"And angels of Elohim met him"

Synopsis

Rabbi Elazar says that during the time that Jacob lived with Laban God did not speak to him, until he was about to leave; then angels met and accompanied him on his trip. Both the angels of judgment and angels of mercy combined with him; Jacob is the Central Column that combines them both. The angels rescued him from the hands of Esau.

Angels Jacob Laban

52. On their way, Rabbi Elazar opened the discussion, saying: "And Jacob went on his way, and angels of Elohim met him" (Beresheet 32:2). "And Jacob went on his way," MEANING that he was going towards his father. Come and behold: all the time that Jacob was with Laban, the Holy One, blessed be He, did not speak with him. Although it is written: "And Hashem said to Jacob, 'Return to the land of your fathers and to your kindred'" (Beresheet 31:3), this was only at the very end, when he was about to depart from Laban. After leaving him, the angels came and met him and accompanied him on his way.

52. עַד דַּהֲווֹ אָזְלֵי, פָּתַח רִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר וְאָמַר, וְיַעֲקֺב הָלַךְ לְדַרְכּוֹ וַיִּפְגְּעוּ בוֹ מַלְאֲכֵי אֱלֹהִים. וְיַעֲקֺב הָלַךְ לְדַרְכּוֹ, דַּהֲוָה אָזִיל לָקֳבֵל אֲבוּהִי. ת"ח, כָּל זִמְנָא, דְּיַעֲקֺב אִשְׁתְּכַח לְגַבֵּיהּ דְּלָבָן לָא מַלִּיל עִמֵּיהּ קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, וְאִי תֵּימָא, וְהָא כְּתִיב, וַיֺּאמֶר יְיָ' אֶל יַעֲקֺב שׁוּב אֶל אֶרֶץ אֲבוֹתֶיךָ וּלְמוֹלַדְתֶּךָ וְגוֹ.' הַאי בְּסוֹפָא הֲוָה, בְּזִמְנָא דְּבָעָא לְאִתְפָּרְשָׁא מִלָּבָן וְכַד אִתְפְּרַשׁ מִנֵּיהּ, אָתוּ לָקֳבְלֵיהּ אִינּוּן מַלְאֲכֵי וְאוֹזְפוּהוּ בְּאוֹרְחָא.

Angels Jacob Judgment Mercy

53. Come and behold: it is written, "met him," but it should have said, 'He met angels of Elohim,' SINCE IT WAS JACOB WHO MET THEM. What is the meaning of, "met him?" HE EXPLAINS: They came to combine with him. HE asks: What does this mean? HE ANSWERS: They came from the side of Gvurah, as it is written, "Angels of Elohim," AND GVURAH IS CALLED "ELOHIM." JACOB saw Angels of Mercy coming from another side. Then both the ANGELS OF Judgment and THOSE OF Mercy combined with him, FOR JACOB IS REFERRED TO AS THE CENTRAL COLUMN, WHICH INCLUDES WITHIN IT THE LEFT AND THE RIGHT, MERCY AND JUDGMENT.

53. ת"ח, כְּתִיב, וַיִּפְגְּעוּ בוֹ. וַיִּפְגַּע בְּמַלְאֲכֵי אֱלֹהִים מִבָּעֵי לֵיהּ, מַאי בוֹ. אֶלָּא אִינְהוּ אָתוּ לְאִתְכַּלְּלָא בֵּיהּ. מַאי לְאִתְכַּלְּלָא בֵּיהּ. אֶלָּא אִינּוּן מִסִּטְרָא דִּגְבוּרָה קָאַתְיָין, דִּכְתִּיב מַלְאֲכֵי אֱלֹהִים, וְחָמָא מִסִּטְרָא אָחֳרָא מַלְאֲכֵי דְּרַחֲמֵי, וְאִתְכָּלְלוּ בֵּיהּ רַחֲמֵי וְדִינָא.

Angels Camp Esau Hands Jacob Judgment Mercy

54. Come and behold: at first IT IS WRITTEN, "Elohim's camp" (Beresheet 32:3), which is one, and afterwards IT IS WRITTEN, "He called the name of that place Mahanayim (lit. 'two camps')" (Ibid.), which is two CAMPS. BUT IT WAS PREVIOUSLY EXPLAINED THAT one CAMP was from the side of Judgment and one was from the side of Mercy. There were angels of BOTH THE LEFT and RIGHT sides, FOR JACOB IS THE CENTRAL COLUMN AND INCLUDES BOTH OF THEM. Therefore, it is written: "met him," BEING THE CENTRAL COLUMN. "And when Jacob saw them (Heb. ra'am)" (Ibid.). HE ASKS: Why is it written, "ra'am" as one word, which is not usually used. It should have been written, 'ra'ah otam,' meaning that he saw them, as it is used in Hebrew. The reason for this is that he saw THE ANGELS OF MERCY AND JUDGMENT cleaved together and bonded to each other. Therefore, it is written, "ra'am," TO INSTRUCT THAT THEY WERE COMBINED, and all of them came to accompany him and rescue him from the hands of Esau.

54. ת"ח, בְּקַדְמֵיתָא, מַחֲנֶה אֱלֹהִים, זֶה חַד. לְבָתַר וַיִּקְרָא שֵׁם הַמָּקוֹם הַהוּא מַחֲנָיִם, תְּרֵי. חַד מִסִּטְרָא דְּדִינָא וְחַד מִסִּטְרָא דְּרַחֲמֵי, מַלְאֲכִין מֵהַאי גִּיסָא, וּמַלְאָכִין מֵהַאי גִּיסָא, וְעַל דָּא כְּתִיב, וַיִּפְגְּעוּ בוֹ. בוֹ, דַּיְיקָא. וַיֺּאמֶר יַעֲקֺב כַּאֲשֶׁר רָאָם, רָאָה אוֹתָם מִבָּעֵי לֵיהּ, מַאי רָאָם. אֶלָּא חָמָא לוֹן כְּלִילָן כַּחֲדָא, מִתְדַּבְּקָן דָּא בְּדָא, מִתְחַבְּרָן דָּא בְּדָא, וְעַל דָּא כְּתִיב רָאָם, וְכֻלְּהוּ אָתוּ לְאוֹזְפָא לֵיהּ וּלְשֵׁיזָבָא לֵיהּ מִידָא דְּעֵשָׂו.