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32

December 15 • 2005

Jj

Shabbat Vayishlach:
Genesis 32:3-36:43;
Obadiah 1:1-21.

othing is as
ties — the rape of Dinah, the
romantic in liter-
massacre of Shechem com-
attire and film as
mitted by his sons and the
the open road. Something
fact that his entourage kept
about leaving home
idols until reaching Beth El
bespeaks endless possibil-
with his tardy fulfillment of
ity and the escape from
his oath.
habit and personal history.
For this reason, it is consid-
Yet history, like gravity,
Rabbi Daniel
ered bad form to make oaths.
has a way of reclaiming
Nevins
Some pious people mutter "bli
those who briefly escape
Special to the neder — no promise!" when
its clutches.
Jewish News
agreeing to do something in
This simple truth is evi-
the future. No doubt this fear
dent.as we trace the travels of our
of leaving oaths unfulfilled is the .
peripatetic patriarch Jacob. Wherever
motivation for our Kol Nidre service,
he goes, his past trots along. If he
which preemptively cancels oaths even
deceived his father Isaac in the dark,
before they are uttered. Even as we
then his father-in-law Laban deceived
unleash a torrent of liturgy, we admit
him in his very bridal chamber. If he
our inability to control our tongues.
stands accused by his dad of mirma
What about Jacob? He seems unable
(deceit), then his sons Simon and Levi to communicate clearly from start to
will practice mirma in slaughtering
finish. Jacob is a wrestler in more ways
the people of Shechem. If he left his
than one. Some people find a straight
brother in a murderous rage, then
path through life, while-others have to
there will be Esau with his 400
struggle every step of the way. For bet-
friends, waiting to welcome his little
ter or worse, Jacob leads a tormented
brother home. '
life from the womb to the grave.
What about us? Are B'nai Yisrael,
the children of Israel, also destined to
struggle until the end? Will we ever
emerge as a normal nation? Perhaps
not. Perhaps our purpose is not to live
in tranquility, but constantl y to struggle
to be upright before God.
Sometimes our struggle is external,
with violent and unscrupulouS people
who want to steal that which is most
precious. But the greater challenge is
internal — to fulfill our oaths. The chil-
dren of Israel promised at Sinai to keep
the Torah and its many mitzvot: It is that
Perhaps nothing follows Jacob as
oath that remains with us — our des-
closely as his own words. Twenty years tiny, our opportunity, our promise. E.!
before, as a frightened fleeing lad, he
made an oath. If only God would see
Daniel Nevins is a spiritual leader at Adat
him home in peace, then Jacob would
Shalom Synagogue in Farmington Hills.
dedicate a shrine in Beth El and tithe
all his possessions to God. Well, he's
home now; but Jacob hasn't kept his
Conversations
vow. In a stunning midrash found in
Some religions instruct their
Vayikra Rabba, Rabbi Shmuel bar
followers to accept suffering as
Nachman faults Jacob for delaying his
inevitable and even meaning-
oath: "Whoever delays fulfilling his
less. What does Judaism teach
oath will come to idolatry, sexual
about how to respond? Is tran-
crime, murder and slander, as we
quility our goal, or productive
learn from Jacob." This midrash pro-
turbulence?
ceeds to link Jacob's multiple calami-

This fear of
leaving oaths
unfulfilled is the
motivation for
our Kol Nidre
service.

is.geotiloo
Reasonable price.. Reg• $f9
Now: thibugh,Pec , - 20

• plus . cuttins and stylrn-
for .first tirne:cdstOrneis - Oply

Promise Keepers