Parshat Vayetzei
In this week's Torah portion we read how our forefather Yaakov left his parent's home and traveled to Lavan's (his uncle) home in Charan to find a suitable wife.
The Torah describes his departure from the land of Israel (Bereishit 28:10-11)
ויפגע במקום וילן שם ויקח מאבני המקום וישם מראשתיו וישכב במקום ההוא"- Jacob departed from Beer-Sheva and went towards Charan. He encountered the place and spent the night there because the sun had set; he took from the stones of the place which he arranged around his head, and lay down in that place".
According to tradition and the many commentaries, it was on Mt. Moriah, the future home of the Temple where Yaakov slept and had his famous dream of the ladder ascending into the heaven. It was in this special place that our forefather rested for the night.
The Torah tells us that Yaakov took stones which he arranged around his head. The question is, why? What was the purpose of these stones? At first glance, one can imagine Yaakov forming a makeshift pillow of sorts in order to sleep a bit more comfortably. However, Rashi (France 1040-1105) brings an explanation from the Midrash (Berieshis Rabbah 11) that Yaakov arranged these stones in a semi circle around his head, to protect himself from the wild animals. This explanation, begs further discussion. If Yaakov was worried about wild animals, was he not worried about his arms, legs and torso? Would some stones really protect him if he was attacked by a bear or lion? What about Yaakov's trust in Hashem to protect him?
The Lubavitcher Rebbe explains (Likutei Sichos, Vol.1 Vayetzei) that Yaakov placed the stones around his head as a symbolic measure. Yaakov was not protecting his physical head, but his spiritual head, his morals and values.
Yaakov had left Eretz Yisrael and was now headed to a spiritually barren land. Charan was the polar opposite of the holiness of Israel. He was headed there to marry and start a life for himself, but
Yaakov was worried. How would he protect his spiritual identity? How would he protect the values and ethics that were taught to him by his parents and grandparents? The answer was "protect your head" or in more simple terms "make sure your head is on right". Get your values and priorities right and you will be strong, no matter what challenge you face.
Our children are just beginning their lives. Their journeys will be fraught with many challenges, obstacles and pitfalls. We may wonder how can I protect my children? How can I help my child become a resilient, ethical and spiritual person? The answer from this week's Parshah is "protect the head", focus on instilling and nurturing the values, ethics, and spirituality in your children and as they grow and encounter the real world, they will be protected and strong.
Shabbat Shalom.
Rabbi Y. Marrus
