A Thought On Parshas VaYishlach
A Thought On Parshas VaYishlach
"...ki sham niglu elav HaElokim...b'makom asher diber ito..."
"...for the Lord had been revealed there to him...
...in the place where He spoke to him..." (35:7-11)
The Torah references Yaakov's encounters with the Divine Presence, both while he was en route to the house of Lavan and as he returned from his confrontation with Esav. The second verse above refers to his latter Divine encounter as having been in "the place where HaShem spoke with him." That sounds redundant, at first: if I tell you something in this parsha email, I don't type the words and then type that I am typing them in the place I have typed them. When HaShem spoke to Yaakov, we know, as did Yaakov, that the speaking took place in the place where it took place. What does the latter verse mean?
As for the first verse, the word "niglu" is in the plural. HaShem is One, and even when He is referred to by the name Elokim, His Oneness does not change. What is the message here in stating that Elokim had been revealed (plural) to Yaakov? Rashi and other commentaries wonder about this as well.
The Bechor Shor offers an interpretation which addresses each of the concerns which I have raised. The use of a plural verb regarding the Divine revelation is to incorporate the cosmic reality that when Yaakov met up with malachim, with messengers who presented him with inspiration and guidance, those events were also Divine encounters. So often, we are quick to marvel at the coincidental happenings which seem to guide or enlighten our way, yet are slow to see the Yad HaShem - the Heaven-sent nature of those moments. Our verse is quick to inform us that the events which Yaakov experienced, both at the hands of the messengers and through prophetic illumination from Above ka'va'yachol - were all signs that HaShem was revealed (in plural, to include the malach-sightings) to him there.
As for the second verse and its seeming redundancy, the Bechor Shor enlightens here as well. This recent encounter of HaShem's Presence being revealed to Yaakov (ma'ara - a vision) took place in that spot, but the Torah reminds us that "that place" was the same place where HaShem had already spoken to him. If we go back to last week's parsha, we will recall the dream which Yaakov had. The Bechor Shor explains that this dream also proved to be a Divine encounter. It was not a vision or a messenger, but a chalom - a vision-message which occurred as he dreamt. That too was a form of Divine encounter.
This is why the second verse repeats that the ma'ara vision took place in the place where HaShem had spoken to him, namely, when HaShem had spoken to Yaakov years before in a dream-message. This showed Yaakov that there was a special quality to that place: in one form or another, people might experience the word of HaShem there.
Ki malachav yitzaveh lach --------- May we recognize that HaShem cares for us.
Good Shabbos. D Fox
"...ki sham niglu elav HaElokim...b'makom asher diber ito..."
"...for the Lord had been revealed there to him...
...in the place where He spoke to him..." (35:7-11)
The Torah references Yaakov's encounters with the Divine Presence, both while he was en route to the house of Lavan and as he returned from his confrontation with Esav. The second verse above refers to his latter Divine encounter as having been in "the place where HaShem spoke with him." That sounds redundant, at first: if I tell you something in this parsha email, I don't type the words and then type that I am typing them in the place I have typed them. When HaShem spoke to Yaakov, we know, as did Yaakov, that the speaking took place in the place where it took place. What does the latter verse mean?
As for the first verse, the word "niglu" is in the plural. HaShem is One, and even when He is referred to by the name Elokim, His Oneness does not change. What is the message here in stating that Elokim had been revealed (plural) to Yaakov? Rashi and other commentaries wonder about this as well.
The Bechor Shor offers an interpretation which addresses each of the concerns which I have raised. The use of a plural verb regarding the Divine revelation is to incorporate the cosmic reality that when Yaakov met up with malachim, with messengers who presented him with inspiration and guidance, those events were also Divine encounters. So often, we are quick to marvel at the coincidental happenings which seem to guide or enlighten our way, yet are slow to see the Yad HaShem - the Heaven-sent nature of those moments. Our verse is quick to inform us that the events which Yaakov experienced, both at the hands of the messengers and through prophetic illumination from Above ka'va'yachol - were all signs that HaShem was revealed (in plural, to include the malach-sightings) to him there.
As for the second verse and its seeming redundancy, the Bechor Shor enlightens here as well. This recent encounter of HaShem's Presence being revealed to Yaakov (ma'ara - a vision) took place in that spot, but the Torah reminds us that "that place" was the same place where HaShem had already spoken to him. If we go back to last week's parsha, we will recall the dream which Yaakov had. The Bechor Shor explains that this dream also proved to be a Divine encounter. It was not a vision or a messenger, but a chalom - a vision-message which occurred as he dreamt. That too was a form of Divine encounter.
This is why the second verse repeats that the ma'ara vision took place in the place where HaShem had spoken to him, namely, when HaShem had spoken to Yaakov years before in a dream-message. This showed Yaakov that there was a special quality to that place: in one form or another, people might experience the word of HaShem there.
Ki malachav yitzaveh lach --------- May we recognize that HaShem cares for us.
Good Shabbos. D Fox
posted by Rabbi Dr. Fox at 7:11 PM
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