| "And you shall leave a space between each herd" (Genesis 32:17) "A distance within sight, so as to satisfy the eye of that wicked man" (Rashi). A person's eyes serve as the messengers of the mind. Their role is to determine whether, upon seeing something, one connects it immediately to higher understanding—recognizing what Hashem wants from him—and thus lives with the awareness expressed by Yaakov Avinu: "I have everything." Such a person lives fully within his own reality, recognizing that whatever happens around him is part of his personal story. He does not fix his eyes on what others have - what kind of family, how much money, or how much someone else is serving Hashem. He looks only at himself, his situation, and understands that his task in this misleading world is uniquely his own. Esav's eye is the exact opposite. Even when he has abundant silver and gold, he is never satisfied. Yaakov tried to appease him regarding the blessings by sending a generous gift, and therefore he instructed the messengers to keep visual distance between each herd so Esav would see an abundance and perhaps be calmed. When they finally met, Esav said, "I have plenty," expressing pride and self-importance. Everything Esav seeks is simply more - more satisfaction, more indulgence, more fulfillment of desires. His gaze is always hungry. Our task is to confront the Esav within ourselves and fight him with everything we have. "Yaakov was an ish tam - a wholesome man." Through simple sincerity—taking Rebbe Nachman's practical advice of hitbodedut, joy, dancing, prayer, and the straightforward practices he taught—we can overcome that inner Esav and become included in the wholesome path of Yaakov. May Hashem help us in all we do. |
No comments:
Post a Comment