Vayishlach: Understanding Anti-Semitism

By Yonatan Berner

Since Simchas Torah, Am Yisrael has found itself in a great eis tzara. Many Jews have found themselves facing antisemitism and other difficulties that seem unprecedented in our generation. However, while many of the recent attacks may be in fact unprecedented in our generation, Jews have always had to face many tzaros, and I would like to turn to our Parsha for chizzuk and insight into the nisyonos that Am Yisrael faces.

In our Parsha, we read of the dramatic encounter between Yaakov and “The Ish” whom Rashi identifies as Eisav’s angel. The Torah tells us:

"וַיִּוָּתֵ֥ר יַעֲקֹ֖ב לְבַדּ֑וֹ וַיֵּאָבֵ֥ק אִישׁ֙ עִמּ֔וֹ עַ֖ד עֲל֥וֹת הַשָּֽׁחַר׃ וַיַּ֗רְא כִּ֣י לֹ֤א יָכֹל֙ ל֔וֹ וַיִּגַּ֖ע בְּכַף־יְרֵכ֑וֹ וַתֵּ֙קַע֙ כַּף־יֶ֣רֶךְ יַעֲקֹ֔ב בְּהֵאָֽבְק֖וֹ עִמּֽוֹ׃"

After fighting alone with the angel throughout the night, Yaakov is hit in the thigh, leaving him wounded and limping. Rav Neventzal explains that this “pagam” that the angel gave to Yaakov, was a “pagam of tumah” which has 2 implications. The first is on a personal level to Yaakov, and the second is on a national level which affects all of Am Yisrael (possibly connected to Yaakov’s name change here). The personal implication was that the Sar Eisav was trying to make Yaakov pasul l’avodah. Yaakov “stole” the bechora from Eisav and, pre-Kohanim, bechorim had a special relationship with Hashem and would be responsible to do the Avodah. Eisav’s angel was trying to take revenge by making Yaakov a “mum,” thereby disqualifying him from performing certain avodos. However, while this pagam did temporarily injure Yaakov, the pasuk tells us that Yaakov came “Shalem” to the city of Shechem. Rashi points out that Shalem here refers to Yaakov’s pagam; he was healed and no longer a “mum”. But if Yaakov was in fact healed, what is the lasting significance of his pagam from Sar Eisav?

Rav Neventzal answers that the lasting implication of the pagam is on a national level. This pagam of tumah from the Sar Eisav represents all the times in Jewish history where we have experienced national pegamim. From churban bayis to modern day attacks, the pegam that Eisav’s angel gave Yisrael is still felt today. But if Yaakov’s pegam was healed, when will the rest of Am Yisrael’s be? Rav Neventzal explains that night time is often a reference to the galus, and just like Yaakov faught until dawn, our fighting will continue “ad alos hashachar” – we will only truly be free of pegamim when we have the geulah.

Rav Neventzal beautifully highlights this drash in our Parsha as a remez to the constant struggles that Am Yisrael faces. However, taking a step back, there seems to be more being referenced here. Why was Yaakov alone to begin with? He was with his family crossing the river, why did he find himself alone? Chazal explain that Yaakov went back to the other side of the river to get his “pachim ketanim shel shemen zayit” – small jugs of oil. If this doesn’t already scream “Chanukah” in your head, the rest of the narrative sounds even more familiar. Eisav’s angel was trying to be mitamei the jugs of oil and Yaakov went back and fought him and saved the tahor oil. The narrative is strikingly similar, and as Parshas Vayishlach always falls on the cusp of Chanukah, it seems far from a coincidence. However, I think there is a deeper connection here as well.

In Parshas Behaaloscha (which begins right after the pesukim we read on Chanukah), Aharon HaKohen feels disheartened about his lack of participation in the chanukas hamishkan. Hashem then gives him the mitzvah of hadlakas haneiros in the mishkan, and with that Aharon is content and satisfied. The Rishonim are puzzled by this interaction. Aharon was the Kohen Gadol! He was responsible for everything! He would perform the entire avodah of yom hakipurim and would do the avodah every day in the mishkan. How could it be that only after being given the mitzvah of hadlakas neiros was satisfied? What is so special about this mitzvah?

The Ramban brings a fascinating answer. Quoting the “hidden scrolls” of Rabbeinu Nisim, he explains that Hashem showed Aharon the neis of Chanukah and how Jews would be lighting the menorah long after churban bayis when all the other avodos would no longer take place. Hashem showed Aharon that even though the Chashmonaim were halachically able to light the tamei oil, they refused to give up until they found the last bit of tahor oil. This is what satisfied Aharon; being given the mitzvah connected to the resilience of the Jewish people and their determination to find tahara even when all else is tamei. This seems to further connect our Parsha with Chanukah. Even when the entire Beis Hamikdash was tamei, they were able to find and light a pach shemen that was tahor. And even when Yaakov got hit and had a pagam of tumah from Sar Eisav, he was still able to save the tahor pach shemen as well.

The messages of our Parsha and Chanukah should give us chizzuk. Even when all seems to be tamei and all may seem lost, there will still always be a pach shemen that’s tahor. Even with all the mishugaas in the world, Jews have found a way to show incredible achdus and strengthen their Torah and Mitzvos. While the personal and national pegamim we receive are no less painful and difficult, we should always be able to find some nechama that this has always been part of our story. We are an Am that can be surrounded by tumah, yet still make sure to find a pach shemen that is tahor. Be”h we should be able to experience the “alos hashachar” of the geulah b’karov, and until then, be able to bring as much taharah into our life as possible.