Vayishlach
Rabbi Jablinowitz
We read in the beginning of this week’s parsha of Yaakov’s preparations for meeting his brother. He prays to Hashem (Chapter 32, Pasuk 12), Hatzileinu Nah Miyad Achi Miyad Eisav. Save me from the hands of my brother, from the hands of Eisav. The commentators discuss the fact that the pasuk is repetitious, from my brother, from Eisav. Rashi teaches that it means that Yaakov is emphasizing, despite the fact that he’s my brother, he treats me like the wicked Eisav.
The Sfas Emes and others (see the Ohr Hachaim Hakadosh) explain that the repetitive statement Yaakov makes emphasizes the dual aspect of Eisav. On the one hand, he says, he is Eisav and I understand he will try to attack me and hurt me. But on the other hand he is my brother, and it is the warm, brotherly approach that I am afraid of and need protection from. In addition to being afraid from the danger of the overtly wicked and nefarious Eisav, Yaakov was also very afraid of Eisav trying to draw close to him and harm him through closeness.
This dual nature of Eisav is hinted to in the Torah soon after he is born and begins to develop. We read in parshat Toldos (Chapter 25, Pasuk 27) Vayigdalu Ha’Ne’arim Vayehi Eisav Ish Yode’ah Tzayid Ish Sadeh. The word Ish is repeated twice to emphasize two aspects of Eisav. Eisav is an Ish Sadeh, a man who spends his time out in the fields with nothing to do other than trapping and killing birds and animals. Eisav was known as a killer. But he is also an Ish Yode’ah Tzayid, a man who traps and lures people through trickery and deception. He appears to love you, but wants to harm you. It was this part of his personality that worried Yaakov when he prays to be delivered from his “brother” Eisav.
This is also suggested in the words of the pasuk (Chapter 27, Pasuk 22), V’Hayadayim Yedei Eisav. There are two types of Yadayim of Eisav. There are two ways his “hands” work. There is the more overt manner and the more subtle, cunning manner.
The Sfas Emes explains that this dual nature of Eisav was a result of having descended from Avraham and Yitzchak, but not meriting their fine attributes. This means the following. Avraham had the trait of chesed and Yitzchak had the midah of din. Yaakov inherited these traits and created a fusion called rachamim. It is these two foundations that are referred to in the pasuk (Hoshea, Chapter 14, Pasuk 10), Ki Yesharim Darchei Hashem, V’Tzadikim Yalchu Bam. When the pasuk says, the ways of Hashem are straight, the reference is to both chesed and din. And Tzadikim go in the ways of chesed and din. This means they use both aspects of Gd to grow closer to Hashem. Whether He treats them with chesed, beyond the letter of the law, or whether they are given the strict application of judgment, Tzaddikim follow in His ways.
However, concludes the pasuk, U’Posh’im Yikashlu Bam. Once again, the word Bam refers back to the two ways of Avraham and Yitzchak, chesed and din. Eisav stumbled on these paths. Instead of perfecting these traits and creating a fusion of rachamim and using it to draw closer to Hashem, Eisav distorted them and sinned with them. With every judgment, he would draw further away from Hashem. And with every chesed he received, he would do evil, as the pasuk says in Mishlei (Chapter 14, Pasuk 34), Chesed Le’Umim Chatas.
This parallels the two hands of Eisav which Yaakov feared. The clear and overt way of murder which he exhibited mirrors Eisav’s pulling away from and distorting justice. And the subtle, brotherly Eisav was a distortion of the chesed of his grandfather. What appeared to be love and kindness was merely cunning a deception; a way to draw near in order to harm. And it was these dual aspects which Yaakov prayed to be delivered from, Miyad Achi, Miyad Eisav.
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