Vayeitzei

Before Jacob leaves B’er Sheva , God promises in Gen. 28:15 to bring him back to the Land, which God does in Gen. 31:3.  What a great foreshadowing in this section.  Here we have exile or banishment.  This is a punishment akin to being sent to one’s room.  It also is a forced wilderness experience in order to reflect on one’s deeds.  Prison system…

By the way, there are three Haftorot assigned to Parashat Vayeitzei depending upon whether one is Ashkenazic, Sephardic or the various traditional sects;  / Hosea 11:7 -12:12 and / or Hosea 12:13 - 14:10 Page 1292 or an optional reading – Ovadyah 1:1-21  Page 1329 (page numbers are from the JPS TANACH).

According to Hosea, God will call the exiled Israelites from exile to return to their Land (Hosea 11:10-11). There are all kinds of deceptions that go on in Genesis.  What can this say about the essence of humankind?   Hosea 12:8 condemns traders who deal dishonestly by using false scales to deceive other people.  So as you can see, there are a few lines that can be drawn between the Torah and Haftarah.  These connections help us focus in on larger messages of the Parasha so see if you can contemplate these macro-messages and look into your own life style to see if you can enhance or amend what you do on a daily basis.

We also find that Jacob (while in Haran with Lavan) toiled for over seven years while waiting to marry his beloved Rachel (not that he did not love Leah, he just was more attracted to the younger Rachel).  While working for Lavan he developed breading skills and management skills that allowed him to emerge stronger (on many levels).  Striking out on his own fulfills the blessing that God had said to him at the beginning of this story.  There is a deeper message here.  In Genesis 13:2 Abraham flourished in Egypt departing “very rich in cattle, silver and gold.”  In Genesis 26:16 Isaac prospered among the Philistines to the extent that their king disinvited him from the community – “Go away from us, for you have become far too big for us.”  There is no trace of animus toward material success or gain in the Torah.  On the contrary, it highlights a sign of God’s favor.  Challenging us to use our gifts as a way of expressing gratitude by helping others.  If we are blessed with the ability to amass great material wealth, we need to acknowledge the Source of that material and those people who have helped us attain, grow and manage it.

Gratitude and piety go hand in hand.  Strength and humility are sibling to the family of the righteous.

Cantor Eichaker