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Parshat Vayetze
Rabbi David Kimche (Provance 12th century) expressed the conventional understanding of this verse: “[This verse expresses God’s displeasure over Israel’s ingratitude.] They do not remember the good that I did for their forefather when he fled from his brother, Esau… When he was there, he needed to work for Laban, guarding sheep, in order to be permitted to marry his wife [Leah]. And again, he needed to guard the sheep in order to be permitted to marry his second wife [Rachel]. All this time, I [God] was with him and I blessed him so that he might return [to Canaan] with wealth and possessions.” Kimche sees Hosea’s whole first prophecy as a monologue criticizing the people of Israel. Most commentators favor Kimche’s approach. However, Rabbi Meir Malbim (Poland 19th century) interpreted this verse quite differently. He asserted that this opening prophecy is part of a dialogue between those who scoff at God and the prophet: “After the prophet’s reproof in the preceding verses, the scoffers reply: ‘Didn’t Jacob flee to the field of Aram because he deceived Esau by taking the right of the first born and Isaac’s blessing? If so, Jacob was also guilty of deception. Consequently, Laban deceived him and he was forced to marry both sisters and to work guarding sheep for the both of them. This proves that our ancestors were accustomed to deception [and we are not doing anything different from our ancestors].’” (Adapted and abridged) The later verses (12:15; 13:1-3) then turn into God’s response to this ridicule. In either case, the message of this passage speaks to the question of the people’s loyalty to God and their religious integrity. The following midrash takes the episode mentioned in this opening verse and changes its focus entirely. It turns it into a message of imploring the people to have patience with the process of redemption: “Said Rabbi Yochanan: It is written, ‘And Jacob fled to the fields of Aram. There Jacob served for a wife…’ Rabbi Yochanan explained to them: ‘Your situation [those expecting redemption to be immediate] is similar to that of Jacob, your forbearer. Just as Jacob, before he married was indentured to Laban and after he married, was still indentured to Laban, so, too, you are dominated before the birth of the redeemer, and even after the advent of the redeemer, you will still be under domination.’” (Genesis Rabbah 70:20) This midrash turns the opening verse of the haftarah into a warning against false expectations when it comes to redemption. Jacob’s life, even under God’s providential guidance, was still complicated. We should not have a false sense that our lives will be any less complicated. This, according to Rabbi Yochanan, should not be a reason for loss of faith. Rather, faith entails patience.
The United Synagogue Conservative Yeshiva in Jerusalem offers students of all backgrounds the skills for studying Jewish texts. We are a vibrant, open-minded egalitarian community of committed Jews who learn, practise and grow together. Our goal is to provide students the ability and desire to continue Jewish learning and practice throughout their lives. Rashei Yeshiva: Rabbi Richard Lewis, Rabbi Joel Roth and Rabbi Pesach Schindler.
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