Jacob – A Very Human Being Veyetze
Breishit 28:20-22
וַ ִ ַ ר יַעֲקֹב , נֶדֶ ר ֵלאמֹר: ִאם- יִהְיֶה Jacob made a vow. “If G-d will be with אֱ ִ ק ים ִע ָ ִדי , ְמָ ַרנִי ַ ֶרֶ ַ ה ֶה me,” he said, “if He will protect me on the אֲ ֶ ר ִ נֹכי ֵה ל , ַוְנָתן - ִלי לֶחֶ ם journey that I am taking, if He gives me לֶאֱכֹל , בֶגֶד ִללְ ֹ . ַוְ ִבְ י bread to eat and clothing to wear, and if I בְ ָ ל ם , אֶל - ֵ ית ִ בי; וְהָ יָה ה ' ִלי , return in peace to my father’s house, then ֵלא ִ ק ים . וְהָאֶבֶן ַ ה ֹאת , ראֲ ֶ - G-d will be my G-d. Let this stone that I ַ מְ ִ י ַ מ ֵ בָה -- יִהְיֶה, ֵ ית אֱ ִ ק ים; have set up as a pillar become a house of וְכֹל אֲ ֶ ר ִ ֶ ן- ִלי , ַ ע ֵ ר ַאֲע ְרֶ G-d. Of all that You give me, I will set לָ . .aside a tenth to You
Breishit 32:10-14
וַ ֹאמֶ ר , יַעֲקֹב, אֱ ֵ ק י ִ בי Jacob said: “Oh G-d of my father Abraham בְרָ הָ ם, וֵא ֵ קי ִ בי יִצְחָ ק: ה ' and G-d of my father Isaac. You Yourself told ֵהָאֹמר ֵא ַלי, ב לְ רְ צְ me ‘Return to the land where you were born ַ לְמ לדְ ְ -- ֵוְא ִיטיבָה ִע ָ . and I will make things go well with you.’ I am קָ ִטֹנְ י ִ מ ֹל ַ החֲסָ ִדים , ִ מ ָל- unworthy of all the kindness and faith that You הָאֱמֶ ת , אֲ ֶ ר ִעָ יתָ , אֶת- have shown me. When I left home, I crossed ַעבְ ֶ : ִ י ַבְמקְ ִלי , ַעָברְ ִ י אֶת- the Jordan with only my staff, and now I have ַ ה ַ רְ ֵ ן ַ ה ֶה , ַוְע ָ ה הָ יִ ִיתי , ִל ְ נֵי ,enough for two camps. Rescue me, I pray ַ מחֲנ ת. ַ ה ִ ֵילנִי נָא ִ מ ַ ד ִ חי , from the hands of my brother – from the hand ִ מ ַ ד ֵע ָ ו: ִ י- ֵיָרא ִ נֹכי , אֹת -- of Esau. I am afraid of him, for he can come ֶן - יָב א ִוְה ַ נִי , ֵאם ַעל- .and kill us all – mothers and children alike ָנִים. ַוְא ָ ה ַ מרְ ָ , ֵה ֵיטב You once said, ‘I will make things go well with ֵא ִיטיב ִע ָ ; ַוְ מְ ִ י אֶת- ַזרְ עֲ you, and make your descendants like the ְח ל ַ ה ָם, אֲ ֶ ר א - יִ ָ ֵפר sand grains of the sea, which are too ֵ מרֹב. . ”’.numerous to count
How are the above prayers similar/different? Account for the differences. How do the quotes below help us understand the transformation Jacob went through?
Breishit 28:10
וַ ֵ ֵצא יַעֲקֹב, ִמ ֵ ְאר ָ ַבע; וַ ֵלֶ , Jacob left Beer-Sheva and headed חָרָ נָה. .toward Charan
Breishit 28:1-2
ַ ◌ ִקְרָ א יִצְחָ ק אֶל - יַעֲקֹב, וַיְבָרֶ Isaac summoned Jacob and gave him a אֹת ; וַ ַיְצ ֵ ה וַ ֹאמֶ ר ל , א - ִ ת ַ ח blessing and a charge. “Do not marry a ִא ָ ה ִ מ ְנ ת ַ ְנָען. ק ם ֵל ַ ֶ נָה Canaanite girl,” he said. “Set out and go to
אֲרָ ם, ֵ יתָ ה ֵבְת אל ִאֲבי ִא ֶ ; Padan Aram, to the house of your maternal ַוְקח- לְ ִמ ָ ם ִא ָ ה, ִמ ְנ ת לָבָ ן grandfather Bethuel. Marry a daughter of ִאֲחי ִא ֶ . .your uncle Laban
Breishit 29:11
וַ ִ ַ ק יַעֲקֹב, לְרָ ֵחל; וַ ִ ָ א אֶת - קֹל , וַ ֵבְ ְ. Jacob kissed Rachel and wept aloud.
Rashi Breishit 29:11
לפי שצפה ברוח הקודש Since he foresaw with the holy spirit that Rachel שאינה נכנסת עמו לקבורה . would not enter the grave with him. Another דבר אחר לפי שבא ביד ים explanation: Since he came empty-handed, he ריקניות , אמר אליעזר עבד said, “Eliezer, my grandfather’s servant, had אבי אבא היו בידיו נזמים nose rings, and bracelets and sweet fruits in his וצמידים ומגדנות , ואני אין possession, and I am coming with nothing in my בידי כלום. .hands
Breishit 29:18 וַ ַ ֶאֱהב יַעֲקֹב , אֶת- רָ ֵחל; וַ ֹ אמֶ ר , Jacob had fallen in love with Rachel. “I will אֶעֱבָדְ ֶ ַבע ָ נִים, ְרָ ֵחל ִ ְ , work for you seven years for Rachel, your ַ ה ְ ַט ָה. .younger daughter.” he said
Breishit 29:20
וַ ַ עֲבֹד יַעֲקֹב ְרָ ֵחל, ֶ ַבע ָ נִים; Jacob worked seven years for Rachel. But וַ ִהְי ֵבְעינָיו ְ ִיָמים אֲחָ ִדים , he loved her so much, it seemed like no ְ הֲבָת אֹתָ . .more than a few days
Breishit 30:26
ְ נָה אֶת- ַנָ י וְאֶת- ַיְלָדי , אֲ ֶ ר Let me have my wives and children, since I ַעָבדְ ִ י אֹתְ ֵ ָהן -- ֵוְא ֵלכָה: ִ י have earned them by working for you, and I ַא ָ ה ַיָדעְ ָ , אֶת - עֲבֹדָ ִתי אֲ ֶ ר will go. You are well aware of the service I ַעֲבדְ ִ י . .have rendered you
Breishit 31:42
ֵל לי אֱ הקי ִ בי אֱ קי If the G-d of my fathers – the G-d of Abraham בְרָ הָ ם ַ פ ַחד יִצְחָ ק , הָיָה ִלי- ,and the Dread of Isaac – had not been with me - ִ י ַע ָ ה, ֵריקָ ם ִ ַ חְ ָ נִי; !you would have sent me away empty-handed אֶת- עָנְיִי וְאֶת- ִיְג ַיע ַ ַ י , רָ ה But G-d saw my plight and the work of my ִאֱ קים -- וַ ַ כח מֶ . .hands. Last night He rendered judgment
Based on Vayetze in Genesis:Beginning of Desire – Aviva Zornberg and “When Bad Things Happen to Good People” by Harold Kushner. Rabbi David Levin-Kruss – [email protected]