The articles in this column are transcriptions and adaptations of shiurim by Rav Joseph Ber Soloveitchik, zt”l. The Rav’s unique perspective on Chumash permeated many of the shiurim and lectures he presented at various venues over a 40-plus-year period. His words add an important perspective that makes the Chumash in particular, and our tradition in general, vibrant and relevant to our generation.
The Haftorah for Parshas Vayetzei (Hosea 12:13) covers several topics. It begins with Jacob fleeing and working as payment for his wife and continues with the prophet (Moshe) who led the Jewish nation out of Egypt and then the prophet who led them into exile. The prophet rebukes the people for their idol worship that ultimately led to the destruction of the Temple.
The prophet concludes with the topic of repentance – Shuva Yisrael. What is the message of the prophet? Where is the continuity of the Haftorah through the various topics? What is its connection to Vayetzei?
The key to explaining these questions regarding the Haftorah is in understanding how the prophet alternates between the use of the names Jacob and Israel. Why didn’t the prophet use one of these names consistently throughout? The names of the patriarchs and others mentioned in the Torah symbolize their lives and capture their personalities. At birth, Esau was given his name because it connoted that he came out complete, the Hebrew word Assuy.
This advanced state of development is symbolized by Esau’s pushing to leave the womb first, showing Gevurah or strength. This was similar to the birth of Peretz who pushed ahead of his twin brother Zerach. The kings that descended from Judah came from Peretz, as he demonstrated from an early age the inner strength that a king must possess. On the other hand, Jacob was born holding on to the heel of Esau, which symbolized military and political dependence on Esau.
The Jew, from the perspective of the name Yaakov, is dependent on the non-Jewish world. This can be seen today in the relationship between the State of Israel and the United States. Esau spent his time in the field hunting, engaged in the constant battle of life that made him tough, strong and secure. Yaakov, on the other hand was a Yoshev Ohalim, he was not schooled in the lessons of life’s battles, as he had a radically different external personae and mission from his brother.
Isaac wanted to give Esau the blessing of Hevei Gvir L’achecha because he had the best chance of physically achieving it. In his conversation with Rivka, Yaakov agreed, saying that Esau is a hairy individual while he is smooth skinned. Yaakov was saying that His role and mission is not dependent on deriving benefit from the physical blessings associated with V’Yiten Lecha and Hevei Gvir L’achecha. That blessing should go to someone who displays the attribute of Gevurah, strength. After Jacob takes the blessings, Rivka discovers that Esau intends to murder Jacob and she implores Jacob to flee to the house of Lavan. Rivka realizes that Jacob is no match for the physical strength of Esau. Even though Isaac himself was never ordered to go to Aram Naharayim on his own to seek a wife, Jacob, Yaakov, has no choice in the matter; as the weaker of the brothers he was forced to flee.
Ramban comments that the name Yaakov implies weakness while the name Yisrael implies strength. The Jew has tremendous inner strength with which he can stand up to the entire world. Witness the way the State of Israel stands up to the world that seeks to eradicate it. The prophet says, “Yaakov ran away to Sdeh Aram and Yisrael worked on behalf of a wife.” He is pointing out the contradiction that, on the one hand, Yaakov fled out of weakness while on the other hand the same person, as Yisrael, exhibited great inner strength. Even though he was working as a slave for his uncle Lavan, he was still Yisrael who was ever vigilant and ready to fight to protect the tradition of Avraham and the Jewish nation that would eventually perpetuate that legacy.