Toldot תרל”ד

תרל”ד

ב”ה

תולדות יצחק בן אברהם אברהם הוליד את יצחק. כל מעשה אבות סי’ לבנים כי לא עשה שום מעשה שלא יהי’ לטובת כל בנ”י לדורות. ואיתא בספרים כי יראה הבא מכח אהבה היא יראה של אמת. וז”ש יצחק בן אברהם וכ’ רש”י עדות יש שאברהם הוליד כו’. פי’ זה היראה שבא מכח אהבה היא מבוררת בלי תערובות שקר. ופי’ יראה הנ”ל הוא שיהי’ יראה לאדם פן ינתק מדביקות אהבתו להש”י והוא אהבת אמת:
“These are the generations of Yitzchak, Avraham begot Yitzchak”. (Bereishit 25:19). All the occurences of our forefathers are a sign for their descendants. For each and every action that they did, was for the benefit of the entire Bnei Yisrael for generations to come. It is written int he holy scriptures (Zohar 1:12a) that fear that comes out of love is true fear. This is the meaning of the words: Avraham (the symbol of love), begot Yitzchak (the symbol of fear). As Rashi explains (25:19) that there was a clear testimony that Avraham begot Yitzchak (their faces looked the same).
The idea is that fear that comes from love is a pure fear that has no falsehood mixed into it. The meaning of this fear is that a person is fearful lest he disconnects from the deep connection of love to HaShem, this is true love.

וכתיב וכל הבארות כו’ סתמום פלשתים כו’ וישב יצחק ויחפור כו’. כי בחי’ אהבה מתפשטת לכל דבר ועי”ז מתערב בו שקר. ועי”ז נולד מדת עצבות ועצלות בחי’ עפר. אבל בחי’ יראה של יצחק הוא בפנימיות האדם יותר ולא יוכל להתפשט. ואמר מו”ז ז”ל על ענין הבארות שחפרו האבות שיש בכל מקום נקודה גנוזה מהש”י. רק שצריכין להסיר החיצוניות לגלות נקודה הפנימיות שנק’ באר מים חיים. ובימות החול נק’ עשק שטנה ובשבת רחובות כו’ ודפח”ח. וכ’ ברחובות תתן קולה כי קול התורה מעורר תמיד לבות בני ישראל רק שצריך האדם להטות אזניו כמ”ש בזוה”ק לית מאן דירכין אודני’ וכ’ שמוע תשמעו בקולי [ר”ת שבת] וכ’ עקב שמע אברהם בקולי מכלל שיש תמיד קול מהשי”ת והוא מעשרה מאמרות ועשרת הדברות שנתן הש”י כח דבריו לכלל הבריאה. ובשבת שבנ”י מעידין כי להשי”ת הארץ ומלואה. מתעורר קול הש”י. ובנקל להאדם לשמוע בש”ק וז”ש ברחובות תתן קולה:
The servants of Yitzchak redug the well of Avrahm that the Philistines had filled with sand. The concept of love, is something that spreads to all things, and therefore falsehood also becomes mixed in it. This causes sadness and laziness, the idea of sand (blocking up the wellsprings of love). Yet the concept of Yitzchak, is in the internal part of the person (it is not overflowing like love, rather it takes place in the protected environment of a person), and therefore it cannot spread and become contaminated with falsehood.
The Chidushei Harim explained that the concept of the wells that our forefathers dug, teaches us that in every place there is buried an internal life force of HaShem. However it is covered up, and it is our mission to remove the externalities and reveal the internal holiness which is called “a flowing well of water”.
During the days of the week, the way to attain this is through “Esek and Sitna” (the names of the wells Avimelech fought over, meaning “fighting” and “hatred”. See above that the toil during the days of the week is one of servitude and fighting off the deisres and subjegating our desire to the will of HaShem, whereas on Shabbos the toil is to gain new heights an and understading.). However on Shabbos it is referred to as “Rehovot”. [And the words of the wise one are filled with knowledge and beauty] “In the streets רחובות it (the Torah) will raise its voice (Mishlei 1:20). This means that the voice of Torah constantly awakens the heart of Bnei Yisrael, however one needs to pay attention to hear it. As the Zohar states (1:134b) “the Torah calls out to man that they should toil in it, yet there are none that pay attention to hear it”.
Furthermore it states “You shall surely hear my voice” (Shemot 19:5), [the first letter of these words spell שבת]. And furthermore it states “Since Avraham heard my voice” (Bereishit 26:5). From here we learn that there is a constant voice of HaShem that calls out to us, which is from the Ten Utterances (of creation) and the Ten Commandments, from there HaShem gave over the power of His words to creation.
On Shabbos when Bnei Yisrael testify that the world and all that is in it, belong to HaShem, the voice awakens, and it is easier for man to hear it on Shabbos. This is the meaning of “In the streets its voice is heard”. (On Shabbos it is easier to hear the voice).

ולאום מלאום יאמץ. פי’ שחיזוק כל אום מכח אום השני כי וודאי מה שיש כח לעשו הוא רק מה שגונב מבנ”י. רק גם הכח לבנ”י ע”י שגוברין נגד כחו של עשו [וז”ש הוי גביר ע”י התגברות נגדו] ורב יעבוד צעיר הוא בתנאי שיהי’ כל איש ישראל צעיר בעיניו כדכ’ כי אתם המעט. וז”ש כאשר תריד. ולפירש”י ז”ל קשה לשון תריד. ונראה הפי’ כאשר בנ”י מתגאין ויודעין ששולטין על היצה”ר ועי”ז יש לו שליטה. כי צריך כל איש ישראל להיות תמיד על משמרתו ולזכור כי אורב לו תמיד. וכ”כ במדרש על יצחק ועבודה רבה וכו’ שאחר כל העשירות זכר וידע כי הוא צריך להיות עובד תמיד שלא להסיח דעת מיצה”ר. ולעולם רב יעבוד צעיר רק שלבנ”י בנקל להיות צעירים בעיניהם. ואפשר זה הי’ טעות יצחק שסבר שעשו יוכל להיות צעיר בעיניו יותר. אבל האמת שמה שאדם מבין יותר ועולה במדרגה של קדושה יותר. חל עליו יראת שמים ומכניע עצמו ומתקיים רב יעבוד צעיר כנ”ל. כמ”ש מאן דאיהו רב איהו זעיר כו’ וכ’ יראו את ה’ קדושיו כי אין מחסור ליראיו. פי’ אף שמדרגת קדושה באה אחר יראה. עכ”ז ע”י שמדבק האדם עצמו ביראת שמים אף שעי”ז לא יוכל לעלות מדרגה אחר מדרגה על זה נאמר אין מחסור ליראיו כי מה שאדם מניח על ידי יראת שמים לא יפסיד עי”ז:
The prophecy given to Rivka about the two children in her belly: “One nation will be mightier than the other nation” (Bereishis 25:23).
This means that the power of each nation comes from the other one. Now clearly the power that Eisav gets is stolen from Bnei Yisrael. But even the power that Bnei Yisrael gains is through overpowering the negative forces of Eisav! [this is the meaning of the blessing that Yitzchak gave yaakov: “You will power over your brother”, through overcoming him].
“The greater one will serve the younger one” (Aside from the simple understanding that the older brother will serve the younger brother it can also be understood as the method that needs to be used in service of HaShem). That it is on condition that each and every one in Bnei Yisrael, sees himself has “young”, as the pasuk (Devarim 27:29) states: “For you are less in number”.
This is therefore the meaning of the blessing that Yitzchak gave Eisav: “When you shall lower תריד, then you will break his yoke from your neck”. the explanation that Rashi gives on the word “תריד” is difficult (Rashi explains that the word signifies pain. When Bnei Yisrael transgress the Torah, then Eisav will feel aggrieved with regard to his blessing).
However it would seem that we can explain the meaning is that when Bnei Yisrael feel confident and proud of overcoming and conquering the evil inclination (and lower their guard), then that is exactly what gives the evil inclination control. For each Jew needs to be constantly on guard and remember that the evil inclination is constantly ready to ensnare him.
Similarly the Midrash says on the words “Yitzchak had a large household – עבודה רבה”. This means that Yitzchak realised that even thoug he had so much wealth, neverthelesshe needs to constantly serve HaShem and never forget about the evil inclination.
It is always the greater one who serves the younger one, however it is easy for Bnei Yisrael to consider themselves as “young”.
Perhaps Yitzchak’s error regarding Eisav was this very idea, that Yitzchak felt Eisav was able to consider himself even “younger” than Yaakov. (For Eisav was not as holy as Yaakov was). However the truth is that (it is the opposite), the more a person understands and the holier they become, they indeed gain more fear of Heaven and humble themselves even more and even more the “older one will serve the younger one”. as above.
As the Zohar states (1:122b) “A person that is big is actually small”. Furthermore it states in Tehillim (34:10) “Fear HaShem those that are holy, for those that fear Him lack nothing”. This means that even though the stage of holiness only comes after the stage of fear, nevertheless a person need not be concerned that he will not attain holiness if he does not let go of fear. Rather through attaching oneself to fear of Heaven, which would apparently block him from gaining new heights, nevertheless “those that fear Him lack nothing”. For whatever a person forsakes because of his fear of Heaven, he will not lose out.

ויתן לך פירש”י יתן ויחזור ויתן. כי לכאורה אין הפרש כ”כ בין ברכת יעקב לעשו שג”כ כ’ משמני הארץ ומטל כו’ ואיתא כי ההפרש בין יתן ליהי’ ע”ש בזוה”ק. והפי’ הפשוט כי בוודאי מה שבירך יצחק ליעקב בעניני עוה”ז הוא אחר השלימות. כי אין יעקב מבקש עוה”ז קודם שמתקן עצמו כראוי בעבודת הש”י. כדאיתא וישב יעקב ביקש כו’ ואמר הקב”ה לא דיין שמתוקן להם עוה”ב כו’. הרי שאין צדיק מבקש עוה”ז קודם שמתקן עצמו לעוה”ב. וז”ש ראה ריח כו’ ויתן כו’ פי’ אחר שיהי’ לו שלימות הראוי ובירך אותו שיוכל לקבל גם עוה”ז שיהי’ דבוק בכח הנותן. וז”ש ויתן ולא יתן שיהי’ לעולם אצל הנותן שיהי’ דבוק בשורש השי”ת שממנו הברכה וז”ש ויחזור ויתן כי המקבל מתנת השי”ת כראוי מעלה נ”ר ליוצרו ועי”ז נותן לו יותר. וזה פי’ ויחזור ויתן שיבא בחזרה הקבלה אל השי”ת הנותן והבן:

The blessing that Yitzchak gave Yaakov begins with: “And HaShem shall give you”. Rashi explains: “He shall give and repeat and give”.
Now through the simple observation, there is not much difference between the blessing that Yaakov received and the blessing that Eisav received, for they both were blessed with the fat of the land, and the dew of the sky. (What then is the fundamental difference between them?)
(The Zohar explains) that different expressions were used: Yaakov the expression of: “And He will give”, whereas Eisav’s blessing the word: “And it will be”
The simple explanation is that clearly when Yitzchak blessed Yaakov with blessings of this world it is after his self perfection. For Yaakov (was not interested in the mere benefit of enjoying this world, rather) after he had perfected himself spiritually for the world to come (would he be entitled to the benefit of this world, as will be explained).
This is aparent in the words of the Midrash Parshat Vayeshev: Yaakov wished to sit in peace (in this world), HaShem said is it not enough that they have prepared for themselves for the world to come. This shows that the righteous do not request the benefits of this world, until they perfect themselves for the world to come.
This is the idea that Yitzchak said to Yaakov (Bereishis 27:27-28): “See, the smell of son is like the smell of the field that HaShem has blessed”, (and immediately thereafter blessed him) “And HaShem will give you…”
This means that once Yaakov had perfected himself properly (Like the field that HaShem blessed), then he was able to receive the blessings of this world, so that he may always remain connected to the power of the giver.
This too is the idea of “And he will give”. (The continuous giving), is that it is always coming directly from the giver, so that it will always be in His hands and we will always be connected to the Source – HaShem, from whom all blessing comes.
This is the idea (mentioned in Rashi) “And He will give, and he will give again”: For by one receiving the gift of HaShem properly, one causes harmony and goodness before HaShem which in turn generates more good.
This is the idea of “And He will give again”, that the receiving should return back to HaShem who is constantly giving, and understand this idea.
(There should be constant connection).