ב"ה

Learning & Values Parshah (Weekly Torah) Bereishit - Genesis Vayishlach Texts & Summaries

Torah Reading for Vayishlach

Show content in:

EnglishBothHebrew

First Portion

Bereshit (Genesis) Chapter 32

4Jacob dispatched angels as messengers ahead of him to his brother Esau to the land of Se’ir, the Field of Edom.		דוַיִּשְׁלַ֨ח יַֽעֲקֹ֤ב מַלְאָכִים֙ לְפָנָ֔יו אֶל־עֵשָׂ֖ו אָחִ֑יו אַ֥רְצָה שֵׂעִ֖יר שְׂדֵ֥ה אֱדֽוֹם:
וַיִּשְׁלַח יַֽעֲקֹב מַלְאָכִים - Jacob dispatched angels - i.e., real angels.		וַיִּשְׁלַח יַֽעֲקֹב מַלְאָכִים. מַלְאָכִים מַמָּשׁ (בראשית רבה):
אַרְצָה שֵׂעִיר - means “to the land of Se’ir.” Any word that requires a ל prefix to give it the meaning “to,” the verse sometimes places a ה suffix instead.		אַרְצָה שֵׂעִיר. לְאֶרֶץ שֵׂעִיר כָּל תֵּבָה שֶׁצְּרִיכָה לָמֶ"ד בִּתְּחִלָּתָהּ הֵטִיל לָהּ הַכָּתוּב הֵ"א בְּסוֹפָהּ:
5He instructed them as follows: “Thus must you say to my master, Esau, ‘So said your servant, Jacob: “I have been sojourning with Laban. I have delayed my return home until now.		הוַיְצַ֤ו אֹתָם֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר כֹּ֣ה תֹֽאמְר֔וּן לַֽאדֹנִ֖י לְעֵשָׂ֑ו כֹּ֤ה אָמַר֙ עַבְדְּךָ֣ יַֽעֲקֹ֔ב עִם־לָבָ֣ן גַּ֔רְתִּי וָֽאֵחַ֖ר עַד־עָֽתָּה:
גַּרְתִּי - I have been sojourning. I did not become a noble or a person of importance, but I was only a sojourner, so you need not hate me on account of your father’s blessing with which he blessed me: “May you be master over your brothers,” 1 for it has not been fulfilled in me. Another explanation: גַּרְתִּי has the numerical value of תרי״ג – 613 – indicating: I sojourned (גַּרְתִּי) with the evil Laban but I nevertheless kept the 613 commandments and did not learn from his evil deeds.		גַּרְתִּי. לֹא נַעֲשֵׂיתִי שַׂר וְחָשׁוּב אֶלָּא גֵּר, אֵינְךָ כְּדַאי לִשְׂנֹא אוֹתִי עַל בִּרְכַּת אָבִיךָ שֶׁבֵּרְכַנִי הֱוֵה גְבִיר לְאַחֶיךָ, שֶׁהֲרֵי לֹא נִתְקַיְּמָה בִי. דָּבָר אַחֵר גַּרְתִּי בְּגִימַטְרִיָּא תרי"ג, כְּלוֹמַר, עִם לָבָן גַּרְתִּי וְתַרְיַ"ג מִצְוֹת שָׁמַרְתִּי וְלֹא לָמַדְתִּי מִמַּעֲשָׂיו הָרָעִים:
6I have acquired cattle, donkeys, flocks, bondmen, and bondwomen. I am now sending word to you, my master, that I am coming to you in friendship, in order to gain favor in your eyes.”’”		ווַֽיְהִי־לִי֙ שׁ֣וֹר וַֽחֲמ֔וֹר צֹ֖אן וְעֶ֣בֶד וְשִׁפְחָ֑ה וָֽאֶשְׁלְחָה֙ לְהַגִּ֣יד לַֽאדֹנִ֔י לִמְצֹא־חֵ֖ן בְּעֵינֶֽיךָ:
וַֽיְהִי־לִי שׁוֹר וַֽחֲמוֹר - I have acquired cattle and donkeys. Father said to me that I would be blessed from “the dew of heaven and the fat of the land.” 2 This that I have is neither from heaven nor from the land.		וַֽיְהִי־לִי שׁוֹר וַֽחֲמוֹר. אַבָּא אָמַר לִי מִטַּל הַשָּׁמַיִם וּמִשְׁמַנֵּי הָאָרֶץ, זוֹ אֵינָהּ לֹא מִן הַשָּׁמַיִם וְלֹא מִן הָאָרֶץ:
שׁוֹר וַֽחֲמוֹר - (lit.) A work-bull and a donkey. It is customary to say שׁוֹר, in the singular, even of many work-bulls – a person says to his friend, “At night the rooster crowed,” and does not say, “the roosters crowed.”		שׁוֹר וַֽחֲמוֹר. דֶּרֶךְ אֶרֶץ לוֹמַר עַל שְׁוָרִים הַרְבֵּה שׁוֹר – אָדָם אוֹמֵר לַחֲבֵרוֹ בַּלַּיְלָה קָרָא הַתַּרְנְגוֹל וְאֵינוֹ אוֹמֵר קָרְאוּ הַתַּרְנְגוֹלִים:
וָֽאֶשְׁלְחָה לְהַגִּיד לַֽאדֹנִי - I am now sending word to my master - to inform you that I am coming to you –		וָֽאֶשְׁלְחָה לְהַגִּיד לַֽאדֹנִי. לְהוֹדִיעַ שֶׁאֲנִי בָא אֵלֶיךָ:
לִמְצֹא־חֵן בְּעֵינֶֽיךָ - To gain favor in your eyes - for I am at peace with you and desire your love.		לִמְצֹא־חֵן בְּעֵינֶֽיךָ. שֶׁאֲנִי שָׁלֵם עִמְּךָ וּמְבַקֵּשׁ אַהֲבָתְךָ:
7The angels returned to Jacob, saying, “We came to your brother, Esau. In response to our announcement of your arrival, he himself is heading towards you, and 400 armed men are with him.”		זוַיָּשֻׁ֨בוּ֙ הַמַּלְאָכִ֔ים אֶל־יַֽעֲקֹ֖ב לֵאמֹ֑ר בָּ֤אנוּ אֶל־אָחִ֨יךָ֙ אֶל־עֵשָׂ֔ו וְגַם֙ הֹלֵ֣ךְ לִקְרָֽאתְךָ֔ וְאַרְבַּע־מֵא֥וֹת אִ֖ישׁ עִמּֽוֹ:
בָּאנוּ אֶל־אָחִיךָ אֶל־עֵשָׂו - We came to your brother, Esau - i.e., to him about whom you said, “He is my brother,” but he is behaving toward you like the wicked Esau; he persists in his hatred for you.		בָּאנוּ אֶל־אָחִיךָ אֶל־עֵשָׂו. שֶׁהָיִיתָ אוֹמֵר אָחִי הוּא, אֲבָל הוּא נוֹהֵג עִמְּךָ כְּעֵשָׂו הָרָשָׁע, עוֹדֶנּוּ בְּשִׂנְאָתוֹ (בראשית רבה פ'):
8Jacob was very frightened and distressed. He divided the people who were with him—along with the flocks, cattle, and camels—into two camps.		חוַיִּירָ֧א יַֽעֲקֹ֛ב מְאֹ֖ד וַיֵּ֣צֶר ל֑וֹ וַיַּ֜חַץ אֶת־הָעָ֣ם אֲשֶׁר־אִתּ֗וֹ וְאֶת־הַצֹּ֧אן וְאֶת־הַבָּקָ֛ר וְהַגְּמַלִּ֖ים לִשְׁנֵ֥י מַֽחֲנֽוֹת:
וַיִּירָא וַיֵּצֶר - [Jacob] was…frightened and distressed. He was afraid that he might be killed, and he was distressed over the prospect that he might have to kill others.		וַיִּירָא וַיֵּצֶר. וַיִּירָא שֶׁמָּא יֵהָרֵג, וַיֵּצֶר לוֹ אִם יַהֲרֹג הוּא אֶת אֲחֵרִים (בראשית רבה ותנחומא):
9“Thus,” he said, “even if Esau comes to the first camp and attacks it, the remaining camp will survive.”		טוַיֹּ֕אמֶר אִם־יָב֥וֹא עֵשָׂ֛ו אֶל־הַמַּֽחֲנֶ֥ה הָאַחַ֖ת וְהִכָּ֑הוּ וְהָיָ֛ה הַמַּֽחֲנֶ֥ה הַנִּשְׁאָ֖ר לִפְלֵיטָֽה:
הַמַּֽחֲנֶה הָאַחַת וְהִכָּהוּ - One camp and smites it. The word מַחֲנֶה “camp” is here used both in the masculine or feminine form: similarly, in “If a camp (מַחֲנֶה) encamps (תַּחֲנֶה) against me,” 3 it is in the feminine; in “this camp (הַמַּחֲנֶה הַזֶּה),” 4 it is in the masculine. There are also other words that are used both in the masculine and in the feminine; e.g., the word שֶּׁמֶשׁ (“sun”): in “The sun had risen (הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ יָצָא) over the earth” 5 and in “From the edge of heaven is the sun’s point of rising (מוֹצָאוֹ),” 6 it is in the masculine; in “and the sun shone (וְהַשֶּׁמֶשׁ זָרְחָה) on the water,” 7 it is in the feminine. Similarly, the word רוּחַ (“wind”): in “and then a strong wind (רוּחַ גְּדוֹלָה) came,” 8 it is in the feminine; and in “and it hit (וַיִּגַּע) the four corners of the house,” 9 it is in the masculine; in “and a great and strong wind (וְרוּחַ גְּדוֹלָה וְחָזָק), splitting (מְפָרֵק) mountains,” 10 it is both masculine and feminine. Similarly, the word אֵשׁ (“fire”): in “A fire came forth (וְאֵשׁ יָצְאָה) from God,” 11 it is in the feminine; in “a flaming fire (אֵשׁ לֹהֵט),” 12 it is in the masculine.		הַמַּֽחֲנֶה הָאַחַת וְהִכָּהוּ. מַחֲנֶה מְשַׁמֵּשׁ לְשׁוֹן זָכָר וּלְשׁוֹן נְקֵבָה, אִם תַּחֲנֶה עָלַי מַחֲנֶה (תהלים כ"ז), הֲרֵי נְקֵבָה, הַמַּחֲנֶה הַזֶּה (בראשית ל"ג), זָכָר, וְכֵן יֵשׁ שְׁאָר דְּבָרִים מְשַׁמְּשִׁים לְשׁוֹן זָכָר וּלְשׁוֹן נְקֵבָה, הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ יָצָא עַל הָאָרֶץ (בראשית י״ט:כ״ג), מִקְצֵה הַשָּׁמַיִם מוֹצָאוֹ (תהלים י"ט), הֲרֵי לְשׁוֹן זָכָר; וְהַשֶּׁמֶשׁ זָרְחָה עַל הַמָּיִם (מלכים ב ג'), הֲרֵי לְשׁוֹן נְקֵבָה. וְכֵן רוּחַ, וְהִנֵּה רוּחַ גְּדוֹלָה בָּאָה, הֲרֵי לְשׁוֹן נְקֵבָה, וַיִּגַּע בְּאַרְבַּע פִּנּוֹת הַבַּיִת (איוב א'), הֲרֵי לְשׁוֹן זָכָר, וְרוּחַ גְּדוֹלָה וְחָזָק מְפָרֵק הָרִים (מלכים א' י"ט), הֲרֵי לְשׁוֹן זָכָר וּלְשׁוֹן נְקֵבָה. וְכֵן אֵשׁ, וְאֵשׁ יָצְאָה מֵאֵת ה' (במדבר ט"ז), לְשׁוֹן נְקֵבָה, אֵשׁ לֹהֵט (תהילים ק"ד), לְשׁוֹן זָכָר:
וְהָיָה הַמַּֽחֲנֶה הַנִּשְׁאָר לִפְלֵיטָֽה - The remaining camp will survive - against Esau’s will, for I will fight against him and successfully repel him. Jacob equipped himself for three things, although he was naturally averse to them: to send Esau a gift, for prayer, and for war – to send a gift, although he was angry at having to take such measures, as it says: “The gift went on ahead of him”; 13 for prayer, although he was afraid that he was unworthy of God’s protection, as it says: “God of my forebear Abraham…”; 14 for war, although he was afraid, as related in the preceding verse, as it says: “the remaining camp will survive.”		וְהָיָה הַמַּֽחֲנֶה הַנִּשְׁאָר לִפְלֵיטָֽה. עַל כָּרְחוֹ, כִּי אֶלָּחֵם עִמּוֹ. הִתְקִין עַצְמוֹ לִשְׁלֹשָׁה דְּבָרִים, לְדוֹרוֹן, לִתְפִלָּה וּלְמִלְחָמָה. לְדוֹרוֹן, וַתַּעֲבֹר הַמִּנְחָה עַל פָּנָיו; לִתְפִלָּה, אֱלֹהֵי אָבִי אַבְרָהָם; לְמִלְחָמָה, וְהָיָה הַמַּחֲנֶה הַנִּשְׁאָר לִפְלֵיטָה:
10Jacob said to God, “God of my forebear Abraham and God of my father Isaac, God, You said to me, ‘Return to your land and to your birthplace, and I will make things go well with you.’		יוַיֹּ֘אמֶר֘ יַֽעֲקֹב֒ אֱלֹהֵי֙ אָבִ֣י אַבְרָהָ֔ם וֵֽאלֹהֵ֖י אָבִ֣י יִצְחָ֑ק יְהֹוָ֞ה הָֽאֹמֵ֣ר אֵלַ֗י שׁ֧וּב לְאַרְצְךָ֛ וּלְמֽוֹלַדְתְּךָ֖ וְאֵיטִ֥יבָה עִמָּֽךְ:
וֵֽאלֹהֵי אָבִי יִצְחָק - And God of my father Isaac. But in another place it says: “the dread of Isaac.” 15 Furthermore, why did he additionally mention the unique Name “God”? It could have just written: “who said to me, ‘Return to your land…’” without adding “God”. However, this is what Jacob said before the Holy One, blessed be He: “You made two promises to me: one when I left my father’s house in Beersheba, when You said to me, ‘I am God, God of Abraham your forebear, and God of Isaac,’ 16 and there You said to me, ‘I will protect you wherever you go’; 17 and in Laban’s house You said to me, ‘Return to the land of your fathers and to your birthplace, and I will be with you,’ 18 and there You revealed Yourself to me with the unique Name alone, as it says: ‘God then said to Jacob, “Return to the land of your fathers….”’ I come now before You to invoke these two promises, which You made using these two Names.”		וֵֽאלֹהֵי אָבִי יִצְחָק. וּלְהַלָּן הוּא אוֹמֵר וּפַחַד יִצְחָק? וְעוֹד וּמַהוּ שֶׁחָזַר וְהִזְכִּיר שֵׁם הַמְיֻחָד? הָיָה לוֹ לִכְתֹּב הָאוֹמֵר אֵלַי שׁוּב לְאַרְצְךָ וְגוֹ'. אֶלָּא כָּךְ אָמַר יַעֲקֹב לִפְנֵי הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, שְׁתֵּי הַבְטָחוֹת הִבְטַחְתַּנִי, אַחַת בְּצֵאתִי מִבֵּית אָבִי מִבְּאֵר שֶׁבַע, שֶׁאָמַרְתָּ לִי אֲנִי ה' אֱלֹהֵי אַבְרָהָם אָבִיךָ וֵאלֹהֵי יִצְחָק, וְשָׁם אָמַרְתָּ לִי וּשְׁמַרְתִּיךָ בְּכֹל אֲשֶׁר תֵּלֵךְ, וּבְבֵית לָבָן אָמַרְתָּ לִי (בראשית ל"א) שׁוּב אֶל אֶרֶץ אֲבוֹתֶיךָ וּלְמוֹלַדְתֶּךָ וְאֶהְיֶה עִמָּךְ, וְשָׁם נִגְלֵיתָ אֵלַי בַּשֵּׁם הַמְיֻחָד לְבַדּוֹ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר וַיֹּאמֶר ה' אֶל יַעֲקֹב שׁוּב אֶל אֶרֶץ אֲבוֹתֶיךָ וְגוֹ', בִּשְׁתֵּי הַבְטָחוֹת אֵלּוּ אֲנִי בָא לְפָנֶיךָ:
11I am no longer worthy of Your protection, due to all the acts of kindness and trustworthiness that You have already done for me, Your servant. After all, I crossed this Jordan River with nothing to my name but my staff, and now, I have become the head of two camps.		יאקָטֹ֜נְתִּי מִכֹּ֤ל הַֽחֲסָדִים֙ וּמִכָּל־הָ֣אֱמֶ֔ת אֲשֶׁ֥ר עָשִׂ֖יתָ אֶת־עַבְדֶּ֑ךָ כִּ֣י בְמַקְלִ֗י עָבַ֨רְתִּי֙ אֶת־הַיַּרְדֵּ֣ן הַזֶּ֔ה וְעַתָּ֥ה הָיִ֖יתִי לִשְׁנֵ֥י מַֽחֲנֽוֹת:
קָטֹנְתִּי מִכֹּל הַֽחֲסָדִים - I am no longer worthy, due to all the acts of kindness. My merits have become diminished through the acts of kindness and the truth that You have already done for me. I am therefore afraid that after You made these promises to me, I might have become tainted by sin and forfeited the promises, which would cause me to be delivered into the hand of Esau.		קָטֹנְתִּי מִכֹּל הַֽחֲסָדִים. נִתְמַעֲטוּ זְכֻיּוֹתַי עַל יְדֵי הַחֲסָדִים וְהָאֱמֶת שֶׁעָשִׂיתָ עִמִּי, לְכָךְ אֲנִי יָרֵא, שֶׁמָּא מִשֶּׁהִבְטַחְתַּנִי נִתְקַלְקַלְתִּי בְחֵטְא וְיִגְרֹם לִי לְהִמָּסֵר בְּיַד עֵשָׂו (שבת ל"ב):
וּמִכָּל־הָאֱמֶת - (lit.) And all the truth - means “the complete fulfillment of your word,” that You kept all the promises that You made to me.		וּמִכָּל־הָאֱמֶת. אֲמִתַּת דְּבָרֶיךָ, שֶׁשָּׁמַרְתָּ לִי כָּל הַבְטָחוֹת שֶׁהִבְטַחְתַּנִי:
כִּי בְמַקְלִי - For with my staff. I had no silver, gold, or livestock with me, but only my staff. The aggadic explanation is: He placed his staff in the Jordan River, and the Jordan split for him to cross over.		כִּי בְמַקְלִי. לֹא הָיָה עִמִּי לֹא כֶסֶף וְלֹא זָהָב וְלֹא מִקְנֶה אֶלָּא מַקְלִי לְבַדּוֹ. וּמִדְרַשׁ אַגָּדָה נָתַן מַקְלוֹ בַּיַּרְדֵּן וְנִבְקַע הַיַּרְדֵּן:
12Save me, please, from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau, for I am afraid that he may come and attack me and my family, mothers and children alike.		יבהַצִּילֵ֥נִי נָ֛א מִיַּ֥ד אָחִ֖י מִיַּ֣ד עֵשָׂ֑ו כִּֽי־יָרֵ֤א אָֽנֹכִי֙ אֹת֔וֹ פֶּן־יָב֣וֹא וְהִכַּ֔נִי אֵ֖ם עַל־בָּנִֽים:
מִיַּד אָחִי מִיַּד עֵשָׂו - From the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau - i.e., from the hand of my brother who acts toward me not as a brother but as the wicked Esau.		מִיַּד אָחִי מִיַּד עֵשָׂו. מִיַּד אָחִי שֶׁאֵין נוֹהֵג עִמִּי כְאָח אֶלָּא כְעֵשָׂו הָרָשָׁע:
13And You have already said, ‘I will surely make things go well with you, and I will make your descendants like the grains of sand on the seashore, too numerous to count.’”		יגוְאַתָּ֣ה אָמַ֔רְתָּ הֵיטֵ֥ב אֵיטִ֖יב עִמָּ֑ךְ וְשַׂמְתִּ֤י אֶת־זַרְעֲךָ֙ כְּח֣וֹל הַיָּ֔ם אֲשֶׁ֥ר לֹֽא־יִסָּפֵ֖ר מֵרֹֽב:
הֵיטֵב אֵיטִיב - I will surely make things go well with you. The repetition of the verb signifies: “I will treat you well (הֵיטֵב) in your own merit, and I will treat you well (אֵיטִיב) in the merit of your forebears.”		הֵיטֵב אֵיטִיב. הֵיטֵב בִּזְכוּתְךָ, אֵיטִיב בִּזְכוּת אֲבוֹתֶיךָ (בראשית רבה):
וְשַׂמְתִּי אֶת־זַרְעֲךָ כְּחוֹל הַיָּם - And I will make your descendants like the sand on the seashore. Where did God say this to him? Did He not say to him only: “Your descendants will be as numerous as the dust of the earth”? 19 However, He had said to him: “I will not neglect you until I have fulfilled what I have promised concerning you,” 20 and to Abraham He had said: “I will greatly increase your offspring as the stars of the sky and the sand on the seashore.” 21		וְשַׂמְתִּי אֶת־זַרְעֲךָ כְּחוֹל הַיָּם. וְהֵיכָן אָמַר לוֹ כֵן, וַהֲלֹא לֹא אָמַר לוֹ אֶלָּא וְהָיָה זַרְעֲךָ כַּעֲפַר הָאָרֶץ (שם כ"ח)? אֶלָּא שֶׁאָמַר לוֹ כִּי לֹא אֶעֱזָבְךָ עַד אֲשֶׁר אִם עָשִׂיתִי אֵת אֲשֶׁר דִּבַּרְתִּי לָךְ (שם), וּלְאַבְרָהָם אָמַר וְהַרְבָּה אַרְבֶּה אֶת זַרְעֲךָ כְּכוֹכְבֵי הַשָּׁמַיִם וְכַחוֹל אֲשֶׁר עַל שְׂפַת הַיָּם:

Footnotes

2 Kings 3:22.

Genesis 32:22; see Rashi there.

Second Portion

Bereshit (Genesis) Chapter 32

14He spent that night there, and selected a gift for his brother Esau from among what was his.		ידוַיָּ֥לֶן שָׁ֖ם בַּלַּ֣יְלָה הַה֑וּא וַיִּקַּ֞ח מִן־הַבָּ֧א בְיָד֛וֹ מִנְחָ֖ה לְעֵשָׂ֥ו אָחִֽיו:
הַבָּא בְיָדוֹ - (lit.) That which came into his hand - means “what was in his possession.” Similarly we find יָדוֹ referring to possession in: “And he took from him (מִיָּדוֹ) all his land.” 1 But the aggadic explanation is: מִן הַבָּא בְיָדוֹ refers to precious stones and jewels that a person ties in a bundle and carries in his hand. Another explanation: מִן הַבָּא בְיָדוֹ, meaning: “that which was of his own possession,” refers to that which was unconsecrated; i.e., he first separated a tithe, just as it says: “I will set aside for You a tenth of everything,” 2 and only then did he select a gift.		הַבָּא בְיָדוֹ. בִּרְשׁוּתוֹ, וְכֵן וַיִּקַּח אֶת כָּל אַרְצוֹ מִיָּדוֹ (במדבר כ"א). וּמִדְרַשׁ אַגָּדָה מִן הַבָּא בְיָדוֹ – אֲבָנִים טוֹבוֹת וּמַרְגָלִיּוֹת, שֶׁאָדָם צָר בִּצְרוֹר וְנוֹשְׂאָם בְּיָדוֹ (דָּבָר אַחֵר מִן הַבָּא בְיָדוֹ, מִן הַחֻלִּין, שֶׁנָּטַל מַעֲשֵׂר, כְּמָה דְּאַתְּ אָמַר עַשֵּׂר אֲעַשְּׂרֶנּוּ לָךְ, וַהֲדַר לָקַח מִנְחָה):
15He prepared 200 she-goats and 20 he-goats; 200 ewes and 20 rams;		טועִזִּ֣ים מָאתַ֔יִם וּתְיָשִׁ֖ים עֶשְׂרִ֑ים רְחֵלִ֥ים מָאתַ֖יִם וְאֵילִ֥ים עֶשְׂרִֽים:
עִזִּים מָאתַיִם וּתְיָשִׁים עֶשְׂרִים - 200 she-goats and 20 he-goats. 200 she-goats require 20 he-goats, and similarly with all the other animals, the number of males was in accordance with the needs of the females. In Bereshit Rabbah, 3 the amount of obligatory marital relations prescribed by the Torah is derived from here: people of leisure – every day; physical laborers – twice a week; donkey-drivers – once a week; camel-drivers – once in 30 days; sailors – once in six months; but I am unable to pinpoint precisely how this is derived from this verse. However, it seems to me that we simply learn from here that the marital duty is not the same for every man, but is dependent upon the amount of exertion required of him in his occupation; for we find here that he gave 10 she-goats for every he-goat and a similar amount of ewes for every ram – for since they are free from work, they are used to mating often, impregnating 10 females, as once a female animal becomes pregnant she does not mate anymore. But regarding cattle, which perform labor, he gave only four females for each male; and regarding donkeys, which travel long distances, he gave only two females for each male; and regarding camels, which travel even further distances, he gave only one female for each male.		עִזִּים מָאתַיִם וּתְיָשִׁים עֶשְׂרִים. מָאתַיִם עִזִּים צְרִיכוֹת עֶשְׂרִים תְּיָשִׁים, וְכֵן כֻּלָּם, הַזְּכָרִים כְּדֵי צֹרֶךְ הַנְּקֵבוֹת; וּבּבְּרֵאשִׁית רַבָּה דּוֹרֵשׁ מִכָּאן לָעוֹנָה הָאֲמוּרָה בַּתּוֹרָה, הַטַּיָּלִים בְּכָל יוֹם, הַפּוֹעֲלִים שְׁתַּיִם בְּשַׁבָּת, הַחַמָּרִים אַחַת בְּשַׁבָּת, הַגַּמָּלִים אַחַת לִשְׁלֹשִׁים יוֹם, הַסַּפָּנִים אַחַת לְשִׁשָּׁה חֳדָשִׁים; וְאֵינִי יוֹדֵעַ לְכַוֵּן הַמִּדְרָשׁ הַזֶּה בְּכִוּוּן, אַךְ נִרְאֶה בְעֵינַי שֶׁלָּמַדְנוּ מִכָּאן שֶׁאֵין הָעוֹנָה שָׁוָה בְּכָל אָדָם אֶלָּא לְפִי טֹרַח הַמֻּטָּל עָלָיו, שֶׁמָּצִינוּ כָּאן שֶׁמָּסַר לְכָל תַּיִשׁ עֶשֶׂר עִזִּים וְכֵן לְכָל אַיִל; לְפִי שֶׁהֵם פְּנוּיִים מִמְּלָאכָה דַּרְכָּם לְהַרְבּוֹת תַּשְׁמִישׁ וּלְעַבֵּר עֶשֶׂר נְקֵבוֹת, וּבְהֵמָה מִשֶּׁנִּתְעַבְּרָה אֵינָהּ מְקַבֶּלֶת זָכָר, וּפָרִים שֶׁעוֹסְקִין בִּמְלָאכָה, לֹא מָסַר לְזָכָר אֶלָּא אַרְבַּע נְקֵבוֹת, וְלַחֲמוֹר שֶׁהוֹלֵךְ בְּדֶרֶךְ רְחוֹקָה שְׁתֵּי נְקֵבוֹת לְזָכָר, וְלַגְּמַלִּים שֶׁהוֹלְכִים דֶּרֶךְ יוֹתֵר רְחוֹקָה נְקֵבָה אַחַת לְזָכָר:
1630 nursing camels with their young; 40 cows and 10 bulls; 20 she-donkeys and 10 he-donkeys.		טזגְּמַלִּ֧ים מֵֽינִיק֛וֹת וּבְנֵיהֶ֖ם שְׁלשִׁ֑ים פָּר֤וֹת אַרְבָּעִים֙ וּפָרִ֣ים עֲשָׂרָ֔ה אֲתֹנֹ֣ת עֶשְׂרִ֔ים וַעְיָרִ֖ם עֲשָׂרָֽה:
גְּמַלִּים מֵֽינִיקוֹת שְׁלשִׁים וּבְנֵיהֶם - 30 nursing camels. “And their young” with them. The aggadic explanation is: וּבְנֵיהֶם means בַּנָּאֵיהֶם “their builders,” i.e., the males, a male for each female, but because a camel acts modestly when mating, Scripture does not mention it openly.		גְּמַלִּים מֵֽינִיקוֹת שְׁלשִׁים וּבְנֵיהֶם. עִמָּהֶם: וּמִדְרַשׁ אַגָּדָה: וּבְנֵיהֶם – בַּנָּאֵיהֶם, זָכָר כְּנֶגֶד נְקֵבָה, וּלְפִי שֶׁצָּנוּעַ בְּתַשְׁמִישׁ לֹא פִרְסְמוֹ הַכָּתוּב (בראשית רבה):
וַעְיָרִם - are he-donkeys.		וַעְיָרִם. חֲמוֹרִים זְכָרִים:
17He put all these in the charge of his servants, drove by drove, and said to his servants, “Go on a day’s journey ahead of me. Keep a distance between one drove and the next.”		יזוַיִּתֵּן֙ בְּיַד־עֲבָדָ֔יו עֵ֥דֶר עֵ֖דֶר לְבַדּ֑וֹ וַיֹּ֤אמֶר אֶל־עֲבָדָיו֙ עִבְר֣וּ לְפָנַ֔י וְרֶ֣וַח תָּשִׂ֔ימוּ בֵּ֥ין עֵ֖דֶר וּבֵ֥ין עֵֽדֶר:
עֵדֶר עֵדֶר לְבַדּוֹ - Drove by drove - i.e., each species constituted a herd by itself.		עֵדֶר עֵדֶר לְבַדּוֹ. כָּל מִין וָמִין לְעַצְמוֹ:
עִבְרוּ לְפָנַי - Go on ahead of me - the distance of a day’s travel or less, and I will follow behind you.		עִבְרוּ לְפָנַי. דֶּרֶךְ יוֹם אוֹ פָּחוֹת וַאֲנִי אָבֹא אַחֲרֵיכֶם:
וְרֶוַח תָּשִׂימוּ - Keep a distance - i.e., place each herd before the other at a full eye’s distance, in order to satiate the eye of that wicked man Esau and to make him wonder at the abundance of the gift.		וְרֶוַח תָּשִׂימוּ. עֵדֶר לִפְנֵי חֲבֵרוֹ מְלֹא עַיִן, כְּדֵי לְהַשְׂבִּיעַ עֵינוֹ שֶׁל אוֹתוֹ רָשָׁע וּלְתַוֵּהוּ עַל רִבּוּי הַדּוֹרוֹן:
18He instructed the first one as follows: “When my brother Esau meets you and asks you, ‘Whose man are you, i.e., Who sent you? Where are you headed? And to whom are these droves in front of you being sent?’		יחוַיְצַ֥ו אֶת־הָֽרִאשׁ֖וֹן לֵאמֹ֑ר כִּ֣י יִפְגָֽשְׁךָ֞ עֵשָׂ֣ו אָחִ֗י וּשְׁאֵֽלְךָ֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר לְמִי־אַ֨תָּה֙ וְאָ֣נָה תֵלֵ֔ךְ וּלְמִ֖י אֵ֥לֶּה לְפָנֶֽיךָ:
לְמִי־אַתָּה - means “to whom do you belong,” i.e., who sent you? Therefore Onkelos translates it: דְּמַאן אַתְּ – (lit.) “of whom are you.”		לְמִי־אַתָּה. שֶׁל מִי אַתָּה, מִי שׁוֹלְחֲךָ, וְתַרְגּוּם דְּמָאן אַתְּ?
וּלְמִי אֵלֶּה לְפָנֶֽיךָ - means “and these animals that are in front of you, whose are they?” i.e., “to whom is this gift sent?” The ל prefix can be used in place of שֶׁל “belonging to,” as in: “and all that you see is mine (לִי),” 4 i.e., belongs to me; “The earth and its entirety is to God (לַה׳),” 5 i.e., belongs to God.		וּלְמִי אֵלֶּה לְפָנֶֽיךָ. וְאֵלֶּה שֶׁלְּפָנֶיךָ שֶׁל מִי הֵם; לְמִי הַמִּנְחָה הַזֹּאת שְׁלוּחָה? לָמֶ"ד מְשַׁמֶּשֶׁת בְּרֹאשׁ הַתֵּבָה בִּמְקוֹם שֶׁל, כְּמוֹ: וְכֹל אֲשֶׁר אַתָּה רֹאֶה לִי הוּא (בראשית ל״א:מ״ג) – שֶׁלִּי הוּא; לַה' הָאָרֶץ וּמְלוֹאָהּ (תהילים כ"ד) – שֶׁל ה':
19you must reply, ‘I am an emissary of your servant Jacob. This is a gift sent to my master Esau, and Jacob himself is also right behind us.’”		יטוְאָֽמַרְתָּ֙ לְעַבְדְּךָ֣ לְיַֽעֲקֹ֔ב מִנְחָ֥ה הִוא֙ שְׁלוּחָ֔ה לַֽאדֹנִ֖י לְעֵשָׂ֑ו וְהִנֵּ֥ה גַם־ה֖וּא אַֽחֲרֵֽינוּ:
וְאָֽמַרְתָּ לְעַבְדְּךָ לְיַֽעֲקֹב - You must reply, ‘Of your servant Jacob.’. Answer the first question first and the last question last. In reply to that which you asked: “To whom do you belong?” I answer: “I belong to your servant Jacob.” Therefore Onkelos translates it as: דְּעַבְדָּךְ דְּיַעֲקֹב – (lit.) “of your servant, of Jacob.” And in reply to that which you asked: “and for whom are these in front of you?” – “This is a gift sent for my master, Esau.”		וְאָֽמַרְתָּ לְעַבְדְּךָ לְיַֽעֲקֹב. עַל רִאשׁוֹן רִאשׁוֹן וְעַל אַחֲרוֹן אַחֲרוֹן; שֶׁשָּׁאַלְתָּ לְמִי אַתָּה? לְעַבְדְּךָ לְיַעֲקֹב אֲנִי – וְתַרְגּוּמוֹ דְּעַבְדָּךְ דְּיַעֲקֹב – וְשֶׁשָּׁאַלְתָּ וּלְמִי אֵלֶּה לְפָנֶיךָ, מִנְחָה הִיא שְׁלוּחָה וְגוֹ':
וְהִנֵּה גַם־הוּא - And he himself is also right behind us - i.e., Jacob.		וְהִנֵּה גַם־הוּא. יַעֲקֹב:
20He gave similar instructions to the second one, to the third, and to all the others who were following the droves, saying, “With such words must you speak to Esau when you meet him,		כוַיְצַ֞ו גַּ֣ם אֶת־הַשֵּׁנִ֗י גַּ֚ם אֶת־הַשְּׁלִישִׁ֔י גַּ֚ם אֶת־כָּל־הַהֹ֣לְכִ֔ים אַֽחֲרֵ֥י הָֽעֲדָרִ֖ים לֵאמֹ֑ר כַּדָּבָ֤ר הַזֶּה֙ תְּדַבְּר֣וּן אֶל־עֵשָׂ֔ו בְּמֹצַֽאֲכֶ֖ם אֹתֽוֹ:
21and you must also say, ‘Your servant Jacob is also right behind us’”—for he reasoned, “I will appease him with the gift that is being sent ahead, and then I will face him; perhaps he will then show me favor.”		כאוַֽאֲמַרְתֶּ֕ם גַּ֗ם הִנֵּ֛ה עַבְדְּךָ֥ יַֽעֲקֹ֖ב אַֽחֲרֵ֑ינוּ כִּֽי־אָמַ֞ר אֲכַפְּרָ֣ה פָנָ֗יו בַּמִּנְחָה֙ הַֽהֹלֶ֣כֶת לְפָנָ֔י וְאַֽחֲרֵי־כֵן֙ אֶרְאֶ֣ה פָנָ֔יו אוּלַ֖י יִשָּׂ֥א פָנָֽי:
אֲכַפְּרָה פָנָיו - I will appease him - i.e., I will annul his anger. Similarly we find: “Your covenant with death will be annulled (וְכֻפַּר)”; 6 and “you cannot wipe it out (כַּפְּרָהּ).” 7 It seems to me that every instance of the word כַּפָּרָה (usually translated “atonement”) that is used in connection with transgression or sin, or in connection with פָּנִים (lit. face), always means “wiping away” or “removal,” and it is an Aramaic term of which there are many instances in the Talmud: “He wiped his hands (וְכַפַּר יְדֵיהּ)”; 8 “He wishes to wipe His hands (לְכַפּוּרֵי יְדֵיהּ) with (i.e., to shift responsibility onto) that person.” 9 And also in the language of Scripture, the basins of the Sanctuary are called כְּפוֹרֵי זָהָב 10 because the priest wipes his hands on the edge of the basin.		אֲכַפְּרָה פָנָיו. אֲבַטֵּל רָגְזוֹ; וְכֵן וְכֻפַּר בְּרִיתְכֶם אֶת מָוֶת (ישעיהו כ"ח), לֹא תוּכְלִי כַּפְּרָהּ (שם מ"ז). וְנִרְאֶה בְעֵינַי שֶׁכָּל כַּפָּרָה שֶׁאֵצֶל עָוֹן וְחֵטְא וְאֵצֶל פָּנִים כֻּלָּן לְשׁוֹן קִנּוּחַ וְהַעֲבָרָה הֵן, וְלָשׁוֹן אֲרַמִּי הוּא, וְהַרְבֵּה בַּתַּלְמוּד וְכַפֵּר יְדֵיהּ, בָּעֵי לְכַפּוּרֵי יְדֵי בְּהַהוּא גַבְרָא, וְגַם בִּלְשׁוֹן הַמִּקְרָא נִקְרָאִים הַמִּזְרָקִים שֶׁל קֹדֶשׁ כְּפוֹרֵי זָהָב (עזרא א'), עַל שֵׁם שֶׁהַכֹּהֵן מְקַנֵּחַ יָדָיו בָּהֶן בִּשְׂפַת הַמִּזְרָק:
22And so the gift passed on ahead of him. Jacob spent that night in the camp.		כבוַתַּֽעֲבֹ֥ר הַמִּנְחָ֖ה עַל־פָּנָ֑יו וְה֛וּא לָ֥ן בַּלַּֽיְלָה־הַה֖וּא בַּמַּֽחֲנֶֽה:
עַל־פָּנָיו - (lit.) On his face - is the same in meaning as: לְפָנָיו – “in front of him.” Similarly we find: “Cries of robbery and swindling are heard there before Me (עַל פָּנַי) always”; 11 and similarly: “those who anger Me to My face (עַל פָּנַי).” 12 And the aggadic explanation is: עַל פָּנָיו signifies that Jacob was also in a state of anger that he had to take all these measures.		עַל־פָּנָיו. כְּמוֹ לְפָנָיו, וְכֵן חָמָס וָשֹׁד יִשָּׁמַע בָּהּ עַל פָּנַי תָּמִיד (ירמיהו ו'), וְכֵן הַמַּכְעִסִים אֹתִי עַל פָּנַי (ישעיהו ס"ה); וּמִדְרַשׁ אַגָּדָה עַל פָּנָיו, אַף הוּא שָׁרוּי בְּכַעַס, שֶׁהָיָה צָרִיךְ לְכָל זֶה (בראשית רבה):
23That night he arose, took his two wives, the two bondwomen, and his 11 sons, and crossed the ford of the Yabok River.		כגוַיָּ֣קָם \| בַּלַּ֣יְלָה ה֗וּא וַיִּקַּ֞ח אֶת־שְׁתֵּ֤י נָשָׁיו֙ וְאֶת־שְׁתֵּ֣י שִׁפְחֹתָ֔יו וְאֶת־אַחַ֥ד עָשָׂ֖ר יְלָדָ֑יו וַיַּֽעֲבֹ֕ר אֵ֖ת מַֽעֲבַ֥ר יַבֹּֽק:
וְאֶת־אַחַד עָשָׂר יְלָדָיו - His 11 sons. And where was Dinah? He had put her in a crate and locked her in so that Esau not cast his eyes upon her to marry her. And therefore Jacob was punished for keeping her away from his brother, as she might have brought him back to the right path, so she fell into the hands of Shechem.		וְאֶת־אַחַד עָשָׂר יְלָדָיו. וְדִינָה הֵיכָן הָיְתָה? נְתָנָהּ בְּתֵבָה וְנָעַל בְּפָנֶיהָ, שֶׁלֹּא יִתֵּן בָּהּ עֵשָׂו עֵינָיו, וּלְכָךְ נֶעֱנַשׁ יַעֲקֹב שֶׁמְּנָעָהּ מֵאָחִיו, שֶׁמָּא תַּחֲזִירֶנּוּ לַמּוּטָב, וְנָפְלָה בְּיַד שְׁכֶם (בראשית רבה):
יַבֹּֽק - Yabok. This is the name of the river.		יַבֹּֽק. שֵׁם הַנָּהָר:
24He took them and carried them across the stream, and then carried all his possessions across the stream.		כדוַיִּ֨קָּחֵ֔ם וַיַּֽעֲבִרֵ֖ם אֶת־הַנָּ֑חַל וַיַּֽעֲבֵ֖ר אֶת־אֲשֶׁר־לֽוֹ:
אֶת־אֲשֶׁר־לֽוֹ - His possessions - i.e., the animals and movable goods. He acted as a ferryman, taking them from one bank and setting them down on the other.		אֶת־אֲשֶׁר־לֽוֹ. הַבְּהֵמָה וְהַמִּטַּלְטְלִים; עָשָׂה עַצְמוֹ כְּגַשָּׁר נוֹטֵל מִכָּאן וּמַנִּיחַ כָּאן (בראשית רבה):
25Thus Jacob remained on his own. Esau’s guardian angel assumed the physical form of a man and wrestled with him until the break of dawn.		כהוַיִּוָּתֵ֥ר יַֽעֲקֹ֖ב לְבַדּ֑וֹ וַיֵּֽאָבֵ֥ק אִישׁ֙ עִמּ֔וֹ עַ֖ד עֲל֥וֹת הַשָּֽׁחַר:
וַיִּוָּתֵר יַֽעֲקֹב - Jacob remained - because he had forgotten some small jars and went back for them.		וַיִּוָּתֵר יַֽעֲקֹב. שָׁכַח פַּכִּים קְטַנִּים וְחָזַר עֲלֵיהֶם (חולין צ"א):
וַיֵּֽאָבֵק אִישׁ - A man wrestled. Menachem ben Saruk explains this to mean: וַיִּתְעַפֵּר אִישׁ “a man covered himself in dust,” understanding וַיֵּאָבֵק in the sense of אָבָק “dust”; i.e., they were raising dust with their feet through their movements. But in my opinion it means וַיִּתְקַשֵּׁר “he entangled himself with him,” and it is an Aramaic word, as in: בָּתַר דַּאֲבִיקוּ בַּהּ “once they became attached to it”; 13 and: וְאָבִיק לֵהּ מֵיבַק “and he intertwines them.” 14 It is an expression of “intertwining,” for it is usual for two people attempting to throw each other down, that one hugs the other and twines his arms around him. Our rabbis, of blessed memory, explained that this man was Esau’s guardian angel.		וַיֵּֽאָבֵק אִישׁ. מְנַחֵם פֵּי' וַיִּתְעַפֵּר אִישׁ, לְשׁוֹן אָבָק, שֶׁהָיוּ מַעֲלִים עָפָר בְּרַגְלֵיהֶם עַ"י נִעְנוּעָם. וְלִי נִרְאֶה שֶׁהוּא לְשׁוֹן וַיִּתְקַשֵּׁר, וְלָשׁוֹן אֲרַמִּי הוּא, בָּתַר דַּאֲבִיקוּ בֵיהּ, וַאֲבֵיק לֵיהּ מֵיבַק – לְשׁוֹן עֲנִיבָה, שֶׁכֵּן דֶּרֶךְ שְׁנַיִם שֶׁמִּתְעַצְּמִים לְהַפִּיל אִישׁ אֶת רֵעֵהוּ, שֶׁחוֹבְקוֹ וְאוֹבְקוֹ בִּזְרוֹעוֹתָיו. וּפֵרְשׁוּ רבותינו זִכָּרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה שֶׁהוּא שָׂרוֹ שֶׁל עֵשָׂו (בראשית רבה):
26When the angel saw that he could not overcome him, he touched Jacob’s hip joint, so that Jacob’s hip joint became dislocated as he wrestled with him.		כווַיַּ֗רְא כִּ֣י לֹ֤א יָכֹל֙ ל֔וֹ וַיִּגַּ֖ע בְּכַף־יְרֵכ֑וֹ וַתֵּ֨קַע֙ כַּף־יֶ֣רֶךְ יַֽעֲקֹ֔ב בְּהֵאָֽבְק֖וֹ עִמּֽוֹ:
וַיִּגַּע בְּכַף־יְרֵכוֹ - He touched (lit.) the spoon of his thigh. The upper end of the thigh-bone, which is sunk into the hip-bone, is called כַּף, because the flesh covering it has the form of a pot-ladle (כַּף).		וַיִּגַּע בְּכַף־יְרֵכוֹ. קוּלִית הַיָּרֵךְ הַתָּקוּעַ בְּקַּלְבּוּסִית קָרוּי כַּף, עַל שֵׁם שֶׁהַבָּשָׂר שֶׁעָלֶיהָ כְּמִין כַּף שֶׁל קְדֵרָה:
וַתֵּקַע - means “it became dislocated from its joint.” Similarly to it in meaning is: “so that My soul not be distanced (תֵּקַע) from you” 15 – an expression of removal. And in Mishnaic Hebrew we find: לְקַעֲקֵעַ בֵּיצָתָן – “to pull out their roots.” 16		וַתֵּקַע. נִתְקַעְקְעָה מִמְּקוֹם מַחְבַּרְתָּהּ, וְדוֹמֶה לוֹ פֶּן תֵּקַע נַפְשִׁי מִמֵּךְ (ירמיהו ו'), לְשׁוֹן הֲסָרָה. וּבְמִשְׁנָה לְקַעְקֵעַ בֵּיצָתָן – לְשָׁרֵשׁ שָׁרְשֵׁיהֶן:
27The angel then said, “Send me on my way, for dawn is breaking.” But Jacob replied, “I will not send you on your way unless you bless me.”		כזוַיֹּ֣אמֶר שַׁלְּחֵ֔נִי כִּ֥י עָלָ֖ה הַשָּׁ֑חַר וַיֹּ֨אמֶר֙ לֹ֣א אֲשַׁלֵּֽחֲךָ֔ כִּ֖י אִם־בֵּֽרַכְתָּֽנִי:
כִּי עָלָה הַשָּׁחַר - For dawn is breaking - and I must sing God’s song of praise by day.		כִּי עָלָה הַשָּׁחַר. וְצָרִיךְ אֲנִי לוֹמַר שִׁירָה בַּיּוֹם (חולין צ"א):
בֵּֽרַכְתָּֽנִי - You bless me - i.e., acknowledge my right to the blessings with which my father blessed me, which Esau contests.		בֵּֽרַכְתָּֽנִי. הוֹדֵה לִי עַל הַבְּרָכוֹת שֶׁבֵּרְכַנִי אָבִי, שֶׁעֵשָׂו מְעַרְעֵר עֲלֵיהֶן:
28The angel asked him, “What is your name?” and he answered, “Jacob.”		כחוַיֹּ֥אמֶר אֵלָ֖יו מַה־שְּׁמֶ֑ךָ וַיֹּ֖אמֶר יַֽעֲקֹֽב:
29The angel then said, “No longer will it be said that your name is just Jacob, but you will also be called Israel [Yisra’el, from serarah, “nobility,” and also meaning “striven with God”], for you have striven with an angel of God and with men and you have prevailed.”		כטוַיֹּ֗אמֶר לֹ֤א יַֽעֲקֹב֙ יֵֽאָמֵ֥ר עוֹד֙ שִׁמְךָ֔ כִּ֖י אִם־יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל כִּֽי־שָׂרִ֧יתָ עִם־אֱלֹהִ֛ים וְעִם־אֲנָשִׁ֖ים וַתּוּכָֽל:
לֹא יַֽעֲקֹב - No [longer]…Jacob. i.e., it will no longer be said that the blessings came to you through deceit (עֲקֵבָה) and trickery, but with nobility (שְׂרָרָה) and in full view, and eventually the Holy One, blessed be He, will appear to you at Bethel and change your name, 17 and there He will bless you, and I will be there and acknowledge your right to the blessings. And to this the verse refers: “He mastered the angel and triumphed; he wept and implored him,” 18 i.e., the angel wept and implored him. And what did he implore him? “Let God find us in Bethel and there He will speak with us,” 19 i.e., “Wait for me to bless you until He will speak with us there.” But Jacob did not wish to wait, and so the angel was forced to acknowledge his right to the blessings then and there. And this is the meaning of “he blessed him there,” 20 implying that the angel was pleading with Jacob to wait for him to bless him, but Jacob did not agree.		לֹא יַֽעֲקֹב. לֹא יֵאָמֵר עוֹד שֶׁהַבְּרָכוֹת בָּאוּ לְךָ בְעָקְבָּה וּרְמִיָּה כִּי אִם בִשְׂרָרָה וְגִלּוּי פָּנִים, וְסוֹפְךָ שֶׁהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא נִגְלֶה אֵלֶיךָ בְּבֵית אֵל וּמַחֲלִיף שִׁמְךָ וְשָׁם הוּא מְבָרֶכְךָ, וַאֲנִי שָׁם אֶהְיֶה וְאוֹדֶה לְךָ עֲלֵיהֶן, וְזֶה שֶׁכָּתוּב וַיָּשַׂר אֶל מַלְאָךְ וַיֻּכָל בָּכָה וַיִּתְחַנֶּן לוֹ (הושע י"ב) – בָּכָה הַמַּלְאָךְ וַיִּתְחַנֶּן לוֹ, וּמַה נִּתְחַנֵּן לוֹ? בֵּית אֵל יִמְצָאֶנּוּ וְשָׁם יְדַבֵּר עִמָּנוּ, הַמְתֵּן לִי עַד שֶׁיְּדַבֵּר עִמָּנוּ שָׁם; וְלֹא רָצָה יַעֲקֹב, וְעַל כָּרְחוֹ הוֹדָה לוֹ עֲלֵיהֶן, וְזֶהוּ וַיְבָרֶךְ אֹתוֹ שָׁם, שֶׁהָיָה מִתְחַנֵּן לְהַמְתִּין לוֹ וְלֹא רָצָה:
וְעִם־אֲנָשִׁים - And with men - Esau and Laban.		וְעִם־אֲנָשִׁים. עֵשָׂו וְלָבָן:
וַתּוּכָֽל - And you have prevailed - over them.		וַתּוּכָֽל. לָהֶם:
30Jacob inquired and said, “Please tell me your name.” He replied, “Why do you ask what my name is?” The angel blessed Jacob there.		לוַיִּשְׁאַ֣ל יַֽעֲקֹ֗ב וַיֹּ֨אמֶר֙ הַגִּֽידָה־נָּ֣א שְׁמֶ֔ךָ וַיֹּ֕אמֶר לָ֥מָּה זֶּ֖ה תִּשְׁאַ֣ל לִשְׁמִ֑י וַיְבָ֥רֶךְ אֹת֖וֹ שָֽׁם:
לָמָּה זֶּה תִּשְׁאַל - Why do you ask…?. We do not have a fixed name. Our names change, all according to the command of our task and mission on which we are sent.		לָמָּה זֶּה תִּשְׁאַל. אֵין לָנוּ שֵׁם קָבוּעַ, מִשְׁתַּנִּים שְׁמוֹתֵנוּ, הַכֹּל לְפִי מִצְוַת עֲבוֹדַת הַשְּׁלִיחוּת שֶׁאָנוּ מִשְׁתַּלְּחִים (בראשית רבה):

Footnotes

Numbers 21:26.

Genesis 28:22.

Bereshit Rabbah 76:7.

Bava Metzia 24a.

Gitin 56a.

Sanhedrin 63b.

Menachot 42a.

Esther Rabbah 1:1 et al.

Third Portion

Bereshit (Genesis) Chapter 32

31Jacob named the place Peni’el [“the face of God”], “for,” he said, “I beheld an angel of God face to face, yet my life was spared.”		לאוַיִּקְרָ֧א יַֽעֲקֹ֛ב שֵׁ֥ם הַמָּק֖וֹם פְּנִיאֵ֑ל כִּֽי־רָאִ֤יתִי אֱלֹהִים֙ פָּנִ֣ים אֶל־פָּנִ֔ים וַתִּנָּצֵ֖ל נַפְשִֽׁי:
32The sun rose upon him as he passed Penu’el. He was limping, favoring his dislocated hip.		לבוַיִּזְרַח־ל֣וֹ הַשֶּׁ֔מֶשׁ כַּֽאֲשֶׁ֥ר עָבַ֖ר אֶת־פְּנוּאֵ֑ל וְה֥וּא צֹלֵ֖עַ עַל־יְרֵכֽוֹ:
וַיִּזְרַח־לוֹ הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ - The sun rose (lit.) for him. This is a colloquial expression similar to: “When we reached a certain place, dawn broke for us.” This is its straightforward meaning. But the aggadic explanation is: “it rose for him” – for his benefit, to heal his limp, as it says: “the sun of mercy, with healing in its wings.” 1 And those hours that it had set for him before its time when he left Beersheba, it now rose for him before its time.		וַיִּזְרַח־לוֹ הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ. לְשׁוֹן בְּנֵי אָדָם הוּא כְּשֶׁהִגַּעְנוּ לְמָקוֹם פְּלוֹנִי הֵאִיר לָנוּ הַשַּׁחַר, זֶהוּ פְשׁוּטוֹ; וּמִדְרָשׁ אַגָדָה ויזרח לו לְצָרְכּוֹ – לְרַפְּאוֹת אֶת צָלַעְתּוֹ, כְּמָה דְּתֵימָא שֶׁמֶשׁ צְדָקָה וּמַרְפֵּא בִּכְנָפֶיהָ (מלאכי ג'); וְאוֹתָן שָׁעוֹת שֶׁמִּהֲרָה לִשְׁקֹעַ בִּשְׁבִילוֹ כְּשֶׁיָּצָא מִבְּאֵר שֶׁבַע מִהֲרָה לִזְרֹחַ בִּשְׁבִילוֹ:
וְהוּא צֹלֵעַ - He was limping - i.e., he had been limping when the sun rose.		וְהוּא צֹלֵעַ. הָיָה צוֹלֵעַ כְּשֶׁזָּרְחָה הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ:
33Therefore, to this very day, the Israelites do not eat the nerve that became displaced, i.e., the nerve of the hip joint, because the angel touched Jacob’s hip joint, causing this nerve to be displaced.		לגעַל־כֵּ֡ן לֹא־יֹֽאכְל֨וּ בְנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֜ל אֶת־גִּ֣יד הַנָּשֶׁ֗ה אֲשֶׁר֙ עַל־כַּ֣ף הַיָּרֵ֔ךְ עַ֖ד הַיּ֣וֹם הַזֶּ֑ה כִּ֤י נָגַע֙ בְּכַף־יֶ֣רֶךְ יַֽעֲקֹ֔ב בְּגִ֖יד הַנָּשֶֽׁה:
גִּיד הַנָּשֶׁה - Why is it called גִּיד הַנָּשֶׁה? Because it sprang (נָשָׁה) and moved upwards from its normal position. נָּשֶׁה has the sense of springing away. Similarly we find: “their strength disappeared (נָשְׁתָה)”; 2 and similarly: “because God has made me forget (or “caused to be removed”) (נַשַּׁנִי) all my hardships.” 3		גִּיד הַנָּשֶׁה. לָמָּה נִקְרָא שְׁמוֹ גִּיד הַנָּשֶׁה? לְפִי שֶׁנָּשָׁה מִמְּקוֹמוֹ וְעָלָה, וְהוּא לְשׁוֹן קְפִיצָה, וְכֵן נָשְׁתָה גְבוּרָתָם (ירמיהו נ"א), וְכֵן כִּי נַשַּׁנִי אֱלֹהִים אֶת כָּל עֲמָלִי (בראשית מ"א):
בְּכַף יֶרֶךְ - Of the hip joint. (lit., “on the crest of the hip”) – “Polpe” in Old French. Any flesh that is raised, steep, and round is called a כַּף “crest,” as in the phrase “until the crest (הַכַּף) flattens” 4 mentioned in the signs of incipient puberty.		עַל כַּף הַיָּרֵךְ. פולפ"א בְּלַעַז , כָּל בָּשָׂר גָּבוהַֹּ וְתָלוּל וְעָגֹל קָרוּי כַּף, כְּמֹ ו: עַד שֶׁתִּתְמָרֵךְ הַכַּף, בְּסִימָנֵי בַגְרוּת:

Bereshit (Genesis) Chapter 33

1Jacob raised his eyes and saw Esau approaching, accompanied by 400 men, so he divided up the children among Leah, Rachel, and the two bondwomen.		אוַיִּשָּׂ֨א יַֽעֲקֹ֜ב עֵינָ֗יו וַיַּרְא֙ וְהִנֵּ֣ה עֵשָׂ֣ו בָּ֔א וְעִמּ֕וֹ אַרְבַּ֥ע מֵא֖וֹת אִ֑ישׁ וַיַּ֣חַץ אֶת־הַיְלָדִ֗ים עַל־לֵאָה֙ וְעַל־רָחֵ֔ל וְעַ֖ל שְׁתֵּ֥י הַשְּׁפָחֽוֹת:
2He placed the bondwomen and their children in front, Leah and her children next, and Rachel and Joseph last.		בוַיָּ֧שֶׂם אֶת־הַשְּׁפָח֛וֹת וְאֶת־יַלְדֵיהֶ֖ן רִֽאשֹׁנָ֑ה וְאֶת־לֵאָ֤ה וִֽילָדֶ֨יהָ֙ אַֽחֲרֹנִ֔ים וְאֶת־רָחֵ֥ל וְאֶת־יוֹסֵ֖ף אַֽחֲרֹנִֽים:
וְאֶת־לֵאָה וִֽילָדֶיהָ אַֽחֲרֹנִים - Leah and her children next. The later they were placed, the more beloved they were to Jacob.		וְאֶת־לֵאָה וִֽילָדֶיהָ אַֽחֲרֹנִים. אַחֲרוֹן אַחֲרוֹן חָבִיב:
3He went ahead of them and prostrated himself seven times as he approached his brother.		גוְה֖וּא עָבַ֣ר לִפְנֵיהֶ֑ם וַיִּשְׁתַּ֤חוּ אַ֨רְצָה֙ שֶׁ֣בַע פְּעָמִ֔ים עַד־גִּשְׁתּ֖וֹ עַד־אָחִֽיו:
עָבַר לִפְנֵיהֶם - Went ahead of them. He said: If that wicked man comes to fight, let him fight me first.		עָבַר לִפְנֵיהֶם. אָמַר אִם יָבֹא אוֹתוֹ רָשָׁע לְהִלָּחֵם יִלָּחֵם בִּי תְּחִלָּה:
4Esau ran towards him, embraced him, threw himself on his neck, and kissed him. And they wept.		דוַיָּ֨רָץ עֵשָׂ֤ו לִקְרָאתוֹ֙ וַיְחַבְּקֵ֔הוּ וַיִּפֹּ֥ל עַל־צַוָּארָ֖יו (כתיב צוארו ) וַֹיִֹשָֹׁקֵֹ֑הֹוֹּ וַיִּבְכּֽוּ:
וַיְחַבְּקֵהוּ - Embraced him. His compassion was aroused when he saw Jacob prostrating himself so many times.		וַיְחַבְּקֵהוּ. נִתְגַּלְגְּלוּ רַחֲמָיו, כְּשֶׁרָאָהוּ מִשְׁתַּחֲוֶה כָּל הִשְׁתַּחֲוָאוֹת הַלָּלוּ:
וַֹיִֹשָֹׁקֵֹהֹוֹּ - He kissed him. There are dots over this word, serving to lessen its import. There is a difference of opinion in a baraita in Sifrei 5 about this: Some explain these dots to mean that he did not kiss him wholeheartedly, but Rabbi Shimon ben Yochai said, “It is known that Esau hates Jacob, but at that moment his compassion was aroused to a greater degree than before and he kissed him wholeheartedly, but this spontaneous display of emotion was only fleeting.”		וַֹיִֹשָֹׁקֵֹהֹוֹּ. נָקוּד עָלָיו; וְיֵשׁ חוֹלְקִין בַּדָּבָר הַזֶּה בַּבָּרַיְתָא דְּסִפְרֵי, יֵשׁ שֶׁדָּרְשׁוּ נְקֻדָּה זוֹ שֶׁלֹּא נְשָׁקוֹ בְּכָל לִבּוֹ, אָמַר רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן יוֹחַאי, הֲלָכָה הִיא בְּיָדוּעַ שֶׁעֵשָׂו שׂוֹנֵא לְיַעֲקֹב, אֶלָּא שֶׁנִּכְמְרוּ רַחֲמָיו בְּאוֹתָהּ שָׁעָה וּנְשָׁקוֹ בְּכָל לִבּוֹ (ספרי במדבר):
5Esau raised his eyes and, seeing the women and children, asked Jacob, “How are all these people related to you?” He replied, “These are the children whom God has been kind enough to grant your servant.”		הוַיִּשָּׂ֣א אֶת־עֵינָ֗יו וַיַּ֤רְא אֶת־הַנָּשִׁים֙ וְאֶת־הַיְלָדִ֔ים וַיֹּ֖אמֶר מִי־אֵ֣לֶּה לָּ֑ךְ וַיֹּאמַ֕ר הַיְלָדִ֕ים אֲשֶׁר־חָנַ֥ן אֱלֹהִ֖ים אֶת־עַבְדֶּֽךָ:
מִי־אֵלֶּה לָּךְ - means: Who are these, that they are yours?		מִי־אֵלֶּה לָּךְ. מִי אֵלֶּה לִהְיוֹת שֶׁלְּךָ:

Footnotes

Malachi 3:20.

Jeremiah 51:30.

Genesis 41:51.

Nidah 47b.

Sifrei Beha’alotecha 69.

Fourth Portion

Bereshit (Genesis) Chapter 33

6The bondwomen drew near, followed by their children, and prostrated themselves before Esau.		ווַתִּגַּ֧שְׁןָ הַשְּׁפָח֛וֹת הֵ֥נָּה וְיַלְדֵיהֶ֖ן וַתִּשְׁתַּֽחֲוֶֽיןָ:
7Leah and her children also drew near and prostrated themselves before Esau, and finally Joseph and his mother Rachel drew near and prostrated themselves before Esau.		זוַתִּגַּ֧שׁ גַּם־לֵאָ֛ה וִֽילָדֶ֖יהָ וַיִּשְׁתַּֽחֲו֑וּ וְאַחַ֗ר נִגַּ֥שׁ יוֹסֵ֛ף וְרָחֵ֖ל וַיִּשְׁתַּֽחֲוֽוּ:
נִגַּשׁ יוֹסֵף וְרָחֵל - Joseph and Rachel drew near. With all the others, the mothers drew near before the children, but in the case of Rachel, Joseph drew near before her. He said, “My mother is beautiful and maybe that wicked man will set his eyes on her. I will therefore stand in front of her and prevent him from looking at her.” As a result of this, Joseph merited the blessing of being עֲלֵי עָיִן “charming to the eye.” 1		נִגַּשׁ יוֹסֵף וְרָחֵל. בְּכֻלָּן הָאִמָּהוֹת נִגָּשׁוֹת לִפְנֵי הַבָּנִים, אֲבָל בְּרָחֵל יוֹסֵף נִגַּשׁ לְפָנֶיהָ, אָמַר אִמִּי יְפַת תֹּאַר, שֶׁמָּא יִתְלֶה בָהּ עֵינָיו אוֹתוֹ רָשָׁע, אֶעֱמֹד כְּנֶגְדָהּ וַאֲעַכְּבֶנּוּ מִלְּהִסְתַּכֵּל בָּהּ; מִכָּאן זָכָה יוֹסֵף לְבִרְכַּת עֲלֵי עַיִן:
8Esau asked Jacob, “What did you intend by sending that whole entourage that I encountered bearing gifts for me?” Jacob replied, “I had hoped, by sending them, to gain favor in my master’s eyes.”		חוַיֹּ֕אמֶר מִ֥י לְךָ֛ כָּל־הַמַּֽחֲנֶ֥ה הַזֶּ֖ה אֲשֶׁ֣ר פָּגָ֑שְׁתִּי וַיֹּ֕אמֶר לִמְצֹא־חֵ֖ן בְּעֵינֵ֥י אֲדֹנִֽי:
מִי לְךָ כָּל־הַמַּֽחֲנֶה - means: What was all that camp that I met, which is yours? In other words: why did you send it? The straightforward meaning of the verse is that “the camp” refers to the people who brought the gift. But its Midrashic explanation is: Esau met groups of angels who bore down on him and his men, asking them, “Whose men are you?” They answered the angels, “We are Esau’s.” The angels then said, “Hit them! Hit them!” Esau’s men replied, “Let us be! He is the son of Isaac!” but the angels paid no attention to this. “He is the grandson of Abraham!” but they paid no attention to this either. “He is the brother of Jacob!” to which they replied, “If so, you are one of us.”		מִי לְךָ כָּל־הַמַּֽחֲנֶה. מִי כָּל הַמַּחֲנֶה אֲשֶׁר פָּגַשְׁתִּי, שֶׁהוּא שֶׁלְּךָ? כְּלוֹמַר לָמָּה הוּא לְךָ? פְּשׁוּטוֹ שֶׁל מִקְרָא עַל מוֹלִיכֵי הַמִּנְחָה, וּמִדְרָשׁוֹ כִּתּוֹת שֶׁל מַלְאָכִים פָּגַע, שֶׁהָיוּ דּוֹחֲפִין אוֹתוֹ וְאֶת אֲנָשָׁיו וְאוֹמְרִים לָהֶם שֶׁל מִי אַתֶּם? וְהֵם אוֹמְרִים לָהֶם שֶׁל עֵשָׂו, וְהֵם אוֹמְרִים הַכּוּ, הַכּוּ, וְאֵלּוּ אוֹמְרִים הַנִּיחוּ, בְּנוֹ שֶׁל יִצְחָק הוּא, וְלֹא הָיוּ מַשְׁגִּיחִים עָלָיו; בֶּן בְּנוֹ שֶׁל אַבְרָהָם הוּא, וְלֹא הָיוּ מַשְׁגִּיחִין; אָחִיו שֶׁל יַעֲקֹב הוּא, אוֹמְרִים לָהֶם אִם כֵּן, מִשֶּׁלָּנוּ אַתֶּם:
9Esau said, “I have plenty of wealth. My brother, let that which is yours remain yours.”		טוַיֹּ֥אמֶר עֵשָׂ֖ו יֶשׁ־לִ֣י רָ֑ב אָחִ֕י יְהִ֥י לְךָ֖ אֲשֶׁר־לָֽךְ:
יְהִי לְךָ אֲשֶׁר־לָֽךְ - Let that which is yours remain yours. Here he acknowledged his right to the blessings.		יְהִי לְךָ אֲשֶׁר־לָֽךְ. כָּאן הוֹדָה לוֹ עַל הַבְּרָכוֹת (בראשית רבה):
10Jacob replied, “No, please! If I have now found favor in your eyes, then please accept this gift from me. I owe you this gift because I have beheld your face, which is so dear to me that seeing it is like seeing the face of an angel of God. I also owe you a tribute because you have been gracious enough to be appeased by me.		יוַיֹּ֣אמֶר יַֽעֲקֹ֗ב אַל־נָא֙ אִם־נָ֨א מָצָ֤אתִי חֵן֙ בְּעֵינֶ֔יךָ וְלָֽקַחְתָּ֥ מִנְחָתִ֖י מִיָּדִ֑י כִּ֣י עַל־כֵּ֞ן רָאִ֣יתִי פָנֶ֗יךָ כִּרְאֹ֛ת פְּנֵ֥י אֱלֹהִ֖ים וַתִּרְצֵֽנִי:
אַל־נָא - No, please - means “Please do not say this to me.”		אַל־נָא. אַל נָא תֹאמַר לִי כֵּן:
אִם־נָא מָצָאתִי חֵן בְּעֵינֶיךָ וְלָֽקַחְתָּ מִנְחָתִי מִיָּדִי כִּי עַל־כֵּן רָאִיתִי פָנֶיךָ וגו' - If I have now found favor in your eyes, then please accept this gift from me, because I have beheld your face…. – i.e., for (כִּי) it is fitting and proper for you to accept my gift, since (עַל כֵּן) I have seen your face, which is as valuable to me as seeing the face of the angel – that I have seen your guardian angel. And another reason for you to accept this gift is: וַתִּרְצֵנִי – that you have agreed to forgive my offense against you. And why did he mention to him that he had seen the angel? So that Esau be afraid of him and say, “He has seen angels and survived! Now I certainly will be unable to overcome him.”		אִם־נָא מָצָאתִי חֵן בְּעֵינֶיךָ וְלָֽקַחְתָּ מִנְחָתִי מִיָּדִי כִּי עַל־כֵּן רָאִיתִי פָנֶיךָ וגו'. כִּי כְּדַאי וְהָגוּן לְךָ שֶׁתְּקַבֵּל מִנְחָתִי עַל אֲשֶׁר רָאִיתִי פָנֶיךָ, וְהֵן חֲשׁוּבִין לִי כִּרְאִיַּת פְּנֵי הַמַּלְאָךְ, שֶׁרָאִיתִי שַׂר שֶׁלְּךָ, וְעוֹד עַל שֶׁנִּתְרַצֵּיתָ לִמְחֹל עַל סֻרְחָנִי. וְלָמָּה הִזְכִּיר לוֹ רְאִיַּת הַמַּלְאָךְ? כְּדֵי שֶׁיִּתְיָרֵא הֵימֶנּוּ וְיֹאמַר רָאָה מַלְאָכִים וְנִצַּל, אֵינִי יָכוֹל לוֹ מֵעַתָּה:
וַתִּרְצֵֽנִי - means “you have become reconciled with me.” Similarly, every time the word רָצוֹן is used in Scripture, it is an expression of conciliation – “apayement” in Old French (“appeasement”); e.g., “for it will not attain favor (לְרָצוֹן) for you” 2 – i.e., the purpose of the sacrifices is to appease and conciliate; and similarly: “the lips of the righteous know רָצוֹן” 3 – i.e., they know how to appease and conciliate.		וַתִּרְצֵֽנִי. נִתְפַּיַּסְתָּ לִי, וְכֵן כָּל רָצוֹן שֶׁבַּמִּקְרָא לְשׁוֹן פִּיּוּס, אפייצימנ"טו בְּלַעַז, כִּי לֹא לְרָצוֹן יִהְיֶה לָכֶם (ויקרא כ"ב) – הַקָּרְבָּנוֹת בָּאוֹת לְפַיֵּס וּלְרַצּוֹת, וְכֵן שִׂפְתֵי צַדִּיק יֵדְעוּן רָצוֹן (משלי י') – יוֹדְעִים לְפַיֵּס וּלְרַצּוֹת:
11Please accept my welcoming gift that has been brought to you. Do not worry about how much it cost me, for God has been kind to me, and I have all I need.” Jacob thus urged him to accept the gift, and Esau finally accepted it.		יאקַח־נָ֤א אֶת־בִּרְכָתִי֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר הֻבָ֣את לָ֔ךְ כִּֽי־חַנַּ֥נִי אֱלֹהִ֖ים וְכִ֣י יֶשׁ־לִי־כֹ֑ל וַיִּפְצַר־בּ֖וֹ וַיִּקָּֽח:
בִּרְכָתִי - (lit.) My blessing - means here “my gift.” This kind of gift, which is brought when meeting someone from time to time, is meant only as a greeting. Every expression of בְּרָכָה which is used when meeting someone, such as “and Jacob greeted (וַיְבָרֶךְ) Pharaoh,” 4 “make peace (בְּרָכָה) with me” 5 in connection with Sennacherib, and similarly, “to greet him and to congratulate him (וּלְבָרְכוֹ)” 6 in connection with To’i, king of Chamat – are all expressions of greetings, which are called “saluer” in Old French. Here, too, בִּרְכָתִי means “mon salud” (“my greeting,” i.e., my greeting gift).		בִּרְכָתִי. מִנְחָתִי, מִנְחָה זוֹ הַבָּאָה עַל רְאִיַּת פָּנִים וְלִפְרָקִים אֵינָה בָאָה אֶלָּא לִשְׁאֵלַת שָׁלוֹם, וְכָל בְּרָכָה שֶׁהִיא לִרְאִיַּת פָּנִים – כְּגוֹן וַיְבָרֶךְ יַעֲקֹב אֶת פַּרְעֹה (בראשית מ״ז:ז׳), עֲשׂוּ אִתִּי בְרָכָה דְּסַנְחֵרִיב (מלכים ב י"ח), וְכֵן לִשְׁאָל לוֹ לְשָׁלוֹם וּלְבָרְכוֹ דְּתֹעִי מֶלֶךְ חֲמָת (שמואל ב ח') – כֻּלָּם לְשׁוֹן בִּרְכַּת שָׁלוֹם הֵן, שֶׁקּוֹרִין בְּלַעַז שלו"איר, אַף זוֹ בִּרְכָתִי מו"ן שלו"ד:
אֲשֶׁר הֻבָאת לָךְ - That has been brought to you. You did not trouble yourself for it, but I exerted myself to bring it to its destination until it came to your hand.		אֲשֶׁר הֻבָאת לָךְ. לֹא טָרַחְתָּ בָּהּ וַאֲנִי יָגַעְתִּי לְהַגִּיעָהּ עַד שֶׁבָּאָה לְיָדְךָ (בראשית רבה):
חַנַּנִי - Has been kind to me. The first נ of this word has a dagesh because it serves in place of two נ’s; for it should have said: חֲנָנַנִי, since the root of חָנַן always has two נ’s, and the third is a suffix, as in: עָשַׂנִי “he made me”; 7 and זְבָדַנִי “He has given me.” 8		חַנַּנִי. נוּ"ן רִאשׁוֹנָה מֻדְגֶּשֶׁת, לְפִי שֶׁהִיא מְשַׁמֶּשֶׁת בִּמְקוֹם שְׁתֵּי נוּנִי"ן, שֶׁהָיָה לוֹ לוֹמַר חֲנָנַנִי, שֶׁאֵין חָנֹן בְּלֹא שְׁתֵּי נוּנִי"ן, וְהַשְּׁלִישִׁית לְשִׁמּוּשׁ, כְּמוֹ עָשַׂנִי, זְבָדַנִי:
יֶשׁ־לִי־כֹל - I have all - i.e., all that I need; but Esau spoke in a haughty manner: “I have plenty (רָב)” 9 – far more than enough for my need.		יֶשׁ־לִי־כֹל. כָּל סִפּוּקִי; וְעֵשָׂו דִּבֵּר בִּלְשׁוֹן גַּאֲוָה יֶשׁ לִי רָב, יוֹתֵר וְיוֹתֵר מִכְּדֵי צָרְכִּי:
12Esau then said, “Travel on and let us go, and let me proceed alongside you to escort you.”		יבוַיֹּ֖אמֶר נִסְעָ֣ה וְנֵלֵ֑כָה וְאֵֽלְכָ֖ה לְנֶגְדֶּֽךָ:
נִסְעָה - Travel on. This is an imperative form, like שִׁמְעָה “hear,” 10 which is the equivalent of שְׁמַע “hear.” Here, too, נִסְעָה is the equivalent of נְסַע and the נ is a root-letter of the word. Its translation is: טוּל וּנְהָךְ “travel on and let us go”; i.e., Esau said to Jacob, “Move on from here and let us go.”		נִסְעָה. כְּמוֹ שִׁמְעָה, סִלְחָה, שֶׁהוּא כְּמוֹ שְׁמַע, סְלַח, אַף כָּאן נִסְעָה כְּמוֹ נְסַע, וְהַנּוּ"ן יְסוֹד בַּתֵּבָה, וְתַרְגּוּם שֶׁל אֻנְקְלוֹס טוּל וּנְהָךְ, עֵשָׂו אָמַר לְיַעֲקֹב נְסַע מִכָּאן וְנֵלֵךְ:
וְאֵֽלְכָה לְנֶגְדֶּֽךָ - And let me proceed (lit.) opposite you - means here: “level with you.” I will do you this favor, that I will linger on over my journey by going as slowly as you need, and this is the meaning of לְנֶגְדֶּךָ: “alongside you.”		וְאֵֽלְכָה לְנֶגְדֶּֽךָ. בְּשָׁוֶה לְךָ; טוֹבָה זוֹ אֶעֱשֶׂה לְךָ, שֶׁאַאֲרִיךְ יְמֵי מַהֲלַכְתִּי, לָלֶכֶת לְאַט כַּאֲשֶׁר אַתָּה צָרִיךְ, וְזֶהוּ לְנֶגְדֶּךָ – בְּשָׁוֶה לְךָ:
13He answered him, “My master knows that the children are frail, and I am responsible for the nursing lambs, goats, and cattle. If they are driven hard for even one day, all the flocks will die.		יגוַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֵלָ֗יו אֲדֹנִ֤י יֹדֵ֨עַ֙ כִּֽי־הַיְלָדִ֣ים רַכִּ֔ים וְהַצֹּ֥אן וְהַבָּקָ֖ר עָל֣וֹת עָלָ֑י וּדְפָקוּם֙ י֣וֹם אֶחָ֔ד וָמֵ֖תוּ כָּל־הַצֹּֽאן:
עָלוֹת עָלָי - means: the flocks and cattle that are nursing (עָלוֹת) are my responsibility (עָלָי) – I have to lead them slowly.		עָלוֹת עָלָי. הַצֹּאן וְהַבָּקָר, שֶׁהֵן עָלוֹת, מֻטָּלוֹת עָלַי לְנַהֲלָן לְאַט:
עָלוֹת - means “rearing their infants.” It is of the same root as: “infants (עוֹלֵל) and nursing babies”; 11 “a child (עוּל) of young years”; 12 “and two nursing (עָלוֹת) cows.” 13 In Old French: “enfantes.”		עָלוֹת. מְגַדְּלוֹת עוֹלְלֵיהֶן, לְשׁוֹן עוֹלֵל וְיוֹנֵק (איכה ב'), עוּל יָמִים (ישעיהו ס"ה), וּשְׁתֵּי פָרוֹת עָלוֹת (שמואל א ו') וּבְלַעַז אנפנטיי"ש:
וּדְפָקוּם יוֹם אֶחָד - If they are driven hard for even one day - wearing them out on the way by rushing – “Then all the flocks will die.”		וּדְפָקוּם יוֹם אֶחָד. לְיַגְּעָם בַּדֶּרֶךְ בִּמְרוּצָה ומתו כל הצאן:
וּדְפָקוּם - This word is similar to “the voice of my beloved is דּוֹפֵק” 14 – i.e., knocking on the door.		וּדְפָקוּם. כְּמוֹ קוֹל דּוֹדִי דּוֹפֵק (שיר השירים), נוֹקֵשׁ בַּדֶּלֶת:
14Therefore, let my master please go on at his usual pace, ahead of his servant, while I move on at my own slow pace, at the pace of the workforce that is ahead of me, and at the pace of the children—until I reach my master at Se’ir.”		ידיַֽעֲבָר־נָ֥א אֲדֹנִ֖י לִפְנֵ֣י עַבְדּ֑וֹ וַֽאֲנִ֞י אֶתְנַֽהֲלָ֣ה לְאִטִּ֗י לְרֶ֨גֶל הַמְּלָאכָ֤ה אֲשֶׁר־לְפָנַי֙ וּלְרֶ֣גֶל הַיְלָדִ֔ים עַ֛ד אֲשֶׁר־אָבֹ֥א אֶל־אֲדֹנִ֖י שֵׂעִֽירָה:
יַֽעֲבָר־נָא אֲדֹנִי - Let my master please go on - i.e., do not extend the time of your journey, but go on at your normal speed, even if it means that you distance yourself from me.		יַֽעֲבָר־נָא אֲדֹנִי. אַל נָא תַאֲרִיךְ יְמֵי הֲלִיכָתְךָ, עֲבֹר כְּפִי דַּרְכְּךָ וְאַף אִם תִּתְרַחֵק:
אֶתְנַֽהֲלָה - While I move on. This word is the same as אֶתְנַהֵל, only it has an additional ה, as in אֵרְדָה “I will descend,” 15 the equivalent of אֵרֵד; אֶשְׁמְעָה “let me hear,” 16 the equivalent of אֶשְׁמָע.		אֶתְנַֽהֲלָה. אֶתְנַהֵל, הֵ"א יְתֵירָה, כְּמוֹ אֵרְדָה, אֶשְׁמְעָה:
לְאִטִּי - means “my own slow pace.” לְאַט means gentleness, as in: “which flow gently (לְאַט),” 17 and: “be gentle (לְאַט) on the young man for my sake.” 18 In לְאִטִּי the ל is a root letter and not a prefix; thus it means “I will lead myself at my leisure.”		לְאִטִּי. לְאַט שֶׁלִּי, לְשׁוֹן נַחַת, הַהוֹלְכִים לְאַט, לְאַט לִי לַנַּעַר (שמואל ב י"ח). לְאִטִּי הַלָּמֶ"ד מִן הַיְסוֹד, וְאֵינָהּ מְשַׁמֶּשֶׁת – אֶתְנַהֵל נַחַת שֶׁלִּי:
לְרֶגֶל הַמְּלָאכָה - means “According to the requirements of the pace (רֶגֶל) of the animal workforce (הַמְּלָאכָה) that I am responsible to lead.”		לְרֶגֶל הַמְּלָאכָה. לְפִי צֹרֶךְ הֲלִיכַת רַגְלֵי הַמְּלָאכָה הַמֻּטֶּלֶת עָלַי לְהוֹלִיךְ:
וּלְרֶגֶל הַיְלָדִים - means “According to the pace that they are able to walk.”		וּלְרֶגֶל הַיְלָדִים. לְפִי רַגְלֵיהֶם שֶׁהֵם יְכוֹלִים לֵילֵךְ:
עַד אֲשֶׁר־אָבֹא אֶל־אֲדֹנִי שֵׂעִֽירָה - Until I reach my master at Se’ir. He mentioned to him a much broader journey than he intended to make, for in fact he intended only to travel to Sukot at that point, postponing the end of the journey to Se’ir. He said to himself: “If Esau wishes to revert to his previous hatred and harm me, let him wait until I come to him to Se’ir,” but he did not go at that point. And when will he eventually go there? In the time of the Messiah, as it says: “Saviors will then ascend Mount Zion to wreak judgment on the Mount of Esau (i.e., Se’ir).” 19 There are also many aggadic explanations of this section.		עַד אֲשֶׁר־אָבֹא אֶל־אֲדֹנִי שֵׂעִֽירָה. הִרְחִיב לוֹ הַדֶּרֶךְ, שֶׁלֹּא הָיָה דַעְתּוֹ לָלֶכֶת אֶלָּא עַד סֻכּוֹת; אָמַר אִם דַּעְתּוֹ לַעֲשׂוֹת לִי רָעָה, יַמְתִּין עַד בּוֹאִי אֶצְלוֹ, וְהוּא לֹא הָלַךְ; וְאֵימָתַי יֵלֵךְ? בִּימֵי הַמָּשִׁיחַ (בראשית רבה), שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר וְעָלוּ מוֹשִׁעִים בְּהַר צִיּוֹן לִשְׁפֹּט אֶת הַר עֵשָׂו (עובדיה א'); וּמִדְרְשֵׁי אַגָדָה יֵשׁ לְפָרָשָׁה זוֹ רַבִּים:
15Esau then said, “Let me leave some of the people who are with me with you.” Jacob replied, “Why should you do this? I would rather you not repay me for the gift I have given you so I can remain favorable in my master’s eyes.”		טווַיֹּ֣אמֶר עֵשָׂ֔ו אַצִּֽיגָה־נָּ֣א עִמְּךָ֔ מִן־הָעָ֖ם אֲשֶׁ֣ר אִתִּ֑י וַיֹּ֨אמֶר֙ לָ֣מָּה זֶּ֔ה אֶמְצָא־חֵ֖ן בְּעֵינֵ֥י אֲדֹנִֽי:
וַיֹּאמֶר לָמָּה זֶּה - means: Jacob said, “Why should you do me this favor, seeing as I do not need it?”		וַיֹּאמֶר לָמָּה זֶּה. תַעֲשֶׂה לִי טוֹבָה זוֹ שֶׁאֵינִי צָרִיךְ לָהּ:
אֶמְצָא־חֵן בְּעֵינֵי אֲדֹנִֽי - I can remain favorable in my master’s eyes - and you need not repay me now any recompense for my gift.		אֶמְצָא־חֵן בְּעֵינֵי אֲדֹנִֽי. וְלֹא תְשַׁלֵּם לִי עַתָּה שׁוּם גְּמוּל:
16So, on that day, Esau returned on his way to Se’ir.		טזוַיָּ֩שָׁב֩ בַּיּ֨וֹם הַה֥וּא עֵשָׂ֛ו לְדַרְכּ֖וֹ שֵׂעִֽירָה:
וַיָּשָׁב בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא עֵשָׂו לְדַרְכּוֹ - On that day Esau returned on his way. Esau returned alone, for the 400 men who had accompanied him had slipped away from him one by one. And where do we find that the Holy One, blessed be He, paid them back for this? In the time of King David, as it says: “None of the Amalekites escaped except for 400 young men who rode on camels.” 20		וַיָּשָׁב בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא עֵשָׂו לְדַרְכּוֹ. עֵשָׂו לְבַדּוֹ, וְד' מֵאוֹת אִישׁ שֶׁהָלְכוּ עִמּוֹ נִשְׁמְטוּ מֵאֶצְלוֹ אֶחָד אֶחָד, וְהֵיכָן פָּרַע לָהֶם הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא? בִּימֵי דָוִד, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר כִּי אִם אַרְבַּע מֵאוֹת אִישׁ נַעַר אֲשֶׁר רָכְבוּ עַל הַגְּמַלִּים (שמואל א ל') (בראשית רבה):
17Jacob traveled to Sukot. He built himself houses and made shelters for his livestock. He therefore named the place Sukot (“shelters”).		יזוְיַֽעֲקֹב֙ נָסַ֣ע סֻכֹּ֔תָה וַיִּ֥בֶן ל֖וֹ בָּ֑יִת וּלְמִקְנֵ֨הוּ֙ עָשָׂ֣ה סֻכֹּ֔ת עַל־כֵּ֛ן קָרָ֥א שֵֽׁם־הַמָּק֖וֹם סֻכּֽוֹת:
וַיִּבֶן לוֹ בָּיִת - He built himself houses. He stayed there for 18 months: a summer, a winter, and another summer. The first “Sukot” (סֻכֹּתָה) (shelters for summer residence) indicates one summer; “houses” indicates winter residence; the second סֻכֹּת “shelters” indicates another summer.		וַיִּבֶן לוֹ בָּיִת. שָׁהָה שָׁם י"ח חֹדֶשׁ, קַיִץ וְחֹרֶף וְקַיִץ (מגילה י"ז), סֻכּוֹת – קַיִץ; בַּיִת – חֹרֶף, סֻכּוֹת – קַיִץ:
18Jacob arrived safely in the city of Shechem, which is in Canaan, having set out from Padan Aram. He camped in view of the city.		יחוַיָּבֹא֩ יַֽעֲקֹ֨ב שָׁלֵ֜ם עִ֣יר שְׁכֶ֗ם אֲשֶׁר֙ בְּאֶ֣רֶץ כְּנַ֔עַן בְּבֹא֖וֹ מִפַּדַּ֣ן אֲרָ֑ם וַיִּ֖חַן אֶת־פְּנֵ֥י הָעִֽיר:
שָׁלֵם - (lit.) Complete. Intact in body, for he was now fully recovered from his limp; intact in his wealth, for he did not suffer any loss due to having given that entire gift to Esau, for God had replaced everything; and intact in his Torah-knowledge, for he had not forgotten any of his studies while working in Laban’s house.		שָׁלֵם. שָׁלֵם בְּגוּפוֹ, שֶׁנִּתְרַפֵּא מִצָּלַעְתּוֹ; שָׁלֵם בְּמָמוֹנוֹ, שֶׁלֹּא חָסַר כְּלוּם מִכָּל אוֹתוֹ דּוֹרוֹן; שָׁלֵם בְּתוֹרָתוֹ, שֶׁלֹּא שָׁכַח תַּלְמוּדוֹ בְּבֵית לָבָן (שבת ל"ג):
עִיר שְׁכֶם - The city of Shechem. Although עִיר is written without the ל prefix, it has the same meaning as לְעִיר “to the city of.” A similar example is: “until they came בֵּית לָחֶם” 21 which means “to Bethlehem.”		עִיר שְׁכֶם. כְּמוֹ לְעִיר, וְכָמוֹהוּ עַד בּוֹאָנָה בֵּית לָחֶם (רות א'):
בְּבֹאוֹ מִפַּדַּן אֲרָם - Having set out from Padan Aram. Just as a person says to his friend, “That person escaped from between lions’ teeth and came out unharmed,” so here too, Scripture states (although it is self-understood) that he arrived intact from Padan Aram, i.e., from Laban and Esau who had met up with him on the way.		בְּבֹאוֹ מִפַּדַּן אֲרָם. כְּאָדָם הָאוֹמֵר לַחֲבֵרוֹ יָצָא פְּלוֹנִי מִבֵּין שִׁנֵּי אֲרָיוֹת וּבָא שָׁלֵם, אַף כָּאן וַיָּבֹא שָׁלֵם מִפַּדַּן אֲרָם, מִלָּבָן וּמֵעֵשָׂו שֶׁנִזְדַּוְּגוּ לוֹ בַּדֶּרֶךְ:
וַיִּחַן אֶת־פְּנֵי הָעִיר - He camped in view of the city. It was the eve of Sabbath; so is stated in She’iltot of Rav Achai.		וַיִּחַן אֶת פְּנֵי הָעִיר. עֶרֶב שַׁבָּת הָיָה. בִּשְׁאִלְתֹּות דְּרַב אֲחַאי:
19He purchased the parcel of land upon which he had pitched his tent from the sons of Shechem’s father, Chamor, with 100 kesitahs.		יטוַיִּ֜קֶן אֶת־חֶלְקַ֣ת הַשָּׂדֶ֗ה אֲשֶׁ֤ר נָֽטָה־שָׁם֙ אָהֳל֔וֹ מִיַּ֥ד בְּנֵֽי־חֲמ֖וֹר אֲבִ֣י שְׁכֶ֑ם בְּמֵאָ֖ה קְשִׂיטָֽה:
קְשִׂיטָֽה - Kesitah. This is the same as a ma’ah. Rabbi Akiva said, “When I traveled to the sea cities I found that they called a ma’ah, kesitah.” 22 Onkelos translates it as חוּרְפָן, meaning good coins that are current tender (חֲרִיפִים) everywhere, similar to עֹבֵר לַסֹּחֵר “negotiable currency.” 23		קְשִׂיטָֽה. מָעָה. אָמַר רַבִּי עֲקִיבָא כְּשֶׁהָלַכְתִּי לִכְרַכֵּי הַיָּם הָיוּ קוֹרִין לְמָעָה קְשִׂיטָה (וְתַרְגּוּמוֹ חוּרְפָן – טוֹבִים, חֲרִיפִים בְּכָל מָקוֹם, כְּגוֹן עוֹבֵר לַסּוֹחֵר):
20He erected an altar there, and he named the altar “God is the God of Israel.”		כוַיַּצֶּב־שָׁ֖ם מִזְבֵּ֑חַ וַיִּ֨קְרָא־ל֔וֹ אֵ֖ל אֱלֹהֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל:
וַיִּקְרָא־לוֹ אֵל אֱלֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵֽל - And he named it “God is the God of Israel. ” This does not mean that the altar was called “the God of Israel,” but because the Holy One, blessed be He, had been with him and saved him, he called the altar by a name that alluded to the miracle, so the praise of the Omnipresent would be mentioned whenever it is called by its name. Thus, its name means “He who is God – i.e., the Holy One, blessed be He – He is God for me, whose name is Israel.” Similarly, we find with Moses: “he gave the altar a name that made people proclaim: ה׳ נִסִּי.” 24 It does not mean that the altar was called ה׳ נִסִּי “God, my Miracle,” but that the altar’s name caused a proclamation recounting the miracle, declaring the praise of the Holy One, blessed be He: “God is My Miracle.” And our rabbis explained this verse to mean that the Holy One, blessed be He, called Jacob by the name אֵל. The words of the Torah are indeed like a hammer that splinters a rock, in that they can be divided into several interpretations. I, however, have come just to explain the plain sense of the verse.		וַיִּקְרָא־לוֹ אֵל אֱלֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵֽל. לֹא שֶׁהַמִּזְבֵּחַ קָרוּי אֱלֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶלָּא עַל שֵׁם שֶׁהָיָה הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא עִמּוֹ וְהִצִּילוֹ קָרָא שֵׁם הַמִּזְבֵּחַ עַל שֵׁם הַנֵּס, לִהְיוֹת שִׁבְחוֹ שֶׁל מָקוֹם נִזְכָּר בִּקְרִיאַת הַשֵּׁם, כְּלוֹמַר מִי שֶׁהוּא אֵל, הוּא הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, הוּא לֵאלֹהִים לִי, שֶׁשְּׁמִי יִשְׂרָאֵל. וְכֵן מָצִינוּ בְּמֹשֶׁה וַיִּקְרָא שְׁמוֹ ה' נִסִּי (שמות י"ז), לֹא שֶׁהַמִּזְבֵּחַ קָרוּי ה', אֶלָּא עַל שֵׁם הַנֵּס קָרָא שֵׁם הַמִּזְבֵּחַ לְהַזְכִּיר שִׁבְחוֹ שֶׁל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, ה' הוּא נִסִּי. וְרַבּוֹתֵנוּ דָּרְשׁוּ שֶׁהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא קְרָאוֹ לְיַעֲקֹב אֵל (מגילה י"ח); וְדִבְרֵי תוֹרָה כְּפַטִּישׁ יְפֹצֵץ סָלַע (ע' שבת פ"ח) – מִתְחַלְּקִים לְכַמָּה טְעָמִים, וַאֲנִי לְיַשֵּׁב פְּשׁוּטוֹ שֶׁל מִקְרָא בָּאתִי:

Footnotes

2 Kings 18:31.

2 Samuel 8:10.

1 Samuel 6:7.

2 Samuel 18:5.

Rosh Hashanah 26a.

Fifth Portion

Bereshit (Genesis) Chapter 34

1Dinah daughter of Leah, whom Leah had borne to Jacob, She went out to observe the girls of that region.		אוַתֵּצֵ֤א דִינָה֙ בַּת־לֵאָ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר יָֽלְדָ֖ה לְיַֽעֲקֹ֑ב לִרְא֖וֹת בִּבְנ֥וֹת הָאָֽרֶץ:
בַּת־לֵאָה - The daughter of Leah. And not “the daughter of Jacob”? However, it is because of her going out that she is called the daughter of Leah, for she too had a propensity for going out, as it says: “Leah went out to greet him.” 1 Regarding her they formulated the proverb, “like mother, like daughter.” 2		בַּת־לֵאָה. וְלֹא בַת יַעֲקֹב? אֶלָּא עַל שֵׁם יְצִיאָתָהּ נִקְרֵאת בַּת לֵאָה, שֶׁאַף הִיא יַצְאָנִית הָיְתָה (בראשית רבה), שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר וַתֵּצֶא לֵאָה לִקְרָאתוֹ (וְעָלֶיהָ מָשְׁלוּ הַמָּשָׁל כְּאִמָּהּ כְּבִתָּהּ):
2But Shechem, son of Chamor the Hivite, who was the chief of the region, saw her, took her, raped her, and abused her carnally in other ways, as well.		בוַיַּ֨רְא אֹתָ֜הּ שְׁכֶ֧ם בֶּן־חֲמ֛וֹר הַֽחִוִּ֖י נְשִׂ֣יא הָאָ֑רֶץ וַיִּקַּ֥ח אֹתָ֛הּ וַיִּשְׁכַּ֥ב אֹתָ֖הּ וַיְעַנֶּֽהָ:
וַיִּשְׁכַּב אֹתָהּ - (lit.) He slept with her - in the usual manner.		וַיִּשְׁכַּב אֹתָהּ. כְּדַרְכָּהּ:
וַיְעַנֶּֽהָ - And abused her - by lying with her in an unusual manner.		וַיְעַנֶּֽהָ. שֶׁלֹּא כְדַרְכָּהּ (בראשית רבה):
3He became attached to Jacob’s daughter Dinah; he loved the girl, and spoke to the girl in a way he hoped would win over her heart.		גוַתִּדְבַּ֣ק נַפְשׁ֔וֹ בְּדִינָ֖ה בַּת־יַֽעֲקֹ֑ב וַיֶּֽאֱהַב֙ אֶת־הַנַּֽעֲרָה֔ (כתיב הנער) וַיְדַבֵּ֖ר עַל־לֵ֥ב הַנַּֽעֲרָֽה (כתיב הנער) :
עַל־לֵב הנערה - (lit.) Upon the girl’s heart - i.e., words appealing to her heart: “See how much money your father spent on a small parcel of land. I will marry you and you will thereby acquire the city with all its fields.”		עַל־לֵב הנערה. דְּבָרִים הַמִּתְיַשְּׁבִים עַל הַלֵּב; רְאִי, אָבִיךְ בְּחֶלְקַת שָׂדֶה קְטַנָּה כַּמָּה מָמוֹן בִּזְבֵּז, אֲנִי אַשִּׂיאֵךְ וְתִקְנֶה הָעִיר וְכָל שְׂדוֹתֶיהָ:
4Shechem spoke to his father, Chamor, as follows: “Get me this young girl as a wife.”		דוַיֹּ֣אמֶר שְׁכֶ֔ם אֶל־חֲמ֥וֹר אָבִ֖יו לֵאמֹ֑ר קַח־לִ֛י אֶת־הַיַּלְדָּ֥ה הַזֹּ֖את לְאִשָּֽׁה:
5Now Jacob heard that Shechem had defiled his daughter Dinah. His sons were in the field with his livestock, so Jacob held his peace until they arrived.		הוְיַֽעֲקֹ֣ב שָׁמַ֗ע כִּ֤י טִמֵּא֙ אֶת־דִּינָ֣ה בִתּ֔וֹ וּבָנָ֛יו הָי֥וּ אֶת־מִקְנֵ֖הוּ בַּשָּׂדֶ֑ה וְהֶֽחֱרִ֥שׁ יַֽעֲקֹ֖ב עַד־בֹּאָֽם:
6Meanwhile, Shechem’s father, Chamor, went out to Jacob to speak with him.		ווַיֵּצֵ֛א חֲמ֥וֹר אֲבִֽי־שְׁכֶ֖ם אֶל־יַֽעֲקֹ֑ב לְדַבֵּ֖ר אִתּֽוֹ:
7Jacob’s sons returned from the field when they heard what Shechem had done to Dinah. The men, her brothers, became aggrieved and were deeply incensed, for Shechem had committed an outrage to their father Israel by raping their sister, Jacob’s daughter. Such a thing was considered socially and legally taboo.		זוּבְנֵ֣י יַֽעֲקֹ֗ב בָּ֤אוּ מִן־הַשָּׂדֶה֙ כְּשָׁמְעָ֔ם וַיִּתְעַצְּבוּ֙ הָֽאֲנָשִׁ֔ים וַיִּ֥חַר לָהֶ֖ם מְאֹ֑ד כִּ֣י נְבָלָ֞ה עָשָׂ֣ה בְיִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל לִשְׁכַּב֙ אֶת־בַּת־יַֽעֲקֹ֔ב וְכֵ֖ן לֹ֥א יֵֽעָשֶֽׂה:
וְכֵן לֹא יֵֽעָשֶֽׂה - Such a thing was considered taboo - to violate virgins, for even the nations of the world restricted themselves from immoral relationships as a result of the Flood.		וְכֵן לֹא יֵֽעָשֶֽׂה. לְעַנּוֹת אֶת הַבְּתוּלוֹת, שֶׁהָאֻמּוֹת גָּדְרוּ עַצְמָן מִן הָעֲרָיוֹת עַל יְדֵי הַמַּבּוּל (בראשית רבה):
8Chamor spoke with them, saying, “My son Shechem deeply desires your daughter. I implore you, give her to him in marriage		חוַיְדַבֵּ֥ר חֲמ֖וֹר אִתָּ֣ם לֵאמֹ֑ר שְׁכֶ֣ם בְּנִ֗י חָֽשְׁקָ֤ה נַפְשׁוֹ֙ בְּבִתְּכֶ֔ם תְּנ֨וּ נָ֥א אֹתָ֛הּ ל֖וֹ לְאִשָּֽׁה:
חָֽשְׁקָה - means “desires.”		חָֽשְׁקָה. חָפְצָה:
9and intermarry with us: give us your daughters, and take our daughters for yourselves.		טוְהִתְחַתְּנ֖וּ אֹתָ֑נוּ בְּנֹֽתֵיכֶם֙ תִּתְּנוּ־לָ֔נוּ וְאֶת־בְּנֹתֵ֖ינוּ תִּקְח֥וּ לָכֶֽם:
10You will live among us, and the land will be open before you; you may settle it, trade in it, and acquire holdings in it.”		יוְאִתָּ֖נוּ תֵּשֵׁ֑בוּ וְהָאָ֨רֶץ֙ תִּֽהְיֶ֣ה לִפְנֵיכֶ֔ם שְׁבוּ֙ וּסְחָר֔וּהָ וְהֵאָֽחֲז֖וּ בָּֽהּ:
11Then Shechem said to her father and brothers, “Let me find favor in your eyes, and whatever you tell me to give as a dowry, I will give.		יאוַיֹּ֤אמֶר שְׁכֶם֙ אֶל־אָבִ֣יהָ וְאֶל־אַחֶ֔יהָ אֶמְצָא־חֵ֖ן בְּעֵֽינֵיכֶ֑ם וַֽאֲשֶׁ֧ר תֹּאמְר֛וּ אֵלַ֖י אֶתֵּֽן:
12Go ahead, demand of me an exceedingly high figure for the dowry you will stipulate in the bridal contract, and for gifts, and I will give as much as you tell me; just give me this girl as a wife!”		יבהַרְבּ֨וּ עָלַ֤י מְאֹד֙ מֹ֣הַר וּמַתָּ֔ן וְאֶ֨תְּנָ֔ה כַּֽאֲשֶׁ֥ר תֹּֽאמְר֖וּ אֵלָ֑י וּתְנוּ־לִ֥י אֶת־הַנַּֽעֲרָ֖ (כתיב הנער) לְאִשָּֽׁה:
מֹהַר - (lit.) Gift. This is the marriage contract.		מֹהַר. כְּתֻבָּה:
13When Jacob’s sons replied to Shechem and his father, Chamor, they spoke cunningly, for he had defiled their sister Dinah.		יגוַיַּֽעֲנ֨וּ בְנֵי־יַֽעֲקֹ֜ב אֶת־שְׁכֶ֨ם וְאֶת־חֲמ֥וֹר אָבִ֛יו בְּמִרְמָ֖ה וַיְדַבֵּ֑רוּ אֲשֶׁ֣ר טִמֵּ֔א אֵ֖ת דִּינָ֥ה אֲחֹתָֽם:
בְּמִרְמָה - Cunningly - here means “astutely.”		בְּמִרְמָה. בְּחָכְמָה:
אֲשֶׁר טִמֵּא - (lit.) Who had defiled. Scripture tells us that it was not considered deceit, for he had defiled their sister Dinah and therefore deserved punishment.		אֲשֶׁר טִמֵּא. הַכָּתוּב אוֹמֵר שֶׁלֹּא הָיְתָה רְמִיָּה, שֶׁהֲרֵי טִמֵּא אֶת דִּינָה אֲחֹתָם (בראשית רבה):
14They told them, “We cannot do this thing, to give our sister to an uncircumcised man, for that would be considered a disgrace to us.		ידוַיֹּֽאמְר֣וּ אֲלֵיהֶ֗ם לֹ֤א נוּכַל֙ לַֽעֲשׂוֹת֙ הַדָּבָ֣ר הַזֶּ֔ה לָתֵת֙ אֶת־אֲחֹתֵ֔נוּ לְאִ֖ישׁ אֲשֶׁר־ל֣וֹ עָרְלָ֑ה כִּֽי־חֶרְפָּ֥ה הִ֖וא לָֽנוּ:
חֶרְפָּה הִוא - means “it is a taint of disqualification among us”; one who wishes to insult his fellow says to him: “You are uncircumcised” or “the son of one who is uncircumcised.” The word חֶרְפָּה always has the sense of insulting.		חֶרְפָּה הִוא. שֶׁמֶץ פְּסוּל הוּא אֶצְלֵנוּ; הַבָּא לְחָרֵף חֲבֵרוֹ הוּא אוֹמֵר לוֹ עָרֵל אַתָּה אוֹ בֶּן עָרֵל. חֶרְפָּה בְּכָל מָקוֹם גִּדּוּף:
15Therefore, we will give our assent only on this condition: that you be like us in that every male among you be circumcised.		טואַךְ־בְּזֹ֖את נֵא֣וֹת לָכֶ֑ם אִ֚ם תִּֽהְי֣וּ כָמֹ֔נוּ לְהִמֹּ֥ל לָכֶ֖ם כָּל־זָכָֽר:
נֵאוֹת לָכֶם - means “we will be willing to agree with you.” It is of the same root as “the priests agreed (וַיֵּאֹתוּ).” 3		נֵאוֹת לָכֶם. נִתְרַצֶּה לָכֶם, לְשׁוֹן וַיֵּאֹתוּ (מלכים ב י"ב):
לְהִמֹּל - means “to be circumcised.” It is not an active (kal) form (לִפְעוֹל), but a passive (nif’al) form (לְהִפָּעֵל).		לְהִמֹּל. לִהְיוֹת נִמּוֹל. אֵינוֹ לְשׁוֹן לִפְעֹל אֶלָּא לְשׁוֹן לְהִפָּעֵל:
16We will then give you our daughters and take your daughters for ourselves, and we will live together with you and become a single nation.		טזוְנָתַ֤נּוּ אֶת־בְּנֹתֵ֨ינוּ֙ לָכֶ֔ם וְאֶת־בְּנֹֽתֵיכֶ֖ם נִקַּח־לָ֑נוּ וְיָשַׁ֣בְנוּ אִתְּכֶ֔ם וְהָיִ֖ינוּ לְעַ֥ם אֶחָֽד:
וְנָתַנּוּ - We will then give. The second נ has a dagesh because it is in place of two נ’s, as if it were written וְנָתַנְנוּ.		וְנָתַנּוּ. נוּ"ן שְׁנִיָּה מֻדְגֶּשֶׁת לְפִי שֶׁהִיא מְשַׁמֶּשֶׁת בִּמְקוֹם שְׁתֵּי נוּנִי"ן, וְנָתַנְנוּ:
וְאֶת־בְּנֹֽתֵיכֶם נִקַּח־לָנוּ - And take your daughters for ourselves. You find in the stipulation that Chamor proposed to Jacob 4 and in the response of Jacob’s sons to Chamor, that they granted preeminence to Jacob’s sons, that they could take whomever they would choose among the daughters of Shechem and give their own daughters to the men of Shechem at their discretion, as it is written: “We will give our daughters” – at our discretion – “and your daughters we will take for ourselves” – according to whatever we wish. But when Chamor and his son Shechem spoke to the inhabitants of their city, they reversed the order: “We will take their daughters as wives, and we will give our daughters to them” 5 – so as to convince them to agree to be circumcised.		וְאֶת־בְּנֹֽתֵיכֶם נִקַּח־לָנוּ. אַתָּה מוֹצֵא בַּתְּנַאי שֶׁאָמַר חֲמוֹר לְיַעֲקֹב וּבִתְשׁוּבַת בְּנֵי יַעֲקֹב לַחֲמוֹר, שֶׁתָּלוּ הַחֲשִׁיבוּת בִּבְנֵי יַעֲקֹב לִקַּח בְּנוֹת שְׁכֶם אֶת שֶׁיִּבְחֲרוּ לָהֶם, וּבְנוֹתֵיהֶם יִתְּנוּ לָהֶם לְפִי דַעְתָּם, דִּכְתִיב וְנָתַנּוּ אֶת בְּנֹתֵינוּ – לְפִי דַעְתֵּנוּ, וְאֶת בְּנֹתֵיכֶם נִקַּח לָנוּ – כְּכָל אֲשֶׁר נַחְפֹּץ; וּכְשֶׁדִּבְּרוּ חֲמוֹר וּשְׁכֶם בְּנוֹ אֶל יוֹשְׁבֵי עִירָם הָפְכוּ הַדְּבָרִים, אֶת בְּנֹתָם נִקַּח לָנוּ לְנָשִׁים וְאֶת בְּנֹתֵינוּ נִתֵּן לָהֶם, כְּדֵי לְרַצּוֹתָם שֶׁיֵּאוֹתוּ לְהִמּוֹל:
17But if you do not heed us and circumcise yourselves, we will take our sister, our father’s daughter, and depart.”		יזוְאִם־לֹ֧א תִשְׁמְע֛וּ אֵלֵ֖ינוּ לְהִמּ֑וֹל וְלָקַ֥חְנוּ אֶת־בִּתֵּ֖נוּ וְהָלָֽכְנוּ:
18Their terms were acceptable to Chamor and to Shechem, Chamor’s son.		יחוַיִּֽיטְב֥וּ דִבְרֵיהֶ֖ם בְּעֵינֵ֣י חֲמ֑וֹר וּבְעֵינֵ֖י שְׁכֶ֥ם בֶּן־חֲמֽוֹר:
19The young man did not delay in carrying out this thing, since he desired Jacob’s daughter, and he was the most respected person in his father’s household.		יטוְלֹֽא־אֵחַ֤ר הַנַּ֨עַר֙ לַעֲשׂ֣וֹת הַדָּבָ֔ר כִּ֥י חָפֵ֖ץ בְּבַת־יַֽעֲקֹ֑ב וְה֣וּא נִכְבָּ֔ד מִכֹּ֖ל בֵּ֥ית אָבִֽיו:
20Chamor then came with his son Shechem to the gate of their city, and they spoke to the men of their city as follows:		כוַיָּבֹ֥א חֲמ֛וֹר וּשְׁכֶ֥ם בְּנ֖וֹ אֶל־שַׁ֣עַר עִירָ֑ם וַיְדַבְּר֛וּ אֶל־אַנְשֵׁ֥י עִירָ֖ם לֵאמֹֽר:
21“These men are fully at peace with us. Let them live in the land and trade in it, for the land has ample room for them. We will take their daughters as wives, and we will give our daughters to them.		כאהָֽאֲנָשִׁ֨ים הָאֵ֜לֶּה שְׁלֵמִ֧ים הֵ֣ם אִתָּ֗נוּ וְיֵֽשְׁב֤וּ בָאָ֨רֶץ֙ וְיִסְחֲר֣וּ אֹתָ֔הּ וְהָאָ֛רֶץ הִנֵּ֥ה רַֽחֲבַת־יָדַ֖יִם לִפְנֵיהֶ֑ם אֶת־בְּנֹתָם֙ נִקַּח־לָ֣נוּ לְנָשִׁ֔ים וְאֶת־בְּנֹתֵ֖ינוּ נִתֵּ֥ן לָהֶֽם:
שְׁלֵמִים - means “at peace and wholeheartedly with us.”		שְׁלֵמִים. בְּשָׁלוֹם וּבְלֵב שָׁלֵם:
וְהָאָרֶץ הִנֵּה רַֽחֲבַת־יָדַיִם - (lit.) The land is of wide hands. This is a metaphor: like a person whose hand is broad and generous. In other words: You will not lose anything by their trading here, for much merchandise comes here from surrounding areas that has no buyers.		וְהָאָרֶץ הִנֵּה רַֽחֲבַת־יָדַיִם. כְּאָדָם שֶׁיָּדוֹ רְחָבָה וּוַתְרָנִית; כְּלוֹמַר, אַל תַּפְסִידוּ כְּלוּם – פְּרַקְמַטְיָא הַרְבֵּה בָּאָה לְכָאן וְאֵין לָהּ קוֹנִים:
22But only on this condition will these men consent to live with us and become one nation: that every male among us be circumcised, just as they are circumcised.		כבאַךְ־בְּ֠זֹ֠את יֵאֹ֨תוּ לָ֤נוּ הָֽאֲנָשִׁים֙ לָשֶׁ֣בֶת אִתָּ֔נוּ לִֽהְי֖וֹת לְעַ֣ם אֶחָ֑ד בְּהִמּ֥וֹל לָ֨נוּ֙ כָּל־זָכָ֔ר כַּֽאֲשֶׁ֖ר הֵ֥ם נִמֹּלִֽים:
בְּהִמּוֹל - means “that every male be circumcised,” i.e., the passive form.		בְּהִמּוֹל. בִּהְיוֹת נִמּוֹל:
23After all, when they will dwell among us, their livestock, their possessions, and all their animals will become ours. Let us just agree to their condition and they will live among us.”		כגמִקְנֵהֶ֤ם וְקִנְיָנָם֙ וְכָל־בְּהֶמְתָּ֔ם הֲל֥וֹא לָ֖נוּ הֵ֑ם אַ֚ךְ נֵא֣וֹתָה לָהֶ֔ם וְיֵֽשְׁב֖וּ אִתָּֽנוּ:
אַךְ נֵאוֹתָה לָהֶם - Just let us agree to their condition - on this matter, and as a result, “they will live among us.”		אַךְ נֵאוֹתָה לָהֶם. לְדָבָר זֶה, וְעַל יְדֵי כֵן יֵשְׁבוּ אִתָּנוּ:
24All the people who had come out to the gate of Chamor’s city heeded Chamor and his son Shechem, and all the males who came out to the gate of his city had themselves circumcised.		כדוַיִּשְׁמְע֤וּ אֶל־חֲמוֹר֙ וְאֶל־שְׁכֶ֣ם בְּנ֔וֹ כָּל־יֹֽצְאֵ֖י שַׁ֣עַר עִיר֑וֹ וַיִּמֹּ֨לוּ֙ כָּל־זָכָ֔ר כָּל־יֹֽצְאֵ֖י שַׁ֥עַר עִירֽוֹ:
25On the third day after their circumcision, when the Hivites were in pain, two of Jacob’s sons, Simeon and Levi, Dinah’s brothers, each took up his sword. They fell upon the city, confidently, and killed every male.		כהוַיְהִי֩ בַיּ֨וֹם הַשְּׁלִישִׁ֜י בִּֽהְיוֹתָ֣ם כֹּֽאֲבִ֗ים וַיִּקְח֣וּ שְׁנֵֽי־בְנֵֽי־יַֽ֠עֲקֹ֠ב שִׁמְע֨וֹן וְלֵוִ֜י אֲחֵ֤י דִינָה֙ אִ֣ישׁ חַרְבּ֔וֹ וַיָּבֹ֥אוּ עַל־הָעִ֖יר בֶּ֑טַח וַיַּֽהַרְג֖וּ כָּל־זָכָֽר:
שְׁנֵֽי־בְנֵֽי־יַֽעֲקֹב - Two of Jacob’s sons. They were his sons, but nevertheless they acted like “Simeon and Levi” – other people who were not his sons, for they did not seek advice from him.		שְׁנֵֽי־בְנֵֽי־יַֽעֲקֹב. בָּנָיו הָיוּ, וְאַף עַל פִּי כֵן נָהֲגוּ עַצְמָן שִׁמְעוֹן וְלֵוִי כִּשְׁאָר אֲנָשִׁים שֶׁאֵינָם בָּנָיו, שֶׁלֹּא נָטְלוּ עֵצָה הֵימֶנּוּ (בראשית רבה):
אֲחֵי דִינָה - Dinah’s brothers. Because they risked their lives for her, they specifically were called her brothers.		אֲחֵי דִינָה. לְפִי שֶׁמָּסְרוּ עַצְמָן עָלֶיהָ נִקְרְאוּ אַחֶיהָ:
בֶּטַח - Confidently - because the people of the city were in pain. And the aggadic explanation is: They were confident in the power of the elder Jacob’s merit.		בֶּטַח. שֶׁהָיוּ כוֹאֲבִים וּמִדְרַשׁ אַגָּדָה בְּטוּחִים הָיוּ עַל כֹּחוֹ שֶׁל זָקֵן (בראשית רבה):
26They also killed Chamor and his son Shechem by the sword, and took Dinah from Shechem’s house and left.		כווְאֶת־חֲמוֹר֙ וְאֶת־שְׁכֶ֣ם בְּנ֔וֹ הָֽרְג֖וּ לְפִי־חָ֑רֶב וַיִּקְח֧וּ אֶת־דִּינָ֛ה מִבֵּ֥ית שְׁכֶ֖ם וַיֵּצֵֽאוּ:
27Jacob’s sons came to strip the slain of their possessions, and they plundered the city that had defiled their sister.		כזבְּנֵ֣י יַֽעֲקֹ֗ב בָּ֚אוּ עַל־הַ֣חֲלָלִ֔ים וַיָּבֹ֖זּוּ הָעִ֑יר אֲשֶׁ֥ר טִמְּא֖וּ אֲחוֹתָֽם:
עַל־הַחֲלָלִים - (lit.) Upon the slain - means: “to strip the slain,” and so Onkelos translates it: לְחַלָּצָא קְטִילַיָּא.		עַל־הַחֲלָלִים. לְפַשֵּׁט הַחֲלָלִים:
28They took the Hivites’ flocks, cattle, donkeys, and whatever else was in the city and the field.		כחאֶת־צֹאנָ֥ם וְאֶת־בְּקָרָ֖ם וְאֶת־חֲמֹֽרֵיהֶ֑ם וְאֵ֧ת אֲשֶׁר־בָּעִ֛יר וְאֶת־אֲשֶׁ֥ר בַּשָּׂדֶ֖ה לָקָֽחוּ:
29They seized all their money and captured all their children and womenfolk, and plundered everything in the houses.		כטוְאֶת־כָּל־חֵילָ֤ם וְאֶת־כָּל־טַפָּם֙ וְאֶת־נְשֵׁיהֶ֔ם שָׁב֖וּ וַיָּבֹ֑זּוּ וְאֵ֖ת כָּל־אֲשֶׁ֥ר בַּבָּֽיִת:
חֵילָם - means “their money.” And similarly we find: “have accumulated this wealth (הַחַיִל) for me,” 6 “Israel will amass wealth (חָיִל),” 7 and “and they leave their wealth (חֵילָם) to others.” 8		חֵילָם. מָמוֹנָם וְכֵן עָשָׂה לִי אֶת הַחַיִל הַזֶּה (דברים ח'), וְיִשְׂרָאֵל עֹשֶׂה חָיִל (במדבר כ"ד), וְעָזְבוּ לַאֲחֵרִים חֵילָם (תהילים מ"ט):
שָׁבוּ - This is an expression of “taking captive,” and therefore it is accented on the last syllable.		שָׁבוּ. לְשׁוֹן שְׁבִיָּה, לְפִיכָךְ טַעֲמוֹ מִלְּרָע:
30Jacob said to Simeon and Levi, “You have taken away my peace of mind by making me odious among the local inhabitants, i.e., the Canaanites and the Perizites. I have only a few people on my side; if they now band together against me to attack me, I and my family will be wiped out.”		לוַיֹּ֨אמֶר יַֽעֲקֹ֜ב אֶל־שִׁמְע֣וֹן וְאֶל־לֵוִי֘ עֲכַרְתֶּ֣ם אֹתִי֒ לְהַבְאִישֵׁ֨נִי֙ בְּישֵׁ֣ב הָאָ֔רֶץ בַּכְּנַֽעֲנִ֖י וּבַפְּרִזִּ֑י וַֽאֲנִי֙ מְתֵ֣י מִסְפָּ֔ר וְנֶֽאֶסְפ֤וּ עָלַי֙ וְהִכּ֔וּנִי וְנִשְׁמַדְתִּ֖י אֲנִ֥י וּבֵיתִֽי:
עֲכַרְתֶּם - This has a similar meaning to מַיִם עֲכוּרִים “murky water”; i.e., “my mind is not clear now.” And the aggadic explanation is: “the barrel was clear and you clouded (עֲכַרְתֶּם) it.” There was a tradition among the Canaanites that they would fall into the hands of Jacob’s descendants, but they said that this would not happen “until you increase and occupy the land.” 9 Therefore, they had kept quiet until now.		עֲכַרְתֶּם. לְשׁוֹן מַיִם עֲכוּרִים, אֵין דַּעְתִּי צְלוּלָה עַכְשָׁו (ברכות כ"ה). וְאַגָּדָה, צְלוּלָה הָיְתָה הֶחָבִית וַעֲכַרְתֶּם אוֹתָהּ (בראשית רבה) – מָסֹרֶת הָיְתָה בְּיַד כְּנַעֲנִים שֶׁיִּפְּלוּ בְּיַד בְּנֵי יַעֲקֹב, אֶלָּא שֶׁהָיוּ אוֹמְרִים עַד אֲשֶׁר תִּפְרֶה וְנָחַלְתָּ אֶת הָאָרֶץ (שמות כ"ג), לְפִיכָךְ הָיוּ שׁוֹתְקִין:
מְתֵי מִסְפָּר - means “a few people.”		מְתֵי מִסְפָּר. אֲנָשִׁים מוּעָטִים:
31Simeon and Levi replied, “Should he have been allowed to treat our sister like a woman who is not protected by her family?”		לאוַֽיֹּאמְר֑וּ הַֽכְזוֹנָ֕ה יַֽעֲשֶׂ֖ה אֶת־אֲחוֹתֵֽנוּ:
הַֽכְזוֹנָה - means here “as if she is abandoned.”		הַֽכְזוֹנָה. הֶפְקֵר:
אֶת־אֲחוֹתֵֽנוּ - Onkelos translates this as: יָת אֲחָתָנָא – “our sister.”		אֶת־אֲחוֹתֵֽנוּ. יָת אֲחָתָנָא:

Bereshit (Genesis) Chapter 35

1God said to Jacob, “Arise, go up to Bethel and live there, and make an altar there to God, who appeared to you when you were fleeing your brother Esau.”		אוַיֹּ֤אמֶר אֱלֹהִים֙ אֶל־יַֽעֲקֹ֔ב ק֛וּם עֲלֵ֥ה בֵֽית־אֵ֖ל וְשֶׁב־שָׁ֑ם וַֽעֲשֵׂה־שָׁ֣ם מִזְבֵּ֔חַ לָאֵל֙ הַנִּרְאֶ֣ה אֵלֶ֔יךָ בְּבָ֨רְחֲךָ֔ מִפְּנֵ֖י עֵשָׂ֥ו אָחִֽיךָ:
קוּם עֲלֵה - Arise, go up. Because you tarried on the way and did not hasten to fulfill your vow, you were punished, and this trouble from your daughter befell you.		קוּם עֲלֵה. לְפִי שֶׁאֵחַרְתָּ בַּדֶּרֶךְ נֶעֱנַשְׁתָּ וּבָא לְךָ זֹאת מִבִּתְּךָ (תנחומא):
2Jacob said to his household and to all those who were with him, “Remove the idols you took as spoil from the non-Jews in Shechem and that are now in your possession; ritually purify yourselves; and change your clothes.		בוַיֹּ֤אמֶר יַֽעֲקֹב֙ אֶל־בֵּית֔וֹ וְאֶ֖ל כָּל־אֲשֶׁ֣ר עִמּ֑וֹ הָסִ֜רוּ אֶת־אֱלֹהֵ֤י הַנֵּכָר֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר בְּתֹֽכְכֶ֔ם וְהִטַּֽהֲר֔וּ וְהַֽחֲלִ֖יפוּ שִׂמְלֹֽתֵיכֶֽם:
הַנֵּכָר - The idols - that you have in your possession from the spoil of Shechem.		הַנֵּכָר. שֶׁיֵּשׁ בְּיֶדְכֶם מִשָּׁלָל שֶׁל שְׁכֶם:
וְהִטַּֽהֲרוּ - Purify yourselves - of idolatry.		וְהִטַּֽהֲרוּ. מֵעֲבוֹדָה זָרָה:
וְהַֽחֲלִיפוּ שִׂמְלֹֽתֵיכֶֽם - And change your clothes - in case you have in your possession a garment of idolatry.		וְהַֽחֲלִיפוּ שִׂמְלֹֽתֵיכֶֽם. שֶׁמָּא יֵשׁ בְּיֶדְכֶם כְּסוּת שֶׁל עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה:
3Then we will arise and go up to Bethel, and there I will make an altar to God, who has always answered me in my time of distress, and who has always accompanied me and protected me on the journey that I took.”		גוְנָק֥וּמָה וְנַֽעֲלֶ֖ה בֵּֽית־אֵ֑ל וְאֶֽעֱשֶׂה־שָּׁ֣ם מִזְבֵּ֗חַ לָאֵ֞ל הָֽעֹנֶ֤ה אֹתִי֙ בְּי֣וֹם צָֽרָתִ֔י וַֽיְהִי֙ עִמָּדִ֔י בַּדֶּ֖רֶךְ אֲשֶׁ֥ר הָלָֽכְתִּי:
4They handed over all the idols in their possession to Jacob, as well as the earrings in their ears, and Jacob buried them under the terebinth that is next to Shechem.		דוַיִּתְּנ֣וּ אֶל־יַֽעֲקֹ֗ב אֵ֣ת כָּל־אֱלֹהֵ֤י הַנֵּכָר֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר בְּיָדָ֔ם וְאֶת־הַנְּזָמִ֖ים אֲשֶׁ֣ר בְּאָזְנֵיהֶ֑ם וַיִּטְמֹ֤ן אֹתָם֙ יַֽעֲקֹ֔ב תַּ֥חַת הָֽאֵלָ֖ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר עִם־שְׁכֶֽם:
הָֽאֵלָה - The terebinth. This is a type of non-fruit-bearing tree.		הָֽאֵלָה. מִין אִילַן סְרָק:
עִם־שְׁכֶֽם - (lit.) With Shechem - here means “next to Shechem.”		עִם־שְׁכֶֽם. אֵצֶל שְׁכֶם:
5They set out. The dread of God fell upon the inhabitants of the surrounding cities, and they did not pursue Jacob and his sons.		הוַיִּסָּ֑עוּ וַיְהִ֣י \| חִתַּ֣ת אֱלֹהִ֗ים עַל־הֶֽעָרִים֙ אֲשֶׁר֙ סְבִיב֣וֹתֵיהֶ֔ם וְלֹ֣א רָֽדְפ֔וּ אַֽחֲרֵ֖י בְּנֵ֥י יַֽעֲקֹֽב:
חִתַּת - means “dread.”		חִתַּת. פַּחַד:
6Thus Jacob came to Luz, which is Bethel, in Canaan—he and all the people who were with him.		ווַיָּבֹ֨א יַֽעֲקֹ֜ב ל֗וּזָה אֲשֶׁר֙ בְּאֶ֣רֶץ כְּנַ֔עַן הִ֖וא בֵּֽית־אֵ֑ל ה֖וּא וְכָל־הָעָ֥ם אֲשֶׁר־עִמּֽוֹ:
7He built an altar there, and he named the place on which the altar stood El-Bethel [“God is revealed in Bethel”], since it was there that God revealed Himself to him when he was fleeing his brother Esau.		זוַיִּ֤בֶן שָׁם֙ מִזְבֵּ֔חַ וַיִּקְרָא֙ לַמָּק֔וֹם אֵ֖ל בֵּֽית־אֵ֑ל כִּ֣י שָׁ֗ם נִגְל֤וּ אֵלָיו֙ הָֽאֱלֹהִ֔ים בְּבָרְח֖וֹ מִפְּנֵ֥י אָחִֽיו:
אֵל בֵּֽית־אֵל - means “the Holy One, blessed be He, is in Bethel,” i.e., His Divine Presence is revealed in Bethel. Sometimes there are words that are missing the requisite ב prefix, as in: “He is indeed (lit.) the house of Machir (בֵּית מָכִיר) ben Amiel,” 10 which is the equivalent of בְּבֵית מָכִיר “in the house of Machir”; and as in: בֵּית אָבִיךְ “your father’s house,” 11 which is the equivalent of בְּבֵית אָבִיךְ “in your father’s house.”		אֵל בֵּֽית־אֵל. הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא בְּבֵית אֵל, גִּלּוּי שְׁכִינָתוֹ בְּבֵית אֵל. יֵשׁ תֵּבָה חֲסֵרָה בֵּי"ת הַמְשַׁמֶּשֶׁת בְּרֹאשָׁהּ, כְּמוֹ הִנֵּה הוּא בֵּית מָכִיר בֶּן עַמִּיאֵל (שמואל ב ט') – כְּמוֹ בְּבֵית מָכִיר; בֵּית אָבִיךְ (בראשית ל״ח:י״א) – כְּמוֹ בְּבֵית אָבִיךְ:
נִגְלוּ אֵלָיו הָֽאֱלֹהִים - God revealed himself to him. There are many places where terms referring to God (אֱלֹהוּת) and ownership (אַדְנוּת) are written in the plural, as in: “Joseph’s master (אֲדֹנֵי)”; 12 “If its owner (בְּעָלָיו) was working with him,” 13 where it does not say בַּעֲלוֹ (the singular form). And similarly the Name אֱלָהוּת, which denotes judgeship and authority, is mentioned in the plural. However, you will not find any of the other Names of God in the plural.		נִגְלוּ אֵלָיו הָֽאֱלֹהִים. בִּמְקוֹמוֹת הַרְבֵּה יֵשׁ שֵׁם אֱלֹהוּת וְאַדְנוּת בִּלְשׁוֹן רַבִּים, כְּמוֹ אֲדֹנֵי יוֹסֵף (שם ל"ט), אִם בְּעָלָיו עִמּוֹ (שמות כ'), וְלֹא נֶאֱמַר בַּעֲלוֹ, וְכֵן אֱלֹהוּת שֶׁהוּא לְשׁוֹן שׁוֹפֵט וּמָרוּת נִזְכָּר בִּלְשׁוֹן רַבִּים, אֲבָל אֶחָד מִכָּל שְׁאָר הַשֵּׁמוֹת לֹא תִמְצָא בִּלְשׁוֹן רַבִּים:
8Rebecca’s wet-nurse, Deborah, died, and she was buried below Bethel—on a plateau. Jacob named this plain Alon Bachut [“Plain of Weeping”].		חוַתָּ֤מָת דְּבֹרָה֙ מֵינֶ֣קֶת רִבְקָ֔ה וַתִּקָּבֵ֛ר מִתַּ֥חַת לְבֵֽית־אֵ֖ל תַּ֣חַת הָֽאַלּ֑וֹן וַיִּקְרָ֥א שְׁמ֖וֹ אַלּ֥וֹן בָּכֽוּת:
וַתָּמָת דבורה - Deborah died. How did Deborah come to be in Jacob’s house? The answer is that because Rebecca had said to Jacob, “I will then send word and bring you from there,” 14 she had sent Deborah to him, to Padan Aram, to tell him he could leave there, and she now died on the way. I learned this from the words of Rabbi Moshe HaDarshan.		וַתָּמָת דבורה. מָה עִנְיַן דְּבוֹרָה בְּבֵית יַעֲקֹב? אֶלָּא לְפִי שֶׁאָמְרָה רִבְקָה לְיַעֲקֹב וְשָׁלַחְתִּי וּלְקַחְתִּיךָ מִשָּׁם, שָׁלְחָה דְבוֹרָה אֶצְלוֹ לְפַדַּן אֲרָם לָצֵאת מִשָּׁם, וּמֵתָה בַדֶּרֶךְ; מִדִּבְרֵי רַבִּי מֹשֶׁה הַדַּרְשָׁן לְמַדְתִּיהָ:
מִתַּחַת לְבֵֽית־אֵל - Below Bethel. The city is situated on the mountain, and she was buried at the foot of the mountain.		מִתַּחַת לְבֵֽית־אֵל. הָעִיר יוֹשֶׁבֶת בָּהָר וְנִקְבְּרָה בְּרַגְלֵי הָהָר:
תַּחַת הָֽאַלּוֹן - Onkelos translates this as: בְּשִׁפּוֹלֵי מֵישְׁרָא “at the bottom of the plain,” for there was a plain above on the slope of the mountain and the burial was below it; and the plain of Bethel was called Alon. And the aggadic explanation is: He was informed there of another mourning, for he was told that his mother had died, and alon in Greek means “another.” And because the day of her death was kept secret, so that people not curse the womb that gave birth to Esau, Scripture did not state it explicitly either.		תַּחַת הָֽאַלּוֹן. בְּשִׁפּוּלֵי מֵישְׁרָא, שֶׁהָיָה מִישׁוֹר מִלְמַעְלָה בְּשִׁפּוּעַ הָהָר וְהַקְּבוּרָה מִלְּמַטָּה, וּמִישׁוֹר שֶׁל בֵּית אֵל הָיוּ קוֹרִין לוֹ אַלּוֹן. וְאַגָּדָה, נִתְבַּשֵּׂר שָׁם בְּאֵבֶל שֵׁנִי, שֶׁהֻגַּד לוֹ עַל אִמּוֹ שֶׁמֵּתָה (בראשית רבה), וְאַלּוֹן בִּלְשׁוֹן יְוָנִי אַחֵר, וּלְפִי שֶׁהֶעֱלִימוּ אֶת יוֹם מוֹתָהּ שֶׁלֹּא יְקַלְּלוּ הַבְּרִיּוֹת כֶּרֶס שֶׁיָּצָא מִמֶּנּוּ עֵשָׂו, אַף הַכָּתוּב לֹא פִרְסְמָהּ:
9God again appeared to Jacob on his way from Padan Aram, and blessed him.		טוַיֵּרָ֨א אֱלֹהִ֤ים אֶל־יַֽעֲקֹב֙ ע֔וֹד בְּבֹא֖וֹ מִפַּדַּ֣ן אֲרָ֑ם וַיְבָ֖רֶךְ אֹתֽוֹ:
עוֹד - Again - i.e., a second time at this place; once when he set out on his journey and once on his return.		עוֹד. פַּעַם שֵׁנִי בַּמָּקוֹם הַזֶּה, אֶחָד בְּלֶכְתּוֹ וְאֶחָד בְּשׁוּבוֹ:
וַיְבָרֶךְ אֹתֽוֹ - And blessed him - with the blessing of consolation of mourners.		וַיְבָרֶךְ אֹתֽוֹ. בִּרְכַּת אֲבֵלִים (בראשית רבה):
10God then said to Jacob, “Your name is Jacob. You will no longer be called solely by the name Jacob, but Israel will also be your name,” and He named him Israel.		יוַיֹּֽאמֶר־ל֥וֹ אֱלֹהִ֖ים שִׁמְךָ֣ יַֽעֲקֹ֑ב לֹֽא־יִקָּרֵא֩ שִׁמְךָ֨ ע֜וֹד יַֽעֲקֹ֗ב כִּ֤י אִם־יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ יִֽהְיֶ֣ה שְׁמֶ֔ךָ וַיִּקְרָ֥א אֶת־שְׁמ֖וֹ יִשְׂרָאֵֽל:
לֹֽא־יִקָּרֵא שִׁמְךָ עוֹד יַֽעֲקֹב - You will no longer be called by the name Jacob - having the sense of a person who comes with stealth and deceit (עָקְבָה), but by the name Israel (יִשְׂרָאֵל), having the sense of prince (שַׂר) and leader.		לֹֽא־יִקָּרֵא שִׁמְךָ עוֹד יַֽעֲקֹב. לְשׁוֹן אָדָם הַבָּא בְּמַאֲרָב וְעָקְבָּה, אֶלָּא לְשׁוֹן שַׂר וְנָגִיד:
11God then said to him, “I am God Almighty; be fruitful and increase. A nation—that is, a tribe—and a community of nations—that is, two tribes—will come forth from you, and kings will be born from you.		יאוַיֹּ֩אמֶר֩ ל֨וֹ אֱלֹהִ֜ים אֲנִ֨י אֵ֤ל שַׁדַּי֙ פְּרֵ֣ה וּרְבֵ֔ה גּ֛וֹי וּקְהַ֥ל גּוֹיִ֖ם יִֽהְיֶ֣ה מִמֶּ֑ךָּ וּמְלָכִ֖ים מֵֽחֲלָצֶ֥יךָ יֵצֵֽאוּ:
אֲנִי אֵל שַׁדַּי - I am God Almighty - it is fitting (כְּדַאי) for Me to bless, since the power to provide adequate blessing is Mine.		אֲנִי אֵל שַׁדַּי. שֶׁאֲנִי כְדַי לְבָרֵךְ, שֶׁהַבְּרָכוֹת שֶׁלִּי:
פְּרֵה וּרְבֵה - Be fruitful and increase. God gave him this blessing because Benjamin was not yet born, even though Rachel had already become pregnant with him from Jacob.		פְּרֵה וּרְבֵה. עַל שֵׁם שֶׁעֲדַיִן לֹא נוֹלַד בִּנְיָמִין, וְאַף עַל פִּי שֶׁכְּבָר נִתְעַבְּרָה מִמֶּנּוּ:
גּוֹי - A nation. This refers to Benjamin.		גּוֹי. בִּנְיָמִין:
גּוֹיִם - Nations. This refers to Manasseh and Ephraim, who would descend from Joseph and who are counted among the tribes.		גּוֹיִם. מְנַשֶּׁה וְאֶפְרַיִם, שֶׁעֲתִידִים לָצֵאת מִיּוֹסֵף, וְהֵם בְּמִנְיַן הַשְּׁבָטִים (בראשית רבה):
וּמְלָכִים - And kings. This refers to Saul and Ishboshet, who were from the tribe of Benjamin, who was not yet born. And it was this verse that Avner explained in this sense when he made Ishboshet king. The tribes also explained it so and therefore reaccepted the tribe of Benjamin – for it is written: “Let no man among us give his daughter to the tribe of Benjamin as a wife,” 15 but they reconsidered, saying, “If Benjamin were not counted among the tribes, the Holy One, blessed be He, would not have said to Jacob regarding Benjamin: ‘and kings will be born from you.’”		וּמְלָכִים. שָׁאוּל וְאִישׁ בֹּשֶׁת, שֶׁהָיוּ מִשֵּׁבֶט בִּנְיָמִין (בראשית רבה), שֶׁעֲדַיִן לֹא נוֹלְדוּ (וּפָסוּק זֶה דְּרָשׁוֹ אַבְנֵר כְּשֶׁהִמְלִיךְ אִישׁ בֹּשֶׁת, וְאַף הַשְּׁבָטִים דְּרָשׁוּהוּ וְקֵרְבוּ בִּנְיָמִין, דִּכְתִיב אִישׁ מִמֶּנּוּ לֹא יִתֵּן אֶת בִּתּוֹ לְבִנְיָמִן לְאִשָּׁה (שופטים כ"א), וְחָזְרוּ וְאָמְרוּ אִלְמָלֵא הָיָה עוֹלֶה מִן הַשְּׁבָטִים לֹא הָיָה הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא אוֹמֵר לְיַעֲקֹב וּמְלָכִים מֵחֲלָצֶיךָ יֵצֵאוּ:
גּוֹי וּקְהַל גּוֹיִם - A nation and a community of nations. His sons are destined to become “nations” – i.e., to be the same number as the nations of the world, which are 70 peoples; similarly, the entire Sanhedrin consisted of 70 members. Another explanation: His sons will in the future offer sacrifices at a time when doing so on individual altars is forbidden, as the nations do, in the time of Elijah.		גּוֹי וּקְהַל גּוֹיִם. שֶׁגּוֹיִם עֲתִידִים בָּנָיו לְהֵעָשׂוֹת כְּמִנְיַן הַגּוֹיִם, שֶׁהֵם ע' אֻמּוֹת, וְכֵן כָּל הַסַּנְהֶדְרִין שִׁבְעִים; דָּבָר אַחֵר שֶׁעֲתִידִים בָּנָיו לְהַקְרִיב אִסּוּר בָּמוֹת כַּגּוֹיִם בִּימֵי אֵלִיָּהוּ):

Footnotes

30:16.

see Ezekiel 16:44.

2 Kings 12:9.

2 Samuel 9:4.

Sixth Portion

Bereshit (Genesis) Chapter 35

12I will give you the land that I gave to Abraham and Isaac, and I will give the land to your descendants after you.”		יבוְאֶת־הָאָ֗רֶץ אֲשֶׁ֥ר נָתַ֛תִּי לְאַבְרָהָ֥ם וּלְיִצְחָ֖ק לְךָ֣ אֶתְּנֶ֑נָּה וּלְזַרְעֲךָ֥ אַֽחֲרֶ֖יךָ אֶתֵּ֥ן אֶת־הָאָֽרֶץ:
13God ascended from above him, at the place where He had spoken with him.		יגוַיַּ֥עַל מֵֽעָלָ֖יו אֱלֹהִ֑ים בַּמָּק֖וֹם אֲשֶׁר־דִּבֶּ֥ר אִתּֽוֹ:
בַּמָּקוֹם אֲשֶׁר־דִּבֶּר אִתּוֹ - At the place where He had spoken with him. I do not know what this teaches us.		בַּמָּקוֹם אֲשֶׁר־דִּבֶּר אִתּוֹ. אֵינִי יוֹדֵעַ מַה מְּלַמְּדֵנוּ:
14Jacob erected a monument at the place where God spoke with him, a monument of stone. He poured a wine-libation upon it, and also poured oil upon it.		ידוַיַּצֵּ֨ב יַֽעֲקֹ֜ב מַצֵּבָ֗ה בַּמָּק֛וֹם אֲשֶׁר־דִּבֶּ֥ר אִתּ֖וֹ מַצֶּ֣בֶת אָ֑בֶן וַיַּסֵּ֤ךְ עָלֶ֨יהָ֙ נֶ֔סֶךְ וַיִּצֹ֥ק עָלֶ֖יהָ שָֽׁמֶן:
15Jacob again named the place where God had spoken with him Bethel [“the House of God”].		טווַיִּקְרָ֨א יַֽעֲקֹ֜ב אֶת־שֵׁ֣ם הַמָּק֗וֹם אֲשֶׁר֩ דִּבֶּ֨ר אִתּ֥וֹ שָׁ֛ם אֱלֹהִ֖ים בֵּֽית־אֵֽל:
16Jacob and his company journeyed onward from Bethel toward Hebron, and when there was still some distance to Efrat, Rachel went into labor and had difficulty giving birth.		טזוַיִּסְעוּ֙ מִבֵּ֣ית אֵ֔ל וַֽיְהִי־ע֥וֹד כִּבְרַת־הָאָ֖רֶץ לָב֣וֹא אֶפְרָ֑תָה וַתֵּ֥לֶד רָחֵ֖ל וַתְּקַ֥שׁ בְּלִדְתָּֽהּ:
כִּבְרַת־הָאָרֶץ - Menachem ben Saruk explains the word כִּבְרַת in the sense of כַּבִּיר “much” – i.e., a great distance. And the aggadic explanation is: It was at the time of year when the ground is full of holes and riddled like a sieve (כְּבָרָה), i.e., when there is plenty of plowed ground, when winter has passed but the dry season has not yet come. But this is not the plain sense of the verse, for we find in connection with Na’aman: “he went away from him כִּבְרַת אָרֶץ,” 1 which cannot have this meaning. Rather, I am of the opinion that it is a name for a measure of land approximately the distance of a parsah (8000 cubits) or more, as you find similar types of expression referring to measures of land: “the distance worked by a pair of cattle (צֶמֶד) in a vineyard”; 2 and “the parcel (חֶלְקַת) of land”; 3 so too for a distance a person walks, it is described with the name of a measure: כִּבְרַת אָרֶץ.		כִּבְרַת־הָאָרֶץ. מְנַחֵם פֵּרֵשׁ לְשׁוֹן כַּבִּיר, רִבּוּי, מַהֲלָךְ רַב. וְאַגָּדָה, בִּזְמַן שֶׁהָאָרֶץ חֲלוּלָה וּמְנֻקֶּבֶת כִּכְבָרָה (בראשית רבה), שֶׁהַנִּיר מָצוּי, הַסְּתָו עָבַר וְהַשָּׁרָב עֲדַיִן לֹא בָא (שם ז), וְאֵין זֶה פְּשׁוּטוֹ שֶׁל מִקְרָא, שֶׁהֲרֵי בְּנַעֲמָן מָצִינוּ וַיֵּלֶךְ מֵאִתּוֹ כִּבְרַת אָרֶץ (מלכים ב ה'). וְאוֹמֵר אֲנִי שֶׁהוּא שֵׁם מִדַּת קַרְקַע, כְּמוֹ מַהֲלַךְ פַּרְסָה אוֹ יוֹתֵר, כְּמוֹ שֶׁאַתָּה אוֹמֵר צֶמֶד כֶּרֶם (ישעיהו ה'), חֶלְקַת הַשָּׂדֶה (בראשית ל"ג), כָּךְ בְּמַהֲלַךְ אָדָם נוֹתֵן שֵׁם מִדָּה כִּבְרַת אֶרֶץ:
17When her labor became severe, the midwife said to her, “Do not be afraid, for besides Joseph, this one, too, is a son for you.”		יזוַיְהִ֥י בְהַקְשֹׁתָ֖הּ בְּלִדְתָּ֑הּ וַתֹּ֨אמֶר לָ֤הּ הַֽמְיַלֶּ֨דֶת֙ אַל־תִּ֣ירְאִ֔י כִּֽי־גַם־זֶ֥ה לָ֖ךְ בֵּֽן:
כִּֽי־גַם־זֶה - For this one, too - i.e., in addition to Joseph. However, our rabbis explained that with the birth of each tribe a twin sister was born, but with Benjamin an additional twin sister was born.		כִּֽי־גַם־זֶה. נוֹסַף לְךָ עַל יוֹסֵף; וְרַבּוֹתֵינוּ דָּרְשׁוּ: עִם כָּל שֵׁבֶט נוֹלְדָה תְּאוֹמָה, וְעִם בִּנְיָמִין נוֹלְדָה תְאוֹמָה יְתֵרָה:
18As she breathed her last, for she was dying, she named her newborn son Ben-Oni [“son of my sorrow”], but Jacob, his father, called him Benjamin [Binyamin, “son of the south”].		יחוַיְהִ֞י בְּצֵ֤את נַפְשָׁהּ֙ כִּ֣י מֵ֔תָה וַתִּקְרָ֥א שְׁמ֖וֹ בֶּן־אוֹנִ֑י וְאָבִ֖יו קָֽרָא־ל֥וֹ בִנְיָמִֽין:
בֶּן־אוֹנִי - Ben-Oni - means “the son of my pain.”		בֶּן־אוֹנִי. בֶּן צַעֲרִי:
בִנְיָמִֽין - Benjamin. I am of the opinion that he was so called because he alone was born in Canaan, which is to the south when a person comes from Aram Naharayim, as it says: “in the south of Canaan,” 4 and “moving steadily toward the south.” 5		בִנְיָמִֽין. נִרְאֶה בְעֵינַי, לְפִי שֶׁהוּא לְבַדּוֹ נוֹלַד בְּאֶרֶץ כְּנַעַן שֶׁהוּא בַּנֶּגֶב כְּשֶׁאָדָם בָּא מֵאֲרַם נַהֲרַיִם, כְּמוֹ שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר בַּנֶּגֶב בְּאֶרֶץ כְּנָעַן (במדבר ל"ג), הָלוֹךְ וְנָסוֹעַ הַנֶּגְבָּה (בראשית י"ב):
בִנְיָמִֽין - Benjamin. The name means “son of (בֶּן) the south (יָמִין),” the word יָמִין having the same meaning as in: “The north and south (יָמִין) You created.” 6 Therefore, it is written here in full with a י after the מ. Another explanation: בִּנְיָמִין means “the son of days (יָמִים),” because he was born during Jacob’s old age. It is written here with a ן instead of the more usual ם, as we find: “at the end of days (הַיָּמִין).” 7		בִנְיָמִֽין. בֶּן יָמִין, לְשׁוֹן צָפוֹן וְיָמִין אַתָּה בְרָאתָם (תהילים פ"ט), לְפִיכָךְ הוּא מָלֵא: (דָבָר אַחֵר: בִּנְיָמִין, בֶּן יָמִים, שֶׁנוֹלַד לְעֵת זִקְנָתוֹ, וְנִכְתֵּב בְּנוּ"ן, כּמוֹ: "לְקֵץ הַיָמִין" (דניאל יב):)
19Rachel died, and she was buried on the road leading to Efrat, which is also known as Bethlehem.		יטוַתָּ֖מָת רָחֵ֑ל וַתִּקָּבֵר֙ בְּדֶ֣רֶךְ אֶפְרָ֔תָה הִ֖וא בֵּ֥ית לָֽחֶם:
20Jacob erected a tombstone on her grave; this is the tombstone that has remained on Rachel’s grave to this very day.		כוַיַּצֵּ֧ב יַֽעֲקֹ֛ב מַצֵּבָ֖ה עַל־קְבֻֽרָתָ֑הּ הִ֛וא מַצֶּ֥בֶת קְבֻֽרַת־רָחֵ֖ל עַד־הַיּֽוֹם:
21Israel traveled on; he pitched his tent beyond Migdal Eder.		כאוַיִּסַּ֖ע יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וַיֵּ֣ט אָֽהֳלֹ֔ה מֵהָ֖לְאָה לְמִגְדַּל־עֵֽדֶר:
22While Israel resided in that region, Reuben went and moved his father’s bed from Bilhah’s tent to Leah’s. This severe breach of filial respect was as unconscionable as if he had had relations with Bilhah, his father’s concubine. Israel heard about it. Now that Benjamin had been born, the sons of Jacob were 12 in number.		כבוַיְהִ֗י בִּשְׁכֹּ֤ן יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ בָּאָ֣רֶץ הַהִ֔וא וַיֵּ֣לֶךְ רְאוּבֵ֔ן וַיִּשְׁכַּ֕ב֙ אֶת־בִּלְהָ֖ה֙ פִּילֶ֣גֶשׁ אָבִ֑֔יו וַיִּשְׁמַ֖ע יִשְׂרָאֵֽ֑ל פ וַיִּֽהְי֥וּ בְנֵי־יַֽעֲקֹ֖ב שְׁנֵ֥ים עָשָֽׂר:
בִּשְׁכֹּן יִשְׂרָאֵל בָּאָרֶץ ההיא - While Israel resided in that region - before he came to Isaac in Hebron, all these troubles befell him.		בִּשְׁכֹּן יִשְׂרָאֵל בָּאָרֶץ ההיא. עַד שֶׁלֹּא בָא לְחֶבְרוֹן אֵצֶל יִצְחָק אֵרְעוּהוּ כָל אֵלֶּה:
וַיִּשְׁכַּב - And had relations. Because he disarranged the location of Jacob’s bed, the verse considers it as if he had lain with Bilhah. And why did he disarrange and profane his father’s couch? For when Rachel died, Jacob took his bed, which was usually kept in Rachel’s tent and not in the other tents, and put it in Bilhah’s tent. Reuben then came to object to this insult to his mother; he said, “Although my mother’s sister was my mother’s rival wife, is it proper that my mother’s sister’s bondwoman be her rival wife?” Therefore, he disarranged his father’s bed and moved it to his mother’s tent.		וַיִּשְׁכַּב. מִתּוֹךְ שֶׁבִּלְבֵּל מִשְׁכָּבוֹ, מַעֲלֶה עָלָיו הַכָּתוּב כְּאִלּוּ שְׁכָבָהּ; וְלָמָּה בִלְבֵּל וְחִלֵּל יְצוּעָיו? שֶׁכְּשֶׁמֵּתָה רָחֵל נָטַל יַעֲקֹב מִטָּתוֹ, שֶׁהָיְתָה נְתוּנָה תָּדִיר בְּאֹהֶל רָחֵל וְלֹא בִּשְׁאָר אֹהָלִים, וּנְתָנָהּ בְּאֹהֶל בִּלְהָה; בָּא רְאוּבֵן וְתָבַע עֶלְבּוֹן אִמּוֹ, אָמַר אִם אֲחוֹת אִמִּי הָיְתָה צָרָה לְאִמִּי, שִׁפְחַת אֲחוֹת אִמִּי תְּהֵא צָרָה לְאִמִּי? לְכָךְ בִּלְבֵּל (שבת נ"ה):
וַיִּֽהְיוּ בְנֵי־יַֽעֲקֹב שְׁנֵים עָשָֽׂר - The sons of Jacob were 12. It starts again with the previous subject: Once Benjamin was born, Jacob’s bed (i.e., family) became complete and his sons were now able to be counted, so Scripture counts them. And our rabbis explained: This count comes to teach us that they were all equal and all righteous, because Reuben did not really sin in the plain sense of the offense described.		וַיִּֽהְיוּ בְנֵי־יַֽעֲקֹב שְׁנֵים עָשָֽׂר. מַתְחִיל לְעִנְיָן רִאשׁוֹן, מִשֶּׁנּוֹלַד בִּנְיָמִין נִשְׁלְמָה הַמִּטָּה וּמֵעַתָּה רְאוּיִים לְהִמָּנוֹת, וּמְנָאָן; וְרַבּוֹתֵינוּ דָּרְשׁוּ, לְלַמְּדֵנוּ בָא, שֶׁכֻּלָּן שָׁוִין וְכֻלָּן צַדִּיקִים, שֶׁלֹּא חָטָא רְאוּבֵן:
23The sons of Leah were Reuben, Jacob’s firstborn; Simeon; Levi; Judah; Issachar; and Zebulun.		כגבְּנֵ֣י לֵאָ֔ה בְּכ֥וֹר יַֽעֲקֹ֖ב רְאוּבֵ֑ן וְשִׁמְעוֹן֙ וְלֵוִ֣י וִֽיהוּדָ֔ה וְיִשָּׂשכָ֖ר וּזְבֻלֽוּן:
בְּכוֹר יַֽעֲקֹב - Jacob’s firstborn. Even at the time of his disgrace, Scripture called him the firstborn.		בְּכוֹר יַֽעֲקֹב. אֲפִלּוּ בִּשְׁעַת הַקַּלְקָלָה קְרָאוֹ בְּכוֹר:
בְּכוֹר יַֽעֲקֹב - Jacob’s firstborn. The firstborn for inheritance, the firstborn for the Divine service, and the firstborn in enumerating the tribes. The birthright was given to Joseph only with regard to the number of tribes, in that he became two tribes.		בְּכוֹר יַֽעֲקֹב. בְּכוֹר לַנַּחֲלָה, בְּכוֹר לָעֲבוֹדָה, בְּכוֹר לְמִנְיָן, וְלֹא נִתְּנָה בְכוֹרָה לְיוֹסֵף אֶלָּא לְעִנְיַן הַשְּׁבָטִים – שֶׁנַּעֲשָׂה לִשְׁנֵי שְׁבָטִים:
24The sons of Rachel were Joseph and Benjamin.		כדבְּנֵ֣י רָחֵ֔ל יוֹסֵ֖ף וּבִנְיָמִֽן:
25The sons of Rachel’s bondwoman Bilhah were Dan and Naphtali.		כהוּבְנֵ֤י בִלְהָה֙ שִׁפְחַ֣ת רָחֵ֔ל דָּ֖ן וְנַפְתָּלִֽי:
26The sons of Leah’s bondwoman Zilpah were Gad and Asher. These are the sons of Jacob who were born to him in Padan Aram.		כווּבְנֵ֥י זִלְפָּ֛ה שִׁפְחַ֥ת לֵאָ֖ה גָּ֣ד וְאָשֵׁ֑ר אֵ֚לֶּה בְּנֵ֣י יַֽעֲקֹ֔ב אֲשֶׁ֥ר יֻלַּד־ל֖וֹ בְּפַדַּ֥ן אֲרָֽם:
27Jacob came to his father Isaac in Kiryat Arba in the plain of Mamre; this city is also known as Hebron, where Abraham and Isaac had sojourned.		כזוַיָּבֹ֤א יַֽעֲקֹב֙ אֶל־יִצְחָ֣ק אָבִ֔יו מַמְרֵ֖א קִרְיַ֣ת הָֽאַרְבַּ֑ע הִ֣וא חֶבְר֔וֹן אֲשֶׁר־גָּֽר־שָׁ֥ם אַבְרָהָ֖ם וְיִצְחָֽק:
מַמְרֵא - Mamre. This is the name of the plain.		מַמְרֵא. שֵׁם הַמִּישׁוֹר:
קִרְיַת הָֽאַרְבַּע - Kiryat Arba. This is the name of the city. thus means “to Mamre, the plain of Kiryat Arba.” If you ask that it should have written: מַמְרֵא הַקִּרְיַת אַרְבַּע, I answer: so is the rule in Scripture with every name that consists of a double word, such as this case and such as בֵּית לֶחֶם, אֲבִי עֶזֶר, בֵּית אֵל – wherever a ה is prefixed, it is placed before the second word, as we find in: בֵּית הַלַּחְמִי “of Bethlehem”; 8 “In the town of Ofrah of Avi’ezer’s family (אֲבִי הָעֶזְרִי)”; 9 and “Chi’el of Bethel (בֵּית הָאֱלִי) built.” 10		קִרְיַת הָֽאַרְבַּע. שֵׁם הָעִיר מַמְרֵא קִרְיַת הָֽאַרְבַּע אֶל מִישׁוֹר שֶׁל קִרְיַת אַרְבַּע. וְאִם תֹּאמַר הָיָה לוֹ לִכְתּוֹב מַמְרֵא הַקִּרְיַת אַרְבַּע? כֵּן דֶּרֶךְ הַמִּקְרָא בְּכָל דָּבָר שֶׁשְּׁמוֹ כָּפוּל, כְּגוֹן זֶה, וּכְגוֹן בֵּית לֶחֶם, אֲבִי עֶזֶר, בֵּית אֵל, אִם הֻצְרַךְ לְהַטִּיל בּוֹ הֵ"א, נוֹתְנָהּ בְּרֹאשׁ הַתֵּבָה הַשְּׁנִיָּה – בֵּית הַלַּחְמִי (שמואל א ט"ז), בְּעָפְרָת אֲבִי הָעֶזְרִי (שופטים ו'), בָּנָה חִיאֵל בֵּית הָאֱלִי (מלכים א ט"ז):
28Isaac lived to be 180 years old.		כחוַיִּֽהְי֖וּ יְמֵ֣י יִצְחָ֑ק מְאַ֥ת שָׁנָ֖ה וּשְׁמֹנִ֥ים שָׁנָֽה:
29In the year 2228, Isaac expired, died, and was gathered unto his people, being old and with his days fulfilled; and his sons Esau and Jacob buried him in the Machpelah Cave in Hebron.		כטוַיִּגְוַ֨ע יִצְחָ֤ק וַיָּ֨מָת֙ וַיֵּאָ֣סֶף אֶל־עַמָּ֔יו זָקֵ֖ן וּשְׂבַ֣ע יָמִ֑ים וַיִּקְבְּר֣וּ אֹת֔וֹ עֵשָׂ֥ו וְיַֽעֲקֹ֖ב בָּנָֽיו:
וַיִּגְוַע יִצְחָק - Isaac breathed his last. The Torah is not necessarily written in chronological order. The sale of Joseph preceded Isaac’s death by 12 years – for when Jacob was born, Isaac was 60 years old, as it says: “Isaac was in his 60th year…,” 11 and Isaac died in the 120th year of Jacob’s life – for if you deduct 60 from 180 years, one is left with 120. And Joseph was sold in his 17th year, and that year was Jacob’s 108th year. How so? He received the blessings in his 63rd year and was hidden for 14 years in the study-house of Ever, making 77 years. He then worked 14 years for his wives, and Joseph was born at the end of those 14 years, as it says: “When Rachel gave birth to Joseph…,” 12 making altogether 91 years. Add 17 years before Joseph was sold and there are 108 years. This is furthermore evident from Scripture: From the time Joseph was sold until Jacob came to Egypt was 22 years, as it says: “Joseph was 30 years old when he stood before Pharaoh,” 13 this being 13 years after he was sold; and seven years of plenty and two years of famine before Jacob came to Egypt total 22 years; and it is written when Jacob arrived in Egypt and came before Pharaoh: “the years of my sojourning have been 130.” 14 Thus, at the time Joseph was sold, Jacob was 108.		וַיִּגְוַע יִצְחָק. אֵין מֻקְדָּם וּמְאֻחָר בַּתּוֹרָה; מְכִירָתוֹ שֶׁל יוֹסֵף קָדְמָה לְמִיתָתוֹ שֶׁל יִצְחָק י"ב שָׁנָה, שֶׁהֲרֵי כְּשֶׁנּוֹלַד יַעֲקֹב הָיָה יִצְחָק בֶּן שִׁשִּׁים שָׁנָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר וְיִצְחָק בֶּן שִׁשִּׁים שָׁנָה וְגוֹ', וְיִצְחָק מֵת בִּשְׁנַת ק"כ לְיַעֲקֹב – אִם תּוֹצִיא שִׁשִּׁים מִמֵּאָה וּשְׁמוֹנִים שָׁנָה נִשְׁאֲרוּ ק"כ – וְיוֹסֵף נִמְכַּר בֶּן י"ז שָׁנָה, וְאוֹתָהּ שָׁנָה שְׁנַת מֵאָה וּשְׁמוֹנֶה לְיַעֲקֹב, כֵּיצַד? בֶּן שִׁשִּׁים וְשָׁלוֹשׁ נִתְבָּרֵךְ, אַרְבַּע עֶשְׂרֵה שָׁנָה נִטְמַן בְּבֵית עֵבֶר, הֲרֵי שִׁבְעִים וְשֶׁבַע, וְאַרְבַּע עֶשְׂרֵה עָבַד בְּאִשָּׁה, וּבְסוֹף אַרְבַּע עֶשְׂרֵה נוֹלַד יוֹסֵף, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר וַיְהִי כַּאֲשֶׁר יָלְדָה רָחֵל אֶת יוֹסֵף וְגוֹ', הֲרֵי תִּשְׁעִים וְאַחַת, וְי"ז עַד שֶׁלֹּא נִמְכַּר יוֹסֵף, הֲרֵי מֵאָה וּשְׁמוֹנֶה (עוֹד מְפֹרָשׁ מִן הַמִּקְרָא מִשֶּׁנִּמְכַּר יוֹסֵף עַד שֶׁבָּא יַעֲקֹב מִצְרַיִמָה כ"ב שָׁנָה שֶׁנֶּ', וְיוֹסֵף בֶּן שְׁלֹשִׁים שָׁנָה וְגוֹ', וְז' שָׁנִים שָׂבָע וּשְׁנָתַיִם רָעָב, הֲרֵי כ"ב, וּכְתִיב יְמֵי שְׁנֵי מְגוּרַי שְׁלֹשִׁים וּמְאַת שָׁנָה, נִמְצָא יַעֲקֹב בִּמְכִירָתוֹ ק"ח):

Bereshit (Genesis) Chapter 36

1The following are the descendants of Esau, who was nicknamed Edom.		אוְאֵ֛לֶּה תֹּֽלְד֥וֹת עֵשָׂ֖ו ה֥וּא אֱדֽוֹם:
2Esau took wives from among the daughters of the Canaanites: Adah daughter of Eilon the Hittite; Oholivamah daughter of Anah, the daughter of Tziv’on the Hivite;		בעֵשָׂ֛ו לָקַ֥ח אֶת־נָשָׁ֖יו מִבְּנ֣וֹת כְּנָ֑עַן אֶת־עָדָ֗ה בַּת־אֵילוֹן֙ הַֽחִתִּ֔י וְאֶת־אָֽהֳלִֽיבָמָה֙ בַּת־עֲנָ֔ה בַּת־צִבְע֖וֹן הַֽחִוִּֽי:
עָדָה בַּת־אֵילוֹן - Adah daughter of Eilon. She was Basemat daughter of Eilon, 15 and she was nicknamed Basemat (בָּשְׂמַת) because she burned spices (בְּשָׂמִים) as incense to idols.		עָדָה בַּת־אֵילוֹן. הִיא בָּשְׂמַת בַּת אֵילוֹן, וְנִקְרֵאת בָּשְׂמַת עַל שֵׁם שֶׁהָיְתָה מְקַטֶּרֶת בְּשָׂמִים לַעֲבוֹדָה זָרָה:
אָֽהֳלִֽיבָמָה - Oholivamah. She was Judith. Esau had nicknamed her Judith to intimate that she renounced idolatry, so as to deceive his father.		אָֽהֳלִֽיבָמָה. הִיא יְהוּדִית, וְהוּא כִנָּה שְׁמָהּ יְהוּדִית לוֹמַר שֶׁהִיא כּוֹפֶרֶת בְּעֲבוֹדָה זָרָה כְּדֵי לְהַטְעוֹת אֶת אָבִיו:
בַּת־עֲנָה בַּת־צִבְעוֹן - Daughter of Anah, the daughter of Tziv’on. If she was the daughter of Anah, she could not be the daughter of Tziv’on, for Anah was the son of Tziv’on, as it says: “These are the sons of Tziv’on: Ayah and Anah.” 16 However, the verse teaches us that Tziv’on had relations with his daughter-in-law, Anah’s wife, and from them Oholivamah was born. Scripture is thereby informing you that all of them were of illegitimate birth.		בַּת־עֲנָה בַּת־צִבְעוֹן. אִם בַּת עֲנָה לֹא בַּת צִבְעוֹן? עֲנָה בְּנוֹ שֶׁל צִבְעוֹן, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר וְאֵלֶּה בְנֵי צִבְעוֹן וְאַיָּה וַעֲנָה? מְלַמֵּד שֶׁבָּא צִבְעוֹן עַל כַּלָּתוֹ אֵשֶׁת עֲנָה, וְיָצְאָה אָהֳלִיבָמָה מִבֵּין שְׁנֵיהֶם, וְהוֹדִיעֲךָ הַכָּתוּב שֶׁכֻּלָּן בְּנֵי מַמְזֵרוּת הָיוּ:
3and Basemat daughter of Ishmael and sister of Nevayot.		גוְאֶת־בָּשְׂמַ֥ת בַּת־יִשְׁמָעֵ֖אל אֲח֥וֹת נְבָיֽוֹת:
בָּשְׂמַת בַּת־יִשְׁמָעֵאל - Basemat daughter of Ishmael. But elsewhere 17 she is called Machalat! I have found in the aggadic Midrash of the Book of Samuel: 18 Three categories of people are pardoned for their sins: a convert who converts to Judaism, one who is appointed to a high position, and one who marries. The Midrash derives a proof for the last case from here: She was therefore called Machalat (מָחֲלַת), because upon Esau’s marriage to her his sins were pardoned (נִמְחֲלוּ).		בָּשְׂמַת בַּת־יִשְׁמָעֵאל. וּלְהַלָּן קוֹרֵא לָהּ מָחֲלַת? מָצִינוּ בְּאַגָּדַת מִדְרַשׁ סֵפֶר שְׁמוּאֵל ג' מוֹחֲלִים לָהֶן עֲוֹנוֹתֵיהֶן, גֵּר שֶׁנִּתְגַּיֵּר, וְהָעוֹלֶה לִגְדֻלָּה, וְהַנּוֹשֵׂא אִשָּׁה. וְלָמַד הַטַּעַם מִכָּאן – לְכָךְ נִקְרֵאת מָחֲלַת, שֶׁנִּמְחֲלוּ עֲוֹנוֹתָיו:
אֲחוֹת נְבָיֽוֹת - Sister of Nevayot. Because he gave her in marriage to Esau after Ishmael died, she continued to be referred to by his name even later.		אֲחוֹת נְבָיֽוֹת. עַל שֵׁם שֶׁהוּא הִשִּׂיאָהּ לוֹ מִשֶּׁמֵּת יִשְׁמָעֵאל נִקְרֵאת עַל שְׁמוֹ:
4Adah bore to Esau Eliphaz; Basemat bore him Re’u’el;		דוַתֵּ֧לֶד עָדָ֛ה לְעֵשָׂ֖ו אֶת־אֱלִיפָ֑ז וּבָ֣שְׂמַ֔ת יָלְדָ֖ה אֶת־רְעוּאֵֽל:
5and Oholivamah bore him Ye’ush, Ya’lam, and Korach. These are Esau’s sons who were born to him in Canaan.		הוְאָֽהֳלִֽיבָמָה֙ יָֽלְדָ֔ה אֶת־יְע֥וּשׁ (כתיב את־יעיש) וְאֶת־יַעְלָ֖ם וְאֶת־קֹ֑רַח אֵ֚לֶּה בְּנֵ֣י עֵשָׂ֔ו אֲשֶׁ֥ר יֻלְּדוּ־ל֖וֹ בְּאֶ֥רֶץ כְּנָֽעַן:
וְאָֽהֳלִֽיבָמָה יָֽלְדָה וגו' - Oholivamah bore…[Korach]. This Korach was illegitimate and was the son of Eliphaz, who had had relations with his father’s wife, i.e., with Oholivamah, the wife of Esau – the proof being that Korach is enumerated among the chiefs of Eliphaz at the end of this section. 19		וְאָֽהֳלִֽיבָמָה יָֽלְדָה וגו'. קֹרַח זֶה מַמְזֵר הָיָה, וּבֶן אֱלִיפַז הָיָה, שֶׁבָּא עַל אֵשֶׁת אָבִיו, אֶל אָהֳלִיבָמָה אֵשֶׁת עֵשָׂו, שֶׁהֲרֵי הוּא מָנוּי עִם אַלּוּפֵי אֱלִיפַז בְּסוֹף הָעִנְיָן (בראשית רבה):
6Esau took his wives, his sons, and daughters, and all the members of his household, as well as his livestock, including all his cattle, and all his possessions that he had acquired in Canaan. He moved to another region, away from his brother Jacob,		ווַיִּקַּ֣ח עֵשָׂ֡ו אֶת־נָ֠שָׁ֠יו וְאֶת־בָּנָ֣יו וְאֶת־בְּנֹתָיו֘ וְאֶת־כָּל־נַפְשׁ֣וֹת בֵּיתוֹ֒ וְאֶת־מִקְנֵ֣הוּ וְאֶת־כָּל־בְּהֶמְתּ֗וֹ וְאֵת֙ כָּל־קִנְיָנ֔וֹ אֲשֶׁ֥ר רָכַ֖שׁ בְּאֶ֣רֶץ כְּנָ֑עַן וַיֵּ֣לֶךְ אֶל־אֶ֔רֶץ מִפְּנֵ֖י יַֽעֲקֹ֥ב אָחִֽיו:
וַיֵּלֶךְ אֶל־אֶרֶץ - And he went to (lit.) a land - to live wherever he could find a suitable place.		וַיֵּלֶךְ אֶל־אֶרֶץ. לָגוּר בַּאֲשֶׁר יִמְצָא:
7for their property was too abundant to enable them to live together, and the land where they lived could not support them both because its pasturage was not sufficient for their livestock.		זכִּֽי־הָיָ֧ה רְכוּשָׁ֛ם רָ֖ב מִשֶּׁ֣בֶת יַחְדָּ֑ו וְלֹ֨א יָֽכְלָ֜ה אֶ֤רֶץ מְגֽוּרֵיהֶם֙ לָשֵׂ֣את אֹתָ֔ם מִפְּנֵ֖י מִקְנֵיהֶֽם:
וְלֹא יָֽכְלָה אֶרֶץ מְגֽוּרֵיהֶם - And the land where they lived could not - provide sufficient pasture for their animals. But the aggadic explanation is: Why did Esau move “away from his brother Jacob” rather than have Jacob leave instead? Because of the “bill of debt” of the decree “that your descendants will be foreigners in a land that is not theirs” 20 that was imposed upon Isaac’s descendants. Esau said, “I shall go away from here. I wish to have no part in this; not in the gift of this land that was given to him, nor in the payment of the ‘bill of debt’ (i.e., the realization of the decree).” And Esau was not concerned his leaving would cause him embarrassment, because he felt shame in any case for having sold his birthright.		וְלֹא יָֽכְלָה אֶרֶץ מְגֽוּרֵיהֶם. לְהַסְפִּיק מִרְעֶה לַבְּהֵמוֹת שֶׁלָּהֶם (ב"ר). וּמִדְרַשׁ אַגָּדָה מִפְּנֵי יַעֲקֹב אָחִיו מִפְּנֵי שְׁטַר חוֹב שֶׁל גְּזֵרַת "כִּי גֵר יִהְיֶה זַרְעֲךָ" הַמֻּטָּל עַל זַרְעוֹ שֶׁל יִצְחָק, אָמַר אֵלֵךְ לִי מִכָּאן, אֵין לִי חֵלֶק לֹא בַּמַּתָּנָה, שֶׁנִּתְּנָה לוֹ הָאָרֶץ הַזֹּאת, וְלֹא בְּפִרְעוֹן הַשְּׁטָר, וּמִפְּנֵי הַבּוּשָׁה שֶׁמָּכַר בְּכוֹרָתוֹ:
8Esau settled on Mount Se’ir. Esau is the progenitor of the nation of Edom.		חוַיֵּ֤שֶׁב עֵשָׂו֙ בְּהַ֣ר שֵׂעִ֔יר עֵשָׂ֖ו ה֥וּא אֱדֽוֹם:
9These are the descendants of Esau, the progenitor of the Edomites, who were born on Mount Se’ir:		טוְאֵ֛לֶּה תֹּֽלְד֥וֹת עֵשָׂ֖ו אֲבִ֣י אֱד֑וֹם בְּהַ֖ר שֵׂעִֽיר:
וְאֵלֶּה - These - are the descendants which his sons fathered after he went to Se’ir.		וְאֵלֶּה. הַתּוֹלָדוֹת שֶׁהוֹלִידוּ בָנָיו עַכְשָׁו מִשֶּׁהָלַךְ לְשֵׂעִיר:
10These are the names of Esau’s sons: Eliphaz, son of Esau’s wife Adah; Re’u’el, son of Esau’s wife Basemat.		יאֵ֖לֶּה שְׁמ֣וֹת בְּנֵֽי־עֵשָׂ֑ו אֱלִיפַ֗ז בֶּן־עָדָה֙ אֵ֣שֶׁת עֵשָׂ֔ו רְעוּאֵ֕ל בֶּן־בָּשְׂמַ֖ת אֵ֥שֶׁת עֵשָֽׂו:
11The sons of Eliphaz were Teiman, Omar, Tzefo, Ga’tam, and Kenaz.		יאוַיִּֽהְי֖וּ בְּנֵ֣י אֱלִיפָ֑ז תֵּימָ֣ן אוֹמָ֔ר צְפ֥וֹ וְגַעְתָּ֖ם וּקְנַֽז:
12Timna became a concubine of Esau’s son Eliphaz, and thus she bore Amalek to Eliphaz. All these are the descendants of Esau’s wife Adah.		יבוְתִמְנַ֣ע \| הָֽיְתָ֣ה פִילֶ֗גֶשׁ לֶֽאֱלִיפַז֙ בֶּן־עֵשָׂ֔ו וַתֵּ֥לֶד לֶאֱלִיפַ֖ז אֶת־עֲמָלֵ֑ק אֵ֕לֶּה בְּנֵ֥י עָדָ֖ה אֵ֥שֶׁת עֵשָֽׂו:
וְתִמְנַע הָֽיְתָה פִילֶגֶשׁ - Timna became a concubine. This is written to tell us of Abraham’s greatness, expressed by how much people wanted to attach themselves to his descendants. This Timna was a descendant of chieftains, as it says: “Lotan’s sister was Timna,” 21 and Lotan was one of the chieftains among Se’ir’s inhabitants, of the Horites who lived there previously. She said to Eliphaz, “I am not worthy to be your wife; if only I could be your concubine!” In 1 Chronicles 22 she is counted among the children of Eliphaz. This teaches us that Eliphaz had relations with Se’ir’s wife and Timna was born from them, and when she grew up she became his concubine. That is why it says: “Lotan’s sister was Timna,” yet she is not counted among Se’ir’s children, for she was Lotan’s maternal sister but not his paternal sister.		וְתִמְנַע הָֽיְתָה פִילֶגֶשׁ. לְהוֹדִיעַ גְּדֻלָּתוֹ שֶׁל אַבְרָהָם, כַּמָּה הָיוּ תְאֵבִים לִדַּבֵּק בְּזַרְעוֹ. תִּמְנַע זוֹ בַּת אַלּוּפִים הָיְתָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר וַאֲחוֹת לוֹטָן תִּמְנָע, וְלוֹטָן מֵאַלּוּפֵי יוֹשְׁבֵי שֵׂעִיר הָיָה מִן הַחוֹרִים שֶׁיָּשְׁבוּ בָהּ לְפָנִים, אָמְרָה אֵינִי זוֹכָה לְהִנָּשֵׂא לְךָ, הַלְוַאי וְאֶהְיֶה פִּילֶגֶשׁ. וּבְדִבְרֵי הַיָּמִים מוֹנֶה אוֹתָהּ בְּבָנָיו שֶׁל אֱלִיפַז, מְלַמֵּד שֶׁבָּא עַל אִשְׁתּוֹ שֶׁל שֵׂעִיר וְיָצְאָה תִּמְנָע מִבֵּינֵיהֶם, וּכְשֶׁגָּדְלָה נַעֲשֵׂית פִּילַגְשׁוֹ, וְזֶהוּ וַאֲחוֹת לוֹטָן תִּמְנָע, וְלֹא מְנָאָהּ עִם בְּנֵי שֵׂעִיר שֶׁהָיְתָה אֲחוֹתוֹ מִן הָאֵם וְלֹא מִן הָאָב:
13These are the sons of Re’u’el: Nachat, Zerach, Shamah, and Mizah; these were the descendants of Esau’s wife Basemat.		יגוְאֵ֨לֶּה֙ בְּנֵ֣י רְעוּאֵ֔ל נַ֥חַת וָזֶ֖רַח שַׁמָּ֣ה וּמִזָּ֑ה אֵ֣לֶּה הָי֔וּ בְּנֵ֥י בָשְׂמַ֖ת אֵ֥שֶׁת עֵשָֽׂו:
14These were the sons of Esau’s wife Oholivamah daughter of Anah and daughter of Tziv’on: She bore to Esau Ye’ush, Ya’lam, and Korach.		ידוְאֵ֣לֶּה הָי֗וּ בְּנֵ֨י אָֽהֳלִֽיבָמָ֧ה בַת־עֲנָ֛ה בַּת־צִבְע֖וֹן אֵ֣שֶׁת עֵשָׂ֑ו וַתֵּ֣לֶד לְעֵשָׂ֔ו אֶת־יְע֥וּשׁ (כתיב את־יעיש) וְאֶת־יַעְלָ֖ם וְאֶת־קֹֽרַח:
15These are the tribal chiefs among the children of Esau: The sons of Esau’s firstborn, Eliphaz, were Chief Teiman, Chief Omar, Chief Tzefo, Chief Kenaz,		טואֵ֖לֶּה אַלּוּפֵ֣י בְנֵֽי־עֵשָׂ֑ו בְּנֵ֤י אֱלִיפַז֙ בְּכ֣וֹר עֵשָׂ֔ו אַלּ֤וּף תֵּימָן֙ אַלּ֣וּף אוֹמָ֔ר אַלּ֥וּף צְפ֖וֹ אַלּ֥וּף קְנַֽז:
אֵלֶּה אַלּוּפֵי בְנֵֽי־עֵשָׂו - These are the tribal chiefs among the children of Esau - i.e., heads of families.		אֵלֶּה אַלּוּפֵי בְנֵֽי־עֵשָׂו. רָאשֵׁי מִשְׁפָּחוֹת:
16Chief Korach, Chief Ga’tam, and Chief Amalek. These are the tribal chiefs of Eliphaz in Edom; these are the descendants of Esau’s wife Adah.		טזאַלּ֥וּף קֹ֛רַח אַלּ֥וּף גַּעְתָּ֖ם אַלּ֣וּף עֲמָלֵ֑ק אֵ֣לֶּה אַלּוּפֵ֤י אֱלִיפַז֙ בְּאֶ֣רֶץ אֱד֔וֹם אֵ֖לֶּה בְּנֵ֥י עָדָֽה:
17And these are the sons of Esau’s son Re’u’el: Chief Nachat, Chief Zerach, Chief Shamah, and Chief Mizah. These are the tribal chiefs of Re’u’el in Edom; these are the descendants of Esau’s wife Basemat.		יזוְאֵ֗לֶּה בְּנֵ֤י רְעוּאֵל֙ בֶּן־עֵשָׂ֔ו אַלּ֥וּף נַ֨חַת֙ אַלּ֣וּף זֶ֔רַח אַלּ֥וּף שַׁמָּ֖ה אַלּ֣וּף מִזָּ֑ה אֵ֣לֶּה אַלּוּפֵ֤י רְעוּאֵל֙ בְּאֶ֣רֶץ אֱד֔וֹם אֵ֕לֶּה בְּנֵ֥י בָֽשְׂמַ֖ת אֵ֥שֶׁת עֵשָֽׂו:
18And these are the sons of Esau’s wife Oholivamah: Chief Ye’ush, Chief Ya’lam, Chief Korach. These are the tribal chiefs who were born from Esau’s wife Oholivamah, daughter of Anah.		יחוְאֵ֗לֶּה בְּנֵ֤י אָֽהֳלִֽיבָמָה֙ אֵ֣שֶׁת עֵשָׂ֔ו אַלּ֥וּף יְע֛וּשׁ אַלּ֥וּף יַעְלָ֖ם אַלּ֣וּף קֹ֑רַח אֵ֣לֶּה אַלּוּפֵ֞י אָֽהֳלִֽיבָמָ֛ה בַּת־עֲנָ֖ה אֵ֥שֶׁת עֵשָֽׂו:
19All these are the sons of Esau, who is Edom, and these are their tribal chiefs.		יטאֵ֧לֶּה בְנֵֽי־עֵשָׂ֛ו וְאֵ֥לֶּה אַלּֽוּפֵיהֶ֖ם ה֥וּא אֱדֽוֹם:

Footnotes

2 Kings 5:19.

1 Samuel 16:1.

1 Kings 16:34.

Midrash Sefer Shmuel ch. 17.

Seventh Portion

Bereshit (Genesis) Chapter 36

20These are the sons of Se’ir the Horite, the inhabitants of the land of Se’ir: Lotan, Shoval, Tziv’on, Anah,		כאֵ֤לֶּה בְנֵֽי־שֵׂעִיר֙ הַֽחֹרִ֔י יֽשְׁבֵ֖י הָאָ֑רֶץ לוֹטָ֥ן וְשׁוֹבָ֖ל וְצִבְע֥וֹן וַֽעֲנָֽה:
יֽשְׁבֵי הָאָרֶץ - The inhabitants of the land - i.e., they were its inhabitants before Esau arrived there. But our rabbis explained this to mean that they were experts in cultivating the land (יִשּׁוּבָהּ שֶׁל אֶרֶץ), being able to say, “This measure of ground is good for olives; this measure of ground is for vines,” for they would taste the soil and thus know what kind of plant was suited to it.		יֽשְׁבֵי הָאָרֶץ. שֶׁהָיוּ יוֹשְׁבֶיהָ קֹדֶם שֶׁבָּא עֵשָׂו לְשָׁם. וְרַבּוֹתֵינוּ דָּרְשׁוּ (שבת פ"ה) שֶׁהָיוּ בְּקִיאִין בְּיִשּׁוּבָהּ שֶׁל אֶרֶץ; מְלֹא קָנֶה זֶה לְזֵיתִים, מְלֹא קָנֶה זֶה לִגְפָנִים, שֶׁהָיוּ טוֹעֲמִין הֶעָפָר וְיוֹדְעִין אֵי זוֹ נְטִיעָה רְאוּיָה לוֹ:
21Dishon, Etzer, and Dishan. These were the tribal chiefs of the Horites among the sons of Se’ir in Edom.		כאוְדִשׁ֥וֹן וְאֵ֖צֶר וְדִישָׁ֑ן אֵ֣לֶּה אַלּוּפֵ֧י הַֽחֹרִ֛י בְּנֵ֥י שֵׂעִ֖יר בְּאֶ֥רֶץ אֱדֽוֹם:
22The sons of Lotan were Chori and Heimam. Lotan’s half-sister was Timna.		כבוַיִּֽהְי֥וּ בְנֵֽי־לוֹטָ֖ן חֹרִ֣י וְהֵימָ֑ם וַֽאֲח֥וֹת לוֹטָ֖ן תִּמְנָֽע:
23These are the sons of Shoval: Alvan, Manachat, Eival, Shefo, and Onam.		כגוְאֵ֨לֶּה֙ בְּנֵ֣י שׁוֹבָ֔ל עַלְוָ֥ן וּמָנַ֖חַת וְעֵיבָ֑ל שְׁפ֖וֹ וְאוֹנָֽם:
24These are the sons of Tziv’on: Ayah and Anah. It was Anah who discovered how to breed mules in the desert, when he was tending the donkeys for his father Tziv’on.		כדוְאֵ֥לֶּה בְנֵֽי־צִבְע֖וֹן וְאַיָּ֣ה וַֽעֲנָ֑ה ה֣וּא עֲנָ֗ה אֲשֶׁ֨ר מָצָ֤א אֶת־הַיֵּמִם֙ בַּמִּדְבָּ֔ר בִּרְעֹת֥וֹ אֶת־הַֽחֲמֹרִ֖ים לְצִבְע֥וֹן אָבִֽיו:
וְאַיָּה וַֽעֲנָה - The ו of וְאַיָּה is superfluous, and this phrase is thus the equivalent of אַיָּה וַעֲנָה – “Ayah and Anah.” There are many examples of this in Scripture: “delivering the Sanctuary and the host (וְקֹדֶשׁ וְצָבָא) for trampling”; 1 “the chariot and the horse (וְרֶכֶב וָסוּס) are put to sleep.” 2		וְאַיָּה וַֽעֲנָה. וָי"ו יְתֵרָה, וְהוּא כְּמוֹ אַיָּה וַעֲנָה, וְהַרְבֵּה יֵשׁ בַּמִּקְרָא, תֵּת וְקֹדֶשׁ וְצָבָא מִרְמָס (דניאל ח'), נִרְדָּם וְרֶכֶב וָסוּס (תהילים ע"ו):
הוּא עֲנָה - (lit.) He is Anah - mentioned above 3 as being the brother of Tziv’on, whereas here he is called his son. This teaches us that Tziv’on had relations with his own mother and fathered Anah.		הוּא עֲנָה. הָאָמוּר לְמַעְלָה שֶׁהוּא אָחִיו שֶׁל צִבְעוֹן וְכָאן הוּא קוֹרֵא אוֹתוֹ בְּנוֹ? מְלַמֵּד שֶׁבָּא צִבְעוֹן עַל אִמּוֹ וְהוֹלִיד אֶת עֲנָה:
אֶת־הַיֵּמִם - means “mules.” He crossbred a donkey with a mare, and it gave birth to a mule; he himself was an illegitimate child, so he brought unnatural offspring into the world. And why are they called יֵמִים? Because fear (אֵימָה) of them lies upon the creatures, for Rabbi Chanina said, “Never has anyone asked me about an injury caused by a white mule and survived.” 4 – But do we not see that they do survive? You should not read the text וְחָיָה “and survived,” but וְחָיְתָה “and it healed,” for the wound will never become cured. – It would not have been necessary to write the genealogy of the Horites were it not for Timna, and this was to tell us of the greatness of Abraham, as I explained above. 5		אֶת־הַיֵּמִם. פְּרָדִים, הִרְבִּיעַ חֲמוֹר עַל סוּס נְקֵבָה וְיָלְדָה פֶּרֶד, וְהוּא הָיָה מַמְזֵר וְהֵבִיא פְסוּלִין לָעוֹלָם; וְלָמָּה נִקְרָא שְׁמָם יֵמִים? שֶׁאֵימָתָן מֻטֶּלֶת עַל הַבְּרִיּוֹת, דְּאָמַר רַבִּי חֲנִינָא מִיָּמַי לֹא שְׁאָלַנִי אָדָם עַל מַכַּת פִּרְדָּה לְבָנָה וְחָיָה (חולין ז') (וַהֲלֹא קָא חֲזִינָן דְּחָיָה? אַל תִּקְרֵי וְחָיָה אֶלָּא וְחָיְתָה, כִּי הַמַּכָּה לֹא תֵּרָפֵא לְעוֹלָם, בְרַשִׁ"י יָשָׁן) וְלֹא הֻזְקַק לִכְתֹּב לָנוּ מִשְׁפְּחוֹת הַחוֹרִי אֶלָּא מִפְּנֵי תִּמְנָע, וּלְהוֹדִיעַ גְּדֻלַּת אַבְרָהָם, כְּמוֹ שֶׁפֵּרַשְׁתִּי לְמַעְלָה:
25These are the children of Anah: his son Dishon and his stepdaughter Oholivamah daughter of Anah.		כהוְאֵ֥לֶּה בְנֵֽי־עֲנָ֖ה דִּשֹׁ֑ן וְאָֽהֳלִֽיבָמָ֖ה בַּת־עֲנָֽה:
26These are the sons of Dishon: Chemdan, Eshban, Yitran, and Keran.		כווְאֵ֖לֶּה בְּנֵ֣י דִישָׁ֑ן חֶמְדָּ֥ן וְאֶשְׁבָּ֖ן וְיִתְרָ֥ן וּכְרָֽן:
27These are the sons of Etzer: Bilhan, Za’avan, and Akan.		כזאֵ֖לֶּה בְּנֵי־אֵ֑צֶר בִּלְהָ֥ן וְזַעֲוָ֖ן וַֽעֲקָֽן:
28These are the sons of Dishan: Utz and Aran.		כחאֵ֥לֶּה בְנֵֽי־דִישָׁ֖ן ע֥וּץ וַֽאֲרָֽן:
29These are the tribal chiefs of the Horites: Chief Lotan, Chief Shoval, Chief Tziv’on, Chief Anah,		כטאֵ֖לֶּה אַלּוּפֵ֣י הַֽחֹרִ֑י אַלּ֤וּף לוֹטָן֙ אַלּ֣וּף שׁוֹבָ֔ל אַלּ֥וּף צִבְע֖וֹן אַלּ֥וּף עֲנָֽה:
30Chief Dishon, Chief Etzer, Chief Dishan. These are the tribal chiefs of the Horites, enumerated chief by chief, in the land of Se’ir.		לאַלּ֥וּף דִּשֹׁ֛ן אַלּ֥וּף אֵ֖צֶר אַלּ֣וּף דִּישָׁ֑ן אֵ֣לֶּה אַלּוּפֵ֧י הַֽחֹרִ֛י לְאַלֻּֽפֵיהֶ֖ם בְּאֶ֥רֶץ שֵׂעִֽיר:
31These are the kings who reigned in Edom before any king reigned over the descendants of Israel.		לאוְאֵ֨לֶּה֙ הַמְּלָכִ֔ים אֲשֶׁ֥ר מָלְכ֖וּ בְּאֶ֣רֶץ אֱד֑וֹם לִפְנֵ֥י מְלָךְ־מֶ֖לֶךְ לִבְנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל:
וְאֵלֶּה הַמְּלָכִים וגו' - These are the kings… They were eight, and correspondingly the kingdom of Jacob appointed eight kings during whose reigns the kingdom of Esau ceased to exist. These kings were: Saul, Ishboshet, David, Solomon, Rechav’am, Aviyah, Asa, and Yehoshafat. Of the days of Yoram, Yehoshafat’s son, it is written: “in his days, Edom rebelled against the dominion of the kingdom of Judah and appointed over themselves a king,” 6 while of the period from Saul to Yehoshafat it is written: “There was no king in Edom; only a governor appointed by Judah ruled.” 7		וְאֵלֶּה הַמְּלָכִים וגו'. שְׁמוֹנָה הָיוּ וּכְנֶגְדָּן הֶעֱמִיד יַעֲקֹב וּבִטֵּל מַלְכוּת עֵשָׂו בִּימֵיהֶם, אֵלּוּ הֵן, שָׁאוּל וְאִישׁ בֹּשֶׁת, דָּוִד וּשְׁלֹמֹה, רְחַבְעָם, אֲבִיָּה, אָסָא, יְהוֹשָׁפָט; וּבִימֵי יוֹרָם בְּנוֹ כָּתוּב בְּיָמָיו פָּשַׁע אֱדוֹם מִתַּחַת יַד יְהוּדָה וַיַּמְלִכוּ עֲלֵיהֶם מֶלֶךְ (מלכים ב ח'), וּבִימֵי שָׁאוּל כָּתוּב וּמֶלֶךְ אֵין בֶּאֱדוֹם נִצָּב מֶלֶךְ (מלכים א כ"ב):
32Bela son of Be’or became king of Edom, and the name of his city, i.e., where he came from, was Dinhavah.		לבוַיִּמְלֹ֣ךְ בֶּֽאֱד֔וֹם בֶּ֖לַע בֶּן־בְּע֑וֹר וְשֵׁ֥ם עִיר֖וֹ דִּנְהָֽבָה:
33Bela died, and he was succeeded as king by Yovav son of Zerach, who was from Botzrah.		לגוַיָּ֖מָת בָּ֑לַע וַיִּמְלֹ֣ךְ תַּחְתָּ֔יו יוֹבָ֥ב בֶּן־זֶ֖רַח מִבָּצְרָֽה:
יוֹבָב בֶּן־זֶרַח מִבָּצְרָֽה - Yovav son of Zerach, from Botzrah. Botzrah is in fact a town in Moab, as it says in relation to Moab: “And over Keriyot and Botzrah…,” 8 and because it produced a king of Edom, it will in the future be punished with the people of Edom, as it says: “for God will carry out a slaughter in Botzrah.” 9		יוֹבָב בֶּן־זֶרַח מִבָּצְרָֽה. בָּצְרָה מֵעָרֵי מוֹאָב הִיא, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר וְעַל קְרִיּוֹת וְעַל בָּצְרָה וגו' (ירמיהו מ"ח); וּלְפִי שֶׁהֶעֱמִידָה מֶלֶךְ לֶאֱדוֹם, עֲתִידָה לִלְקוֹת עִמָּהֶם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר כִּי זֶבַח לַה' בְּבָצְרָה (ישעיהו ל"ד):
34Yovav died, and he was succeeded as king by Chusham, who was from the land of the Teimanites.		לדוַיָּ֖מָת יוֹבָ֑ב וַיִּמְלֹ֣ךְ תַּחְתָּ֔יו חֻשָׁ֖ם מֵאֶ֥רֶץ הַתֵּֽימָנִֽי:
35Chusham died, and he was succeeded as king by Hadad son of Bedad, who defeated Midian in the field of Moab. The name of his city, i.e., where he came from, was Avit.		להוַיָּ֖מָת חֻשָׁ֑ם וַיִּמְלֹ֨ךְ תַּחְתָּ֜יו הֲדַ֣ד בֶּן־בְּדַ֗ד הַמַּכֶּ֤ה אֶת־מִדְיָן֙ בִּשְׂדֵ֣ה מוֹאָ֔ב וְשֵׁ֥ם עִיר֖וֹ עֲוִֽית:
הַמַּכֶּה אֶת־מִדְיָן בִּשְׂדֵה מוֹאָב - Who defeated Midian in the field of Moab - for Midian waged war against Moab and the king of Edom went to help Moab. From here we learn that Midian and Moab were in conflict with each other, but in the days of Balaam they made peace in order to plot against Israel.		הַמַּכֶּה אֶת־מִדְיָן בִּשְׂדֵה מוֹאָב. שֶׁבָּאוּ מִדְיָן עַל מוֹאָב לַמִּלְחָמָה, וְהָלַךְ מֶלֶךְ אֱדוֹם לַעֲזֹר אֶת מוֹאָב; וּמִכָּאן אָנוּ לְמֵדִים, שֶׁהָיוּ מִדְיָן וּמוֹאָב מְרִיבִים זֶה עִם זֶה, וּבִימֵי בִלְעָם עָשׂוּ שָׁלוֹם לְהִתְקַשֵּׁר עַל יִשְׂרָאֵל:
36Hadad died, and he was succeeded as king by Samlah, who was from Masrekah.		לווַיָּ֖מָת הֲדָ֑ד וַיִּמְלֹ֣ךְ תַּחְתָּ֔יו שַׂמְלָ֖ה מִמַּשְׂרֵקָֽה:
37Samlah died, and he was succeeded as king by Sha’ul, who was from Rechovot on the Euphrates River.		לזוַיָּ֖מָת שַׂמְלָ֑ה וַיִּמְלֹ֣ךְ תַּחְתָּ֔יו שָׁא֖וּל מֵֽרְחֹב֥וֹת הַנָּהָֽר:
38Sha’ul died, and he was succeeded as king by Ba’al-Chanan son of Achbor.		לחוַיָּ֖מָת שָׁא֑וּל וַיִּמְלֹ֣ךְ תַּחְתָּ֔יו בַּ֥עַל חָנָ֖ן בֶּן־עַכְבּֽוֹר:
39Ba’al-Chanan son of Achbor died, and he was succeeded as king by Hadar, and the name of his city, i.e., where he came from, was Pa’u. His wife’s name was Meheitav’el daughter of Matred, who was also known as the daughter of Mei-Zahav.		לטוַיָּ֘מָת֘ בַּ֣עַל חָנָ֣ן בֶּן־עַכְבּוֹר֒ וַיִּמְלֹ֤ךְ תַּחְתָּיו֙ הֲדַ֔ר וְשֵׁ֥ם עִיר֖וֹ פָּ֑עוּ וְשֵׁ֨ם אִשְׁתּ֤וֹ מְהֵֽיטַבְאֵל֙ בַּת־מַטְרֵ֔ד בַּ֖ת מֵ֥י זָהָֽב:
בַּת־מֵי זָהָֽב - The daughter of Mei-Zahav. Matred was so called because he used to say, “What (value) is gold (מַהוּ זָהָב)?” – i.e., he was so rich that in his eyes gold was considered worthless.		בַּת־מֵי זָהָֽב. מַהוּ זָהָב? עָשִׁיר הָיָה, וְאֵין זָהָב חָשׁוּב בְּעֵינָיו לִכְלוּם:
40The following are the names of the tribal chiefs of Esau, according to the names of their families and regions. The chief of the tribe of Timna, the chief of the tribe of Alvah, the chief of the tribe of Yetet,		מוְאֵ֠לֶּה שְׁמ֞וֹת אַלּוּפֵ֤י עֵשָׂו֙ לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָ֔ם לִמְקֹֽמֹתָ֖ם בִּשְׁמֹתָ֑ם אַלּ֥וּף תִּמְנָ֛ע אַלּ֥וּף עַלְוָ֖ה אַלּ֥וּף יְתֵֽת:
וְאֵלֶּה שְׁמוֹת אַלּוּפֵי עֵשָׂו - The following are the names of the tribal chiefs of Esau - who were named according to their provinces, after Hadar died and their monarchy ceased; and the first chieftains mentioned above 10 were the names of Esau’s sons’ descendants. That these chieftains ruled following Hadar is stated explicitly in 1 Chronicles: 11 “Hadad died, and the chieftains of Edom then were: the chief of Timna…”		וְאֵלֶּה שְׁמוֹת אַלּוּפֵי עֵשָׂו. שֶׁנִּקְרְאוּ עַל שֵׁם מְדִינוֹתֵיהֶם לְאַחַר שֶׁמֵּת הֲדַר וּפָסְקָה מֵהֶם מַלְכוּת, וְהָרִאשׁוֹנִים הַנִּזְכָּרִים לְמַעְלָה הֵם שְׁמוֹת תּוֹלְדוֹתָם; וְכֵן מְפֹרָשׁ בְּדִבְרֵי הַיָּמִים וַיָּמָת הֲדָד וַיִּהְיוּ אַלּוּפֵי אֱדוֹם אַלּוּף תִּמְנָע וְגוֹמֵר:
41the chief of the tribe of Oholivamah, the chief of the tribe of Elah, the chief of the tribe of Pinon,		מאאַלּ֧וּף אָֽהֳלִֽיבָמָ֛ה אַלּ֥וּף אֵלָ֖ה אַלּ֥וּף פִּינֹֽן:
42the chief of the tribe of Kenaz, the chief of the tribe of Teiman, the chief of the tribe of Mivtzar,		מבאַלּ֥וּף קְנַ֛ז אַלּ֥וּף תֵּימָ֖ן אַלּ֥וּף מִבְצָֽר:
43the chief of the tribe of Magdi’el, and the chief of the tribe of Iram. These are the tribal chiefs of Edom—that is, of Esau, the progenitor of the Edomites—according to their settlements in the lands that they possessed.		מגאַלּ֥וּף מַגְדִּיאֵ֖ל אַלּ֣וּף עִירָ֑ם אֵ֣לֶּה \| אַלּוּפֵ֣י אֱד֗וֹם לְמֽשְׁבֹתָם֙ בְּאֶ֣רֶץ אֲחֻזָּתָ֔ם ה֥וּא עֵשָׂ֖ו אֲבִ֥י אֱדֽוֹם:
מַגְדִּיאֵל - Magdi’el. This is Rome.		מַגְדִּיאֵל. הִיא רוֹמִי:

Footnotes

Chulin 7b.

2 Kings 8:20.

1 Kings 22:48.

Genesis 36:15-19.

Maftir Portion

Bereshit (Genesis) Chapter 36

40The following are the names of the tribal chiefs of Esau, according to the names of their families and regions. The chief of the tribe of Timna, the chief of the tribe of Alvah, the chief of the tribe of Yetet,		מוְאֵ֠לֶּה שְׁמ֞וֹת אַלּוּפֵ֤י עֵשָׂו֙ לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָ֔ם לִמְקֹֽמֹתָ֖ם בִּשְׁמֹתָ֑ם אַלּ֥וּף תִּמְנָ֛ע אַלּ֥וּף עַלְוָ֖ה אַלּ֥וּף יְתֵֽת:
וְאֵלֶּה שְׁמוֹת אַלּוּפֵי עֵשָׂו - The following are the names of the tribal chiefs of Esau - who were named according to their provinces, after Hadar died and their monarchy ceased; and the first chieftains mentioned above 1 were the names of Esau’s sons’ descendants. That these chieftains ruled following Hadar is stated explicitly in 1 Chronicles: 2 “Hadad died, and the chieftains of Edom then were: the chief of Timna…”		וְאֵלֶּה שְׁמוֹת אַלּוּפֵי עֵשָׂו. שֶׁנִּקְרְאוּ עַל שֵׁם מְדִינוֹתֵיהֶם לְאַחַר שֶׁמֵּת הֲדַר וּפָסְקָה מֵהֶם מַלְכוּת, וְהָרִאשׁוֹנִים הַנִּזְכָּרִים לְמַעְלָה הֵם שְׁמוֹת תּוֹלְדוֹתָם; וְכֵן מְפֹרָשׁ בְּדִבְרֵי הַיָּמִים וַיָּמָת הֲדָד וַיִּהְיוּ אַלּוּפֵי אֱדוֹם אַלּוּף תִּמְנָע וְגוֹמֵר:
41the chief of the tribe of Oholivamah, the chief of the tribe of Elah, the chief of the tribe of Pinon,		מאאַלּ֧וּף אָֽהֳלִֽיבָמָ֛ה אַלּ֥וּף אֵלָ֖ה אַלּ֥וּף פִּינֹֽן:
42the chief of the tribe of Kenaz, the chief of the tribe of Teiman, the chief of the tribe of Mivtzar,		מבאַלּ֥וּף קְנַ֛ז אַלּ֥וּף תֵּימָ֖ן אַלּ֥וּף מִבְצָֽר:
43the chief of the tribe of Magdi’el, and the chief of the tribe of Iram. These are the tribal chiefs of Edom—that is, of Esau, the progenitor of the Edomites—according to their settlements in the lands that they possessed.		מגאַלּ֥וּף מַגְדִּיאֵ֖ל אַלּ֣וּף עִירָ֑ם אֵ֣לֶּה \| אַלּוּפֵ֣י אֱד֗וֹם לְמֽשְׁבֹתָם֙ בְּאֶ֣רֶץ אֲחֻזָּתָ֔ם ה֥וּא עֵשָׂ֖ו אֲבִ֥י אֱדֽוֹם:
מַגְדִּיאֵל - Magdi’el. This is Rome.		מַגְדִּיאֵל. הִיא רוֹמִי:

Footnotes

Genesis 36:15-19.

1 Chronicles 1:51.

Haftarah

Ovadiah (Obadiah) Chapter 1

1The vision of Obadiah; So said the Lord God concerning Edom; We have heard tidings from the Lord, and a messenger has been sent among the nations, "Arise and let us rise up against them in war!"		א חֲז֖וֹן עֹֽבַדְיָ֑ה כֹּֽה־אָמַר֩ אֲדֹנָ֨י יֱהֹוִ֜ה לֶֽאֱד֗וֹם שְׁמוּעָ֨ה שָׁמַ֜עְנוּ מֵאֵ֚ת יְהֹוָה֙ וְצִיר֙ בַּגּוֹיִ֣ם שֻׁלָּ֔ח ק֛וּמוּ וְנָק֥וּמָה עָלֶ֖יהָ לַמִּלְחָמָֽה:
The vision of Obadiah. Why is Obadiah different that he was chosen to prophesy concerning Edom and did not prophesy any other prophecy? Our Sages of blessed memory stated: Obadiah was an Edomite proselyte. Said the Holy One, blessed be He: From them and in them will I bring upon them. Let Obadiah, who dwelt between two wicked people, Ahab and Jezebel, and did not learn from their deeds, come and impose retribution upon Esau, who dwelt between two righteous people, Isaac and Rebecca, and did not learn from their deeds. [from Sanhedrin 39b]		חזון עובדיה. מאי שנא עובדיה לאדום ולא ניבא נבואה אחרת אמרו חכמי' עובדיה גר אדומי היה אמר הקב"ה מהם ובהם אביא עליהם יבא עובדיה שדר בין שני רשעים אחאב ואיזבל ולא למד ממעשיהם ויפרע מעשו הרשע שדר בין שני צדיקים יצחק ורבק' ולא למד ממעשיה':
2Behold I have made you small among the nations; you are very despised.		בהִנֵּ֥ה קָטֹ֛ן נְתַתִּ֖יךָ בַּגּוֹיִ֑ם בָּז֥וּי אַתָּ֖ה מְאֹֽד:
Behold I have made you small. In contrast with what his father called him, his big son, and his mother called him her big son, the Holy One, blessed be He, says: In My eyes, he is small (Pesikta d’Rav Kahana p. 56; Pesikta Rabbathi, ed. Meir Ish Shalom p. 79a; Pesikta Rabbathi ed. Warsaw p. 144; Gen. Rabbah 65:11). And our Sages (Avodah Zarah 10a) expounded: small for they have neither script nor language. [from Avodah Zarah 10a]		הנה קטן נתתיך. כלפי שקראו אביו בנו הגדול ואמו בנה הגדול אמר הקב"ה לפני קטן הוא רבותינו דרשו קטן שלא היה להם לא כתב ולא לשון:
despised. That they did not crown a king the son of a king.		בזוי. שלא היו מעמידין מלך בן מלך:
3The wickedness of your heart enticed you, who dwell in the clefts of the rock, whose habitation is high, who says to himself, "Who will bring me down to the earth?"		גזְד֚וֹן לִבְּךָ֙ הִשִּׁיאֶ֔ךָ שֹֽׁכְנִ֥י בְחַגְוֵי־סֶ֖לַע מְר֣וֹם שִׁבְתּ֑וֹ אֹמֵ֣ר בְּלִבּ֔וֹ מִ֥י יֽוֹרִידֵ֖נִי אָֽרֶץ:
who dwell in the clefts of the rock. Who relies on the support of his ancestors, Abraham and Isaac, but they shall not avail him.		שוכני בחגוי סלע. סומך על משענת אבותיו אברהם ויצחק והם לא יועילו לו:
the clefts. Heb. חַגְוֵי. Cf. (Isa. 19:17) “And the land of Judah shall be to Egypt for a dread (לְחָגָּא),” frayteyne [or fraite] in O.F., a cleft of a rock. And do not wonder about the “vav” of (Gen. 21:16) “like a shot (כִּמְטַחֲוֵי);” in which there is no radical in the word but the “teth” and the “heth.”		חגוי. כמו (ישעיה יט) והיתה אדמת יהודה למצרים לחגא ברייטיינ"א בלעז ואל תתמה על וי"ו של חגוי שהיא כוי"ו של קצוי (תהלים סה) וכוי"ו של כמטחוי (בראשית כא) שאין יסוד בתיבה אלא טי"ת וחי"ת:
4If you go up high like an eagle, and if you place your nest among the stars, from there I will bring you down, says the Lord.		דאִם־תַּגְבִּ֣יהַּ כַּנֶּ֔שֶׁר וְאִם־בֵּ֥ין כּֽוֹכָבִ֖ים שִׂ֣ים קִנֶּ֑ךָ מִשָּׁ֥ם אוֹרִֽידְךָ֖ נְאֻם־יְהֹוָֽה:
5Did thieves come upon you, did plunderers of the night? How were you silent? Will they not steal till they have enough? If vintagers came upon you, would they not leave over some gleaning grapes?		האִם־גַּנָּבִ֚ים בָּא֚וּ לְךָ֙ אִם־שׁ֣וֹדְדֵי לַ֔יְלָה אֵ֣יךְ נִדְמֵ֔יתָה הֲל֥וֹא יִגְנְב֖וּ דַּיָּ֑ם אִם־בֹּֽצְרִים֙ בָּ֣אוּ לָ֔ךְ הֲל֖וֹא יַשְׁאִ֥ירוּ עֹֽלֵלֽוֹת:
come upon you. Heb. בָּאוּ לְךָ, lit., came to you.		באו לך. עליך:
How were you silent?. Why were you sleeping soundly and still until they stole all they desired?		איך נדמיתה. למה נרדמתה דומם עד שגנבו כל רצונם:
would (the vintagers) not leave over some gleaning grapes?. But these will not leave you anything, for they will search and reveal and seek out your hidden things.		הלא בוצרים ישאירו עוללות. ואלה לא ישאירו לך כלום כי יחפשוך ויגלו וידרשו מצפוניך:
6How Esau was searched out, how his hidden things were revealed!		ואֵיךְ נֶחְפְּשׂ֣וּ עֵשָׂ֔ו נִבְע֖וּ מַצְפֻּנָֽיו:
were revealed. Heb. נִבְעוּ. Jonathan rendered: were revealed, and it is an Aramaic expression: נִבְעוּ means “sought out.” Cf. (Isa. 21:12) “If you will request, request (אִם תִּבְעָיוּן בְּעָיוּ).”		נבעו. תרגום יונתן איתגליין ולשון ארמית נבעו נתבקשו וכן אם תבעיון בעיו (ישעיהו כ״א:י״ב):
7Until the border all your allies escorted you; your friends enticed you, yea prevailed against you; your food they lay as a wound under you; there is no discernment in them.		זעַד־הַגְּב֣וּל שִׁלְּח֗וּךָ כֹּל אַנְשֵׁ֣י בְרִיתֶ֔ךָ הִשִּׁיא֛וּךָ יָֽכְל֥וּ לְךָ֖ אַנְשֵׁ֣י שְׁלֹמֶ֑ךָ לַחְמְךָ֗ יָשִׂ֚ימוּ מָזוֹר֙ תַּחְתֶּ֔יךָ אֵ֥ין תְּבוּנָ֖ה בּֽוֹ:
Until the border… escorted you. Those who promised to aid you, came with you and escorted you to the border of your land, to the boundary, whence they came upon you in war, and with this they enticed you and succeeded.		עד הגבול שלחוך. אותם שהבטיחוך לעזרה באו עמך ולווך עד גבול ארצך עד הספר ששם באו עליך למלחמה ובזאת השיאוך והצליחו:
they prevailed against you. to entice you to leave, and they deserted you.		יכלו לך. לפתותך לצאת ושבו מאחריך:
your food they lay as a wound under you. Even your food your brother Jacob made for you as a wound, for he gave you bread and a pottage of lentils, and thereby you despised the birthright.		לחמך ישימו מזור תחתיך. אף מאכלך שם לך אחיך יעקב למזור שנתן לך לחם ונזיד עדשים ועל ידו בזית הבכורה:
wound. Heb. מָזוֹר.		מזור. חולי:
8Shall I not in that day-says the Lord-destroy wise men from Edom and discernment from the mountain of Esau?		חהֲל֛וֹא בַּיּ֥וֹם הַה֖וּא נְאֻם יְהֹוָ֑ה וְהַֽאֲבַדְתִּ֚י חֲכָמִים֙ מֵֽאֱד֔וֹם וּתְבוּנָ֖ה מֵהַ֥ר עֵשָֽׂו:
9And your mighty men shall be dismayed, O dwellers of the southland, in order that every man be cut off from the mountain of Esau by slaughter.		טוְחַתּ֥וּ גִבּוֹרֶ֖יךָ תֵּימָ֑ן לְמַ֧עַן יִכָּֽרֶת־אִ֛ישׁ מֵהַ֥ר עֵשָׂ֖ו מִקָּֽטֶל:
And your mighty men shall be dismayed. They shall be dismayed and frightened to flee to the land of Israel [Malbim: to the land of Edom]. And Jonathan rendered: And your mighty men shall be dismayed, dwellers of the southland.		וחתו גבוריך תימן. יחתו ויפחדו לנוס אל ארץ ישמעאל וי"ת ויתברון גברך יתבי ארעא דרומא:
in order that every man be cut off. I.e, every mighty man. [from Targum Jonathan]		למען יכרת. כל איש גבור:
from the mountain of Esau by slaughter. By the great slaughter that will come upon them.		מהר עשו מקטל. מרוב הרג שיבא עליכם:
10Because of the violence of your brother Jacob, shame shall cover you, and you shall be cut off forever.		ימֵֽחֲמַ֛ס אָחִ֥יךָ יַֽעֲקֹ֖ב תְּכַסְּךָ֣ בוּשָׁ֑ה וְנִכְרַ֖תָּ לְעוֹלָֽם:
Because of the violence of your brother Jacob. Because of the violence you inflicted upon Jacob.		מחמס אחיך יעקב. בשביל חמס שעשית ליעקב:
11On that day you stood from afar, on the day strangers captured his possessions, and foreigners came into his cities, and on Jerusalem they cast lots; you, too, are like one of them.		יאבְּיוֹם֙ עֲמָֽדְךָ֣ מִנֶּ֔גֶד בְּי֛וֹם שְׁב֥וֹת זָרִ֖ים חֵיל֑וֹ וְנָכְרִ֞ים בָּ֣אוּ שְׁעָרָ֗יו (כתיב שְׁעָרָ֗ו) וְעַל־יְרֽוּשָׁלִַ֙ם֙ יַדּ֣וּ גוֹרָ֔ל גַּם־אַתָּ֖ה כְּאַחַ֥ד מֵהֶֽם:
On the day you stood from afar. that you did not come to aid him.		ביום עמדך מנגד. שלא באת לעזור לו:
you, too, are like one of them. I account it for you as though you were one of their attackers.		גם אתה כאחד מהם. אעלה אני עליך כאילו אתה מן הבאים עליהם:
12And you should not have looked on the day of your brother on the day of his being delivered, and you should not have rejoiced about the children of Judah on the day of their destruction, and you should not have spoken proudly on the day of distress.		יבוְאַל־תֵּ֚רֶא בְיֽוֹם־אָחִ֙יךָ֙ בְּי֣וֹם נָכְר֔וֹ וְאַל־תִּשְׂמַ֥ח לִבְנֵֽי־יְהוּדָ֖ה בְּי֣וֹם אָבְדָ֑ם וְאַל־תַּגְדֵּ֥ל פִּ֖יךָ בְּי֥וֹם צָרָֽה:
And you should not have looked on the day of your brother. You should not have looked and stood from afar.		ואל תרא ביום אחיך. לא היה לך (להביט) ולעמוד מנגד:
on the day of his being delivered. Heb. נָכְרוֹ. On the day of his being delivered into the hands of the heathens. And so does Scripture state concerning Saul: (I Sam. 23:7) “נִכַּר אֹתוֹ אֱלֹהִים בְּיָדְי”, “He has delivered him into my hand.”		ביום נכרו. ביום הסגירו ביד אויב הוא הבבליים וכן הוא אומר בשאול (שמואל א כ״ג:ז׳) נכר אותו אלהים בידי הסגיר אותו בידי:
13You should not have come into the gate of My people on the day of their misfortune; you too should not have looked at their affliction on the day of their misfortune, and you should not have stretched out [your hand] upon their possessions on the day of their misfortune.		יגאַל־תָּב֚וֹא בְשַֽׁעַר־עַמִּי֙ בְּי֣וֹם אֵידָ֔ם אַל־תֵּ֧רֶא גַם־אַתָּ֛ה בְּרָֽעָת֖וֹ בְּי֣וֹם אֵיד֑וֹ וְאַל־תִּשְׁלַ֥חְנָה בְחֵיל֖וֹ בְּי֥וֹם אֵידֽוֹ:
and you should not have stretched out upon their possessions. You should not have stretched out your hand upon their possessions. So did Jonathan render. And this is an ellipsis, to which we must add: “your hands.”		ואל תשלחנה בחילו. אל תשלחנה ידך בנכסיו כן תרגם יונתן ומקרא קצר הוא וצריך להוסיף עליו ידך:
14And you should not have stood by the gap to cut off their fugitives, neither should you have delivered their survivors on the day of distress.		ידוְאַל־תַּֽעֲמֹד֙ עַל־הַפֶּ֔רֶק לְהַכְרִ֖ית אֶת־פְּלִיטָ֑יו וְאַל־תַּסְגֵּ֥ר שְׂרִידָ֖יו בְּי֥וֹם צָרָֽה:
And you should not have stood by the gap. Heb. הַפֶּרֶק. The place through which the escapees emerge to escape, and in French they call it “trou.”		ואל תעמוד על הפרק. מקום שהבורחים יוצאים דרך שם לימלט ובלשון לע"ז קוראים אותו טרו"ג:
And you should not have stood by the gap. From here [we learn] that one may not interrupt between one paragraph and another in reading the “Shema.” [Haggadah of Rabbi Akiva]		(אל תעמוד על הפרק. מכאן שאסור להפסיק בק"ש בין פרק לפרק הג"ה דר"ע):
15For the day of the Lord over all the nations is close; as you have done shall be done to you; your recompense shall be returned upon your head.		טוכִּֽי־קָר֥וֹב יֽוֹם־יְהֹוָ֖ה עַל־כָּל־הַגּוֹיִ֑ם כַּֽאֲשֶׁ֚ר עָשִׂ֙יתָ֙ יֵעָ֣שֶׂה לָּ֔ךְ גְּמֻֽלְךָ֖ יָשׁ֥וּב בְּרֹאשֶֽׁךָ:
16For, as you drank on My Holy Mount, shall all the nations drink constantly, and they shall drink and be stunned, and they shall be as though they were not.		טזכִּ֗י כַּֽאֲשֶׁ֚ר שְׁתִיתֶם֙ עַל־הַ֣ר קָדְשִׁ֔י יִשְׁתּ֥וּ כָל־הַגּוֹיִ֖ם תָּמִ֑יד וְשָׁת֣וּ וְלָע֔וּ וְהָי֖וּ כְּל֥וֹא הָיֽוּ:
For, as you drank on My Holy Mount. Just as you rejoiced concerning the destruction of My Holy Mount. [from Jonathan]		כאשר שתיתם על הר קדשי. כמה דחדיתון על מחת טורא דקודשי:
and be stunned. Heb. יְלָעוּ. As the Targum renders: וְיִסְתַּלְעֲמוּן, an expression of confusion, amazement, and benumbing the mind; etourdissant in French-stunning.		ולעו. כתרגומו ויסתלעמון ל' מהומה ושממון וטירוף דעת אישטורדישו"ן בלע"ז:
17And on Mount Zion there shall be a remnant, and it shall be holy, and the house of Jacob shall inherit those who inherited them.		יזוּבְהַ֥ר צִיּ֛וֹן תִּֽהְיֶ֥ה פְלֵיטָ֖ה וְהָ֣יָה קֹ֑דֶשׁ וְיָֽרְשׁוּ֙ בֵּ֣ית יַֽעֲקֹ֔ב אֵ֖ת מוֹרָֽשֵׁיהֶֽם:
those who inherited them. The possessions of the people who inherited them. [from Targum Jonathan]		את מורשיהם. נכסי עממיא דהוו מחסנין להון:
18And the house of Jacob shall be fire and the house of Joseph a flame, and the house of Esau shall become stubble, and they shall ignite them and consume them, and the house of Esau shall have no survivors, for the Lord has spoken.		יחוְהָיָה֩ בֵֽית־יַֽעֲקֹ֨ב אֵ֜שׁ וּבֵ֧ית יוֹסֵ֣ף לֶֽהָבָ֗ה וּבֵ֚ית עֵשָׂו֙ לְקַ֔שׁ וְדָֽלְק֥וּ בָהֶ֖ם וַֽאֲכָל֑וּם וְלֹֽא־יִֽהְיֶ֚ה שָׂרִיד֙ לְבֵ֣ית עֵשָׂ֔ו כִּ֥י יְהֹוָ֖ה דִּבֵּֽר:
for the Lord has spoken. Now where did He speak? (Num. 24:19) “Out of Jacob shall come a ruler, and he shall destroy him that remains in the city.” [from Mechilta Bo 12:16, Pirkei d’Rabbi Eliezer ch.37]		כי ה' דבר. והיכן דבר (במדבר כ״ד:י״ט) וירד מיעקב והאביד שריד וגו':
19And [the inhabitants of] the southland shall inherit the mountain of Esau, and [the inhabitants of] the plain, the Philistines, and they shall inherit the field of Ephraim and the field of Samaria, and Benjamin [with the inhabitants of] Gilead.		יטוְיָֽרְשׁ֨וּ הַנֶּ֜גֶב אֶת־הַ֣ר עֵשָׂ֗ו וְהַשְּׁפֵלָה֙ אֶת־פְּלִשְׁתִּ֔ים וְיָֽרְשׁוּ֙ אֶת־שְׂדֵ֣ה אֶפְרַ֔יִם וְאֵ֖ת שְׂדֵ֣ה שֹֽׁמְר֑וֹן וּבִנְיָמִ֖ן אֶת־הַגִּלְעָֽד:
And [the inhabitants of] the southland shall inherit. Israel, who were dwelling in the south of Eretz Israel, shall inherit the mountain of Esau, which is at the southern boundary; and the people of the plain shall inherit the land of the Philistines and Mt. Ephraim and Mt. Shomeron.		וירשו הנגב. ישראל שהיו יושבין בדרומה של ארץ ישראל ירשו את הר עשו שהוא במצר דרום ובני השפלה ירשו את ארץ פלשתים ואת הר אפרים ואת הר שומרון:
and Benjamin with [the inhabitants of] Gilead. And the children of Manasseh, whose territory was the land of Gilead, shall spread beyond the borders of Eretz Israel on the east.		ובנימין את הגלעד. ובני מנשה שהיתה ארץ גלעד שלהם יפשטו להם מהלאה לגבולותיה של ארץ ישראל במזרחה:
20And this exiled host of the children of Israel who are [with] the Canaanites as far as Zarephath and the exile of Jerusalem which is in Sepharad shall inherit the cities of the southland.		כוְגָלֻ֣ת הַֽחֵל־הַ֠זֶּה לִבְנֵ֨י יִשְׂרָאֵ֚ל אֲשֶֽׁר־כְּנַֽעֲנִים֙ עַד־צָ֣רְפַ֔ת וְגָלֻ֥ת יְרֽוּשָׁלִַ֖ם אֲשֶׁ֣ר בִּסְפָרַ֑ד יִֽרְשׁ֕וּ אֵ֖ת עָרֵ֥י הַנֶּֽגֶב:
And this exiled host. Heb. הַחֵל. Jonathan renders: This people. הַחֵל, An expression of a host. Cf. (Isa. 36:2) “And he came (sic) to Jerusalem with an army (חֵיל) of a great multitude,” which deals with Rabshakeh, only that this one is missing a “yud.” It is also possible to explain גָלֻת הַחֵל as “the exile of this valley.”		וגלות החל הזה. תרגם יונתן עמא הדין, החל לשון חיל כמו (ישעיהו ל״ו:ב׳) ויבא ירושלמה בחיל כבד דרבשקה אלא שזה חסר יו"ד ויש עוד לפרש החל הזה גלות הגיא הזה:
who are [with] the Canaanites as far as Zarephath. The exile which is of the children of Israel who were exiled from the ten tribes to the land of the Canaanites as far as Zarephath		לבני ישראל אשר כנענים עד צרפת. גלות אשר הוא מבני ישראל שגלו מעשרת השבטים לארץ כנענים עד צרפת:
and the exile of Jerusalem which is in Sepharad. who are of the people of Judah who were exiled to Sepharad - they shall inherit the cities of the southland, which are in the southern part of Eretz Israel. The exegetes claim that Zarephath is the kingdom called France in French.		וגלות ירושלים אשר בספרד. שהם מבני יהודה אשר גלו לספרד הם ירשו את ערי הנגב שבדרומה של ארץ ישראל. ואומרי' הפותרים צרפת הוא המלכות שקורין פרנצ"א בלע"ז:
Sepharad. Jonathan renders: Spain.		ספרד. תרגם יונתן אספמיא:
21And saviors shall ascend Mt. Zion to judge the mountain of Esau, and the Lord shall have the kingdom.		כאוְעָל֚וּ מֽוֹשִׁעִים֙ בְּהַ֣ר צִיּ֔וֹן לִשְׁפֹּ֖ט אֶת־הַ֣ר עֵשָׂ֑ו וְהָֽיְתָ֥ה לַֽיהֹוָ֖ה הַמְּלוּכָֽה:
shall ascend. Princes of Israel as saviors on Mt. Zion.		ועלו. שרי ישראל מושיעים בהר ציון:
to judge the mountain of Esau. to exact retribution from the mountain of Esau for what they did to Israel.		לשפוט את הר עשו. ליפרע מהר עשו אשר עשו לישראל:
to judge. Heb. לִשְׁפֹּט. joustiser in O.F.		לשפוט. יושטיציי"ר בלע"ז:
the mountain of Esau. Jonathan renders: the great city of Esau.		הר עשו. י"ת כרכא רבא דעשו:
and the Lord shall have the kingdom. This teaches you that His kingdom will not be complete until He exacts retribution from Amalek.		והיתה לה' המלוכה. לימדך שאין מלכותו שלימה עד שיפרע מעמלק:

Translation of Chumash and Rashi courtesy Chabad House Publications’ forthcoming English Chumash with an annotated translation of Rashi based on the teachings of the Lubavitcher Rebbe, published by Kehot Publications Society. Translated and adapted by Rabbi Moshe Wisnefsky, Editor-in-Chief. Rabbi Chaim N. Cunin, Director and General Editor.

Copyright © 2024 by Chabad House Publications. All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce this book or portions thereof, in any form, without permission, in writing, from Chabad House Publications.

Chabad House Publications is pleased to feature this text in the newly released “Daily Studies in Chitas — The Schottenstein Edition,” published by Chayenu and Kehot Publications Society.

The text on this page contains sacred literature. Please do not deface or discard.