We are deep into a war for our very survival with an enemy that is looking to destroy us. What better parsha is there than Vayishlach in which Ya’akov is confronted by Esav who hates him deeply (“Halacha - Eisav sonei Ya’akov”) and whose hatred still exists day, to teach us some important lessons? We must analyse and learn from Ya’akov’s conduct during the war. Likewise, the nightlong, intense battle that he waged with the saro shel Eisav has much to teach us. Chazal tell us that this fight represents the most bitter, difficult time of the galus, the fight we are currently waging during the ikvesa d’meshicha.
Why all the Gifts?
It is striking that despite receiving a promise from Hashem that He would protect him, Ya’akov went out of his way to do an untold amount of hishtadlus, preparing for war, dividing his family, and offering an astronomical gift of livestock and diamonds. Why was this necessary and what does it teach us?
The dor that left Mitzrayim had the privilege of being fully in the hands of Hashem. They did not have to work hard for food, drink, or safety - Hashem took care of it all. They could “sit in kolel” and did not need to lift a finger - they were so called Yissachars. Today, however, this is not the case. We must work hard for food, clothes etc., after all, money does not grow on trees. Why is this so? Why does Hashem not give us what he gave the dor of yotzey Mitzrayim?
Neglecting the Baby?
Mazal Tov. A new baby has been born to the Cohen family - what a simcha! Mr. and Mrs. Cohen name the new baby Chaim and are busy day and night looking after him. As he grows up and become a little toddler, his mother is constantly buying him new clothes, preparing him food and looking after him. Soon Chaim turns five. No longer does Mummy feed him and he already gets dressed on his own. As he grows older, his parents take care of him less and less, and when they marry him off, they seemingly neglect him completely...
This, explains R’ Ezriel Tauber, is what took place between Hashem and Klall Yisrael. When we left Mitzrayim, we were a “new-born child”. Hashem took care of us, performed the ten makos, and split the sea. He did all these nissim to teach us to have emunah and continued them throughout the years in the midbar.
Growing Up!
However, when they came into Eretz Yisrael, they “grew up”. Hashem lessened the number of open miracles because it was the time for them to develop the midah of bitachon. We must work hard without seeing the yad Hashem work openly. We plow, plant, water, and harvest - we work hard and seemingly do everything ourselves and, during this hester, we must believe in Hashem.
Current times - the days preceding mashiach - are considered the peak of the adult life of the nation. For this reason there is immense hester panim, we do not see open nissim, do not have many ba’aley ruach ha’kodesh, and there is an increase in tzaros and yisurim. This is a means to elevate our midas ha’bitachon and believe that ein od milvado, despite all the hishtadlus and despite the hester panim.
The Driverless Bus!
Signs were plastered across the city - everyone knew this was a press conference which would contain a big and dramatic announcement. After many years of hard work Mr. Ruby, the CEO of SE Cutting edge Technologies, had an earthshattering announcement to make.
Tens of thousands had gathered in the auditorium, all waiting for the announcement and finally it came. Mr. Ruby took his place behind the podium and announced that, “after many years of research and experiments he was proud to announce that he had the software and hardware to make all the buses in the city, and then the country, run by themselves and without the need for drivers or any human intervention. The buses would run one hundred percent punctually, safely, and cost efficient.
The Experiment
The crowds then went outside for a live demonstration where a fleet of sixty buses ran like clockwork. Everyone was impressed and ready to buy into it, everyone, that is, apart from the bus driver union, which was concerned that all the drivers would lose their jobs. It responded by claiming that as fantastic as it appeared, it was not safe to run a bus by computer without human oversight.
A fierce argument broke out between the union and Mr. Ruby. Mr. Ruby claimed that there was no need for human drivers as the software was far more accurate and reliable than any human could be. Following a bitter argument, it was decided to carry out a public experiment. The union would send its very best driver and he would compete against the computerized system.
Not long after that they began the experiment. The driver sat down in the bus which began driving. The driver wanted to take a right turn but the computer showed him the benefit of taking a left turn. When he wanted to go forward he was shown that he should actually should be reversing. The driver got off the bus humiliated - he could not argue with the fact that the computer was the better driver.
Who is Running the System?
The Mitzrim believed that they were the ones running the world. They had the glorious River Nile, their powerful king Pharaoh, kishuf, and avoda zara. “Mi Hashem asher eshma b’kolo”, was their mantra.
In response Hashem took Bney Yisrael out with osos and mofsim. They were led in the midbar for forty years by the amud anan and amud esh, water, food, and clothes were provided with no need for human assistance. It was like a bus running without the need for a human driver.
The nisayon of our generation is greater than theirs. We must have the same emunah that Hashem runs the world but without the nissim. The bus is still running with the best systems but we must now keep our hands on the steering wheel, feel like we are running the world, being the Zevulun, working hard for parnasa and “looking after ourselves”. But yet we must have the same emunah and bitachon that the real driver is Hashem.
Before the Arrival of Mashiach
Rabbi Tauber concludes with the following. Right before the arrival of Mashiach this facade will disappear. The feeling that “someone is holding the steering wheel” will fall away and become useless. This was seen decades ago upon the fall of Communism which was believed to be solution for mankind. It was seen with the fall of the twin towers, downed by just a few individuals.
Who is the Real Driver!
These events were meant to teach us that mankind is being steered - it is not the real driver. On the contrary, when he takes the wheel and tries to drive he ends up in the wrong places – ki laShem ha’melucha u’moshel ba’goyim. Ya’akov Avinu, whose life corresponds to ikvesa d’meshicha, had to work hard - he had to do the hishtadlus. He sent gifts, prepared for war, and divided his family but it was to no avail. Eisav was out to kill him - all of his hishtadlus fell apart and he was only saved due to nissim from Hashem.
We too live in a time when, unlike in galus Mitzrayim, we must work hard to earn a parnasah - we must drive the bus - but we must still realize and truly believe that Hashem is the driver.
The Falling House of Cards!
But as we get closer to the coming of mashiach this all begins to fall away, like a house of cards. The health system we believed in, was crippled and overwhelmed during the COVID-19 pandemic. The economy that we have been driving is falling apart, and now the finest army with the most sophisticated systems not only failed, but cannot redeem its own citizens from captivity.
We are left to realise that we in the hands of Hashem, the real driver. May we soon see the emancipation of all the captives, may we realize who the real driver is, and may we experience the true revelation of the Beis Hamikdash b’karov.
