Parshas Vayetze 5765

Jacob left his parents' home to go to Charan where he was to meet his mother's family and find his intended mate. While traveling, Jacob dreamed about a great ladder with ascending and descending angels. G-d promised him in the dream, that He would protect him throughout his travels, and that he would become a great nation.

The ladder may have represented Jacob's life-long striving for spiritual perfection. Spiritual gains do not come quickly or easily. Rather they require a slow ascent, rung by rung. Even then, the ascent is not always smooth, but man must not be disillusioned by occasional failures, for angels also ascend and descend. Ultimately, G-d remains on top, encouraging us in our efforts.

Jacob needed this encouragement. At his uncle Laban's house, Jacob offered to work seven years for the hand of Laban's younger daughter, Rachel. Laban agreed, but then reneged on his promise and presented Leah, his older daughter to Jacob as a bride. Jacob had to work another seven years for Rachel's hand in marriage. Although he kept Leah as a wife too, Rachel was clearly his more beloved wife. When Rachel could not bear children she give Jacob her maidservant, Bilhah, as a concubine. Subsequently Leah did the same with her servant, Zilpah. Through all these women Jacob eventually fathered twelve sons and one daughter.

Jacob stayed another six years working for Laban in order to support his growing family. Although he was impeccably honest and faithful in his work, Laban tried to cheat Jacob out of his hard earned wages. He first promised Jacob all the newly born speckled sheep. When all the newborn sheep were miraculously speckled Laban changed the terms and assigned to Jacob the ringed sheep. The newborn sheep were all ringed, and Laban again changed the terms. This deception kept repeating itself, and only through miraculous intervention was Jacob able to keep what was rightfully due him.

After twenty years, G-d ordered Jacob to return home with his large family. Jacob summoned his wives and informed them of G-d's instructions. He waited until Laban had gone away, knowing that he would try to prevent the family's departure. When Laban learned that Jacob had left, he quickly chased after him and berated him for having acted dishonestly!

Jacob remained faithful to G-d throughout his exile, growing from his difficult experiences. Jacob serves as the role model for the Jew in exile. We must focus on our spiritual growth regardless of the challenges. We know that, ultimately, G-d will assist us.

"If He will give me bread to eat and clothing to wear ..." (Gen. 28 :20)

Chovos Halevavos sees in this passage that the righteous ask G-d only for necessities and not luxuries. Rav Yehoshua Leib Diskin lived very simply. When he came to live in Jerusalem, he refused the position of chief Rabbi, despite its promise of a spacious home.

A delegation of visitors once asked him why he lived so simply. Reb Yehoshua Leib pointed through the window to the ruins at the Temple mount. "The Divine Presence also lives in ruin. It's enough for a servant to live like his master!" he said. The delegation, however, pressed further that it was not becoming to the Torah for a great leader to live so sparsely. "First of all, I am not a great leader," the Rav humbly responded, "and the little that I have accomplished is only because I have never desired to live any fancier than I have."

Did you know ... ?

A person should not call his friend by a nickname, even if he is used to being called by that name. The Talmud lays a heavy punishment on one who calls a person by a name with a negative connotation; however, even if they has no negative implication, nicknames should still be avoided.

The Rabbis recommend that parents not give their child a strange-sounding name that may cause them embarrassment when they get older. Similarly, if one's father is known to be a wicked person, the son is called to the Torah using the grandfather's name rather than the father's name, to spare the son any embarrassment.