English translation — ויצא ב

1.

At the end of our parshah¹

On the verse "And angels of G-d met him" Chazal say²

And Rashi brings this in his commentary on the Torah³

"Angels of the Land of Israel came toward him to escort him to the land."

From the plain meaning of the language it is understood,

That the place where the angels of Eretz Yisrael "came toward him" was in chutz la'aretz⁴,

Before he arrived in Eretz Yisrael.

One must understand: At the beginning of the parshah,

On the verse⁵

"Ascending and descending on it",

It states in the midrash⁶

"Angels that escort a person in the Land of Israel do not escort him outside the land",

And as Rashi says this⁵

Even more explicitly: "Angels that escorted him in the land <b>do not go out</b> outside the land, and ascended to heaven, and angels of chutz la'aretz descended to escort him"⁷

— Then how is it that here,

When returning from Charan to Eretz Yisrael,

The angels of Eretz Yisrael indeed went out to chutz la'aretz?

The Gur Aryeh⁸

explains,

that since he went to Eretz Yisrael,

the angels of Eretz Yisrael went out "toward him <b>to guard him" — </b>that there should be no hindrance to his arrival in Eretz Yisrael⁹

— which the guarding is "incumbent upon the angels of Eretz Yisrael"

(but not the

guarding of the angels of Chutz LaAretz — who accompanied him until Eretz Yisrael — was only "that no harm should befall him").

The answer is, however, seemingly not smooth: because this speaks about the same path,

the walking in the diaspora on the road going to Eretz Yisrael¹⁰

— why does one need two matters of protection?

The angels of the diaspora who guard him on the road,

guard him on the road automatically from <b>every </b>hindrance until Eretz Yisrael,

From this it is plausible to say,

that the angels of Eretz Yisrael "come toward him" only "to accompany him" — not for matters of protection,

but an accompaniment for the sake of <b>honor" </b>only.

requires explanation: how does it come that because of the honor of Yaakov

(not because of the necessity of guarding him)

one should send angels from Eretz Yisrael to chutz la'aretz,

contrary to the rule that "one does not go out to chutz la'aretz"¹²?

and since the question is from the language of Rashi himself,

and one does not find that Rashi explains it,

one must say,

that from the plain meaning of Rashi's language itself it is understood and explained the matter,

so much so — that this is from the outset not a question that one needs to answer.

2.

And it can be said the explanation of this simply:

At the beginning of the portion it speaks of how Jacob went out from the Land of Israel to outside the Land,

it is understood why the angels of the Land of Israel could not accompany him further,

since the angels of the Land of Israel <b>"do not go out</b> outside the land"; but at the end of the portion,

where it speaks conversely,

when Jacob returned <b>to</b> the Land of Israel,

they could

(or perhaps — had to)

come to outside the Land,

because this is in order <b>"to escort him to the land"</b>^3,.

And it can be said that it is altogether not in the <b>category</b> of <b>going out</b> to outside the land.

And it will be sweetened — if one will learn that that which the angels of the Land of Israel "do not go out of the Land" is according to the halacha&lt;sup&gt;14&lt;/sup&gt;

in the prohibition to leave the Land of Israel for outside the Land&lt;sup&gt;15&lt;/sup&gt;

: the Rambam rules&lt;sup&gt;16&lt;/sup&gt;

that ,

"it is forbidden to leave the Land of Israel for outside the Land &lt;b&gt;ever except &lt;/b&gt;to study Torah or to marry a woman or to save from the gentiles and he shall return to the Land" — which at first glance one can ask: one finds in the Gemara&lt;sup&gt;17&lt;/sup&gt;

a "great deed" that one went out of the Land of Israel to outside the Land to greet his mother,

and as the Meiri&lt;sup&gt;18&lt;/sup&gt;

says explicitly that "it is permitted to leave the Land of Israel for outside the Land to greet his father or to greet his mother and likewise for other types of honor."

And one must say¹⁹

the distinction between them: the leaving of Eretz Yisrael "to learn Torah or to marry a woman or to save from the gentiles" is a departure from the land,

but this is a permitted departure;

but not so when one goes out to greet his father or to greet his mother for the honor of his father and mother,

to meet them coming to

Eretz Yisrael,

is altogether not applicable to it the definition of leaving the land.

And the explanation simply: regarding the other matters

(learning Torah etc.)

is the purpose of the departure to do mitzvos and actions <b>outside the Land</b>

(and usually it is not for a specific

(limited)

time²⁰),

but the departure abroad "to greet his father and mother" who come <b>to Eretz Yisrael,</b>

is not because of abroad,

but <b>because of</b>

(and connected)

<b>Eretz Yisrael</b>

(ascent to Eretz Yisrael)

and consequently it is from the outset not in the category of leaving,

as above.

And likewise in our case: Since that the angels of Eretz Yisrael were at their departure from Eretz Yisrael outside &lt;b&gt;"to accompany him to the land,"&lt;/b&gt;

is upon this ab initio not applicable the definition of departure from the land to outside the land,

and consequently one does not need a reason for the permission of the departure.

3.

Seemingly one can upon this ask:

One once spoke²¹

At length,

that according to Rashi's method, in the time of the Patriarchs the prohibition of leaving Eretz Yisrael for outside the Land was not <b>applicable</b>²²

and therefore one does not find that the Patriarchs were careful in this,

because according to Rashi, Eretz Yisrael was then not yet distinguished in its holiness from the other lands²³,

until that according to Rashi,

then also there was no change in the ownership of the land,

explains the Almighty's statement to Isaac,

"Do not go down to Egypt" that this is because "you are a perfect burnt-offering, and outside the Land is not fitting for you"&lt;sup&gt;25&lt;/sup&gt;

— it is not because there was a change and a holiness in the object of the Land,

but because&lt;sup&gt;26&lt;/sup&gt;

Abraham brought about that in the Land of Israel the Almighty is "God of the heavens and God of the earth" — "that I accustomed Him in the mouths of the creatures"&lt;sup&gt;27&lt;/sup&gt;,

but not so outside the Land where the Almighty was then only "God of the heavens",

but the aspect of "God of the earth" they did not yet have recognition of the Almighty,

as discussed at length elsewhere&lt;sup&gt;28&lt;/sup&gt;].

Based on this one must understand the reason,

that regarding angels the Land of Israel was already then divided in a manner,

that they do not go out to outside the Land

And one could say the explanation of this simply: That because in the time of the patriarchs the Land of Israel did not yet have in itself the unique holiness

(And similarly the ownership,

as above in the opinion of Rashi)

is the intention in this — that the <b>body</b> of the land was not yet sanctified at that time,

there was not yet the <b>permanence</b> of holiness in the object of the land²⁹,

and therefore

by the patriarchs being in the Land of Israel below there was not the prohibition of leaving to outside the Land.

But in its content and essence, Eretz Yisrael was always the "Nachalas Hashem meyuchades lishmo"

a land in which "the desires of the Creator were in it, for the ladder

(the dream of Yaakov)

whose head reaches the heavens was fixed in it"

and just as "the Beis HaMikdash above is aligned opposite the Beis HaMikdash below"

which is indeed always,

similarly and correspondingly, it is regarding the entire Eretz Yisrael — it is only that previously it was not in revelation and permanence in Eretz Yisrael below.

And based on this it is understood,

that although by the Patriarchs

(below)

there was not yet the prohibition of leaving Eretz Yisrael for outside the land,

nevertheless there was a hindrance by the angels,

because by the angels

(above)

there is the distinction between Eretz Yisrael

and outside the land — as mentioned above.

4.

The explanation in that "angels of Eretz Yisrael came toward him to escort him to the land" in the inwardness of the matters:

The concept of "And Yaakov departed from Be'er Sheva and went to Charan"³⁴

alludes to the exile of the Jewish people,

and as it stands in the Midrash³³

immediately on the verses at the beginning of our parshah "the verse interprets [it] regarding exile,"

and as

The midrash interprets in detail all the verses at the beginning of the sedra,

and elsewhere in the midrash³⁶

"Hashem showed him the four kingdoms, their rule and their destruction³⁷

etc.",

and as the Rambam³⁸

says in his book <b>Halacha: </b>"The ladder that our father Jacob saw, with angels ascending and descending on it, and it was a parable for the kingdoms and their enslavement."

And this is not a "side" matter,

but — "a sign³⁹

for the children",

The matter of the exile of Bnei Yisrael,

originates from "Maaseh Avot",

from Jacob's departure abroad to the exile at Laban's⁴⁰.

And just as it was by Yaakov Avinu,

that his departure from Eretz Yisrael and his arrival in Charan was not only out of necessity — because he could not be in Eretz Yisrael having to flee from Eisav — but because⁴¹

and take for yourself from there a wife etc. and you shall be an assembly of nations,

his going to Charan and his work in the house of Lavan was in order to carry out his work of clarification in the diaspora,

until that specifically in the house of Lavan he established the foundation of the people of Israel — the majority of the tribes were born there⁴²

Similarly regarding the exile of the people of Israel: the departure of Jews from Eretz Yisrael is "because of our sins we were exiled from our land",

but the intention in exile is that one should carry out the work of clarification in every place in the world — and as our sages of blessed memory <b>clarified</b>⁴³

<b>: not </b>did the Holy One, blessed be He, exile Israel among the nations except so that converts should be added to them.

And in the language of our Nesi'im — the well-known instruction⁴⁴

"make here Eretz Yisrael" — to effect that the diaspora should become in the aspect of Eretz Yisrael,

a land that desires to do the will of its Owner⁴⁵

in a manner of

(Israel)

you have striven with God and with men and have prevailed⁴⁶,

which comes through the work of each and every one of Israel to make for Him, blessed be He, a dwelling place in the lower realms⁴⁷,

until that in the course of the time of exile the perfection of the people of Israel is established,

And these are the two types of "angels":

The angels of Eretz Yisrael that "accompanied him in the land" &lt;b&gt;before &lt;/b&gt;going out to chutz la'aretz,

into exile,

is their content — giving of power from above for the avodah during the time of exile; and the content of "angels of Eretz Yisrael" that "came toward him to accompany him to the land",

is the result

From that which from Chutz LaAretz was made Eretz Yisrael: at the completion of the work of Yaakov in Chutz LaAretz,

since that he <b>there</b> "made Eretz Yisrael" through his service,

therefore come <b>there</b> the angels of <b>Eretz Yisrael — </b>the drawing down of the holiness of <b>Eretz Yisrael</b> in Chutz LaAretz⁴⁸.

5.

According to the above — that this that "angels of Eretz Yisrael came toward him to escort him to the land" is connected with the end and completion of the service of Yaakov in Chutz LaAretz — one will also understand the reason

(in the inwardness of the matters)

why the angels were <b>only</b> to escort him

(not for the sake of guarding etc.)

which is only a matter of honor —

And prefacing that this is hinted in the verse in the language <b>"And they encountered </b>him, angels of G-d" — in the manner of the language

(at the beginning of the discourse)

<b>"And he encountered </b>the place"⁴⁹

connects the two verses),

that from the language "And he encountered the place" we learn

Chazal⁵¹

off,

that Jacob prayed there "and we learned that he instituted the Evening Prayer"⁵².

And based on this one may say,

that the connection between the language <b>"And they encountered </b>him, angels of G-d" to sending angels for the sake of accompaniment <b>and honor,</b>

is in the manner of the connection between the language "And he encountered" with the Evening <b>Prayer </b>specifically,

as follows.

Rashi: "Vayifga" means that the encounter was as if unintentionally⁵³.

There is, however, a difference in this "vayifga" between the two aforementioned verses: "Vayifga bamakom" means that this was as if unintentionally on Yaakov's part,

and as our Sages are precise from the language "vayifga" — "to teach you that the earth jumped for him"⁵⁴

; but the language <b>"vayifge'u bo</b>⁵⁵

<b> </b>malakhei Elokim" implies that the encounter was as if unintentionally not only on Yaakov's part,

but also on the part of the angels of G-d.

And it can be said,

that in accordance with this aforementioned difference in the "vayifga",

there is also the difference in the function of the two types of angels: the angels about which it speaks at the beginning of the series were for the sake of <b>protection,</b>

and those at the end of the series — for the sake of <b>honor.</b>

6.

The explanation of this:

It is known⁵⁶

the explanation

(in the inner dimension of the matters)

in that which "the evening prayer

<b>Reshus”</b>⁵⁷

<b> — </b>not an obligation,

like the prayer of Shacharis and Minchah — then this is because the prayer of Ma’ariv is connected with such a high level,

which cannot be attained through the service of man,

it is an arousal from above that no arousal from below reaches there,

and it is drawn down as if incidentally.

And therefore one learns the prayer of Ma’ariv from the word “Vayifga”⁵⁸

which stands by the prayer.

<b>Shacharis </b>of Avraham,

or the expression <b>“lasuach </b>basadeh”⁶⁰

which stands by the prayer of <b>Minchah </b>of Yitzchak⁶¹)

: since this is such a level that is not drawn down through service,

but as if of itself and incidentally,

it turns out,

that the relationship of the drawing down to the service of man is as if unintentionally.

And this also aligns with the interpretation that “kafetzah lo ha’aretz” — a matter that does not come according to order and through the service of man,

but an action from above,

by an arousal from above of itself.

In the level of itkalya itself,

which in itkafia reaches there,

there are two levels⁶²

: the itkalya which is drawn in a manner and in the way of a desire

Chessed it is,

which comes from above to arouse an itkafia; and — the itkalya which is drawn after the completeness of the work of the lower ones and after they are drawn all the levels of itkalya which come and are according to the value of itkafia.

Then is revealed the itkalya which is above and beyond the value of the itkafia — "the revelation of the innermost essence from the aspect that the itkafia does not reach there",

higher even than the first itkalya

(which is from the aspect of externality alone⁶³).

7.

Based on this, the two matters that are found regarding the evening prayer*⁶³ are well explained

: in Chassidus⁶⁴

it is explained — according to the Zohar⁶⁵

that that which the evening prayer is <b>"optional"</b>

(namely,

as above,

a thing which is higher than isarusa d'lisata)

is because <b>the</b> prayer comes after the service of the obligatory prayers of Shacharis and Minchah

that the evening prayer is "corresponding to the limbs and fats"⁶⁶

"that if⁶⁸

not

they were consumed by day, they are offered and go on all night"].

4.

That is,

that after the service of man in the two prayers

(which were instituted corresponding to the daily offerings⁶⁹),

comes as a conclusion and completion and perfection,

the drawing down of the evening prayer,

the isarusa d'leila which comes after the completion of the service of man.

It is seemingly not understood: The beginning of the day's service is indeed from the service of the previous night,

according to which it turns out that the evening prayer is &lt;b&gt;not &lt;/b&gt;a continuation &lt;b&gt;and drawn after &lt;/b&gt;the previous two prayers

(Shacharit and Minchah of the &lt;b&gt;previous &lt;/b&gt;day),

but the &lt;b&gt;first &lt;/b&gt;prayer of the twenty-four-hour period&lt;sup&gt;70&lt;/sup&gt;.

And as the Gemara&lt;sup&gt;71&lt;/sup&gt;

brings the verse&lt;sup&gt;72&lt;/sup&gt;

"Evening and morning and noon etc."&lt;sup&gt;73&lt;/sup&gt;

regarding the distinction in the times of prayer&lt;sup&gt;74&lt;/sup&gt;,

that in the verse it begins with "evening"&lt;sup&gt;75&lt;/sup&gt;.

And according to the above, it can be explained&lt;sup&gt;76&lt;/sup&gt;

: In the evening prayer, there are both matters: the

The level of the evening prayer at the beginning of the day is the level of iskafia that precedes the iskafia

(the above),

that the iskafia is from a level that is higher than the service of man and is drawn down in a manner

(from the aspect)

He desires kindness

("permission")

— and it comes at the beginning of the day as a giving of strength for the service of the day that follows; and the level in the evening prayer that comes after the service of the day,

is the iskafia that comes after the completion and perfection of the service of the day.

8.

And one may say,

that in particular this is the difference between the two verses in our parshah — "And he encountered the place" which is stated at the beginning of the sedra and "And the angels of G-d encountered him" which is stated at the end of the sedra:

At the beginning of the series,

When Yaakov begins — his avodah first goes forth,

The first manner of atzilus is drawn down,

Which comes as a preface and empowerment for man's avodah,

And therefore "vayifga

(in place)

" is only in relation to Yaakov — that by him this is as if unintentionally

(as above ibid.)

— an atzilus that comes by itself,

not through atzilus from below;

After the completion of the avodah in the house of Lavan,

And likewise by each and every one of Yisrael at the completion of the avodah in the time of exile after all the effluences that are in the category of man's avodah are drawn,

There is drawn the level of atzilus from the aspect of Ein Sof in a manner of a gift — and this is the level of <b>"vayifgu vo </b>malachei Elokim": the "vayifga" without intention is not only from Yaakov's side

(from the side and according to the measure of man's avodah),

But also from the side above, as it were,

All these effluences from Eretz Yisrael come as if by themselves⁷⁷.

And therefore it comes about that "angels of Eretz Yisrael came toward him <b>to escort him </b>to the land": the previous angels were for the sake of protection — which indicates an assistance and support to the person in his service

(and — that one needs protection)

; but <b>these </b>angels are only for escorting,

a matter of honor only as mentioned above.

Because <b>this </b>Atzilus comes after there is a "complete place"

(no need for protection — and beyond that),

nothing is lacking in this person

(including also — in the effluence from above that is connected with his service),

and it is drawn down in the manner of a gift.

9.

Every matter in <b>Torah</b> is a <b>lesson</b> in the service of man.

So too regarding this matter: that which Torah tells Jews that after being in the diaspora — in exile — before one comes to the Land of Israel,

the Almighty sends angels of the Land of Israel toward him

(to the diaspora — in the time of exile)

to escort him to the land,

this is in order to reveal to Jews the greatness of the virtue of their service,

and consequently this gives an added strength and an encouragement and reinforcement in the service.

Even in the time when Jews are still in exile,

one says to <b>every Jew</b> — that not only does he need not be affected by exile and by gentileness because angels go with him

Chutz LaAretz which guard him — and "Lo

yanum v'lo yishan shomer Yisrael etc. Hashem shomrecha Hashem tzilcha al yad yeminecha"

until that "V'hayu melachim omneycha v'saroseihem meinekosayich"

still in the time of the exile

only more so:

The Almighty sends angels to accompany him,

to add to his honor.

D.

H.

His not being affected by exile and gentileness is not merely in an exilic manner,

but in an expansion and in a redemptive manner,

angels of Eretz Yisrael,

in a manner of honor.

And the essential knowledge gives an addition of encouragement and strengthening in the completion of the work at the end of the time of exile,

One should not reckon at all with gentileness,

But go <b>with confidence</b> his way,

To complete the work of the "small jugs"⁸³

That were only left to refine in the work that is in the time of exile,

And this hastens the entering of every Jew and all Jews into the Land of Israel with the angels of the Land of Israel,

In a manner of "I will hasten it"⁸⁴,

Speedily in our days, literally.

(From the talk of Shabbos Parshas Vayeitzei 5743)