Weekly Mission: Parshat Vayishlach
Weekly Mission: Parshat Vayishlach
In this week’s Torah portion, Yaakov’s journey continues. Yaakov left his father’s house as an attempt to save himself from Esav. He was broke, alone and uncertain, but Yaakov continues, enduring many more tests, and he prevails. He returns to his father’s house with his wives, children, excessive livestock, and peace (relatively) with his brother Esav.
The extent of Yaakov’s greatness is portrayed in a small but important story that also demonstrates today’s unfortunate truth about our great nation. With G-d’s help, however, we can build ourselves up as individuals, so we can collectively settle in harmony.
“Yaakov was left alone and a man wrestled with him until the break of dawn” (32:25).
As Yaakov’s family settles for the night near the Jordan River, Yaakov crosses back over the river in order to retrieve forgotten utensils. The midrash points out that when Yaakov crossed over, he was greeted by a shepherd. This shepherd offered to help Yaakov transport his belongings over the river, and in return Yaakov offered to do the same for the stranger. Yaakov hands him the objects, but the amount of objects just keeps multiplying. Yaakov accepts the shepherd’s help but the shepherd is never finished. He just keeps creating more objects to be transported over the river. Then Yaakov realizes that things are not what they seem. Yaakov cries out “MAGICIAN!” and the games begin. Then this “man-angel-shepherd,” (half man, half shepherd, half angel) and Yaakov wrestle until sunrise, and Yaakov prevails.
This encounter is often compared to the battle between the good inclination and bad inclination (the yetzer tov and the yetzer hara) and spiritual longings (represented by Yaakov) versus physical desires (often represented by Esav, or Edom). Everyday, HaShem gives us tests, battles and desires that we need to wrestle with. The question is, though, do you want to walk away standing, or fall lower and lower until feelings of inadequacy are ingrained in your psyche? America (Edom) has been so sweet to the Jewish people over the last century. We have managed to reach the top of the financial market. We are innovators of technology, we are some of the best movie producers and the list goes on. We have been blessed with so much, but then, the assimilation rate in some states is over 90%!
We have been blessed with so much, but we can’t seem to figure out why many Jews of this generation can’t read Hebrew. If we have been given so much, why do we still feel empty? Edom’s nature is to deceive. We accept their help until suddenly we realize that something is wrong. Yaakov realized this and said “Magician! Get away from here and go the other way!” Yaakov prevails because of his belief in G-d and knowledge of his greater purpose, which was always at the forefront of his mind.
Every single one of us is holy. G-d created us to be holy. We have a commandment to be holy. But what is holy? Holy doesn’t mean that you walk around in a white garb and utter to yourself. Holy means that you struggle with your yezter hara and prevail. Yaakov is not Yaakov for simply fighting off an angel. He is Yaakov because he saw himself slipping. He saw what might happen to the Jewish nation if he got too close to evil. The evil inclination says, “Come on, Brojam! We’ll chill together! I’ll help you, you’ll help me, it’s all gooood!” If, G-d forbid, we get sucked into this trap, then our very revenge for the Holocaust no longer makes any sense. If we assimilate and walk with the angel of Esav, then we are forfeiting our Jewish identity and pride. We are forfeiting our struggle to achieve and embody holiness.
This week I will try to: …Realize that the missing piece to my soul lies within. I will try to realize that within the realm of fame, money and talent, there will always be a missing piece to the puzzle if I don’t fight and struggle to achieve meaning. I will turn away from bad people and bad images, and I will be holy. I will remember that the struggle itself leads to holiness.
Edited by: Rachael B. Goldberg
Shabbat Shalom!!
In this week’s Torah portion, Yaakov’s journey continues. Yaakov left his father’s house as an attempt to save himself from Esav. He was broke, alone and uncertain, but Yaakov continues, enduring many more tests, and he prevails. He returns to his father’s house with his wives, children, excessive livestock, and peace (relatively) with his brother Esav.
The extent of Yaakov’s greatness is portrayed in a small but important story that also demonstrates today’s unfortunate truth about our great nation. With G-d’s help, however, we can build ourselves up as individuals, so we can collectively settle in harmony.
“Yaakov was left alone and a man wrestled with him until the break of dawn” (32:25).
As Yaakov’s family settles for the night near the Jordan River, Yaakov crosses back over the river in order to retrieve forgotten utensils. The midrash points out that when Yaakov crossed over, he was greeted by a shepherd. This shepherd offered to help Yaakov transport his belongings over the river, and in return Yaakov offered to do the same for the stranger. Yaakov hands him the objects, but the amount of objects just keeps multiplying. Yaakov accepts the shepherd’s help but the shepherd is never finished. He just keeps creating more objects to be transported over the river. Then Yaakov realizes that things are not what they seem. Yaakov cries out “MAGICIAN!” and the games begin. Then this “man-angel-shepherd,” (half man, half shepherd, half angel) and Yaakov wrestle until sunrise, and Yaakov prevails.
This encounter is often compared to the battle between the good inclination and bad inclination (the yetzer tov and the yetzer hara) and spiritual longings (represented by Yaakov) versus physical desires (often represented by Esav, or Edom). Everyday, HaShem gives us tests, battles and desires that we need to wrestle with. The question is, though, do you want to walk away standing, or fall lower and lower until feelings of inadequacy are ingrained in your psyche? America (Edom) has been so sweet to the Jewish people over the last century. We have managed to reach the top of the financial market. We are innovators of technology, we are some of the best movie producers and the list goes on. We have been blessed with so much, but then, the assimilation rate in some states is over 90%!
We have been blessed with so much, but we can’t seem to figure out why many Jews of this generation can’t read Hebrew. If we have been given so much, why do we still feel empty? Edom’s nature is to deceive. We accept their help until suddenly we realize that something is wrong. Yaakov realized this and said “Magician! Get away from here and go the other way!” Yaakov prevails because of his belief in G-d and knowledge of his greater purpose, which was always at the forefront of his mind.
Every single one of us is holy. G-d created us to be holy. We have a commandment to be holy. But what is holy? Holy doesn’t mean that you walk around in a white garb and utter to yourself. Holy means that you struggle with your yezter hara and prevail. Yaakov is not Yaakov for simply fighting off an angel. He is Yaakov because he saw himself slipping. He saw what might happen to the Jewish nation if he got too close to evil. The evil inclination says, “Come on, Brojam! We’ll chill together! I’ll help you, you’ll help me, it’s all gooood!” If, G-d forbid, we get sucked into this trap, then our very revenge for the Holocaust no longer makes any sense. If we assimilate and walk with the angel of Esav, then we are forfeiting our Jewish identity and pride. We are forfeiting our struggle to achieve and embody holiness.
This week I will try to: …Realize that the missing piece to my soul lies within. I will try to realize that within the realm of fame, money and talent, there will always be a missing piece to the puzzle if I don’t fight and struggle to achieve meaning. I will turn away from bad people and bad images, and I will be holy. I will remember that the struggle itself leads to holiness.
Edited by: Rachael B. Goldberg
Shabbat Shalom!!
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