov looked...

We find that in this verse the Torah repeats the expression אֲחִי אִמּוֹ (achi imo) "brother of his [Yaakov] mother" repeatedly. This is partly in order to explain why Ya'akov was so concerned with helping to water the flocks as he had pity on Rachel, Lavan's daughter. Whatever Ya'akov did, whatever feat of strenght he performed, he did not perform for the sake of Lavan but for the sake of his mother Rivkah. This is why every time the Torah had to mention the name of wicked Lavan, it constrasts him with his sister, Ya'akov's mother. Ya'akov remembered his mother who had advised him to go to Lavan.

There is yet another reason for the repeated mention of the words אֲחִי אִמּוֹ "brother of his mother." Whenever a person hears or sees an object he desires, he is suddenly capable of performing tasks which he cannot perform in order to secure something which his heart does not covet. The reader of this passage could be forgiven if he had thought that seeing Ya'akov was taken with Rachel's beauty he desired her physically and this is what gave him the strength to move the rock single-handedly. The Torah refers time and again to the fact that Lavan was the brother of Ya'akov's mother in order to make us aware that physical passion had nothing to do with Ya'akov's sudden burst of strength in moving the rock. The Torah was so concerned not to create the impression that Ya'akov's sudden burst of strength was inspired by passion that instead of writing, "as soon as Ya'akov set eyes on Rachel he rolled the rock...," the Torah wrote instead (in somewhat clumsy style) "it was when Ya'akov saw Rachel the daughter of Lavan, the brother of his mother, and the flock of Lavan the brother of his mother, Yaakov approached and rolled the rock..."


וַיִּגַּשׁ יַעֲקֹב וַיָּגֶל אֶת-הָאֶבֶן מֵעַל פִּי הַבְּאֵר
vayigash Ya'akov vayagel et-ha'even me'al pi habe'er
Ya'akov approached and rolled the rock from the top of the well.

Ya'akov clearly displayed superior physical strength seeing that at least three shepherds had been unable to move that rock with their combined efforts. When you consider in addition that Ya'akov must have been tired both from the long journey and from Torah study, which traditionally weakens a person physically, his feat was even more remarkable. Yaakov had spent the last 14 years studying in the academy of Ever (even though this detail has not been recorded in the Written Torah).

We find that when Yitzchak his father commanded Ya'akov, "arise and go to padan Aram and take for yourself from there a wife" (28:2), that he understood that the meaning of the word אִשָּׁה (ishah) also included another element, something that Yitzchak had not spelled out to him. The hidden meaning of the word אִשָּׁה was that it referred to Torah. King Shlomo in Mishlei 31:10 already alluded to this meaning of the word אִשָּׁה, when he headlined his last paragraph with the words "who can find a woman of valor?" He described such a "woman" as  עֲטֶרֶת בַּעְלָהּ (ateret balah) "the crown of her husband." (Mishlei 12:4)

Chazal, when commenting on Devarim 33:4 where Moshe described the Torah as "as an inalienable possession handed down from generation to generation," that the word ought not merely be read as  מוֹרָשָׁה (morashah) "inheritance," but as מאורשה (me'orasah) "betrothed," something a Jew is betrothed to. In other words, Torah is to us what a wife is to a husband. Keeping this thought in mind, Ya'akov decided to fulfill the implied command of his father first and instead of proceeding directly to Lavan he stayed at the Yeshivah for 14 years. The number of years he must have stayed there can be arrrived at by comparing the age at which e met Pharaoh (130 - he lived in Egypt for 17 years and died at 147 years of age). When you deduct 22 years during which he had not seen Yosef who had been 17 years of age at the time of his abduction, this made Ya'akov 91 years old at the time Yosef had been born. Yosef was born after Ya'akov had stayed at Lavan's for 14 yaers. This means he was 77 years of age when he came to Charan. Yitzchak dispensed the blessing when he was 123 years of age, i.e. when Ya'akov was 63 years old (compare Rashi wo said that when one approaches within 5 years of the age at which either parent died it is time to make arrangements concerning one's own death. The Talmud Megillah 17 arrives at the same conclusion). All this support the view that the only way to account for an obvious discrepeancy in dates supplied by the Torah is to conclude that Ya'akov studied Torah for 14 years before arriving at Lavan's house.


29:11
וַיִּשַּׁק יַעֲקֹב לְרָחֵל
Vayishak Ya'akov le-Rachel
Ya'akov kissed Rachel...

The reason the Torah referred to Rachel as קטנה (ktanah), "small," is that she was still a minor and Ya'akov could not consummate marriage vows with her. This was the reason Lavan was not worried to hand his flocks to her instead of to his already adult daughter Le'ah who was liable to be molested by the male shepherds on account of her age. We should also note that Ya'akov did not kiss Rachel on the mouth but on the head or the shoulder, suggesting that there was no sexual element in that kiss (Ibn Ezra).


וַיִּשָּׂא אֶת-קֹלוֹ וַיֵּבְךְּ
vayisa et-kolo vayevk.
he raised his voice and cried.

This was customary when family memebers met. According to Bereishit Rabbah 70:12 quoted by Rashi, Ya'akov's weeping was prompted by his having a vision of Rachel not being buried with him in the cave of Machpelah. Another Midrash attributes this weeping to Ya'akov's reflecting on his arrival as a potential suitor empty-handed, whereas Eliezer, his father's servant at the time when he met Rivkah was loaded with precious gifts. According to that version, the reason taht Ya'akov was penniless was that Esav's son Elifaz whome his father had dispatched to kill him had settled for leaving him penniless, reasoning that a poor man is like a dead man. (Sefer HaYashar)


May HASHEM continue to enlighten us with the Light of His Torah.

- Chazal

Parashat VaYetze