The
blessings of God and His promise to protect the patriarchs and matriarchs of
Israel do save them from their neighbors, relatives and enemies. However, the
success and achievements of this small family, as per God’s promise and against
all odds and opposition, raise the hatred and jealousy of their neighbors—even
though the neighbors themselves, such as Avimelech and Lavan, benefit mightily
from the achievements of Yitzchak and Yaakov.
The rabbis
of the Talmud taught us that “hatred destroys rational thought and behavior.”
So, instead of gratitude and friendship, the accomplishments of the patriarchs
and matriarchs only bring forth greed, jealousy and persecution, with the ever-present
threat of violence hovering in the background. All efforts to maintain a low
profile and to mollify Lavan result only in increased bigotry and hatred.
It is not
for nothing that the Pesach Haggadah makes Lavan a greater
enemy to the survival of the Jewish people than even the Pharaoh of Egypt. But
almost all the enemies of the Jews over the centuries suffer from the same
basic moral faults regarding the Jews: ingratitude, jealousy and greed. These
are all revealed to us in this week’s parsha.
Someone
mentioned to me that perhaps, if we maintained a lower profile in the world,
didn’t receive so many Nobel prize awards, and were less influential in the
fields of finance, and the media, that anti-Semitism would decrease. “What if?”
is a difficult thought process to pursue intelligently. There is no
question that the world and all humankind would be so much poorer if the Jews
purposely withheld their energy, creativity and intelligence and ceased to
contribute to human civilization. And there certainly is no guarantee that the
world would like us any more than it does now if we were less successful and
prominent.
The mere
fact that God blessed the patriarchs with success and influence indicates that
this is His desire for us. The Torah specifically states that every nation and
family on earth will benefit and be blessed through us. So, in our case, less
would not necessarily be more. Yet we were enjoined from flaunting our success
in the faces of those less fortunate than us.
Modesty in
behavior and deportment is an important partner in times of success. This is
also a lesson that our father Yaakov intended to teach us. We are not allowed
to rein in our talents and achievements. We are however bidden to control our
egos and bluster. That is also an important Jewish trait that should be a
foundation in our lives.
Shabat
shalom, Rabbi Berel Wein
