At the end of last week’s reading, Jacob literally escaped with his life after tricking his twin brother Esau out of his birthright and then stealing Esau’s blessing.  In fleeing from his deceit – I believe knowingly aware that what he had done was wrong – Jacob ran smack into an Encounter with the Place of All, the Omnipresent, HaMakom: “vayifga baMakom”.

There he received the gift of a dream that has inspired generations.  Jacob saw a ladder reaching between earth and heaven with Divinity above and angels ascending and descending.  He learned that our prayers do, in fact reach heavenward and Divine bounty thus descends.  He learned that we, as people have this unique roll in this Universe of Possibilities:  to be the connector between the ethereal realms and this embodied realm. 

Perhaps it was only from the place of darkness, shame and despondancy that Jacob was able to receive this communication.  He was given the gift of hope and of the possibilities of self- transformation, healing and Teshuvah.

So, too for us.  At this time of Rosh Hodesh  the new moon of Kislev, our darkest month, but also the month that ends with the holyday of Hanukah , we can share Jacobs hope, despite despair, that when we rededicate our inner temple and bring Conscious Light to all the dark places of our souls and the world, change and renewal are possible.  We must, like Jacob, share the trust that our errors can be repaired, that tikkun olam – fixing the world – is indeed our holy task as incarnate beings – and that is it within our reach.  Let this be the essential gift of Kislev and Hanukah this year..

With optimism and blessing that our hokhmat ha-lev, wisdom of heart will be manifest,

Rabbi SaraLeya
1 Kislev 5772
November 27, 2011