Mission Unaccomplished

After Yaakov and his family left Shechem, following the story with Dinah and Chamor, they traveled a Luz, also known as Bais El. At that point the Passuk tells us that Devorah, “Meynekes Rivka,” died and was buried at the base of the mountain on which Bais El is situated—a location which was from then on known as “Alon Bachus.”

Rashi poses the obvious question: Why was Devorah, who was Rivka’s maid, with Bais Yaakov at that point? Based on the words of R’ Moshe HaDarshan, Rashi explains that Rivka had sent Devorah to bring Yaakov back from Padan Aram, as she said she would when she sent Yaakov away: “V’Shelachti V’Lekachticha Misham: And I will send for you and take you away from there.” Therefore, Devorah was with Yaakov’s family as they traveled back from Padan Aram and when she was Niftar on the way Yaakov buried her. The name “Alon Bachus” alludes to “Bechiya”, crying, and based on this Pshat in the Passuk, refers to the tears that were shed upon the death of Devorah.

The Ramban and others point out that this is difficult to understand. As the Ramban puts it: “Ain Bechi V’Anaka Al HaMeynekes HaZekena Sheyikrah Shem HaMakom Alav” the reaction and crying over the death of an eldely maid would not be on a suff cxicient enough level to warrant naming the area “Alon Bachus.” These Meforshim therefore posit that it was at that spot that Yaakov was told of the death of Rivka, and it was in reference to those tears—which would understandably be more significant—that the area was renamed. Obviously we must understand that there was a Meynekes named Devorah who died at that point as well, which is why the spot was called “Alon Bachus”, in which the word Bachus is plural—alluding to two different cryings—but it would seem that the reaction to her death would not be as substantial.

If we consider the Pessukim, however, we must understand why Devorah is mentioned at all. The Torah did not want to mention the death of Rivka for a specific reason, as Rashi mentions and as we will discuss later, but why mention Devorah at all? Certainly the Torah could have found an equally circumspect way to tell us of Rivka’s death without involving the death of her Meinekes?

In addition, it would seem from Chazal that there was in fact significance to Yaakov’s reaction to the death of Devorah.

The Medrash Tanchuma says that while Yaakov was Misabel over the death of Devroah, he learned of the death of his mother—as indicated by the plural “Bachus”—and Hakadosh Baruch Hu said: “Ad Masi Yihiyeh Tzaddik Zeh Yoshev U’Mitztaer? B’Din She’era Lo Panim.” It would therefore seem that Yaakov was Misable over the death of Devorah and the news of his mother’s Petirah compounded that Aveilus. If so we must understand why Yaakov was “Misable” over the death of his Meinekes to the point that his additional Tzar over the death of his mother caused Hakadosh Baruch Hu to remark “Ad Masi?”

In addition, we see that because of the double Tzar that Yaakov was experiencing, Hakadosh Baruch Hu decided to appear to him, as the next Passuk says “Vayera Elokim El Yaakov Od.” If Hashem chose to appear to Yaakov at this point in order to assuage his pain over the loss of both his mother and his Meinekes, it would follow that the Nevuah he received would somehow be related to his Tzar. But the Nevuah that Yaakov received at that point was regarding his name: “Lo Karah Shimcha Od Yaakov Ki Im Yisrael.” How did this Nevuah relate to his Tzar, and how did it provide the comfort that Hashem seemed to desire to give him, based on this Medrash? In fact the name Yisrael was really given to him earlier in the Parsha by the Saro Shel Esav after they fought—why did Hashem repeat it now?

In order to appreciate the Nechama that Hashem provided to Yaakov, we must first try to understand his Tzar.

The Medrsh Tanchuma in Parshas Ki Seitzei discusses the connection between Esav Harasha and his forbearers based on a Passuk in Tehillim that says: “Yizkor Avon Avosav El Hashem, V’Chatas Imo Al Timach.” The Medrash asks: The Avos and Imahos of Esav were Tzaddikim—why does the Passuk refer to their Avonos and Chataim? Rather, explains the MEdrash, the Passuk refers to the Chataim and Avonos that Esav carried out against his parents.

The Medrash therefore asks: What Aveirah did Esav do to Rivka? The Medrash answers that Rivka was really the one who was supposed to give birth to twelve Shvatim, and brings a variety of proofs to this fact, but Esav prevented her from having further children. It would appear from the Medrash that he accomplished this physically, by destroying her reproductive system as he left the womb. Thus Rivka’s life, and her role in the creation of Klal Yisroel was forever altered by her own son. Rather than taking a primary role as the mother of the Shivtei Kah, that position fell to her son and daughters in law, while Rivka was destined to have only two children, one of whom was the father of all evil in the world.

Yaakov Avinu was no doubt aware of his mother’s original potential, and the fact that she was unable to bring it to fruition. This may have come into even starker relief upon the death of Rivka, however.

There is another view as to the Chet that Esav did against his mother: because of Esav her Levaya and Kevurah were not carried out in public, and she was therefore not afforded the Kavod Acharon befitting a woman of her stature. The Medrash explains that when Rivka was Niftar, those tending to her wondered who might lead her to burial: Avraham was no longer alive, Yitzchok was unable to see and therefore confined to his home, and Yaakov had not yet returned from Padan Aram, leaving only Esav to attend his mother’s funeral. They were concerned, however, that if Esav indeed attended it would caused his mother more embarrassment than Kavod, as people would scoff at the women who had borne such an evil person. Therefore they took Rivka to Kevurah in middle of the night, under the cover of darkness, with no one in attendance. This is the reason that the Torah does not discuss the Petirah of Rivka explicitly, as we noted above, because her Kevurah was done in such a way as to avoid public display.

When Yaakov, still in Beis El, received word of his mother’s death, he must certainly have understood the Cheshbon brought by the above Medrash and would certainly have been caused much sorrow by the fact that neither he, nor anyone else of stature, was present at his mother’s Kevurah. This pain could only have been compounded by the realization that had his mother been able to accomplish her original Tafkid of mothering twelve Shevatim, there would most certainly have been additional Aveilim who would have been able to provide her with the proper Kavod upon her death. The Tzar of Yaakov was perhaps caused not only by the death of his mother, and not only by the fact that he himself could not be at her Kevurah, but also by a poingent reminder of the potential that, by no fault of her own, she never reached—the mission Rivkah did not accomplish.

We can also perhaps assume that there was similar pain that was casued by the death of Devorah. Some Meforshim suggest that Devorah was the Meinekes that went with Rivka when she originally left her father’s home to marry Yitzchok—Devorah was clearly a longtime loyal assistant to Rivka. She had returned to Padan Aram on once last mission: to bring her mistress’s son back to Eretz Yisroel. Yaakov’s path , however, was not direct and he had not yet reached his parents by the time Devorah was Niftar—her last mission went unfulfilled. The realization that Devorah passed on without being able to bring him back to his mother may have been the source of some of Yaakov’s pain.

If this is the case, that Yaakov’s double Tzar over the Petirah of his mother and Devroah was due to the incomplete missions that they each left, we can perhaps understand the way that Hashem was Menachem him.

As we know, following his encounter with the Saro Shel Esav Yaakov’s name was changed. But whereas Avraham and Sarah were given new names, and were no longer called by their old names, Avrom and Sarai, Yaakov received an additional name is at times referred to as Yaakov and sometimes as Yisroel.

Rabbeinu Bechaya, in Parshas Vayechi notes that the names Yaakov and Yisroel are used variously throughout Tanach, but rather than a haphazard choice, each usage is “B’Hashgcha V’Kavan Yeduah” and the Torah bases its usage of the names Yaakov and Yisroel on the different Middos and Kochos that each name refers to. He explains that Yaakov refers to matters of Gashmiyus and Olam Hazeh, while Yisroel is connected to the Olam HaRuchani and Olam Habah. In each case we can therefore understand why one name is used rather than the other based on whether the Torah is bringing out a point that refers to Ruchniyus or Gashmius.

Rav Dessler, in Michtav M’Eliyahu, has a similar explanation for the two names of Yaakov Avinu, but he notes that there is Avodas Hashem that is related to both names—an Avodas Hashem of Olam HaZeh and that of the Olam HaElyon. The difference is that the Avodas Hashem on this world can be completed, as the Passuk says “VaYavo Yaakov Shalem”, whereas the Avodah for the Olam HaElyon is never complete. One can reach Shleimus as far as his role in this world, in the Bechina of Yaakov, but not in the world of Yisroel, where Avodas Hashem is not a means to an end, but an entire existance.

As Yaakov was in Aveilus for Rivka and Deovrah, in the knowledge that each had on some level left a mission unfulfilled, Hashem sent him the message of Yisroel. He reminded him that there are two ways to serve Hashem—one in the Olam Hatachton and one in the Olam HaElyon. In the Olam HaEmes there are no missions to complete—only Avodas Hashem. If one serves Hashem and attempts to fulfill their Tafkid, it matters not whether their goal was reached, for the Ikkur is the Avodas Hashem and not the results. This is why, although the Malach gave him the name Yisroel after their encounter, Hakadosh Baruch Hu spoke to him about it at this point—to remind him that although Rivka, and to a lesser extent Devorah, did not accomplish all that the had set out to, their efforts and Avodas Hashem are paramount in the world of Yisroel.

This may be indicated by the actual name Yisroel as well. When the Malach gives Yaakov this name he explains the origins of the word Yisroel: “Ki Sarisa Im Elokim V’Im Anashim V’Tuchal.” R’ Leibele Eiger in Imrei Emes points out that the word Sarisa, which is the basis of the word Yisroel, refers to the fight between Yaakov and the Malach, whereas the word V’Tuchal speaks of his victory. Why then does the name Yisroel refer to the fight and not Yaakov’s triumph? He explains that when it comes to our fight with the Saro Shel Esave, the Yetzer Harah, it’s not the victory that counts but the fight itself.

Sometimes we are successful in our battles with the Malach of Esav, with our own Yitzrei Harah, but sometimes, despite our best efforts, we are unable to come out on top. The name Yisroel reminds us that if make an effort, if we put up a fight, the outcome is not as significant.

This fits very well with our understanding of the Bechina of Yisroel as opposed to Yaakov: in the world of Yisroel results are not as important as a constant focus on Avodas Hashem. Rivka was meant to be the mother of all twelve Shevatim, and she lived her life in a way that prepared her for that role. Circumstance intervened however, and she was unable to complete this part of her Tachlis. When Yaakov mourned her loss, and the lack of ultimate Kavod that was the result of these circumstances, Hakadosh Baruch Hu reminded him that his mother had fulfilled her Tafkid of Avodas Hashem, she had lived a life of Kiddush Hashem that was reflected in the Olam HaElyon. He was told that there is a world of Yisroel, in which the victories are less vital than the fight itself.

As we proceed along the path of life, there are times when circumstance and outside factors divert us from the path we may have chosen. Our responsibility in these situations is to remember that we are B’nei Yisroel—we live in the Olam HaGashmi, but we have a connection to the Olam HaRuchani, a world in which the ultimate goal is Avodas Hashem, and not the outcome of our actions.