Rabbi Zecharia Goldstein was the keynote speaker at the annual dinner of the Jewish War Veterans Society. He had prepared a lengthy, dynamic lecture on the deeper meanings of being a soldier, and how all Jews are soldiers of G-d. After the master of ceremonies introduced him, he handed Rabbi Goldstein a card that read, “K.I.S.S.” “Kiss? Kiss who?” asked Rabbi Goldstein with bewilderment. The master of ceremonies replied, “Keep It Short, Sweetheart.”

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Vayishlach: The Meaning of a Kiss

After thirty-four years,[1] Yaakov meets up with his brother, Eisav. Eisav embraced him, kissed him, and wept.[2] The word , vayishakeihu, “and he kissed him”, has six dots on top of it. As Rashi suggests, the six dots indicate that Eisav didn’t kiss Yaakov with all his heart. What does this half-hearted kiss mean?

Why are there specifically six dots over this word? The commentaries explain that the dots on top of a word diminish the intensity of its meaning.[3] However they don’t explain why in this case there are six.

WRESTLING WITH AN ANGEL
Previously, in the portion of Toldos, we read: “The voice is the voice of Yaakov, and the hands are the hands of Eisav.”[4] The Zohar explains, when Yaakov uses his voice to study Torah, the hands of Eisav have no power. However, when Yaakov does not use his voice to study Torah, the hands of Eisav become stronger.[5] Based on this teaching, the Zohar presents an insight into the wrestling match between Eisav’s angel and Yaakov.

Yaakov represents the students of the Torah. Eisav’s angel wrestled with Yaakov in an attempt to prevent him from ‘using his voice’ in Torah study. Unsuccessful, the angel finally struck Yaakov’s hip socket. The hip socket supports the body; therefore here it represents the financial supporters of Torah study. The angel figured that if he couldn’t do away with the students themselves, at least he could stop them from studying by harming their supporters. The angel dealt Yaakov a temporary injury, but Yaakov was victorious–this represents the students who continue to study despite a lack of financial support.

Seeing that his angel had failed, Eisav realized he would have to do the job himself. So Eisav tried one more approach. He kissed Yaakov.

A KISS: THE SOUL OF TORAH
In The Song of Songs we read, “Kiss me with the kisses of your mouth”.[6] In Jewish mysticism, “the soul of Torah”, ‘kissing’ is a metaphor for Torah study.[7] Rashi suggests that this verse in The Song of Songs specifically means the study of Kabbalah and Chassidic philosophy, as if to say, ‘Reveal to me the secrets of spiritual intimacy with the Divine, the deeper soul of the Torah.’ Therefore Eisav’s half-hearted, ‘six-dotted’ kiss was an attempt to tell Yaakov, ‘Okay, study Torah, but only the body of the Torah–the six books of Mishna. Be half-hearted about the soul of the Torah.’

Nonetheless, Yaakov returned to his father’s home shaleim, whole in body and soul.[8] Rashi says this means Yaakov retained the wholeness of his body, money, and Torah knowledge.[9] In light of the above, we can derive that Yaakov’s “body” is the body of the Torah, and his “money” represents the supporters of Torah. His “Torah knowledge” would therefore refer specifically to the soul of Torah–Kabbalah and Chassidus.

L’SHANAH TOVAH
We read Parshas Vayishlach within a week of the 19th of Kislev, which is the “Rosh HaShanah of Chassidus”.[10] This is a time to resolve to study Chassidus and follow the path of Chassidus.[11] Thus, there is a clear connection between the Torah portion and our obligation to study the inner soul of Torah.[12]

The first chapter of Chronicles says, “Know G-d your father, and serve him with a complete heart.” It is only by knowing G-d—which is the primary subject of Kabbalah and Chassidus–that one comes to serve him with a complete heart (shaleim). Without the soul of Torah, one cannot serve G-d completely.

Good Yom Tov, May you be inscribed and sealed For a good year in the study of Chassidus And the ways of Chassidus.[13]

A STORY
Rabbi Yitzchak Meir of Bezfalov studied with the Rebbe Rashab, Reb Shalom Dov Ber of Lubavitch. Once when he came for study, he saw the Rebbe’s young child, the future Rebbe Yosef Yitzchak, lying in his bed. The child’s face was beautiful and radiant. Rabbi Yitzchak Meir turned to the Rebbe Rashab and exclaimed, “This glow represents purity of thought.” When the Rebbe saw his child’s luminous beauty, he had the urge to kiss him, but stopped himself. He said, “In the Holy Temple, there were different types of offerings. Instead of bringing a sacrifice,[14] one could bring a financial gift of gold and silver.” He then began composing a new Chassidic discourse–exchanging the physical kiss for a spiritual one. Eight years later, the Rebbe gave the pages of this discourse to Yosef Yitzchak and told him, “This is a Chassidishe kiss.” A kiss can sometimes be external. A Chassidic discourse, however, is the inner soul of life itself.[15]

ACTION: In honor of the Rosh Hashanah of Chassidus, read the first page of the Tanya. If you don’t have a copy of the Tanya, it’s an importune time to buy one.

FOOTNOTES
[1] Jacob stayed in the Yeshivah of Shem v’Ever for fourteen years, and then in the House of Lavan for twenty years.
[2] Genesis, 33:4
[3] See Gutnik Chumash on the above verse, and also p.116, in the name of the Be’er Mayim Chayim. See also Toras Menachem on the same verse.
[4] Genesis, 27:22
[5] Zohar, Vol. I, p. 171a
[6] Song of Songs, 1:2
[7] Zohar II, 124b; Zohar I, 184a; Tanya, 45, 46, 49, etc.
[8] Genesis, 33:18
[9] Rashi on Genesis, 33:18
[10] See Letters of Light, the chapter on Letter Shin.
[11] See HaYom Yom, 24th of Teves.
[12] Regarding the obligation to study the mystical dimensions of Torah, see Sefer HaGilgulim, Ch. 4; Igeret HaKodesh, Epistle 29; Tanya, beginning of Ch. 4; Hilchos Talmud Torah, Ch. 1, Law No. 4, and elsewhere.
[13] See HaYom Yom, 18th of Kislev.
[14] “A sacrifice” could imply ‘a kiss’ for korban means ‘to come close’. [15] Based on the story in Likutei Sichos, Vol. I, p. 138