In this weeks parsha, Vayeitzei, Yaakov travels to Charan, has a vision of angels going up and down a ladder, sleeps on 12 stones which miraculously become one, erects an altar to G-d, and gets married; not once, but twice. While there are many meaningful and powerful lessons in this parsha, I believe that the most poignant has to do with Yaakov’s marriage to Rochel and Leah.
Imagine for a moment that there was a computer that you really wanted, that you coveted, and that you negotiated what you believed was a fair price. You went home, got your hard earned money, and paid for it. Then when you go to open the item, anxiously awaiting to use your new gift, you realize that you were given a different model of a similar machine. So you bring the computer back to the store intending on returning it and getting the one you really wanted.
On the way to the store, you begin to realize that the computer you got (although it wasn’t the original one you wanted) has many advantages to it and returning it would probably be a mistake. Once at the store, you decide to negotiate for the original computer once more and after coming to an agreement, you finally take home what is rightfully yours.
Now let us say that instead of paying for both computer all at once you were put on a 14 year payment plan. How would you feel? Most of us would feel some sense of resentment every time money was withdrawn from our account, remembering how we were tricked and swindled, knowing that we weren’t treated properly. We may even try to get out of some of the payments by speaking to a manager or writing a letter to the corporate office.
Herein lies a most special quality which Yaakov possessed. The Torah tells us that Yaakov worked for Lavan as faithfully for the second seven years as he did for the first. Despite the fact that Yaakov had reason to be upset and could have wined and moaned, he didn’t. Had he slacked off and not given the work his all, no one would have thought less of him; and yet he chose not to. He gave a 110% regardless of what had happened because he knew that it was all divinely orchestrated and that doing our part means being fully committed even when things don’t go exactly as we had planned.
Wishing you and yours a wonderful Shabbos,
Rabbi Nuta Yisrael Shurack
Imagine for a moment that there was a computer that you really wanted, that you coveted, and that you negotiated what you believed was a fair price. You went home, got your hard earned money, and paid for it. Then when you go to open the item, anxiously awaiting to use your new gift, you realize that you were given a different model of a similar machine. So you bring the computer back to the store intending on returning it and getting the one you really wanted.
On the way to the store, you begin to realize that the computer you got (although it wasn’t the original one you wanted) has many advantages to it and returning it would probably be a mistake. Once at the store, you decide to negotiate for the original computer once more and after coming to an agreement, you finally take home what is rightfully yours.
Now let us say that instead of paying for both computer all at once you were put on a 14 year payment plan. How would you feel? Most of us would feel some sense of resentment every time money was withdrawn from our account, remembering how we were tricked and swindled, knowing that we weren’t treated properly. We may even try to get out of some of the payments by speaking to a manager or writing a letter to the corporate office.
Herein lies a most special quality which Yaakov possessed. The Torah tells us that Yaakov worked for Lavan as faithfully for the second seven years as he did for the first. Despite the fact that Yaakov had reason to be upset and could have wined and moaned, he didn’t. Had he slacked off and not given the work his all, no one would have thought less of him; and yet he chose not to. He gave a 110% regardless of what had happened because he knew that it was all divinely orchestrated and that doing our part means being fully committed even when things don’t go exactly as we had planned.
Wishing you and yours a wonderful Shabbos,
Rabbi Nuta Yisrael Shurack
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