Inner Strength Against the Yetzer Hara Vayishlach תרל”ה 3

אא”ז מו”ר ז”ל פי’ על פסוק ושאלך למי אתה כו’.

My grandfather and teacher, of blessed memory, explained the verse “And he asked you: To whom do you belong?”

He begins by interpreting Esau’s question as containing spiritual meaning beyond its literal sense.

כי גם היצה”ר שואל הג’ שאלות שבמשנה מאין באת כו’ כדי להביא דאגה ועצבות.

For the evil inclination also asks the three questions taught in the Mishnah — “From where did you come?” etc. — in order to cause worry and sadness.

The Sefat Emet explains that the yetzer hara uses even lofty spiritual questions to generate despair and self-doubt.

וצריכין להתחזק ולהשיב אליו לעבדך ליעקב.

One must strengthen oneself and answer it: “To your servant, to Jacob.”

Our response to these destructive questions is humility and connection to Jacob—identifying ourselves with holiness, not with the self-accusation of the yetzer hara.

ע”י הביטול לכלל ישראל שחביבין לפניו ית’.

Through self-nullification to the collective of Israel, who are beloved before the Blessed One.

By attaching ourselves to the community of Israel, we gain strength and merit beyond our individual state.

מנחה הוא המעט שבא במס”נ חשוב לפניו ית’ כמ”ש מי דרכו להתנדב מנחה עני מעלה אני עליו כאלו הקריב נפשו.

“A gift” refers to the small offering brought with self-sacrifice, which is precious before God, as it is said: Who typically offers a meal-gift? The poor one — and I consider it as though he offered his very soul.

The little that a person brings, when offered with dedication, is valued by God as a total giving of oneself.

לאדוני לעשו ע”י עבודה רבה נגד היצה”ר חשוב לפניו ית’ כל מה שבנ”י עושין אף מעט כמו הרבה עכ”ד.

“To my lord, to Esau” — through great labor against the evil inclination, everything the children of Israel do is precious before God, even the little, like the much.

Jacob’s phrasing becomes a teaching: in the struggle with the yetzer hara, every effort counts greatly in heaven.

ויש להוסיף וגם הנה הוא אחרינו קאי על השי”ת שצריך האדם להתחזק בזה כי השי”ת מסייע לאדם כמ”ש לאל גומר עלי.

One may add that “And behold, he is behind us” refers to the Holy One, for a person must strengthen himself with the knowledge that God assists him, as it is said: “God completes for me.”

The Sefat Emet deepens the reading: God stands behind a person, enabling him to complete what he begins.

והמעט שאדם מתחיל עוזר לו השי”ת שיוכל לגמור הכל כראוי.

And the little that a person begins, God helps him so that he can finish everything properly.

Even a small spiritual start invokes divine assistance, which carries the person through to completion.

ונראה כי כל זה עשה אבינו יעקב עבורינו כי הוא לא הי’ צריך להשתמש בבחי’ עני כי הי’ עשיר בזכיותיו.

It seems that Jacob our father did all of this for our sake, for he did not need to use the aspect of poverty, since he was rich in merits.

Jacob’s actions serve as a template for his descendants; he enacted modes of service that he himself did not require.

אבל רצה לתקן דרך של עניות לזרעו אחריו כנ”ל.

But he wished to repair a path of “spiritual poverty” for his descendants after him, as explained above.

Jacob intentionally created a spiritual pathway enabling later generations, who may feel lacking, to serve God meaningfully.

Summary: The Sefat Emet teaches that the yetzer hara uses even spiritual questions to induce despair, and our defense is humility, connection to Jacob, and the collective of Israel. Even the smallest offering, when made with sincerity, is cherished by God, who stands behind us and completes our efforts. Jacob himself modeled this path for future generations.