Skip to main content

The Back and Forth

The Medrash Hagadol on Parshas Vayetzei says that when it says Vayetzei Yaakov, it means that Yaakov is going to daven; meaning to ask HaShem’s permission to leave Eretz Yisroel. 


He went to plead with the “Pnei Hashechina” face of The Divine Presence,  to find out if this is the path Hashem wants him to take. His whole process of marrying the 4 sisters, meeting Lavan, produces 11 out of 12 tribes begins with a Tefillah to Hashem asking Him what He wants.


Based on this Medrash we understand that when a person reaches a specific stage of life and they understand that things need to be changed and one makes the decision to take a new path it is a decision of “Vayetzei”. That decision empowers a person to Daven and ask Hashem what He wants as we see by Yaakov. 


“So for me, yesterday at Mussaf, my three steps back before Shmone Esray was “Vayetzei”, my decision to make a change and become more. So then, my three steps forward for Mussaf was to find and discover new ways to serve Hashem". 


" Hashem,  You want me to add to my life,  You want me to grow,  You want me to find and discover new ways to serve You,  to relate to You, to appreciate You,  to share my love for You;  so now I'm coming "Lichalos Pnei Hashicheena,   to plead with the Shechina for you to tell me how to “Mussaf” to find what to add to my that I wasn’t doing before."  The Back and forth. 


Concepts shared by Rabbi Weinberg, n''y (Parshas Vayeitzei- The back and forth or blowing on the dandelion)
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Hoda'ah

  “Were the existence of gratitude and recognition of the good lacking from existence, the human spirit would be left without sparkle or shine.” Rav Avraham Yitzchak HaCohen Kook For the Perplexed of the Generation 4:9     I recently was honored to receive the following email:   Dear Rabbi Weinberg;   I am grateful that both my parents survived Covid in the ICU.   I am grateful that my husband is home, although with oxygen, but no longer on a ventilator.   I am grateful for the Jewish community, of which I am not connected, for food, drivers, shopping, and all sorts of help too much to list.   Someone printed a page from Partners In Prayer and scribbled your email on the bottom. Can you teach me how to pray? Is there a way I can use prayer to express my gratitude? Can I pray without becoming religious?   My husband and I and our children are willing to celebrate Hanukah this year. Is that okay?   My ...
Post a Comment
Read more

TERUMAH-ALL OUR HEARTS

The divine soul of man is transmitted and descends to this world to be clothed in a human body, through the mystery of speech. This is the supernal Breath, regarding which it is written, “And God breathed into man’s nostrils,   a soul of life, and man became a living soul (Genesis 2:7).” Whoever exhales, does so from his innermost being.   It is also written, “For a part of God is His people, Jacob, the cord of His possession (Deuteronomy 32:9).” Jacob is compared to a cord, where one end is bound above, and the other end below. We can learn an important lesson from this simple meaning of the verse, “He breathed into his nostrils.” When a person blows on something, if there is a barrier or an obstruction separating the two, his breath cannot reach that place at all. The same is actually true when there is something separating and intervening between man’s body and the Supernal Breath. Of course, nothing physical or spiritual can actually act as a barrier before God’s Essence ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Morning Brachos

Morning Brachos "Here is the way I read the morning Brachos when I'm feeling helpless and scared to believe in myself." פוקח עיוורים .  Hashem opens my eyes to see the ways we can go.  But I feel naked and don't know how I can get there. מלביש ערומים .  Hashem supplies me with Livushim to follow my path.  But I feel STUCK. מתיר אסורים .  Hashem helps me be freed from my old patterns, if I want to change.  But I feel bent and broken, kvetching in my old habits and beliefs. זוקף כפופים .  Hashem helps me stand straight and believe in myself.     But the world seems unconquerable, unknown. רוקע הארץ על המים .  Hashem prepares land for me that I can see and feel safe to begin the journey   But I don't know where to start from המכין מצעדי גבר .  Hashem prepares my steps for me. everything I need to succeed in my journey. I just need to discover and use them   But I don't know where and what and ...
2 comments
Read more