Genesis 29:14
וַיֹּ֤אמֶר לוֹ֙ לָבָ֔ן אַ֛ךְ עַצְמִ֥י וּבְשָׂרִ֖י אָ֑תָּה וַיֵּ֥שֶׁב עִמּ֖וֹ חֹ֥דֶשׁ יָמִֽים׃
Laban said to him, “You are truly my bone and flesh,” and Jacob stayed with him a month’s time.
Jacob was the nephew of Laban, Jacob’s manipulative, greedy, and deceitful uncle. As part of this family, Jacob inherits the skill of deception. His mother Rebecca, Laban’s sister, gives Jacob the idea to disguise himself as his brother Esau to steal his blessing, a plan Jacob executed flawlessly. On his own accord, Jacob convinces Esau to trade his birthright for lentil soup. Cunning, trickery, and deception is as much a part of Jacob as it is Laban.
However, Jacob’s cunning is different from Laban’s. Laban tricks people for his own material benefit. Caring nothing for another’s welfare, he has no problem leaving others destitute as long as it benefits him. When Jacob deceives, it is for a greater good. When his mom dressed him as his brother for instance, they both thought that act of deception was for the good of the future of the Jewish people, preventing brutish and violent Esau from taking up the mantle of Judaism. When Jacob tricks Laban and runs away from his home, it’s to save his life, and ensure that he and his children keep the wages he worked so hard for.
The Torah leaves us with a complicated notion: deception is not always a bad thing. Was it not through clever deception that the CIA rescued six hostages from Iran in 1980? (see the movie “Argo”.) Without the cunning and deception of Israeli spy Eli Cohen, Syria might have successfully redirected the Jordan river, cutting off Israel’s water supply. Truth is always of prime importance, but there are times when deception is necessary. The key lies in the motivation: is the deception aimed at uplifting others, protecting the vulnerable, or achieving a greater good? Or is it solely for personal gain at the expense of others?