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How does Klal Yisrael incorporate the qualities of sovereignty and power—"yadayim y'dei Esav"—without Esav himself? The shiur develops that Leah, originally destined for Esav, brings his power and leadership qualities into the Jewish people through her first four sons. When Yaakov purchased the bechorah, his wife needed to reflect that reality—making Leah, not Rochel, his true soulmate for building a sovereign nation.
Rabbi Zweig opens with two Midrashim from Parshas Vayeitzei that appear puzzling. The first asks whether one may recite a blessing over the incense of idol worship, and the answer is no—not on candles, incense, or anything associated with avodah zarah. The connection to the parsha is unclear. The second Midrash addresses the phrase "Vayar Hashem (ה׳) ki snu'ah Leah"—Hashem saw that Leah was hated—and cites Iyov: Hashem sees evil people and sin but "ignores" it. The Midrash explains this refers either to Yishmael, whose prayers were answered despite his descendants' wickedness, or to Leah, from whom Zimri ben Salu would descend, causing the death of 24,000 Jews. Yet Hashem gave her children because "right now she is righteous." The difficulty is glaring: why single out Leah for Zimri's sins? He was equally Yaakov's descendant, and every tribe had wicked offspring. The shiur then turns to the plain text of the parsha, which contains strikingly audacious statements. When Reuven brings dudaim to his mother Leah, Rochel requests some, hoping they will help her conceive. Leah's response is shocking: "Is it not enough that you took my husband—now you want my son's dudaim too?" This from the woman who received her husband only because Rochel gave her the simanim to spare her from humiliation, and who watched Rochel sacrifice the man she loved. Leah's ingratitude and insensitivity seem incomprehensible. Moreover, the Torah (תורה) explicitly states that Yaakov hated Leah, that she felt unloved and afflicted. How could the righteous Yaakov—ish tam yosheiv ohalim—hate his wife? And why would the Torah record this for posterity, embedding it in the very names of the shevatim?
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Bereishis 29:16-35 (Parshas Vayeitzei)
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