Chapter Vayishlach

BS”D 

DETAILED DIVINE CONTROL AND SALVATION 

by Rabbi Yeheskel Lebovic 

Emphasis on Details 

In this week’s Sidra of Vayishlach, Yaakov Avinu is attacked (“a man wrestled with him”) by Eisav’s angel and has the joint of his hip dislocated by him-- resulting in the prohibition for his descendants to eat the “gid hanoshei” (the dislocated sinew) in the two sides of every (otherwise kosher) mammal containing the sciatic nerve by the hip joint. 

This detail is given as the reason to remember this wondrous occurrence of Yaakov escaping this danger and all that it portends for all future generations who will likewise be saved from whatever great dangers will confront them. Why put so much emphasis on the detail of hip dislocation vs. the overall general theme of escaping the great danger? 

Chassidus speaks of the extreme endearment which G-d displays towards each and every individual Jew. According to Chassidus, as taught by the Baal Shem Tov, Hashgacha Pratis (detailed Divine Providence) applies to every detail of Creation, down to the inanimate domain. According to other opinions, such as the Rambam’s, (however see Derech Chaim of the Mitteler Rebbe p.25) 

Hashgacha Pratis applies only to man and not to the rest of Creation. 

The question then is this: while according to the Rambam, the advantage of man over the rest of Creation and the endearment that G-d professes towards man is thus evident, how is that kind of endearment indicated according to Chassidic teachings, inasmuch that every part of Creation is supervised by Hashgacha Pratis? However, the truth is that, even according to the Baal Shem Tov’s understanding of Hashgacha Pratis, there are varying gradations and levels, the highest reserved for man in general and the Jew in particular. 

This is indicated by the emphasis, as in this case of "gid hanashei", on details of divine providence affecting every single human being and especially Jews. Even more, the details reflect the totality of the situation, i.e. the details of gid hanashei reflect the great message of Divine protection to be accorded to every individual Jew throughout the ages. Torah Source for Continuous Creation The emphasis on details is also reflected in the topic of continuous, sustained ongoing creation of every detail of creation. 

The verse in Tehilim (119:89) states: “Forever does Your Word stand in heavens”. Says Midrash Tehilim: “with these things (words) through which He created them, through them they all stand (in existence) forever”. This principle was stressed by the Baal Shem Tov and in Tanya (Shaar Hayichud :2) the Alter Rebbe offers a a fortiori argument from the Splitting of the Red Sea: if a sustaining force (easterly wind) had to constantly (“the whole night”) keep the sea in a split situation, how much more so that the process of Creation ex nihilo (from Ayin- non-existence, to Yesh- existence)-- a much greater change than the water of the sea changing from a flowing liquid to a solid –that kind of a change certainly had to be constantly sustained. 

This is  based on the fundamental Jewish belief that Creation has a beginning point, with no preceding physical source-matter of the physical universe. In our human experience, we usually see two kinds of changes: (a)A one-time change, such as moving a heavy table from point a to point b. Once the change has been made, it need not be sustained. (b)Changes that have to be sustained, such as the ongoing power that is needed to propel a baseball into the air and keep it flying till it lands. 

Now, how should we view the process of Creation, from Ayin/non-existence to Yesh/existence: could it have been a mere one-time change, as isn’t everything in the purview of G-d? Reason (and various sources) dictate that G-d could certainly have done so. However, the verse in Tehilim quoted above indicates that G-d opted to create in a continuously sustained manner, to the point that if the constant Divine power would cease, things would revert to non-existence! Hence, creation in more comparable to the flying baseball than to moving the heavy table. 

However, Tanya draws the a fortiori argument from Krias Yam Suf (Splitting of the Red Sea) rather than merely saying that if a flying baseball needs sustained flying energy, how much more so does Creation. For starting with such an argument could not stand, since G-d is all-able and could certainly have created in a one-step manner, regardless of how a baseball flies. Indeed, if not for this verse in Tehilim indicating continuous creation, we would not be able to draw the a fortiori argument from the Splitting of the Red Sea, since everything is in the purview of G-d, as explained. 

In addition, sustained creation makes the concept of G-d resting on the 7th day of creation somewhat more difficult to understand. How did He fully rest if He continued sustaining existence in a continuous manner also on the 7th day? Of course, once we accept continuous creation, Shabbos is explained by saying that there are certain types of divine flows that stop flowing on Shabbos, and that the flow that keeps continuous creation going flows also on Shabbos. 

But without that verse and its Midrashic interpretation, we might be more inclined to compare creation to certain miracles that did not need to be sustained, such as Moshe’s hand turning leprous and remaining leprous until a second miracle had to be performed to return it to its former non-leprous state (Ex. 4:6-7). G-d so chose…but why? Thus, Krias Yam Suf indicates that G-d opts (in many cases) to continually sustain miraculous changes, such as Splitting the Red Sea, leading to the conclusion that it was likewise regarding the wondrous change wrought through Creation. 

Now, can we attempt to offer a reason as to why G-d opted so? Rabbi Shalom Dovber of Lubavitch offers this reason in his Sefer Hamaamarim Mishpatim of year 1,898, p.120: “it is known that in matters concerning Creation, G-d willed that all (aspects thereof) that can be aligned with reason and gradual progression of levels—should be so aligned”. Thus, G-d willed the Creation process to be somewhat aligned with reason so as to facilitate our ability to grasp it and not be overwhelmed by His Infinite Ability. 

For it makes more sense to the human mind to accept (a) the radical changes of the sustained kind (comparable to the flying ball) vs. (b) those not sustained after the change. While certainly accepting the second type (b) as clear miracles, type (a) still sits better in the human mind . G-d likewise chooses to make many miraculous events be more amenable to intellectual understanding. According to Torah text, the change in the Red Sea from its initial previous liquid state was so by virtue of G-d opting to have an ongoing force (the wind) keeping up that change, rather than being a radical one-time change--thus being a miracle of type (a). 

If indeed, G-d opted to make Krias Yam Suf, a lesser type of change than Creation ex nihilo, more amenable to the human mind by having it being sustained continuously through the night, how much more so, it stands to reason that He would make Creation ex nihilo, an unparalleled type of change, in a continuously sustained manner, in order to make it more amenable to the human mind! Another possible reason is that “G-d desired to have a dwelling in the lowest spheres” (Midrash Tanhuma Bamidbar:17). 

According to this approach, we could explain why G-d opted to continuously sustain creation, for, by doing so, He is indeed within the world and has a continuous dwelling within it. If, instead, G-d would have opted not to constantly re-Create but have it continue “on its own” by virtue of the original energy He invested in it, it wouldn't be a dwelling in the full sense of the word. For Chassidus stresses that this Dwelling of G-d is comparable to a person dwelling completely and in a revealed manner within his home, and obviously, to do this, he cannot be distant from home. 

Likewise, G-d prefers not to be “distant”, subsequent to a Divine initial creative force and momentum, but rather remain constantly involved with His world through re-Creation. The Different Set-up in Mitzvos Interestingly enough, in contrast to the above, we notice the common phenomenon of many Mitzvah acts carrying with themselves a resultant effect without having to be repeated, especially as explained and coined "Peula Nimshechet" by the famous Rogotshover Gaon. 

When we perform such a mitzvah, a certain element of holiness is generated, so that the Mitzvah item itself attains holiness, especially those mitzvahs classified as "tashmishei kedusha", such as a Sefer Torah, Tefilin, Mezuzot etc… From the moment they are utilized in a mitzvah act, or even prepared (see Torah Ohr p.179 and on, and corresponding expanded explanations in Shaarei Orah) as a mitzvah object, they become holy and cannot be discarded. The G-dly holiness (kedusha) has penetrated them, united with them, and conferred them with a holy status. 

This status stays on by virtue of the initial mitzvah observance phase and does not have to be renewed by some repetition of the original mitzvah act. The mitzvah object once “ignited” stays ignited. We thus see that Mitzvos are in a category all their own, having the ability to uncover the inherent G-dly dimension present from the very outset in the physical objects used in Mitzvah acts. 

Thus, the greatest power granted us through the Mitzvos is the ability to radically change the face of this earth; and we can do all this without having to resort to heavenly chariots and miraculous grandiose occurrences. The biggest accomplishment is our ability to transform the physicality of this world and reveal within it the tremendous G-dly potential that it holds. 

The reason why both these truths (the constant re-creative process and the resultant Mitzvah holiness) are currently not apparent and felt is due to a state of divine concealment, whereby G-d’s divine constant power is concealed so as to give man freedom of choice. Indeed, during these days of the Covid-19 pandemic, many patients in hospitals have felt terribly lonely since they could not be visited in many cases by family members . Indeed, a terrible state of concealment. 

But reflecting on these truths can help a person to never feel alone nor lonely, and feel G-d’s constant proximity and love. And we are looking for the days when the general state of concealment will be lifted, with the coming of Moshiah! 

Based on Sefer HaSichos, Behaaloscha 5751. 

Likutey Sichos vol. 30 pp.148-154, and Biurim of R. Yoel Kahn on Shaar Hayichud