Genesis

בייה

Genesis 29 – Spiritual Uniqueness

‘This Study is in the Loving Memory of Martha Leah Reynolds ז”ל.

(Genesis 29.1) begins with the letter ו – Vav. The Letter ו – Vav proceeds the first Word יִּשָּׂא Yee Saw. As noted in earlier chapters of Genesis, the Letter Vav is translated as a connecting Letter meaning ‘and’. However, many translators prefer the word ‘then’ Instead of and. Why? Translating the Letter Vav as ‘Then’ in place of ‘And’ is more accurate and expressive of Jacob’s dream in the previous chapter because Jacob had a profound spiritual experience in (Genesis 28).

Next, we note Jacobs’s connection to the land of the people of the East. Then, we note Jacobs’s connection to the land of the people of the East. Abraham, Sarah, Abraham’s nephew Lot, Rebekah, Isaac’s wife and Rebekah’s brother Lot were from the Mesopotamia Region, i.e., the land of the East, aka Padan-Aram. Ha Torah Says, ‘[Abraham’s brother] Haran died before [their] father Terah in the land of his birth, in Ur of the Chaldeans’ (Genesis 11.28). (Genesis 11.31) says, ‘And Terah took Abram, his son, and Lot the son of Haran, his grandson, and Sarai his daughter-in-law, his son Abram’s wife; and they went forth with them from Ur of the Chaldeans, to go to the land of Canaan.’ (Genesis 27.43) says, ‘[Rebekah said to her son Jacob], my son, obey my voice; and arise, flee to Laban, my brother to Haran.’ (Genesis 28.1-2) says, ‘Isaac called Jacob, blessed him, and charged him, and said to him, You shall not take a wife of the daughters of Canaan. Arise, go to Padan-Aram, to the house of Bethuel, your mother’s father, and take a wife from there of the daughters of Laban, your mother’s brother.’ (Genesis 28.7) says, ‘Jacob obeyed his father and mother and went to Padan-Aram. Again, (Genesis 29.1) says, ‘Then Jacob went on his journey, and came to the land of the people of the east.’

God Willing, we will consider other Scriptures / Words relating to the People of the East.

Jacob was not born on the other side, yet he is known as being from the other side. In his commentary, Ibn Ezra explains the intent of ‘being from the other side’ (Exodus 1.16). Pharaoh speaks to the Hebrew women, the midwives Shifrah and Puah, i.e., Jochebeb and Miriam – Moses, our Teacher’s Mother and older sister. Neither was born on the other side, yet they are referenced as Hebrew Women meaning from the other side—the Hebrew women. Anyone from the family of Ever is called a Hebrew, and because of his faith, he is called a Hebrew. In the same way, it is said (Bereishis 10:21)‘And to Shem were also born children; he was the father of all the people of Ever,’ meaning the father of all the people who came from the other side of (ever) the river.

(Genesis 39.14) reveals that Joseph is a Hebrew. Ramban explained that ‘THE LAND OF THE HEBREWS’ meant the land of Hebron, wherein Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob dwelt [in the Land of Israel]. Abraham, [The Patriarch] is the head of the lineage. (Genesis 14.13) identifies Abraham as ‘Abraham the Hebrew’ because of his connection with the River Euphrates, i.e., [Abraham] came from the other side across the River Euphrates. Jews are the People from the other side. Genesis 2.10) says, ‘וְנָהָר Vih Naw Hawr – ‘And a river’ went out from Eden to water the garden; and from there it was divided, and became four rivers. Holy Scripture identifies The Euphrates as the fourth פְרָת Pih Rawt – river.

Abraham was honored among the nations for in him was fulfilled The prophetic blessing in (Genesis 12.2-3), ‘And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you, and make your name great, and you shall be a blessing; the blessing And I will make thy name great. For this reason, all of his seeds are called Ivrim Hebrews). They hold on to this name in order not to intermingle with the various peoples in the Canaanite lands, and this name has been established as the name for all Israel’s seed forever. This is the meaning of the verse; ‘He has brought a Hebrew into us,’ in (Genesis 39:14).Since Joseph told them, ‘I am a Hebrew,’ and he did not want them to take him as a Canaanite. And the land where they resided was called “the land of the Hebrews,” that is to say, the land in which the Hebrews are. But not that it is theirs. It may be that it was so called because they were its leaders and nobles, even as it says, Find a prince of God in the midst of us, and it is further written, ‘Touch not My anointed ones’ Psalms 105.15.

For these reasons and others, we are recognized as people from the other side. We are supposed to be different. We should be people of the light, the Torah, of love, patience, kindness, honesty, and ethics because we are from the other side. We believe in the Torah, and practice Ha Torah in our lives daily. We are Holy and Separated to Lord.

Ha, Torah shares many Scriptures where we are to follow in Abraham’s footsteps. These are the goals we should endeavor to reach. As we journey towards Erev Shabbat, may we feel Lord’s comfort and love as comfort and love others. May we have rest, unity, peace, Lovingkindness, good health, and financial success because we are trying and trying counts. May each of us enjoy a wonderful Sabbath with much beauty. May we have a successful week as we study Ha Torah, follow Derek Mitzvot, pray, and assist others.

Dr. Akiva Gamliel Belk

Author