Weekly Torah Reading – Parshah Vayeitzei.

[The One and Only Mo]

The following is from a friend I met in Ohr Somayach in Israel when I studied there.

After rightfully taking the blessings of Aisav, Yaakov departed from Be'er Sheva and went to Charan, the home of his mother's family. His first destination was the yeshiva of Shem and Aber, where he went on to spend 14 years learning torah in order to strengthen his faith and increase his knowledge in Torah. Spending time in Yeshiva in general is a place not just to study, but to work on one’s characteristics, development, thought of mind and people’s skills, which is usually very beneficial when going out into the working world. He then resumed his journey and arrived to Mount Moriah, the area where Noach and Adam offered Sacrifices, the place where his father Yitzchak was brought as an offering, and also the future site of the Temples. He slept there and immediately had a prophetic dream of angels going up and down a ladder between Heaven and earth. G-d promised him the Land of Israel, that he would be the founder of a great nation (from the twelve tribes), and that he will have Divine protection. Also the prophetic dream was a sign of the four future exiles Israel would later on endure during the future, in punishment for not keeping to the commandments, they were, Babylonian Exile, where Nebuchadnezzar destroyed the first temple and the Jews left for Babylon, the second exile took place during the Persian/ Median era, where Haman attempted to destroy the Jewish Nation; the third exile lasted 152 years, known as the Greece Exile, where Ptolomy and Antiochus attempted to forcefully assimilate the Jewish people in to secular culture; the fourth exile took place during the end of the second temple era, know as the Roman Exile, which we are still facing today. Yaakov then woke up and vowed to build an altar there and tithe all that he would receive when he stayed in Lavan’s territory. Then he traveled to Charan and met his cousin Rachel at the well. He arranged with her father, Lavan, to work seven years for her hand in marriage, however Lavan tricked Yaakov, instead giving Rachel’s older sister, Leah. Yaakov then committed himself to work another seven years in order to also marry Rachel. Lavan realized that all his produce was flourishing on account of Yaakov working for him so he tricked the entire marriage in order to have him employed for a much longer duration. Leah then gave birth to four sons: Reuven, Shimon, Levi and Yehuda, the first Tribes of Israel. Yehuda would later be given the crown of Kingship, and the Davidic dynasty would be traced back from him. Rachel at this point was still barren, and in an attempt to give Yaakov children, she gave her handmaiden Bilhah to Yaakov as a wife (Just like Sara gave Hagar to Avraham as a wife a few weeks back in Lech Lecha). Bilhah gave birth to Dan and Naftali, two tribes whom great leaders would come later on, Shimshon and Devorah respectively. Leah, following the footsteps of Rachel gave Yaakov her handmaiden Zilpah, who gave birth to Gad and Asher, the prior would later on be famed for being warriors of Hashem and the latter’s daughters would be famed for marrying Kohen Gadolim. Leah then gave birth to Yissachar and Zevulun, famed for the learn and work partnership throughout Jewish history and then she gave birth to a daughter, Deena.
Hashem then finally blessed Rachel with a son, Yosef. Immediately after giving birth to Yosef, Yaakov decided to leave Lavan, as he knew Yosef‘s high level of purity is high enough to destroy the impurity of Eisav when the two were to encounter each other in next weeks reading, however Lavan, aware of the wealth Yaakov made for him, was reluctant to let him go, and concluded a contract of employment with him. Lavan tried to trick Yaakov throughout his twenty years of employment; he even changed his wages ‘100’ times! However Yaakov still became extremely wealthy. Six years later, Yaakov, aware that Lavan had become immensely resentful of his wealth, ran away with his family. Lavan pursued them however he was warned by G-d not to harm them. Yaakov and Lavan agreed to a covenant not to harm each others descendants (Lavan’s descendant, Bilam would later on break the treaty) and Lavan returned home and lost all his wealth as the righteous Yaakov left his home, which shows that a man’s produce may be blessed due to the presence of a righteous individual.
The Haftorah for this weeks reading is taken from the Book of Hosea, chapters 12, 13 and 14. Thanks for all the fantastic feedback for the Dvar Torah’s, it is exciting that it is being printed in various Jewish newsletters and featured now in Jewish newspapers across the world!! If you are enjoying these quality Dvar Torahs please invite your friends, http://www.facebook.com/groups/edit.php?members&gid=8941999617