* * * * *
THE WEEKLY SIDRA- VAYISHLACH
Rabbi Moshe Greebel
A thorough and competent comprehension of the Torah must include a meticulous familiarity with its chronology. While Torah events for the better part, are well known to most, the time lines that mark and crisscross these occurrences remain hidden to so many, this week’s Sidra being no exception.
Prior to the fateful meeting of the brothers Ya’akov and Aisav, we read the following:
“And he (Ya’akov) rose that night, and took his two wives, and his two women servants, and his eleven children, and passed over the ford Yabok.” (B’raishis 32:23)
At this momentous encounter, the entire assembly of Ya’akov bowed to Aisav, as we see in the next Perek (chapter) of the Torah:
“And he (Ya’akov) passed over before them, and they bowed to the ground seven times (to Aisav), until he came near to his brother.” (ibid. 33:3)
Historically, Ya’akov would be the father of twelve sons and a daughter, Dina. Yet, at the time of this meeting between Ya’akov and Aisav, the last of these sons, Binyamin, was yet unborn, as can be seen from the following chronology taken from the Seder HaDoros, the years being from Creation:
2193- Birth of first son, R’uvain.
2194- Birth of Shimon.
2195- Birth of Levy and Y’huda.
2197- Birth of Yisachar and Z’vulun.
2198- Birth of Dina, Dan, and Naftali, Gad, and Asher.
2199- Birth of 11th son, Yosef.
2205- Meeting of Ya’akov and Aisav.
2208- Birth of 12th son, Binyamin.
In essence, at this time, Ya’akov actually sired twelve children (11 sons and 1 daughter). Yet, the Passuk (verse) informing us of only eleven, implies that one of his children was missing from this meeting of their father and uncle. The Midrash B’raishis Rabbah 76-9 (cited by Rashi) posed and resolved the following:
“Where then was Dina? He (Ya’akov) put her in a chest and locked her in, saying, ‘This wicked man (Aisav) has an aspiring eye; let him not take her away from me!’”
Now, many M’forshim (Torah commentaries) down through the ages, have been perplexed by how the Midrash so quickly assumed that of Ya’akov’s twelve children at this time, it was Dina who was missing? Could not one of Ya’akov’s other sons have been the missing party?
For an answer to this query, we turn to the text Kol Eliyahu of the Vilna Gaon (Rabbeinu Eliyahu Kramer 1720- 1797) of blessed memory, who taught that the reason the Bais HaMikdash was built in the portion of Eretz Yisroel that Binyamin would inherit, is that of all his brothers, Binyamin was the only one who did not bow to Aisav (as his descendant Mordechai would not bow to Haman, the descendant of Aisav through Amalek). In truth, the reason Binyamin did not bow to Aisav, was because this reunion of Ya’akov and Aisav took place three years prior to the birth of Binyamin, as illustrated in the above chronology.
Nevertheless, explained the Gra (Vilna Gaon), had any of the other sons of Ya’akov been the missing party at this monumental encounter, also not bowing to Aisav, the Bais HaMikdash would have been built in that son’s portion as well. Why would only Binyamin, yet unborn, solely benefit from the placement of the Bais HaMikdash? Hence, it must be that only Binyamin did not bow to Aisav, as did his eleven brothers.
Since the Bais HaMikdash was only built in the portion of Binyamin, this then, according to the Gra, is how the above Midrash was instantly aware that only Dina, and not another son, was the missing party.
Because, concluded the Gra, since Dina did not inherit Eretz Yisroel as did her brothers, even though she as well did not bow to Aisav locked away in her chest, she had no portion in which to build the Bais HaMikdash.
Therefore, the question of the Midrash ‘Where then was Dina?’ was based on a very profound understanding by our Rabbanim of blessed memory, of the chronology of that time period in the Torah, and, the eventual placement of the Bais HaMikdash, instructed the Gra.
While the Torah certainly does not openly provide us with a chronologically historic syllabus of events, our Rabbanim of blessed memory, did. And, it is through their eyes and minds that we may better understand not only the very nature of Mikra (Scripture), but, also the intricate and complex manner in which time plays its role therein.
May we soon see the G’ulah Sh’laimah in its complete resplendency- speedily, and in our times. Good Shabbos.
|
