Yaakov's Dividing of his Camp/2

Yaakov's Dividing of his Camp

Exegetical Approaches

This topic has not yet undergone editorial review

Yaakov's Camp Remained Split

Before encountering Esav, Yaakov split his camp as originally planned.  This position subdivides regarding whether the goal was to escape from Esav or to confront him.

Flight

Yaakov divided his camp so that at least one portion of his household would manage to flee and survive the encounter with Esav.

Sources:R. Avraham b. HaRambam #1Bereshit 32Bereshit 33:1-2, 13About R. Avraham Maimonides, R. BachyaBereshit 32:9About R. Bachya b. Asher, Akeidat Yitzchak, AbarbanelBereshit 32:8:18Bereshit 33:1About R. Yitzchak Abarbanel, R. D"Z Hoffmann

"וַיַּחַץ אֶת הָעָם אֲשֶׁר אִתּוֹ" – Who was to be in each camp?

• Family versus possessions – Abarbanel asserts that Yaakov placed his family in one camp and his possessions in the other.  Akeidat Yitzchak concurs, but assumes that Yaakov had some warriors accompany each group.
• Maidservants versus real wives – R. Bachya deduces from Bereshit 33:2 that the maidservants and children were in one camp with some of the possessions and hired hands, while Leah and Rachel and the rest of the property were in the other.
• Division of possessions only – According to R. Avraham b. HaRambam and R. D"Z Hoffmann, in contrast, Yaakov only split his cattle and servants ("הָעָם אֲשֶׁר אִתּו"),‎¹ but he kept his entire family together with him, either in a group of their own,² or in the first camp.³

"וְהָיָה הַמַּחֲנֶה הַנִּשְׁאָר לִפְלֵיטָה" – Purpose of the division – Although all these sources assume that the word "לִפְלֵיטָה" means a remnant that would be salvaged, they differ regarding the specifics of Yaakov's plan and reasoning:

• Save his family – According to Akeidat Yitzchak and Abarbanel, Yaakov was hoping that Esav would only attack the camp with his possessions, allowing his immediate family to escape.⁴ 
• Save parts of all – R. Bachya presents Yaakov as dividing his household more evenly, because he did not know which camp was to be attacked, and did not want to risk losing all his loved ones.⁵  Nonetheless, he still placed those most precious to him in the second camp, assuming that they would be safer.
• Save possessions – R. Avraham b. HaRambam maintains that Yaakov did not split his family, preferring that his loved ones all share the same fate, be it death or salvation, while R. D"Z Hoffmann asserts that he kept them close by to keep an eye over them.  The division of possessions was simply an attempt to save whatever property he could.

Crossing the Yabbok – According to Abarbanel, Yaakov crossed the Yabbok River with his family in order to distance them from the other camp.  He had calculated that Esav would approach from the other side of the river, giving his family a chance to flee if necessary.

The struggle with the "איש" – These sources read the struggle in various ways,⁶ but all agree that in the end Yaakov's confidence was boosted, though not to the extent that he decided to change his original strategy.

Rearrangement of wives and family

• No rearrangement – According to R. Bachya, this is not a rearrangement, but a description of the original division, with the maidservants in one camp and real wives in the other. Presumably, the rest of the camp is not mentioned since they are unimportant in comparison.
• Change of plan – Akeidat Yitzchak asserts that although originally Yaakov had intended to place his own camp second, after being encouraged by the vision of the "איש", he switched the order so that his own camp would be first.  Thus, the verses detailing the actual meeting mention only the members of the family camp, as the rest of the household and possessions followed them.⁷
• Original plan failed – According to Abarbanel, Yaakov miscalculated and Esav approached from the very side of the Yabbok to which Yaakov had crossed with his family. Thus, in direct contrast to Yaakov's original plan, it was exclusively his family who now remained (by themselves) to encounter Esav.  Realizing he had no choice but to face his brother, Yaakov hastily arranged his family to greet Esav, placing his most beloved Rachel and Yosef in the back.
• Second stage – R. D"Z Hoffmann asserts that this is simply a further division.  Despite the encouragement gained by the vision, Yaakov still feared his brother's vengeance and therefore took precautions to order his family so that the most precious were last.  Only they are mentioned since they comprised the first camp which actively confronted Esav, while the others were behind and played no role.

Why send to Seir?

• Test – According to Abarbanel, when Yaakov met the angels in Machanayyim (32:2-3), it was revealed to him that Esav was en route and fast approaching.  He, therefore, sent messengers to test his brother's feelings.⁸
• Reconciliation – According to R. D"Z Hoffmann, in contrast, Yaakov had decided on his own to visit Esav in Seir to make up.  He sent messengers to let Esav know that he was coming in good faith and to see if he could expect his forgiveness.
• Send word, not confront – It is also possible that Yaakov had sent word to Edom (to either test the waters or appease him), but without any intention of meeting Esav face to face at this point on his journey.⁹ Only when he heard that Esav was approaching, did he start preparing for a confrontation.

Esav's intentions – According to these commentators, despite Yaakov's message of peace, Esav approached as an enemy, intent on doing battle.

Unanswered prayers – Akeidat Yitzchak and Abarbanel posit that, after Yaakov's prayer to Hashem, he "slept in the camp" preparing for Hashem to answer him via a prophetic vision.  However, Hashem did not respond immediately, since Yaakov needed to do more on the human level, before expecting Divine intervention.¹⁰ Only after Yaakov sent the gift did Hashem reply through the nocturnal encounter with the angel / man.

The tribute – Akeidat Yitzchak and Abarbanel assert that Yaakov's gift was intended to be a more proper payment for the birthright which he had previously purchased for merely the lentil stew.  This, Yaakov hoped, would appease Esav.

"גַּם הִנֵּה עַבְדְּךָ יַעֲקֹב אַחֲרֵינוּ" – Those commentators who assert that Yaakov placed himself in the first camp and was planning on confronting Esav, would read this verse according to its simple sense.  However, the verse is difficult for Akeidat Yitzchak and Abarbanel who assume that Yaakov was in the second camp and was intent on flight.  Abarbanel, thus, explains that this was a further test of Esav's feelings.  Would the knowledge that Yaakov was looking forward to meeting him deter Esav?

Fight

The rearrangement of the camp was a military strategy, meant to prepare for the anticipated battle with Esav.

Sources:R. Eliezer AshkenaziMa'asei Hashem, Ma'asei Avot 33About R. Eliezer Ashkenazi (Ma'asei Hashem), some modern scholars¹¹

"וַיַּחַץ אֶת הָעָם אֲשֶׁר אִתּוֹ" – Who was to be in each camp?

• Family and servants – According to R"E Ashkenazi, Yaakov and his family were included in the first camp.  He does not specify who or what else joined them.
• Only servants – H. Seri asserts that Yaakov's family was not included in the division at all; he only divided "הָעָם אֲשֶׁר אִתּוֹ", his household servants and hired hands.  These men formed his fighting force.

"וְהָיָה הַמַּחֲנֶה הַנִּשְׁאָר לִפְלֵיטָה" – Purpose of the division – According to this approach, the division was for military purposes,¹² but the sources differ in the details:

• Ambush – R" E Ashkenazi suggests that if the first camp was attacked, the second was to come to its rescue and thereby save both. The verse does not mean that the camp left over after the attack would escape, but that the camp that "remained behind" (הַנִּשְׁאָר) would act to save the first (לִפְלֵיטָה = לפליטת האחר).‎¹³
• Military formation – H. Seri suggests that the two camps were not one behind the other, but rather in side by side military formation.  Whichever was not attacked first (הַנִּשְׁאָר) was to come to the salvation (לִפְלֵיטָה) of the other.

Rearrangement of wives and children – According to this approach, the verse assumes the original split into camps and only comes to describe a further division of Yaakov's family:

• Line formation – According to R"E Ashkenazi, Yaakov rearranged his family so as to best watch over all.  He feared most for Leah and the maidservants' safety, not being sure if Hashem's promise of providence¹⁴ included them.¹⁵  He therefore placed them in the middle, sandwiched between Yaakov in the front and Rachel in the back.¹⁶  The second non-family camp is not mentioned at all since in the end there was no need for their intervention and they played no role.
• Parallel formation – H. Seri, in contrast, asserts that Yaakov set his family behind the two military camps, in similar parallel formation.  Leah and children were to one side, behind Zilpah, and Rachel and Yosef stood to the other side, behind Bilhah.¹⁷  H. Seri could say that the verse does not mention the military camps even though they were present and preceded Yaakov, as they are simply assumed, and in the end did not need to fight. 

Why send to Seir? The Ma'asei Hashem asserts that before coming home, Yaakov hoped to reconcile with Esav.  He therefore explained to him that he was detained by Lavan for twenty years, not because he still stored any hatred or fear of his brother, but simply to provide for his family.

Esav's intentions – The Ma'asei Hashem maintains that Yaakov's messengers returned with a positive assessment of Esav, that he was coming to greet him with an honor guard.  Yaakov, though, was unsure if this was not simply a ruse. Perhaps Esav planned to approach like a brother into the midst of his camp, only to then attack like an enemy.  It was this uncertainty which led him to divide his camp.¹⁸

Unanswered prayers – These sources do not address the question.

The tribute for Esav – R" E Ashkenazi argues against the claim that the purpose of the offering was to appease Esav, suggesting that if Esav was still angered over the birthright and blessing, and intent on killing Yaakov, the gift would not sway him.¹⁹  As such, R" E Ashkenazi proposes instead that Yaakov sent the gift to gauge Esav's feelings.²⁰

"גַּם הִנֵּה עַבְדְּךָ יַעֲקֹב אַחֲרֵינוּ" – Since Yaakov was planning on confronting and fighting Esav, this statement is true. R"E Ashkenazi asserts that Yaakov had each group of gift-bearers say this, so that Esav would lose his guard, not knowing exactly when Yaakov was to come. This way Esav would not think to put on a facade of happiness to trick Yaakov, but would allow his true feelings to show, allowing Yaakov the ability to react and attack if necessary.

Crossing the Yabbok – According to this approach, the crossing was not part of a flight, but simply the next part of the route that needed to be taken.

The struggle with the "איש" – According to the Maasei Hashem, this was a failed attempt by the guardian angel of Esav to retrieve the deed of sale of the birthright.  After the struggle he conceded Yaakov's rights to it.  However, the event did not persuade Yaakov to act differently than originally planned, since his doubts concerning Esav's intentions were still in place.

The aftermath - did Yaakov ever make it to Seir? According to R"E Ashkenazi, after the two brothers made peace, it would be illogical that Yaakov would then lie about coming to Seir.  He thus asserts that Yaakov did in fact follow Esav until the region of Seir²¹ and only then headed to Sukkot.  He even suggests that Yaakov accepted the offer to have some of Esav's men accompany him.²²

Change of Plan

Although Yaakov originally intended to divide his camp, he changed his mind before meeting Esav.  The position divides regarding the reason for Yaakov's change of heart:

No Longer Necessary

Yaakov's defeat of the angel / man in the nocturnal encounter reassured him and reduced his fears of Esav.  He thus no longer saw a need to rearrange his camp in preparation for the encounter.

Sources:R. Avraham b. HaRambam #2Bereshit 32Bereshit 33:1-2, 13About R. Avraham Maimonides, NetzivBereshit 32Bereshit 33:1, 8About R. Naftali Tzvi Yehuda Berlin

"וַיַּחַץ אֶת הָעָם אֲשֶׁר אִתּוֹ" –  Who was to be in each camp?

• Split only non-family members – R. Avraham b. HaRambam asserts that Yaakov divided his possessions and larger household into two camps but that he kept his wives and children with him, distinct from both.²³  He preferred that they either all survived or all perished together.
• Possessions split, children not – According to Netziv, Yaakov and his sons stayed together in one camp with some of the possessions and wives, while the rest of the property and wives were in another camp.²⁴  He assumes that Yaakov trusted in Hashem's promise²⁵ that he and his children would stay safe and so he felt no need to split them.²⁶

"וְהָיָה הַמַּחֲנֶה הַנִּשְׁאָר לִפְלֵיטָה" – Purpose of the division – Yaakov hoped that if one camp was attacked, the other would be able to escape. The word "פְלֵיטָה" is understood as "refugee" or "remnant".

Why send to Seir? According to both these sources, Esav had not yet permanently moved to Seir, but rather lived there part time.  As such, it was a very real possibility that Esav might come to attack Yaakov upon his return, leading Yaakov to send messengers to test out Esav's feelings towards him.²⁷

Esav's intentions – Both these sources assume that Esav's entourage was intent on battling with Yaakov.

"וְהִכַּנִי אֵם עַל בָּנִים" – According to R. Avraham b. HaRambam, these words reflect Yaakov's fear that Esav would have no mercy and attempt to kill not just him but his entire family. The Netziv, in contrast, understands that Yaakov was concerned specifically about the mothers, that Esav might harm them as they protected their children.²⁸ Due to Hashem's promise, though, he did not fear that the children themselves would perish.²⁹

Unanswered prayers – Neither of these sources addresses the issue explicitly, but according to R. Avraham b. HaRambam, it is possible that Yaakov's "being left alone" was an attempt to attain prophecy in solitude,³⁰ and the ensuing vision³¹ of the struggle with the angel/man was Hashem's answer to his prayer.³²

The struggle with the "איש" – Both R. Avraham b. HaRambam and the Netziv assert that the "איש" came to bolster Yaakov's confidence that he would be able to defeat Esav.³³

Rearrangement of wives and children – After being encouraged by the struggle with the angel/man, Yaakov no longer felt it necessary to split his camp, but he did rearrange his family. 

• According to R. Avraham b. HaRambam, the assembly line was a show of honor; he lined the family up according to their importance much the way dignitaries might be ordered in front of a king.
• Netziv, in contrast, suggests that this was a sign of submission.  Furthermore, since Yaakov had been hurt in the thigh by the angel, he was concerned that this might mean that Esav could still harm him a little, even if he would not be victorious. As such, he placed those less dear to him first that they should absorb whatever blow might be hit.

No Longer Possible

The struggle with the angel / man prevented Yaakov from being able to implement his plan and escape with his family.  This forced him to recombine his camps.

Sources:Possibly RashbamBereshit 32: 5, 7-9, 21, 23, 25-29About R. Shemuel b. Meir³⁴

"וַיַּחַץ אֶת הָעָם אֲשֶׁר אִתּוֹ" – Who was placed in each camp? According to this approach, Yaakov put his servants and hired hands in one camp and his wives and children in another.

"וְהָיָה הַמַּחֲנֶה הַנִּשְׁאָר לִפְלֵיטָה" – Purpose of the division – The first camp was to act as a decoy and stay put to detain Esav, thereby affording Yaakov's immediate family an opportunity to escape from danger.³⁵

Esav's intentions – According to Rashbam, Esav had no evil intent and the 400 men accompanying him were an honor guard coming out of respect to Yaakov, rather than an army planning to attack.  Yaakov, though, did not trust his messenger's report and feared that Esav must mean harm.

"וְהִכַּנִי אֵם עַל בָּנִים" – These words highlight that Yaakov's main concern was that Esav would take out his vengeance specifically on Yaakov's immediate family (the mothers and sons).  It is for this reason that it is they whom he attempts to bring to safety.

Unanswered prayers – According to this approach, Hashem might not have immediately reassured Yaakov because Yaakov had misinterpreted Esav's intentions and he was not really in harm's way.  Moreover, according to Rashbam, Yaakov's whole plan to flee was misguided and he was punished for his lack of trust in Hashem.  Hashem relayed this message to him through the confrontation with the angel/man (see below).

"וְהִנֵּה גַם הוּא אַחֲרֵינוּ" – Rashbam asserts that when Yaakov sends the gift to Esav and has his servants say that Yaakov is following shortly, this a ruse intended to deceive Esav while he in fact ran away.

Crossing the Yabbok – Yaakov's original plan was to have his personal family camp flee to safety across the river, leaving his other camp to remain and do battle with Esav.³⁶

The struggle with the "איש" – According to Rashbam, the confrontation was both punitive (for his lack of belief in Hashem's providence)³⁷ and preventative.  The angel detained Yaakov overnight, preventing his flight and leaving him no choice but to encounter Esav.

Rearrangement of wives and family – Perhaps, when Yaakov realized that he no longer had the opportunity to split his camp and have his family run to safety, he tried to at least order his loved ones so that the most precious would be furthest from danger.

¹ The other sources would read the term to be more inclusive and say that the family is subsumed under the term "עָם" as well.

² This is what R. Avraham b. HaRambam implies.

³ This is what R. D"Z Hoffmann maintains.

⁴ Akeidat Yitzchak assumes that Yaakov placed the camp with his possessions first, hoping that Esav's wrath would abate after attacking it.  According to Abarbanel, in contrast, the two camps were separated by a river and were at a significant distance from one another.  Yaakov hoped that Esav would be unaware of the second camp's existence and assume that he had conquered all and leave.

⁵ He points to the advice given in Bavli Bava Metzia, that one should never "put all of one's eggs in one basket" but rather diversify one's investments.  See also Bereshit Rabbah76:3About Bereshit Rabbah.

⁶ For details see Wrestling With Angels and Men.

⁷ He suggests that Yaakov did not want Esav's "evil eye" to fall on the cattle and harm them.

⁸ Abarbanel further asserts that Yaakov wanted Esav to know that he was not coming as a poor brother in need of alms, but as an equal.  He also raises the possibility that Yaakov sent word to appease his brother by showing him honor and letting him know that he did not benefit from the blessings, but rather had to work long, hard years by Lavan to earn his wealth.  Thus his emphasis on "עִם לָבָן גַּרְתִּי וָאֵחַר עַד עָתָּה".

⁹ Cf. Hoil Moshe.  He suggests that when Yaakov heard that Esav moved to and conquered Seir, he took that as a sign that perhaps his brother's anger had abated, leading him to send word and return home.  He originally planned to actually visit him, though, only later.

¹⁰ Abarbanel adds that Hashem might also have been angry at Yaakov's decision to split his household in two, as if Yaakov thought that Hashem would not be able to save both groups.  As a  rebuke, Yaakov did not get immediate reassurance.

¹¹ See H. Seri, "ועתה הייתי לשתי מחנות", Megadim 40 (2004): 17-25.

¹² Cf. TanchumaVayishlach 6About the Tanchuma and RashiBereshit 32:1-9About R. Shelomo Yitzchaki who also speak of Yaakov preparing for war and point to the division of his camp as evidence.

¹³ See HaKetav VeHaKabbalahBereshit 32About R. Yaakov Mecklenburg who explains the same.

¹⁴ See Hashem's words to Yaakov in Bereshit 28: "וְהִנֵּה אָנֹכִי עִמָּךְ וּשְׁמַרְתִּיךָ בְּכֹל אֲשֶׁר תֵּלֵךְ וַהֲשִׁבֹתִיךָ אֶל הָאֲדָמָה הַזֹּאת כִּי לֹא אֶעֱזָבְךָ"

¹⁵ Since Leah was given to him as a wife against his will and the others did not have full marital status, they might not have been included in the promise.

¹⁶ See Bereshit 33:3, that Yaakov passed all to get to the front.

¹⁷ Thus, contrary to R"E Ashkenazi (and the common reading) the family did not stand in one long line, subdivided into three groups: maidservants, Leah, and Rachel, but rather in two parallel groups, each subdivided into maidservant and real wife.  This explanation accounts for the double language in the verse, where it describes both Rachel and Leah as being last (וְאֶת לֵאָה וִילָדֶיהָ אַחֲרֹנִים וְאֶת רָחֵל וְאֶת יוֹסֵף אַחֲרֹנִים). 

¹⁸ Esav's intentions would become obvious at some point, and if they were evil, the second camp could come to the rescue.  R"E Ashkenazi claims that had it been clear that Eav was to wage war, Yaakov would not have feared and would have simply readied himself for battle.

¹⁹ Since Esav planned to annihilate Yaakov's camp, all Yaakov's property would be his in any case.

²⁰ As evidence of this understanding, he points to the words: אֲכַפְּרָה פָנָיו בַּמִּנְחָה הַהֹלֶכֶת לְפָנָי וְאַחֲרֵי כֵן אֶרְאֶה פָנָיו אוּלַי יִשָּׂא פָנָי.  Yaakov planned to look at Esav's face from afar after receiving the gift, to determine whether or not he was appeased.  If not, Yaakov planned to attack immediately before Esav had a chance to enter his camp.

²¹ He assumes that Esav was not asking that Yaakov come and stay for a visit, but simply suggesting that the two travel together, much the way a king might appoint a servant to accompany a departing dignitary part of the way home.
Cf. Hoil Moshe who suggests instead that Yaakov came to visit his brother at some later point, and might have even made multiple trips as he shepherded in the area.

²² He reads Yaakov's words, "לָמָּה זֶּה אֶמְצָא חֵן בְּעֵינֵי אֲדֹנִי" as a polite refusal, but not a real one and claims that the verse mentions only that Esav returned to Seir, because he left some of the 400 to accompany Yaakov.

²³ Accordng to him, the word "עָם" refers to the masses of people and cattle who were with Yaakov, but not to his close relatives.

²⁴ Like R. Avraham b. HaRambam, he too reads "הָעָם" to refer to the larger household rather than Yaakov's immediate family.

²⁵ See Hashem's words to Yaakov in Bereshit 28: "וְהִנֵּה אָנֹכִי עִמָּךְ וּשְׁמַרְתִּיךָ בְּכֹל אֲשֶׁר תֵּלֵךְ וַהֲשִׁבֹתִיךָ אֶל הָאֲדָמָה הַזֹּאת כִּי לֹא אֶעֱזָבְךָ"

²⁶ He did, nonetheless, worry about his wives, since they were not of his blood, and thus, perhaps not included in the promise "to watch over you".

²⁷ Netziv explains that he sent the messengers to Seir specifically because he thought that in Canaan, out of deference to his father, Esav would not act on his hatred even if he was still angry.  This would have left Yaakov in doubt whether he was still in danger or not; only by sending to Seir, could know where he stood.

²⁸ He reads the phrase, "אֵם עַל בָּנִים" literally to refer to the mothers as they stand atop their children guarding them.

²⁹ See above that he thought that Hashem' promise of protection included his sons, who were part of him, but not necessarily his wives.

³⁰ R. Avraham b. HaRambam does say that in the solitude Yaakov achieved prophecy, but not assert that he was actively seeking it.

³¹ He maintains that the entire struggle with the angel/ish took place in a prophetic dream rather than reality.

³² Cf. RadakBereshit 32:4-8, 14, 22-31 on verse 14, that Yaakov waited at night for Hashem's response, and that it finally came through the interaction with the angel.

³³ For further discussion of this read of the story see Wrestling With Angels and Men.

³⁴ Rashbam does not explicitly address the discrepancy between the description of the plan to divide the camp and the final meeting where no such division is mentioned, but his overall understanding of the chapter suggests this approach.

³⁵ Yaakov might not have been worried about the safety of the first camp itself, assuming that Esav was looking to attack him personally.

³⁶ Rashbam finds a parallel to a nighttime escape over a river in David's flight from Avshalom (Shemuel II 17:22).

³⁷ This is the reason that he is hurt in the thigh.  Rashbam compares Yaakov to Moshe,  Bilam, and Yonah who also tried to avoid fulfilling the mission assigned to them by Hashem, and who were similarly punished. Each is put into a potentially fatal situation, and Bilam is also hurt in the leg.