Parashah 07 VaYetze

Genesis 28:10 – 32:2(3)

By Dr. K. Blad  ©

Second edition 2013-14 (5774)

Lucrative copying not permitted.  

Torah Readings:

1. 28:10-22
2. 29:1-17
3. 29:18 – 30:13
4. 30:14-27
5. 30:28 – 31:16
6. 31:17-42
7. 31:43 – 32:2 (3 Heb.)
8. Maftir: 31:55 (32:1 Heb.) – 32:2 (3 Heb.)

Haftarah: Hosea 12:13 – 14:10 (Ashken.) 11:7 – 12:12 (Sefard.)

VaYetze

Means ”and he went out”.

Comments

The First Aliyah, 28:10-22

28:10 ”Ya`akov went out from Be'er-Sheva, and went toward Charan.”(HNV) – Ya’akov’s move out of the country represents the three Diasporas that his children would experience in the future.

The northern kingdom, the house of Israel, would experience one Diaspora, and the southern kingdom, the house of Yehudah, would experience two Diasporas. The first and greatest exile was with the ten tribes in the North. It started in year 722 BCE when Assyria invaded Israel. This exile has not ended yet. However, the prophets do speak about a return of the exiles of the “house of Israel”, “house of Yosef” and “Efraim”, which are the ten tribes, see Ezekiel 37:15-28; Isaiah 11:12; Jeremiah 3:18; 16:14-16; 23:5-8; 30:3; 31:27-36; 33:7; 50:4-5; Hosea 1:11; 11:8-11; Zechariah 8:13, 23; 10:8-12.

The house of Yehudah, which is the Jewish people, has experienced two exiles. The first one was the Babylonian captivity, which lasted for 70 years – between the years of 606-537 BCE, starting with the first of the three deportations and ending when the first of the people began to return. If you count from the destruction of the temple until the sacrifices started again, the captivity lasted between the years 586-516 BCE.

The second exile began year 70 CE, if you count from the destruction of the temple. And since there has not been a third temple built with the sacrifices restored, this exile has not yet ended completely.

If you count the years from the destruction of Yerushalayim in year 135, until the city was retaken in year 1967, the exile has lasted for 1832 years. (However, there have always been Jews living in the land of Israel throughout its entire history, ever since the conquests of Yehoshua (Joshua).)

Our father Ya’akov was now to be outside of the land for 20 years, which represent 2000 years. Does this mean that the temple will be rebuilt in year 2070? Or should the count of the 2000 years begin with the prophecy that the Messiah gave in Luke 19:41-44, where it is written:

“And when He drew near, He saw the city and wept over it, saying, ‘If you had known in this day, even you, the things for your peace! But now they have been hidden from your eyes. For the days shall come upon you when your enemies will cast around you a rampart, and will hold you in on every side, and dash you to the ground, and your children within you, and they will not leave in you one stone upon another, because you did not know the season of your visitation.’”(MRC)

This prophecy was uttered, according to my calculations, on the 10^th of Nissan, which corresponds to the 21^st of April, year 31 CE. Could it be that the sacrifices in the temple will be re-established year 2031? In time we will know the answer to this question.

28:11 “He came to a certain place, and stayed there all night, because the sun had set. He took one of the stones of the place, and put it under his head, and lay down in that place to sleep.”(HNV) – The rabbis interpret the word va-yifgah, “and he encountered”, as a reference to prayer. According to the simple level of interpretation, the text means that Ya’akov encountered the place. But since the word also includes the concept of having direct and intense contact with something, we can also understand it as Ya’akov having prayed in that place.

The Hebrew word that is translated “place” is makom.[1] This word is repeated up to six times in this passage. And since the word is also found in Genesis 22:3-4 as a reference to Moriah, there are many rabbis[2] who say that Ya’akov slept in the place where the future temple would be built, see 28:17.

The word makom is also used in reference to the Omnipresent One. There is a principle which says: “He is the place for the universe, but the universe is not His place”. This means that He envelopes the universe, but the universe does not envelope Him.[3] Therefore the Hebrew text can be translated as: “And he had a meeting with the Omnipresent One”.

28:12 “He dreamed. Behold, a stairway set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven. Behold, the angels of God ascending and descending on it.”(HNV) – There are several Midrash texts which speak about this experience. One of them[4] says that it was the angels of the four future world empires who were going up the ladder, only to fall down and so lose their power over the Jewish people. Another[5] says that the ladder represents the ramp at the altar in the temple and that the angels were priests who went up and down. The same Midrash also says that the ladder was Mount Sinai, where Moshe and Aharon went up and down. Rashi says, with a Midrash[6] as his point of reference, that the angels who went up to heaven were the angels of the land of Israel who could not go with Ya’akov out of the land, and therefore other angels came down in their stead.

We have to be aware of the fact that Midrash literature is based on a certain word or a certain expression in the Hebrew text, and therefore a more or less imaginative story has been created to illustrate that certain word or expression. It does not necessarily mean that the story is true. The Midrash literature helps us remember the unusual and extraordinary words and expressions used in the inspired Scriptures. But we cannot confuse the truth with the parables!

The Scriptures teach us that our prayers cause the angels of God to be sent out by Him. We have one example in Daniel 10:12 where it is written:

“Then said he to me, ‘Don't be afraid, Daniel; for from the first day that you did set your heart to understand, and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard: and I am come for your words' sake.’”(HNV)

The Eternal heard the prophet’s prayer and sent one of his messengers to give him an answer. This angel said, “I am come for your words’ sake”. This teaches us that the activity of the angels depends, to some degree, on the prayers of man. It is man who causes the Eternal to give assignments to these wonderful creatures.

In Revelations 8:4, it is written,

“And the smoke of the incense went up with the prayers of the consecrated ones out of the hand of the angel before God.”(MRC)

This angel had the assignment of taking up the prayers of the consecrated ones to God. That gives us the explanation as to why the text that we are reading now says that the angels first went up from the place where Ya’akov laid, and then down. Ya’akov’s prayers had activated these angels from the earth and the Eternal sent his answer from heaven.

This teaches us that if we do not pray, some of the angels are not given assignments by the Eternal. Many ask themselves why some accident or other happened in their family, or why sickness came. The answer might be that there was a lack of prayer for the guarding angels to receive orders from the Almighty to protect the family. If we do not pray for the people that the Eternal has placed on our hearts, we hinder the intervention of the Eternal in their lives. HaShem has made Himself dependent on your prayers. When you pray He sends His messengers to intervene on the earth.

The ladder which Ya’akov saw is the Messiah, as it is written in John 14:6,

“Yeshua said to him, ‘I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father, but through Me.’”(MRC)

And in 1 Timothy 2:5, it says,

“For God is one, and there is one Mediator of God and of men, the Man Messiah Yeshua.”(MRC)

It is also written in John 1:51,

“And He said to him, ‘Truly, truly, I say to you, you will see Heaven opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man.’”(MRC)

This proves that the Messiah is the ladder which Ya’akov saw. Through him we have access to the Father and through him our prayer can ascend to heaven, as it is written in John 16:24, 26,

“Until just now you have asked nothing in My name; ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be fulfilled… In that day you will ask in My name; and I do not say to you that I will ask to the Father concerning you.”(MRC)

And in Romans 16:27,

“to the only wise God be glory forever through Yeshua the Messiah! Amen.”(NIV)

A ladder has several steps. This teaches us that the way from earth to heaven has several different levels. In Scripture we can see many examples of these different levels. Isaiah 62:10a says, “Go through, go through the gates”; Psalm 84:7a says, “They go from strength to strength”; Ezekiel 47:1-5 speaks of four different levels of depth in the water that flows from the temple; John 1:16 says, “grace on top of grace”; Romans 1:17 says, “from faith to faith”; 2 Corinthians 3:18 says, “from glory to glory”, and so on.

Verse 17 speaks of the House of God and the Gate of Heaven in connection with this ladder. So, we have three things: a ladder, a house, and a gate. God’s heavenly house is reflected in the tabernacle and His temples on the earth. In them we can find three levels of consecration: the outer court, the consecrated place, and the most consecrated place. Each level has a gate of entrance.

These three levels are reflected in the spiritual manifestations of those who have Malki-Tzedek’s ministry through the Messiah Yeshua. In 1 Corinthians 12-14, there is a very detailed teaching on this subject. Here we will only mention that the Greek text divides the nine manifestations into three groups, according to what is written in 1 Corinthians 12:8-10,

“For through the Spirit is given to one a word of wisdom, and to another

 a word of knowledge, according to the same Spirit; to another[8] faith by the same Spirit, and to another[9] gifts of healing by the one Spirit. And to another workings of miracles, and to another prophecy, and to another discerning of spirits, to another[10] various kinds of languages, and to another interpretation of languages.”(MRC)

I have marked the places in the text where the Greek word heteros has been translated, which divides these supernatural manifestations into three groups. Each one of these groups represents one of the three areas of the tabernacle.

1.      Word of wisdom through the Spirit – the mercy seat.

2.      Word of knowledge through the same Spirit – the ark with the tablets of the covenant.

SEPARATION

3.      Faith through the same Spirit – the table.

4.      Gifts of healings – one of the stacks of shew bread.

5.      Workings of miracles – the other stack of shew bread.

6.      Prophecy – the seven lamps.

7.      Discerning of spirits – the lampstand.

SEPARATION

8.      Various kinds of languages – the brass altar.

9.      Interpretation of languages – the brass basin.

Numbers 1-2 represent the most consecrated place

Numbers 3-7 represent the consecrated place

Numbers 8-9 represent the outer court

In 1 Corinthians 14:27-30a, it is written,

“If anyone speaks in a language, it should be by two, or at the most, by three, and each in turn, and let one interpret; but if there is no interpreter, let him be silent in the assembly; and let him speak to himself and to God. And if there are two or three prophets, let them speak, and let the others pass judgment. But if a revelation is made to another who is seated, let the first be silent.”(MRC)

In 1 Corinthians 13:1-2, it is written,

“If I speak with the languages of men and of angels, but do not have love, I have become a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic utterance, and perceive all mysteries and all knowledge; and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing.’(MRC)

In these texts there are three gates which are in the three different areas in the heavenly temple. They are:

1.      Languages – the gate by which to enter the outer court.

2.      Prophecy – the gate by which to enter the consecrated place.

3.      Revelation – the gate by which to enter the most consecrated place.

Ya’akov’s ladder represents different levels of a prayer life. The deeper you get into prayer, the higher level you will reach, and the more you will experience being caught up into the higher realms of heaven, both spiritually and physically, as it is written in 2 Corinthians 12:1-4,

“To boast, really, is not profitable for me; but I will come to visions and revelations of the Lord. I know a man in Messiah who fourteen years ago--whether in the body, I do not know, or out of the body, I do not know, God knows--such a one was caught up to the third Heaven. And I know that such a one--whether in the body, or separate from the body, I do not know, God knows--was caught up into Paradise, and heard unspeakable spoken words, which a man is not permitted to speak.”(MRC)

In Revelations 4:1-2, it is written,

“After these things I saw, and behold, a door opened in Heaven, and the first voice which I had heard, as if of a trumpet speaking with me, said, ‘Come up here, and I will show you what must occur after these things.’ Immediately I was in the Spirit, and behold, a throne was set in Heaven, and One sitting on the throne.”(MRC)

There are seven heavens mentioned in Talmud:[11]

“R. Judah said: There are two firmaments, for it is said: Behold, unto the Lord thy God belongeth heaven, and the heaven of heavens.[12] Resh Lakish said: [There are] seven, namely, Wilon,[13] Rakia’,[14] Shehakim,[15] Zevul,[16] Ma’on,[17] Makon,[18] Araboth.[19] Wilon serves no purpose except that it enters in the morning and goes forth in the evening[20] and renews every day the work of creation, for it is said: That stretcheth out the heavens as a curtain,[21] and spreadeth them out as a tent to dwell in.[22] Rakia’ is that in which sun and moon, stars and constellations are set, for it is said: And God set them[23] in the firmament [Rakia’] of the heaven.[24] Shehakim is that in which millstones stand and grind[25] manna for the righteous for it is said: And He commanded the skies [Shehakim] above, and opened the doors of heaven; and He caused manna to rain upon them for food etc.[26] Zebul is that in which [the heavenly] Yerushalayim[27] and the Temple and the Altar are built, and Michael, the great Prince,[28] stands and offers up thereon an offering, for it is said: I have surely built Thee a house of habitation [Zebul], a place for Thee to dwell in for ever.[29] And whence do we derive that it is called heaven? For it is written: Look down from heaven, and see, even from Thy holy and glorious habitation.[30] Ma'on is that in which there are companies of Ministering Angels, who utter [divine] song by night, and are silent by day for the sake of Israel's glory,[31] for it is said: By day the Lord doth command His lovingkindness,[32] and in the night His song is with me.[33]… And whence do we derive that it[34] is called heaven? — For it is said: Look forth from Thy holy habitation [ma'on], from heaven.[35] Makon[36] is that in which there are the stores of snow[37] and stores of hail, and the loft of harmful dews and the loft of raindrops,[38] the chamber of the whirlwind and storm,[39] and the cave of vapour, and their doors are of fire… And whence do we derive that it[40] is called heaven? For it is written: Then hear Thou in heaven, Thy dwelling place [Makon].[41]… ‘Araboth is that in which there are Right and Judgment and Righteousness,[42] the treasures of life and the treasures of peace and the treasures of blessing, the souls of the righteous and the spirits and the souls[43] which are yet to be born, and dew wherewith the Set Apart One, blessed be He, will hereafter revive the dead…  There [too] are the Ofanim[44] and the Seraphim,[45] and the Set Apart Living Creatures, [46] and the Ministering Angels,[47] and the Throne of God; and the King, the Living God, high and exalted, dwells over them in ‘Araboth, for it is said: Extol Him that rideth upon Araboth.”[48]

28:14 “Your descendants will be like the dust of the earth, and you will spread out to the west and to the east, to the north and to the south. All peoples on earth will be blessed through you and your offspring.”(NIV) – Ya’akov’s descendants are only compared to the dust of the earth and the sand of the sea, see 32:12, never with the stars of heaven. Yitzchak is associated with the stars and Ya’akov with the dust of the earth and the sand of the sea. The earth represents the land of Israel and the sea represents the gentile nations, see Psalm 93:3-4; 144:7; Isaiah 17:3; Ezekiel 26:3.

Therefore, dust of the earth is referring to the physical descendants who live in the land of Israel.

“through you” – This is referring to Ya’akov’s physical descendants who would become a blessing to all the families of the earth. One part of the fulfillment of this has come through all the inventions and technological breakthroughs that have come through the Jews. Ya’akov’s physical descendants are a blessing for the whole world right now. Furthermore, they have given the Torah and the Messiah to the world for its salvation. That is why it is written “in your seed”, which is referring to the Messiah, compare Galatians 3:16.

“blessed” – This is the same word that is used in Genesis 12:3, venivrechú, which can be understood as “and they shall be grafted in”.

28:18, 22a “And Ya’akov rose up early in the morning, and took the stone that he had put under his head, and set it up for a pillar, and poured oil upon the top of it…and this stone, which I have set up for a pillar, shall be God's house…”(JPS) – This is a reference to the Messiah, the foundation stone in God’s house and the Anointed One. Messiah means Anointed. The olive oil represents the Spirit of the Eternal. This agrees with the text in Matthew 16:15-18 where it is written,

“He said to them, ‘But who do you say that I am?’ And Shimon Petros answered and said, ‘You are the Messiah, the Son of the Living God.’ And Yeshua answered and said to him, ‘Blessed are you, Shimon Bar-Yonah, because flesh and blood did not reveal it to you, but My Father Who is in Heaven. And I tell you, you are Petros, but upon this Rock I will rebuild My assembly; and the gates of Sheol shall not prevail against it.”(MRC)

The revelation that Ya’akov had of the ladder, which represents the Messiah, is similar to the revelation that Peter had of who Yeshua is. On this rock the spiritual house will be built, which is the assembly that consists of the consecrated ones and those within Israel who believe in Yeshua. Peter writes about this in his first letter 2:4-5,

“Draw near to Him, to that Living Stone, rejected by men, but in God’s sight chosen and precious; you also, as living stones, be yourselves built up as a spiritual house for a consecrated priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Yeshua the Messiah.”(MRC)

In Psalm 118:22, it is written,

“The stone which the builders rejected is become the chief corner-stone.”(JPS)

The builders were those of the religious leaders in Israel who rejected Yeshua as the Messiah, as it is written in Acts 4:8b, 11,

“Rulers of the people, and elders… Yeshua is the stone which was rejected by you, the builders, that became the very corner stone.”(MRC revised)

The Second Aliyah, 29:1-17

29:6b “and here comes his daughter Rachel with the sheep.”(NIV) - Rachel[49] means “sheep”. At that time, it was common for the sons to study and for the daughters to tend the sheep.

29:13 “As soon as Lavan heard the news about Ya’akov, his sister's son, he hurried to meet him. He embraced him and kissed him and brought him to his home, and there Ya’akov told him all these things.”(NIV revised) – Lavan had a vivid memory of Eliezer’s, Avraham’s servant’s, earlier visit with ten camels loaded with riches. Now he runs out to meet Avraham’s grandchild. But to Lavan’s great surprise, he had not brought anything with him. Midrash-literature[50] says that Esav sent Elifaz, his firstborn son, to kill Ya’akov on the way. However, because he was afraid, he only robbed Ya’akov of everything that he had brought. When he arrived at Lavan’s, Ya’akov had nothing left.

29:16 “Now Lavan had two daughters; the name of the older was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel.”(NIV revised) – Leah[51] means “tired”.

29:17 “Leah had weak eyes, but Rachel was lovely in form, and beautiful.”(NIV) – A Midrash[52] says that Leah was intended to marry Esav, her older cousin, and Rachel was intended to marry Ya’akov, her younger cousin. Therefore Leah cried and prayed so much that her eyes were always full of tears. The Eternal heard her prayers, and that is why she was married to Ya’akov.

The Third Aliyah, 29:18 – 30:13

29:25 “It happened in the morning that, behold, it was Leah. He said to Lavan, ‘What is this you have done to me? Didn't I serve with you for Rachel? Why then have you deceived me?’”(HNV) – Ya’akov reaped what he sowed in the way he treated his father and his brother. Just as he had said that he was his brother, when he wasn’t, he now became the victim of a similar betrayal, and was married to the older daughter who was presented as if she was the younger.

In Galatians 6:7, it is written,

“Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows.”(NIV)

29:32 “Leah became pregnant and gave birth to a son. She named him Reuven, for she said, ‘It is because HaShem has seen my misery. Surely my husband will love me now.’”(NIV revised) – Reuven[53] means “look, a son”. His name is also, according to the rabbis, a prophetic word revealing the difference between this firstborn son and Yitzchak’s firstborn. Esav sold his birthright, but this son would not do that to Yosef, and would not even quarrel with him, but would try to help him out of the well.

29:33 “She conceived again, and when she gave birth to a son she said, ‘Because HaShem heard that I am not loved, he gave me this one too.’ So she named him Shimon.”(NIV revised) – Shimon[54] means “he who hears”.

29:34 “Again she conceived, and when she gave birth to a son she said, ‘Now at last my husband will become attached to me, because I have borne him three sons.’ So he was named Levi.”(NIV) – Levi means[55] “attached”.

29:35 “She conceived again, and when she gave birth to a son she said, ‘This time I will praise HaShem.’ So she named him Yehudah. Then she stopped having children.”(NIV revised) – Yehudah[56] comes from the word yadah[57], which means “confess”, “praise”, “thank”. The root of the word yadah is yad[58], “hand”. This son is the main character in the tribe that the Messiah would be born into. The Messiah is the hand of the Eternal and through him both the Jewish people and the rest of mankind will be saved. Therefore, through him, there will be much praise and thanksgiving, both among Jews and among all other peoples, as it is written in Psalm 35:18,

“I will give you thanks in the great assembly; among throngs of people I will praise you.”(NIV)

And in Deuteronomy 32:43, it is written,

“Rejoice, O nations, with his people, for he will avenge the blood of his servants; he will take vengeance on his enemies and make atonement for his land and people.”(NIV)

30:3 “Then she said, ‘Here is Bilhah, my maidservant. Sleep with her so that she can bear children for me and that through her I too can build a family.’”(NIV) – Bilhah[59] means “shy”.

30:6 “Then Rachel said, God has vindicated me (danani); he has listened to my plea and given me a son.’ Because of this she named him Dan.”(NIV) – Dan[60] means “judges” and “judged”.

30:8 “Rachel said, ‘With mighty wrestlings (naftulei) have I wrestled with my sister, and have prevailed.’ She named him Naftali.”(HNV) – Naftali[61] means “my struggle”. The root of this word is the same as the root of the word “prayer”, tefilah. This teaches us that prayer means struggle. Every time we decide to pray we experience a struggle with the yetzer ha-rah, the “evil urge”, which does not want to pray. There are also spiritual forces which work together with the evil urge that stand against our prayers and they can be felt when we pray, as it is written in Ephesians 6:12, 18,

“For our wrestling is not against flesh and blood, but against the principalities, against the powers, against the world rulers of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places… through all prayer and supplication pray at all seasons in the Spirit, and with this in view, keep alert with all perseverance and supplication for all the consecrated ones.”(MRC)

30:9 “When Leah saw that she had stopped having children, she took her maidservant Zilpah and gave her to Ya’akov as a wife.”(NIV) – Zilpah[62] means “dripping”.

30:11 “Leah said, ‘What luck!’ She named him Gad.”(NHV revised) – Gad[63] comes from the Hebrew word gud[64], which means “gather (people)”, “attack”, “conquer”, and it has a connection with the word gadad[65], which means “to collect”, “gather together (troops)”, “accumulate”.

Rashi says that Gad means good fortune and he quotes Talmud and the text in Isaiah 65:1, where it is written,

“But ye that forsake HaShem, that forget My consecrated mountain, that prepare a table for Fortune (Heb. Gad), and that offer mingled wine in full measure unto Destiny.”(JPS revised)

However, it is hard to accept that this name is related to a pagan concept such as fortune. This name is written on one of the gates of the new Yerushalayim, according to Revelations 21:12, which says,

“It had a great and high wall, with twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels; and names written on them, which are of the twelve tribes of the sons of Yisrael.”(MRC)

How can Gad be an idolatrous name when it is written on one of the gates in the heavenly city? The King James translation says, “for that troop”. (Isaiah 65:11)

We can see, then, that the root of the word gad means “collect”, which is not far from what can be taken as the joy of having great riches. Riches are things that have been collected.

30:13 “Then Leah said, ‘How happy I am! The women will call me happy.’ So she named him Asher.”(NIV) – Asher[66] means “happy”.

The Fourth Aliyah, 30:14-27

30:14 “During wheat harvest, Reuven went out into the fields and found some mandrake plants, which he brought to his mother Leah. Rachel said to Leah, ‘Please give me some of your son’s mandrakes.’(NIV revised) – The Hebrew word that is translated as “mandrakes” is dudaim[67] which, according to Rashi, are jasmine or violets. These flowers spread a lovely scent, which brightens the mood. They are even mentioned in the Song of Songs 7:14. However, the exact identity of this plant is unknown. It has been said that the mandrake increases fertility. Others suggest that it was a fig or an apple blossom.

30:17-20 “God listened to Le'ah, and she conceived, and bore Ya’akov a fifth son. Leah said, ‘God has given me my reward, because I gave my handmaid to my husband.’ She named him Yissakhar. Leah conceived again, and bore a sixth son to Ya’akov. Leah said, ‘God has endowed me with a good dowry. Now my husband will live with me, because I have borne him six sons.’ She named him Zevulun.”(HNV) – Here the order of Leah’s fifth and sixth sons is mentioned. This hints at the association between Leah’s seven children and world history. The first two sons represent the first two thousand years of history from Adam to Avraham. Reuven represents the creation of man. Shimon represents the prayers that rose up to heaven during the second millennium, during the flood, and during the time of Avraham.

The following two sons represent the time from Avraham to Yeshua. During this time the Levitical priesthood was instituted and the house of Yehudah, from which the Jews come, was the only one to survive the attacks of the enemies. Thereafter Leah ceased having children. Then there were other sons borne to Ya’akov. That represents the right that the gentiles have to come into the people of Israel through conversion in Messiah Yeshua, as it is written in Matthew 4:13-15,

“and leaving Natzeret, He came and settled in K’far-Nachum, which is by the sea, in the regions of Zevulun and Naftali, that it might be fulfilled what was spoken through Yeshayahu the prophet, saying, ‘the land of Zevulun and the land of Naftali, by the way of the sea, beyond the Yarden, Galil of the gentiles.’”(MRC revised)

Here the territories of Zevulun’s and Naftali’s tribes are called “the land of the gentiles”, according to the quote from Isaiah 9:1. It is speaking of the Messianic era that came to open the door for the Gentiles to be able to come into Israel through the Messianic conversion.

Leah’s last two sons, Yissakhar and Zevulun represent two thousand years of a Messianic era, the time between the first and second coming of Yeshua. Yissakhar[68] means “compensation”, which refers to the suffering of the Messiah that would bring fruit through the salvation of both the Jewish and the gentile nations, as it is written in Isaiah 53:11,

“He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by the knowledge of himself shall my righteous servant justify many; and he shall bear their iniquities.”(HNV)

“God has given me my reward, because I gave my handmaid to my husband.”– This is referring to the reward that Israel will receive for having preached the good news to the gentiles giving them the opportunity be a part of God’s heavenly people, as it is written in Romans 11:25-26a,

“For I do not want you, brethren, to be ignorant of this mystery--lest you be wise in your own estimation--that a partial hardening has happened to Yisrael until the fullness of the nations has come in; and in this way all Yisrael will be saved”(MRC)

Zevulun[69] means “dwelling”. During the Messianic era, the Spirit of the Messiah has taken up his dwelling in all those who have received Yeshua’s words, as it is written in John 14:15-18, 23,

“’If you love Me, you will keep My commandments. And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever; the Spirit of truth, Whom the world does not have the power to receive, because it neither beholds Him nor knows Him. But you know Him because He abides with you and will be in you. I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you…’ Yeshua answered and said to Him, ‘If anyone loves Me, He will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to Him and make Our dwelling with him.’”(MRC revised)

“Now my husband will live with me, because I have borne him six sons.” – Zevulun is Leah’s sixth son. This suggests that at the end of the Messianic era, during the sixth millennium from Adam, which we are in right now, the bridegroom Messiah will come back to dwell with his people, as it is written in John 14:3,

“If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and will receive you to myself; that where I am, you may be there also.”(HNV)

30:21 “Afterwards, she bore a daughter, and named her Dinah.”(HNV) – Dinah[70] is the feminine form of din[71], which means “judgment” and “righteousness”. Dinah is Leah’s seventh child and this represents the Messianic reign. This means that before the seventh millennium, which is called the thousand year reign or the Messianic reign, all the righteous ones and all the gentile nations will be judged according to their actions, as it is written in Daniel 7:26-27,

“But the judgment shall be set, and they shall take away his dominion, to consume and to destroy it to the end. The kingdom and the dominion, and the greatness of the kingdoms under the whole the sky, shall be given to the people of the consecrated ones of the Highest. His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him.”(HNV revised)

In Matthew 25:31-32, it is written,

“But when the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, then He will sit on His glorious throne. And all the nations will be gathered before Him, and he will separate them from one another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.”(MRC)

In 2 Corinthians 5:10, it is written,

“For we must all appear before the bema (judgment) seat of Messiah, that each one may be recompensed for his things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.”(MRC)

Dinah is also a reference to the fact that at the end of the thousand year messianic reign, the rest of mankind will be judged, as it is written in Revelation 20:11-15,

“And I saw a Great White Throne and Him Who sat upon it, from Whose face Earth and Heaven fled away, and no place was found for them. And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and scrolls were opened; and another scroll was opened, which is the scroll of life; and the dead were judged by the things which were written in the scrolls, according to their works. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it, and death and Sheol gave up the dead which were in them; and they were judged, every one according to their works. And death and Sheol were thrown into the Lake of Fire. This is the second death, the Lake of Fire. And if anyone was not found written in the scroll of life, he was thrown into the Lake of Fire.”(MRC)

Dinah is a woman. This suggests that during the seventh millennium, the wedding of the Lamb will be celebrated, his bride will have a prominent role, as it is written in Revelation 19:7-9,

“Let us rejoice and exult and give glory to Him, because the marriage of the Lamb has come and His bride has made herself ready. And it was given to her to clothe herself in fine linen, shining and pure; for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the consecrated ones. And he said to me, ‘Write, “Blessed are those who are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb.”’ And he said to me, ‘These are the true words of God.’”(MRC revised)

The other sons also symbolize the Messianic era, the time between the first and second coming of the Messiah.

Dan represents the judgment which came into the world through Yeshua, as it is written in John 3:19,

“And this is the judgment, that the light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the light; for their works were evil.”(MRC)

In John 9:39, it is written,

“And Yeshua said, ‘For judgment I came into this world, that those who do not see may see, and those who see may become blind.’”(MRC)

In John 12:31, it is written,

“Now judgment is of this world; now shall the ruler of this world be cast out.”(MRC)

Naftali represents the struggle between the sisters, which came after the death of the apostles, when Christianity was formed as a religious system separated from that form of Judaism which Yeshua and his apostles practiced, as it is written in Acts 20:29-30,

“I know that after my departure fierce wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; and from among your own selves will arise men, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after them.”(MRC)

In 2 Peter 2:1, it is written,

“But false prophets also came into the people, just as there will be false teachers in and among you, who will secretly introduce ruining heresies, even denying the Lord Who bought them, bringing swift ruin upon themselves.”(MRC)

Gad represents the congregations that were made up of those gentiles who had received the faith in Israel’s Messiah, as it is written in Luke 2:29-32,

“Now Lord, You will let Your servant depart in peace according to Your word; because my eyes have seen Your salvation, which You have prepared in the presence of all peoples, a light of revelation to the nations, and the glory of Your people, Yisrael.”(MRC revised)

And in Acts 15:14-18, it is written,

“Shimon has explained how God first concerned Himself about receiving from out of the nations a people for His name. And with this the words of the Prophets agree, just as it is written, ‘after these things I will turn back, and I will build again the tabernacle of David, which has fallen, and I will build again its ruins, and I will set it upright, so that the rest of mankind may seek Ado-nai, and all the nations who are called by my Name, says Ado-nai, who makes these things known from ancient times.’”(MRC revised)

In Romans 16:4b, it is written,

“to whom not only do I give thanks, but also all the assemblies of the nations.”(MRC)

Asher represents Israel’s great joy in the last days when they will receive the revelation of Yeshua as the Messiah, as it is written in Acts 3:12b, 19-21,

“Men of Yisrael… Repent therefore and return, that your sins may be blotted out, in order that seasons of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord; and that He may send Yeshua, the Messiah appointed for you. Whom Heaven must receive until the time of restoration of all things, about which God spoke by the mouth of His consecrated prophets from antiquity.”(MRC)

30:23-24 “She conceived, bore a son, and said, ‘God has taken (asaf) away my reproach.’ She named him Yosef, saying, ‘May HaShem add (yosef) another son to me.’”(JPS revised) – Rachel, which means “sheep”, bore Yosef, who symbolizes God’s Lamb, Messiah ben (son of) Yosef, the suffering Servant. The name Yosef[72] comes from the root yasaf[73], “increase”, and is associated with the root asaf[74], which means both “remove” and “add”.

This means that the role of the Messiah is to both take away and to add. On the one hand it speaks of his death and resurrection, and on the other hand it speaks of his assignment to remove sin and death in order to add gentiles into the chosen people. We see this role reflected in Yosef as well, who came to save the world and the people of Israel in Egypt, and also to cause two new tribes to be added into Israel, Efrayim, and Menasheh.

The Fifth Aliyah, 30:28 – 31:16

30:39 “And the flocks conceived at the sight of the rods, and the flocks brought forth streaked, speckled, and spotted.”(JPS) – The Torah is not a biology book. This text was not included in order to teach a lesson in genetics. The flocks’ genes cannot be changed by this kind of external stimulus. The Torah does, however, teach us a lesson about how the supernatural will intervene in the natural, through cooperation between man and the Eternal. Man takes action in the natural and the Eternal responds with a supernatural act. This principle can be found throughout all of Scripture. Ya’akov acted according to a heavenly vision that he had received through an angel. Supernatural power from the Eternal within a legitimate framework is released trough revelation, as it is written in John 5:19,

“Yeshua therefore answered and said to them, ‘Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, except it is something He sees the Father doing; for whatever He does, these things the Son also does likewise.’”(MRC)

In order to perform legitimate miracles, one must have an intimate relationship with the Father and a revelation of what He is doing. Those who cooperate with Him will have success in everything. Those who do miracles without having a relationship with Him will be suspended, as it is written in Matthew 7:22-23,

“Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who are working lawlessness.’(MRC)

This text reveals two important truths. In order to make it on judgment day, one must have practiced the supernatural on two foundational principles: an intimate relationship with Messiah Yeshua and obedience to Moshe’s Torah. The Greek word that is translated as “lawlessness” is anomia[75] and it means “lawlessness” or “transgression of the law”. Therefore, those who prophesy and do miracles in the name of the Messiah without having an intimate relationship with Him, and without living according to the commandments of the Torah, will be cast away from his presence in the end. Sadly, this will be many people.

31:13 “I am the God of Beit-El, where you anointed a pillar, where you vowed a vow to me. Now arise, get out from this land, and return to the land of your birth.”(HNV) – The promises that we make are taken very seriously in heaven, as it is written in Ecclesiastes 5:2-7,

“Don't be rash with your mouth, and don't let your heart be hasty to utter anything before God; for God is in heaven, and you on earth. Therefore let your words be few. For as a dream comes with a multitude of cares, so a fool's speech with a multitude of words. When you vow a vow to God, don't defer to pay it; for he has no pleasure in fools. Pay that which you vow. It is better that you should not vow, than that you should vow and not pay. Don't allow your mouth to lead you into sin. Don't protest before the messenger that this was a mistake. Why should God be angry at your voice, and destroy the work of your hands? For in the multitude of dreams there are vanities, as well as in many words: but you must fear God.”(HNV)

31:16b “Now then, whatever God has said to you, do.”(HNV) – Ya’akov’s wives had not received any word from the Eternal to move away from Lavan’s home. Even if the responsibility of leading the family is primarily that of the husband’s, the wife plays an essential role when important decisions have to be made.

It was with great wisdom that Ya’akov’s presented the situation to his wives, share the revelation from the Eternal and ask for their opinion prior to making an important decision for the family. Even though he received an order from the Eternal, he asked for their opinion so that the decision would not be his alone. Ya’akov communicated openly with his wives, which is one of the most difficult things for a man to do. Many problems in marriage are caused by lack of communication between the spouses. The husband is not supposed to satisfy his own desires in marriage, but: rather, to fulfill the purposes the Eternal has for the family.

Wives need to pray a great deal for their husbands, so that they can be sensitive to the voice of the Eternal’s Spirit, and so that they can be obedient to His guidance. In this case, Ya’akov’s wives set a good example when they submitted to the leadership that the Eternal had placed over them.

The Sixth Aliyah, 31:17-42

31:19 “Now Lavan had gone to shear his sheep: and Rachel stole the terafim that were her father's.”(HNV) – According to Jasher’s book[76] and other Midrash texts, Lavan had an idol, which had been made in a horrible way. When a firstborn son was born, the custom was to sacrifice him and chop his head off. After that they removed all the hair and salted and anointed the cranium with oil. Then, under the tongue, they placed a roll of paper or a metal piece that they had written the Name of the Eternal on. They then placed the idol in the home and lit candles to it and bowed before it. Then it would begin to speak and answer everything it was asked about. This was the kind of significant idol that Rachel had stolen. The Midrash goes on to say that the reason Rachel stole that idol, was so that her father would not find out, through the idol, where they had fled. Lavan, however, went to a neighbor and asked the idol in that house where they had gone.

There is an old law, called the Nuzu Law, which said that a son-in-law could demand the family inheritance in a court of law, if he had possession of the family idols.[77] Was this the reason that Rachel stole her father’s idols? Who knows?

In any case, the fact is that the Torah says that Rachel stole, and theft brings a curse if there is no repentance and restitution. Three curses came over Rachel: the one that was brought about by her theft, the one that Ya’akov spoke over the person who had the idols, see 31:32, and the one that was brought by her lying to her father, see 31:35. These curses were the cause of her premature death at the birth of her second son, Benyamin.

31:20 “Moreover, Ya’akov deceived Lavan the Aramean by not telling him he was running away.”(NIV revised) – The Hebrew text literally says that Ya’akov “stole the heart” of Lavan. It is the same word that is used in the previous verse where it says that Rachel “stole the terafim (idols)”. To steal someone’s heart does not have anything to do with falling in love, but with a misuse of the trust that someone has placed in you. Lavan trusted Ya’akov. Ya’akov took advantage of that trust and fled. There was a good motive behind his actions, because he wanted to obey the Eternal, but the way that he acted was not right. He stole the heart of the one who trusted in him. This type of theft is very common among people. When people see the opportunity to use another person, they do it, without realizing the serious consequences of this crime. Ya’akov had to suffer much during his life; because early on he had sowed deception and now he was also sowing theft. The same thing would happen to him with the sons that he trusted. They deceived him and said that his son, the one that he loved the most, was gone. They stole his heart. Whatever we sow we will also reap, sooner or later.

Dear reader, be faithful to those who trust you! If you have stolen someone’s heart, repent and go to that person, humble yourself before him, ask for forgiveness, and do everything in your power to repair the damage.

Forgiveness and trust is not the same thing. If a person has stolen someone’s heart, they lose their trust. If that person later repents and asks for forgiveness, the trust is not restored in the other person until much later, if at all. The other person thinks, “if he did it once, he might do it again.” Be patient, therefore, if you do not manage to gain the same trust from the person whose heart you stole. Don’t blame that person. You must understand that your actions have brought great damage to his heart and it cannot be healed by simply asking for forgiveness. Trust is the result of faithfulness, and damaged trust needs time in order to be restored.

31:31 “Ya`akov answered Lavan, ‘Because I was afraid, for I said, 'Lest you should take your daughters from me by force.’”(HNV) – Fear is the opposite of faith. Ya’akov had received a word from the Eternal, and that word was powerful enough to produce trust in his heart. But his fear of Lavan was greater than his trust in HaShem’s promise, and therefore, he made a decision based on fear. Decisions made out of fear are not good. They bring negative consequences. Lavan could have hurt Ya’akov. But the Eternal had compassion on him and intervened. In spite of our fear and lack of trust, He is good to us and helps us. Blessed be His Name!

31:35 “She said to her father, ‘Don't let my lord be angry that I can't rise up before you; for the manner of women is on me.’ He searched, but didn't find the terafim.”(HNV) – Here we see a very respectful way of addressing one’s father; “lord”. And she also asks for forgiveness for not rising before him, since this was also showing a lack of respect.

31:42 “Unless the God of my father, the God of Avraham, and the fear of Yitzchak, had been with me, surely now you would have sent me away empty. God has seen my affliction and the labor of my hands, and rebuked you last night.”(HNV) – Why does Ya’akov call God, “the fear of Yitzchak”? What was it in his father that made an impression on Ya’akov? His fear of God. He could have said, “the Mercy of my father”, “the Might of my father”, or “the Consecrated One of my father”, but the one thing that he brings out is Yitzchak’s fear of God. This teaches us the importance of serving the Eternal with fear. Lack of fear of God is one of the main reasons, perhaps the very main reason that man sins. Yeshua brings out the importance of fearing the Eternal in Luke 12:5, where it is written,

“But I will warn you whom you should fear. Fear him, who after he has killed, has power to cast into Gehinnom. Yes, I tell you, fear him.”(HNV)

In 1 Peter 2:17, it is written,

“Honor all men; love the brotherhood, fear God, honor the king.”(MRC)

In Revelation 14:6-7, it mentions the eternal gospel. What does that mean?

“And I saw another angel flying in midheaven, having an eternal gospel to proclaim to those who live on the Earth, and to every nation, and tribe, and language, and people; and he said with a great voice, ‘Fear God and give Him glory, because the hour of His judgment has come; and worship Him Who made Heaven and Earth, and sea and springs of waters.’”(MRC)

Ecclesiastes 12:13, summarizes the message of the Eternal like this,

“The end of the matter, all having been heard: fear God, and keep His commandments; for this is the whole man.”(JPS)

If we fear man more than we fear the Eternal, we cannot be servants of the Messiah, as it is written in Galatians 1:10,

“For now do I seek the favor of men, or of God? Or do I seek to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Messiah.”(MRC)

The Seventh Aliyah, 31:43 – 32:2(3 Heb.)

31:50 “If you will afflict my daughters, and if you will take wives besides my daughters, no man is with us; behold, God is witness between me and you.”(JPS) – The phrase “my daughters” is repeated twice. This means, according to Rashi, that the maidservants of Leah and Rachel were daughters of Lavan’s concubines.

32:1-2 “Ya’akov went on his way, and the angels of God met him. When he saw them, Ya’akov said, ‘This is God's host.’ He called the name of that place Machanayim.”(HNV) – Now the great moment of return from the Diaspora has come. This is when Ya’akov has a meeting with the angels of God. Rashi says that the angels who belong to the land of Israel went out to escort him during his entrance into the land.

This text shows us that when the children of Israel come back from the three different Diasporas, there will be many supernatural activities. Machanayim means “two camps”. The Hebrew has three different forms of expressing amounts: singular, dual, and plural. Machanayim is the dual form of machaneh[78], “camp” or “army”.

When Ya’akov comes back from abroad the two camp phenomenon is produced. It is speaking prophetically of the unity in the Messiah between Jews and non-Jews at the time of Israel’s return from all the nations.

It is also referring to that in spite of the fact that they are all part of the same people of God; there is still a distinction between Jews and non-Jews. And even so they are completely one in the spirit.

         That time is now here!