Parshat Vayeitzei: We should be positive and never despair.
Transcript:
We should be positive and never despair.
That’s the message emerging from Parshat Vayeitzei.
Yaakov has his famous dream of the ladder, and, in the midst of this prophecy, Hashem declares to him ‘Ha’aretz asher attah shochev aleiha lecha ettenennah ulezar’echa’ – ‘this land upon which you are sleeping is given to you and to your future descendants, the Jewish people’.
‘Vehayah zar’acha ka’afar ha’aretz’ – ‘and your descendants shall be like the dust of the earth’.
‘Ufaratzta’ – ‘and they shall be spread out’.
‘Yammah vakedemah vetzafonah vanegbah’ – ‘to the west and to the east, to the north and to the south’.
Seforno comments on the fact that these directions are neither clockwise nor anti clockwise, indicating the unpredictable haphazard life of the Jewish nation.
Just when we think things are marvellous, in an instant, suddenly our lives can, God-forbid, be overturned.
And sometimes when things are terrible, in an instant, things can become marvellous.
This is further amplified by the Kli Yakar, who says that the directions are from the west to the east, to the north to the south, indicating from one extreme to the other.
Showing, we should indeed, never despair.
Just when life for the Jewish people is intolerable, that’s when Hashem can bring our Yeshua, he can bring our salvation.
Taking us, just as the swing of a pendulum, from one extreme to the other, to bring about salvation, and redemption.
At this very moment when there is a tragic war in Israel, our prayer indeed is that Hashem will bless the Jewish people, and he will transform our darkness into light, and may this happen speedily and instantly.
And let’s not forget the continuation of the same prophecy for Hashem concludes by saying, ‘venivrachu vecha kol-mishpechot ha’adamah uvezar’echa’.
And may all families on earth be blessed through you and your descendants.
Whether people realise it or not, whether they’re willing to acknowledge it or not, the Jewish people is an extraordinary blessing for our entire civilisation.
And that is why Hashem will guarantee that Am Yisrael Chai, the Jewish people will live on forever.
Shabbat Shalom.
