Hamaayan / The Torah Spring Edited by Mr. Shlomo Katz Toldot Volume XIII, No. 6 2 Kislev 5759 November 21, 1998 Today's Learning: Sponsored by Zavim 2:1-2 The Benn family Orach Chaim 12:1-3 on the second yahrzeit of Pesachim 97 David Benn a"h Yerushalmi Pesachim 64 Ramban writes: "The Torah spends time with the wells that Yitzchak dug, although the simple story is of no significance and in no way enhances Yitzchak's honor, because there is something hidden within it." He explains that the first two wells, over which there were quarrels, allude to the first two Batei Mikdash/Temples. The third well, which was dug in peace, alludes to the coming Third Temple. R' Yaakov Kamenetsky z"l (died 1986) adds: Chazal say that the 400 years of exile that Hashem foretold for Avraham's descendants began with Yitzchak. Therefore, the Torah had to teach us that Yitzchak suffered a form of "exile" at the hands of another nation. Yitzchak did not realize at first that he was among enemies; that is why he called the second well "Sitnah"/"Hatred" (not the first). At first he thought that the Plishtim stole his well because they needed water, but when they stole his second well also, he realized that they were motivated by hatred for him. [See another explanation on page 3.] Realizing this at last, Yitzchak moved farther away and was able to dig a well in peace. A similar fate befell the two Batei Mikdash. During the period when each of them stood, the Jewish people sought alliances with their neighbors, and in both instances, those alliances played a role in the Temple's eventual destruction. (For example, the alliances that King Shlomo made resulted in the introduction of idolatry into the Land.) The first two wells were dug by Yitzchak's servants, while the third well was dug by Yitzchak himself. So, too, the third Bet Hamikdash will be built by Hashem himself (according to Rashi), and will exist in peace forever. (Emet Le'Yaakov) ******* "Yaakov said, 'Sell, as the day, your birthright to me'." (25:31) What did Yaakov mean by the words, "as the day"? R' Chaim Halberstam z"l (19th century; the "Sanzer Rav") explains as follows: Kabbalists teach that even in evil there is good, and that before the final tikkun/rectification, this good must be found and brought to light. Yaakov and Esav epitomized good and evil, respectively; ideally, Esav would have subjugated himself to Yaakov and allowed the final rectification to take place. However, Esav did not do so. Yaakov's only other choice was to "buy" the good forces that lay concealed within Esav (symbolized by the birthright). Yaakov said, "Just as the day is made up of light and darkness, so must I possess the good which comes from light and the good which comes from darkness." (Divrei Chaim) *********** "All the wells that [Yitzchak's] father's servants had dug in the days of Avraham, his father, the Plishtim stopped up and filled them with earth." (26:15) "Yitzchak's servants dug in the valley and they found a well of fresh water. The shepherds of Gerar quarreled with Yitzchak's shepherds, to say, 'The water is ours'; so he called the name of that well 'Esek'/'Involvement,' because they involved themselves with him. Then they dug a different well, and they quarreled over that also; so he called its name 'Sitnah'/'Hatred'." (26:19-21) R' David Shlomo Eyebschutz z"l (1755-1813; author of Levushei Serad) asks several questions regarding these verses: Why did the Torah not say simply, "The shepherds of Gerar quarreled with Yitzchak's shepherds, 'The water is ours'." What is added by the verb, "to say"? Also, the Plishtim were righteous gentiles (see Bereishit 20:4); why were they trying to steal Yitzchak's wells? Finally, it seems that there was less of a quarrel over the first well ("Esek"/"Involvement") than over the second ("Sitnah"/"Hatred"). Why? He answers as follows: If two people claim to have inherited the same parcel of land from their respective fathers, halachah awards the land to whichever one then has possession of it. However, if one person claims that he inherited the land from his father, while a second person claims that he purchased it (or otherwise acquired it), halachah awards the land to the one who claims it by inheritance. The wells that Yitzchak's servants dug were in Plishti land; they should, in fact, have belonged to the Plishtim. However, Yitzchak's servants claimed that the first well that they dug was one of the wells that Avraham had dug and the Plishtim had filled up. Since both the Plishtim and Yitzchak claimed this well by inheritance and Yitzchak now possessed the well, the well belonged to Yitzchak. The Plishtim could not dispute this fact too virulently, since they were righteous gentiles and knew the halachah. However, they wanted Yitzchak's shepherds to renounce their claim; they wanted Yitzchak's servants "to say, 'The water is ours'," rather than, "The water was Avraham's." If Yitzchak's servants would say, "The water is ours," the Plishtim would be halachically entitled to the well because they claimed the well based on inheritance, while Yitzchak would be claiming based only on his servants' later acquisition. Regarding this well, there was only "Esek"/"Involvement," while regarding the second well, there was "Sitnah"/"Hatred." Why? Because that was "a different well," not one of Avraham's wells. Thus, the Plishtim felt much more strongly that they were entitled to it (based on the halachic principles discussed above). (Arvei Nachal) *********** "Then Esav perceived that the daughters of Canaan were evil in the eyes of Yitzchak. So Esav went to Yishmael and took Machalat, the daughter of Yishmael son of Avraham, sister of Nivayot, in addition to his wives, as a wife for himself." (28:8) If Esav understood that Yitzchak did not approve of his wives, what did he accomplish by taking Yishmael's daughter? Could she have been any better? Moreover, he did not divorce the evil wives that he had, so what did he gain? R' Shalom Mordechai Schwadron z"l (1913-1997) explains that Esav in fact intended to repent and change his ways. Esav even intended to follow Yaakov to Charan and to marry Leah. However, sometimes a person is so totally controlled by the yetzer hara that even his sincere "repentance" goes awry. Esav began to repent fully, but as he became more religious, he suddenly thought to himself, "How can I, the son who excels the most at honoring my father, abandon him and go to Charan? No! That would not be right. I cannot go to Charan." Then he reasoned, "How can I divorce my wives? That would be so cruel!" But, he still wanted to change, so he reasoned, "Yishmael repented in his old age [see Rashi to Bereishit 25:9], so I will take his daughter as a wife." However, she was "in addition to his wives," i.e., she was no different than they. (Lev Shalom) ******* R' Yechezkel Panet z"l R' Yechezkel was born in 5543 (1782/83). He was a student of R' Baruch Frankel-Teomim (the "Bi'ruch Taam"; father-in-law of the Sanzer Rav) and R' Eliezer Fleckeles (author of "Teshuvah Mei'Ahavah"). He also became a chassid of R' Mendel of Rimanov. (R' Yechezkel apparently did not come from a chassidic family. There is a letter published in which R' Yechezkel explains to his father that, not only is R' Mendel a Torah scholar, but many scholars gather around him and he inspires them and teaches them the secrets of the Torah.) As rabbi of Karlsburg, R' Yechezkel was particularly active in tracking down husbands who had abandoned their wives without giving a get. This came about as follows: Siebenbergen, the province where Karlsburg was located, offered many jobs in the distilling industry and thus was a favorite destination for men who had abandoned their families. At R' Yechezkel's urging, a law was passed that no Jew could live in the province without the rabbi's (i.e., R' Yechezkel's) permission. As each new immigrant registered, R' Yechezkel wrote to the rabbi of the immigrant's last town, informing him of the man's whereabouts. If he found out that a man was married, he either arranged for a get or, in many cases, brought the wife to Karlsburg and effected a reconciliation. It is told that R' Yechezkel's assistance to abandoned women did not end with his death. A certain woman arrived in Karlsburg in search of her husband and was told that R' Yechezkel had died days before. With nowhere else to turn, the woman went to R' Yechezkel's grave and cried bitter tears. That night, R' Yechezkel appeared to his secretary in a dream and told him where the woman's husband could be found, but only if she hurried, because the man was planning to leave the country. R' Yechezkel died in 5605 (1844/45). He left works of halachah and drush, both named Mar'eh Yechezkel. (Source: Gedolei Hadorot 573-574)