Parashat VaYetze | Laying Stones of Promise and Unity
- ziva139
- 12 בנוב׳ 2021
- זמן קריאה 4 דקות
In this week’s portion of the Torah we read, among others, the fantastic story about Jacob’s dream. This is what we read, “Then Jacob departed from Beersheba and went toward Haran. And he happened upon a particular place and spent the night there, because the sun had set; and he took stones of the place and made it a support for his head, and lay down in that place. And he had a dream, and behold, a ladder was set up on the earth with its top reaching to heaven; and behold, the angels of God were ascending and descending on it.[1]” The night continues, “So Jacob got up early in the morning, and took the stone that he had placed as a support for his head, and set it up as a memorial stone, and poured oil on its top.[2]” As Jacob dreams he also receives a promise, “the land on which you lie I will give to you and to your descendants.[3]”
As you may remember, I did promise that from time-to-time I will use the Sefer HaAggada, edited by Bialik and Ravnitski, and share with you some of its teachings. “‘he took stones of the place’ – he made them like a drain to lay his head upon, as he was fearful of the wild beasts. The stones began arguing amongst themselves upon which will this righteous man lay his head upon: one says he will lay his head on me, and another says: he will lay his head on me – so all were swallowed into a single stone. That is why it is said that he ‘took the stone that he had placed as a support for his head’.[4]” This explanation is brought to try and settle the seeming contradiction between the stones gathered before Jacob went to sleep and the single stone that he used after he woke up. It is therefore that an explanation is provided on how the stones were arranged and how these special stones got united into a single stone whether they liked it or not.
Another question rises in regards to the promise Jacob received from God. “‘The land on which you lie I will give to you and to your descendants’ – said rabbi Isaac: we learn that the Blessed One folded the entire Land of Israel and placed it under Jacob, so that it will be easy for his descendants to capture it. Rabbi Shimon says on behalf of Bar Kapra: it was folded like a note pad and put under is head, just as if someone says: ‘that which is under your head belongs to you’.[5]” Like previously that which seemed illogical had to be settled as it is difficult to accept the words literally. If only the land that Jacob occupied by his body laying upon the earth is the Promised Land than we are speaking of a quite limited space. Here it is suggested that by folding the Promised Land it could fit under Jacob when he slept at that place.
Like every year at about this time the annual ordination of Reform rabbis takes place at the Hebrew Union College. This year six rabbis, four women and two men, and one cantor were ordained. In fact, it was one of the rabbis, Shani Ben-Or who was ordained as both rabbi and cantor making her the first in the Jerusalem campus to do so. We wish much success to her, and the other five rabbis, Naomi Efrat, Orli Moss, Dana Sharon, Rodrigo Baumworcel, and Amnon Ribak. After the on-line ordination last year due to the COVID pandemic, we returned to a joyful celebration on campus. We were also inspired by this year’s recipient of the Doctor of Humane Letters, honoris causa, Professor Raphael (Raphi) Walden, “in recognition of his important humanitarian work as physician and surgeon… and as a member of the board of Physcians for Human Rights who also works with the Red Star of David (Israel's Red Cross) providing medical care and medical training for paramedics and others.”
Our newly ordained rabbis will join their fellow rabbis and will have to deal with the many stones scattered around the landscape. Many of them are squabble stones. Those stones are present in the Kotel, the Western Wall, where continued attempts to rid of the Women of the Wall right to pray there is violently challenged every month. This is only possible because Israeli politics allows that to happen but has nothing to do with the pure sense of Judaism. Such squabble stones are now used in an attempt to prevent the building of a Reform synagogue in Shoham. It is once again that we are witnessing a wicked attempt to deprive people of basic worship rights despite the fact that there is no doubt that there are enough citizens of the town that wish to have a Reform synagogue to serve their religious needs.
Our rabbis, newly ordained and veteran, will have to unite these stones into one big, heavy and massive stone that cannot be thrown at us anymore. Instead, they will have to learn how to live together while each community respects the traditions and beliefs of the other. To have a debate without having any side proclaiming that they are the owner of the absolute truth, and therefore having all the rights, while depriving others from their rights. Our rabbis will have to find the way to fold the land in such ways that make it possible to live together from every corner of the land, the north and the south, the west and the east. They can all fit together if folded in properly. Not by shedding off what is unique to them but rather by accepting the simple fact that together we shape a beautiful and colorful mosaic. All are part of that giant mosaic which is strong and meaningful and which is today’s Judaism.
Shabbat Shalom and wishes for Good Health.
Reuven Marko, 12 November 2021, 9 Kislev, 5782
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