Page 33 - DAAT-HAIM-2

Rabbi Chaim Walkin 2

Sefer Da’at Chaim

33rd ma’amar

took that approach he would have been successful in remaining on the
Land from the strength of the power of his true desire. And so we are
forced to conclude that there was another reason hidden within him
that was the root cause of Eisav’s decision to leave the Land, and that
reason brought Eisav to conclude his decision to abandon that Land.

This underlying reason for abandoning Eretz Yisrael is what the
Midrash is explaining, “…he runs away yet no one is pursuing the
Rasha, the Rasha escapes yet no one is running after him. Rebbe Elazar
said it was because of the ‘contractual debt,’ and Rebbe Yehoshua Ben
Levi said it was because of his ‘shame’,” meaning, Eisav abandoned
forever Eretz Yisrael because he did not want to pay the price of the
debt that had to be paid in order to inherit the Land, either because
of the “contractual debt” - the decree that “his descendants will be
strangers,” or because of his “shame” – that “he sold his first-born
right.” That (both reasons, or either reason separately) was the real
reason that caused Eisav to say “I am leaving this place, I do not
want any part of the gift that was given to him, this Land, and I won’t
pay the price of the “contractual debt.” This is the reason why Eisav
abandoned the Land and ran away, as described in the Midrash “…the
Rasha runs away even though no one is pursuing him, evil runs away
without anyone in pursuit.”

The real reason underlying Lot’s behavior in
parting from Abraham Aveinu.

With this approach we can also explain the topic of Lot’s behavior in
separating himself from Abraham Aveinu. Please see this described
in Chumash Beresheet (13:7-9) “There was a dispute between
the shepherds of Avram’s flocks and the shepherds of Lot’s flocks.
Abraham said to Lot – Please, do not let there be an argument
between me and you…because we are brothers, see, the entire land
is open before you. Please separate yourself from me.” Please study
carefully the ensuing pasuk (Beresheet 13:11) “and Lot lifted up his
eyes...and he departed from the East (“MiKedem”).” Regarding
this, Rashi quotes the Midrash (in Beresheet Rabbah 41:7) - He
departed from (“MiKadmon”) the One Who Preceded the Universe

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