Eliphaz, Poverty, Wealth and Onkelos  

There are those who enjoy the luxury of traveling first
class and there are those who would rather endure a few hours with the worst
airline sitting in the worst seat if it saves them a few bucks. What a contrast
two seats and two airlines can make in travel. We see that same contrast in
“flights” from Israel up to Syria in these parshiot. Two weeks ago we read of the servant of
Abraham going up to Syria to find a wife for Isaac. He takes with him a caravan
of ten camels along with servants, gold, silver, jewelry, clothing, gifts,
fruits and delicacies. First class going
and coming.  

Last week, Isaac commanded his son Jacob to go up to Syria
for the same purpose. Upon Jacob’s arrival, Laban comes to greet him. Although
Eliezer came almost 100 years prior, Laban remembers that wealth and wonders
where can Jacob be hiding the jewels? He hugs him and kisses him, but as the
police warn tourists, sometimes a hug is just a pickpocket practicing their
craft. Laban finds nothing and wonders. Yaakov tells him what happened.  

Isaac would certainly not send Jacob empty handed, but
along the way Jacob was robbed and left with nothing, not even the clothes on
his back. The verse in Psalms reads, Esa Eynay El HeHarim – I raise my eyes to
the mountains. Where will help come from? The Midrash elaborates instead of
Harim, read Horim. Jacob is pleading to Hashem that he raises his eyes to his
parents, to Eliezer’s search for a wife for his father Isaac. Here he is
penniless, where will his ezri – help or perhaps his “Eliezer” come from?  

So what happened? The rabbis explain that Esav bound his
son Eliphaz with an oath to slay Jacob. He reminds Eliphaz that with Jacob’s
death the birthright would be taken by them with all its rewards. Eliphaz
having grown on the lap of Isaac his grandfather is concerned with what was
required of him and turns to his concubine Timna. Recall that Timna was a
Princess, but she wanted to convert. She came to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob [to
convert] but they would not accept her. She then became a concubine to Eliphaz
the son of Esau. She said that it was better to be a maidservant to this nation
rather than to be a powerful woman in another nation.  

She suggested that Eliphaz come up with some way to avoid
killing Jacob. Eliphaz with mixed emotions pursues his uncle, who undoubtedly
was his teacher as well. He is committed to respecting his father and to
honoring his vow. Is there a way out he must wonder?  

When they meet, Jacob implores Eliphaz not to kill him and gives
him everything he had with him. Jacob tells Eliphaz, “Take what I have, for a
poor man is counted as dead – (thus I can remain alive and you will have
fulfilled in some way your vow).”  

Rabbi Pinches Friedman,( a most captivating teacher and the
source for this week’s lesson) explains
the above and then quoting the Chiddushei HaRim suggests that Hashem
orchestrated that Yaakov would face the ordeal of poverty which is a test of
faith and a test of maintaining truth and honesty. Through Jacob’s success, he
paved the way for all Israel to withstand the test of poverty. 

The Ketav Sofer goes further and explains that Jacob faced
this test of poverty in order for him to be able to withstand the test of
wealth which he would face in Haran. The test of wealth he suggests is even
greater, because the poor man always looks to G-d. The wealthy man forgets Him.
 

We will read next week that “the sun rose for him (Jacob)”.
And the Rabbis ask. Did the sun not rise for everyone? They answer just as we
see at the outset of this week’s portion that the sun set quickly in
anticipation of the dream with the ladder, so the sun rose quickly. The rabbis
quoting the Mishna teach, ““Whoever fulfills the Torah in a state of poverty
will ultimately fulfill it in wealth.” They explain that just as the sun, his
wealth, was quickly wiped away as a setting sun, his wealth would come quickly
as the rising sun. If one can succeed in poverty maintaining faith and honesty,
he will succeed as a wealthy man, be it more difficult, as well.  

But what became of Eliphaz? Why should I care? Is someone
rewarded for not killing? If we consider that killing was certainly in
Eliphaz’s nature with Esav as his father and Amalek as his son, then perhaps in
overcoming his nature, he should be greatly rewarded? Furthermore we read, “The
world rests on three pillars—on the Torah, on the “avodah” (the sacred
service), and on “gemilut chasadim – kind deeds”. The last is Abraham who
welcomed and entertained guests. Yitzchak Avinu, who was bound on the alter as
a korban, represents the sacrificial service. Jacob who is Yoshev Ohalim represents the pillar of Torah. So in overcoming his command and his nature
in not killing Jacob, Eliphaz saved the pillar of Torah.  

Rabbi Yochanan said: HKB”H does not withhold the reward of
any creature, even the reward for refined speech. We find in the book of Iyov –
Job that among the colleagues who responded to Iyov’s complaints was Eliphaz
HaTeimani. Rashi says this is Eliphaz the son of Esav. And the rabbis count him
among the seven prophets of the goyim who merited that the shechina rest upon
him.  

But it doesn’t end there as the Rama of Pano explains: Onkelos was an “ibur” of Eliphaz. Onkelos, the
nephew of Hadrian Ceaser and of Titus Ceasem Y’SV, converted to Judaism. He
studied under Rabbi Eliezer b. Hyrcanus and Rabbi Yehoshua b. Hananiah and took
their teachings and authored the Targum which we are commanded to read each
week as an explanation of the written Torah. Onkelos received within him the soul of Eliphaz.  

The Talmud in Gittin tells us that when Onkelos thought to
convert he conducted a séance raising the spirit of Titus ( a reincarnation of
Esav) from the dead to seek his advice. Titus explained that the road to success in this world comes through
tormenting the Jews but was forced to admit he was punished daily and that in
fact in the future world it is those who observe the Torah who are at the top. The Gemara continues and
states that Onkelos went on consulting with other spirits from the dead,
including the wicked Bilam and the Christian Yeshu. His decision to convert is
based on what he learned, much as Eliphaz after consulting Timna and consulting
Jacob is able to avoid killing his uncle.  

In saving Jacob, the pillar of Torah, Eliphaz merits
through Onkelos to become a pillar of our learning. What an amazing reward?  

And again we learn, what goes around comes around.  

For those of us in poverty, we pray that we succeed with
Hashem’s help in the test and that the sun rise quickly for us. And may we all be
blessed and successful in the even greater test of wealth. We pray that as Eliphaz overcame his nature,
that we be blessed to overcome our nature and through that bring Mashiach
BimHera BeYameynu Amen.  

Shabbat Shalom, Rabbi David Bibi