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By Rabbi Shloimie Lindenbaum
ויצא יעקב מבאר שבע וילך חרנה (פרק כח פסוק י)
Our Parsha continues the story that began last week by telling us that Yaakov left באר שבע and went to חרן. The בית הלוי asks, why must we say where he left from? Usually when describing a person traveling, the Torah just tells us where they were heading? He answers that usually the significance of a trip is the destination, but in this instance, Yaakov had two reasons for traveling. His mother, Rivkah, had told him to leave to escape the wrath of Eisav, and his father, Yitzchak, had told him to go to the house of Lavan to find a wife. Therefore, the Torah tells us about his departure and his intended destination because they were both significant reasons for his trip. The בית הלוי continues by quoting a מדרש that Yaakov’s running to Lavan’s house was symbolic of our leaving ארץ ישראל to go into גלות, exile. He explains that in our גלות as well there are two purposes. Firstly, we had to leave ארץ ישראל. It is a holy place, a place that is not inhabitable by those who sin. If we would continue living there without properly serving Hashem, the repercussions would be a lot worse, because a holy land is much more sensitive to sin. Secondly, we needed to go live amongst the nations of the world and in that setting, Hashem would send us constant reminders to repent and come close to Him. When we are afflicted in גלות it is with the mindful purpose of purifying us and correcting our behavior. In that way our exile resembles that of Yaakov, we too have a dual purpose in גלות, to not contaminate the קדושה of the Land, and to purify and elevate ourselves.
וילך ראובן בימי קציר וימצא דודאים (פרק ל פסוק יד)
Reuven went during the days of harvest and brought dudaim, a type of herb, to his mother. The Gemara tells us that the Torah says that it was during harvest season to praise Reuven that although there was plenty of harvest, he did not steal, rather he only took cheap herbs that were ownerless. The Tolna Rebbe asks, what is the big deal? Of course he didn’t steal other people’s money? He answers that according to the סדר עולם Reuven at the time of this story was three years old. He wasn’t necessarily able to make his own decision at the time of what was right or wrong, rather what he did was because of his training at home. The only reason he didn’t steal would be because in his parents house it was such as basic and fundamental concept to not take other people’s money, that even as a young child he would not think of stealing. This is the praise of the Torah. (As heard from R’ Yehoshua Krasnow)
