Vayeitzei – Time Stands Still Yet Flies By

In this week's Parsha, the Torah tells of the marriage between Yaakov and Rochel. Yaakov agrees to work as a shepherd for Lavan for seven years, and as compensation for his work, Lavan allows him to marry his daughter Rochel. Upon the completion of the seven years, the Torah states, 'Yaakov worked for Rachel for seven years, and they appeared to him as merely a few days due to his love for her.' This verse is rather perplexing. Typically, when an individual is anticipating an event, the greater their excitement, the longer the wait appears to be. If Yaakov indeed harbored such love for Rochel as the Torah indicates, should it not have felt like an endless period?

The Chizkuni, along with other commentators on Chumash, addresses this question. He proposes two potential responses to this matter. The passuk states, "These seven years passed for him as though they were merely a few days." (1) Yaakov regarded the necessity of working for seven years to marry Rachel as a trivial cost, akin to having paid only a few days' wages for her. This reflected the intensity of his love for her. Had Lavan demanded a greater amount, he would have been willing to pay it. (2) However, while he was engaged in work, he felt quite the opposite and could hardly wait for the moment when he would marry her.

Will This Ever End?

This Chizkuni provides significant insight into human psychology. Each person will inevitably confront difficult situations in their lifetime. While navigating these challenging periods, one may feel as though their circumstances will remain unchanged. The Gemara states that an individual cannot extricate themselves from imprisonment. This suggests that when one is engulfed in a situation, a person typically struggles to envision a way out. Despite how it may seem no circumstance, whether favorable or adverse, endures indefinitely. The key to life is perseverance. Don’t give up, as Shlomo Hamelech wisely noted, "This too shall pass."

In the business sector, the notion of ROI (return on investment) is crucial for making prudent choices. Observing life through the ROI perspective is an additional tool that can be extracted from this Chizkuni. After Yaakov's exhaustive seven years of shepherding, he looked back at the time spent as fleeting, as he was able to view it in the context of a larger scheme. Only after finishing the work and as he prepared to enjoy the rewards of his hard work that he understood it was indeed a minor price to pay for marrying Rochel. The advantage of hindsight enabled him to understand that in relation to what he was about to gain, it was merely a brief span of time and effort.

Have an Action Plan

Utilizing these two concepts derived from the Chizkuni can prove beneficial in formulating a life action plan. Establishing such a plan can determine whether an individual is overwhelmed by life's storms or possesses the resilience to withstand them. The first step in this process is to recognize and accept that challenges will present themselves in various forms, whether physical, financial, or spiritual. The next step is to understand that most situations are not permanent. Keeping this in mind can ease the journey through life's difficulties. Ultimately, once the necessary work and effort have been invested, it is important to reflect on the time and energy expended and appreciate the growth that has resulted from them.

By taking a step back before, during, and after a struggle, and keeping these lessons in mind, enables a person to maintain perspective. Similar to how Yaakov examined those seven years from various viewpoints. Before marrying Rochel, he commits to a considerable price. Throughout those seven years, he recognizes the challenges and the effort he invested in achieving his objective. Finally, after everything is completed, he reflects and understands that, in the larger context of life, it was more than worth the cost. The final component of the action plan is reflection. When executed effectively, an individual will recognize that their dedication and hard work pay off as they become all the better for having done so.