CHAMISHOH MI YODEI'A - FIVE QUESTIONS ON THE WEEKLY SEDRAH - PARSHAS VA'YEITZEI 5772 - BS"D

2) Ch. 28, v. 18: "Va'yitzoke shemen al roshoh" - And he poured oil upon its top - Since Elifaz relieved Yaakov of all his possessions how did he have oil?

3) Ch. 29, v. 26: "Lo yei'o'seh chein bimkomeinu lo'seis es ha'tz'iroh lifnei habchiroh" - It is not done like this in our locality to give the younger ahead of the older - These words seem to connote that somewhere else marrying an older sister is the practice. Where do we find this earlier?

4) Ch. 29, v. 27: "V'nitnoh l'cho gam es zose" - And WE will give you also this one - Why did Lovon express himself in the plural form, since he was the only one giving his daughter in marriage?

5) Ch. 30, v. 20: "Hapaam yiz'b'leini ishi" - At this time my husband will make his primary residence with me - Rashi explains that Leah said, "Since I have given birth to as many sons as all the other wives combined, Yaakov will NOT make his main residence with anyone BESIDES me." Why does Rashi use a double negative, "lo" and "ella." Simply say, "Yaakov will make his primary residence only with me."

ANSWERS:

#1

This alludes to the ruling that one who lives in Eretz Yisroel may not move to chutz lo'oretz except to learn Torah or to find a wife. (Rabbeinu Avigdor)

Alternatively, Eisov had just married Mochalas. This enabled Yaakov to slip away without Eisov noticing. (Tzror Hamor) Medrash Ohr Ho'a'feiloh says that N'voyos, Eisov's brother-in-law, died and Yaakov took the opportunity to escape.

#2

We know that he was left with his walking stick, as he said that he crossed the Jordan River with it. He originally hollowed it out and filled it with oil so that he always had fuel available to kindle a light so that he could study (written?) Torah at night. (Paa'nei'ach Rozo)

Alternatively, Pirkei d'Rebbi Eliezer writes that oil was sent to him from heaven.

#3

Perhaps Yaakov had a precedent for taking a younger daughter in marriage ahead of an older one. Avrohom took Soroh as his wife even though Milkoh, Soroh's older sister was still single. In Breishis 11:29 the verse says that Horon was the father of Milkoh and Yiskoh. Yiskoh is Soroh (Rashi). Since Milkoh is mentioned first, she is surely the older sister. The verse says that Avrohom and Nochor took these two sisters as wives. Since it mentions Avrohom's taking a wife ahead of Nochor's, we see that Avrohom married earlier. (Nirreh li)

#4

1) This is a follow through of his statement in the previous verse that in his locality it is not acceptable to give a younger daughter for marriage ahead of an older one. Here too, he included the townspeople to show that all that he does is with the guidelines and consent of the public. (Ramban)

2) We find that Lovon invited all his townspeople to the first wedding (verse 22). He included his townspeople in the giving over of the bride as an expression of honour to Yaakov. (Mahara"l of Prague)

3) Yaakov was already tricked once by the wily Lovon. He feared that Lovon would somehow trick him again when offering Rochel. He insisted that the public be in on the negotiations. Lovon responded that he was agreeable to this, and thus said that "we," the public, will give Rochel in marriage to Yaakov, in accordance with Yaakov's understanding of the offer, "bli kuntzen." (B'eir Baso'deh)

#5

The Mizrochi asks this question and offers no answer. Nachalas Yaakov and Maskil l'Dovid both answer that had Rashi expressed this in a positive manner, "His main residence will be with me," we might mistakenly think that he had no primary residence, but would now begin favouring being with Leah. By expressing this with a double negative we clearly understand that Yaakov previously had a favoured residence (with Rochel) and now would only have it with Leah.

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