Parshas Vayetzei

This is in the merit of my grandmother, Esther bat Mazal. May she have speedy and complete recovery.

Question:

Why when Abraham and his midwife, Hagar, have relations and a child, problems arise and not with Rachel and Leah’s midwives?


Taking for Giving

“And Jacob uttered a vow, saying, ‘If God will be with me, and He will guard me on this way, upon which I am going, and He will give me bread to eat and a garment to wear; And if I return in peace to my father's house, and the Lord will be my God; Then this stone, which I have placed as a monument, shall be a house of God, and everything that You give me, I will surely tithe to You’” (Genesis 28:20-22).

Nechama Leibowitz (Studies on Genesis, 307) asks how is Jacob able to make such a vow, if G-d does X, I will do Y? G-d is not a candy machine where we do things for Him and He does things for us, how could Jacob make such an offer?

She answers that in truth, Jacob is simply saying I want to give to G-d, I want to build Him a “house” and give tithes, G-d please only give me the means to do so. This is ideally what prayer is about, requesting so we can give back.



Food for Further Thought and Discussion
How do we develop this attitude of everything I have is to be used for G-d’s service in general and especially regarding prayer?

Have a good Shabbas,
Mordecai