AND HE COMMANDED THEM, SAYING: THUS SHALL YE SAY UNTO MY LORD ESAU: THUS SAITH THY SERVANT JACOB: I HAVE SOJOURNED WITH LABAN, AND STAYED UNTIL NOW. He began by representing himself as Esau’s servant, in order that the latter’s thoughts might be diverted from the blessings which he had received from his father, and the enjoyment of which he was postponing for a future time, as already said.
R. Judah said: ‘What was Jacob’s object in saying to Esau, “I have sojourned with Laban”? What had this to do with his message to Esau? The reason was that Laban the Aramean was famous throughout the world as a master magician and sorcerer whose spell no man could escape. He was, in fact, the father of Beor, who was the father of Balaam, mentioned in Scripture as “Balaam the son of Beor, the soothsayer” (Josh. 13, 22). But for all Laban’s skill and pre-eminence in sorcery and magic, he could not prevail over Jacob, though he employed all his arts to destroy him, as it says: “An Aramean designed to destroy my father” (Deut. 26, 5).’
R. Abba said: ‘All the world knew that Laban was the greatest of wizards and sorcerers and magicians, and that no one whom he wished to destroy could escape from him, and that it was from him that Balaam learnt all his skill-Balaam, of whom it is written: “for I know that he whom thou blessest is blessed, and he whom thou cursest is cursed” (Num. 22, 6). Thus Laban and his magic were universally feared. Hence Jacob’s first intimation to Esau was, “I have sojourned with Laban”; and lest Esau should think that it was merely a month, or, at most, a year, he added: “and I stayed until now”-a space of twenty years.
And lest Esau should think that he had achieved nothing of consequence, he added: “And I have oxen and asses”, these being the symbols of two grades of severity that are never combined together save to bring suffering on the world. (This is the underlying reason of the precept: “Thou shalt not plow with an ox and an ass together” (Deut. 22, 10)).
Further, “and flocks, and men-servants, and maid-servants”, these being symbolic of the lower crowns whom God slew in Egypt, in the form of “the first-born of cattle, the first born of the captive” (Ex. 12, 29), and “the first-born of the maidservant” (Ibid. 11, 5). Straightway Esau was seized with fear and went forth to meet him. Indeed, he was as much afraid of Jacob as Jacob was afraid of him.
Jacob was like a traveller who hears that robbers are lying in wait for him on the road. Meeting another man, he asks him to whom he belongs, and he replies: “I am a member of such and such a band of robbers”. “Get thee hence,” exclaims the wayfarer, “for I have about me a snake who kills anyone that approaches me.” The man then returns to the chief of the brigands and warns him, saying: “A man is coming along this way who has about him a snake which bites anyone who approaches him and kills him.”
Hearing this, the chief of the brigands says: “I had better go out to meet that man and make peace with him.” When the wayfarer sees him coming be exclaims: “Woe is me, he is going to kill me.” So he commences to bow and prostrate himself before him, whereupon the brigand regains his self-assurance, thinking: “If he had with him such a dangerous snake as he said, he would not have bowed so much to me. But since he does bow so much before me, I will not kill him.”
In the same way Jacob sent word to Esau, saying: “I have sojourned with Laban and stayed until now”, as much as to say: “I have stayed with him twenty years, and I have brought with me a deadly snake who slays people with his bite.” Esau, on hearing this said: “Woe is me, who can stand up before him?” for he was afraid that Jacob would kill him with his mouth. He therefore went forth to meet him and to make peace with him.
But Jacob, we read, as soon as he saw him, “was greatly afraid and distressed”, and when he approached him he commenced bowing and kneeling before him, as it says: “and bowed himself to the ground seven times, until he came near to his brother”. Esau then said to himself: “Had he really been so well equipped as he said, he would not have bowed before me”, and he again began to carry himself haughtily.
It is written in regard to Balaam: “And God came unto Balaam at night” (Num. 22, 20). Similarly in regard to Laban it is written: “And God came to Laban the Aramean in a dream of the night, and said unto him: Take heed to thyself that thou speak not to Jacob either good or bad” (Gen. 31, 24). Instead of the words “that thou speak not״, we should have expected here “that thou do no evil to Jacob” But the truth is that Laban in his pursuit after Jacob did not intend to contend against him with armed force, as he was well aware that Jacob and his sons were more than a match for him, but he designed to kill him with the power of his mouth. Hence: “that thou speak not”, and not “that thou do not”. It is also written: “It is in the power of my hand to do you hurt” (Gen. 31, 29). Laban knew this from the warning given him, as he himself continued: “But the God of your father spoke to me, etc.” (Ibid.).
And this is the very testimony which God commanded the Israelites to pronounce, as it is written: “And thou shalt testify and say before the Lord thy God: An Aramean intended to destroy my father, etc.” (Deut. 26, 5).
Of Balaam it is further written: “and he went not as at other times, to meet enchantments” (Num. 24, 1), this being his wont, since he was an adept in divinations. Laban also said: “I have observed the signs” (Gen. 30, 27), that is to say, he tested Jacob’s fortune by means of his divinations, and when he set out to destroy him he also intended to accomplish his end by the same power of magic and sorcery, but God did not permit him.
And it was in allusion to this that Balaam his grandson said: “For there is no enchantment with Jacob, neither is there any divination with Israel” (Num. 23, 23), as much as to say: “Who can prevail against them, seeing that when my grandfather sought to destroy their ancestor by means of enchantments and sorceries, he did not succeed, as he was not permitted to curse him?”
Laban, indeed, employed against Jacob all the ten kinds of magic and divination of the flashing of the underworld crowns, but could do him no hurt, as it is written: “and he changed my wages ten times, but God suffered him not to hurt me” (Gen. 31, 7), where the term monim (times) is akin to the term minim, signifying “kinds”.
These ten kinds of witchcraft are alluded to in the verse saying: “There shall not be found among you… one that useth divination, a soothsayer, or an enchanter, or a sorcerer, or a charmer, or one that consulteth a ghost or a familiar spirit, or a necromancer” (Deut. 18, 10-11).
R. Jose said: ‘Divination and enchantment are two different arts of the same potency. Balaam made use of divination against Israel, as it says: “with divinations in their hand” (Num. 22, 7). Laban, on the other hand, used enchantments against Jacob, but neither of them succeeded. Hence Balaam said: “For there is no enchantment with Jacob, neither is there any divination with Israel” (Ibid. 23, 23), the first half of the verse alluding to the days of Laban, the other half to the time of Balaam himself.
Balaam said in effect to Balak: “How can anyone prevail against them, seeing that all the divinations and sorceries residing in our crowns derive their potency from the flashing of the supernal sovereignty, which is attached to them, as it is written: ‘The Lord his God is with them, and the shouting for the King is among them” (Ibid. 21).’
R. Judah said: ‘Far be it from us to imagine that Balaam knew aught of the supernal sanctity, seeing that God did not choose any people or tongue to make use of His glory save His holy children, to whom he said: “sanctify yourselves therefore, and be ye holy” (Lev. 11, 44). Only those who are themselves holy are permitted to make use of holy things; and it is only Israel who are holy, as it is written: “For thou art a holy people” (Deut. 14, 2), that is, thou alone art holy, but no other people.
Contrariwise, those who are impure are brought into contact with impurity and become more impure, and of such it is written: “he is unclean; he shall dwell alone; without the camp shall his dwelling be” (Lev. 13, 46); for impurity calls unto impurity, as it says: “and he shall cry unclean, unclean” (Ibid. 45), where the text admits of the rendering, “and unclean calls to unclean”, that is, seeks out its own kind.’
R. Isaac said: ‘Was it becoming for a holy man like Jacob to admit that he had contaminated himself with Laban and his enchantments? Was this anything to his credit?’ R. Jose said to him: ‘Although R. Judah has given an explanation, I agree with you that we should seek another. For we find a somewhat similar difficulty in Jacob’s words: “I am Esau thy first-born” (Gen. 27, 19), where also we may ask: “Was it becoming for a righteous man like Jacob to assume the name of the impure Esau?” I will answer both these difficulties. There is a tonal pause after the word “I-am” (anokhi) in this passage, so that what Jacob really said was: “I am (who I am, but) Esau (is) thy first-born”, as already explained elsewhere.
Similarly here Jacob meant to say: “Do not pay any regard to the blessing which my father gave, nor imagine that it has been fulfilled in me. For he blessed me saying, ‘be lord over thy brethren’, whereas of a truth ‘I am thy servant Jacob, to my lord Esau’. Again, he blessed me with ‘plenty of corn and wine’, but I have no stock of these, but ‘oxen, and asses and flocks’, and am only a shepherd in the field. Of the blessing ‘of the dew of heaven, and of the fat places of the earth’, nothing has been fulfilled in me, seeing that ‘I have sojourned with Laban’, being merely a sojourner, without so much as a house that I can call my own, let alone the fatness of the earth.” The whole of Jacob’s message was thus calculated to divert Esau’s regard from those blessings, so that he should not quarrel with him over them.’
R. Abba said: ‘It is written of Jacob that he was “a perfect man, dwelling in tents” (Gen. 25, 27). The designation “perfect man” was given him because he resided in the two supernal Tabernacles and embodied in himself both this side and that side, and thus was made complete. His language must not be construed into an admission that he had contaminated himself with the enchantments of Laban, and, with all due respect to R. Judah, his heart was pure and full of thankfulness for the kindness and the truth that God had shown him. Thus Jacob’s message to Esau amounted to saying: “Everyone knows what kind of a man Laban is, and that no one can escape him. Yet I stayed with him twenty years, and though he contended with me and sought to destroy me, yet God delivered me from his hand.” Jacob’s purpose in all his words was to prevent Esau from thinking that the blessings had been fulfilled, and so from nursing a grudge against himself. Regarding such conduct Scripture says: “For the ways of the Lord are right, etc.” (Hos. 14, 10), also: “Thou shalt be whole-hearted with the Lord thy God” (Deut. 18, 13).’
וַיְצַו אֹתָם לֵאמֹר כֹּה תֹאמְרוּן לַאדֹנִי לְעֵשָׂו כֹּה אָמַר עַבְדְּךָ יַעֲקֹב עִם לָבָן גַּרְתִּי וָאֵחַר עַד עָתָּה. מִיָּד פָּתַח יַעֲקֹב לְאִתְהַפָּכָא לֵיהּ לְעַבְדָּא, בְּגִין דְּלָא יִסְתַּכַּל עֵשָׂו בְּאִינוּן בִּרְכָאן דְּבָרְכֵיהּ אֲבוֹי, דְּהָא יַעֲקֹב סָלִיק לוֹן לְבָתַר כְּדְקָא אֲמָרָן.
AND HE COMMANDED THEM, SAYING: THUS SHALL YE SAY UNTO MY LORD ESAU: THUS SAITH THY SERVANT JACOB: I HAVE SOJOURNED WITH LABAN, AND STAYED UNTIL NOW. He began by representing himself as Esau’s servant, in order that the latter’s thoughts might be diverted from the blessings which he had received from his father, and the enjoyment of which he was postponing for a future time, as already said.
אָמַר רִבִּי יְהוּדָה מַאי חָמָא יַעֲקֹב דְּשַׁדַּר לֵיהּ לְעֵשָׂו וְאָמַר עִם לָבָן גַּרְתִּי, וְכִי מַה עָבִיד בִּשְׁלִיחוּתֵיהּ דְּעֵשָׂו (דאמר) מִלָּה דָא. אֶלָּא לָבָן הָאֲרַמִּי קָלֵיהּ אָזִיל בְּעַלְמָא דְלָא הֲוָה בַר נָשׁ דְּיִשְׁתְּזִיב מִנֵּיהּ, דְּהוּא הֲוָה חָרָשׁ בֶּחֳרָשִׁין וְרַב בְּקוֹסְמִין, וַאֲבוֹי דִבְעוֹר הֲוָה, וּבְעוֹר אֲבוֹי דְבִלְעָם, דִּכְתִיב (יהושע י״ג:כ״ב) בִּלְעָם בֶּן בְּעוֹר הַקּוֹסֵם, וְלָבָן חָכָם בֶּחֳרָשִׁין וְקוֹסְמִין יַתִּיר מִכֻּלְּהוּ, וְעִם כָּל דָּא לָא יָכִיל בְּיַעֲקֹב. וּבָעָא לְאוֹבָדָא לְיַעֲקֹב בְּכַמָּה זַיְינִין הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב, (דברים כ״ו:ה׳) אֲרַמִּי אוֹבֵד אָבִי.
R. Judah said: ‘What was Jacob’s object in saying to Esau, “I have sojourned with Laban”? What had this to do with his message to Esau? The reason was that Laban the Aramean was famous throughout the world as a master magician and sorcerer whose spell no man could escape. He was, in fact, the father of Beor, who was the father of Balaam, mentioned in Scripture as “Balaam the son of Beor, the soothsayer” (Josh. 13, 22). But for all Laban’s skill and pre-eminence in sorcery and magic, he could not prevail over Jacob, though he employed all his arts to destroy him, as it says: “An Aramean designed to destroy my father” (Deut. 26, 5).’
אָמַר רִבִּי אַבָּא כּוּלֵי עַלְמָא הֲוֵי יָדְעֵי דְּלָבָן הֲוָה רַב חַכִּימִין וָחֳרָשִׁין וְקוֹסְמִין, וּמַאן דְּבָעֵי לְאוֹבָדָא בֶּחֳרָשׁוֹי לָא אִשְׁתְּזִיב מִנֵּיהּ, וְכָל מַה דְּיָדַע בִּלְעָם מִנֵּיהּ הֲוָה. וּכְתִיב בֵּיהּ בְּבִלְעָם (במדבר כ״ב:ו׳) כִּי יָדַעְתִּי אֵת אֲשֶׁר תְּבָרֵךְ מְבֹרָךְ וַאֲשֶׁר תָּאֹר יוּאָר. וְכוּלֵי עַלְמָא הֲווּ מִסְתָּפֵי מִלָּבָן וּמֵחֳרָשׁוֹי, וּמִלָּה קַדְמָאָה דְּשַׁדַּר יַעֲקֹב לְעֵשָׂו אָמַר עִם לָבָן גַּרְתִּי. וְאִי תֵימָא דִּזְעֵיר הֲוָה יֶרַח אוֹ שַׁתָּא. לָאו הָכִי, אֶלָּא וָאֵחַר עַד עָתָּה, עֶשְׂרִין שְׁנִין אִתְאֲחָרִית עִמֵּיהּ.
R. Abba said: ‘All the world knew that Laban was the greatest of wizards and sorcerers and magicians, and that no one whom he wished to destroy could escape from him, and that it was from him that Balaam learnt all his skill-Balaam, of whom it is written: “for I know that he whom thou blessest is blessed, and he whom thou cursest is cursed” (Num. 22, 6). Thus Laban and his magic were universally feared. Hence Jacob’s first intimation to Esau was, “I have sojourned with Laban”; and lest Esau should think that it was merely a month, or, at most, a year, he added: “and I stayed until now”-a space of twenty years.
וְאִי תֵימָא דְּלָא סָלִיק בְּיָדִי כְּלוּם. וַיְהִי לִי שׁוֹר וַחֲמוֹר, אִינוּן תְּרֵין גִּזְרֵי דִינִין, דְּכַד מִתְחַבְּרָן תַּרְוַויְיהוּ כְּחֲדָא, לָא מִתְחַבְּרָן אֶלָא לְאַבְאָשָׁא עַלְמָא. וּבְגִין כָּךְ כְּתִיב, (דברים כ״ב:י׳) לֹא תַחֲרשׁ בְּשׁוֹר וּבַחֲמוֹר יַחְדָּו.
And lest Esau should think that he had achieved nothing of consequence, he added: “And I have oxen and asses”, these being the symbols of two grades of severity that are never combined together save to bring suffering on the world. (This is the underlying reason of the precept: “Thou shalt not plow with an ox and an ass together” (Deut. 22, 10)).
צֹאן וְעֶבֶד וְשִׁפְחָה, אִלֵין אִינוּן כִּתְרֵי תַּתָּאֵי דְּקָטַל קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא בְּמִצְרַיִם (שמות י״ב:כ״ט) בְּכוֹר בְּהֵמָה (שמות י״ב:כ״ט) בְּכוֹר הַשְּׁבִי (שמות י״א:ה׳) בְּכוֹר הַשִּׁפְחָה, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב צֹאן וְעֶבֶד וְשִׁפְחָה. מִיָּד מִסְתָּפֵי הֲוָה עֵשָׂו וְנָפַק לָקֳדָמוּתֵיהּ, וּדְחִילוּ הֲוָה לֵיהּ מִיַּעֲקֹב כְּמָה דְּהֲוָה לֵיהּ לְיַעֲקֹב מֵעֵשָׂו.
Further, “and flocks, and men-servants, and maid-servants”, these being symbolic of the lower crowns whom God slew in Egypt, in the form of “the first-born of cattle, the first born of the captive” (Ex. 12, 29), and “the first-born of the maidservant” (Ibid. 11, 5). Straightway Esau was seized with fear and went forth to meet him. Indeed, he was as much afraid of Jacob as Jacob was afraid of him.
לְבַר נָשׁ דְּהֲוָה אָזִיל בְּאָרְחָא, עַד דְּהֲוָה אָזִיל שָׁמַע עַל חַד לִסְטִים דְּהֲוָה כָּמַן בְּאָרְחָא, פָּגַע בֵּיהּ בַר נָשׁ אָחֳרָא. אָמַר לֵיהּ מִמָּאן אַנְתְּ, אָמַר לֵיהּ מִפְּלוֹנִי לִגְיוֹן אֲנָא, אָמַר לֵיהּ סְטֵי לָךְ מִגַּבָּאי דְּכָל מַאן דְּקָרִיב בַּהֲדָאי חַד חִוְיָא אֲנָא מַיְיתֵי וְקָטִיל לֵיהּ. אֲזַל הַהוּא בַר נָשׁ לְהַהוּא לִגְיוֹן, אָמַר לֵיהּ חַד בַר נָשׁ אָתֵי וְכָל מַאן דִּי קָרִיב בַּהֲדֵיהּ נָשְׁכֵיהּ חַד חִוְיָא דְּהוּא מַיְיתֵי וּמַיֵית.
Jacob was like a traveller who hears that robbers are lying in wait for him on the road. Meeting another man, he asks him to whom he belongs, and he replies: “I am a member of such and such a band of robbers”. “Get thee hence,” exclaims the wayfarer, “for I have about me a snake who kills anyone that approaches me.” The man then returns to the chief of the brigands and warns him, saying: “A man is coming along this way who has about him a snake which bites anyone who approaches him and kills him.”
שָׁמַע הַהוּא לִגְיוֹן וְדָחִיל, אָמַר יָאוֹת דְּאֵזִיל לְקֳבְלֵיהּ וְאִתְפַּיֵיס בַּהֲדֵיהּ. עַד דְּחָמָא לֵיהּ הַהוּא בַר נָשׁ, אָמַר, וַוי דְּהַשְׁתָּא יִקְטְלֵינֵיהּ הַהוּא לִגְיוֹן. שָׁארֵי סָגִיד וְכָרַע לְקֳבְלֵיהּ. אָמַר הַהוּא לִגְיוֹן, אִלְמָלֵא הֲוָה לֵיהּ בִּידֵיהּ חִוְיָא לְקָטְלָא, לָא סְגִיד כּוּלַי הַאי לְקֳבְלִי. שָׁארֵי לִגְיוֹנָאָה לְאִתְגָּאָה, אָמַר, הוֹאִיל וְכָל כָּךְ כָּרַע לְקִבְלִי לָא אֶקְטְלִינֵיהּ.
Hearing this, the chief of the brigands says: “I had better go out to meet that man and make peace with him.” When the wayfarer sees him coming be exclaims: “Woe is me, he is going to kill me.” So he commences to bow and prostrate himself before him, whereupon the brigand regains his self-assurance, thinking: “If he had with him such a dangerous snake as he said, he would not have bowed so much to me. But since he does bow so much before me, I will not kill him.”
כָּךָ אָמַר יַעֲקֹב עִם לָבָן גַּרְתִּי וָאֵחַר עַד עָתָּה, עֶשְׂרִין שְׁנִין אִתְאֲחָרִית עִמֵּיהּ וְאֲנָא מַיְיתֵי חִוְיָא לְקָטְלָא בְּנִי נָשָׁא. שְׁמַע עֵשָׂו, אָמַר, וַוי מַאן יָקוּם קַמֵּיהּ. דְּהַשְׁתָּא יִקְטְלִינֵיהּ יַעֲקֹב בְּפוּמֵיהּ, שָׁארֵי נָפִיק לָקֳדָמוּתֵיהּ לְאִתְפַּיְיסָא עִמֵּיהּ.
In the same way Jacob sent word to Esau, saying: “I have sojourned with Laban and stayed until now”, as much as to say: “I have stayed with him twenty years, and I have brought with me a deadly snake who slays people with his bite.” Esau, on hearing this said: “Woe is me, who can stand up before him?” for he was afraid that Jacob would kill him with his mouth. He therefore went forth to meet him and to make peace with him.
כֵּיוָן דְּחָמָא לֵיהּ מַה כְּתִיב וַיִּירָא יַעֲקֹב מְאֹד וַיֵּצֶר לוֹ, כֵּיוָן דְּקָרִיב בַּהֲדֵיהּ שָׁארֵי כָּרַע וְסָגִיד לְקֳבְלֵיהּ. הֲדָא הוּא דִּכְתִיב וַיִּשְׁתַּחוּ אַרְצָה שֶׁבַע פְּעָמִים עַד גִּשְׁתּוֹ עַד אָחִיו. אָמַר עֵשָׂו אִלְמָלֵא כָּל כָּךְ הֲוָה עִמֵּיהּ, לָא סְגִיד לְקִבְלִי, שָׁארֵי לְאִתְגָּאָה.
But Jacob, we read, as soon as he saw him, “was greatly afraid and distressed”, and when he approached him he commenced bowing and kneeling before him, as it says: “and bowed himself to the ground seven times, until he came near to his brother”. Esau then said to himself: “Had he really been so well equipped as he said, he would not have bowed before me”, and he again began to carry himself haughtily.
תָּא חֲזֵי, מַה כְּתִיב בְּבִלְעָם (במדבר כ״ב:כ׳) וַיָּבֹא אֱלֹהִים אֶל בִּלְעָם לַיְלָה. בְּלָבָן כְּתִיב (בראשית ל״א:כ״ד) וַיָּבֹא אֱלהִים אֶל לָבָן הָאֲרַמִּי בַּחֲלוֹם הַלַּיְלָה וַיֹּאמֶר לוֹ הִשָּׁמֶר לְךָ פֶּן תְּדַבֵּר עִם יַעֲקֹב מִטּוֹב וְגו'. פֶּן תְּדַבֵּר, פֶּן תַּעֲשֶׂה לְיַעֲקֹב רָעָה מִבָּעֵי לֵיהּ. אֶלָּא לָבָן לָא רָדַף אֲבַתְרֵיהּ דְּיַעֲקֹב בְּחֵילָא דְגוּבְרִין לַאֲגָחָא בֵּיהּ קְרָבָא. דְּהָא חֵילָא דְּיַעֲקֹב וּבְנוֹי רַב מִנֵּיהּ, אֶלָּא לְמִקְטְלֵיהּ בְּפוּמֵיהּ וּלְשֵׁיצָאָה כֹּלָּא. הֲדָא הוּא דִּכְתִיב אֲרַמִּי אוֹבֵד אָבִי. וּבְגִין כָּךְ פֶּן תְּדַבֵּר, וְלָא כְּתִיב פֶּן תַּעֲשֶׂה. וּכְתִיב יֵשׁ לְאֵל יָדִי לַעֲשׂוֹת. מִנַּיִן הֲוָה יָדַע דִּיְכֹלְתָּא הֲוָה בִּידֵיהּ. אֶלָּא כְּמָה דְאִתְּמָר אֱלֹהֵי אֲבִיכֶם אֱמֶשׁ אָמַר אֵלַי וְגו'.
It is written in regard to Balaam: “And God came unto Balaam at night” (Num. 22, 20). Similarly in regard to Laban it is written: “And God came to Laban the Aramean in a dream of the night, and said unto him: Take heed to thyself that thou speak not to Jacob either good or bad” (Gen. 31, 24). Instead of the words “that thou speak not״, we should have expected here “that thou do no evil to Jacob” But the truth is that Laban in his pursuit after Jacob did not intend to contend against him with armed force, as he was well aware that Jacob and his sons were more than a match for him, but he designed to kill him with the power of his mouth. Hence: “that thou speak not”, and not “that thou do not”. It is also written: “It is in the power of my hand to do you hurt” (Gen. 31, 29). Laban knew this from the warning given him, as he himself continued: “But the God of your father spoke to me, etc.” (Ibid.).
וְדָא הוּא סַהֲדוּתָא, דְּפָּקִּיד קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לְאַסְהָדָא. דִּכְתִיב (דברים כ״ו:ה׳) וְעָנִיתָ וְאָמַרְתָּ לִפְנֵי יְיָ אֱלֹהֶיךָ אֲרַמִּי אוֹבֵד אָבִי וְגו'. וְעָנִיתָ, כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר, (שמות כ׳:י״ג) לֹא תַעֲנֶה בְרֵעֲךָ. (דברים י״ט:י״ח) עָנָה בְאָחִיו.
And this is the very testimony which God commanded the Israelites to pronounce, as it is written: “And thou shalt testify and say before the Lord thy God: An Aramean intended to destroy my father, etc.” (Deut. 26, 5).
כְּתִיב בֵּיהּ בְּבִלְעָם (במדבר כ״ד:א׳) וְלא הָלַךְ כְפַעַם בְּפַעַם לִקְרַאת נְחָשִׁים, דְּהָכִי הוּא אָרְחֵיהּ דְּאִיהוּ הֲוָה מְנַחֵשׁ. בְּלָבָן כְּתִיב, (בראשית ל) נִחַשְׁתִּי, דְּאַשְׁגַּח בַּחֲרָשׁוֹי וּבִקְסָמוֹי בְּעִסְקָא דְיַעֲקֹב, וְכַד בָּעָא לְאוֹבָדָא לְיַעֲקֹב בִּנְחָשָׁא וּבַחֲרָשָׁא דִּילֵיהּ בָּעָא לְאוֹבָדֵיהּ, וְלָא שַׁבְקֵיהּ קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא.
Of Balaam it is further written: “and he went not as at other times, to meet enchantments” (Num. 24, 1), this being his wont, since he was an adept in divinations. Laban also said: “I have observed the signs” (Gen. 30, 27), that is to say, he tested Jacob’s fortune by means of his divinations, and when he set out to destroy him he also intended to accomplish his end by the same power of magic and sorcery, but God did not permit him.
וְהַיְינוּ דְּאָמַר בִּלְעָם בַּר בְּרֵיהּ (במדבר כ״ג:כ״ג) כִּי לֹא נַחַשׁ בְּיַעֲקֹב וְלֹא קֶסֶם בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל, מַאן יָכִיל לְהוֹן, דְּהָא סָבָאי בָּעָא לְאוֹבָדָא לַאֲבוּהוֹן בִּנְחָשִׁים וּבִקְסָמִים דִּילֵיהּ וְלָא סְלִיקָא בִּידוֹי. דְּלָא שַׁבְקֵיהּ לְלַטְיָא. הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב כִּי לֹא נַחַשׁ בְּיַעֲקֹב וְלֹא קֶסֶם בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל.
And it was in allusion to this that Balaam his grandson said: “For there is no enchantment with Jacob, neither is there any divination with Israel” (Num. 23, 23), as much as to say: “Who can prevail against them, seeing that when my grandfather sought to destroy their ancestor by means of enchantments and sorceries, he did not succeed, as he was not permitted to curse him?”
וּבְכֻלְּהוּ עֲשָׂרָה זִינֵי חֳרָשִׁין וְקוֹסְמִין דְּקוּזְטְפֵי דְּכִתְרִין תַּתָּאִין עֲבַד לָבָן לְקֳבְלֵיהּ דְּיַעֲקֹב וְלָא יָכִיל. הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב, (בראשית ל״א:מ״א) וַתַּחְלֵף אֶת מַשְׂכֻּרְתִּי עֲשֶׂרֶת מוֹנִים. דְּכֻלְּהוּ עֲבַד לָבָן לְקֳבְלֵיהּ וְלָא סְלִיקוּ בִּידוֹי לְאַבְאָשָׁא לֵיהּ, דִּכְתִיב, (בראשית ל״א:ז׳) וְהֶחלִיף אֶת מַשְׂכֻּרְתִּי עֲשֶׂרֶת מוֹנִים וְלֹא נְתָנוֹ אֱלהִים לְהָרַע עִמָּדִי. מַאי מוֹנִים, כְּתַרְגּוּם זִינִין, וּכְתִיב (ויקרא י״ז:ז׳) לַשְּׂעִירִים אֲשֶׁר הֵם זוֹנִים אַחֲרֵיהֶם. מוֹנִים, מִינִים כְּמַשְׁמָעוֹ. וַעֲשָׂרָה זִינִין אִינוּן דְּחֲרָשִׁין וְקוֹסְמִין בְּכִתְרִין תַּתָּאִין וְכֻלְּהוּ עֲבַד לְקֳבְלֵיהּ.
Laban, indeed, employed against Jacob all the ten kinds of magic and divination of the flashing of the underworld crowns, but could do him no hurt, as it is written: “and he changed my wages ten times, but God suffered him not to hurt me” (Gen. 31, 7), where the term monim (times) is akin to the term minim, signifying “kinds”.
עֲשָׂרָה זִינִין אִינוּן, דִּכְתִיב, (דברים י״ח:י׳-י״א) קוֹסֵם קְסָמִים מְעוֹנִן וּמְנַחֵשׁ וּמְכַשֵּׁף וְחוֹבֵר חָבֶר וְשׁוֹאֵל אוֹב וְיִדְעוֹנִי וְדוִֹרִשׁ אֶל הַמֵּתִים, הָא עֲשָׂרָה אִינוּן.
These ten kinds of witchcraft are alluded to in the verse saying: “There shall not be found among you… one that useth divination, a soothsayer, or an enchanter, or a sorcerer, or a charmer, or one that consulteth a ghost or a familiar spirit, or a necromancer” (Deut. 18, 10-11).
אָמַר רִבִּי יוֹסֵי נַחַשׁ וְקֶסֶם, תְּרֵי זִינֵי אִינוּן, וּבְדַרְגָּא חַד סָלְקִין. וְכַד אֲתָא בִּלְעָם בְּקֶסֶם עֲבַד לְקִבְלֵיהוֹן דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל. וְהַיְינוּ דִכְתִיב, (במדבר כ״ב:ז׳) וּקְסָמִים בְּיָדָם. וּלְקֳבְלֵיהּ דְּיַעֲקֹב אֲתָא לָבָן בְּנַחַשׁ, הַאי וְהַאי לָא סְלִיקוּ בִּידַיְיהוּ הֲדָא הוּא דִּכְתִיב, (שם כג) כִּי לא נַחַשׁ בְּיַעֲקֹב וְלא קֶסֶם בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל. כִּי לא נַחַשׁ בְּיַעֲקֹב בְּקַדְמִיתָא בְּיוֹמוֹי דְלָבָן. וְלא קֶסֶם בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל לְבָתַר בְּיוֹמוֹי דְבִלְעָם.
R. Jose said: ‘Divination and enchantment are two different arts of the same potency. Balaam made use of divination against Israel, as it says: “with divinations in their hand” (Num. 22, 7). Laban, on the other hand, used enchantments against Jacob, but neither of them succeeded. Hence Balaam said: “For there is no enchantment with Jacob, neither is there any divination with Israel” (Ibid. 23, 23), the first half of the verse alluding to the days of Laban, the other half to the time of Balaam himself.
אָמַר בִּלְעָם לְבָלָק, תָּא חֲזֵי, מַאן יָכִיל לְהוֹן. דְּכָל קְסָמִין וַחֲרָשִׁין דִּבְכִתְרִין דִּילָן, מִקִּיזְפָא דְמַלְכוּתָא דִּלְעֵילָא (ותתא) מִתְעַטְּרָן (דהא), וְהוּא אִתְקַשַּׁר בְּהוּ, דִּכְתִיב יְיָ אֱלהָיו עִמּוֹ וּתְרוּעַת מֶלֶךְ בּוֹ.
Balaam said in effect to Balak: “How can anyone prevail against them, seeing that all the divinations and sorceries residing in our crowns derive their potency from the flashing of the supernal sovereignty, which is attached to them, as it is written: ‘The Lord his God is with them, and the shouting for the King is among them” (Ibid. 21).’
אָמַר רִבִּי יְהוּדָה חַס וְשָׁלוֹם דְהֲוָה יָדַע בִּלְעָם בִּקְדוּשָׁה דִלְעֵילָא כְּלָל. דְּהָא קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לָא אִתְרָעֵי בְּעַם וְלִישָׁן אָחֳרָא דְּיִשְׁתַּמֵּשׁ בִּיקָרֵיהּ, אֶלָּא בְּנוֹי קַדִּישִׁין. וְאָמַר (ויקרא י״א:מ״ד) וְהִתְקַדִּשְׁתֶּם וִהְיִיתֶם קְדוֹשִׁים, מַאן דְּאִינוּן קַדִּישִׁין יִשְׁתַּמְשׁוּן בִּקְדוּשָּׁה, יִשְׂרָאֵל אִינוּן קַדִּישִׁין דִּכְתִיב, (דברים י״ד:ב׳) כִּי עַם קָדוֹשׁ אַתָּה. אַתָּה קָדוֹשׁ וְלָא עַם אָחֳרָא.
R. Judah said: ‘Far be it from us to imagine that Balaam knew aught of the supernal sanctity, seeing that God did not choose any people or tongue to make use of His glory save His holy children, to whom he said: “sanctify yourselves therefore, and be ye holy” (Lev. 11, 44). Only those who are themselves holy are permitted to make use of holy things; and it is only Israel who are holy, as it is written: “For thou art a holy people” (Deut. 14, 2), that is, thou alone art holy, but no other people.
מַאן דְּאִינוּן מְסָאֲבִין, מְסָאֲבוּ אִזְדַּמַּן לוֹן לְאִסְתָּאֲבָא עֲלֵיהּ. כְּתִיב, (ויקרא י״ג:מ״ו) טָמֵא הוּא בָּדָד יֵשֵׁב מִחוּץ לַמַּחֲנֶה מוֹשָׁבוֹ. וּמְסָאֲבָא לִמְסָאֲבָא קָרֵי דִּכְתִיב, (שם) וְטָמֵא טָמֵא יִקְרָא, מַאן דְּאִיהוּ טָמֵא, לְטָמֵא יִקְרָא, כֹּלָא אָזִיל בָּתַר זִינֵיהּ.
Contrariwise, those who are impure are brought into contact with impurity and become more impure, and of such it is written: “he is unclean; he shall dwell alone; without the camp shall his dwelling be” (Lev. 13, 46); for impurity calls unto impurity, as it says: “and he shall cry unclean, unclean” (Ibid. 45), where the text admits of the rendering, “and unclean calls to unclean”, that is, seeks out its own kind.’
אָמַר רִבִּי יִצְחָק, יָאוֹת הוּא לְיַעֲקֹב דְּהֲוָה קַדִּישָׁא לוֹמַר דְּאִסְתָּאַב בְּלָבָן וּבַחֲרָשׁוֹי, אוֹ שְׁבָחָא הוּא דִילֵיהּ. אָמַר לֵיהּ רִבִּי יוֹסֵי, אַף עַל גַּב דְּקָאֲמַר רַבִּי יְהוּדָה, אֲנָא מְסַיֵּיעַ לָךְ. דְּהָא כְּתִיב, (בראשית כ״ז:י״ט) אָנֹכִי עֵשָׂו בְּכוֹרֶךָ. וְכִי יָאוֹת הוּא לְצַדִּיקָא כְּיַעֲקֹב לְמִחְלַף שְׁמֵיהּ בִּשְׁמָא דִּמְסָאֲבָא, אֶלָּא אָנֹכִי, פָּסְקָא טַעְמָא. וְאָמַר אָנֹכִי מַאן דְּאֲנָא, אֲבָל עֵשָׂו בְּכוֹרֶךָ וְהָא אוּקְמוּהָ.
R. Isaac said: ‘Was it becoming for a holy man like Jacob to admit that he had contaminated himself with Laban and his enchantments? Was this anything to his credit?’ R. Jose said to him: ‘Although R. Judah has given an explanation, I agree with you that we should seek another. For we find a somewhat similar difficulty in Jacob’s words: “I am Esau thy first-born” (Gen. 27, 19), where also we may ask: “Was it becoming for a righteous man like Jacob to assume the name of the impure Esau?” I will answer both these difficulties. There is a tonal pause after the word “I-am” (anokhi) in this passage, so that what Jacob really said was: “I am (who I am, but) Esau (is) thy first-born”, as already explained elsewhere.
אוּף הָכָא, וַיְהִי לִי שׁוֹר וַחֲמוֹר, לוֹמַר לָא תְשַׁוֵּי לִבָּךְ וּרְעוּתָךְ לְהַהִיא בִּרְכָתָא דְּבָרִיךְ לִי אַבָּא דְּאִתְקְיַּים בִּי. הוּא בָּרִיךְ לִי הֱוִה גְבִיר לְאַחֶיךָ וְיִשְׁתַּחֲווּ לְךָ בְּנֵי אִמֶּךָ, בְּגִין כָּךְ עַבְדְּךָ יַעֲקֹב. לַאדֹנִי לְעֵשָׂו. הוּא בָּרִיךְ לִי בְּרוֹב דָּגָן וְתִירוֹשׁ. הָא לָא אִתְקְיַּים בִּי, דְלָא אוֹצַרְנָא לוֹן. אֶלָּא, וַיְהִי לִי שׁוֹר וַחֲמוֹר צֹאן וְעֶבֶד, רָעֵי עָנָא בְּחַקְלָא. הוּא בָּרִיךְ לִי, מִטַּל הַשָּׁמַיִם וּמִשְׁמַנֵּי הָאָרֶץ. הָא לָא אִתְקְיַּים בִּי, בְּגִין דְּהָא עִם לָבָן גַּרְתִּי, כְּגִיּוֹרָא. דְּלָא הֲוָה לִי בֵּיתָא חָדָא כָּל שֶׁכֵּן מִשְׁמַנֵּי הָאָרֶץ. וְכָל דָּא בְּגִין דְּלָא יִסְתַּכַּל בֵּיהּ בְּיַעֲקֹב עַל אִינוּן בִּרְכָאן וִיקַטְרֵג עִמֵּיהּ.
Similarly here Jacob meant to say: “Do not pay any regard to the blessing which my father gave, nor imagine that it has been fulfilled in me. For he blessed me saying, ‘be lord over thy brethren’, whereas of a truth ‘I am thy servant Jacob, to my lord Esau’. Again, he blessed me with ‘plenty of corn and wine’, but I have no stock of these, but ‘oxen, and asses and flocks’, and am only a shepherd in the field. Of the blessing ‘of the dew of heaven, and of the fat places of the earth’, nothing has been fulfilled in me, seeing that ‘I have sojourned with Laban’, being merely a sojourner, without so much as a house that I can call my own, let alone the fatness of the earth.” The whole of Jacob’s message was thus calculated to divert Esau’s regard from those blessings, so that he should not quarrel with him over them.’
רִבִּי אַבָּא אָמַר כְּתִיב בֵּיהּ בְּיַעֲקֹב (בראשית כ״ה:כ״ז) אִישׁ תָּם יוֹשֵׁב אֹהָלִים, גְּבַר שְׁלִים. בְּגִין דְּאִיהוּ יְתִיב בִּתְרֵין מִשְׁכָּנִין עִלָּאִין. וְאַשְׁלִים לְהַאי גִיסָא וּלְהַאי גִיסָא, וְאִיהוּ לָא אָמַר דְּאִסְתָּאַב בַּחֲרָשׁוֹי. אֲבָל עַל מַה דְּקָאֲמַר רִבִּי יְהוּדָה, בְּגִין דְּלִבּוֹי שְׁלִים עַל טִיבוּ וּקְשׁוֹט דְּעֲבִיד לֵיהּ קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא. דְּכָל עַלְמָא יָדְעֵי עוֹבָדוֹי דְלָבָן מַאן אִינוּן, וּמַאן יָכִיל לְאִשְׁתְּזָבָא (ס"א מניה, כל עשרין שנין דהויתי עמיה) מִקִּטְרוּגָא דִילֵיהּ דְּבָעֵי לְאוֹבָדָא לִי. (ס"א ואנא יתיבנא ועבדנא עמיה עשרין שנין) וְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא שֵׁזְבַנִי מִנֵּיהּ. וְכֹלָּא הֲוָה בְּגִין דְּלָא יִסְתַּכַּל בֵּיהּ עֵשָׂו דְּאִתְקַיְּימוּ בֵּיהּ אִינוּן בִּרְכָאן, וְלָא יִנְטַר לֵיהּ דְּבָבוּ. וְעַל דָּא כְּתִיב, (הושע י״ד:י׳) כִּי יְשָׁרִים דַּרְכֵי יְיָ וְגו', וּכְתִיב, (דברים י״ח:י״ג) תָּמִים תִּהְיֶה עִם יְיָ אֱלֹהֶיךָ:
R. Abba said: ‘It is written of Jacob that he was “a perfect man, dwelling in tents” (Gen. 25, 27). The designation “perfect man” was given him because he resided in the two supernal Tabernacles and embodied in himself both this side and that side, and thus was made complete. His language must not be construed into an admission that he had contaminated himself with the enchantments of Laban, and, with all due respect to R. Judah, his heart was pure and full of thankfulness for the kindness and the truth that God had shown him. Thus Jacob’s message to Esau amounted to saying: “Everyone knows what kind of a man Laban is, and that no one can escape him. Yet I stayed with him twenty years, and though he contended with me and sought to destroy me, yet God delivered me from his hand.” Jacob’s purpose in all his words was to prevent Esau from thinking that the blessings had been fulfilled, and so from nursing a grudge against himself. Regarding such conduct Scripture says: “For the ways of the Lord are right, etc.” (Hos. 14, 10), also: “Thou shalt be whole-hearted with the Lord thy God” (Deut. 18, 13).’