ON THE PARSHA
          Parshas VaYishlach

          by Dovid Lipman, Jerusalem


The World Of The Supernatural

     (34:25) "...and they approached the city suddenly..."
The word for "suddenly", "betach", according to the Midrash
brought by Rashi, hints to "bitachon", meaning trust, because
they were trusting in the powers of the "old man". The simple
meaning is that they expected to be defended by Yaakov, but
the Sifsei Chachomim (echoed by Kli Yakar) suggests a link
to Avraham, when he stopped in Sh'chem, this same city. Rashi
on that earlier pasuk (12:6) says that Avraham stopped there
to daven for Yaakov's sons, foreseeing this week's story, and
it was in that tefillah that they now trusted.

A Time To Laugh

     (32:25) "Yaakov remained alone." Why? Rashi says, he
went back for some small jars (quoting the gemara; Chul. 91).
We wonder at his concern for the minor details, even to the
point of physical danger. Perhaps a hint to the correctness
of his approach lies at the heart of the upcoming Channukah,
whose miracle depended on the timely discovery of one small
jar the enemy had overlooked! Perhaps, had Yaakov not gone,
back, Eisav would be the one making Channukah!

Worthy Of Note

     (32:27-30) [paraphrased] Yaakov, victorious, demands a
bracha, the "man" asks Yaakov's name, says his name will be
Yisrael, Yaakov asks his name, he says "Why ask my name?" and
blesses Yaakov.
     The "man", according to the Midrash brought by Rashi,
was none other than Eisav's angel, the Satan himself. His
actions seem contradictory. Why should a name change be a
blessing? And why did he bless him afterwards? Perhaps the
answer lies in the principle Rashi explains on (32:20), that
angels' names reflect their mission. Perhaps, actually, the
angel said, "I don't HAVE to bless you, for I predict your
name will be changed. So if I say, 'blessed is Yaakov' it
will not be effective." Yaakov was suspicious. "If you can
ask my name, and change it," he said, "then since I defeated
you, I demand you tell me YOUR name, and I will change THAT!"
Yaakov knew if he changed Satan's name, his mission would
change to whatever Yaakov chose. So the angel grudgingly
replied "Oh, what are you asking my name for?" and blessed
him, as originally requested.

From the Gemara

     (32:33) Pesachim 22a - The issur of Gid HaNasheh is not
only eating, but having pleasure as well (hana'ah). One gemara
opinion derives this from the fact that Gid HaNasheh is not
considered meat at all (Rashi ibid.), so the pasuk's language
of "eating" must here refer to hana'ah as well.
     (33:18) Shabbos 33b - Yaakov, in gratitude to Hashem for
his safe arrival home, undertook to establish a system of
commerce for the people of Sh'chem. R' Shimon ben Yochai, by
example, expressed gratitude for being able to leave his cave
after thirteen years by clarifying the location of certain graves,
so the Kohanim would know where they could and could not go.

Rare And Unusual Words

     (33:3) "Avar" (He passed before them) The gemara (Pesa. 7b)
proves from here that the word has a connotation of going first,
which is why it is used to describe the requirement to make any
Bracha said upon a Mitzvah before it is done ("Oveir La'asiyasan").