Page 337 - BERESHIT

The greatness of character of Yaakov Avinu came from his total devotion
to learning Torah. He learned for many years, only to add on another
fourteen. This helped him to focus on Torah and live in complete
consonance with truth, as well as give him the spiritual stamina to remain
righteous, despite being in such close proximity to Lavan.

Only such learning can penetrate the deep recesses of the heart and
empower us with the strength to battle the Yetzer Hara. This also led
Yaakov to higher levels of kedushah and prophecy.

Yaakov toiled endlessly, not allowing himself the luxury of a good night’s
sleep, for fourteen years. He harnessed all of his energies in serving
Hashem, while renouncing all other activities in the pursuit of Torah. At
first his feet did not want to travel on to Charan, until he ordered his feet
to pick themselves up and start walking.

There are two types of visual impairment: physical blindness, and a
spiritual blind eye to the truths of life, not living with what one knows to