Rabbi Moshe Haber Perashat Vayishlach-Galut Strategy: The Two Fears of Yaakob 12.3.25
Description
Galut Strategy: The Two Fears of Yaakob
The provided audio commentary offers anextensive textual analysis of the biblical account of Yaakob and Esau,presenting Yaakob’s strategy as a blueprint for Jewish life among non-Jews(galut). The speaker argues that Yaakob was concerned with two fundamentalfears when encountering his brother: the external danger of being hated andattacked by a powerful enemy, and the internal threat of being pulled in orinfluenced by the non-Jewish culture. Yaakob addressed these threats byemploying both physical and spiritual preparations, including sending large quantities of appeasing gifts to minimize jealousy and offering fervent prayerto reinforce his reliance on God. Furthermore, the mystical wrestling matchwith the angel is interpreted as Yaakob’s victory over the internal temptation of being spiritually swayed, establishing the concept of levado (being alone or self-sufficient) as the key to maintaining distinctness. This duality—avoidinghostility while preserving spiritual identity—is presented as the essential mechanism for survival and prosperity in exile
United States
