We now have the story of Jacob's travels. It starts with one of the most famous passages of prophecy ever. Jacob is travelling alone, he lays his head down on a stone at nightfall and dreams of a ladder from earth to heaven with angels ascending and descending. He has a conversation with God where it is reiterated that his descendants will be vast and will inherit the land on which he travels. Jacob awakens and says, "Surely God was in this place and I did not know."
How can the rest of the parsha NOT be a disappointment?? It follows Jacob as he indentures himself for the hand of Rachel, only to be given her older sister Leah instead. Thereupon he signs on for another 7 years to get Rachel. So he has two wives and numerous children from them and their maids, given to him by his wives as concubines. His riches increase dramatically and he eventually leaves the land of his father-in-law.
It is hard to get past the encounter at the beginning, though. I read it over and over, trying to discern some further, deeper meaning in its sparse detailing. It's what we all want. We all want God to speak to us very directly, very personally, awake or sleeping. A dream that you know is communication with God?? I want that! But even then, it doesn't mean it's going to make life easier. It may make it harder! Before his direct encounter with God, Jacob had to chop wood and haul water. After his direct encounter with God...Jacob had to chop wood and haul water. Nothing changed. Jacob was still part of the world and he had to continue on his journey. His descendants would inherit all the land he could see?? WHAT descendants? He didn't even have a wife yet! Jacob could not sit back and say, "Wow, I had an encounter with God. I don't have to do anything else now, I have achieved the ulitmate goal." Nope. No resting on your laurels. You still have to keep going.
We can stop at the point of Jacob's revelation and wonder at it and even be envious. But we still must keep going. There's more...even beyond the confusing tale of multiple moms and their battle for Jacob's affection, the details of the flock that make my head spin, and the whole intrigue of fleeing Laban with a secretly stolen idol in Rachel's possession.
Torah may be the ladder with which to ascend and descend from Heaven, as Jacob dreamed. But we can't get caught up in that. We still have to live our lives and see what we can do in THIS world, before ascending to another.
Shalom rav!
Lev
Friday, November 16, 2007
Tol-dot -- Jacob's a jerk
In Tol-dot, we are given the story of Isaac after his father has died. He and Rebekah have two sons, twins, born to them: Esau and Jacob, who were struggling in the womb; they emerged, Esau first with Jacob clinging to his heel.
We are told that Isaac re-digs the wells his father had dug which were plugged up by the Philistines. He gives them the same names. This seems to have two meanings: It refers back to the notion of comfort that we saw in parsha Hayyei Sarah. Isaac is remembering his father and making sure that his good acts were not lost. But it can also be seen as a way of re-affirming what his father taught him. To remember God and to follow the teachings his great father had given him. To keep digging deeper to find the source of all life and make it accessible to others. This act says "I remember and I will do."
After this, though, the portion gets more dificult. The story of the brothers is really disturbing to me. The younger, Jacob, tricks the elder, Esau, out of his birthright and his father's blessing. And this is the forefather of our people? Are we supposed to be proud of the way Jacob tricked his old, dying father into giving him a blessing instead of the brother whom it was intended for? It's appalling! And it leaves Esau crying, begging for SOME kind of blessing from his father. Isaac states specifically that he is going to give his innermost blessing to Esau when he returns with a meal for him; instead, Rebekah dresses Jacob up in Esau's clothes and sends him in to get the blessing. Why? Why? Why? And when Isaac asks how he was able to capture game and prepare it so quickly, Jacob answers, "The Lord your god granted me good fortune." So, he's lying to his father, and he's claiming that God made it easy for him. For this he's blessed? When Esau comes back and all is understood, he stands crying, pleading, begging his father for a blessing, but Isaac has given it to Jacob. I feel so badly for Esau. What am I supposed to learn from this heinous scene?? It certainly doesn't make me want to follow in the steps of Jacob, though that's where the bloodline flows and from whence Judaism will spring.
But there has to be something. Torah is not about how to screw your brother.
Is this a lesson in mind over muscle? Esau was a man who relied on his brawn to make a living, while Jacob was more of a thinker. A tiller of soil, he had to plan and plant, seed and sow. He had to think about what would come from his work and plan for what to do after that. Esau wanted, he got, but his plans were for the immediate, never thinking ahead. When he asks Jacob for some lentil soup early on in the portion, he readily sells Jacob his birthright without a thought to the ramifications therein. His only concern is "Gosh, I'm hungry, that soup looks good; sure, you can have my birthright for a bowl of soup!" Not too clever, he. Are we to learn here that brute force is not the way? One must use their brain to move ahead? One must make plans, one must look ahead and examine the possible outcomes of our actions? We can't dance all summer away without preparing for the cold winter. We cannot only live for immediate gratification. We must also plan for bad times. "Hope for the best, expect the worst/ You could be Tolstoy or Fannie Hurst."
Jacob's a jerk...but he's clever, and he knew what had to be done. Esau had no foresight and that's what Judaism needed before there was Judaism.
Still, I can't help feeling badly for Esau and I cry with him, "Bless me too!!"
Shalom rav!
Lev
We are told that Isaac re-digs the wells his father had dug which were plugged up by the Philistines. He gives them the same names. This seems to have two meanings: It refers back to the notion of comfort that we saw in parsha Hayyei Sarah. Isaac is remembering his father and making sure that his good acts were not lost. But it can also be seen as a way of re-affirming what his father taught him. To remember God and to follow the teachings his great father had given him. To keep digging deeper to find the source of all life and make it accessible to others. This act says "I remember and I will do."
After this, though, the portion gets more dificult. The story of the brothers is really disturbing to me. The younger, Jacob, tricks the elder, Esau, out of his birthright and his father's blessing. And this is the forefather of our people? Are we supposed to be proud of the way Jacob tricked his old, dying father into giving him a blessing instead of the brother whom it was intended for? It's appalling! And it leaves Esau crying, begging for SOME kind of blessing from his father. Isaac states specifically that he is going to give his innermost blessing to Esau when he returns with a meal for him; instead, Rebekah dresses Jacob up in Esau's clothes and sends him in to get the blessing. Why? Why? Why? And when Isaac asks how he was able to capture game and prepare it so quickly, Jacob answers, "The Lord your god granted me good fortune." So, he's lying to his father, and he's claiming that God made it easy for him. For this he's blessed? When Esau comes back and all is understood, he stands crying, pleading, begging his father for a blessing, but Isaac has given it to Jacob. I feel so badly for Esau. What am I supposed to learn from this heinous scene?? It certainly doesn't make me want to follow in the steps of Jacob, though that's where the bloodline flows and from whence Judaism will spring.
Is this a lesson in mind over muscle? Esau was a man who relied on his brawn to make a living, while Jacob was more of a thinker. A tiller of soil, he had to plan and plant, seed and sow. He had to think about what would come from his work and plan for what to do after that. Esau wanted, he got, but his plans were for the immediate, never thinking ahead. When he asks Jacob for some lentil soup early on in the portion, he readily sells Jacob his birthright without a thought to the ramifications therein. His only concern is "Gosh, I'm hungry, that soup looks good; sure, you can have my birthright for a bowl of soup!" Not too clever, he. Are we to learn here that brute force is not the way? One must use their brain to move ahead? One must make plans, one must look ahead and examine the possible outcomes of our actions? We can't dance all summer away without preparing for the cold winter. We cannot only live for immediate gratification. We must also plan for bad times. "Hope for the best, expect the worst/ You could be Tolstoy or Fannie Hurst."
Jacob's a jerk...but he's clever, and he knew what had to be done. Esau had no foresight and that's what Judaism needed before there was Judaism.
Still, I can't help feeling badly for Esau and I cry with him, "Bless me too!!"
Shalom rav!
Lev
Friday, November 2, 2007
Sarah -- Comfort for the soul
This week's portion seems to be misleadingly named "Sarah." It's not about her, per se. She dies at the end of the previous portion and this portion is more about Abraham securing a burial site for her and a wife for their son Isaac.
This seems to be more about the need for comfort. Abraham finds a place where he can lay the remains of his wife. Why do this? Out of respect for the dead? Perhaps. But I think it's more for Abraham's comfort. With her safely entombed in the cave at Machpelah, he can take some comfort in knowing that her earthly remains are nearby.
I don't mean to belittle that by saying I understand that feeling from how I felt when my last dog died; he was my first dog who was my own, rather than one of the ones I grew up with along with my brothers and sisters. When it was time for Nigel to go, I was in a very dark place (see my commentary on B'reishit for a little more on THAT subject) and it layered yet one more heap of grief on a life that seemed to be over-flowing with it at the time. When Nigel was put down, he was cremated, and a discussion was had as to where to spread his ashes. I didn't want to spread them anywhere. I needed Nigel nearby, even if it was only ashes. And those ashes are still with me, in a cedar box that has his nametag on the lock. I now have two more dogs that I love dearly, but it still gives me some comfort to have Nigel's earthly remains with me. It seems silly, actually. That's not Nigel. That's not Nigel at all. But it's all I have that used to be him, and I still love him to this day and I want that with me.
After Sarah is buried, Abraham instructs his servant to find a wife for Isaac. The servant is sent to Abraham's home town where he meets Rebekah who agrees to go back with him. They see each other and fall in love. And Torah tells us that Isaac was comforted by Rebekah following the death of his mother. Torah tells us it is not good to suffer alone. A lesson I never seem to learn. When I am depressed or just lonely, I don't reach out much for comfort. Instead, I try to bury myself in busy-ness. Do this, do that; watch this movie, listen to that cd. I don't ever call anyone just to say hi and catch up. I am afraid to bother anyone because I don't think I'm worth the bother. But I would be very upset if I learned that any of my friends or family didn't call me when they were feeling like that. Of COURSE they're worth it and it's no bother. When they tell me the same, I thank them, but still don't try it.
So, in a way, though seemingly absent from the parshah that bears her name, I think Sarah is fairly present. She has so affected her husband that he must find a suitable place for her remains so he will always know where she is. That's comforting. And her son grew up to be a caring man who was not afraid to seek comfort from others. Also, Isaac was the only patriarch who was married monogamously. It's never stated how women of the Bible felt about being one of several wives, but could it be that Sarah was maybe not so fond of it and instilled in Isaac some sense that he should love and care for one woman? Who knows, really? But it's a nice thought.
Shalom rav!
Lev
This seems to be more about the need for comfort. Abraham finds a place where he can lay the remains of his wife. Why do this? Out of respect for the dead? Perhaps. But I think it's more for Abraham's comfort. With her safely entombed in the cave at Machpelah, he can take some comfort in knowing that her earthly remains are nearby.
I don't mean to belittle that by saying I understand that feeling from how I felt when my last dog died; he was my first dog who was my own, rather than one of the ones I grew up with along with my brothers and sisters. When it was time for Nigel to go, I was in a very dark place (see my commentary on B'reishit for a little more on THAT subject) and it layered yet one more heap of grief on a life that seemed to be over-flowing with it at the time. When Nigel was put down, he was cremated, and a discussion was had as to where to spread his ashes. I didn't want to spread them anywhere. I needed Nigel nearby, even if it was only ashes. And those ashes are still with me, in a cedar box that has his nametag on the lock. I now have two more dogs that I love dearly, but it still gives me some comfort to have Nigel's earthly remains with me. It seems silly, actually. That's not Nigel. That's not Nigel at all. But it's all I have that used to be him, and I still love him to this day and I want that with me.
After Sarah is buried, Abraham instructs his servant to find a wife for Isaac. The servant is sent to Abraham's home town where he meets Rebekah who agrees to go back with him. They see each other and fall in love. And Torah tells us that Isaac was comforted by Rebekah following the death of his mother. Torah tells us it is not good to suffer alone. A lesson I never seem to learn. When I am depressed or just lonely, I don't reach out much for comfort. Instead, I try to bury myself in busy-ness. Do this, do that; watch this movie, listen to that cd. I don't ever call anyone just to say hi and catch up. I am afraid to bother anyone because I don't think I'm worth the bother. But I would be very upset if I learned that any of my friends or family didn't call me when they were feeling like that. Of COURSE they're worth it and it's no bother. When they tell me the same, I thank them, but still don't try it.
So, in a way, though seemingly absent from the parshah that bears her name, I think Sarah is fairly present. She has so affected her husband that he must find a suitable place for her remains so he will always know where she is. That's comforting. And her son grew up to be a caring man who was not afraid to seek comfort from others. Also, Isaac was the only patriarch who was married monogamously. It's never stated how women of the Bible felt about being one of several wives, but could it be that Sarah was maybe not so fond of it and instilled in Isaac some sense that he should love and care for one woman? Who knows, really? But it's a nice thought.
Shalom rav!
Lev
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