Yaakov reveled in his newfound riches, grinning like a cat in a creamery.
However, Lavan?
Oh, he was madder than a rabbi on top of Mount Pork – and that's saying something!
He decided to pen a letter to Esav (Editor's note: he actually sent his son to Esav to deliver his message) Yaakov's estranged brother, raving about Yaakov's shifty ways and emphasizing his imminent arrival. (Editor's note: Yaakov obviously was aware of the danger of passing by way of Esav, however, see Hadar Zekeinim who says that Yaakov was confident because he had Yosef in tow who, as Chazal say, would be able to "burn up" Esav in some capacity)
The ink was practically infused with venom, each sentence a calculated strike, hoping to ignite Esav's fury like a pyromaniac throwing matches in a field of dry leaves.
But truth be told, Esav needed no nudging. He had been marinating in a stew of resentment for years. Living rent-free in his head was Yaakov, the master manipulator who'd once swindled him out of his birthright.
Esav had even gone the extra mile, settling in Edom, which conveniently translated to "red," a constant reminder of the red stew he'd exchanged for his birthright.
Esav, taking vindictiveness to new heights, strategically also anchored himself in the city of "Seir," translated to "goat." (Editor's Note: From the wording of the source this is from, it seems that Esav moved to an uninhabited area or a nameless area, and he named it Edom and Seir)
The names of the town and district wasn't just a play on words for Esav. It was a calculated move. Every mention of his home address served as a self-inflicted, bitter flashback to the day Yaakov, adorned himself with goat skins to snatch Yitzchak's blessings right from under Esav's nose.
It was a deliberate decision, turning his address into a daily dose of resentment, a haunting echo of fraternal treachery. Esav had chosen not just a city but a living, breathing reminder of betrayal as his abode.
"The Scarlet Goat Tavern" soon became a local spectacle, not just for its delightful drinks and jovial atmosphere but also for the ever-changing sign that seemed to have a personal vendetta with Esav.
Every time he saw that double entendre in neon lights, he'd knock its lights out - literally.
The townsfolk would place bets on how long it would take for a new sign to replace the battered one.
(As for the sign guy? Well, let's just say he had job security)
As Yaakov traversed the treacherous path homeward, he found himself face-to-face with the obstacle that was Edom, Esav's stomping grounds. His large entourage was one big display of wealth, a trophy that screamed, "I outsmarted you, Esav - I got the berachos!"
How could he tiptoe past his brother's domain without awakening the beast within?
In his signature strategic fashion, Yaakov crafted a master plan. He orchestrated an entourage of animals he had acquired, as a peace offering to Esav.
Furthermore, he curated a grand parade, a procession that showcased every member of his family – Leah, Bilha, Zilpa, and their children.
(With the exception of Dina, who was discreetly stowed away in a box. It was Yaakov's was of keeping a potential shidduch under wraps. Or in this case, under the seat in row 7.)
The procession began.
Leah, the matriarch and the first wife, led the procession of deference, followed by her children.
Bilha and Zilpa, the concubines, gracefully followed from behind, their children in tow, acknowledging their place in the familial order.
While we mentioned that Yaakov took precautions to conceal Dina from Esav's covetous eyes, he made no effort to shroud the belle of the ball, Rachel.
He thought, "Surely, Esav wouldn't stoop so low as to snatch a married woman." He therefore decided that Rachel would not need not be boxed up like precious china. But Yosef wasn't so sure.
As the moment neared for Rachel and Yosef to step into the limelight, Yosef knew he had to do something to protect Esav's covetous eyes from falling upon his mother's beauty.
As the Ferris wheel-like procession brought up Rachel and Yosef, Yosef sprung in action.
With his tiny arms outstretched like a superhero daring the world to defy him, he leaped in front of his mother, as a human shield against Esav's wandering eyes.
And behold, like a scene straight out of a superhero blockbuster, a miracle unfurled before their eyes. Yosef's pint-sized frame underwent a transformation akin to the Hulk's metamorphosis. His little torso expanded and his arms elongated, until he stood like a formidable barricade, ensuring that Rachel remained safely concealed from Esav's covetous gaze.
It was a literal rising to the occasion, an act of defiance by a child too small to understand the implications but big enough to alter the course of destiny, because Yosef's story didn't end there.
No, his actions echoed through time, laying the groundwork for his future role as the viceroy of Egypt, the man who'd rise above circumstances to sustain a nation through famine.
Yosef displayed in this act, that even in "certain failure" to always be proactive to do whatever you can to help alleviate the situation. In this instance, instead of throwing up his arms and succumbing to the destiny of Esav looking at his mother, Yosef did what he could to help the situation.
Seeing that, Hashem knew that he would be a leader in a time where a famine was already predestined to happen through dreams of the 7 strong cows and the seven skinny cows. Even with prophetic knowledge of a hunger, Hashem knew he could trust Yosef be proactive in sustaining Egypt.
This story with Yosef is a lesson for us too.
When life throws its worst at you, rise to the occasion, spread your arms wide, and do what you can to block the gaze of adversity, because in those moments of defiance, you might just secure a blessing that propels you to heights beyond your wildest dreams.
(א) ואת לאה וילדיה אחרנים. אַחֲרוֹן אַחֲרוֹן חָבִיב:
נגש יוסף ורחל. בְּכֻלָּן הָאִמָּהוֹת נִגָּשׁוֹת לִפְנֵי הַבָּנִים, אֲבָל בְּרָחֵל יוֹסֵף נִגַּשׁ לְפָנֶיהָ, אָמַר אִמִּי יְפַת תֹּאַר, שֶׁמָּא יִתְלֶה בָהּ עֵינָיו אוֹתוֹ רָשָׁע, אֶעֱמֹד כְּנֶגְדָהּ וַאֲעַכְּבֶנּוּ מִלְּהִסְתַּכֵּל בָּהּ; מִכָּאן זָכָה יוֹסֵף לְבִרְכַּת עֲלֵי עַיִן:
(1) ואת לאה וילדיה אחרנים AND LEAH AND HER CHILDREN AFTER — The more behind — the more beloved (Genesis Rabbah 78:8).
(1) נגש יוסף ורחל JOSEPH AND RACHEL STEPPED NEAR — In the case of all the others the mothers approached before the children, but in the case of Rachel, Joseph came in front of her. He said: “My mother is a beautiful woman: for fear that this wicked man will set his fancy on her I will stand in front of her and prevent him from gazing at her ” As a reward for this Joseph merited the blessing associated with the words עלי עין "with the eye” (Genesis Rabbah 78:10).
(בראשית לג, ו ז):
וַתִּגַּשְׁן הַשְּׁפָחוֹת הֵנָּה וְיַלְדֵיהֶן וַתִּשְׁתַּחֲוֶין,
וַתִּגַּשׁ גַּם לֵאָה וִילָדֶיהָ וגו'.
בְּיוֹסֵף כְּתִיב (בראשית לג, ז): וְאַחַר נִגַּשׁ יוֹסֵף וְרָחֵל וַיִּשְׁתַּחֲווּ.
אֶלָּא אָמַר יוֹסֵף הָרָשָׁע הַזֶּה עֵינוֹ רָמָה, שֶׁלֹא יִתְלֶה עֵינָיו וְיַבִּיט אֶת אִמִּי, וְגָבְהָה קוֹמָתוֹ וְכִסָּה אוֹתָהּ, הוּא דִּכְתִיב בֵּיהּ (בראשית מט, כב): בֵּן פֹּרָת יוֹסֵף בֵּן פֹּרָת עֲלֵי עָיִן, בֵּן פֹּרָת רְבִיָּת עֲלֵי עָיִן, בֵּן פֹּרָת רְבִיַּת יוֹסֵף, בֵּן פֹּרָת עֲלֵי עָיִן, בֵּן פֹּרָת רְבִיַּת יוֹסֵף. רַבִּי בֶּרֶכְיָה בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי סִימוֹן אָמַר עָלַי לִפְרֹעַ לְךָ מִן אוֹתָהּ הָעָיִן.
“The maidservants approached, they and their children, and they prostrated themselves” (Genesis 33:6). “Leah too, and her children, approached, and prostrated themselves; and then Joseph and Rachel approached, and prostrated themselves” (Genesis 33:7).
“The maidservants approached, they and their children, and they prostrated themselves. Leah too, and her children, approached…” Regarding Joseph it is written: “And then Joseph and Rachel approached, and prostrated themselves.” Joseph said: This wicked one has a covetous eye. Let him not direct his eyes and look at my mother. He stood tall and obscured her. That is what is written: “Joseph is a fruitful tree [ben porat], a fruitful tree alongside a spring [alei ayin]” (Genesis 49:22) – Joseph, you grew like a fruitful tree to block an eye [alei ayin].21To obscure Rachel from Esau’s eye. Joseph, you grew due to cows [ben parot].22The reference is to the cows in Pharaoh’s dream. “A fruitful tree alongside a spring [alei ayin]” – you grew due to produce [ben perot].23The reference is to the sheaves in Pharaoh’s dream. Rabbi Berekhya said in the name of Rabbi Simon: It is incumbent upon me to repay you due to that eye.24Due to the eye that you blocked from seeing Rachel. “To repay [lifro’a]” is expounded from the word porat.
(ג) בן פורת רביית עלי עין. דורש כופל הלשון על כמה מיני גידול. א' מה שרבה ונתגדל על אמו כנ"ל. ב' שנתגדל בחלום הפרות של פרעה וכמש"ל פר' צ"ח סי' י"ח וא"ת פורת אלא פרות. ג' שנתגדל ע"י חלום השבלים והפירות וא"ת פורת אלא פירות. וכאן בשיבוש וכצ"ל הוא דכתיב ביה בן פורת יוסף בן פורת עלי עין רבית עלי עין הוא הגידול הא'. בין פרות רביית יוסף בין פירות רביית יוסף:
...ויעש יעקב כן אל צאן לבן שש שנים, ויפרוץ האיש מאוד מאוד ויהי לו צאן ושפחות וגמלים וחמורים. ותהיינה ליעקב מאתים אלף עדרי צאן, וצאנן היו גדולות קומה ויפות תואר מאוד ונותנות את פריים הרבה מאוד. ויתאוו כל בני האדם לקחת להם מצאן יעקב, כי טובות ומצליחות מאוד מאוד. ויבואו מכל בני האדם לקחת מצאן יעקב, ויתן להם יעקב צאן אחד בעבד או באמה או בחמור או בגמל ככל אשר יחפוץ יעקב מהם ונתנו לו. ויהי ליעקב עושר וכבוד ונכסים במעשה הזה אשר יעשה את בני האדם, ויקנאו אותו בני לבן מהכבוד הזה. ויהי מימים, וישמע את דברי בני לבן אומרים לקח יעקב את כל אשר לאבינו ואשר לאבינו עשה את כל הכבוד הזה. וירא יעקב את פני לבן ובניו, והנה איננו עמו כתמול שלשום...
(ו) ויקם לבן בעת ההיא ויקח את אחיו ואת כל עבדיו, ויצא וירדוף את יעקב וידבק אותו בהר גלעד. ויאמר לבן אל יעקב מה זאת עשית לי לברוח, ותגנוב את לבבי ותנהג את בנותי ואת בניהן כשבויות חרב. ולא נטשתני לנשק להם ולשלחם בשמחה, ותגנוב את אלוקיי ותלך. ויען יעקב את לבן לאמור, כי יראתי פן תיגזול את בנותיך מאיתי--ועם אשר תמצא את אלוקיך ימות. ויבקש לבן את התרפים, וימשש בכל האוהלים אשר ליעקב ובכל כליהם ולא מצא... ויהי כאשר שב לבן אל ארצו, וימהר וישלח את בעור בנו והוא בן שבע עשרה שנה ועמו אביחורף בן עוץ בן נחור עמהם עשרה אנשים. וימהרו וילכו ויעברו הדרך לפני יעקב, ויבואו בדרך אחר ארצה שעיר. ויבואו אל עשו ויאמרו לו כה אמר אחיך וקרובך ואחי אמך לבן בן בתואל לאמור, השמעת את אשר עשה לי יעקב אחיך אשר בא אליי בהתחלה ערום וריק. ואצא לקראתו ואביאהו אל ביתי בכבוד ואגדלהו ואתן לו את שתי בנותי לנשים ואת שתי שפחותי, ויברך אלוקים אותו לרגלי ויפרוץ מאוד ויהיו לו בנים ובנות ושפחות וגם צאן ובקר וגמלים וחמורים היו לו מאיתי הרבה מאוד עד אין מספר וגם כסף וזהב הרבה. ויהי כראותו כי עצם חילו, ויעזוב אותי כאשר הלכתי לגוז צאני ויקם ויברח בהחבא. וישא את נשיו ואת בניו על הגמלים, וינהג את כל מקנהו ואת כל רכושו אשר רכש בארצי וישם פניו ללכת אל יצחק אביו ארצה כנען. ולא נטשני לנשק לבני ולבנותי, וינהג את בנותי כשבויות חרב ויגנוב גם את אלוקיי ויברח. ועתה הנה עזבתיהו בהר נחל יבוק והוא וכל אשר לו, לא חסר דבר. אם יש את נפשך ללכת אליו לך ושם תמצאהו, ועשית לו כאשר תאוה נפשך. ויבואו מלאכי לבן, ויגידו לעשו את כל הדברים האלה.
(ז) וישמע עשו את כל דברי מלאכי לבן, ויחר אפו על יעקב מאוד ויזכור את שנאתו וחמתו בערה בו. וימהר עשו ויקח את בניו ואת עבדיו ואת כל נפשות ביתו, שישים איש. וילך ויקבוץ את כל בני שעיר החורי וכל אנשיהם, שלוש מאות וארבעים איש. ויקח את כל המחנה הזאת ארבע מאות איש שולף חרב, וילך לקראת יעקב להכות אותו...
And Jacob said unto him, this thou shalt give me for my wages. I will pass through all thy flocks this day, removing thence all the speckled and spotted cattle, and all the brown cattle among the sheep, and the spotted and speckled among the goats, and of such shall be my hire...And if thou wilt do this thing for me, then I shall return to feed thy flocks and to keep them. And Laban did accordingly, and he removed from his flocks all that Jacob had spoken of, and gave them to him.
(5) And Jacob placed into the hands of his sons all that was removed from Laban's flocks, and Jacob attended to the remainder of Laban's flocks. And the servants of Isaac, which were sent unto Jacob saw that Jacob would not return with them into the land of Canaan...
And Jacob continued doing so for six years, and the man increased exceedingly, and he possessed cattle, and man servants and maid-servants, and camels and asses. And Jacob had two hundred herds of cattle, every head of which was of a very large size, beautiful in appearance and very fruitful. And all the people of the land desired to pro cure some of Jacob’s cattle, for it was very, very prosperous.
And many of the sons of man came to purchase some of Jacob’s stock and Jacob gave them a sheep for a man-servant or for a maid-servant. Whatsoever Jacob asked from them they gave him. And Jacob attained wealth, and honor, and possessions through these sales to the sons of man; and the sons of Laban envied him on account of that distinction. And it came to pass after some days, that Jacob heard the words of Laban’s sons, saying: Jacob hath taken away all that was our father's; and of that which was our father's hath he gotten all his glory and the Lord appeared unto Jacob at the end of six years saying unto him: Return into the land of thy fathers and to thy kindred, and I will be with thee. Then Jacob rose up and set his sons and his wives upon camels, and he went away to the land of Canaan, to his father Isaac. And Laban knew nothing of Jacob’s leaving, for Laban was at that time away to shear his sheep...
(6) And Laban rose up and took all his brethen with him and all his servants, and he pursued Jacob and he overtook him on mount Gilead. And Laban said to Jacob: What hast thou done, that thou hast stolen away unawares to me, and hast carried away my daughters as captives taken with the sword. Where fore didst thou flee away secretly, and hast not suffered me to kiss my sons and my daughters and to send them away with gladness...
And he sent hastily his son Beor, who was then seventeen years of age, and with him Abihoref, the son of Uz, the son of Nahor, and ten men, and they hastened and passed Jacob on the way, and they went by another road to the land of Seir. And they came unto Esau, saying unto him: Thus saith thy kinsman and relative Laban, thy mother's brother, the son of Bethuel: Hast thou heard what thy brother hath done unto me? For he came naked unto my house, and I went to meet him and I brought him with honors into my house. And I made him great, and I gave him for wives my two daughters and two of my maid servants. And the Lord blessed him for my sake, and he increased exceedingly, and he got sons and daughters and servants. And he hath also procured great many flocks and herds, and camels and asses and gold and silver in great plenty. And when he saw the abundance of his wealth, he went while I was away shearing my sheep, and he ran away secretly. And he sat his wives and children upon camels and he took along all his cattle and all the property which he hath gotten in my land, and turned his countenance to go to Isaac his father into the land of Canaan.
(7) And he did not even suffer me to kiss my daughters and their children, but he carried away my daughters like captives taken by the sword, and he stole also my gods and ran away. And now I have left him in the mountains near the river Jabbok with all that is his; he lacketh nothing. And now if it be thy desire to go unto him thou canst find him there, and thou canst do unto him whatsoever pleaseth thee best.
And Laban's messengers went and told unto Esau all these words. And when Esau heard the words of Laban's messengers, his anger was kindled against his brother, and he remembered his hatred and his wrath burned within him. And Esau hastened and gathered together his sons and his servants and the people of his household, sixty men, and he assembled likewise all the sons of Seir the Horite, and their people, three hundred and forty men, and he went with this number of four hundred men, to smite his brother Jacob. And Esau divided this number into several bands. And he took the sixty men of his sons and servants and the people of his household in one band, and intrusted them to Eliphaz his oldest son. And the remaining bands he intrusted to the care of the six sons of Seir the Horite, placing every man over his family and their children. And the entire camp moved ahead with Esau among them, who urged them on to great speed...
(א) ...דָּ"אַ וישב יעקב, הַפִּשְׁתָּנִי הַזֶּה נִכְנְסוּ גְמַלָּיו טְעוּנִים פִּשְׁתָּן, הַפֶּחָמִי תָמַהּ אָנָה יִכָּנֵס כָּל הַפִּשְׁתָּן הַזֶּה? הָיָה פִּקֵּחַ אֶחָד מֵשִׁיב לוֹ נִצּוֹץ אֶחָד יוֹצֵא מִמַּפּוּחַ שֶׁלְּךָ שֶׁשּׂוֹרֵף אֶת כֻּלּוֹ, כָּךְ יַעֲקֹב רָאָה אֶת כָּל הָאַלּוּפִים הַכְּתוּבִים לְמַעְלָה, תָּמַהּ וְאָמַר מִי יָכוֹל לִכְבֹּשׁ אֶת כֻּלָּן? מַה כְּתִיב לְמַטָּה, אֵלֶּה תּוֹלְדוֹת יַעֲקֹב יוֹסֵף, דִּכְתִיב וְהָיָה בֵית יַעֲקֹב אֵשׁ וּבֵית יוֹסֵף לֶהָבָה וּבֵית עֵשָׂו לְקַשׁ (עובדיה א') – נִצּוֹץ יוֹצֵא מִיּוֹסֵף שֶׁמְּכַלֶּה וְשׂוֹרֵף אֶת כֻּלָּם:
Another explanation of וישב יעקב AND JACOB ABODE: The camels of a flax dealer once came into a city laden with flax. A blacksmith asked in wonder where all that flax could be stored, and a clever fellow answered him, “A single spark caused by your bellows can burn up all of it.” “So, too, when Jacob saw (heard of) all these chiefs whose names are written above he said wonderingly, “Who can conquer all these?” What is written after the names of these chieftains? — and in this may be found the reply to Jacob’s question: These are the generations of Jacob — Joseph. For it is written (Obadiah 1:18) “And the house of Jacob shall be a fire and the house of Joseph a flame, and the house of Esau, for stubble: one spark issuing from Joseph will burn up all of these (descendants of Esau) (Genesis Rabbah 84:5). The passage beginning “Another explanation” is found in an old Rashi text.