The Torah portion Vayeitzei begins by relating how G-d revealed Himself to Ya'akov while he was traveling to Charan. G-d begins his address by saying:
[1] "I am G-d, L-rd of Avraham your father, and L-rd of Yitzchak."
The Midrash notes[2] that, although G-d generally does not affiliate His name with tzaddikim - "L-rd of Avraham," "L-rd of Yitzchak," etc. - while they are still alive (for it is possible that they may yet sin), He made an exception in the case of Yitzchak, calling Himself "L-rd of Yitzchak," even though Yitzchak was still alive.
The Midrash explains that "since he [Yitzchak] was sightless, it was considered as if he had already passed on; for he was confined to his home, and the evil inclination had ceased its blandishments." G-d was thus assured that Yitzchak would not sin in the future, and could confidently affiliate His name with him.
Although it is true that G-d knows the future, and whether a tzaddik will or will not eventually succumb to sin,[3] He refrains from explicitly stating His affiliation with tzaddikim while they are alive, for when G-d's knowledge is clearly revealed, it inhibits man's free will.[4]
But since Yitzchak's evil inclination had ceased to tempt him, there was no possibility that, by declaring Himself "L-rd of Yitzchak," G-d would nullify his freedom of choice.
But this must be better understood. It is quite true that a sightless person is considered as if he had died, as our Sages state:[5] "Four categories of people are considered as if they were dead: an impoverished person, a leper, a sightless individual and he who has no children." There is even an opinion[6] that a blind person - like a dead one[7] - is free from the obligation of performing mitzvos.
Nevertheless, this does not appear to be reason enough for the Midrash to state that because Yitzchak was blind, the evil inclination held absolutely no sway. We can observe that a sightless person possesses an evil inclination, harbors forbidden desires, and is quite capable of sinning. How then does the Midrash state that G-d affiliated His name with Yitzchak while he was still alive because "he was sightless ... and the evil inclination had ceased its blandishments"?
According to our Sages,[8] Yitzchak became blind because of the smoke from the incense and other offerings that Esav's wives offered to their idols. Now, although it is true that smoke is damaging to the eyes,[9] we must recognize the fact that this smoke was not so dense that it caused everyone who came into contact with it to be blinded, for if this were so, then Esav's wives, as well as Esav himself, should also have been blinded. Why then did this smoke blind only Yitzchak?
In fact, Yitzchak's blindness did not result from the smoke itself, but because the smoke was a byproduct of idolatry. Yitzchak, who was "pure of eye, incapable of seeing evil,"[10] was so repulsed by this smoke that it caused him to become sightless.
This is similar to an incident involving R. Nochum of Chernobyl, who was once inadvertently given non-Jewish milk and was simply unable to see it. In explaining this phenomenon, R. Nochum noted: "That which a Jew should not see, he does not see."[11]
Since Yitzchak's blindness resulted from his utter inability to tolerate anything idolatrous, "the evil inclination ceased its blandishments." Evil now held absolutely no sway over him.
Because Yitzchak had attained such an exalted state, it was possible for G-d to affiliate His name with him even while he was still alive.
Based on Likkutei Sichos, Vol. V, pp. 132-140
Notes:
- (Back to text) Bereishis 28:13.
- (Back to text) Tanchuma, Toldos 7.
- (Back to text) See Rambam, Hilchos Teshuvah conclusion of ch. 5. See there also why this knowledge does not impact on man's freedom of choice.
- (Back to text) See Toras Chayim, Toldos 13c ff.
- (Back to text) Nedarim 64b; Bereishis Rabbah 71:6.
- (Back to text) Kiddushin 31a; Bava Kamma 87a.
- (Back to text) Shabbos 30a.
- (Back to text) See first comment of Rashi on Bereishis 27:1. See also Yalkut Shimoni and Tanchuma ch. 28.
- (Back to text) See Mishlei 10:26.
- (Back to text) See Chabakuk 1:13 and commentary of Radak.
- (Back to text) See Maamarim titled Ki Na'ar Yisroel 5666 and 5716.
The Rambam states the following law in Hilchos Sechirus
[1]: "Just as an employer is forbidden to steal the wages of his employee, or delay payment, so too is an employee forbidden to pilfer from the labor he is to provide his employer by wasting time a bit here and a bit there, and so spending the day in deceit.... So too must he work with all his might, for the tzaddik Ya'akov stated:
[2] 'I have served your father with all my might.' He therefore was rewarded for this labor in this world as well, as the verse states:
[3] 'The man became tremendously wealthy.' "
The Jewish people are considered G-d's "employees," in line with the saying of our Sages:[4] "Your Employer is trustworthy to pay you the reward for your labor."
How are we to understand the above ruling in relationship to our divine "employment"?
The reason we derive the obligation to serve one's employer with all one's might from Ya'akov's labor in Lavan's house is because a Jew's labor for G-d is similar to Ya'akov's labor for Lavan.
Ya'akov's labor[5] while in his father-in-law's house could in no way compare to his spiritual toil in Shem and Ever's House of Study, nor could even compare to the time spent in his father Yitzchak's in Eretz Yisrael. During those periods of his life, Ya'akov was completely immersed in spiritual service. His labor for Lavan, however physical it may have seemed, involved transforming the world into a dwelling fit for G-d.
So too, with regard to the labor of every Jew as an employee of the Almighty: the service of a Jew's soul in the spiritual worlds prior to its incarnation is truly of great spiritual magnitude. At that time, its comprehension of G-dliness is profound, and its love and awe of G-d particularly intense. But in all this, the soul is laboring for its own benefit.
Labor for the sake of its Employer can only be undertaken when a soul descends into this physical world, and occupies itself in purifying and elevating its surroundings, transforming them into a dwelling fit for G-d.
Concerning such labor, it is imperative that the laborer "be scrupulous with regard to the amount of time .... So too must he work with all his might":
It is easy for a person to think that it is okay to take a bit of time off here and there, using this time for matters that serve his own spiritual needs. However, he must know that this results in his spending his entire "day" - "Today is for you to do" - in a "false" manner, i.e., he is not fulfilling the purpose for which he finds himself on this earth.
Moreover, a person must be scrupulous not only with regard to time, but also with regard to effort, working with all his might - he must use all the powers of his soul in this service.
A Jew may think he will involve his intellect and emotions while immersed in Torah study or prayer, but that, while involved in transforming the mundane world into holiness, he need only apply his soul's lowest power: action in acceptance of the Divine Yoke.
Herein comes the lesson from the tzaddik Ya'akov. The service of transforming the world into a dwelling for G-d must involve all of one's might, powers, intellect, emotions, will and delight.
These are not optional requirements, but an integral part of the employee's labor. For when a Jew toils not for his own sake but for the sake of his Employer, he must be imbued with the feeling that he is serving with every fiber of his being; he is to be wholly dedicated to his Employer and to his task of transforming the world into a fit dwelling place for G-d.
Based on Likkutei Sichos, Vol. XXV, pp. 139-149
Notes:
- (Back to text) 13:7.
- (Back to text) Bereishis 31:6.
- (Back to text) Ibid., 30:43.
- (Back to text) Avos 2:16. See also Likkutei Sichos, Vol. XVII, p. 387ff.
- (Back to text) See Maamarim titled Vayeitzei Yaakov m'B'eir Shava Vayeilech Charanah.
Toldos