Genesis

בייה

In our previous study (Genesis 32), we went back and forth on feelings of insignificance. I mentioned that anyone might experience times when they feel unimportant, helpless, a failure, weaker than a noodle, pushed around, defeated by their evil inclination, and lower than dirt with people walking all over them. We conversed. Perhaps our feelings may not be accurate, so we are going to attempt to get in touch with the what and why of (Genesis 32.11) where Jacob said to Lord] God of Israel, ‘I am unworthy of all the kindness and faithfulness that You have completely placed upon Your servant. [Twenty years ago ] I crossed the Jordan with my staff and the clothes on my back, and presently I have become two [large, powerful, forceful, God fearing] camps.’ Jacob is mindfully looking back, acknowledging the magnitude of God’s Blessing.’ Can we relate to how it may have felt to Jacob? I’m not sure. (Proverbs 24.16) reminds us, ‘For a tzaddik falls seven times, and yet rises up again.’ Jacob was a tzaddik, yet he got tripped up occasionally and sadly suffered because of it. When this happened, Lord did not abandon Jacob. These were learning opportunities. Just as we have the opportunity to succeed or stumble, our adult sons and daughters have that same option. The important thing for us to know is in the end, Jacob/Israel,/The Jewish People come out on top.

Our discussion of God Blessing Jacob continues with (Genesis 33.11) where Jacob says to his brother Esau, ‘Take, I beg you, my blessing that is brought to you; because God has dealt graciously with me. I have enough. And [Jacob] urged [Esau], and he took it.’ Uniquely, Ha Torah expresses Jacob’s great wealth by stating in (Genesis 31.17-18), ‘Then Jacob rose up, and set his sons and his wives upon camels; And he carried away all his cattle, and all his goods which he had acquired, the cattle of his getting, which he had acquired in Padan-Aram, to go to Isaac, his father in the land of Canaan.’ That would be about 18 camels plus. Before we consider where Jacob’s wealth came from, we must review how and when Jacob became impoverished. Jacob went from being very wealthy after inheriting two-thirds of his father Isaac’s estate to being penniless, i.e., having just the clothes on his back and his staff after his nephew, Elifaz, took all he owned. That was a low place. It was as if Jacob were dead. (Genesis 29.11) says, ‘Jacob wept.’ He expresses his sadness, embarrassment, and humiliation because he had no presents to give Rachel as Abraham’s Chief Servant Eliezer did on behalf of Isaac for Rebekah, his Mother. (Genesis 24.53) says, ‘And the servant brought forth jewels of silver, and jewels of gold, and garments, and gave them to Rebekah; and also gave to her brother and mother precious things. As a result, ‘Jacob cries out.’ Perhaps Jacob felt cheated – maybe a little like Esau felt cheated when Jacob took his blessings.

After staying with his uncle Laban for a month, Jacob enters into an indentured servant agreement with Laban for seven years which is called the – מָהַר Maw Har – the marriage price he gave to Laban, Rachel’s father. Etz Hayim p 171. At the end of Jacob’s seven years of serving as an indentured servant for the Maw Har Jacob expected to marry Rachel. (Genesis 29.20-21) says, ‘And Jacob served seven years for Rachel, and they seemed to him but a few days, because of his love for her. And Jacob said to Laban, ‘Give me my wife, for my days are fulfilled, that I may go into her.’

(Genesis 29.22-29) informs us of Laban, Leah, and Rachel’s deception when they switched Leah for Rachel in the dark of night. Was their deceptive scheme payback for Rebekah and Jacob’s deceptive scheme on Isaac when he was in the dark, i.e., blind? When the additional seven years were completed, Jacob again went to Laban. (Genesis 30.25-26) says, ‘And it came to pass, when Rachel had born Joseph, that Jacob said to Laban, Send me away, that I may go to my place, and to my country. Give me my wives and children, for whom I have served you [fourteen years], and let me go; for you know my service which I have done for you.’ (Sefer HaYashar Parshat Vayetzei) indicates that before this time, Isaac sent servants, and Rebekah sent Deborah to assist Jacob, his wives, and children in preparing to pack and journey to Canaan.

(Genesis 30.27-32) says, ‘And Laban said to Jacob, I beg you, if I have found favor in your eyes, remain; for I have learned by experience that Lord has blessed me for your sake. And Laban said [to Jacob], Appoint me your wages, and I will give it.’

Then Jacob stated his value as a shepherd. (Genesis 29.29-30) says, Jacob told Laban, ‘You know how I have served you and how your cattle was with me. For [your flock was little before I came, and now it has increased to a multitude. Lord has blessed you since I came. Jacob expressed his value and used it as leverage to negotiate an agreement. [Jacob asked Laban, the father of his four wives and grandfather of his twelve children,] ‘When shall I provide for my own house?’

(Genesis 30.31-32) discusses [Jacob’s wage when Laban asked him] ‘What shall I give you?’

Jacob said, ‘You shall not give me anything; if you do this for me, I will feed and keep your flock agin. I will pass through all your flock today, removing from there all the speckled and spotted cattle, all the brown cattle among the sheep, and the spotted and speckled among the goats; and of such shall be my hire.’

(Sefer HaYashar Parshat Vayetzei) says, ‘And the servants of Isaac, who were sent ‎unto Jacob, saw that Jacob would not return with them to Canaan, and they went ‎away from him returning to Canaan. But Deborah remained in Haran with Jacob ‎and would not return to Canaan’s land with Isaac’s servants. And Deborah dwelt ‎with Jacob’s wives and children in Haran. And Jacob continued serving Laban for six more years.’

(Genesis 30.35) informs us that Jacob placed all [the sheep and goats that were] removed from Laban’s flocks into the hands of his sons, and ‎Jacob attended to the remainder of Laban’s flocks.

‘Whenever the sheep brought forth, Jacob removed from their midst all that were ‎speckled and spotted as he had agreed upon with Laban. And Jacob continued doing so for six ‎years, and the man increased exceedingly, possessing cattle, servants, ‎maid-servants, camels, and asses. And Jacob had [many] herds of cattle, every head ‎of which was enormous, beautiful, and very fruitful. And all the people ‎of the land desired to procure some of Jacob’s cattle, for it was very prosperous. And ‎many of the sons of man came to purchase some of Jacob’s stock, and Jacob gave them a ‎sheep for a man-servant or a maid-servant. Whatsoever Jacob asked from them, they gave ‎him. And Jacob attained wealth, honor, and possessions through these sales to the sons ‎of man.

The sons of Laban envied Jacob on account of that distinction. And it came to pass ‎after some days, that Jacob heard the words of Laban’s sons, saying: Jacob hath taken away all ‎that was our father’s, and of that which was our father’s he had gotten all his glory. Somewhere along the way, they forgot Jacob’s dedication to the responsibilities of his service as mentioned in (Genesis 31.38-40) ‘This twenty years have I been with you; your ewes and your female goats have not miscarried their young, and the rams of your flock have I not eaten. That which was torn of beasts I brought not to you; I bore the loss of it; of my hand did you require it, whether stolen by day, or stolen by night. Thus in the day drought consumed me, and frost by night; and sleep departed from my eyes.’

Lord appeared to Jacob [in a dream] at the end of six years, saying, ‘Return to the land of your ‎fathers and to your kindred, and I will be with you. Then Jacob rose and set his sons and his ‎wives upon camels, and he went away to the land of Canaan to his father, Isaac. And Laban ‎knew nothing of Jacob’s leaving, for Laban was away to shearing his sheep then.

Looking up, Jacob saw Esau coming with an entourage of four hundred. He divided the children among Leah, Rachel, and the two maids, putting the maids and their children first, Leah and her children next, and Rachel and Joseph last. He went on ahead and bowed low to the ground seven times until he was near his brother. Esau ran to greet him. He embraced him and, falling on his neck, he kissed him; and they wept. Looking about, Esau saw the women and the children and inquired, ‘Who are these with you?’

Jacob answered, ‘These are the children with whom God has favored your servant.’

We began with (Genesis 33.11) where Jacob says to his brother Esau, ‘Take, I beg you, my blessing that is brought to you; because God has dealt graciously with me. I have enough. And [Jacob] urged [Esau], and he took it.’

Jacob experienced many Spiritual phenomenons that exceed human knowledge and logical explanations.

May each of us be encouraged to know that God has our back.

The Lord’s Blessing upon those who make and follow righteous agreements. May The Lord Bless all who study Ha Torah and dedicate themselves to Lovingkindness. Do not be frightened or tripped out by the Esau’s of our world.

Blessings and Peace,

Dr. Akiva Gamliel Belk

Author