My Musing
When is subterfuge acceptable? Can you use circumstances to your benefit even if it means that while you will be 100% honest to the letter of the law, in the spirit of the law you might be just a bit dishonest?
The midrash paints Yaakov as hoping that his twenty year association with Laban will be enough to make his brother think twice before attacking. Of course it is not only the idea that Yaakov emerged relatively unscathed from his two decades long indentured servitude with Laban that will protect him from Eisav, but also the merit of the future of the Tribes that will protect Jacob and by analogy his progeny, the Jewish people, as they travel through time and engage Eisav bent on revenge for a perceived wrong. The shift from the story directly on Yaakov to the protection of the Israelite nation and the judgment of Eisav later on, resonates a medieval wish for vindication for the suffering Jews go through.
The midrash opens for this week's parsha in a rare style of a straightforward exposition on a small phrase from the opening of the parsha. The midrash is not using a yelmadeinu teaching nor is it using a zeh sh'eamar hakatuv, "this is to what scripture is referring" but it starts out with an inference.
When is subterfuge acceptable? Can you use circumstances to your benefit even if it means that while you will be 100% honest to the letter of the law, in the spirit of the law you might be just a bit dishonest?
The midrash paints Yaakov as hoping that his twenty year association with Laban will be enough to make his brother think twice before attacking. Of course it is not only the idea that Yaakov emerged relatively unscathed from his two decades long indentured servitude with Laban that will protect him from Eisav, but also the merit of the future of the Tribes that will protect Jacob and by analogy his progeny, the Jewish people, as they travel through time and engage Eisav bent on revenge for a perceived wrong. The shift from the story directly on Yaakov to the protection of the Israelite nation and the judgment of Eisav later on, resonates a medieval wish for vindication for the suffering Jews go through.
The midrash opens for this week's parsha in a rare style of a straightforward exposition on a small phrase from the opening of the parsha. The midrash is not using a yelmadeinu teaching nor is it using a zeh sh'eamar hakatuv, "this is to what scripture is referring" but it starts out with an inference.
מדרש תנחומא (ורשא) פרשת וישלח סימן א
(בראשית לב:ה,ו) " וַיְצַו אֹתָם לֵאמֹר כֹּה תֹאמְרוּן לַאדֹנִי לְעֵשָׂו כֹּה אָמַר עַבְדְּךָ יַעֲקֹב עִם לָבָן גַּרְתִּי וָאֵחַר עַד עָתָּה. וַיְהִי לִי שׁוֹר וַחֲמוֹר צֹאן וְעֶבֶד וְשִׁפְחָה וָאֶשְׁלְחָה לְהַגִּיד לַאדֹנִי לִמְצֹא חֵן בְּעֵינֶיךָ"
"עִם לָבָן גַּרְתִּי"
He (Yaakov) said, Even though I dwelled with Laban, the head of the conmen these past twenty years, I have much wealth. Therefore he let Eisav know his material gains. Eisav will think that Yaakov only entered the arrangement with Laban with his staff and managed twenty years. Despite Laban being the best charlatan, Yaakov managed to amass great wealth. How will I best him?!
אמר, 'אף על פי שישבתי עם לבן שהוא אב הרמאים זה עשרים שנה, יש לי שור וחמור ועושר גדול'. לכך הודיעו, כדי שיהרהר בלבו ויאמר, יעקב לא עבר כי אם במקלו ועשה עמו עשרים שנה. ולבן אב הרמאין הוא, וזה נתעשר אצלו ושב בשלום ואני אוכל לו?!
Now the midrash teases out the protection afforded by the later generations of Yaakov implied in his words. The ox of the cattle refers to Joseph who was called the firstborn of the ox by Moses in his last blessings to the Israelites. The Donkey refers to the Messiah, the future king of Israel, from the prophecy of Zachariah. Sheep refers to the entire nation of Israel who are called sheep in the prophecy of Ezekiel.
"וַיְהִי לִי שׁוֹר וַחֲמוֹר"
אין לי לירא ממך שהרי נולד יוסף שנקרא שור, שנאמר, (דברים לג:יז) "בְּכוֹר שׁוֹרוֹ הָדָר לו,ֹ וְקַרְנֵי רְאֵם קַרְנָיו, בָּהֶם עַמִּים יְנַגַּח יַחְדָּו אַפְסֵי אָרֶץ, וְהֵם רִבְבוֹת אֶפְרַיִם וְהֵם אַלְפֵי מְנַשֶּׁה"
וַחֲמוֹר "זה משיח בן דוד, שנאמר, (זכריה ט:ט) "גִּילִי מְאֹד בַּת צִיּוֹן, הָרִיעִי בַּת יְרוּשָׁלִַם, הִנֵּה מַלְכֵּךְ יָבוֹא לָך,ְ צַדִּיק וְנוֹשָׁע הוּא, עָנִי וְרֹכֵב עַל חֲמוֹר, וְעַל עַיִר בֶּן אֲתֹנוֹת"
"צֹאן" אלו זכותן של שבטים, שנקראו בניהם 'צאן', שנאמר, (יחזקאל לד:לא) "וְאַתֵּן צֹאנִי, צֹאן מַרְעִיתִי, אָדָם אַתֶּם, אֲנִי אֱלֹקֵיכֶם נְאֻם אֲד-ֹנָי יְדֹוִד"
The midrash offers another set of proof for the resiliency of Yaakov from Judah and Joseph. Judah will be the kingdom that endures throughout the ages. Joseph represents the other side of enduring leadership, as evidenced by his rise to power in Egypt. Both will graze on the straw that refers to Eisav. The idea being that Eisav will be judged and held accountable in the end. That is why Yaakov is protected.
גם יהודה שטנו של עשו, שנאמר, (ישעיהו יא:ז) "וּפָרָה וָדֹב תִּרְעֶינָה יַחְדָּו, יִרְבְּצוּ יַלְדֵיהֶן, וְאַרְיֵה כַּבָּקָר יֹאכַל תֶּבֶן"
פירש "אַרְיֵה" שהוא יהודה, שנאמר, (בראשית מט:ט) "גּוּר אַרְיֵה יְהוּדָה מִטֶּרֶף בְּנִי עָלִיתָ כָּרַע רָבַץ כְּאַרְיֵה וּכְלָבִיא מִי יְקִימֶנּוּ"
"כַּבָּקָר" זה יוסף.
"יֹאכַל תֶּבֶן",כלומר, זה יוסף שידין עשו שהוא תבן, שנאמר, (עובדיה א:יח) "וְהָיָה בֵית יַעֲקֹב אֵשׁ, וּבֵית יוֹסֵף לֶהָבָה, וּבֵית עֵשָׂו לְקַש, וְדָלְקוּ בָהֶם וַאֲכָלוּם וְלֹא יִהְיֶה שָׂרִיד לְבֵית עֵשָׂו כִּי יְדֹוָד דִּבֵּר"
The midrash includes a prophecy that all the nations that hound Israel will be judged.
ומנין שאף כלם ידינוהו?
שנאמר, (יחזקאל יט:ב) "וְאָמַרְתָּ מָה אִמְּךָ לְבִיָּא בֵּין אֲרָיוֹת רָבָצָה בְּתוֹךְ כְּפִרִים רִבְּתָה גוּרֶיה" מכאן שכלם ידינוהו.
Now the midrash concludes with a teaching that returns to the original phrase. The servant is Moses and the handmaiden is Ruth who is the progenitor of King David.
"וְעֶבֶד" זה משה, שנאמר, (דברים לד:ה) "וַיָּמָת שָׁם מֹשֶׁה עֶבֶד יְדֹוָד בְּאֶרֶץ מוֹאָב עַל פִּי יְדֹוָד"
"וְשִׁפְחָה" זו רות, שעתיד דוד לצאת ממנה. וכתוב עליו (תהלים קטז:טז) "אָנָּה יְדֹוָד, כִּי אֲנִי עַבְדֶּך,ָ אֲנִי עַבְדְּךָ בֶּן אֲמָתֶךָ, פִּתַּחְתָּ לְמוֹסֵרָי"בן אותה שהניחה להיות גברת ומלכה לבא ולחסות תחת כנפי השכינה.
The sum total of these future progeny will be the protection Yaakov needs and the reason for
Eisav to think twice before he harasses Israel.
אין תגובות:
הוסף רשומת תגובה