Parshah Vayeitzei

Today's Reading from Vayeitzei:
Genesis 28:10-29:17

As we begin Parshah Vayeitzei, we pick up where we left off in the story of Jacob. Jacob is traveling to find a wife (not to mention running for his life from his brother!) from among his mother's relatives in Haran. During the journey, as Jacob camps overnight, G-d visits him in a dream (Gen. 28:10-15). G-d speaks with Jacob and reiterates His covenant promise to Abraham:

13 And behold, the LORD stood above it and said, “I am the LORD, the God of your
father Abraham and the God of Isaac; the land on which you lie, I will give it to
you and to your descendants.
14 “Your descendants will also be like the dust of the earth, and you will spread
out to the west and to the east and to the north and to the south; and in you and
in your descendants shall all the families of the earth be blessed.
15 “Behold, 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 promised
you.”*

G-d promises Jacob the same things He promised Abraham: to give him the land, that his descendants would be too numerous to count, and that all the families of the earth would be blessed through his descendants.

This encounter deeply impacts Jacob (Gen. 28:16-17), and in verse 18 he sets up a sacred pillar to commemorate the spot where he met the L-rd. The remainder of chapter 28 (especially verses 20-22), seems to indicate that it is at this time that Jacob begins to own his personal relationship with the G-d of his fathers.

As chapter 29 opens, Jacob comes upon a well and asks the local shepherds where they are from, to which they reply that they are from Haran. This is the very place he is headed. Not only that, but these shepherds know his mother's relatives (Gen. 29:5). As if this wasn't enough evidence of G-d's providence, who should come along right that moment but Rachel (Gen. 29:6), the beautiful younger daughter of Jacob's uncle?

This is all too much for Jacob, who begins to cry as he greets Rachel and waters her flocks. They return to her father's house where Jacob is greeted with open arms. He stays there a month, working for his uncle Laban. At the end of this month, Laban insists on paying Jacob for his efforts (Gen. 29:15), then verses 16 and 17 seem to switch topics quite suddenly, offering a description of Laban's two daughters. Why? Perhaps Jacob's good fortune isn't going to be handed to him quite as easily as he imagines. Maybe, just maybe, G-d has a few lessons to teach him along the way.

My prayer today is follow the L-rd's direction and trust Him completely. In times of difficulty, may I seek to learn the lessons He wants to teach me and not depart from His ways.

Tomorrow: Genesis 29:18-30:27

*New American Standard Bible : 1995 update. 1995 (Ge 28:13–15). LaHabra, CA: The Lockman Foundation.