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Vayetze “And He went out”

28 NOV 2009

Genesis 28:10-32:3

HafTorah: Hosea 12:13-14:09

John 1:43-51

Jacob departs from Beersheba towards Haran in order to search for a bride.  He stopped at “that place”, inferring Mt. Moriah.  He took a nap and laid his head on a rock.  His vision is referred to as “Jacob’s Ladder.”  Angels were ascending and descending on a ladder above him.

G-d reconfirms the physical and spiritual blessings given to Abraham and Isaac regarding inheritance of the land and that their offspring will be a blessing to all the families of the earth. 

Rabbis declare that there are really angels that go with us to protect our way.  There are angels outside of the land and in the land G-d has chosen.  Hebrews 1:14: Are not all angels ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation!?

The sages of old interpret Jacob’s dream as a vision of four kingdoms that will rule Israel before the return of Messiah.  Also, G-d is accessible and not far away.  Any spot on earth is a gateway to Heaven with open communication with G-d.

John 1:49-51 states that one can gain access to G-d, if only he will believe.

Then Nathanael declared, “Rabbi, you are the Son of G-d; you are the King of Israel.”  Yeshua said, “You believe because I told you I saw you under the fig tree.  You shall see greater things than that.  I tell you the truth, you shall see heaven open, and the angels of G-d ascending and descending on the Son of Man.”

After Jacob awoke, he set up a pillar, calls the place Beth El, and continues on to Haran.  He sees Rachel, Laban’s daughter and falls head over heals!  He is welcomed by Laban who offers Jacob the “seven year plan!”  Work for seven years and receive Rachel for his wife.  He worked for seven years and received Leah!

This is why the Bedeken Ceremony became a part of the ancient Jewish wedding event.  The groom actually checks under the veil to make sure the woman he is marrying, is actually the one he is supposed to marry!

Jacob committed to work seven more years for Rachel.  During this time he had thirteen children.  In chronological order:

From Leah:

Reuben, “to see”

Simon, “to hear”

Levi, “my heart”

Judah, “to praise the L-rd”

From Zilpah, Leah’s maid servant:

Issachar, “there is reward”

Zebulon, “bridegroom gift”

From Leah, Jacobs only daughter:

          Deana

From Zilpah:

Gad, “good fortune”

Asher, “to be happy”

From Bilha, Rachel’s maid servant who was given to Jacob because of Rachel’s sadness and anger at being barren:

Dan, “judgment”

Naftali, “twisted/wrestling”

Finally from Rachel:

Joseph, “he added”

And much later: Benjamin, “son of my right hand” who was the only ‘sabra,’ born in the “land.”

Jacob leaves Laban to go home (Benjamin was not born yet)!  Again, Laban set out to try to deceive Jacob.  G-d, however, blesses Jacob’s efforts.  He left Laban with his children, his wives, his herds and all of his own possessions.  He also left with Laban’s family idols (unbeknownst to him) that Rachel had taken (Genesis 31:19).  Laban followed, but did not find the family idols.  After having a dream where G-d told him not to harm Jacob, Laban blesses Jacob and his family.

The angels of G-d met Jacob to guide him into the Promised Land.

HOSEA 12:13-14:9 is the connection between the Torah portion and the HafTorah portion in which we are told of Jacob fleeing to the land of Aram. Further we are told that G-d’s people are in sin.  Ephraim is guilty.  Judah is faithful at first, but then is guilty of falling into sin.

All of these scriptures relate to the building of a family.  Some in the family were zealots such as Simon and Levi who wiped out an entire tribe (Shechem) in revenge of their sister Deana’s rape.  Some were apathetic, such as the other brothers who did nothing to defend their family.

Today, our Jewish community has zealots who want to destroy all those they consider a threat to the Jewish community.  We also have those who are apathetic and don’t care about any of those groups or their own people at all.  Worse than apathetic people, there are those who were born Jewish and have assimilated into the culture around them.  They have no relationship with G-d, no religious training, no vision, and are becoming a part of the secular society around them.

Our job is to pass on the Word to the Jew first and also to the non-Jew.  We must be attentive to G-d’s Spirit.  We must be honest, be ourselves.  We must not be deceitful when representing G-d’s truths.  We must be faithful to G-d as we bring the Word of repentance to this assimilated world.

Shalom U’Bracha

Shavua Tov

Rabbi Z.

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