BS”D
SELFISHNESS
AND STRUGGLE: PARSHAT VAYISHLACH
Shira Smiles shiur 2021/5782
Adapted by Channie Koplowitz Stein
After
twenty years living with Lavan, Yaakkov Avinu with his family and flocks,
encouraged by Hashem, begins his journey home. He fears encountering his
brother Esau who undoubtedly still hates him for “stealing” the blessing from
their father Yitzchak. Avinu But before Yaakkov Avinu encounters this physical
danger, he faces an existential spiritual danger. Yaakkov Avinu comes face to
face with an angel who engages him in mortal combat. But the angel, although
injuring Yaakkov Avinu in the thigh, cannot vanquish Yaakkov Avinu. As dawn
breaks, the angel asks Yaakkov Avinu to let him leave. The dialogue that
follows, along with the struggle itself, requires tremendous study that reveal
profound truths about each of us and about Bnei Yisroel.
Yaakkov
Avinu refuses to let the angel go until the angel will bless him. The angel
asks Yaakkov Avinu his name. Yaakkov Avinu tells the angel his name. The angel
then gives Yaakkov Avinu a new name, Yisroel, meaning he has striven with the
Divine and with man and has prevailed. Now Yaakkov Avinu asks the angel his
name. The angel replies cryptically, “Why do you ask my name?”
This
is not an empty dialogue of introduction. Names are an intrinsic part of
everything, especially of people. As Rabbi Uziel Milevsky points out, shem/name
is the center of one’s neshamah/soul. It reveals one’s
essence and one’s mission. Our name should remind us of our mission so that we
are not frightened, stunned, and ashamed when our neshamah is asked, when it
rises to the heavenly court, if it has fulfilled its mission. To keep our names
in mind, many people have the custom to recite a verse reflective of the name
as part of one’s Shemoneh Esrei Prayer.
Rabbi
Milevsky suggests that the angel changes Yaakkov Avinu’s name to imply that by
remaining resolute in his righteousness, truth and integrity even in Lavan’s
house, Yaakkov Avinu had fulfilled the mission the name Yaakkov Avinu
signified. He was now ready to accept a new mission with the name Yisroel.
Does
that mean we all need to change our names during our lives if we think/hope
that we have already lived up to the mission of our original name? Not at all,
replies Rabbi Steinwerzel in Be’er Hachaim. Each name contains multiple
levels that reach deeper and deeper, providing new challenges and missions. The
name Yaakkov Avinu(b) can be an anagram for yiboka/will
burst forth and split, as Hashem had promised and blessed Yaakkov Avinu at the
beginning of his journey: “Uforatzta yamah vokeidmah… /and you will
break out and spread west, east north and south.” But the name Yisroel offers
another dimension. Now Yaakkov Avinu will also be Yisroel, a sar/officer/ruler
over El/God, for when a tzadik like Yaakkov Avinu will make a decree,
Hashem will fulfill it. We create spiritual reality through our words and our
actions.
But
why did the angel refuse to tell Yaakkov Avinu his name? The Ner Uziel cites
Rav Chaim of Volozhin who reconciles Rambam’s seeming contradiction about the
laws of Amalek. The Torah commands us to destroy Amalek, a mitzvah the Rambam
states we can no longer perform since we cannot identify the descendants of
Amalek. We are also told to erase the memory of Amalek, a mitzvah the Rambam
maintains is still relevant and which explains why the angel could not provide
Yaakkov Avinu with his name. According to Rav Chaim, Amalek is the generic name
of any nation that would try to destroy the Jewish people. In ancient times
these could be the Babylonians and the Greek/Hellenists. In modern times,
it would certainly refer to Nazi Germany.
Rav
Asher Weiss provides a beautiful perspective on Yaakkov Avinu’s new name. The
name Yisrael incorporates the initial of each of our
patriarchs and matriarchs, Yaakkov Avinu and Yitzchak, Sarah,
Rivkah, Avraham, and Leah. As such every member of Bnei
Yisroel always carries with him the perfection and merit of our Patriarchs and
Matriarchs and is never lost. Further Hashem/El is
always straight/yashar with us, even
when we are unworthy. Jews are never lost, for they are always attached to
Hakodosh Boruch Hu. Jewish history proves it.
The
battle between Yaakkov Avinu and the angel exists within every one of us as
well. writes Rabbi Pincus. It would also refer to those who would destroy us,
as Lavan hoped to do, by corrupting our beliefs with movements that are
incongruent with Jewish values. We are lured by the different philosophies of
the generations. [As Rabbi Meier Finklestein, YIWH Rabbinic Associate
noted, this is what Esau wanted. “Come, be my neighbor. We’ll be friends, and
eventually, you will take on my values, assimilate, and no longer be Jewish.”
CKS] The archangel of Amalek could not provide a name because his name changes
in each generation. His name could be The Enlightenment, Communism, or
materialism. The name of this deceiver changes constantly, but the name of
Yisroel will never change. No matter what the destructive angel is called, the
Jews will remain constant as Yisroel, always maintaining our connection to
Hakodosh Boruch Hu.
Getting
the name Yisroel, which Hashem later confirms, helps us uproot the idolatry of
each generation, writes Rabbi Weissblum. Just as the men of the Great Assembly
uprooted idol worship in its day, so must we uproot the god that today’s
society worships, the god of egoism, the god of self. In today’s society
freedom of self is worshiped. Each individual feels entitled to look only
for his own personal benefit, one person will often help another only if he
himself can benefit, even if his help costs him nothing. As Rebbetzin Smiles
points out, If a boy decides he wants to be a girl, he will make the choice,
regardless of biology or science. People even have trouble communicating
effectively with each other. Instead of listening, validating, or arguing after
acknowledging the other point of view, we are thinking how we can top their
news or their challenge, or silence opposition of a differing opinion. “I” has
become god, and all the world must worship me and my image.
The
Kli Yakar also breaks up the name Yisroel into two components, into yashar
and El. But Kli Yakar translates yashar as See,
citing Bilaam’s prophetic words, “...Umigvaot ashurenu/And
from high places I see [into the distant future].” Yisroel has the ability to
see the El/the image of God in everyone; there is a world outside the self.
Instead, writes Rabbi Weissblum, we live in a world of mirrors where everything
we look at and interact with reflects back to me, to my pleasure and my
importance. This is a major struggle of Bnei Yisroel against the world, against
the selfish Esau. We thank Hashem that He has not made us slaves to ego. Even
in the concentration camps and in the gulag, we were never spiritually
enslaved. We saw Godliness in our neighbors, we refused to be slaves to our
egos, and we were never destroyed. We give to others as individuals and as
communities, and we carry Yisroel within ourselves.
Rav
Biederman makes an interesting observation about the name change. We would
think that the name change would reflect Yaakkov Avinu’s victory, of having
prevailed against such overwhelming odds. Should he not have been named Tuchal/prevailed
or Kolloh/destroyed? Instead, we are called Yisroel for the struggle,
for sorito/you have striven. Says Rav Biederman, we all have a struggle
within ourselves. We have the choice to engage in that struggle or not, but
even if we engage, the result still remains in God’s hands. Therefore, we do
not celebrate victory; we celebrate the struggle. The sincere effort, whether
you score a point, ace an exam, perform a mitzvah to its fullest, or you
ultimately fail – that effort should be celebrated. We need to keep trying.
Even
before we stood at Sinai we were already presented with the challenge and the
struggle as a cause for elevation and celebration, to determine our faith and
see if we would be worthy of receiving the Torah. Hashem gave us the manna in
the desert lema’an anoso/to test us and to raise us up. Would we be so
concerned with our daily bread that we would struggle with taking only one
day’s portion of manna, or would we rise to the challenge and trust Hashem?
Just so, writes Rabbi Weissblum, do we face challenges every day. But it is
precisely the struggles and challenges that make us stronger, that reinforce
our faith in and commitment to Hashem. The name Yisroel is the symbol of this
struggle, and equally the symbol of Hashem’s love for us and His desire for our
growth.
In
contrast, Esau’s name already signifies his perception of self as complete, in
no need of improvement. Even Yaakkov Avinu’s original name implies someone who
is lowly and must pull himself up by his bootstraps to improve. As Rabbi
Mintzberg notes, Esau also received a second name, Edom/Red. Yaakkov Avinu gave
him this name when he realized that all Esau saw was the externals, the red of
the stew Yaakkov Avinu was cooking. Esau didn’t even call it lentils, its major
ingredient, or stew. He demanded Yaakkov Avinu pour into him just that red, red
stuff. How would Esau seek spiritual improvement, which takes time, over
instant gratification? Esau never changes; he is always complete externally.
Yaakkov Avinu, on the other hand, goes from the struggle of being at the heel
to ever more challenging struggles, never satisfied with the level he has
reached.
The
angel, however, has not yet told Yaakkov Avinu his name. But perhaps he has,
speculates Rabbi Michel Twerski, and in doing so, has blessed Yaakkov Avinu
with the solution to facing a challenging decision. “Since my identity and
mission changes throughout time, I do not have a specific name,” says the
angel. “But if you want to know how to make the right decision when I confront
you, ask yourself ‘lamah zeh/for what purpose do I want this.’ The
answer will tell you whether it will bring you closer to Hashem or distance you
from Him. If it is not for a higher purpose, you will know that it is I coming
to deceive you.. I impart this knowledge to you as the blessing so you will
release me.”
In
this world of contradictions, even observing mitzvoth presents a struggle,
observes Rabbi Eisenberg in Mesillot Bilvovom. For example, do we enjoy
Shabbat because we can disconnect from the material world and focus on our
relationship with Hakodosh Boruch Hu, or are we more interested in the
gastronomic delights and social contacts, often involving business discussions
or filling up on the latest gossip?
Nevertheless,
evil is an integral part of this world, created by Hashem as a means of helping
us grow spiritually stronger, posits Rabbi Lopiansky. Similar to a weight
lifter who can build muscle mass and reach his potential only by resistance to
weights, so man reaches his spiritual potential only by resisting the yetzer
horo. Herein lies the key to the name changes of our Patriarchs.
The
Torah record of Avraham Avinu’s life begins with Lech Lecha, with
leaving his land and his home. The Medrash fills in his earlier life,
explaining that Avraham had actually been an idol worshiper, albeit for a short
time. He rejected this evil, and so his original name Avram no longer describes
him. Yitzchak Avinu, recognizing only the spiritual throughout his life, never
gets a name change. Yaakkov Avinu Avinu understands that evil cannot be totally
destroyed and left as detritus on earth. The essence of evil must be destroyed,
but the outer layers of evil must be struggled with and incorporated as
spiritual muscle. When the Satan/Guardian angel of Esau gave Yaakkov Avinu the
name Yisroel, the name Yaakkov Avinu still was part of his identity. By
struggling against the evil that the angel represented, Yaakkov Avinu
incorporated the evil that Esau represented, elevated it, and transformed it
into spiritual strength.
It
is in the struggle during times of darkness, when we have trouble seeing
Hashem’s presence, that singing the praises of Hakodosh Boruch Hu should be
more powerful, for the struggle is what makes us stronger, writes the Imrei
Emes of Gur.
The
Ma’aynah shel Torah brings this point home. If we add the gematria/numerical
equivalent of Yaakkov (182) to Satan (359) we get
Yisroel (541). May we as individuals and as a nation successfully
struggle with the negative and evil challenges that confront us until we reach
the potential Hashem has invested in us.