"Then Ya'acov
sent [va’yishlach]
messengers - "mal’a'chim" - before him to his brother Esau…" (32:3). These are the opening words of our
Parasha. "Mal'a’chim" are angels, messengers, or emissaries.
Ya'acov had seen them in dreams (aside from the famous ladder scene in 28:12,
an angel also addressed him in a dream in 31:11 ff). He had also run into
YHVH's messengers when he departed from Lah'van (32:1,2), and now he sends
messengers, human “mal'a’chim,” to his brother Esav. The root of "mal'a’ch"
(singular) is “la'a'ch” (lamed, alef, chaf), meaning "to send."
It is from this verb (which is not in useas such) that we get the noun: "m’la'cha,"
occupation, work, workmanship (such as the service that was preformed in the
Tabernacle), possession, and more. Later on, when Esav will propose that
Ya'acov come along with him with his entire entourage, the latter will refuse
and say that he will move "according to the pace of the cattle that are
before him…" (33:14). "Cattle" (or “livestock”) here is
also "m’la’cha," as the herds would typically go out ahead, or
be sent forth in front of the retinue. When "YHVH rested on the seventh
day from all His work which He had done" (Gen. 2:2), it was His "m'la’cha"
from which He ceased. This is one example of how the Hebrew language is able to
accommodate, as it were, in one word or term, cattle, angels, occupation, the
holy service rendered unto YHVH in the Tabernacle, and even His work of
creation.
Such
diverse ‘blends’ are not uncommon in Hebrew, and provide a window to the understanding
of the thought pattern or mentality of the society which gave birth to them. When
the root word for "work," for example, is "to send forth"
what does it say about the society where this usage originated? What does it tell
us about the basic understanding of the concept of "work" or
"occupation"? It certainly speaks of production or labor which does
not remain in confinement, or only within one's vicinity. Rather, it appears
that the work is rendered or performed for the community and is looked
upon as a mission (by its very definition) and therefore cannot be considered
incidental or self-serving. The word "m'la’cha" also refers to the
one performing it, again, pointing to a member of a socially inclined
community. The content of the one and
only proverb where "m'la’cha" is found, validates what the etymology
of this word reveals. Thus, Mishley (Proverbs) 24:27 reads, "prepare your
work ("m'la’cha") outside, and make it ready for yourself in the
field; afterwards, then, build your [own] house" (italics added).
Just
before Ya'acov and company venture to cross the Yarden (Jordan), in
anticipation of the unknown, the much concerned Ya'acov prays for safety and
deliverance. At the same time he also expresses gratitude to the Elohim of his
fathers, acknowledging his own unworthiness "of all the lovingkindness and
of all the faithfulness which You have shown to Your servant; for with my staff
I crossed this Jordan
Next
we are faced by the following scene: "Now he [Jacob] arose that same night
and took his two wives and his two maids and his eleven children, and crossed
the ford of the Jabbok. Then Jacob was left alone, and a man wrestled with him
until daybreak" (32: 22, 23). Wrestle here, "(va)ye'a'vek,"
is remarkably similar to the proper name "Yabbok” – “Jabbok”
(remember that in Hebrew b and v sounds are designated by the same letter), the
root of both being a.v/b.k (alef, vet/bet, kof), forming the noun "ah’vak,"
which is “dust.” Naturallly, an 'engagement' such as the one in which Ya'acov
and the "man" were involved would have raised no small amount of
dust. "Ah’vak" speaks of very fine dust, not the kind that is
translated "dust of the earth," which is "ah'far" (mentioned
and discussed, in Parashat Chayey Sarah,
see Ch.
The
name “Yisra'el” is a composite word formed from the verb "sara"
(s.r.h. sin, resh, hey), to “rule, persist, persevere, strive,”
and "el" - “strong” or “mighty one,”
from which the word “Elohim” is derived. What was meant by the declaration to
Ya’acov, and in what way was his life, at least up to that point, congruent
with the definition of the name? Were his 'dusty' struggles on behalf of self'
taken into account in this lofty pronouncement? Or was it simply a statement of
facts, devoid of any qualitative and personal evaluations? Was the name
Yisra’el and its meaning the Almighty's way of bestowing pure and unadulterated
grace upon him - the name possessing
more of a prophetic significance for a future day when Ya'acov would be
empowered by his Elohim - rather than a description of present day facts? Nevertheless,
the persistence that Ya'acov demonstrated that night did, to some degree,
validate the meaning of the new name.
When
it was Ya'acov's turn to ask the ‘mystery man’ for his name, the
response came in the form of a question: "Why is it that you ask my
name?" (32:29). When Ma’no'ach (Manoah), Shimshon's (Samson) father, asked
the very same question of the messenger ("mal’ach") who came to him,
the response was "for it is wonderful" (Judges 13:18). In the case
before us, the reply is followed by the words, "and he blessed him there."
What was the blessing? Did it simply constitute, once more, the name change?
After
his first heavenly encounter, upon depating from the land, Ya’acov’s experience
was marked by the 'Elohim of a place,' as
he deemed to have been in what he called, "the house of Elohim" (“bet
El” - Gen. 28:16,17). However, now, upon his return, it is the "face of
Elohim" that he encounters – “P'ni'el” (ref. 32:31). An
echo of his P'ni'el experience may be detected in what he says to his brother
Esav in 33:10, "for I see your face ("pa’ne'cha") as one
sees the face of Elohim ("p'ney Elohim")" (italics added).
Ya'acov's perspective certainly seems to have changed. Having seen "Elohim
face to face," he is now able to view even Esav differently.
As
he re-enters the land of his fathers, Ya'acov walks in the footsteps of his
grandfather Avraham (Gen. 13:6) and comes to Sh'chem (Shechem). His coming to
that town after the encounter with his brother does not pass by unnoticed,
"and Ya'acov came safely to the city of Shechem
In
chapter 35:1, Elohim tells Ya'acov to "rise ("kum") and go to
Bet-El… and make an altar there to Elohim, who appeared before you….".
Last week we noted that Ya'acov's call to "rise up" started sounding
when he first found himself in the "makom" (place) which he named
Bet-El (ref 28:19). Now, having completed a full cycle, Ya'acov is to go back
there and continue to "rise up." Truly, from that point Ya'acov's on going
maturation process becomes evident. First, he orders his family to "put
away the foreign gods which are among you…" (v. 2). In last week's Parasha
(31:32b etc.), we saw that Ya'acov's household was not free of idolatry, indeed
the ‘man about the house’ seemed to tolerate that state of affairs - but not so now! After all the foreign idols
and the earrings were gathered, Ya'acov buried them under the "ela,"
the terebinth tree (v.4). This small tree, along with the "alon"
(“oak”) share the root "el," pointing to strength, and hence
"el” - "god," which has been surfacing often in these narratives
about Ya'acov. In fact, in these Parashot (plural for Parasha), the title
"Elohim" (plural of "el"), rather than YHVH, seems to be
more prevalent. In verse 8 of our
passage, Rivka's nurse D'vora (Deborah) dies and is buried under the "alon,"
and thus the place was named Alon Ba'chut ("oak of weeping"). Many
other place names bear titles connected to the oak tree (Elon Moreh, Eloney -
"oaks of…" - Mamreh etc.), which is an indigenous tree and is known
for its strength and rejuvenation ability. The oak and the teberinth have both
remained symbols of strength and durability, and as such the remnant of the
Nation is compared to them in Yishayahu (Isaiah) 6:13, "Yet there will be
a tenth portion… and it will again burn, like a terebinth or an oak
whose stump remains when it is felled…." (italics added).
In
this passage Ya'acov calls his Elohim:
"The El who answered me in the day of my distress…"
("tzarati") (35:3, emphasis added). Before that, in 32:7, we read that he
"was greatly afraid and distressed." The word for "distressed"
there is "(va)ye'tzar." The two consonants (tz.r. tzadi, resh)
happen to be used in numerous other words such as “adversity, affliction,
anguish, distress, tribulation or trouble,” and in several more such as tza'ar
- sorrow; tzar - enemy, adversary; tzarar - bind, tie up, restrict, narrow,
scant, cramped, a show of hostility, vexing; tzaraf - smelt, refine, test;
matzref - a crucible or instrument of refining; tzir'ah - hornet; tzorev -
burn, scorch; tzara'at - leprosy; batzoret - drought; matzor - siege; mitzrayim
– , straits, Egypt, and more. Finally, Yirmiyahu (Jeremiah) 30:7 contains a reference
to "tzarat Ya'acov,” Ya'acov's trouble: "Alas! For that day is great, so that none is like it;
and it is the time of Jacob’s trouble, but he shall be saved out of it."
Immediately
after Dvorah’s burial Elohim appears before Ya'acov once again, blessing and
reminding him that his name is no longer Ya'acov, but Yisrael, repeating the
promises He had given to his fathers (ref. 35:9,10). In commemoration of the
event, Ya'acov-cum-Yisrael sets up a pillar over which he pours oil (v. 14). This
scene is part of the first 15 verses of chapter 35, a passage that sums up,
brings to a conclusion, resolves, touches upon eternal principles (of
redemption), and recalls past events while also reiterating blessings and
future promises, as well as hinting at other events to come. Looking at this
rather short, yet intense and power-packed excerpt from our (time) perspective,
it appears that past and future meet here, encapsulated in a dynamic moment in
time!
Next
comes the birth of Binyamin, whom his mother named Ben-Oni,
"son of my strength" (cf Gen. 49:3) and
whose father called "Ben-Yamin," meaning "son
of the right (hand)" (35:18). Perhaps Ya'acov did not
want to perpetuate the sad memory of his beloved wife's waning strength, all of
which was invested in giving birth to her son. Naming him as he did, Ya'acov was
actually conferring upon him a firstborn position, perhaps because he was the
first and only one to be born in the Land. Upon Ra’chel’s death, Ya’acov set up
a pillar upon her grave (v. 20). Doing this he was actually repeating what he
had done in verse 14 above, after YHVH had talked to him. In both cases it
says, “va’ya’tzev ma’tze’va,” that is “and he placed a pillar.”
The very act of placing, as well as the pillar itself are of the root y.tz.v.
(yod, tzadi, bet/vet), meaning to “station” or “take a stand.” Just as he
did in last week’s Parasha (ref 28:18), Ya’acov again commemorates the events
in his life by signposts.
In
chapter 36, the Parasha’s last, there is a short episode (verses 6 and 7), interposed
in the record of Esav's progeny, which explains the physical separation of the
brothers - Ya’acov and Esav: "For their property had become too great for
them to live together, and the land where they sojourned could not sustain them
because of their livestock." This is a clear echo from the past, reminding
us of Avraham and Lot 's separation (ref. Gen.
13:1-12).
Let
us also take note of verse 12, which tells us that Esav's first born, Elifaz,
had a firstborn by his concubine Timnah, whom he named Amalek. The latter was
to become Yisrael's fiercest enemy. Being a firstborn (and a son of a
firstborn), Amalek must have inherited his grandfather Esav’s hatred for and
murderous impulse against Ya'acov, and has therefore always trageted the
latter’s progeny, resulting in a state of perpetual animosity (ref. Gen. 27:41;
Ex. 17:8-14, 16; Deut. 25:17-19).
