(לב) וַיִּֽזְרַֽח־ל֣וֹ הַשֶּׁ֔מֶשׁ כַּאֲשֶׁ֥ר עָבַ֖ר אֶת־פְּנוּאֵ֑ל וְה֥וּא צֹלֵ֖עַ עַל־יְרֵכֽוֹ׃
(32) The sun rose on [Jacob] as he passed Penuel, and limped on his hip.
(א) והוא צולע על יריכו - עתה כשהיה השמש ראוהו צולע על יריכו. כמו: ויהי בבוקר והנה היא לאה, כי עד עכשיו לא נודע שהיא לאה.
(1) והוא צולע על ירכו, now that the sun was shining he realized that he was walking with a limp, a belated discovery, just as when he discovered that he had spent a night in bed with Leah thinking that she was Rachel.
(א) ויזרח לו השמש כאשר עבר את פנואל. פי' שזרחה השמש קודם שעבר את פניאל ולמה איחר כל כך בשביל שהוא צולע על ירכו. ד"א ויזרח לו השמש והוא צולע שאין אדם יכול להכיר בו שהוא צולע כי היה כ"כ מעט עד שזרח השמש וניכר באור זריחת השמש:
(1) ויזרח לו השמש כאשר עבר את פנואל, “the sun shone for him as soon as he had passed Penuel.” The Torah means that the sun had risen already long before Yaakov reached Penuel. The reason why it took him so long to get there was that he now had a limp to contend with. Another interpretation of the words והוא צולע על ירכו, “he was limping on his thigh-joint,” is that he walked deliberately so slowly that onlookers did not even notice that he was limping. During the extra time it took Yaakov to reach Penuel the sun had already long risen and begun to shine. Only now did his limp become recognizable, due to the bright light of the sun.
(יא) וַיִּפְגַּ֨ע בַּמָּק֜וֹם וַיָּ֤לֶן שָׁם֙ כִּי־בָ֣א הַשֶּׁ֔מֶשׁ וַיִּקַּח֙ מֵאַבְנֵ֣י הַמָּק֔וֹם וַיָּ֖שֶׂם מְרַֽאֲשֹׁתָ֑יו וַיִּשְׁכַּ֖ב בַּמָּק֥וֹם הַהֽוּא׃
(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.
וַיִּפְגַּע בַּמָּקוֹם (בראשית כח, יא), בִּקֵּשׁ לַעֲבֹר נַעֲשָׂה הָעוֹלָם כֻּלּוֹ כְּמִין כּוֹתֶל לְפָנָיו. (בראשית כח, יא): כִּי בָא הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ, רַבָּנָן אָמְרֵי כִּיבָּא הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ, מְלַמֵּד שֶׁהִשְׁקִיעַ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא גַּלְגַּל חַמָּה שֶׁלֹא בְּעוֹנָתָהּ בִּשְׁבִיל לְדַבֵּר עִם יַעֲקֹב אָבִינוּ בְּצִנְעָה, מָשָׁל לְאוֹהֲבוֹ שֶׁל מֶלֶךְ שֶׁבָּא אֶצְלוֹ לִפְרָקִים, אָמַר הַמֶּלֶךְ כִּיבּוּ אֶת הַנֵּרוֹת כִּיבּוּ אֶת הַפָּנָסִין שֶׁאֲנִי מְבַקֵּשׁ לְדַבֵּר עִם אוֹהֲבִי בְּצִנְעָה. כָּךְ הִשְׁקִיעַ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא גַּלְגַּל חַמָּה שֶׁלֹא בְּעוֹנָתָהּ בִּשְׁבִיל לְדַבֵּר עִם יַעֲקֹב אָבִינוּ בְּצִנְעָה. רַבִּי פִּינְחָס בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי חָנִין דְּצִפּוֹרִין אָמַר שָׁמַע קוֹלָן שֶׁל מַלְאֲכֵי הַשָּׁרֵת אוֹמְרִים בָּא הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ בָּא הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ, אֲתָא שִׁמְשָׁא, אֲתָא שִׁמְשָׁא. בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁאָמַר יוֹסֵף (בראשית לז, ט): וְהִנֵּה הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ וְהַיָּרֵחַ, אָמַר יַעֲקֹב מִי גִּלָּה לוֹ שֶׁשְּׁמִי שֶׁמֶשׁ. אוֹתָן שְׁתֵּי שָׁעוֹת שֶׁהִשְׁקִיעַ לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא חַמָּה בְּצֵאתוֹ מִבֵּית אָבִיו אֵימָתַי הֶחֱזִירָן, בַּחֲזִירָתוֹ לְבֵית אָבִיו, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב (בראשית לב, לב): וַיִּזְרַח לוֹ הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ, אָמַר לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא אַתְּ סִימָן לְבָנֶיךָ, מָה אַתָּה בְּצֵאתְךָ הִשְׁקַעְתִּי חַמָּה וּבַחֲזִירָתְךָ הֶחֱזַרְתִּי לְךָ גַּלְגַּל חַמָּה, כָּךְ בָּנֶיךָ בְּצֵאתָם (ירמיה טו, ט): אֻמְלְלָה יֹלֶדֶת הַשִּׁבְעָה, וּבַחֲזִירָתָן (מלאכי ג, כ): וְזָרְחָה לָכֶם יִרְאֵי שְׁמִי וגו'.
“He encountered the place” – he sought to pass, but the entire world became a barrier of sorts before him. “Because the sun had set” – the Rabbis say: “Because the sun had set” – it teaches that the Holy One blessed be He caused the orb of the sun to set not at its proper time, in order to speak with Jacob privately. This is analogous to a king’s friend who would come to him on occasion. The king said: ‘Extinguish the lamps, extinguish the lanterns, as I wish to speak with my friend privately.’ So, the Holy One blessed be He caused the orb of the sun to set not at its proper time, in order to speak with Jacob privately. Rabbi Pinḥas said in the name of Rabbi Ḥanin of Tzippori: He heard the voices of the ministering angels saying: ‘The sun has arrived, the sun has arrived.’ When Joseph said: “Behold, the sun and the moon” (Genesis 37:9), Jacob said: ‘Who revealed to him that My name is “sun”?’ Those two hours that the Holy One blessed be He caused the orb of the sun to set when he left his father’s house, when did He restore them? It was when he returned to his father’s house. That is what is written: “The sun rose for him” (Genesis 32:32). The Holy One blessed be He said to him: ‘You are a model for your descendants; just as you, when you departed, I caused the sun to set, and upon your return, I restored the orb of the sun for you, so, your descendants, upon their departure: “The one who bore seven is miserable…[her sun set while still day]” (Jeremiah 15:9), and upon their return: “But the [sun of righteousness] will shine for those who fear My name…”’ (Malachi 3:20).
(א) ויזרח לו השמש, כמו ויאור להם בחברון (שמואל ב ב׳:ל״ב). ויש דרש, כי לו זרחה שנתרפא בה. א"ר ברכיה לא זרחה השמש אלא לרפאתו אבל לאחרים אורה אמר ר"ה כך יהיה השמש מרפא ביעקב אבינו ומלהבת בעשו ובאלופיו, מרפה ביעקב שנאמר וזרחה לכם יראי שמי, ומלהבת בעשו שנאמר כי הנה היום בא בוער כתנור (מלאכי ג׳:כ׳).
(1)
ויזרח לו השמש,
an expression similar in principle to Samuel II 2,39 ויאור להם בחברון, “it became light for them in Chevron,” when Yaakov passed Penuel the sun had just risen. An aggadic explanation (Bereshit Rabbah 78,8) of the wording, based on the word לו, “for him,” is that the sun had a therapeutic effect on Yaakov’s limp. Rabbi Berechyah explains the wording to mean that whereas everyone in Yaakov’s retinue appreciated the sun for its light, Yaakov appreciated it for its therapeutic effect on his injury. Rabbi Hunna says whereas the heat of the sun’s rays had a therapeutic effect on Yaakov, it had a debilitating effect on Esau and his hordes. He quotes Maleachi 3 10-20 “For lo! The day is at hand, burning like an oven. The arrogant and all the doers of evil shall be straw, and the day that is coming-said the Lord of Hosts- shall burn them to ashes and leave of them neither stock nor boughs. But for you who revere My name a sun of victory shall rise, a healing. You shall go forth and stamp like stall-fed calves and you shall trample the wicked to a pulp for they shall be dust beneath your feet on the day I am preparing, said the Lord of Hosts"
וַיִּזְרַח לוֹ הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ וגו' (בראשית לב, לב), אָמַר רַבִּי בֶּרֶכְיָה וּלְמִי לֹא זָרְחָה הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ, אֶלָּא לוֹ לִרְפוּאָתוֹ, אֲבָל לַאֲחֵרִים אוֹרָה. רַב הוּנָא בְּשֵׁם רַב אַחָא אָמַר, כָּךְ הָיְתָה הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ מַרְפֵּא בְּאָבִינוּ יַעֲקֹב וּמְלַהֶטֶת בְּעֵשָׂו וּבְאַלּוּפָיו. אָמַר לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא אַתְּ סִימָן לְבָנֶיךָ, מַה אַתְּ הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ מַרְפֵּא בְךָ וּמְלַהֶטֶת בְּעֵשָׂו וּבְאַלּוּפָיו, כָּךְ בָּנֶיךָ תְּהֵא הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ מַרְפֵּא בָהֶן וּמְלַהֶטֶת בְּעוֹבְדֵי כּוֹכָבִים, מַרְפֵּא בָהֶן (מלאכי ג, כ): וְזָרְחָה לָכֶם יִרְאֵי שְׁמִי שֶׁמֶשׁ צְדָקָה וּמַרְפֵּא בִּכְנָפֶיהָ, וּמְלַהֶטֶת בְּעוֹבְדֵי כּוֹכָבִים (מלאכי ג, יט): הִנֵּה הַיּוֹם בָּא בֹּעֵר כַּתַּנּוּר וגו'. (בראשית לב, לב): וְהוּא צֹלֵעַ עַל יְרֵכוֹ, רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בֶּן לֵוִי הֲוָה סָלֵיק לְרוֹמִי, וְכֵיוָן דַּאֲתָא לְעַכּוֹ נְפַק רַבִּי חֲנִינָא לְקַדְמוּתֵיהּ, אַשְׁכְּחֵיהּ מַטְלַע עַל יְרֵכוֹ, אֲמַר לֵיהּ אַתְּ דָּמֵי לְסָבָךְ וְהוּא צֹלֵעַ עַל יְרֵכוֹ.
“The sun rose for him as he passed Penuel, and he was limping from his hip” (Genesis 32:32). “The sun rose for him…” – Rabbi Berekhya said: For whom did the sun not rise? Rather, for him it is for his healing, but for others, light. Rav Huna said in the name of Rav Aḥa: So, the sun was healing our patriarch Jacob and beating down on Esau and his chieftains. The Holy One blessed be He said to him: ‘You are a paradigm for your descendants. For you, the sun was healing you and beating down on Esau and his chieftains, so, your descendants, the sun will heal them and beat down on the idolaters. Will heal them – “but the sun of righteousness will shine for you who fear My name, with healing in its rays” (Malachi 3:20); and will beat down on the idolaters – “behold, the day is coming, burning like a furnace […and all that do evil will be straw, and the day that is coming will set them ablaze]”’ (Malachi 3:19).
(יא) וַיִּפְגַּ֨ע בַּמָּק֜וֹם וַיָּ֤לֶן שָׁם֙ כִּי־בָ֣א הַשֶּׁ֔מֶשׁ וַיִּקַּח֙ מֵאַבְנֵ֣י הַמָּק֔וֹם וַיָּ֖שֶׂם מְרַֽאֲשֹׁתָ֑יו וַיִּשְׁכַּ֖ב בַּמָּק֥וֹם הַהֽוּא׃
(11) [Jacob] 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.
תָּנוּ רַבָּנַן שְׁלֹשָׁה קָפְצָה לָהֶם הָאָרֶץ אֱלִיעֶזֶר עֶבֶד אַבְרָהָם וְיַעֲקֹב אָבִינוּ וַאֲבִישַׁי בֶּן צְרוּיָה...יַעֲקֹב אָבִינוּ דִּכְתִיב וַיֵּצֵא יַעֲקֹב מִבְּאֵר שָׁבַע וַיֵּלֶךְ חָרָנָה וּכְתִיב וַיִּפְגַּע בַּמָּקוֹם וַיָּלֶן שָׁם כִּי בָא הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ כִּי מְטָא לְחָרָן אֲמַר אֶפְשָׁר עָבַרְתִּי עַל מְקוֹם שֶׁהִתְפַּלְּלוּ בּוֹ אֲבוֹתַי וַאֲנִי לֹא הִתְפַּלַּלְתִּי בּוֹ בָּעֵי לְמֶיהְדַּר כֵּיוָן דְּהַרְהַר בְּדַעְתֵּיהּ לְמִיהְדַּר קְפַצָה לֵיהּ אַרְעָא מִיָּד וַיִּפְגַּע בַּמָּקוֹם
§ The Sages taught: For three individuals the land shortened: Eliezer, servant of Abraham, and Jacob our forefather, and Abishai, son of Zeruiah...The case of Jacob our forefather is as it is written: “And Jacob departed from Beersheba and went to Haran” (Genesis 28:10), and it is written: “And he encountered [vayyifga] the place, and he slept there, for the sun had set” (Genesis 28:11). When Jacob arrived at Haran, he said: Is it possible that I bypassed a place where my forefathers prayed and I did not pray there? He sought to return to Beit El. Once he contemplated in his mind to return, the land contracted for him, and immediately: “And he encountered the place.”
וַיָּלֶן שָׁם כִּי בָא הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ בָּתַר דְּצַלִּי בָּעֵי לְמִיהְדַּר אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא צַדִּיק זֶה בָּא לְבֵית מְלוֹנִי יִפָּטֵר בְּלֹא לִינָה מִיָּד בָּא הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ וְהַיְינוּ דִּכְתִיב וַיִּזְרַח לוֹ הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ וְכִי לוֹ בִּלְבַד זָרְחָה וַהֲלֹא לְכׇל הָעוֹלָם כּוּלּוֹ זָרְחָה אֶלָּא אָמַר רַבִּי יִצְחָק שֶׁמֶשׁ שֶׁבָּאָה בַּעֲבוּרוֹ זָרְחָה בַּעֲבוּרוֹ
“And he slept there because the sun had set” (Genesis 28:11). After Jacob prayed and he sought to return to his travels, the Holy One, Blessed be He, said: This righteous man came to My inn. Will I allow him to take leave without sleeping here? Immediately the sun set, and that is the meaning of that which is written: “And the sun shone for him when he passed Penuel” (Genesis 32:32). And did the sun shine only for him? But didn’t the sun shine for the entire world? Rather, Rabbi Yitzḥak says: The sun that set for him shone for him.