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Below is part of RSRH's commentary on Bereishis 28:20-21.<br><br>
<font face="Arial, Helvetica" size=4><b>20
</font><font face="Arial, Helvetica" size=3><i>Ya’akov made a vow as
follows: If God will be with me and keep me on this path on which I am
going, and will give me bread to eat and<br>
clothes to wear;<br><br>
</i></font><font face="Arial, Helvetica" size=4>21
</font><font face="Arial, Helvetica" size=3><i>And I return in peace to
my father’s house — then
</i></font><font face="Arial, Helvetica" size=3>God
</font><font face="Arial, Helvetica" size=3><i>will be God to
me.<br><br>
</i></b></font><font face="Arial, Helvetica" size=3>Ever since the gates
of Paradise were closed, the establishment of<br>
an independent household involves so many difficulties, hinges on
circumstances<br>
and situations so complex, that a person needs special help<br>
from God so as not to forfeit the whole of his better self in gaining
that<br>
piece of bread. Who can count the people who were morally pure
before<br>
they set out on “the path to bread and clothing,” but who
subsequently,<br>
for the sake of making a living and attaining social status, denied
God,<br>
spurned morality, were inconsiderate of their neighbor and of his
human<br>
dignity, and so on. Not for naught do our Sages say that “this<br>
path” alludes to </font><font face="Arial, Helvetica" size=3><i>Avodah
Zarah</i></font><font face="Arial, Helvetica" size=3>,
</font><font face="Arial, Helvetica" size=3><i>Gilui Arroyos</i>,
<i>Sh'vechas Domim </i></font><font face="Arial, Helvetica" size=3>and
</font><font face="Arial, Helvetica" size=3><i>Loshon Harah</i>
</font><font face="Arial, Helvetica" size=3>(see
</font><font face="Arial, Helvetica" size=3><i>Bereshis<br>
Rabbah </i></font><font face="Arial, Helvetica" size=3>70:4).<br><br>
Thus far, Ya’akov has been a
</font><font face="Arial, Helvetica" size=3><i>yoshav ohalyim
</i></font><font face="Arial, Helvetica" size=3> but now he is setting
out<br>
to seek a wife and sustenance for his wife and children. The dangers<br>
involved seem to him so grave that
</font><font face="Arial, Helvetica" size=3><i>first
</i></font><font face="Arial, Helvetica" size=3>he prays for the
preservation<br>
of his character, that he not forfeit his spiritual and moral
integrity.<br>
</font><font face="Arial, Helvetica" size=3><i>Integrity
</i></font><font face="Arial, Helvetica" size=3>is the first thing that
the ancestral Jew wishes for himself<br>
as he sets out to establish his home.</font></body>
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