The Kiss Of Death

לזכות הבחורה היקרה אביבה זהבה בת מירל - ברכה והצלחה לה ולכל הנלוים אליה

Another vort based on Rav Charlap in the Mei Marom [Volume 5 page 71]:

In this weeks parsha we read of Yaakov's meeting with Rochel. He saw her, he kissed her, he raised his voice and he cried [29/11].

He kissed her??

NEGIYAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

How can that be?

Rashi explains that he cried because he saw with ruach hakodesh that he would not be buried with her.

Explains the Rav:

כמה נפלא הדבר הזה שיחד עם הנשיקה זכר יעקב את יום המיתה עד שצפה
ברוח הקודש מה שיהיה עמו ועמה. וכמה קדושות וטהורות הן הנשיקות הללו
שבאו בזכרון עמוק ביום המיתה

How wonderful that together with the kiss, Yaakov remembered with ruach hakodesh his day of death and what would be with them at that time. How holy and pure are these kisses that came with the memory of death.

These were kisses of ETERNITY. Of the soul. It had NOTHING to do with physical desire.

According to this we can also understand the pasuk ויהי בבוקר והנה היא לאה  - It was morning and behold she was Leah. Meaning that the whole night he thought it was Rochel and only in the morning he realized that it was Leah. והנה means something new. Only in the morning she was Leah [in Yaakov's mind]. This means that Yaakov was SOOO PURE that after so many years of bachelorhood he didn't even look at his bride on their wedding night. Notice that the pasuk doesn't say that he "saw her" in the morning. It just says that in the morning he found out that she was Leah but not that he looked.

Yaakov didn't marry a body. Yaakov married a soul.

We all come from Yaakov. May we all strive to reach his exalted madreiga.

פלאי פלאי פלאות

Love and blessings:-)