by Rav Moshe Leib HaCohen Halbershtadt, Founder and Director of YORU Jewish Leadership, yeshiva.org.il, translated by Hillel Fendel.
The beginning of this week's Torah portion of
Vayishlach (B'reshit 32,4 - 36,43) begins with our Patriarch Yaakov's
preparations for a military clash with his antagonistic brother Esav. After
Yaakov divided up his camp into two, he said, "If Esav attacks one camp
[of mine] and smites it, [at least] the other one will remain alive"
(32,9).
Rashi explains that Yaakov prepared for the
impending battle in three ways: He prayed (verse 10), he set aside a gift for
Esav (14-16 and 22), and he prepared for war (9).
The
Ramban (Nachmanides) writes that this triplicate strategy is a sign for future
generations, "for everything that happened to our Father Yaakov with his
brother Esav will always happen to us [his descendants, Israel] with the sons
of Esav – and it is appropriate for us to act the same way as the righteous
Yaakov acted, by preparing ourselves in these three ways: prayer, gifts, and
war methods – to flee and be saved."
This brings us to ask: When we face a
spiritual war, are the strategies the same?
Our holy Torah teaches us how we should behave
throughout the long years of our Exile. When our enemies come against us
physically, seeking to destroy the Nation of Israel, we must follow Yaakov's
example and wage the war with the three strategies of prayer, gifts, and
combat. But what must we do when we are faced with a spiritual battle, such as
against those who wish to separate us from our Torah, those who would ban us
from fulfilling mitzvot?
Let us delve further into this week's portion.
After Yaakov completed his preparations for the impending encounter with his
brother, he transferred his family across the Yabok River, and "remained
alone" (verse 25). The Torah then recounts what happened to him next:
"A man wrestled with him, until daybreak.
When he saw that he could not defeat Yaakov, he touched Yaakov's thigh, and his
hip joint became dislocated… The man said, 'Let me go, for the dawn has
broken,' and Yaakov said, 'I will not let you go unless you bless me.' The man
said… 'Your name will no longer be Yaakov, but rather Yisrael; for you have
contended with G-d and man, and succeeded.'… The man blessed Yaakov there… The
sun rose and shone on him [Yaakov] as he left P'nuel, limping" (verses 25-33).
Why did Yaakov remain there alone and fight
with the unknown man? Why didn't he save himself using the strategies he used
for the clash with Esav? He could have at least run away!
The answer is that a "spiritual" war
like this one against an angel – the heavenly minister of Esav – is very
different than a military war. The angel even said that this was a spiritual
war: "For you have contended with G-d and man" (verse
29). Spiritual wars – which began here with the fight against Esav's angel, and
have continued throughout the generations – require different strategies, and
the Torah here teaches what they are.
The Righteous are Careful to Avoid Theft Even in Tiny Amounts
Regarding the verse ‘Yaakov was left alone,’ the Talmud (Tr. Chullin
91a) states that R. Elazar taught that he remained behind to retrieve small
jars that he left there – teaching us that for the righteous, their belongings
are dearer to them than their bodies. Why? Because they do not engage in theft.
(Chullin 91a)
The renowned Ben Ish Chai explains (in his work Ben Yehoyada)
that this means that the tzaddikim are careful not to take without permission
even the smallest thing that people generally make nothing of, such as a tiny
chip from a pile of wood. This is why, he says, that in their own homes, they
ascribe great value to their money and possessions and are careful not to waste
them – just as Yaakov, who was wealthy, did regarding small jars – in order to
teach their households how to relate to others' property, for they see that
people's assets are important to them. They see that even the wealthy Yaakov
endangered himself to return for small jars – serving as an example never to
assume that they may take even small things from other people without
permission.
The Main Strategy in Spiritual War: "No Compromises"
This is related to the required modus operandi in a spiritual war. Rashi explains (D'varim 7,12) that there are some mitzvot that are often held in less regard, "light mitzvot that one treads upon with his heels." Just as Yaakov took his important property with him and left the small jars behind, he also placed his great spiritual assets in a "safe place" and then went back to pick up also the seemingly less important deeds and attributes, those that are often forgotten or overlooked. And precisely then, "a man wrestled with him" – the minister angel of Esav, the Evil Inclination; this is precisely where the struggle begins. First the war is over the "light" mitzvot, the small jars.
A spiritual war is not a Divine punishment, but rather a Divine test to
see if we truly cleave to the Torah and its commandments – all of them. The
main thing in this war is the struggle itself; that's why Yaakov didn't run
away, but rather fought the "Esav inclination" straight on, face to
face, until final victory. The Torah teaches us here that the spiritual war
must be waged without compromise. Yaakov insisted that the angel bless him,
meaning, as Rashi explains, "Concede that the blessings I received from my
father are mine, and not Esav's." Yaakov demands total surrender from
Esav's angel.
And then the Torah continues: "The sun shone on Yaakov … as he
limped along," regarding which the Medrash teaches: "It shone for
Yaakov's needs, to cure him of his limp," as we read in Malachi (3,20): "The
sun of righteousness shall arise with healing in its wings [for you who fear My
name]."
The same is true for our spiritual wars throughout history: We will be stricken spiritually, we will lose parts of our nation in these intense wars, and the Nation of Israel will limp away – but when the sun of Torah shines, 'the light of the sun shall be sevenfold the light of the seven days'" (Yeshayahu 20,26). At that time, Am Yisrael will be cured of its spiritual limp, "and the earth will be filled with knowledge of G-d as water covers the seas" (11,9).
