Parshat Vayishlach 5778
Rabbi Jablinowitz
We read in the beginning of this week's parsha of Yaakov's preparation for his reunion with this brother Eisav. He tells his messengers, or angels, to inform Eisav (Chapter 32, Pasuk 6), Vayehi Li Shor Va'Chamor Tzon V'Eved V'Shifchah, I have oxen, donkeys, sheep, and male and female slaves. However, we read a couple of pasukim later that Yaakov came with other animals as well. The pasuk says that he divided his possessions into different camps (Chapter 32, Pasuk 8), Vayachatz es Ha'Am Asher Ito V'es HaTzon V'es HaBakar V'HaGemalim Lishnei Machanos. The Torah mentions that Yaakov divided up his possessions into two groups and it mentions that he had camels as well. Why doesn’t Yaakov mention that he has camels as well when he first sends out his messengers to Eisav?
The Ba'al HaTurim teaches that the reason Yaakov specifically mentions Shor Va'Chamor to Eisav is because these two animals represent the two tribes of Yosef and Yissachar respectively. Yosef is compared to an ox as the pasuk states (Devarim, Chapter 33, Pasuk 17), Bechor Shoro Hadar Lo. Yaakov is telling Eisav I have an ox with me which is a reference to Yosef. Yosef is described as "Sitno shel Eisav", the one who will destroy Eisav, as we read in the Haftorah (Ovadia, Chapter 1, Pasuk 18), V'Hayah Beis Yaakov Aish U'beis Yosef Lehavah U'Beis Eisav L'Kash. Yosef is the flame of the fire of Yaakov which will destroy Eisav. According to the Ba'al HaTurim, Yaakov is telling Eisav that I have my son Yosef with me who will enable me to overcome you and destroy you.
The donkey is a reference to the tribe of Yissachar. Yaakov himself when giving the brachos to his children says (Chapter 49, Pasuk 14), Yissachar Chamor Garem. He describes Yissachar as a donkey carrying the burden of learning Torah. Yaakov tells Eisav that the bracha of their father HaKol Kol Yaakov has been fulfilled by Yissachar who is maintaining the "Kol Torah".
The Ba'al HaTurim adds another explanation on the words, Vayehi Li Shor Va'Chamor. He says, Vay Li Shayischabru Atah HaShor V'HaChamor, Kelomar Ha'Tameh V'HaTahor Yachdav. Woe to me, that the ox and the donkey should be combined, meaning, combining the pure and the impure together. What point is the Ba'al HaTurim making in this second p'shat?
I believe the Ba'al HaTurim is teaching us an idea similar to the one taught by the Meshech Chachmah. He explains that Adam HaRishon was created with a tendency for good. After he sinned and ate from the Eitz HaDa'as, there was a mixture of good and bad contained within man. The pasuk in Bereishis describes man after eating from the tree (Chapter 3, Pasuk 22), Hein Ha'Adam Hayah K'Echad Mimenu La'Da'as Tov V'Ra. Onkelos explains the pasuk to mean that man now became unique, Hayah K'Echad, in that good and bad were now both contained within him, Mimenu La'Da'as Tov V'Ra. The word Mimenu means that this mixture came within man.
The process of sifting out the bad from the good began with Avraham Avinu who had both Yitzchak and Yishmael. Avraham was told his line will continue through Yitzchak alone, as the pasuk says (Chapter 21, Pasuk 12), Ki B'Yitzchak Yikarei Lecha Zara. And Chazal darshen in Nedarim 31A, Ki B'Yitzchak V'Lo Kal Yitzchak, not all of Yitzchak will be holy for Yitzchak had both Yaakov and Eisav. This process of sifting ends with Yaakov Avinu "Shemitaso Haysah Shaleimah", all of his offspring were holy. Beginning with Yaakov, a new reality began of Yisrael, Af Al Pi Shechata, Yisreal Hu. A Jew, even though he sins, remains a Jew.
The Medrash Rabbah (6, 14) teaches on the pasuk in Chayei Sarah (Chapter 24, Pasuk 61) Vatirkavnah al Ha'Gemalim, Rivka was riding on the camels when she came to meet Yitzchak. The Medrash makes a comparison between the camels and Rivka. Just as a camel has signs of both tumah and taharah (it chews its cud but doesn't have split hooves, so too Rivka had both a tzadik and a rasha, Yaakov and Eisav.
The reason Yaakov didn't mention to Eisav that he has camels is because he was sending Eisav a very important message. He is teaching Eisav that he is a person who contains only good and purity within him. The sifting process has stopped and for now on, a Jew has only good contained within him. This is why he showed him an ox and a donkey; the pure and the impure must remain separate. And an ox and a donkey carry with them a prohibition of mixture, as the pasuk teaches (Devarim, Chapter 22, Pasuk 10), Lo Sacharosh B'Shor U'BeChamor Yachdav, You shall not plow an ox and a donkey together. But a camel has a mixture of pure and impure together and that is not the way of Yaakov and his children.
Eisav, on the other hand, is compared to a chazir. As Rashi teaches (Chapter 26, Pasuk 34) quoting the pasuk from Tehillim (Chapter 80, Pasuk 14), Yecharsamenah Chazir M'Ya'ar, just as a chazir shows its split hooves trying to indicate its purity, so too Eisav deceived his father by respecting him, all the while committing serious aveiros; he was pure and impure mixed together.
As the Gemara in Berachos 17A teaches, Retzoneinu La'asos Retzonecha, our will is to do the will of Hashem. The Se'or She'Be'Isah, the yetzer hara, holds us back. But in essence we are good. Chazal warn us (Avos, Chapter 1, Mishnah 7) Al Tischaber L'Rasha, don't connect yourself to a Rasha. Don't make the evil part of you; don't make yourself a mixture of good and bad. This is the way of the descendants of Eisav, who is compared to a chazir and is similar to a camel as well. Yaakov however keeps the ox and the donkey separate, and Voy Li, woe to me, if we connect to the evil in the world and combine the ox and the donkey together. This was the concern of Yaakov and this is what he taught to his brother Eisav.
Good Shabbos
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