Literary Balance in Jacob's Life

D’var Torah

Parashat Vayetzai – Jacob’s Journey – Calling it as I see it

Special to the Washington Jewish Week

By Steve Kerbel

Of our patriarchs, Jacob is the most well-developed, from a literary point of view.  We know more about his youth, his parents, his marriages and relationships, his parenting skills than we do about those elements of his father’s or grandfather’s lives.  Unfortunately for Jacob, I don’t know that this increased knowledge inures to his benefit as a leader or role model.

As our story opens this week (B’reisheet (Genesis) 28:10) Jacob is in flight, at his mother’s urging, fleeing his twin Esau (a known adversary) and heading toward his maternal uncle, Lavan (who the reader knows as an unknown adversary).  Much has been written about Jacob’s vision at Beit El, of the ladder reaching the heavens, and I don’t know that I have anything to add to that treasure trove of biblical imagery.  I would encourage you to look at the conditional nature of Jacob’s oath when he awakens that morning (v. 20-22).  I’m not so certain it’s such a virtuous oath – to me it sounds a lot like “you scratch my back, I’ll scratch yours” not exactly an altruistic expression of faith and loyalty.

I’ll be up front about this – I’m not a raving Jacob fan.  I’m sympathetic, I’m not saying he had an easy life but there are a lot of textual hints about Jacob’s cleverness (not always a virtue) and his personal and economic behaviors, his marital and parental behaviors that seem to indicate that he’s not the greatest guy or role model.

Getting past the whole selling of the birthright and deception over the paternal blessing from last week’s portion (I think its clear both parents contributed to those unseemly episodes), upon Jacob’s arrival he tells Lavan about the reasons for his arrival in Haran:

                        On hearing the news of his sister’s son Jacob, Laban ran to greet him; he embraced him and kissed him, and took him into his house.  He told Laban all that had happened, and Laban said to him, “You are truly my bone and flesh.” (29:13-14).

Lavan is the ultimate conniver.  He deceives Jacob, tries time after time to trick and take advantage of Jacob, but Jacob, if anything, after the initial deception of the marriage to Leah, Jacob seems to get the better of Lavan.  That Jacob is truly “my bone and flesh” to Lavan ends up not being such a great gift for Lavan.  If anything, the two are too much alike, and Jacob, both in the management of Lavan’s herds and the in his growth as a family leader ends up excelling beyond Lavan’s intent for him.

Jacob does see himself as a victim; the irony that we as omniscient readers revisiting the narrative year after year are able to see, that Jacob seems to get as much as he gives, that he has deceived and taken advantage of his father and his brother, and then he is taken advantage of by his uncle/father-in-law, and later his sons, seems to be lost on him.  We can see, that at least with respect to Jacob, that what goes around comes around. The literary balance, that Jacob uses his father’s poor vision to deceive him and then Lavan uses a veil to trick him is lost on Jacob. It’s not clear that Jacob has this level of self awareness.  Later, at this life’s end, when he meets Pharaoh, Jacob recognizes his life has been a difficult one.  It is not clear, even then, that he sees his role in contributing to his own troubles.

1. Why does the Torah give us imperfect characters to serve as role models?  How does this challenge us?
2. If you could help Jacob, what advice would you offer him?
3. How would you deal with a relative/boss like Lavan?

Steve Kerbel, Director of Education of Congregation B’nai Tzedek, is Chair Emeritus of the Education Directors’ Council of Greater Washington and a national vice president of the Jewish Educators Assembly.