A Dvar Torah From HaRav Ilan Segal SHLIT"A

5758

Last weeks Parsha: Vayavo Yaakov Shalem Ir Shchem. Rashi says Shalem begufo, shalem bemamono, shalem be toraso. This seems strange. How can one person achieve shleimos in all these areas? If you want to take care of your body, have good health and a luxuriate, then you can't become wealthy. You go to sleep early, wake up late and eat and drink etc. If you want to make piles of money, then you have to sacrifice on body. Get little sleep and work long hours. Someone who wants to be wealthy needs things like ulcers and high blood pressure. So Shleimus in Guf and in Mamon can't be achieved by one person.

Certainly someone who wants to be Shaleim in Torah cannot expect Shleimus in any of the above. Torah is acquired by "Adam ki yamus beohel," not by looking after your guf and eating and drinking. In Pirkei Avos it says that the way of Torah is to eat bread and salt and drink water and sleep on the ground. Futhermore chazal tell us Lo Kol Hamarbe Bisechora Machkim If you are concerned with making Money then you can't be Shalem in Torah. So how did Yaakov do it?

I think the key is Shleimus in Torah. If a person realizes that his only purpose is to serve Hashem and everything that he has in the realms of Guf and Mamon are given by Hashem to equip him with what he needs for his unique avoda then what he has is perfect for him. Shleimus is not a measure of quantity but a recognition that my situation is perfect because it is what Hashem has given me and allows me to achieve my potential. This is why Yaakov could be Shalem in all three areas without conflict and why Yaakov is called the ISH TAM Unkelus translates as Gvar Shlim i.e. perfect.

Good luck to all writing finals
Regards to all.
Rav Segal