This week’s Torah portion describes the passing of Jacob and our Sages interestingly tell us that Jacob did not die. This is not referring to Jacob living through his children and descendants, or through his good deeds. Our Sages tell us this is very literal and suggests that Jacob never died and was alive in the truest sense of the word.

How can this be? The Torah portion goes through great detail describing his death, burial, and mourning?

Lesson: The Hebrew word for Egypt is Mitzrayim, which in shares the same Hebrew root word for boundary, limitations, and constraints. Through the eyes of the Egyptians, ie, through a limited and constrained perspective, Jacob had passed. However, it was not the ultimate truth. Jacob was still alive. If you allow your perspective to shift, if you allow your perception to go beyond your personal limitations, you can have a completely new truth. Just by thinking differently, you can create a new reality.

This is not just a lofty idea, but a real concept corroborated by a theory in quantum physics. The ‘observer effect’ came about after electrons, tiny particles of matter, behaved in such a way completely contrary to how physicists would have expected during an experiment. To better try to understand what was happening, a detector was placed nearby to see what these electrons were doing. When they did this, an extraordinary, astonishing thing happened. The electrons went back to behaving ‘normally’. The detector did not interfere at all with the electrons, but being observed, ie, having a new perspective, completely changed the outcome and reality of the situation.

By throwing off your limited perspective, your limitations, resentment, preconceived notions, physical limitations, etc., you can change your truth and reality. How do we do this? Knowing that God is only good, only wants to do good, and is only giving you the very best, even if it is wrapped up in ugly packaging. By knowing that God only gives the best, you will be able to tear off the ugly wrapping to reveal and bask in the most amazing and beautiful blessings. When we use our minds think about, contemplate, focus on, and concentrate on God’s love for us we can change the way we think and feel – and thus changing the way we relate to reality.

Exercise: Go through the day knowing that everything is from God and therefore a blessing. If you stub your toe – thank God! If your dinner turns out delicious, know it’s from God. See how it changes your perspective moving forward.

(Idea heard by Ani Lipitz of Geulavision.com)