Parshas Vayishlach–It’s Galus…. It’s Galus…. !

By: Chaya Sora Jungreis-Gertzulin

Time to go home. After twenty long years in the house of Lavan, Yaakov was finally able to return home. While Lavan made the years challenging and difficult, at the same time, HaShem blessed Yaakov with a beautiful family.

This week’s parsha, Vayishlach, opens with Yaakov readying himself for the journey home. “Vayishlach Yaakov malachim l’fanav, And Yaakov sent messengers before him.” Rashi tells us that the malachim were “malachim mamash – actual angels.” (Bereishis 32:4) Yaakov instructs them exactly what to say upon encountering Eisav. “Im Lavan garti, I (Yaakov) stayed with Lavan.” Don’t think my life was a bed of roses. I was in the house of Lavan. He may be my uncle, my father-in-law, but to me, he is a trickster and a swindler. His word is not a word. Rashi teaches that Yaakov remained a “ger”, (from the word “garti”), a stranger in the house of Lavan. A message to Eisav, that he has nothing to be jealous of.

Rashi gives an additional explanation on the word “garti”. The gematria, numerical value of garti, is taryag – as in taryag mitzvos, 613 commandments. In fact, the letters of garti – gimmel, reish, tuf, yud, can be arranged to form the word taryag – tuf, reish, yud, gimmel. In essence, Yaakov is saying that despite living with the wicked Lavan, I kept all of the mitzvos. Even though life was hard, I made time for Torah. I davened, I learned, I did good deeds. I didn’t allow my difficult life to break me, to tear me away from my connection to HaShem. Moreover, Yaakov’s message is that in all the years he was in Lavan’s house, “lo lamadeti me’ma’asav hora’im, I didn’t learn from his evil deeds.” Yaakov’s strength of character. For two decades, he lived in a world far from truth, honesty and morals. Yet, it never wore off on him. Yaakov remained true to his beliefs and values.

Sefer Bereishis, the Book of our Roots. From each of the avos and imahos, our patriarchs and matriarchs, we learn life lessons. Ma’aseh avos, siman l’bonim, everything that occurred to the patriarchs is a sign for the children. Their lives and our lives are intertwined.

Yaakov teaches us that no matter where one is, no matter the influences one is surrounded by, we must strive to live as Torah Jews. To live our life knowing that we are part of an am kadosh, a holy nation.

One of my most memorable Chanukahs was visiting our young married couple, then living in Eretz Yisroel. There were pop-ups selling sufganiyot on every corner. The streets were infused with the scent of fresh donuts. The stores were decorated with streamers of menorahs and dreidels, and Chanukah music filled the malls.

I loved walking the streets of Yerushalayim at night, seeing the outdoor menorahs encased in glass boxes. Our Chanukah trips were to different batei midrash to watch the rebbes light the menorah. The sight of throngs of chassidim filled with the spirit of Chanukah are memories I will always treasure. Altogether, it was a treat for the senses. Seeing, hearing, smelling and tasting Chanukah. But it touched yet another “sense”, the neshama. It was a feast for the soul. My neshama soared.

The week flew by. All too soon, it was time to head home. I left Eretz Yisroel on a spiritual high.

As soon as I deplaned, I was reminded that we’re in galus. The airport was decorated with twinkling lights and festive trees. Holiday music was playing, just not my holiday. How I ached to be back in Yerushalayim. To really feel Chanukah once again.

Bayamim ha-heim, bazman hazeh. In those days, in our time. The Chanukah story continues. The ancient Greeks wanted to spread their influence upon our nation. To destroy the Jewish family and home. To force Am Yisroel to live, act, and even think Greek.

The allure of the Greek culture was very strong. Slowly and stealthily, it had a pull that many weren’t able to resist. There were those amongst the Jewish people who took on Greek names, dressed in Greek fashion, studied Greek philosophy and art, and went to the Greek gymnasiums.

The world we live in is no different. We are surrounded by outside secular influences. Media bombards us with non-Jewish messages which insidiously seep in. At times, it is hard to make a line of demarcation between our world and the secular world around us.

I’m reminded of a story a little girl I know. It was the first snow of the season. Dressed for the cold, the little girl ran outside, diving into the deep snow. With a big smile on her face, she called out “It’s Chr……mas, it’s Chr……mas” over and over again. This little girl had become a victim of the onslaught of holiday programming, one holiday video too many. Videos that associated snow with the white bearded man in a red jacket. Upon first hearing this, my first reaction was a good laugh. But then, the feeling of, it’s galus, it’s galus hit me hard.

The messengers returned to Yaakov, telling him that Eisav was heading his way with an army of four hundred men. Yaakov turns to HaShem with tefilla. “Save me from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Eisav.” (Bereishis 32:12). Why the redundancy? Would it not have been sufficient to say “save me from Eisav”, or “save me from my brother”? The Beis HaLevi teaches that Yaakov was afraid of fighting a war on two fronts. Save me from Eisav, Eisav the warrior. But he was also afraid of Eisav “the brother”. The threat of assimilation, of becoming a brother and slowly being influenced by his way of life. Yaakov davened that HaShem be with him if there would be a physical war, and at the same time, he davened for siyata dishmaya, divine assistance to be strong in case of a spiritual war.

The miracle of Chanukah was on both fronts. Yes, the Chashmonaim chased the Greeks out of Eretz Yisroel. They reclaimed their Beis HaMikdash. But even greater was their victory in the battle for the Jewish soul. As we approach Chanukah, let the message of the Chanukah light be with us. A little light illuminates darkness. We are reminded of the pintele Yid, as my mother a”h would say, “that flickering light that becomes a flame, a flame from which the word hineni – here am I HaShem, will come forth.” Hineni – ready to serve You with love.

We, too, are living in a world that that is battling us on two fronts. Those who want to physically destroy us, and those who want to eradicate our Torah lifestyle and values. Let’s take a lesson from Yaakov, a lesson from the Maccabees. To stand strong and steadfast, proud of our yiddishkeit, our Torah, our people.

Shabbat Shalom!

Chaya Sora

Chaya Sora can be reached at [email protected]

This article was written L’zecher Nishmas/In Memory Of HaRav Meshulem ben HaRav Osher Anshil HaLevi, zt”l and Rebbetzin Esther bas HaRav Avraham HaLevi, zt”l