Only through Torah study can life’s challenges be confronted

Rabbi Yoshiyahu Pinto, in his teachings on Parashat Vayeitzei, emphasizes the importance of Torah study as a preparation for facing life’s challenges and exile. Reflecting on the verse, “And Jacob went out from Be’er Sheva and went to Haran,” Rabbi Pinto explains how Jacob’s journey symbolizes a transformative chapter in his life.

The rabbi highlights that during times of crisis, Torah serves as a “city of refuge” for every Jew. Just as Jacob spent 14 years in the yeshiva of Eber before reaching Haran, modern individuals must anchor themselves in Torah to protect against the trials of the times. Rabbi Pinto notes that Eber’s yeshiva differed from that of Shem, where Jacob had studied under his father Isaac’s influence. At Eber’s yeshiva, Jacob acquired tools to navigate a deceitful, spiritually detached world.

Jacob, previously a “dweller of tents,” dedicated seven years to subduing the forces of impurity and another seven to instilling holiness and goodness. These lessons not only prepared him personally but also served as a model for the Jewish people in their global challenges and exiles.

Rabbi Pinto further explains how Jacob passed these lessons to his son Joseph, who learned for 14 years before his own trials in Egypt. Joseph, equipped with the strength of Torah, overcame challenges from Potiphar’s house to prison, ultimately rising to become viceroy of Egypt.

This journey, says Rabbi Pinto, illustrates a timeless principle: Torah is not just an escape but a guide for engagement with the world. Today, as the Jewish people face complex challenges, Torah study remains a spiritual anchor and shield.

Rabbi Pinto concludes by urging the repair of sinat chinam (baseless hatred) and the strengthening of Torah and mitzvot as paths toward redemption. Jacob’s lesson is eternal: navigating the world requires Torah as a foundation. In this, we pray to walk in Jacob’s path, fortify ourselves with Torah, and witness the coming of the Messiah speedily in our days.