Vayishlach
Rabbi Jablinowitz
We read in this week’s parsha (Chapter 32, Pasuk 25), Vayivaser Yaakov Levado, Vaye’avek Ish Imo. Yaakov was left alone, and a man wrestled with him. Rashi explains, quoting the Gemarah in Chulin 91A that Yaakov forgot Pachim Ketanim, small vessels, and in returning to retrieve them he was left by himself. And precisely when he was left alone, the angel of Eisav came to wrestle with him.
The Medrash Rabbah (77, 1) makes a stunning observation connecting the status of Yaakov as “Levado” to that of Hashem. In reference to Gd the pasuk says (Yeshayahu, Chapter 2, Pasuk 11), V’Nisgav Hashem Levado, and the Medrash compares Yaakov’s Levado to the Levado of Hashem. Just as one day Gd will be recognized as Eiyn Od Milvado, there is no other like Hashem, so too Yaakov had reached a status whereby he was considered as unique and unparalleled, Levado.
The Ohr Gedalyahu explains the status of Yaakov Avinu in the following manner. Most men are societal creatures affected by people around us. Our actions are typically dictated by how we are viewed by others. As he describes, even when alone we think about what others think about us. The midah of Yaakov is that even when found with others, his thoughts isolate him; he is constantly thinking about Gd and having a closer relationship with him. Just as Gd is Levado and His unity means He is not dependent on anything else, so too Yaakov Avinu was not affected by others around him and remained alone and unique among mankind, focused purely on Divine thoughts.
Specifically at this juncture when the Torah stresses the unique nature of Yaakov as Levado, he is met by the angel who struggles with him and tries to overcome him. Why is it precisely now that this struggle takes place?
We read in the beginning of parshat Bereishis by the first day of creation (Chapter 1, Pasuk 5), Vayehi Erev Vayehi Boker Yom Echad. Rashi comments on the fact that the Torah does not call the first day Yom Rishon. He says that the term Yom Echad is used to stress the Oneness of Gd since He was alone in the world and the angles were not created until the second day. The term Rishon implies there is something afterwards, a Sheini, while the word Echad means there is nothing else except for that one. It wasn’t until the creation of the angels on the second day that the concept of something Sheinei, secondary and in addition to came into the world.
The Ohr Gedalyahu continues and explains this as the reason for the struggle of the angel with Yaakov Avinu. Yaakov Avinu had achieved this level of Levado, of being unique in his world with no Sheinei. He was at a point of being considered as an “Echad”, just as Hashem was Echad on the first day of creation. And it was precisely an angel, among those created on the second day of creation, who challenged the newfound status of Yaakov Avinu as being above and beyond the level of the angels. The angel of Eisav was challenging the Levado status of Yaakov Avinu. And when Yaakov prevailed, it represented the victory of the Eichad and Levado of Yaakov over the secondary status of Sheinei of the angels created on Yom Sheinei.
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