-

,

:\\\-

\\

\

\\ \•

N

\ \

\\k
\s‘

•

‘‘•

Torah Portion

Reaffirming Our Faith
In The Dark of Misfortune

singing in the midst of their terrible
afflictions. He said, "When God
wants to punish a man, He deprives
him of his faith."
There are people who can only
pray in the noon brightness of the
sunlit day. They can express gratitude
acob, for the first time in his
then, but theirs is not the assurance
life, has left his parental roof.
that remains when all else is gone. An
Taking the wanderer's staff in
Austrian playwright once declared,
his hand, he is journeying to
"We know of some very religious peo-
a doubtful haven of refuge.
ple who came to doubt God when a
Fleeing the wrath of his brother
misfortune befell them, but we have
Esau and heartsick at having to leave
never yet seen anyone who lost his
his loving mother Rebecca, Jacob
faith because an undeserved fortune
wanders forth with deep
fell to his lot."
anguish. He will be com-
In the story of Jacob's
pelled to make a new start
dream, we learn that to pray
among people he does not
in the dark means we are
know.
saddened but not broken by
How dark everything
life's afflictions. What
seems to him is expressed by
should one pray for at such
the words of the Midrash:
a rime?
"The whole world 'became
First, for strength. We can
like a wall before him."
draw, out of our depths,
Troubles close in on Jacob
powers untapped and some-
RABBI IRWIN
from every side.
times even unknown. We
GRO NER
On the first day of his
are stronger than we think.
Special to The
wearisome odyssey, the sun
We can mobilize our deepest
Jewish News
suddenly sets. At that
reserves rather than surren-
moment, the sages say, Jacob
der to self-pity.
prays. Where could he find
On the wall of a cellar in the ciry
shelter? The exhausted Jacob places
of Cologne, where Jews had hidden
his head upon rocks as he lies down to
from the Nazis during the Holocaust,
sleep, "and he dreamed." He sees a
the following inscription was discov-
vision of a ladder joining heaven and
ered after the war, "I believe in the
earth. So vivid is this encounter that
sun, even when it is not shining; I
when Jacob awakes froM his troubled
believe in love, even when not feeling
sleep, he takes a vow saying, "If the
it; I believe in God, even when He is
Lord will be with me and will keep
silent."
me in the way I go ... then this stone
Second, we pray for the capacity to
... shall be God's house."
transform our sorrow into sources of
Jacob had encountered God's pres-
greater sensitivity and helpfulness.
ence many times, but always during
Some make of sorrow a prison and
the daytime, in moments of tranquili-
enclose themselves within it. Instead,
ty. This time, however, Jacob, in a
our sorrows should become a bridge
state of helplessness, encounters the
to the pain of others, enabling us to
Almighty when the sun has set, in the
grow in understanding and humanity.
midst of darkness. Jacob, reclining on
We should pray for the breadth of
a hard stone, is in a state of profound
view that will redeem our grief of
anxiety about the future. And yet, in
anger and cleanse it of rebellion.
the midst of his distress, he finds faith
Upon every life there will come a
and sees "the Gate of Heaven."
time when the shadows will length-
Jacob is each of us. Who in his or
en and the darkness will gather.
her personal life has not known sor-
Blessed is he who has taught himself
row or frustration? Upon whom has
eventide not cast its shadows? Who
has not lived for a period in the midst
of darkness?
How do Jacob's misfortunes lead
How important it is to affirm one's
him to greater faith? How does
faith under such circumstances.
the dipping of wine at Pesach tie
The Baal Shem Toy, founder of
in to a reminder of the pain of
Chasidism, called upon the people to
others? What other examples of a
re-kindle their spirit of hope, to begin
test of faith can you recall from
our
collective history?
Irwin Groner is senior rabbi of

Shabbat Vayetze:
Genesis 28:10-32:3;
Hosea 12: 13-14: 10.

jr

Conversations

JEWELRY DE

Applegate Square • 29847 Northwester
Southfield, Michigan 48034

11/27
1998

(248) 356-7007
c5peciaijkaay ,Xours 1/2.1v
. ` uyi; Clkisbna$

72 Detroit Jewish News

Congregation Shaarey Zedek.

s‘'\..'N&...\":% •
,,s.,`'s