Parshat Vayishlah - Religious Satisfaction
by Rabbi Lobel

After returning from Haran, to the Land of Canaan, Jacob was scared of Esav's retribution. After both trying to appease Esav and prepare for war, Jacob prayed to G-d. “I have been diminished by all the kindnesses and all the truths that You (G-d) have done to your servant...Save me, please, from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esav... And You (G-d) had said, “I will surely do good to you.” (Genesis 32:11-13)

Many commentaries ask - why was Jacob so scared? Did not G-d tell Jacob, “Behold, I am with you wherever you go . . . for I will not forsake you.” (Genesis 28:13-15).

Rashi explains that Jacob was fearful he may have run out of merits for more kindness since G-d had done so much for him. Or perhaps he might have sinned after G-d had made his promise.

The Ralbag (Sixth Toeles) takes this to another level. G-d's promise was based on the condition that Jacob must maintain the spiritual levels that were deserving of all the kindness bestowed upon him.

How can this be? Isn’t G-d’s promise a promise? Are all G-d’s promises conditional?

This question is made more difficult by Nachmandies’s statement “the ways of righteous people are to always be fearful of sin and Jacob was fearful, but maybe he sinned unknowingly in the house of Laban.” There seems to be no end to the possibilities that could nullify G-d’s promises, rendering them unreliable.

The answer is that G-d’s “promise” is actually more like a contract. G-d is saying to Jacob, so long as you remain who you are, wholly devoted to my Torah and constantly striving to raise yourself to new spiritual heights, “I will not forsake you.” A person never reaches a point where he can declare “I have done enough.” We spend our entire lives trying to move forward. And that is all that G-d requests.