In this week’s parshah, Yaakov Avinu blesses his children before his death. There are many ideals and principles that one can learn from these blessings, and in this article I would like to point out two of them.
In the berachah that Yaakov Avinu gives Reuven he says, “pachaz kamayim al toser” – water-like impetuosity, you cannot be foremost; you acted too quickly. Rashi explains that Yaakov Avinu told Reuven that he lost the kehunah and the malchus because he acted too quickly.
How do we reconcile this rebuke with the numerous sources that seemingly praise one who acts with haste? Zerizus!
The Chafetz Chayim explains that there is no contradiction. Before one comes to a conclusion, one must carefully weigh all the factors and options. This must be done with a clear mind, which requires patience. However, once one has come to a conclusion one should execute it with haste – zerizus. Yaakov Avinu reprimanded Reuven for coming to a conclusion too quickly.
In the berachah for Asher, Yaakov blesses his portion in Eretz Yisrael with great riches and delicacies. Rashi writes that there will be an abundance of oil to the extent that it will flow like a spring. The Radak writes that kings will seek the delicacies of Asher’s land. The question begs to be asked: Why was Asher blessed with such opulence?
The answer to this question is found in a sefer titled Beis Asher. There it is suggested that by taking a closer look at Asher’s name we may find a solution. If we take the letter following each one of the letters in Asher’s name it will spell the word Shabbos. Thus, the letters in Asher’s name are the letters that precede the letters of Shabbos. This indicates that Asher conducted his life as if it were always before Shabbos. The Gemara (Beitza 16a) states that Shamai Hazaken ate everything in his life l’kavod Shabbos. How was this possible? On Sunday he would chance upon a nice animal and designate it for Shabbos. On the following day he would find a superior animal and designate it for Shabbos and eat the animal he found the previous day. This would continue every day until Shabbos. Asher practiced a similar lifestyle and effectively lived his life l’kavod Shabbos.
The Gemara (Shabbos 119a) states that whoever honors Shabbos will become wealthy. The Gemara cites several stories that demonstrate this principle. Perhaps it was this mode of living l’kavod Shabbos that Yaakov saw in Asher which led him to bless Asher with such wealth.
Although logic dictates that refraining from working for an entire day every week should result in financial hardship, the truth is quite the contrary. Hashem controls the world and sets each person’s financial income every year. By properly honoring Shabbos we demonstrate our acknowledgment that Hashem created the world and continues to run it down to the last detail. This is why one who publicly desecrates Shabbos is considered to have denied that Hashem created the world.
It is evident from the Gemara and from the berachah that Yaakov Avinu gave to Asher that properly honoring Shabbos is not only a great mitzvah, but sound financial advice as well.
There are many lessons we can learn from the berachos Yaakov Avinu gave his children. He gave these berachos before he left this world and his children, the Bnei Yisrael, in galus. We know that Yaakov Avinu was not permitted to reveal to his children when the ketz, the final redemption, would be. However, he did leave us with the tools necessary to persevere through the galus. In the berachos that Yaakov gave his children he secretly revealed the keys of success and the fundamental approach that we must take to merit the final redemption. We should all heed the precious advice that our forefather has given us and incorporate the ideals of the berachos into our daily lives as much as possible.
