Parshat Vayeshev: How a Small Prayer Can Bring Redemption?

The name of the parsha expresses our father Jacob's desire to achieve spiritual tranquility, as hinted in Rashi's interpretation bringing the words of our sages, 'Jacob sought to dwell in peace.'

Like Adam the first man, our father Jacob is a "general soul," including the souls of all Israel, as it is written in the Talmud: 'The beauty of our father Jacob was like the beauty of Adam the first man' (Bava Metzia 84a). This is essentially the reason why Jacob is called in the holy Zohar "Israel Saba," hinting that he is the root of the souls of all Israel, his descendants. Therefore, from our father Jacob, we learn that every Jew should always ask to dwell in peace.

What tranquility is intended? It is clear that the intention is for the spiritual tranquility that the righteous, like our father Jacob, yearn for, according to what Maimonides writes (Mishneh Torah, End of Laws of Kings) that the righteous desire the days of the Messiah not to rule over the nations, nor to eat, drink, and rejoice, but to know Hashem – to engage in His Torah and serve Him with joy and a good heart. The tranquility of the era of redemption is the true, deep, and innermost peace. Just as our father Jacob seeks to reach this peace, so too should we.

The Perfection of Service - Awe

In depth and inner essence, Jacob's request to "dwell in peace" specifically in this physical world, is to fulfill Hashem's desire to make 'a dwelling place in the lower worlds' (Tanchuma Nasso 16). Just as explained by the Alter Rebbe in "Torah Or" (and as explained also by the Maggid of Mezritch): 'And Jacob dwelled in the land of his father's sojournings' - Jacob desired for the people of Israel to dwell in the physical world in a manner of 'his father's sojournings.' The intention is a dwelling and awe before our Father, our King, living in this world with complete awe of Heaven, inner awe, supreme awe.

Additionally, the word "sojournings" also means accumulation and gathering. Based on this, it can be said that the inner intention of the verse 'And Jacob dwelled in the land of his father's sojournings' is a combination of the two interpretations - complete awe of Heaven, granting Jews the power to gather the 'sparks' of holiness scattered in this world, as explained in Kabbalah. In this way, we fulfill the supreme intention in creation, to make a dwelling place for Hashem in this physical world.

Therefore, Jacob's request to "dwell in peace" is not for himself but for all Israel, that they merit complete awe and the completion of the task of clarifying the sparks. This is because when a person is in peace, they can focus on their spiritual mission – gathering the sparks and elevating them to holiness.

Hashem Desires the Prayers of the Righteous

From what is said, it follows that our father Jacob, in his request to dwell in peace, is essentially asking for redemption. Since our sages (Yevamot 64a) said that 'Hashem desires the prayers of the righteous,' it is understood that Hashem awaits the descendants of Jacob, that they too should ask, pray, and even demand redemption!

This is also the reason that in the blessing of the meal, we mention the kingdom of Heaven, the kingdom of the house of David, and the rebuilding of the Holy Temple, according to the words of our sages that Israel will not be redeemed until they demand these three things. Moreover, the Chida writes (Midbar Kadmut, System K, Section 16) that even the hope for redemption itself will bring the redemption of the people of Israel. That is, when we wait for redemption and ask for it, we hasten its arrival!

The reason for this is that the inner intention in requesting redemption is to complete the supreme purpose in the creation of the world, to create in our world - a physical and lower world - a dwelling place for Hashem, and this is by observingTorahand mitzvot in practiceduring the exile, which will bring about the completion of gathering all the sparks of holiness.

Adapted from the lessons of Rabbi Dov Menachem Dubrowskin