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Synagogue Sermon

November 15, 1953

Vayetsei (1953)

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The Stone that Jacob Rolled (1951)

ויהי כאשר ראה יעקב את רחל בת לבן אחי אמו ואת צאן לבן אחי אמו ויגש יעקב ויגל את האבן מעל פי הבאר... I. Why was the Bible, usually so economical with even words and letters, so elaborate in its description of detailed and Jacob's rolling away a stone which took these husky shepherds? II. Rabbis had Jewish Holiday (i.e. Jews equivalents of Roman culture) with these verses. Gave several interpretations. III. Primarily, case is: באר represents deep, clean, sparkling, living waters of one's own personality, striving to overflow and give
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Outline

Vayetsei (1952)

Midrash on סולם measuring גבהו ורחבו. If dream, why measurements? A: In length, 3 types: 1: step-ladder – used to get something, tied it up and foyst it. 2: ladder – lean it against wall, i.e. something great supports it. But limited height. 3: extension-ladder: can constantly grow higher. B: In width, 1: Just enough place for you alone. 2: Enough place for those with you – מלאכים עולים ויורדים (For מדרש על המלאכים היורדים).
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The Edge of Innocence (1966)

The interpretation by the fifteenth-century commentator Don Isaac Abarbanel of the beginning of today’s Sidra is more appropriate for a profound psychologist than for the accomplished economist and diplomat that he was. It puts Jacob’s immortal vision of the ladder reaching to Heaven in a new light, and yields insights that are highly relevant to the condition of modern man. The vision of the ladder extending from Earth to Heaven, with angels ascending and descending it, and the Lord on the top of it, is obviously pregnant with symbolism; and God’s address to Jacob in this prophetic dream is patently more meaningful than would appear at first glance. Otherwise, Jacob would not have trembled with awe and sacred terror upon awakening.The interpretation of Abarbanel, unlike the metaphysical and mystical comments of the other exegetes, is completely personal and psychological, and comes to answer the question of why this vision took place at this time and in this place. Abarbanel tells us that the opening words in today’s Sidra, va-yetzei Yaakov, that Jacob went out of the Holy Land, does not mean that he left as a tourist; Jacob was in flight, a refugee from his brother Esau, who had sworn to kill him. The hatred by Esau for Jacob was a result of the fact that Jacob had deceived their father, Isaac, and taken the blessing that Isaac had reserved for Esau for himself. Now, the major content of that blessing can be divided into three parts: the promise of devekut, of communion or attachment between God and the bearer of the blessing; the promise of zera, posterity; and the promise that that posterity will inherit eretz, the Land of Israel. And now here he was – Jacob, the recipient of the blessing – without any of these three items! He was not in communion with God; commenting on the Biblical words va-yelekh haranah, the Rabbis expand on the second word and maintain that this was a place of ḥaron af, it reflected God’s displeasure. Jacob had no zera, no children; not ev…
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