Lead Tidbit
Two Sides of Maasei Avot
The expression MAASEI AVOT SIMAN LABANIM (the deeds of the ancestors are signs or pattern-setters, models - for their descendants) is often used to explain facts of Jewish History. Such-and-such happened, past tense, and we see the pattern having been set by something the Avot did, as recorded in the Torah. There is also a dynamic application of that expression in our own lives.

With this week's sedra, we come to the end of the Book of the Avot (patriarchs); next week we begin the Book of the Banim, the children.

B'reishit is filled with lessons of behavior - both positive and negative. A wise person learns to follow a good example and shun a negative example. Look at the enthusiasm Avraham Avinu had for welcoming guests - he even ran from a personal encounter with G-d, begging Him to wait for him to return. If that is a MAASEH AVOT, it can only become a behavior of the children (us), IF we choose to emulate it. We believe that we are predisposed to hospitality because of our Avot and Imahot. But that predisposition is not enough - we also need to be hospitable - enthusiastically so.

We can learn as much from negative examples as we do from positive ones. A person with more than one child would do well to learn from the KUTONET PASIM (striped and/or multi-colored garment given by Yaakov to Yosef) episode. A parent must be exceedingly careful not to cause jealousy among siblings to rear its ugly head.

This is not meant as a criticism of Yaakov and his sons. They were on a level that we cannot necessarily relate to. But it is obvious that their stories also speak to us on our own level. Jealousy and sibling rivalry, and hatred are all real life concepts. The deeds of the Avot definitely speak to us. They not only explain what happens, but they teach us what should or should not happen. We also must remember that we're not pre-programmed robots. We input significantly in all this.