Diane and I are anticipating our return to the US. I can’t say it’s been a relaxing trip. It’s certainly been a pleasure visiting with friends and family, especially our son Dani and his wife Chana. Traveling around the country and spending time in Jerusalem again has been an awesome experience, to reconnect with the sacredness of the land, the accomplishments of Israelis and Palestinians, their blood, sweat and tears in building this modern country. Of course, there are many conflicting realities here. One reality is that everyone loves this Land. The majority of the people here want to live in peace with each other.
Read MoreJacob, with his parents’ blessings and encouragement, leaves Be’er Sheva to travel, alone, to reside with his uncle, Laban, and his family. Welcome to Parshat VaYetze.
Try to imagine his state of mind and spirit, alone, on the mountainous trails to Haran (south western Turkey today). It is in his aloneness or loneliness that he realizes who he is, experiences his relationship with the All-Oneness of the universe and contemplates the meaning of his past, present and future. He has a profound dream where he sees angels ascending and descending on a ladder. The ladder is planted in the ground. He hears the voice of the God of Abraham and the God of Isaac. God is mentioned twice because each of Jacob's ancestors had their own understanding of God, Now he hears the call, the promise of his future and the future of his descendants.
Read MoreVa’Yechi, “and Jacob lived in the land of Mitzrayim seventeen years….”
We notice that it doesn’t say “ and Jacob dwelled - VaYeshev - in the land of Egypt...”. The wording, VaYechi, implies he "lived fully" there, reunited with his son, Joseph, and seeing the reconciliation between his children. Jacob now prepares to die. What we see in this Parsha is how he approaches death and the meaningfulness of his final words to his children. In his last days or hours Jacob is both the father and the prophet. Clearly, he put a lot of thought into what he would say. Our anonymous biblical editor certainly did.
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