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: