This week's Torah portion, Vayeitzei, contains one of the most interesting stories of the Torah. Jacob is forced to run away from home after he steals his father's blessing that should have gone to Esau, his older, and hairier, brother. Esau, understandably upset, threatens to kill Jacob so their parents, Isaac and Rebecca, decide to send Jacob to his mother's birthplace for safe shelter.

 

Jacob goes to the home of his mother's brother, Laban. There, Jacob falls in love with Laban's younger daughter, Rachel, and agrees to work for 7 years in order to be able to marry her. On the day of the wedding, Laban tricks Jacob. Concealed behind the wedding veil is Leah, Rachel's older sister. Learning of the wrongful nuptials the following morning, Jacob confronts his Uncle. With the marriage having already been consummated, Jacob has no alternative but to remain married to Leah. Laban permits him to marry Rachel, but Jacob is forced to work for Laban for another 7 years.  

 

Some see Laban's chicanery as payback to Jacob for having deceived his father in order to receive the blessing intended for Esau. But can the karmic notion of "what goes around comes around" really be the only message that the Torah seeks to give?

 

I actually think there is a broader lesson to be learned from the story. The Torah is highlighting a simple fact of life to us: Things are not always what they seem to be. Understandings are not always the same. As a result, we each need to be careful as we navigate this journey we call life. We all need to lift the, sometimes, thin veil that separates fact from fiction.

 

Jacob thought he was marrying Rachel but, instead, ended up with Leah. Should he have checked first before walking down the aisle? Would anyone ever think that the correct bride would not be under the chuppah?

 

In life we must always do our due diligence. Simply because an employer makes a promise does not mean she will keep that promise. Simply because a politician says he will do something, does not mean he will do it.   Simply because two people agree to do something, does not mean they will each keep the promise. Simply because we read something in the newspaper, or see it on the news channel, it does not mean that it is correct.

 

We have a responsibility to our selves, to our families, and to our communities, to fully investigate the important information that we receive and important decisions we make in our lives.

 

The Torah uses an unexpected marriage to remind us that, whatever our goal is, whatever we are seeking, whatever we see or hear, we should always be certain that we have correctly ascertained all of the facts before moving forward.

 

We need to open our eyes, lift the veil, understand the reality, and move toward our goals.

 

Shabbat Shalom - Rabbi Michael S. Jay