Commentary - Year 1 Sabbath 27

Genesis 28:10-29:30   -   Hosea 12:13   -   Psalm 24   -   Luke 2:1-39
 

Tishrei 12, 5762 / Aug 29, 2001

Tishrei 10, 5765 / Sept 25, 2004 -

Tishrei 10, 5768 / Sept 22, 2007 -

Tishrei 10, 5771 / Sept 18, 2010 -

Tishrei 10, 5774 / Sept 14, 2013 - Yom haKippurim

Tishrei 13, 5777 / Oct 15, 2016

Tishrei 13, 5780 / Oct 12, 2019

Tishrei 13, 5783 / Oct   8, 2022

Vayeitzei Ya'acov / Then Jacob departed   SCRIPTURES should be read first

(V.10) “Then Jacob departed from Beersheba and went toward Haran.” Beersheba was a place long associated with oaths. We understand that here, that after fourteen years, Jacob resumed his journey (after v.7), to leave the promised land. The sages teach that it took this time for him to learn that God would approve his leaving the promised land: Isaac remained in the land to “possess” it. Jacob left in fulfillment of his mother’s instruction to flee the wrath of Esau, and his father’s instruction to take a wife not from the land of idolatry.

Jacob left with the barest necessities (v.32:11 ), and therefore had to tend Laban’s flocks for a livelihood. Yeshua was born into this world in a poor state (Luke 2:24), but, as Jacob, will return very rich.

[We have heard the story, how that the stone Jacob laid his head upon (from v.11 of other translations), is the same one that every King and Queen of England has been crowned upon.]

All the prophets (except Moses) received prophecies only in dreams at night, or after a deep sleep had fallen upon them during the day (Rambam).

(V.14) Jacob’s offspring being symbolized as “dust of the earth” is taken to mean that, after they as degraded as the dust of the earth (see Isaiah 51:23), they shall “spread out powerfully westward, eastward, northward, and southward”.

(V.16) Jacob clearly understood that his dream was a prophecy from God.

(V.17) The place was a sanctuary for Yahweh’s name – a propitious place for prophecy prayer.

(V.20) This is taken as an example: the righteous ask only for necessities, not luxuries. Jacob was saying that, if God would bring him back safely to the Holy Land, then he would be able to serve God fully.

(V.29:1-2) Now, having God’s assurance, Jacob went on his way toward Haran. Looking ahead, he saw a well: those who trust Yahweh find renewed strength (Isaiah 40:31).

Though Jacob was wearied from his journey, at 77 he was now able to roll away a stone that normally required several shepherds to handle (see v.8 & 10).

(V.9) Laban’s 14 year-old daughter Rachael was his shepherdess. Now Jacob would take over that job in order to marry Rachael.

(V.11-20) Jacob kissed Rachael, then wept: Eliezar had come laden with riches to get a bride for Jacob’s father, but Jacob came destitute. But, because he was a relative, Laban let him reside there. After a month, Laban offered wages for Jacob’s service, and Jacob offered seven years for Rachael.

(V.22) Laban made a great wedding feast. Also, Jacob “fulfilled her week” (v.28).

Psalm 24 is about the Bride who is purified at Yom haKippurim, ready to dwell with Yeshua in His Holy Place.

“Who may ascend into the hill of Yahweh? And who may stand in His holy place? He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who has not lifted up his soul to falsehood and has not sworn deceitfully. He shall receive a blessing from Yahweh and righteousness from the God of his salvation. This is the generation of those who seek Him, who seek Your face-- even Jacob. Selah.”

The Birth of Yeshua:

(This parallels the picture of the wedding: the birth date is the wedding date.)

(Luke 1:35-36) “And the angel answered and said to (Mary), "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; and for that reason the holy offspring shall be called the Son of God. "And behold, even your relative Elizabeth has also conceived a son in her old age; and she who was called barren is now in her sixth month.”

(Luke 2:7) “And (Mary) gave birth to her first-born son; and she wrapped Him in cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.”

(John 1:14) “And the Word became flesh, and tabernacled among us.”

The Course of Abiyah is just after Pentecost, following which John the Baptizer was conceived (Luke 1:5). Yeshua was conceived six months later (Luke 1:36), which brings us to Hanukkah – the Feast of Dedication – which we see to represent the dedication of Yeshua, by an angel, at His conception (Luke 1:35). Then, nine months later, we reach Hag Sukkot (Feast of Tabernacles), when Yeshua was born in a sukkah (temporary animal shelter): Mary “laid Him in a manger” (Luke 2:7), “And the Word became flesh, and tabernacled among us” (John 1:14).

If Yeshua were born on the first day of Sukkot, then His circumcision would have been on the “Eighth Day Assembly”: that would fit with the ancient idea that circumcision represents the “original state” in Eden, since the Eighth Day Assembly represents the restoration of Eden on earth.

The redemption of Jerusalem (Luke 2:38) follows the antitype of the Feast of Tabernacles: it will occur on the Eighth Day – following the Sabbath Millennium.

Readings:

"Blessed are You, Yahweh our God, King of the Universe,

Who chose us from among all peoples by giving us Your Torah.

Blessed are You, Yahweh, giver of the Torah."

Fourteen years later, Jacob arrived at Laban’s.

At eighty-four years old, having worked seven years for Laban to obtain Rachael (who was now twenty-one), Jacob was deceived (!) and given Leah; he also married Rachel, but had to work another seven years for her.

Reader 1* Amen ¹⁰ Then Jacob departed from Beersheba and went toward Haran. ¹¹ He came to a certain place and spent the night there, because the sun had set; and he took one of the stones of the place and put it under his head, and lay down in that place. ¹² He had a dream, and behold, a ladder was set on the earth with its top reaching to heaven; and behold, the angels of God were ascending and descending on it. ¹³ And behold, Yahweh stood above it and said, "I am Yahweh, 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."

Reader 2* Amen ¹⁶ Then Jacob awoke from his sleep and said, "Surely Yahweh is in this place, and I did not know it." ¹⁷ He was afraid and said, "How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven." ¹⁸ So Jacob rose early in the morning, and took the stone that he had put under his head and set it up as a pillar and poured oil on its top. ¹⁹ He called the name of that place Bethel; however, previously the name of the city had been Luz. ²⁰ Then Jacob made a vow, saying, "If God will be with me and will keep me on this journey that I take, and will give me food to eat and garments to wear, ²¹ and I return to my father's house in safety, then Yahweh will be my God. ²² "This stone, which I have set up as a pillar, will be God's house, and of all that You give me I will surely give a tenth to You."

Reader 3* Amen ^29:1 Then Jacob went on his journey, and came to the land of the sons of the east. ² He looked, and saw a well in the field, and behold, three flocks of sheep were lying there beside it, for from that well they watered the flocks. Now the stone on the mouth of the well was large. ³ When all the flocks were gathered there, they would then roll the stone from the mouth of the well and water the sheep, and put the stone back in its place on the mouth of the well. ⁴ Jacob said to them, "My brothers, where are you from?" And they said, "We are from Haran." ⁵ He said to them, "Do you know Laban the son of Nahor?" And they said, "We know him."

Reader 4* Amen ⁶ And he said to them, "Is it well with him?" And they said, "It is well, and here is Rachel his daughter coming with the sheep." ⁷ He said, "Behold, it is still high day; it is not time for the livestock to be gathered. Water the sheep, and go, pasture them." ⁸ But they said, "We cannot, until all the flocks are gathered, and they roll the stone from the mouth of the well; then we water the sheep." ⁹ While he was still speaking with them, Rachel came with her father's sheep, for she was a shepherdess. ¹⁰ When Jacob saw Rachel the daughter of Laban his mother's brother, and the sheep of Laban his mother's brother, Jacob went up and rolled the stone from the mouth of the well and watered the flock of Laban his mother's brother.

Reader 5* Amen ¹¹ Then Jacob kissed Rachel, and lifted his voice and wept. ¹² Jacob told Rachel that he was a relative of her father and that he was Rebekah's son, and she ran and told her father. ¹³ So when Laban heard the news of Jacob his sister's son, he ran to meet him, and embraced him and kissed him and brought him to his house. Then he related to Laban all these things. ¹⁴ Laban said to him, "Surely you are my bone and my flesh." And he stayed with him a month. ¹⁵ Then Laban said to Jacob, "Because you are my relative, should you therefore serve me for nothing? Tell me, what shall your wages be?"

Reader 6* Amen ¹⁶ Now Laban had two daughters; the name of the older was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel. ¹⁷ And Leah's eyes were weak, but Rachel was beautiful of form and face. ¹⁸ Now Jacob loved Rachel, so he said, "I will serve you seven years for your younger daughter Rachel." ¹⁹ Laban said, "It is better that I give her to you than to give her to another man; stay with me." ²⁰ So Jacob served seven years for Rachel and they seemed to him but a few days because of his love for her. ²¹ Then Jacob said to Laban, "Give me my wife, for my time is completed, that I may go in to her."

Reader 7* Amen ²² Laban gathered all the men of the place and made a feast. ²³ Now in the evening he took his daughter Leah, and brought her to him; and Jacob went in to her. ²⁴ Laban also gave his maid Zilpah to his daughter Leah as a maid. ²⁵ So it came about in the morning that, behold, it was Leah! And he said to Laban, "What is this you have done to me? Was it not for Rachel that I served with you? Why then have you deceived me?" ²⁶ But Laban said, "It is not the practice in our place to marry off the younger before the firstborn. ²⁷ "Complete the week of this one, and we will give you the other also for the service which you shall serve with me for another seven years." ²⁸ Jacob did so and completed her week, and he gave him his daughter Rachel as his wife. ²⁹ Laban also gave his maid Bilhah to his daughter Rachel as her maid. ³⁰ So Jacob went in to Rachel also, and indeed he loved Rachel more than Leah, and he served with Laban for another seven years.

"Blessed are You, Yahweh our God, King of the Universe,

Who in giving us Yeshua, the Living Torah, has planted everlasting life in our midst.

Blessed are You, Yahweh, giver of the Torah."

______________________

"Blessed are You, Yahweh our God, King of the Universe,

Who selected good prophets, delighting in their words which were spoken truthfully.

Blessed are You, Yahweh, Who chose the Torah, Your servant Moses, Your people Israel,

and the prophets of truth and righteousness."

Hosea 12:13

Reader 8* Amen But by a prophet Yahweh brought Israel from Egypt, and by a prophet he was kept.

Psalm 24      (To be sung.)   A Psalm of David.

¹ The earth is Yahweh's, and all it contains, the world, and those who dwell in it. ² For He has founded it upon the seas and established it upon the rivers. ³ Who may ascend into the hill of Yahweh? And who may stand in His holy place? ⁴ He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who has not lifted up his soul to falsehood and has not sworn deceitfully. ⁵ He shall receive a blessing from Yahweh and righteousness from the God of his salvation. ⁶ This is the generation of those who seek Him, who seek Your face-- even Jacob. Selah. ⁷ Lift up your heads, O gates, and be lifted up, O ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in! ⁸ Who is the King of glory? Yahweh strong and mighty, Yahweh mighty in battle. ⁹ Lift up your heads, O gates, and lift them up, O ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in! ¹⁰ Who is this King of glory? Yahweh of hosts, He is the King of glory. Selah.

Luke 2:1-39

Reader 9* Amen ¹ Now in those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus, that a census be taken of all the inhabited earth. ² This was the first census taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria. ³ And everyone was on his way to register for the census, each to his own city. ⁴ Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the city of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family of David, ⁵ in order to register along with Mary, who was betrothed to him, and was with child. ⁶ While they were there, the days were completed for her to give birth. ⁷ And she gave birth to her firstborn son; and she wrapped Him in cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.

Reader 10* Amen ⁸ In the same region there were some shepherds staying out in the fields and keeping watch over their flock by night. ⁹ And an angel of the Lord suddenly stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them; and they were terribly frightened. ¹⁰ But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people; ¹¹ for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Messiah the Lord. ¹² "This will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger." ¹³ And suddenly there appeared with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, ¹⁴ "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased." ¹⁵ When the angels had gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds began saying to one another, "Let us go straight to Bethlehem then, and see this thing that has happened which the Lord has made known to us." ¹⁶ So they came in a hurry and found their way to Mary and Joseph, and the baby as He lay in the manger. ¹⁷ When they had seen this, they made known the statement which had been told them about this Child. ¹⁸ And all who heard it wondered at the things which were told them by the shepherds. ¹⁹ But Mary treasured all these things, pondering them in her heart. ²⁰ The shepherds went back, glorifying and praising God for all that they had heard and seen, just as had been told them.

Reader 11* Amen ²¹ And when eight days had passed, before His circumcision, His name was then called Yeshua, the name given by the angel before He was conceived in the womb. ²² And when the days for their purification according to the law of Moses were completed, they brought Him up to Jerusalem to present Him to the Lord ²³ (as it is written in the Law of the Lord, "Every firstborn male that opens the womb shall be called holy to Yahweh"), ²⁴ and to offer a sacrifice according to what was said in the Law of the Lord, "A pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons."

Reader 12* Amen ²⁵ And there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon; and this man was righteous and devout, looking for the consolation of Israel; and the Holy Spirit was upon him. ²⁶ And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord's Messiah. ²⁷ And he came in the Spirit into the temple; and when the parents brought in the child Yeshua, to carry out for Him the custom of the Law, ²⁸ then he took Him into his arms, and blessed God, and said, ²⁹ "Now Lord, You are releasing Your bond-servant to depart in peace, According to Your word; ³⁰ for my eyes have seen Your salvation, ³¹ which You have prepared in the presence of all peoples, ³² a light of revelation to the gentiles, and the glory of Your people Israel." ³³ And His father and mother were amazed at the things which were being said about Him. ³⁴ And Simeon blessed them and said to Mary His mother, "Behold, this Child is appointed for the fall and rise of many in Israel, and for a sign to be opposed-- ³⁵ and a sword will pierce even your own soul-- to the end that thoughts from many hearts may be revealed."

Reader 13* Amen ³⁶ And there was a prophetess, Anna the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was advanced in years and had lived with her husband seven years after her marriage, ³⁷ and then as a widow to the age of eighty-four. She never left the temple, serving night and day with fastings and prayers. ³⁸ At that very moment she came up and began giving thanks to God, and continued to speak of Him to all those who were looking for the redemption of Jerusalem. ³⁹ When they had performed everything according to the Law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee, to their own city of Nazareth.

"Blessed are You, Yahweh our God, King of the Universe,

Rock of Ages, righteous throughout all generations.

You are the faithful God, promising and then performing, speaking and then fulfilling,

for all Your words are true and righteous.

Faithful are You, Yahweh our God, and faithful are Your words,

for no word of Yours shall remain unfulfilled;

You are a faithful and merciful God and King.

Blessed are You, Yahweh our God, Who are faithful in fulfilling all Your words."