From Warrior to Sage Eliphaz’s Journey to Onkelos our Teacher - short VaYesse

 Eliphaz, Poverty, Wealth and Onkelos   There are those who enjoy the luxury of traveling firstclass and there are those who would rather endure a few hours with the worstairline sitting in the worst seat if it saves them a few bucks. What a contrasttwo seats and two airlines can make in travel. We see that same contrast in“flights” from Israel up to Syria in these parshiot. Two weeks ago we read of the servant ofAbraham going up to Syria to find a wife for Isaac. He takes with him a caravanof ten camels along with servants, gold, silver, jewelry, clothing, gifts,fruits and delicacies. First class goingand coming.   Last week, Isaac commanded his son Jacob to go up to Syriafor the same purpose. Upon Jacob’s arrival, Laban comes to greet him. AlthoughEliezer came almost 100 years prior, Laban remembers that wealth and wonderswhere can Jacob be hiding the jewels? He hugs him and kisses him, but as thepolice warn tourists, sometimes a hug is just a pickpocket practicing theircraft. Laban finds nothing and wonders. Yaakov tells him what happened.   Isaac would certainly not send Jacob empty handed, butalong the way Jacob was robbed and left with nothing, not even the clothes onhis back. The verse in Psalms reads, Esa Eynay El HeHarim – I raise my eyes tothe mountains. Where will help come from? The Midrash elaborates instead ofHarim, read Horim. Jacob is pleading to Hashem that he raises his eyes to hisparents, to Eliezer’s search for a wife for his father Isaac. Here he ispenniless, where will his ezri – help or perhaps his “Eliezer” come from?   So what happened? The rabbis explain that Esav bound hisson Eliphaz with an oath to slay Jacob. He reminds Eliphaz that with Jacob’sdeath the birthright would be taken by them with all its rewards. Eliphazhaving grown on the lap of Isaac his grandfather is concerned with what wasrequired of him and turns to his concubine Timna. Recall that Timna was aPrincess, but she wanted to convert. She came to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob [toconvert] but they would not accept her. She then became a concubine to Eliphazthe son of Esau. She said that it was better to be a maidservant to this nationrather than to be a powerful woman in another nation.   She suggested that Eliphaz come up with some way to avoidkilling Jacob. Eliphaz with mixed emotions pursues his uncle, who undoubtedlywas his teacher as well. He is committed to respecting his father and tohonoring his vow. Is there a way out he must wonder?   When they meet, Jacob implores Eliphaz not to kill him and giveshim everything he had with him. Jacob tells Eliphaz, “Take what I have, for apoor man is counted as dead – (thus I can remain alive and you will havefulfilled in some way your vow).”   Rabbi Pinches Friedman,( a most captivating teacher and thesource for this week’s lesson) explainsthe above and then quoting the Chiddushei HaRim suggests that Hashemorchestrated that Yaakov would face the ordeal of poverty which is a test offaith and a test of maintaining truth and honesty. Through Jacob’s success, hepaved the way for all Israel to withstand the test of poverty.  The Ketav Sofer goes further and explains that Jacob facedthis test of poverty in order for him to be able to withstand the test ofwealth which he would face in Haran. The test of wealth he suggests is evengreater, because the poor man always looks to G-d. The wealthy man forgets Him.  We will read next week that “the sun rose for him (Jacob)”.And the Rabbis ask. Did the sun not rise for everyone? They answer just as wesee at the outset of this week’s portion that the sun set quickly inanticipation of the dream with the ladder, so the sun rose quickly. The rabbisquoting the Mishna teach, ““Whoever fulfills the Torah in a state of povertywill ultimately fulfill it in wealth.” They explain that just as the sun, hiswealth, was quickly wiped away as a setting sun, his wealth would come quicklyas the rising sun. If one can succeed in poverty maintaining faith and honesty,he will succeed as a wealthy man, be it more difficult, as well.   But what became of Eliphaz? Why should I care? Is someonerewarded for not killing? If we consider that killing was certainly inEliphaz’s nature with Esav as his father and Amalek as his son, then perhaps inovercoming his nature, he should be greatly rewarded? Furthermore we read, “Theworld rests on three pillars—on the Torah, on the “avodah” (the sacredservice), and on “gemilut chasadim – kind deeds”. The last is Abraham whowelcomed and entertained guests. Yitzchak Avinu, who was bound on the alter asa korban, represents the sacrificial service. Jacob who is Yoshev Ohalim represents the pillar of Torah. So in overcoming his command and his naturein not killing Jacob, Eliphaz saved the pillar of Torah.   Rabbi Yochanan said: HKB”H does not withhold the reward ofany creature, even the reward for refined speech. We find in the book of Iyov –Job that among the colleagues who responded to Iyov’s complaints was EliphazHaTeimani. Rashi says this is Eliphaz the son of Esav. And the rabbis count himamong the seven prophets of the goyim who merited that the shechina rest uponhim.   But it doesn’t end there as the Rama of Pano explains: Onkelos was an “ibur” of Eliphaz. Onkelos, thenephew of Hadrian Ceaser and of Titus Ceasem Y’SV, converted to Judaism. Hestudied under Rabbi Eliezer b. Hyrcanus and Rabbi Yehoshua b. Hananiah and tooktheir teachings and authored the Targum which we are commanded to read eachweek as an explanation of the written Torah. Onkelos received within him the soul of Eliphaz.   The Talmud in Gittin tells us that when Onkelos thought toconvert he conducted a séance raising the spirit of Titus ( a reincarnation ofEsav) from the dead to seek his advice. Titus explained that the road to success in this world comes throughtormenting the Jews but was forced to admit he was punished daily and that infact in the future world it is those who observe the Torah who are at the top. The Gemara continues andstates that Onkelos went on consulting with other spirits from the dead,including the wicked Bilam and the Christian Yeshu. His decision to convert isbased on what he learned, much as Eliphaz after consulting Timna and consultingJacob is able to avoid killing his uncle.   In saving Jacob, the pillar of Torah, Eliphaz meritsthrough Onkelos to become a pillar of our learning. What an amazing reward?   And again we learn, what goes around comes around.   For those of us in poverty, we pray that we succeed withHashem’s help in the test and that the sun rise quickly for us. And may we all beblessed and successful in the even greater test of wealth. We pray that as Eliphaz overcame his nature,that we be blessed to overcome our nature and through that bring MashiachBimHera BeYameynu Amen.   Shabbat Shalom, Rabbi David Bibi