Rabbi Mansour 2010

Shabbat Morning Class

פרשת בהר בחקתי

The Pasuk says " וזכרתי את בריתי יעקוב "-"I will remember my covenant with

Yaakob". Hashem says that he will remember his promise to Yaakob and redeem his

children. Rashi comments that this Pasuk is one of five places in the Tanach that

Yaakob’s name is spelled יעקוב with a ' ו (as opposed to יעקב without a ' ו). There is also

five places in the Tanach that Eliyahu Hanavi’s name is spelled אליה , missing the ' ו (as

opposed to אליהו with a ' ו). Rashi explains that the reason why there are five Yaakob’s

spelled with a Vav and five Eliyahu’s spelled without, is because Yaakob "took" these

five Vavs from Eliyahu as a security, to guarantee that Eliyahu will come and herald the

Mashiach for the Jewish people.

Why was only Yaakob Avinu the one to be concerned with the final redemption

and take security from Eliyahu Hanavi? What about the other Avot and Tzadikim? We

also need to understand; why did Yaakov take five Vavs from Eliyahu as security?

Wouldn’t just one Vav have been enough? Also, why specifically the Vav? Why not a

different letter? Finally, why was a security necessary altogether? One only takes

security from someone who he is concerned will not deliver. What was Yaakob so

afraid of that he needed to take a security from Eliyahu, as if to imply that he needed a

guarantee because he didn’t trust him?!

The three Batei Hamikdash (the first two and the future third) correspond to our

three forefathers. The first Bet Hamikdash for Avraham, the second for Yishak, and the

third for Yaakob. Avraham’s Bet Hamikdash was compared to a הר (mountain),

Yishak’s was compared to a שדה (field), and Yaakob’s is compared to a בית (house)

which is the most permanent of the three, since the third Bet Hamikdash will never be

destroyed.

This answers the first question. Yaakob was the one to be concerned with the

final redemption because that is when the third Bet Hamikdash – the Bet Hamikdash of

Yaakob- will be built. This will be heralded by Eliyahu. Yaakob was insuring that this

will take place. In addition, the Zohar explains that Yaakob Avinu was present to

witness the first redemption from Egypt as the Pasuk says; "וירא ישראל את מצרים מת על

שפת הים" -"Israel saw the Egyptians dead on the seashore". If the Pasuk was referring

to the Jews, the Pasuk should have said ויראו (they saw) in plural instead of the

singular term וירא (he saw). It says וירא , because it is referring to Yaakob Avinu, who is

called Yisrael ( מלשון שר -prince) when discussing such great moments, as opposed to

Yaakob ( מלשון עקב -heel) when normally discussing Yaakob. Yaakob greeted the Jews

as they crossed the Yam Suf and were freed from the Egyptians. The Zohar says that

the same "old man" who was present then, will be present again at the final Geulah.

אחרית כראשית -the later redemption will be like the earlier one in that Yaakob Avinu will

be there. This is why it was Yaakob who was concerned with guaranteeing our

redemption from exile.

Why five Vav’s? Today in the exile, Hashem’s name is "incomplete". The Pasuk

says " כי יד על כס י -ה מלחמה לה' בעמלק "-"for there is a hand on the throne of Hashem,

Hashem maintains a war against Amalek". Hazal explain that in the exile, when we are

still at war with Amalek, Hashem’s name is: י-ה (as the Pasuk says על כס י-ה ). In the

future when Mashiach comes, and Amalek is defeated the ו -ה will be added and

Hashem’s name will be complete ( י-ה-ו -ה ) . Our goal today is to complete Hashem’s

name by bringing the Mashiach. We say in the Kadish " -"יתגדל ויתקדש שמיה רבא

"Exalted and sanctified be his great name". The word שמיה (his name) can be broken

up to be read: שם-י-ה (The name י-ה ). We are asking that Hashem’s name - which is

currently only י-ה - should be; יתגדל -made great and lengthened into י-ה-ו -ה with the

coming of the Mashiach.

The Baal Shem Tov explains that the great Tsadikim were concerned with

"completing" the name of Hashem, and their service was done with that intention. This

should also be all of our intentions- to complete Hashem’s name with the adding of .ו-ה

This is hinted to in the Pasuk: " ימלא ה' כל משאלותיך "-literally "May Hashem fill all your

requests". This Pasuk can be divided to read: ימלא ה'- כל משאלותיך to complete

Hashem’s name ( כל משאלותך - ,(מלשון מלא , that should be all your requests and

desires! We await the Mashiach and the ו -ה being added to Hashem’s name. This

explains why Yaakob took five Vavs since ו-ה is five Vavs! (' ה equals five, thus ו -ה is

the letter Vav five times). Yaakob chose five Vav’s as the guarantee from Eliyahu,

because this is the result of the Geulah that Eliyahu will announce!

In addition, on Pesah night we drink four cups of wine. The four cups correspond

to the four terms of redemption that is written in the Pesukim; , והוצאתי, והצלתי, וגאלתי

ולקחתי (I shall take you out, rescue you, redeem you, and take you). We have a

custom to pour a fifth cup of wine and leave it on the table for Eliyahu Hanavi. Where

does this custom come from? One reason given is that on every Mosei Shabbat,

Eliyahu Hanavi would visit the Baal Shem Tov and wish him a Shavua Tov. One time

however, Eliyahu walked into the room of the Baal Shem Tov and left immediately

without wishing him a Shavua Tov. The Baal Shem Tov’s students asked him; why did

Eliyahu left so fast?! The Baal Shem Tov explained that he (Baal Shem Tov) had

reached such a high level and-on this occasion- did not control and conceal it before

Eliyahu came. The holiness was too much even for Eliyahu and he had to run out! On

Pesah night, Hashem lifts us to the highest level- the 50th level! On that night, we

become so holy that even Eliyahu is "afraid" to approach us. The Gemarah advises

that for fear, one should drink wine to calm himself. We give some wine to Eliyahu to

"calm him" from the sudden fright of walking in to our homes and seeing us on such a

lofty level!

Another reason for the cup of Eliyahu is that it represents a fifth term of

redemption, and that is והבאתי - i will bring you (into Israel) because, what good is the

redemption if we don’t have a place to go?! The fifth cup of Eliyahu corresponds to

והבאתי , because Eliyahu is the one who will herald the coming of the Mashiach, and

bring all the Jews into Israel. The word והבאתי is numerically 424 which is the same

numerical value as משיח בן דוד . It is also the same numerical value as the word ,כדת

which is the name that the Mashiach will wear on his forehead (this name is hinted to

in the Megilat Esther that says כדת מה לעשות ). This is why Yaakov took five Vavs from

Eliyahu, because Eliyahu represented והבאתי - the fifth term of redemption, the fifth

cup of wine, and the final Geulah.

The שפתי חכמים explains that Yaakov took five Vavs as if to make Eliyahu swear

on the five books of the Torah that he will redeem the people. The Targum Yonatan

ben Uziel brings an explanation regarding the coverings that were made for the

Mishkan. One of the coverings was an eleven section long covering that was six

sections connected to another five sections. The Targum explains, that the reason why

it was broken up into six and five is because, the six stands for the ששה סדרי משנה (the

six books of the Mishnah- the oral Torah) and the section of five represent the five

books of the תורה שבכתב (the written Torah). From here we see six and five

representing the two parts of the Torah- the written and oral.

The Torah is crucial to our redemption from the exile. The אור החיים הקדוש

explains that the four exiles (Bavel, Paras, Yavan, Edom) correspond to the four

Sadikim- Avraham, Yishak, Yaakov, and Moshe. We are currently in Galut Edom which

is the exile corresponding to Moshe Rabeinu. Moshe does not want to redeem a nation

of בטלנים (idle people who waste time)! The only way Moshe will advocate our

redemption is if we apply ourselves to the study of Torah- the five books of the written

and the six books of the oral. (The fact that the Torah is our key to the redemption is

hinted to in the Pasuk that describes the Geulah " ציון במשפט תפדה ושביה בצדקה "-"Zion

will be redeemed through justice and its returnees through righteousness’’. The

numerical value ציון במפט תפדה is 1076 which is the same Gematriyah as: תלמוד

ירושלמי , and ושביה בצדקה equals 524 – exactly the same as תלמוד בבלי . The redemption

is dependent on our immersing ourselves in Torah study! [This Gematriyah is from R'

Moshe Chaim Sonnenfeld, and when he showed it to the Brisker Rav, the Rav first

checked the calculation then exclaimed; "even though i do not normally get excited

from Gematriyot - this one is definitely said with Ruach Hakodesh!!] )

This is another reason why Yaakov chose to take five Vav’s, since ' ה is five and ' ו

is six to show us that through the five and six books of the Torah שבכתב ובעל פה , we

will merit to be redeemed from the exile. This is also alluded to in the Pasuk itself that

we started with ( וזכרתי את בריתי יעקוב ). There are exactly five Vav’s in that Pasuk: וזכרתי

את בריתי יעקוב ואף את בריתי יצחק ואף את בריתי אברהם אזכר והארץ אזכר . These Hint to the

five Vav’s take by Yaakob.

The Pasuk of ויושע as mentioned, describes Yaakov greeting the Jews upon their

exit from the first exile of Egypt. In this Parasha as well, there are five verbs that begins

with Vav ( ויושע, וירא, וירא, ויראו, ויאמינו ) signifying the five Vavs and the Torah that will

redeem us from the Galut.

There is another important function that the 6 and 5 books of the Torah serve.

That is to help us endure the Galut. There are so many things that divert us, and all

types of distractions and addictions that one may succumb to. The Torah is what gives

us the clarity and fortitude that protects us from the influences. The Torah is the key to

our making it to the end of our exile. With this idea the Sar Shalom (original Belzer

Rebbe) explained the prayer that some have the custom to recite on Friday night. It

says " שתרחמני עוד בגלותי לגאלני "-"have mercy on me while in the Galut to redeem me."

The Sar Shalom asked: why doesn’t it say "have mercy to redeem me from the Galut"

why does it say: while in Galut to redeem me?? He answers that the prayer is referring

to be redeemed from the problems and pitfalls of the current Galut in order to endure

and survive to see the final redemption of the exile! We need to be redeemed in order

to make it to the redemption!

This explains why Yaakob needed to take the five Vavs as security from Eliyahu.

It wasn’t that he was afraid Eliyahu wouldn’t fulfill his duty, It’s because Yaakob wanted

to take something to help us make it through the Galut, and that was the Torah- which

is represented by the ' ו and ' ה. These six and five books are what we need to keep us

on track for the Geulah!

There is another reason given as to why Yaakov chose to take specifically the

Vav from Eliyahu, and that is from the בעל מגלה עמוקות , who explains that when

Yaakov’s brother Eisav was born he came out "done" and complete (with hair, teeth,

nails, etc…). For this reason they called him עשו which is like the word עשוי -done. The

question is, why not call him עשוי ? Why did they choose עשו -without the ' י of עשוי ? He

answers, that when they were born, Yaakov "grabbed" the ' י away from Eisav and took

it for himself. This is hinted to in the name of Yaakov. He was called יעקב , because

when he came out of the womb, he was holding on to the עקב -heel of Eisav. Shouldn’t

he have been called עקב ? Why יעקב with a ' י? This shows us that Yaakov had taken the

י' from עשו for himself and turned his name into יעקב . The words of the Pasuk show this

to us. It says " וידו אחזת בעקב עשו "-"his hand was grabbing the heel of Eisav". The word

וידו -his hand, can also be read ויודו (his Yud) -he was grabbing the ' י from the heel of

עשו , the heel is the end-and the end (the last letter) of עשוי is the ' י. Showing that

Yaakov had taken the end of the name of עשו and kept the ' י for himself to be called

.יעקב

When Mashiach comes the Vav will be taken from עשו , leaving him only with the

letters עש .עש means to "fall apart" or "dissipate". At the time of the redemption the ' ו of

עשו will be taken, destroying the wicked Eisav. This is why Yaakov chose the Vav as

collateral. He was telling Eliyahu: "when you take the Vav from עשו I will give you your

Vav’s back!

At the time of Mashiach the Vav from Eisav will merge with the Yud of יעקב . (The

combination of these two letters ' ו and ' י have great significance. They represent the

Geulah. On Shabbat we have a slight feeling of the Geulah, for this reason we often

see on Shabbat this combination of ' [ויכלו, ויכל, וישבת, ויברך, ויקדש])..וי

How wondrous are the words of Rashi Hakadosh?! In just a few words he was

hinting to all these concepts and ideas that apply to us now, and will occur in the time

of Mashiach! May we be Zocheh to see Eliyahu Hanavi and the Mashiach speedily in

our time Amen.