Friday, November 27, 2009

Parshas Va'yeitzei

Liyluy Nishmas Elchonon Tzvi ben R' Yisroel Menachem.....In perek Chaf ches posuk tes zayin it says "Vayikatz Yaakov mi'shnaso vayomer, achein yeish Hashem ba'makom hazeh v'anochi lo yadati." Rashi says that Yaakov was saying, "had I known I would not have slept here."  However the Sapurnu says that Yaakov was saying, "Had I known, I would have prepared myself for navuah, and now I was not able to prepare."  My grandfather, Harav Abba Zalka Gewirtz, shlita, explains a tremendous yesod from this Sapurnu.  Where was Yaakov avinu for the last fourteen years?!  What had he been doing?  Was he out partying, was he just clowning around?!  For the last fourteen years he had been learning yomam va'layla, day in day out, not even pausing to sleep.  As we know from Rashi, "Vayishkav Bamakom hahuh," until this point he had not slept!  Furthermore, what did he think he would have gained by preparing himself?  Did he think he
 would get more?  Hashem had just promised him Eretz Yisroel and that his children would be Oka'afar Ha'aretz."  He got so much, what more did he want?  This Sapurnu is teaching us that when it comes to growth in Yiddishkeit one should never be satiated.  The thirst for growth was so strong in Yaakov that, yes, he had been promised so much, and, yes, he had been learning fourteen years and was obviously in a very good position to accept a nevua.  He felt that had he known, he could have done so much more preparation, and been that much greater.  I noticed, in next weeks Parsha Yaakov told Esav "Yesh li kol."  I have it all while Eisav said "Yesh li rav."  I have alot.  Yaakov felt he had all he needed and therefore Eisav should accept his gift while Eisav had a lot but still desired more.  When it came to Gashmius, Yaakov did not have this drive to have more, while Eisav still felt that there was more to get.  This is
 a tremendous lesson for all of us.  We should be zoche to be staisfied with whatever amount of gashmius we are granted like Yaakov Avinu, and we should never quench our thirst for growth in ruchniyus..Good Shabbos

No comments:

Post a Comment

Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.