Parshat Vayera

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Three angels visit Abraham, the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, the birth of Isaac, and the Binding of Isaac (the Akedah). Genesis 18:1-22:24.

Holy Spirit of Jacob

Ginzberg Legends of the Jews 6:149

According to Legends of the Jews, he was just waiting for Joseph to be born so he could finally head home. Why? Because Jacob had a sense – a ruach hakodesh, a holy spirit – that J...

PatriarchsMatriarchsJosephSoul

Kingdom of Laban and Jacob

Ginzberg Legends of the Jews 6:150

Jacob, after years of working for Laban, finally asked for something concrete as payment: he wanted all the speckled and spotted goats, and the black sheep. Sounds fair. Laban, alw...

PatriarchsMessiah

Jacob: Laban and the Patriarchs

Ginzberg Legends of the Jews 6:157

The trickster uncle. Father to both Leah and Rachel, Jacob's wives. And in this story, he's about to confront Jacob in a big way. Imagine this: Jacob has finally left Laban's house...

PatriarchsTorahProphecyPrayer

Wisdom of Jacob and Esau

Ginzberg Legends of the Jews 6:169

We pick up the story after Jacob, urged by his mother Rebekah, has just received Isaac's blessing, a blessing meant for his brother, Esau. The text tells us, "And when Jacob heard ...

PatriarchsJobPrayerHoly Land

World to Come and Jacob

Ginzberg Legends of the Jews 6:172

According to Legends of the Jews (Ginzberg, naturally drawing on earlier Midrashic sources), things were still pretty tense. See, Jacob, ever the strategist, tried to make a deal w...

PatriarchsJosephTorahEgypt

Jacob's Prayer and Esau

Ginzberg Legends of the Jews 6:180

Jacob wasn't just praying for himself. According to Legends of the Jews, he was also pleading for the future of his descendants, that they wouldn't be wiped out by Esau's line. Tal...

PatriarchsPrayer

Jacob's Prayer of Esau

Ginzberg Legends of the Jews 6:182

The story goes that after Jacob finished praying – really pouring his heart out, connecting with the Divine – he got down to brass tacks. He started organizing. See, Jacob was no f...

PatriarchsPrayer

Jacob's Transgression and Blessings

Ginzberg Legends of the Jews 6:201

He wasn't just miffed at his brother Jacob. He was incandescent with rage. Remember, Jacob had received the blessings meant for Esau, and Esau wasn't about to let that go. He wante...

PatriarchsJoseph

Jacob: Shechem and the Patriarchs

Ginzberg Legends of the Jews 6:219

Our story today dives right into that murky territory, exploring the story of Shechem, the son of Hamor, and his burning desire for Dinah, Jacob's daughter. We last left off with S...

PatriarchsJosephCovenant