Parshas Vayishlach - Considering Rashi's comment on Yaacov's message to Eisav

In the beginning of Parshas Vayishlach, Yaacov sends the following message to his brother Eisav: "I have lodged with my father-in-law Lavan and therefore I have been gone for so many years." Rashi comments that the word 'Garti,' which means 'I have lodged,' has the numerical equivalent of 613. This represented an additional message to Eisav, that despite having lived with Lavan for all of these years, Yaacov was still able to perform the 613 Mitzvos and was not influenced by Lavan’s evil ways.

One may ask, why would Yaacov want to send this message to Eisav. Yaacov’s entire strategy with regard to Eisav was one of appeasement. Yaacov prepared elaborate gifts for Eisav and even was ready to bow down to him. He would do anything to avoid a deadly conflict with Eisav and his militia. Why then would Yaacov make a seemingly boastful statement which hints at Yaacov’s superiority and worthiness of receiving his father’s blessings?

Further on in the Parsha Yaacov took his family across the river and he then remained alone on the other side. It was at this time that the angel of Eisav wrestled with Yaacov. Many commmentaries ask about the meaning of the phrase 'And Yaacov remained alone'. What is the significance of this? Rabbi Gedalya Schorr ZT'L explains that this is a reference to Yaacov's strength of character. Whereas many people are strongly influenced by the opinions of others, Yaacov was able to act purely based on what he thought was correct. Even when among other who disapprove of and ridicule his ways, Yaacov was able to remain 'alone', and not be pressured to change. As an example, Yaacov was ridiculed in Lavan's household, for his honesty and for constantly falling for Lavan’s tricks. Despite being laughed at and ridiculed, Yaacov continued to do what he knew was right. He faithfully watched Lavan’s sheep, even when it kept him up all night.

This can perhaps explain Yaacov’s message to Eisav. In order to avert a potential conflict, Yaacov was ready to show his subservience to Eisav. He would bow down, and do whatever was necessary to appease Eisav, but Yaacov wanted to clearly delineate how far he will go. The message to Eisav was, I will bow to you, and I will appease you, but I will not allow myself to be influenced negatively by you, even if this is your desire. Yaacov's ability to remain independent was the source of his strength, and he could not compromise on that.

Guest posting
by Rabbi Israel Botnick

Parshas Vayeitzei – Thoughts on the First Rashi

“Yaakov left Beersheva and went toward Charan.”

Bereshis 28:10

Yaakov left. Since it was due to the fact that the daughters of Canaan were evil in the eyes of his father, Yitzchok, that Eisav went to Yismael [to take Yishmael’s daughter, as a wife], the text interrupted the narrative of Yaakov and wrote: “Eisav saw that Yitzchok blessed, etc.” and when the text finished, it went back to the previous subject.”

Rashi on Bereshis 28:10

Towards the end of last week’s parsha we learned that, on Rivkah’s urging, Yitzchok told Yaakov explicitly not to marry a Canaanite woman, sent him to Padan Aram to seek a wife, and blessed him. The text then detoured to tell us, in four verses, that Eisav observed all this and realized that his parents disapproved of his Canaanite wives. So Eisav went and took another, non-Canaanite wife.  In this week’s parsha Yaakov’s story resumes and Rashi appears to be stating that the episode about Eisav, though worth noting, was not the essential story so now the text returns to the primary subject.

I understand Rashi to be making an assertion about the Torah’s view of proper story telling, especially in regards to our spiritual role models. The Torah is stating that Yaakov, our forefather, is the main story of the narrative and not Eisav - his brother, sometime nemesis, and the generally less wholesome character.

In my experience, in our own storytelling we often dwell on the more colorful and less savory characters. As an example – I went online to determine which Star Wars character is considered the most popular. On the highest-ranking fan-based lists I found, Darth Vadar (the bad guy) easily outscored Luke Skywalker and Princess Leia, the unvarnished heroes of the first trilogy. In this vein we might also consider the continued public interest in the more tasteless and/or amoral entertainment figures such as Lady Gaga, Chris Brown, Snooki, the Kardashians, Tiger Woods, Sarah Silverman, and others.

The Torah does not devote any attention to tales of Eisav’s courtships, married life, family dynamics, livelihood, relations with his neighbors, and any scandals he created. The Torah only comments on Eisav as he relates directly to Yitzchok and Rivkah or to Yaakov. In sharp contrast, the Torah tells us a great deal about Yaakov’s personal life. The message in the story is clear – for our purposes, it’s best to focus on the good guys.

Parshas Toldos – Thoughts on the first Rashi

“These are the descendants of Yitzchok son of Abraham. Abraham was the father of Yitzchok. Yitzchok was 40 years old when he took Rivkah, the daughter of Besueil the Aramite, of Padam Aram, sister of Lavan, the Aramite, to be his wife.”

[Bereshis 25:19-20]

These are the descendants of Yitzchok. (This refers to) Yaakov and Esau who are discussed in this parsha.

There are apparently two ways to translate the word “Toldos” – as either “the descendants of" or as “the chronicles of.” Rashi is intent on the first translation and is thus pressed to explain when the phrase is used in the Torah and is not immediately followed with a list of children, such as the instance cited above which uses the word “Toldos” and then tells us about Yitzchok's relationship with Abraham.¹

The Sforno (and others) differs from Rashi and understands the word “Toldos” to mean “the chronicles of.” Sforno explains that the Torah first states “These are the chronicles of Isaac, son of Abraham,” and then restates “Abraham was the father of Yitzchok,” to make the point that only Yitzchok is considered the true and worthy heir of Abraham, which we see in the accounts in this week’s parsha of how Yitzchok led his life.

The comment of Sforno can prompt us to consider a basic question – are we leading our own lives in ways that would lead other people to see us as worthy heirs of Abraham? The Torah is timeless and thus the message in this verse, as understood by Sforno, is not merely a history lesson – it is meant to provoke us to introspection as well.   

1 = Rashi faces a similar problem with the first verse of Parshas Noach, which uses the word “Toldos” and then tells us that Noach was a righteous person.

Parshas Chaye Sarah - Thoughts on the first Rashi

“Sarah’s lifetime was one hundred years, and twenty years and seven years the years of Sarah’s life” (Bereishis 23:1). Rashi comments, the fact that the word “shanah” (years) is repeated, the Torah was adding a message – that of, when Sarah was 100 years old, she was like 20 years old regarding sin – there is no liability for divine punishment until 20. When she was 20 years old, she was like a seven year-old for beauty.

Rav Yosef Dov Soloveitchik, zt”l commented that a person goes through different stages in life – infancy, childhood, adolescence, young adulthood, middle age and old age. Normally, when we complete one stage and advance to the next stage we leave the earlier stage behind us. We may cherish fond memories, but that chapter of our life is closed. At age 100, a person would have acquired much wisdom – wisdom that only comes with life experience. At 20, a person is full of energy, vitality and idealism. The age of 7 represents innocents and purity.

Chazal are teaching us, that regardless of how old Sarah was at any point in her life, Sarah had within her the attributes of a 7 year old (purity & innocence), the attributes of a 20 year old (vitality and idealism) and the attributes of 100 year old (wisdom and experience).

To a 7 year old, G-d is a reality. When you want something, you simply ask Hashem for it. Their prayer is pure. Most of us no longer have this innocence in our prayer. We have been swayed by the unpredictable happenings of life. The 20 year-old is full of idealism, and the 100 year-old is full of wisdom.

Sarah, on the other hand, was able to blend these characteristics together throughout her life. At the age of 50 (or any age), she had the purity and innocence of a 7 year-old in her belief in G-d as the Almighty was real and untainted. At the same age, she had youthful idealism and energy of a 20 year-old. With this, she had the wisdom of an old lady. She never left behind the stages of life that she “outgrew” rather she took the positive attributes of each stage and applied them as she continued to advance through life’s stages. The goodness of her life was equally distributed. She was at the same time a child in her total faith, youthful in her exuberant enthusiasm and an adult in her maturity and judgment.

May we learn this lesson of how important it is to build on life’s experiences, to mature to greater heights and grow with life’s experiences. 

Guest posting

by Rabbi Shlomo Ziegler

VP Technology

Tullett Prebon Americas Corp.

Parshas Vayeira - Thoughts on the first Rashi

“Adonoy appeared to him (Abraham) in the groves of Mamrei and he was sitting at the door of the tent in the heat of the day.”

Bereshis 18:1

“[He] appeared to him. To visit the sick person. Rabbi Chama bar Chanina said: It was the third day after his circumcision and God came to inquire about his welfare.”

Rashi, on Bereshis 18:1

Rashi’s commentary alludes to a statement in the Gemara (Talmud Sotah 14a), in which R. Hama son of R. Hanina explains how to understand the verse in Devarim (13:5) that states: “You shall walk after the Lord your God.” Rabbi Hama asks: How does someone walk after God? He answers: By emulating God’s acts of kindness. The second example he gives is: Just as God visited the sick, as evidenced in our verse above from Bereshis, so should we visit the sick.

There are, of course, good and not so good ways to visit with a sick person. A writer on the Jewcy.com website suggests the following five rules which I would endorse:

1. Call before you come
2. Don’t stay long (unless you’re asked to)
3. If you’re bringing a gift, bring something appropriate
4. Offer to help with concrete tasks
5. Don’t be offended if the person you’re visiting is acting differently

For more information on these five rules, see the full article here:

http://www.jewcy.com/religion-and-beliefs/mitzvah_week_visiting_sick

In my experience, often a person who is sick is – in some sense – not at full life capacity. They may feel quite debilitated, experience significant pain, feel discouraged, or all of the above. When we visit we have the opportunity to encourage them, to lift their spirits a bit, and by so doing injecting a bit of ‘life’ into them. So in a small but significant way we are in fact imitating God, the ultimate life giver and creator.

Lech Lecha - Thoughts on the first Rashi

“G-d said to Abram, go ‘for yourself’ from your birthplace, from your father’s house to the land that I will show you.”  

Bereshis (Genesis) 12:1

Rashi focused on the phrase “for yourself”.  In Hebrew it is the word “Lecha.”

He wrote, “Go for yourself, for your pleasure, and for your benefit.  There, I will make you a great nation, whereas here [where you are now] you do not merit having children.  And furthermore, I will make your name known in the world.”

This is one of the most well known comments of Rashi in the Torah.  His focus on the word “Lecha” (“for yourself”) seems to be because it is superfluous.  G-d simply could have said “Go from your birthplace….”  or in the modern vernacular, “leave.”  What Rashi suggested is that this move for Abram had an agenda; one for him and a great impact on his progeny.  As a result of Abram’s leaving, the trajectory of mankind would forever change.

Rashi’s comment invites interpretation.  What strikes me is that moving from what’s familiar, indeed change in general, can be incredibly stressful and cause anxiety.  Change is hard, and few enjoy leaving what’s familiar.  Yet Rashi’s suggestion that it was for Abram’s benefit may also suggest that change can offer precisely what is necessary to grow, to see things anew, to have greater impact, and realize one potential.  In this way, it is not hard to see how proper change can affect our lineage after we are gone.

Abram’s advantage is that he was told to change environment by G-d.  For us, we must look to different voices and signs, often not as clear and succinct.  Are we open to those messages of change, or are we stuck in our own version of “Who moved my cheese?” day after day, year after year?

Guest-posting by

Jeffrey Korbman

Woodworker

Highland Park

Parshas Noach – Thoughts on the first Rashi

“These are the progeny of Noach. Noach was a righteous man, flawless in his generation.”

Bereshis 6:9

“These are the progeny of Noach. Since [the text] mentions him, it tells of his praiseworthiness. As it is written: “The mention of a righteous person is a blessing.” [1] Another explanation: This teaches that the main progeny of the righteous are their good deeds.”

Rashi, on Bereshis 6:9

Rashi is prompted to comment by the fact that the Torah states “These are the progeny of Noach” then comments about Noach’s spiritually elevated state (“Noach was a righteous man, flawless in his generation”) before listing his three sons in the following verse.

I understand from Rashi’s comments on this verse that an advisable course of action, before someone establishes a family, is to first begin the hard work of establishing his or her own character, goals, and values – it is that progeny that should come first.

Further, it is natural and commendable that we should pray to God for the good health and success of our children. This commentary by Rashi suggests that, if we are on the right path in life, we should pray with equal if not greater fervor for the success of the causes we hold dear and for the continued strength to hold fast to those values. Those causes and values can outlive us and our (hopefully) strong and consistent service to them may serve as an additional legacy.

1 = Mishlei, 10:7