Daily Zohar # 1983 – Vayishlach – The only power that counts

Daily Zohar 1983

Daily Zohar 1983

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Hebrew translation:

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Zohar Vayishlach

Laban was a powerful magician and had great power in his mouth. After he discovered that Jacob run away, he decided to go after him. Before he caught up with Jacob, God appeared to him in a dream telling him to block his mouth from blessing or cursing Jacob.

Genesis 31:24
“ וַיָּבֹא אֱלֹהִים אֶל-לָבָן הָאֲרַמִּי, בַּחֲלֹם הַלָּיְלָה; וַיֹּאמֶר לוֹ, הִשָּׁמֶר לְךָ פֶּן-תְּדַבֵּר עִם-יַעֲקֹב–מִטּוֹב עַד-רָע”
“God came to Laban the Aramean in a dream of the night and said to him, “Be careful that you do not speak to Jacob either good or bad”

The power to curse or bless runs in the family. Laban’s grandson, Balaam, was invited by Balak to curse the Israelites when they were in the wilderness, on their way to the Promised Land. God interfered again to protect the children of Israel, keeping the blessings given to Jacob.

Numbers 22:9 “ וַיָּבֹא אֱלֹהִים, אֶל-בִּלְעָם; ”
“That night God came to Balaam…”
Numbers 22:12
“וַיֹּאמֶר אֱלֹהִים אֶל-בִּלְעָם, לֹא תֵלֵךְ עִמָּהֶם; לֹא תָאֹר אֶת-הָעָם, כִּי בָרוּךְ הוּא.”
“God said to Balaam, “You shall not go with them. You shall not curse the people, for they are blessed.”

Laban could harm Jacob but he had to follow God’s command because otherwise he would lose everything. Even as a negative person he knew that he can not go against the words of God. He was part of the system that God created for us to challenge us and overcome it.
Genesis 31:29
“יֶשׁ-לְאֵל יָדִי, לַעֲשׂוֹת עִמָּכֶם רָע; וֵאלֹהֵי אֲבִיכֶם אֶמֶשׁ אָמַר אֵלַי לֵאמֹר, הִשָּׁמֶר לְךָ מִדַּבֵּר עִם-יַעֲקֹב–מִטּוֹב עַד-רָע”
“It is in my power to do you harm. But the God of your father spoke to me last night, saying, ‘Be careful not to say anything to Jacob, either good or bad.’”

Jacob had powerful adversaries but at the same time he earned the protection of the only power that counts, YHVH.

If we are not connected to YHVH through the study of Torah, Zohar and prayers, we can not trust any force in the world to save us from chaos.

Psalms 146:3
“אַל-תִּבְטְחוּ בִנְדִיבִים– בְּבֶן-אָדָם, שֶׁאֵין לוֹ תְשׁוּעָה.”
“Do not trust in princes, In mortal man, in whom there is no salvation.”

Proverbs 3:5 “Trust in YHVH with all your heart And do not lean on your own understanding.” 6 “In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.”

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