![]() Jacob’s adversary declares, “Your name shall no longer be Jacob, but Israel, for you have striven with God and men and have prevailed” (Gen. This encounter, which precedes Jacob’s meeting and reconciliation with Esau, is a turning point in the Jacob saga and a defining moment for Israel’s understanding of itself, for it is during this struggle that Jacob is given the name Israel. In this week’s parashah, Jacob’s imperfections are given physical expression during his encounter with the “man” with whom he wrestles in the dark of the night. Ironically, it is often their own imperfections that make them effective leaders. As we well understand, all our leaders are flawed. It is, I believe, their humanity, with their human failings, that makes them real, and it is the Torah’s real description of its men and women that allows it to speak to all times. My own view of the patriarchs accentuates their humanity. As a teacher, I can only encourage my students to ask the difficult questions. What do you do when you find the patriarchs to be less than perfect? What do you do when the myth of the superhero has been shattered? Do you avoid discussing the human weaknesses of our people’s ancestors, or do you dare to question aspects of their conduct? Students face these questions yearly as they reexamine the stories of our people’s ancestors. ![]() The divrei torah often reflect the students’ difficulties with the text, especially with the patriarchal narratives. Over the past years I have listened to many a d’var torah on the Book of Genesis (which always coincides with the fall semester). Each week another student offers a d’var torah on the weekly parashah, and the other students share responses, reactions, and at times, criticism and suggestions for improvement. Students study rabbinic sources and halakhic texts on the life-cycle, gradually integrating these texts into their emerging rabbinic personality.Īmong the things we do in the seminar is listen to one another deliver divrei torah. We explore some of the larger societal issues of each turning point in the life-cycle with an eye towards their impact on the individual and their challenge to the contemporary rabbi. We discuss and examine the major life-cycle rituals. Our overarching theme for the year is the life-cycle of the Jew. Allan Kensky Rabbi of Beth Hillel Congregation Bnai Emunahįor the past nine years, one of my assignments in the Rabbinical School has been to lead a year long, twice-weekly seminar in professional and spiritual development for our first year students.
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