Written by Ben Rose
Eisav sends his son Eliphaz to kill his uncle, Yaakov. Eliphaz, hunts down Yaakov immediately. But when he sees Yaakov, he has trouble pulling the trigger. Why? Because Eliphaz grew up in the Yeshiva and under the influence of his grandfather Yitzchok. So what does he do? Uncle Yaakov sells him a “Shtickel Toirah.” If you take my money, then it is as if I am dead. This way, you can both do your Kibbud Av and not murder. OH Gevaldik!!! Eliphaz takes his loot and goes home.
Rav Chaim Shmuelevitz says this warped thinking can only come from someone whose Neshama is a chaotic mix of good and evil. What happened to the Halacha that if your father tells you to murder, you are not obligated to listen? That one somehow slipped his mind. With all his years of learning Eliphaz proved that he was still the son of Eisav. The gemara Shabbos (81a) says that Torah is like a powerful drug that can either bring life or death. Learning is no guarantee that you will have a sterling character. It depends on why you learn, how you learn, and what attitude you have towards your learning.
In this case, the chaotic mind of Eliphaz that contained both Toras Yitzchok and Maasei Eisav bore the greatest enemy of the Jewish nation Amalek.
