Shabbat Parashat Vayetse Creating a Space for our Dreams

Our Sages realized that our spiritual life is influenced by many factors.  They sensed that prayer in the morning is inherently different from prayer in the afternoon.  And they understood that evening prayer is entirely different from either morning or afternoon prayers.

Our Sages attributed the establishment of each of the three times of prayer in the day (morning, afternoon and evening) to our three biblical patriarchs.  Abraham is credited with having initiated the morning prayers.  Isaac is credited with having inspired our afternoon prayers.  And Jacob, based on the dream of the ladder resting upon the earth and reaching up to the heavens as the angels climb up and down the ladder, is said to have laid the foundation for our evening prayers.

In the rush of our mornings, we may not be open to deep spiritual insights.  Our morning prayers are intended to remind us of our values as we prepare to begin our day.  In the afternoons, we are often still caught up in the business of our day.  But, in the evening, as our day is winding down, we have the opportunity to create a spiritual space for our dreams.  We have the opportunity to reach for the heavens.  Jacob taught us that in the evenings, we have the option of sensing more clearly the reality, the power and the truth of things that have transpired during the day.  That is what the evening prayers are all about.

May we enjoy our evening prayers and may we be inspired by Jacob’s example to find meaning and spiritual clarity in our dreams.

Shabbat Shalom,

Rabbi Gilah Dror