Don’t Runt From, Run to

Before Jacob fled to Charan he stopped in the Academy of Shem and Ever to study Torah for fourteen years. This “short” diversion was intended to reorient Jacob towards a positive focus on his journey rather than just escaping his brother Esau’s anger. Jacob was totally focused on the positive nature of his journey; this is the place that will introduce him to Rachel and it is where he will establish a family, the nucleus of the Jewish people. While there are times that demand of us to run away from a negative situation, we have to ultimately look for the positive element in that trip. Moreover, as we progress, we must put all of our energies into making the positive dimension of our journey its primary motivation.

Escape!

Jacob was told by his parents, Isaac and Rebecca, to leave home and travel to Charan. Two reasons were given. First, it was a way to escape the wrath of his brother Esau whose blessings he had taken. Second, he was told to go to Charan to find himself a wife. At the end of last week’s parsha the Torah recounts how Jacob did, in fact, leave his hometown of Be’er Sheva and departed for Charan.

It is therefore strange that this week’s parsha begins with the words “And Jacob departed from Be’er Sheva and went to Charan.” Didn’t we already read of how Jacob left his hometown to go to Charan? Why does the Torah have to repeat this verse?

Upon deeper reflection there is a profound lesson that the Torah imparts with this repetition.

During our lifetime we are called upon to make many moves. Whether they are moves from one physical location to another, or moves from one position in life to another.

In many of these instances, our move is motivated by a desire or a need to escape a negative situation. There might even be a positive reason for this move, but initially it is subordinated to the need to flee from an intolerable place.

The initial phase in Jacob’s departure from home was overwhelmingly an escape from the murderous intentions of his brother Esau. True, his parents—particularly Isaac— emphasized the need to find a wife in Charan, but that was only a secondary rationale so that Esau should not think that Jacob escaped in fear. In fact, when Rebecca told Jacob to leave, she did not even mention the need to find a wife there.

Only when Rebecca speaks to her husband, Isaac, does she mention the fact that she would be disgusted if he were to marry one of the daughters of the land in which they lived.

In addition, even the way Isaac told him to go to Charan to find a wife was couched in negative terms. Jacob was told by Isaac: “Don’t marry a Canaanite girl!.” Rather than extolling the virtues of the women of Charan, Isaac denigrates the women of Canaan. The focus in last week’s parsha is predominantly negative.

Under those circumstances, that had to be the focus. Jacob’s life was in danger and his parents had to motivate him to leave.

Get Closer

This week’s parsha, however, begins on a totally different note. The Torah repeats his departure form Be’er Sheva to underscore that as Jacob progressed in his journey, he was able to reverse the motivation for his trip.

This is especially true in light of the Midrashic tradition that before he went to Charan he stopped in the Academy of Shem and Ever to study Torah for fourteen years. This “short” diversion was intended to reorient Jacob towards a positive focus on his journey. Jacob was not going to Charan to escape his brother Esau’s anger, nor was it simply to avoid marrying an undesirable Canaanite woman. Jacob was totally focused on the positive nature of his journey; this is the place that will introduce him to Rachel and it is where he will establish a family, the nucleus of the Jewish people.

We too, have to learn from Jacob’s journey. While there are times that demand of us to run away from a negative situation, we have to ultimately look for the positive element in that trip. Moreover, as we progress, we must put all of our energies into making the positive dimension of our journey its primary motivation.

Changing our Focus

The Jewish people have been subjected to the miseries of being in Galus, exile. Our tradition is replete with prayers that express our heartfelt desire to get out of exile by way of G-d sending the Moshiach. Initially, what motivates us to want Moshiach and the Redemption from exile? It is the negative nature of exile. It is an escape; albeit a necessary one, but nevertheless an escape. Things are not good here.

But as we get closer to reaching our destination—the Era of Moshiach—it behooves us to change our focus. Rather than stressing the terrible character of exile, we should learn what the Torah tells us about the positive nature of Redemption. And just as our father Jacob spent fourteen years studying Torah so that he can reorient himself, so too, we must devote time and effort to the study of Torah.

Why the study of Torah?

Torah is qualitatively different from any other source of knowledge. Torah, as G-d’s wisdom, does not suffer from a Galus mentality and mindset. Even as the Torah “descends” from its celestial source it remains impervious to the influences of nature and the negativity of life. Torah is free and positive.

By studying Torah—particularly the mystical parts of it that dwell on the spiritual and positive side of things, and even more specifically, the parts of Torah that discuss Moshiach and Redemption—we liberate ourselves from all negativity. We can even free ourselves from the need to run away from something negative because we have acquired the capacity to run towards something positive instead.

From the book Light from the Future: Parshas Vayeitzei by Rabbi Heschel Greenberg, published by the Jewish Discovery Center.