Keep a Low Profile

When the predicted famine spread throughout the world, it also reached Eretz Yisrael and Yakov Avinu. We learn an extremely important lesson from the way Yakov handled the situation.

He tells his sons, למה תתראו, which simply means, “Why should you be afraid.” The explanation of these words was that Yakov was reminding his family that while others had run out of food, they still had plenty in their storehouses.

On a deeper level, he was telling them how to avoid having to be afraid of Yishmael and Eisav. If they were to learn that Yakov’s family still had food, it would arouse the jealousy of those two families.

The remedy so as not to arouse such jealousy, was to go down to Egypt and purchase food like everyone else who had run out of food.

This little episode is the source for Jews needing to be more modest and not show off their wealth. Jews need to be careful not to make the Goyim envious of our good fortune.

This is especially true when Jews are living outside of Israel. We do not need to give the Gentile more reasons to hate us. And it’s always good to be modest and not show off. This is a most important lesson.