VAYISHLACH (Beresheet/GEN 32:4- 36:43) Part 2 BACK TO PART 1, Torah Lesson Plan, or YHVH Homepage
If we look at our previous drash interpretation, we will be forced to ask another question. Here we see, learning according to our drash, that Yaacov is referring to the Moshiach when he mentions chamor (donkey). Specifically, it is a Midrash which is supported by a verse from Tanach stating that Moshiach will come, humble [lowly - poor] and riding on a donkey. If this drash is applied to this Torah verse, we must then ask; why this verse, why not another? Why does Yaacov chose this view of Moshiach while the Gemorah, Sanhedrin, presents us with another, specifically, the Book of Daniel; “Behold! One like the son of man came with the clouds of heaven.”
Now there are worlds of differences between lowly and on a donkey, or glorious and exalted as the clouds. We learn two views from this. 1) If we are deserving, he will arrive glorious, and lofty as the clouds in heaven. 2) If we are not deserving, he will arrive lowly on the back of a donkey. But still we have the question; Why did Yaacov, in our drash, chose the lowly path for the coming of Melech Ha Moshiach?
In Pirkei deRabbi Eliezer it mentions that the donkey of Moshiach is the same donkey of Moses in Shemot (Exodus) 4:20, and it is also the same donkey as found in Beresheet (Genesis) 22:3 which belonged to Avraham. This view obviously connects Avraham, Moshe, and Moshiach to a common bond, something besides the donkey because the donkey is only the sign which draws our attention to the common bond.
Avraham started the era of “two thousand years of Torah.” Before him, the era was dubbed “two thousand years of man.” But with the Torah parshah, Lech Lecha, Avraham, and the world, were introduced to One G-d, and a new journey commenced. Moses received the Torah, and passed it on to all of Israel. Moshiach will reveal the ultimate intention of Torah to all of Israel, thus bringing it to a culmination.
Avraham used the donkey to carry his wood and the knife (which was to be used to slaughter Itzchak his son). Himself and his son walked on foot. Thus, the donkey was used to carry his impliments, his tools. Objects which are to be utilized by man.
About Moses we see that it says; “He took his wife and his sons and made them ride upon the donkey.” Obviously, a wife and children are much more precious, much closer to man than his wood and tools. About wife and children Chazal say; man’s wife is like himself, and about a son; A son is the leg of his father.
Now, about Moshiach we see that he will be lowly and riding on a donkey. It will be him who does the actual riding. First, we should realize that when we use a donkey, we are facilitating our lives. While riding, we are able to reach distances and heights that we could not reach before. Not only ourselves, but our possessions as well. This is true in the physical sense, therefore, it also becomes true in the spiritual sense. Further more, chamor (donkey) can also refer to chomer (matter), as the Baal Shem Tov taught us when he interpreted the verse in Shemot; “If you see the donkey of your enemy, etc.” By purifying and refining the chomer (matter - or mundan, physical) one can grow to levels which the soul by itself cannot attain. As is written in Proverbs; “There is much increase by the strength of the ox.” Indicating that it is by the very way of the mundane, the physical, that we are capable of reaching the spiritual heights. Heights which are unattainable without the help of chomer.
Avraham’s days, which were dubbed as the beginning of “the two thousand years of Torah” were actually the beginning of the days of avodah (service). Chomer (matter) could not yet elevate man to spiritual heights. Man, however, could use the material objects for Divine service. Such as the wood and knife which Avraham transported. Thus making these objects vessels of holiness. These vessels could not contain the holiness. Once their use was fulfilled, they ceased to be holy vessels. They did not affect their surrounding either.
In the era of Moses, the chamor (donkey or chomer - matter) served as an ascent for the lower aspect of man himself. There was no need to elevate the material objects in the same temporary fashion as before, because now, after the giving of the Torah, they already had a means by which they could sustain holiness (mitzvot must be done with material objects, such as tefillin are made of leather and ink, tzitzit of wool, etc.), after the purification of Mitzrayim (Egypt) and the giving of the Torah, it was now man who had to use the chomer in order to elevate himself to greater heights, while simultaneously instilling greater holiness into the chomer itself.
The coming of Moshiach, however, will effect something much more profound. It is stated “Lowly and riding upon a donkey”, meaning that then there will a conquest, a superiority of body over soul. Hmmm? Body over soul, should it not be soul over body?
Woman, the last of creation, the top of the pyramid. Hashem said about all creation, every day, “it is good”, but after creating woman He said “very good.” Now, woman, as we saw above, and as taught in the Gemorah, is as man. It says; “ishto kegufo” which lit. translates a wife is like his body. As kabbalah teaches us in the parshah chayei Sarah, Sarah alludes to the body while Avraham alludes to the soul. This is also the general understanding between man and woman. Thus, woman actually has a very elevated role within the creation. The book of Proverbs states; “A virtuous woman is the crown of her husband.” Thus, even the highest part of the soul (the chayah and yechidah), alluded to by the head, wears the crown.
In the time of Moshiach there will be a revelation, a manifestation of the true source, and true level of all created things, chomer. It will become relevant to all that Hashem is the true sustainer of all chomer, thus elevating them above their present status. It will become relevant how the creation serves to raise the soul to levels which are unattainable presently. This can only be done by a Divine purification brought on by Hashem. Man can only purify so much, Hashem will purify all to it’s ultimate perfection. He will deliver the finishing touch. As we learn from Gemorah Brachos, Shabbat is 1/60th part of the world to come. Insinuating, that in the world to come, all will be Shabbat. One of the 49 malachot (forbidden labors of Shabbat) is makey vapatish (final blow - finishing touch). Thus, man may not do this act, it will be brought on by Hashem.
This is alluded to in the saying we quoted earlier from chazal: “Zachu - if they are deserving he will come with the clouds of heaven, lo zachu - if they are not deserving, then lowly and riding on a donkey.” The word zachu comes from the root zachah, to be clear or pure, it refers to the avodah, the Divine service with all pure and spiritual things. This service will bring about the clouds of heaven. Such a revelation is a “or yashar”, a direct light from above to below. On the other hand, lo zchu refers to a avodah which deals with things that have not yet been purified and refined, for these things there will be a manifestation of “lowly and riding upon a donkey.” An “or chozer”, or reflecting light. This is a light from below to above by means of chamor (donkey) or in our case, chomer (matter), and through this, one will reach a height which the soul on its own could never reach. Thus we see that there is a partnership in service between above and below. That which is elevated will already be infused from above, and that which is not, will be infused with kedushah (holiness) from below to above.
This was the meaning of Yaacov’s saying; “I have oxen and donkeys”. Since his service entailed strenuous labor with Laban, and the material property of Laban, and since he was successful in his labors, and properly elevated all of the chomer, he was now ready for the supreme manifestation of “lowly and riding upon a donkey.” He felt as if he had done all there is to do, and now, the ultimate revelation could take place. “I have succeeded and achieved”, and a state of kelot hanefesh (where the soul releases from the body and returns to its source, thereby leaving the body behind for dead). This is similar to the state of Yaacov. For this reason, when he himself heard his answer, he became aware that he had not finished anything.
Every Jew must ask this same question, “Where am I within the creation, have I done all that I can do?” One of the attributes of Hashem, as brought forth by Moshe Cordovero in Tomar Devorah, is; Mi Chamochah, who is like You. i.e., Who would tolerate as much as You tolerate from me, who would be as patient as You, awaiting my return (teshuvah)? Each person must ask this question to himself, and each person must realize that this question is also asked by Hashem, constantly to each one of His creatures “Where are you?” Each man according to his own level. To one individual this question may be on the level of kelot hanefesh, in order to bring him back down. While for another it may be on the level of “elevate yourself from this lowly place, remove yourself from the passions and desires, because they are nothing more than gravity, pulling you lower and lower, and further away from that which is pure.”
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