Parashat Wayyeṣe' Genesis: 28:10- 32:3 פָּרָשַׁת וַיֵּצֵא
SYNOPSIS:
Parashat Wayyeṣe՚ contains four sidrot. The first deals with Jacob's dream, his meeting with Rachel, and Laban tricking him into marrying Leah; the second, the rivalry between Leah and Rachel, and Jacob's children from Leah, Bilhah, and Zilpah; the third, Rachel gives birth to Joseph, and Jacob settles the score with Laban; and the fourth, Jacob sets out for home, Laban's pursuit and the meeting at Mt. Gilead, the covenant.
First Sidra՚ (Gen. 28:10-29:30): Jacob's dream, his meeting with Rachel, and Laban tricking him into marrying Leah
The parasha opens with Jacob setting out for Ḥaran from Beer-Sheba. At the end of the first day of his journey, towards sunset, Jacob camps down for the night. During the night he has a dream. In this dream Jacob sees a ladder, the base of which is firmly planted on the ground and its top ascends to heaven, with angels of God are ascending and descending the ladder. Stationed above the ladder is YHWH Who says to Jacob, "I am YHWH the God of Abraham your father, and the God of Isaac; the land that you are lying upon, I will give to you and to your seed" (Gen. 28:13). YHWH promises Jacob that he will have many descendants who will fill the Land and that He will watch over Jacob wherever he goes, moreover He will bring him back home safely. Early in the morning before Jacob recommences his journey he takes the stone that he had used as pillow during the night and sets it up as a pillar. He pours oil over the pillar and calls the place Beth-El [בֵּית - house, אֵל - God]. Jacob vows that if God will be with him, providing him with bread to eat as well as clothes to wear and permits him to return to his father's house in peace, then the pillar that he set up will become God's house and he will give a tenth of his possessions to YHWH. Jacob continues on his journey. When he reaches Ḥaran he comes to a well in a field with a stone covering its open (maybe the same well where Abraham's servant met Rebekah?), and by the well there are flocks of sheep waiting to be watered. Jacob greets the shepherds who are there asking them where they are from. They tell him that they are from Ḥaran. Jacob then asks them if they know Laban [לָבָן - white] the son of Nahor and inquires after him. They reply that they do and that he is well. Jacob converses with the shepherds inquiring as to why they don't water their flocks seeing that it is late in the day. The shepherds respond that they cannot water their flocks until all the flocks are gathered at the well, this is because it takes the joint strength of all of the shepherds to role away the stone covering the well; and presumably to role it back again. While Jacob is talking to the shepherds Rachel [רָחֵל - ewe] Laban's daughter approaches with her flock. When Rachel's flock is near the well Jacob with no help from anyone else roles the stone away from the mouth of the well and proceeds to water the flock of Laban his mother's brother. Jacob was probably trying to impress Rachel for the next thing he did was to kiss her and cry; this was love at first sight. Jacob introduces himself and Rachel runs to tell her father. As soon as Rachel tells Laban about Jacob he runs out to greet him, he embraces him, kisses him, and brings him home. Remember from parashat Ḥayyei Sarah that Laban is very hospitable even though his motives are rather questionable. Jacob stays with Laban for a month and earns his keep by looking after Laban's flock. Laban decides that Jacob should be paid for his work, after all he is family, and asks Jacob to state his wages. Laban has two daughters: Leah the elder, whom the Torah describes as having delicate or weak eyes - in other words bad eyesight; and Rachel the younger - whom we have already met - the Torah illustrates her a being beautiful in looks and in form. By mentioning Leah and Rachel's attributes the Torah is probably drawing our attention to an already existing sibling rivalry that is now being accentuated by the fact that Jacob is madly in love with Rachel. Jacob answers Laban that he is willing to serve him for seven years if he can marry Rachel; Laban agrees. The Torah states concerning these seven years, "but they were in his eyes like a few days, because of his love for her" (Gen. 29:20). In other words, the years seemed to go quickly for Jacob because his mind was focused on the goal - marriage to the love of his life - and not on what he was enduring. At the end of the seven years Jacob asks Laban to give him Rachel for a wife. Laban makes an impressive marriage feast inviting all the citizens of the town. Now, Laban is going to deceive Jacob by switching Rachel for Leah, just like Jacob deceived the blind Isaac into believing that Jacob was Esau. In the morning Jacob wakes up and behold it is Leah by his side and not his beloved Rachel! Jacob confronts Laban about his deception. Laban justifies himself by stating that in his country they never marry the younger before the elder. Laban tells Jacob to fulfil the week of wedding feasting for Leah and he will gladly give Rachel to him as a bride in exchange for another seven years work from Jacob. Laban has solved himself a problem and double tricked Jacob all at the same time. Of the two sisters, marrying off Rachel was not going to be a problem but Leah on the other hand, well that wasn't going to be so easy. Not only has Laban married Leah off to a respectable husband, but he will also receive fourteen years work out of his son-in-law to boot. At the end of the feast week for Leah, Jacob marries Rachel and serves Laban another seven years. Laban gives two of his maids to his daughters for maids; Zilpah he gives to Leah and to Rachel he gives Bilhah. We are told at the end of the sidra՚ that Jacob loved Rachel more than he did Leah.
Second Sidra՚ (Gen. 29:31-30:21): The rivalry between Leah and Rachel, and Jacob's children from Leah, Bilhah, and Zilpah
The opening verse of the sidra՚ encapsulates the situation between Jacob, Leah and Rachel, "And when YHWH saw that Leah was hated, he opened her womb; but Rachel was barren" (Gen. 29:31). Leah gives birth to a boy and calls him Reuben [רְאוּבֵן - see a son] for YHWH has seen [רָאָה] her affliction, and she hopes that Jacob will now love her. Leah gives birth to a second son and calls him Simeon [שִׁמְעוֹן - hearing] for YHWH has heard [שָׁמַע] that she is hated. Leah bears Jacob a third son and calls him Levi [לֵוִי] - joined to me] hoping that from this point on her husband will be joined [יִלָּוֶה] to her. Leah gives birth to a fourth son and calls him Judah [יְהוּדָה - give thanks] saying now I can thank [אוֹדֶה] YHWH. Meanwhile, Rachel is infertile and becomes jealous of Leah's fertility, she turns to Jacob in anguish, "Come now (give) me children, and if not I will die" (Gen. 30:1). Jacob becomes extremely angry with Rachel and retorts, "Am I in place of God, who has withheld from you fruit of the body" (Gen. 30:2). Rachel gives her maid Bilhah to Jacob so he can have children in Rachel's name through her, "Here is my maid Bilhah come in to her and she will give birth upon my knees, and I too shall have children through her" (Gen. 30:3). Bilhah bears Jacob a son and Rachel calls him Dan [דָּן - judge] for God had judged [דָּן] her and given her a son. Bilhah gives birth to a second son and Rachel calls him Naphtali [נַפְתָּלִי - my wrestling/struggle] because she had wrestled/struggled [נִפְתַּל] with her sister and has now prevailed. Now, Leah saw that she had stopped bearing children so she gave Zilpah to Jacob, so that she too may have children accounted to her through her maid. Zilpah gives birth to a son and Leah calls him Gad [גָּד - fortune] for fortune [גָּד] had come. Zilpah bears a second son and Leah calls him Asher [אָשֵׁר - happy one] for she is now happy [אשֶׁר]. Some years later during the time of the wheat harvest, Reuben brings his mother Leah some Mediterranean mandrakes (a known sedative, narcotic, and aphrodisiac) from the field. Rachel asks Leah if she could have some of the Mediterranean mandrakes, Leah retorts, "Is it a small matter you take away my husband, and you would now take away, also my son's mandrakes" (Gen. 30:15). Leah is extremely bitter, for she knows that Jacob had no intention of marrying her, but was tricked into it by her father. It is Rachel whom Jacob truly loves. Rachel comes up with a deal; if Leah gives her the mandrakes then she can lay with Jacob tonight in return. Leah agrees and becomes pregnant giving birth to a son, calling him Issachar [יִשָּׂשכָר - there is hire] for, "God has given me my hired-wages [שָׂכָר], since I gave my maid to my husband" (Gen. 30:18). Leah conceives once again and gives birth to another son calling him Zebulun [זְבֻלוּן - exaltation] for now her husband will exalt [זָבַל] her. Leah then gives birth to a daughter and calls her Dinah [דִּינָה - feminine form of דִּין - judgement].
Third Sidra՚ (Gen. 30:22-31:2): Rachel gives birth to Joseph, and Jacob settles the score with Laban.
The third sidra՚ opens with God remembering Rachel and listening to her pleas. Rachel conceives and gives birth to a baby boy whom she calls Joseph [יוֹסֵף - He will add another] "God has removed [אָסַף] my reproach. And she called his name Joseph saying; may YHWH add [יֹסֵף] another son to me" (Gen. 30:23-24). Not so long after Joseph is born Jacob requests from Laban, "Send me free and I will go, to my place and to my land. Give (me) my wives and my children for whom I have served you and I will go for you know, my service that I have served you" (Gen. 30:25-26). Laban agrees and tells Jacob to name his wages and he will pay him. Jacob, however, knows that his father-in-law cannot to be trusted and will attempt to swindle him any way he can. Jacob reminds Laban that he has served him well taking care of his livestock, which has increased considerably under Jacob's care, and that YHWH has blessed Laban on account of Jacob. Jacob then tells Laban that he will not take wages from him, but this is what he will do, "I will go over your whole flock today removing from there every one of the flock speckled and patched and every one of the flock that is brown among the sheep, and the patched and the speckled among the goats; shall be my wages" (Gen. 30:32). In addition, if - when Jacob leaves - Laban finds any of the flock in Jacob's possession that are not speckled, patched or brown, then they are to be counted as if Jacob had stolen them. To this Laban agrees. Nevertheless, dishonest Laban separates all the speckled, patched, and brown sheep and goats male and female, and places them into the hands of his sons. He then sets a three day journey between his sons and the rest of the flock being taken care of by Jacob. Just as Rebekah had a plan to make sure that Jacob would receive Isaac's blessing, so in turn, Jacob has a plan to receive the wages owed to him by Laban. Jacob knew that the flock always mates at the water trough, so he took rods from moist poplar, almond, and plane trees and peeled back sections of the bark so as to expose the white wood beneath. Jacob then placed the rods upright in the gutter of the watering trough, so that the flock would be facing them when they drank and mated at the trough. Every time the flock came to the water trough Jacob would make sure that it was the more robust speckled, patched and brown members of the flock that mated. Through this process Jacob was able to secure for himself a populous and robust flock of speckled, patched and brown goats and sheep. It is brought to Jacob's attention that Laban's sons have become jealous of him, stating that he has taken away their father's entire property. Jacob also saw in Laban's face that he was no longer favourable disposed towards him.
Fourth Sidra՚ (Gen. 31:3-32:3): Jacob sets out for home, Laban's pursuit and the meeting at Mt. Gilead, the covenant.
In the opening verse of the sidra՚ YHWH tells Jacob to return home, to the land of his fathers. Jacob summons Rachel and Leah and recalls to them how he has faithfully served Laban their father who has deceived him on numerous occasions. Jacob explains to Rachel and Leah how he has taken his retribution from Laban. And that the idea was revealed to him in a dream by the Angel of God, who also told him to return to the land of his birth. Rachel and Leah respond, "Is there still us a portion and an inheritance in our father's house? Is it not as strangers that we are thought of by him for he has sold us; and devoured he has also devoured our money. For all the riches that God has snatched away from our father, they are for us and for our children; and now all that God said to you do" (Gen. 31:14-16). So while Laban was away shearing his flock, Jacob - along with his wives, children, cattle, and all the goods that he had acquired during his stay with Laban - sets off for the Land of Canaan. Unknown to anyone else, Rachel steals Laban's teraphim [The Targum pseudo-Jonathan, an Aramaic translation of the Torah, describes the teraphim; "For they had slain a man, a firstborn, and had cut off his head; they salted it with salt and balsams, and wrote incantations on a plate of gold, and put it under his tongue, and set it up in the wall, and it spake with them; and unto such their father bowed himself"[1] (Targ. pseudo-Jonathan: Gen. xxxi. 19)]. Three days after Jacob had fled; Laban is informed that he has fled, so he gathers together his brethren gives pursuit. Laban catches up to Jacob seven days later at Mt. Gilead, in what is now the Kingdom of Jordan. The night before Laban meets Jacob, God appears to him in a dream and warns him, "Take heed of yourself watch lest you speak with Jacob for either good or bad" (Gen. 31:24). However, when Laban does speak to Jacob he complains about his leaving in secret, leading Laban's daughters away like captives of the sword, without even letting him kiss his grandchildren and daughters good-bye. Laban tells Jacob that if he had told him that he wanted to go home, then he would have sent him off with joy, song, and music. Laban informs Jacob that it was in his power to harm him, but God had told him not to. Jacob responds that he was afraid that Laban would take his daughters away from him by force. Laban then asks Jacob why he has stolen his gods. Jacob - not knowing that Rachel had stolen her father's teraphim - declares, "With whomever you find your gods he shall not live" (Gen. 31:32). Laban then proceeds to search all the tents belonging to Jacob's company. When he enters Rachel's tent, Rachel is sat on a camel's saddle in which she had hidden Laban's teraphim. Rachel tells Laban that she cannot rise before him as it is her time of the month. Of course Laban cannot find his idols. Jacob is infuriated with Laban and finally lets out twenty years of pent-up anger with his father-in-law. Jacob demands to know what he has done wrong and how dare he treat him this way, especially since he has served Laban faithfully for the last twenty years. Jacob retorts that while he was in Laban's service not one of Laban's flock was a still-birth nor did he take from the flock for his own food, and any of the flock that was stolen or killed by beasts he personally bore the loss. Jacob reminds Laban that he tendered his flock under severe conditions, and that he served fourteen years for his wives and six years for his cattle; if God wasn't with Jacob, Laban would have sent him away without anything. Laban replies that all Jacob has, including his wives and children are really Laban's, but that doesn't matter now! Laban suggests that there should be a covenant between them. Jacob takes a stone and sets it up as a pillar, telling his brethren to gather stones and heap them up. Jacob calls the spot Galed [גַּלְעֵד; גַּל - heap; עֵד - witness]. Laban declares that this heap shall be a witness between him and Jacob. The terms of the covenant were; Jacob shall not afflict Laban's daughters, he shall not take other women for wives, and neither of them should cross from one side of the heap to the other side with the intention of causing harm to the other party. Both Jacob and Laban swear an oath and Jacob offers a sacrifice to seal their covenant. Jacob and his brethren spend the night feasting from the sacrifice. In the morning Laban kisses his daughter's and grandchildren and blesses them before returning home. Jacob goes on his way and is met by angels of God; after seeing the angels of God Jacob says, "This is a camp of God" (Gen. 32:3), so he calls the place Mahanaim [מַחֲנָיִם - double camp].
THE AUTHOR'S THOUGHTS:
Wow! This parasha has everything needed for a great drama; a brother fleeing from his sibling's murderous intent, visions from God, love at first sight, deception and intrigue, a love triangle and much more. It starts with a fleeing from home and closes with a fleeing to home; it opens with Jacob having a vision of angels of God and concludes with Jacob being met by angels of God - like bookends framing these formative years of his life. Jacob overcomes with dignity everything that Laban can throw at him; for he knows that YHWH is with him and therefore he will prevail in the end. From the beginning Jacob showed himself to be a compassionate as well as a passionate man. He found himself caught between sister rivalry, having to balance between respect for the feelings and dignity of the wife he had no intention of marrying and the love of his life for whose had in marriage he had laboured seven years. This parasha is a twenty year journey encompassing the years from insecure youth to self confident manhood. In modern terminology parashat Wayyeṣe՚ is a coming of age story; one where the hero prevails not only against others but also against himself. What was the secret weapon that enabled Jacob to achieve such an astounding victory? Well he did trust in YHWH and did have His protection! YHWH's protection, however, guarded Jacob from harm and Jacob's trust in YHWH gave him hope for the future, but neither were the inner quality that enabled Jacob to conquer himself. One can have YHWH's protection and trust in Him without ever conquering oneself. The quality that was nurtured in Jacob over those twenty years, the quality that enabled him to mature into self-empowered manhood was - patience. During his years with Laban Jacob needed to develop phenomenal amounts of patience and thus self-control, which in turn enable Jacob to grow in strength and wisdom; he even outwitted Laban at his own game. As "tenacious pragmatism" had enabled Isaac to overcome his adversaries, so "self-control through patience" had made it possible for Jacob to triumph over himself and realize his true potential.
[1] Etheridge, J W (1862). Targums of Onkelos and Jonathan ben Uzziel on the Pentateuch: with the fragments of the Jerusalem Targum: from the Chaldee. London: Longmans, Green & Co.
Parashat Wayyeṣe՚ contains four sidrot. The first deals with Jacob's dream, his meeting with Rachel, and Laban tricking him into marrying Leah; the second, the rivalry between Leah and Rachel, and Jacob's children from Leah, Bilhah, and Zilpah; the third, Rachel gives birth to Joseph, and Jacob settles the score with Laban; and the fourth, Jacob sets out for home, Laban's pursuit and the meeting at Mt. Gilead, the covenant.
First Sidra՚ (Gen. 28:10-29:30): Jacob's dream, his meeting with Rachel, and Laban tricking him into marrying Leah
The parasha opens with Jacob setting out for Ḥaran from Beer-Sheba. At the end of the first day of his journey, towards sunset, Jacob camps down for the night. During the night he has a dream. In this dream Jacob sees a ladder, the base of which is firmly planted on the ground and its top ascends to heaven, with angels of God are ascending and descending the ladder. Stationed above the ladder is YHWH Who says to Jacob, "I am YHWH the God of Abraham your father, and the God of Isaac; the land that you are lying upon, I will give to you and to your seed" (Gen. 28:13). YHWH promises Jacob that he will have many descendants who will fill the Land and that He will watch over Jacob wherever he goes, moreover He will bring him back home safely. Early in the morning before Jacob recommences his journey he takes the stone that he had used as pillow during the night and sets it up as a pillar. He pours oil over the pillar and calls the place Beth-El [בֵּית - house, אֵל - God]. Jacob vows that if God will be with him, providing him with bread to eat as well as clothes to wear and permits him to return to his father's house in peace, then the pillar that he set up will become God's house and he will give a tenth of his possessions to YHWH. Jacob continues on his journey. When he reaches Ḥaran he comes to a well in a field with a stone covering its open (maybe the same well where Abraham's servant met Rebekah?), and by the well there are flocks of sheep waiting to be watered. Jacob greets the shepherds who are there asking them where they are from. They tell him that they are from Ḥaran. Jacob then asks them if they know Laban [לָבָן - white] the son of Nahor and inquires after him. They reply that they do and that he is well. Jacob converses with the shepherds inquiring as to why they don't water their flocks seeing that it is late in the day. The shepherds respond that they cannot water their flocks until all the flocks are gathered at the well, this is because it takes the joint strength of all of the shepherds to role away the stone covering the well; and presumably to role it back again. While Jacob is talking to the shepherds Rachel [רָחֵל - ewe] Laban's daughter approaches with her flock. When Rachel's flock is near the well Jacob with no help from anyone else roles the stone away from the mouth of the well and proceeds to water the flock of Laban his mother's brother. Jacob was probably trying to impress Rachel for the next thing he did was to kiss her and cry; this was love at first sight. Jacob introduces himself and Rachel runs to tell her father. As soon as Rachel tells Laban about Jacob he runs out to greet him, he embraces him, kisses him, and brings him home. Remember from parashat Ḥayyei Sarah that Laban is very hospitable even though his motives are rather questionable. Jacob stays with Laban for a month and earns his keep by looking after Laban's flock. Laban decides that Jacob should be paid for his work, after all he is family, and asks Jacob to state his wages. Laban has two daughters: Leah the elder, whom the Torah describes as having delicate or weak eyes - in other words bad eyesight; and Rachel the younger - whom we have already met - the Torah illustrates her a being beautiful in looks and in form. By mentioning Leah and Rachel's attributes the Torah is probably drawing our attention to an already existing sibling rivalry that is now being accentuated by the fact that Jacob is madly in love with Rachel. Jacob answers Laban that he is willing to serve him for seven years if he can marry Rachel; Laban agrees. The Torah states concerning these seven years, "but they were in his eyes like a few days, because of his love for her" (Gen. 29:20). In other words, the years seemed to go quickly for Jacob because his mind was focused on the goal - marriage to the love of his life - and not on what he was enduring. At the end of the seven years Jacob asks Laban to give him Rachel for a wife. Laban makes an impressive marriage feast inviting all the citizens of the town. Now, Laban is going to deceive Jacob by switching Rachel for Leah, just like Jacob deceived the blind Isaac into believing that Jacob was Esau. In the morning Jacob wakes up and behold it is Leah by his side and not his beloved Rachel! Jacob confronts Laban about his deception. Laban justifies himself by stating that in his country they never marry the younger before the elder. Laban tells Jacob to fulfil the week of wedding feasting for Leah and he will gladly give Rachel to him as a bride in exchange for another seven years work from Jacob. Laban has solved himself a problem and double tricked Jacob all at the same time. Of the two sisters, marrying off Rachel was not going to be a problem but Leah on the other hand, well that wasn't going to be so easy. Not only has Laban married Leah off to a respectable husband, but he will also receive fourteen years work out of his son-in-law to boot. At the end of the feast week for Leah, Jacob marries Rachel and serves Laban another seven years. Laban gives two of his maids to his daughters for maids; Zilpah he gives to Leah and to Rachel he gives Bilhah. We are told at the end of the sidra՚ that Jacob loved Rachel more than he did Leah.
Second Sidra՚ (Gen. 29:31-30:21): The rivalry between Leah and Rachel, and Jacob's children from Leah, Bilhah, and Zilpah
The opening verse of the sidra՚ encapsulates the situation between Jacob, Leah and Rachel, "And when YHWH saw that Leah was hated, he opened her womb; but Rachel was barren" (Gen. 29:31). Leah gives birth to a boy and calls him Reuben [רְאוּבֵן - see a son] for YHWH has seen [רָאָה] her affliction, and she hopes that Jacob will now love her. Leah gives birth to a second son and calls him Simeon [שִׁמְעוֹן - hearing] for YHWH has heard [שָׁמַע] that she is hated. Leah bears Jacob a third son and calls him Levi [לֵוִי] - joined to me] hoping that from this point on her husband will be joined [יִלָּוֶה] to her. Leah gives birth to a fourth son and calls him Judah [יְהוּדָה - give thanks] saying now I can thank [אוֹדֶה] YHWH. Meanwhile, Rachel is infertile and becomes jealous of Leah's fertility, she turns to Jacob in anguish, "Come now (give) me children, and if not I will die" (Gen. 30:1). Jacob becomes extremely angry with Rachel and retorts, "Am I in place of God, who has withheld from you fruit of the body" (Gen. 30:2). Rachel gives her maid Bilhah to Jacob so he can have children in Rachel's name through her, "Here is my maid Bilhah come in to her and she will give birth upon my knees, and I too shall have children through her" (Gen. 30:3). Bilhah bears Jacob a son and Rachel calls him Dan [דָּן - judge] for God had judged [דָּן] her and given her a son. Bilhah gives birth to a second son and Rachel calls him Naphtali [נַפְתָּלִי - my wrestling/struggle] because she had wrestled/struggled [נִפְתַּל] with her sister and has now prevailed. Now, Leah saw that she had stopped bearing children so she gave Zilpah to Jacob, so that she too may have children accounted to her through her maid. Zilpah gives birth to a son and Leah calls him Gad [גָּד - fortune] for fortune [גָּד] had come. Zilpah bears a second son and Leah calls him Asher [אָשֵׁר - happy one] for she is now happy [אשֶׁר]. Some years later during the time of the wheat harvest, Reuben brings his mother Leah some Mediterranean mandrakes (a known sedative, narcotic, and aphrodisiac) from the field. Rachel asks Leah if she could have some of the Mediterranean mandrakes, Leah retorts, "Is it a small matter you take away my husband, and you would now take away, also my son's mandrakes" (Gen. 30:15). Leah is extremely bitter, for she knows that Jacob had no intention of marrying her, but was tricked into it by her father. It is Rachel whom Jacob truly loves. Rachel comes up with a deal; if Leah gives her the mandrakes then she can lay with Jacob tonight in return. Leah agrees and becomes pregnant giving birth to a son, calling him Issachar [יִשָּׂשכָר - there is hire] for, "God has given me my hired-wages [שָׂכָר], since I gave my maid to my husband" (Gen. 30:18). Leah conceives once again and gives birth to another son calling him Zebulun [זְבֻלוּן - exaltation] for now her husband will exalt [זָבַל] her. Leah then gives birth to a daughter and calls her Dinah [דִּינָה - feminine form of דִּין - judgement].
Third Sidra՚ (Gen. 30:22-31:2): Rachel gives birth to Joseph, and Jacob settles the score with Laban.
The third sidra՚ opens with God remembering Rachel and listening to her pleas. Rachel conceives and gives birth to a baby boy whom she calls Joseph [יוֹסֵף - He will add another] "God has removed [אָסַף] my reproach. And she called his name Joseph saying; may YHWH add [יֹסֵף] another son to me" (Gen. 30:23-24). Not so long after Joseph is born Jacob requests from Laban, "Send me free and I will go, to my place and to my land. Give (me) my wives and my children for whom I have served you and I will go for you know, my service that I have served you" (Gen. 30:25-26). Laban agrees and tells Jacob to name his wages and he will pay him. Jacob, however, knows that his father-in-law cannot to be trusted and will attempt to swindle him any way he can. Jacob reminds Laban that he has served him well taking care of his livestock, which has increased considerably under Jacob's care, and that YHWH has blessed Laban on account of Jacob. Jacob then tells Laban that he will not take wages from him, but this is what he will do, "I will go over your whole flock today removing from there every one of the flock speckled and patched and every one of the flock that is brown among the sheep, and the patched and the speckled among the goats; shall be my wages" (Gen. 30:32). In addition, if - when Jacob leaves - Laban finds any of the flock in Jacob's possession that are not speckled, patched or brown, then they are to be counted as if Jacob had stolen them. To this Laban agrees. Nevertheless, dishonest Laban separates all the speckled, patched, and brown sheep and goats male and female, and places them into the hands of his sons. He then sets a three day journey between his sons and the rest of the flock being taken care of by Jacob. Just as Rebekah had a plan to make sure that Jacob would receive Isaac's blessing, so in turn, Jacob has a plan to receive the wages owed to him by Laban. Jacob knew that the flock always mates at the water trough, so he took rods from moist poplar, almond, and plane trees and peeled back sections of the bark so as to expose the white wood beneath. Jacob then placed the rods upright in the gutter of the watering trough, so that the flock would be facing them when they drank and mated at the trough. Every time the flock came to the water trough Jacob would make sure that it was the more robust speckled, patched and brown members of the flock that mated. Through this process Jacob was able to secure for himself a populous and robust flock of speckled, patched and brown goats and sheep. It is brought to Jacob's attention that Laban's sons have become jealous of him, stating that he has taken away their father's entire property. Jacob also saw in Laban's face that he was no longer favourable disposed towards him.
Fourth Sidra՚ (Gen. 31:3-32:3): Jacob sets out for home, Laban's pursuit and the meeting at Mt. Gilead, the covenant.
In the opening verse of the sidra՚ YHWH tells Jacob to return home, to the land of his fathers. Jacob summons Rachel and Leah and recalls to them how he has faithfully served Laban their father who has deceived him on numerous occasions. Jacob explains to Rachel and Leah how he has taken his retribution from Laban. And that the idea was revealed to him in a dream by the Angel of God, who also told him to return to the land of his birth. Rachel and Leah respond, "Is there still us a portion and an inheritance in our father's house? Is it not as strangers that we are thought of by him for he has sold us; and devoured he has also devoured our money. For all the riches that God has snatched away from our father, they are for us and for our children; and now all that God said to you do" (Gen. 31:14-16). So while Laban was away shearing his flock, Jacob - along with his wives, children, cattle, and all the goods that he had acquired during his stay with Laban - sets off for the Land of Canaan. Unknown to anyone else, Rachel steals Laban's teraphim [The Targum pseudo-Jonathan, an Aramaic translation of the Torah, describes the teraphim; "For they had slain a man, a firstborn, and had cut off his head; they salted it with salt and balsams, and wrote incantations on a plate of gold, and put it under his tongue, and set it up in the wall, and it spake with them; and unto such their father bowed himself"[1] (Targ. pseudo-Jonathan: Gen. xxxi. 19)]. Three days after Jacob had fled; Laban is informed that he has fled, so he gathers together his brethren gives pursuit. Laban catches up to Jacob seven days later at Mt. Gilead, in what is now the Kingdom of Jordan. The night before Laban meets Jacob, God appears to him in a dream and warns him, "Take heed of yourself watch lest you speak with Jacob for either good or bad" (Gen. 31:24). However, when Laban does speak to Jacob he complains about his leaving in secret, leading Laban's daughters away like captives of the sword, without even letting him kiss his grandchildren and daughters good-bye. Laban tells Jacob that if he had told him that he wanted to go home, then he would have sent him off with joy, song, and music. Laban informs Jacob that it was in his power to harm him, but God had told him not to. Jacob responds that he was afraid that Laban would take his daughters away from him by force. Laban then asks Jacob why he has stolen his gods. Jacob - not knowing that Rachel had stolen her father's teraphim - declares, "With whomever you find your gods he shall not live" (Gen. 31:32). Laban then proceeds to search all the tents belonging to Jacob's company. When he enters Rachel's tent, Rachel is sat on a camel's saddle in which she had hidden Laban's teraphim. Rachel tells Laban that she cannot rise before him as it is her time of the month. Of course Laban cannot find his idols. Jacob is infuriated with Laban and finally lets out twenty years of pent-up anger with his father-in-law. Jacob demands to know what he has done wrong and how dare he treat him this way, especially since he has served Laban faithfully for the last twenty years. Jacob retorts that while he was in Laban's service not one of Laban's flock was a still-birth nor did he take from the flock for his own food, and any of the flock that was stolen or killed by beasts he personally bore the loss. Jacob reminds Laban that he tendered his flock under severe conditions, and that he served fourteen years for his wives and six years for his cattle; if God wasn't with Jacob, Laban would have sent him away without anything. Laban replies that all Jacob has, including his wives and children are really Laban's, but that doesn't matter now! Laban suggests that there should be a covenant between them. Jacob takes a stone and sets it up as a pillar, telling his brethren to gather stones and heap them up. Jacob calls the spot Galed [גַּלְעֵד; גַּל - heap; עֵד - witness]. Laban declares that this heap shall be a witness between him and Jacob. The terms of the covenant were; Jacob shall not afflict Laban's daughters, he shall not take other women for wives, and neither of them should cross from one side of the heap to the other side with the intention of causing harm to the other party. Both Jacob and Laban swear an oath and Jacob offers a sacrifice to seal their covenant. Jacob and his brethren spend the night feasting from the sacrifice. In the morning Laban kisses his daughter's and grandchildren and blesses them before returning home. Jacob goes on his way and is met by angels of God; after seeing the angels of God Jacob says, "This is a camp of God" (Gen. 32:3), so he calls the place Mahanaim [מַחֲנָיִם - double camp].
THE AUTHOR'S THOUGHTS:
Wow! This parasha has everything needed for a great drama; a brother fleeing from his sibling's murderous intent, visions from God, love at first sight, deception and intrigue, a love triangle and much more. It starts with a fleeing from home and closes with a fleeing to home; it opens with Jacob having a vision of angels of God and concludes with Jacob being met by angels of God - like bookends framing these formative years of his life. Jacob overcomes with dignity everything that Laban can throw at him; for he knows that YHWH is with him and therefore he will prevail in the end. From the beginning Jacob showed himself to be a compassionate as well as a passionate man. He found himself caught between sister rivalry, having to balance between respect for the feelings and dignity of the wife he had no intention of marrying and the love of his life for whose had in marriage he had laboured seven years. This parasha is a twenty year journey encompassing the years from insecure youth to self confident manhood. In modern terminology parashat Wayyeṣe՚ is a coming of age story; one where the hero prevails not only against others but also against himself. What was the secret weapon that enabled Jacob to achieve such an astounding victory? Well he did trust in YHWH and did have His protection! YHWH's protection, however, guarded Jacob from harm and Jacob's trust in YHWH gave him hope for the future, but neither were the inner quality that enabled Jacob to conquer himself. One can have YHWH's protection and trust in Him without ever conquering oneself. The quality that was nurtured in Jacob over those twenty years, the quality that enabled him to mature into self-empowered manhood was - patience. During his years with Laban Jacob needed to develop phenomenal amounts of patience and thus self-control, which in turn enable Jacob to grow in strength and wisdom; he even outwitted Laban at his own game. As "tenacious pragmatism" had enabled Isaac to overcome his adversaries, so "self-control through patience" had made it possible for Jacob to triumph over himself and realize his true potential.
[1] Etheridge, J W (1862). Targums of Onkelos and Jonathan ben Uzziel on the Pentateuch: with the fragments of the Jerusalem Targum: from the Chaldee. London: Longmans, Green & Co.
