The ancient rabbis teach that when Jacob was dying, he was endowed by God with the vision to see far into the future, to the world of his descendants, all who would be affected by his life. Being part of an ancient tradition pushes all of us to take a long view, to see ourselves as part of a long line of Jews who have brought us to where we are today. The story of Jacob’s vision encourages us to go further and to imagine what impact our lives will have on the continuation of the Jewish story, how we will affect the future that we will not see. Although we may not have divine insight into that future, imagining it and acting as best we can to affect it for the good gives our lives meaning that outlasts our years. In considering our path, may we always take the long view, and, as it did for Jacob, may that bring us comfort and blessing.