Parsha Vayeitzei
November 29, 2025/9 Kislev 5786
Greetings friends:
In this week’s parsha of Vayeitzei, we see how Jacob suffers in his journey to find a wife, as the wicked Laban takes advantage of him, though he nevertheless gains wealth and marries Leah and Rachel as the nation of Israel takes shape. Jacob takes a vow to build the house of G-d, in exchange for bread and garment. Sounds particularly underwhelming! Not that he gains wisdom or riches, just bread and garment. While there is the interpretation that bread refers to the Torah, we cannot escape the plain meaning of the verse, and it is plain – no shawarma, falafel, of hummus – just bread.
The Midrash tells an interesting story about those words. Akilas, a famous convert who was a relative of the Roman emperor asked Rabbi Eliezer and later Rabbi Yehoshua, why later in the Torah it states that converts will receive the same bread and clothing. Both gave answers that are illuminating, though Rabbi Yehoshua’s answer is credited as giving Akilas the encouragement to keep on the path. Rabbi Eliezer answer to Akilas stated that bread and clothes is the very thing that our forefather Jacob struggled with! We take for granted -- especially in the developed world -- that our daily sustenance and simple manufactured clothes we wear will materialize one way or the other. There are many parts of the world where that is not so; you may not have traveled to some of those places or read about them, but you know they exist.
Rabbi Yehoshua gave a more positive response noting that the convert becomes part and parcel of the Jewish people, and as such, their daughters can marry a Kohen, and their grandchildren even become Kohen Gadol (High Priest) and thus fulfill the verse to eat the Lechem Hapanim (show breads) and wear the priestly garments.
This week we celebrated the public holiday of Thanksgiving. While every day is a good day to be thankful, this is a time our country, community, and families come together to do so publicly. Let us be like Jacob and remember to be thankful to G-d for even our basic physical necessities as well the spiritual opportunity G-d gives every one of us (regardless of our background) the opportunity to serve Him with greatness.
Shabbat Shalom,
Rabbi Josh
In this week’s parsha of Vayeitzei, we see how Jacob suffers in his journey to find a wife, as the wicked Laban takes advantage of him, though he nevertheless gains wealth and marries Leah and Rachel as the nation of Israel takes shape. Jacob takes a vow to build the house of G-d, in exchange for bread and garment. Sounds particularly underwhelming! Not that he gains wisdom or riches, just bread and garment. While there is the interpretation that bread refers to the Torah, we cannot escape the plain meaning of the verse, and it is plain – no shawarma, falafel, of hummus – just bread.
The Midrash tells an interesting story about those words. Akilas, a famous convert who was a relative of the Roman emperor asked Rabbi Eliezer and later Rabbi Yehoshua, why later in the Torah it states that converts will receive the same bread and clothing. Both gave answers that are illuminating, though Rabbi Yehoshua’s answer is credited as giving Akilas the encouragement to keep on the path. Rabbi Eliezer answer to Akilas stated that bread and clothes is the very thing that our forefather Jacob struggled with! We take for granted -- especially in the developed world -- that our daily sustenance and simple manufactured clothes we wear will materialize one way or the other. There are many parts of the world where that is not so; you may not have traveled to some of those places or read about them, but you know they exist.
Rabbi Yehoshua gave a more positive response noting that the convert becomes part and parcel of the Jewish people, and as such, their daughters can marry a Kohen, and their grandchildren even become Kohen Gadol (High Priest) and thus fulfill the verse to eat the Lechem Hapanim (show breads) and wear the priestly garments.
This week we celebrated the public holiday of Thanksgiving. While every day is a good day to be thankful, this is a time our country, community, and families come together to do so publicly. Let us be like Jacob and remember to be thankful to G-d for even our basic physical necessities as well the spiritual opportunity G-d gives every one of us (regardless of our background) the opportunity to serve Him with greatness.
Shabbat Shalom,
Rabbi Josh
