Unity vs. Division in Holiness

במדרש בזעקך כו' כינוסו וכינוס בניו הצילו כו' נסו ואין רודף זה עשו כו'.

In the Midrash: “When you cry out… their gathering and the gathering of his children saved them… ‘they fled and none pursued’—this refers to Esau.”

The Sefat Emet opens with a Midrash showing that the salvation of Israel comes through their capacity to gather together, unlike Esau, who flees without anyone chasing him.

כי הכינוס הוא העדות בין צדיק לרשע.

For gathering is the testimony distinguishing the righteous from the wicked.

Unity among people reveals righteousness; fragmentation is a sign of wickedness.

כי בסט"א איתא שרי בחיבורא וסיים בפרודא ולכן כתיב נסו כו' רשע לשון יחיד ולבסוף נסו לשון רבים.

For in the realm of the Other Side it is said: it begins in connection but ends in separation; therefore it says “the wicked flees” in singular, but then “they fled” in plural.

The forces of impurity may appear unified at first, but they inevitably dissolve into disunity.

כמ"ש בדרך אחד יצאו אליך ובשבעה דרכים ינוסו.

As it is written: “They will come out against you by one road, but flee before you by seven.”

This verse demonstrates how false unity scatters under pressure.

ובצדיקים להיפוך וצדיקים לשון רבים.

But with the righteous it is the opposite, and “righteous” appears in the plural.

The righteous naturally form community and togetherness.

ככפיר יבטח שבאין בסוף אל אחדות השלימות.

Like a young lion who trusts, for ultimately they reach complete unity.

The confidence of the righteous stems from their alignment with divine oneness.

ולכן כתיב אלה תולדות יעקב יוסף הוא המחבר ומאחד כל הי"ב שבטים.

Therefore it is written: “These are the generations of Jacob—Joseph,” for he connects and unifies all twelve tribes.

Joseph symbolizes the inner force that binds the tribes into a single collective.

ובפרשה הקודמת כתיב ויהיו בני יעקב כו' ואלה תולדות עשו שעדיין לא הוציא יעקב כל בלעו מפיו של אותו רשע.

And in the previous portion it says: “And the sons of Jacob were…” and “These are the generations of Esau,” for Jacob had not yet removed all the evil swallowed in by that wicked one.

Esau’s influence had not yet been fully separated from Jacob’s lineage.

ואחר כך דכתיב וילך אל ארץ כו' ומסיים באלופי עשו.

Afterwards it says: “And he went to the land…” and concludes with the chiefs of Esau.

The Torah lists Esau’s clans to highlight their fragmented nature.

ושמעתי ממו"ז ז"ל שם אלופים שכל אחד.

And I heard from my grandfather, of blessed memory, that the term “chiefs” means each one…

The title “chief” indicates separateness rather than unity.

בפני עצמו עומד.

…stands by himself.

Each chief exists independently without forming a true collective.

ואין להם התחברות.

And they have no connection with one another.

The essence of Esau’s lineage is disunity.

ולכן דמוהו לחבילות של פשתן.

Therefore they compared them to bundles of flax.

Flax bundles are separate units placed side by side, not organically unified.

כי חז"ל אמרו שלכן נקרא פשתן בד שגדל בד בבד עכ"ד ז"ל.

For our Sages said that flax is called “bad” because it grows stalk by stalk.

Its name itself symbolizes individual, disconnected growth.

וזה החילוק בין אלוף לאחד.

And this is the difference between “chief” (aluf) and “one” (echad).

The chief stands alone; “one” represents unity.

והשבטים הם אחדות אח"ד.

And the tribes embody the unity of “one.”

Despite being many, the tribes form a single spiritual organism.

י"ב שבטים ויוסף עולה על כולם.

Twelve tribes, and Joseph rises above them all.

Joseph represents the unifying principle that harmonizes the entire nation.

לכן כתיב אלה תולדות שפסל את הראשונים.

Therefore it says “These are the generations,” excluding the earlier ones.

The phrase marks a break, distinguishing true unity from Esau’s fragmented line.

להבדיל בין אלופי עשו כו'.

To separate between the chiefs of Esau, etc.

The Torah signals the distinction between Esau’s disunity and Jacob’s unity.

דלא כמ"ש מקודם ואלה:

Not as it said earlier: “And these…”

The earlier wording connected sections, but here the Torah breaks the continuity to emphasize distinction.

Summary: The Sefat Emet contrasts Esau’s fragmented lineage with Jacob’s unified one. Esau’s descendants, called “chiefs,” stand separately like stalks of flax, while Jacob’s tribes—and especially Joseph—embody divine unity. Gathering and connection signify righteousness; dispersal characterizes the wicked. Thus the Torah’s language highlights the spiritual divide between the two lineages.