Episode Details

 Eliphaz, Poverty, Wealth and Onkelos  

There are those who enjoy the luxury of traveling first
class and there are those who would rather endure a few hours with the worst
airline sitting in the worst seat if it saves them a few bucks. What a contrast
two seats and two airlines can make in travel. We see that same contrast in
“flights” from Israel up to Syria in these parshiot. Two weeks ago we read of the servant of
Abraham going up to Syria to find a wife for Isaac. He takes with him a caravan
of ten camels along with servants, gold, silver, jewelry, clothing, gifts,
fruits and delicacies. First class going
and coming.  

Last week, Isaac commanded his son Jacob to go up to Syria
for the same purpose. Upon Jacob’s arrival, Laban comes to greet him. Although
Eliezer came almost 100 years prior, Laban remembers that wealth and wonders
where can Jacob be hiding the jewels? He hugs him and kisses him, but as the
police warn tourists, sometimes a hug is just a pickpocket practicing their
craft. Laban finds nothing and wonders. Yaakov tells him what happened.  

Isaac would certainly not send Jacob empty handed, but
along the way Jacob was robbed and left with nothing, not even the clothes on
his back. The verse in Psalms reads, Esa Eynay El HeHarim – I raise my eyes to
the mountains. Where will help come from? The Midrash elaborates instead of
Harim, read Horim. Jacob is pleading to Hashem that he raises his eyes to his
parents, to Eliezer’s search for a wife for his father Isaac. Here he is
penniless, where will his ezri – help or perhaps his “Eliezer” come from?  

So what happened? The rabbis explain that Esav bound his
son Eliphaz with an oath to slay Jacob. He reminds Eliphaz that with Jacob’s
death the birthright would be taken by them with all its rewards. Eliphaz
having grown on the lap of Isaac his grandfather is concerned with what was
required of him and turns to his concubine Timna. Recall that Timna was a
Princess, but she wanted to convert. She came to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob [to
convert] but they would not accept her. She then bec