Vayeitzei 5771

Parshah Vayeitzei
Genesis 28:10-32:3 Hosea 12:13-14:10 (Hosea 11:7-12:12)

Vayeitzei is full of action and meaning. Vayeitzei means “and he left” from 28:10 “And Jacob went out from Beer-sheba, and went toward Haran.” It has the dream of Jacob’s ladder in which G*d speaks to him, his labor of fourteen years to marry first Leah, then Rachel. The parsha also relates he birth of eleven sons and one daughter; his descendents which will be the heads of the twelve tribes. The portion ends with the story of Jacob and his families flight from Laban and the story of Rachel’s theft of her father’s idols.

I wrote an essay on the ladder dream but haven't spent sufficient time on the
majority of the narrative. The essay is below, my rough notes from
reading are at the end

ESSAY

The differences between Jacob’s neder and God’s promise reveal Jacob's fear for his personal security. He has exchanged the more general, long-term vision of God's blessing for more personal, immediate needs. God promises to “watch over you wherever you go,” while Jacob asks only for supervision of the path he currently walks. A promise to return to the land becomes a hope simply to return to his father's home in peace. The promise of descendents disappears completely from Jacob's response. Instead he asks only for the most basic sustenance and raiment." - Daniel Bloom

G*d's Promise (28:13-15)
Jacob's Vow (28:20-21)

The land... I will give it to you and your descendants... All the families of the earth will be blessed through you and your descendants.

G: Behold, I will be with you;
J: If God will be with me,

G: I will watch over you wherever you go,
J: And will watch over me on this path upon which I go,

J: And will provide me with bread to eat and clothing to wear,

G: And I will return you to this land.
J: And I will return in peace to my father’s house,

G: I will not leave you.
J: The Lord will be for me a God.

I wonder if this is not so much Jacob modifying it purposely but something akin to how we misremember dreams. Some suggest this is bargining, I think not.

A post from Rabbi Ed Rosenthal points out "The rabbis show is that the ladder (sulam) and Sinai each have the gematria of 130. Sinai is the ladder that connects the physical world and the spiritual world."

So then in essence it might be said that this interaction and response to G*d (as Jacob to his dream), is the connection. I praise G*d that this has given meaning to my life. Hopefully not reading myself in too much I think this is a revelation.
Jacob responds with a very familiar feeling of fear and intense devotion. "And he was afraid, and said: 'How full of awe is this place! this is none other than the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven" (28:7)

It may be eisegesis (reading stuff into the text) but I'd like to think it is this vision (as it certainly was G*d's grace) which give him the strength to labor so long in Haran. How hard it must have been to be surrounded by idolatry so long (Don't we all know it!). Yet he is a model in as much as he has success and his family prospers.

I can't help but relate this back to Sinai and the ladder. Angels ascending and descending must represent G*d's will being enacted. One idea I toy with is that
becoming aware of G*d's will (never fully) would be like seeing angels. To me the entire Torah is full of angelic forces and it is utterly exciting to read of the patriarchs direct experiences with G*d. Accepting Sinai, Israelites accepted the 'blessing' and the 'curse'. The ladder is one step at a time, the will of G*d moves in two directions. Moreover, it is the cosmic pulse. The cosign of G*d's will reflecting back in creation. Jacob is transformed by this 'theophany' as we can be again and again by the power of the Torah. Perhaps no one can maintain a constant state of awareness but just as Jacob says "Surely G*d is in this place but I knew it not" (28:16) G*d's glory and grace are ubiquitous and eternal.

May we find strength in G*d to find peace despite the labors and disappointments of the world. May our lives be full of that awareness that energies, guides, and
redeems us. Halleluyah.

NOTES
I think 28:3-4. is importantasks g*d to give Jacob blessing of Abraham. not the same as words he speaks in 27:28 Vayeitzei


28:12 Jacob's ladder. Beth ElThe lord stood beside him (In the dream?)
told him that the land was given to him and his seed. 4 directions and bring back 13-15

Goes to Haran meets shepherds asks after his uncle Rachel 'cometh with the sheep' 29:6

Jacob waters the sheep. (Obviously he likes all the sheep as much as Rachel)

"he was her father’s brother" 29:10.

"my bone and my flesh" 29:14 Laban

Laban said "because though art my brother"

Jacob works 7 years (Wages change 10 times) and is tricked into
marrying Leah instead of Rachel. He works
7 more years and also marries Rachel.

Leah has four sons with Jacob Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah (29:32-35)

Rachel is so unhappy she makes Jacob angry. (30:3) Rachel offers her handmaid Bilhah
reminiscent of Hagar. Bilhah bore him a son -- Dan. (Why called dan?)
Bilhah bore him a son Naphtali.

Leah handmaid Zilpah bor Jacob a son called Gad (fortune is come)
again Asher.

Leah and Rachel are petty over mandrakes, Rachel trades mandrakes for
a night with Jacob and produces another son Issachar?
then another Zebulun and a daughter Dinah

Rachel has Joseph. 24.

Jacob settles business with Laban and leaves his land
Curious arrangement over flock with
speckled and streaked. Laban ends up with
weak and little and his sons are mad.

G*d spoke to Jacob (31:3) return to the land of thy fathers,
and to thy kindred and I will be with thee.

J talks to Rachel And Leah.
31:11 (hineni)
return to the land of 'nativity'

16 in one voice they acknowledge g8d and
willing follow Jacob away from Laban.

19 Rachel steals Laban's idols.

They flee, but Laban catches up at Mt. Gilead. 23
Laban rebukes him. He says he was afraid to lose daughters.
Jacob didn't know rachel took idols. Tells him to search
and whoever has them will die. Lies about
her period to hide idols. 35.
Jacob rebukes Lagan. Offers sacrifice on mountain.
Laban leaves. Angels visit him and he names
it Mahanaim..

The haftorah recalls Jacobs labor and flight from laban as a way to
chastise Jews of Hoseas time. (780–725 BC)