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<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>It
has been pointed out that the most striking parallel to this parasha is the
story of the descent to Egypt. There are so many obvious thematic similarities
and complete correspondence between the two accounts that it figuratively
can be regarded as the same tale.</span><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>We
see the following literary parallels as well: Yaacov 'works' (vaya-avod
-- 29:20) for Lavan and Israel were made to 'labor' for Pharaoh (vaya-a-vidu --
Sh'mot 1:13);</span><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>God
'sees' (ra-iti -- 31:12) what Lavan has done to Yaacov, and God 'sees' (Sh'mot
3:7) the affliction of His people; </span><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>Yaacov
became (m'od m'od 30:43) 'exceedingly' wealthy and Israel 'exceedingly' (bim'od
m'od -- Sh'mot 1:7) multiplies;</span><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:
"Times New Roman","serif"'><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'> Yaacov
'fled' (vayivrach -- 31:21) from Lavan and Israel 'fled' (varach -- Sh'mot
14:5) from Pharaoh;</span><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'> Lavan
is 'told' (vayugad -- 31:22) that Yaacov has 'fled' and Pharaoh is 'told'
(vayugad -- Sh'mot 14:5) that Israel has 'fled'; </span><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>Lavan
'pursues' (vayirdof -- 31:23) Yaacov, and Pharaoh 'pursues' (vayirdof -- 14:8)
the children of Israel.</span><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>The
other fascinating parallel is that according to Rashi (Sh'mot 14:5), Pharaoh
learns of Israel's failure to return on the 'third day' of their Exodus and
finally catches up with them at the Reed Sea on the 'seventh day', exactly as
is recorded concerning Lavan: "Lavan was informed on the 'third' day
that Yaacov had fled and he pursued him a distance of 'seven' days...(31:23-24).</span><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>As
one can see the story of Yaacov and Lavan is the same story as Israel/Pharaoh,
but with one significant difference: Yaacov's enslavement and redemption
is about an </span><i><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>individual</span></i><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'> whereas Israel's
enslavement and exodus is the story of a </span><i><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>people</span></i><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>. The God of Israel is interested and
concerned with both aspects of human existence: the personal and
particular as well as the communal and collective. </span><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>Kol
tuv/Best regards<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>ri<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
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