This week's Torah reading begins as Jacob “sends" (VaYishlach) angels as messengers, to his angry brother Eisov who he hasn’t seen for over 30 years. But the Torah tells us that when his messengers returned with the news that Aisav wants war and is approaching with 400 men Jacob is afraid.
At first glance this makes no sense! Why the fear?
Two weeks ago we read how Yaakov received his father's blessings (27:28-9) promising him victory and supremacy over his enemies. So why was he afraid? Didn't he believe in the blessings?
Not only that but in a few sentences, we see that Yaakov was able to defeat an angel! So why was he afraid?
This Shabbat also precedes the holiday of "Yud Tes Kislev" (the 19th day of the Jewish month of Kislev) when Rebbe Schneur Zalman of Liadi, the founder of the Chabad Chassidic movement and the author of the book 'Tanya', was released (sent) from prison.
Yud Tes Kislev is one of the most important dates in the history of the world. It is the date that began the teachings of 'Chassidut Chabad'; the secret essence of Judaism, accessible to each man woman and even child in the entire world.
And this week's Torah portion explains it all: VaYislach means that we are all SENT to this world for a purpose. Chassidut Chabad explains this purpose.
To understand this, here is a story about the first Rebbe of Chabad; Rebbe Schneur Zalman of Laidi (aka the 'Alter (elder) Rebbe')
He was truly a holy person. When he was only a child, he had mastered all the wisdom of the Torah and by the age of twenty he knew all the secrets of the heavens and the earth.
But, much like the biblical story of Yosef and his brothers, Rebbe Shneur Zalman had jealous enemies who considered him a threat to their existence and even sought to kill him. They slandered him to the Russian Government who imprisoned and interrogated him for 53 days but finally realized his innocence and released him.
And, like Yosef, his release from prison brought blessings and salvation. Thousands sought the Rebbe's help whether in spiritual or in mundane matters and here is a story of one of them.
The Story of Reb Yona and His Son
Reb Yona was a religious Jew, who had a son who became insane. He was a normal, intelligent child until one day, shortly before his Bar Mitzvah the boy suddenly stopped eating and drinking and began wandering aimlessly around the house, mumbling and shouting incoherently to himself like a madman.
Rabbi Yona spared no money or time searching for a cure. But with no results and after he had exhausted all his money and sources of charity, he had no choice but to agree with the doctors and professors and declare defeat. The child was hopeless.
Then he heard about the Alter Rebbe. At first, he would have no part of it - who ever heard of asking a human being for a blessing!? G-d is the one that cures!!
But his wife pointed out to him that if it's permissible to ask doctors for help and throw away hundreds of rubles on them to boot, then why should it be forbidden to ask the help of a Tzadik?
Not only that, but there are myriads of stories in Judaism about people requesting blessings from Moses, Elijah and even from the holy scholars of the Talmud.
Reb Yona tried to protest, but he finally gave in and decided to travel to Laidi. At least his wife would stop nagging him. And, who knows, maybe this Rabbi might help.
It was a long journey to Liadi where the Rebbe was located but finally, after a few days, he was standing with his son before the Rebbe looking into the Rebbe's infinitely deep eyes.
"Your son will be healthy, G-d willing" the Rebbe said, "Just one small treatment. You have to give him a special medicine. Listen carefully and write this down. Mix two grams of silver nitrate and a tablespoon of olive oil in a cup of water and give it to him. This will heal him completely."
Reb Yona was overjoyed!! The Rebbe was different from anyone he had ever seen! There was truth and certainty in his eyes that he never dreamed existed in this world! So there was hope after all!! He immediately set out to find a pharmacist to fill the prescription.
Now it so happened that in the town of Liadi also lived a very great doctor and when our hero began asking around for someone to make this concoction he was directed to his house.
But when he asked the doctor for help and showed him the ‘prescription’ he in for a surprise.
"What!? Silver Nitrate? Olive oil?" he shouted. "What in the world would anyone need that for? Who told you to take this?" The doctor asked him to explain in detail his son’s condition and which doctors he had seen previously and after he heard it all he flat out refused to make the potion.
Reb Yona tried to explain the infallibility and holiness of the Rebbe but it didn't help.
"You have a demented son and some rabbi told you to give him this? The doctor exclaimed in wide-eyed disbelief. "What has silver nitrate got to do with dementia!? Exactly the opposite! It could be dangerous! And you want me to prepare it? Please leave!"
But Reb Yona insisted. He put money on the table, told the doctor that he trusted the Rebbe, that he would take full responsibility and said that if the doctor couldn’t give him this medicine he would go elsewhere. The doctor told him to wait, entered his room and exited with a small bottle containing the elixir.
Rav Yona took the bottle, thanked the doctor profusely, ran home and administered the contents to his son full of hope and anticipation. But after an hour or so it was obvious that it didn’t work.
True, nothing bad happened. But nothing good happened either. Perhaps he misunderstood what the Rebbe said. He decided to return to the Rebbe, explain what happened and ask what went wrong.
The next day he was again standing before the Rebbe and when the Rebbe heard him out, he simply replied.
"Ahh, whoever mixed the medicine must have made a mistake in measuring. Go back and ask him if he measured exactly as I told you. But it has to be very exact!"
"Mistake?" the doctor replied a few moments later, "I didn't make any mistake in measurement. In fact, I didn't measure at all! I just put in the smallest amount possible so it wouldn’t do any harm. Why waste time measuring something that is, at best, useless?!"
But Reb Yona pleaded, repeated what he said the day before and finally the doctor measured and mixed it before him, gave him the bottle of medicine and was happy to be rid of him.
The next day the doctor heard a knock on his door and there was standing Reb Yona but this time with his totally healthy son and said “This is my son. I just gave him a few drops like the Rebbe said and he immediately changed; he calmly asked for something to eat, washed up and became a normal person.”
"This is your son?” He asked in disbelief, “The one that was sick? Insane? It simply makes no sense!" the doctor exclaimed. What happened here was a miracle, I mean .... silver nitrate has nothing to do with mental illness! But if it was a miracle then why did the measure have to be exact? I simply can't understand it!"
The Lesson from Yaakov's Fear
This answers our question about Yaakov being afraid. Yaakov did not want to destroy or defeat his brother; rather he wanted to transform him, and with him the entire world; like the Rebbe in our story transformed sickness to health.
That is why Yaakov was afraid. Because he realized that he was facing an impossible task; to transform someone bent on killing him - a situation that Jews have found themselves in for the last two thousand years!
That is also why Yaakov sent messengers. Just as the Alter Rebbe included Reb Yona, the doctor and the demand for exact measurement to cure the boy's condition:
The only solution for the world's problems is to get all of nature as well as above nature (angels), involved in the healing process.
This is the message to us from Yaakov in our Torah portion and continued by the first Rebbe of Chabad when he was released from prison on 19th of Kislev. The world is ill and it is our responsibility and ability to heal it. For this we will need and will receive big miracles, but we also must follow the instructions of the Torah and use our abilities exactly as the Rebbe wants.
Soon we will see, as the Lubavitcher Rebbe has announced many times, that the work of Yaakov has been completed and the time of redemption has arrived!
And as the Rebbe said repeatedly; this should happen at any moment. We are standing on the merits of thousands of years of Jewish service, hopes, prayers and suffering. Now just one more good deed, word of even thought, if done with JOY can bring ....
MOSHIACH NOW!!!
Rabbi Tuvia Bolton
Yeshiva Ohr Tmimim
Kfar Chabad, Israel
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