This Week In The Torah



Parsha Vayishlach Bereishis/Genesis Ch.32/4 - 36/43

Death Insurance
by Rabbi Yechezkel Fox

And Yaakov became very frightened and it distressed him. So he divided the people with him, and the flocks, and the cattle, and the camels, into two camps. And he said, "If Esov comes to the one camp and strikes it, then the remaining camp will be a refuge." Ch.32/8-9

Rashi comments on the last phrase: Against Esov's will, because I will do battle with him.

Why was Yaakov so confident that the second camp would escape? Maybe Esov would defeat Yaakov and then go on to destroy the second camp?

Yaakov knew the prophecy of his mother that he and Esov were destined to die on the same day (see Ch.27/45 with the Rashi there). Therefore, Yaakov separated the camps by a day's journey, and stationed himself in the first camp. That way, if he would be killed in battle with Esov, it would still take Esov at least a day to reach the other camp. But by then, according to his mother's prophecy, Esov himself would be dead, thus guaranteeing the survival of the second camp.

Source: Channukas HaTorah.

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A Hint of Haughtiness

The Talmud says that a Torah scholar should have an eighth of an eighth of haughtiness. The commentators explain that this means just a trace of ego, so that they will be able to represent the Torah with dignity, and people shouldn't be ashamed of them. But why express it as an eighth of an eighth? Why not a ninth of a ninth?

The Vilna Gaon says that the Sages are hinting to the eighth verse in the eighth Parsha of the Torah. This takes us to the following verse in our Parsha:

I feel small from all the kindnesses and truth that You have done to Your servant; for with my staff I crossed this Jordan and now I have become two camps.( Ch.32/11).

Yaakov was declaring that he felt unworthy of all that G-d had done for him. Even though Yaakov was a giant in Torah and good deeds, he remained perfectly humble. So when the Sages used the phrase "an eighth of an eighth," they were hinting that while the Torah scholar needs a little haughtiness for the image that he has to project, his personality overall should be like Yaakov---filled with humility.

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Yaakov and Esov & Sons

When Yaakov tried to give Esov a gift, Esov said, "I have plenty, my brother; let what you have remain yours." Ch.33/9

Yaakov pressed and said "Please except my homage which was brought to you, inasmuch as G-d has been gracious to me and inasmuch as I have everything." Ch.33/11

Esov said I have plenty and Yaakov said I have everything. These phrases by which they described their wealth, reflected their respective outlooks on life. Esov has plenty, but not everything. There is always room for more material acquisition! In contrast, Yaakov said, "I have everything." Did he really have everything? How can one person have everything? Rather, he was expressing a state of mind---rejoicing in his portion from G-d, he felt that he had everything he needed.

Our Sages teach us that the nations of the western world are the descendants of Esov. He must be very proud of the way they have followed in his footsteps. But what about us? Would Yaakov be proud of us?



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