Genesis

בייה

Jacob experienced one of the most painful incidents for a parent. (Genesis 37.31-34) says, ‘they took Joseph’s coat, and killed a kid of the goats, and dipped the coat in the blood, And they sent the coat of long sleeves, and they brought it to their father; and said, This have we found; know now whether it is your son’s coat or no. And he knew it and said, It is my son’s coat; an evil beast has devoured him; Joseph is undoubtedly torn in pieces. And Jacob tore his clothes, put sackcloth upon his loins, and mourned for his son many days, i.e., twenty-two years.’ Jacob mourned for twenty-two years. ‘And all his sons and his daughter rose to comfort him, but he refused to be comforted; and he said, For I will go down to Sheol to my son, mourning. Thus, his father wept for him.’

Anyone who experiences the disappearance of an individual you love knows the overwhelming feelings of loss, sadness, emptiness, bewilderment, pain, suffering, depression, sleepless nights, wondering, and complete infunctionalibility. Let’s reflect for a while as we attempt to dive deep into Jacob’s layers of human loss. Let’s try to absorb Jacob’s depth of loss, sorrow, heartache, and grief.

It is difficult for me to imagine Jacob’s mourning. How could Jacob’s sons put their father through twenty-two years of bleak despair, gloomy wretchedness, misery, and unhappiness? Was that necessary?

Our Sages speak about the ten trials of Abraham. What about his grandson, Jacob? From conception, Esau and Jacob fought. (Genesis 25.22) says, ‘The children struggled together inside [Rivkah].’ (Genesis 27.41) says, ‘Esau hated Jacob because of the blessing with which [Isaac], his father blessed him; and Esau said in his heart When the days of mourning for my father are at hand; then will I slay my brother Jacob.’

Elifaz’s Mission Of Murder

Elifaz, the eldest son of Easu, was sent on a mission to murder his uncle Jacob. He takes all of Jacob’s inheritance, thus making Jacob a pauper.

Jacob fled from his bitter, hateful, angry, resentful murderess brother, Esau. Why? Jacob took Esau’s birthright and blessing reserved for the firstborn. Esau planned to kill Jacob for taking his birthright and the blessing reserved for the firstborn. Rebecca, Jacob’s mother, instructed Jacob to flee to her brother Laban, who lived in Haran. After fleeing, he studied at the Academy of Shem and Eber for fourteen years. Then, he traveled with his servants, cattle, and wealth to Haran. However, Elifaz, the son of Esau, went after Jacob and overtook him. He caught Uncle Jacob and took everything that he owned because a poor man is considered as though he were dead. Jacob was left with the clothes on his back and his staff.

Laban – Jacob’s Father-in-law

Jacob was penniless, so he worked seven years as payment for the marriage price for Rachel, but instead, Laban gave him Leah, which required Jacob to work an additional seven years. He was cheated time and again by Laban. After twenty years of deceit, Jacob spoke with his wives Leah and Rachel, ‘Your father has deceived me and changed my wages ten times; however, God did not allow him to hurt me‘ (Genesis 31.7). So, as a result, ‘Jacob outwitted Laban the Aramean, in that he did not tell him that he fled with all that he had’ Genesis 31.20-21). Laban and other relatives pursued Jacob and caught up to him. ‘[Laban said to Jacob],‘It is in the power of my hand to hurt you; but the God of your father spoke to me last night, saying, Take heed that you do not speak to Jacob either good or bad, (Genesis 31.29). Ha Torah reports that after this, Esau came with four hundred men [to eradicate Jacob and his descendants. (Genesis 33.1). That did not happen because Jacob appeased his brother with gifts of love and kindness.

Dinah’s abduction and rape. [Genesis 34 – 35]

A short time Later, we learn that Dinah, Jacob’s only granddaughter, was lured out of her safe environment, victimized, kidnapped, raped, and held hostage. Dinah was broken into many pieces by Shechem.

War in Shechem

Following Dinah’s victimization, Jacob’s sons Simon and Levy devastated the city of Shechem. They slew all the males, including Hamor, father of Shechem and Shechem, with the sword’s edge, took Dinah out of Shechem’s house, and went out. [Other] sons of Jacob came upon the slain and plundered the city [which resulted from] defiling their sister. They took their sheep, oxen, asses, and that which was in the city, and that which was in the field, and all their wealth, and all their little ones, and their wives took them captive and carried off all that was in the houses, (Genesis 34.27-29). After murdering the men of Shechem and plundering, Seven kings of the Canaanites assembled an army of 10,000 soldiers to attack Jacob, his sons, and their servants, approximately 112 men. Lord was on Jacob’s side. Following that war, ‘God said to Jacob, Arise, go up to Beth-El, and live there; and make there an altar to God, who appeared to you when you fled from the face of Esau, your brother.’

(Genesis 35.1).

Devorah – his mother’s nurse

While traveling to Beth-EL, Deborah (Rivkah’s nurse) passes away. Sefer HaYashar Parshat Vayetzei) Informs us that Isaac sent servants to assist Jacob in moving back. ‘And the servants of Isaac, who were sent ‎to Jacob, saw that Jacob would not be returning 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.’

Birth of Osnat

Osnat was the daughter of Dinah and Shechem. As a child, her uncles drove Osnat from Yaakov’s house, according to Pirkei d’Rabbi Eliezer. Her uncles were concerned that people would speak of licentiousness in their tents. They were worried that people would think that they were morally perverse. As a result, Yaakov engraved a metal plate and put the amulet on a fancy chain around Osnat’s neck to protect her. The metal plate was engraved with words to the effect that Osnat’s parents were Shechem and Dinah and that whoever married her would be marrying a relative of Yaakov’s family. Divine Providence kept Osnat safe.

At this point, Osnat was placed under a bush in a field and left. Her name is a derivative of Si Neh {thorn bush}. Through Providence, a Malach {messenger} took Osnat from under the thorn bush to the house of Potifer in ֵEgypt. He and his wife raised her as their daughter. מָגֵן Maw Gayn – ‘shield’ as in the Shield of Abraham in (Genesis 15.1) represents the shield God placed around Osnat. Mystically both לְמִחְיָה – Lih Mee Chih Yawh – to preserve life.’ and Maw Gayn – ‘shield’ reveal our Creator’s Will to preserve life and to shield us from danger to accomplish His Eternal Plan. The Gematria for both is 93.

לְמִחְיָה

Lih Mee Chih Yawh – to preserve life.

ל30 מ40 ח8 י10 ה5 = 93

מָגֵן

Maw Gayn – ‘shield’

מ40 ג3 ן50 = 93

Twenty-two years later, Pharaoh ordered that Osnat marry Joseph to vindicate Joseph from any guilt from the false accusation of her foster mother, Potiphar’s wife. Potiphar’s wife was the woman who falsely accused Joseph of sexual assault.

They were both descendants of Jacob. Mystically, greatness is noted in Osnat. The Gematria of אָסְנַת Asnot’s name is 511, which is also the Gematria for אַשְׁרֵי Ahsh Ray – Praiseworthy and תִּקְוָה Teek Vaw – hope expectation. Osnat is praiseworthy for rejecting the lies of Zulaicha. Osnat is praiseworthy for returning to Judaism and for raising her children by Joseph’s tradition instead of her own. Her praiseworthiness is so great that all Judaism blesses their children as Jacob blessed Ephraim and Menasheh. The depth of God’s Providential Care is much greater than we can imagine.

אָסְנַת 

Asnat – Thorn Bush

א1 ס60 נ50 ת400 = 511

אַשְׁרֵי

Ahsh Ray – Praiseworthy

א1 ש300 ר200 י10 = 511

תִּקְוָה

Teek Vaw – Hope Expectation

ת400 ק100 ו6 ה5 = 511

Rachel Wife of Jacob

After that, all of Jacob’s household, servants, cattle, etc., were traveling to his parents, Isaac and Rivkah’s home in Hebron when his beloved wife, Rachel, went into labor with Rachel died during Benjamin’s birth and was ‘buried in Ephrath/Beth-Lehem on the way,’ (Genesis 35.16; 19-20) instead of the family burial site in the cave of the field of Machpelah near Hebron in the land of Canaan. Finally, when they arrive at Hebron, instead of a joyful reunion with his parents, he visits his mother’s grave, who recently passed away. This brings us to (Genesis 37).

Be Mindful of others’ potential hurt and loss!

We may not know what utopia, tranquil, peaceful, happy, spiritual, or heavenly highway one has experienced. Perhaps it may have been a dreadful road, trail, minefield, war, swamp, ocean, or desert a person has clawed and scratched through up until now. However, in this study, we have a pretty good idea of Jacob’s path. Nevertheless, that is NOT the situation with Jacob’s sons. They were angry with Jacob because he loved Joseph more than all of them put together. They were hurt, bitter, and jealous. They had deep roots of resentment, which built up over seventeen years. Jacob learned partiality from his parents, Isaac and Rivka. (Genesis 25.28) says, ‘Isaac loved Esau because he ate of his venison, but Rebekah loved Jacob.

May each of us be loving, kind, and giving. May Lord Bless us. May we follow Ha Torah’s guidelines. May we bring peace and healing to our world. May this coming Sabbath and every Sabbath be a blessed Day.

Good Sabbath!

Akiva Gamliel Belk

Author