Am Yisrael Chai – Vayishlach
... כִּי שָׂרִיתָ עִם אֱלֹהִים וְעִם אֲנָשִׁים וַתּוּכָל (בראשית לב, כט).
The question I would like to ask as a preface to this shiur is – "Who is more spiritually elevated, Jews or angels?"
This is obviously not my question, but a question Chazal dealt with in depth. R' Chaim of Volozhin (נפש החיים שער א, פרק י) brings the various views of Chazal and the Mefarshim on the matter.
The Gemara (Sanhedrin 92b): "R' Yochanan says that tzaddikim are greater than angels גְּדוֹלִים צַדִּיקִים יוֹתֵר מִמַּלְאֲכֵי הַשָּׁרֵת". Score so far 1-0.
Another Gemara (Chulin 91b) says that HKB"H prefers Am Yisrael over angels – חֲבִיבִין יִשְׂרָאֵל לִפְנֵי הקב"ה יוֹתֵר מִמַּלְאֲכֵי הַשָּׁרֵת שֶׁיִּשְׂרָאֵל אוֹמְרִים שִׁירָה בְּכָל שָׁעָה וּמַלְאֲכֵי הַשָּׁרֵת אֵין אוֹמְרִים שִׁירָה אֶלָּא פַּעַם אַחַת בַּיּוֹם. Score so far 2-0.
The Midrash (תנחומא, ויקרא פרשה א) says that tzaddikim are greater than angels - שֶׁמַּלְאֲכֵי הַשָּׁרֵת אֵינָם יְכוֹלִים לִשְׁמֹעַ קוֹלוֹ אֶלָּא עוֹמְדִים וְנִבְהָלִים, וְהַצַּדִּיקִים יְכוֹלִים לִשְׁמֹעַ קוֹלוֹ. Score so far 3-0.
Avot de'Rebi Natan (פרק מד) says that Am Yisrael are greater - יִשְׂרָאֵל נִקְרְאוּ קְדוֹשִׁים וּמַלְאֲכֵי הַשָּׁרֵת נִקְרְאוּ קְדוֹשִׁים, וְלֹא יָדַעְתָּ אֵיזֶה מְקֻדָּשׁ זֶה מִזֶּה, כְּשֶׁהוּא אוֹמֵר - קֹדֶשׁ יִשְׂרָאֵל לַה' (ירמיה ב, ג), אַתֶּם מְקֻדָּשִׁים לְפָנַי יוֹתֵר מִמַּלְאֲכֵי הַשָּׁרֵת. Score so far 4-0.
It seems like a knockout, right? Except, along comes the Rambam (הלכות יסודי התורה פ"ז ה"ו) and praises Moshe Rabbeinu שֶׁנִּתְקַדֵּשׁ בִּקְדֻשַּׁת הַמַּלְאָכִים, which seems to indicate that angels are of a higher level than Moshe Rabbeinu.
To understand the Rambam's reasoning, we need to examine the sequence of events that took place when Moshe went up to Har Sinai to receive the Torah, as described in the Otzar HaMidrashim (ספר מעיין החכמה, מספר ארזי לבנון דף מ״ו ע״ב).
We all just assumed that Moshe walked up the mountain, but that is not what happened. Sefer Ma'ayan HaChochma says that a cloud descended alongside Moshe and he did not know whether he should ride on top of it, or hold onto it. Suddenly the cloud opened up and Moshe entered it and the cloud transported him up to Heaven (lehavdil, if you were wondering where those UFO movies got their special effects from …).
Once he reached Heaven, Moshe started walking around, just as if he was walking around down here on earth. Soon he encountered the sentry angel K-e-m-u-e-l (we are not allowed to say/write the names of angels in their original form, as uttering or writing their original name invokes their powers [כף החיים על שו"ע או"ח ה׳:י׳:א׳]), at the entrance to Heaven, in charge of 12,000 מַלְאֲכֵי חַבָּלָה, to prevent unauthorized entrance. This angel challenged Moshe "What are you, ben Amram (a derogatory tone), doing in the domain of the angels of fire?"
Moshe replied "I have not arrived here on my own, I am here with HKB"H's authorization, to receive the Torah and take it back down to Am Yisrael!" The sentry angel would not allow Moshe to pass, so Moshe struck him a mortal blow and erased him from the world.
Moshe continued until he met up with the next angel, H-a-d-r-a-n-i-e-l, who was 600,000 parsa'ot (1.2 million km) taller than the previous angel and each word that left his mouth was accompanied by 12,000 lightning bolts of fire. When he saw Moshe, he challenged him "What are you, ben Amram, doing in the place of the high holy ones?" When Moshe heard his voice, Moshe was shattered, tears streamed from his eyes and he almost fell out of the cloud.
HKB"H Himself had mercy on Moshe and said to this angel "From the day I created you (angels), you seek to quarrel. When I wanted to create Adam HaRishon, you opposed it saying מָה אֱנוֹשׁ כִּי תִזְכְּרֶנּוּ וכו' and I was angry with you and incinerated you, group by group (כִּתּוֹת כִּתּוֹת) with My little finger. And now you quarrel with the most loyal member of My house, who I have raised up here to receive the Torah and take it back down to My chosen ones? Without the Torah that Am Yisrael are receiving, you have no dwelling place in the Heavens!"
When H-a-d-r-a-n-i-e-l heard this, he snapped to attention before HKB"H and said "Ribono shel Olam, You know that I was unaware that he (Moshe) was here with Your permission. From now on, I will be his guide and will walk in front of him like a student before his teacher."
H-a-d-r-a-n-i-e-l crouched and ran before Moshe, like a תַּלְמִיד לִפְנֵי רַבּוֹ until they reached the fire of the angel S-a-n-d-a-l-f-o-n. Moshe's new "guide" said to Moshe "Quick, go back! before we are both consumed by this fire!"
When Moshe saw S-a-n-d-a-l-f-o-n he was in shock, was about to fall out of the cloud and tears streamed from his eyes. Moshe begged HKB"H for mercy and was answered. HKB"H Himself got off from His כִּסֵּא הַכָּבוֹד and stood before Moshe so that he could pass through the fire of S-a-n-d-a-l-f-o-n, who was taller than the previous angel by a walking distance of 500 years!
The Midrash goes on to describe in graphic detail how this last angel, one of the Chayot, stands behind the כִּסֵּא הַכָּבוֹד and "crafts crowns" for HKB"H, just prior to the glorious and deafening spectacle when all the angels in Heaven declare קָדוֹשׁ קָדוֹשׁ קָדוֹשׁ ה׳ צְבָ-קוֹת and בָּרוּךְ כְּבוֹד ה' מִמְּקוֹמוֹ. We have no conception what we are saying when we recite Kedusha in חֲזָרַת הָש"ץ, especially since the Gemara in Chulin (above) says that HKB"H prefers our שִׁירָה to that of the angels. The Mishna Brura (או"ח סימן קכה, סעיף קטן ה') brings the Sefer Heichalot who says that when we say קָדוֹשׁ קָדוֹשׁ קָדוֹשׁ ה׳ צְבָ-קוֹת, we should raise ourselves on our toes to resemble the angels and gaze upward. According to Sefer Heichalot, this is HKB"H's favorite moment of every day, when Am Yisrael's eyes connect with His. At this moment HKB"H holds onto the the leg of the כִּסֵּא הַכָּבוֹד in the image of Yaakov Avinu, hugs and kisses it and reminds Himself of Am Yisrael's זְכוּיוֹת and hastens the Geulah.
The remainder of the Midrash follows in a similar vein, describing Moshe's "tour" of Heaven, through wondrous terrain, like נְהַר דִּינוּר, encountering increasingly elevated angels until he reaches the כִּסֵּא הַכָּבוֹד. It is breathtaking reading, but if I continued, it would fill up the whole shiur. I urge you to read it inside at this link.
After reading it, it is not surprising that the Rambam (above) says that angels are more elevated than Am Yisrael, even more than the greatest tzaddik in Am Yisrael – Moshe Rabbeinu.
However, the previous sources in Chazal contradict that. So, how do we reconcile the two?
After that short introduction we can begin the shiur.
Just before Yaakov's "reunion" with Eisav, the psukkim tell us that Yaakov "struggled" with a "man", וַיִּוָּתֵר יַעֲקֹב לְבַדּוֹ וַיֵּאָבֵק אִישׁ עִמּוֹ עַד עֲלוֹת הַשָּׁחַר (בראשית לב, כה). Chazal and the Mefarshim all say that this was no "man", but rather an angel. As a result of Yaakov's triumph in this struggle, his name was changed to (actually he was given an additional name) Yisrael. We are thus called Am Yisrael in his honor. Since the name of our nation is derived from this "struggle", we need to understand what this struggle was and who we truly are. When a modern secular Israeli ignorantly says "I do not consider myself Jewish, I consider myself an Israeli" does he know what an Israeli means?
In order to fully understand what an "Israeli" is and who we, Am Yisrael, are … we need to learn a profound Or HaChayim.
In parshat Kedoshim the passuk says וְהִתְקַדִּשְׁתֶּם וִהְיִיתֶם קְדשִׁים כִּי אֲנִי ה' אֱ-לֹקֵיכֶם (ויקרא יט, ב). The Or HaChayim there says that Am Yisrael are commanded to achieve קְדֻשָּׁה, and the passuk continues - וִהְיִיתֶם קְדשִׁים, that if we do, we will achieve the same level of קְדֻשָּׁה as the angels. But that is not the end of it.
When Am Yisrael stood at the foot of Har Sinai, prior to receiving the Torah, the passuk says וְאַתֶּם תִּהְיוּ לִי מַמְלֶכֶת כֹּהֲנִים וְגוֹי קָדוֹשׁ (שמות יט, ו). The Or HaChayim on this passuk says that the turning point of Matan Torah was to raise Am Yisrael to the level of angels. Just as there are angels who serve HKB"H above, so too will there now be angels who serve Him below (referring to the Kohanim serving HKB"H in the Beit HaMikdash, who are equivalent to angels).
The Or HaChayim continues "It also says וְאַתֶּם תִּהְיוּ לִי". In other words the status of angels is not limited only to Kohanim, but to everyone in Am Yisrael. In the words of the Or HaChayim –
מָצִינוּ שֶׁהַצַּדִּיקִים הִשִּׂיגוּ מַעֲלָה זוֹ שֶׁנִּקְרָאִים מַלְאָכִים וּקְדוֹשִׁים. כִּי בְּאֶמְצָעוּת הַתּוֹרָה תִּגְדַּל וְתַעֲלֶה מַעֲלַת הָאָדָם עַד אֵין קֵץ לְמַעְלָה מֵהַמַּלְאָכִים. וְזֶה לְךָ הָאוֹת, כִּי ה' בָּחַר לְיוֹתֵר מַעֲלָה לִקְדֻשַּׁת מְקוֹם כְּבוֹדוֹ עַם יִשְׂרָאֵל. הָא לָמַדְתָּ כִּי הֵם לְמַעְלָה מֵהֶם, כִּי מַעֲלִין בַּקֹּדֶשׁ וְאֵין מוֹרִידִין.
Using the Torah, tzaddikim can attain a level higher than the angels. By managing to transcend our physical, earthly bodies, the kedusha we achieve is on a higher level than the angels, who have no physical handicaps.
The Or HaChayim adds (שמות לא, טז) that this is the בְּרִית עוֹלָם בֵּינִי וּבֵין בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל, the covenant of Olam HaBah which is promised to us. That Olam HaBah is on a higher level than the world of the angels and angels will not be allowed to dwell there. Compared to the tzaddikim in Olam HaBah, the angels will be secondary וְיִהְיוּ הַמַּלְאָכִים שִׁירַיִם לָהֶם. Then angels will look up with wonder at the tzaddikim in Olam HaBah and say כִּי לֹא נַחַשׁ בְּיַעֲקֹב וְלֹא קֶסֶם בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל כָּעֵת יֵאָמֵר לְיַעֲקֹב וּלְיִשְׂרָאֵל מַה פָּעַל אֵל (במדבר כג, כג).
From the words of the Or HaChayim it all now becomes clear. The discrepancy between the sources in Chazal and the Rambam (above) reflect the reality after and before Matan Torah.
The Rambam is describing the reality before Moshe received the Torah, the awesome greatness of the angels in Heaven, one more "fearsome" than the next. What Chazal in the Gemara are describing is after Matan Torah, that we now possess the ability to transcend the level of the angels.
This is all not surprising in any way. The Midrash (תנחומא פקודי, סימן ג') says that immediately after Adam Harishon was created, the angels mistook him for G-d and bowed down to him. Adam corrected them saying "Let us praise the true G-d" and proceeded to sing שִׁיר שֶׁל יוֹם for erev Shabbat – ה' מָלָךְ גֵּאוּת לָבֵשׁ (תהילים צג, א). The Gemara (Sanhedrin 59b) describes the reality in Gan Eden before Adam HaRishon sinned, how the angels decanted wine and roasted meat for him.
We know that Matan Torah was a reset of the world to the time of Creation before the sin – when Adam HaRishon was on a higher level than the angels.
Yaakov Avinu is a gilgul of Adam HaRishon and was created in Adam HaRishon's image. The Gemara (Bava Batra 58a) tells how R' Bena'a went to mark graves (so that Kohanim knew where they could walk and not become impure). R' Bena'a entered Me'arat HaMachpeila and marked the graves of the Avot and Imahot. As he was about to enter the grave of Adam HaRishon a bat kol pronounced "You have gazed on a facsimile of My image, do not gaze on My image". Yaakov was a "copy" of Adam HaRishon, so R' Bena'a was allowed to gaze upon him, but not upon Adam HaRishon himself.
Who was the angel that Yaakov struggled with? The Yalkut Shimoni (בראשית לב, כה) says it was Michael (we are allowed to write and say the angel Michael's name in the original, unlike the other angels, he is one of the exceptions, also Gavriel and Rafael [כף החיים על שו"ע לעיל ]). The Malbim and the Kli Yakar say it was the angel called ס-מ-א-ל, who we usually refer to as the ס"מ, who is the מַלְאַךְ הַמָּוֶת, or by another name the יֵצֶר הָרַע.
This angel is likened to a fly, a זְבוּב says the Kli Yakar, because like a fly who is unable to inflict a wound, but does not hesitate to infiltrate an existing wound - similarly the ס"מ cannot inflict any harm on someone who is a perfect tzaddik without any flaw. The only way the ס"מ can harm us is if we have some existing flaw that allows him to gain a foothold.
What was Yaakov Avinu's "flaw" that allowed the ס"מ to even interact with him? The passuk says וַיִּוָּתֵר יַעֲקֹב לְבַדּוֹ, that after crossing the Yabok river with his entire family and entourage, Yaakov backtracked to retrieve פַּכִין קְטַנִּים, some kind of small utensil of very little monetary value (Chulin 91a). The Gemara explains why he did this צַדִּיקִים חָבִיב עֲלֵיהֶם מָמוֹנָם יוֹתֵר מִגּוּפָם וְכָל כָּךְ לָמָּה לְפִי שֶׁאֵין פּוֹשְׁטִין יְדֵיהֶן בַּגֶּזֶל. Tzaddikim treasure every cent that HKB"H gives them, as much as the higher valued items, as both were honestly earned.
The Kli Yakar, however, says that despite this noble character trait, this was a kind of "flaw" with Yaakov. That after HKB"H heaped untold wealth on him (millions of sheep), Yaakov should not have been wasting his time on פַּכִין קְטַנִּים. This was the opening that the angel ס"מ was looking for and this resulted in Yaakov battling with the ס"מ. Other perushim (בראשית רבה פב, ו) say these פַּכִין קְטַנִּים were jars of oil with which Yaakov anointed the rock he slept on during the dream of the ladder, that would later become the שֶׁמֶן הַמִּשְׁחָה in the Beit HaMikdash, but we will leave that perush for shiurim on Channukah.
Other perushim (R' Bachyei, Malbim) say the flaw the ס"מ found was connected to Yaakov marrying two sisters Rachel and Leah in their lifetime, which is connected to the area of עֲרָיוֹת (we discussed this topic in last week's shiur).
Despite this "flaw", the ס"מ could not defeat Yaakov in this struggle. The best he could do was inflict some harm on the כַּף הַיָּרֵךְ in the location of the גִּיד הַנָּשֶׁה. R' Yosef Gabai (בגדי שש, דף נא ע"א) says that although in the time of Ezra HaSofer they eliminated the yetzer hara for idol worship, they did not eliminate the yetzer hara for עֲרָיוֹת because it is essential for פְּרִיָּה וּרְבִיָּה and the continuation of the world. The continued control of the yetzer hara over this domain is symbolized by the כַּף הַיָּרֵךְ.
Despite the fact that Matan Torah had not yet happened, Yaakov had already attained a level that superseded angels. כִּי שָׂרִיתָ עִם אֱלֹהִים וְעִם אֲנָשִׁים וַתּוּכָל – Yaakov managed to overcome angels (אֱלֹהִים in this passuk means angels) and humans – Eisav and Lavan.
The name Yisrael reflects this concept, that Am Yisrael is even higher than the angels, second only to HKB"H. When we follow the Torah and use it to elevate ourselves so that we merit Olam HaBah, the only Being that is more elevated than us is HKB"H Himself.
This is what Yisrael means. It is a roadmap, a blueprint for our destiny. The sons of Yaakov, בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל are required to use the Torah as a "springboard" to achieve the highest possible spiritual level that exists, beyond that of the angels, second only to HKB"H.
It is a tripod – Am Yisrael, in Eretz Yisrael, cleaving to Torat Yisrael, three legs. Take away any of the three and the construct collapses.
This is what it means to be an "Israeli". When our enemies say they are not anti-Jewish, they are anti-Israel – this is what they mean. It means they are anti the destiny of Am Yisrael, the original and only true definition of antisemitism.
Being an Israeli means elevating ourselves in Kedusha in every sphere of our lives - how we eat, how we speak, how we dress, how we behave in the workplace, at home, in shul, how we conduct our business, how we treat others, how we help others, how we drive on the roads, how we surf the internet, how we gaze upwards at HKB"H during Kedusha when we say קָדוֹשׁ קָדוֹשׁ קָדוֹשׁ and how we yearn for the Geulah.
I would like to wrap up with something inspiring, regarding the Geulah, something phenomenal that gives us some idea where we are headed, time wise. One should not try to predict dates of the Geulah, and I am not, I am just bringing a little bit of history which everyone should know. We think we know our history but there is a lot we don't know.
As we all know Chazal tell us that the dominion of Edom precedes that of Am Yisrael - that Edom has to rule before he hands back the monarchy to HKB"H and Am Yisrael. This is why Eisav (Edom) was born before Yaakov (Yisrael).
After Eisav is born, Yaakov (Yisrael) emerges, as it says in the passuk וְאַחֲרֵי כֵן יָצָא אָחִיו וְיָדוֹ אֹחֶזֶת בַּעֲקֵב עֵשָׂו וַיִּקְרָא שְׁמוֹ יַעֲקֹב וכו' (בראשית כה, כו), in other words first comes the rule of Edom and then וְ-אַחֲרֵי כֵן comes the reign of Am Yisrael and the Geulah. This means "ו" times (6X) אַחֲרֵי כֵן. The gematria of אַחֲרֵי כֵן is 289. Six times 289 = 1734 years. From when? From the beginning of the galut of Edom, i.e from when the Bayit Sheini was destroyed, in 70CE. 1734 years from 70CE is the year 1804. This is the year of the beginning of the Geulah hinted to in the passuk. The gematria of 1804 is נִחַם ה' צִיּוֹן נִחַם כָּל חָרְבֹתֶיהָ וַיָּשֶׂם מִדְבָּרָהּ כְּעֵדֶן (ישעיהו נא, ג).
What happened in the year 1804?
Everyone mistakenly thinks that Zionist movement began in the late 1800's with Theodore Herzl. The first Zionist Congress in Basel took place in 1897 where the vision of a Jewish state was "founded" (??)
The problem is that we don't know our own history. We only know the "version" of our history that certain people want preserved in the narrative.
Long before Theodore Herzl and long before the first Aliyah in 1882, there was an attempt to establish a Jewish state in Eretz Yisrael by the Vilna Gaon, the Gra (1720-1797). The Gra knew the gematria above very well. He observed the global events that coincided with this date, i.e. the reign of Napoleon and he communicated this information to his students and disciples. Plans were formulated and were accelerated upon Napoleon's expedition to Eretz Yisrael in 1799. By 1808 the plans were ready to execute and 511 of the students of the Gra made Aliyah to Eretz Yisrael, led by R' Menachem Mendel Mishklov, the Vilna Gaon's greatest student in Kabbalah.
Contrary to the mainstream Ashkenazi European prohibitions at the time that forbade mass Aliyah, trying to hasten the Geulah and rebelling against the ruling nations while still in galut – the Gra thought differently. He believed that the Geulah is a gradual process, not a one-time event. It is brought about by natural means, like in the days of Coresh and Bayit Sheini.
The new olim who came in three waves first settled in the Galil and later moved to Jerusalem. This immigration was not a result of persecution and fleeing oppression or poverty, it was a purely idealistic initiative to realize the Geulah. Understandably the main thrust of their effort was to rebuild Jerusalem and they began by restoring the Churva Beit Knesset in the Old City and establishing a community around it. This was obviously not supported by the Ottoman rulers and was only accomplished by incredible mesirut nefesh and political "wiles". It eventually resulted in the Jewish population expanding out of the Old City into the new neighborhoods and by the mid-1800's the Jews were a majority in the city of Jerusalem, unprecedented since חֻרְבַּן בַּיִת שֵׁנִי.
Simultaneous to this, other parts of the group in Tzfat began working reestablishing authentic semicha and reinstituting the Sanhedrin, while others concentrated on reviving agriculture and the מִצְווֹת הַתְּלוּיוֹת בָּאָרֶץ, with the help of Moshe Montefiore. They sent Shluchim to different parts of the world to try search for the lost Ten Tribes, like to Yemen.
These were the first activists to establish the new Jewish State, which the later Herzlian Zionist Movement built upon. The major thrust of this movement was the focus on Torah, as it should be. These and a myriad other tidbits can be found in Arie Morgenstern's seminal book "Hastening Redemption".
So here we are in 2025 and we still have not merited the Geulah. Did the Vilna Gaon make a mistake? The answer is – no! The shita of the Gra is that Geulah is a gradual process. The year 1804 could have been the year of the final Geulah, except for one small glitch. It is a glitch we find in this week's parsha.
When Yaakov met up once again with Eisav, the psukkim describe in gory detail all the "pandering" that Yaakov did to appease Eisav – all the gifts, all the bowing down. The passuk says וְהוּא עָבַר לִפְנֵיהֶם וַיִּשְׁתַּחוּ אַרְצָה שֶׁבַע פְּעָמִים עַד גִּשְׁתּוֹ עַד אָחִיו (בראשית לג, ג). The Gemara (Sota 41b) and the Midrash (בראשית רבה עה, ב-ג) say that all Yaakov's pandering to Eisav/Edom resulted in Yaakov's descendants becoming subjugated to Edom.
It was originally intended that וְאַחֲרֵי כֵן יָצָא אָחִיו וְיָדוֹ אֹחֶזֶת בַּעֲקֵב עֵשָׂו וַיִּקְרָא שְׁמוֹ יַעֲקֹב, that Yaakov/Yisrael would supplant Edom in 1804, according to the Gra, but because of Yaakov's bowing down, that delayed things. By how much? The gematria of וְהוּא עָבַר לִפְנֵיהֶם וַיִּשְׁתַּחוּ אַרְצָה is 1531. The difference between 1804 and 1531 is 273 (years). In other words, Yaakov's bowing down delayed the Geulah planned for 1804 for another 273 years. This means that according to this calculation, the Geulah will arrive by 1804+273 = the year 2077 at the latest.
We are currently in the process. If בְּעִתָּהּ is in the year 2077, that means we still have 52 years to do אֲחִישֶׁנָּה and hasten it before the time. Time is running out.
The only possible way to hasten it is by becoming Israelis – the authentic Israeli, in all senses of the word, in the Vilna Gaon's sense of the word.
Am Yisrael Chai.
