Tyler’s Torah Thoughts for 4 Kislev, 5785

Good morning. Wow. Today’s Torah portion is something. It is a significant lesson for us.  The interaction between Jacob and Laban? Is a lesson for all of us.

Jacob and Laban negotiated his wages to stay on the farm.

Jacob was negotiating in good faith. Laban was not.  They agreed, Jacob would get to keep the cattle that were spotted or brown, Laban would keep all the others.

They agreed on a deal, and before Laban began, he removed all the sheep and cattle that were spotted and brown and gave them to his sons. He started Jacob with zero.

When Jacob and Laban were negotiating, Jacob saw the sheep and cattle that were brown and spotted. When the deal began, Jacob had a choice.

He could have complained about the circumstances. He could have been angry with Laban for not negotiating in good faith. He could have been stuck with his anger and resentment for Laban taking all the animals that would have been Jacob’s and Laban gave them to his sons.

How did Jacob react? Did he get mad? No. He shrugged his shoulders.  He got to work.  He must have trusted that Hashem was more powerful than Laban, and would it all out for Jacob’s benefit.

Let’s pause. Because this is a lesson for us.

When things beyond our control (like someone being sneaky on a deal we made in good faith, but they altered it) – how do we respond? Do we get stuck in bitterness? Or do we see what is around us, recognize we are safe, and get to work?

It’s a tough choice. And? Trusting the Universe is likely our only choice. Because I don’t know about you? The storms that enter into our lives – be it, thunderstorms, hurricanes, tornadoes, floods, fire, and even snow storms (they are the worst and I’ll explain why in a bit) – we can’t control it. What good would it do to be angry with the weather? We navigate it, we persevere through it, and come out of it stronger and more grounded than before the storm.

Now. Let’s talk snowstorms. And to be clear/unclear – I am talking both literally AND metaphorically.

Snow is magical. Right? When the snow falls, and we are kids – it’s quiet. It’s pretty. It looks peaceful and serene. But the snow storm? to kids in their front yard? joy! Snowpeople, snowball fights, igloos, etc.

To adults? Shoveling, slippery roads. Danger.

A Snowstorm in our life is something that comes in and “looks” magical, but turns out to be dangerous in the end.

When thunderstorms come into our life, they usually come with a warning – we see them, we can appreciate them, and we navigate them. We can marvel at the beauty. We can protect ourselves from the destruction for the most part.  Or we at least expect it.

Snowstorms are just different.

And I begin to realize – all storms come into our lives to shake things up. To move us from being stuck. To create change.

Do we appreciate the storm for what it does in our lives?

And let me close with this. When we navigate these storms? And remain in our peace, and trust the outcome? What happened to Jacob? Laban’s sons were MAD!

Laban’s peace created a storm for Laban and his sons.

When we find the center of our storm. The peace in the midst of what comes at us. It creates storms for others. And we can feel guilty for that process – we can try to smooth their feelings over and try to help them navigate their storms for them. Or, we can allow them the opportunity to figure out how to navigate their storm. Instead of them complaining about it and trying to stop the storm.

Because what we teach others? They can control our weather. When we shift into navigating our weather in peace? That doesn’t sit well. If we allow them to disrupt our peace? We give them power to create storms for us.

I hope this makes sense. More to come in the following days! Enjoy the storms in your life. And if you end up left with nothing? Do what Jacob did.

37And Jacob took himself moist rod[s] of trembling poplar and hazelnut, and chestnut, and he peeled white streaks upon them, baring the white that was on the rods.

Jacob softened. He peeled away layers of himself. He exposed the white on the rods – he exposed himself.

This is not an intuitive move. And, a beautiful story for us.

When we are left with nothing, softening and exposing ourselves is counter intuitive – and? It is the way to prosperity.

Let me know what you think!

Here are my thoughts from last year:

Tyler’s Torah Thoughts for 10 Kislev, 5784
Parsha Vayeitzei (Genesis 28:10 – 32:3)
Fifth Portion: Genesis 30:28 – 31:16

Good morning! Happy Thanksgiving! May you arrive at your destinations safely this week!  It is super interesting that we are reading about Jacob’s process for leaving Laban during this time. 

Yesterday we left off with a cliffhanger. Jacob wants to leave, and Laban gives Jacob some flattery.

Let’s dig in:

(30:28) Then he said, “Specify your wages for me, and I will give [them].”

29And he said to him, “You know how I have worked for you and how your livestock was with me.

30For the little that you had before me has increased in multitude, and the Lord blessed you upon my arrival; but now, when will I, too, provide [something] for my household?”

So Laban asks “Name your price to stay” And Jacob doesn’t want to work for wages. Jacob wants to PROVIDE for his household. He’s got sons (and Dinah) to feed!  Let’s keep going:

31And he said, “What shall I give you?” And Jacob said, “You shall give me nothing; if you do this thing for me, I will return, I will pasture your flocks, [and] I will watch [them].

32I will pass throughout all your flocks today, removing from there every speckled and spotted kid, and every brown lamb among the sheep, and [every] spotted and speckled [one from] among the goats, and this shall be my wages.

33And my righteousness will testify for me at a future date for it will come upon my wages before you. Whatever is not speckled or spotted among the goats or brown among the sheep [shall be counted as] stolen with me.”

34And Laban said, “Very well! If only it would be as you say!”

That must have sounded crazy to Laban, right? Put it in the hands of Hashem. Basically “I will work for you – but when it is time to leave – Laban, you keep the solid goats and sheep, and I get the speckled and spotted goats and brown sheep.”  But Laban had a plan.  He knew a thing or two about how this works:

35And he removed on that day the ringed and the spotted male goats and all the speckled and spotted female goats, whichever had white on it, and all the brown [from] among the sheep, and he gave [them] into the hands of his sons.

36And he set three days’ journey between himself and Jacob, and Jacob tended Laban’s remaining animals.

So basically, he started Jacob with zero. Jacob was going to tend to all the solid goats and non-brown sheep. But that didn’t seem to phase Jacob.

37And Jacob took himself moist rod[s] of trembling poplar and hazelnut, and chestnut, and he peeled white streaks upon them, baring the white that was on the rods.

38And he thrust the rods that he had peeled, into the gutters in the watering troughs where the animals would come to drink opposite the [other] animals, and they would come into heat when they came to drink.

39And the flocks came into heat by the rods, and the animals bore ringed, spotted, and striped [young].

40And Jacob separated the sheep, and he turned the faces of the animals toward the ringed one[s] and every brown one among Laban’s animals, and he made himself flocks by himself, and he did not place them with Laban’s animals.

41And it came to pass, that whenever the animals that were bearing their first would come into heat, Jacob would place the rods in the troughs, before the eyes of the animals, [in order] to bring them into heat by [means of] the rods.

42But if the animals would delay, he would not place them, so that the ones that delayed were Laban’s, and the ones that bore their first became Jacob’s.

43And the man became exceedingly wealthy, and he had prolific animals, and maidservants and manservants, and camels and donkeys.

So – Jacob figured out natural selection, didn’t he? He became wealthy.

Something I am reflecting on from yesterday’s thoughts.  Jacob FINALLY figured out his worth – Rachel had borne him a son.  Beauty came through. And Jacob seemed satisfied – and was ready to leave.  The aftermath of this? He got what he wanted. He chose material wealth. He lacked tenderness. He chose his gift – and Hashem delivered. But – this caused a problem, didn’t it? For Laban?  Jacob over hears Laban’s sons talking:

(31:1) And he heard the words of Laban’s sons, saying, “Jacob has taken all that belonged to our father, and from what belonged to our father, he has amassed this entire fortune.”

2And Jacob saw Laban’s countenance, that he was not disposed toward him as [he had been] yesterday and the day before.

Uh oh. Jacob saw the shift in energy and feelings.  He saw the external signs it was time to go.  And Hashem meets with Jacob at this point:

3And the Lord said to Jacob, “Return to the land of your forefathers and to your birthplace, and I will be with you.”

I write about this below, and REALLY encourage you to read it.  Jacob hears DIRECTLY FROM HASHEM.  And instead of telling his family what to do? He calls a family meeting to bring them along.  He involves Rachel AND Leah – and explains to them what happened which is also interesting:

4So Jacob sent and called Rachel and Leah to the field, to his flocks.

5And he said to them, “I see your father’s countenance, that he is not disposed toward me [as he was] yesterday and the day before, but the God of my father was with me.

6And you know that with all my might I served your father.

7But your father mocked me and changed my wages ten times, but God did not permit him to harm me.

8If he would say thus, ‘Speckled ones shall be your wages,’ all the animals would bear speckled ones, and if he would say thus, ‘Ringed ones shall be your wages,’ all the animals would bear ringed ones.

9Thus, God separated your father’s livestock and gave it to me.

10And it came to pass at the time the animals came into heat, that I lifted my eyes and saw in a dream, and behold, the he goats that mounted the animals were ringed, speckled, and striped.

11And an angel of God said to me in a dream, ‘Jacob!’ And I said, ‘Here I am.’

12And he said, ‘Now lift your eyes and see [that] all the he goats mounting the animals are ringed, speckled, and striped, for I have seen all that Laban is doing to you.

13I am the God of Beth el, where you anointed a monument, where you pronounced to Me a vow. Now, arise, go forth from this land and return to the land of your birth.'”

And again, he doesn’t tell them to come with him. He allows them to offer feedback:

14And Rachel and Leah replied and said to him, “Do we still have a share or an inheritance in our father’s house?

15Are we not considered by him as strangers, for he sold us and also consumed our money?

16But all the wealth that God separated from our father is ours and our children’s. So now, all that God said to you, do.”

We’ve come a long way since yesterday’s portion, haven’t we? It would see everyone got what they wanted. Leah had connection with Jacob. Jacob had material wealth and a son with Rachel. Rachel had a child.  And they were all on the same page.

I ALSO go back to yesterday’s portion and commentary.  Do Leah and Rachel represent thoughts and feelings? They have not been aligned in the story – until now.  Did Jacob check in on his heart and mind – and see congruence? So he believed?

What if they were NOT on the same page? What if one of them wanted to stay and the other wanted to go? What would Jacob have done? What would he have chosen? What if they WERE on the same page and wanted to stay, asking Jacob to ignore Hashem’s instructions? What then? 

These are the curious questions I ask myself as we come to a close today.  I am grateful for the opportunity to think curiously about the Torah! What are your thoughts! 

Enjoy thanksgiving!