"Torah Lights"
 
Video Insights on the Parsha
 
 by Rabbi Shlomo Riskin

Efrat, Israel: “Jacob then took himself fresh rods of poplar and hazel and chestnut. He peeled white streaks in them, exposing the white (ha’lavan) of the rods” (Genesis 30:37)

Jacob is one of the most complex figures in the Bible. He himself is a righteous man, but he is forced to navigate his way through the cunning behavior of a cast of less savory characters. Jacob must learn how to survive in a world of tricksters and charlatans; to fight against his enemies for what he knows to be right and, where necessary, to adopt their methods in order to effectively defeat them. But is it really possible to do this without tarnishing one’s own core? Can one play according to the rules of wrongdoers, even to achieve honorable goals, without being affected morally?

Jacob's first test comes when his father Isaac is about to bestow the blessing of the firstborn upon Jacob's evil twin brother Esau. Jacob's mother Rebecca recognizes that Esau is totally unsuitable for the role, and perhaps she even knows that he had already sold his birthright to Jacob. She instructs Jacob to dress in his brother's clothes and pose as Esau, to ensure that Isaac’s blessing is ultimately bestowed upon the son she knows to be worthy.

It is strange - and perhaps a little uncomfortable - to see our righteous ancestors engaging in such devious practices. Rebecca, however, was confident that her strategy was essential for the destiny of Israel. She observed that even Abraham, the paradigm of lovingkindness, had been forced to fight battles in order to conquer the four terrorist nations who threatened the stable tranquility of the Fertile Crescent, and she had the foresight to understand that Abraham’s descendents would require similar political acumen and military might to vanquish their enemies and realize the dream of universal peace and harmony.  She recognized that the Jewish mission of spreading peace, compassionate righteousness and justice throughout the world could only be achieved through mental agility and the physical strength to combat evil, and she realized that the present circumstances demanded of her kind-hearted, righteous son Jacob to don the uniform of Esau, that playing by his crooked rules would be the only way to achieve a fair result.

But Rebecca's exercise in realpolitik contained an inherent danger, which could easily have resulted in the very antithesis of her goal.  For while the Jewish people need military prowess to defend itself and fight injustice, mastering the tools of Esau carries with it great risk. When Jews adopt aggressive or devious tactics, they might easily become contaminated by the very same qualities that they seek to destroy. Without enormous care, dressing up in the clothes of Esau can obscure our own identity and drown out the righteous voice of Jacob.

As Jacob flees his parent's home and dreams of a ladder reaching up to the heavens with the Almighty at the summit and angels ascending and descending, we see that he is still on the right path. Jacob's celestial vision and his prayer to return to his parents’ home are clear indications that despite everything, he remains the “wholehearted man, a dweller of tents” (Genesis 25:27) that he was, committed to the vision of his ancestors. 

But this is just the beginning of his journey. Jacob's next test comes at the hands of his scheming uncle. Jacob prepares to marry Laban's younger daughter Rachel; Laban tricks the unsuspecting Jacob by switching the young bride for her older sister Leah. When Jacob confronts his uncle with this injustice and demands Rachel's hand in marriage, he finds himself forced into 14 years of uncompensated labor in order to pay off the double dowry.
 
Living with Laban is dangerous. Jacob is exposed constantly to deceit and dishonesty; he must fight hard to withstand the temptation to adopt his uncle's lifestyle. He puts up with the situation for many years, establishing a home and raising his family there. But when Joseph is born, Jacob realizes that the time has come to leave.

Well aware of the fact that his prosperity is due in large measure to Jacob’s faithful service, Laban is devastated at the thought of his leaving and willing to do whatever it takes to keep him by his side. Jacob agrees to stay in exchange for fair treatment and his share of the profits. He offers Laban a reasonable deal: all future-born ringed, speckled and spotted lambs will belong to him, while the normally-colored animals will remain his uncle's. Laban accepts the deal gladly and takes the additional step of removing from Jacob’s care all goats and sheep of unusual color – those who might be likely to produce offspring with rings, speckles and spots.

Once again, Jacob is forced to confront evil and fight for what is rightfully his. He peels branches of wood, revealing white stripes from beneath the surface. He places these striped and streaked wands near the water troughs where the sheep and goats usually mate, ensuring that the offspring of the animals that cohabit there are striped and streaked like the wands. In effect, Jacob grows into a successful and wealthy man by revealing the “lavan” (Hebrew for ‘white,’ but also the name of Laban) that lies underneath the bark of the branches.

I believe that we can look upon this entire episode as a metaphor for Jacob himself. After spending so many years in the company of Esau and Laban, Jacob has studied their ways. He no longer needs his mother's help when faced with deception; he has learned the rules of the game directly from the masters. This provides us with a powerful lesson in the dangers of living with evil. Our rabbis taught that we are influenced by the company we keep (Rambam, Laws of Personality Development 6: 1). When we stare at the rings, speckles and spots - so to speak - those characteristics are transferred into our bodies and souls. In the words of the Biblical text, “He [Jacob] peeled white streaks [in the rods, or in his exterior character], exposing the white [the traits of Laban, which had now become the deepest layer of his personality] (Genesis 30:37).

By the end of this week's Biblical portion, Jacob - the wholehearted man who once dreamed of the heavens, the angels and the Almighty - stands in danger of losing his greatness and his righteousness. When he dreams a second time, his vision is no longer of the heavenly court, but rather of goats. Now G-d tells him, “I have seen everything that Laban has done to you… Leave this place at once and return to your native land.” (Genesis 31:12) Jacob was able to emerge victorious from his encounters with Esau with his integrity intact, still dreaming of angels. But after 22 years of contact with the wily Laban, the hazards of exposure are too great. His vision and purity are in danger of becoming stained.

Ultimately, Jacob emerges triumphant. Despite his years with Laban, his spirituality is nonetheless unscathed (See Rashi on Genesis 32:5: “I have sojourned with Laban.”). But the battle is harsh and the lesson to us is clear: like our forefather Jacob, we must be strong and sharp when dealing with our enemies, but we must never allow ourselves to deviate from our mission of spreading integrity, justice, compassion and peace throughout the world.

Shabbat Shalom

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