Miller's Musings Parshas Vayishlach: You Are My Teacher

The choice of surroundings that one makes can be one of the most crucial decisions in a person's life.  The effect that others have on us can never be disregarded despite the disingenuous claims of some that "I don't care what other people think".  There are times however, as in the case of Yaakov living with Lovon, when one is put in such a situation of negative influence out of circumstances beyond one's control.  With this firmly in mind we can understand the testimony of Yaakov that he spent many years with the nefarious Lovon but still "kept the six hundred and thirteen mitzvos". What is less clear is why Yaakov needed to follow up this statement with the claim that he also "did not learn from Lovon", surely something discernible from the fact that he succeeded in holding steadfast to all the commandments passed down from his fathers?

In fact, explains Reb Meir Shapiro of Lublin zt’l, the statement of Yaakov, in keeping with the picture we have of him, was not one of self-praise, but one of self-admonition.  It was true that he had retained his former level of mitzvah observance, but there was a potential for growth that he had missed which he was actually able to glean from Lovon’s behaviour, that of his enthusiasm for his actions.  It is true that everything he did was the antithesis of Yaakov’s own life view, but there was a passion to his acts and a willingness to give everything up for his goals, which was something that Yaakov could have applied to his holy endeavours, which sadly “he did not learn from Lovon”.

At this point in history, when faced with a foe so single minded in their pursuit to destroy all we hold most dear, both in our Holy Land and now extended throughout the Western World, what hope do we have to defeat such a determined threat to our existence? Perhaps Yaakov has given us the key and has taught us that the only path laid out for us is to fight fire with fire by learning from their fanaticism.  If they have such zeal for destruction of life we must battle it with our passion for creating a worthier life.  If they are obsessed with hate, we must be fanatical about spreading love to all.  If we truly believe in Who really runs the world, it is surely the quickest path to our salvation from this evil.

May the serenity of Shabbos spread throughout the world.

לעילוי נשמת לאה בת אברהם