December 10, 2005 Parshas Vayeitzei

7 Kislev, 5766 Volume 20, Number 10

I
Yaakov Avinu and Limud Hatorah Contemporary
Halacha
t is quite interesting to analyze and depression of galus, one emphasis on prayer and yet are Honor Thy Father
Rabbi Hershel Reichman

the Torah’s description of

Yaakov Avinu. In parshas
Toldos, Yaakov is described as an
cannot survive without the con-
stant study of Torah. The mida
of chesed alone – for which
sadly lacking in their religious
observance. Only Torah then is
and Mother (Part 1)
capable of preserving the Jewish
Rabbi Zvi Sobolofsky

“ish tam yoshev ohalim” – “a simple Avraham Avinu was so people in galus.
Written by Michael Stein and Josh

man, a dweller of tents.” We see renowned – would not suffice. The question to be asked is why
Weinberg based on shiur given by

from here that Yaakov had a This can be borne out very clear-
Rabbi Sobolofsky at Morasha BMP of

only Torah is capable of accom-

summer of 05.

tremendous love for limud ly by observing the United States. plishing this feat. The Torah is
especting our mothers and
haTorah – Torah study – so Despite the fact that there are intent upon placing emphasis on
R fathers has long been a sta-

much so that the Midrash states many philanthropic institutions the past, the present and the
ple of normative Jewish living

that he spent fourteen years and the like, they do not preserve future. We always are reminded
and has almost come to

learning in Yeshivas Shem our Jewish identity and we watch

v’Eiver. The question that can be
raised is why the Torah deems it
the rate of assimilation climb
with each passing day.
of past events and warned about
what will happen in the future if
we do not adhere to the dictates
embody the strict ethical
behavior Judaism requires in
all areas of our lives. But what
is the nature of this obligation?

so important to emphasize the Similarly, the mida of t’fila, for of the Torah. Those who do not
And when a person respects

fact that Yaakov valued limud which Yitzchak was so renowned live their lives through the Torah,
his parents, is he performing a

haTorah so much.
We do know that Yaakov Avinu
commandment that is
would not be sufficient in galus. however, live only for the pres- between him and G-d (bein
Again, by observing modern ent. Thus, an exile can very easi-
adam lamakom) or one that is

serves a role as av b’galus, a times, this can be proven to be a ly destroy their world, and this
between him and fellow man

leader in exile, as he spent a sig- factual truth. The flourishing has proven to be the case time
(bein adam lachaveiro)?1

nificant amount of time dwelling Reform and Conservative move- and time again. However, a per-
Any Jewish child in elemen-

in Mitzrayim. In the darkness
ments place a great deal of
son who lives his life with an eye
continued on page 3
tary school could tell you that
listed on the right tablet (the
first five) are commandments
between man and G-d and

A
TableTorah The Source of Wealth on the left, commandments
continued on page 2

fter amassing a tremendous amount of wealth, attributing their wealth to the correct source. They did In the next few pesukim, we read that Yaakov decided
Yair Manas

Lavan’s sons claimed that Yaakov took his wealth
from Lavan (Genesis 31:1). We all know the truth –
Yaakov got all of his wealth from Hashem, and Lavan
was blessed only because of Yaakov’s presence. Lavan’s
sons claimed the exact opposite! What exactly was
going on here?
The problem with Lavan’s sons was that they were not
not believe that Hashem was capable of bestowing
wealth upon people, and therefore attributed the
wealth that Lavan had amassed over the years to his
own hard work and business acumen. There are, in
fact, many people who do not attribute their success to
Hashem. They think that they really achieved all of
their goals by themselves.
to leave Lavan. This juxtaposition tells us that his deci-
sion to leave was linked to these claims of Lavan’s sons.
We learn from Yaakov that when we encounter such
negative influences in our surroundings, we must get
up and move in order to avoid that dangerous percep-
tion at all costs. We must always remember that Hashem is
the source for everything in this world.

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Prelude to Exodus

A
continued from page 1

Leib Zalesch

woken suddenly from his
first sleep in fourteen years,
Yaakov is startled by a revelation
concerning his descendants’ exile,
redemption, and eventual great-
does Yaakov call the place by two
names: Beis Elokim, “House of
God,” and Sha’ar Shamayim,
Shamayim. The term “Beis” con-
notes a source or place of poten-
tial: a Beis Elokim represents the
Heaven, at which one inwardly
feels and outwardly expresses
his realization of the constant
presence of G-d in that place
(note Rashi, “V’zeh Sha’ar

We can connect to God

ness. His reaction appears puz- HaShamayim”). The physical site
zling. Surely Avraham and of the Beis Hamikdash – one of
Yitzchak had informed Yaakov of
with the simplest sacrifices and prayers – was not

these promises (13:15-16 and
26:24), but he is nevertheless
awestruck: “There is God in this
place – and I didn’t even know it!
… this place is nothing if not the
House of G-d – and this is the
Gate of Heaven!” (28:16-17).
Why such amazement? Also, why
resources...
“Gate of Heaven?”
Last things first: Yaakov knew
that to actualize its potential, the
Beis Elokim needed the Sha’ar
mere physical possibility of
prayer but not the profound spir-
itual impact which can come of a
Sha’ar Shamayim, a gate to
what startled Yaakov but rather the
discovery of this place as a Sha’ar
Shamayim, a means of contact
with God. He learned that we can
connect to God on the supremely
minimalist level of songs and
spices. We can create a Shaar
Shamayim out of a Beis Elokim.

Honor Thy Father and Mother continued from page 1

continued on page 3

between man and man. The command-
ment to respect parents is on the right side,
and on a simple level, it would seem that it
falls under the category of bein adam
lamakom – between man and G-d.
Is there any room to disagree? The Mishna
in Peah (1:1), which we recite daily after bir-
chas hatorah, lists learning Torah and
respecting our parents among the com-
mandments that one receives “peros”
(rewards) for in this world as well as the
world to come. The Rambam (Pirush
HaMishnayos, ibid.) says that the Mishna
lists those commandments that naturally
make the world a better place. Acts of lov-
ing kindness (gemillas chasadim) and
accompanying the dead foster love and
warmth within humanity, and the positive
ramifications of acts like these in this world
is self evident. The same holds true for hon-
oring one’s parents, which strengthens
familial bonds and prevents family
breakups, which unfortunately, are today
so common in Western society. Although a
proof could be brought from this Rambam
that honoring ones parents is in fact bein
adam lachaveiro (between man and man)
since it influences the love and warmth we
show to others, one could simply say that
the Rambam means to describe the practi-
cal benefits of respecting one’s parents, not
to tell us any halachic classifications.
What would be some of the practical differ-
ences between whether we consider the
obligation to honor one’s parents a com-
mandment between man and G-d or a
commandment between man and man?
There is a Gemara that discusses whether a
parent can absolve a child of the child’s obli-
gation to honor him. The concept of fore-
going an obligation owed to you certainly
exists in cases of monetary damages. If
someone breaks your window, you can
decide whether to demand payment or
not. In this sense, the claimant creates the
damager’s obligation to pay.
Similarly, Tosfos in Kesubos says that only
the recipient of an obligation or honor has
the right to forego the honor (colloquially
stated, “be mochel”). If we are to compare
kibbud av to the laws of damages, then the
father can be mochel on the honor (kavod)
due to him since he is the recipient (ba’al
hakavod).2 Once we say that the mechilah
of a father and mother fits into the broader
definition presented in the laws of dam-
ages, and the same parameters apply to
both, it would seem that kibbud av is a bein
adam lachaveiro commandment, just
as damages are bein adam lachaveiro com-
mandments.
However, one could argue that the whole
concept of kavod to parents is subjective.
The Gemara states that one obligation of
kibbud av is to dress one’s father, but con-
cludes “ritzono shel adam, zehu kevodo” –
“the will of an individual, that is his [subjec-
tive] honor.” Since kibbud av is subjective,
a parent is allowed to forego the honor
due to him, thereby redefining the mitzvah
of kibbud av. For example, if your parents
are arriving at the airport at 3 a.m. and
they’ll get upset if you drive three hours to
pick them up, you should not pick them
up.
We have explained that if we understand
the ability of a parent to be mochel as a
function of the normative law of mechila in
monetary cases, then we have a clear cut
proof that kibbud av is bein adam
lachaveiro. However, if we understand the
mechila of a parent as an outgrowth of the
inherently subjective nature of the mitzvah,
this is not necessarily true. One practical
difference between these two understand-
ings is in a case where the father is mochel
and then changes his mind and undoes his
mechilah. Is the son now obligated in kib-
bud av? If we say the mechilah here fits
into the normal laws of mechilah, the
honor of the parent is absolved forever, and
the parent has no right to reinstate it. But
if the mechilah is merely an expression of
the father’s desires, then the father can be
mochel and subsequently undo his mechi-
lah as he pleases.
1 Question asked by Minchas Chinuch.
2 Applying this logic to the obligation to honor one’s
Rebbeim, one could argue that since we consider
kavod for the Rebbe kavod haTorah – honor for the
Torah, the Rebbe has no control over its mechilah.
Hence, there is a dispute regarding whether a Rebbe
can be mochel on his kavod. Everyone agrees that a
king cannot be mochel on his kavod since Hashem
instituted the concept of a king, and therefore has con-
trol over his kavod.

EINAYIM L’TORAH • 2
vhv, ohn,to Exodus
Prelude continued from page 2
Yaakov needed to discover that true Avodah –
service – allows for a profound connection
between Heaven and Earth before he could
undergo the servitude and exile which would
bring him and his children back to that “mun-
dane” avodah. Yaakov needed to come to this
personal discovery before he crossed the river
into exile, although his descendants would
cross the Sea before returning to this place,
because it gave purpose to the Exile and the
return. Without understanding what true serv-
ice of Hashem was, the crossing of the Sea
Yaakov Avinu and Limud Hatorah
toward the future can always cling to a belief
in the impermanent nature of galus.
The importance of synthesizing events of
the past present and future to help us keep a
proper perspective while in galus is reflected
in the “ha lachma anya” at the beginning of
the Hagada. “Ha lachma anya di achalu
avhasana” – “This is the bread of affliction
that our fathers ate” – reflects a view of the
past while “kol dichfin yeisei v’yeichol” –
“Whoever is hungry come and eat” – places
the stress on the present. Finally, we con-
clude with a hope for the future: though we
are now slaves (“hashta avda”) next year we
will be free (“l’shana haba’a b’nei chorin”).
We are confronted by the knowledge that the
present exile is merely a temporary phenom-
enon which will soon pass.
Another important aspect of Torah is that it
would have been a geopolitical event at best
but without the profound spiritual conse-
quences which it had. That we can connect to
God with the simplest resources – this realiza-
tion gave energy and meaning to the Exodus!
We have the opportunity to actualize our full
potential in Avodas Hashem. At that point we
will have crossed the Sea with the vision and
purpose of Yaakov Avinu.
Maharal notes that Chanukah falls exactly three
months after the creation of the sun on the
25th day of Elul. The sun is farther away from
teaches us about the importance of hash-
continued from page 1
gacha pratis, divine providence, a phenome-
non by which Yaakov lived his entire life. In
parshas Vayeitzei (25:20), Yaakov swears: “If
Hashem will be with me and guard me in this
path and give me bread to eat and clothing to
wear, and I will return to my father’s house in
peace, and Hashem will be my God.” We see
that Yaakov’s life was one that was depend-
ent upon the intervention of divine provi-
dence. This can be clearly reflected in his
dealing with Lavan and Eisav, who would
have killed Yaakov if not for the intervention
of the hashgacha pratis. Similarly, Yaakov
would have never been able to endure his
arduous journeys and flights without the
help of Hashem. Undoubtedly, Yaakov’s
limud haTorah provided him with the knowl-
edge that everything is dependant upon the
will of Hashem; no other source reflects
Earth now than at any other time of year; the
nights longest, the days darkest. Chanukah, his-
torically and individually, comes as we most
need renewed faith that light will conquer dark-
ness and that His providence is evident even at
the darkest hour. Yaakov’s discovery provides
reassurance and renewal. He watched in awe as
a simple mound of earth became the greatest
Makom Hashem. We, too, can turn an empty
room into a Shaar Shamayim.
hashgacha pratis more than the Torah.
How can we apply this lesson to our daily
lives? The Jewish people have clearly
received a special hashgacha. But we must
constantly be aware that it is only because of
limud haTorah that we have merited this
hashgacha. The midrashic interpretation of
Yaakov’s words to Eisav’s messenger, “Im
Lavan garti,” – “I lived with Lavan” – is that
“I kept the 613 mitzvos.” Yaakov is stating
that the observance of the mitzvos is what
preserved him in exile. A synthesis of past,
present and future events, aided by limud
haTorah will allow us to remain optimistic in
galus. We must always remain cognizant of
the fact that our future is meaningless with-
out limud haTorah. In merit of limud
haTorah may we be zoche to see the coming
of Mashiach speedily in our days.
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PARSHAT VAYEITZEI • 3
Parsha Points in Vayeitzei
Ephraim Meth
• In a dream, Hashem promises Yaakov personal protection, and bequeaths Israel to his
descendants.

• Yaakov, in return, pledges one tenth of his possessions to Hashem, and vows to establish a Einayim L’Torah
“house” for Hashem. 500 W. 185th Street
• Yaakov meets Rachel – his cousin and future wife – and rolls a stone off the well to water New York, NY 10033
her sheep. www.einayim.org
editor@einayim.org
• Yaakov agrees to shepherd Lavan’s sheep for seven years in exchange for Rachel’s hand in
marriage. When seven years elapse, Lavan gives Leah to Yaakov instead. Yaakov marries
Rachel too in exchange for seven more years’ work. Rachel and Leah give Yaakov their maids, Editors In Chief
Bilhah and Zilpah, in marriage. Yaakov’s children are: Reuven, Shimon, Levi, Yehuda, Dan, Pinchas Friedman
Naftali, Gad, Asher, Yissachar, Zevulun, Dinah, and Yosef. Yehuda Brand
• After seven more years, Yaakov demands permission to return home. Evading Lavan’s financial Executive Editors
chicanery, Yaakov and family depart wealthy.
Zev Koller
• Lavan chases after his terafim, secretly stolen by Rachel. (Hashem warns Lavan to be wary Dovid Skversky
speaking with Yaakov of good or bad.) When he cannot find them, Yaakov berates him for
his trickery and falsehood. Yaakov and Lavan enter a non-aggression covenant. Associative Editor
Josh Weinberg

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EINAYIM L’TORAH • 4 PARSHAT VAYEITZEI