Midrash Vayesu

"And G-d said to Jacob: Arise and go up to Bet E-l and dwell there.... And they journeyed, and the terror of G-d was upon the cities that were around them and they did not chase after the sons of Jacob" ( Gen . 35)

It is written "And [Esau] went to another land from before Jacob his brother." Our rabbis said, certainly Esau removed his armaments from before Jacob and went. Not that he removed jealousy from his heart, but "his anger burns forever and his wrath is eternal." Even though he went away at the time, afterwards he fell upon him to do battle. That was the year Leah died and Jacob and his sons were mourning, and his sons were taking some little comfort. Esau fell upon them with a large army, ready for war, garbed in armor and bronze and armed with shields and bows and spears and they surrounded the city where Jacob and his sons were sitting calmly, never thinking someone would come upon them to make war, and they did not realize it until the army was adjacent to the city. Other than Jacob and his sons, there were 200 of their servants there. When Jacob saw Esau being brazen enough to make war with them and kill them inside the city, Jacob stood on the city wall and spoke words of peace and friendship and brotherhood to his brother Esau, but Esau did not accept them.

Judah immediately answered Jacob his father: "How long will you spend talking to him about conciliation and love, when he has come upon us as an enemy, wearing armor, to kill us?"

When he heard this, he readied his bow and killed Aduram the Edomite, and again readied his bow and hit Esau.

And Judah and his brothers began killing them and the dead fell to the ground as the harvester throws his crops and sheaves. They were brought down in stacks and stacks. The 600 fighters who were left fled. The next day the sons of Jacob took off and pursued them and besieged them at Mt. Seir, in Maale Akrabim. The sons of Esau and all those who fled came out and fell before the sons of Jacob and bowed down before them and begged until they made peace with them and made them into vassals.

(Translated from Sulam #9, Tevet 5710)



	HOME ELDAD Dr. Israel Eldad Parshat Pekude by Dr. Eldad Parshat Chukat by Dr. Eldad Parshat Va'ayrah by Dr. Eldad Parshat Vayishlach by Dr. Eldad Introduction to the Book of Shmot by Dr. Eldad E-mail: info@saveisrael.com Contact Information: Save Israel P.O. Box 1901 Bensalem, PA 19020			Midrash Vayesu by Dr. IsraelEldad Jacob's Sons in the "Second Round" "And G-d said to Jacob: Arise and go up to Bet E-l and dwell there.... And they journeyed, and the terror of G-d was upon the cities that were around them and they did not chase after the sons of Jacob" ( Gen . 35) It is written "And [Esau] went to another land from before Jacob his brother." Our rabbis said, certainly Esau removed his armaments from before Jacob and went. Not that he removed jealousy from his heart, but "his anger burns forever and his wrath is eternal." Even though he went away at the time, afterwards he fell upon him to do battle. That was the year Leah died and Jacob and his sons were mourning, and his sons were taking some little comfort. Esau fell upon them with a large army, ready for war, garbed in armor and bronze and armed with shields and bows and spears and they surrounded the city where Jacob and his sons were sitting calmly, never thinking someone would come upon them to make war, and they did not realize it until the army was adjacent to the city. Other than Jacob and his sons, there were 200 of their servants there. When Jacob saw Esau being brazen enough to make war with them and kill them inside the city, Jacob stood on the city wall and spoke words of peace and friendship and brotherhood to his brother Esau, but Esau did not accept them. Judah immediately answered Jacob his father: "How long will you spend talking to him about conciliation and love, when he has come upon us as an enemy, wearing armor, to kill us?" When he heard this, he readied his bow and killed Aduram the Edomite, and again readied his bow and hit Esau. And Judah and his brothers began killing them and the dead fell to the ground as the harvester throws his crops and sheaves. They were brought down in stacks and stacks. The 600 fighters who were left fled. The next day the sons of Jacob took off and pursued them and besieged them at Mt. Seir, in Maale Akrabim. The sons of Esau and all those who fled came out and fell before the sons of Jacob and bowed down before them and begged until they made peace with them and made them into vassals. (Translated from Sulam #9, Tevet 5710)