Vayishlach: Are the Rules of Battle the Same for a Spiritual War?

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).