In our Thanksgiving 2025 getaway to the Adirondacks we passed a whole bunch of birch/polar/aspen trees, the white bark trees, on our way up.
Made me think of this question I had about a Rashi in today’s Chumash Vayeitzei Day 5 about the types of trees Yaakov used to make the peel away bark for the sheep’s coloring…
In Vayeitzei (Vayetze) Day 5 Rashi in his biblical commentary uses Old French to identify the biblical names of the 3 types of tree-woods Jacob used for his animal selection/breeding process. One is Trembling Poplar/Quaking Aspen which are white-bark trees.
But why would Jacob choose white trees?
Wasn’t Jacob looking for visible clear contrast for his speckled and spotted shapes? So why not take a tree bark with a more significant contrast.. Why use a light/white tree bark to cut the peelings off of?
Beyond Rashi’s commentary, back to the Vayeitzei Day 5 verse itself, wondering why Torah deems it necessary for us to know the specific species of trees Jacob used? And why were 3 different types of tree necessary for this project?
But speaking now with my kids here, we came up with a message perhaps.. You’d think that bold contrast is the best way to make a lasting generational imprint. Maybe we learn from the use of white-bark trees that subtle things make an impression, too. In fact, often children (as Jacob’s sheep) pick up on the subtle things the most.
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On a hike in the Adirondacks (we did Cobble Lookout near Whiteface Mountain) we saw this particular striped, peeled-away white-bark tree.
Seeing this particular striped tree makes me think Jacob may have chosen these white bark trees for his due to their multi-tone inner layers, depending on how much you peel away? Perhaps!