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From: "Yeshivat Har Etzion's
Israel Koschitzky Virtual Beit Midrash"
To: yhe-parsha@vbm-torah.org
Subject: PARSHA61 -07: Parashat Vayeitze
YESHIVAT
HAR ETZION
ISRAEL KOSCHITZKY VIRTUAL BEIT MIDRASH (VBM)
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PARASHAT
VAYEITZE
The
Covenant of Separation
By
Rav Ezra Bick
A.
Parashat Vayeitze, as has been pointed out in this
forum in the past, forms a carefully delineated unit,
framed by parallel scenes at the beginning and end. The
parasha begins with a vision of angels as Yaacov leaves
the Land of Israel, and concludes with a vision of angels
as he returns. After the first, Yaacov erects a monument,
and before the latter he does the same. In between, he
has two contests with Lavan, the first over marriage with
Lavan's daughters, and the second in order to keep those
daughters. The middle section of the parasha describes
how Yaacov produced his family and wealth.
To a great extent, the first monument (28,18-22) is
a sign of God's protection of Yaacov in his
coming
journey - "If God shall be with me, and protect me on the
path that I am going, and give me bread to eat and a
garment to wear; and I shall return in peace to
my
father's house...." (20-21). In other words, Yaacov's
sojourn in Lavan's house is "covered" by this monument
and what it symbolizes. Although Lavan is not mentioned
by name in the first case, it turns out that he is the
center of what God's protection will be needed for. The
monument at the end of the parasha is the conclusion of
Yaacov's confrontation with Lavan. As one prepared him
for Lavan, the second seals his relationship with him.
However, while the content and meaning of the first
monument is clearly spelled out both by the content of
God's revelation to Yaacov in the dream of the ladder and
Yaacov's declaration when he raised it (20-22), the
meaning of the second is unclear, obscured by multiple
statements by Lavan, Yaacov's relative silence, the
accompanying "pile of rocks," and a confusing order of
events. It is to this issue that we will
address
ourselves in this week's shiur.
B.
After Lavan has caught up with Yaacov and searched
all his tents looking for the "terafim," Yaacov,
in
"anger" (31,36), rebukes Lavan, not only for for this
latest incident, but for his crooked dealings all the
previous twenty years. Lavan answers,
Lavan answered and said to Yaacov: The daughters are my daughters and the sons are my sons and the sheep are my sheep, and all you see is mine;
and what shall I do for these, my daughters, today, or
for their children that they bore? Therefore, let us seal a covenant, you and me, and it shall be a witness between me and you (31,43-44).
In apparent response to this, Yaacov raises up
a
stone as a monument (matzeiva).
The basic question we wish to answer is what is the
significance of this entire episode, what is the meaning
of the covenant and the monument? On the way to answer
this thematic question, we have to consider a slew of
difficulties in the telling of the story.
1. Lavan suggests a covenant, but defines no content for it. Yaacov is already busy constructing the means of enacting the covenant, by raising the stone, without knowing what the content is to be.
2. Yaacov raises the stone, but also has his "brothers" gather a pile of rocks. Why? What is the difference between the monument and the rocks?
3. Yaacov raises the monument himself, but has
his "brothers" gather the pile of rocks. Why?
4. They then eat "on the pile." Eating after COMPLETING a covenant is normal - compare Yitzchak's covenant with Avimelech (26,30). In fact, at the end of this story, we also find that they eat "on the mountain"
(verse 54). What then is the purpose of this earlier eating "on the pile?"
5. Lavan calls the pile of rocks "yigar sahaduta," and Yaacov calls it "galeid" (47). Both terms are the same, and mean "pile of witness." Why do we need to know how to say galeid in Aramaic? Either Lavan always speaks Aramaic, his language, to Yaacov, and the Torah has conveniently translated it into Hebrew for us, as is always the case when someone speaks a foreign language (for instance, Par'o) - and then the question is why do we need to know, in this one case, the original Aramaic of "galeid;" or in fact Lavan speaks Hebrew to Yaacov,
and only this phrase was uttered in Aramaic, in which case the question is both why did he do it and also why the Torah thinks it important to inform us of
it. Either way, the entire verse 47 seems extraneous. Why do we need to know the name of a pile of rocks?
6. Lavan, after naming the rocks and the "mitzpe" (which many commentators think is the monument), proceeds to spell out the terms of the covenant (50). Since he had previously (verse 43) declared that his motivation for the covenant is his concern for his daughters and their children, we are not surprised to learn that he abjures Yaacov not to marry other women or mistreat his
- Lavan's - daughters. On the other hand, this is not a covenant - it is one sided, and there is no mention of what Lavan is promising. Where is the other side?
7. In the next verse (51), we finally find what sounds like a covenant. The Torah introduces this verse with "And Lavan said to Yaacov," even though
Lavan was speaking in the previous verse as well. This indicates that this is a new speech and not a continuation of the previous one. But at least, finally, in this
third speech of Lavan, we get to what we have been waiting for since the beginning. He demands that neither of them cross the line formed by the pile of rocks and the monument with malicious intent against the other (52). This demand is accompanied by an oath, and
Yaacov swears as well. One small question
here. Lavan introduces his covenant by refering to the monument that he has "thrown between myself and you." We
know that Yaacov erected the monument, not Lavan, and in fact erected it by himself. Why does Lavan take credit for it?
8. One final observation - not quite a difficulty, but a point to consider. The Torah repeatedly refers to this entire story as taking place on "the mountain." Lavan catches up with Yaacov "at Mt. Gilad" (31,23); Yaacov has pitched his tent "on the mountain" (25) and Lavan pitches his fellows "on Mt. Gilad" (ibid); and, at the conclusion, the Torah tells us that Yaacov slaughtered animals for food "on the mountain" and they ate
and slept "on the mountain" (54). Everything Yaacov does is "on the mountain." What is the meaning of this phrase and what is the significance of the mountain?
C.
Lavan begins the suggested covenant by
reminding
Yaacov that his wives are Lavan's daughters, his children
Lavan's grandchildren, and all his wealth a spin-off from
the flocks of Lavan. In other words, he affirms the fact
that Yaacov is a dependent member of his family. In fact,
his language not only suggests that he and Yaacov are
kinsmen, but that Yaacov is a member of Lavan's clan,
where Lavan himself is at the head of it. "All that you
see belongs to me." This is the basis of his suggestion
that he ought to do something for his daughters and their
children.
This sort of a covenant is not that between equals,
but between a lord and his subjects. Naturally, this is
two-sided, for the lord grants favors to the subject just
as the subject owes allegiance to the lord. It is a
covenant between two parties, but one that
grants
benefits to the subject only to the extent that
he
accepts the overlordship of the lord, that is, Lavan. In
a less-blatant fashion, this was the covenant
that
existed between Avraham and his friends, Mamre, Eshkol,
and Aneir (14,13). Avraham is living as a stranger amidst
the Emori, and he must be included in some sort of clan
to have protection locally. Living in the grove of Mamre,
he enters a covenant with him and
his brothers.
Similarly, Avimelech offers a covenant to Yitzchak (26,28-29), which gives Yitzchak residency rights in Gerar, of
which Avimelech is ruler. In the tribal situation of
Canaan, a stranger who did not belong to some grouping
would be helpless. Lavan is offering Yaacov the same sort
otribal identity before he returns to Canaan.
There is no need to spell out the contents of such a
covenant, just as we are never told the
terms of
Avraham's covenant with the Emorite brothers. To be a
"ben-brit" means first and foremost to belong, thereby
gaining all the benefits of membership in the family or
tribe. And so, Lavan says, "Therefore let us seal
a
covenant, you and me, and it shall be a witness between
me and you (44)." This is Lavan's first offer.
Yaacov gives no verbal reply, neither accepting nor
rejecting, but he does set up two stone symbols,
a
monument (matzeiva) and a pile of rocks. A matzeiva is a
symbol of a covenant, used by Yaacov before and found
elsewhere in Tanakh. But a pile of rocks is a
very
strange and unique symbol. "Gal avanim" most
readily
conjures up a vision of destruction, of what is left when
a house is destroyed. There is another difference between
a matzeiva and a gal. The first is a single stone, while
the latter is a collection of many stones. I believe the
meaning of Yaacov's actions is the following. He, alone
and by himself, outside the tribal framework, raises a
matzeiva. This stands for him as an individual - or, as
we know from reading the first part of the parasha, as an
individual with a covenant with God, based on
the
previous monument which he raised in Beit El. Yaacov's
protection throughout the previous years has not been his
membership in Lavan's household, but God, even as God
saved him the night before from Lavan (42). Yaacov is a
dependent of God, who is his Lord, and not a member of
any clan at all.
The rocks symbolize the fellowship of many grouped
together which Lavan is offering him. Here, Yaacov asks
his "brothers" to construct it. We all know that Yaacov
did not have any brothers present, and Rashi therefore
interprets the phrase to refer to his sons.
Ramban
asserts that it refers to the kinsmen of Lavan who rode
with him in pursuit of Yaacov. I think that in either
case, the use of the term indicates the nature of the
construction - these people are "brothers,"
meaning
kinsmen, members of the same tribe or group. Yaacov,
without participating himself, has them build a pile of
rocks. The "tribe" to which he could belong is no more
than a heap of rocks, a remnant of a building, the rocks
themselves not joined or molded together. This then is
his response to Lavan's claim and Lavan's
offer.
Immediately, they eat "on the pile," meaning that Yaacov
is willing to eat together with Lavan if Lavan accepts
the significance of the pile of rocks.
Lavan does not give up, and
offers a second
suggestion. He understands that Yaacov is truly leaving -
"when we hide each from each other" (49). He calls God to
witness that Yaacov shall not abuse his daughters. This
consideration is truly touching, though we have to wonder
if he was really afraid of Yaacov's treatment of his
wives (this twenty years after the marriage!). But I
think the main point was to assert a
degree of
overlordship - Lavan is the guarantee of the welfare of
Yaacov's wives. If this be accepted, then they, at least,
are still members of Lavan's clan. Yaacov, who is going
to behave honorably in any event, will not be seen as
behaving properly because he is honorable, but rather
because he respects Lavan and therefore treats
his
daughters accordingly. If this works, Yaacov will still
be, to some extent, a dependent member of Lavan's family.
This offer is apparently met
with silence on
Yaacov's part, a silence that is correctly interpreted by
Lavan as rejection. And so, he makes one more suggestion,
and this one is accepted by Yaacov - "Yaacov swore by the
Fear of Yitzchak his father" (53).
This pile is witness, and the monument a
witness, that I shall not cross this pile over to you,
and that you shall not cross this pile over to me, nor this monument, for evil.
This covenant is fundamentally different than
the
previous two suggestions. Here there is no offer of
mutual aid or of protection, but only of disengagement.
It would have been normal, in the context of a covenant,
to suggest that each one WOULD cross over to aid the
other. Lavan does not suggest that - on the contrary, he
swears, and has Yaacov swear, that he will NOT cross over
the line marked by the stones. This is truly the covenant
that Yaacov is hoping for, for it does not create a bond
between them but dissolves the bond between them and
finalizes their separation. Yaacov is being divorced from
the clan of Lavan, not adopted by it. As a going-away
present, he is promised that they will not attack him.
The formulation of the covenant which I just quoted
is rather convoluted. Although it is clear that what is
being forsworn is the crossing of the border
with
malicious intent, this is indicated only at the end of a
long sentence, at the very last word. Until that point,
one might have thought that Lavan was simply forbidding
the crossing of the border for any reason. I
would
suggest that that is indeed the true import of
the
covenant. Lavan is setting up the stones as a border, a
separation, a gulf between the two of them. From now on,
he says, you go your way and I stay on my side, and I
suspect we will never see each other again. This is
precisely the point that finally elicits a positive
response from Yaacov. Yaacov is FLEEING Lavan, and his
purpose is to eliminate the ties between them.
A
"covenant" of this kind is acceptable and even desirable.
By taking credit for raising the monument in
his
introduction to this offer (51), Lavan is accepting the
significance of the monument as Yaacov intended it.
Yaacov is a single individual, and not a member of the
group, not one stone within a pile. Lavan says, I too
recognize that. In formulating the terms, Lavan says that
he will not cross the pile, and Yaacov will not cross the
pile or the monument. The Radak (52) explains that the
pile of stones belongs to both, while the
monument
belongs only to Yaacov, and therefore Lavan holds it out
exclusively as the border for Yaacov but not for himself.
This accords with what I have claimed is the significance
of the two structures.
In other words, according to the final version
of
the covenant, the pile of stones has become a border, one
which basically should not be crossed. It represents the
division of Yaacov's house from the family of Nachor,
Betuel, and Lavan. We must remember that the
avot
continued to view their family in Aram as family. This is
true not only as a source of brides - Avraham stresses
that Eliezer should go to "my BIRTHPLACE AND MY FAMILY"
for a bride for Yitzchak - but as an extended support
system as well. Rivka sends Yaacov to Lavan because he
will be safe there. "Yitzchak sent Yaacov and he went to
Padan Aram, to Lavan ben Betuel the Aramite, the brother
of Rivka, the mother of Eisav and Yaacov" (28,5). Rashi
comments on the family description of this verse "I do
not know what it teaches us." Ever since asking
the
question which Rashi does not answer of my teacher in
third grade, I have been fascinated by this perplexing
formulation. I now think that it is to stress that at
this point, there still exists an extended
family
relationship, whereby Rivka, Yaacov, and Eisav are all
members of the same clan as Lavan. It is not just that
Rivka remembers her brother; it is that Yaacov, her son,
is also related to Lavan and can therefore, according to
the laws of clanship, be protected there. This now comes
to an end. We will never hear again of Nachor's family or
of Lavan - and of course, the brides of Yaacov's children
will not be drawn from Aram.
This is an important stage. The original
command
which commenced the story of the avot was to go "from
your country, your birthplace, and the house of your
father." Although Avraham has traveled from those places,
he is still connected to them, and so is Yitzchak. The
complete fulfillment of that command takes place only
now, and is sealed by the covenant between Lavan and
Yaacov. From now on, they are not related, and the pile
of stones stands as a testimony to that divorce.
A
physical border stands between them. Lavan is the old
world, the "alte heim." From now on, it no longer exsits.
Israeis cut off from that origin.
That is the reason, I think, for
the repeated
reference to "the mountain." By not calling the place Mt.
Gilad, but only "the mountain," it is clear that not the
geographic location is important here,
but the
typography. The two are on a mountain, and will descend,
each in his own separate direction. In other words, a
mountain separates them from now on. On this last night,
they will eat and sleep together on the mountain; then
each will go in opposite directions and the mountain will
remain between them.
Since the pile of rocks is a border,
the Torah
wishes to stress that its meaning is different dependent
on which side you are standing. This is the meaning of
"yigar sahaduta." The point is not that the two names
mean the same thing, but that they
are actually
different, despite having the same meaning. On one side
of the pile is Aram, where the language is Aramaic; on
the other side, Israel, where the language is Hebrew.
Because it is a border, and not merely an interesting
location within the life of Yaacov, it has two different
names, one from the one side, one from the other. If it
were a site of a real covenant, binding the two into a
single clan, it would have one name; because it marks the
dissolution of the clan and the beginning of two clans,
it has two different names.
The separation from Lavan, of course, symbolizes and
finalizes the separation from the "families of
the
lands." Yaacov, unlike his fathers, will not have allies
either in or outside the Land of Israel. The cutting of
all family ties to the non-Jewish world is
here
accomplished, and this initializes Yaacov's creation of
the House of Yaacov and of Israel.
This is stressed by the next two verses.
Lavan arose early in the morning and kissed his sons and daughters and blessed them; and Lavan went and returned to his place.
And Yaacov went on his way, and angels of God
met him.
Lavan returns to his place, and Yaacov goes on his
way. Lavan returns to where he came from, but Yaacov is
beginning a journey, without Lavan. Yaacov's clan, if we
can call it that, from now on is the camp of the angels
of God.
YESHIVAT HAR ETZION
ISRAEL KOSCHITZKY VIRTUAL BEIT MIDRASH
ALON SHEVUT, GUSH ETZION 90433
Copyright (c) 1999 Yeshivat Har Etzion
All Rights Reserved
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