A Jew's Confidence - Vayishlach 5772

We will begin with Rav Schwab whose idea is that we find that Yaakov Avinu was afraid as it says in 32:8 (וַיִּירָא יַעֲקֹב מְאֹד, וַיֵּצֶר לוֹ).  Rav Schwab writes that the Derech of a Yid is to start out with Pachad, with fear. After that he gets up and Davens to the Ribbono Shel Olam, he does that which he has to do to take care of his situation and after that he proceeds with confidence. He feels confident that he has done that which he had to do and the fear goes away. (וַיִּירָא יַעֲקֹב מְאֹד, וַיֵּצֶר לוֹ), Yaakov was afraid and then (וַיֹּאמֶר, יַעֲקֹב, אֱלֹקי אָבִי אַבְרָהָם, וֵאלֹקי אָבִי יִצְחָק: יְקוָק הָאֹמֵר אֵלַי, שׁוּב לְאַרְצְךָ וּלְמוֹלַדְתְּךָ--וְאֵיטִיבָה עִמָּךְ). He Davens to the Ribbono Shel Olam. After that Yaakov Avinu no longer has fear, it doesn’t mention anywhere any type of fear and he goes with confidence.

Rav Schwab writes that that is the Hanhaga of a Yid. He says that when we say (נפילת אפיים) in that Kapittal Tehillim 6 that we say during (נפילת אפיים), we find this Hanhaga. We say (רְפָאֵנִי ק'. כִּי נִבְהֲלוּ עֲצָמָי). We Daven to Hakadosh Baruch Hu because (נִבְהֲלוּ עֲצָמָי), my bones are in a state of disarray. (וְנַפְשִׁי נִבְהֲלָה מְאד) and my soul is in a state of disarray, it is Fartumult. (וְאַתָּה ק ' עַד מָתָי) and Hashem how long can I continue? Then at the end of that Perek of (נפילת אפיים) we speak with confidence, (סוּרוּ מִמֶּנִּי כָּל פּעֲלֵי אָוֶן. כִּי שָׁמַע ק ' קול בִּכְיִי). (שָׁמַע ק ' תְּחִנָּתִי. ק ' תְּפִלָּתִי יִקָּח). Then we talk with confidence. That is the Hanhaga of a Yid. To have fear, to turn to the Ribbono Shel Olam, Daven, and at the end to state with confidence that I am in the hands of the Ribbono Shel Olam and I could move forward without fear. This is the thought that Rav Schwab says here in the Parsha.

Rav Druk on page 233 in his Sefer says the identical Rayon, however, he starts with a different question. Rav Druk’s question is when Yaakov sends a message to Eisav he states 32:6 (וַיְהִי-לִי שׁוֹר וַחֲמוֹר, צֹאן וְעֶבֶד וְשִׁפְחָה). Yaakov Avinu describes his possessions. Rabbeinu Bachya makes a point here, he says that Tzon is usually mentioned as the first possession in the list of possessions that a person has.

He gives an example by Avraham Avinu where it says (צֹאן וּבָקָר). (You can see this in 21:27 or 24:35). BY Yitzchak Avinu it says in 26:14 (וַיְהִי-לוֹ מִקְנֵה-צֹאן וּמִקְנֵה בָקָר). It mentions the sheep first. Even by Yaakov Avinu in last week’s Parsha 30:43 (וַיְהִי-לוֹ, צֹאן רַבּוֹת, וּשְׁפָחוֹת וַעֲבָדִים, וּגְמַלִּים וַחֲמֹרִים). Again it mentions the sheep first. That is the style of the Posuk is that a person’s wealth which in those days was in having a lot of sheep and therefore, typically sheep are mentioned first in a list of possessions that a person owns. So Rabbeinu Bachya asks why here does it mention the sheep somewhere in middle? Rabbeinu Bachya answers as follows. Yaakov Avinu did not want to highlight the sheep because he stole the Bechora using 27:9 (שְׁנֵי גְּדָיֵי עִזִּים), using this type of an animal and he didn’t want to mention the Bechora having it sort of stick out in his conversation with Eisav so he put it in the middle. This is what Rabbeinu Bachya says on 32:6.

Rav Druk asks that it is interesting that Yaakov Avinu didn’t want to highlight the (צֹאן) possession. But later we find B’feirush in the Posuk that when Yaakov actually sends the gift to Eisav that he sends (עִזִּים) first as it says in 32:15. It had been exactly that kind of animal that had been used to steal the Bechora. What changed?

Rav Druk answers and the quote from the Sefer is before Yaakov Avinu Davens he was full of fear and afterwards he no longer had fear. A beautiful Rayon in Davening.

Rav Druk adds another example the Gemara says in Maseches Berachos at the beginning of the last Perek says on 54a (top line) (הרואה מקום שנעשו בו נסים לישראל אומר ברוך שעשה נסים לאבותינו במקום הזה). There is a Beracha for when seeing where miracles took place. One of the examples mentioned is (8 lines from the bottom) (ואבן שישב עליה משה בשעה שעשה יהושע מלחמה בעמלק). The stone on which Moshe Rabbeinu sat when he did battle with Amaleik. The question is Moshe Rabbeinu sat on the stone and prayed, the miracle took place on the battlefield. Why are we putting the miracle as the Makom Hatefilla?

With this Rayon Rav Druk explains, no, the place where it switches from Pachad to Bitachon, the place where the success is, is the Makom Hatefilla. Therefore, that is a way for a person to know to Daven.

This would answer an old Kasha that we asked in a previous year. We asked Yaakov Avinu planned to split the camp into 2 Machanos 32:8 (וַיִּירָא יַעֲקֹב מְאֹד, וַיֵּצֶר לוֹ; וַיַּחַץ אֶת-הָעָם אֲשֶׁר-אִתּוֹ, וְאֶת-הַצֹּאן וְאֶת-הַבָּקָר וְהַגְּמַלִּים--לִשְׁנֵי מַחֲנוֹת). So if Eisav (וַיֹּאמֶר, אִם-יָבוֹא עֵשָׂו אֶל-הַמַּחֲנֶה הָאַחַת וְהִכָּהוּ--וְהָיָה הַמַּחֲנֶה הַנִּשְׁאָר, לִפְלֵיטָה). So that the other Machane could escape. Yet when he comes to Eisav in 33:1 (וַיִּשָּׂא יַעֲקֹב עֵינָיו, וַיַּרְא וְהִנֵּה עֵשָׂו בָּא, וְעִמּוֹ, אַרְבַּע מֵאוֹת אִישׁ; וַיַּחַץ אֶת-הַיְלָדִים, עַל-לֵאָה וְעַל-רָחֵל, וְעַל, שְׁתֵּי הַשְּׁפָחוֹת) they are all there, what happened to his grand plan? 

But the answer would fit. When he was afraid that was his plan. After his Davening and his sense of Bitachon then it was a whole different story. Then he had a different sense.

To this Rav Druk adds something that was very much his style. Later in the Sefer on page # 235 that we find that Yaakov Avinu slept the night before he was going to meet Eisav as can be seen in 32:14 (וַיָּלֶן שָׁם, בַּלַּיְלָה הַהוּא; וַיִּקַּח מִן-הַבָּא בְיָדוֹ, מִנְחָה--לְעֵשָׂו אָחִיו). All the Avos went to sleep overnight in any episode that takes place in the Torah. Rav Druk asks why does it say here (וַיָּלֶן שָׁם, בַּלַּיְלָה הַהוּא) that he slept overnight and then he did what he had to do? It seems to be an unnecessary comment.

Rav Druk answers imagine Yaakov Avinu was afraid that they would all be killed, it was the night before he was going to meet Eisav and he was able to sleep through the night? The Posuk is telling us (וַיָּלֶן שָׁם, בַּלַּיְלָה הַהוּא) he was able to sleep, he was with Yishuv Hada’as once he Davened and felt Batuach that Hakadosh Baruch Hu would guide him, he no longer had any fear.

Rav Druk mentioned a story regarding the Steipler who went as a Bachur to meet a girl in the early 20th century equivalent of a date. I am sure that they did not go anywhere, however, he went to her house to meet this woman. When he got there it was very late at night and the Steipler had not slept as he had stayed up the previous night learning and he was waiting and the woman was late. As he was waiting he decided to take a nap. He said Hamapil planning to take a nap for at least ½ an hour. After he said Hamapil the girl and her family walked in and it is almost comical to imagine, the Steipler is sitting there the girl and the family come in and he doesn’t want to speak after saying Hamapil. He motions to them that he had said Hamapil and that he has to take a nap. So they wait and he took a nap for a half hour with his head down.

Rav Druk said, amazing, he was able to fall asleep! Here he was going on a date. The girl walks in and he says to wait that he has to take a nap and he is able to fall asleep. That is the confidence that is in the heart of a Gadol B’yisrael once he Davens. This is something to learn from.

In Rav Druk’s Sefer later on page # 243 he mentions something additional based on this Yesod, however, it is enough on this one Yesod, an important Yesod, something to know when you say (נפילת אפיים).