Weekly Parsha

The study of the Torah of this week is sponsoring so anonymous in honor of Kol Yisrael . May " HaShem HaKadosh Baruch Hu" bless us all with good health and much success in life .

Pray for the  "Refuah Shleima"  (rapid recovery) of "  our community" . May Gd deliver us from this crisis quickly and grant a full recovery to those who are sick, Amen!

Prayer list

"Seth (Stephen) ben Sarah"
"Shaina Elisa bas Esther"
"Adira (Heidi) bas Sarah"

Genesis 28:10 - 32:3

Vayetze, Vayeitzei, or Vayetzei: וַיֵּצֵא‎ — Hebrew for "and he left," the first word in the Parashah HaShavua (Weekly Portion)

This week we have the trials and tribulations of Jacob living with and working for his father-in-law, Laban. Jacob agreed to work as a shepherd 7 years for Rachel only to have Laban switch daughters on him at the marriage ceremony. This is why we have the badekin ('covering' ceremony) where the groom sees the face of his bride to ensure he is marrying the right woman before he covers her with the veil.

As Jacob tries to build his equity, Laban changes their agreement time after time. After 20 years, the Almighty tells Jacob the time has come to return to the land of Canaan. Jacob and his household secretly leave only to be pursued by Laban who has claims to put forth. The story ends with peace and blessings between Jacob and Laban.

* * *

"Jacob spoke up and said to Laban, 'What is my transgression? What is my sin that you have (so) hotly pursued me?' "(Gen. 31:36)

When Rachel left, she stole her father's idols and concealed them. Laban pursued Jacob and angrily demanded, "Why did you steal my gods?" (Gen. 31:30)

Jacob's statement, in addition to being a complaint against Laban, was also a self-reprimand by Jacob. In essence Jacob was saying, "Here Laban forms a search group to pursue me for seven days in order to retrieve his worthless idols. And am I, knowing the true G-d, exerting as much effort to come close to Him?"

How much we value something is indicated by how much effort we are willing to exert to acquire or retain it. A recovering drug addict may not attend a recovery group because he doesn't have a car. However, if he wanted to buy cocaine he'd walk miles even in icy weather to get his drug!

When Jacob saw the effort that Laban exerted to retrieve his idols, he took himself to task. Seeing the effort that some people put forth for things of questionable importance, we should do a soul-searching on how much effort we are ready to expend for clarifying our beliefs and observing the Mitzvot (commandments).

An atheist cannot find G-d for the same reason
a thief cannot find a policeman

* * *

"And Jacob worked for Rachel for seven years; and it was in his eyes as a few days in his love for her." (Genesis 29:20)

When someone loves another even a short time apart can seem like an eternity. How is it possible that the time appeared to be a short time for Jacob?

We have two answers:

1) Jacob loved Rachel so much that he thought that she was worth working for many more than seven years. Therefore, to work only seven years for such a wonderful person was really a bargain.

2) Jacob's love for Rachel was not simple passion. When a person feels deep passion, a day can seem like a year. Jacob loved her because of her good qualities that would make her worthy of being the mother of the future Jewish people. A person whose love is based on passion really loves himself and not the object of his love. When a person loves the good in another, he truly loves the other person and not himself. (The Torah tells us Jacob's focus was "in his love for her.") Therefore, the time seemed short because it was not a selfish love.

The seven years seemed like a few days in Jacob's eyes AFTER he was married to Rachel. (This is the order of the words and events in the Torah.) His love and his happiness overshadowed and all but erased the pain of the seven years of work.

Our lessons: Clarify whether it is heart burning or just heart-burn. Are you in love or living an fake illusion? Secondly, if you have a difficult situation, like difficulty in finding a spouse, a friend or a new lifestyle. Know that your trials and tribulations will seem insignificant in light of your happiness. Therefore, don't suffer so much now; rather anticipate your future joy!

Better the pain of growth
than the comfort of emptiness!

Shabbat Shalom!

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