מאמרים

Portion VaYayTzay - the Mysterious Ladder

Portion VaYayTzay -  the Mysterious Ladder
 
The Portion describes Jacob's dream while on his way to his (evil ) uncle Lavan (Laban)
 
This famous dream of angels going up and down a ladder (to heaven)
And the deal between the Almighty and Jacob
 
Cries out for an explanation - (Non Freudian - this is Torah not Psychology).
 
Was it
Leaving his home or
Trouble with his brother Esau
That made him reach out - and upwards?
 
Or is it the Almighty talking to us?  Today?
 
Let's look at 
 
Mendele Vitebsker in his work Pri HaAretz, who
Gives one of many analyses.
 
It includes questions like:
why the ladder and not just straight prophecy?
 
And - if he explains the climbing angels as"Moshe and Aron,
why those 2 tzadikim - HOLY people - and isn't one not enough?
 
And  For What were they climbing?
 
 
The two printed editions I have seen, Clearly state that the world
Seems to have LOST the last part of theRebbe's  analysis - so
Those questions are not answered by that Rabbi ...
 
What the book did say (the part not lost) : the dream meant:
 
The Torah is in your guts - and in your soul - 
And you can't run away
 
Also Adam and Eve tried - and failed - BUT...
 
But the Almighty gave them a beautiful Mitzva - 
To light a Candle - every Erev Shabbat
 
However  in My mind I could finish it by saying:
 
You can't run away from encountering G-d
 
Wherever life takes you, there is a HOLINESS covenant to cling to
 
And whether one is on the rise, or the opposite
 
If you look for them - You can always find angels or righteous people
 
And while you may not find one of them to your style - there will ALLWAYS be one other Holy Angel around
 
Shabbat Shalom
 
Rabbi Andy Eichenholz
in Jerusalem