Shabbat
Portion Vayish lach ... Back to the Garden
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- קטגוריה: Parashat Hashavua
- פורסם בשישי, 04 דצמבר 2020 13:03
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Portion Vayish lach ... Back to the Garden
In the portion Jacob is bringing his family back to Father Isaac in the Land of Cannan
Was he hoping to enter the Garden of Eden?
No.
Jacob was a realist and always saw what was coming next on other people's selfish minds.
Over and Over Jacob uses his cunning and borderline unethical DIVERSIONS -
but to a righteous end!
Do we learn from this portion that it's enough just to outwit evil?
No.
Genius Jacob needs the Almighty to help him escape the destruction intended by Laban
and he has to confront his brother Esav who swore to kill him - and
the Almighty gives him blessings
after he learns to wrestle with ANGELS!
LIFE, however, still creeps into Jacob's plans ...
and then Joseph gets sold and "disappears" (see next week).
Maybe the Garden of Eden is seen in Jacob's
honesty of purpose, and
relying on the Almighty,
and facing the challenges from " the snake from the tree of knowledge",
and from greedy selfish people that are sadly still to be found,
at all levels of LIFE.
So did Jacob enjoy the Shabbat? Did his Father Isaac enjoy Shabbat?
Did the 12 sons and daughter practice Shabbat and work towards
creating a Garden of Eden?
Hopefully more as the Isreal Experience Develops
Shabbat Shalom
Rabbi Andy Eichenholz