The following is a brief summary of some of thoughts said over by R' Frand on the parsha this evening. I have attempted to reproduce these vorts to the best of my ability. Any perceived inconsistency is the result of my efforts to transcribe the shiur and should not be attributed to R' Frand.
In Bamidbar 7:15 the Torah states "פַּ֣ר אֶחָ֞ד בֶּן־בָּקָ֗ר אַ֧יִל אֶחָ֛ד כֶּֽבֶשׂ־אֶחָ֥ד בֶּן־שְׁנָת֖וֹ לְעֹלָֽה". Rashi notes that each of the animals corresponds to a middah of one of the Avos. Avraham ran to the cattle to provide for his guests. Yitzchak was to be offered on the Akeidah but the אַ֧יִל took his place. Ya'akov worked with his father in law's sheep and he is symbolized by the כֶּֽבֶשׂ.
R' Frand parenthetically noted that according to the Ba'al HaTurim the gematria of the three animal types is the same numerical value as the gematria of Avraham, Yitzchak and Ya'akov.
R' Frand then expanded on the middos by noting that Avraham lived chessed and that Yitzchak lived as mesiras nefehs, but what was it about Ya'akov that identifies with the sheep? He answered by quoting R' Elya Boruch Finkel who first made reference to a Rambam in Hilchos Sechirus (13:7) which states that the same way a boss must be honest with his worker, the worker must wholeheartedly devote himself to work. The Rambam ties this into Ya'akov whom he calls Ya'akov HaTzaddik.
R' Frand stated that he did a search on the Rambam through his computer program and that the only two biblical figures that the Rambam calls Tzaddik are Ya'akov and Yosef (who is given that title in Hilchos Yisodei HaTorah in connection with his separating from sin). Ya'akov earns his stripes for being totally honest in his dealings with his father in law's sheep, to the point that in Parshas Vayeitzei when he is readying to leave, he tells his wives (31:6) "וְאַתֵּ֖נָה יְדַעְתֶּ֑ן כִּ֚י בְּכָל־כֹּחִ֔י עָבַ֖דְתִּי אֶת־אֲבִיכֶֽן" - you know that I worked with all my strength for your father.
R' Frand closed the vort by reinterpreting the question asked when a person is judged after 120 - Nassata v'Nassata B'emuna - which is usually explained as were you honest in business? However he explained it based on the principle that one who steals lacks faith that Hashem has decided his finances for the year. Thus the person is asked - did you do business with faith that Hashem would take care of your finances? This is why Ya'akov was associated with sheep - his being honest in giving his all for his employer as a further example of his middah of honesty.
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