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Vayetzei / ויצא
Vayetzei / ויצא
"Im yehiye
Elokim imadi". If
Elokim will be with
me. All the
meforshim ask why he
required this
condition if it said
already Hashem was
standing near him.
The answer could be
that Hashem is the
Name of mercy and
pity whereas Elokim
is the Name of
judgment without
mercy. If so, then
Yaakov was already
promised by Hashem
that he would be
granted mercy.
Yaakov, however,
desired to be
assured of the
rewards of Hashem
also with midas
hadin, that he
should deserve it
even with the letter
of the law. This is
why he ended with
the words "I will
separate the maaser
for Hashem" because
in the merit of
maaser one can
almost 'demand' a
reward. (Imrei
Shefer)
And Yaakov loved
Rochel also from
(more than) Leah.
The word "also"
seems to be
unnecessary in the
context of the
possuk. Perhaps,
first Yaakov loved
Rochel because of
her beauty. After
the episode with
Leah when Rochel
assisted her sister
and showed great "mesiras
nefesh" for her,
Yaakov loved her
more which was in
addition to before
"also" (he loved
her) from (what she
did for) Leah.
Yaakov Avinu said
“this is the house
of HaShem and this
is the gateway to
shomayim”. The
Gerrer Rebbi ‘z’l at
the dedication of
Yeshivas Chachmei
Lublin of the tzadik
R’ Meir Shapiro ‘z’l
explained this
possuk. The gemora
defines “fear of
G-d” – yiras
shamayim – as the
main room or hall,
whereas the study of
torah is the
anteroom or gateway.
Yaakov sensed and
felt the genuine
yiras shamayim in
this place and
proclaimed “this is
Bais Elokim” and
this, the last
fourteen years he
spent learning
Torah, was the
gateway. He then
proceeded to wish
and hope that the
yeshiva should
encompass both torah
and yiras shomayim.
(Pardes Yosef)
Yaakov Avinu arrives
as a stranger in a
strange land and
when he sees the
shepards gathered,
he reprimands them
for coming so early.
The obvious question
to be asked is what
right does he, a
stranger, have to
give “mussar”? The
answer can be found
in the reason and
the method. First,
Yaakov was totally
honest and ethical
in all his dealings
as is evident from
later in the parsha.
Secondly, he
prefaced his words
with a very
important
introduction. He
called them “my
brothers”. He
convinced them of
his sincerity and
his pure motive.
Only then did he
proceed to reason
with them. (M’Shulchan
Gevoah)
An interesting
question would be,
“why did HaShem not
protect Dina from
Shechem (in parshas
vayishlach) as He
had done previously
with Sarah and Rivka,
with Paroah and
Avimelech? The
Chasam Sofer
explains this with
this weeks parsha.
The posuk reads that
HaShem was standing
by the ladder.
However when Yaakov
prayed for future
assistance, he said
“if Elokim will be
with me”. The
meforshim wonder why
Yaakov said “if”
which indicates his
uncertainty as to
the Divine help. The
answer is that a
tzadik does not wish
to “bother” HaShem
with requests for
miracles – he would
rather live in a
natural world.
Elokim is the name
implying the way of
nature. Hence,
Yaakov was not sure
what form the
heavenly help would
take, HaShem or
Elokim. HaShem
granted his wish and
Dina was saved by a
“natural” miracle,
without the need to
tamper with nature
as happens with
outright miracles.
“And HaShem
remembered Rochel
and heard her
prayers”. In this
one possuk we find
the ingredients for
success in our
endeavors. HaShem
remembered Rochel.
Rashi comments that
He remembered the
devotion that she
displayed for her
sister Leah, the
special merit she
had. The Sforno
comments He
remembered her
efforts to have
children, by giving
her maid servants,
and with the “dudaim”.
However, even with
all of this, HaShem
needed to hear her
prayers. This is the
comment of the Or
HaChaim. The three
ingredients would
be: a) merits and
deeds b) effort,
“hishtadlus” c)
davening.
Previous Parshos
Tazria
Metzora
Achrei Mos
Kedoshim
Emor
Behar
Bechukosai
Bamidbar
Shavuos
Naso
Behalosicha
Shilach
Korach
Chukas-Balak
Pinchos
Matos-Masei
Devorim
Voeschonon Ekev
Reah
Shoftim
Ki Seitzei
Ki Savo
Nitzovim
- Vayelech Rosh
HaShana Haazinu-Yom
Kippur Sukkos V'zos
HaBrocha
Breishis
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