RECOGNITION

2. RECOGNITION THE MESSIANIC PROPHECY BIBLE PROJECT http://www.messianicbible.com HEAR O ISRAEL www.hearoisrael.org SHEEPFOLD GLEANINGS WRITTEN BY JULIE PARKER www.sheepfoldgleanings.com MESSIANIC ISRAEL ALLIANCE http://www.messianicisrael.com AZAMRA TORAH FOR OUR TIME – RABBI AVRAHAM GREENBAUM http://www.azamra.org

3. VAYETSE “And he went out” Torah: Genesis: 28:10-32:3 Haftorah:  Hosea 11:7-14:9 B’ritChadashah: John 1:19-51 All references: The Scripture 1998+ unless otherwise noted

4. SENT TO THE EAST Last week, we were introduced to Jacob as a “plain man, dwelling in tents” (Genesis 25:27). This secure, home-loving man will now find himself in exile, completely alone and with a long journey ahead of him. The lessons that he learned from the study of Torah will now become an exercise in reality. Studying is quite different from establishing a large family, working, and coping with a life that rubs up against ungodliness. Jacob has been sent off to find a spouse. Without the appropriate spouse, Jacob will not be able to fulfil his role as the chosen son. On account of the fury of his brother over the stolen blessing, he was forced to flee without possessions. He leaves only with his blessing and his birthright, but with nothing tangible to show for them. Imagine how you would feel. You are the chosen son, blessed with the promise of the land of Canaan, yet it is your rival brother who remains in the land! Furthermore, when Ishmael was REJECTED from the birthright process, he was sent away to the east. (Genesis 25:6) Now Jacob is being sent away to the east. Jacob had to be very confused and in need of reassurance.

5. TO A CERTAIN PLACE And Yaʽaqoḇ went out from Be’ĕrsheḇa and went toward Ḥaran. And he came upon a place and stopped over for the night, for the sun had set. .. (Genesis 28:10-11) “Be’ersheva” in Hebrew means the “seventh well”, or in Hebrew thought, it is a picture of the “Fountain of Divine Knowledge”. “Haran” means “the Crossroads” and symbolizes “choosing” or “making choices”. “he came to a certain place….” The KJV says that “he lighted upon a certain place….” In the Hebrew it states that, “Va’yifgaba’maqowm” or “and he encountered that place”. The Hebrew word here for “place” is “maqowm”, Strong’s #4725, meaning; “place” or “station”. “Maqowm” is from the root word #6965 “quwm”, meaning; to rise up, arise, also to be “proven” or “to establish”. It is translated as “rise up” or “arise” 451 times in Scripture and as “confirm”, “perform” and “establish” 65 times. In other words Jacob has come to and encountered this place, this “maqowm”, where the Words of יהוהare “confirmed”, “proven” and “established”.

6. THE JOURNEYLegends of the Jews Jacob's journey to Haran was a succession of miracles. The first of the five that befell for his sake in the course of it was that the sun sank while Jacob was passing Mount Moriah, though it was high noon at the time. He was following the spring that appeared wherever the Patriarchs went or settled. It accompanied Jacob from Beer-sheba to Mount Moriah, a two days' journey. When he arrived at the holy hill, the Lord said to him: "Jacob, thou hast bread in thy wallet, and the spring of waters is near by to quench thy thirst. Thus thou hast food and drink, and here thou canst lodge for the night." But Jacob replied: "The sun has barely passed the fifth of its twelve day stages, why should I lie down to sleep at so unseemly an hour?" But then Jacob perceived that the sun was about to sink, and he prepared to make ready his bed. It was the Divine purpose not to let Jacob pass the site of the future Temple without stopping; he was to tarry there at least one night. Also, God desired to appear unto Jacob, and He shows Himself unto His faithful ones only at night. At the same time Jacob was saved from the pursuit of Esau, who had to desist on account of the premature darkness.

7. THE PLACE Three times in 28:11, the location is referred to as the “place”. Why the emphasis on this special location? Rick Spurlock in his commentary on Vayetze provides this insight: “The road that Jacob took from Beersheva, was not the easy way to Haran. The easy way was the King’s Highway that follows the Jordan River Valley. Instead, Jacob took the ridge road that follows the ridge of hills that make up the center of the Land of Israel. In the centerof that ridge was the town of Shalem, or Jebu (Jerusalem), and very close to that was the town that is identified as Bet El (Bethel). The ancient sages identify Bet El not with the later Bethel in the time of the Judges and the Kings, but with Araunah the Jebusite’sthreshing floor, which Jacob’s descendant, King David purchased for the purpose of building a Temple to HaShem. If this is true, Jacob’s first encounter with the G-d of Abraham and Isaac was on the site of Abraham and Isaac’s greatest test: the offering of Isaac on the mountains of Moriyah, and the place of our Master’s suffering and resurrection.”

8. OF STONES ..And he took one of the stones of that place and put it at his head, and he lay down in that place to sleep. (Genesis 28:10-11) In most English translations that he took one of the stones (some translations say that he took “of the stones”) from that place and put at his head, or as his pillows [KJV]. The Hebrew for “he took” here is #3947 “laqach”, which means “to take”, “accept” or “marry”. Next is “m’eben‟y”, or “of stones”. The word “stone” in Hebrew (eben) is spelled “aleph-beit-nun”. We have two words within “eben”. We have “aleph-beit” (ab), which means “father” and “beit-nun” (ben) which means “son”. So, both father and son make up the eben or stone. We read that Jacob put them at his head. Some translations say, “for pillows”. The KJV puts that in italics to note that it was added. However, from the Hebrew it reads, “v‟asamm‟rashatah” or that “he arranged them around his head.” Summary: He takes or “accepts” some of the stones and arranges them around his head before he goes to sleep.

9. “m’eben’y” The numeric value of the phrase “m’eben’y” or “of stones” is 103, which equals “ha kokavim” or “the stars”. We read about “the stars” in Genesis 37 when Jacobs’s son, Joseph has a dream. And he dreamed still another dream and related it to his brothers, and said, “See, I have dreamed another dream, and see, the sun and the moon and the eleven stars bowed down to me.” And he related it to his father and his brothers. And his father rebuked him and said to him, “What is this dream that you have dreamed? Shall we, your mother and I and your brothers, indeed come to bow down to the earth before you?” And his brothers envied him, but his father guarded the word. (Genesis 37:9-11) It was Jacob who interpreted the dream and the eleven stars were his other sons, who would become, along with Joseph, the tribes of Israel. He knew what this meant, quite possibly from his having placed the stones around his head here at Beth El.

10. THE LADDER And he dreamed and saw a ladder set up on the earth, and its top reached to the heavens, and saw messengers of Elohim going up and coming down on it. (Genesis 28:12) Jacob sleeps and he has a dream. He sees a “ladder”; in Hebrew “sullam”, Strong’s #5551 which is from #5549, “salal” meaning to “lift-up” or “exalt”. This ladder was “mutzaveretz”, or was “rooted in the land” and “reached to Heaven”. It didn’t just reach from the earth to Heaven; it was “rooted” in the land. It was connected to the Land. Now, the “messengers” (“malaki”) of Elohim were ascending and descending upon it. This brings us to at least two questions: Why does it state that the messengers were “ascending” and “descending” in that order? Logic would say that the descended from Heaven, then ascended back. Who or what is the Ladder?

11. ANSWERS The rabbis teach that the ladder being rooted in the land means that first, our prayers are carried up to יהוה by the messengers that He has placed to guard us. Then, they will return with His provision. And He said to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, from now on you shall see the heaven opened, and the messengers of Elohim ascending and descending upon the Son of Aḏam.” (John 1:51) The ladder represents the Tree of Life. As the Tree of Life, יהושע is the head of the assembly of believers (Colossians 1:18; Ephesians 5:23). The Jewish sages say that Jacob’s ladder is Torah. The Torah is the pathway of righteousness leading to a deeper walk with יהוה in his heavenly kingdom (Matthew 19:16-19). The ladder (Torah) is a bridge from heaven to earth. In the same way, יהושע, the Living Torah or the Word of יהוה made flesh, is the Way to the Father, the Way of Salvation, the Source of Eternal Life, and the One who redeems man and reconciles him to the Father through His Body, “the Ladder”.

12. Mt SINAI AND THE LADDER Now in gematria, we also see a connection between Mt. Sinai and the ladder: Ladder - ~L's:: 60 (s) + 30 (l) + 40 (~) = 130 Sinai - yn:ys: 60 (s) + 10 (y) + 50 (n) + 10 (y) = 130 Another word with the value of 130 is the Hebrew for “appointed times” (moed- d[eAm): 40 (m) + 6 (A) + 80 ([) + 4 (d) = 130 Three times a year, the Israelites were commanded to come to “this place” to meet with יהוהto celebrate His “appointed times”.

13. יהושע AND THE LADDER The ladder itself is described in almost human terms. It begins on the ground, but its head reaches to the heavens. יהושעlinks Himself with this ladder in His conversation with Nathaniel: יהושע saw Nethanĕ’l coming toward Him, and said of him, “See, truly a Yisra’ĕlite, in whom is no deceit!” Nethanĕ’l said to Him, “From where do You know me?” יהושע answered and said to him, “Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you.” Nethanĕ’l answered and said to Him, “Rabbi, You are the Son of Elohim! You are the Sovereign of Yisra’ĕl!” יהושע answered and said to him, “Because I said to you, ‘I saw you under the fig tree,’ do you believe? Greater than that you shall see.” And He said to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, from now on you shall see the heaven opened, and the messengers of Elohim ascending and descending upon the Son of Aḏam.” (John 1:47-51)

14. COMUNICATION LINE The dream of the ladder with angels ascending and descending is a picture of יהוהestablishing a line of communication between heaven and earth. In the Garden of Eden, Adam and Eve were able to come directly to their Creator. But sin broke that connection, and the Father removed Himself back up to heaven. His ministering angels still continued on with His work for those who believed. The wilderness Tabernacle established a similar connection between the earthly and the heavenly. All of these pictures pointed to the Messiah. Because of יהושע, we can now have access to the Most High in the Heavenlies. How do we do this? Prayer is one way, and the keeping of the commandments is another earthly way of making a spiritual connection.

15. THE DREAMLegends of the Jews He dreamed a dream in which the course of the world's history was unfolded to him. On a ladder set up on the earth, with the top of it reaching to heaven, he beheld the two angels who had been sent to Sodom. For one hundred and thirty-eight years they had been banished from the celestial regions, because they had betrayed their secret mission to Lot. They had accompanied Jacob from his father's house thither, and now they were ascending heavenward. When they arrived there, he heard them call the other angels, and say, "Come ye and see the countenance of the pious Jacob, whose likeness appears on the Divine throne, ye who yearned long to see it," and then he beheld the angels descend from heaven to gaze upon him. He also saw the angels of the four kingdoms ascending the ladder. The angel of Babylon mounted seventy rounds, the angel of Media, fifty-two, that of Greece, one hundred and eighty, and that of Edom mounted very high, saying, "I will ascend above the heights of the clouds, I will be like the Most High," and Jacob heard a voice remonstrating, "Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the uttermost parts of the pit." God Himself reproved Edom, saying, "Though thou mount on high as the eagle, and though thy nest be set among the stars, I will bring thee down from thence."

16. THE BLESSING And see, יהוה stood above it and said, “I am יהוה Elohim of Aḇraham your father and the Elohim of Yitsḥaq. The land on which you are lying, I give it to you and your seed. “And your seed shall be as the dust of the earth, and you shall break forth to the west and to the east, to the north and the south. And all the clans of the earth shall be blessed in you and in your seed. “And see, I am with you and shall guard you wherever you go, and shall bring you back to this land. For I am not going to leave you until I have done what I have spoken to you.” (Genesis 28:13-15) Here יהוהrepeats the promises made to Abraham and Isaac, with the addition of prophesying of the future dispersions of both “Houses of Israel” in that they will break forth in all directions. He tells Jacob that He is with him, guarding him and will bring him back to EretzIsrael. And, that He will not leave Jacobuntil all is done. The Stone Edition TaNaK ends it this way from the Hebrew, “…. for I will not forsake you until I will have done what I have spoken about you.” This has implications for Jacob personally and for us, his seed.

17. EXILE “And see, I am with you and shall guard you wherever you go, and shall bring you back to this land. For I am not going to leave you until I have done what I have spoken to you.” (Genesis 28:15) Jacob does indeed return from exile; not once, but twice. He returns from Haran 21 years later a wealthy man with eleven of his sons and the twelfth on the way. Then, while still in Mitzrayim, as he is dying, he asks Joseph to promise to bring his body home to EretzIsrael to be buried with Abraham and Isaac. So, he is taken from his grave in the world and brought back to EretzIsrael. This is once again a prophetic picture! Where God will take the dead back to the promised land. “Therefore prophesy, and you shall say to them, ‘Thus said the Master יהוה, “See, O My people, I am opening your graves, and shall bring you up from your graves, and shall bring you into the land of Yisra’ĕl. “And you shall know that I am יהוה, when I open your graves, O My people, and bring you up from your graves. (Ezekiel 37:12-13)

18. GATE OF HEAVEN And Yaʽaqoḇ awoke from his sleep and said, “Truly, יהוה is in this place, and I did not know it.” And he was afraid and said, “How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of Elohim, and this is the gate of the heavens!” And Yaʽaqoḇ rose early in the morning, and took the stone that he had put at his head, set it up as a standing column, and poured oil on top of it. And he called the name of that place Bĕyth Ěl, however, the name of that city had been Luz previously. (Genesis 28:16-19) Now, Jacob calls this place the “House of Elohim” or “Beit El” and the “Gate of the Heavens”. This place, Scripture says, was previously called “Luz”. Now Luz (Strongs #3870) means “almond tree”. The almond tree was where Aaron’s staff came from and is the sign of the authority of the Levites and the priesthood to be the spiritual leaders of Israel. Also, the golden Lamp stand (menorah) was fashioned to represent the almond tree.

19. THE STONE We read that Jacob takes “the stone” that had been around his head all night and stands it up as a standing column and pours oil on top of it. In the Hebrew Torah, the “stone” here is singular in verse 18, but plural back in verse 11. The rabbis teach that he placed twelve stones around his head. Now, we’re not given the exact number of stones that Jacob placed around his head but somehow, these stones united into one stone. Legends of the Jews: Jacob took twelve stones from the altar on which his father Isaac had lain bound as a sacrifice, and he said: "It was the purpose of God to let twelve tribes arise, but they have not been begotten by Abraham or Isaac. If, now, these twelve stones will unite into a single one, then shall I know for a certainty that I am destined to become the father of the twelve tribes." At this time the second miracle came to pass, the twelve stones joined themselves together and made one, which he put under his head, and at once it became soft and downy like a pillow. It was well that he had a comfortable couch.

20. THE STONE We see the following representations through the stone: Within these stones are father and son, you can see יהוהand יהושע; or, we get a picture of Abraham and Isaac establishing the genealogy of Jacob and the tribes. The Stone is the title for יהוה(Genesis 49:24). Stone is also the title of the Messiah (Isaiah 28:16). Correspondingly, rock refers to יהושע; He is the Rock that gives Life. As the children of Israel were taken out of Egypt and led into the wilderness, the Stone provided “living water.” Jacob named the place (ha maqowm) Beit El (House of Elohim). The Son, יהושעthe Stone the builders rejected that became the Chief Cornerstone of the House of Elohim and the Stone of Stumbling. So, when these smaller stones, “living stones” unite in Mashiach, we see that they become a column, or as יהושעsaid in “He who overcomes, I shall make him a supporting post in the Dwelling Place of My Elohim, and he shall by no means go out. ..(Revelation 3:12)

21. HOUSE OF GOD Legends of the Jews: From this wondrous dream Jacob awoke with a start of fright, on account of the vision he had had of the destruction of the Temple. He cried out, "How dreadful is this place! this is none other but the house of God, wherein is the gate of heaven through which prayer ascends to Him." He took the stone made out of the twelve, and set it up for a pillar, and poured oil upon the top of it, which had flowed down from heaven for him, and God sank this anointed stone unto the abyss, to serve as the centre of the earth, the same stone, the EbenShetiyah, that forms the centre of the sanctuary, whereon the Ineffable Name is graven, .. Symbol of the House of God (New Bride) united as one: And I, Yoḥanan, saw the set-apart city, renewed Yerushalayim, coming down out of the heaven from Elohim, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the heaven saying, “See, the Booth of Elohim is with men, and He shall dwell with them, ... having ... high wall, having twelve gates, and at the gates twelve messengers, and names written on them, which are those of the twelve tribes of the children of Yisra’ĕl: (Revelation 21:2-12)

22. EBEN SHETIYAH And Yaʽaqoḇ made a vow, saying, “Seeing Elohim is with me, and has kept me in this way that I am going, and has given me bread to eat and a garment to put on – when I have returned to my father’s house in peace, and יהוה has been my Elohim, then this stone which I have set as a standing column shall be Elohim’s house, and of all that You give me, I shall certainly give a tenth to You.” (Genesis 28:20-22) There is the following picturesque saying in TanḦuma, Ḳedoshim, x.:"Palestine is the center of the world, Jerusalem the center of Palestine, the Temple the center of Jerusalem, the Holy of Holies the center of the Temple, the Ark the center of the Holy of Holies; and in front of the Ark was a stone called , the foundation stone of the world." Legends of the Jews: The construction of the earth was begun at the centre, with the foundation stone of the Temple, the EbenShetiyah, for the Holy Land is at the central point of the surface of the earth, Jerusalem is at the central point of Palestine, and the Temple is situated at the centre of the Holy City. In the sanctuary itself the Hekal is the centre, and the holy Ark occupies the centre of the Hekal, built on the foundation stone, which thus is at the centre of the earth.

23. CORNERSTONE Thus we read that both Abraham and Isaac built altars, whereas Jacob set up a pillar. WHY? The Hebrew word for stone (even -!b,a,) is a contraction of father (ba') and son (!Be), pointing to the authority of יהושעand His Father. This stone is set up as a pillar and becomes the cornerstone of the “House of El”.These concepts of a cornerstone and a house are made so clear to us by Paul: So then you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the set-apart ones and members of the household of Elohim, having been built upon the foundation of the emissaries and prophets, יהושע Messiah Himself being chief corner-stone, in whom all the building, being joined together, grows into a set-apart Dwelling Place in יהוה, (Ephesians 2:19-21)

24. HEROD RAISES THE FOUNDATION SIX CUBITS “In the Second Temple the foundation was raised six cubits making the floor of the Hekal, the Holy Place, level with the floor of the Holy of Holies. In other words, in Solomon’s Temple the floor of the Holy of Holies was at least six cubits higher than the floor of the Holy Place. Therefore, on Yom Kippur the High Priest had to ascend a ramp or short stairway to enter the Holy of Holies. But not so in Herod’s Temple because both floors were made the same height. The problem? By raising the floor of the Holy Place and making it level with the Holy of Holies, Herod erased forever the figure of Jacob sleeping at Bethel and using a stone for a headrest; for as the graphic at right shows, the ramp or stairway relates to Jacob’s neck, and the elevated Holy of Holies to his raised head. Hence, the rock upon which Isaac was bound earlier by Abraham (Genesis 22:9) –the EbenShetiyah , the Foundation Stone– corresponds to Jacob’s ‘pillow stone’ at Bethel. But in Herod’s Temple, because of the new and higher foundation, only three finger breadths of Isaac’s rock could be seen, a paltry few inches.” The Jewish Encyclopedia

25. SIDE NOTE Even though the Tabernacle was in Shiloh for 369 years, the Ark of the Covenant was in Beit El for a number of those years: And all the children of Yisra’ĕl, even all the people, went up and came to Bĕyth Ěl and wept, and sat there before יהוה and fasted that day until evening. And they offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before יהוה. And the children of Yisra’ĕl asked of יהוה – the ark of the covenant of Elohim was there in those days, and Pineḥas son of Elʽazar, son of Aharon, stood before it in those days – saying, “Should I yet again go out to battle against the children of my brother Binyamin, or should I cease?” And יהוה said, “Go up, for tomorrow I give them into your hand.” (Judges 20:26-28) Pinehasbeing at Beit El and the end of the time of the Judges in Israel, means that he lived to be over 300 years old, at a time when 110 was a ripe old age, as that was Joshua’sage at his death.

26. ONE TENTH ..and of all that You give me, I shall certainly give a tenth to You.” (Genesis 28:22) Whenever the Covenant was initiated or reconfirmed the tithe was also present, as we see with Abraham and Melchizedek. The tithe is eternal and is a glimpse of life in the Garden. The Garden represented יהוה’s house which man enjoyed before the fall. Jacob came across יהוה’s house that evening. He knew he had been in a place where heaven and earth met; therefore when the covenant was confirmed to him, as it was with Abraham, Jacob gave the tithe as his sacred portion, in obedience to the holiness of the word spoken to him (Genesis 14:18-20). In Hebrew tradition the thought is that this evening had fallen on a Sabbath or a Feast of יהוה. Legends of the Jews: Then he vowed to give the tenth of all he owned unto God, if He would but grant his petition. Thus Jacob was the first to take a vow upon himself, and the first, too, to separate the tithe from his income.

27. “IF” AND “WHEN” And Jacob vowed a vow, saying, If God will be with me, and will keep me in this way that I go, and will give me bread to eat, and raiment to put on, (Genesis 28:20 KJV) And Yaʽaqoḇ made a vow, saying, “Seeing Elohim is with me, and has kept me in this way that I am going, and has given me bread to eat and a garment to put on – (Genesis 28:20) According to the KJV it appears that Jacob is questioning the promises יהוהhas already given him. With everything he’d seen and heard, how could he doubt the Almighty? The answer hinges on the word translated as “if”. This little word has a variety of meanings and is occasionally translated as “when”. If we exchange the “if” for a “when” in verse 20, we understand that Jacob is simply stating that “WHEN” the Almighty fulfils His promises, “then” he will be in a position to build this “House of El”. He understands the importance of waiting for יהוה’s promises.

28. THE LAND OF ORIGIN And Yaʽaqoḇ moved on and came to the land of the people of the East. And he looked and saw a well in the field, (Genesis 29:1-2) Legends of the Jews: His prayer at an end, Jacob set out on his way to Haran, and the third wonder happened. In the twinkling of an eye he arrived at his destination. The earth jumped from Mount Moriah to Haran. A wonder like this God has executed only four times in the whole course of history. East: Jacob comes to the land of the people of the ancestral home of Abraham and of Jacob’s mother Rebecca. Why would Torah say East? The Hebrew word used here is “qedem”. It is Strongs#6924 and is more often used to mean “that which was before” or “from ancient time”, “antiquity” or “from of old”. This would describe the land of Abraham’s origin. The field:Isaac sent Jacob to Paddan Aram, which is where Haran is located. Now Paddan Aram literally means “field of exaltation” or “exalted field”. This was indeed a special place, this well, where Jacob meets Rachel is the same well where Eliezer met Rebecca.

29. SYMBOLS – FLOCKS OF SHEEP And he looked and saw a well in the field, and saw three flocks of sheep lying by it, for out of that well they watered the flocks, and a large stone was on the well’s mouth. (Genesis 29:2) Four symbols: Jacob sees three flocks of sheep (1) lying near the well (2) and a large stone (3) was on the well’s mouth. We also hear how the flocks are watered (4). FLOCKS OF SHEEP: When Jacob arrives, there were only three present. One thought on this number we’re given is that these three flocks represent the flocks, or children, of Shem, Ham and Japheth (Noah’s sons), since they repopulated the world. These were people of “qedem” or “antiquity” and have the authority to open the well. The rabbis also point out that the Hebrew words used to describe the three flocks “lying by the well”, or “beside it”, carries the connotation that they were fully dependent on it. “Wisdom” is symbolized by the water underground. It is buried, hidden, and accessible only to those willing to go to the effort to bring it to the surface.

30. SYMBOLS – HEAVY STONE This type of well closure was common. The rabbis point out that in the Hebrew, it is stressed that the stone used to close the well was indeed very large. The residents make sure that the water is fairly distributed by ensuring that it is only when all the shepherds of the city are gathered together that they will be able to water their flocks. It was probably the only source of water for the city and they wanted to keep it secure. It was owned by Laban, in that this city was founded by Abraham’s father Terah and Laban was the patriarch at this time. We understand that the Messiah is our “stone”. He is also the “living waters” or the Torah, which is flowing in the well. The heavy stone serves as sort of a “lock” for the well, preventing unauthorized and uncontrolled use of its water. יהושעcame to unlock the Torah by properly interpreting it: “Do not think that I came to destroy the Torah or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to complete. (Matthew 5:17)

31. SYMBOLS – WELL The word “well” (ba’er) appears seven times in the first 12 verses of chapter 29. It is a key word, but it also should be noted that beginning with the 3rd appearance of the word “well” and continuing through the 7th, well is mentioned together with the “stone” that lies upon its mouth. Our drama revolves around rolling the “stone” off of the mouth of the well. A “well” is a metaphor for a wife in both Proverbs and Song of Solomon: Drink water from your own cistern, And running water from your own well. .. Let your fountain be blessed, And rejoice with the wife of your youth (Proverbs 5:15-18) A garden locked is my sister, my bride, A fountain locked, a spring sealed up. .. A garden spring, A well of living waters, And streams from Leḇanon. (Song of Solomon 4:12-15) The “well” becomes the bride, the one with whom the bridegroom is intimate with. The pleasure derived from drinking the cool water of one’s well is an image of the love of a man for the wife who is his, alone. It is also interesting that the word “Torah” is a feminine word, so we can make the connection of drinking from the living waters of the Torah, the Living Word.

32. SYMBOLS – LIVING WATER The weight of the stone ensured that it was only when all the shepherds of the city are gathered together (i.e. all tribes restored) that they would be able to water their flocks. Thus we see Jacob (Israel), is like a key who is able to singlehandedly unlock the secret of the well (stone is Messiah) and make available the “living water” for the bride. It is through Jacob that יהושעthe Messiah would come. The “stone” can also be a reference to the large “stone” that was placed over the mouth of יהושע’s tomb. We know that the “stone” was rolled away so the good news could pour forth like “living water”: יהושע answered and said to her, “Everyone drinking of this water shall thirst again, but whoever drinks of the water I give him shall certainly never thirst. And the water that I give him shall become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life.” (John 4:13-14)

33. FLOCKS OF THE EARTH While he was still speaking with them, Raḥĕl came with her father’s sheep, for she was a shepherdess. And it came to be, when Yaʽaqoḇ saw Raḥĕl the daughter of Laḇan his mother’s brother, and the sheep of Laḇan his mother’s brother, that Yaʽaqoḇ went near and rolled the stone from the well’s mouth, and watered the flock of Laḇan his mother’s brother. (Genesis 29:9-10) When Rachel showed up with her fathers flock, Jacob rolls away the huge stone and waters the sheep. Laban’s flock contained all of Israel, through his house (Leah, Rachel and the two hand-maidens), from his flock, would come all Twelve Tribes of Israel. So, when these sheep are gathered among all the flocks of the earth, the well-spring of יהוה opens and gives them “Living Water”.

34. FINAL WONDERS Legends of the Jews Now, when Jacob saw the daughter of his mother's brother approaching, he rolled the great stone from the mouth of the well as easily as a cork is drawn from a bottle--the fourth wonder of this extraordinary day. Jacob's strength was equal to the strength of all the shepherds; with his two arms alone he accomplished what usually requires the united forces of a large assemblage of men. He had been divinely endowed with this supernatural strength on leaving the Holy Land. God had caused the dew of the resurrection to drop down upon him, and his physical strength was so great that even in a combat with the angels he was victorious. The fifth and last wonder of the day was that the water rose from the depths of the well to the very top, there was no need to draw it up, and there it remained all the twenty years that Jacob abode in Haran.

35. KISS AND TEARS Legends of the Jews: Rachel's coming to the well at the moment when Jacob reached the territory belonging to Haran was an auspicious omen. To meet young maidens on first entering a city is a sure sign that fortune is favourable to one's undertakings. Experience proves this through Eliezer, Jacob, Moses, and Saul. They all encountered maidens when they approached a place new to them, and they all met with success. And Yaʽaqoḇ kissed Raḥĕl, and lifted up his voice and wept. (Genesis 29:11) Legends of the Jews: Jacob treated Rachel at once as his cousin, which caused significant whispering among the by-standers. ..The talk of the men reduced Jacob to tears. Scarcely had he kissed Rachel when he began to weep, for he repented of having done it. There was reason enough for tears. Jacob could not but remember sadly that Eliezer, his grandfather's slave, had brought ten camels laden with presents with him to Haran, when he came to seek for a bride for Isaac, while he had not even a ring to give to Rachel. Moreover, he foresaw that his favourite wife Rachel would not lie beside him in the grave, and this, too, made him weep.

36. ELEAZER AND JACOB Eleazar and Jacob both had to select wives although Eleazer’s selection was for Isaac. Eleazar’smethod was to pray and ask יהוה to direct him in finding a wife of suitable character for Isaac. He takes his time as he watches Rebecca water the camels and is confident of her being the answer to his prayer. In our current reading, we do not see anywhere that Jacob prays for guidance in his selection of a wife. Instead, Jacob appears to react to Rachel’s beauty and even kisses her. We also notice something else in the order of their developing relationships. Isaac marries Rebecca, then he loves her. Jacob loves Rachel apparently from the moment he lays eyes on her. Then he marries her. Isaac’s order of marriage, then love, is probably not the advice you will give your son or daughter, but it does speak of the commitment to a spouse chosen by the Almighty verses a spouse chosen by attraction.

37. LABAN And when Yaʽaqoḇ told Raḥĕl that he was her father’s relative and that he was Riḇqah’s son, she ran and told her father. And it came to be, when Laḇan heard the report about Yaʽaqoḇ his sister’s son, that he ran to meet him, and embraced him and kissed him, and brought him to his house. Then he told Laḇan all these matters. (Genesis 29:12-13) Legends of the Jews: In great haste Laban ran to receive Jacob. He reflected, if Eliezer, the bondman, had come with ten camels, what would not the favourite son of the family bring with him, and when he saw that Jacob was unattended, he concluded that he carried great sums of money in his girdle, and he threw his arms about his waist to find out whether his supposition was true. Disappointed in this, he yet did not give up hope that his nephew Jacob was a man of substance. Perhaps he concealed precious stones in his mouth, and he kissed him in order to find out whether he had guessed aright. But Jacob said to him: "Thou thinkest I have money. Nay, thou art mistaken, I have but words." Then he went on to tell him how it had come about that he stood before him empty-handed.

38. JACOB’S WIVES And Laḇan had two daughters, the name of the elder was Lĕ’ah, and the name of the younger was Raḥĕl. And Lĕ’ah’s eyes were weak, but Raḥĕl was lovely of form and appearance. And Yaʽaqoḇ loved Raḥĕl, so he said, “Let me serve you seven years for Raḥĕl your younger daughter.” And Laḇan said, “It is better that I give her to you than that I should give her to another man. Stay with me.” So Yaʽaqoḇ served seven years for Raḥĕl, .. Then Yaʽaqoḇ said to Laḇan, “Give me my wife, for my days are completed, and let me go in to her.” And Laḇan ... took Lĕ’ah his daughter and brought her to Yaʽaqoḇ. .. And Laḇan gave his female servant Zilpah to his daughter Lĕ’ah as a female servant. And in the morning .. he said to Laḇan, “What is this you have done to me? Was it not for Raḥĕl that I served you? Why then have you deceived me?” And Laḇan said, “It is not done this way in our place, to give the younger before the first-born. “Complete the week of this one, then we give you this one too, for the service which you shall serve with me still another seven years.” And Yaʽaqoḇ did so and completed her week. Then he gave him his daughter Raḥĕl too, as wife. And Laḇan gave his female servant Bilhah to his daughter Raḥĕl as a female servant. (Genesis 29:16-29)

39. SOWING AND REAPING ..“What is this you have done to me? Was it not for Raḥĕl that I served you? Why then have you deceived me?”(Genesis 29:25) Jacob, whose name means ‘sup planter,’ duped his father Isaac with a case of ‘mistaken identity’. The exact same way, Jacob is now duped with a case of ‘mistaken identity.’ Our actions are like sowing seeds. Whatever we do to others, we reap a harvest of that action.  It comes back on us, whether for good or for evil. It’s a law—the law of sowing and reaping. יהושע said: “Give, and it shall be given to you. A good measure, pressed down and shaken together and running over shall be put into your lap. For with the same measure with which you measure, it shall be measured back to you.” (Luke 6:38) This law is about our actions, “What goes around, comes around.” If we give out lies, trickery and deception it is going to come back into our lives one way or another. However, if we give out love, kindness and mercy, we will also receive these precious qualities given back in return.

40. LEAH Leah’s name means “weary” or “grieving”. Popular English translations say that Leah’s eyes were weak. The Hebrew words here are “rak” (tender) and “Ayin” (eye), as in “tender-hearted”. The rabbis interpret her name as an abbreviation of “M’Leah”, which means “full”. Leah is spelled “Lamed-aleph-hey”, lamed means to “learn” or “teach”, aleph is the “ox”, meaning “strength” or “master” and hey means “to behold” or “revelation”. This adds great depth to her name; Leah’s name relates to “being taught the Master’s revelation”. If you add “Mem” (as in M’Leah) or water, symbolizing the Word, to one who is weary, or grieving, they become full. Also, the numeric value of her name is 36 which equals the phrases “in His hands” and “with His power”. Leah is a name worthy of a Matriarch, as she would give birth to six of Ya’aqob’s12 sons (Reuben, Shimon, Levi, Yehudah, Yissakar and Zebulun) and to Dinah, their daughter. The rabbis teach that Leah was not “hated” by Ya’aqob. It’s just that his love and passion for Rachel was so intense that she felt hated. The Hebrew word used here is a form of the word “sane`” which implies “unloved” as in not loved as much as another.

41. RACHEL Rachel means “ewe” or “sheep”. Torah tells us that she was “yaphehto’ar” or “beautiful of form” or shape and that she was “yaphehmar’eh” or “as beautiful as a vision”. We’re told that Jacob loved her, the word is “ahav” and it means “to love”, “desire” and the Hebrew-Chaldee Lexicon says to “breath after”. Rachel is spelled “Reish-chet-lamed”. Reish means “head” or “beginning”, chet means “fear of יהוה” or “life”. And lamed is the “shepherd‟s staff” and means to “learn” or “teach”. So, Rachel’s name would mean “the beginning of fear (life) is learning (knowledge or wisdom)”. As Psalms 111:10a says; “The fear of יהוה is the beginning of wisdom, ... and Proverbs 1:7 says; “The fear of יהוה is the beginning of knowledge; Fools despise wisdom and discipline. Rachel, the sheep, is our mother; the mother of Joseph, as well as Benjamin. Her name’s numeric value is 238 which equals “and He blessed”, “and multiply you”, “first-fruits” and “and will bless”. These are the words that Jacob would later use to bless Ephraim and Manasseh.

42. LEAH AND RACHELLegends of the Jews Jacob married, Leah and Rachel, for Leah, like her younger sister, was beautiful of countenance, form, and stature. She had but one defect, her eyes were weak, and this malady she had brought down upon herself, through her own action. Laban, who had two daughters, and Rebekah, his sister, who had two sons, had agreed by letter, while their children were still young, that the older son of the one was to marry the older daughter of the other, and the younger son the younger daughter. When Leah grew to maidenhood, and inquired about her future husband, all her tidings spoke of his villainous character, and she wept over her fate until her eyelashes dropped from their lids. But Rachel grew more and more beautiful day by day, for all who spoke of Jacob praised and extolled him, and "good tidings make the bones fat." In view of the agreement between Laban and Rebekah, Jacob refused to marry the older daughter Leah. As it was, Esau was his mortal enemy, ..Esau would never forgive his younger brother. Therefore Jacob resolved to take to wife Rachel, the younger daughter of his uncle.

43. ZILPAH AND BILHAH Zilpah, whose name literally means to “trickle as myrrh” a way of gently adding a strong spice, a little at a time. Zilpah is spelled “Zayin-lamed-pey-hey”. The numeric value of her name is 122 which equals “and they shall flee”, “in its appointed season”, “and they went up” and “He will make wonderful”. Zilpah bore Ya‟aqob two sons, Gad and Asher. Bilhah means “troubled” or “to trouble”. Bilhah is spelled “Beit-lamed-hey-hey”. The numeric value of Bilhahsname is 42 which equals “Eloah”, “My esteem” and “in his heart”. She bore two sons to Jacob; Dan and Naphtali.

44. JACOBS CHILDREN Genesis 30 deals with the bearing of Jacob’s children; all except Benjamin, as he would come a little latter. Here’s a brief look at their names: Reuben - Behold, a son (named this as a reminder of the firstborn son). Shimon – Hearing (named this because יהוהheard the prayer for another son). Levi – Joining of the Heart (named because Leah thought this child would join her and Jacob). Judah – Praise (named this as the family praised יהוהfor another boy). Dan – Judge (named this as יהוהjudged in Rachel’s favour and gave her a child). Naphtali - Wrestling (named this as a symbol of the wrestling between Rachel and Leah for Jacob s favour and love).

45. JACOBS CHILDREN 7. Gad – Fortune (named this as a testimony to good fortune, or blessing, found by Zilpah, Leah’s handmade). 8. Asher – Happy (named this because this child would bring much happiness to Leah). 9. Issachar – Hire or Reward (named this as a testimony to יהוהthat he rewarded Leah forgiving her handmade to Jacob to have relations with). 10. Zebulon – Living Together (named this as hope that this son would cause Leah and Jacob to live together). 11. Dinah – Judgment (the 7th child of Leah). 12. Joseph - May He Add (named this as a prayer to יהוה“Elohim has taken away my reproach” that another son would be added to Rachel). 13. Binyamin – Son of the Right-hand (named this by Jacob at the death of Rachel [the curse of Gen. 31:32 fulfilled in Gen. 35:16-17]).

46. MANDRAKES And Re’uḇĕn went in the days of wheat harvest and found love-apples (Mandrakes) in the field, and brought them to his mother Lĕ’ah. And Raḥĕl said to Lĕ’ah, “Please give me some of your son’s love-apples.” (Genesis 30:14) Mandrakes grow wild in fields. Its small, yellow, tomato-like fruit ripens in late spring. Chemical analysis shows it to contain narcotic substances, which explain its widespread medicinal use in ancient times. Because the fruit exudes a distinctive and heady fragrance, folklore associates it with aphrodisiac powers. Aphrodite, the Greek goddess of love, beauty, and sex, was given the name “Lady of the Mandrake.” The root of mandrakes which means “love” or “beloved”. Both words are found in a verse in Song of Solomon: The love-apples have given fragrance, And at our gates are all pleasant fruit, New and old, which I have laid up for you, my beloved. (Song of Solomon 7:13)

47. MANDRAKE STORY And Re’uḇĕn went in the days of wheat harvest and found love-apples in the field, and brought them to his mother Lĕ’ah. And Raḥĕl said to Lĕ’ah, “Please give me some of your son’s love-apples.” But she said to her, “Is it a small matter that you have taken away my husband? Would you take away my son’s love-apples too?” And Raḥĕl said, “Therefore let him lie with you tonight for your son’s love-apples.” And when Yaʽaqoḇ came out of the field in the evening, Lĕ’ah went out to meet him and said, “Do come in to me, for indeed, I have hired you with my son’s love-apples.” And he lay with her that night. And Elohim listened to Lĕ’ah, and she conceived and bore Yaʽaqoḇ a fifth son. And Lĕ’ah said, “Elohim has given me my hire, because I have given my female servant to my husband.” So she called his name Yissasḵar. (Genesis 30:14-18) Leah’s son, Reuben, who brings her the mandrakes. Reuben’s name means “see, a son”. Five times in our story Reuben is associated with the mandrakes…that’s the number associated with grace, and also five is the number of books in the Torah.

48. MANDRAKE STORY Rachel is asking for the “mandrakes” (love), but it is quite obvious that what she really wants is a “son”. She is in fact desperate for a “son” whom she associates with “love”. Rachel ends up with the mandrakes (love), but the beloved son she so desired will not come from her womb. Prophetically, Reuben (see a son) points to that Son. In fact, it will be through Leah’s son Judah that יהושעthe Messiah will be born. Some time later, Elohim remembers Rachel and she bears a son: And Elohim remembered Raḥĕl, and Elohim listened to her and opened her womb. And she conceived, and bore a son, and said, “Elohim has taken away my reproach.” So she called his name Yosĕph, and said, “יהוה has added to me another son.” (Genesis 30:22-24) Joseph will be the son who becomes a shadow picture of the Messiah for most of the rest of Genesis. A descendent of Leah’s son, Judah, will birth the Messiah….He will be the head. But the Messiah also has a “body”, and that “body” will be pictured through Rachel’s son, Joseph: And you are a body of Messiah, and members individually. (1 Corinthians 12:27) Leah has pre-eminence, but Rachel is not forgotten.

49. BREEDING “Give my wives and my children for whom I have served you, and let me go, for you yourself know my service which I have done for you.” And Laḇan said to him, “If I have found favour in your eyes, please stay, for I have diligently watched that יהוה has blessed me for your sake.” And he said, “Name me your wages, and I give it.” So he said to him, “You know how I have served you and how your livestock has been with me. “For the little you had before I came has increased greatly, and יהוה has blessed you since my coming. But now, when am I to provide for my own house too?” And he said, “What do I give you?” And Yaʽaqoḇ said, “Give me naught! If you do this for me, I shall again feed and guard your flocks: “Let me pass through all your flock today, removing from there all the speckled and spotted sheep, and all the black ones among the lambs, and the spotted and speckled among the goats. And these shall be my wages. ... Laḇan said, “See, let it be ... Thus the man increased very much, and had many flocks, and female and male servants, and camels and donkeys. (Genesis 30:26-43) Jacobagrees to work six more years for his wages, or flocks. Rabbi AvrahamGreenbaum points out that Jacob’s main work, and that of his wives, is “breeding”. They breed children and flocks.

50. SHEEP Over and over the Scriptures refer to shepherds and sheep. So who are sheep? WE ARE! Remember that Jacob is still in the exile, and what would better describe us (in our exile) than a bunch of speckled and spotted sheep! Few of us could describe ourselves as pure, sheep of Israel. Most likely, we have a few spots and specks. This is the description of the sheep that Jacob asks to “feed and keep”. In another move of deception, Laban removes the spotted, speckled, and striped sheep, puts them in his own sons’ hands, and separates them by a three day journey from Jacob. Jacob is left to care for the “pure” sheep of Laban, apparently without real hope of additional spotted and speckled sheep. And on that day he set aside the male goats that were speckled and spotted, and all the female goats that were speckled and spotted, every one that had some white in it, and all the black ones among the lambs, and gave them into the hand of his sons. And he put three days’ journey between himself and Yaʽaqoḇ, and Yaʽaqoḇ fed the rest of Laḇan’s flocks. (Genesis 30:35-36)