Yaakov sent angels ahead of him to Esov (32:4). Rashi's comments ,y ̈n ©n Æmi ¦k ̈` §l ©n" actual angels." Three questions present themselves about this episode: The word ei ½ ̈p ̈t §l, ahead of him, seems superfluous, since the posuk could merely say "Yaakov sent angels to Esov."
2: What is Rashi's intention in employing the unusual word " "y ̈n ©n ?3: Why did Yaakov have to resort to dispatching spiritual angels instead of distinguished human envoys? To find the answers, we need to define what happens to a angel when he visits this World: does he retain all of his supernatural characteristics, or does he suffer a step-down by becoming absorbed in the impurity of the world?
The Sefer Yalkut Chodosh cites the Holy Zohar in Bamidbar, which asks how Yaakov was able to wrestle with the angel, if an angel is purely spiritual and not physical. The Zohar answers that indeed, when a angel descends into the atmosphere of our physical world, he attains a layer of physicality to his being. That explains how Yaakov was able to fight with the angel which was a wrestling match with an "almost human" angel.
The difficulty is, Yaakov's basic strategy was to employ angels, rather than humans, to strike fear into Esov, who would see that Yaakov had a relationship with angels. However, in light of the Zohar's teaching, that angels descend from their level of spirituality, then their impact to Esov would be altogether lost! Therefore, the key factor is that upon request from a Tzaddik, a angel can retain his spiritual nature, and strike fear to Esov.
Now we can explain that the word ei ½ ̈p ̈t §l, informs us that Yaakov specifically directed the Malachim to retain their spiritual nature to gain Esov's respect and fear. Now Rashi's addition "y ̈n ©n" conveys that they were indeed able at Yaakov's command to retain the purely spiritual level of Malachim to awaken fear in Esov. (Sefer Avraham Anochi from Rabbi Avraham Palaz’i from Sefer Taam Hamelech)
With this insight, we can understand why by Avraham Avinu when he saw the angels, he said: "Take a little water and wash your feet, because he thought that they were Arabs who worship Idols: see Rashi. Then Avraham said Take a piece of bread and eat." Which seems obvious that Avraham thought that they were human, Is it possible that Avraham did not see that they were angels? However, according to the Zohar Hakadosh that angels attain a layer of physicality to his being, hence Avraham thought that they were people. This is hinted in Posuk ` §x©I©e ei ̈l ̈r mi ¦a ̈S ¦p mi ¦W ̈p £` d ̈W l §W d¥P ¦d §e "He saw and behold “three men” standing over him". However the Posuk states again the word m ̈z` ̈x §w ¦l u ̈x ̈I©e ` §x©I©e “and he saw and he ran toward them”. Why does it say again “he saw”?
The answer can be that Avraham sensed with his Kedusha that angels were there, but when he looked into their inner, he saw that that lost some spirituality, and looked like humans. Therefore, he ran towards them, and acted with them as humans.
The same idea we find in Chazal that Hashem Himself had to redeem the Yidden from Mitzraim, and didn’t send angels! The reason was that the Tumah in Mitzraim was so great that Hashem was fearful that the Malachim would connect to the Tumah. This coincides with above, that Malachim lose their levels in this world, and could be endangered in Mitzraim. Therefore, Hashem came Himself to redeem Klal Yisrael.
(Yehuda Z. Klitnick)
