This week we read of the death of Yaakov and his burial in the Cave of Machpelah in Chevron.
Although the Torah does not cite the exact date of his death, tradition as recorded by the Chasam Sofer has it that he transpired on the first day of Sukkos, the fifteenth of Tishrei.
The Chasam Sofer goes on to hypothesize that he was buried on the Tenth of Teves.
The Torah depicts the seventy days of embalming and wailing that took place after his death before they began the trek to bury him. The trip took eight days. When the procession arrived in the Land of Israel, they first observed seven days of mourning prior to the burial.
With the total number of days from death to burial being eighty-five days, assuming Tishrei was a full thirty day month — and thus sixteen remaining days to Tishrei, and Cheshvan and Kislev respectively twenty-nine days and thirty days each — fifty-nine days, then adding ten days into Teves, brings us to the Tenth of Teves.
This sad day of his final rest corresponds to tragic day of the initiation of Nebuchadnezzar's siege upon Jerusalem that was the precursor to the destruction of the First Temple two and a half years later, on the Ninth of Av.
The Chasam Sofer points out that it was also the day when the 'father' of the nation of Edom — Esav, was killed at the hands of Chushim, the son of Dan.
The Talmud retells how once they reached the Cave of Machpelah, Esav came and prevented them from burying Yaakov there, saying to them: Yaakov buried Leah in his spot, and the spot that is remaining is mine. The children of Yaakov responded: You sold your rights to Yaakov. Esav said to them: Though I sold the birthright, did I also sell my rights to the burial site as an ordinary brother? The brothers said to him: Yes, you also sold those rights to Jacob. Meanwhile Chushim, the son of Dan, was there and was hard of hearing. He said to them: What is this that is delaying the burial? And they told him: This one, Esav, is preventing us from burying Yaakov until Naftali comes back from the land of Egypt with the bill of sale. He said to them: And until Naftali comes back from the land of Egypt will our father’s father lie in degradation? He took a club and hit Esav on the head, and Esav’s eyes fell out and they fell on the legs of Yaakov. Yaakov opened his eyes and smiled in fulfillment of the verse: “The righteous shall rejoice when he sees the vengeance; he shall wash his feet in the blood of the wicked.” (תהלים נח יא)
On the day we commemorate the pain we endure from our enemies, we express hope and absolute faith that we will overcome and turn this day from mourning to joy.
But there is one more vital lesson in this parallel of events, especially in its relationship specifically with Yaakov and Chushim.
The Meshech Chochmah asserts that it was Yaakov who was privy to a vision of the 'End of Times', observing the travails his children would endure in their future exiles, who realized the danger of their becoming complacent in the countries they would inhabit, forgetting very quickly from whence they came. He knew by instructing them to bury him now in the Land of Israel they would always place their eyes and hearts to their heritage they were bequeathed at the hands of the Patriarchs and Matriarchs.
We too easily adapt to the environments and their influences we inhabit, forgetting our ultimate mission and legacy.
As the great Rosh Hayeshiva of Yeshivas Mir, Rav Chaim Shmulevitz, brilliantly observed in the incident of the confrontation with Esav at Yaakov's burial, how easily the brothers got caught up and absorbed in the 'negotiations' with Esav, and how quickly became immune to the horror of their father's disgrace. It was only the deaf brother, who saw the situation for what it was, without falling into the clutches of 'diplomacy', who reacted instinctively and correctly to restore his grandfather's dignity.
The siege of Jerusalem lingered for two years. There was no battle, deaths or displacement yet. They fell into the trap of complacency, accommodating to the situation in hopes that it would stabilize. They missed their opportunity to seize the moment and change their fate by taking stock and repenting before it was too late.
The rest is history.
It is never too late.
The time is now.
ותגיה את חשכי באורך להאירה את נפש חשקי כי אתה נרי — Brighten my darkness by illuminating with Your light, the night [of redemption] I longed for — for You are my light.(סליחות י' בטבת)
Let's not be blinded and turn to His light.
באהבה,
צבי יהודה טייכמאן
