VaYetzei: Have It All

Parashat VaYetzei kicks off with Jacob fleeing his parents' home to escape his brother's wrath.  In the middle of the desert, he stops to rest and has an awe-inspiring dream of angels ascending and descending a ladder.  Startled awake, he recognizes God's protective presence in his life, and forges a covenant of his own with God.  Jacob echoes the relationship his parents and grandparents had with the Divine, but also makes clear that he must construct his theology and his God-relationship on his own terms.

When Jews pray, they evoke the patriarchs Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (and, in egalitarian settings, the matriarchs Sarah, Rebecca, Rachel, and Leah are also acknowledged).  We hope that we are blessed because of their merits, but we recognize that we also must encounter God in our own right, and live lives that are worthy of God's blessing.  Our tradition teaches that if we can do so whole-heartedly, God will indeed bless us abundantly.

God appears to Jacob in the midst of the wilderness when Jacob is experiencing one of the most vulnerable moments in his life (though there will be others to come).  It would seem that Jacob needs God at this point mores than God needs Jacob.  Nevertheless, God sees promise and potential in him, and promises him great things.

I feel this song captures the sense of the opportunities that lay in store for Jacob in the future.  If he keeps up his end of the covenant, and engages in behavior that is pleasing to God, he can "have it all."

Please note, I do not own-- nor do I claim to own-- these songs.  Copyrights are held by the various artists.  I include them here for illustrative purposes.

Have It All- (VaYetzei, Genesis 28:10-32:3)
Music and lyrics by Jason Mraz, David Hodges, Jacob Kasher Hindlin, Mona Tavakoli, Chaska Lela Potter, May Sunshine Bloomfield, and Emily Gebhardt.  Performed by Jason Mraz.  From the album, "Know." Atlantic Records, 2018.