Yaakov Avinu Subjugated Eisav and Yishmael with the Power of the Torah
Following this line of reasoning, we will now endeavor to explain how Yaakov Avinu with his kedushah succeeded in abolishing the union of Eisav and Yishmael—the klipos of the ox and the donkey. Let us refer to the Mishnah (Avos 1, 2): "על שלשה דברים העולם עומד, על התורה ועל העבודה ועל גמילות חסדים"—the world stands on three pillars—on the Torah, on religious service and on the performance of acts of kindness. Furthermore, the Zohar hakadosh (Vayeitzei 146b) asserts that these three pillars are none other than the three Avos: "התורה דא יעקב, העבודה דא יצחק, גמילות חסדים דא אברהם"—Yaakov is the pillar of Torah; Yitzchak is the pillar of religious service; Avraham is the pillar of acts of kindness.
This coincides with the passuk (Bereishis 25, 27): "ויעקב איש תם יושב אהלים"—and Yaakov was a wholesome man, abiding in tents. Rashi explains that this refers to the tents of Shem and Eiver. Similarly, we learn that on his way to Charan, Yaakov spent fourteen years studying in the Beis Midrash of Eiver without sleeping in his bed.
Now, we are taught in the Gemara (A.Z. 5b): "תנא דבי אליהו לעולם ישים אדם עצמו על דברי תורה כשור לעול וכחמור למשאוי"—a Tanna of the academy of Eliyahu taught in a Baraisa: A person should always apply himself to the words of Torah like an ox to a yoke and like a donkey to a burden. In the Chiddushim of the Chasam Sofer (Chullin 7a), he interprets this as follows: “An ox to a yoke” refers to learning in depth in order to clarify the precise nuances and details of a given halachah; “a donkey to a burden” refers to learning diligently and repetitively in order to remember the halachos that have been learned. A similar interpretation is provided by the great author of the Ben Ish Chai in his sefer Ben Yehoyada (ibid.); it is important to learn in-depth and also to be comprehensive.
We can now better appreciate how Yaakov Avinu managed to thwart the union of Eisav and Yishmael—the klipos of the “ox and donkey.” He subdued them by studying Torah “like an ox to a yoke and like a donkey to a burden”; he learned in-depth and comprehensively. This then was the message he sent to Eisav: "ויהי לי שור וחמור"—I have acquired ox and donkey. Yaakov was intimating to him that by studying Torah “like an ox to a yoke and like a donkey to a burden,” he possessed the power to subjugate and abolish the union of the klipos of the ox and donkey.
This explains magnificently the elucidation in the Tanna D’Vei Eliyahu Zuta (Chapter 1) related to the passuk in the Navi (Yeshayah 32, 20): "אשריכם זורעי על כל מים משלחי רגל השור והחמור, משום דבי אליהו אמרו, לעולם יהא אדם כשור לעול וכחמור למשא, וכבהמה שחורשת בבקעה ובשדה, כך יהא אדם עוסק וחורש בדברי תורה בכל יום תמיד, שנאמר אשריכם זורעי על כל מים, ואין מים אלא דברי תורה, שנאמר הוי כל צמא לכו למים". “Fortunate are you who sow upon all waters, who send away the feet of the ox and the donkey.” Those from the Academy of Eliyahu taught: A person should always be like an ox to a yoke, and a donkey to a burden, and like an animal plowing in the valley and in the field. Thus, should a person engage in and plow words of Torah every day, constantly. For it is stated: “Fortunate are you who sow by all waters.” And there is no water other than words of Torah, as it is stated (ibid. 55, 1): “Ho! Everyone that is thirsty go to the water (Torah).”
Based on what we have discussed, this implies that if a person studies Torah “like an ox to a yoke and like a donkey to a burden,” he is able to subdue the two klipos of the ox and the donkey. As explained, they are the two legs that support all of the klipos. This then is the message of the navi: “Fortunate are you who sow upon all waters”—who study Torah which is compared to water—“like an ox to a yoke and like a donkey to a burden.” For, in this merit, they “send away the feet of the ox and the donkey”—they send the klipos of Eisav and Yishmael, the feet of the ox and donkey, to Azazel.
We can suggest that it is for this reason that the study of Torah is associated with “walking.” For instance, it says in parshas Bechukosai (Vayikra 26, 3): "אם בחוקותי תלכו"—if you walk with My decrees. Rashi interprets this to mean that you should labor in the study of Torah. Similarly, it is written (Tehillim 119, 1): "אשרי תמימי דרך ההולכים בתורת ה'"—praiseworthy are those whose way is wholesome, who walk with the Torah of Hashem. This association alludes to the fact that by studying Torah, which implies walking on the two legs of kedushah, we subdue and abolish the two legs of the klipos that are operative in the final galus—galus Edom and galus Yishmael.
