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At the opening of our Torah portion this week, Parashat Vayeshev, we find the patriarch Jacob finally settled down in the land of Israel. After all the trials and tribulations of his life - after all of the deception, struggles, and confrontations - Jacob seems to feel that he will finally be able to dwell in peace and live out his final years in tranquility.
As the first verse of this parsha states in chapter 37, verse 1, of the book of Genesis, "Jacob settled in the land of his father's sojournings, in the land of Canaan." There is a sense of finality to the word "settled" in this sentence. The Torah is perhaps implying that Jacob certainly does not plan to be moving again. It is now his desire and even expectation to live out his days in the land of Israel without any more drama.
Of course, this is not to be. The saga of Jacob's sons, Joseph and his brothers, is just getting started. Eventually, Jacob will need to leave the land of Israel once again. He will end up living in Egypt where his descendants will be enslaved for many years.
As the father of the tribes of Israel, Jacob represents all of us, the people of Israel. Just as the majority of Jews have lived outside of the land of Israel over the past two thousand years, Jacob too spent much of his life in the diaspora. In this sense, he represents us and the complex history of the Jewish people. We, like Jacob, have rarely settled for very long in one place.
Although Jacob did not, at this point, find the quiet and simple life he may have been expecting and longing for, this was only because it was his destiny to represent us all, and to be a part of our epic journey.
Jacob, Israel, truly is a patriarch we can look to when we are searching for the origins of our people. He spent much of his life on the journey, just like his offspring who, to this day, can be found living in all quarters of this world.
Shabbat Shalom and Happy Hanukkah!
Cantor Zachary Konigsberg
[email protected]
917-696-0749
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