"Let me go, for the day breaks"

Synopsis

Here, Rabbi Elazar tells how Jacob wrestled all night with the Appointed Angel of Esau, Samael - though until dawn he thought he was wrestling with Esau. He struck the Angel, who said "Let me go, for the day breaks," because the Angel and his female, Lilit, have dominion only at night. We are then told that when morning arrived Samael and his friends entered the hole of the great Abyss in the North. Another explanation of "Let me go, for the day breaks," is that night stands for the exile of the children of Yisrael, during which the wicked idol-worshipping kingdom dominates them until morning, when the Redemption arrives and the Holy One shines for them. Jacob, we next learn, would not let the Angel go unless He blessed him, which He did. Jacob saw in Esau's face the exact image that he saw in Samael, because, we are told, whatever a person is connected to is reflected in his face. And again Rabbi Elazar tells the three rabbis that because the Shechinah is with them, he sees their faces are like Hers.

Relevance

Strength to wrestle and conquer our own fears and dark side is bestowed upon us. This radiance shines into our darkest moments so that what we see illuminated before us is always the truth, not just a shadow of the truth. Moreover, this Light relinquishes the hold of the two negative angels, Samael and Lilit, over all mankind, freeing us forever from their deadly grip. Now that we have total control and dominance over the root of evil - through the greatness and spiritual prowess of Jacob - we are free to complete our personal ascension and actuate the Final Redemption in a softhearted and merciful manner.

Angels Blessing Esau Face Jacob Praise Prayer

681. He opened the discussion saying, "Take, I pray you, my blessing that is brought to you... " (Beresheet 33:11). When Jacob saw the accuser, Samael, that night, WHO WRESTLED WITH HIM AT THE PASSAGE OF YABOK, he saw him in the image of Esau but did not recognize him until the dawn rose. As soon as the dawn rose, he saw him with his face both visible and concealed. He viewed his image that was like the image of Esau and immediately realized that he was the minister of Esau, NAMELY SAMAEL. He struck him. It is written, "And he said, 'Let me go, for the day breaks'" (Beresheet 32:27) and the friends retorted that it was because his time had arrived to sing and praise to the Holy One, blessed be He. Therefore, it says, "For the day breaks."

681. פָּתַח וְאָמַר, קַח נָא אֶת בִּרְכָתִי אֲשֶׁר הוּבָאת לָךְ וְגוֹ,' כַּד חָמָא יַעֲקֹב לְסָמָאֵל, מְקַטְרְגָא בְּהַהוּא לֵילְיָא, חָמָא לֵיהּ בְּהַהוּא דִּיּוּקְנָא דְּעֵשָׂו, וְלָא אִשְׁתְּמוֹדָע בֵּיהּ עַד דְּסָלִיק צַפְרָא. כֵּיוָן דְּסָלִיק צַפְרָא, וְאַשְׁגַּח בֵּיהּ, חָמָא לֵיהּ בְּאַנְפִּין סְתִימִין וְאִתְגַּלְיָין. אִסְתָּכַּל בְּהַהוּא דִּיּוּקְנָא, דַּהֲוָה כְּדִּיוּקְנָא דְּעֵשָׂו, מִיַּד אַשְׁגַּח וְיָדַע דַּהֲוָה מְמָנָא דְּעֵשָׂו. אַתְקִיף בֵּיהּ מַה כְּתִיב, וַיֹּאמֶר שַׁלְּחֵנִי כִּי עָלָה הַשָּׁחַר. וְחַבְרַיָּיא אִתְּעֲרוּ, דִּבְגִין דְּמָטָא זִמְנֵיהּ לְזַמְּרָא וּלְשַׁבְּחָא לֵיהּ לְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, וְע"ד כִּי עָלָה הַשָּׁחַר.

Darkness Fear Female Gehenom (Hell) Hell (Gehenom) Lilit

682. וְהָכָא אִית לְאִסְתַּכְּלָא, דְּוַדַּאי שֻׁלְטָנוּתָא דִּילֵיהּ לָאו אִיהוּ אֶלָּא בְּלֵילְיָא, גּוֹ חֲשׁוֹכָא, וְרָזָא דָּא מִפַּחַד בַּלֵּילוֹת דָּא פַּחְדָּא דְּגֵיהִנָּם. וּמַה דְּאָמַר בַּלֵּילוֹת. ר"ל אִיהוּ וְנוּקְבֵיהּ. וּבְגִינֵי כַּךְ לָא שַׁלִּיט אֶלָּא בְּלֵילְיָא.

Abyss Darkness Dogs Morning North Other Side Point

683. He said, "Let me go, for the day breaks." What is the point of "for the day breaks?" HE ANSWERS, When the morning arrived and the domination of the darkness of the night was removed, he and his friends entered the hole of the great abyss that is in the North until the night arrived. And the dogs were freed, NAMELY THE OTHER SIDE, from their chains and dominate and float about during the night, until the morning arrives. Therefore, SAMAEL was pressing and saying, "Let me go, for the day breaks," because he does not dominate during the day.

683. וְדָא דְּאָמַר וַיֹּאמֶר שַׁלְּחֵנִי כִּי עָלָה הַשָּׁחַר. מַאי כִּי עָלָה הַשָּׁחַר. בְּגִין דְּכַד אָתֵי צַפְרָא, וְאִתְעֲבָר שֻׁלְטָנוּ דְּחַשׁוֹכָא דְּלֵילְיָא, כְּדֵין עָאל אִיהוּ וְאֹכְלוּסֵיהּ בְּנוּקְבָּא דִּתְהוֹמָא רַבָּא, דְּלִסְטַר צָפוֹן, עַד דְּעָאל לֵילְיָא, וְאִשְׁתְּרוּ כַּלְבֵּי, וְשַׁלְטֵי וּמְשַׁטְטֵי בְּלֵילְיָא, עַד דְּאָתֵי צַפְרָא. וְעַל דָּא הֲוָה דָּחִיק לוֹמַר, שַׁלְּחֵנִי כִּי עָלָה הַשָּׁחַר, דְּהָא לָא שַׁלִּיט בִּימָמָא.

Blessing Esau Exile Jacob Morning Redemption and Salvation Strength Wicked Wickedness

684. Similar to this is the exile of the children of Yisrael, which is THE ASPECT of night, and is called 'night.' The wicked idol-worshipping kingdom dominates over Yisrael until the morning arrives, WHICH IS THE REDEMPTION. The Holy One, blessed be He, will illuminate for them, and the dominance of the IDOL-WORSHIPPING KINGDOM will be removed. Therefore, he said, "For the dawn breaks" because he was pressured and his strength was weakened, because the night had passed. Therefore, Jacob overpowered him and saw that his image was like the image of Esau, but not so clear. AND SAMAEL HAD TO approve the blessings THAT HIS FATHER GAVE HIM, BECAUSE HE SAID TO HIM, "I WILL NOT LET YOU GO, UNLESS YOU BLESS ME" (BERESHEET 32:27) AND, "AND HE BLESSED HIM THERE" (IBID. 30).

684. כְּגַוְונָא דָּא גָּלוּתָא דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל, דְּאִיהוּ בְּלֵילְיָא, וְאִקְרֵי לַיְלָה. מַלְכָּא עכו"ם חַיָּיבָא שַׁלְטָא עָלַיְיהוּ דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל, עַד דְּיֵיתֵי צַפְרָא וְיַנְהִיר לוֹן קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, וְיִתְעֲבָר שֻׁלְטָנֵיהוֹן, וְעַל דָּא כִּי עָלָה הַשָּׁחַר, דָּחִיק הֲוָה בִּידֵיהּ, וְתָשַׁשׁ חֵילֵיהּ, דְּהָא אִתְעַבָר לֵילְיָא וְעַל דָּא אִתְתָּקַּף יַעֲקֹב בֵּיהּ, וְחָמָא דִּיּוּקְנֵיהּ כְּדִּיוּקְנָא דְּעֵשָׂו, אֲבָל לָא בְּאִתְגַּלְּיָא כָּל כַּךְ. וּכְדֵין אוֹדֵי לֵיהּ עַל בִּרְכָּאן.

Esau Face Shechinah Torah

685. It is written afterwards, "For truly I have seen your face, as though I had seen the face of Elohim, and you were pleased with me" (Beresheet 33:10). He saw in Esau's face the exact image that he saw in Samael, because whoever is connected to, is reflected in his face. The Shechinah is with you, Supernal Holy Ones. Therefore, your faces are like Her face. Blessed are you. He said, If I were going on the same path with you, I would then sit with you, but now that you are going on your way and I on my way, I will separate from you with the words of Torah.

685. מַה כְּתִיב לְבָתַר, כִּי עַל כֵּן רָאִיתִי פָנֶיךָ כִּרְאוֹת פְּנֵי אֱלֹהִים וַתִּרְצֵנִי. דְּחָמָא בְּאִינּוּן אַנְפִּין דְּעֵשָׂו כְּדִּיוּקְנָא דְּאִתְחָזֵי לֵיהּ סָמָאֵ"ל מַמָּשׁ, דְּהָא בְּכָל אֲתָר דְּב"נ אִתְקָשַּׁר, הָכִי אִתְחָזֵי בְּאַנְפּוֹי. וְאַתּוּן קַדִּישֵׁי עֶלְיוֹנִין שְׁכִינְתָּא בַּהֲדַיְיכוּ, וְאַנְפִּין דִּלְכוֹן כְּאִינּוּן אַנְפִּין דִּילָהּ, זַכָּאִין אַתוּן. אָמַר אִי אָרְחָא חֲדָא הֲוֵינָא אַזְלֵי בַּהֲדַיְיכוּ, הֲוֵינָא יַתְבֵי עִמְּכוֹן, הַשְּׁתָּא דְּאַתּוּן לְאָרְחַיְיכוּ, וַאֲנָא לְאָרְחִי, אִתְפְּרַשׁ מִנַּיְיכוּ בְּמִילֵּי דְּאוֹרַיְיתָא.