פרשת ויצא
The parsha begins with Yaakov leaving Be’er Sheva and going to Haran. The verse continues by saying, “,ויפגע במקום” meaning literally that Yaakov “encountered the place.” Rashi explains that as well as its simple meaning, ויפגע can also be understood as an expression of prayer. From here our Rabbis learned that Yaakov instituted ma’ariv, just as Avraham had instituted shachris and Yitzhak had instituted mincha.
This Rashi deserves some explanation. Firstly, why was Yaakov, of all the Avos, the one who merited the establishment of the night prayer? Also, how did Rashi understand “encountering” to mean prayer? Prayer is so lofty. How can Rashi make it as casual as “encountering”? You can’t just happen to “bump into” G-d!
In order to answer this question, we must first understand what the Rabbis mean when they say that the Avos instituted each prayer service. It can’t possibly mean that they created the nusach that we have today! Rabbi Elya Lopian explains that it means that the Avos enabled us to connect to G-d at those particular times. Before the Avos, relating to G-d was off-limits. Unless you were a prophet and G-d came to you, you would have no opportunity to talk with Him. The Avos were the ones who broke through and allowed us to connect to the Creator of the Universe Himself! Rabbi Lopian compares this to the invention of the telephone. Beforehand, no one could ever dream of communicating with someone else all the way across the world. But, after a lot of hard work, the invention of the telephone allowed every person to connect with whomever they wanted. Because of the Avos, during shachris, mincha, and ma’ariv, every Jew’s prayers can reach all the way to the Cisei HaCavod!!!
The reason that Yaakov Avinu is associated especially with ma’ariv, the night prayer, was because his life in particular was about connecting to G-d even in the darkest of times. Yaakov had to flee from his family, deal with Lavan harasha, his daughter was raped, his wife died in childbirth, his son was lost for many years, etc. Additionally, during Yaakov’s life, his nation suffered greatly, going into the exile in Egypt that brought about its enslavement. During such difficult times, it could seem that G-d was trying to keep His distance from him. Yaakov Avinu teaches us that even a person in such circumstances can cry out and reach G-d. This is why the Torah uses the words, “and he encountered.” A person can connect to G-d whenever he wants. Even when G-d seems to hide Himself, a Jew can still bond intimately with his Maker. This is the essence of ma’ariv.
Throughout history, Jews have cried out to G-d. There is a famous story of how, during the Spanish Inquistion, a man lost his entire family and his whole estate. He had to flee his home and hide in the forest. At one point, he got up and poured out his heart to G-d. He said, “Oh G-d! You have taken away my wife, You have taken away my children, You have taken away my parnassa… You’ve taken everything from me! But one thing You can’t take… The connection I have to You!”
I have a friend who went through a lot of difficult times. But he told me a very interesting thing. “Every time I strengthen myself in davening and recognize that everything I’m experiencing comes from G-d,” he said, “at those times, I am sure that my t’fillos will be answered.” This is our inheritance from Yaakov Avinu. A Jew, wherever he may be, no matter who he is, and at any time, with any problem he may have, can just turn to G-d, with sincerity and with the knowledge that Hashem is there to help him, and he will certainly be heard. As Dovid HaMelech wrote in Tehillim, “Close is Hashem to all those who call Him, to anyone who calls to Him in truth.”
May we all take advantage of our powerful inheritance from Yaakov Avinu to call to G-d whenever we’re in trouble!