Parshat Vayetze 5778
Rabbi Jablinowitz
We read in this week's parsha that Yaakov Avinu after his dream went to the land where Lavan lived. The pasuk tells us upon his arrival (Chapter 29, Pasuk 2), Vayar V'HIneh Be'er Ba'Sadeh V'Hineh Shelosha Edrei Tzon…V'Ha'Even Gedolah al Pi Ha'Be'er. He saw a well and there were three flocks of sheep lying and waiting next to it and there was a large stone upon the mouth of the well. Chazal teach us that there is great symbolism to the well Yaakov comes upon and darshen it in many different ways (see the Medrash Rabbah on our parsha).
The Sfas Emes asks a very straightforward question on this pasuk. Why does the Torah need to tell us Vayar V'HIneh Be'er Ba'Sadeh, that Yaakov saw the well in the field? Let the Torah just tell us there was a well and Yaakov came to it. If the well was obvious to all, what is the point in emphasizing that Yaakov saw the well?
The Sfas Emes answers that the Torah is teaching us that Yaakov Avinu saw the well and therefore understood the significance of the well. The way of the Avos was to see the natural world and understand the hidden meaning and potential contained within all created things. The Mishnah in Avos (Chapter 5, Mishnah 1) asks, why was the natural world created in "ten speakings", B'Asara Ma'amaros"? The Mishnah answers, Liten Sachar Tov L'Tzadikim She'Mekaymin es Ha'Olam Shenivra B'Asara Ma'amaros. The Tzadikim receive reward for realizing and fulfilling holiness contained within the natural world. When the Torah tells us that Yaakov Avinu saw the well, it is emphasizing that he understood the meaning and the significance of it.
The Sfas Emes teaches that the Be'er represents the mitzvah of Bris Milah. And this is why there was a large stone upon the Be'er; in every situation of holiness there is a cover over the holiness to keep it from those who are incapable of appreciating the holiness. And this is also the explanation for the Arlah which covers the Kedushah and needs to be removed as part of the mitzvah of Bris Milah. This might also explain why Yaakov met his wife at the well, as Eliezer met Rivkah before him. For together with his wives Yaakov established the nation of Bnei Yisrael, the Goy Kadosh with whom Hashem established the special covenant as expressed through the mitzvah of Bris Milah.
As we mentioned earlier, the Medrash darshens the word Be'er in various ways. One of the explanations the Medrash gives is that the word Be'er represents the Beit Ha'Knesset, a shul. And the three flocks represent the three tefillot established by the three Avos which we are obligated to daven every day. V'Ha'Even Gedolah al Pi Ha'Be'er, and the great stone on the well represents the yetzer hara which makes it hard for us to open our mouths and daven to Hashem. As we said above, wherever there is great potential for holiness, there is an opposing force of the yetzer hara covering the holiness. Though we have a special relationship with Hashem and are able to connect to Him through prayer, the yetzer hara works hard to prevent us and confounds our thoughts. Hence we begin every prayer with Hashem Sefasai Tiftach, open up our mouths, i.e. the mouth of the Be'er and allow us to daven.
The stone which represents the yetzer hara, is a basic building block of Olam Hazeh, our physical world. And the one who was able to remove the stone was Yaakov Avinu who represents Torah, as the pasuk says (Michah, Chapter 7, Pasuk 20), Titen Emes L'Yaakov. The way to remove the stone, whether it's the yetzer hara of temptation or whether it's the inability to connect with Hashem and daven, is through Torah. And it is through Torah we are able to find the potential for holiness contained within our world. This is why the Avos established Tefillah every day; Hashem is Mechadesh B'Tuvo B'Chol Yom Tamid Ma'aseh Bereishis; there is an ongoing creation and connection we have from Hashem and we respond in kind by davening every day. And we daven three times a day because even within each day a change takes place in the physical world at different junctures of the day. And this can only be sensed by the Tzadik through his connection to Torah. And this is why when Yaakov saw the well the Torah emphasizes this point; though it was seen by all Yaakov saw it in a different manner. He saw what Hashem had created and how there is inherent Kedushah in everything in the world. Our job is to find it and utilize it as best we can.
Good Shabbos
Print this article
