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BEGIN WITH A GRIN

A farmer brings a sick sheep into his house to give it treatment and attention. The irritated wife says, “What about the smell?”

The farmer says, “Don’t worry, she’ll get used to it…”

CASH CROP?

This week we read Parshas Vayetzei, which begins with the story of Yaakov’s escape to Charan. Yaakov spent twenty years in the home of history’s greatest swindler, namely his uncle, Lavan the Aramean. And what did Yaakov do during those twenty years? He dealt with shepherding sheep and goats of all types. Yaakov became very wealthy from shepherding, which is quite surprising – imagine if the news announced that the richest person in the world made their fortune from… growing tomatoes or making yellow cheese, you’d raise an eyebrow, wouldn’t you?! So now, instead of tomatoes with yellow cheese (a tasty combination, by the way) meet the honored wealthy man, Yaakov our forefather, who became rich from what? From sheep and goats?!

Towards the end of the parsha, the verse describes Yaakov’s immense wealth. “The man became exceedingly prosperous, and he had many flocks, maidservants and manservants, and camels and donkeys,” (Vayetzei 30:43). How did Yaakov get from sheep and goats to servants and maidservants, how did he turn sheep into donkeys and camels? Rashi explains that Yaakov also did some business: “He sold his flocks at high prices and acquired all these.”

Everyone wanted to buy sheep from Yaakov, so demand rose and with it the price, until the brand “Yaakov’s Sheep” became an international name, and what won’t people pay for a brand name? That’s how Yaakov turned sheep into cash, with which he acquired all his extensive assets. A dizzying success story that should have been published in the Wall Street Journal. But what’s the message for us, children of Avrohom, Yitzchok and Yaakov, what does the Torah want to teach us? To be shepherds?! It’s reasonable to assume that in the year 5785, we won’t succeed in getting rich just from trading in sheep or calves…

And as always, what’s the connection between all this and the true and complete Geula?

In a deep Chassidic maamar, the Rebbe establishes an important foundation in understanding Yaakov’s success and its direct connection to us on the eve of Geula. The Rebbe quotes a Medrash (Tanchuma Ki Tisa, 9): “Israel was counted in ten places… and one will be in the future, as it is said: ‘The flocks shall again pass under the hands of one who counts them.’” And here the question arises: The Jewish people are called by many names in Tanach and by our Sages – children of kings, believers the children of believers, “they are My children,” and many more. Could the text not find fit to call us a more dignified name than “tzon” (sheep/flock)? What are we, sheep?!

Moreover, considering that the census of the Jewish people in the Torah usually begins with the words: “Lift up the head of the Children of Israel,” because counting Jews should lift up the head and Jewish pride and dignity, it would be much more fitting to call us by another name, and not by the name: “tzon.” Especially since this refers to the tenth counting of the Jewish people, which is supposed to be one of the crowning glories of redemption and meant to highlight G-d’s infinite love for the Jewish people – a love that causes Him to count us again and again – wouldn’t it be more appropriate to give us a more dignified title? What are we, steak?! So why, indeed, specifically in the future to come, and specifically in the tenth counting, are we called by the name “tzon”?

The answer lies in the root of the word “tzon.” The Mitteler Rebbe, in his lengthy discourses in Toras Chaim, explains that the root of the word “tzon” comes from the language of going out (yetziah). Going out expresses, in Chassidic terms, a person’s readiness to leave themselves, to change and to nullify themselves before their master. The nature of sheep is that their nullification towards their owners is absolute. That’s why we find the phrase: “a sheep before its shearers is dumb,” – the sheep accept quietly and with complete nullification the shearing of their wool. It’s not that they desire it, it’s not that they wait for it, they don’t want or yearn for it, but they accept the master’s will with complete nullification.

The sheep’s nullification to the shepherd represents the true nullification that a person should have towards the Creator. A person should leave themselves, leave their habits, leave their mental and psychological fixations, let G-d manage their life, give G-d the reins and harness themselves to fulfilling Hashem’s ultimate intent.

CASH IS KING

There will be those who think that if we behave like sheep, if we completely nullify ourselves before the Creator of the world, then we’ll no longer have a taste for life, we’ll lose everything, we’ll lose our existence, we’ll lose our success, and we’ll lose our achievements. Or in other words, it’s better not to live if we are not allowed to manage our lives ourselves.

This is a very common mistake, and a universal one, and this is exactly the redemptive message that the Torah comes to teach in the parsha of “Vayetzei” (going out) through the “tzon”!

“The man became exceedingly prosperous” – when we deal with sheep, and behave like sheep (and not like wild animals…) then we thrive, then we succeed, then we break through the boundaries of our natural abilities, and reach infinity. Yaakov didn’t lose anything because of the sheep; he only gained, he only broke through, he only succeeded, and so will we!

There is virtue in donkeys, there is virtue in oxen, as our Sages said: “Like an ox to the yoke and a donkey to the burden,” but nothing compares to the virtue of sheep. Yaakov takes the sheep and through that attains all other positive qualities, he attains servants, maidservants, camels and donkeys and more and more. He achieves success in real estate, success in high-tech, and wealth in the stock market, from where? From the sheep!

This is also the path leading to the true and complete redemption, through complete nullification to the Supreme Will. When the Geula comes, we are meant to receive the most elevated spiritual and divine revelations, revelations that even the Jewish people during the Exodus from Egypt and at the giving of the Torah did not receive. Where do we get the strength to receive this? And where do we get the vessels to internalize it? The answer is simple: Sheep! Bittul!

The best vessel for receiving G-d’s blessings, both physical and spiritual, is bittul (nullification). As the prophet says: “But to this one I will look, to the poor and broken-spirited person and who trembles at My word.” The Torah comes to remove us from the corrupted consciousness that accepting the Creator’s yoke means losing one’s personal life. The opposite is true; the most effective way for a person to touch infinity and break through the boundaries of the possible is specifically through bittul to the Creator. This is how we become vessels for our personal redemption and the general redemption of all of Am Yisrael.

That’s why Yaakov dealt with sheep for twenty years, and that’s why we are called “tzon,” to teach us that the true way to live life is to learn from a flock of sheep and behave accordingly. We must leave ourselves, leave our spiritual stagnation, accept the yoke of heaven with complete nullification, and thereby bring redemption and Moshiach who is also called by the name “Peretz” (breakthrough).

TO CONCLUDE WITH A STORY

And we’ll close with a story about how nullification to the Creator’s will breaks through life’s limitations and standards.

The shliach Rabbi Sholom Ber Lipskar from Miami was once invited to officiate at a fancy wedding. A few moments before the chuppah, Rabbi Lipskar realized that the man who was supposed to stand beside him at the chuppah and serve as the second witness wasn’t coming. The event producer signaled Rabbi Lipskar to approach the chuppah, and he turned pale. He looked at the crowd anxiously but couldn’t find an observant person who could serve as the second witness.

Suddenly, someone approached Rabbi Lipskar and asked what the conditions were to be a witness. The Rabbi answered that one needs to observe several fundamentals of Judaism, primarily Shabbos observance. That person said he was interested in Judaism and had taken several steps to strengthen his observance, and he was ready to accept upon himself now to properly observe Shabbos. Rabbi Lipskar spoke with him, saw that his intention was one hundred percent serious, and proceeded with the wedding ceremony.

Several years passed, and Rabbi Lipskar was at the Kosel. Suddenly, a man approached him, warmly shook his hand and said, “Rabbi, you saved my family life. Know that all my friends got divorced over time, and I’m the only one maintaining a united family.” Rabbi Lipskar didn’t understand who he was or when they had even met. “It’s all thanks to that advice you gave me before the chuppah in Florida, to disconnect for one day and observe Shabbos. Every Friday evening, the whole family sits together, everyone shares what happened during their week, we all give support and backing, and that’s how we overcome life’s challenges…”

More than he kept Shabbos, Shabbos kept him. And more than we do a favor for God, He does a favor for us.

Good Shabbos!

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