Summary Vayetze 5762
The sedra of Vayetze deals with the twenty years of Jacob's sojourn in the house of Laban. It begins and ends with angels: the angels of Jacob's dream at the outset of his journey and the angels who met him on his return to the Land of Israel. And what a difference those twenty years made! Jacob had left his parents' home as a single man with nothing to his name, and had returned with four wives, twelve children, with a thirteenth on the way. He had also become a very wealthy man.

Following the row with Esau over the blessings, Jacob left his parents home in Beersheba and travelled to Haran. While asleep one night, he had a dream in which he saw a ladder reaching from the ground to the heavens, with the angels of G-d ascending and descending on it, with G-d at the top. This was the first time in which G-d spoke to Jacob. He confirmed that the promise of the Land of Israel would apply to Jacob and his offspring, and that G-d would look after him on his journey and return him to the Land.

Jacob's vow - Conditional?
Jacob is reassured by this dream and made a vow that if G-d would indeed look after him on the path on which he was travelling, provide him with food and clothing and return him in peace to his father's house, then G-d would indeed be to him for a G-d, and he would make an offering on his return. (28: 20-22) What did Jacob mean? Did he make his belief in G-d conditional on fulfilment of the promise?

Many commentators say that Jacob was worried that, confronted with the pressures of raising a family and earning a living, he might not be able to maintain the high spiritual level and code of conduct expected of a person such as himself. If so, he could hardly expect G-d to confer the afore-mentioned blessings on him. If we look at the stages of his vow, we see how this explanation fits into the text:

1. If Hashem is with me and protects me on this path on which I am travelling i.e. that G-d will protect me from 'falling', whatever the circumstances of earning a living are;
   
2. and gives me bread to eat and clothes to wear (That's all I need);
   
3. and returns me in peace Rashi explains that the word peace also means complete, or perfect. In this context it means complete or perfect - without sin - to my father's house
   
4. then Hashem will be to me for a G-d. Ipso facto! But if I have strayed from the true path, it is obvious that Hashem will not be to me for a G-d, because I won't have maintained the connection.
   

The Patriarchs and our Daily Services.
The prelude to the dream begins with a simple statement vayifga bamakom - and he hit upon the place. Our sages learn from an association of words that vayifga is an expression of prayer. The Talmud in Berachot explains that our sages credit Abraham, Isaac and Jacob with the institution of the morning, afternoon and evening services, respectively.

Rabbi Elie Munk in his book 'The Call of the Torah' takes this idea a stage further: Abraham had a successful life, and was highly regarded. He was referred to as a Prince of G-d by the Hittites, and in general, commanded respect. Isaac had to endure jealousy and was even driven away by Avimelech. He withdrew into himself, and his light did not shine as brightly as his father's. Jacob endured much suffering in his life. Hard times are represented by the darkness of night. This was of course painfully reinforced by his wrestle with the angel.

Thus each of the patriarchs instituted prayers at the time of day that most symbolised their lives. Abraham whose life shone like the bright sunlight of morning instituted the morning service, Isaac, whose fortunes waned, established the afternoon service at the time of the waning of the sun. Jacob, with all his misfortunes, established the evening service. Perhaps this is why we begin each Amidah with the words "the G-d of Abraham, the G-d of Isaac and the G-d of Jacob. All found their way to G-d in very different circumstances. The message for us is very clear. We cannot control our lot in life, but we can control how we deal with it. And we can relate to G-d, no matter what.

Jacob and the Shepherds
When Jacob was close to Haran, he encountered some shepherds standing by a well. He first asked them if they were acquainted with Laban. They then indicated that Laban's daughter Rachel was on the way to the well with her sheep.

A most unusual scene then follows, when Jacob reprimands the shepherds for idling their time by the well instead of grazing their cattle. They explained that the stone covering the well was extremely heavy, and they had to wait for other shepherds to arrive before they could move the stone. In a most dramatic scene, the Torah says: When Jacob saw Rachel, daughter of Laban his mother's brother, and the flock of Laban his mother's brother, Jacob came forward and rolled the stone off the mouth of the well and watered the sheep of Laban his mother's brother. Then Jacob kissed Rachel; and he raised his voice and wept. (29: 10-11) It seems that Jacob saw the image of his mother, hence the kiss. Rabbi S. R. Hirsch understands the Hebrew word leRachel as opposed to et Rachel - to imply that this was not a kiss of passionate love, but of the image of his mother embodied in Rachel.

Laban, Rachel and Leah
Unfortunately Jacob's Uncle Laban turned out to be a real rogue. We know that Jacob worked for seven years, in return for being allowed to marry Rachel, only to be cheated at the wedding by being given Leah instead. Jacob was allowed to marry Rachel a week later, but had to work for another seven years.

During the second set of seven years, nearly all Jacob's children were born. Leah had Reuben, Shimon, Levi and Judah. Rachel upset at being barren, gave her maid to Jacob as a wife, in order to have children through her. Bilhah gave birth to Dan and Naftali. Then Leah did likewise with her maid Zilpah, who gave birth to Gad and Asher. Leah then gave birth to Issachar, Zevulun and Dinah. Finally, Rachel gave birth to Joseph.

After that Jacob wanted to go home, but Laban begged him to stay and asked Jacob to name his wage. Not that it helped, Laban cheated him many times over.

A further six years later, Laban and family had become jealous of Jacob's wealth. Moreover, Jacob had a dream, in which G-d told him that it was time to go home and fulfil his vow, to make an offering at Bet El. Jacob consulted Rachel and Leah, who were only too pleased to leave their father's home. Fearing that Laban will try to stop them, the family left when Laban was away. A furious Laban pursued Jacob, but was warned by G-d not to harm Jacob.

On reaching Jacob, there is a huge verbal confrontation between Jacob and Laban, in which Jacob, having held back for twenty years, finally tells Laban some home truths - but Laban is quite unrepentant! The sedra ends as it began, with Jacob meeting some angels, this time on his return to the Holy Land.

Shabbat Shalom