Short review
Class on Sicha
Parshas Vayeitzei
1. On the verse "ויצא יעקב מבאר שבע" ("And Yaakov went out from Be'er Sheva") etc., the Midrash1 says: "'From Be'er Sheva' — from the well of the oath. (Yaakov) said: 'Lest Avimelech rise up against me and say, "Swear to me just as your grandfather swore to me," and I will find myself delaying the joy of my children for seven generations.'" That is: since Avraham swore to Avimelech, and through that oath he delayed the entry of the Jewish people into the Land of Israel by seven generations, as explained in the Midrash on Parshas Vayeira2 [for from Avraham until the conquest of the land of Sichon and Og by Moshe Rabbeinu, seven generations passed]; and Yitzchak too swore to Avimelech, and thereby3 delayed them by one more generation [for from Yitzchak until the conquest of the Land by Yehoshua there also passed seven generations, so it turns out that their entry was delayed by one more generation beyond the seven generations from Avraham]; therefore Yaakov feared that he too might have to swear to Avimelech, and thereby3 the entry of the Jewish people into the Land of Israel would be delayed (by "seven generations," i.e., by yet) another generation.
We need to understand: a) Since both Avraham and Yitzchak swore to Avimelech, and were not concerned that through the oath the entry of the Jewish people into the Land of Israel would be delayed, and they did not leave the place where Avimelech lived so as not to have to swear to him — why was it specifically Yaakov who feared to swear to Avimelech and to make a covenant with him, to the extent that for this reason4 he left Be'er Sheva — this "well of the oath"?
And there is likewise a difficulty from the opposite direction: How could Avraham and Yitzchak swear to Avimelech without being concerned about delaying the entry of the Jewish people into the Land?
2. The explanation: We find that the level of distinction of Avraham and Yitzchak differs from the level of distinction of Yaakov, and in light of this we will also understand a fundamental difference between the Divine service of Avraham and Yitzchak and that of Yaakov:
"Avraham — Yishmael came out of him; Yitzchak — Eisav came out of him"5. That is, although Yishmael and Eisav were sons of Avraham and Yitzchak, nevertheless they "came out" of their connection to their fathers and separated from them6, for the holiness of Avraham and Yitzchak and their Divine service did not reach these sons of theirs and did not affect them so that they would be transformed to good7. But Yaakov — his distinction is that "his bed was complete"8, for his service affected all twelve of his sons so that they would be "complete," wholly whole in their connection to Yaakov and his level. And although "the Patriarchs (all of them) are themselves the Chariot"9, and the soul of each of the Patriarchs is from the World of Atzilus*9, there is a difference between them, including with regard to their service in matters that are the opposite of good and holiness: Yaakov was occupied primarily with refining and purifying evil and transforming it to good permanently, which is not so with Avraham and Yitzchak. Therefore, although Yishmael did teshuvah10, and some say that when "Eisav ran to meet him" (Yaakov) "and kissed him," he kissed him with all his heart11 — this had no permanence.
And although Avraham and Yitzchak were engaged in the service of refinement (avodas habirurim) — as our Sages, of blessed memory, said*11 (regarding Avraham) on the verse "ויקרא שם בשם ה׳ א-ל עולם" ("And he called there in the Name of the L‑rd, G‑d of the world")12: "Do not read 'vayikra' (he called) but 'vayakri' (he caused to call), teaching that Avraham our father caused the Name of the Holy One, blessed be He, to be called in the mouth of every passerby etc."; and similarly it is explained regarding the service of Yitzchak in digging wells*12 — nevertheless, this service of theirs in matters of evil and kelipah was in the manner of repelling and negating: that these should not oppose and interfere with matters of holiness, but not that they themselves should be transformed to good and holiness13. Thus the purpose and goal of their involvement with matters of evil and their effect upon them was in a negative manner: nullifying the opposition, not refining their very existence14. Whereas with Yaakov — "and he went to Charan," to "the wrath (charon af) of the Omnipresent"*14 in the world — and there his service and his effect was a positive effect: to refine them and transform them to holiness.
This is similar to15 the difference between the service of tzaddikim and the service of baalei teshuvah: the tzaddik has no connection with matters of evil, to the extent that even a foreign thought, not for the sake of G‑d, does not enter his mind, as explained at length in the Tanya16; whereas the baal teshuvah's task is to transform even the evil into holiness, to the point that "deliberate sins become for him like merits"17.
3. Since in the service of Avraham and Yitzchak the very existence of the evil (in the Philistines, etc.) had not yet been refined, and only its opposition was nullified, there was also the possibility that the very existence and the not-good of (their sons, even) Yishmael and Eisav would remain in full force and would not be refined by the service of their fathers (on the contrary: "came out of him" — they came out of any connection whatsoever with their service and holiness), except that they also did not oppose their fathers' matters and did not interfere with them in their service18. In any event, the essence of kelipah itself — when it has no connection with holiness and does not oppose it — was not touched by the service of Avraham and Yitzchak; and thus its existence in and of itself is not negated by this service of theirs.
As we find with Avraham, who settled among the children of Cheis19, and they even recognized him as "a prince of G‑d" and "in our midst"20; nevertheless, this did not affect them so that they themselves would be transformed to good, and they remained with their designation "children of Cheis"21 even after his settling among them. And the fact that they acceded to his request in selling the Cave of Machpelah was only that they did not interfere with him in carrying out his own affairs, but their essence was not transformed into an existence of holiness22.
This is not so with the service of Yaakov, whose purpose is to refine, transform and purify even those matters of the world that derive from kelipah and the sitra achra — that is, through his service even the very existence of evil is negated. Therefore "his bed was complete."
4. In light of this we will understand why Avraham and Yitzchak made a covenant with Avimelech and made peace with him by means of the oath.
For the purpose of such an oath and covenant is to bind each of the parties with full force not to oppose the other and not to quarrel and fight with him. And this, indeed, was the intent of Avraham and Yitzchak in swearing to Avimelech and making the covenant with him: that he should not oppose them and not interfere with them in their service. On the other hand, the purpose of the oath and covenant is not to effect a change in the essence of Avimelech and to transform him into an existence of holiness23.
However, all this is the mode of service of Avraham and Yitzchak, as explained above. Whereas Yaakov — since his mode of service was in negating the existence of kelipah, through iskafya (subjugation) and is'hapcha (transformation) of the kelipah and sitra achra — could not make a covenant and make peace with Avimelech as he was in his own state24.
This explains the continuation of the verse, "ויצא יעקב מבאר שבע וילך חרנה" ("And Yaakov went out from Be'er Sheva and went to Charan") — according to the Midrash's explanation that "Be'er Sheva" means "the well of the oath"25: his leaving "the well of the oath" signifies that, by virtue of his service, he could not make peace with the existence of evil in the world, as explained above. Therefore he did not remain in his own place, in "the land which... the eyes of the L‑rd your G‑d are upon it" etc.26, but rather "went to Charan" — to "the wrath of the Omnipresent" in the world — to refine it and transform it to holiness27.
5. In light of this we will also understand why Avraham and Yitzchak were not concerned about swearing to Avimelech, even though thereby "I would be delaying the joy of my children": In truth, it is not the oath itself (which is the very level of their service) that is the cause of the delay of the Jewish people's entry into the Land of Israel; rather, because their service took the form of an oath and covenant with Avimelech, the existence of kelipah still remained in its strength and selfhood — and as long as the evil of the world remains in its standing and strength, this is an obstacle and delay to the coming of the Jewish people into the Land28.
Only after the exile of Yaakov in "the wrath of the Omnipresent in the world," and his service in refining the matters of kelipah and transforming them to holiness, can there be "the joy of my children" in their redemption and in the entry of the Jewish people into the Land of Israel.
6. So, too, is the matter with regard to the future Redemption, which will come specifically through Yaakov's mode of service29: through our service during the time of exile in refining and purifying "the wrath of the Omnipresent in the world," we will merit the building of the Third Beis HaMikdash — "not like Avraham, regarding whom 'mountain' is written etc., and not like Yitzchak, regarding whom 'field' is written etc., but like Yaakov, who called it 'house'"30 — with the coming of Moshiach Tzidkeinu.
(From the sichos of Shabbos Parshas Vayeitzei, 14 Kislev, 5726)
Notes
1) Bereishis Rabbah 68:7.
2) Ibid., 54:4.
3) Following the second explanation in Matnos Kehunah there (Bereishis Rabbah 68). For according to the first explanation (that Yitzchak did not delay them at all, since he did not swear anew but only said to him: "The earlier oath that was between us from your father shall remain between us; do not break it," while Yaakov feared that he would delay them a further seven generations), there is a difficulty: a) Why could Yaakov not also renew Avraham's oath, as Yitzchak did — especially according to the wording of the Midrash: "And (Avimelech) will say: Swear to me just as your grandfather swore to me"? b) In Midrash Bereishis Zuta there, the version is: "just as your grandfather and your father swore to me," which proves that Yitzchak too delayed them by at least one generation, and Avimelech wanted Yaakov to do likewise, as Yitzchak had done.
4) Yefeh To'ar explains that he did not leave for this reason, since he was compelled to leave because of Eisav and by command of his father and mother; rather, incidentally he gained the additional benefit of escaping from the well of the oath. However, from the fact that Bereishis Rabbah there cites the explanation "from the well of blessings" together with this explanation, it is implied that just as according to the explanation "from the well of blessings" he left for this reason, so too according to "from the well of the oath" — as is implied in Matnos Kehunah there, and as is the plain meaning of the Midrash's wording. This does not contradict the implication of the verses that he left because of Eisav etc., for he may have left for several reasons, each of them sufficient on its own.
5) Vayikra Rabbah 36:5. Pesachim 56a. Sifri, Devarim 6:4; ibid. 32:9.
6) See Or HaTorah, Vayeira 93b.
7) See above, p. 85 and note 41, that there is a difference in this matter between Yishmael and Eisav.
8) Vayikra Rabbah, ibid. See also the other sources cited above, note 5.
9) Bereishis Rabbah 47:6; 82:6. See Tanya, ch. 23 and ch. 34; and Torah Or, Yisro, the maamar beginning "Lehavin."
*9) Iggeres HaKodesh, sec. 25. Torah Or, ibid.
10) Rashi, Chayei Sarah 25:9.
11) See Rashi, Vayishlach 33:4.
*11) Sotah 10b.
12) Vayeira 21:33.
*12) See Torah Or and Toras Chaim, beginning of Parshas Toldos; Likkutei Sichos vol. 1, p. 29; and elsewhere.
13) This resembles the existence of the kelipos before the sin of the Tree of Knowledge, which were in the category of a "shell that guards the fruit," since they were outside the bounds of the holy worlds of Beriah, Yetzirah and Asiyah; but they were nevertheless an existence of kelipah (see Shelah 18b; Or HaTorah, Vayishlach p. 251; Bereishis p. 1162).
14) And although Avraham made converts (Rashi, Lech Lecha 12:5 — from Bereishis Rabbah there; Zohar I, 79b; and elsewhere), and in Rambam, Laws of Idolatry 1:3: "And he called there in the Name of the L‑rd, G‑d of the world etc., until thousands and tens of thousands gathered around him, and they are the people of the house of Avraham, and he planted in their hearts 'this great principle'" — nevertheless, this had no continuity and permanence; only his descendants became "a nation in the world that knows the L‑rd" (see Rambam, ibid.). In the words of the Chassid etc. Rabbi Aharon of Homil (Chanah Ariel, Vayeira 33, end of col. a): "And through the service etc. of Avraham our father etc. to make known to people the nature of the Holy One, blessed be He, the level of 'G‑d of the world,' temporarily (for this faith and knowledge endured only in the household of Avraham our father after him)." See also Torah Or, Lech Lecha 11d; Toras Chaim and Or HaTorah there (and this requires some examination in light of Torah Or, the maamar beginning "Moshe Yedaber" — the first and second; Toras Chaim there); this is not the place to elaborate.
Note also Likkutei Sichos vol. 5, p. 143, note *16, that what Rashi says, "Avraham converted the men and Sarah converted the women," may be understood as not meaning actual conversion and a change of their existence, but rather that "he brought them under the wings of the Shechinah." Seemingly, one could also explain this according to the well-known teaching that a convert has a spark of a holy soul even before he converts (see the Responsa of the Maharam of Rothenburg, cited in Teshuvos Baalei HaTosafos from manuscript, New York 5714, p. 286, sec. 9, in the name of Rabbi Yehudah HaChassid) — and accordingly one understands the precise wording of our Sages in several places, "a convert (ger) who converted" rather than "a gentile who converted" and the like (Chida in Midbar Kedemos, letter gimmel, sec. 3) — and then the fact that Avraham made converts etc. is not a matter of refining and transforming kelipah into holiness. But this is not so, for in every such transformation, this constitutes the redemption and refinement of the holy spark within it.
*14) Rashi, end of Parshas Noach. See also Zohar III, 147a.
15) See Torah Or, Vayeitzei 21c; Toras Chaim there, 26b. See also above, p. 83 ff., at length.
16) Tanya, ch. 10 ff.
17) Yoma 86b.
18) It may be said that this too is alluded to in the expression "came out of him," in a positive sense — similar to the explanation (Or HaTorah, cited above, note 6): he came out and separated from Avraham.
19) See Chayei Sarah 23:6, and Rashi there, v. 4.
20) Chayei Sarah, ibid. See also Ibn Ezra there: "Because you are a prophet."
21) See Toldos 26:46 [sic; possibly 27:46].
22) Accordingly one may explain what Rashi says (Chayei Sarah 24:7), that Avraham's saying to Eliezer "and the G‑d of the earth" is because "I have made Him familiar in the mouths of people." The meaning is that Avraham explained to Eliezer that although he was "dwelling in my midst" (of the Canaanite), nevertheless his influence upon them was only that "I have made Him familiar in the mouths of people," but they did not change in essence from their previous nature; therefore, "you shall not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanite" (see at length Likkutei Sichos vol. 15, p. 159 ff.).
It may also be explained that accordingly one understands why we do not find that Avraham endeavored to influence Lot to be transformed to good. Only when Lot interfered with him in his service — as he said, "Let there please be no quarrel between me and you" etc. — did he request, and also bring about, that at least "they separated, each man from his brother."
23) As is also understood from the fact that Yitzchak needed to renew the covenant, and likewise Yaakov feared that he would need to do so.
24) See Likkutei Sichos vol. 3, p. 794 and note *28, that the covenant Yaakov made with Lavan (Vayeitzei 31:44) was from the outset in the manner of "you shall not pass over to me etc. for harm — for harm you may not pass, but you may pass for commerce" (Vayeitzei, ibid. 52; Bereishis Rabbah, cited in Rashi there); and commerce and trade is the matter of refining the sparks and transforming darkness into light (see Torah Or, beginning of Vayeishev). See also Likkutei Sichos vol. 5, p. 129 ff.
25) See Kitzurim VeHaaros LeSefer HaTanya, p. 57.
26) Devarim 11:12.
27) See Torah Or, ibid.; Toras Chaim there, 25a ff.
28) This is also the precision of the wording "delaying the joy of my children," and not "pushing off" or "holding back" and the like: for through the oath they did not push off the entry into the Land; rather, it was not yet fit to take place.
29) See Torah Or and Toras Chaim, ibid.
30) Pesachim 88a, and Maharsha there. See also the maamar beginning "Eichah," 5731, and note 5 there.
Key Lesson
Avraham and Yitzchak neutralized evil so it would not interfere, but Yaakov went out to "Charan" to refine evil itself and transform it into holiness. The final Redemption comes specifically through this mode of Yaakov: by refining the world during exile rather than merely keeping its negativity at bay, we bring the Third Beis HaMikdash, called "house," with the coming of Moshiach.