How do
you live in difficult or frightening times? That’s a question I’ve heard
frequently in the past few weeks, coming from the mouths of people who are
deeply troubled and apprehensive about the future and who sense that the
country is dangerously divided—socially,
economically, racially, and politically. Clearly, not everyone shares this
sentiment, but the precipitous rise in racist, xenophobic, and anti-Semitic
incidents around the country in the past month[1] should give all decent people pause for concern,
regardless of their political proclivities. Beyond our borders, with nine
countries in the nuclear weapons club (and Iran working feverishly to gain
admission); ISIS continuing to wreak havoc on the lives of millions and
precipitating the worst refugee crisis in decades[2]; a score of unstable, simmering hot spots including
Yemen, Libya, Myanmar, North Korea, and Ukraine that could erupt at any time;
and indeed the entire planet becoming one, big hot spot,[3] it is challenging to keep a cool head and level
outlook. As many have noted, with a president-elect who knows little about
foreign affairs,[4] less about diplomacy,[5] and doesn’t believe in science,[6] many find cause to be anxious. Does Torah have
wisdom for us at a time like this?
This
week’s parashah, Vayeitzei, begins by recounting Jacob’s leave-taking from his
family, his arrival in Beer-sheba on his way to Haran, and his famous dream of
the ladder. When Jacob awakes from his dream—having seen angels ascending and
descending on the ladder and God standing at his side—he proclaims, “Surely the Lord is present in this
place, and I did not know it!” Shaken, he said, “How awesome is this place!
This is none other than the abode of God, which is the gateway to heaven.” (Genesis
28:16-17) In Jacob’s words, we
find our first piece of advice: Recall that this place—every place—is the abode
of God, a gateway to heaven. God is present everywhere, in everyone, regardless
of how they voted, regardless of what policies or politics they pursue. The
rampant demonization of the “Other” that has marked the recent campaign, and
which is an on-going feature of xenophobia, racism, and anti-Semitism here in
the United States and abroad, threatens the moral fiber of Western society.
Rejecting demonization begins not with an “Other,” but with each of us. Those
who hold differing views (be they radically red, blisteringly blue, or whatever
hue offends you) share this earthly abode-of-God with us and with this country
we hold dear. We must understand each other and that requires building bridges
for communication. Remember what your mother told you about why God gave you
two ears and one mouth?[7] I’m quite sure I rolled my eyes and said, “Yeah,
yeah…” but now is the time to put it to action.
A
second helpful lessons comes from the hasidic sage, Levi Yitzhak of Berditchev,
who explained the very next passage in our parashah:
Jacob resumed his journey and came to
the land of the Easterners. There before his eyes was a well in the open. Three
flocks of sheep were lying there beside it, for the flocks were watered from
that well. The stone on the mouth of the well was large. When all the flocks
were gathered there, the stone would be rolled from the mouth of the well and
the sheep watered; then the stone would be put back in its place on the mouth
of the well. (Genesis 29:1-3)
Levi Yitzhak explains in Kedushat Levi:
The verses can be interpreted this way: We know
that the Holy One always longs to have goodness flow upon God’s people Israel
It is the evil urge that impedes this flow. But when Israel are surrounded in
joy, their happiness defeats those “outside” forces, and God’s grace and
compassion bring forth blessing. This is: There before his eyes was a well—that
is the flow of God’s blessing. In the open—refers
to the “holy field of apples trees [understood to mean the Shekhinah]”—this
indicates God’s own great joy in giving [blessing]. Three flocks of sheep—refers to the three festivals of pilgrimage in the
year [Pesach, Shavuot, and Sukkot]. The large stone—is the evil
urge, which is called a “stone,” as in “if it is a stone, let it crumble” (BT
Kiddushin 30b). On
the mouth of the well—preventing
the flow of God’s blessing. All the flocks were gathered there—refers to Israel, assembled together to celebrate
the pilgrimage festival, amid great joy. The stone would be rolled from the mouth of the well—pushing aside the evil one and all his host,
stopping them from holding back the flow. Then blessing and goodness can pour
forth upon Israel…
Life is
supposed to be a continuous blessing flowing from heaven to earth, as water
continuously flows over a waterfall, or flows through an underground stream
into a well. The well is a gathering place, a source of mayyim chayyim (life-giving
water)—a place of community. It exists to provide water for all living
creatures in need—people and animals alike—where those who gather can assist
one another. Our yetzer ra (evil urge, or inclination) stops the flow,
just as the stone stopped the mouth of the well, cutting off the flow of
blessing. We stop the flow of blessing when we give in to the yetzer ra,
when we act out of hatred and jealousy rather than love and
compassion, when we demonize others rather than seek to help them, when we
operate out of selfishness rather than with generosity.
 |
| Jacob and Rachel at the Well, by Pedro Orrente |
But how
do we roll the stone of the yetzer ra away from the mouth of the well to
let divine blessing flow? Levi Yitzhak’s interpretation continues, commenting
on Genesis 29:10[8]: “When Jacob saw Rachel, refers to the joy of bridegroom and bride, paralleling the joy of the
festival.” Joy is our greatest tool for defeating pessimism, doubt,
fear, and hatred. How that could be, you may wonder? Perhaps you think this
sounds simplistic and naive, but it is far from either.
Our
lives are filled with experiences both good and bad: love and rejection,
loyalty and betrayal, happiness and sadness, triumph and failure, confidence
and insecurity, strength and weakness, pain and pleasure. If you think for a
moment, you can surely pull up personal examples of each from memory. We cannot
know the future. Nonetheless, we are inclined either toward optimism or
pessimism. Which inclination has much to do with which memories we privilege
and how we interpret them. If we privilege memories of happiness, we expect
happiness in the future. If we privilege memories of suffering, we expect a
future marred by suffering. Therefore, in a sense, pleasure begets pleasure,
and pain begets pain. What we focus on not only reinforces specific memories,
but shapes our expectations and molds our character.
Levi Yitzhak wants us to privilege joy in our lives—seek it, treasure it,
focus on it, and remember it—because by programming ourselves for joy, we will be
joyous, our attitude will incline toward optimism, and we will be receptive
to blessing. What is more, we will be far more likely to be a blessing to
others. With a positive and joyous approach to life, we will be resilient and
energized to meet the challenges that lie ahead and to find the will and
wherewithal to engage in the issues that concern us most, helping us to live
more fully.
Levi Yitzhak’s message is universalistic in tone, but he has a particularistic
Jewish message for us, as well: We should look to our traditions and to our
community for joy. Our holy days, our traditions, and our community can all be
sources of joy if we reach out and embrace them and incorporate them in our
lives, removing the rock at the mouth of the well and letting blessing flow
into our lives and through us, into the lives of those we love—and the life of
the world.
© Rabbi Amy
Scheinerman
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[2] ISI has displaced
more than 3.3 million people in Iraq alone. Millions have fled Syria, headed
for Lebanon, Turkey, the Gulf States, and destinations in Europe.
[4] He said he would
familiarize himself with key facts “when it’s appropriate.” http://time.com/4022603/2016-election-foreign-affairs-international-relations-donald-trump-republican-nomination/.
[7] Just in case your
mother or father didn’t share this pithy teaching with you: the reason God gave
us two ears and one mouth is because we should listen twice as much as we talk.
[8] And when Jacob saw Rachel, the daughter of his
uncle Laban, and the flock of his uncle Laban, Jacob went and rolled the stone
off the mouth of the well, and watered the flock of his uncle Laban. (Genesis
29:10)
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