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Jewish World Review
Jan. 5, 2007
/ 15 Teves 5767
There are no one-size-fits-all blessings
By
Rabbi Berel Wein
Life in perspective
http://www.JewishWorldReview.com |
The Book of Genesis begins with blessings — G-d's blessings to His
creatures to inhabit and exploit His wondrous world — and it ends with blessings — Jacob's blessings to his sons, the tribes of Israel. The blessings are, so to speak, the bookends of this awe inspiring story of the human race in general and the Jewish people in particular. Jewish tradition always treasures things that begin with blessings and end with blessings.
Between the beginning of the Book of Genesis and its conclusion in this week's portion, there are many occurrences — not all of them blessed and pleasant. There are wars and violence, famines and tyrants, tragedies and rebellious and disappointing children. There are stories of great sacrifice and noble endeavor, of soaring morality and the loneliness of being right in a world that is very wrong. The Book of Genesis is truly the book of mankind, of every person.
We all enter into the world with blessings and smiles, being held and cuddled. And we leave this world also with blessings but this time with tears, alone but hopefully not forgotten. The blessings that mark our lives are never the same to every person, neither at our beginning nor at our end.
We see this clearly from the special blessings granted to our patriarchs and matriarchs by the G-d of Israel and by the individually special blessings granted by Jacob to his sons. Every person is entitled to blessing in this world. But every person is entitled to his or her own particular blessing.
In Judaism, there are no one-size-fits-all blessings.
The Torah emphasizes that Jacob saw his children as individuals and not as a conformist mass of people. Even the three sons — Reuben, Simon, and Levi — who, at first understanding of this week's Torah portion, one could say were not blessed by Jacob, nevertheless also were blessed. Not only were they blessed and included in the general blessing that Jacob gave to his sons, as the foremost commentator, Rashi, points out, but they were also blessed individually through the
very criticism of their faults that were pointed out by Jacob.
Sometimes in life, the greatest gift and blessing that a parent can give to a child is the criticism of that child's traits and weaknesses so that these faults may yet be corrected and improved upon. Jacob sees his children not as only being the next generation of his family but rather as being the future and eternity of the Jewish people.
As such, faults neglected and not corrected remain eternal faults eventually impacting on the lives of millions of people. As a child, it is painful to receive an injection of immunization from diseases. At the moment, the child certainly does not appreciate the prick of the needle. But no one can argue the fact that the parent arranging for such an immunization is giving the child a most valuable blessing.
Jacob's words to these three sons should be viewed in that perspective as well.
An immunization against bad traits and counterproductive behavior is a most precious blessing.
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JWR contributor Rabbi Berel Wein --- Jewish historian, author and international lecturer offers a complete selection of CDs, audio tapes, video tapes, DVDs, and
books on Jewish history at www.rabbiwein.com Comment by clicking here.
© 2006, Rabbi Berel Wein
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