AND THE ANGELS RETURNED TO JACOB, SAYING: WE CAME TO THY BROTHER ESAU, AND MOREOVER HE COMETH TO MEET THEE, AND FOUR HUNDRED MEN WITH HIM. The word “Esau” after “thy brother” seems to be superfluous, since Jacob had no other brothers. It was, however, a hint to Jacob not to think that Esau had retraced his steps and entered on the path of rectitude, but that he was still the same wicked Esau as of old. And moreover “he cometh to meet thee”, and that not by himself, but having “four hundred men with him”.
Why all these details? Because God always delights in the prayer of the righteous, and He crowns Himself, as it were, with their supplications. So we affirm that the angel in charge of the prayers of Israel, Sandalphon by name, takes up all those prayers and weaves out of them a crown for the Living One of the worlds. All the more, then, must we believe that the prayers of the righteous, in which God takes delight, are made into a crown for Him. Seeing that Jacob had with him legions of holy angels, it may be asked why he was afraid. The truth is that the righteous rely not on their merits but on their prayers and supplications to their Master.
R. Simeon said: ‘The prayer of a congregation ascends to the Almighty, and He is crowned therewith, because it comprises many hues and directions, wherefore it is made into a crown to be placed on the head of the Righteous One, the Living One of the worlds; whereas the prayer of an individual is not many-sided and presents only one hue, and hence is not so complete and acceptable as the prayer of a congregation. Jacob was many-sided, and therefore God craved for his prayer, and hence it is written: “Then Jacob was greatly afraid and was distressed”.’
R. Judah cited here the verse: “Happy is the man that feareth alway; but he that hardeneth his heart shall fall into evil” (Prov. 28, 14). ‘Happy is the people of Israel’, he said, ‘in whom the Holy One, blessed be He, finds delight, and to whom He has given the Torah of truth that thereby they may merit life eternal. For whoso labours in the Torah is vouchsafed from heaven the best life, and is taken up into the life of the world to come, as it is written: “for that is thy life, and the length of thy days” (Deut. 30, 20); also, “and through this thing ye shall prolong your days” (Ibid. 32, 47), implying life in this world and in the world to come.’
5
רִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר אָמַר כָּל מַאן דְּאִשְׁתַּדַּל בְּאוֹרַיְיתָא לִשְׁמָהּ, לָאו מִיתָתֵיהּ עַל יְדָא דְיֵצֶר הָרָע, בְּגִין (גליון דהוא נחש והוא מלאכא דמותא. אלא מיתתהון בנשיקה דכתיב (שיר השירים א׳:ב׳) ישקני מנשיקות פיהו, כלומר על פי יי, והיא הנשיקה דהיא דביקותא דנפשא בעיקרא, וההיא דאשתדל באורייתא) דְּאִתְתַּקִּיף בְּאִילָנָא דְחַיֵּי וְלָא אַרְפֵּי מִנֵּיהּ, וּבְגִין כָּךְ צַדִּיקַיָא דְּמִשְׁתַּדְּלֵי בְּאוֹרַיְיתָא לָא מִסְתָּאֲבֵי גוּפָא דִלְהוֹן (גליון אלא הוא דכי, כגון אליהו בבי קברי דאשכחוהו רבנן, ושאילו ליה ולאו כהן הוא מר, אמר לון צדיקיא לא מסאבי במיתתהון, כמה דתנינן ביום שמת רבי בטלה כהונה, כלומר דאתעסקו ביה) דְּלָא שָׁרָא עֲלַיְיהוּ רוּחַ מְסָאֲבָא.
R. Eleazar said: ‘Whoever labours in the Torah for its own sake will not die through the agency of the evil prompter (the same being the serpent and the angel of death), inasmuch as he holds fast to the tree of life and relaxeth not. For this reason the bodies of the righteous who have laboured in the Torah remain undefiled after death, since the spirit of defilement does not hover over them.
How came it, then, that Jacob, who was the tree of life itself, as it were, was afraid of Esau, who surely could not prevail against him? Had he not, too, the promise: “And, behold, I am with thee” (Gen. 28, 15)? And had he not further protection in the escort of the host of holy angels, of whom it says, “and the angels of God met him” (Ibid. 32, 2)?
The reason, however, of his fear was that he did not wish to rely on a miracle, as he did not consider himself deserving that a miracle should be wrought on his behalf. The cause of his self-mistrust was that he had not rendered filial service to his father and mother as he should have done, and that he had not devoted himself to the Torah, and, further, that he had married two sisters. But, in truth, a man should always go in fear and offer up prayer to the Almighty, as it says: “Happy is the man that feareth alway”.
It was the prayers offered up by the patriarchs that sustained the world, and by them are upheld all who dwell therein; and the merits of the patriarchs will never be forgotten, inasmuch as they form the support of the upper and the lower realms; and Jacob’s support is firmer than that of all the others. Hence it is that when the children of Jacob are oppressed, God looks at the image of Jacob and is filled with pity for the world. This is hinted in the passage: “Then will I remember my covenant with Jacob” (Lev. 26, 42), where the name Jacob is spelt plene, with a vau, which is itself the image of Jacob.
To look at Jacob was like looking at the “clear mirror”. According to tradition, the beauty of Jacob was equal to that of Adam, the first man.’ R. Jose said: ‘I have heard it said that he who sees in his dream Jacob robed in his mantle enjoys length of life.’
R. Simeon said: ‘We have learnt that no life-portion was originally assigned to David, but Adam gave him seventy years of his own; and so David lived seventy years, whilst Adam lived a thousand years less seventy; thus the first thousand years included the lives of both Adam the first man and King David.
The Scripture’, he said, ‘alludes to this in the verse, “He asked life of thee, thou gavest it him; even length of days for ever and ever” (Ps. 21, 5). For when God created the Garden of Eden and placed in it the soul of King David, He saw that it possessed no life-portion of its own, and cast about for a remedy. So when He created Adam the first man, He said, “Here, indeed, is the remedy”; and so it was that from Adam were derived the seventy years that David lived.
Further, each of the patriarchs conceded him some years of his own life, that is to say, Abraham and Jacob and Joseph, but not Isaac, because King David belonged to the same side as himself.
Abraham allowed him five years of the hundred and eighty years which he was properly entitled to live, so that he lived only a hundred and seventy-five years, five years less than his due. Jacob was also due to live in this world as many years as Abraham, but he lived only a hundred and forty-seven years. Thus, Abraham and Jacob between them conceded to David thirty three years. Then Joseph should have lived a hundred and forty-seven years like Jacob, his father, but he fell short of that number by thirty-seven years. These, with the other thirty-three, completed the seventy years allotted to David, which were thus transferred to him out of the lives of the patriarchs.
The reason why Isaac did not transfer to him any years like the others was that he was himself wrapt in darkness, and David came from the side of darkness, and he who is in darkness possesses no light whatever, nor any life: it is for that reason that David possessed no life at all of his own.
But those others, being possessed of light, could afford light to King David, who was beholden to them for light and for life, since of the dark side he had no life at all. Hence Isaac did not come into the reckoning. Why, it may be asked, was Joseph’s contribution greater than those of the other two together? It was because Joseph was reckoned the equivalent of the other two, since he was called “the righteous”, and he was better able than the others to illumine the moon, and hence he conceded to King David a greater share of life than all the others.
To protect himself against Esau, Jacob resorted to prayer and did not rely upon his merit, since he desired to keep this in reserve for the benefit of his descendants in the future, and not to use it up now against Esau. Hence he now offered up his prayer to the Almighty, and did not rely upon his merits, nor ask for deliverance for their sake.
Hence we read: AND HE SAID: IF ESAU COME TO THE ONE CAMP, AND SMITE IT, THEN THE CAMP WHICH IS LEFT SHALL ESCAPE. It was for this reason that he “divided the people that was with him… into two camps”.
Now the Shekinah never departed from the tent of Leah nor from the tent of Rachel. Jacob knew, therefore, that they were under the protection of the Almighty, and so he put the handmaids and their children foremost, saying to himself: “If Esau slays them, well, he will slay them, but as regards the others I have no fear, since the Shekinah is with them.” Hence it says: THEN THE CAMP WHICH IS LEFT SHALL ESCAPE. Having taken this step, he next resorted to prayer, as it is written: And Jacob said, O GOD OF MY FATHER ABRAHAM, AND GOD OF MY FATHER ISAAC, O LORD, WHO SAIDST UNTO ME: RETURN UNTO THY COUNTRY, AND TO THY KINDRED, AND I WILL DO THEE GOOD.
R. Jose discoursed on the verse: A prayer of the poor, when he fainteth (ya’atoj) and poureth out his complaint before the Lord (Ps. 102, 1). He said: ‘As has been laid down in many places, this psalm was composed by King David when he contemplated the plight of the poor man, and that was when he fled from his father-in-law. It was then that he composed a “prayer of the poor”, as much as to say: “Behold, this is the prayer a poor man offers up to the Almighty, and one which should ascend in advance of all other prayers.”
The phrase, “a prayer of the poor”, finds its parallel in the expression: “A prayer of Moses, the man of God” (Ibid. 90, 1), the one alluding to the phylactery of the head, the other to that of the arm, the two being inseparable and of equal importance.
The reason why the prayer of the poor is admitted first into the presence of the Almighty is indicated in the verse: “For he hath not despised nor abhorred the lowliness of the poor, etc.” (Ibid. 22, 25).
According to another exposition, the term “a prayer” is an allusion to Moses; “of the poor” to David; “when he fainteth” (ya’atoj = is covered) to the moon when it is hidden and the sun is concealed from it.
Observe that the prayer of other people is just a prayer, but the prayer of a poor man breaks through all barriers and storms its way to the presence of the Almighty. So Scripture says: “And it shall come to pass, when he cries unto me, that I will hear; for I am gracious” (Ex. 22, 26); also: “I will surely hear their cry” (Ibid. 22). David continues: “and poureth out his complaint before the Lord”, like one who protests against the judgements of the Almighty.’
R. Eleazar said: ‘The prayer of the righteous is an object of joy for the Community of Israel, who weave out of it a crown by which to adorn themselves before the Holy One, blessed be He. Hence God holds it in special affection: He longs, as it were, for the prayer of the righteous, when they are in straits, because they know how to appease their Master.’
Note the words of Jacob’s prayer: O GOD OF MY FATHER ABRAHAM, AND GOD OF MY FATHER ISAAC, O LORD, WHO SAIDST UNTO ME: RETURN. Various strands are here fitly interwoven. “O God of my father Abraham” symbolises the Right; “God of my father Isaac” symbolises the Left; while by the words “Who saidst unto me” Jacob interwove himself between the two.
I AM NOT WORTHY OF ALL THE MERCIES. The connection of those words with what precedes is as follows. Jacob said in effect: “Thou hast promised me to deal well with me, but I know that all thy promises are conditional. Now, behold, I possess no merits, so that I am not worthy of all the mercies and of all the truth which Thou hast shown unto Thy servant; and all that Thou hast done for me until this day Thou hast done not for sake of my merits but for Thine own sake. For behold, when first I crossed the Jordan, fleeing from Esau, I was all alone, but Thou hast shown unto me mercy and truth, in that I have now crossed with two companies.”
Up to this point Jacob was reciting the praises of the Almighty; he then proceeded to pray for his requirements. From Jacob all men can take example, when offering prayer, first to recite the praises of their Master, and only then to present their petition. So Jacob, after praising the Lord, continued:
“Deliver me, I pray thee, from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau; for I fear him, lest he come and smite me, the mother with the children.” Here, too, is a lesson that in praying a man should state in precise terms what he requires. Thus Jacob commenced: “Deliver me, I pray thee,” and since it might be said that he had already been delivered from the hand of Laban, he added “from the hand of my brother”; and since, again, the term “brother” covers all relatives, he added “from the hand of Esau”; and yet again, lest it should be urged that he had no need of such a delivery, he continued: “for I fear him, lest he come and smite me, the mother with the children”; all this in order that there should be no possibility of misunderstanding.
We find King David closing a prayer with the words: “Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable before thee” (Ps. 19, 15), the former of these clauses referring to what he had actually said explicitly, and the latter to his inner thoughts which he had only half expressed.
This division of prayer into clearly expressed and half-expressed desires corresponds to a distinction in the divine grades, the clearly expressed prayer being addressed to the lower grade, the meditation of the heart to the higher and inner grade.
32
כְּגַוְונָא דָא אָמַר יַעֲקֹב, בְּקַדְמִיתָא פָּרִישׁ מִלָּה כְּדְקָא יְאוּת, וּלְבָתַר סָתִים מִלָּה דְּאִיהִי תַּלְיָא בְּהֶגְיוֹנָא דְלִבָּא דְּלָא אִצְטְרִיךְ לְפָרְשָׁא. דִּכְתִיב, (בראשית ל״ב:י״ג) וְשַׂמְתִּי אֶת זַרְעֲךָ כְּחוֹל הַיָּם אֲשֶׁר לא יִסָּפֵר מֵרֹב. הָכָא אִיהוּ מִלָּה דְּתַלְיָא בְּלִבָּא דְּלָא אִצְטְרִיךְ לְפָרְשָׁא. וְכֵן אִצְטְרִיךְ כִּדְקָאֲמָרָן, בְּגִין לְיַחֲדָא יִחוּדָא שְׁלִים כְּדְקָא יְאוּת. זַכָּאִין אִינוּן צַדִּיקַיָא דְּיָדְעֵי לְסַדְּרָא שְׁבָחָא דְמָארֵיהוֹן כְּדְקָא יְאוּת וּלְמִבְעֵי בָּעוּתְהוֹן, וּבְגִין כָּךְ כְּתִיב (ישעיהו מ״ט:ג׳) וַיֹּאמֶר לִי עַבְדִּי אָתָּה יִשְׂרָאֵל אֲשֶׁר בְּךָ אֶתְפָּאָר. (ס"א כתיב גם את השני גם את השלישי וגו', השלש פעמים גם, רמז (גליון, ג"ם ראשי תיבות גואל משרז גואל מרדכי גואל משיח) לשלש גאולות על ידי שלשה צדיקים משה מרדכי משיח שעתיד לגאלנו בקרוב):
Jacob divided his prayer similarly; first he stated what he desired distinctly, then he left his thought only half expressed, in the words alluding to the promise made to him, “and I will make thy seed as the sand of the sea, which cannot be numbered for multitude”. There was here an underlying thought which was best left unexpressed. This division was necessary, as explained, so as to make the unification complete. Happy are the righteous who know how to express fittingly the praises of their Master, as a preliminary to their prayer. Of them it is written: “And he said unto me: Thou art my servant, Israel, in whom I will be glorified” (Is. 49, 3).
וַיָּשׁוּבוּ הַמַּלְאָכִים אֶל יַעֲקֹב לֵאמֹר בָּאנוּ אֶל אָחִיךָ אֶל עֵשָׂו וְגַם הוֹלֵךְ לִקְרָאתְךָ וְאַרְבַּע מֵאוֹת אִישׁ עִמּוֹ. כֵּיוָן דְּאָמַר בָּאנוּ אֶל אָחִיךָ, לָא יְדַעְנָא דְּאִיהוּ עֵשָׂו, וְכִי אַחִין אָחֳרָנִין הֲווּ לְיַעֲקֹב. אֶלָּא בָּאנוּ אֶל אָחִיךָ, וְאִי תֵימָא דְּהֲדַר בִּתְשׁוּבָה וְאָזִיל בְּאֹרַח מְתַקְּנָא, לָאו הָכִי, אֶלָּא עֵשָׂו הָרָשָׁע כִּדְמְעִיקָּרָא. וְגַם הוֹלֵךְ לִקְרָאתְךָ, וְאִי תֵימָא דְּאִיהוּ בִּלְחוֹדוֹי אָזִיל. לָאו, אֶלָא אַרְבַּע מֵאוֹת אִישׁ עִמּוֹ.
AND THE ANGELS RETURNED TO JACOB, SAYING: WE CAME TO THY BROTHER ESAU, AND MOREOVER HE COMETH TO MEET THEE, AND FOUR HUNDRED MEN WITH HIM. The word “Esau” after “thy brother” seems to be superfluous, since Jacob had no other brothers. It was, however, a hint to Jacob not to think that Esau had retraced his steps and entered on the path of rectitude, but that he was still the same wicked Esau as of old. And moreover “he cometh to meet thee”, and that not by himself, but having “four hundred men with him”.
וְכָל כָּךְ לָמָּה, (אלא אינון) אָמְרוּ לֵיהּ, בְּגִין דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא אִתְרָעֵי תָּדִיר בִּצְלוֹתְהוֹן דְּצַדִּיקַיָא וּמִתְעַטֵּר בִּצְלוֹתְהוֹן. כִּדְאַמְרִינָן, דְּהַהוּא מַלְאָכָא דִּמְמַנָּא עַל צְלוֹתְהוֹן דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל, סַנְדַּ"לְפוֹן שְׁמֵיהּ, נָטִיל כָּל אִינוּן צְלוֹתִין וְעָבִיד מִנַּיְיהוּ עֲטָרָה לְחֲיֵי הָעוֹלָמִים וְאוּקְמוּהָ. וְכָל שֶׁכֵּן צְלוֹתְהוֹן דְּצַדִּיקַיָּא דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא אִתְרָעֵי בְּהוּ וְאִתְעַבְדָן עֲטָרָה לְאִתְעַטְּרָא בְּאִינוּן צְלוֹתִין לְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא. וְאִי תֵימָא מַשִּׁרְיָין קַדִּישִׁין הֲווּ אַתְיָין עִמֵּיהּ, אַמַּאי דָּחִיל. אֶלָּא צַדִּיקַיָיא לָא סַמְכִין עַל זְכוּתַיְיהוּ, אֶלָּא עַל צְלוֹתְהוֹן וּבָעוּתְהוֹן לְגַבֵּי מָארֵיהוֹן.
Why all these details? Because God always delights in the prayer of the righteous, and He crowns Himself, as it were, with their supplications. So we affirm that the angel in charge of the prayers of Israel, Sandalphon by name, takes up all those prayers and weaves out of them a crown for the Living One of the worlds. All the more, then, must we believe that the prayers of the righteous, in which God takes delight, are made into a crown for Him. Seeing that Jacob had with him legions of holy angels, it may be asked why he was afraid. The truth is that the righteous rely not on their merits but on their prayers and supplications to their Master.
וְתָּא חֲזֵי, דְּאָמַר רִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן, צְלוֹתָא דְסַגִּיאִין סָלִיק קַמֵּי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא וּמִתְעַטֵּר בְּהַהוּא צְלוֹתָא. בְּגִין דְּסַלְקָא בִּגְוָונִין סַגִּיאִין וְאִתְכְּלִילַת מִכַּמָּה סִטְרִין. וּבְגִין דְּאִתְכְּלִילַת מִכַּמָּה גְוָונִין אִתְעֲבִידַת עֲטָרָה וּמַנְחָא עַל רֵישָׁא דְצַדִּיק חַי הָעוֹלָמִים. וּצְלוֹתָא דְיָחִיד לָאו אִיהִי כְּלִילָא, וְלָאו אִיהִי אֶלָּא בְּגַוָּון חַד. וְעַל דָּא צְלוֹתָא דְיָחִיד לָאו אִיהוּ מִתְתַּקְנָא לְאִתְקַבְּלָא (אלא בצלותא) כִּצְלוֹתָא דְסַגִּיאִין. וְתָּא חֲזֵי, יַעֲקֹב כָּלִיל הֲוָה, וְעַל דָּא צְלוֹתֵיהּ תָּאִיב לָהּ קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא. מַה כְּתִיב וַיִּירָא יַעֲקֹב מְאֹד וַיֵּצֶר לוֹ.
R. Simeon said: ‘The prayer of a congregation ascends to the Almighty, and He is crowned therewith, because it comprises many hues and directions, wherefore it is made into a crown to be placed on the head of the Righteous One, the Living One of the worlds; whereas the prayer of an individual is not many-sided and presents only one hue, and hence is not so complete and acceptable as the prayer of a congregation. Jacob was many-sided, and therefore God craved for his prayer, and hence it is written: “Then Jacob was greatly afraid and was distressed”.’
רִבִּי יְהוּדָה פָּתַח וְאָמַר (משלי כ״ח:י״ד) אַשְׁרֵי אָדָם מְפַחֵד תָּמִיד וּמַקְשֶׁה לִבּוֹ יִפּוֹל בְּרָעָה. זַכָּאִין אִינוּן יִשְׂרָאֵל דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא אִתְרָעֵי בְּהוּ, וְיָהַב לוֹן אוֹרַיְיתָא דִקְשׁוֹט בְּגִין לְמִזְכֵּי בָהּ לְחַיֵּי עַלְמָא, דְּכָל מַאן דְּאִשְׁתָּדַּל בְּאוֹרַיְיתָא קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא מָשִׁיךְ עֲלֵיהּ חַיִּין עִלָּאִין, וְאָעִיל לֵיהּ לְחַיֵּי עַלְמָא דְאָתֵי, דִּכְתִיב, (דברים ל׳:כ׳) כִּי הִיא חַיֶּיךָ וְאֹרֶךְ יָמֶיךָ. וּכְתִיב, (שם לב) וּבַדָּבָר הַזֶּה תַּאֲרִיכוּ יָמִים. חַיִּין בְּהַאי עַלְמָא וְחַיִין בְּעַלְמָא דְאָתֵי.
R. Judah cited here the verse: “Happy is the man that feareth alway; but he that hardeneth his heart shall fall into evil” (Prov. 28, 14). ‘Happy is the people of Israel’, he said, ‘in whom the Holy One, blessed be He, finds delight, and to whom He has given the Torah of truth that thereby they may merit life eternal. For whoso labours in the Torah is vouchsafed from heaven the best life, and is taken up into the life of the world to come, as it is written: “for that is thy life, and the length of thy days” (Deut. 30, 20); also, “and through this thing ye shall prolong your days” (Ibid. 32, 47), implying life in this world and in the world to come.’
רִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר אָמַר כָּל מַאן דְּאִשְׁתַּדַּל בְּאוֹרַיְיתָא לִשְׁמָהּ, לָאו מִיתָתֵיהּ עַל יְדָא דְיֵצֶר הָרָע, בְּגִין (גליון דהוא נחש והוא מלאכא דמותא. אלא מיתתהון בנשיקה דכתיב (שיר השירים א׳:ב׳) ישקני מנשיקות פיהו, כלומר על פי יי, והיא הנשיקה דהיא דביקותא דנפשא בעיקרא, וההיא דאשתדל באורייתא) דְּאִתְתַּקִּיף בְּאִילָנָא דְחַיֵּי וְלָא אַרְפֵּי מִנֵּיהּ, וּבְגִין כָּךְ צַדִּיקַיָא דְּמִשְׁתַּדְּלֵי בְּאוֹרַיְיתָא לָא מִסְתָּאֲבֵי גוּפָא דִלְהוֹן (גליון אלא הוא דכי, כגון אליהו בבי קברי דאשכחוהו רבנן, ושאילו ליה ולאו כהן הוא מר, אמר לון צדיקיא לא מסאבי במיתתהון, כמה דתנינן ביום שמת רבי בטלה כהונה, כלומר דאתעסקו ביה) דְּלָא שָׁרָא עֲלַיְיהוּ רוּחַ מְסָאֲבָא.
R. Eleazar said: ‘Whoever labours in the Torah for its own sake will not die through the agency of the evil prompter (the same being the serpent and the angel of death), inasmuch as he holds fast to the tree of life and relaxeth not. For this reason the bodies of the righteous who have laboured in the Torah remain undefiled after death, since the spirit of defilement does not hover over them.
יַעֲקֹב אִילָנָא דְחַיֵּי הֲוָה, אַמַּאי דָּחִיל, דְּהָא לָא יָכוֹל לְשַׁלְטָאָה עֲלוֹי. וְעוֹד דְּהָא כְּתִיב וְהִנֵּה אָנֹכִי עִמָּךְ וְגו', אַמַּאי הֲוָה דָחִיל. וְתוּ דְּהָא כְּתִיב וַיִּפְגְּעוּ בוֹ מַלְאֲכֵי אֱלהִים. אִי מַשִּׁרְיָין קַדִּישִׁין הֲווּ עִמֵּיהּ אַמַּאי הֲוָה דָחִיל.
How came it, then, that Jacob, who was the tree of life itself, as it were, was afraid of Esau, who surely could not prevail against him? Had he not, too, the promise: “And, behold, I am with thee” (Gen. 28, 15)? And had he not further protection in the escort of the host of holy angels, of whom it says, “and the angels of God met him” (Ibid. 32, 2)?
אֶלָּא כֹּלָּא יָאוֹת הֲוָה, וְיַעֲקֹב לָא הֲוָה בָּעֵי לְמִסְמַךְ עַל נִיסָּא דְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, בְּגִין דְּחָשִׁיב דְּלָאו אִיהוּ כְּדַאי דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא יַעֲבִיד לֵיהּ נִיסָּא. מַאי טַעְמָא, בְּגִין דְּלָא פָלַח לְאֲבוֹי וּלְאִמֵּיהּ כְּדְקָא יְאוּת, וְלָא אִשְׁתַּדַּל בְּאוֹרַיְיתָא וְנָטַל תְּרֵי אֲחָיוֹת. וְאַף עַל גַּב דְּכֹלָּא אִתְּמָר, וְעִם כָּל דָא בָּעֵי לֵיהּ לְבַר נָשׁ לְמִדְחַל תָּדִיר וּלְצַלָּאָה קַמֵּי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא בִּצְלוֹתָא. דִּכְתִיב אַשְׁרֵי אָדָם מְפַחֵד תָּמִיד (ולמדחל תדיר קמי קודשא בריך הוא) וְהָא אוּקְמוּהָ.
The reason, however, of his fear was that he did not wish to rely on a miracle, as he did not consider himself deserving that a miracle should be wrought on his behalf. The cause of his self-mistrust was that he had not rendered filial service to his father and mother as he should have done, and that he had not devoted himself to the Torah, and, further, that he had married two sisters. But, in truth, a man should always go in fear and offer up prayer to the Almighty, as it says: “Happy is the man that feareth alway”.
תָּא חֲזֵי, צְלוֹתָא דְּאֲבָהָן קָיְימוּ עָלְמָא, וְכָל בְּנֵי עָלְמָא עֲלַיְיהוּ קָיְימֵי וְסָמְכִין. לְעָלַם וּלְעָלְמֵי עָלְמִין, לָא אִתְנְשֵׁי זְכוּתָא דְּאֲבָהָן, בְּגִין דִּזְכוּתָא דְּאֲבָהָן אִיהוּ קִיּוּמָא דְעֵילָא וְתַתָּא, וְקִיּוּמָא דְיַעֲקֹב אִיהוּ קִיּוּמָא שְׁלִים יַתִּיר מִכֻּלְּהוּ. וּבְגִין כָּךְ בְּשַׁעְתָּא דְעָאקוּ לִבְנוֹי דְיַעֲקֹב, קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא אַחְמֵי קַמֵּיהּ דִּיוּקְנָא דְיַעֲקֹב וְחָיִיס עַל עַלְמָא כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר, (ויקרא כ״ו:מ״ב) וְזָכַרְתִּי אֶת בְּרִיתִי יַעֲקוֹב. יַעֲקוֹ"ב בְּוא"ו, אַמַּאי בְּוא"ו, בְּגִין דְּאִיהוּ דִיוּקְנָא דְיַעֲקֹב מַמָּשׁ.
It was the prayers offered up by the patriarchs that sustained the world, and by them are upheld all who dwell therein; and the merits of the patriarchs will never be forgotten, inasmuch as they form the support of the upper and the lower realms; and Jacob’s support is firmer than that of all the others. Hence it is that when the children of Jacob are oppressed, God looks at the image of Jacob and is filled with pity for the world. This is hinted in the passage: “Then will I remember my covenant with Jacob” (Lev. 26, 42), where the name Jacob is spelt plene, with a vau, which is itself the image of Jacob.
תָּא חֲזֵי, כָּל מַאן דְּחָמֵי לֵיהּ לְיַעֲקֹב כְּמַאן דְּאִסְתַּכֵּל בְּאַסְפַּקְלַרְיָא דְּנַהֲרָא, וְהָא אִתְּמָר דְּשׁוּפְרֵיהּ דְּיַעֲקֹב כְּשׁוּפְרֵיהּ דְּאָדָם קַדְמָאָה. אָמַר רִבִּי יֵיסָא, אֲנָא שְׁמַעְנָא דְּכָל מַאן דְּאִסְתַּכַּל בְּחֶלְמֵיהּ וְחָמָא לֵיהּ לְיַעֲקֹב מְקֻסְטָר בְּקוּסְפוֹי, חַיִּין אִתּוֹסְפָן לֵיהּ.
To look at Jacob was like looking at the “clear mirror”. According to tradition, the beauty of Jacob was equal to that of Adam, the first man.’ R. Jose said: ‘I have heard it said that he who sees in his dream Jacob robed in his mantle enjoys length of life.’
רִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן אָמַר, הָא אִתְּמָר דְּדָוִד מַלְכָּא עַד לָא הֲוָה, לָא הֲווּ לֵיהּ חַיִּים כְּלַל. בַּר דְּאָדָם קַדְמָאָה יָהַב לֵיהּ שִׁבְעִין שְׁנִין מִדִּילֵיהּ, וְכָךְ הֲוָה קִיּוּמֵיהּ דְּדָוִד מַלְכָּא שִׁבְעִין שְׁנִין הֲווּ. וְקִיּוּמָא דְאָדָם קַדְמָאָה אֶלֶף שְׁנִין חֲסַר שִׁבְעִין. אִשְׁתַּכָּחוּ בְּהַנֵּי אֶלֶף שְׁנִין קַדְמָאֵי, אָדָם הָרִאשׁוֹן וְדָוִד מַלְכָּא.
R. Simeon said: ‘We have learnt that no life-portion was originally assigned to David, but Adam gave him seventy years of his own; and so David lived seventy years, whilst Adam lived a thousand years less seventy; thus the first thousand years included the lives of both Adam the first man and King David.
פָּתַח וְאָמַר (תהילים כ״א:ה׳) חַיִּים שָׁאַל מִמְךָ נָתַתָּה לוֹ אֹרֶךְ יָמִים עוֹלָם וָעֶד. חַיִּים שָׁאַל מִמְךָ, דָּא דָּוִד מַלְכָּא. דְהָא כַּד בָּרָא קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא גִּנְתָא דְעֵדֶן אַטִּיל בֵּיהּ נִשְׁמָתָא דְדָוִד מַלְכָּא, וְאִסְתַּכַּל בֵּיהּ וְחָמֵי דְּלֵית לֵיהּ חַיִּים מִדִּילֵיהּ כְּלוּם. וְקָיְימָא קַמֵּיהּ כָּל יוֹמָא. כֵּיוָן דְּבָרָא אָדָם הָרִאשׁוֹן אָמַר הָא וַדַּאי קִיּוּמֵיהּ, וּמֵאָדָם קַדְמָאָה הֲווּ שִׁבְעִין שְׁנִין דְּאִתְקְיַּים דָּוִד מַלְכָּא בְּעַלְמָא.
The Scripture’, he said, ‘alludes to this in the verse, “He asked life of thee, thou gavest it him; even length of days for ever and ever” (Ps. 21, 5). For when God created the Garden of Eden and placed in it the soul of King David, He saw that it possessed no life-portion of its own, and cast about for a remedy. So when He created Adam the first man, He said, “Here, indeed, is the remedy”; and so it was that from Adam were derived the seventy years that David lived.
תוּ אֲבָהָן שָׁבְקוּ לֵיהּ מֵחַיֵּיהוֹן כָּל חַד וְחַד, אַבְרָהָם שָׁבַק לֵיהּ, וְכֵן יַעֲקֹב וְיוֹסֵף. יִצְחָק לָא שָׁבַק לֵיהּ כְּלוּם, בְּגִין דְּדָוִד מַלְכָּא מִסִּטְרֵיהּ קָא אֲתָא.
Further, each of the patriarchs conceded him some years of his own life, that is to say, Abraham and Jacob and Joseph, but not Isaac, because King David belonged to the same side as himself.
וַדַּאי אַבְרָהָם שָׁבַק לֵיהּ חָמֵשׁ שְׁנִין, דְּהֲוָה לֵיהּ לְאִתְקַיְּימָא מֵאָה וּתְמָנִין שְׁנִין, וְאִתְקְיַּים מֵאָה וְשִׁבְעִין וְחָמֵשׁ שְׁנִין, חֲסֵרִין חָמֵשׁ. יַעֲקֹב הֲוָה לֵיהּ לְאִתְקָיְימָא בְּעַלְמָא כְּיוֹמֵי דְאַבְרָהָם, וְלָא אִתְקְיַּים אֶלָּא מֵאָה וְאַרְבָּעִין וְשֶׁבַע שְׁנִין, חֲסֵרִים תְּמַנְיָא וְעֶשְׂרִין. אִשְׁתַּכָּחוּ דְּאַבְרָהָם וְיַעֲקֹב שְׁבָקוּ לֵיהּ מֵחַיֵּיהוֹן תְּלָתִין וּתְלַת שְׁנִין. יוֹסֵף דְּאִתְקְיַּים מְאָה וְעֶשֶׂר שְׁנִין, הֲוָה לֵיהּ לְאִתְקַיָּימָא מְאָה וְאַרְבָּעִין וְשֶׁבַע שְׁנִין כְּיוֹמֵי דְיַעֲקֹב, וְחָסֵר מִנְּהוֹן תְּלָתִין וְשֶׁבַע שְׁנִין. הָא שִׁבְעִין שְׁנִין דִּשְׁבָקוּ לֵיהּ לְדָוִד מַלְכָּא לְאִתְקָיְימָא בְּהוֹן, וּבְהוּ אִתְקַיַים דָּוִד בְּכָל אִינוּן שְׁנִין דִּשְׁבָקוּ לֵיהּ אֲבָהָן.
Abraham allowed him five years of the hundred and eighty years which he was properly entitled to live, so that he lived only a hundred and seventy-five years, five years less than his due. Jacob was also due to live in this world as many years as Abraham, but he lived only a hundred and forty-seven years. Thus, Abraham and Jacob between them conceded to David thirty three years. Then Joseph should have lived a hundred and forty-seven years like Jacob, his father, but he fell short of that number by thirty-seven years. These, with the other thirty-three, completed the seventy years allotted to David, which were thus transferred to him out of the lives of the patriarchs.
וְאִי תֵימָא יִצְחָק אַמַּאי לָא שָׁבַק לֵיהּ כְּלוּם כְּהַנֵּי, בְּגִין דְּאִיהוּ חשֶׁךְ וְדָוִד מִסִּטְרָא דְחשֶׁךְ קָא אֲתָא, וּמַאן דְּאִיהוּ בַּחשֶׁךְ לֵית לֵיהּ נְהוֹרָא כְּלַל וְלֵית לֵיהּ חַיִּים. וּבְגִין כָּךְ לָא הֲווּ לְדָוִד חַיִּים כְּלַל. אֲבָל אִלֵּין דְּהֲווּ לְהוֹן נְהוֹרָא, נְהִירוּ לֵיהּ לְדָוִד מַלְכָּא, וּמִנַּיְיהוּ אִצְטְרִיךְ לְאַנְהָרָא וּלְמֶהוֵי לֵיהּ חַיִּים, דְּהָא מִסִּטְרָא דְחשֶׁךְ לֵית לֵיהּ חַיִּים כְּלַל, וְעַל דָּא לָא אֲתָא יִצְחָק בְּחוּשְׁבְּנָא.
The reason why Isaac did not transfer to him any years like the others was that he was himself wrapt in darkness, and David came from the side of darkness, and he who is in darkness possesses no light whatever, nor any life: it is for that reason that David possessed no life at all of his own.
וְאִי תֵימָא יוֹסֵף אַמַּאי יַתִּיר מִכֻּלְּהוּ. אֶלָּא וַדַּאי יוֹסֵף בִּלְחוֹדוֹי, כְּכֻלְּהוּ בְּגִין דְּאִקְרֵי צַדִּיק, וְדָא הוּא דְאַנְהִיר לְסִיהֲרָא יַתִּיר מִכֻּלְּהוּ. וּבְגִין כָּךְ הַאי שָׁבַק לֵיהּ לְדָוִד מַלְכָּא יַתִיר מִכֻּלְּהוּ חַיִּין, דִּכְתִיב, (בראשית א׳:י״ז) וַיִּתֵּן אֹתָם אֱלהִים בִּרְקִיעַ הַשָּׁמַיִם לְהָאִיר עַל הָאָרֶץ.
But those others, being possessed of light, could afford light to King David, who was beholden to them for light and for life, since of the dark side he had no life at all. Hence Isaac did not come into the reckoning. Why, it may be asked, was Joseph’s contribution greater than those of the other two together? It was because Joseph was reckoned the equivalent of the other two, since he was called “the righteous”, and he was better able than the others to illumine the moon, and hence he conceded to King David a greater share of life than all the others.
תָּא חֲזֵי יַעֲקֹב צְלוֹתֵיהּ אָגִין לֵיהּ מֵעֵשָׂו, בְּגִין דְּבָעָא לְסַלְקָא זְכוּתֵיהּ לִבְנוֹי אֲבַתְרֵיהּ וְלָא לְאֲפָקָא לֵיהּ הַשְׁתָּא לְגַבֵּיהּ דְּעֵשָׂו. וְעַל דָּא צַלֵי צְלוֹתֵיהּ לְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, וְלָא אִסְתְּמִיךְ עַל זְכוּתֵיהּ, לְשֵׁיזָבָא לֵיהּ בְּגִינִיהּ:
To protect himself against Esau, Jacob resorted to prayer and did not rely upon his merit, since he desired to keep this in reserve for the benefit of his descendants in the future, and not to use it up now against Esau. Hence he now offered up his prayer to the Almighty, and did not rely upon his merits, nor ask for deliverance for their sake.
וַיֹּאמֶר אִם יָבֹא עֵשָׂו אֶל הַמַּחֲנְה הָאַחַת וְהִכָּהוּ וְהָיָה הַמַּחֲנְה הַנִּשְׁאָר לִפְלֵיטָה. תָּא חֲזֵי, מַה כְּתִיב וַיַּחַץ אֶת הָעָם אֲשֶׁר אִתּוֹ וְאֶת הַצֹּאן וְאֶת הַבָּקָר וְהַגְּמַלִּים לִשְׁנֵי מַחֲנוֹת. אַמַּאי לִשְׁנֵי מַחֲנוֹת. בְּגִין דְּאָמַר אִם יָבֹא עֵשָׂו אֶל הַמַּחֲנְה הָאַחַת וְהִכָּהוּ וְהָיָה הַמַּחֲנֶה הַנִּשְׁאָר לִפְלֵיטָה.
Hence we read: AND HE SAID: IF ESAU COME TO THE ONE CAMP, AND SMITE IT, THEN THE CAMP WHICH IS LEFT SHALL ESCAPE. It was for this reason that he “divided the people that was with him… into two camps”.
תָּא חֲזֵי, שְׁכִינְתָּא לָא עֲדִיאַת מֵאֹהֶל לֵאָה וּמֵאֹהֶל רָחֵל. אָמַר יַעֲקֹב יָדַעְנָא דְּהָא נְטִירוּ לוֹן לְאִלֵּין מִן קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא. מָה עֲבַד וַיָּשֶׂם אֶת הַשְּׁפָחוֹת וְאֶת יַלְדֵיהֶן רִאשׁוֹנָה, אָמַר אִם יַקְטִיל עֵשָׂו, לְאִלֵּין יַקְטֵיל. אֲבָל אִלֵּין לָא מִסְתָּפִינָא מִנַּיְיהוּ, בְּגִין דִּשְׁכִינְתָּא עִמְּהוֹן. וְעַל דָּא וְהָיָה הַמַּחֲנֶה הַנִּשְׁאָר לִפְלֵיטָה. כֵּיוָן דְּעָבִיד הַאי אַתְקִין צְלוֹתֵיהּ עֲלַיְיהוּ, מָה כְּתִיב וַיֹּאמֶר יַעֲקֹב אֱלהֵי אָבִי אַבְרָהָם וִאלֹהֵי אָבִי יִצְחָק יְיָ הָאוֹמֵר אֵלַי שׁוּב לְאַרְצְךָ וּלְמוֹלַדְתְּךָ וְאֵטִיבָה עִמָּךְ.
Now the Shekinah never departed from the tent of Leah nor from the tent of Rachel. Jacob knew, therefore, that they were under the protection of the Almighty, and so he put the handmaids and their children foremost, saying to himself: “If Esau slays them, well, he will slay them, but as regards the others I have no fear, since the Shekinah is with them.” Hence it says: THEN THE CAMP WHICH IS LEFT SHALL ESCAPE. Having taken this step, he next resorted to prayer, as it is written: And Jacob said, O GOD OF MY FATHER ABRAHAM, AND GOD OF MY FATHER ISAAC, O LORD, WHO SAIDST UNTO ME: RETURN UNTO THY COUNTRY, AND TO THY KINDRED, AND I WILL DO THEE GOOD.
רִבִּי יוֹסֵי פָּתַח וְאָמַר (תהילים ק״ב:א׳) תְּפִלָּה לֶעָנִי כִי יַעֲטֹף וְלִפְנִי יְיָ יִשְׁפֹּךְ שִׂיחוֹ. הַאי קְרָא אוּקְמוּהָ בְּכַמָּה אֲתַר. אֶלָּא דָּוִד מַלְכָּא אָמַר דָּא כַּד אִסְתַּכַּל וְחָמָא בְּמִלֵּי דְמִסְכְּנָא, וְאִסְתַּכַּל בֵּיהּ כַּד הֲוָה אָזִיל וְעָרַק מִקַּמֵּי חָמוֹי אָמַר דָּא. תְּפִלָּה לֶעָנִי, דָּא הוּא צְלוֹתָא דְּבָעֵי מִסְכְּנָא קַמֵּי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, וְדָא צְלוֹתָא דְּאַקְדִימַת לְכָל צְלוֹתְהוֹן דְּעַלְמָא.
R. Jose discoursed on the verse: A prayer of the poor, when he fainteth (ya’atoj) and poureth out his complaint before the Lord (Ps. 102, 1). He said: ‘As has been laid down in many places, this psalm was composed by King David when he contemplated the plight of the poor man, and that was when he fled from his father-in-law. It was then that he composed a “prayer of the poor”, as much as to say: “Behold, this is the prayer a poor man offers up to the Almighty, and one which should ascend in advance of all other prayers.”
כְּתִיב הָכָא תְּפִלָּה לֶעָנִי וּכְתִיב הָתָם (תהילים צ׳:א׳) תְּפִלָּה לְמשֶׁה אִישׁ הָאֱלֹהִים, מַה בֵּין הַאי לְהַאי. אֶלָּא דָּא תְּפִלָּה שֶׁל יַד וְדָא תְּפִלָּה שֶׁל רֹאשׁ, וְלֵית לְאַפְרָשָׁא בֵּין הַאי תְּפִלָּה לְעָנִי וּבֵין תְּפִלָּה לְמשֶׁה אִישׁ הָאֱלֹהִים, וְתַרְוַויְיהוּ שְׁקִילִין כְּחַד.
The phrase, “a prayer of the poor”, finds its parallel in the expression: “A prayer of Moses, the man of God” (Ibid. 90, 1), the one alluding to the phylactery of the head, the other to that of the arm, the two being inseparable and of equal importance.
וְעַל דָּא צְלוֹתָא דְעָנִי אַקְדִימַת קַמֵּי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא מִכָּל צְלוֹתִין דְּעַלְמָא, בְּגִין דִּכְתִיב, (תהילים כ״ב:כ״ה) כִּי לא בָזָה וְלֹא שִׁקַּץ עֱנוּת עָנִי וְגו'. תָּא חֲזֵי, תְּפִלָּה לְעָנִי, דָּא תְּפִלָּה שֶׁל יַד. דְּעָנִי אִתְדָּבַּק בְּמִסְכְּנוּתֵיהּ, כְּמַאן דְּלֵית לֵיהּ מִגַּרְמֵיהּ כְּלוּם.
The reason why the prayer of the poor is admitted first into the presence of the Almighty is indicated in the verse: “For he hath not despised nor abhorred the lowliness of the poor, etc.” (Ibid. 22, 25).
דָּבָר אַחֵר תְּפִלָּה דָּא משֶׁה. לְעָנִי דָּא דָוִד. כִּי יַעֲטֹף, כַּד אִתְכַּסְּיָא סִיהֲרָא וְאִתְכַּסֵּי שִׁמְשָׁא מִינָהּ. וְלִפְנֵי יְיָ יִשְׁפֹּךְ שִׂיחוֹ, בְּגִין לְאִתְחַבְּרָא בַּהֲדֵי שִׁמְשָׁא.
According to another exposition, the term “a prayer” is an allusion to Moses; “of the poor” to David; “when he fainteth” (ya’atoj = is covered) to the moon when it is hidden and the sun is concealed from it.
תָּא חֲזֵי, צְלוֹתָא דְכָל בְּנֵי נָשָׁא צְלוֹתָא. וּצְלוֹתָא דְמִסְכְּנָא אִיהִי צְלוֹתָא דְקָיְימָא קַמֵּיהּ דְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא וְתָבַר תַּרְעִין וּפִתְחִין וְעָאלַת לְאִתְקַבָּלָא קַמֵּיהּ הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב, (שמות כ״ב:כ״ו) וְהָיָה כִי יִצְעַק אֵלַי וְשָׁמַעְתִּי כִּי חַנּוּן אָנִי, וּכְתִיב שָׁמֹעַ אֶשְׁמַע צַעֲקָתוֹ. וְלִפְנֵי יְיָ יִשְׁפֹּךְ שִׂיחוֹ, כְּמַאן דְּמִתְרַעֵם עַל דִּינוֹי דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא.
Observe that the prayer of other people is just a prayer, but the prayer of a poor man breaks through all barriers and storms its way to the presence of the Almighty. So Scripture says: “And it shall come to pass, when he cries unto me, that I will hear; for I am gracious” (Ex. 22, 26); also: “I will surely hear their cry” (Ibid. 22). David continues: “and poureth out his complaint before the Lord”, like one who protests against the judgements of the Almighty.’
אָמַר רִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר צְלוֹתְהוֹן דְּצַדִּיקַיָיא חֶדְוָותָא לִכְנְסֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל לְאִתְעַטָּרָא קַמֵיהּ קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, בְגִין כָּךְ חֲבִיבָא הוּא יַתִּיר קַמֵּיהּ קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא. וּבְגִין כָּךְ קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא תָּאִיב לִצְלוֹתְהוֹן דְּצַדִּיקַיָּיא בְּשַׁעְתָּא דְּאִצְטְרִיךְ לוֹן, בְּגִין דְּיָדְעֵי לְרַצּוּיֵי לְמָארֵיהוֹן.
R. Eleazar said: ‘The prayer of the righteous is an object of joy for the Community of Israel, who weave out of it a crown by which to adorn themselves before the Holy One, blessed be He. Hence God holds it in special affection: He longs, as it were, for the prayer of the righteous, when they are in straits, because they know how to appease their Master.’
מַה כְּתִיב בֵּיהּ בְּיַעֲקֹב אֱלֹהֵי אָבִי אַבְרָהָם וֵאלֹהֵי אָבִי יִצְחָק יְיָ הָאוֹמֵר אֵלַי שׁוּב וְגו', אִעֲטַר וְאִקְשַׁר קִשּׁוּרָא בְּקִשּׁוּרָא חַד כְּדְקָא חָזֵי. אֱלֹהֵי אָבִי אַבְרָהָם לִימִינָא, וִאלהֵי אָבִי יִצְחָק לִשְׂמָאלָא. הָאוֹמֵר אֵלַי, הָכָא תָּלֵי מִלָּה לְאִתְעַטְּרָא לְאַתְרֵיהּ בֵּינַיְיהוּ. שׁוּב לְאַרְצְךָ וּלְמוֹלַדְתְּךָ וְאֵיטִיבָה עִמָּךְ:
Note the words of Jacob’s prayer: O GOD OF MY FATHER ABRAHAM, AND GOD OF MY FATHER ISAAC, O LORD, WHO SAIDST UNTO ME: RETURN. Various strands are here fitly interwoven. “O God of my father Abraham” symbolises the Right; “God of my father Isaac” symbolises the Left; while by the words “Who saidst unto me” Jacob interwove himself between the two.
קָטֹנְתִּי מִכֹּל הַחֲסָדִים, אַמַּאי הֲוָה אִצְטְרִיךְ הַאי עִם הַאי. אֶלָּא אָמַר יַעֲקֹב אַתְּ אַבְטַחְתְּ לִי לְאוֹטָבָא עִמִּי, וְאֲנָא יְדַעְנָא דְּכָל עוֹבָדָךְ כֻּלְּהוּ עַל תְּנַאי. הָא אֲנָא לֵית בִּי זְכוּתָא דְּהָא קָטֹנְתִּי מִכֹּל הַחֲסָדִים וּמִכָּל הָאֱמֶת אֲשֶׁר עָשִׂיתָ אֶת עַבְדֶּךָ, וְכָל מַה דַּעֲבָדַת לִי עַד יוֹמָא לָאו בְּגִין זְכוּתָאי הֲוָה אֶלָּא בְּגִינָךְ הוּא דַּעֲבָדַת לִי, וְהַהוּא טִיבוּ וּקְשׁוֹט בְּגִינָךְ הֲוָה. דְּהָא כַּד עָבַרְנָא בְּקַדְמִיתָא דְּהֲוֵינָא אָזִיל מִקַּמֵּי דְעֵשָׂו, יְחִידָאי עֲבַרְנָא לֵיהּ לְהַהוּא נַהֲרָא, וְאַנְתְּ עָבְדִית עִמִּי טִיבוּ וּקְשׁוֹט. וְהָא אֲנָא הַשְׁתָּא מַעֲבַר לֵיהּ בִּתְרֵי מַשִּׁירְיָין, אִינוּן תְּרֵין מַשִּׁירְיָין דְּפָלִיג.
I AM NOT WORTHY OF ALL THE MERCIES. The connection of those words with what precedes is as follows. Jacob said in effect: “Thou hast promised me to deal well with me, but I know that all thy promises are conditional. Now, behold, I possess no merits, so that I am not worthy of all the mercies and of all the truth which Thou hast shown unto Thy servant; and all that Thou hast done for me until this day Thou hast done not for sake of my merits but for Thine own sake. For behold, when first I crossed the Jordan, fleeing from Esau, I was all alone, but Thou hast shown unto me mercy and truth, in that I have now crossed with two companies.”
עַד הָכָא סִדּוּרָא דְּשִׁבְחָא דְמָארֵיהּ, מִכָּאן וּלְהָלְאָה בָּעָא מַה דְּאִצְטְרִיךְ לֵיהּ. לְאַחֲזָאָה לְכָל בְּנִי עַלְמָא, דְּאִצְטְרִיךְ לֵיהּ לְבַר נָשׁ לְסַדְּרָא שְׁבָחָא דְמָארֵיהּ בְּקַדְמִיתָא, וּלְבָתַר יִבָּעֵי בָּעוּתֵיהּ. דְּהָכִי עֲבַד יַעֲקֹב, בְּקַדְמִיתָא סִדֵּר שְׁבָחָא דְמָרֵיהּ, וּלְבָתַר דְּסִדֵּר שְׁבָחָא אָמַר בָּעוּתֵיהּ דְּאִצְטְרִיךְ לֵיהּ.
Up to this point Jacob was reciting the praises of the Almighty; he then proceeded to pray for his requirements. From Jacob all men can take example, when offering prayer, first to recite the praises of their Master, and only then to present their petition. So Jacob, after praising the Lord, continued:
הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב הַצִּילֵנִי נָא מִיָּד אָחִי מִיַּד עֵשָׂו כִּי יָרֵא אָנֹכִי אֹתוֹ פֶּן יָבֹא וְהִכַּנִּי אֵם עַל בָּנִים. מִכָּאן, מַאן דְּצַלֵּי צְלוֹתֵיהּ דְּבָעֵי לְפָרְשָׁא מִלּוֹי כְּדְקָא יְאוּת. הַצִּילֵנִי נָא, וְאִי תֵימָא דְהָא שֵׁזַבְתְּ לִי מִלָּבָן. מִיַּד אָחִי. וְאִי תֵימָא קְרִיבִין אוֹחֲרָנִין סְתָם, אַחִין אִקְרוּן. מִיַּד עֵשָׂו. מַאי טַעֲמָא, בְּגִין לְפָרְשָׁא מִלָּה כְּדְקָא יְאוּת. וְאִי תֵימָא אֲנָא אַמַּאי אִצְטְרִיךְ, כִּי יָרֵא אָנֹכִי אֹתוֹ פֶּן יָבֹא וְהִכַּנִי. בְּגִין לְאִשְׁתְּמוֹדְעָא מִלָּה לְעֵילָא וּלְפָרְשָׁא לָהּ כְּדְקָא יְאוּת, וְלָא יַסְתִּים מִלָּה:
“Deliver me, I pray thee, from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau; for I fear him, lest he come and smite me, the mother with the children.” Here, too, is a lesson that in praying a man should state in precise terms what he requires. Thus Jacob commenced: “Deliver me, I pray thee,” and since it might be said that he had already been delivered from the hand of Laban, he added “from the hand of my brother”; and since, again, the term “brother” covers all relatives, he added “from the hand of Esau”; and yet again, lest it should be urged that he had no need of such a delivery, he continued: “for I fear him, lest he come and smite me, the mother with the children”; all this in order that there should be no possibility of misunderstanding.
וְאַתָּה אָמַרְתָּ הֵיטֵב אֵיטִיב עִמָּךְ וְגו'. וְאַתָּה אָמַרְתָּ הֵיטֵב אֵיטִיב, מַאי וְאַתָּה. כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר (נחמיה ט׳:ו׳) וְאַתָּה מְחַיֶּה אֶת כֻּלָּם, אוּף הָכָא וְאַתָּה אָמַרְתָּ.
AND THOU SAIDST: I WILL SURELY DO THEE GOOD, ETC.
תָּא חֲזֵי, דָּוִד מַלְכָּא אָמַר (תהילים י״ט:ט״ו) יִהְיוּ לְרָצוֹן אִמְרֵי פִי, אִלֵּין מִלִּין דְּאִתְפָּרְשָׁן. וְהֶגְיוֹן לִבִּי, אִלֵּין מִלִּין דִּסְתִימָן דְּלָא יָכִיל בַּר נָשׁ לְפָרְשָׁא לוֹן בְּפוּמֵיהּ, דָּא הוּא הֶגְיוֹן דְּאִיהוּ בְּלִבָּא דְּלָא יָכִיל לְאִתְפָּרְשָׁא.
We find King David closing a prayer with the words: “Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable before thee” (Ps. 19, 15), the former of these clauses referring to what he had actually said explicitly, and the latter to his inner thoughts which he had only half expressed.
וְעַל דָּא אִצְטְרִיךְ מִלָּה לְאִתְפָּרְשָׁא בְּפוּמָא, וּמִלָּה דְתַלְיָא בְּלִבָּא, וְכֹלָּא רָזָא אִיהוּ. חַד לָקֳבֵל דַּרְגָּא תַּתָּאָה, וְחַד לָקֳבֵל דַּרְגָּא עִלָּאָה. מִלָּה דְאִתְפָּרְשָׁא לָקֳבֵל דַּרְגָּא תַּתָּאָה דְּאִצְטְרִיךְ לְאִתְפָּרְשָׁא. הַהוּא דְתַלְיָא בְּלִבָּא אִיהוּ לָקֳבֵל דַּרְגָּא פְּנִימָאָה יַתִּיר, וְכֹלָּא כְּחֲדָא אִיהוּ. וְעַל דָּא אָמַר יִהְיוּ לְרָצוֹן אִמְרֵי פִי וְהֶגְיוֹן לִבִּי לְפָנֶיךָ וְגו'.
This division of prayer into clearly expressed and half-expressed desires corresponds to a distinction in the divine grades, the clearly expressed prayer being addressed to the lower grade, the meditation of the heart to the higher and inner grade.
כְּגַוְונָא דָא אָמַר יַעֲקֹב, בְּקַדְמִיתָא פָּרִישׁ מִלָּה כְּדְקָא יְאוּת, וּלְבָתַר סָתִים מִלָּה דְּאִיהִי תַּלְיָא בְּהֶגְיוֹנָא דְלִבָּא דְּלָא אִצְטְרִיךְ לְפָרְשָׁא. דִּכְתִיב, (בראשית ל״ב:י״ג) וְשַׂמְתִּי אֶת זַרְעֲךָ כְּחוֹל הַיָּם אֲשֶׁר לא יִסָּפֵר מֵרֹב. הָכָא אִיהוּ מִלָּה דְּתַלְיָא בְּלִבָּא דְּלָא אִצְטְרִיךְ לְפָרְשָׁא. וְכֵן אִצְטְרִיךְ כִּדְקָאֲמָרָן, בְּגִין לְיַחֲדָא יִחוּדָא שְׁלִים כְּדְקָא יְאוּת. זַכָּאִין אִינוּן צַדִּיקַיָא דְּיָדְעֵי לְסַדְּרָא שְׁבָחָא דְמָארֵיהוֹן כְּדְקָא יְאוּת וּלְמִבְעֵי בָּעוּתְהוֹן, וּבְגִין כָּךְ כְּתִיב (ישעיהו מ״ט:ג׳) וַיֹּאמֶר לִי עַבְדִּי אָתָּה יִשְׂרָאֵל אֲשֶׁר בְּךָ אֶתְפָּאָר. (ס"א כתיב גם את השני גם את השלישי וגו', השלש פעמים גם, רמז (גליון, ג"ם ראשי תיבות גואל משרז גואל מרדכי גואל משיח) לשלש גאולות על ידי שלשה צדיקים משה מרדכי משיח שעתיד לגאלנו בקרוב):
Jacob divided his prayer similarly; first he stated what he desired distinctly, then he left his thought only half expressed, in the words alluding to the promise made to him, “and I will make thy seed as the sand of the sea, which cannot be numbered for multitude”. There was here an underlying thought which was best left unexpressed. This division was necessary, as explained, so as to make the unification complete. Happy are the righteous who know how to express fittingly the praises of their Master, as a preliminary to their prayer. Of them it is written: “And he said unto me: Thou art my servant, Israel, in whom I will be glorified” (Is. 49, 3).