Portion 7 Va-Yetse Genesis 28:10-32:3
Jacob has a dream of a ladder or stairway reaching into the heavens that messengers of God are ascending and descending. The image is similar to that desired by the people of Babel, except that it is only God who has the authority to transcend the boundary between heaven and earth.
Jacob has just succeeded in deceiving his father in order to dominate his brother and has done so by conspiring with his mother. He has committed a sin similar to that of Ham against his father Noah, and his brothers.
God tells Jacob, just as he did to Abraham, that the land on which Jacob lies is the land that he is responsible for.
Jacob awakes and misunderstands. He thinks that the particular place where he had the vision is a sacred location instead of his life being a sacred vocation. He also makes a deal with God in which he promises his allegiance only if God grants him prosperity. The site of this event is at Bethel, where there will later be an Israelite site for sacrifice. Could this be an indictment of the sacrificial system in that tithing to the temple takes the place of reconciling with one’s brother? The wealthy are able to use their tithe to blind themselves to the demands of justice.
Jacob now goes to Haran and meets Rachel at the well. This meeting is the reverse of the meeting of Abraham’s servant with Rebekah. In that earlier meeting, Laban notices Abraham’s camels. Now Jacob notices Laban’s sheep. Truly Laban and Jacob are of “one bone and flesh.”
Laban deceives Jacob into marrying Leah instead of Rachel. The deception appears to involve wine. Compare the story of Lot and his two daughters. Jacob also marries Rachel so that he now has two wives, the very thing that his mother objected to about his brother Esau.
Jacob and Laban deceive each other over wages but Jacob comes out on top. Jacob attributes his prosperity to God 31:9-13, although it was acquired by deception 30:37-43.
He even attributes his desire to steal away in the night without honestly confronting Laban as God’s will 31:13.
In the confrontation with Laban that follows, they agree to go their separate ways. It is not clear if they are able to admit their own wrong doing or can only see the error of the other’s ways.
Jacob has a dream of a ladder or stairway reaching into the heavens that messengers of God are ascending and descending. The image is similar to that desired by the people of Babel, except that it is only God who has the authority to transcend the boundary between heaven and earth.
Jacob has just succeeded in deceiving his father in order to dominate his brother and has done so by conspiring with his mother. He has committed a sin similar to that of Ham against his father Noah, and his brothers.
God tells Jacob, just as he did to Abraham, that the land on which Jacob lies is the land that he is responsible for.
Jacob awakes and misunderstands. He thinks that the particular place where he had the vision is a sacred location instead of his life being a sacred vocation. He also makes a deal with God in which he promises his allegiance only if God grants him prosperity. The site of this event is at Bethel, where there will later be an Israelite site for sacrifice. Could this be an indictment of the sacrificial system in that tithing to the temple takes the place of reconciling with one’s brother? The wealthy are able to use their tithe to blind themselves to the demands of justice.
Jacob now goes to Haran and meets Rachel at the well. This meeting is the reverse of the meeting of Abraham’s servant with Rebekah. In that earlier meeting, Laban notices Abraham’s camels. Now Jacob notices Laban’s sheep. Truly Laban and Jacob are of “one bone and flesh.”
Laban deceives Jacob into marrying Leah instead of Rachel. The deception appears to involve wine. Compare the story of Lot and his two daughters. Jacob also marries Rachel so that he now has two wives, the very thing that his mother objected to about his brother Esau.
Jacob and Laban deceive each other over wages but Jacob comes out on top. Jacob attributes his prosperity to God 31:9-13, although it was acquired by deception 30:37-43.
He even attributes his desire to steal away in the night without honestly confronting Laban as God’s will 31:13.
In the confrontation with Laban that follows, they agree to go their separate ways. It is not clear if they are able to admit their own wrong doing or can only see the error of the other’s ways.
posted by ross at 10:45 PM
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