In this week’s Parshah, Parshat Ki Tavo, the Torah opens with the Mitzvah of Bikkurim, or first fruits; the gist of the Mitzvah was, that of any of the 7 species of fruit that the land of Israel was especially blessed with [see Parshat Ekev], the “firstborn” of that crop was to be brought to Jerusalem, and dedicated to the Kohanim. As part of the dedication process, the Torah describes a formula for the bringer of the Bikkurim [Devarim 26’ 5’] to announce:
“...And you shall declare and say before Hashem your G-d, an Aramean [attempted to] destroy my father, and he descended to Egypt, and he sojourned there, few in number, and he became there a great nation, mighty and numerous…”
The above Possuk is mysterious and vague; who is the Aramean that sought to destroy the declarer’s father? Who is the anonymous father that the Possuk is referring to? [See Ibn Ezra on the Verse for a radically different approach than the standard explanation].
Rashi [ad. loc.] understands the Verse to be discussing how Laban the Aramean sought to destroy Yaakov, the last of the forefathers of Am Yisrael, and eventually how the Jews landed up in Egypt because of Laban’s machinations.
Rabbi Yitzchak Halevi Soleveitchik, the grand Rabbi from Brisk, raises a rather powerful question on Rashi’s approach. He wonders–did Yaakov not battle another archenemy—namely, his twin brother Esav? The Torah describes [Parshat VaYishlach] in detail how Yaakov was terrified of Esav and his army, and the lengths Yaakov went to in order to be prepared to meet the wrath of Esav, only to be astonished at Esav’s lukewarm [according to some commentaries] or genuinely pleasant reaction upon meeting Yaakov face to face. Why does the Torah not ordain that the bringer of the first fruits also mention that salvation of Yaakov as well?
The Rav of Brisk answers, that the Torah states as the meeting of Yaakov and Esav was drawing to a close, that Esav asked if Yaakov could join him, and they could dwell in harmony. Yaakov responded [Bereishit 33’ 14’]:
“...Let my lord go on ahead of his servant, while I travel slowly, at the pace of the cattle before me and at the pace of the children, until I come to my lord in Seir.”
Seemingly, Yaakov agreed to join Esav, he would just need some time to actually reach Esav’s lands, because he was journeying with small children. It is rather perplexing then, that we never find Yaakov actually joining Esav. Due to this difficulty, Rashi explains [ad. loc.] that the actual intent of Yaakov was:
“...He [Yaakov] said, “If he means to do me harm let him wait to do so until I reach his abode at Seir.” Therefore he did not go to Seir. But when will he go? In the days of the Messiah, as it is said (Obadiah 1:21) “And saviors shall go up on Mount Zion to judge the mount of Esau”...”
Hence, Yaakov in fact meant only that he will reach the land of Esav in the times of the Messiah, when the salvation of the Jews will culminate in the judgment of Esav and his descendants; Yaakov never intended to actually dwell with his brother.
The implication of the above, offers the Rav of Brisk, is, that up until the descendants of Esav are actually judged in the End of Days on Mount Zion, there will be an element of suffering that the Jews will feel due to the descendants of Esav. Sometimes the anguish they cause will be visible and apparent, like the exile from the second temple at the hands of the Romans, the Holocaust or the Crusades; other times, it will be subtle and delicate, and may take the guise of Anti-Zionism, or the freezing of weapons shipments to the Jewish State when those weapons are urgently needed. Regardless, inasmuch as we are still feeling the pangs of exile at the hands of Esav, Rabbi Soleveitchik suggests that the bringer of the first fruits should not declare his gratitude for the salvation of Yaakov from Esav, because there are still lingering, and often painful, impacts of that exile.
May we share in the coming of the Moshiach in all of his glory, when in fact the Jewish people will see the actualization of the words of the prophet:(Obadiah 1:21) “And saviors shall go up on Mount Zion to judge the mount of Esau,” speedily in our days.
Dedicated in memory of all those who have perished and sacrificed for Am Yisrael.
Have a Great Shabbas.