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November 23 • 2017
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Parshat Vayetzei:
Genesis 28:10-32:3;
Hosea 12:13-14:10.
n the Torah portion Vayetzei,
Jacob has left his family and is on
a journey away from home.
Without a bed, he lays his head
on a stone for a pillow. While he
sleeps, he dreams of a ladder reach-
ing the sky and angels are going up
and down the ladder. In
necessities: bread to eat,
Jacob’s dream, God is stand-
clothing to wear and a safe
ing beside him and, the
home, all things Jacob is
Torah tells us, God speaks
currently without on his
to Jacob. God tells Jacob
journey.
that the land he promised
It is very difficult, if not
to Abraham and Isaac, his
impossible, to be at our best
grandfather and father, is
without food, comfortable
also promised to Jacob and
clothing and a home where
Davey Rosen
his descendants. And God
we feel safe to be ourselves.
promises, “Remember, I am
Our tradition is telling us
with you: I will protect you
that even with God’s assur-
wherever you go and will
ance, Jacob remains human,
bring you back to this land. I
concerned about the
will not leave you until I have
unknown journey ahead and
done what I have promised you.”
how his needs will be met.
Jacob wakes up from his dream
To be the holy people our tradi-
and declares, “God is in this place
tion asks us to be, we need to strive
and I did not know it! How awesome to meet everyone’s basic needs. As
is this place!” Jacob then takes the
Rabbi Hama said in the Talmud
stone he used as a pillow and builds
(Sotah 14a): “What does the Torah
mean when it says, ‘You shall walk in
a monument to mark the place as
the ways of the Lord’? Can a person
holy, as an incredibly important
really walk in the shadow of God? It
moment in his life.
means that we strive to live like God
But then Jacob makes a vow that
in the Torah.
only if his needs are met will he
“Just as God clothed the naked, so,
accept the God of Abraham and
too, we should clothe the naked. Just
Isaac as his God. “If God remains
as God visited the sick, so, too, we
with me, if He protects me on this
should visit the sick.”
journey that I am making, and
With each action, we make the
gives me bread to eat and clothing
world a holier place. •
to wear, and if I return safe to my
father’s house,” then I’ll really com-
Davey Rosen is associate director at the
mit to being a blessing and living a
University of Michigan Hillel.
holy life.
Why is Jacob questioning God’s
promise to be with him on his jour-
CONVERSATIONS
ney? Perhaps Jacob is not question-
What do you need to feel you’re at
ing God’s promise. Rather, Jacob’s
your best? When you’re in a new
statement that “if God protects him”
situation, what do you need to be
is Jacob acknowledging that he is
at your best? Have you ever noticed
on an unknown journey and he is
another person feeling out of place?
scared.
What did you do or what could you
In this moment of fear, Jacob
do to help a person feel more com-
describes what he needs to feel
fortable?
safe and at his best. He needs basic