Oct.16th 2005


We go back to the age old question, why didn't the
Torah just start with the Mitzvah of Hachodesh Hazeh,
the Mizvah of the new moon; Why did Hashem need to
write Sefer Bereshis and story of Egypt?
There are three Mitzvos in Sefer Bereshis. The
Mitzvah of Pru Urvu (be fruitful and multiply), Milah
(circucision), and gid Hanasheh (not eating the
sinew).
These three mitzvos represent the building of the
world. To populate the world; to realize that man is
not born perfect and we must strive to become whole;
and remembrance of the past and thankfulness that
Yaacov Avinu was able to wrestle with the angel of
Esav and come out victorious with only his hip being
touched.
The parshas of Toldos-Vayishlach seems to me like a
beautiful metaphor of Yetzer Hara and Yetzer tov. In
Parshas Toldos we learn that Yaacov and Esav are born
and the story of Yaacov and Esav.Yaacov is the essence
of Torah, Esav is the epitimy of Yetzer Hara. And what
do we know about Yetzer Hara? We know that the remedy
of it is Torah. So Yaacov is sent away from his house
and he goes to Shem Veever for 14 years.VaYetze
-Yaacov leaves his parents house and is sent to his
mothers brother, but we learn that first he took a
detour to the Yeshivah. And through course of events,
(which maybe brought out in a different Dvar Torah),
he marries Rochel and Leah and gets their maid
servants as concubines and works for Lavan. It comes
to appoint where Yaacov sees that it is no longer good
for him, and he leaves to set back to his fathers
house. Before he truly does that he must first see
where his brother is at because the idea of whether he
can live peacefully without his brother disturbing
him. Vayishlach- And Yaacov sent messengers to see
what is happening with his brother. And much like the
yetzer hara we see that Esav was comign to try and
attack Yaacov. And this made Yaacov very afraid and he
devised schemes for different ways to deal when he is
faced with his brother again (even if his brother
hurts him there will still be something left of him).
There is an encounter and at the end Yaacov is able
to leave unscathed (accept of course for being touched
in the sinew).
We know Rosh Hashona is the end of one year and
the beginning of a new one. Hashem was nivrah a
Yetzer Harah but he was also Nivrah Torah tavlin-
Hashem created a Yetzer Hara and created the Torah as
an antidote. When we are sick and take a remedy and it
hurts worse we are told that is the medicine working.
I believe Hashem just gave me a new understanding in
what we say in Yedid Nefesh. Nafshi cholas Ahavasecha.
Ana E-L Nah Refah Na Lah. Are neshama is really
literally sick for your love please Hashem heal it.
-Come to us let us love You- but we know when we sit
and learn and truly start to feel the Shechina we
begin to cry and we begin to question our worthiness
and ask what makes us so special that we can feel the
Shechinah and can talk to G-D. That's the true Yetzer
Hara and to a certain degree I feel like that is the
metaphor of the Parsha A Tzaddik who has surrounded
himself with Torah and he checks around and tries to
go against his Yetzer Hara, the Yetzer Hara is there
giving him all the ideas how to be Morah Heter - how
to allow himself to teach himself to be lenient. A
Moreh - a teacher of Heter - leniency. However when we
show a true desire to learn and be total Yetzer Tov,
we know Bederech adam Rotzeh lelech Hashem Molichin
Oso-the way a person wants to become that is the way
Hashem will lead him. And not even the Yetzer Hara has
power over such a person. [ I was told on shabbos that
Yaacov and Esav Mashal of Yetzer Hara and Yetzer Tov
is fully shown in Sfas Emes on Vayishlach.] ( However,
I have yet to be able to have the time to find it
since I do not own a Sfas Emes on Chumash.)
In Parshas Haazinu Chapter 32 verse 20 it says: I
shall hide my face from them and see what their end
will be, for they are a generation that is reversed,
children whose upbringing is not in them. and
following in chapter 32 verse 30 it says: For how
could one pursue a thousand and two cause a myriad to
fall if not that their Rock had sold them out, And
Hashem had delivered them.
The word that hit me in Hebrew in verse 30 is
Eicha-for how could — the word Eicha is usually
Yaacov, klal Yisrael, crying out over their
calamities. However, this use of the word Eicha is on
Eisav, is on the non Jews. How could they be so stupid
as to not realize that even when they defeat Yaacov it
is really only Hashem delivering Klal Yisrael into
their hands?
Sefer Bereshis is the foundation, the upbringing of
Klal Yisrael an essential part of the Torah, and an
essential part of the Mitzvah of Zechor Yemos Olamr
-remember the happenings of the world—
May Hashem bless us to always be able to cling to
the foundation of our learning, to strive to do our
best not to err, or sin on purpose G-d forbid. And the
prayer Hashem not turn his face from us.