Making sense of the sedra: Vayeishev
We must challenge ourselves in order to find peace and fulfilment
When flying to Israel I am struck by the balloons festooning the ceiling at Ben Gurion airport arrivals hall, evoking the sheer joy of welcoming a loved one into the folds of an embrace; homecoming often goes hand in hand with a feeling of security. One of my abiding memories from taking school trips to Poland is seeing families waiting to collect their children on our return, relief and concern etched in equal measure on their faces; overjoyed to see their child safely home, while wondering how they will cope with what they have seen and experienced.
“And Jacob settled (vayeishev) in the land of his father’s sojournings (me’gurei), in the Land of Canaan” (Bereishit 37:1).
This week’s Torah reading of Vayeishev opens with a homecoming; the return of Jacob to the Land of Canaan (Israel), following a long exile and many struggles. He felt ready to settle down, having survived 20 years with his uncle Lavan and coped with the reunion with his brother Esau. On first reading, the opening verse (above) seems to illustrate this; Jacob was indeed living in the land inhabited by his father Isaac, which had been promised to the Jewish people in the covenant with Abraham. Jacob was the next link in the chain, having also fathered the sons who would ensure covenantal continuity.
However, closer inspection reveals complexities. Immediately following the statement that Jacob was settled in the land, the second verse introduces Joseph, Jacob’s much-loved son and the central figure in the well-known story of sibling rivalry, attempted murder and kidnap; this was a source of much grief and anxiety for Jacob, the very opposite of the tranquillity he sought
The language used in the first verse is also thought provoking. The words vayeishev and me’gurei are both used to indicate living but have very different meanings; shuv suggests dwelling in a permanent residence whilst gur conveys the idea of sojourning, wandering from place to place, again casting doubt over Jacob’s desire for a peaceful life.
The 11th century Torah commentator Rashi offers an explanation based on a Midrash; Jacob wished for a settled life in Canaan but just at that moment, “the trouble came upon him”. Even though righteous people seek tranquillity, God says: “Are the righteous not satisfied with what awaits them in the world to come that they expect to live at ease in this world too?”
This teaching does not suggest that good people are not entitled to tranquillity; the final 17 years of Jacob’s life were spent in spiritual peace in Egypt, reunited with Joseph who had reconciled with his brothers. The Midrash suggests that Jacob was not yet ready to settle down; his mission in life was not complete and there were further challenges to be faced and overcome.
Our forefathers are all described as wanderers (sojourners) rather than settlers and often referred to as “walking with God”.
The 19th century chasidic rabbi, the Sfat Emet, offers a beautiful idea on this: “Man is defined by his walking, and indeed man must always move up, level by level. One must always aim to extract oneself from habit, from the state of the normal.”
Sojourning can be seen as travelling, growing and progressing. Sometimes a settled life can become one of complacency or compromise. Routine can become a barrier to self-improvement and the path towards our true goal in life is not always straightforward. This idea is extremely challenging, as we all value a life of comfort and want to feel as if we have reached our goal and rest. At the same time, we face increasing pressures and demands on our physical and mental wellbeing. But perhaps it is only through challenging ourselves that we can find the lasting peace and fulfilment that comes from realising our true potential.
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