The translation of מ ַלְא ָכִים can either mean angels or messengers, depending on the context. At the beginning of the parashah, it states (32:4) אָח ִיו עֵשָׂו אֶל לְפ ָנָיו מ ַלְא ָכִים יַע ֲקֹב וַיִּשְׁלַח, "Yaakov sent malachim ahead of him to Eisav his brother..."
Rashi writes, ממש מלאכים, that מ ַלְא ָכִים in this pasuk is literal. He sent actual angels. He didn't send his servants to be the messengers. But why was that necessary? Why disturb the malachim from their avodas hakodesh?
Rebbe Bunim of Peshischa zt'l answers that there is no greater avodas hakodesh than to do a favor for Yidden. The malachim were glad to do this shlichus, and to help Yaakov Avinu and his family, to save them from Eisav HaRasha. This deed is greater than the avodah the malachim perform before Hashem. Yaakov sent ממש מלאכים, literal angels, to teach us this lesson. Chesed is from the highest accomplishments and greatest deeds one can do.
Reb Naftali Gross Shlita relates that he and his young brother were in Antwerp on a Friday night in the beis medresh of Rebbe Yankele of Antwerp zt'l. There was a shalom zachur in the beis medresh that week, and one of Rebbe Yankele's grandchildren filled up a bag with arbes so that he could eat them during the tish.
Rebbe Yankele began the tish, saying Shalom Aleichem, and his grandson was eating from the treasure he had prepared for himself. Reb Naftali's young brother watched with envy as the rebbe's grandson ate arbes. He thought, "This boy was wise. He prepared arbes for the tish. I wish I had also prepared something to nosh on."
In the middle of Shalom Aleichem, Rebbe Yankele motioned to his grandson that he should share his arbes with the Gross boy sitting next to him. The rebbe did this several times during his holy avodah at the tish that night.
The lesson we can learn from this is that even when one is involved in his holy avodos, nevertheless, he shouldn’t forget to help his fellow man, to give him what he needs.
The Ahavas Shalom zt'l (parashas Kedoshim, in the ה"הגה) tells a personal anecdote: "When I was learning Torah, or when I was having התבוננות, deep, holy thoughts, and then I saw a Yid, even a simple Yid, who was sad, and wanted to speak to me for a half-hour to calm down and relieve his distress, I would stop my Torah and all the great things I was occupied in. The main thing is to do a favor for a Yid."
Toras Chaim of Kosov zt'l explains the pasuk (32:29) א ֲנָשִׁים וְעִם א ֱלֹק ִים עִם שָׂרִיתָ כִּי, that even when it is א ֱלֹק ִים עִם שָׂרִיתָ, which means that he was davuk in Hashem, his thoughts remained א ֲנָשִׁים עִם, with people, thinking what he can do to help others.
It is known that the Baal Shem Tov zt'l said, "It is worthwhile for a person to live seventy or eighty years, just to do a favor for a Yid, once" (written in אייר 'ה ד"חב יום היום).
It states (Shemos 19:14) הָעָם אֶל הָהָר מִן ֶׁהמֹש וַיֵּרֶד, "Moshe descended from the mountain to the people." This hints that Moshe was prepared to leave the mountain, representing extreme closeness with Hashem, הָעָם אֶל, to help the Jewish nation with whatever they needed.
Reb Shalom Schwadron zt'l lived in Yerushalayim, and he often traveled to Bnei Brak to speak with the Chazon Ish zt'l. His friends and neighbors in Yerushalayim heard about this and began asking him to travel to the Chazon Ish on their behalf so that he could ask the Chazon Ish their questions. After this occurred several times, he asked the Chazon Ish whether he must travel from Yerushalayim to Bnei Brak for their sake, as this resulted in bitul Torah. The Chazon Ish replied, פון פינטאלע די איז חסד נשמה די, "Chesed is the innermost point of the neshamah" (written in Maaseh Ish, vol.3 p.188).
Reb Moshe Yehoshua Landau z'l told the Chazon Ish that his involvement in chesed projects occupies a lot of his time. The Chazon Ish replied that Torah is different than all chochmos. Most wisdoms have to do with the mind, but Torah is related to the neshamah. "When a person does chesed for his fellow man, his neshamah has an elevation, and now he can understand Torah, more and better than before." (Nevertheless, one is advised to speak with his Rebbe, and seek daas Torah, and not to pasken these matters alone. This is because the yetzer hara can use these ideas as an excuse for bitul Torah. But with the proper guidance, he will get a better picture of what Hashem expects from him; how much time to be occupied with performing chesed, and how much time to devote to Torah study.)
In parashas Lech Lecha (12:2) Hashem says to Avraham, וֶה ְיֵה ָשְׁמֶך וַא ֲגַדְּלָה ָוַאֲבָר ֶכְך גָּדוֹל לְגוֹי ָוְאֶעֶשְׂך בְּרָכָה. Rashi writes, "גָּדוֹל לְגוֹי ָוְאֶעֶשְׂך this means that we will say [in Shemoneh Esrei] אלקי אברהם. Then it states ָוַאֲבָר ֶכְך. This means we will say יצחק אלקי, and ָשְׁמֶך וַא ֲגַדְּלָה means we will say יעקב אלקי. Perhaps we finish the
