[Avodah] Yaakov's division of his family into two camps

[Zvi Lampel]

Sun, 10 Dec 2006 From: "Elchanan Schulgasser" <mechina at gmail.com>
Subject: [Avodah] To: avodah at lists.aishdas.org
Does anyone know how Yaakov Avinu divided his family before his encounter
with Eisav? 

The Abarbanel explains that the family was not divided. This explains why we find that when Eisav came, they were all together.

Yaakov's strategy was to place one camp with the cattle and sheep nearer to where Eisav was, gambling that Eisav would be attracted to the property and attack that camp, letting the other camp (with the family, located farther away) escape. Addressing the unlikelt possibility that Eisav would instead approach the more distant family camp, Yaakov prayed to Hashem for protection against Eisav killing "aim al banim," and prepared the gift-setup as hishtadlus.

I think Rashi's peyrushim do not contradict this understanding; but Rabbeynu Bechaye has that the family was indeed divided, which leaves me with the propblem of why we see then all together again when Eisav comes.

Zvi Lampel
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