By Yehoshua B. Gordon, Chabad.org
The Torah portion of Vayishlach opens with the dramatic narrative of Jacob being pursued by his hostile twin brother, Esau. Although not new to being pursued by his nemesis, this time, after spending two decades with Laban, his circumstances were quite different. Jacob now had a large family and had amassed tremendous wealth.
Upon learning that Esau was once again coming after him, Jacob took swift action. He dispatched messengers (who were, in fact, angels, according to the commentaries) with the following message: “I have lived with Laban ... and I have accumulated great wealth: oxen, donkeys, flocks of sheep, servants .... Let’s make peace.”
Sadly, the messengers returned to Jacob with bad news. “Esau is coming towards you with 400 terrorists, armed to the teeth!” Terrified, Jacob prepared for the confrontation. In a last-ditch attempt to avoid battle, he sent an enormous gift to Esau, a substantial collection of valuable animals. Miraculously, Esau was moved by the gesture, became calm, and upon finally seeing Jacob, greeted him with a hug and a kiss.
Observing Jacob’s extensive family, including his 11 sons, Esau inquired, “Who are these to you?” “These are my children,” responded Jacob, “with which G d has graced me, your servant.” By delving deeper into the narrative, we gain a profound appreciation for the life lessons derived from this story.
Living with Laban
Upon learning that his wicked brother, Esau, was heading his way, what message did Jacob send? “I’ve been living with Laban!” What was Esau supposed to do with that information?
The answer lies in Rashi’s commentary, which encourages us to read between the lines. Jacob said, “Im Lavan garti – I lived with Laban.” The Hebrew word garti has the numeric value of 613, representing the 613 commandments in the Torah. This was Jacob’s message to Esau. “I lived in the house of Laban. I lived in the city of Aram Naharayim, where everyone is morally bankrupt and wicked. And even there, I kept all of Torah’s laws. I did not adopt Laban’s evil ways. I didn’t compromise even one iota of my Jewish way of life.”
But why would Esau be impressed that Jacob remained faithful to the Torah? The explanation lies in the fact that Esau wanted to do more than just eliminate Jacob; he wanted to annihilate the Jewish people. He intended to make sure that there would be no Children of Israel. A deeper conversation was unfolding. Esau, from whom the Roman Empire descended, was saying to Jacob, “I am going to kill you. And without you, your children will grow up to be good Romans.”
And Jacob responded, “You won’t kill me, and you won’t influence my children. You may be a superior warrior, but I’m a tougher guy! I lived with Laban. I lived in a hotbed of immorality, and yet, look at the children I raised there—nice Jewish kids! Each of my sons wears a kippah. My daughter lights Shabbat candles!”
Resilience, Programmed into Our DNA
Esau was shocked. “How could you possibly raise children like that in such a place?” he asked. “You had no Jewish infrastructure—no synagogues, no day schools, not a single kosher restaurant! What’s your secret?” “G d graced me with these children,” Jacob answered, using the Hebrew word chanan. The three letters that spell the word chanan—chet, nun, nun—form an acronym for the three central mitzvot of a Jewish home: challah, representing the laws of kosher; niddah, representing the laws of family purity; and ner, representing Shabbat candles.
When we raise our children in observance of kosher, in observance of family purity, and in observance of Shabbat, no Esau—no physical or spiritual enemy of the Jewish people—can successfully exert power over us.
Wrestling Angels
This week’s parshah also contains the riveting narrative of Jacob’s battle with Esau’s angel, during which the angel dislocated Jacob’s thigh. One might ask, why didn’t the angel go for a knockout punch to the face?
There is deep symbolism here. Esau’s angel realized that he could not overpower Jacob directly, so instead, he targeted the “loins of Jacob” – his children. “I cannot defeat you,” admitted the angel, “victory is beyond my reach. Instead, I will target your children. I will attempt to lead them astray through assimilation, to entice them to abandon the teachings of the Torah and the observance of mitzvot.” Thus, Jacob and the angel engaged in fierce battle, culminating with the angel conceding and acknowledging Jacob’s victory. And so, until Moshiach comes, the Jewish people will be here, recognizably Jewish, proudly Jewish, despite Esau’s 400 terrorists.
Saved by Association
My father, Rabbi Sholom B. Gordon, of blessed memory, served as the rabbi of Congregation Ahavath Zion, the largest Orthodox congregation in Newark, N.J. A member of the synagogue’s board once approached my father with a serious problem. His young daughter had come home one day and declared, “Dad, I’m becoming Shabbat observant!” The father nearly fainted. “Are you crazy?!” he exclaimed. “Shomer Shabbat? Shabbat observant? You’re signing up for a life of poverty! You’ll never make a living.” Utterly devastated, he came to my father in desperation, seeking his help. “Rabbi,” he said, “I’m your friend. I need you to do me a big favor. You’ve got to save my daughter from certain doom! She decided to be shomer Shabbat! Her brother is a doctor, and her sister works for the State Department – and she’s going to become shomer Shabbat?! Please, rabbi, talk her out of it.”
