READING HEBREW
Jacob s Return to Canaan
IN THIS LECTURE: 1. Reading from the Torah 2. Reading from the Siddur 3. Reading from the Dead Sea Scrolls
Words of the Week Look for these words while reading cattle, (noun) flock, small - צ אן sheep, goats. (verb) to steal, to take - ג נ ב away secretly, to deceive, to conceal. mind, (noun) inner man, - ל ב heart, will. here, (particle) so, thus, - כ ה now. out, (verb) to tell, to speak - נ ג ד to put forward, to reveal, to show, to declare. (verb) to fear, to be in - י ר א awe, to reverence, to honor. also. (preposition) even, yet, - ג ם morning. (noun) dawn, - ש ח ר why, (pronoun) what, - מ ה which, how much, how many. (verb) to give, to set, to - שים place, to put.
Reading Torah
Jacob was blessed by God despite his circumstances. The Lord miraculously prospered Jacob just as he promised. Before Jacob prepared himself to return to Canaan and face his brother Esau, the Bible describes his success and prosperity in Genesis 30:43.
ו י פ ר ץ ה א יש מ א ד מ א ד ו י ה י ל ו צ אן ר ב ות וש פ ח ות ו ע ב ד ים וג מ ל ים ו ח מ ר ים So the man grew exceedingly prosperous, and came to own large flocks, maidservants and menservants, camels and asses. (Gen. 30:43)
Genesis speaks of Jacob literally stealing the mind (heart) of Laban: ו י ג נ ב י ע ק ב א ת ל ב ל ב ן ה א ר מ י ע ל ב ל י ה ג יד ל ו כ י ב ר ח ה וא Jacob kept Laban the Aramean in the dark, not telling him that he was fleeing. (Gen 31:20)
The verb י ג נ ב (yagniv) sometimes is translated as stealing. It has a wider range of meanings in Hebrew than it does in ג נ ב English. The verb (ganav) is not necessarily a morally negative act, it means to do something quietly, concealing, without notice and in secret. Note that Rachel in the previous verse 19 had also "stolen" ג נ ב) (ת the idols from Laban, her father.
ל ול י א לה י א ב י א לה י א ב ר ה ם ופ ח ד י צ ח ק ה י ה ל י כ י ע ת ה ר יק ם ש ל ח ת נ י א ת ע נ י י ו א ת י ג יע כ פ י ר א ה א לה ים ו י וכ ח א מ ש Had not the God of my father, the God of Abraham and the Fear of Isaac, been with me, you would have sent me away empty-handed. But God took notice of my plight and the toil of my hands, and He gave judgment last night. (Gen. 31:42)
א לה י א ב ר ה ם ו א לה י נ ח ור י ש פ ט ו ב ינ ינ ו א לה י א ב יה ם ו י ש ב ע י ע ק ב ב פ ח ד א ב יו י צ ח ק May the God of Abraham and the god of Nahor (their respective ancestral deities) judge between us and Jacob swore by the fear of his father Isaac. (Gen 31:53)
Jacob is between a rock and a hard place, i.e., Laban and Esau! He cannot return to Laban because of the agreement with him, but he cannot yet return to Canaan. He must settle things with Esau first. We read in Genesis 32:4-6 that Jacob, upon his approach to Seir, the country of Edom, where Esau now lived, sends his messengers ahead of him, as part of his elaborate plan.
ו י צ ו א ת ם ל אמ ר כ ה ל ע ש ו ל אד נ י ת אמ ר ון כ ה א מ ר ע ב ד ך י ע ק ב ע ם ל ב ן ג ר ת י ו א ח ר ע ד ע ת ה And instructed them as follows, thus shall you say, To my lord Esau, thus says your servant Jacob: I stayed with Laban and remained until now. (Gen 32:4[5])
ו י ה י ל י ש ור ו ח מ ור צ אן ו ע ב ד ו ש פ ח ה ו א ש ל ח ה ל ה ג יד ל מ צ א ח ן ב ע ינ י ך ל אד נ י I have acquired cattle, asses, sheep, and male and female slaves; and I send this message to my lord in the hope of gaining your favor. (Gen 32:5[6])
But there is something else ו י יר א י ע ק ב מ א ד ו י צ ר ל ו Jacob was greatly afraid and distressed. (Gen 32:8)
Normally we understand this as Jacob being afraid for his life and the lives of his loved ones. But this may not have been the case, given the repetitive wording. Jewish sages have speculated that Jacob was not only afraid that he would be killed, but that he might kill also. Remember the fear of Rebekah, Jacob and Esau s mother, that if they were to meet, they may kill each other! (Gen. 27:45).
ו א מ ר ת ם ג ם ה נ ה ע ב ד ך י ע ק ב א ח ר ינ ו כ י א מ ר א כ פ ר ה פ נ יו ב מ נ ח ה ה ה ל כ ת ל פ נ י ו א ח ר י כ ן א ר א ה פ נ יו א ול י י ש א פ נ י And you shall add, And your servant Jacob himself is right behind us. For he reasoned, If I propitiate him with presents in advance, and then face him, perhaps he will show me favor. (Gen 32:20[21])
In Genesis 32:24-25 we are told that when Jacob sent his family over the river he was left alone. He had done all he could - He sent reconciliatory gifts; He prayed to the LORD; He even prepared his household for possible military confrontation. Now he was alone and another key event of his life unfolded.
ו י ו ת ר י ע ק ב ל ב ד ו ו י א ב ק א יש ע מ ו ע ד ה ש ח ר ע ל ות Jacob was left alone. And a man wrestled with him until the break of dawn. (Gen 32:24[25])
ו י ר א כ י ל א י כ ל ל ו ו י ג ע ב כ ף י ר כ ו ו ת ק ע כ ף י ר ך י ע ק ב ב ה א ב ק ו ע מ ו When he saw that he had not prevailed against him, he wrenched Jacob s hip at its socket, so that the socket of his hip was strained as he wrestled with him. (Gen 32:25[26])
This root אבק is found only here in these two Bible verses and apparently plays on the names of the river Jabok (י ב ק) and Jacob himself ) י ע ק ב (. The geographical locale and the events that take place there become a play of words. Thus the river becomes the place of the supplanter's struggle.
One who fought with Jacob blessed him and changed his name to Israel. ו י אמ ר א ל יו מ ה ש מ ך ו י אמ ר י ע ק ב Said the other, What is your name? He replied, Jacob. (Gen 32:27[28])
ו י אמ ר ל א י ע ק ב י א מ ר ע וד ש מ ך כ י א ם י ש ר א ל כ י ש ר ית ע ם א לה ים ו ע ם א נ ש ים ו ת וכ ל Said he, Your name shall no longer be Jacob, but Israel, for you have striven with beings divine and human, and have prevailed. (Gen 32:28[29])
Reading Siddur
ש ים ש ל ום ט וב ה וב ר כ ה ח ן ו ח ס ד ו ר ח מ ים ע ל ינ ו ו ע ל כ ל י ש ר א ל ע מ ך Grant peace, goodness, blessing, favor, kindness, compassion to us and to all of Israel, your people. (from Amidah)
Reading Dead Sea Scrolls
ל ש ום ל א ב ל י צ י ון ל ת ת ל ה ם פ א ר ת ח ת א פ ר ש מ ן ש ש ון ת ח ת א ב ל To grant those who mourn in Zion, giving them a garland instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, (Is 61:3a)
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