CHAMISHOH MI YODEI'A - FIVE QUESTIONS ON THE WEEKLY SEDRAH - PARSHAS VA'YEITZEI 5773 - BS"D
1) 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?
2) Ch. 29, v. 20: "Va'yi'h'yu v'einov k'yomim achodim b'ahavoso ossoh" - Shouldn't Yaakov's yearning for Rochel make days seem like years rather than years like days?
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 - Perhaps Yaakov had a precedent for taking a younger daughter in marriage ahead of an older one. What is it?
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. 23: "Osaf Elokim es cherposi" - Elokim has collected my shame - Rashi (M.R.) explains that by having given birth to a son Rochel could now blame her son for a broken dish or for some missing figs. Notwithstanding that the issue at hand is rather minor, nevertheless, is she allowed to lie under such circumstances?
ANSWERS:
#1
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, oil was sent to him from heaven. (Pirkei d'Rebbi Eliezer)
#2
In 27:44 Rivkoh told Yaakov to stay with Lovon "yomim achodim." His love for his mother and fulfilling her wishes, being the mitzvoh of honouring one's mother, made the long wait seem like a few days, as each moment gave him great satisfaction. "B'ahavoso ossoh" refers back to Rivkoh. (Nirreh li)
#3
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 up 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 intention isn't that she would say a lie ch"v. Rashi says that the questioner would ask, "Who broke this vessel," and himself would go on to say "binCHO," not that she would respond "bnI." She would leave it at that, allowing the questioner to assume that it was her son. (Nirreh li)
A GUTTEN SHABBOS KODESH. FEEL FREE TO DISTRIBUTE BY COPY OR ELECTRONICALLY.
FEEDBACK IS APPRECIATED. TO SUBSCRIBE, KINDLY SEND REQUEST TO: SHOLOM613@ROGERS.COM
See also Sedrah Selections, Oroh
V'Simchoh - Meshech Chochmoh on the Weekly Parsha and Chasidic Insights |
