Dual Paths of Good and Evil Vayishlach תרס”ב 3
בפסוק הצילני כו’ מיד אחי מיד עשו.
“In the verse ‘Save me… from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau.’”
He begins by noting Jacob’s double plea for salvation, emphasizing two distinct dangers represented by Esau.
פירשו המפרשים שביקש להנצל מלהתקרב עמו יותר מדאי ומן המלחמה עמו.
“The commentators explained that he sought to be saved both from becoming overly close to him and from fighting with him.”
Jacob feared two threats: harmful closeness and open conflict—spiritual and physical danger.
והנה כתיב הידים ידי עשו א”כ יש לו ב’ ידים.
“And it is written, ‘The hands are the hands of Esau,’ meaning he has two hands.”
The Sefat Emet reads ‘two hands’ symbolically as two modes of Esau’s influence.
והם ב’ התארים איש יודע ציד לרמות אנשים שיחשב להם כאוהב.
“These are the two traits: a man skilled in hunting—deceiving people so that he appears to them as a friend.”
One ‘hand’ is Esau’s cunning friendliness, masking manipulation.
ואיש שדה הרציחה.
“And a man of the field—murderous.”
The second ‘hand’ is violent aggression.
ובאמת הי’ לעשו שורש גדול.
“And in truth, Esau possessed a great root.”
Esau had immense spiritual potential at his core.
וכמו יעקב אבינו ע”ה שהוא מכריע בין מדת אברהם ויצחק וכולל ב’ הבחי’ שלהם כי רחמים יש בו מדת החסד והדין.
“Just as our father Jacob, peace be upon him, mediates between the attributes of Abraham and Isaac and includes both of their aspects—because compassion contains both kindness and judgment.”
Jacob synthesizes the qualities of his forefathers; compassion blends kindness with restraint.
כן הי’ מוכן עשו להימשך אחר מדת האבות רק שלא זכה ונטל יעקב גם חלקו.
“So too Esau was prepared to be drawn after the attributes of the Patriarchs, but he did not merit it, and Jacob took even his portion.”
Esau could have joined the spiritual path of the Patriarchs, but Jacob absorbed Esau’s lost potential.
וכ’ ישרים דרכי ה’ צדיקים ילכו בם.
“As it is written: ‘Straight are the ways of the Lord; the righteous walk in them.’”
The righteous follow all divine pathways.
פי’ בב’ הבחי’ חסד ודין.
“Meaning in both aspects—kindness and judgment.”
True righteousness uses both divine qualities.
הצדיקים באים אל השלימות ע”י ב’ הדרכים.
“The righteous reach wholeness through both paths.”
Spiritual growth emerges from engaging both kindness and judgment.
שמכל חסד שנעשה להם מתדבקין בהקב”ה.
“For from every act of kindness done to them, they cleave to the Holy One.”
Kindness draws the righteous closer to God.
וכמו כן בכל משפט ודין שנעשה להם מתתקנים להתדבק בו כמ”ש בה’ אהלל באלקים אהלל.
“And likewise through every judgment done to them, they are refined to cling to Him, as it says, ‘In the Lord I will praise; in God I will praise.’”
Even divine judgment can lead to deeper attachment to God.
והרשעים.
“But the wicked.”
The wicked respond differently.
ופושעים יכשלו בם.
“And sinners stumble through them.”
Both kindness and judgment trip up the wicked.
ג”כ בב’ הדרכים שמכל טוב וחסד שנעשה להם באים לידי חטאים ועונות כמ”ש חסד לאומים חטאת.
“Also in both ways: from every good and kindness done to them, they come to sin, as it says, ‘The kindness of nations is sin.’”
Even beneficence leads them astray.
וכמו כן במשפט ודין פורקין עול שמים מהם כמ”ש ושחק ורגז ואין נחת.
“And likewise through judgment they cast off the yoke of Heaven, as it says, ‘He mocked and raged, and there was no rest.’”
Divine discipline causes them to reject God further.
לכן באלה הכחות שהי’ לעשו פשע בהם.
“Therefore, in these powers that Esau possessed, he sinned.”
Esau misused the very strengths that could have elevated him.
וזה מיד אחי מיד עשו ב’ הידים:
“And this is ‘from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau’—the two hands.”
Jacob’s double plea reflects the two dangerous ‘hands’ of Esau: deceptive closeness and open violence.
Summary: The Sefat Emet teaches that Esau possessed two potent modes—cunning kindness and violent force—mirroring two divine paths, kindness and judgment. The righteous grow through both, while the wicked stumble through both. Jacob prayed to be saved from both dimensions of Esau’s power.
