R Pesach Siegel
Seeing Straight
This week’s parshah begins with the words, “Vehaya eikev tishma’un” – and it shall be in return for your listening, you will be showered with all the blessings that Hashem has to offer.
The word eikev is used. This is an intriguing term. We find elsewhere the word eikev being used to denote a heel, as the Torah says, “veyado ochezes ba’akeiv Eisav” – At the moment of birth, Yaakov’s hand was grasping the heel of Eisav. The word eikev also means trickery. Eisav bemoans his fate upon losing his blessing due to the wiles of Yaakov, “Vaya’akiveini zeh pa’amayim” – He tricked me upon two occasions.
Man was created for a mission. The varying views of Yaakov and Eisav as to exactly what that mission entails are diametrically opposed. What is straight in Yaakov’s eyes is crookedness in the eyes of Eisav and vice versa.
To trick someone in order to regain what is rightfully yours is not crookedness. Yaakov was the true beneficiary of Yitzchok’s blessings. His mother, Rivka, saw this from the start. His father only realized it after Hashem allowed him to bless Yaakov, and the blessing took effect. Eisav is the crooked one. Yaakov is straight.
Hashem created a body for man. The body is uniquely engineered to hide Hashem’s presence in creation. It has the appearance of being self-sufficient. Hashem left us a glimmer of light with which to see His hand in the creation of the body. That glimmer is the life that is instilled within the body. From the life force that is connected to the body, we can pierce through the veil and realize that G-d is constantly bestowing the breath of life upon the body.
The heel is the lowest point of the body. It is also the body part with the least circulation flowing within. It is a seemingly dead organ. The purpose and beauty of creation cannot be seen within the darkness of the heel.
Eisav lays claim to the entire world. The world was created for him, to be used by him, to be formed in his image. Yaakov stands in is way. He is crooked. Yaakov is like a heel; a heel that hides the purpose of creation. This Eisav’s view of the world.
Indeed Yaakov is like a heel. He is also known as Ish Tam – a blemish free man. Yaakov wants it all. He wants every iota of his being to “make it”. Even those who descend from Yaakov, and are the “heels” of his descendants, they too possess the life force of Hashem. They too can shine. There are no class distinctions among the children of Yaakov, They are all beloved and all part of Hashem’s master plan.
From Eisav’s perspective Yaakov is the epitome of crookedness. And this is the way it appears in our present distorted world. The prophet Yeshaya proclaims, There will come a time when the valleys will be lifted up, the mountains will be lowered and vehaya he’akov limishor – and that which is considered crooked will be recognized, for all to see, as straight (perek 40).
This perspective is what the Torah requires from us when saying, “Vehaya eikev tishma’un”.
The name of Yaakov Avenu, when rearranging the letters, spells the word, Yibaka. Yibaka means to pierce through the cloud of opposition, referring to the intense light of Yaakov’s yashrus shining forth. As the posuk in Yeshaya states, Az yibaka kashachar oraych – Then, your light will pierce the darkness (perek 58).
We see the truth of these words bursting forth in our very days. The might of the entire world is harnessed to ensure our destruction. Every move made towards protecting our very existence is categorized as aggression, over reacting or incitement. And we must “apologize” for the crime of self preservation.
Who are the straight ones and who are the crooked ones?
