## Or HaChaim on Genesis Chapter 33

###### Or HaChaim on Genesis 33:9:1
[Or HaChaim on Genesis 33:9:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Genesis/r/33:9:1)

**וַיֹּאמֶר עֵשָׂו יֶשׁ לִי וְגוֹ׳.** צָרִיךְ לָדַעַת לָמָּה הֻצְרַךְ לוֹמַר **אָחִי** אַחַר שֶׁעִמּוֹ הָיָה מְדַבֵּר, וְעוֹד הָיָה לוֹ לְהַקְדִּימָהּ בִּתְחִלַּת הַדִּבּוּר לֹא בְּאֶמְצַע הַדְּבָרִים.

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
**ויאמר עשו יש לי רב אחי, Esau said: "I have plenty my brother."** Why did Esau have to add the word "my brother" at this point? After all, who else was Esau speaking to? Besides, he should have used the word as an address at the beginning of the sentence, not as an afterthought.


###### Or HaChaim on Genesis 33:9:2
[Or HaChaim on Genesis 33:9:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Genesis/r/33:9:2)

**אָכֵן** כַּוָּנַת עֵשָׂו הוּא עַל זֶה הַדֶּרֶךְ: אִם לְצַד הֲנָאָתִי אַתָּה מְכַוֵּן – **יֶשׁ לִי רָב** וְאֵינִי צָרִיךְ לָזֶה, וְאִם לַהֲנָאַת עַצְמְךָ אַתָּה מְכַוֵּן כְּדֵי שֶׁיִּתְקָרֵב לִבִּי אֵלֶיךָ, כְּמוֹ שֶׁגִּלָּה בְּאָמְרוֹ ״לִמְצוֹא חֵן״ – **אָחִי יְהִי לְךָ** וְגוֹ׳, פֵּרוּשׁ, לֹא יוּכַּר אַהֲבָתִי אוֹתְךָ שֶׁהִיא לְצַד הָאַחְוָה אֶלָּא אִם תַּחְזִיר מִנְחָתְךָ, שֶׁזּוּלַת זֶה יֵרָאֶה כִּי מַה שֶׁאֲנִי מִתְנַהֵג עִמְּךָ בְּאַחְוָה אֵינוֹ אֶלָּא לְצַד הַמִּנְחָה, וְזֶה הוּא שִׁיעוּר הַכָּתוּב, **אָחִי**, פֵּרוּשׁ, תִּהְיֶה נִכָּר שֶׁאֲנִי מַחְזִיק אוֹתְךָ בְּאָחִי אִם יִהְיֶה לְךָ וְגוֹ׳:

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
Actually, Esau meant to tell Jacob that if his intention in sending him the gift was to simply let him enjoy the animals, he had plenty himself and was in no need of them. If, on the other hand, Jacob gave him the gift in order to benefit thereby personally as he had already indicated when he said: "in order to find favour in my master's eyes," אחי יהי לך, "keep it my brother." He indicated that if he was favourably disposed towards Jacob it was because he was his brother not because of the gift. His own brotherliness could only be proved if he insisted that Jacob take back the gift. Otherwise his brotherliness would be interpreted by others as self-interest.


###### Or HaChaim on Genesis 33:9:3
[Or HaChaim on Genesis 33:9:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Genesis/r/33:9:3)

**אַל נָא אִם נָא מָצָאתִי וְגוֹ׳.** צָרִיךְ לָדַעַת לָמָּה הֶאֱרִיךְ לוֹמַר **נָא** שְׁתֵּי פְּעָמִים?

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
**אל נא, אם נא מצאתי חן בעיניך. "No please; if I have found favour in your eyes, etc."** Why did Jacob repeat the word נא, please, in this verse?


###### Or HaChaim on Genesis 33:9:4
[Or HaChaim on Genesis 33:9:4](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Genesis/r/33:9:4)

**אָכֵן** כַּוָּנַת הַכָּתוּב הוּא עַל זֶה הַדֶּרֶךְ, כִּי בָּא לְהָשִׁיב שֶׁדְּבָרָיו אֱמֶת הֵם, שֶׁיּוֹתֵר יֻכַּר מִדַּת אַחְוָה אִם לֹא יִקַּח מִמֶּנּוּ דָּבָר. אֲבָל אֵימָתַי הָיָה הַדָּבָר כֵּן? קוֹדֶם שֶׁהֵבִיא, אַךְ לֹא עַתָּה אַחַר שֶׁהֵבִיא לוֹ הַמִּנְחָה אֵין רָאוּי לְהַחְזִירָהּ לוֹ. וְהוּא אָמְרוֹ **אַל נָא**, פֵּרוּשׁ: עַתָּה אַחַר שֶׁהֵבֵאתִי לְךָ הַמִּנְחָה, אִם נָא מָצָאתִי חֵן וַאֲהַבְתַּנִי כְּאָח לְאָחִיו, תּוֹסִיף לַעֲשׂוֹת עִמִּי חֶסֶד שֶׁתִּקַּח מִנְחָתִי מִיָּדִי. וְלָזֶה דִּקְדֵּק לוֹמַר **וְלָקַחְתָּ** בְּתוֹסֶפֶת וָא״ו. וְאָמְרוֹ **כִּי עַל כֵּן**, פֵּרוּשׁ: שֶׁתִּהְיֶה אֹפֶן הַמִּנְחָה לֹא לְהִתְנַהֵג עִמִּי בְּאַחְוָה אֶלָּא כְּמִשְׁפַּט הַמְקַבְּלִים פְּנֵי הַגְּדוֹלִים שֶׁלֹּא יֵרָאוּ פְנֵיהֶם רֵיקָם, וְלָזֶה צָרִיךְ לְהִתְרַצּוֹת לָקַחַת מִנְחָתִי, שֶׁזּוּלַת זֶה יַגִּיד הַפְכִיּוּת הָרָצוֹן וְהַחִבָּה:

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
The verse should be understood thus. Jacob agreed with Esau that his brotherliness would indeed be recognised better if he did not accept the gift. Such an argument was valid only if it had been made **before** Esau had already received the gift. Now that Esau had received the gift, it would be most inappropriate to return it; The first אל נא refers to Esau returning the gift. Jacob pleaded with Esau that if he indeed wanted to demonstrate his brotherliness he should do so by keeping the gift. He underlined his argument by saying: ולקחת, "and you have already accepted it." Jacob went on to say כי על כן וג׳, "the nature of this gift is not in order that you should demonstrate brotherliness but rather you should accept what is befitting when one visits high ranking individuals. One does not appear before such individuals empty-handed." Therefore, Jacob said, you can only demonstrate your goodwill towards me by keeping the gift; should you fail to do so you would shame me.


###### Or HaChaim on Genesis 33:9:5
[Or HaChaim on Genesis 33:9:5](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Genesis/r/33:9:5)

**וְאִם** לַחֲשָׁשַׁת שֶׁלֹּא יַמְעִיט מֵהוֹנוֹ שֶׁל יַעֲקֹב, לָזֶה אָמַר כִּי ״חַנַּנִי אֱלֹהִים וְכִי יֶשׁ לִי כֹל״. פֵּרוּשׁ אָמְרוֹ **כֹּל**, אוּלַי שֶׁיְּכַוֵּן לוֹמַר כִּי הַמִּנְחָה שֶׁהֵבִיא לוֹ אֵינָהּ פּוֹרֶצֶת פִּרְצָה בִּנְכָסָיו, וְאַחַר שֶׁנָּתַן לוֹ מַה שֶׁנָּתַן לוֹ בַּמִּנְחָה, נִשְׁאָרִים נְכָסָיו כַּאֲשֶׁר הָיוּ מִקּוֹדֶם כֻּלָּם בִּשְׁלֵמוּת בְּלֹא מַחְסוֹר, וְהָבֵן.

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
Should you be concerned that the size of the gift is such that it would impoverish me, rest assured I have all that I need; G'd has endowed me very generously. Jacob may even have hinted that he had not noticed any diminution in the size of his flocks even after he had sent the gift to Esau.


###### Or HaChaim on Genesis 33:9:6
[Or HaChaim on Genesis 33:9:6](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Genesis/r/33:9:6)

**עוֹד** יִרְמֹז בְּאָמְרוֹ **כֹּל** שֶׁהִיא בְּחִינַת הַקְּדֻשָּׁה שֶׁנִּקְרֵאת כֹּל, וּבְחִינָה זוֹ כְּשֶׁתִּהְיֶה מֻשֶּׂגֶת בָּאָדָם אֵין הַחִסָּרוֹן עוֹשֶׂה רֹשֶׁם וְהֶחָסֵר נִשְׁלָם מֵעַצְמוֹ, וּכְבִרְכַּת יִשְׂרָאֵל כַּחוֹל שֶׁהֶחָסֵר נִשְׁלָם מֵעַצְמוֹ וְהִיא בִּרְכַּת כֹּל. וְהוּא סוֹד (מלכים א י״ז:ט״ז) ״כַּד הַקֶּמַח לֹא כָלָתָה״. וְעַיֵּן מַה שֶׁפֵּרַשְׁתִּי בְּפָסוּק (בראשית ל״ג:י״ח) ״וַיָּבֹא יַעֲקֹב שָׁלֵם״. וּבְרָכָה זוֹ זָכוּ בָּהּ כָּל הָאָבוֹת: אַבְרָהָם בַּכֹּל, יִצְחָק מִכֹּל, יַעֲקֹב כֹּל (בבא בתרא מ״ז.). וְזֶה סוֹדָהּ. וּמֵעַתָּה נוֹתֵן טַעַם טוֹב בְּאָמְרוֹ ״קַח נָא אֶת בִּרְכָתִי וְגוֹ׳ כִּי חַנַּנִי אֱלֹהִים וְכִי יֶשׁ לִי כֹל״ וְהַנֶּחְסָר נִשְׁלָם מֵעַצְמוֹ.

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
When Jacob used the expression יש לי כל "l have all that I need" in describing his economic status, he may have referred to sanctity which is also described by the word כל. There are several blessings in which Israel is compared to the sand of the sea. The meaning of the hyperbole is that just as the sand closes above any hole you make in it when you remove some of it, so Israel will be blessed by not feeling the removal of something from it as a loss, seeing that no visible void be will be left. Jacob described his economic wealth in similar terms when he explained to Esau that he had "everything." The deeper meaning of this concept is evident in Kings I 17,14 when Elijah the prophet assures the woman in the name of G'd that כד הקמח לא כלתה„ "that the jar of flour will not give out until the day that G'd will again let rain fall in the land of Israel." Examine how I explained 33,18: ויבא יעקב שלם עיר שכם. This blessing is one that all the patriarchs enjoyed in varying degrees; this is why we find the Torah using the expressions בכל, מכל or כל respectively in connection with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob (compare *Baba Batra* 47).


###### Or HaChaim on Genesis 33:15:1
[Or HaChaim on Genesis 33:15:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Genesis/r/33:15:1)

**לָמָּה זֶּה אֶמְצָא וְגוֹ׳.** פֵּרוּשׁ, לָמָּה הוּא מַפְלִיג אַהֲבָתוֹ עִמּוֹ בִּפְרָט זֶה, יוֹתֵר הוּא בּוֹחֵר שֶׁיַּתְמִיד עִמּוֹ מְצִיאוּת חֵן לֶעָתִיד מֵעֲשׂוֹת לוֹ זֶה, וְהוּא אָמְרוֹ ״אֶמְצָא חֵן בְּעֵינֵי אֲדוֹנִי״ לְשׁוֹן עָתִיד.

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
**למה זה, אמצא חן בעיניך, "Why do this? Let me find favour in my master's eyes."** Jacob preferred an ongoing good relationship with Esau rather than to become the beneficiary of a one-time exaggerated display of Esau's loving concern for him and his family. Jacob hinted at the future when he said אמצא חן, "let me find favour in the future."


###### Or HaChaim on Genesis 33:17:1
[Or HaChaim on Genesis 33:17:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Genesis/r/33:17:1)

**נָסַע סֻכֹּתָה.** פֵּרוּשׁ, וְטַעַם קְרִיאַת שְׁמָהּ **סֻכֹּתָה**, בִּשְׁבִיל שֶׁלְּמִקְנֵהוּ עָשָׂה סֻכּוֹת, עַל כֵּן וְגוֹ׳, וְלֹא אָמַר ״לְסֻכּוֹת״ שֶׁאָז תָּבִין שֶׁקּוֹדֶם בָּא יַעֲקֹב הָיְתָה נִקְרֵאת סֻכּוֹת וְלֹא כֵן הוּא. וְאִם תֹּאמַר: וְכִי בִּשְׁבִיל שֶׁעָשָׂה שָׁם יַעֲקֹב סֻכָּה יִקָּרֵא לַמָּקוֹם כֵּן? אוּלַי כִּי עָשָׂה דָּבָר חָדָשׁ בְּחֶמְלָתוֹ עַל הַמִּקְנֶה מַה שֶׁלֹּא עָשָׂה כֵּן אָדָם קוֹדֶם, שֶׁיָּכִין סֻכָּה לַבְּהֵמוֹת, וּלְשִׁנּוּי חָדָשׁ קָרָא הַמָּקוֹם עָלָיו.

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
**נסע סכותה, He journeyed towards Sukkot.** The reason this place was called סוכות was because there Jacob built pens and shelters for his herds and cattle. The Torah purposely does not say לסוכות, "to Sukkot" because this would have led us to believe that this place had already been known by the name סוכות. You may well ask why the Torah bothered to mention the fact that Jacob called the name of the place where he built shelters for his animals סוכות. Perhaps the reason is that Jacob was the first human being who expended so much time, energy, and money in order to assure his animals a degree of comfort both in summer and in winter.


###### Or HaChaim on Genesis 33:18:1
[Or HaChaim on Genesis 33:18:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Genesis/r/33:18:1)

**וַיָּבֹא יַעֲקֹב שָׁלֵם.** צָרִיךְ לָדַעַת מַה כַּוָּנָתוֹ בְּאָמְרוֹ **שָׁלֵם**, וְרַבּוֹתֵינוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (שבת לג:) אָמְרוּ דְּרָשׁוֹת. עוֹד צָרִיךְ לָדַעַת כַּוָּנַת הַכָּתוּב בְּאָמְרוֹ **בְּבֹאוֹ מִפַּדַּן אֲרָם**, אֵין יָדוּעַ הַמְכֻוָּן בָּזֶה. וְרַשִׁ״י זִכְרוֹנוֹ לִבְרָכָה פֵּרֵשׁ ״כְּאָדָם הָאוֹמֵר״ וְכוּ׳ יְעֻיַּן דְּבָרָיו, וְדָבָר זֶה יָדוּעַ הוּא מִסִּפּוּרִים הַקּוֹדְמִים.

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
**ויבא יעקב שלם, Jacob arrived intact.** We need to examine the meaning of the word שלם in this context. The Talmud *Shabbat* 33 provides several homiletical explanations. We also have to know why the Torah has to mention the place where Jacob came from, i.e. Padan Aram. We all know that Jacob had been in Padan Aram. Rashi comments: כאדם האומר לחבירו יצא פלוני מבין שיני אריות ובא שלם, "it is just like a person who reports that someone had escaped from between the teeth of lions without suffering any harm." The problem with this commentary is that the Torah told us something we knew from previous accounts.


###### Or HaChaim on Genesis 33:18:2
[Or HaChaim on Genesis 33:18:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Genesis/r/33:18:2)

**אָכֵן** נִרְאֶה כִּי יוֹדִיעַ הַכָּתוּב כִּי מַה שֶׁחִסֵּר מִנְּכָסָיו יַעֲקֹב אָבִינוּ בַּמִּנְחָה אֲשֶׁר נָתַן לְעֵשָׂו, הִשְׁלִים ה׳ חֶסְרוֹנוֹ מִנְּכָסָיו מִנְּכָסָיו שֶׁהֵבִיא מִפַּדַּן אֲרָם, וְהוּא אָמְרוֹ **וַיָּבֹא יַעֲקֹב שָׁלֵם** וְגוֹ׳ **בְּבֹאוֹ מִפַּדַּן** וְגוֹ׳, פֵּרוּשׁ, שָׁלֵם בַּנְּכָסִים כְּשִׁיעוּר בּוֹאוֹ מִפַּדַּן אֲרָם, וַהֲגַם שֶׁנִּכָּה מֵהֶם בְּמִנְחָה גְּדוֹלָה, אַף עַל פִּי כֵן ה׳ שִׁלֵּם לוֹ, וְהִיא בִּרְכַּת ״כֹּל״ שֶׁנָּתַן לוֹ ה׳ כְּמוֹ שֶׁפֵּרַשְׁתִּי (בראשית לג:יא).

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
We feel that שלם means what we said earlier that Jacob's possessions were the same as when he set out from Padan Aram. G'd replenished the gift he had given to Esau so that he did not experience any loss. This then was the meaning of the blessing כל which Jacob had in mind when he described himself as having "כל."