Standing Strong |
|
Vayeitzei— And He Went Out
Genesis 28:10-32:3 Hosea 11:7– 14:10 John 1:19– 51 Revelation 3:14– 22 |
|
This week’s portion tells us of Jacob’s finding of a wife (really two wives) and the birth of eleven of his twelve sons, the twelve tribes of Israel.
On the way to Haran, Jacob has his dream of the ladder ascending to heaven with the promise by the L-rd that he would have many descendents and through his seed all the families of the earth would be blessed as well as a promise to have him prosper and return to the land of his father. This promise |
|
provides comfort to Jacob as he is leaving in fear of his brother Esau and probably thinks his life is surely not going to be a good as it was at home.
Jacob sees the daughters of Laban and while Leah’s eyes are described as delicate, Rachel is described as beautiful in both form and appearance. Jacob desires the younger beautiful Rachel and is tricked into marrying Leah first. He had served seven years for the marriage to Laban’s daughter and now will serve another seven to have Rachel also as a wife. Leah is described as unloved. Yet Rachel did not rant and scream about her right to be the one married to Jacob. She accepted her father’s decision and, I suspect in love of her sister, went along with Leah’s marriage to Jacob
Leah is described as unloved by Jacob. Think on that. She is the wife of a man who cares more for her sister, based upon her sister’s looks and there seems to be nothing she can do about it. What prompted her to become Jacob’s first wife? Was it following her fathers command that the elder daughter had to be married first. We are not told the motives behind her actions, but we do know the outcomes. The L-rd gives her an open womb in recompense for her situation. She has four sons by Jacob and in each she thinks she will gain his love. But nowhere does it say he ever loved her. Rachel has her maid have children for Jacob to try to equal Leah in bearing son’s. Leah in return has her maid have two sons for Jacob. Leah then gives birth to another son and a daughter. And then Rachel gives birth herself to Joseph, the son who will be so loved as to have his father make him a many colored coat.
Leah for all her work to earn Jacob’s love by her actions and childbearing is not listed as ever getting that love until after Rachel’s death. But G-d showed favor to Leah. Leah gave birth to Judah and it is from Judah’s line that the Messiah would come. At the end of her life Leah is buried by Abraham and Sarah and Jacob requests to be buried beside Leah, not Rachel. Somewhere in life Jacob sees the good Leah continues to do for him and she ends her life with a place of honor.
So much in this history shows the desire to be as others. They were competing for Jacob’s love and wanting what the other had. Leah wanted to be the super-model Rachel and have the immediate love of Jacob. Rachel wanted to have children as Leah had. How many times do we seek to have the gifts of another in our service of G-d. The teacher who wants to be a singer, the singer who wants to be a pastor, the pastor who wants to be a simple farmer tending G-d’s land. So often wanting the gifts of others instead of enjoying the unique gifts G-d has given each of us.
Rachel and Leah, in the end both ended up as mothers of the nation of Israel. What a great honor. Each Friday night was ask the L-rd to make our daughters like them for the positive attributes and giving birth to a nation along with the request of the good attributes of Saran and Rebekah also. I wonder if during their lifetimes they were truly able bask in the warm glow of knowing the blessing the L-rd had given to them content to pursue His will as they were each called to it. Maybe this is the greatest blessing of all. Even when it seems we are unloved by man, we can bask in the special part the L-rd is having us play in serving Him to meet His ends.
Selah. |
|
Isaiah 11:6 2 Thessalonians 2:15 |