Vayetze 5765
Our Parasha opens up telling us how Yaakov Aveenu departed from Beer Sheva. "Vayetze Yaakov MeBeer Sheva". Rashi comments on the word ‘Vayetze’, that the Torah goes out of its way to say that he departed in order to teach us "Yitziat Tzadik Min Hamakon Ose Roshem", that when a Tzadik leaves a place, he leaves an impression. It means that he leaves a void. So long as a Tzadik is in the town, he is the glory of the town, and the splendor of the town, and the light of the town. But when he leaves, all of that goes with him. So the Torah is going out of its way, to say that he left, which meant that it was clear that that the town was not the same at the time of the departure of Yaakov.
Chachamim ask, why does Rashi find it necessary to point out this concept now by Yaakov Aveenu? Was he the first Tzadik to ever leave the city? Avraham traveled many times in his life from city to city. Yitzchak Aveenu also traveled from city to city. So why then does Rashi tell it to us by Yaakov Aveenu, that the void was felt when he left?
The Chachamim explain to us that the roles of Avraham, Yitzchak, and Yaakov, were quite different. Avraham and Yitzchak were both involved in what we might call missionary work. They went to the people, and gave classes, explained to them about G-d, and taught them the seven Mitzvot of Bnei Noach. They were very public figures, and therefore it was obvious, and goes without saying, that when Avraham or Yitzchak left a city, there was a void, and that you would have felt something lacking. However, Yaakov was very private. Yaakov sat in the tent. He sat in the Yeshiva, in the Midrash all day long. He wasn’t as involved outwardly with the people as his grandfather and father was. He sat and learned Torah by himself. So you might not think that when such a Tzadik left the city, that a void would fill the city, because even when he was there, nothing was felt. He stayed within the four walls of the Bet Midrash. You might think G-d forbid, that he wasn’t doing anything when he was there. So then certainly when he leaves, there would be no loss.
So Rashi is coming to say specifically by Yaakov, that the city was not the same when he left, even though you might not have appreciated or realized the Kidusha (holiness) that he was dispensing into the community while he was there just staying within the four walls learning by himself. The glory, the splendor, and the light of the city definitely diminished. And it should be pointed out that when Yaakov left, he left behind Tazadikim. Yitzchak was still in the city. Rivka his mother was still in the city. But we can not compare three Tzadikim in the city to when you have two Tzadikim in the city. Which means, the Kedusha was lowered just because we didn’t have Yaakov sitting in the Yeshiva studying and learning.
We learn a great lesson from this. Many times we take for granted the important contribution that Rabbinical students have by sitting, and learning the Torah of Hashem. Certainly we are impressed by those students who go out and have a public posture, who teach and influence and guide and advise, and they should be commended. But there is something to say also about those students that are sitting within the four walls of the Yeshiva, that they are also creating a great influence and source of blessing to the community around tem. And yes indeed, when they leave, even to move to a different city, the city they are departing from will not be the same even thought you didn’t know that they were there in the first place.
That’s the lesson of Rashi, "Yitziat Tzadik Min Hamakon Ose Roshem".
