Vayishlach

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Vayishlach by Rabbi Moshe Goodman, Kollel Ohr Shlomo, Hebron                                                           בס"ד

לשכנו תדרשו

Discover the Holy Presence in the Holy Land

The Kings of Edom

At the end of this parsha the burial of Yitzhak at Maarat Hamachpela is juxtaposed to the chronicles of Esav. The chronicles of Esav end with the chronicles of the seven Kings of Edom who died and the eighth king who it does not say that he died. These seven Kings of Edom carry a great secret of the Torah according to the Kabbalah called the Breaking of Vessels, also shedding light virtually on every place that the number seven is mentioned in the Torah, and also every place that death is mentioned in the Torah. Essentially, the eighth “live” king, Hadar, is meant to rectify/”resurrect” the seven kings that “died.”
In Parshat Shlach the Torah says that Hebron was built seven years before Zoan of Egypt. The numerical value of Zoan is 210, and since Zoan is associated with Egypt in the verse, it seems clear that there is a hint or reference here to the 210 years Israel were in exile in Egypt before the Exodus. What does it mean that Hebron was built seven years before “Zoan of Egypt?” According to one interpretation of our Sages to Ezekiel’s “vision of the dead bones,” the resurrection of these dead bones is indicative of Israel’s return to the Holy Land after years of exile. In this sense, Israel’s exile from the Holy Land, Land of the Living Holy Presence, is likened to death, and their return to it is likened to their resurrection. Therefore, we may say that Israel’s exile in Egypt outside the Holy Land is deeply related to the secret of the “seven dead kings of Edom.” Therefore, “seven years” is attached to the words “Zoan of Egypt,” hinting to the fact that indeed “Zoan of Egypt,” i.e., Israel’s exile, i.e., “death,” in Egypt, is linked to the secret of the “seven dead (kings).” It is known that the redemption from Egypt was deeply rooted in Hashem’s promise and covenant with our Patriarchs of Hebron. This can be the meaning of “Hebron being built before Zoan etc.”, where “before” indicates the concept of a cure “before” the blow, as our Sages say that “Hashem provides the cure before the blow.” In other words, the merit of Hebron, City of the Patriarchs with whom Hashem made a covenant causing the redemption from Egypt, stands as a “cure before the blow of exile.”
According to the secret of the seven/eight kings mentioned above, we may understand why the chronicles of Edom and these kings is juxtaposed to the burial of Yitzhak at Maarat Hamachpela in Hebron, for Hebron essentially stands as the “eighth king of rectification/resurrection,” the cure “before” the blow.” Indeed, the Kabbalists note that the eight king is the only king who is mentioned to be married, exemplifying the concept of rectification through unity. Indeed, also Hebron highlights the unity of marriage by its name Hebron, meaning unity (hibur), and also through Maarat Hamachpela – the Cave of Couples. Taking this a step further, we may also say that our future national “resurrection,” i.e the ingathering of exiles to our Holy Land, is directly linked to Hebron – “At that time (the end of days), the three Patriarchs will adjoin with might, and teruah, shevarim, and tekiah will be sounded, and with them the “the earth will shake,” and this will be in the “end of days,” and all these miracles will be in the Land of Israel, for there is located Hebron where the Patriarchs are buried” (Tikunei Zohar 13:28b).

Real Miracles:

In December 1948, the Egyptians were harassing Israeli settlements in the Negev while advanced columns were moving north. Yadin used the Bible for strategy. It mentioned an ancient road forgotten for centuries, which ran almost directly to Mushrafa, the Egyptians’ central garrison. Heavy boulders were pushed aside with bulldozers. Soldiers in armored vehicles, jeeps, and supply trucks sped under cover of darkness along the ancient road and surprised the Egyptians. Taking this garrison destroyed the Egyptian defense system and ended the war 14 days later.  Source: Israel Nation of Miracles

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