Vayetze: outsmart

Yaakov goes out into the world. His interaction with Lavan echoes back to Eisav. Yaakov outsmarted Eisav. What was sold for the lentils was not clear, Yaakov parleyed it into Yitzchok’s blessing. With Lavan, the division of wealth was vague. Gd (through fate) enriched Yaakov and not Lavan. Lavan joins Eisav in the alienation of Yaakov.

The ambiguity of the economic system is an ongoing issue. There are countless ways to distribute wealth, to attribute possession - and they are all fair ( to the winners, at least). Yaakov’s labor entitles him to payment. Lavan’s sheep spawned everything that Yaakov ( who came to Lavan penniless) had. Lavan’s daughter’s ask if they had no rights in their father’s estate. Did Lavan have the right to give his son’s inheritance to Yaakov? Fair tax, tax the rich, save the euro, go back to the drachma.....

One takes from another, gives alms to the poor,. and expects gratitude. What a system, yet it is all systems, the best of all possible systems