Rabbi Tzvi Abramoff / Kinder Torah
“Yaakov is coming.” “Yaakov is coming.”
“Yaakov? Yaakov? My sister’s son? Her husband’s family is rich! When Eliezer, the servant of Avraham came looking for a wife for Yitzchak, he brought ten camels laden with riches along with him. I was so excited that I jumped in front of my father to meet him. I love money. Where is my nephew Yaakov?”
“And it was, when Lavan heard the news of Yaakov, his sister’s son, he ran toward him.” (Bereshis 29:13). Rashi explains that Lavan ran to meet Yaakov because he thought that he had brought expensive gifts with him.
“Where are Yaakov’s riches? He did not bring any camels. Perhaps there is gold hidden under his clothes.”
“He embraced him” (Bereshis 29:13). “I don’t feel any gold on his body.”
“He kissed him” (Bereshis 29:13). “I don’t see any pearls hidden in his mouth. Where is his money????”
“And took him to his house” (Bereshis 29:13).
And so the relationship between Yaakov and Lavan began. When Yaakov arrived in Lavan’s house, both were poor men. The presence of the Tzaddik Yaakov in the home of Lavan, brought the blessings of prosperity. Lavan fathered sons, and his flocks began to grow and grow.
“Yaakov, you are a good worker, however, I must change your wages. You will have to get by with a little less money. I hope that it does not inconvenience you too much.” Lavan failed to realize that his newfound wealth came from Yaakov. Instead he tried to swindle Yaakov by reducing his wages 100 times.
Yaakov also prospered. He had eleven sons and one daughter. The time had come for him to establish his own home. “Please let me go to my place and my land. Give me my wives and my children, for whom I have served you” (Bereshis 30:25-26).
And so, they agreed that Yaakov would receive the spotted and speckled sheep and goats as his wage. Yaakov separated his sheep from Lavan’s flocks. Then a great miracle happened. Yaakov’s flocks multiplied and increased greatly, and he became a very wealthy man. How did Lavan and his sons react to Yaakov’s prosperity? “Yaakov has taken all that belonged to our father” (Bereshis 31:1). “The daughters are my daughters, the children are my children, the flock is my flock, and all that you see is mine” (Bereshis 31:43).
Lavan was obsessed with money. He was so jealous that he could not take pleasure in Yaakov’s success. Instead, he tried to grab everything he could under the pretense that it was all his. He refused to see the Divine Hand, guiding prosperity his way.
Gashmius (materialism) has a very strong effect upon us. It can blind us. The clearest and simplest truths in life can become cloudy when money is involved. The last verse of the haftorah states, “For the ways of Hashem are straight; the righteous walk in them, and sinners will stumble over them” (Hoshea 14:10). Yaakov and Lavan both experienced open miracles. Yaakov thanked and praised Hashem. Lavan stumbled in a muck of greed and jealousy. He was blinded by the money.
