Shalom Aleichem: Return in Peace

“And Jacob left Be’eir Sheva and went to Charan.” Jacob left Israel, the well from which the world draws its spiritual sustenance of the Seven Lower Sephirot – the Shabbat – and went to Charan – outside of Israel – to deal with Charono shel Olam – the anger and frustration of dealing with this world – the weekdays.

“And I will return in peace,” – I want to return to the Well of Seven – Israel and Shabbat – in Shalom – peace and wholeness.

The two angels symbolize the two worlds in which we live: This world – weekdays – outside of Israel – distant from the Source – and the spiritual world of Shabbat, Israel, and direct connection with the Source.

How have we managed to balance and even connect the two worlds? The two angels enter the world we create on Shabbat and examine whether we have learned to live in Be’eir Sheva even while dealing with Charan. When they see the Shabbat world we have created, the Good Angel – the Angel of the Well of Seven – Israel – Shabbat – Olam Habbah – blesses us that thus shall we be able to always live and “return to this place in peace” next week as well. (The Rebbe, Or HaTorah al Siddur Tefillah, volume 8, page 343)