Parshat Vayishlach

Our Parsha this Shabbos is Parshat Vayishlach and begins,'Vayishlach Yaakov Malachim Lefanaiv,' - 'Then Jacob sent angels before him,'
Can one imagine that a man is so Holy that he can send angels to fulfill his need.So Holy was Jacob.The Parsha directly says that Jacob sent them before him to his brother Esav.Our Rabbis say that Angels for inside the Land of Israel attended Jacob as he came into Canaan and the angels that watched over him outside Canaan left him.
The Parsha starts with a 'Ve' in the word 'Vayishlach,' which usually shows in Torah that what comes,is linked to what has just been before it.We just read that Yaakov had just separated from Lavan,a man who was spiritually powerful in a negative way and Jacob survived him with HaShem's help,so the 'Ve' that starts our Parsha shows to Eisav that if Yaakov could suvive Lavan,he could certainly survive what comes next,the meeting with Eisav.This was a sign to Eisav that HaShem is with Jacob against anyone and Eisav should know he would not prevail against his brother Jacob.So Jacob sent angels,to his brother Eisav and Eisav certainly realized that Jacob could be beaten.
But how can a man become Holy enough to have angels at his command.Aren't angels only subservient to HaShem.This very Parsha teaches us that we can have angels that can help us if we ask.But HaShem would only put angels for us to listen to us if and when HaShem is sure that we will only do actions L'HaShem Shamaim,' for HaShem and the sake of Heaven.There must not be a single part of us that wants to do things for ourselves,as to command the power of angels is a great power to command.When we do good,we are still human beings and so,we need to reach a level where all we do is for the sake of Heaven for HaShem.Our Rabbis tell us that when we do a Mitzvah we make an angel that will stand for is in Judgement on our side.How true that is.So as such,doing Mitzvot for HaShem gives us Malachim - Angels that can watch over us.To do a Mitzvah is one of the greatest ways to protect ourselves,but the Mitzvah should not be done for our sake at all but purely for the sake of HaShem and the Mitzvah to do good.HaShem gave angels to be at the command of this very Holy man Yaakov,because everything he did in his life was for HaShem and his children and us.He did not have a selfish part to him at all and spent every moment of his life praising HaShem with his every breath.This is a man whom HaShem could surely trust to put Malachim to be guided by him.
HaShem did not put us here to merely just serve ourselves.HaShem created for each of us a world around us so we can bring HaShem into it.We are here to serve HaShem and not ourselves.True,we have an obligation to better ourselves too,but that must be with the intention of serving HaShem and the greater good.HaShem is always all around us and within us.We are the ones who are to connect the physicality of all around us,to HaShem,The Source of all.Never must we forget that we are here to serve HaShem.
The Parsha says that Yaakov sent Malachim 'before' him to Eisav.We know that angels were there and went ahead of Jacob to protect Jacob and his family but why the word 'Lefanaiv?'If we look deeper into this word,we get 'Le' Panaiv' - 'To My Face.' Whose face is hidden in these words.It is HaShem's Face.When Yaakov did HaShem's will and when we do HaShem's will,we create spiritual pathways to HaShem and our very good actions are 'Lefanaiv' before HaShem's Face 'Vayishlach' - 'Sent to HaShem via the angels we make by our Mitzvot.This is how high a Mitzvah can reach.This is how high doing HaShem's Will can reach.This is how high we can reach.
But we first need to do everything we do for HaShem's Sake purely for the good.
Yaakov,who had become so Holy,had literally become a vessel for a Part of HaShem to live within Yaakov.To Yaakov,there was nothing else,but HaShem.This is how we are to be.Here for the very sake of HaShem and Heaven.
Yet even though Yaakov knew this,he still prepared,by setting out the camps in a safer way.This was so,even though we may think we have done all we can,we should still not take it for granted that HaShem will automatically save us ,thus relying on a miracle.We must do what we can to protect ourselves and have the Emunah - Faith that HaShem wil help us.To just rely on HaShem,without us doing anything,is not humble,but shows we think we are so great Chas Ve Shalom that the Almighty HaShem will just automatically do it for us.No,this is not how we are to be.We need to prepare ourselves with Mitzvot that are done for HaShem's sake.
Let us start right now,following HaShem and His Commandments no matter how we feel about it ,for then it is truly for the sake of HaShem and Heaven.
With love to HaShem,I wish HaShem a beautiful sweet Shabbos Kodesh with love and to all,a beautiful Shabbos Kodesh with love.