It Just Happens

This week’s Parsha is primarily focused on the life Yitzchok, the one of the Avos to whom the least amount of the Torah is devoted. The Brachos that Yitzchok gave to his sons as he reached the end of his days on this earth occupy a great deal of the Parsha and there are many lessons to be learned from those Brachos and the events that surround them.

As we know, Yitzchok intended to give the Brachos to Esav, and indeed instructed his older son to prepare a meal for him so that he would be in the proper frame of mind to give the Brachos. Rivka heard these instructions and she told Yaakov Avinu to prepare the same meal and enter Yitzchok’s presence disguised as Esav so that the Brachos would be given to Yaakov instead.

Yaakov carried out his mother’s directions and brought the meal to Yitzchok. Upon announcing himself, as Esav, and telling his father that he had brought him the requested meal, Yitzchok asks one question: “Mah Zeh Miharta Limtzo Bini: How is it that you have found this [the food] so quickly?” Yaakov responds: “Ki Hikarei Hashem Elokecha Lifanai: Because Hashem brought it to me.”

On one hand this answer seems to satisfy Yitzchok, as the discussion carries on with Yitzchok asking his son to come closer. In fact, however, Chazal tell us that the fact that Yitzchok asked Yaakov to draw near precisely because of his answer: the use of Hashem’s name was out of character for Esav, causing Yitzchok to suspect that someone else was claiming to be his eldest son. His instincts were correct, but the disguise given to Yaakov by Rivka helped him further the ruse and Yitzchok of course proceeded to bestow the Brachos upon him.

What was this exchange about though? Why was Yitzchok bothered by the fact that Esav brought the food so quickly? And how did Yaakov’s response ally these fears? He told Yitzchok that the animal was “brought” to him by Hashem—in what way was this the answer that Yitzchok was looking for?

The Da’as Zekenim points out that in using word “Hikarei” to describe the method by which he received the food, Yaakov was referencing the words of Eliezer who Davened that he be successful in his mission to find Yitzchok a wife with the words “Hakrei Lifani Hayom”.

In addition to understanding the nature of this exchange, we must also understand why Yitzchok included a reference to the words of Eliezer in his response.

In Tiferes Shimson, R’ Shimshon Pincus explains Eliezer’s Teffilah by examining the way that our world works.

We know that everything that happens in this world is through the explicit Ratzon Hashem, down to the most minute details such as where a leaf will land when it falls off a tree. There are, however, two ways that this can come about: Hashgacha and Mikrah. Hashgacha is generally understood as those events and occurrences that seem to be intentional, while Mikrah refers to that which is seemingly random or natural. In fact, explains R’ Shimshon, the process for events that occur through Hasgacha and those that are in the world of Mikrah are vastly different. For the purposes of illustration we will use the example of the leaf falling from the tree.

When it comes to Hashgacha, there is a declaration in Shamayim that this specific leaf will fall in this specific spot. That “announcement” travels from one world to the next, from the Malachim who are situated on a higher plane to those who are closer to this world, until it reaches the Malach who is responsible for our earth and he causes the leaf to fall in the proper spot.

When it comes to Mikrah, however, the process is vastly different. There are no pronouncements, and the Malachim are in no way involved—rather the task is carried out through Teva, nature. The leaf separates from the tree because the laws of nature dictate that it must, it falls to the ground because of gravity and it lands where it does because of the wind and physics. R’ Shimshon notes, though, that in fact Teva only operates the way it does because the Borei Olamim ordained that it must. Therefore, that which happens through Mikrah, or Teva, is considered to have been done by Hashem himself, B’Chvodo U’Batzmo, without and intermediaries.

When Eliezer said the words “Hakrei Lifani Hayom,” he referred to the Midah of Mikrah as opposed to Hashgacha. He was in effect asking that the series of events needed to come about to find a wife for Yitzchok be affected through Teva and not Hashgacha. He wished for the Shidduch to come about through incidents that could otherwise be seen as happenstance. As we see, his Teffillah was answered and the entire story unfolded in the most natural of ways.

R’ Shimshon notes, however, that it would seem that Eliezer’s request—that his mission be accomplished through Mikrah and not Hashgacha—was contrary to the wishes of Avraham himself. When sending Eliezer to find a wife for his son, Avraham said “Hashem Elokei Hashamayim…Yishlach Malacho Lifanecha.” Avraham, it appears, expected the goal of finding a bride to be accomplished at the hands of Malachaim, through Hashgacha. Why then did Eliezer seem to contradict his master, asking for a Hanhaga of Mikrah?

He answers that to a certain extent Eliezer understood Yitzchok better than his own father. Eliezer knew that Yitzchok, whose core Middah was that of Gevurah, which symbolizes total Deveykus to Hahsem, would only want to have the closest possible connection to Hakadosh Baruch Hu. He would not want his Shidduch to come about through a Malach or other supernatural means for those intermediaries would serve only as a barrier between the events and Hashem. Because Eliezer was aware of this sensitivity, he Davened that he be able to fulfill his task through Mikrah, taking advantage of the direct connection to Hashem that is engendered by Teva.

This preference, says R’ Shimshon, can be seen in our Parsha as well. When Yitzchok asked is son—who he thought was Esav—how he came about the food in such a quick manner, “Mah Zeh Miharta Limtzo Bini”, he was concerned that perhaps the animal used for the he meal was secured in a supernatural way, through methods other than Teva. This would be unacceptable to Ytizchok as he, as always, desired the path that brought the closest possible relationship to Hashem.

Yaakov understood his father’s question, he realized that it was not the amount of time it took to capture the prey mattered, but the means used to do so. Therefore, Yaakov made reference to Mikrah in his response: “Hakrei Lifani Hayom”. As the Da’as Zekenim notes, he was telling Yitzchok that he was sensitive to the concerns of utilizing Hashgacha and had indeed relied only on Mikrah and Teva in preparing the meal he now presented to his father.

It is clear that Teva and Mikreh played a strong role in the personal Derech of Yitzchok Avinu, but we can further see the value he placed on this aspect of life in the way that he gave Brachos to his children.

The two Brachos that Yitzchok gives to his two sons in this week’s Parsha are much the same—in both he makes reference to the Tal Hashamayim and the Shemanei HaEretz. There is one distinct difference however: in the first Bracha he says the words “ViYiten Lecha HaElokim” whereas in the second Bracha there is no mention of Hashem.

Some Meforshim explain the difference between the two Brachos based on the way that Yitzchok would have wanted to Bentch Yaakov as opposed to Esav. But if we think about it, both cases the Brachos were likely intended for Esav: although Chazal tell us that Yitzchok had suspicions about whether the person in front of him was indeed Esav, it seems that Yaakov’s disguise was effective and he received a Bracha that was in fact meant for his brother. Why then was there a change from the first Bracha, which Yitzchok thought he was giving to Esav, and the second one that he knew was being given to his older son?

The Sfas Emes comments that much as his son tried to deceive him, Yitzchok certainly knew that Esav was not a Tzaddik. He nonetheless gave him a Bracha that included a reference to Hakadosh Baruch Hu, with the intent of giving Esav an opportunity to connect to Hashem despite his shortcomings.

Based on Yitzchok’s preference for Teva, as we have discussed, his choice of a Bracha for Esav was quite appropriate: “ViYiten Lecha HaElokim Mital Hashamayim U’Mishmanei HaAretz.” Our susitnece on this world is very much rooted in Teva: almost all food was at some point a natural substance. By giving this Bracha to Esav, Yitzchok was highlighting the fact that even if he could not find closeness to Hashem through Ruchniyas, Esav could still be connected to Him, in a very direct manner, via Teva and Mikrah. The Bracha that was intended for Esav was one of closeness to Hashem via the natural order of the world—a connection that was appreciated by Yitzchok but could be accessed even by someone who was less than a Tzaddik Gamur.

After the real Esav entered the room, however, it appears that his father’s views changed. When Yitzchok realized that he had mistakenly given the Bracha to Yaakov and not Esav the Passuk says: “Vayecherad Yitzchok Charada Gedolah Ad Meod” Yitzchok became very frightened. In fact Chazal tell us that this fear was even more gripping than the emotion Yitzchok experienced at the Akeida. The Chizkuni explains that Yitzchok had such great fear because he knew that he could only have made this mistake if it was the will of Hakadosh Baruch Hu that Yaakov receive the Brachos rather than Esav. At this point Yitzchok saw the Pischo Shel Gehinom open under Esav, and he understood to what level his son had truly sunk. While previously Yitzchok had instinctively known that Esav was less than a Tzaddik, he was now aware of the true nature of his depravity.

Perhaps this is the reason that the Bracha which Yitzchok subsequently gave to Esav matched the one given to Yaakov in many ways, but lacked a mention of Hashem. The connection to Hashem that can be fostered through an appreciation of his role in Teva was something that Yitzchok truly valued, and he did not wish to give Esav or his descendants a chance at enjoying this most precious gift. Esav was therefore given a Bracha of purely physical benefit, bereft of any relationship to Hakadosh Baruch that may be engendered through Mikrah.

There is an important lesson for us in these Brachos as well. The Sfas Emes notes that though the Bracha of “ViYiten Lecha HaElokim” was intended for Esav and his offspring, it was in fact given to Yaakov and can be enjoyed by us, his descendants: no matter how far we may be from Hakadosh Baruch Hu, the Brachos of Yitzchok allow us to find a “Nekudah of Kedusha”.

Given our understanding of this Bracha, that Yitzchok intended to impart onto Esav an ability to appreciate the closeness of Hashem that is found in Tevah, perhaps this is the way that we can find the Nekudah of Kedusha despite our own shortcomings. There are times in our lives that we feel close to Hashem—our Avodas Hashem is on the upswing, so to speak, and we feel a sense of accomplishment in our Olan Haruchani. There are other times when we may feel very far from Hakadosh Baruch Hu, times when our own connection to Him falters. It is at those times that we can access the Brachos of Yitzchok. Even if we cannot find the relationship through Devarim Shebekedusha, we can still feel the love of Hashem, his glowing kindness through Teva. If we appreciate our health and wellbeing or even our physical susitence, we can access the presence of Hashem that is found in Mikreh—a connection that is without intermediaries, one that is so close and comforting that it was the primary preference of Yitzchok Avinu himself.