On the Road Again

I really had the urge to call this piece: Walk Discusses Walking, but I controlled myself (with difficulty). We are indeed going to cover the verse: And Ya’akov lifted his feet and WALKed to the Land of the Children of the East (Breishit 29:1). So, we will get to a discussion about the act of walking. 

But first things first: Where, in fact, was Ya’akov headed? Well, the area called Land of the Children of the East contains the city of Haran. This is where Avraham lived after fleeing Ur and before heading for Eretz Yisrael, and this is where the servant of Avraham went to find Rivka as a wife for Yitzchak.

Most scholars identify this location as modern Harran in Turkey, which is about 500 miles from Beer Sheva. Since caravans travelled between 15 and 25 miles per day, the trip could be made in about a month. 

But my true focus on the verse is about the language V’YISA YA’AKOV RAGLAV VAYELACH, ‘and Ya’akov lifted his feet and went (or walked)’. What is this ‘lifting of his feet’? Reb Ovadia S’forno offers what is probably the literal meaning of this phrase: When a person proceeds on a journey voluntarily, at his own initiative, this is described in terms of his personality carrying, lifting his own feet. When the initiative is not his, under orders against his will, his feet are described as carrying him.

Cool! But there are many interpretations of this unusual phrase. The Netziv suggests that. ‘he feared falling into a ‘stumbling block’, therefore he ‘elevated his steps (RAGLAV, ‘feet’ or ‘legs’). The implication is that his walking was elevated for the purpose of not being pulled (or ‘dragged’) into a spiritually negative state like that of the B’nei Kedem. He was preparing himself greatly to be more careful.’

Many others suggest that now he would be walking under his own power as opposed to earlier in his trip when he had travelled miraculously through the process called K’FITZAT HA’DERECH, ‘jumping the route’. Probably, this is the origin of the now famous term in the Dune series of books and movies, Kwisatz Haderach. This is the title of their messiah figure and is translated as ‘The Shortening of the Way’. I guess Frank Herbert knew some Midrash. 

However, the literal meaning of our phrase is advanced by Rashi, Rashbam and Radak, and is: He now could travel with a lightness to his step, because of the great assurances of protection he had just received from God in the Dream of the Ladder.

For my money, though, the most interesting interpretations are more mystical. The Ohev Yisrael (the first Rav Avraham Yehoshus Heschel, 1748-1825) suggests that previous to God’s promises of protection in the Dream, Ya’akov specifically feared the magicians and necromancers of that area (remember Bilaam came that general area). He now had become aware that his physical form was represented as the human face on God’s Divine Throne (in Yechezkel’s vision, but he saw it in the Dream), and he therefore ‘lifted’ his physical body parts to a higher spiritual plane. This ‘lifting’ would keep him safe from evil machinations. 

He had figured out a critically important reality. We can, through Mitzvah performances, raise our physical body parts to higher spiritual realms. This gave Ya’akov new confidence and a spring to his step.

But my favorite approach is that of the S’fat Emet. The second Gerer Rebbe sees our verse in a Janus like context. Our verse which describes the new elevated spirit of Ya’akov should be seen as both a result of the previous story and as an introduction to the next episode in our story about to unfold.

In 5641 (1880), the Rebbe explained that in the Dream of the Ladder, Ya’akov came to understand his pivotal role in both this physical world and the heavenly spiritual realm. He is the bridge, the connector, between Heaven and Earth. He is the Ladder. It was at this moment that he instituted ARVIT, the evening prayer, because he came to understand that we can, and must find light even in the darkness.

On the other hand, in 5635 (1874) the Rebbe wrote about the next incident. When Ya’akov rolled (GAL) the rock (which normally required many shepherds to move) from upon the well, he was also revealing (GAL) the enormity of one’s YETZER HARA (‘evil impulse’), and, more importantly, the fact that we have the power to ‘roll that impulse away’. He found ‘good’ where others saw ‘bad’ or, at least, an impediment to good (watering the flocks). He revealed and accessed this power when he ‘lifted his feet’. 

The Rebbe saw our verse as the transition from the previous story to the next incident. He also is revealing that this verse signifies the emergence of Ya’akov as a spiritual giant in the world. The former ‘simple tent dweller’ enters the world stage as the hero of his life and destiny. 

The message is very powerful and persuasive for us all. We can become the champions of our own lives by rising to the occasion. We all must learn from Ya’akov to lift up our feet and conquer whatever challenge must be met. If we do this in sincerity and purity, we must believe that God will bless our efforts. Lift up those feet and get moving!