Parshas Vayishlach
1. On the verse,1 "ויאמר אם יבוא עשו אל המחנה האחת והכהו והי' המחנה הנשאר לפליטה" ("And he said: If Esav comes to the one camp and strikes it, then the remaining camp shall escape"), Rashi pauses (in the second caption) on the words "והי' המחנה הנשאר לפליטה" ("then the remaining camp shall escape") and explains: "על כרחו כי אלחם עמו" ("against his will, for I will fight him"). He then continues further: "התקין עצמו לשלשה דברים וכו'" ("He readied himself for three things, etc.") (as will be discussed below in Section 3).
The reason Rashi needs to pause at all on these words of the verse and explain them —
— for seemingly the meaning of the verse is understood simply,2 that by dividing everyone into two camps, even if Esav were to attack and capture one camp, the second camp would be able to flee —
is,3 as the commentators on Rashi4 say, that the wording "והי'" ("shall be") is difficult here, for it implies that "the remaining camp" will certainly "escape." On this one can ask: even by dividing everyone into two camps, it is still not entirely certain that the second camp will surely save itself; it merely gives a better possibility for the rescue of the second camp — so accordingly, the verse should have used (instead of "והי'") a wording that indicates "perhaps"?
Rashi answers that the wording "והי'" indeed means "against his will" (and not as the Ibn Ezra and other commentators wish to interpret, that "והי'" here means "perhaps it will be"): it is a certain matter that the camp will escape, and the certainty is — "for I will fight him," and will not allow Esav to capture the second camp as well.
This explanation, however, is not understood:7
a) How does "I will fight him"8 give complete certainty9 that the second camp will escape? Even if the intention is5 that during Yaakov's battle with Esav at the first camp the second camp will be able to save itself by fleeing,6 the escape of the second camp is still not assured;10 it is only that, after dividing "into two camps," "I will fight him" gives an even better opportunity for rescue and escape, as mentioned above.
b) What is "against his will," and what difference does it make here to emphasize that it is "against his will" — against Esav's will? All that matters here is to emphasize that through "I will fight him" the second camp will certainly be saved.
The Ramban explains that Yaakov's certainty was because "יעקב יודע שאין זרעו כולו נופל ביד עשו, אם כן ינצל המחנה האחד על כל פנים" ("Yaakov knew that his offspring would not all fall into the hand of Esav; if so, one camp would be saved in any case").11 But one cannot learn this way according to Rashi, for then the certainty is connected with a different reason, and not with the reason "for I will fight him," as Rashi explains and is precise to state in his commentary.
2. Seemingly, one could answer one question with the other — at least with great difficulty: with the words "against his will," Rashi does not mean to say that the escape will be a certainty; rather, he is explaining the manner of the escape — that it will be "against his will," because "I will fight him."12
Accordingly (in addition to the main point, that "against his will" does indeed imply certainty), the question arises on this itself: where is the proof from the verse (according to the plain meaning of Scripture) that [it speaks of] "I will fight him"?
[It is understandable according to the earlier explanation, that Rashi's intent in his commentary is to emphasize the certainty of "the camp ... shall escape": he derives and proves it from the wording "והי'" that appears in the verse, as mentioned, and with "for I will fight him" he merely explains the reason why it is certain. According to this answer, however, Rashi (on the contrary) sets out (primarily) to explain and introduce the novel idea that the verse speaks of "I will fight him" (and that therefore "the remaining camp shall escape" in the manner of "against his will") — and for this there is no proof from the verse.]
3. Rashi continues further (in the same caption): "התקין עצמו לשלשה דברים לדורון לתפלה ולמלחמה, לדורון ותעבור המנחה על פניו, לתפלה אלקי אבי אברהם, למלחמה והי' המחנה הנשאר לפליטה" ("He readied himself for three things: for a gift, for prayer, and for war. For a gift — 'So the gift passed on before him';13 for prayer — 'G‑d of my father Avraham';14 for war — 'then the remaining camp shall escape'").
This is not understood: a) Why does Rashi bring all three things here, when in his commentary he speaks only of Yaakov's being ready for war? That he "readied himself" also "for a gift and for prayer" is known from the subsequent verses, and there it is stated explicitly, as Rashi cites them.
b) Granted that in the verse that speaks of Yaakov being ready to go to war it is relevant to know that this was not the only means, and not even the first means and beginning — but, on the contrary, gift and prayer came earlier — it is still not understandable why he connects it as a continuation of his explanation "against his will, for I will fight him."
c) Furthermore: even if Rashi wants (for whatever reason) to specify that together with preparing himself for war Yaakov also prepared himself for a gift and for prayer (which requires a reason, as mentioned, since they appear explicitly right afterwards in the parsha), one can ask from the other direction: why does he need to repeat that "he readied himself" (also) for "war" — after he has already explained earlier that Yaakov said "I will fight him"? Rashi only needed to add that "he readied himself (also) for a gift and for prayer."
The Re'em15 learns that with the continuation of the commentary, "he readied himself for three things," Rashi sets out to bring a proof for his explanation that "then the remaining camp shall escape" means "against his will, for I will fight": since our Sages16 say that "he readied himself for three things," and the detail that he readied himself for war is not found explicitly in a verse (as it is found regarding gift and prayer), one must consequently say that the words "then the remaining camp shall escape" refer to the matter of war.
Rashi, however, does not say that "he readied himself etc." is a saying of the Sages (a Midrash);
on the contrary — the plain meaning of Rashi's wording is that after one knows that "I will fight him," one knows that, according to the plain meaning of Scripture, "he readied himself for three things" — including war.
4. An explanation is also required regarding the continuation of his commentary, "he readied himself etc.":
a) The order of the three things as Rashi lists them in his commentary — "for a gift, for prayer, and for war"17 — is the reverse of the order of the verses that Rashi brings here immediately as proof:18 "So the gift passed on before him" (for a gift) comes after the verse "G‑d of my father Avraham" (for prayer), which comes (immediately) after the verse "then the camp etc." (war). Why does Rashi change their order in the Torah?19
b) In the Midrash one finds (besides the proofs from the verses that Rashi brings in his commentary, as mentioned) proofs from other verses: "for prayer"20 — "הצילני נא מיד אחי" ("Rescue me, please, from the hand of my brother");21 for a gift — "ואמרת לעבדך ליעקב מנחה היא שלוחה" ("You shall say: [They are] your servant Yaakov's; it is a gift sent");22 for war — "וישם את השפחות וגו' והוא עבר לפניהם גו'" ("He put the maidservants etc., and he himself passed on ahead of them etc.").23 And elsewhere24 in the Midrashim one finds the proof for "a gift" — "as it is written,25 'ויקח מן הבא בידו מנחה' ('He took from what came into his hand a gift')," [and] "for war — as it is written,26 'ויחץ את העם אשר אתו' ('He divided the people who were with him')."27
Accordingly, Rashi's commentary is not understood. Either way: if Rashi wants to bring [proof] from the verses where it is explicit how Yaakov actually carried out these matters (and not the verses that speak of the preparation and preliminaries for them) — as is implied by the fact that he brings the first proof, for "a gift," from "So the gift passed on before him" (and not from the earlier verses, beginning with "He took from what came into his hand a gift for Esav" etc., which speak of how Yaakov prepared and arranged the gift; this is why Rashi (simply) chose the proof from "So the gift passed on" — the actual sending of the gift)
— then accordingly he should also have brought, for prayer and war, the verses whose content is the actual deed: regarding prayer, from "Rescue me, please, from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esav," and regarding war, from "He put the maidservants etc., and he himself passed on ahead of them" (as Rashi explains there: "אם יבוא אותו רשע להלחם ילחם בי תחילה" — "If that wicked one comes to fight, let him fight me first"); and not from the beginning of the prayer, "G‑d of my father Avraham," and not from Yaakov's statement ("then the camp etc.," from which we derive that he said) that he is ready for war.
And if Rashi wants to bring not the actual deed, but how "he readied himself for three things" — his preparation — then regarding the gift too he should have brought the earlier verse, as mentioned.
c) Since Rashi has already said that the verse "then the remaining camp shall escape" means "I will fight him," why does he need to explain once again at the end of his commentary that the proof for "he readied himself ... for war" is from the verse "then the remaining camp shall escape"?28
d) The precise wording "התקין" ("he readied himself") — and not "הכין" ("he prepared") and the like.29
5. The explanation of all this:
From the plain sequence of the verses it is implied that after the angels returned and informed Yaakov that Esav "הולך לקראתך וארבע מאות איש עמו" ("is coming toward you, and four hundred men are with him"), Yaakov first of all prepared for war — "He divided the people etc. And he said: If Esav comes etc."; afterwards he prayed — "And Yaakov said: G‑d of my father Avraham etc."; and afterwards he began to prepare a gift for Esav.30
This, however, is not smooth. It is simply understood that when a Jew hears that someone is coming to wage war against him, he first of all prays to the A-lmighty, and only afterwards does he begin to act in a natural way (preparing for war, etc.). How, then, can one say — especially regarding our father Yaakov — that he first prepared for war and only afterwards prayed?31
One must therefore say that Yaakov too conducted himself in this way (as will be explained below). And what the verse says, "ויחץ את העם אשר אתו ואת הצאן גו' ויאמר אם יבוא עשו וגו' והי' גו' לפליטה" ("He divided the people who were with him, and the flocks etc. And he said: If Esav comes etc., then etc. shall escape"), is a preface — an explanation of his prayer
— hearing the news from the angels ("he is coming toward you, and four hundred men are with him"), "ויירא יעקב מאד ויצר לו" ("Yaakov became very frightened and was distressed"), and this brought about "He divided the people etc.," after which his prayer is understandable. Afterwards — on the following morning — when Yaakov saw "והנה עשו בא ועמו ארבע מאות איש" ("and behold, Esav was coming, and with him four hundred men"), only then [came] "ויחץ את הילדים גו'" ("He divided the children etc.").32
For the "He divided the people" of this verse is not the "He divided" stated further on,33 as is plain. Here it was "He divided the people etc. and the flocks etc.," whereas afterwards the dividing was only of "the women and the children," and not into two camps:
Here it says "He divided etc. into two camps," with the intention that "If Esav comes to the one camp and strikes it, then the remaining camp shall escape"; whereas further on it says, "He divided the children among Leah and Rachel and the two maidservants. He put the maidservants and their children first, and Leah and her children" (immediately after them) "after [them], and Rachel and Yosef last" — one camp. As it says explicitly,34 when Esav "וישא את עיניו" ("lifted up his eyes"), "וירא את הנשים ואת הילדים" ("he saw the women and the children") — all those mentioned above — and not that there were two separate camps, of which the second could flee (while Esav attacked the first camp).
And Rashi explains that "then the remaining camp shall escape" means "against his will, for I will fight him" — that Esav, against his will, will not be able to do them harm. [OCR unclear] In the "He divided etc. into two camps," the one camp was the flocks, the cattle, and the camels (and, understandably, also those of "the people who were with him" who pertained to them — the shepherds, etc.), while "the remaining camp" was "the women and the children" and the "people" who pertained to them35 — as is stated explicitly afterwards regarding "ויעבור את מעבר יבק" ("he crossed the ford of Yabok"):36 two separate "crossings."
Only after this "He divided" can the prayer come — since [OCR unclear], and on account of the assurances "שהבטחתני" ("that You assured me")37 — which is why the remaining camp (mentioned above) would certainly escape, unlike the flocks etc. of the first camp.
And in order to prove Yaakov's certainty that he would defeat Esav, Rashi continues, "התקין38 עצמו לשלשה דברים" ("he readied himself for three things") — that every action Yaakov took for the rescue was in the manner of "he readied himself," as will be explained below.
6. When a person prepares to do a certain thing, or several things, the usual expression for this is "הכין39 עצמו" ("he prepared himself") and the like. Here, however, the wording is "התקין עצמו" ("he readied himself"); this comes to emphasize an additional element in the preparation:
"הכין" means, in its plain sense, that he prepares himself to perform a certain act, where the preparation may be either through an actual deed, or a preparation of the soul to perform the act — to pray, and the like.
The wording "התקין" — from the term "תיקון" ("rectification")40 — does not mean merely a preparation, but also describes the manner of the preparation: he "rectifies" himself; he achieves within himself the readiness to do it.
So it was with Yaakov. His preparing himself for a gift, for prayer, and for war was in the manner of "he readied himself":
As Rashi explains — regarding war: on his own part he was "frightened and distressed,"41 [so] it had to be "he readied himself." Regarding the gift: he was "שרוי בכעס שהי' צריך לכל זה" ("in a state of anger that he needed all this")42 — yet "he readied himself." And likewise regarding prayer: although "I43 am afraid — שמא משהבטחתני נתלכלכתי בחטא ויגרום לי להמסר ביד עשו" ("perhaps, since You assured me, I have become sullied with sin, and it will cause me to be delivered into the hand of Esav"), he readied himself and prayed, and added in his prayer "היטב איטיב" ("I will surely do good") — "היטב בזכותך איטיב בזכות אבותיך" ("'do good' in your own merit, 'I will do good' in the merit of your forefathers").44
7. Accordingly, the reason is explained why Rashi brings the proofs specifically from these verses (and not from others): because the proofs from them are not regarding the preparation itself — that he prepared himself for the three things — but that the preparation for the three things was in the manner of "he readied himself."
"For a gift — 'So the gift passed on before him'" (from the fact that Rashi also copies from the verse the words "על פניו" ("before him," literally "upon his face"), it is understood that these words are relevant to the proof) — because from this verse we learn: "על פניו — אף הוא שרוי בכעס שהי' צריך לכל זה" ("'upon his face' — he too was in a state of anger that he needed all this").
"For prayer — 'G‑d of my father Avraham,'" for this wording alludes to the assurance of the Holy One, blessed be He, to the Patriarchs, as mentioned above.
And likewise with war, for which Rashi brings the proof from the verse "then the remaining camp shall escape": although we know from before that "he was frightened and distressed etc." (as mentioned), "he readied himself" for war, since "then the remaining camp shall escape" — it is clear and certain that the remaining camp must be saved (on account of the assurance of the Holy One, blessed be He).
And Rashi brings "for war" last because this was the hardest part of "he readied himself" in the three things: to remove the "frightened and distressed" — "שמא יהרג או יהרוג אחרים" ("lest he be killed, or kill others").
8. One question, however, still remains unanswered: why does Rashi place "gift" before "prayer"? Seemingly, prayer came first.
The explanation of this is: although in actual fact he sent the gift after the prayer, the content of the gift — "למצוא חן בעיניך" ("to find favor in your eyes")45 — was the first thing that Yaakov undertook to do, already when he sent the angels to Esav, as stated explicitly at the beginning of the parsha.
[It is indeed true that in a time of trouble one first of all prays to the A-lmighty that He send rescue and salvation from Above. With Yaakov, however, it was — as Rashi explains46 — "היית אומר" ("you were saying"), not, as usual, "אמרת" ("you said")47 — he kept on saying "אחי הוא" ("he is my brother").
Moreover, Yaakov wanted there to be even more than mere brotherhood, namely, "to find favor in your eyes"; and therefore — "וישלח יעקב מלאכים גו' ואשלחה להגיד לאדוני למצוא חן בעיניך" ("Yaakov sent angels etc. ... and I have sent to tell my lord, to find favor in your eyes") — "שאני שלם עמך ומבקש אהבתך" ("that I am at peace with you and seek your love").48 There was no time of trouble.
Only when the angels returned and related that he is not "my brother" but rather "the wicked Esav" did Yaakov pray, "Rescue me, please, etc.," and afterwards send him the gift — perhaps he would be able to appease him with it.]
9. Rashi's wording "he readied himself for three things," however, is still not smooth — for seemingly he should have said "he readied himself for a gift, for prayer, and for war" (and in the language of the Talmud in many places:49 "מניינא למה לי" — "Why do I need the count?"). The explanation of this:
Even after the angels informed Yaakov that he is not "my brother," but rather "נוהג עמך כעשו הרשע ועודנו בשנאתו" ("he is acting toward you like the wicked Esav, and he still hates you"), Yaakov faced three possibilities at once:
From Esav's side, it was possibly sufficient to send him a gift and thereby appease him. This was understood by Yaakov from the fact that Rivkah had sent [word to him]50 to return to Eretz Yisrael — for seemingly it is puzzling: since the wicked Esav "still hates you," how did Rivkah send to Yaakov that he should return? This itself is a proof that although Esav "still hates you," Esav's fury had nevertheless subsided, and there was no longer any danger of "אשכל גם שניכם יום אחד" ("Why should I be bereaved of both of you on one day"),51 and his hatred could be removed by sending him a gift.
From Yaakov's side, however, since he feared ("perhaps ... I have become sullied with sin"), it could be that the "he still hates you" was enough to become a situation of danger — similar to what we find with Lot, that the sin of his dwelling in Sedom brought about "ויקחו את לוט" ("They took Lot")52 — he therefore also needed the prayer "G‑d of my father Avraham" — in the merit of your forefathers.
And since the act of rescue through prayer can come about in two ways — (a) as the A-lmighty rescued him from Lavan: "אלקי אבי אברהם ופחד יצחק הי' לי גו' ויוכח אמש" ("[Had not] the G‑d of my father, the G‑d of Avraham and the Fear of Yitzchak, been with me etc. ... and He rebuked [you] last night");53 (b) a rescue that requires resorting to war, like the rescue of Lot,54 where Avraham had to wage war to save him — Yaakov therefore had to prepare himself for war as well.
10. According to the "wine of the Torah" in Rashi's commentary, one can say [the following] regarding the fact that Yaakov "readied himself" for all three things at once. And this is also the precision of Rashi's wording "he readied himself for three things": in order to be ready to do the three things together — which is contrary to nature — there must be "he readied himself"; one must rectify and change oneself. For each of the three matters is a movement opposite to the other: a gift is a movement of drawing close and of kindness (chesed); war is a movement of distancing and of severity (gevurah). And both [OCR unclear]. Prayer is a request for mercy from Above. Therefore, to be able to stand in the three different (opposing) movements at once is not within human nature —
not even according to the holy nature of the G‑dly soul (in which each attribute is in a separate movement and form). Rather, it requires a matter of "he readied himself" — a change of nature.
11. However, this itself requires a reason: why was it necessary for Yaakov to stand in all three movements at once?
This will be understood according to the explanation in Chassidus55 on the verse56 "ונאספו שמה כל העדרים" ("And all the flocks would gather there"), based on the analogy of a physical war: success in war comes about through placing "כל ג' מחנות שלו נגד מחנה וחלק א' של השונא" ("all three of his camps against one camp and section of the enemy"), whereupon "יתגבר בודאי עליו" ("he will surely overpower it"), and afterwards "יעשה כן למחנה ב' של השונא וכו'" ("he will do likewise to the enemy's second camp, etc.").
The same applies in the service of G‑d: in order to triumph in the war against the evil inclination, one must arouse "כל ג' מדות דקדושה (אהבה יראה ורחמים) לעומת מדה אחת דקליפה ועי"ז בודאי יפילו וינצחו אותה" ("all three holy attributes (love, fear, and mercy) against one attribute of kelipah, and thereby they will surely topple and defeat it"). And this is the meaning of "And all the flocks would gather there" — "שהם אהוי"ר ורחמנות דקדושה" ("which are the holy love, fear, and compassion").
Just as this applies in the war against the evil inclination (in each individual Jew), so it applies in the service of the Jewish people in exile in general. In exile there are several general types — the exile of Yishmael and the exile of Edom (Esav) — and although each type of exile has its own particular manner of service suited to the manner of that exile (Yishmael — the chesed of kelipah; Esav — the gevurah of kelipah57), the sure way to withstand the exile (and even to defeat and transform it) is to gather together all three holy attributes as one.
And since the empowerment for the service of the Jewish people ("a sign for the children") derives from "the deeds of the fathers," we find in Yaakov, the choicest of the Patriarchs, the inclusion of all three attributes with regard to both types of exile:
As a preparation for his stay in the house of Lavan (which is connected with the Babylonian exile58) — "And all the flocks would gather there"; and likewise in the service of refining Esav (the exile of Edom), it was "he readied himself for three things (together)" — the three lines of chesed (the gift), gevurah (war), and tiferes and mercy (prayer).
12. From all the above there is also a directive for the service of every Jew:
When one needs to save Jewish children from Esav's manner of education, one cannot content oneself with one's own nature, as one is accustomed to in the service of G‑d; rather, there must be "he readied himself" — rectifying and transforming oneself. For when one proceeds with calculation, reason, and intellect, in a manner fitting a particular service against Esav, one cannot be sure that one will be able to deal with him and, mainly, save everyone who needs to be saved from him.
Specifically when one proceeds without calculations, in the manner of "against my will," and with all one's powers together — "he readied himself" — one succeeds in conquering Esav, until there will be fulfilled the prophecy "ועלו מושיעים בהר ציון לשפוט את הר עשו והיתה לה' המלוכה" ("Saviors shall ascend Mount Zion to judge the mount of Esav, and the kingdom shall be the L‑rd's"),59 with the coming of our righteous Moshiach, speedily in our days, literally.
(From the sichos of Shabbos Parshas Vayishlach, 5730)
Notes
1) Our parsha, 32:9.
2) As [explained by] the Ibn Ezra and the Ramban on the verse. The Ramban writes: "according to the plain meaning etc."
3) As is implied by the Ibn Ezra's questions on Rashi. See the following note.
4) Sefer Zikaron; Gur Aryeh; Be'er Mayim Chaim; the Maharshal, cited in Sifsei Chachamim; Devek Tov; Divrei David by the Taz.
5) If the intent is that the second camp would fight, as is implied by the Sefer Zikaron. See Pesikta d'Rav Kahana 19: "From here on we will wage war with him." Midrash Lekach Tov.
6) See Maskil l'David on Rashi. Also according to the explanation in the Chizkuni, that "after he strikes the first camp, he and his men will be weary and tired, and the remaining camp, which will not be weary, will escape and fight them and kill them," it has still not left the realm of doubt.
7) In addition to the question asked by the Alshich here (the fourth and fifth questions).
8) Accordingly, "shall escape" must be interpreted as escaping from the war — not that they would flee and the like, but that they would be saved from the war because they would defeat him. See Lech Lecha 14:13 and Rashi there.
9) As the first [explanation] in the Chizkuni on the verse; the Taz and Sifsei Chachamim on Rashi. See also Sforno on the verse.
10) See the Taz there: "And this is certain — that it is in his power to flee from there, although it is doubtful whether the escape will be effective."
11) So it is implied by the plain meaning of his wording, for what he writes, "and the intent in this," comes to explain the view of the Midrash and Rashi. And so it is evident from the wording in the Tur HaAroch. But see the continuation of his wording, "and this too alludes etc."
See also Bachya here, who copied from "our Sages expounded" only the words "against his will." This proves that he does not come to explain the view of Rashi (and the Midrash) that he would be saved through war, but only that he would certainly be saved, as [explained] below in the text.
12) See Be'er Yitzchak on Rashi here.
13) Further on, 32:22.
14) 32:10-14.
15) See also Sifsei Chachamim in the name of the Maharshal.
16) Tanchuma (Buber) here, 6; Koheles Rabbah 9:18; Yalkut Shimoni here, remez 131; Pesikta d'Rav Kahana 19.
17) The Ramban cites from Rashi the order "for prayer, for a gift, and for war." But in the printings I have seen, and also in the first printing of Rashi, it is as in the text. Perhaps the Ramban copied this from the Midrash, for that is their order in Koheles Rabbah, Tanchuma (Buber), and Pesikta d'Rav Kahana there. In the second printing, and likewise in manuscripts of Rashi, the order is: "for a gift, for war, and for prayer" (as in the Yalkut Shimoni and Midrash Lekach Tov).
18) It should be noted that in several manuscripts (mentioned in the previous note), although at the beginning of the wording the order is "for a gift, for war, and for prayer," in the continuation of the wording, when he details the proofs from the verses, their order is gift, prayer, and war. See also Midrash Lekach Tov (except that there the proof for gift and for war is not from the same verses as in Rashi's commentary, as [explained] below in the text).
19) In Koheles Rabbah there, the derivation from the verses follows their order in the parsha (as [explained] below in the text), and accords with their order at the beginning of the statement: "for prayer, for a gift, and for war."
20) Koheles Rabbah there.
21) 32:12. This verse is also cited in Pesikta d'Rav Kahana (New York, 5722) there as a proof for prayer.
22) 32:19.
23) 33:2-3.
24) Midrash Lekach Tov there.
25) 32:14.
26) 32:8.
27) In Tanchuma (Buber), and similarly in the Yalkut there, the verses are as in Rashi's commentary, except that for war the beginning of the verse, "And he said: If Esav comes etc.," is cited. But there it refers to the verse "He divided the people who were with him" — he armed them underneath and clothed them in white on the outside. And in Pesikta d'Rav Kahana there, it refers to the verse "and he himself passed on ahead of them etc. — what did he do? He armed them underneath etc."
28) This is not so in the above-mentioned Midrashim, where it does not refer to this verse, as in the previous note.
29) In Midrash Lekach Tov: "שכוון עצמו" ("he directed himself").
30) See Midrash Lekach Tov there, at the end: "to fight against him etc., and afterwards he began with prayer and with the gift."
31) See the Alshich here, question 14.
32) 33:1-2.
33) As is plain — and unlike Rabbeinu Bachya on the verse. See also Targum Yonasan ben Uziel on the verse 33:2 (and see his translation on the verse 32:8*).
*) There [it says] that the two camps are the camp of Leah and the camp of Rachel. But there, on 33:2, [it says] that the first camp is the maidservants and their children, and the second camp is Leah and her children, and Rachel and Yosef. This, however, is not according to the plain meaning of Scripture — for he also moved the flocks etc.
34) 33:1; 33:5.
35) So it is in the Abarbanel there (and similarly in the Akeidah and the Alshich): the one camp consisted of the flocks, the cattle, the camels, and the other livestock (with the shepherds), while his wives and children were in a separate camp.
36) 32:23-24.
37) Rashi, 32:14.
38) Unlike the Midrashim (mentioned above, note 16): "והתקין" ("and he readied," with the conjunctive vav) — for this is not an addition and a new matter in his commentary, but an explanation and reason within the body of his commentary.
39) In Yisro 19:11, 15: "נכונים" ("ready") (see Rashi there). Note also Noach 11:7: "הבה" ("come, let us").
40) Note the term "תיקון" already cited in Rashi's commentary, for example: Bereishis (1:7; 1:25); Vayeira (18:8; ibid. 22).
41) Our parsha, 32:8.
42) Rashi on our parsha, 32:23.
43) Rashi there, 11.
44) Rashi there, 13.
45) 32:6.
46) Our parsha there, 7.
47) In this too is emphasized the great precision of Rashi's commentary on the Torah — "wondrous things" — through a change of a single word!
48) Rashi there. One can say that Yaakov's intent in informing him "ויהי לי שור וחמור גו'" ("I have acquired oxen and donkeys etc.") "to find favor in your eyes" was also to hint to him that he was ready to give him some of it as a gift — although its main purpose was to tell him, "זו אינה לא מן השמים ולא מן הארץ" ("this [blessing] is neither from the heavens nor from the earth") (Rashi there on the verse, s.v. "Vayehi").
49) Shabbos 89a, and the sources cited there.
50) Rashi on our parsha, 35:8.
51) Toldos 27:44-45.
52) Rashi, Lech Lecha 14:12. See also Rashi, Vayeira 19:19.
53) Vayetzei 31:42.
54) Lech Lecha 14:14 ff.
55) The Tzemach Tzedek (published in "HaTamim," booklet 3, p. 102a). See also Likkutei Torah, Va'eschanan 5a; Likkutei Sichos vol. 20, p. 407 ff.
56) Vayetzei 29:3.
*) See there, that it is "based on an introduction that I heard from the holy mouth of my father, my teacher, of blessed memory etc."
57) Likkutei Torah there.
58) See Ohr HaTorah, Vayetzei 226, end of column a.
59) Ovadiah, at the end. Cited in Rashi on our parsha, 33:14.
Key Lesson
Yaakov "readied himself" for gift, prayer, and war all at once, transforming his own nature to unite kindness, severity, and mercy in a single effort. So too, when we must rescue Jewish children from foreign influences, we cannot rely on our accustomed nature or careful calculations; we must rally all our powers together, beyond calculation, and thereby prevail until "the kingdom shall be the L‑rd's."