Benei Yisrael’s story: It’s a Wonderful Life
As Yaacov Avinu leaves his deceitful father-in-law Lavan and returns to the Holy Land, knowing that he is to encounter his brother Eisav, who has vowed to kill him, Yaacov is understandably filled with fear and trepidation (Bereishit 32:8). But as Chazal point out, he takes a three-pronged approach — Doron, Tefilla and Milchama — gifts as diplomacy, prayer and battle (Rashi 32:9).
Baruch Hashem, it all turns out well. Both he and Eisav part peacefully.
Yet challenges seem to beset Yaacov at every turn. Just as he has established himself, built a home, and purchased a field, his daughter Dena is raped and taken hostage (33:17-20, 34:1-5). His mother Rivka dies at the same time as her devoted nursemaid Devorah (although only Devorah’s death is mentioned explicitly in the parsha). Then his beloved Rachel dies in childbirth, and he buries her on the side of the road rather than in the Mearat HaMachpela in Hevron.
Shortly thereafter his firstborn, Reuven, defies him, and then his father Yitzchak dies. Next week, we will read of the intense internecine conflict with the sale of Yosef by his brother, which almost causes the destruction of the family and the Jewish nation to be stillborn.
In fact, the litany seems so awful, that Yaacov complains years later to Pharaoh “me’at v’raim hayu yemei shnei chayaii (few and bad have been the days of the years of my life) (Bereishit 47:9). The Midrash tells us that Yaacov was rebuked for this statement and as a result lost 33 years of his life. Why?
The answer can be seen in what I’ve intentionally left out. He left his parents alone, under threat of death, to flee to Haran, ultimately penniless. Then what happens? He is visited by G-d, promised the gift of the Holy Land previously promised to both his father and grandfather, and given life-long protection by Hashem Himself! He also just “so happens” to meet up with his cousin Rachel, who is gorgeous; he falls in love with and marries.
With no apparent skills, he gets a job with his uncle, now his father-in-law (times two in fact, since he marries Rachel’s sister Leah as well) and is incredibly successful. He has 11 sons and one daughter, two wives and two concubines!
At this point he realizes, it’s time to go, it’s time to take the money (and the cattle, flocks, servants, and maidservants, camels, donkeys, wives and concubines and kids) and run. Once again G-d guarantees his safe passage. As noted above, his deathly fear of Eisav is unfounded and he escapes intact. In fact he is so successful he “wrestles with G-d and prevails” and is renamed Yisrael.
• • •
His daughter Dena is raped and taken hostage but his sons stand together as one (“vayaanu Benei Yaacov, Jacob’s sons answered” (34:13), in one united voice); responding with cunning and guile, Shimon and Levi attack and rescue Dena, returning her home safely.
Yaacov is able to establish himself as a man of means and position, surrounded by his wives, sons, daughter and grandchildren. Despite the enormous pain of the conflict between Yosef and his brothers that brought about Yosef being separated from his family for 22 years, ultimately they are all reunited.
The difference between the two narratives above is one of perspective, that imparts to us two valuable lessons.
One is that Yaacov‘s life is the story of Life, the story of our lives — we are Benei Yaacov, Benei Yisrael. Nothing is happenstance; things don’t “just happen” and don’t “right themselves“; all is from Hashem and His actions depend upon our actions as partners with Him in creation, thought and deed. Yaacov, despite repeated guarantees of G-d‘s protection, still had to prepare himself for his confrontation with Eisav, had to deal with his deceitful uncle/father-in-law, had to deal with the trauma of the abduction and violation of his daughter Dena and his sons’ daring plan to rescue her and, like many of us, had to deal with the loss of loved ones.
The second important lesson is that when Yaacov’s sons acted and were successful, they acted with UNITY. When they attacked one another, the brothers against Yosef, they nearly destroyed the future of the Jewish people.
After much pain and heartache, as we shall read in the coming weeks, when they came together, 12 brothers united, they gathered around Yaacov’s deathbed and, as one, recited Shema Yisrael Hashem Elokenu Hashem Echad (Rashi, quoting Midrash, 49:1,2), bringing about the promise of our future geula shelaima.
Let’s heed that lesson and bring it about, speedily, in our day.
Shabbat Shalom.
Dr. Alan Mazurek is a retired neurologist, living in Great Neck, Jerusalem and Florida. He is a former chairman of the ZOA. To reach him, write: Columnist@TheJewishStar.com
