VaYetzeh Excepts

ויצא
Shababt Shalom

I was out of town this Shabbat and it was great. My first Shabbat where I could enjoy the being away from the community, in a long time.

Jacob had his herds, and I see you all as that to me. You are my flock, and I must lead you correctly. I understand you were in the hands of the Gabai this past Shabbat, and it worries me.

I know he gave a Dvar Torah and his message about brotherly love was pointless. The man loves nobody and his wife has complained many times.

(30:25-32) Jacob wants to leave, but he agrees to stay, as long as Lavan will allow him to start making his own money. Why? Because he knows Lavan will try to cut his wages. This is why I invest in the stock market. Can you trust a board, “Lavan”?

He plans for the future. He does not ask for wages, but his piece. The spotted and specked lamb and goats, and brownish lamb. He plans for the future. Something this congregation has not done. The thermometer is still at $150,000. We will never build a new shule. There is no future. But let me explain.

(30:33) Why spotted and speckled? This way there is no argument.

We know whose is whose. The problem in this congregation is that nobody marks their seats. The Hi-holidays need marked seats. I keep telling this to the board.

(30:30) Yakov explains to Lavan, ‘When will I do something for my own house?!’ No man in this congregation takes a step up. What are you doing for your family? Do you have spotted and speckled pets? Michael can’t even get a brown dog. You are not doing anything for this congregation. You might as well get the child a pet, Frank.

(31:1) Lavan’s sons see Yakov’s success and they say that he took everything that is their father’s. They can’t accept his success. Kind of the same way that the congregation cannot accept the new billiard hall across the street.

And Yakov saw that Lavan was not with him like in earlier days. You are always with me when I do not get a raise. But when I have success, none of you are with me. You claim that it is yours. This is my vacation!!!...And I still have to write you this Dvar Torah. It is important to let a man play a little pocket billiards every once in a while.

(31:3) Now, H’ tells Yakov to go to Israel. To leave. It is the time. I have been told this by every friend of mine who has visited. The scholar and residence program of very wise people have all told me to leave this congregation.

Yakov tells Rachel and Leah that he worked hard for their father and yet he mocked him and changed his wages a hundred times (31:7), just like the board of the shule. Lavan changed the idea of what Yakov receives a hundred times. Even when it is yours, they change it. And this is why I can’t leave the congregation, because they own me money for the past 4 years. Changing wages is not the problem. I have not received my wages. I am a scholar who cannot pay my mortgage. Due to this congregation, I am having a hard time residing. How does a scholar not have a residence? Because of jealousy.

A three days journey away and Lavan’s people still bother Jacob. Like Jacob, I spent the week a three days journey away, and you still bother me. I get calls about your marriages. Yes, they are messed up. I don’t know if Chaim should be joining baseball or gold this year. Karen is a good girl. Maybe she should do ballet. But you still bother me. You can’t let me be, and enjoy my wealth.

(31:14-16) Rachel and Leah understand that they do not have a share in their father’s house anymore. They are now strangers in their home. And they understand that H’ made Yakov wealthy and that whatever H,’ Who made them wealthy says to do, they shall. And they make their way to Israel.

I feel like Lavan’s daughters. You have tried to take everything from me. You are not my family anymore.

H’ has made me wealthy, and yet, I have people complaining about my wealth. The Gabai complains and still wants to take my job. This is why I had to make sure you received a real Dvar Torah. A Dvar Torah from your scholar. Why? Because you are my herd. My speckled and spotted wages.