Shabbat Kodesh Parashat Vayishlach
Rebbi Nachman of Breslov was instrumental in teaching his Chasidim to spend quality time – on their own. In the forests, or ast home… They follow it to this day. But they are not alone in this…..
We will read this week:
וַיִּוָּתֵ֥ר יַעֲקֹ֖ב לְבַדּ֑וֹ וַיֵּאָבֵ֥ק אִישׁ֙ עִמּ֔וֹ עַ֖ד עֲל֥וֹת הַשָּֽׁחַר׃ –
“Jacob was left alone. And a figure wrestled with him until the break of dawn”.
It seems clear that Yaakov Avinu was alone, but not “lonely”. He was in solitude. The difference is huge: Loneliness is a negative situation (sometimes even tragic) in which a person finds himself. Solitude can be one of the best and most fruitful times a person can experience throughout life. The Medrash (see below) goes as far as “comparing” the situation Yaakov in which Yaakov found himself to G’d’s solitude ! Lehavdil – non jewish thinkers (see below) credit their best productivity to periods they spent on their own.
Perhaps – this spiritual level is something Yaakov Avinu could only reach after his longstanding feud with Esau was settled and he had achieved external peace!
Shabbat Shalom and best wishes
Rabbi Chaim Michael Biberfeld
Bereshit Rabbah 77.1:
רַבִּי בֶּרֶכְיָה בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי סִימוֹן אָמַר אֵין כָּאֵל, וּמִי כָּאֵל, יְשֻׁרוּן, יִשְׂרָאֵל סָבָא, מָה הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא כָּתוּב בּוֹ (ישעיה ב, יז): וְנִשְׂגַּב ה’ לְבַדּוֹ, אַף יַעֲקֹב וַיִּוָּתֵר יַעֲקֹב לְבַדּוֹ.
Rabbi Berakhyah quoted Rabbi Simon: “There is none like God,” and who is like God? Grandfather Israel. Just as, regarding the Holy Blessed One, it is written, “None but the LORD shall be Exalted on that day” (Isaiah 2:17), even for Jacob [it is written], “Jacob was left alone.”
“A man can be himself only so long as he is alone; and if he doesn’t love solitude, he will not love freedom; for it is only when he is alone that he is really free”
Arthur Schopenhauer, (Schopenhauer is known to have had a some influence over Rav Joseph Ber Soloveitchik צ” k )