| We read in the Haggada of Pesach each year at the seder about an allusion to the covenant made by Hashem with Avraham at the Bris Bein Habesarim: “It is this that has stood by our fathers and us. For not only one has risen against us to annihilate us, but in every generation they rise up against us to annihilate us. But the Holy One, Blessed is He, rescues us from their hands.” The next paragraph in the Haggadah is an example of how in each generation someone tries to annihilate us but haven’t succeeded: “Go and learn what Lavan the Aramean attempted to do to our father Yaakov! For Pharaoh decreed only against the males, but Lavan attempted to uproot everything as it says (Devarim 26:5) ‘An Aramean attempted to destroy my father. Then he descended to Egypt and sojourned there, with few people; and there he became a nation, great, mighty and numerous.'” This episode originates from the end of this week’s Torah portion of Vayeitzei, where Lavan ran after Yaakov and his family after they escaped Lavan’s house. The Abarbanel on the Hagadda remarks on these two paragraphs, about the promise that was made to Avraham by Hashem at the bris bein habesarim that he would be exiled and persecuted, but ultimately go out as a mighty and wealthy nation. This occurred not only in Egypt but can happen again, in each generation; and the proof is that it happened by Lavan. Yaakov worked very hard for his father-in-law Lavan and after twenty years he ran away with his family back to Eretz Canaan, with great wealth and a large amount of flock. Lavan didn’t proactively do anything wrong to him but go out and learn from his words what Lavan’s intent was against Yaakov. Lavan admitted and said, “It is in my power to do you all harm” (Breishis 31:29). Lavan wanted to wipe them out, to smite each mother with her children and he said to Yaakov, “The daughters are my daughters, the children are my children and the flock is my flock, and all that you see is mine” (Breishis 31:43). Meaning, everything I deserve to have and to do whatever I want with them; but Hashem stopped me as the end of pasuk 29, quoted earlier states, “But the G-D of your father addressed me last night (in a dream) saying, ‘Beware of speaking with Yaakov either good or bad.'” Abarbanel goes on to say that the author of the Haggada is saying that the promise made to Avraham at the bris bein habesarim was fulfilled through Yaakov with Lavan, for Hashem judged Lavan, as it says, “But G-D had come to Lavan in a dream by night and said to him, ‘Beware lest…'” (Breishis 31:24). Yaakov left with great wealth as it had said earlier, “The man (referring to Yaakov) became exceedingly prosperous and he attained flocks, maidservants and servants, camels and donkeys” (Breishis 30:43). Abarbanel concludes: “And just as the promise of the bris bein habesarim was fulfilled for them so shall it be fulfilled for all our troubles in each generation!” The Avudraham on the paragraph about Lavan in the Haggada says we know that Lavan wanted to wipe out Yaakov and his family because the Aramaic translation of the pasuk ארמי אבד אבי (Devarim 26:5), written by Onkelus, stated, “An Aramean wanted to decimate your father.” This is based on the fact that when Lavan the Aramean ran after Yaakov and reached him, he said to him, “It is in my power to do you all harm.” And because he thought about doing bad, Hashem considered it as if it was done. This is because Hashem considers the bad thoughts of gentiles as if they happened; and the only reason why they aren’t fulfilled is because Hashem annuls their evil ideas and doesn’t allow them to happen. (Click here for Hebrew text.) The Avudraham is teaching us a very interesting psychological concept. Every human has free choice, including gentiles; yet the Avudraham claims that the sinister ideas of gentiles they will undoubtedly fulfill, and never change their mind out of remorse, Hashem will at times stop them from bringing them to fruition. Why is it assumed that all gentiles won’t have remorse for their evil ideas and decide on their own not to do them? Even though Lavan said he could harm them, he didn’t because Hashem told him not to. But wasn’t that still his choice to listen to Hashem!? We see that Bilaam did not listen to Hashem and continued cursing the Jews; so Hashem put into his mouth blessings. But Lavan seemed to have chosen of his own free will to listen to Hashem; so why does the Avudraham and the haggada not give him the credit for making the right decision? However it must be that in fact Lavan really wanted to kill Yaakov and his family, and that desire never changed; and only because Hashem restrained him and convinced him in his mind to not do it was it not fulfilled. That is why Hashem considered Lavan’s idea as if it came to fruition, ashet would have done if not for Hashem’s intervention. So too, all evil and sinister ideas of the gentiles we can assume are plots that they never plan to change and the only reason why they aren’t successful is because Hashem stops them. That’s the psychology of wicked gentiles; once they come up with an evil plan they stick to it and don’t want to change. But ultimately Hashem runs the world and their sinister plots are thwarted. Good Shabbos, Rabbi Dovid Shmuel Milder |