Hilary Peer's Sermon 7th December 2024 / 7th Kislev 5785

Vayetze

I must admit that I have found it hard to relate to this week’s Parsah vayetze, possibly because it’s full of deception and lies. Something I try to avoid.

Also, because I dedicate this Dvar Torah in honour of my brother Robert who sadly passed away from Cancer three years ago,  

He was a strong Zionist and a kind man who helped and guided us so much when we made the move from Israel to Hove, we think of him every day.

This Parsha tells the story of Yakov and his journey from Beer Sheva to Haran,

he left Beer Sheva under a dark cloud of deception.

Yakov, under the watchful eye of his mother, Rivka, deceived and betrayed his father and brother.

Yakov left Beer Sheva in a hurry for fear of his brothers’ retribution.

We could excuse Rivkah and Yakov for their behaviour because, according to Midrash, certain that the future of the Jewish people depended upon them taking this radical step. Yakov betrayed his father’s confidence for the noblest reason possible.

Does this mean Yakov was right? It questions our moral compass; can wrong doings be justified if done for the right reason? Yakov after all is our Patriarch, he produced the 12 tribes of Israel. He changed the course of our people.

We need to look deeper into the story, to understand that even though Yakov may have acted for good reason. He was not left unpunished.

His arrival In Haran started off well, he met his beautiful cousin Rachel where he was welcomed with open arms by his uncle Laban. Laban greets Yakov.

SURELY THOU ART MY BONE AND MY FLESH — Rashi’s commentary sheds a different edge to this;

Really, I have no reason to take you into my house, since you have brought nothing with you; but because of our relationship I will put up with you for “the space of a month”. Thus, indeed, he did, but even this was not for nothing, for he tended Laban’s sheep. Rashi

We can understand from this, that Laban always had an ulterior motive.

Instead of taking a salary Yakov offered to work for seven years for the hand of Laban’s daughter Rachel.

Laban didn’t refuse, but he didn’t offer the truth either. He fooled his nephew and gave him his eldest daughter Leah. And simply said “It is not practice in our land to off the younger before the older”

Yacov’s head is now spinning; he is stung to the core. The past has come back to haunt him, even though it may be that his lying and deception were justified … and still the consequences will follow him until his dying day. This is what the Talmud refers to as a “transgression for noble ends,”

This is exactly the type of thing that our ancient sages called “measure for measure.” He dished it out, and he got it back. The deceiver has been deceived.

Our actions have consequences whether we act to achieve something great or to cause harm.

We know that Yacov was a dreamer, on his journey from Beer Sheva to Haran, Jacob laid down his head on a stone and dreamt the famous dream that we have all heard of,

A stairway was set on the ground and its top reached to the sky, and angels of God were going up and down on it. And the Lord was standing beside him, and He said, “I am the Lord, the God of your father Abraham and the God of Isaac: the ground on which you are lying I will assign to you and to your offspring. Your descendants shall be as the dust of the earth; you shall spread out to the west and to the east, to the north and to the south. All the families of the earth shall bless themselves by you and your descendants. 15 Remember, I am with you: I will protect you wherever you go and will bring you back to this land. I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.” 

Yacov called this place where he had laid down, Bethel previously known as Luz. Interestingly, Bethel is now buried beneath a modern Arab village 20 miles north of Jerusalem, some call this area the West Bank, I prefer the biblical name of Judea and Samaria. Although I don’t want to get political on a Shabbat morning.

I suppose the point I am trying to make, is that even though Yakov was devious in his betrayal of his brother and lying to his father. `It was for the greater good.

What would have happened if Easu (Yakov’s brother) hadn’t been so hungry and wouldn’t have traded his birthright for a bowl of soup? What would the land of Israel look like today?

To conclude, I agree that Yakov acted badly but sometimes we must do things that are out of our comfort zone, we have to stand up and be heard and fight the good fight. Even though it may be not the accepted behaviour or it’s not our way.

We have all seen what is happening in this country and in Europe. We all follow closely the plight of the hostages in Gaza and the terrible war that has cost so many lives on both sides.

As co-organiser of the ‘Yellow Ribbon Campaign’ I ask you all to stand up and be proud, to join us in our fight for the hostages. Wear a yellow ribbon and share the hostage stories.

We don’t need to deceive people, but we must step up!

Am Yisrael Chai and Shabbat shalom