Two Heads Are Better than One: Parashat Vayetze 5783

(יא) וַיִּפְגַּ֨ע בַּמָּק֜וֹם וַיָּ֤לֶן שָׁם֙ כִּי־בָ֣א הַשֶּׁ֔מֶשׁ וַיִּקַּח֙ מֵאַבְנֵ֣י הַמָּק֔וֹם וַיָּ֖שֶׂם מְרַֽאֲשֹׁתָ֑יו וַיִּשְׁכַּ֖ב בַּמָּק֥וֹם הַהֽוּא׃

Genesis 28:11

(11) He came upon a certain place and stopped there for the night, for the sun had set. Taking one of the stones of that place, he put it under his head and lay down in that place.

מלכים א ה׳:י״ח

(יח) וְעַתָּ֕ה הֵנִ֨יחַ יְהֹוָ֧ה אֱלֹהַ֛י לִ֖י מִסָּבִ֑יב אֵ֣ין שָׂטָ֔ן וְאֵ֖ין פֶּ֥גַע רָֽע׃

I Kings 5:18

(18) But now the LORD my God has given me respite all around; there is no adversary and no mischance.

פָּגַע (v) heb

- to encounter, meet, reach, entreat, make intercession
  - (Qal)
    - to meet, light upon, join
    - to meet (of kindness)
    - to encounter, fall upon (of hostility)
    - to encounter, entreat (of request)
    - to strike, touch (of boundary)
  - (Hiphil)
    - to cause to light upon
    - to cause to entreat
    - to make entreaty, interpose
    - to make attack
    - to reach the mark

אבן עזרא על בראשית כ״ח:י״א:ג׳

(ג) מראשותיו. לשון רבים כמו מרגלותיו והתימה מרב שמואל שעירב חלומות בני אדם עם חלום הנבואה:

Ibn Ezra on Genesis 28:11:3

(3) UNDER HIS HEAD. Me-ra’ashotav (under his head) is a plural. It is similar to margelotav (his feet) (Ruth 3:4; 14). It is surprising that Rabbi Samuel Ben Hofni confused the dreams of common men with prophetic dreams.

ילקוט שמעוני על התורה ג׳:ג׳

(ג) אותיות של אמת בשתי רגלים ושל שקר ברגל אחד כל שעושה אמת מקוים ושקר אינו מקוים. אותיות של אמת מרוחקין זה מזה ושל שקר מקורבין אמת קשה לעשות ושקר עומד אחרי אזן

Yalkut Shimoni on Torah 3:3

The letters of emet (Truth) on two legs and of sheker (Falsehood) on one leg; all that Truth dose stands and all that Falsehood does does not stand. The letters of emet are far apart from one another and of sheker are close together. Truth is hard to achieve, Falsehood stands always behind the ear.

בראשית ל״א:י׳-י״ג

(י) וַיְהִ֗י בְּעֵת֙ יַחֵ֣ם הַצֹּ֔אן וָאֶשָּׂ֥א עֵינַ֛י וָאֵ֖רֶא בַּחֲל֑וֹם וְהִנֵּ֤ה הָֽעַתֻּדִים֙ הָעֹלִ֣ים עַל־הַצֹּ֔אן עֲקֻדִּ֥ים נְקֻדִּ֖ים וּבְרֻדִּֽים׃ (יא) וַיֹּ֨אמֶר אֵלַ֜י מַלְאַ֧ךְ הָאֱלֹהִ֛ים בַּחֲל֖וֹם יַֽעֲקֹ֑ב וָאֹמַ֖ר הִנֵּֽנִי׃ (יב) וַיֹּ֗אמֶר שָׂא־נָ֨א עֵינֶ֤יךָ וּרְאֵה֙ כׇּל־הָֽעַתֻּדִים֙ הָעֹלִ֣ים עַל־הַצֹּ֔אן עֲקֻדִּ֥ים נְקֻדִּ֖ים וּבְרֻדִּ֑ים כִּ֣י רָאִ֔יתִי אֵ֛ת כׇּל־אֲשֶׁ֥ר לָבָ֖ן עֹ֥שֶׂה לָּֽךְ׃ (יג) אָנֹכִ֤י הָאֵל֙ בֵּֽית־אֵ֔ל אֲשֶׁ֨ר מָשַׁ֤חְתָּ שָּׁם֙ מַצֵּבָ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֨ר נָדַ֥רְתָּ לִּ֛י שָׁ֖ם נֶ֑דֶר עַתָּ֗ה ק֥וּם צֵא֙ מִן־הָאָ֣רֶץ הַזֹּ֔את וְשׁ֖וּב אֶל־אֶ֥רֶץ מוֹלַדְתֶּֽךָ׃

Genesis 31:10-13

(10) “Once, at the mating time of the flocks, I had a dream in which I saw that the he-goats mating with the flock were streaked, speckled, and mottled. (11) And in the dream a messenger of God said to me, ‘Jacob!’ ‘Here,’ I answered. (12) And the messenger said, ‘Note well that all the he-goats which are mating with the flock are streaked, speckled, and mottled; for I have noted all that Laban has been doing to you. (13) I am the God of Bethel, where you anointed a pillar and where you made a vow to Me. Now, arise and leave this land and return to your native land.’”

ישעיהו ס״ד:ד׳

(ד) פָּגַ֤עְתָּ אֶת־שָׂשׂ֙ וְעֹ֣שֵׂה צֶ֔דֶק בִּדְרָכֶ֖יךָ יִזְכְּר֑וּךָ הֵן־אַתָּ֤ה קָצַ֙פְתָּ֙ וַֽנֶּחֱטָ֔א בָּהֶ֥ם עוֹלָ֖ם וְנִוָּשֵֽׁעַ׃

Isaiah 64:4

(4) Yet you have struck (or met) him who would gladly do justice, and remember You in Your ways. It is because You are angry that we have sinned; we have been steeped in them from of old, and can we be saved?^-c

פָּגַע (v) heb

- to encounter, meet, reach, entreat, make intercession
  - (Qal)
    - to meet, light upon, join
    - to meet (of kindness)
    - to encounter, fall upon (of hostility)
    - to encounter, entreat (of request)
    - to strike, touch (of boundary)
  - (Hiphil)
    - to cause to light upon
    - to cause to entreat
    - to make entreaty, interpose
    - to make attack
    - to reach the mark

אבן עזרא על ישעיהו ס״ד:ד׳:א׳

(א) פגעת. הטעם אם היית כועס, היית פוגע את הצדיקים, כטעם עומד בפרץ (תהלים ק"ו כ"ג), או יהיה פי' פגעת, היית מקבל פיוס הצדיקים, כמו לא אפגע אדם (ישעיהו מ"ז ג', נ"ג י"ב):

Ibn Ezra on Isaiah 64:4:1

(1) פגעת וגו׳ Thou didst meet him, etc. When thou wast angry in former days, thou didst meet the righteous; comp. Had not Moses, his chosen, stood before Him in the breach, to turn away His wrath? (Ps. 106:23). It may also be rendered, Thou acceptedst the prayer of him, etc. Comp. לא אפגע אדם I will not accept the prayer of any man (47:3; 53:12).