Robbery and Tefillah

How does Yaakov Avinu deal with a thief?

 

Yaakov Avinu was a victim of theft by his own uncle Lavan and Hashem makes him whole.  Hashem grants him abundant  wealth by his own right after several years. Yaakov now has to face his brother Eisav and he takes a new approach.

Yaakov chose to daven  to Hashem as one of his defenses of protection from robbery.

Yaakov’s Steps of Tefillah:

• He first acknowledges areas of Hashem’s Chesed to him^[1].
  • The Material wealth Hashem sent him.
  • Hashem granted Yaakov the ability to hold on to his possessions, and did not allow Lavan to steal from him, and through this, He was able to see Hashem’s attribute of Emes.

(2) He then makes his request.

• • Yaakov says: הצילני נא, “Save me please! – NOW , so I don’t suffer any losses.

This time around  He wants Hashem  to protect him  from robbery happening at all. Lavan stole and ultimately Hashem compensated him, as he was a victim of Lavan’s free choice. This  time Yaakov is asking that God not allow Eisav to cause him any losses from the get-go^[2].It seems as if he took a very balanced approach to address this threat.  He does prepare for war using the reasonable ways one goes about protecting oneself  as we see in the verses without falling victim to being someone who relies on miracles. .  He also uses Shalom bringing him gifts which is also a reasonable approach and an approach taught to us by Torah when going to war, to always begin with Shalom.  And, of course he davens.

I find it fascinating how Yaakov Avinu is quite proactive and is vociferous in his demand for protection, justice and truth. He hones in on Hashem Who is Emes, and demands it now. He davens that he be protected and saved from any harm without delays and waiting.

It seems to me that Yaakov is asking for Hashem to give him extra Hashgacha Pratis to protect himself from someone who has ill designs on him exercising his  free choice to destroy him.  The davening itself invites Hashem’s Hashgacha in someone’s life and has the capacity to offer one such protection.

 

 

^[1] קָטֹנְתִּי מִכֹּל הַחֲסָדִים וּמִכׇּל־הָאֱמֶת אֲשֶׁר עָשִׂיתָ אֶת־עַבְדֶּךָ כִּי בְמַקְלִי עָבַרְתִּי אֶת־הַיַּרְדֵּן הַזֶּה וְעַתָּה הָיִיתִי לִשְׁנֵי מַחֲנוֹת, Beraishis 32:11

^[2]  Yaakov says: הצילני נא, “Save me please! , He uses the word נא, a combined form of “please” and “now.” He pleaded with G’d not to allow Esau to cause him any losses instead of letting him recoup his losses later on. (Ohr Hachaim, 32:12)