This week's Torah reading relates the stories of Yaakov and his family. At one point, when he ran away from the house of Lavan, his father in law, Lavan pursued Yaakov and complained: why did you steal my G-ds? The analysis of this question in the original Hebrew sheds some light into spiritual exile. Based on Hitvaaduiot 5746,, vol. 1, p. 664.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Vayetze \u2013 The Double Expression in Lavan's Words<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n This week's Torah reading is Vayetze<\/em> \u2014 \u201cAnd he went out.\u201d There is one verse in this portion, in the conversation between Lavan and Yaakov, where Lavan repeats two words twice. To understand this repetition in Bereishit 31:30<\/strong>, we first need the brief background of what happened.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A Short Background<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Yaakov left Be'er Sheva because his brother Esav wanted to kill him. He traveled to Charan, to the house of Lavan, his future father-in-law.<\/p>\n\n\n\n After 20 years<\/strong>, Yaakov decided to leave. He spoke with his wives and departed without asking Lavan's permission.<\/p>\n\n\n\n When Lavan heard that Yaakov had left, he chased after him. I have confronted Yaakov with anger:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Rachel had secretly taken Lavan's terafim<\/em>. The commentaries debate their nature, but that is not the focus here.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Double Expression<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n In the Hebrew text, Lavan repeats himself:<\/p>\n\n\n\n This repetition does not appear in most translations, but it is clear in the original Hebrew. We need to understand:<\/p>\n\n\n\n When the Torah repeats a word, it indicates something deep within the person or action described.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Why \u201cYou Went, Went\u201d?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Yaakov had already expressed<\/em> to Lavan that he wanted to leave many years earlier \u2014 after the 14 years of working for Leah and Rachel. He said:<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI want to leave your house.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n At that moment, he had already spiritually<\/strong> left. Thus, Lavan now complains:<\/p>\n\n\n\n This is the meaning behind the double expression: Why \u201cYou Longed, Longed\u201d?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Lavan also recognized something else:<\/p>\n\n\n\n From the moment Yaakov arrived, he never wanted to be in Charan. That longing was continuous and strong. \u201cYou longed, longed for your father's house.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Meaning:<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Lesson<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n The parsha is called Vayetze<\/em> \u2014 \u201cAnd he went out.\u201d Exile does not mean simply living outside the Land of Israel. Even in Israel, one can live in exile if G-dliness is hidden.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The prophets \u2014 especially Isaiah \u2014 describe the future time when Gd will be openly revealed and \u201call flesh will see\u201d His presence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Right now, we don't see that. To live properly in exile, a person must:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Learning about the coming of Mashiach, about what divine revelation means, and about the purpose for which Gd created the world \u2014 these studies awaken a deep longing in the heart.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Each of us can live this way.
It tells the story of Yaakov's growth and the building of his family.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n
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He no longer felt that he belonged in Lavan's home.
But Lavan persuaded him to stay another six years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n
two departures \u2014 one inner, one outer.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
His true desire was to be at home with his father, learning Torah in a holy environment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Therefore, Lavan says:<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n
Just as Yaakov left the place where he did not truly belong, we too live in a kind of exile.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Exile means the concealment of G-d's presence<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
We are spiritually far from our true home \u2014 just as Yaakov was far from Yitzchak.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n
It depends on a simple choice:
to learn about the purpose of creation,
and to feel the longing for the moment when G-d's presence will be revealed here in this world.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"This week's Torah reading relates the stories of Yaakov and his family. At one point, when he run away from the house of Lavan, his father in law, Lavan pursued Yaakov and complained: why did you steal my G-ds? The analysis of this question in the original Hebrew sheds some light into spiritual exile. Based… Read More \u00bbParashat Vayetze - Longing<\/span><\/a>","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":31550,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"neve_meta_sidebar":"","neve_meta_container":"","neve_meta_enable_content_width":"","neve_meta_content_width":0,"neve_meta_title_alignment":"","neve_meta_author_avatar":"","neve_post_elements_order":"","neve_meta_disable_header":"","neve_meta_disable_footer":"","neve_meta_disable_title":"","episode_type":"audio","audio_file":"","podmotor_file_id":"","podmotor_episode_id":"","cover_image":"","cover_image_id":"","duration":"","filesize":"","filesize_raw":"","date_recorded":"","explicit":"","block":"","itunes_episode_number":"","itunes_title":"","itunes_season_number":"","itunes_episode_type":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[3291],"tags":[],"series":[],"class_list":["post-31552","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-vayetze-en"],"episode_featured_image":"https:\/\/tuviaserber.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Longing.jpg","episode_player_image":"https:\/\/tuviaserber.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/avatar1400.jpeg","download_link":"","player_link":"","audio_player":false,"episode_data":{"playerMode":"light","subscribeUrls":{"castbox":{"key":"castbox","url":"","label":"CastBox","class":"castbox","icon":"castbox.png"},"rss":{"key":"rss","url":"","label":"RSS","class":"rss","icon":"rss.png"},"spotify":{"key":"spotify","url":"","label":"Spotify","class":"spotify","icon":"spotify.png"}},"rssFeedUrl":"https:\/\/tuviaserber.com\/en\/feed\/podcast\/rabino-tuvia-serber","embedCode":"Parashat Vayetze - Longing<\/a><\/blockquote>