Yaakov has his famous dream of the ladder, and, in the midst of this prophecy, Hashem declares to him ‘Ha’aretz asher attah shochev aleiha lecha ettenennah ulezar’echa’ – ‘this land upon which you are sleeping is given to you and to your future descendants, the Jewish people’.

 

If the images in this email are not displaying, please see the options listed above for allowing blocked content. View this email in your browser Dear carl We should be positive and never despair. That’s the message emerging from Parshat Vayeitzei.   Yaakov has his famous dream of the ladder, and, in the midst of this prophecy, Hashem declares to him ‘Ha’aretz asher attah shochev aleiha lecha ettenennah ulezar’echa’ – ‘this land upon which you are sleeping is given to you and to your future descendants, the Jewish people’.   ‘Vehayah zar’acha ka’afar ha’aretz’ – ‘and your descendants shall be like the dust of the earth’. ‘Ufaratzta’ – ‘and they shall be spread out’. ‘Yammah vakedemah vetzafonah vanegbah’ – ‘to the west and to the east, to the north and to the south’.   Seforno comments on the fact that these directions are neither clockwise nor anti clockwise, indicating the unpredictable haphazard life of the Jewish nation... For the rest of this D'var Torah, click the links below to watch the video or download the printable transcript. Watch: The Chief Rabbi's D'var Torah Share on Facebook Tweet this Forward by email Download the printable transcript. Shabbat Shalom and may we continue to pray for the safety of Israel and the Jewish people.  Look back through the Chief Rabbi's insights on the weekly Torah portion on our website here.  Our mailing address is: Office of the Chief Rabbi 305 Ballards Lane London, N12 8GB United Kingdom Add us to your address book