GOING HOME

The more we study Torah and Jewish Philosophy, the more we begin to appreciate that G-D has provided us with insights that help us to discern between right and wrong and thereby become empowered to make the right decisions in life.

Rabbi Nachman taught; "All sin is rooted from a persons inner unhappiness." 

A person would not run after all kinds of worldly pleasures if he was truly happy and satisfied with his situation. It is ones' inner unhappiness that causes a person to run after material pleasures of this world. The evil inclination always tries to work on a person's mind to make him unhappy and dissatisfied with what he has. 
The way to drive away these forces of evil is through happiness. 

The Parsha this week tells how Jacob is running away from Lavan , fearing his encounter with his brother. Esau, bringing him much 
anxiety.  All Jacob wishes, at this point, is to "go home". He is unhappy in his exile and the שרו של עשו wants to hold him back from "going home."

Robert Frost wrote; "Home is when you go there, they have to let you in".

Jacob appears lonely.  The way to remove his loneliness is to take his family home, the place which he was forced to leave and now finally has the courage to return to.

We, the descendants of Jacob have, for so many years, prayed and beseeched the Almighty to take us home, out of this Galut of hatred and anti Semitism. Baruch Hashem our Prayers have been answered and we are "going home"- home to our homeland to our promised land. 

Just as Yaakov encountered many obstacles on the road home, so have we been faced and continue to face many enemies who have tried to deter us from "going home". Like Jacob did after his encounter with שרו של עשו, we have assumed the name of ישראל and with our acts of courage and fortitude, finally, have arrived home.

How apropos that יעקב referred to the place of the בית המקדש as ״בית״, a home.

I sense that Jacob's  motivation in life was always to "go home" "and thus in his desire to "go home" he achieved a state of happiness which had eluded him for so many years.

Happiness lies at the intersection between pleasure and meaning.
True happiness is an expression of our gratitude for our life and to savor the wonderful things in life.

"Dream as if you have forever. Live as if you only have today"

The most precious ability we possess is the power of vision. It helps us to chart new ways, opening up new avenues of action. It gives us the opportunity to live better lives. What can be better than the ability to "go home?"