Parasha
Vayetze
Genesis 28:10 – 32:4 OJB
Haftarah
Hoshea 12:13 – 14:10
Brit
Chadasha
John 1:43 - 51
Please read
this prayer
Before
reading
In the name of Yahushua
Our Messiyah, (Jesus Christ)
I pray for the Spirit of
Understanding
The Spirit if Knowledge and
The Spirit of Wisdom
As I read through this
Parasha
Vayetze, which translates
into “and he left or he went out,” is the Torah portion that tells the story of
Jacob’s departure from the Holy Land after
many years of living there with his parents.
This story depict our
journey from the seventh Heavens to the first, where we begin to learn how to
rule and reign in the World to Come. Jacob like all of us went out of the
Seventh Heaven to earth and his journey back to the Seventh heaven is what his
life story is all about.
Jacob spent the night at
a place known as Beit El “House of God.” It was here that he had his famous
ladder experiencing, where Angels were seen ascending and descending from the
Heavens.
Who were these Angels?
These Angels were sent to accompany Jacob after he left the house of his father
Isaac. According to Torah, before YAHWEH TSEBAOTH destroy the cities of Sodom and Gomarroh, HE
sent three angels to Abraham to warn him of the impending destruction. The
Angels that Jacob saw in his dream ascending the ladder were the Angels sent to
assist Jacob.
In Vayetze, we see that
once a person decides to do the right things, to do whatever it take to connect
to the Light of the Creator miracles will occur to support that person. But
when the CREATOR saw that Jacob had awakened himself spiritually, He realized
his mistake and would take unreasonable measures to correct it, the CREATOR
sent miracles to assist him.
One of the miracles that
awaits Jacob as it awaits us is love. The Torah says that when Jacob arrived in
Charan, he met Rachel and he kissed her. This is one of exceptional moments in
Torah where we find an man kissing a virgin before bethroal. It is the only
time when we see a glimpse of true romance. Jacob after kissing her went to her
father and say he would work seven years for Rachel. Can you ever imagine if we
would give a father seven years wages for his daughter?
To many, it may have seen
a very long time, but to most of us love is selfish; for it is based on “the
desire to received” what in it for me? This is not a sign of true love. To
Jacob and Rachel, the seven years that he had to work is similar to the price
Messiyah Yahushua paid for our sins. It cost him something precious. If young
woman these days would demand something valuable for their virginity, then
maybe marriages would last a life time.
One of the gifts of
Vayetze is that on this Shabbat, we can ask young men and women to pray for the
assistance to achieve true love in our lives. In its ultimate form, the love
Jacob and Rachel achieved is known as the Desire to share. Their love had
nothing to do with what either one could received from the other.
The love they shared was
an appreciation of what they were both capable of giving. Jacob would give her
spiritual guidance, while Rachel would provide him sons to fulfill YAHWEH Will
for Jacob. When He saw Rachel, Jacob saw her as a chariot for a Malchut, He saw
her Anochi, her god-within, her soul. He recognized the Light that they could
reveal together in the world.
Jacob’s love for Rachel
was similar to the love Messiyah have for us. The Torah describe such love as yirat haramemut, love based on
appreciation. When we appreciate someone, in this case Messiyah’s love for us
and we for Him, this appreciation in and of itself awakens more of our love.
Many of us make a
distinction between one kind of love and another, between the love we have for
a acquaintance, between the love that we try to awaken for the Light of the
Creator and the love we have for our friends or our relatives. But at their
purest, all of this form of love are identical.
On this Shabbat, we have
a special opportunity to ask the Holy Spirit to open our heart, to let us
connect to the Light of the Holy Spirit that the first fruit of the Spirit may
manifest in our lives.
The spiritual development
of Jacob entered into another phase as it rightly should in the lives of all
believers. Jacob had left his father’s house the seventh heaven, the upper
world, on a pilgrimage to Laban’s country, the lower world, where he would find
more than a wife, he would learn things about himself or should I say
discovered himself.
It is always through our
trials and testing, that we learn or discover who we truly are. It is when we
are stretch to our breaking point that we learn our true capacity. Sitting at
home will not do it! Venturing into the unknown with the aid of the Holy Spirit
is where we will learn who we truly are.
This pilgrimage would
span a total of twenty years, in which fourteen years spend working for two
wives. He would be living in Haran,
among people who were spiritually challenged at best. This corrosive
environment was to be the tool that cemented the principle of Torah in his
life.
Gen 28:10 And Ya’akov departed from Beer-Sheva, and
went toward Charan. - The
first action of Jacob, describe that he depart from Beer-Sheva. When a
righteous man departs from a place it leaves a spiritual void, much like cutting
a major limb from a fruit tree. A long as he lies in that city, he contributes
to its glory, its splendor, and its beauty; when he departs, its glory,
splendor, and beauty diminished.
Gen 28:11 And he reached a certain place, and tarried there,
because the Shemesh(sun) was set; and he took of the Avanim(stones) of that
place, and put them for his pillow, and lay down in that place to sleep. – That certain place was Mount Moriah,
the site where his Grand fathering Abraham bound his father Isaac on the Altar,
the future site of the Temple
in Yerushalayim.
The place
where a righteous man lay his head is his home, and where is home is, is
sanctified. This was to be where Jacob encountered EL YAHWEH. It is also
possible that the same stone his grandfather used to build his Altar were the
same stone he was to use to build his pillar for the night.
What a
refreshing story! Do we as believers use the spiritual achievement of our
parents to be our resting place? Do we leave our spiritual Altar for our
children to used? Do we leave our wood pile a little higher that we found it.
As Jacob quite obviously started his evening prayer as he lay his head down on
the Rocks which is a symbol of Massiyah. Is it possible that it was a group of
12 stones that Jacob formed into a pillow?
Gen 28:12 And he had a chalom(dream), and hinei a sullam (ladder,
stairway) set up on the ground, and the top of it reached to Shomayim: and
hinei the malachim(messenger, angels) of Elohim ascending and descending on it. - Dreams in Scripture are usually vehicle of
prophecy; otherwise the Torah which uses words very sparingly would not used
them. Jacob’s dream at Mt Moriah symbolized the future of the Hebrew people and
man’s ability to connect himself to EL YAHWEH master Plan.
The angels, who
are EL YAHWEH’s messengers in carrying out HIS Will on earth, are constantly
going up and down to receive His Commands and then come back to earth to
implement them.
This Ladder
is also the Ladder that link the First Heaven with the Seventh Heavens, the
Ladder which all men who believe may climb at any time.
Gen 28:13 And, hinei (behold), YAHWEH stood above it,
and said, I am YAHWEH ELohei Avraham thy av (father), and ELohei Yitzchak;
ha’aretz (the earth) whereon You liest, to thee will I give it, and to thy zera
(seed); - Scripture usually uses this word behold to introduce
something significant. It’s frequent use in this vision emphasize the great
significance meaning, we must take notice. The land upon which you are laying,
to you will I give it.
Since the
place where Jacob was, were to be the future Capital of the Land of Yisrael,
it is the ideal spot for a prophecy such as this. This dream symbolized that as
Jacob sanctified the land, the Temple would
sanctify the entire land
of Yisrael.
Gen 28:14 And thy zera
(offspring) shall be as the dust of ha’aretz (the Earth), and You shall spread
abroad to the west, and to the east, and to the north, and to the south; and in
thee and in thy zera shall kol (all) hamishpochot ha’adamah (the families of
the world) be blessed. –
This verse seems to be a warning to
Jacob, if Yisrael should sink to the level of the nations, Yisrael will be no
more, they will be scattered across the whole earth. If Yisrael had not
forsaken Torah, the nations of the earth would not be give the opportunity it
now have, to be apart of Yisrael. The wild grape vine that was graphed in!
Gen 28:15 And, hinei, I am with thee, and will be shomer over thee in
all places where You goest, and will bring thee back into ha’adamah hazot; for
I will not leave thee, until I have done that which I have promised thee. - EL YAHWEH begins to assured Jacob after
the warning on the last verse. Saying I am, I will always be with you, until
you have reach maturity. Behold, pay
close attention: I am with you
and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land; for I
will not leave you until I have done what I have spoken to you. He who starts a
good work in us is faithful to complete. EL YAHWEH was reaffirming HIS
faithfulness to Jacob, as He is doing for us today. I was telling someone the
other day that I cannot die anytime soon. He taught that I was arrogant. I told him that my EL YAHWEH had not finished
HIS work in me; therefore I cannot die until HE had finished HIS work.
Gen 28:16 And Ya’akov awoke out of his sleep, and he said, Surely
EL YAHWEH is in this place! And I had no da’as(know) of it. - When Jacob spiritual eyes was closed, he returned to his body, he
realizes that his spirit was in communication with EL YAHWEH. Dreams are
nothing more than a spiritual communication with the spiritual realm.
Jacob said in
this place he had experienced a prophecy, he had seen into the future without
having prepared himself for it, he realized that the place was so holy that it
was a magnet for prophecy. It was a good thing that he did not know or else he
would have tried to help. When we rest our head on the Solid Rock called
Yahushua, we will be in the realm of the prophetic, since He is the giver of
the Holy Spirit. The spirit of prophecy is a correcting spirit, given to us to
show the way back to Torah, back to the land.
Because man
is in the flesh, his spiritual sixth sense is turned off, he can only sense his
surrounding with his five limited senses. Man has to turn of his five natural
sense as when he is asleep, before his sixth sense can be used.
Gen 28:17 And he was afraid, and said, How nora (awesome) is this
place! This is none other than the Beis Elohim(house of the gods), and this is
the Sha’ar HaShomayim(gates of the Heavens). – This
is not an ordinary place, but the Temple
of EL YAHWEH. Therefore,
it was the Gate of Heavens right here on Earth. Today that Temple is El Yahushua, no man come to His
FATHER except through Him. John 14:6 Yahushua said to him, “I am the Way, theTruth, and the Life. No one comes to the
Father except through Me.
Gen 28:18 And Ya’akov rose up early in the boker(morning), and
took haeven (the stone) that he had put for his pillow, and set it up for a
matzevah (pillar), and poured shemen(oil) upon the top of it. – Another example of a mature believer, he
rises early in the morning to perform service to EL YAHWEH.
It seem like
in Vayetze, that once a person decides to do the right thing, to do whatever it
takes to connect to the Light of the CREATOR, miracles will occur to help that
person do what is necessary. The CREATOR saw that Jacob had awakened
spiritually; he had realized his past mistakes and took the necessary steps
correct them.
Seeing this,
we are awaken by this Torah Portion to an alarming implication. If Jacob had
not left his birth home, his spiritual eyes would not be open for him to see
the ladder that were there all along, he would have simply carried on with all
his daily spiritual works; he would continued to pray and study all day doing
everything correctly. Why are my actions not working? Why do I not feel YOUR
assistance? He would never have known that it was because he did not have the
Consciousness of the CREATOR while he was still at home. He had to experience
his spiritual journey.
Gen 28:19 And he called the shem (name) of that place Beit-El;
but the shem of that ir (city) was called Luz at the first. – He gave a new name to the place. It had been called Luz, an
almond-tree; but he will have it henceforward called Beth-el, the house
of EL. This gracious appearance of YAHWEH to him put a greater honor upon
it, and made it more remarkable, than all the almond-trees that flourished
there. This is that Beth-el where, long after, it is said, YAHWEH found
Jacob, and there (in what he said to him) HE spoke with us, Hos.
12:4. In process of time, this Beth-el, the house of EL, became Beth-aven,
a house of vanity and iniquity, when Jeroboam set up one of his calves
there.
Gen 28:20 And Ya’akov vowed a neder (vow), saying, If Elohim will
be with me, and will be shomer over me in this derech (way, journey) that I go,
and will give me Lechem(bread) to eat, and beged (clothes) to put on,
- Good Hebrew is poor English, and good English is poor Hebrew. When
Jacob made that vow, it implies that it was to be repeated by all believers
saying that if, we remain in EL YAHWEH, HE will guard us on our journey to
perfection, and give us the bread and the wine and cloth us in HIS Glory;
meaning that poverty will not cause us to act against our own sense of
propriety and EL YAHWEH’s Will.
Gen 28:21 So that I return to bais avi (house of my father) in
shalom; then shall YAHWEH be for me Elohim (my EL). – So that I
finish my spiritual journey and find spiritual peace, then my Father and I will
be Echad (One). This is the position of full maturity This should be everyones
spiritual (Kavanah) Intention.
Gen 28:22 And this even (stone), which I have set for a matzevah
(pillar), shall be Beis Elohim: and of all that You shall give me I will surely
give the aser (tenth) unto Thee. – When all the sons reach maturity and
posses their inheritance, he Jacob like all the other Mature Sons will give a
tithe unto EL YAHWEH. Jacob’s tithes included not only a tenth of all earnings,
but also his pledge to dedicate a tenth of his children to EL YAHWEH’s service.
Giving a tenth in this life time is in preparation of the world to come.
Chapter 29
The life of
all believers should be a journey, a journey to perfection. Along that journey
awaits certain experiences: the experiences that solidify our strength and
develop our weaknesses. Those who are called to walk with us permanently, and
those who are called to be temporary accompaniment.
Too often in
the believer life those who are called to be temporary associates, we turn them
into permanent associates. They are associates that are like leaves they are
only for a season; there are friends who are like limbs they are attach to us,
but when a strong wind comes and tear them off they are gone. Some are like
roots they are with us permanently. Do not turn what is meant to be only a leaf
into a root.
Even Though
Jacob and Esau were brothers, in order for Jacob to continue his spiritual
development, a parting of ways had to happen. The next step in Jacob life was
about to play itself out. We cannot get to the next stage of our development if
we continue to keep the old acquaintance.
Gen 29:1 Then Ya’akov went on his journey, and came into the
eretz (Land) of the bnei kedem. Been assured by the prophetic dream, - Jacob with a lifted spirit he continued
on his spiritual journey. When we are assured that our success is guarantee, we
walk with a certain swagger, a certain spiritual boldness, or authority so to
speak. Paul says that he leave those experience that are behind and look
forward to a new one.
Gen 29:2 And he looked, and hinei (behold) a be’er (well) in the
sadeh (field), and, hinei, there were shloshah edrei tzon (flocks of sheep)
lying by it; for out of that be’er (well) they watered the edarim (sheep): and
a great even (stone) was upon the mouth of the be’er. – The Torah narrates this incident at
length to illustrate how those who trust in EL YAHWEH shall renew their
strength; they shall walk and not faint. How then was Jacob able to role away
that large stone by himself? Jacob saw a well, a ministry in a field with a
flock of sheep laying around it, with a great stone, the stone of unbelief
blocking its entrance.
Gen 29:3 And to there were all the edarim (flocks) gathered: and
they rolled the even (stone) from the mouth of the be’er, and watered the tzon,
and put the even (stone) again upon the mouth of the be’er (well) in its place. – Compare the
stone of the believer to the stone of unbeliever. The stone of the believer,
Yahushua produces living water, while the stone of religion will stop anyone
from getting water without permission.
Gen 29:4 and
Ya’akov said unto them, my brethren, where are you from? And they said, Of
Charan is we. – By asking where they were from, he
discovered where they were going; No-where spiritually. Too often we meet
believers yet we never ask each other where they are spiritually. When we know
where someone is spiritually, we can expect certain actions or certain fruit of
the spirit from them.
Gen 29:5 And he said unto them, Know ye Lavan ben Nachor? And
they said, We know him. –
Therefore they must know Laban and they confirmed it. To often the origin of a
Sheppard determine where he is taking the flock. One cannot take the sheep
where they have not been spiritually. He will not be able to take the sheep to
different plateau on the mountain of spiritual development. For the higher we
progress up the mountain is the more our spiritual eyes can see.
Gen 29:6 And he said unto them, is the shalom (Peace) with him? And
they said, Shalom; and, hinei(behold), Rachel his bat (daughter) cometh with
the tzon (flock). – One of the hallmarks of a believer is to
ask about the safety of an individual. Kindness being one of the fruit of the
Spirit. Realizing that Jacob wanted to know more about Laban’s personal life
than they could tell, they pointed out his daughter a sheppardest come their
way.
Gen 29:7 And he said, Look, the sun is still high, neither is it
time that the flock should be gathered together; water ye the tzon(sheep), and
go and feed them. – When he undertook to teach them how to dispatch
their business, they did not bid him meddle with his own concerns and let them
alone; but, Though he was a stranger, they gave him the reason of their delay,
verse 8. Those that are neighborly and friendly shall have neighborly and
friendly usage.
Gen 29:8 and they said, We cannot, until all the edarim (flock) be
gathered together, and till they roll the even (stone) from the mouth of the
be’er; then we water the tzon. - It is not until the rock of offence is
removed from the mouth of the well, before the sheep in the unsaved camps can
be watered. This rock of offense is the Messiyah! Those who do not believe in
Him, He will be a stumbling block to the revelation of the Word. Here we see an
example of rabbinic Judaism at work.
Gen 29:9 And while he yet spoke with them, Rachel came with the
tzon (sheep) of her av; for she was a ro’ah (shepherdess). – Rachel came
leading all of Laban’s sheep; which indicates that the flock was small. Indeed,
Laban became prosperous only after Jacob began working for him. Rachel must
have been a skilled shepherdess to tend single-handedly to even a small flock.
When there are no suitable male, a woman will do. Even a qualified woman like
Rachel cannot be as successful as a male leader like Jacob.
Gen 29:10 And it came to pass, when Ya’akov saw Rachel bat (daughter)
Lavan achi immo, and the tzon of Lavan achi immo, that Ya’akov went near, and
rolled the even (stone) from the mouth of the be’er, and watered the tzon of
Lavan achi immo. – In this one verse we see three mention of Laban his mother
brother. This seems to imply that all that Jacob did for Laban was because of
Rebecca. Jacob understands the spiritual significant of what he saw. It was a
woman bring the flock to the well and they had to wait for the rest of
shepherdess to help each other remove the religious stone that block the
entrance to the well of truth.
The spiritual
mature person Jacob was, he rolled away the stone by himself, so that the
shepherdess could water their flock, while the lazy Laban was at home.
Gen 29:11 And Ya’akov kissed Rachel, and lifted up his voice, and
wept.
- Jacob wept for he saw Rachel doing a man’s
job. It was a sad state of event for the people in Param Haram spiritually. He
kisses her for the work that she was doing. It was not a kiss of affection, it
was a kiss of gratitude, to say thank you for stepping up to the plate and
batting when there was no suitable male around. This was the character of
Rachel!
Gen 29:12 And Ya’akov told Rachel that he was the relative of her
av (father), and that he was ben Rivkah; and she ran and told her av. – The fact that Jacob mention that he was her father’s relative,
it meant that she can trust him. The essence of every relationship starts with
the establishing of trust, not physical desire.
Jacob had
come to Haran
to find his mate, but to a Patriarch of Yisrael this means more than merely
finding the woman or women with whom he would build a family. Jacob was the
last of the Patriarchs, the one to whom the nation of Yisrael was to be
establish, as he knew prophetically would be born the twelve tribes, and the
one who would begin the process of changing YAHWEH’s people from a family into
a nation.
Gen 29:13 and it came to pass, when Lavan heard the news of
Ya’akov ben achoto(son of his sister), that he ran to meet him, and embraced
him, and kissed him, and brought him to his bais. And he told Lavan all these
things. – Was Laban remembering the incident with
Elizer and Rebecca, or was he thinking about the prize that Eliezer had brought
for Rebecca?
Gen 29:14 And Lavan said to him, Surely You art my etzem (bone)
and my basar. And he abode with him the space of a chodesh (month). - Was this true generosity or was it
greed? Laban, Though none of the
best-humored men, welcome Jacob, was satisfied in the account he gave of
himself, and of the reason of his coming in such poor circumstances. While we
avoid the extreme, on the one hand, of being foolishly credulous, we must take
heed of falling into the other extreme, of being uncharitably jealous and
suspicious. Laban owned him for his kinsman: You art my bone and my flesh.
Those are hard-hearted indeed that are unkind to their relations, and that hide
themselves from their own flesh, Isa. 58:7.
The fair contract made
between Laban and Jacob, during the month that Jacob spent there as a guest. It
seems he was not idle, nor did he spend his time in sport and pastime; but like
a man of business, Though he had no stock of his own, he applied himself to serve
his uncle, as he had begun verse 10 when he watered his flock.
Gen 29:15 And Lavan said unto Ya’akov, because You art my relative,
shouldest You therefore serve me for nothing? Tell me, what shall thy maskoret
(wages) be? - Wherever we are, it is good to be employing
ourselves in some useful business, which will turn to a good account to
ourselves or others. Laban, it seems, was so taken with Jacob’s ingenuity and
industry about his flocks that he was desirous he should continue with him, and
very good reasons thus: "Because You art my brother, shouldst You
therefore serve me for nought?
No, what reason for
that?’’ If Jacob be so respectful to his uncle as to give him his service without
demanding any consideration for it, yet Laban will not be so unjust to his
nephew as to take advantage either of his necessity or of his good-nature.
Gen 29:16 And Lavan had two banot (daughters): the shem (name) of the
elder was Leah, and the Shem of the younger was Rachel. – One of the miracle or lessons of Vayetze is
that of love. The Torah says that when Jacob arrived in Charan, he met Rachel
and Kissed her. This is one of those rare times in Torah where we find an
unbethrod couple kissing. It is also the only time in the Torah where we caught
a glimpse of true romantic love. Jacob is willing to come to his uncle
farm and work for seven years the amount
for a bride price.
Gen 29:17 Leah had weak eyes; but Rachel was yafeh and lovely in
form. - This is a nice way of saying that Leah was
not much to look at, but Rachel was! There is a law that says that if a man has
two wives one loved and one unloved, he cannot show favoritism.
Gen 29:18 And Ya’akov loved Rachel; and said, I will serve thee
sheva shanim(seven years) for Rachel thy bat haketannah (younger daughter). – It was the character of Rachel that Jacob was attracted
to, been voluptuous was just an added benefit. Notice also that Jacob had no
money to pay the Bride Price, that is why I say that Esau stole it from Jacob
while he was on his way to Laban. Leah was not the kind of girl who attracted
the eye of the men as Rachel did. She was physically challenged so to speak.
Seven years
may seems like a terribly long time to wait, but for most of us it was proof
that he was not a lazy man. To Jacob and Rachel, the seven years that they
could not be together seemed to fly by in a matter of days, for their love was
based on sharing, not selfish motive.
Gen 29:19 And Lavan said, it is better that I give her to thee, than
that I should give her to another ish (man); abide with me. – Even Though Laban was not a Torah
follower they still practice some of Torah principle. It is the head of the
family that decide who marry who. It is the head of the family who had to give
the final approval after consulting the young lady. Laban also knew that Jacob
was from a rich family! Did that have any effect on his decision to give his
daughter to Jacob?
Gen 29:20 And Ya’akov served sheva shanim (seven years) for
Rachel; and they seemed unto him but a few yamim (days), because of the ahavah
(love) he had for her. - Only his great love for Rachel that Jacob
served seven years. He had no other choice for he did not have the bride price
to pay. Seven years is kind a high, but the desire for her was well worth the
price. Most men will do anything for a pretty woman, even a believer.
Gen 29:21 And Ya’akov said unto Lavan, Give me my isha (woman),
for my yamim (days) are completed, that I may go in unto her. – After seven years, Laban said nothing; Jacob was forced to
approach Laban to remind him of the agreement. Jacob wanted to start his
family, he wanted to fulfilled his commission as the father of a great nation.
But notice what Jaco said, that I may go in unto her. Meaning, I can go have
sex with her. Oh my. Where was the wedding? Fornication, sex without marriage!!
Gen 29:22 And Lavan gathered together all the anshei hamakom(men
of the place), and made a mishteh (feast). – The second times we see the wedding feast being arrange.
Laban did not call the local priest to proceed over the wedding. This is a form
of the final wedding feast, when Messiyah return for his five wise virgins.
Gen 29:23 and it came to pass
in the erev (evening), that he took Leah his bat, and brought her to him; and
he went in unto her. -
This must have been some feast why Jacob did not recognize that it was not
Rachel in his bed. Was Leah that obedient to her father that she did not
object? Or was it the practice of the day? Did they even speak to each other?
If I had work seven years for a woman, I would have least kiss her and say
darling finally, and she might have said yes my dear, I am going to make it
worth your while!
Again, notice
there were not priest to conduct the wedding as we do today. When did they say
“I take you to be my lawfully wedded …..”?
Gen 29:24 And Lavan gave unto his daughter Leah Zilpah shifchato
(her maid) for a shifchah. – In those
days every woman had a servant, the servant was most valuable when Leah would
be on her monthly cycle the servant girl would do her bidding. This servant
girl was not someone who work as a slave, she had as much right as her
mistress. She was not someone who just do every thing the master said she must
do, she was a person who would do thing that the Mistress was not able to do
when she was on her monthly cycle, such as take care of the children and
prepare food for the family.
Gen 29:25 And it came to pass, that in the boker (morning),
hinei(behold), it was Leah! And he said to Lavan, What is this You hast done
unto me? Did not I serve with thee for Rachel? – So why then hast You deceived me? All of
Laban’s plans, however, could not have succeded had EL YAHWEH not wanted them
to, for it is illogical to believe that Jacob could not have detected something
amiss until morning. Unless he was drunk! The result of all our action is the
consequence of our character; it is the indicator for us to measure ourselves.
Or what scripture calls the fruit of the Spirit.
Marriage in
those days was celebrated by a feast, no official ceremony, no exchanging of
vows, no wedding ring. It was implemented by asking the father for permission
to take his daughter, if she agrees; the man paid the Bride Price. If they
wanted they may have a Feast where the friends and family gathered together to
celebrate the occasion, and finally the consummation of the agreement. Have sex
with a virgin was an act of been married. Casual sexual relationship was never
done between friends, and then they went home to their respected parent house.
When the
woman had sex for the first time she would carried he sleep blanket that should
absorbed the blood from her virginity, then it was displayed as a sign of the
covenant for all to see. It was required for every young woman to do so. If on
her first night with her husband, and she did not establish a blood covenant,
then she would be called an unclean woman.
I believe
that it was EL YAHWEH Will for Jacob to take the not so beautiful Leah as wife
first. Then Rachel his favorite next. It was also a chance for Jacob to fulfill
the commandment that if a man take two wives and love one more than the other,
he must treat them both the same.
Gen 29:26 And Lavan said, it must not be so done in our land, to
give the younger before the bechirah (elder). – To
give Leah a chance to get married, the oldest had to get married before the
youngest. This policy would guarantee that all the girls would find a husband.
What if it was Rachel was first, would the not so beautiful Leah find a
Husband. Where they not violating Torah requirement not to take a wife from two
sisters. Leviticus 18:18‘Nor shall you take a woman as a rival to
her sister, to uncover her nakedness while the other is alive.
Gen 29:27 Finish her shvu’a (seven day), and we will give thee
this also for the avodah (service, work) which You shall do for me yet sheva
shanim acherot(another seven years). - Laban promise that as soon as the seven days of Leah’s
wedding feast were over, Jacob could take Rechel as wife and work another seven
years for her. As the sixth days of creation prepare the bride for the seventh
day feast, we see a parallel for our spiritual development. If anyone does not
keep the Shabbat then one cannot enter the rest or the wedding chamber with the
groom.
Jacob’s love
for Rachel was similar to the love many of us hope to have for the CREATOR.
Such love is describe as yirat haromemut,
love based on appreciation. When we appreciate someone, in this case the
CREATOR, this appreciation in and of itself awakens more of our love.
The love
spiritual people share is based on a desire to share. Their love had nothing to
do with what either one could get from the other. The love demonstrate in this
Torah portion was an appreciation of what they were both capable of giving.
When he saw Rachel, Jacob viewed her as a chariot for Malchut . He recognized the Light that she could reveal for the
Kingdom.
Gen 29:28 And Ya’akov did so, and fulfilled her shvu’a; and he gave
him Rachel his bat to be his isha (wife) also. – Jacob was
painting a beautiful picture of our redemption walk, we must fulfilled the six
days of creation in our lives in-order to become the Bride of Messiyah. All of
these rituals are visible Torah, design to teach us the principles of Heavens.
What we can
also acertain is that Yisrael was founded on plural marriage. Simple means that
Yisrael YAHWEH chosen people are all adulters. Or is Christian values wrong?
Gen 29:29 And Lavan gave to his bat Rachel Bilhah his shifchah to be
her shifchah: - Those
of us who make it into the Holy of Holies, full maturity are the bride; they will
be given maidservant so to speak. These maidservants are those who did not make
it to full maturity, those who make it as far as the Holy
Place spiritually. As the Holy of Holies is a indicator of the
Wife, the Holy Place represent the realm of
the concubine. Notice that Bilhah and Zilpah eventually became concubines and
then wives of Jacob.
Gen 29:30 And he went in also unto Rachel, and he loved also
Rachel more than Leah, and served him yet sheva shanim acherot(seven more years). - Jacob surely loved Leah the ugly duckling, but his greater
love was for the lovely Rachel. Could this be the next stage in Jacob
development, to learn to love both wives equally? I can understand if there was
a spiritual flaw in Leah, except for her looks. As a man, most of the time we
choose a wife based on her looks, and not on her character. Could this be
another test for Jacob? I believe so!
Gen 29:31 And when EL YAHWEH saw that Leah was hated, He opened
her womb but Rachel was barren.- Torah said that EL YAHWEH saw that Leah was not as popular as
Rachel! Why did I have to take this ugly duckling as a wife! I will keep her
home, while I romance the lovely Rachel. I will only visit her when Rachel is
on her monthly cycle. I will do the mere minimal responsibility that a husband
needs to do to a wife. Maybe Rachel was getting her regular loving and Leah was
barely scraping the barrel. What this incidence is exposing, is a flaw in Jacob
character. It is the responsibility of every individual to scrutinize our
action clearly, to see if they align them-selves according to the Word of EL YAHWEH.
Therefore, ABBA YAHWEH bless Leah so that Jacob would respect her more.
Gen 29:32 And Leah conceived, and bore a ben(son), and she called is
shmo(name) Reuven: for she said, Surely YAHWEH hath looked upon my misery; now
therefore my ish(husband) will love me. - It seems that Leah was also suffering
from a case of inferiority complex. If I do this maybe Jacob will love me more.
It is not our actions that will determine if EL YAHWEH will love us. It is if
we love His Son. In the redeemed community one’s self Image should not be in
question; for we are created in the image of EL YAHWEH. It is unfair to base
the love for a person, on their physical attribute, and not on character. Does
our Heavenly Father love the short man less than the tall one?
I Samuel 16:7 But YAHWEH said unto Samuel, Look
not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused
him: for YAHWEH seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance,
but YAHWEH looketh on the heart. I Peter 3:3 Whose adorning let
it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold,
or of putting on of apparel; 4But let it be the hidden man of the
heart, in that which is not corruptible. There is a three part lesson
to this story: Jacob need to learn to look past the physical appearance. Lear
need to recognize her worth as a woman created in the image of EL YAHWEH, and
Rachel need to be less self centered.
Gen 29:33 And she conceived again, and bore (a son)ben; and said,
Because YAHWEH hath heard that I was hated, He hath therefore given me this
also; and she called shmo Shimon. – After her first child Leah was
confident that Jacob would love her more, But EL YAHWEH knew that this ugly
duckling need to have her confidence boosted some more; so EL YAHWEH allow her
to conceive again. EL YAHWEH was using His Divine plan to fulfill His role and
help humanity at the same time. There is always a plan within a plan, within a
plan for YAHWEH.
Gen 29:34 And she conceived again, and bore ben; and said, now
this time will my ish yillaveh (become attached) unto me, because I have born
him shloshah banim: therefore was shmo called Levi. - In our various stage of development, in particular when
there have been previous abuses, one or even two session will never cure an
individual from years of stigmatize; confidence is developed over time. EL YAHWEH
was giving Leah her time in the spotlight, in order to develop in her the
confidence of a princess as she is called to be.
Gen 29:35 And she conceived again, and bore ben (a son); and she
said, Now will odeh (I praise) YAHWEH; therefore she called shmo Yehudah; and
stopped giving birth. - Notice carefully Leah did not say; now
my husband will love me more! She gave praise to the source of her confidence
EL YAHWEH. Let me gratefully praise EL YAHWEH, so she called her son Judah a
praise of EL YAHWEH. Our Heavenly Father is in the restoration business. He
took an ugly duckling and made her a praise of the True and Living Elohim. That
is growth!
As believers
we should never look for fulfillment from the acceptance of man. It is always
who we are in El Yahushua (Jesus Christ) that determines our justification. Our
level of sanctification is up to our obedience to Torah.
