As Heard from Rabbi Avigdor Miller ZT”L

“And Jacob went on his way, and Messengers (or Angels) of G-d met him.” (32:2)

Previously he had seen angels in his dreams (ladder), but now Jacob had attained such perfection that he merited seeing them when he was awake. It is certain that Jacob had progressed in the service of Hashem and had gained Perfection in many ways, but in the Torah nothing is revealed except the fact of his loyalty to the service of Laban.

The Torah states, “And you know that with all my strength I served your father.” (31:6) “These twenty years have I been with you…the rams of your flocks I have not eaten. That which was torn (by beasts) I did not bring to you (Laban), I bore the loss…” (31:39) “When I was there by day the drought consumed me and the frost by night, and my sleep departed from my eyes.” (31:40)

After fourteen years in the Academy of Shem and Eber he was worthy of seeing angels in a dream. But after twenty years with Laban he merited seeing angels while awake. These verses are Hashem’s teaching from which we learn how Jacob attained his chief Perfection in Hashem’s service. By his exceptional loyalty to Laban, despite all of Laban’s injustices to him.

Loyalty is the trait which is at the foundation upon which our holy father Yaacob built his edifice of perfection. It is our loyalty and steadfastness to our parents, spouse, teachers, children, nation and country which further develops this character trait for more perfect loyalty in the service of Hashem, Torah and Mitzvot.

‘Emunah’, fundamentally means steadfastness or loyalty. Thus, “A righteous one shall live because of his Emunah” (Habakuk 2:4) means “because of his steadfastness/loyalty.” We learn that the quality of Emunah is not fundamentally “belief” but rather “loyalty.” But the word Emunah is also related to “Truth” as in Emet or in Amen.

Even one who believes is not necessarily loyal; the loyal one seeks to believe; and he finds Emunah, because the Truth is with Israel and is available for those that are loyal to Israel.

Adapted from “The Beginning” By Rabbi Avigdor Miller ZT”L

Shabbat Shalom

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