The Abarbanel zt'l discusses why Leah didn't praise Hashem for her first three children, but only when Yehudah was born. It is because it’s Hashem's way to have compassion for those who are sad and are going through hard times. Therefore, she felt she didn’t have to praise Hashem for her first three children. We quote the Abarbanel:
"In her mind, she felt that she knew the reason she had her first three children. It was from Hashem's justice and His compassion for all His creations. This is Hashem's way, to have compassion on those who are sad."
As we wrote, later, when Yehudah was born, she retroactively praised Hashem for her first three children, as well, because when she took more than her portion, she understood that the first three children were also chesed. Nevertheless, for our purpose, we learn from this lesson that when one goes through hard times, he will benefit from it. It is Hashem's way to take special care of those who are suffering.
The Torah tells us, לְיַע ֲקֹב יָלְדָה לֹא כִּי רָחֵל וַתֵּרֶא מֵתָה א ַיִן וְאִם בָנִים לִּי הָבָה יַע ֲקֹב אֶל וַת ֹּאמֶר ּבַּא ֲחֹתָה רָחֵל וַתְּק ַנֵּא א ָנֹכִי, "Rachel saw that she wasn’t having children, and she was jealous of her sister. She said to Yaakov, 'Give me children, or I am like the dead.' מ ָנַע ֶׁראֲש א ָנֹכִי א ֱלֹה ִים הֲתַחַת וַיֹּאמֶר בְּרָחֵל יַע ֲקֹב אַף וַיִּחַר בָטֶן פ ְּרִי מִמ ֵּ ךְ, "Yaakov became angry with Rachel, and he said, 'Am I in Hashem's place, who refrained you from [from bearing] children?" (30:1-2).
Bederech tzachus, Rebbe Bunim of Peshischa zy"a said that Rachel purposely tried to get Yaakov Avinu angry. She saw that Leah was having children due to her suffering, so she sought to arouse Yaakov's anger toward her, so she would also merit having children.
Be'er Mayim Chaim (this week's parashah) writes, "This is what the poor and the suffering should think, to get chizuk. Behold it states (Yeshayah 57:15) מָרוֹם ֹ...וְנִשׂ ָּא רָם אָמַר כֹה כִּי ַרוּח וּשְׁפַל דַּכָּא וְאֶת אֶש ְׁכּוֹן וְק ָדוֹשׁ, "For so said the High and Exalted One...., "With the lofty and the holy ones I dwell, and with the crushed and humble in spirit..." Chazal say about this pasuk, דכא את אני, that Hashem is with the poor and the suffering. This is as it states (Tehillim 91:15) בְצָרָה א ָנֹכִי עִמּוֹ, "I am with him in distress." And since Hashem is with him, what does he lack? Hashem has everything in His hands. This is the comforting thought he should have. The One who has everything in His hands is with him! What possibly more can a person request, in this world or the next world, if he has the Shechinah residing with him? Hashem told Yaakov (28:14) הָאָרֶץ כַּעֲפַר ָזַרְעֲך וְה ָיָה, 'your seed shall be as the dust of the earth.' This implies that the Jewish nation will fall to low levels, down to the earth. Hashem added עִמ ָּ ךְ א ָנֹכִי וְה ִנֵּה, which means בצרה אנכי עמו, [Hashem says], 'I will be with him, when he has a tzarah, and את אני דכא, I am with the downtrodden.' This will console him, and they will rejoice with their connection with the Creator."
In a dream, Yaakov Avinu saw malachim climbing up and down a ladder, and Hashem stood over him. When he awoke, he said (28:16) יָדָעְתִּי לֹא וְא ָנֹכִי ה ַזֶּה בַּמ ָּקוֹם 'ה ׁיֵש אָכֵן, "Behold Hashem is in this place, and I did not know."
The Megaleh Amukos asks: Certainly, Yaakov Avinu knew that כבודו הארץ כל מלא, that Hashem's honor fills the world. Why then was he surprised that Hashem was “in this place?”
He answers that at this time, Yaakov Avinu had suddenly become poor. As the Midrash (Bereishis 68:2) tells us, when Yaakov was going to Charan, Elifaz, the son of Eisav HaRasha, came and took away all his money and wealth. Yaakov Avinu thought about his situation, that in a moment he fell from the highest status to the lowest, and he dreamed about this that night. This is the nature of dreams, they reflect what one thinks about during the daytime, as it states (Daniel 2:29) ס ְ לִ קוּ מִשְׁכְּבָ ךְ עַל רַע ְ יוֹנָךְ, "Your thoughts [during the daytime] came [to you] while on your bed." Rashi explains that Daniel told Nevuchadnezer, "What you were thinking about during the day, Hashem revealed to you in a dream."
Here as well, Yaakov was thinking about his new financial status, and Hashem answered his doubts and questions in this dream. Hashem told Yaakov that poverty is the way of the world because in life, some become wealthy and some become poor. Hashem also hinted to him that his fate can change, and he can become wealthy again. Furthermore, Hashem showed him the extreme closeness that He has with those who are poor.
In his dream, Yaakov saw a סולם, a ladder. The ladder alludes to the Midrash (Bereishis Rabba 68:4), which states: "Hakadosh Baruch Hu makes ladders, He lowers this person and raises that person..." This is what happened to Yaakov when he suddenly became poor. A hint to this idea is that סלם, ladder, is gematria עני, poverty. The ladder was (28:12) ָּׁמ ָיְמָההַש מַגִּיעַ וְרֹאשׁוֹ א ַרְצָה מ ֻצָּב ס ֻלָּם, "A ladder set up on the ground and its top reached to heaven." This was a message for Yaakov that even if now he is at a moment of א ַרְצָה מ ֻצָּב, a low situation, tomorrow it can be ָּׁמ ָיְמָההַש מַגִּיעַ וְרֹאשׁוֹ, his head reaches heaven.
The ladder with the malachim going up and down on it, and Hashem standing over Yaakov, taught Yaakov Avinu the closeness that Hashem has with the poor. The malachim going up and down the ladder represents the malachim who carry people's tefillos up to Hashem. As it states מ ַלְאֲכֵי וְה ִנֵּה בּו וְיֹרְדִים עֹלִים א ֱלֹק ִים, "Behold, angels of Hashem were ascending and descending upon it." But Yaakov didn't need malachim to raise his tefillos, as it states עָלָיו נִצָּב 'ה וְה ִנֵּה, "Behold Hashem was standing over him." And as it states (Tehillim 69:34) 'ה אֶבְיוֹנִים אֶל ַשֹׁמֵע כִּי, "Hashem listens to the needy." Hashem Himself stands by the poor and listens to their tefillos. They don't need malachim to elevate their tefillos.
Reb Dovid Feinstein zt'l said that if he were given the opportunity to host any three guests of his choice, who would he choose to bring into his home? Perhaps you think he would choose to invite the avos hakedoshim, Avraham, Yitzchak, and Yaakov? Or perhaps you think he would invite three tanaim, or three of the great rishonim, such as Rashi, Rabbeinu Tam... "No," he said, "I would choose three poor people, because Hashem is with them. As it states (Tehillim 109:31) אֶבְיוֹן לִימִין יַע ֲמֹד כִּי, "For He will stand at the right of the needy."
The Midrash (Bereishis Rabba 69:3) writes on the words, ָיועָל נִצָּב 'ה וְה ִנֵּה, "Behold Hashem was standing over him," it can be compared to a king who sees a poor person from a good family lying on the way, in a field. The king protects him and guards him from wild animals. This is how Hashem protected Yaakov from Eisav and from Lavan. The Shach on the Torah quotes this Midrash and brings a hint from the words עָלָיו נִצָּב 'ה, that the first letters spell עני, indicating that Hashem is with the poor.
When he awoke, he said (28:16) יָדָעְתִּי לֹא וְא ָנֹכִי ה ַזֶּה בַּמ ָּקוֹם 'ה ׁיֵש אָכֵן, "Behold Hashem is in this place, and I did not know." The Megaleh Amukos writes, "When he saw the benefits of the poor (Tehillim 109:31) יַע ֲמֹד כִּי אֶבְיוֹן לִימִין, 'For He will stand at the right of the needy,' Yaakov said, ה ַזֶּה בַּמ ָּקוֹם 'ה ׁיֵש אָכֵן, 'Behold, Hashem is in this place, and I did not know.' He meant to say that he didn't know the great benefit of the poor. He discovered that Hashem is always with the poor. They are the 'broken utensils' of the King."
With these last words, the Megaleh Amukos alludes to the Midrash (Vayikra Rabba 7:2), which states, "For a regular person, it is disgraceful to use broken utensils, but Hakadosh Baruch Hu's utensils are broken, as it states (Tehillim 34:19) לֵב לְנִשְׁבְּרֵי 'ה קָרוֹב, 'Hashem is near the broken-hearted.'"
On the words ָיועָל נִצָּב 'ה וְה ִנֵּה, the Gemara (Chullin 91b) says, בנו על שמניף כאדם לאמרו אפשר אי כתוב מקרא אלמלא, "If the pasuk didn't say it, we wouldn't be able to say it. It was like a person who fans his son" to keep him comfortable. Such is the description of the care and love that Hashem showed for Yaakov Avinu.
At Maariv, we say ולשלום טובים לחיים מלכנו והעמידנו לשלום אבינו השכיבנו, (in nusach Sefard). Loosely translated, this means, "Our Father, let us sleep in peace, and awaken us, our King, for good life and peace." For going to sleep, we address Hashem as אבינו, "our Father," and for waking up, we say מלכנו, "Our King".
