"...And bowed to the ground"

Synopsis

Rabbi Elazar asks a question regarding the title verse and its implication that Jacob bowed to Esau, who was of the side of another god. This leads to a reinterpretation of the verse, revealing that Jacob actually offered praise to God when kneeling before Esau. Similarly, the blessed greeting that King David sent Naval, a sorcerer spoken of in the books of the Prophets, is also often misconstrued. This blessing was not addressed to Naval, as Naval thought, but rather to God. Through the Light of the Zohar, we learn that both Jacob and David were righteous, and all their deeds were for the glory of their Creator.

Relevance

A literal reading of Biblical scripture completely falsifies the spiritual truth and inner meaning of the stories. Thus, we must refrain from passing judgment in life until we discern the true meaning that is always concealed beneath the surface. These verses instil into our awareness the wisdom and discretion to restrain judgment . They also strengthen our will power so that we direct our consciousness towards The Creator when temptations and dark forces confront us in life.

Animals Beasts Esau Evil Ground Jacob Jealousy Patriarchs Seven

117. "And he passed before them, and bowed to the ground seven times." Rabbi Elazar quoted the verse, "for you shall worship no other El: for Hashem, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous El" (Shemot 34:14). HE ASKS, How could Jacob, the greatest of the Patriarchs, the one chosen to be the perfect portion of the Holy One, blessed be He, and the one very close to Him, bow before this evil Esau, who stands on the side of another El? For bowing to him is the same as bowing to another El! You may find the answer by referring to the saying that when the fox is in the ascendent, bow to him. THERE IS A PARABLE DESCRIBING A TIME WHEN THE FOX REIGNS OVER THE ANIMALS. ALTHOUGH THE FOX IS THE SMALLEST OF THE BEASTS, EVERYONE BOWS BEFORE IT. AND HERE TOO YOU MIGHT SAY THAT JACOB BOWED TO ESAU BECAUSE THE HOUR WAS FAVORABLE FOR HIM. This, however, is not so, for Esau is considered as another El, and Jacob would never bow to that side and portion.

117. וְהוּא עָבַר לִפְנֵיהֶם וַיִּשְׁתַּחוּ אַרְצָה שֶׁבַע פְּעָמִים עַד גִּשְׁתּוֹ עַד אָחִיו. ר' אֶלְעָזָר פְּתַח וַאֲמַר כִּי לֹא תִשְׁתַּחֲוֶה לְאֵל אַחֵר כִּי ה' קַנָּא שְׁמוֹ. וְכִי יַעֲקֹב דְּאִיהוּ שְׁלֵימָא דַּאֲבָהָן, דְּאִתְבְּרֵיר חוּלָקָא שְׁלֵימָתָא לקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, וְאִיהוּ אִתְקְרֵיב לְגַבֵּיהּ יַתִּיר, הֵיךְ סְגִיד לֵיהּ לְהַהוּא רָשָׁע דְּעֵשָׂו, דְּאִיהוּ בְּסִטְרָא דְאֵל אַחֵר, וּמַאן דְּסָגֵיד לֵיהּ, סְגֵיד לְאֵל אַחֵר. אִי תֵימָא, בְּגִין דַּאֲמָרוּ תַּעְלָא בְּעִדְנֵיהּ סְגֵיד לֵיהּ, לָאו הָכֵי, דְּהָא עֵשָׂו כְּאֵל אַחֵר הֲוָה, וְיַעֲקֹב לֹא יִסְגוֹד לְהַהוּא סִטְרָא, וּלְהַהוּא חוּלָקָא כְּלַל.

David House Nabal Peace Samuel Thought Wicked Wickedness

118. HE ANSWERS, It is written, "and thus shall you say to him: A hearty greeting (lit. 'to the living One')! Peace be to you, to your house, and to all that you have" (I Shmuel 25:6). HE ASKS, If it is forbidden to give the first greeting to wicked people, why did David say this to THE WICKED Naval? HE REPLIED, He said this to the Holy One, blessed be He, in order to connect Naval with the Living One, THE HOLY ONE, BLESSED BE HE. THUS THE VERSE, "TO THE LIVING ONE," WAS ADDRESSED TO THE HOLY ONE, BLESSED BE HE, AND NOT TO NAVAL, although Naval thought it was addressed to him.

118. אֶלָא, כְּתִיב וַאֲמַרְתֶּם כֹּה לֶחָי וְאַתָּה שָׁלוֹם וּבֵיתְךָ שָׁלוֹם וְכָל אֲשֶׁר לְךָ שָׁלוֹם. וְהָא אִתְּמָר, דְּאָסִיר לְאַקְדוּמֵי לְהוּ שְׁלָם לְרַשִּׁיעַיָא, וְכֵיוָן דְּאָסִיר, הֵיכֵי אַשְׁכַּחְנָא דְּדָוִד אֲמַר הַאי קְרָא לְנָבָל, אֶלָּא הָא אוֹקְמוּהָ דִּלְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא קָאֲמַר, בְּגִין לְקָשְׁרָא לֵיהּ לְחַי. וְחָשִׁיב נָבָל דַּעֲלֵיהּ קָאֲמַר.

Head Illness Israel Jacob Shechinah

119. Similarly, "Yisrael bowed himself upon the bed's head" (Beresheet 47:31). HE ASKS, Did he bow to his son? No, he bowed to the place where the Shechinah rested; SHE WAS AT THE HEAD OF THE BED, FOR THE SHECHINAH IS FOUND NEAR THE HEAD OF THE ILL. Here, too, "HE passed over before them," which means that the supernal Shechinah went before him. This is the supernal guardian, who kept him. When Jacob saw Her walking in front of him, he said, "it is time to bow before the Holy One, blessed be He," who went before him.

119. כְּגַוְונָא דָא, וַיִּשְׁתַּחוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל עַל רֹאשׁ הַמִּטָּה, וְכִי לְגַבֵּי דִבְרֵיהּ סְגִיד. אֶלָּא לְאַתְרֵיהּ דִּשְׁכִינְתָּא קָא כָּרַע וְסָגֵיד, אוֹף הָכָא, וְהוּא עָבַר לִפְנֵיהֶם, מַאי וְהוּא, דָּא שְׁכִינְתָּא עִלָּאָה, דַּהֲוָה אָזְלָא קַמֵּיהּ, וְדָא הוּא נְטִירוּ עִלָּאָה. כֵּיוָן דְּחָמָא יַעֲקֹב, אֲמַר, הָא עִידָן לְסָגְדָא לְגַבֵּיהּ דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, דַּהֲוָה אָזֵיל קַמֵּיהּ.

Deeds Esau Righteous Seven

120. כָּרַע וּסְגִיד שְׁבַע זִמְנִין, עַד גִּשְׁתּוֹ עַד אָחִיו, וְלָא כְתִיב וַיִּשְׁתַּחוּ לְעֵשָׂו, אֶלָּא כֵּיוָן דְּחָמָא דְּהָא קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא אָזַל קַמֵּיהּ, כְּדֵין סְגִיד לְקִבְלֵיהּ, בְּגִין דְּלָא לְמֵיהַב יְקָר לְמִסְגַד לְאָחֳרָא בַּר מִנֵּיהּ, וְכֹלָּא אִיהוּ כִּדְקָא יָאוֹת. זַכָּאִין אִינוּן צַדִּיקַיָא, דְּכָל עוֹבָדֵיהוֹן דְּקָא עָבְדֵי, בְּגִין יְקָרָא דְמָארֵיהוֹן אִיהוּ, וּבְגִין דְּלָא יִסְטוּן לִימִינָא וְלִשְׂמָאלָא.