As our forefather Yaakov (Jacob) prepared to encounter his brother Esav again after 34 years, he did three things: sent presents, readied for war, and prayed. He balanced his prayers and trust in G-d with appropriate “worldly” efforts. He neither trusted in his own efforts, nor expected G-d to protect him with open miracles.
Not everyone knows how to strike this balance correctly. At one end of the spectrum are the people who believe that everything is up to them, who panic when they encounter a challenge or pat themselves on the back when things go well. At the other end of the spectrum, perhaps, is the rabbi of a town seated downstream from a dam that was about to break.
The sheriff found the rabbi sitting calmly on his front porch, studying. “Rabbi!” yelled the sheriff, “it’s a flood, we have to evacuate!”
“Don’t worry,” said the rabbi, “G-d will help me. I don’t need to go.”
Soon the water flooded the town, and firemen in motorboats were picking up the stragglers. One of them noticed the rabbi, and called him to come with them.
“Don’t worry,” said the rabbi, “G-d will help me. I don’t need to go.”
But the waters rose, and rose, and by the time a helicopter was sent to find the last residents, the rabbi was calmly sitting on his roof. Yet once again, the rabbi refused to go.
Once in Heaven, the rabbi demanded an explanation. “I followed Your ways, I learned Your Torah, I did Your will… why didn’t You help me?!”
“What do you mean?” came the response. “I sent a car. I sent a boat. I even sent you a helicopter, but you refused to be helped!”
[Thank you to David Mitnick for reminding us, at the NWCP Dinner, of this joke.]
It is important to learn from Yaakov our forefather, and strike the balance. We must make our efforts — and know that if they succeed, it is only because G-d granted them success.
In our time, we’ve become accustomed to deceptive promises. The savvy consumer is advised to read advertisements between the lines, not to make the impulse decisions salespeople would have us make. Laws protect the consumer from blatantly false claims, but companies skillfully work within the protective guidelines to push us to “buy now” that Whojamadingle XV200 we just discovered we desperately needed “before they’re all gone.”
In this week’s portion, Yitzchak (Isaac) reopens the wells dug by his father Avraham, which the Pelishtim had filled with earth. To avoid argument with the shepherds of Gerar, Yitzchak digs multiple new wells, until he finally digs a well and there is no further argument.
Many see the value of spirituality, and perhaps its necessity. They seek to infuse their lives with spirituality and nurture their relationship with the Al-mighty. How does one begin to live such a life?
