Vayeitzei II

The Torah teaches us the ways of the Avot. The Torah of their servants was great, how much more-so is the Torah of the Avot great. They were the start of the tikun: We inherited land of 7 of 10 nations. The 10 parallel the ten spheres. The seven shepherds corrected 7/10. The other 3 - chabad - will only be fixed in mashiach time. The Avot fixed midot, each with his own flow brought into the world. These pre-matan Torah parshiot present to us the way to be like the avot by elevating our midot.

Avraham's stories teach us through his passing his tests to show how cherished he was to G-d. We're told of tests like the famine, but without every detail. We know that they did the will of G-d fully with their full being. Avraham's trait was love, and that's the key- that he accepted each test with love and didn't question G-d.

Vayeitzei tells us how Yaakov entered this worldly world, fathering children, etc, all part of his/their Torah. The key here is his holiness. Thus we pray, kadesheinu kadosh Yaakov (said in bentching) - this parallels the pasuk in Yishahu (29:23) - Vehekdishu Et Kadosh Yaakov (When they see among them their children, the work of my hands, they will keep my name holy; they will acknowledge the holiness of the Holy One of Jacob, and will stand in awe of the God of Israel). Yaakov's trait is the matter of holiness.

The Rebbe of Lekhovitch one Dhabbos Vayeitzei did not say Torah, when asked about it he explained - this parsha teaches us that Yaakov was involved in worldly matters, setting up a home, having children, dealing with/working for Lavan - that it was all done on a holy level. We're taught that holy involvment in the physical world can be elevated to the highest level and become part of Torah itself.

In Hoshanot, we ask for salvation in the merit of what Yaakov did regarding enginering the markings on the sheep. This seems like a strange thing to bring up, but it fits with our idea that Yaakov's greatness was in his sanctifyuing the realm of the physical...


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