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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)

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