Rav Kook: Vayishlach

 

Vayishlach: The Service of Pillars and Altars 

Returning to Beth El

Having survived the confrontation with Esau and his private militia, the mysterious nighttime struggle at Penuel, the abduction of his daughter Dinah, and the battle against the city of Shechem — Jacob finally made his way back to Beth El. Twenty years earlier, Jacob had stayed overnight in Beth El, dreaming of angels and Divine protection as he fled from his brother Esau. Now he would fulfill his decades-old promise to worship G–D in that holy place.

In preparation for this spiritual journey, Jacob instructed his family:

“Remove the foreign G–Ds that are in your midst. Purify yourselves and change your clothes. Then we will rise and ascend to Beth El. There I will construct an altar to G–D, Who answered me in my hour of trouble, and Who accompanied me in the path that I took.” (Gen. 35:2-3)

The first time Jacob had come to Beth El, he erected a matzeivah, a pillar with which to worship G–D. Now, Jacob built a mizbei'ach, an altar. What is the difference between worshipping G–D with a pillar or with an altar?

The Torah later prohibits erecting a matzeivah, even if it is to be used to worship G–D (Deut. 16:22). The Sages explained that the matzeivah “was beloved in the time of the Patriarchs, but abhorred in the time of their descendants“ (Sifri Shoftim 146).

What brought about this change in status?

Service of the Klal

The difference between a matzeivah and a mizbei'ach is primarily a physical one. A matzeivah is a single large stone, while a mizbei'ach is an altar constructed from many stones. The switch from pillar to altar indicates a paradigm shift that took place in the way G–D was to be served in the time of the Patriarchs and in the time of their descendants.

Each of the three Avot — Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob — had his own unique way of serving G–D. Abraham served G–D with his overriding traits of love, kindness, and hospitality. Isaac served G–D with awe and submission, traits he acquired at the Akeidah. And Jacob, “the scholarly man who dwelled in tents [of Torah],” served G–D through Torah study.

In the time of the Patriarchs, each of the Avot was the leading light of his generation. His special trait dominated the era; his path of serving G–D was the appropriate path for that time. This period was aptly represented by the metaphor of the matzeivah: a single stone, a single way of serving G–D.

When Jacob returned to the Land of Israel, however, the situation had changed. He arrived at Beth El with twelve sons, the twelve tribes of Israel. No longer was there a single spiritual path for the generation. This was the start of a new era: the service of the klal, the collective, in which each individual fills a particular role in order to reach a common national goal. Each of Jacob’s sons developed his own way of serving G–D, based on a unique combination of the spiritual paths of the three Avot.

To fully function, the Jewish nation requires a variety of talents and fields of expertise. Spiritual leadership, in the form of teachers of Torah and kohanim, came from the tribe of Levi. Kings and national leaders arose from Judah. Issachar excelled in producing scholars and judges. Other tribes specialized in commerce, agriculture, and national defense.

The altar Jacob built from many stones upon his return to Beth El embodied the new paradigm of serving G–D. This was no longer a time of a single, uniform service of G–D. There were now many paths to serve G–D, which joined together in one altar, as all aspired toward the common goal of Divine service.

"Change Your Clothes"

With these divergent paths to serve G–D, however, a new problem arose. Each group may come to believe that its path is the most important and belittle the efforts of others. As they prepared to worship G–D with the multiple-stone mizbei'ach at Beth El, Jacob realized that it was necessary to take special measures to unite his family.

Jacob therefore instructed his family, “Remove the foreign G–Ds in your midst.” The Sages taught that the evil inclination is a “foreign G–D” (Shabbat 105b). Jacob pleaded that they remove the evil inclination which convinces us that others are “foreign.” He wanted his family to recognize that, on the inside, the disparate members of the Jewish people are united in purpose and soul. For this reason, the Torah refers to Jacob’s family as “seventy soul” (Ex. 1:5), in the singular, emphasizing that the souls of Israel are united at their source.

It is only the externals — our deeds and actions — that separate us. Therefore Jacob requested that his family purify themselves by changing their clothes, by removing the superficial exterior which conceals our true inner unity.

Then, Jacob announced, we will be ready to ascend to Beth El and worship G–D together. There we will serve G–D using a mizbei'ach, composed of many stones and many paths — but all working together toward the same ultimate goal of serving G–D.

(Sapphire from the Land of Israel. Adapted from Midbar Shur, pp. 74-75)

VaYishlach: Reliance on Miracles

Miracles were no novelty for Rabbi Zeira. The Talmud in Baba Metzia 85a relates that the third-century scholar fasted for a hundred days in order to protect himself from the fires of hell. But Rabbi Zeira was not content with theoretical preparations. Once a month he would test himself by sitting down in a burning furnace, to see if he would feel the heat. He didn’t. (Once his clothes were singed, but that story is for another time.)

Yet, on very windy days, Rabbi Zeira was careful not to walk among the palm-trees, lest a strong wind should knock a tree over. His caution in orchards seems bizarre. Why should a man who can sit unharmed in a burning furnace be concerned about the possibility of a falling tree?

The Talmud (Shabbat 32a) counsels the following attitude towards miracles:

“One should never put himself in a dangerous situation and say, ‘A miracle will save me.’ Perhaps the miracle will not come. And even if a miracle occurs, one’s merits are reduced.”

The Sages learned that one should not rely on miracles from Jacob. When Jacob returned home after twenty years in Laban’s house, he greatly feared meeting his brother Esau. He prayed to G–D, “I am unworthy of all the kindness and faith that You have shown me” (Gen. 32:11). The Sages explained Jacob’s prayer in this way: “I am unworthy due to all the kindness and faith that You have shown me.” Your miracles and intervention have detracted from my merits.

We need to examine this concept. What is so wrong with relying on miracles? Does it not show greater faith? And why should miracles come at the expense of one’s spiritual accomplishments?

The Function of Skepticism

Skepticism is a natural, healthy trait. Miracles can have a positive moral influence, but they also have a downside. Reliance on miracles can lead to a weakened or even warped sense of reality.

At certain times in history, G–D disrupted natural law in order to increase faith and knowledge. However, this intervention in nature was always limited as much as possible, in order that we should not belittle the importance of personal effort and initiative. This is where skepticism fulfills its purpose. Our natural inclination to doubt the occurrence of miracles helps offset these negative side effects, keeping us within the framework of the naturally-ordered world, which is the greatest good that G–D continually bestows to us. It is preferable that we do not rely on divine intervention, but rather say, “Perhaps a miracle will not occur.”

Miracles and Nature

Ultimately, both miracles and natural events are the work of G–D. So how do they differ? A miracle occurs when we are unable to succeed through our own efforts. By its very nature, a miracle indicates humanity’s limitations, even helplessness. When miracles occur, we are passive, on the receiving end.

Natural events are also the work of G–D, but they are achieved through our skill, initiative, and effort. When we are active, we spiritually advance ourselves by virtue of our actions. Our zechuyot (merits) are the result of the positive, ethical deeds that we have performed. We should strive for an active life of giving, not a passive one of receiving. Such an engaged, enterprising life better fulfills G–D’s will — the attainment of the highest level of perfection for His creations.

Jacob “used up” merits when he required G–D’s intervention to protect him from Laban and Esau. He admitted to G–D, “I am unworthy due to all the kindness and faith that You have shown me.” But Jacob later regained spiritual greatness through his active struggle against the mysterious angel. “For you have struggled with angels and men, and have overcome them” (Gen. 32:29).

(Gold from the Land of Israel, pp. 70-72. Adapted from Ein Eyah vol. III, pp. 166-168)