Parashat Vayetze
Torah: Genesis 28:10 – 32:3
Haftarah:
Gospel:
There are several major moments in this portion:
- Jacob’s headrest stone at Beit-El
- Jacob’s ladder (aka Sulam Ya’akov)
- Jacob’s response
- Jacob’s meeting of Rachel and his love at first sight
- The wedding scandal and deceit that had everybody’s tongues wagging,
- Rivalry between the wives.
- Isaac’s blessing of Jacob bears fruit, i.e. yields lambs.
- Sour relations between Jacob and Laban and their peace agreement.
- Jacob’s return to the Promised Land.
Jacob rocks. (Genesis 28:10-12)
Jacob left home in search of a good wife. He also had a secondary motivation – to steer clear of his brother Esau. He travelled about 75 km from Beer-Sheva to Luz (later renamed Beit-El) when nightfall prevented him from travelling any further on that specific day, probably his second or third night on the road.
As Jacob was close to Luz, we should ask why did he sleep outside the city? Whilst the Bible doesn’t answer this question, it is quite possible that he arrived after the city gates were closed or locked for the night and that they wouldn’t let him, a stranger, in for the night. Or there may have been some animosity between the successful Hebrew herdsmen in the South (Intra-city rivalry with Beer-Sheba), we don’t know. I believe that no customary hospitality was rendered because GOD had a Divine Appointment with the young man. GOD willed the gate and the city inaccessible to Jacob so that he will not be distracted. GOD wanted his full attention for a dream that is rich in meaning, also for us. Is it not so, that doors also close to us when they lead away from GOD’s purpose in our lives? It often brings our initial realisation that GOD has other plans for us. It was no different for young Jacob.
Jacob set up a stone as a headrest. As the cultural norm at the time, we can ask why is it worth a mention? The answer is given in Genesis 28:17-22: Jacob anointed the stone with oil and set it up as a memorial and he changed the name of Luz to Beit-El, the House of GOD. At this stone, Jacob made a (conditional) vow to serve GOD and to give his tithes to HIM. With the headrest stone set up as a memorial, it is highly unlikely that either he or anybody else would have removed it from there.
In fact, we know that the stone remained at Beit-El because GOD Himself refers to it in Genesis 31:13 as a means to identify Himself.
However, “this” stone opens quite a few interesting “rabbit holes” for us – that is if you are a sucker for a good “Alice-in-Wonderland” story, like I am. Claims about Jacob’s headrest stone include:
- The Stone of Scone aka the Stone of Destiny or the Coronation Stone, Tanist Stone and as “Clach-na-Cinneamhain” in Scottish Gaelic is said to be Jacob’s headstone: It is a red sandstone block (660 mm long x 420 mm wide x 267 mm thick, weighing 152 kg) used for centuries in the coronation of the monarchs of Scotland from the ruin of the Scone Abbey near Perth in Scotland which was brought there by Kenneth MacAlpin (the Conqueror) in 841 AD from the island of Iona.
Irish legend claims that the Prophet Jeremiah brought the stone to Tara in ancient Ireland and that it was used to coronate the Irish high kings upon, presumably before Fergus the son of Eric the first king of the Scots transported it to Argyll for his own crowning ceremony. How exactly it was transported from Argyll to Iona is not clear to me.
In 1296, Edward the First captured the stone when he invaded Scotland and moved it to Westminster Abbey where it was fitted into a wooden chair known as King Edward’s chair. In-spite of stories that it was a duplicate as the original was hidden away either in the river Tay or buried on Dunsinane Hill by Scottish monks, the Stone of Scone was used in 1953 for the coronation of Queen Elizabeth the Second.
Oh yes, there was a 1914 attempt to blow-up the Stone of Scone with explosives and in 1950 a group of Scottish students stole it and either wilfully or accidentally broke it into 2 pieces. The bigger piece was initially “lost” and the smaller piece recovered from a cellar with the assistance of an American diplomat. The bigger piece was recovered 4 months later and the Stone was repaired and left on the altar of Arbroath Abbey in 1951. It was handed back to the Scots in 1996 and now rests alongside the Scottish crown jewels in Edinburgh Castle.
The Stone of Scone is not theology but folklore, or at best British history seen from a unique point of view. Incidentally, Investigating geologists found that it was cut from a quarry located about 3 km from the Scone Abbey, confirming rumours that the stone is “fake”, which date back to the late 1700’s AD.
- Another “rabbit hole” exists in the claim of a Corporate Building’s corner stone. I read about this some time ago, but could not find any detail in a Google Search while I prepared for this study…
- The Midrash teaches that Jacob took 12 stones, one for each of his yet unborn sons and that these stones miraculously merged into one stone by the end of the night. Variations of the theme includes 3 stones, symbolising 3 temples to be build, and 4 stones symbolising the 4 wind directions, all merged into one stone during the night. In my opinion these represent more “rabbit holes”.
Jacob’s journey was full of stones. His pillow-stone was merely the first, followed by a large stone which covered the well at Haran. Motivated by love, Jacob moved the large stone so that Rachel’s flock could be watered. During Jacob’s return journey, he and Laban made a covenant and mark it with more rocks. Rabbi Danielle Stillman puts it best in JewishExponent.com: “Jacob’s stones mirror the touchstones in many of our lives — moments of experiencing the presence of God, moments of opening ourselves to love, and moments of setting new direction or boundaries so we are able to grow more fully into our true path. The stones serve Jacob as reminders of these moments, marking places that he returns to, to thank God. Jacob teaches us to notice the sacred moments in our own life journeys, pausing at them long enough to mark them with our own version of Jacob’s stones.”
Sulam Ya’akov: Connecting Heaven to earth. (Genesis 28:10-22)
The ladder in Jacob’s dream is exactly what it looks like. It’s a bridge connecting Heaven with earth. GOD’s messengers go up and down upon it in their execution of their given tasks. Like children, the ladder tempts us to try it out, to climb up and up. Climbing a ladder requires work and strength, yet it is unresistable to us to ascend, it is woven in our DNA to climb. This is because of GOD’s calling on our lives. We instinctively know that we are born for a Higher purpose. Like children we climb until we reach a point where fear overtakes us, when the possibility of a fall is foreseen. It is then that we cry to our Father to save us. He waits for our calls. He has already provided our Salvation, “Yeshua” our Saviour.
One of many interpretations of Jacob’s ladder is how we grow in our relationship with GOD. Taking from Jacob’s dream that the angels ascend first before they descend, teach that we need to study GOD’s Word first and pray (work) before we grow higher. Let us do that, but remember that it was GOD who reached out to us first, as HE lowered the ladder to us. We will be saved by clinging to the bottom rung but our growth comes from study and prayer.
Similarly, our prayers and worship ascend to Heaven and then understanding of GOD’s Word and HIS blessings descend to us.
Sin separated Heaven from earth. Many attempted to bridge the gap from down here – building towers of Babel, just like Nimrod did. Jacob’s dream teaches us that this is not possible. GOD bridges the gap by lowering HIS ladder down from Heaven. He is reaching out to us. Our Torah readings and Bible studies show the gap to us. GOD’s Word creates in us our awareness of sin, and opens our eyes to the gap. We learn that we need a Mediator, a Ladder to span the gap or else our separation from our Creator will be eternal. Yeshua Ha’Mashiach aka Jesus Christ bridge the gap, HE is the Ladder because only HE is fully GOD and fully man. HE is the Son of GOD and HE is the Son of man.
Ladders only work if and when it connects both ends – it has to stand on the lowest low and reach to the highest high. Whilst YHWH the GOD of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob stands at the highest high end, the ladder reach into the lowest, most deprived, vilest pit of humanity. The ladder makes Salvation accessible to us. In fact, the ladder IS our Salvation – “Salvation” in Hebrew is “Yeshua” and “Yeshua” is the (original Hebrew name for) Jesus Christ. In the Gospel of John 1:51 Jesus said (to Nathaniel) that HE is the “ladder” of Genesis 28:12, without HIM we can never “reach” GOD. HE brings us to the FATHER. There is no other way.
YHWH stood at the top of Jacob’s ladder to renew the Covenant with him. HE is the GOD of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. HE reaffirmed HIS promise that all the families of the earth will be blessed through the seed of Jacob. In this, HE promised the Messiah, the Anointed ONE who will be the Ladder. HE also promised to be with Jacob and watch over him, in other word HE promised to be “Emanuel”.
Our Salvation through Yeshua aka Jesus Christ is the only way, it is fully exclusive, but despair not, this way is fully inclusive too – you can read all about it in John 3:16-18: It is available to each and everyone who comes to HIM. John 10:7-9 reminds us again that Yeshua is the only gate to the sheep pen. Thirdly, John 14:6 is adamant that Yeshua is the Way, the Truth and the Life. Nobody comes to the FATHER by any other means. HE is our “Ladder” out of the pit, into the dwelling that HE prepared for us in HIS FATHER’s House.
Angels ascending before descending again teach us the Yeshua rose up from the grave to go to HIS Father’s House to prepare a place for us. In the fullness of time, HE will return i.e. descend to fetch HIS bride.
Rest assured that HE knows you, HE wove you together in your mother’s womb, HE loves you unconditionally and HE calls you by name. Time is of the essence. Please answer HIM today. HIS ladder is not too short to reach you.
Jacob’s response: (Genesis 28:18-22)
Early in the morning after the dream of the Ladder, Jacob set the stone on which he slept up as a monument.
In the dream, GOD’s Covenant descended to him, opening the door for him to ascend his response. On casual reading it seems that Jacob’s prayer-vow is much like ours: “Gimme, gimme, gimme!” but in truth he affirms GOD’s promises to be with him (“Emanuel”) and protect him (“Roi”) and provide for him (“Jireh”) and be true to him so that he can return to the Promised Land in “Shalom” and then commit himself to the Covenant by vowing that Adonai will be his GOD.
I trust that it is clear how the Aronic Blessing (Numbers 6:22-23) is contained within GOD’s part in the Covenant with Jacob: HE de facto said: “I will bless you and keep you, I will shine MY face upon you and be gracious to you, I will provide for you and give you Shalom”. Jacob’s vow voiced his acknowledgement and acceptance thereof: “Adonai will be my GOD.”
Jacob, and not GOD, needed the monument as a reminder of his vow. Setting up the stone served to jack Jacob’s memory. Jacob promised to tithe in gratefulness for all the things GOD committed to.
Return journeys:
Jacob’s journey from the Promised Land to Haran and back is loaded with symbolism: “Haran” means “Wrath”.
- His journey depicts man’s journey, because of our sinful nature, away from GOD into “Wrath”. Our physical desires often become our “Laban”, who deceives us giving “Leah”-fruit when we worked for “Rachel” (or a Volkswagen when we worked for a Ferrari). Our wages gets changed repeatedly as “Laban” is not true to his word. In our personal “Haran” through GOD’s Grace alone we eventually answer HIS call to repent and return to HIM. Like Jacob we may look back at our lives when we are mature and realise that our “Leah” was GOD’s blessing in disguise.
- Jacob’s journey also symbolise our death at the end of our earthly lives, heading for “wrath” unless Somebody saves us. As a loving Father, GOD has already provided that Saviour. Every person who calls upon HIM and repent, will be saved and returned to the Father’s House.
Jacob’s dream of the ladder is parallel to his journey and his return – going down into the material world to eventually climb up again. I deliberately use the inverse directions from the dream – in the dream angels went up and climbed down. Our natural trend is the inverse.
Topics not explored yet:
The flocks: Rachel was looking after Laban’s flocks. These (other sheppards) are the people from whom Abraham was called away from.
At the well in Haran, there were other sheppards with 3 flocks (gentiles)
Jacob said not to water them because it is the middle of the day, i.e. the time isn’t right (Don’t share Adonai with them yet, it isn’t time yet)
But he rolled the stone away to let Rachel’s sheep drink (God gave living water to Abraham’s family)
Jacob herded Laban’s sheep
God multiplied Jacob’s rewards portion
Laban got jealous, changed his wages-portion, but GOD still blessed whatever was Jacob’s.
Jacob left
Jacob married 2 wives – Rachel (2 tribes) and Leah (10) (but the tribes were mixed up in the State, i.e. the 2 tribes were Judah and ?) The 10 Tribes became “Ephraim”
Yeshua will merge 2 sticks into one.
He returns for His bride (1 combo-bride)
