Dream a Little Dream of Me

Which biblical character do you most resemble? Sounds like one of those Internet quizzes that pop up on your Facebook feed. Yet, I’ve given this some thought, as one biblical character often reminds me of me. That would be Jacob, the younger twin son of Isaac, who schemes and skedaddles, woos and wiles, dreams and designs. What attracts me most to Jacob? Jacob draws my attention as he is deeply flawed and yet highly regarded.

Jacob is perhaps best known from the stories in which he is the clever actor and the heavenly dreamer. The earlier glimpses of Jacob show his wily side; tricking his brother, Esau, and father, Isaac, to dislodge the inheritance due the first-born. Yet, the rabbinic tradition understands Jacob differently. Jacob is the tent dweller, presumed to be studious. When compared to Esau who is vulturine, Jacob seems virtuous. I want to believe that Jacob’s positive qualities, as discerned by the rabbis, outweigh the scheming characteristics described in the Torah. I am inspired by the elevation of a rule breaker to the status of righteous patriarch. Jewish tradition allows for imperfect humans to yet achieve great prestige and veneration.

As to the dreamer, I understand Jacob as a romantic who has visions of the spiritual realm. As he flees from Esau’s wrath on his rocky trek to Haran, Jacob opens to greater consciousness. Jacob dreams of a ladder reaching to heaven with angels ascending and descending. His nighttime revelation gives him strength and hope, allowing him to persevere.

The dreams I remember having are far more pedestrian than those of Jacob. Yet, in my waking hours, I can envision myself as if on the celestial ladder, moving heavenward yet remaining earthbound. Jacob teaches me that the troubled soul can reach sky-high even as the body is alighted. The concept of seeking and soaring is by itself transformative, as the prospect of ascent brings hopefulness to mind. Even when life is so discomforting that there are only rocks for pillows, we can dream of something sublime. As Carl Sandburg wrote, “nothing happens unless first a dream.”

Jacob is not quite my hero. His flaws are too numerous to make him an idol or champion. But I respect his ability to persist and I admire how his legacy transcended troubling imperfections. For endurance, I align well with Jacob. For reputation, I aspire to a hint of his stature. From Jacob’s lifetime of conflicts, travails and unrequited desires, we learn that perfection is not needed to guarantee a legacy of good repute. I hope that my many flaws are superseded in memory by the fruits of my aspirations.

R’ Evan J. Krame