THE SMALL JUG THAT TRAVELED
THROUGH TIME
After Yaakov Avinu (our forefather, Jacob) crossed the river Yabok with his entire family, he re-crossed the river and returned to the other side by himself. There, he wrestled with "a man" until morning. Tosfos teaches that he went back for small jugs that he left behind (al tikra levado ela l`kado). What was in those jugs?
The Sefer Sifsei Kohen writes that in Parshas Vayeitzei, the Medrash Rabbah says that when Yaakov took "from the rocks of the place and placed them around his head," he took a small jug of oil and anointed those rocks with the oil from the jug. Miraculously, the Medrash says, the jug did not empty. It was still full of oil. Yaakov recognized that this was a very special jug – it was a sign of great blessing. It was this little jug that accompanied him all the years in Charan and it is this little jug that he returned for when he noticed that he left it behind when crossing the Yabok Br
It was this very jug which would in future years be used to anoint the keylim of the Mishkan and also the Kohen Gadol and the Kings. It was this very jug that Eliyahu instructed the woman to use to fill her pitchers when she had no food for her children [Melachim I Chapter 17]. Yaakov prophetically saw all the miracles and historic events that were to be associated with this jug and that is what prompted him to go back across the brook to retrieve it.
The author of Sefer Sifsei Kohen suggests that "without a doubt" it was this same miraculous jug which was found by the Chashmonaim in the Chanukah miracle, involving the one day supply of oil which lasted for 8 days.
Source: Rabbi Yissocher Frand Weekly Email. www.Torah.org
THROUGH TIME
After Yaakov Avinu (our forefather, Jacob) crossed the river Yabok with his entire family, he re-crossed the river and returned to the other side by himself. There, he wrestled with "a man" until morning. Tosfos teaches that he went back for small jugs that he left behind (al tikra levado ela l`kado). What was in those jugs?
The Sefer Sifsei Kohen writes that in Parshas Vayeitzei, the Medrash Rabbah says that when Yaakov took "from the rocks of the place and placed them around his head," he took a small jug of oil and anointed those rocks with the oil from the jug. Miraculously, the Medrash says, the jug did not empty. It was still full of oil. Yaakov recognized that this was a very special jug – it was a sign of great blessing. It was this little jug that accompanied him all the years in Charan and it is this little jug that he returned for when he noticed that he left it behind when crossing the Yabok Br
It was this very jug which would in future years be used to anoint the keylim of the Mishkan and also the Kohen Gadol and the Kings. It was this very jug that Eliyahu instructed the woman to use to fill her pitchers when she had no food for her children [Melachim I Chapter 17]. Yaakov prophetically saw all the miracles and historic events that were to be associated with this jug and that is what prompted him to go back across the brook to retrieve it.
The author of Sefer Sifsei Kohen suggests that "without a doubt" it was this same miraculous jug which was found by the Chashmonaim in the Chanukah miracle, involving the one day supply of oil which lasted for 8 days.
Source: Rabbi Yissocher Frand Weekly Email. www.Torah.org