Daily Chumash & Rashi Parshas Vayishlach Revi’i – Yaakov meets Eisav

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Revi’i

  • The maid servants and their children came forward and bowed to Eisav. Leah and her children came forth and bowed to Eisav and then came Yosef and Rachel.
  • Yaakov asks Eisav to accept the present as seeing him is like seeing the face of G-d. Yaakov persists that Eisav accept the present and he does so.
  • Yaakov and Eisav part ways: Eisav offered to escort Yaakov on his journey. Yaakov refused the offer under the pretext that his camp travels very slowly. Eisav then returned to Seir and Yaakov encamped in Sukkos.

 

  1. Yaakov moves to Shechem:
    • Yaakov then moved to Shechem and purchased a field there for 100 Kesita.
    • The altar: He built an altar there and called it the G-d of Israel.

Bereshit 33 – Rashi Q&A

Approach to Esav

  1. Why did Joseph draw near before Rachel?

Rashi explains that Joseph feared Esav might look at his mother because of her beauty, so he stood in front of her to block Esav’s gaze. As a reward, Joseph merited the blessing of being “עֲלֵי עָיִן” – pleasing to the eye.

 

  1. What does “מִי לְךָ כָּל־הַמַּחֲנֶה” mean?

Esav asked: “What was all that camp I met?” referring to the gift. Midrash adds: Esav encountered angels who struck his men until they admitted Jacob was their brother.

 

  1. What does Esav’s statement “יְהִי לְךָ אֲשֶׁר־לָךְ” imply?

He acknowledged Jacob’s right to the blessings.

 

Jacob’s Response and Gift

  1. What does “אַל־נָא” mean in Jacob’s reply?

“Please do not say this”—Jacob urged Esav to accept the gift.

 

  1. Why did Jacob compare Esav’s face to “the face of an angel”?

To make Esav fear him, thinking Jacob had seen angels and survived, and to emphasize reconciliation.

 

  1. What does “וַתִּרְצֵנִי” mean?

“You have become reconciled with me.” Rashi explains every use of רָצוֹן in Scripture means appeasement or conciliation.

 

  1. What does “בִּרְכָתִי” mean here?

“My greeting gift.” Rashi notes that בְּרָכָה in such contexts means a gift given as a greeting, not a blessing.

 

  1. Why does Jacob say “אֲשֶׁר הֻבָאת לָךְ”?

To stress that Esav did not exert effort for the gift—Jacob brought it to him.

  1. What is the nuance of “יֶשׁ־לִי־כֹל” versus Esav’s “יֶשׁ־לִי רָב”?

Jacob spoke humbly: “I have all I need.” Esav spoke arrogantly: “I have plenty.”

 

Esav’s Offer and Jacob’s Reply

  1. What does “נִסְעָה” mean?

It is an imperative form meaning “travel on,” equivalent to נְסַע.

 

  1. What does “וְאֵלְכָה לְנֶגְדֶּךָ” mean?

“I will go alongside you”—Esav offered to slow his pace for Jacob.

 

  1. What does Jacob mean by “עָלוֹת עָלָי”?

“The nursing flocks are my responsibility”—I must lead them gently.

 

  1. What does “וּדְפָקוּם” mean?

“To drive hard or knock,” similar to “the voice of my beloved is knocking.”

 

  1. What does “לְאִטִּי” mean?

“My slow pace”—from לְאַט, meaning gentleness.

 

  1. Why did Jacob mention going to Se’ir?

He postponed the journey, intending only to go to Sukot. Rashi says he will reach Se’ir in the Messianic era, as in “Saviors will ascend Mount Zion to judge Mount Esau.”

 

Esav’s Departure and Jacob’s Journey

  1. Why did Esav return alone?

His 400 men deserted him one by one. Rashi notes they were repaid in David’s time when 400 Amalekites escaped on camels.

 

  1. How long did Jacob stay in Sukot?

Eighteen months—summer, winter, and another summer—building houses and shelters.

 

  1. What does “שָׁלֵם” mean when Jacob arrived in Shechem?

Intact in body (healed from his limp), intact in wealth (gift restored), and intact in Torah knowledge (he did not forget his learning).

 

  1. What is “קְשִׂיטָה”?

A coin equal to a ma’ah. Onkelos translates it as חוּרְפָן—good, negotiable currency.

 

  1. Why did Jacob name the altar “אֵל אֱלֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל”?

Not that the altar was called “God,” but its name proclaimed praise: “The God who saved me is my God.” Similar to Moses naming an altar “ה׳ נִסִּי.”

 

About The Author

Rabbi Yaakov Goldstein is a 6th generation descendent of the famous Chief Rabbi of Izhmir, Rav Yehoshua Avraham Krispin, who authored a number of Sefarim, and was a colleague of Rav Chaim Falagi, and father in-law of the Pesach Hadvir. He currently lives with his wife Shayna, and twelve children K”H, in Tzfas, Israel. Rabbi Goldstein received Semicha from Rabbi Schneur Zalman Labkowski of the Tomchei Temimim headquarters in 2005 and served as a chaplain in the Lotar/Kalatz and K9 unit of the IDF from years 2005-2008. He is also a certified Shochet, and has performed Hashgacha work in slaughterhouses. Rabbi Goldstein is the director of Shulchanaruchharav.com, the world’s leading web-based Halacha database, and is the director of the Home Study Semicha Program, a self-study web-based Semicha program. He is a prolific author of over 50 Sefarim studied by a wide range of readers throughout the world, which is used regularly in Semicha programs around the globe. He is a world renowned Posek, answering questions to a web-based market, and serves as a local Posek, Rav, and Lecturer, in the Tzemach Tzedek community Shul in Tzefas, Israel. His many classes can be heard both from his website, Vimeo and YouTube channel. Students can join live to classes given in the Tzemach Tzedek Shul, through the “בית חבד צפת Chabad Tsfat” YouTube channel.

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