Vayishlach - 1st Portion

Join me as we learn kitas for today Sunday the first Torah reading of paras chapter 32 verse4 last week's Torah reading we read as Yakov left Lovven's home he was now heading towards back to his home in the land of Cananan after being in Kuran for 20 years knowing that over the passage of time as his mother told him, Asov would be not as anxious to kill him. However, he still did not know where Asov was at and what Asov's feelings were towards him. At this point, Yakov sent messengers. He couldn't risk the fact of sending regular messengers. And as we read, Malohim angels came to greet him. And he sent the angels to see and to tap where Asov was at and what Asov was thinking and feeling about him. Verse number four. And Jacob dispatched angels ahead of him to go to his brother Asov of Seyer land of Seir stay Edom at the field of Edom. Rashi tells us and reminds us that because of Jacob's fears, he didn't send regular people, but Malim, what kind of malim regular real angels? What is the word telling us? Meanser to the land of anytime I have a word that has before it whenever I would have to say two. So I would put a lammed before it. The puk puts a he at the end instead and the he at the end makes it saying to so as well in our case means to the land of s. Verse five and instructed them as follows. So thus you should say to my master. So said your servant, I have been with until now and I've delayed my return until now because I was with love. What does this mean? And over here Rashi tells us what the word gi means. I lived with love. There are two interpretations that Rashi will tell us. Why does he use the terminology gi? because he's telling as don't you worry about the blessings that I got from my father. I did not become a minister or important person in the place of love. I was like a stranger in a foreign land. There's no reason for you to hate me about the blessings that I got from my father that dad blessed me with that you will be a master to your brother because it never happened to me. That's one explanation. Another explanation that the word is the same numerical numeric value as 613 meaning to say was telling him love I was with love and the evil and still in all though it was very difficult I still adhered to the 613 commandments I did not learn from his evil ways. The Torah now continues in verse six. And I had an ox and a donkey. I have acquired much cattle and sheep and and bondsman and bondsoman. And therefore it is clear that all the blessings that I have are not from the things that my father blessed me about. And thereby I am sending word to you my master to find favor in your eyes. Why does he enumerate the things that he owns? Because over here Jacob is still trying to appease as and therefore he uses the terms and says father said to me to do from the fast of the land and look what I have that's not from heaven or not from earth and donkeys. It is customary the way people speak that though they may have many oxen they will use a singular term ox. Like a person tells to his friend at night the rooster called he doesn't say many have called and I'm sending to tell my master why why am I telling this to you I'm coming to you what's the whole reason why I'm coming to meet you is to find favor to show that I am complete with you and I'm looking to find your love and I'm looking to get along. I am not looking to uh be your ruler to be in charge of you. Verse seven and the angels returned lay saying we came to you brother knows he's also coming to greet you. He's coming towards you. However, he has 400 men with him. Rashi tells us, "We came to your brother." What is this saying? You may be saying, "He's my brother." Because as Jacob says, "Go to my brother." But he is still treating you like ace of the wicked. He still hates you. There are commentaries that say not only 400 men that there was 400 generals that had each one of them a platoon of 400 men. The Reb explains on this verse on the last three verses where Yakov addresses to Asovi and then he's and he tells him that he was by love and that over here love Jacob was telling I was with the ox and the donkey I am ready for the time of the Mashiach which alludes to the king that Mashiach will come on a donkey and therefore he tells him what about you of are you ready for Mashiach as Well, meaning that I've already done cleansing the sparks that were by love on. I have already elevated everything that was there. I did the 613 commandments. However, in order for Mashiach to come, we know that it also has to come that Asov has to recognize the greatness of Hashem. So, therefore, he's saying the angels asking them, are you ready as is ready as well? Are you as of ready? The angels come back and tell him, "No, maybe you're ready for Mashiach, but your brother is still not ready for the Messiah. And therefore, he's coming to greet you with 400 men." And that's when Yakov realizes he has to prepare which the next verse tells us about Jacob how he prepares himself to be able to approach Asaf and became afraid and he was distressed and he divided the people that were with him the flock and the cattle and the camels. machines to two camps. Why does it say that he was afraid, frightened, and distressed? What's the double terminology? He was afraid. Maybe he might get killed. Or he was afraid that he might have to kill other people as well. The Torah now continues into verse 9. is going to come to one of the camps and he'll kill them and he'll attack them. The remaining camp will be able to be survi to survive. The word you'll notice here was written the word can be is that he take from male to female terminology. So if you look Rashi explains that the word can be at times used as a male terminology and as well as a female. And now he gives us different examples. For example, he's using a female. There's other things that we find where they can be used either in male or in female. And he now gives a few examples of different words which can be used in reference to male terminology and in female terminology as well. For example, before we said it doesn't say which would be the female. So both of them were used in male. The same she now that we used before a male now over here is using female and not same thing would also be with wind. You will see in the book of it says doesn't say it says which is which is male. The same ideas also the same exact is used at times male and female. The same is with fireem then which is so rashi brought us four different examples of words nouns that are at times used in connection with male terminology and sometimes female terminology. He says and the remaining camp will survive. This is not a doubt that Jacob has. This is a definite meaning or he will have to allow the remaining camp to be surviving. Why? Because I'm going to wage war against him his skin. He prepared himself three things for a present as we'll soon see. He sends him a gift to prayer and for war. Where do we see the three things that he prepared himself with? with a present because he says and send the present before me because he says God the father of for war because he says that the remaining camp will be able to survive after he wages the war against him. So we see that Jacob prepared himself though he knew that God told him that he's going to be okay as we'll soon see. However, he did his he did his effort in preparing himself to encounter Asaf and the three things that he did was sending gifts, prayer and war. Verse 10. The God my forebearer of the God the forebearer of my of my father the God who said to me return to your land the place of your birthplace and I will and I will make things go well for you why before did he say and we mentioned that is not said when a person is still alive before with the words of love and he And again, why does he again say God's special name when he says I the God who said to me said the one who said to me because he already said the God of a father the God of Ra and the God of father of why does he say again the God who told me to go back to the land of Israel. Hello. This is what Jacob is saying. This is the prayers that Jacob was saying before. You promised me, you guaranteed me two things. One, when I left my father's home from that you told me that you are the god of the god of there you told me as well. I will protect you wherever you go. And so too when I was in love one's home you told me you told me return to your father's home to your place of your birth and I'll be with you and there at that promise you revealed yourself with that name only with you did not say as it says it says in the verse God said to Jacob return to your parents' home and he does not say the god of a Father Ara and now with these two promises that you told me in the past that I will be protected. I come to you and I pray before you that I should be protected. However, why was Jacob concerned? If Yakov had these two promises, why was he then concerned? And over here verse 11, YaKob says why he's concerned as though Hashem promised him twice that he'll be okay. Maybe I am no longer worthy of all the promises you gave me because of the kindness and the truth trustworthiness that you did to your servant because I crossed the Jordan only with a staff. I had nothing left. But now look what I have. I've become the head of two camps. So maybe I've used all those merits that were awarded to me. Let's see verse 11 meaning I'm diminished in my merits because of the kindness and the trustworthiness that you have done with me and therefore I'm afraid from the time that you promised me and you said that everything was going to be all right I became dirty meaning I became I've sinned I have stumbled upon on sin and therefore this will cause me that I shall be given over into the hands of Asov and therefore my merits will not be able to to stand in for me and because of that my sins may have caused me to fall prey to Asaf because of the trustworthiness what does this mean the kindness that God has done to him the trustworthiness of your words that you have actually kept all the promises that you have promised to me. What does he mean with a staff? He crossed the Jordan. And this is what he's saying. When I crossed the Jordan, I add nothing to my name. No silver, no gold, nothing. And the uh the Medish explains what does this mean? that this is alluding to another miracle that happened that while he was crossing the Jordan hadn't he crossed the Jordan River he put a stick on the Jordan River and that helped him split the river that's the way he got across verse 12 save me for my brother because I am afraid maybe he will come and he will attack me mothers and children alike Rashi Why does he double this terminology hinting to the fact for my brother? He won't act like a brother to me. And what is he going to act like of the evil who wants to kill me? Verse 13. And you have said, I will surely make things go well for you. And I will make your descendants like the sand of the seashore. That will be too numerous to count. Verse 13. Why does he double the terminology? You will surely be good. It was good for me. That means in the house of in your merit I was protected there as well. And this is also be I will be good for me in the merit of my parents that you told me on this merit of God of god of the god of that I will be protected and I will make your children like the like the and your descendants will be like the sand at the seashore. The question is when did God ever have told this to Yakov he only told him that your children will be like the sand of the earth not like the sand of the seashore was intended God told him when he left the house of I will not let you go I tell you what I you will be protected and as I commanded and as I will do for you and what did I do for you like I promised. What did he promise? And it was he said that I will make your children as plenty as the stars in the sky and like the sand by the seashore. So being that Hashem promised to God told Yakov that I'm going to give you everything that I promised. So therefore at this point he will also he is also asking Hashem to save him as he said as interesting as well that we look in the words that uses if you look at the words the letters the says hey makes it he was asking God don't only protect me but also my children and future generations from the evils of their times as well. This concludes the Torah reading for Sunday, the first Torah reading of Pares.