"...and embraced him, and fell on his neck"

Synopsis

There are many methods by which Scripture conveys obscure allusions. Rabbi Yitzchak offers the example of the title verse in conjunction with "But the wicked are like the troubled sea." This, we learn, contains an indication that the seed of Esau would destroy one of the two Temples. Rabbi Aba then expounds on Jacob's eventual victory over Esau. His success was granted by the world above, without whose permission no power can be exerted in the physical realm.

Relevance

Our egos perpetrate the illusion that we are in full control of our lives, when in reality we are subject to dark forces created by our own self-involved behavior. This deception keeps us ignorant of the Negative Inclination, and of the spiritual tools that can eradicate it. Only the Light of The Creator can enlighten and strengthen us in the struggle to overthrow our dark side. Alone, we remain convinced that we are captains of our fate, until chaos strikes and leaves us stunned, vulnerable, and broken. The Light of this passage internalizes these spiritual truths, deepening our connection to the mystical power of the Zohar, and drawing Divine assistance from worlds on high.

Esau Seas Torah Waters Wicked Wickedness

121. "And Esau ran to meet him, and embraced him, and fell on his neck" (lit. 'necks') (Beresheet 33:4). The word "neck" is written without the letter Yud. It is written, "and kissed him; and they wept." Rabbi Yitzchak said, "But the wicked are like the troubled sea, which cannot be still, and whose waters cast up mire and dirt" (Yeshayah 57:20). This verse has already been explained. How many deep mysteries are there in the words of the Torah! They are different from each other, yet all is one.

121. וַיָּרָץ עֵשָׂו לִקְרָאתוֹ וַיְחַבְּקֵהוּ וַיִּפֹּל עַל צַוָּארָו. צַוָּארוֹ כְּתִיב חָסֵר. וַיִּשָּׁקֵהוּ וַיִּבְכּוּ. ר' יִצְחָק אֲמַר, וְהָרְשָׁעִים כַּיָּם נִגְרָשׁ כִּי הַשְׁקֵט לֹא יוּכַל וַיִּגְרְשׁוּ מֵימָיו רֶפֶשׁ וָטִיט, הַאי קְרָא אִתְּמָר. וּמִלֵּי דְאוֹרַיְיתָא, כַּמָּה רָזִין עִלָּאִין אִית בְּהוֹ, מְשַׁנְיָין דָּא מִן דָּא וְכֹלָּא חַד.

Babylonians Deeds Esau Form Jacob Jerusalem Seas Temple, The Wicked Wickedness

122. "But the wicked are like the troubled sea, which cannot be still." This verse refers to Esau, all of whose deeds were sinful and wicked. He was not sincere in his approach to Jacob. He fell upon his neck, namely, the one neck - FOR THE LETTER YUD IS MISSING (WHICH IMPLIES THE PLURAL FORM, 'NECKS') - of Jerusalem, which is the neck of the world. THE SCRIPTURE READS, "And fell on his neck," and not, 'on his necks,' WITH A YUD, for the Temple was destroyed twice, first by Babylonians and then by the seed of Esau. The result is that Esau besieged and destroyed Jerusalem only once. Therefore it is written, "and fell on his neck," in the singular, WITHOUT A YUD, WHICH MEANS HE DESTROYED IT ONLY ONCE.

122. וְהָרְשָׁעִים כַּיָּם נִגְרָשׁ כִּי הַשְׁקֵט לֹא יוּכָל, דָּא עֵשָׂו, דְּכָל עוֹבָדוֹי בִּרְשִׁיעוּ וּבְחִיּוּבָא, דְהָא כַּד אָתָא לְגַבֵּיהּ דְּיַעֲקֹב, עוֹבָדוֹי לָא הֲווֹ בִּשְׁלָם, וַיִּפּוֹל עַל צַוָּארָו חַד, צַוָּארוֹ דָּא יְרוּשָׁלִַם, דְּאִיהוּ צַוָּארוֹ דְּכָל עָלְמָא. וַיִּפֹּל עַל צַוָּארָו, וְלֹא עַל צַוָּארָיו, בְּגִין דִּתְרֵין זִמְנִין אִתְחָרֵיב בֵּי מַקְדְּשָׁא, חַד מִבָּבֶל, וְחַד מִזַּרְעֵיהּ דְּעֵשָׂו, דְּאַפֵּיל גַּרְמֵיהּ עֲלֵיהּ זִמְנָא חָדָא, וְחָרֵיב לֵיהּ, וְעַל דָּא וַיִּפֹּל עַל צַוָּארוֹ, חַד.

Balaam Dots Esau Hebrew Letters Kisses

123. וַיִּשָּׁקֵהוּ נָקוּד לְעֵיל, דְּלָא נָשְׁקֵיהּ בִּרְעוּתֵיהּ, וּתְנַן מַאי דִכְתִיב וְנֶעְתָּרוֹת נְשִׁיקוֹת שׂוֹנֵא, דָּא בִּלְעָם כַּד בָּרִיךְ לוֹן לְיִשְׂרָאֵל, דְהָא לָא בָּרֵיךְ לוֹן בִּרְעוּתָא דְלִבָּא, אוֹף הָכָא נֶעְתָּרוֹת נְשִׁיקוֹת שׂוֹנֵא, דָּא עֵשָׂו.

Esau Wicked Wickedness

Esau Evil Jacob Thought

125. וְעַל דָּא וַיִּבְכּוּ, דָּא בְּכִי, וְדָא בְּכִי, וְאוֹקְמוהָ חַבְרַיָיא. תָּא חֲזֵי כַּמָּה הֲוָה לִבֵּיהּ וּרְעוּתֵיהּ דְּעֵשָׂו לְגַבֵּי דְיַעֲקֹב, דְּהָא אֲפִילּוּ בְּהַהוּא שַׁעְתָּא, חָשִׁיב, לְאֹרֶךְ דְּיוֹמִין, לְמֶעְבַּד לֵיהּ בִּישִׁין, וּלְקַטְרְגָא לֵיהּ, וְעַל דָּא וַיִּבְכּוּ, דָּא הֲוָה בָּכֵי, דְּלָא הֲוָה חָשִׁיב לְאִשְׁתְּזָבָא מִן יְדוֹי, וְדָא הֲוָה בָּכֵי, בְּגִין דַּאֲבוֹי הֲוָה קַיָּים, וְלָא יָכֵיל לֵיהּ.

Blessing Esau Jacob

126. Rabbi Aba said, Assuredly Esau's anger was weakened when he saw Jacob, because Esau's minister agreed with him, ACCEPTING AND AFFIRMING THE BLESSINGS. Thus, Esau could not vent his anger, because everything in this world depends on the world above, and whatever is agreed upon above is also accepted below. And so there is no government below until power is given from above. Moreover, everything is interdependent, FOR WHATEVER IS DONE IN THIS WORLD DEPENDS ON WHAT IS DONE ON HIGH.

126. אֲמַר רִבִּי אַבָּא, וַדַּאי אִתְחַלַּשׁ רוּגְזֵיהּ דְּעֵשָׂו, בְּשַׁעְתָּא דְחָמָא לֵיהּ לְיַעֲקֹב. מַאי טַעְמָא, בְּגִין דְּהָא אִסְתַּכַּם בַּהֲדֵיהּ הַהוּא מְמַנָּא דְעֵשָׂו, וְעַל דָא לָא יָכֵיל עֵשָׂו לְשַׁלְטָאָה בְּרוּגְזֵיהּ, דְּהָכֵי כָּל מִלִּין דְּהַאי עַלְמָא, תַּלְיָין לְעֵילָא, וְכַד אִסְתַּכְּמוּ לְעֵילָא בְּקַדְמֵיתָא, אִסְתַּכְּמוּ לְתַתָּא, שָׁלְטָנוּתָא לָאו אִיהוּ לְתַתָּא, עַד דְּאִיתְיְהֵיב שָׁלְטָנוּתָא לְעֵילָא, וְכֹלָּא דָּא בְּדָא תַלְיָא.