Parshas Vayishlach: The Power of Pachim Ketanim

 Parshas Vayishlach: The Power of Pachim Ketanim 

The Torah describes that that after Yaakov sent forth the gifts to Eisav, he brought his whole family and all their belongings across the Yabok river. The next passuk (32:25) then relates that somehow, Yaakov was left alone and was ultimately faced with the challenge of fighting the malach representing Eisav. Rashi explains that the reason Yaakov ended up alone was because he went back across the river to retrieve some “pachim ketanim” - small jugs – that he accidentally left behind. After all, as the Gemara Chullin (91a) explains, tzadikkim take extraordinary care of their possessions.... 

Why does Rashi feel the need to be so specific that it was “pachim ketanim” that Yaakov had left behind? We could probably deduce on our own that Yaakov would leave behind the least important of his assets?  

Some want to suggest that these pachim ketanim were not unimportant at all but rather, they were the jars of oil that Yaakov used in last week’s parsha when he woke up from his dream and took the stone from under his head (the one that was originally 12 stones) and poured oil on top. In fact, the Daas Zekainim even comments that an alternative to reading “Yaakov was left “l’vado” (“alone”) could be to read as “l’kado” (“for his pitcher of oil”). The Daas Zekainim also points out that the letters beis and daled in “l’vado” create the word like a “beis ha’bad” (where olives are pressed to oil).  

But this makes our question stronger. If they were not special, why does Rashi feel the need to specify, if they were special then why would Yaakov leave them as the last piece of luggage to return to alone? 

The Medrash (Bereishis Rabbah 69) comments on last week’s parsha that after Yaakov woke up from the dream and poured oil on the stone, he named the place Beis E-l, which was originally called Luz. The Medrash describes that Luz is a special place where the malach ha’maves has no domain. It was called as such because it had no opening – no one could ascertain the location of the city entrance.  

What is the connection between these pachim ketanim, luz, and the oil?  

The Gemara Berachos 23a says in the name of Mar Zutra/Rav Ashi: “Pachim ketanim protect their content from ohel ha’mes”. In other words, sealed small vessels (less than a tefach in size) will prevent impurity from getting inside even if they are under the same tent as is covering a corpse (the ultimate source of tumah). Tosfos further clarifies, to reconcile with the context of the gemara there, that the pachim ketanim specifically protect when there is airspace inside as a buffer to the outside world; otherwise, if the content were full to the brim and tightly maintained, it would just be as if the jar was a wrapper like a food wrapper and that would not help with protecting it from the tumah.  

Perhaps this is why Yaakov felt comfortable leaving these pachim ketanim, despite their importance, initially behind. Of all his possessions that could be put at risk with facing the impurity of Eisav, only the pachim ketanim would have a chance at survival! They would be able to withstand even tumas ha’mes.  

Some mefarshim explain that this very same oil which Yaakov used in Beis E-l and left behind with these pachim ketanim, was the same oil used for miracles multiple times in Tanach, and ultimately the very oil that the Chashmonaim found during Chanukah that remained sealed and was the essence of the of the oil lasting for eight days. This small jug of oil which is self-contained with its own airspace, exists in its own dimension elevated from the world. This is how it was even able to endure the yevanim who were “partzu chomos migdalai” - they were able to breach the walls, but they could not breach the stubborn, independent jar of oil that was existing in an elevated dimension.  

Perhaps this also explains the connection to Luz – a city with no opening, and that the malach ha’maves cannot enter. The secret to staying protected from the darkness around, is by building the light within, and sealing the door. This is the essence of Yaakov Avinu who is referred to as the “shaleim” and the epitome of emes, and who proclaimed to Eisev the fundamental words “yesh li kol” - I already have everything.  

May Hashem help us during these especially dark times realize our own inner-pachim ketanim and help us elevate our keeping of torah, tefillah, and mitzvos to create our own airspace of “yesh li kol”, protecting us from all the darkness that is around us today.