Genesis 32 Being Insignificant
Dear ones, what does it feel like to be thought of as small, insignificant, and unimportant that one is not worthy of any consideration? What is it like being the last kid picked for the soccer team? How does it feel being chubby instead of fit, ugly instead of beautiful, poor instead of rich, hungry instead of full and satisfied? What is it like being a tiny dot, a period, or a dash no one pays attention to?
Many scenarios are describe what it is to be insignificant. Sometimes we may feel insignificant, but in reality, it is most likely only a feeling. Still, each of us has times where we feel lower than dirt with people walking all over us. Our discussion focuses on Jacob, the humble Grandson of Abraham.
Genesis 32.
[Jacob said to the Lord], I am unworthy of all the kindness and of all the faithfulness that You have completely placed upon Your servant for I crossed the Jordan [only] with my staff and presently have become two camps.
Why is Jacob saying, I am insignificant, i.e., I am unworthy? Our sages teach that when Yaakov fled his father Yitzchok’s home, Elifaz, the son of Esau, went after Jacob and overtook him. Elifaz was ordered by his evil father, Eisov, to murder his Uncle Yaakov. Yet Elifaz was raised by his grandfather Yitzchok. Eliphaz did not want to disobey his father’s order to kill his Uncle Yaakov even though he realized it was an evil order. Elifaz recognized this responsibility to his father, yet he also acknowledged his commitment to be righteous! He was conflicted! How could he do both? When he overtook his Uncle Yaakov, he explained his predicament. His Uncle Yaakov helped him sort things out.
At times we are placed in predicaments, conflicting situations. We either have solid allegiances or feel strong emotional obligations to others and our responsibility to Ha Torah. Some of our loyalties may be to people who do not observe The Torah. We overlook their failures misgivings for one reason or another. So what did he do? He consulted with a Tzaddik, A righteous man. He consulted with Yaakov regarding his predicament. Now Yaakov’s counsel to his nephew was to take everything that he [Yaakov] had with him because a poor man is considered dead. He would be placing his uncle Yaakov in a financially insignificant place. So Eliphaz heeded his Uncle Yaakov’s counsel and took everything but Yaakov’s clothes and staff.
We realize that taking Yaakov’s things was not what Esau meant when he gave the order to kill his brother Yaakov, yet within the broader spectrum of the meaning of being dead, Elifaz fulfilled his father’s order. The comparison of poverty to death expresses the power poverty has over one!!
By this point in our discussion, perhaps we should be wondering why I am using the Name Yaakov instead of Jacob. It is to draw attention to the Hebrew spelling of Jacob / Yaakov, [יַעֲקֹב ]. Jacob’s Name begins with the Letter י Yod. The size of the Letter י Yod is the tiniest of all the Hebrew Aleph-Bet. Yet, the Yod is spiritually the most powerful!! The Holy Name of the Lord begins with the Letter Yod. The Name Israel [ יִשְׂרָאֵל ] begins with the Letter Yod. The holy city Jerusalem [יְרוּשָׁלַיִם ] begins with the Letter Yod. The Yod is known as a jot and a tittle. Not even a tiny fraction of the tittle can be omitted because
That would make that entire Torah incomplete, A non-kosher (pasul) Torah.
Many years ago the Lord gave me a revelation, He said, ‘Challenge Me to take something small and make it great, something man has discarded and make it something God can use.’ Honestly doesn’t the Lord place the same challenges before each of us? What is challenging in your life? Can you take something small and make it something great?
Blessings and peace,
Dr. Akiva Gamliel Belk
