Posts Tagged 'Vayishlach'

Footsteps During Covid-19

Published December 4, 2020 1.08 VaYishlach Leave a Comment
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Here is a New Yorker cartoon this week by Emily Flake that caught my eye:

“And there is where I complied with social-distancing guidelines.”

A few years ago I also played with the Mary Stevenson 1936 classic Footsteps for Parshat VaYishlach, this week’s Torah portion. Here is my Orthodox take on it:

One night I dreamed I was walking along a path on a pristine beach. Many scenes from my life flashed across the sky.
In each scene I noticed footprints in the sand. Sometimes the path was well worn, other times it seemed that I took the path less traveled, and still yet other times I had blazed my own trail. What bothered me was that I noticed that during the low periods of my life, when I was suffering from anguish, sorrow or defeat, I could see that the otherwise clear path was muddled and unclear. So I cried aloud, “What about the promise that if I followed the path, it would always guide my way. But I have noticed that during the most trying periods of my life there has no clear path in the sand. Why, when I needed guidance most, I was left alone with no direction?”
And then I was quiet and I heard a still small voice reply, “The years when you could not see a path is when we wrestled, we are always together Yisrael.”

As we see in our Torah portion. The very nature of the nation of Yisrael is to struggle and wrestle with God. It is clear that the Jewish community thrives in our coming together. We even find divinity in our having close human contact. But, that does not mean that we should disregard health concerns for religious expression. As Orthodox Jews, we must put the supreme law of preservation of life before the Supreme Court. Anything other then complying with social-distancing guidelines would be off the path of Halacha.

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Keep Wrestling: For Reflections on Footprints in the Sand

Published December 13, 2019 1.08 VaYishlach Leave a Comment
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After 20 years in  Charan, Yaakov returns home. VaYishlach , this week’s Torah portion, starts with Yaakov sending angel-emissaries to Esav in hope of a reconciliation, but his messengers report that his brother is on the warpath with 400 armed men. Yaakov prepares for war, prays, and sends Esav a large gift to appease him.That night, Yaakov ferries his family and possessions across the Yabbok River; he, however, remains behind and encounters the angel that embodies the spirit of Esav, with whom he wrestles in the dust until daybreak. Yaakov suffers a dislocated hip but vanquishes the supernal creature, who bestows on him the name Yisrael, which means “he who prevails over the divine.” This is a critical episode in that we his descendants get our national name from this moment as well.

A decade ago in thinking about this critical moment in Yaakov’s life and our national narrative I got to thinking about Mary Stevenson, 1936 classic Footprints in the Sand. Clearly written for a Christian audience I adapted it for what I thought it meant to be Jewish today.

blog footprintsOne night I dreamed I was walking along a path on a pristine beach. Many scenes from my life flashed across the sky. In each scene I noticed footprints in the sand. Sometimes the path was well worn, other times it seemed that I took the path less traveled, and still yet other times I had blazed my own trail. What bothered me was that I noticed that during the low periods of my life, when I was suffering from anguish, sorrow or defeat, I could see that the otherwise clear path was muddled and unclear. So I cried aloud, “What about the promise that if I followed the path, it would always guide my way. But I have noticed that during the most trying periods of my life there has no clear path in the sand. Why, when I needed guidance most, I was left alone with no direction?”And then I was quiet and I heard a still small voice reply, “The years when you could not see a path is when we wrestled, we are always together Yisrael.”

A decade later I feel that we are even more in this Yaakov moment of wrestling. It is clear that we are living in troubled and troubling times. I know that I for one am ” tired from all of this  winning“. We find ourselves amidst a frightful surge of antisemitism. We feel alone and abandoned. We are reliving the Dreyfus affair. Why must we repeat history?

I also know that we are struggling with ourselves as to what the future of Jewish life will look like.  It seems like we are perpetually stuck in the dual narratives of antisemitism and assimilation.  What will be our path be moving forward?

At the same time I  know that now more than ever the world needs us to live up to our name.  We are Yisrael. We need to be there for each other. We are not alone. We need to keep wrestling. Together we will find a path forward.

Kickin’ Up Dust : Protesting Racism

Published December 5, 2014 1.08 VaYishlach Leave a Comment
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In Vayishlach, this weeks Torah portion, we read that, “And Jacob was left alone; and there wrestled a man with him until the breaking of the day” (Genesis 32:25-29). Rashi explains “vaye’avek ” the wrestling in a literary way to mean that they became “dusted”. The word vaye’avek is related to the word avak, meaning dust, because they would raise dust with their feet through their movements. In their struggling and grappling with each other they stirred up dust. And in this process Jacob became Israel.

This past few weeks there have been a number of court cases that brought some of the systemic racial divides in this country to the surface. In response to these issues there have been many protests decrying the racial problems that exist in fabric of this country.  Many have pushed back at the protesters claiming that they are the real problem. But, there is not doubt that they are part of the reason that more people are struggling with important conversations about racism today.

When does this dust turn to dirt? When have the protesters causing a problem? There is no doubt that every real struggle needs people with integrity to work towards progress. As the people of Israel, our destiny will always be to struggle and kick up the dust. In last week’s Torah portion we read of Jacob’s dream. He is blessed that his offspring will be as numerous as the dust of the earth (Gen. 28:14). To ensure a better future, we might just have to risk getting a little dirty helping kick up the dust.

Achilles Heel

Published November 30, 2012 1.08 VaYishlach Leave a Comment
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In Greek mythology, when Achilles was a baby, it was foretold that he would die young . To prevent his death, his mother Thetis took Achilles to the River Styx, which was supposed to offer powers of invulnerability, and dipped his body into the water. But as Thetis held Achilles by the heel, he had a chatzitza and  his heel was not washed over by the water of the magical river. Achilles grew up to be a man of war who survived many great battles. But one day, a poisonous arrow shot at him was lodged in his heel, killing him shortly after.

Achilles’ name can be analyzed as a combination of ἄχος (akhos) “grief” and λαός (Laos) “a people, tribe, nation, etc.” In other words, Achilles is an embodiment of the grief of the people. Achilles’ role as the hero of grief forms an ironic juxtaposition with the conventional view of Achilles as the hero of kleos (glory, usually glory in war).

Achilles stands as an interesting foil for the person of Yaakov. In Vayishlach, this weeks Torah portion we read:

25 And Yaakov was left alone; and there wrestled a man with him until the breaking of the day. 26 And when he saw that he prevailed not against him, he touched the hollow of his thigh; and the hollow of Yaakov’s thigh was strained, as he wrestled with him. 27 And he said: ‘Let me go, for the day breaks.’ And he said: ‘I will not let you go until you bless me.’ 28 And he said to him: ‘What is your name?’ And be said: ‘Yaakov.’ 29 And he said: ‘Your name shall be called no more Yaakov, but Yisrael; for you have struggled with God and with men, and have prevailed.’ (Genesis 32:25-29)

What is Yaakov’s name? As we learn from Toldot, Yaakov was named for when he was born he was grabbing the heel of his brother Esav. Through his adolescence he seems weak compared to his hunter brother living as a tent dweller. Here, this week, he returns as a warrior having worked hard in the world for many years, confronted his father-in-law, and now wrestling this angel. Having struggled with men and God he is renamed Yisrael. Like Achilles Yisrael is the glory of his  people, tribe, and nation. And interestingly he gets this name when he in injured.  Esav is not his Achilles Heel as his name Yaakov might have indicated. Ultimately his Achilles Heel is he himself  both his physical hip and his own character. Confronting the angel is how he can resolve his years in exile. All to often we  point at other people instead of ourselves as the source of conflict in our lives. In the end when we mature we grow and accept that we are the ones that need to choose to change. What makes Yisrael great is not his being perfect or Godly, but rather his being vulnerable and human.  Our collective Achilles Heel is thinking that there is any glory in war. Yisrael’s glory to be emulated is being introspective and reflective from a position of strength.

 

 

 

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