Parshas Vayeitzei – “Take Words"

“TAKE WORDS”

By Roy S. Neuberger

“Yaakov departed from Be’er Sheva and went toward Haran….” (Beraishis 28:10)

Our Father Yaakov spent fourteen years at the Yeshiva of Ever (Megillah 17a) before leaving for Haran. A Yid needs great fortification before entering the world of the non-Jew. 

I write a few days after the shootings in Pittsburgh. It is important for us to recognize the full gravity of the situation presenting itself in the entire world as well as the United States. As so often, my mind goes back to the prodigious Malbim I heard from the late Amos Bunim and which stands at the beginning of my book, 2020 Vision. “In the End of Days, after the Children of Israel have returned to their land, the children of Ishmael and the children of Esau will unite to attack Jerusalem. They will form a world coalition against the tiny nation of Israel.” (Malbim on Yechezkel 32:17) Not just “Yerushalayim” is surrounded, but every Jew everywhere, the entire “tiny nation,” is surrounded.

“All the nations …. encircle me, they also surround me ….” (Tehillim 118)

Dovid Hamelech is telling us what will happen in the End of Days. Perhaps “encircle me” and “surround me” refer to the phenomenon that will occur in many places and in many ways. In Mitzraim we were totally surrounded, spiritually and physically. There was no way out except by reaching upwards toward the Ribono shel Olam. And this must be our lesson. There is no way out … except through the mercies of our Father in Shomayim. Thus Dovid continues, “B’Shaim Hashem ki amilam … in the Name of Hashem I cut them down.” (ibid) The only way out is for the Children of Israel to return with all our hearts to Avinu Malkeinu. 

“Take words with you and return to Hashem. Say to Him, ‘Forgive every sin and accept goodness and let our lips substitute for bulls. Assyria cannot help us. We will not ride the horse, nor will we ever again call our handiwork our god. Only in You will the orphan find compassion.” (Hoshea 14:3-4; this week’s Haftarah)

My friends, there is nothing at all for us in the surrounding society. Yaakov Avinu went to Charan to create a family and bring it back to Eretz Canaan. 

“Yaakov arose and lifted his children and his wives onto the camels. He led away all his livestock and all the wealth which he had amassed … to go to his father Yitzchak to the land of Canaan.” (Beraishis 31:17-18) 

It is time to return to our Father. We are nearing the day when the entire world will know that all its blessings emanate from Tzion. Only then will we be secure. “When the wicked bloom like grass and all the doers of iniquity blossom, it is to destroy them till eternity. But You remain exalted forever, Hashem, for behold, Your enemies, Hashem, for behold, Your enemies shall perish. Dispersed shall be all doers of iniquity.” (Tehillim 92)

May we see it soon in our days!

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Roy Neuberger, author and public speaker, can be reached at roy@2020vision.co.il.

© Copyright 2018 by Roy S. Neuberger