Torah Portion:  Vayeitzei;  Genesis 28:10 - 32:3

I don’t know if any of you watched the TV show “My Name is Earl,” but the entire premise was based on a ne’er-do-well turning his life around in order to fix his karma.  He believed that all of the bad things he had done in life—robbing, cheating, stealing, lying—were coming back to him, and that if he started doing good things in life and repairing his wrongs, he would be happier and live a better life.  I am not sure I believe in karma, but after reading the Torah these last few weeks I definitely have a sense of “what goes around, comes around”.

In last week’s Torah portion, we read about Jacob tricking his father Isaac into giving him the blessing intended for Esau.  In this week’s Torah portion, Vayeitzei, Jacob is tricked himself!  He works seven years for Laban in order to marry Laban’s daughter Rachel, but at the wedding Laban switches Rachel for her older sister Leah, whom he covers in a veil.  Jacob unwittingly marries the wrong sister—and then has to work for another seven years in order to marry his intended bride, Rachel!  Even later in the portion, Rachel tricks both her father and Jacob by stealing her father’s household idols and deceiving her men-folk about the idols' whereabouts!  Still later, in two weeks, we will read about Jacob’s sons conspiring to trick him about Joseph’s “death”!  One act of deception creates a pattern for Jacob’s life.  What goes around comes around—in spades!

When we can approach all people with an open heart, when we live with a sense of gratitude and thanksgiving, when we speak to others with kindness and understanding, we pour goodness into the world.  If this week’s Torah portion has anything to teach, it’s that all that openness, gratitude, kindness and goodness will enrich not only our lives—but other people’s lives as well.  I hope we all find this to be true on the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday—and for the weeks to come.  Happy Thanksgiving, and Shabbat Shalom.

For more insight on this week's Torah portion, visit
urj.org/torah.

Shabbat Shalom 
Rabbi Annie