B"H
Tuesday, Kislev 9, 5785 / December 10, 2024
This week's Parsha, Vayishlach, covers a period of two years in the life of Yaakov. From the time Yaakov left his father-in-law, Lavan, until the time he returned to his father, Yitzchak, in Canaan.
On his way home, after working twenty years for Lavan, Yaakov hears that his brother Esau still wants to kill him. He sends messengers to tell Esau that he is looking for peace.
The messengers return and tell Yaakov that Esau is coming with 400 men to fight him. Upon hearing this, Yaakov became frightened. He then made plans to counter Esau's threat. Yaakov sent gifts to Esau, while at the same time he prepared for war and prays to G-d to save him and his family. G-d sends angels disguised as Jacob's servants, who put fear in Esau and his men from harming Yaakov.
Why was Yaakov so afraid when G-d had already promised to protect him and his family? The Midrash explains, "There is no guarantee for the righteous that they will have it good in this world." G-d may at times fulfill His promise to the righteous in the World-to-Come. Thus, Yaakov wasn't sure if the fulfillment would come in this world, in a physical form, or in the World-to-Come, spiritually.
In addition, Yaakov knew that his brother Esau performed the mitzvah of honoring his father all these years, while Yaakov, who was away from his parents over twenty years, couldn't observe this mitzvah.
In the Talmud, Rabbi Shimon ben Gamliel said, "All my life I tried to honor my father to the fullest, yet I have not reached one hundredth of the honor which Esau gave to his father." Rabbi Shimon explained that, although Yitzchak was blind, Esau would dress in his most expensive garments, whenever he served his father, even for the most ordinary chores. Yaakov was afraid that G-d would reward Esau for this mitzvah in this world, while keeping His promises to Yaakov in the World-to-Come.
A sage passed away, all his students and all the townspeople followed the funeral procession to give him his well-deserved last respects. At the same time, there was another funeral for a wicked person where only a few relatives participated. Near the cemetery, a band of robbers appeared. Everyone ran to hide leaving the two bodies unattended. When it was again safe to continue, a terrible mistake happened. The family of the wicked person took the sage's body and the townspeople took the wicked man's body and buried him with much honor.
One student realized the mistake and tried to make everyone aware of it but no one listened to him. The student agonized over this very much. "Where is justice?" he wondered.
Finally, the sage came to him in a dream and explained. "This wicked person had one mitzvah for he once helped someone in need, while I once sinned by being disrespectful to someone. The heavenly court decided to reward the wicked person in this world by having him buried with great honor. The Court also decreed that I would be punished in this world with a simple burial, rather than being punished in the World-to-Come."
HAVE A VERY GOOD, HAPPY, HEALTHY & SUCCESSFUL DAY
UNITED WE STAND WITH OUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS IN CAPTIVITY. MAY THEY ALL BE RELEASED NOW