Vayeitzei: The Fear That Won’t Look Away

Deception seems to be a hallmark of our time. Deception shapes daily life, from AI deepfakes to blatantly lying politicians, from catfishing on dating websites to fabricating resumes, and especially the propaganda that attempts to hide state violence. At the same time, old forms of manipulation are weakening because people can now share lived realities with one another more directly. We still have to ask why some continue to insist that the reality we see, including what Sarah Hurwitz called the “wall of carnage,” is unreal. The flood of AI-generated images that distort public understanding of Gaza and Israel, the reliance of authoritarian movements on disinformation to justify force, and the crisis of trust produced when facts themselves are contested all point to a deeper struggle over truth. This struggle is at the center of this week’s Torah portion.

Fear has many names in Jewish text. Pachad describes an anxiety that arises from the recognition that one is accountable for one’s actions, even the hidden ones. Unlike yirah, which is a form of awe at external forces, pachad emerges from our own internal experiences. It is the feeling of being found out for who and what we truly are, particularly when we are trying to hide. In this week’s portion, pachad is integral to Jacob’s transformation.

Throughout Jacob’s narrative so far, deception drives nearly every major event. Jacob deceives Isaac. Laban deceives Jacob. Rachel deceives Laban by hiding the idols. Jacob deceives Laban by fleeing without notice. These cycles trap every character in harmful relationships that feed resentment and mistrust. The turning point comes when Jacob stops participating in the pattern. He confronts Laban, names the deception plainly, and creates a new covenantal framework for how they will relate in the future. As part of this pact, he invokes a unique name of God: Pachad Yitzhak.

Pachad Yitzhak, the aspect of God within that guides us using pachad, reveals the impulse that leads to deception. A deceiver believes reality can be avoided. They trust that secrecy will shield them from consequences. Their hubris overwhelms their humility. Pachad is what disrupts this belief. It is an internal sensation that pushes us towards truth-telling. It is the awareness that we are accountable even when no one else is present. After Jacob steps away from deception, the place of the pact between him and Laban is named Mizpah, “because Laban said, ‘May Adonai watch between you and me when we are out of sight of each other.’” That reminder is the seed of a life grounded in accountability.

Jacob’s journey shows that deception ends when a person allows themselves to feel the full weight of pachad. He can no longer escape the reality of his actions. Pachad Yitzhak tells him that truth must be faced even when it is costly, even when he could benefit from avoiding it. Just as the Torah shows how deception corrodes relationships and enables exploitation, modern state propaganda functions to excuse or hide violence that would be intolerable if seen clearly. Jacob grows out of deception, while many leaders invest further in it. Jacob chooses accountability, while many governments reject it. Jacob names harm openly, while many deny harm even when the world is watching.

This matters because the human stakes are real.  Deception serves empire by concealing suffering. It enables ongoing deaths by hiding their cause. The struggle over truth is a struggle over whose lives are allowed to be visible.

As the propaganda machinery of our time works to maintain illusion and deny what the world can witness in Gaza, Jacob’s transformation offers a spiritual and ethical path. The call for us this week is to practice listening to Pachad Yitzhak. Refuse to share information you cannot verify. Speak publicly about what you see happening to Palestinians. Break the cycles of silence and distortion in our communities by choosing responsible witnessing. May we embody the Judaism of Pachad Yitzhak, a Judaism rooted in honesty, clarity, and commitment to the truth that protects life.