THERE BEFORE HIS EYES WAS A WELL

LABAN, HIS MOTHER'S BROTHER. THEN JACOB KISSED RACHEL, AND BROKE INTO TEARS.

(Bereishit 29)

All Must Be Treated Justly

"It is still broad daylight"

– The righteous despise injustice even when perpetrated against strangers, as

it says, The unjust man is an abomination to the righteous, and he whose way is

straight is an abomination to the wicked (Proverbs 29:27).

(Seforno 29:7)

…here is revealed an

unshakable sense of justice and rectitude, similar to that of Moses, who also

found his future by a well. He too will not put up with neglect and

misappropriation… practical agility and love of work, that quickly sends

forth a helping hand, even when it is none of his affair, a quality standing

almost in contradiction to character of a mild man who stayed in camp.

(R. Samson Raphael Hirsch, 29: 10-12)

…to let you know that

contemplation and isolation, and the avoidance of life's crowds and clamor are

not the signs of one close to God and of one to whom the divine presence has

been revealed. Rather, such a person carries his banner among his fellows,

performs deeds – even involving the most banal of everyday matters. He involves

himself in everyday actions in order to promote justice.

(Nehamah Leibowitz, Studies in Bereishit [Hebrew

edition], p. 219)

This

article is dedicated to my hevruta (study-partner) Danny, who lives in Boston.

His "Torah of the Diaspora" and my "Torah

of the Land of Israel" are one in

the same.

The Deeds of the Fathers are a Sign for

the Sons [???]

Yossi Pnini

In reference to the

verse, And He said to Abram, "Know well that your offspring shall be

strangers in a land not theirs, and they shall be enslaved and oppressed four

hundred years" (Bereishit

15:13) Rashi

writes:

"That your

offspring shall be strangers: From the birth of Isaac until Israel left Egypt

was a period of 400 years. How so? Isaac was 60 years old when Jacob was born,

and Jacob when he went down to Egypt himself stated, (47:9) "the days of my sojournings are a hundred and

thirty years", making together 190 years. In Egypt they were 210 years – corresponding

to the numerical value of the word ReDU – making altogether 400 years. If,

however, you say that they were in Egypt 400 years, well, Kohath was one of

those who went down to Egypt with Jacob; go and add up the years of Kohath

(130) those of Amram (137), and the 80 years that Moses was old when Israel

left Egypt, and you only have about 350, and you really have to deduct all the

years Kohath lived after Amram was born, and those that Amram lived after the

birth of Moses."

"In a land not

theirs: It does not say in the land of Egypt but in a land that is not theirs;

for soon after Isaac was born it states, (21: 24) and

Abraham sojourned."

Rashi wants to

emphasize two aspects of the same issue.

In the section

beginning "That your offspring shall be strangers", Rashi points out

that the period of sojourning begins with Isaac's birth, and continues 400

years.

In the section

beginning "In a land not theirs", Rashi points out that Abraham,

Isaac and Jacob all lived in the Land regarding themselves as strangers rather

than masters. This mode of self-regard stemmed both from themselves and Abraham

sojourned, and Jacob sojourned, we have come to sojourn in the land, as well as

from God's reminders, sojourn in this land.

It seems that the

emotional position of sojourn in your land is difficult and repressed in the

collective consciousness. It might be correct to say that for Rashi, as someone

who experienced his life in a foreign country, this psychological mind-set was

self-evident and did not require extended comment. In contrast, for one who

lives as the sovereign of this land, it is an unimaginable experience, or an

experience that one cannot allow oneself to imagine.

A fascinating

experience awaits those who will reread the stories of the patriarchs from the

standpoint of their self-conscious status as sojourners-aliens-migrants. This

picture becomes more striking and almost surrealistic when this

self-consciousness is combined with consideration of the period of time [four

hundred years] until it reaches completion. The patriarchs, each in the

context of his own life, aware of this situation, are strictly tested by the

manner in which they pass on this self-consciousness to their offspring.

It is precisely this

question, of education and transmission to the next generation, that finds no

expression in the biblical narrative, opening a wide door for the reader's

imagination.

It would be

interesting to reread the story of the binding of Isaac from this mind-set,

both from the stand point of the binder as well as of he who was bound, as each

is aware that the reward for their faithfulness is almost light-years away. Especially

deserving of attention are the words of the angel, calling again to Abraham

from heaven, blessing Abraham with abundant offspring but not mentioning the

promise of the Land.

In regard to this

week's parasha of Vayetze, which is mostly devoted to the description of "diaspora

life", it is interesting to reread the story of Jacob's "dream of the

ladder" from within this mind-set, which was certainly a part of his

educational process and a fundamental experience in his life.

Perhaps this can

offer an explanation of the difference between God's words in the dream and

those of Jacob's oath. In the dream, God promises:

"…and He

said, I am the Lord, the God of your father Abraham and the God of Isaac: the

ground on which you are lying I will give to you and to your offspring. Your

descendants shall be as the dust of the earth; you shall spread out to the west

and to the east, to the north and to the south. All the families of the earth

shall bless themselves by you and your descendants. Remember, I am with you: I

will protect you wherever you go and will bring you back to this land. I will

not leave you until I have done what I promised you." (28: 13-15).

In contrast, Jacob,

grandson of Abraham and son of Isaac, aware of the long term of the promise's

fulfillment, formulates his vow modestly:

If God remains with

me, if He protects me on this journey that I am making, and gives me bread to

eat and clothing to wear, and if I return safe to my father's house – the Lord

shall be my God. And this stone, which I have set up as a pillar, shall be God's

abode; and of all that You give me, I will always set aside a tithe for you.

The vow is

conditional upon return to "my father's house" – the personal. Not to

my land, my country and homeland – the collective.

The observer will

discover that the experience of being a stranger and its formation is an

important strand element in the Jewish experience.

Adam's first

experience in the biblical narrative is a formative story of uprooting and

exile.

The story of the

Garden of Eden is similar to the existential situation of a fetus in its mother's

womb, and the separation from her is difficult and traumatic. The great

existential difficulty facing someone who undergoes this experience, and who

has inherited its memory from the collective narrative of humanity, is in the

remembering, in the irrational longing that yearns to return to the place from

which it was banished. However, rational consciousness stations the

ever-turning sword soul at the entrance to Eden, signifying the impossibility

of return.

The experience of

being a sojourner, of disconnection and exile, can be seen as negative, as punishment,

but also as a constructive, rehabilitating experience. All of scripture is full

of warnings that deviation from the proper way of life will lead to the Land

vomiting out its inhabitants to exile. Tzei u'lemad (go out and learn) is a

popular expression among the Sages. It suggests that true and constructive

learning may involve the ability to leave one's place to some external,

Archimedean point, and then, from that outside point, to study and rebuild the

interior.

Several instances of

the mention and reenactment of the stranger/exile experience as a constructive

experience may be found in Jewish life. The Passover Haggadah hints at this in

its midrashic explication of verses from the ceremony of the bringing of the

first fruits which mention the Exodus from Egypt (Devarim 26). The verse, He

brought us to this place and gave us this land, a land flowing with milk and

honey, is not commented upon. Perhaps the message here is that escaping slavery

is the main thing, while entrance to the Land and sovereignty over it are a

long way off.

One may view the

leaving of our homes to enter the Sukkah in a similar spirit. It is meant to

express concretely the experience of exile and being a stranger, and of the

constructive power of this experience. Perceptive readers will understand my

point.

The mindset of being

in the Land while retaining a sense of exile from it is difficult and

challenging. The change from "your father's house" to "your

land, your homeland" does not take place in one day, as Rashi explained

earlier "In a land not theirs: It does not say in the land of Egypt but in

a land that is not theirs." Four hundred years past from the day God made

the covenant of Brit bein Habetarim with Abraham until the realization of its

prediction. Apparently, the process of receiving sovereignty over the Land

requires a "period of acclimation" that includes acquaintance with

the surroundings and those working in them, internalization of modes of rule,

and finally, first-hand knowledge of the experience of belonging to a minority

in order that it enrich the experience of belonging to the majority.

And we, who dwell in

our Land, shouldn't we say that this applies even more forcefully to ourselves,

and that we should not rush to victoriously announce "the beginning of the

flowering of the redemption"?

Yossi Penini is general manger of the "Meitarim" network for

Jewish-Democratic education.

Every Journey Can Deteriorate, Therefore One Must Pray

that it Persevere Towards its Original Destination

Rabbi Abahu said: If God remains

with me, if He protects me baderekh [on this journey] that I am making – [this

is protection] from evil speech. How do we know this? From the verse that says

Vayidrekhu (they have trained) their tongues to speak falsely (Jeremiah 9) and

gives me bread to eat – [this is protection from] illicit sex, as it is written

and he [Potiphar] knew nothing accept the bread he ate – [bread,] this is a

euphemism [for sex]. And if I return safe [literally: in peace] to my father's

house – [this is protection] from bloodshed. The Lord shall be my God – [this

is protection] from idolatry.

(Bereishit Rabbah 70)

That is to say, that Jacob does

not ask that his own needs be seen to, rather he asks that God help him perform

his duties, that he spare him from the sins of evil speech, blood-shed, illicit

sex and idolatry. This vow is a very great religious commitment and is not

connected with payment of rewards.

(Prof. Yishayahu Leibowitz of blessed memory, He'arot

Leparshiyot Hashavua)

God Cares for the Weak

And God saw that Leah was hated.

(Bereishit 29:31)

Concerning that which is

written: The Lord supports all who stumble (Psalms 145: 14) – The qualities of the Holy One Blessed be He are unlike those of

humans. When a human has a wealthy friend he sticks to him and submits to him,

and when he sees that he has faltered and become impoverished, he no longer

values him, but rather places a stone on him. But when the Holy One Blessed be

He sees someone who has been subdued and faltered, he lends him a hand and

stands him upright, as it says, The Lord supports all who stumble and makes all

who are bent stand straight.

 (Agadat

Bereishit, 49)

And the first-born son is of the

hated wife – scripture here speaks with factual certainty, as it said and the

Lord saw that Leah was hated – for God looks at the broken hearted to support

them.

(Or HaHayyim, Devarim 21: 15)

Fairness in Labor Relations is

Required Equally of Both Employer as well as Employee

In the same way that the home

owner is warned not to rob the poor-man's wage or delay its payment, so too the

poor-man is warned not to rob the employer of work by repeatedly taking breaks

from work so that he spends the day dishonestly. Rather he is required to be

strict with his own time. See how they said he should not recite the fourth

blessing of the grace after meals [so that he would get back to work quickly],

and so he is required to work with all his strength, for the saintly Jacob said

I have served your father with all my might. That is why he took his reward

even in this world, for it says so the man became exceedingly prosperous.

(Maimonides' Code, Hilkhot Sekhirut 13: 7)

And He Fled, He with All that

was His

He [Jacob] had not been promised

this [that he would be able to take all of his possessions with him], and that

is why he had to resort to this trick. Even though it was not easy to travel a

long time without Laban finding out, he was sure that divine providence would

keep him from knowing. However, human notions of providence are not those of

God. Rather he did find out and gave chase and caught up with him, but in any

event he was saved by God. Such are the ways of Israel; they are always sure

that divine providence will be with them in the path they choose to follow, yet

the Holy One Blessed Be He disrupts their plans in order to cause them distress

and purify them, or for some other reason. In any case, he does save them and

protect them in a different manner that they never thought of…. However, it

would have been preferable if he had not hidden himself from Laban and had not

come to theft of the Terafim that caused Jacob great evil.

(Ha'Emek Davar 31:21)

Editorial Board: Pinchas

Leiser

(Editor), Miriam Fine (Coordinator), Itzhak Frankenthal and Dr.

Menachem Klein

Translation: Kadish

Goldberg

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