Yeshivas Midrash Shmuel of Yerushalayim, under the leadership
of HaRav Binyomin Moskovits, was recently privileged to be
inspired by the wise words of the esteemed rosh hayeshiva of
Yeshivas Mercaz HaTorah in Montreal, HaRav Aryeh Leib Baron.
Rabbi Baron, a close friend of the yeshiva, learned in his
youth in the Baranovitch yeshiva headed by Reb Elchonon
Wassermann Hy"d. Indeed, Rabbi Baron developed a very
close relationship with Reb Elchonon during his years in
Baranovitch and tells many stories of this great rosh yeshiva
and spiritual giant.
All were inspired by Rabbi Baron's words which emphasized on
the Haggodoh. "Go out and learn what Lovon Ho'Arami
tried to do to our father Yaakov . . . Lovon desired to
uproot all," as the Haggodoh notes: "An Arami sought
to destroy my father."
HaRav Baron asked two questions on this passage. First, why
is only Lovon classified as he who "desired to uproot all"?
Surely Eisov also wanted to kill Yaakov? Additionally, why
does the baal Haggodoh use the expression "go out and
learn"? Why is it necessary to "go out" in order to learn
this?
HaRav Baron answered that although it is true that Eisov
wanted to kill Yaakov, this animosity was purely on a
personal basis. His intention was not to destroy an ideology
or a way of life. He was angry with Yaakov because he felt
that he had tricked him and he wanted revenge.
Lovon's attack on the other hand, was not a personal threat.
He wanted to destroy the very ideas that Yaakov stood for.
We do not find clearly in the pesukim themselves that
Lovon was a rosho. Yet the Torah says, "Arami oved
ovi." Lovon wanted to destroy Yaakov because Yaakov
opposed his idol worship. Lovon wanted to uproot this entire
design from the world.
The fact that the Torah refers to Yaakov as "ovi
— my father" proves just that. The gemora in the
beginning of Bovo Kama says, "Ovos — michlal
de'ikoh toldos — `Fathers' implies that there are
children." By referring to Yaakov as our father, the Torah
emphasizes that Lovon wanted to destroy the father
specifically so that there would be no toldos from
Yaakov Ovinu. Yaakov was building something that was against
Lovon's convictions and Lovon wanted that building destroyed.
Lovon did not want Yaakov to be the father of these ideas.
It is for this reason that the baal Haggodoh does not
say Eisov wanted to uproot everything since he did not care
about Yaakov's ideology. His hatred was merely personal.
Although Lovon was a rosho, sometimes we cannot
comprehend this of our own accord. The baal Haggodoh
tells us to go out and learn — go out in life and meet
people. Some people give a very good initial impression but
at the same time they are ready to kill. Learn from life
experience what Lovon's essence really was.
The yeshiva thanked Rabbi Baron for coming and for his
inspiring dvar Torah and words of chizuk, and
wished him, Od yenuvune beseivoh deshainim vera'ananim
yihiyu.
