Parshas Vayishlach 5786
- Torah Tavlin
- Dec 6
- 3 min read
ויקח עשו את נשיו ואת בניו ואת בנתיו ואת כל נפשות ביתו ... וילך אל ארץ מפני יעקב אחיו (לו-ו)
The posuk tells us that Esav took his wives, his sons, his daughters and all "נפשות ביתו" - “the souls of his household.” In contrast, when Yaakov Avinu went down to Egypt, it says, "כל הנפש הבאה ליעקב מצרימה" (מו:כג). Rashi there comments that Esav’s household is described as “souls” in the plural, because they worshipped many idols and deities. Yaakov’s household, however, is described as "נפש" - “soul” in the singular, because they were united in serving the one Ribono shel Olam. The Chasam Sofer zt”l wonders why we don’t find idolators uniting around one idol and explains that even when nations worship the same avoda zara, each does so with their own divided will. Their opinions are separate, their hearts are displaced. However, serving Hashem unites Klal Yisroel "כאיש אחד בלב אחד" - “as one individual with one heart.”
Jerusalem’s Abu Tor neighborhood is usually a quiet place, perched on the hills with winding streets and a view of the Old City. But one morning, the peace was shattered. A Jewish jewelry store owner arrived to open his shop, only to find the door forced open, the showcases smashed, and every last piece of gold and jewelry gone. The burglars had worked with precision, leaving behind nothing but broken glass and despair. The police came quickly, surveyed the scene, and gave their grim assessment. “It’s gone,” they told the distraught owner. “The goods have already been moved. Most likely they were used to finance other crimes. By now, they’ve changed hands several times. There’s no chance of recovery.”
For the store owner, this was more than a financial disaster. His livelihood, his pride, his years of hard work had all vanished overnight in one fell swoop. He sat in his shop, shoulders slumped, staring at the empty cases. How could he face his family? How could he rebuild? Word of his plight spread, and R’ Moshe Aharon Braverman zt”l, Rosh Yeshivah of Yeshivas Meah Shearim, heard about it. He knew the man needed more than police reports; he needed spiritual energy.
That day he came to the dazed man and offered to bring him to Bnei Brak, to seek encouragement and blessing from the Ponovezh Rosh Yeshivah, R’ Elazar Menachem Mann Shach zt”l. The man did not object and allowed himself to be driven from Jerusalem to Bnei Brak, to the home of Rav Shach, the great Sage, to hear words of encouragement.
The store owner poured out his heart. “Rebbi, they say it’s all gone. The police told me the jewels are already out of reach. There’s no hope of ever getting them back.” He burst into tears, his shoulders heaving uncontrollably.
Rav Shach listened quietly, allowing the man to vent, his eyes steady, his presence calm. Then he uttered one sentence: “Reb Yid, you must not lose hope. It happens that thieves quarrel, and one informs on the other.”
The words hung in the air. To the store owner, they sounded almost beyond belief. The police had been clear: the goods were gone, unrecoverable. He tried to explain. “But Rebbi, they said it’s already left their possession. It’s impossible.”
Rav Shach did not argue with the man. He simply fell silent. His message had already been given. Nothing in this world is impossible. A Yid must never lose hope.
Days passed. The store owner tried to move on, though the weight of his loss pressed heavily upon him.
Then, unexpectedly, his phone rang. It was police headquarters. “Come immediately,” they told him. Of course, he rushed over, not knowing what to expect. When he arrived, he was led into a room and there, laid out before him, was every piece of his stolen property. Gold chains, diamond rings, bracelets, watches - all of it. His fortune had been returned.
The investigator explained, “One of the robbers got into a quarrel with the others. In anger, he turned them in. That’s how we found everything.” The store owner was stunned. Indeed, nothing is impossible. Just as Rav Shach had said, thieves had quarreled, and one betrayed the others.
The next day, a notice appeared in a local Jewish newspaper. It was short, heartfelt, and powerful: “I want to offer my greatest thanks to the Creator of the World.” Signed simply: Baal Hachanut - The store owner. (Adapted from Lulei Torascha Shashuay)