Printable PDF available here. Previous years’ pieces on Vayishlach are available here and here.
Rav Kook (Ein Ayah, Gemara Shabbat 33b)
“And Ya’akov came intact (lit. שלם) to the city of Shechem, which is in the land of Canaan, when he came from Paddan-aram.” This means that he was complete in his body, complete in his money, and complete in his Torah.” (Gemara Shabbat 33b)
“And he graced (lit. ויחן) the countenance of the city.” Rav said that Ya’akov established a currency for them. Shmuel said that he established marketplaces for them. And Rabbi Yoḥanan said that he established bathhouses for them. (Gemara Shabbat 33b)
Broadly speaking, human attainments can be divided into three categories – the physical body, wealth or possessions, and spiritual pursuits. Many believe that it is impossible to attain completeness in all of these different domains. A certain modicum of unity may be maintained at the outset, but this will ultimately degenerate into competition for a person’s energy and resources. For example, many people regard wealth as an intrinsic value, and sacrifice their health and wellbeing in its pursuit. Additionally, it is claimed, the ethical values proclaimed by the world of the spirit impinge on the world of the body and the pursuit of possessions.
However, this sense of conflict comes from a constricted and superficial way of perceiving the world. When understood properly, every domain of human completeness is reinforced and vivified by the others. The higher realm of the spirit can only find full expression through a healthy and vigorous body. Its realization also requires a mature society with a well-developed sense of interdependence, which is facilitated by economic activity and the pursuit of wealth.
It was Ya’akov’s essential mission to proclaim this integrated, unified conception of life. In the wake of his lonely confrontation with a mysterious stranger in the dead of night, he returned to Shechem “intact” – which our Sages interpret as referring to completeness in all three domains. Ya’akov’s body was intact and healed from its prior limp. His wealth was not diminished by his gifts to Esav. And his spiritual attainments were not harmed by the harmful environment of his devious father-in-law, Lavan.
To live this vision was the destiny of Ya’akov and remains the mission of the nation that he established. As Jeremiah declared “Every man is brutish without knowledge; every smith is put to shame by his graven image, for his molten images are false, without spirit in them. They are vanity, a work of delusion; at the time of their visitation they shall perish. Not like these is Ya’akov’s portion, for He is the One Who formed everything, and Israel is the tribe of His inheritance; the Master of Legions (אלקי צבאות) is His name.” G-d, the Creator of all aspects of reality, summons us to seek out the goodness in all aspects of existence and join them together into a harmonious whole, into a legion (צבאות) of holiness for His service.
Rav Kook (Orot haMilchamah 3, transl. by Bezalel Naor)
We left world politics by force of circumstance that nevertheless contains an inner volition, until a fortunate time will come, when it will be possible to conduct a nation without wickedness and barbarism – this is the time we hope for. It is understood that in order to achieve this, we must awaken with all of our powers to use all the means that time makes available – all is conducted by the hand of G-d, Creator of all worlds. However, the delay is a necessary one; we were repulsed by the awful sins of conducting a nation in an evil time.
Behold, the time is approaching, the world will be invigorated and we can already prepare ourselves, for it will already be possible for us to conduct our national affairs by principles of good, wisdom, rectitude, and clear divine enlightenment.
Our Sages (Genesis Rabbah 75:4; Deuteronomy Rabbah 1:20) teach that “Jacob sent to Esau the royal purple.” [The royal purple is symbolic of dominion. Jacob’s sending it to Esau is an expression of Judaism temporarily relinquishing political power to the Nations for the duration of the Exile. He declared “Let my master pass before his servant,” that it is not worthwhile to engage in statecraft when it must be full of blood, when it requires an ability for wickedness. We received but the foundation, enough to found a people, but once the trunk was established, we were deposed, strewn among the nations, planted in the depths of the earth, until the time of song arrives and the voice of the turtledove will be heard in our land.
Food for Thought
Rav Eliezer Berkovits (G-d, Man and History, pg. 107, 120): The spirit itself is powerless; it may act only in union with the vital or “material” forces in the cosmos. No one has ever accomplished anything by merely contemplating an idea. All conscious action is the result of some form of cooperation between the mind and the body. Matter whatever its ultimate secret without the mind is inanity; mind without matter is, at best, noble impotence. Power by itself is purposeless; purpose on its own is powerless… What the idealism of numerous religions and philosophies overlooks is that man without a body is as little to be considered human as man without a soul… [M]an is a composite being, consisting of mind and matter, of soul and body. That G-d made him that way means that he has to make sense of his He in the form in which he was granted life. Any rejection of the body is a rejection of man himself of man as G-d created him for the tasks of this world.
Kristen Nunez (6 Ways Being a Workaholic Can Take a Toll on Your Health): In a culture of side hustles and productivity hacks, workaholism is placed on a pedestal. We glorify people who multitask, skimp on sleep and get all the things done. We wear the title of “workaholic” as a badge of honor, like an initiation into a club of hard workers. Top it off with free WiFi around every corner, and workaholism is just a click away. But at what expense? Sure, work is important. Many of us need to work so we can build skills and financially support ourselves and loved ones. Work can also provide an amazing sense of fulfillment, confidence and purpose. Yet, if work is the driving force behind your every move, you might end up with a costly fee: your health…
Throughout your career, it’s normal to experience work-related stress. However, for workaholics, this type of stress becomes the norm. Toss in the mental and physical demands of frequently working, and you’ve got yourself a myriad of negative health effects. In fact, in a 2019 study in the Scandinavian Journal of Psychology, researchers found a clear association between workaholism and poorer quality of life…
[For example] constant stress shakes up your gut health. You can thank the gut-brain axis (GBA), which connects the intestines and brain via the nervous system. The GBA sends signals in both directions; when one is upset, the other one is the first to know. Cortisol plays a role as well. A 2015 article in Annals of Gastroenterology explains that when cortisol acts on the brain, the brain sends signals to the gut. The result is an array of stress-related gut issues like abdominal cramps…
If you feel like you’re treading into workaholic waters, it might be time to dive toward a better work-life balance. This starts with reframing your relationship with work, creating space for other areas of life, defining more reasonable expectations and learning to accept self-care as part of your routine. The lasting impact of a life spent stressing over work is damaging, so taking steps now to correct your approach is in your best interest.
Ma’or Einayim (Parshat Vayeitzei): Ya’akov was complete in all domains of his life because he did everything, even physical matters, in accordance with the Divine will. In all of his activities, his intent was to bring out and manifest a Divine splendor. This is why we find that “Ya’akov travelled to Sukkot” immediately before he arrived ‘intact’ in Shechem. This is an allusion to the holiday of Sukkot, when we leave our permanent dwelling and enter a temporary one. On a deeper level, the mitzvah of Sukkah teaches us that we should not attribute intrinsic value to our worldly affairs, and that we should remember that this world is itself a “temporary dwelling.” The World to Come is of central importance, and so we must strive to connect everything we do in this world to the World to Come.
Questions for Discussion
- According to Rav Kook, Ya’akov is emblematic of a harmonious, unified conception of life. Why do you think this is specifically tied to Ya’akov, as opposed to Avraham or Yitzchak?
- See the Ma’or Einayim in “Food for Thought” above. Is he saying the same this as Rav Kook, or something slightly different?
- How do wealth and possessions serve spiritual purposes? When and why can they be spiritually harmful?
- Is it a mitzvah to be healthy?
- How should Rav Kook’s teaching in the first piece above be applied on a national level?
- Does the first piece from Rav Kook contradict the second one? Is there tension between the two?
