Midrash su Genesi 32:7

And the messengers returned to Jacob, saying … “He cometh to meet thee with four hundred men” (Gen. 32:7). Thereupon, Jacob was greatly afraid and was distressed (ibid., v. 8). Why is the word for “fear” repeated in this verse? He was greatly afraid that he might be killed and distressed lest he should be forced to kill. Jacob was an extremely powerful man. Proof of this is that he had subdued a mighty angel, as is said: So he strove with an angel and prevailed; he wept, and made supplication unto him (Hos. 12:5). But at that moment he began to plead for mercy, as it is said: Deliver me, I pray thee, from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau (Gen. 32:12).

(Gen. 32:7 [6]:) AND THE MESSENGERS RETURNED < UNTO JACOB, SAYING >: WE CAME UNTO YOUR BROTHER ESAU. What do you think about him? < Is he > your brother? He is Esau.²⁰Cf. Rashi, ad loc.: You used to say: He is my brother, but he acts toward you like Esau the Wicked. (Ibid., cont.:) HE ALSO IS COMING TO MEET YOU. He is on the go all day, AND (ibid., cont.) FOUR HUNDRED PEOPLE ARE WITH HIM. What do you think about < the meaning of > AND FOUR HUNDRED PEOPLE ARE WITH HIM? R. Samuel bar Nahmani said: Each and every one of them was appointed over four hundred people.²¹The interpretation comes from the words WITH HIM, which are understood to mean, “like him.” Thus, as Esau commanded four hundred, so did each of them command four hundred. So Gen. R. 75:7. As soon as Jacob heard that, what is written (in Gen. 32:8 [7])? AND JACOB WAS < GREATLY > AFRAID.

(Gen. 33:18:) NOW JACOB CAME WHOLE. Did he lack something? Indeed, when they said to him (in Gen. 32:7 [6]): MOREOVER HE (Esau) IS COMING TO MEET YOU, AND THERE ARE FOUR HUNDRED MEN WITH HIM; he arose and prepared a gift.⁴⁴Gk.: doron. (According to Gen. 32:15-16 [14-15]) he began by giving she-goats because they were tender. Afterwards < according to the text, there were > he-goats, ewes, rams, < and > THIRTY MILCH CAMELS WITH THEIR COLTS. [R. Levi said: If I went around among all the tents of Kedar (i.e., of the Ishmaelites) you would not have found THIRTY MILCH CAMELS WITH THEIR COLTS.] Look at Jacob's wealth! In addition (according to Gen. 32:16 [15]) he gave FORTY COWS AND TEN BULLS. R. Isaac said: < These did > not include precious stones and pearls. Thus it is stated (in Gen. 32:14 [13]): THEN HE TOOK FROM WHAT WAS IN HAND, < i.e., > things taken up in the hand. These would be precious stones and pearls. R. Judah b. R. Shallum said: All twelve months that he spent with him, he would so honor him (with gifts) on each day. In this regard Jacob said (in Deut. 16:19): FOR A GIFT BLINDS THE EYES OF THE (PRUDENT) [WISE]. < He reasoned > a fortiori, how much the more < would a gift blind > the wicked! Just consider this: I am honoring him so that he will not touch me.

(Gen. 34:2, cont.:) SO HE TOOK HER, LAY WITH HER, AND VIOLATED HER. Because of what sin did the uncircumcised one come upon her? It is written (in Job 6:14) TO ONE WHO IS DESPONDENT LOYALTY IS DUE FROM HIS NEIGHBOR EVEN THOUGH HE SHOULD ABANDON THE FEAR OF THE ALMIGHTY. However, when our father Jacob came along with the tribes, Dinah was with him < as well >. As soon as the messengers came and said to him (according to Gen. 32:7 [6]): WE CAME UNTO YOUR BROTHER ESAU, Jacob took Dinah and put her in a chest so that Esau would not see her and take her for a wife.⁶⁴Gen. R. 76:9. The Holy One said to him: You have withheld her from him. By your life, she is ready for an uncircumcised man, i.e., the one about whom it is written (in Job 6:14): TO ONE WHO IS DESPONDENT LOYALTY IS DUE FROM HIS NEIGHBOR. If she had been married to Esau, perhaps she would have converted him. When Job took her, did she not convert him?⁶⁵See ySot. 5:8 (20c); BB 15b; Gen. R. 57:4; 80:4. He therefore withheld her. See, < now > the son of a cursed (rt.: 'RH) one has come across her. Ergo (in Gen. 34:2): THEN SHECHEM BEN HAMOR … SAW (rt.: R'H) HER.

Write this for a memorial in the book, and rehearse it in the ears of Joshua (ibid. 17:14). He was one of the four righteous men who was given a sign. Two of them took cognizance of the sign, and two did not. Jacob and Moses were given signs, but they did not take cognizance of them. Jacob: The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him: And, behold, I am with thee, and will keep thee withersoever thou goest (Gen. 28:15); nevertheless, Then Jacob was greatly afraid (ibid. 32:8). Should a man to whom the Holy One, blessed be He, has given a promise become frightened? However, Jacob said: Perhaps I became unworthy while living with Laban, the sinner, whose home was impure and sinful. Moses was given a sign, but he did not comprehend it, as it is said: Write this for a memorial in the book, and rehearse it in the ears of Joshua. Thus He was saying (to Moses): You shall die, and Joshua will lead Israel into the land. He told him that in this verse, but he failed to take cognizance of it, and so he later pleaded, as it is said: And I besought the Lord at that time … let me go over, I pray thee (Deut. 3:25).