Parashat Vayetze

Parasha Thoughts

By: Rabbi Shemuel Akhamzadeh

At the beginning of this week’s Parasha, Torah informs us that Yaakov left Be’er Sheva and went to Haran, Rashi Z”l points out that there was no need for Torah to tell us that he left , it would have been enough to tell us that he went to Haran and we would understand that he left Be’er Sheva . So what is the real reason that Torah tells us Yaakov’s leaving and what lesson can we learn from it. Rashi tells us, that Torah added this extra detail to point out to us that once a righteous individual resides in a city he is the glory, he is the splendor and the grandeur of that place. When he leaves, a void is felt, the glory, the splendor and grandeur of that place departs with him. Chatam Sofer questions this point, saying how come this idea is not mentioned when Avraham or Yitzhak left their places, and he answers when they departed there was no one left behind to feel the void and appreciate what was once here, but by Yaakov his parents Yitzhak and Rivka were still in Be’er Sheva to feel the void.
R. Avraham twersky points out an insightful lesson from here, and perhaps can be useful for all of us.He says at times we lament the lack of communal and Torah leaders who can lead us to superior spiritual heights, but possibly it’s our lack of perception that does not allow us to see and to know those leaders, to connect to them and learn from them.

Shabbat shalom