The Torah in the beginning of Parashat Vayishlach describes the fear Yaakov experienced upon hearing that his brother was approaching with an army of three hundred men: “Yaakov was very frightened, and he was distressed” (32:7). Rashi, citing the Midrash, famously comments that the two verbs in this verse – “vayiyra” (“he was frightened”) and “vayeitzer” (“he was distressed”) – refer to two different concerns that weighed on Yaakov’s mind. He was “frightened” because of the threat to his life, and he was “distressed” over the prospect that he might be compelled to wage war and take lives. Whereas according to the simple reading of the text these two verbs appear to emphasize the extent of Yaakov’s anxiety upon learning of his brother’s approach, the Sages explain the second verb as referring not to the concern for Yaakov’s own life, but rather about the possibility of his being forced to kill in battle.
The clear message conveyed by the Midrash in these comments is the obligation to maintain ethical standards even in the heat of battle, and to appreciate and respect the sanctity of human life even when circumstances necessitate killing.
More generally, the Midrash here reminds us that our ethical and religious obligations must continue to concern us even in periods of dire crisis. In emergency situations, our natural inclination to focus exclusively on resolving the crisis could cause us to suspend ordinary constraints and to act without discretion. The emotional weight of the crisis makes it tempting to free ourselves of the burden of conscience and ethical and religious responsibility. Chazal interpret “va-yeitzer lo” to mean that even in the face of an immediately life-threatening situation, which would likely necessitate taking up arms and fighting to kill, Yaakov’s conscience remained firmly implanted in his mind, and he was just as concerned about his ethical responsibilities as he was about his basic responsibility to protect himself and his family. Even in a crisis situation, he retained his commitment to ethics and discipline.
We might read Yaakov’s emotional exchange with Shimon and Levi later in the parasha in a similar vein. Yaakov berated his sons for their deadly retaliatory attack on the city of Shekhem after their sister’s abduction and violation, to which they angrily responded, “Shall our sister be treated like a harlot?” (34:31). They argued that although under normal circumstances their actions in Shekhem would certainly be condemnable, it was justified and warranted in light of what had happened to their sister and the urgent need to defend the family’s honor. Although Yaakov chose not to respond, the likely response to their claim is that no, even a situation as tragic and dire as Dina’s defilement does not justify such acts of violence. Not everything becomes permissible in times of crisis. Even under harsh, difficult circumstances, we must carefully consider the prudence of the measures we take, and not absolve ourselves of our moral and religious obligations in tending to the crisis at hand.