Vayishlach

Vayishlach – Neshama Carlebach

Neshama Carlebach is a singer and composer who continues the legacy established by her father Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach. Together with her band, she continues to sing her father’s melodies and original compositions.

In Parshat Vayishlach, we continue to read about Yaakov, and the deep and relentless challenges that were always a part of his existence. Life's journey was never easy for this great man, it seems every step he took was filled with opposition and tests. 

Yaakov was a simple man, "ish tam" in Hebrew. That means that not only was his life basic as a tent dweller and a man of God was clear to him, but also that he was whole and real. As he faced unbelievable challenges in his lifetime, he did so with total commitment of heart and soul. He labored for fourteen years to marry Rachel, the partner of his heart, only to lose her too early. We see how, as a father, he struggled with and on behalf  of his children, enduring the kidnapping of his daughter and spending too many years mourning the loss of his favorite son, Yosef. He had to run from a brother wanting to kill him, setting his immediate family behind him to protect them. It seems Yaakov constantly had to fight to attain some sort of equilibrium and happiness in a life of confrontations. Yet it is Yaakov who our nation is named after, Yaakov who gives us hope for our tomorrows. His story is our own.

In this parasha, when Yaakov wrestles with and defeats the Angel, he is told he will be given a new name – Yisrael. Yisrael has many meanings and explanations; among them "the people who struggle with G-d".

We know this story, my friends. Our history and our present are filled with this reality as we try to battle adversity while bringing spirituality and meaning to our lives. As we read this parasha at this time of year we are preparing to celebrate the light of Chanukah. The Maccabees' fight is also mirrored in our own, the quest of simple survival, to bring light to the darkness, even when it seems we are too few in a fight against so many odds. Yet, if we allow ourselves the eyes to see, we will find that little bit of oil, that source of strength. If we only can believe in a higher power and our purpose in this world, the light can burn longer than we ever dreamed it could.

We read that when Yaakov meets his brother, Esav, he doesn't prepare for the moment by assembling armies. He only comes armed with what means the most to him - his family, gifts and honor. Yaakov bows to his brother seven times and gives him an immense wealth of livestock. He bestows so much love on his brother, Esav forgets he wants to kill him. It is clear in the parsaha, and hopefully in our own lives, that even in our most painful and challenging moments, G-d doesn't leave us alone to struggle. If we allow them to stand beside us, G-d gives us strength, partners, friends and family to hold our hands and give us the courage to complete our own missions.

May we all be blessed to find Yaakov's strength within ourselves, an endurance both personal and universal that allows us to conquer great challenges while bringing light and goodness to every person we meet.  May we see the hidden miracles of every moment and know, without a doubt, that all that comes in life is a gift from G-d. May we thank G-d for the darkness, for if there was no darkness, how can we know when we were standing in the light?