When Yaakov was moving his family across the River Yabok, he stayed behind to retrieve small containers. Suddenly, he was attacked, and fought with his aggressor until morning. The Rabbis say that Yaakov fought with a malach (angel) -- the guardian angel of Esav. Explains the Malbim: Yaakov stayed behind, alone -- preparing himself for prophecy. What began as a prophecy, however, became real. The malach took on a physical form and struggled with Yaakov.

Man is comprised of two elements, soul and body. He has the power and the choice to enable the soul to control the body. Yaakov beheld in his vision that his soul, struggling with physical entities, will, in the end, be victorious.

Similarly, the people of Yaakov, as a nation, will be victorious over their enemies. The only injury Yaakov received was that his thigh was displaced. This alludes to his future progeny: Near 'dawn' -- near the future redemption -- his children will be injured. Then, however, the 'night' will end. At that time, the angel of Esav will try to flee, because the 'morning light' will arise and the spirit of impurity will disappear.

Yoseif and the Wife of Potifar

In Parshas Vayeishev, Yoseif is approached by the wife of Potifar, his master. He avoids her entreaties, is falsely accused and incarcerated. The Zohar (p. 190b) explains the episode of Yoseif and Potifar's wife: "He (Yoseif) came to the house to do his work; none of the men of the house were there." 'He came to do his work' -- Torah and mitzvos, the work of this world. 'There was no one' -- no one to stand up to the evil inclination and wage war against it. Yoseif, the tzadik, was alone against the evil inclination.

The story of Yoseif and the wife of Potifar is similar to that of Yaakov and the angel. One man, alone against the enemy, struggles to overcome evil and impurity. The Talmud says that Yoseif saw the appearance of his father Yaakov in the window, and this image fortified his strength to resist. Who did he see in the window? The one who fought with the malach...

The Small Container

Previously, Yaakov had dreamt about m'lachim -- angels -- going up and down a ladder. Hashem had sent him a jar of oil to anoint the stone upon which he had slept. Now, he went back over the river in the middle of the night to retrieve this jar of oil. "You risked your life for the jar of oil for My sake? I Myself will send your children a small jar -- a miracle will occur from a small jar of oil." (Ateres Z'keinim)

Yaakov -- Yisrael -- is the one who fought with m'lachim -- angels -- intangible forces. Similarly, the Cheshmonaim fought against intangible forces -- impurity, contamination, forced conversion, complacency and assimilation. (Pachad Yitzchak)

The Cheshmonaim were Kohanim, and they fought for the Beis Hamikdash (Sanctuary). The Chanuka miracle occurred with the pure, holy oil and the light of illumination of the Menorah. The enemy sought to darken the world, to defile the Sanctuary, to extinguish the light of Torah.

The illumination of Kedusha (sanctity) cannot be extinguished.

Concepts and Mussar from Kelm (Serialized) Rav Simcha Zissel Ziev -- The 'Alter' of Kelm 8th Letter

To my dear son, Your letter from parshas Chukas reached me, I rejoiced that you received all my letters -- especially the one regarding Rachav the Zonah. (1) Although brief, the letter is of great value. It should be called "When I am for Myself, What am I?"

Because of the difficulty of writing, especially on Motzai Shabbos (2), I was very brief; actually, the matter should be elucidated at length. The ideas are very inspiring...

The Uniqueness of Yehoshua

Imagine if we were to find a great, world-renowned scholar, who could cause the sun to stand still for a full day (3). Imagine such a thing! How much more so, a man who was given the responsibility to oversee the Torah's transmission. Moshe was ordered to pass on his greatness to Yehoshua rather than to his own sons! This person -- Yehoshua -- would be the one who would bring Yisrael into the chosen land. He would subdue thirty one kings, who loomed as great as cedar trees.

The Merit of Rachav

Have you heard anything like this? A zonah (3a) for forty years would merit such greatness? [Rachav married Yehoshua.] Can you believe what is being said?

The fact that she married Yehoshua, however, was not enough, but she established eight prophets and Chulda, the prophetess. Have you heard anything like this? Such reward -- as a result of what? As a result of her achieving faith with a full heart, coming to a thorough realization that Hashem is G-d in the heavens above and the earth below. See what she earned because of this!

Further -- all her days of harlotry were turned into merit. "Greater are the ba'alei teshuva -- penitents -- than the tzadikim gemurim -- completely righteous." (4) Basya, the daughter of Pharaoh, brought up Moshe and married Kalev (5), Rachav the Zonah married Yehoshua Bin Nun, who received the Torah from Moshe Rebbenu. As they said, "Moshe received the Torah from Sinai and handed it over to Yehoshua." (6)

[Why the difference? Basya saved and raised Moshe Rabbenu himself, yet did not attain the levels which Rachav the Zonah attained.]

Perhaps [the reason for Rachav's gain] was that she endangered herself by deceiving the King of Yericho. There remained the chance that he knew what had transpired [and would have her punished]. Yet, she was not concerned. Her only thoughts were to save the agents of the people of Hashem -- Yisrael. Therefore, she attained all this honor.

How great is the reward for those who worry for the sake of Klal Yisrael, feel pain along with their suffering, and rejoice with their joy. This is especially so, keeping in mind the Talmudic dictum: "Happy is the one who performs one mitzva. [In so doing,] he tilts the balance -- for himself and for the entire world -- towards the scale of merit." (7)

Happy is the one who has this in mind constantly -- he attains reward as a result of benefiting Klal Yisrael (8). All this is awe-inspiring.

______________________________________ 1. Rachav The harlot, who married Yehoshua 2. Saturday night, following the Shabbos (Sabbath). 3. Yehoshua (Joshua, 10:12-13) 3a. harlot 4. Tractate Brochos, 34b. As I have written elsewhere, there is a debate about this subject. The Alter tells us that the accomplishments of Rachav illustrate the idea that the penitent can succeed in bringing about a tremendous transformation. 5. Tractate Megilah, 13a. Kalev was one of the Meraglim (spies) that Moshe had sent to investigate the Land. Of the twelve Meraglim, only Yehoshua and Kalev remained faithful to their mission. 6. Pirke Avos, 1:1. 7. Tractate Kiddushin, 40b. Everyone who performs a mitzva benefits all of Yisrael. 8. as a result of his mitzvos, which tilt the balance towards the scale of merit for the entire people.

Rabbi Yaakov Bernstein Bais Medrash Yeshivas Chofetz Chaim Kiryas Radin Ramapo, New York 10977 914 954-0914

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