Adapted from: Touched by the Parashah by Rabbi Yechiel Spero

In this parashah, Eisav, together with 400 soldiers, came to fight Yaakov. And although Yaakov managed to avoid physical war with his brother, he had to fight against the Sar shel Eisav, Eisav’s angel, Samael, in an epic battle that has repercussions until the end of time, for in actuality, Samael is the yetzer hara.

Only after this monumental battle did Yaakov earn the name of Yisrael. Although he was maimed in the fray, he was ultimately victorious, thus providing his children with the guidance and tools to overcome the yetzer hara in the various areas of life in which it presents itself.

On the morning of the levayah of Rav Nosson Tzvi Finkel, the Rosh Yeshivah of Mir Yerushalayim, a woman called the school where I teach and left a message for me to call her back immediately. When I called her, she sounded very emotional. She told me how tragic the passing of the Rosh Yeshivah was. Soon I would discover why she felt that way.

Her son, Moshe, had struggled mightily in high school and soon fell in with a terrible crowd. Before long, he headed into a downward spiral and there seemed to be no bottom. After a difficult period of time, he started to pull out of it. Showing signs of growth, he tried to break free of his friends and their influences, but it became harder and harder. Finally, he decided that he must get out of the country. On a pipe dream, he headed to the Mir.

He was up front and honest with the Rosh Yeshivah; he could barely read a Rashi. But the Rosh Yeshivah believed in him. He sensed the sincerity and desire in the boy’s heart and his neshamah, and he accepted the young man into the Mir.

Thrilled that he had been given a second chance, Moshe capitalized on the opportunity and flourished. Before long, he developed into a full-fledged ben Torah. But after the year was up, he began to worry. How was he going to deal with his old friends when he returned to his home turf? They would certainly mock him and try to lure him back to his troublesome ways.

Terrified, he decided that the only protection would be a berachah from the Rosh Yeshivah. Imbued with the Rosh Yeshivah’s vote of confidence, he would be able to conquer any challenge that came his way.

His flight was leaving Motza’ei Yom Kippur. Immediately after Maariv, Moshe tried to approach the Rosh Yeshivah, but the bachurim were dancing in front of him and his gabbaim were trying to whisk him back to his home to break the fast. Moshe rushed to the Rosh Yeshivah’s home and waited in his dining room.

However, when the gabbaim walked through the door, their glaring eyes pierced right through Moshe, as if to say, “How dare you invade the Rosh Yeshivah’s home after Yom Kippur?!” The Rosh Yeshivah’s weak constitution and frail health called for immediate rest and food. But Moshe begged. He ran up to the Rosh Yeshivah and pleaded for one minute of his time. “Please, Rebbi, I’m terrified to go back home. You know my story. Please give me a berachah.”

Rav Nosson Tzvi could barely speak. He managed an audible whisper, “You’ll be back.”

Moshe was elated. He apologized that he had overstepped his bounds, but he desperately needed the berachah. And now he had it. He ran back to his dirah to catch the taxi that would bring him to the airport. Suddenly, he heard someone calling his name. He turned around and saw one of the gabbaim calling him back to the Rosh Yeshivah’s home. He ran back to the house, anxious to hear what the Rosh Yeshivah wanted.

By this time, the Rosh Yeshivah was lying in his bed, unable to move. Moshe leaned in close to hear what Rav Nosson Tzvi had to say.

With great effort and belabored breathing, he whispered, “I will be waiting for you.”

The woman on the phone sobbed.

“Today, my son is a sho’el u’meishiv in the Mir.”

If we would envision the Al-mighty, our loving Father, waiting for us with outstretched Arms, our battle against the forces of evil would be made so much easier.