Where Were Jacob's Diamonds? • The Daily Lesson from Rabbi Eliezer Berland

Before you is a summary of the topics from the daily lesson as delivered by our teacher, the Rav, Rabbi Eliezer Berland shlit"a (may he live long and good days) – yesterday after the Maariv (evening) prayer, Monday night, the 5th of Kislev 5786, Parshas Vayetzei:

1. Likutey Halachos (the seminal work of Reb Noson of Breslov), Arev 5, explains the entire matter of the brothers and Joseph—that this was not because of the disputes regarding a ben pekuah (an animal found alive inside its slaughtered mother). Rather, it was because Joseph, who was the aspect of the angel Metatron, said to create the world, while the brothers, who were like the angels, said not to create it.
2. Rashi's commentary is greater than the Etz Chaim (the primary work of the Arizal) and the Zohars. He fasted 313 fasts for every single explanation.
3. Regarding Elijah the Prophet—did Elijah really fear Jezebel? But the truth is that it is written "Vayar" (and he saw) and not "Vayira" (and he feared). In truth, he did not fear Jezebel; rather, he wanted to receive a new soul. Everyone who comes to the Tzaddik (righteous leader) receives a new soul.
4. The entire Gemara (Talmud) consists of stories about tigers and seven-headed snakes (metaphors for spiritual struggles and forces).
5. "And Jacob went out from Beersheba and went toward Haran" (Genesis 28:10). The Hebrew acronym of the verse hints at: "Jacob the Tzaddik went out, then Esau raised his voice in weeping; immediately Eliphaz the wicked, who was the son of Esau, arrived, and Jacob gave him all his possessions, leaving only his staff." Laban asked, "Why did you bring only diamonds?" because the diamonds were hidden inside the staff.
6. Eliezer said to Abraham, "If I go to Haran, they will kill me." And indeed, they tried to kill him twice. The first time, when Laban came out to him with a knife, a miracle occurred and the camels flew through the air—"above the camels, above the spring." The second time, they put poison on his plate, but the angel Gabriel switched the plates. They didn't know this and couldn't understand how one person ate the poison while the other died.
7. Eliezer saw that Esau would descend from Rebecca, as hinted in the phrase "V'kadah Al Sh'chemah" (and her pitcher was on her shoulder). He did not understand how it was possible that Abraham was sending him to take a woman from whom Esau would emerge. He then decided to be "Macharish" (silent/contemplative) and realized that Esau is merely the klipah (impure shell) of Jacob. This is because the numerical value (Gematria) of "Macharish" (558) is equal to "Jacob" (182) plus "Esau" (376).
8. Then he gave her the two bracelets, which hint at the two Tablets of the Covenant.