Guest Rambler, Sydni Burg
Embrace Change
Characterized by new beginnings, including both the Jewish new year and the turn of the secular decade, these past couple of months have induced many into a reflective state - and I am no exception. I have thought about where I have been and how far I have come, as well as where I am now. Introspection - a powerful dimension of thought - allows us to compartmentalize chapters of life that define our growth. In my case, these chapters ultimately fuel the question, “what’s next”? However, this week’s Parsha serves as a humble reminder that in order to predict what is to come, sometimes we must first look at what has been.
From public school to a gap year in Israel, and a pit stop at a little New York college before reaching my final destination in Ann Arbor, Michigan, the past few years of my life have felt like a whirlwind, to say the least. As soon as I acclimate to the way of life in front of me, it seems to change yet again. Parshat Vayechi emphasizes the importance of learning from our walk throughout life and its unavoidable transitions. Adopting this view has restored my focus on the meaning and texture behind some of my own experiences, which I had previously, and narrowly, just viewed as uncomfortable.
Parshat Vayechi underscores the lesson that one who fears change is less likely to grow simply because growth is many times an outcome of change. The parsha casts a spotlight on Yaakov’s triumphs that were inspired by drastic change during the last 17 years of his life. As those years were spent in Egypt - the land that tried to break the Jewish body and soul with arduous labor and dehumanizing oppression - it seemed awfully unfair that this was his compensation for his tremendous contribution to the Jewish people.
However, from the Alter Rebbe (founder of the Chabad movement and author of countless renowned Jewish texts) we learn that these 17 years were actually the best of Yaakov’s life. The Alter Rebbe suggests that things are not always as they may seem. After over a century of life lived in the land of Israel, how could the mere two decades spent in Egypt be Yaakov’s most enjoyed?
This paradox unravels when we ask the simple question, “why”? You see, the Alter Rebbe explains that prior to their arrival in Egypt, Yaakov sent his son, Yehudah, to build a yeshiva for Torah study and transmission. Maybe it was the dichotomy of Torah light in a place of moral darkness that enhanced the goodness of Yaakov’s study, or maybe this is meant to convey the beauty of walking in God’s ways regardless of where you are or who you’re with. Either way, the message is made abundantly clear: Whether stars seem brighter in a dark sky or shine brightly all on their own, they shine nonetheless. This symbolizes the eternal value in both Torah study and learning from God’s world more generally. As human beings that are vulnerable to our circumstances, we should model the endless pursuit of wisdom and knowledge that led Yaakov to become stronger in the face of obstacles.
In my own small effort to habituate that pursuit, I began to write down one thing that I learn each day before I go to sleep. For example, on September 6th, after regretfully dragging myself out with friends for fear of missing out, “Sometimes you just have to trust your gut”. During midterm week on October 19th, “I learned that managing your stress can be really empowering”. And on November 11th, “I learned that a little compassion can go a long way”. I believe that the lessons I learn every day must be made possible by Hashem, as I absorb them through His world, surrounded by His beings. After all, the world was created as an outlet for humans to connect with Him. Re-reading these seemingly trite entries in preparation for the secular new year has reminded me of the theme behind a life well lived.
And, so, in contemplating that question – “what’s next?” – the parsha’s implicit message on being a forever-learner illuminates the way. Yaakov underwent the transition of a lifetime, yet he flourished because of it. Similarly, while the past few years of my life have been marked by seemingly endless transition, they have also facilitated my greatest growth to date. “Vayechi” is a direct translation of “and he lived” - because living is learning. Rather than viewing transition as daunting or inconvenient, may we all follow in the ways of Yaakov and take advantage of these breeding grounds for growth.
Shabbat Shalom,
Sydni
