Parshat Vayetzei

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Jacob's dream of the ladder to heaven, his years working for Laban, his marriages to Rachel and Leah, and the birth of the twelve tribes. Genesis 28:10-32:3.

Jacob: Blessing of Isaac

Midrash Rabbah Bereshit Rabbah 67:12

"Isaac summoned Jacob and he blessed him. He commanded him and said to him: Do not take a wife from the daughters of Canaan" (Genesis 28:1). Simple enough. But Rabbi Abahu sees som...

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Esau: Jacob's Journey

Midrash Rabbah Bereshit Rabbah 68:1

Our ancestor Jacob certainly did. His journey to Ḥaran, fleeing the wrath of his brother Esau, is more than just a road trip; it's a masterclass in facing your fears. "Jacob depart...

CreationPatriarchsSolomon

Isaac Among the Fathers and Jacob

Midrash Rabbah Bereshit Rabbah 68:6

Our tradition certainly thinks so. We find this idea beautifully illustrated in Bereshit Rabbah 68, a section of the ancient midrashic collection that delves into the Book of Genes...

Patriarchs

Kingdom of Jacob and Beersheba

Midrash Rabbah Bereshit Rabbah 68:7

That’s the vibe I get from this little passage in Bereshit Rabbah 68. It’s all about Jacob leaving Beersheba, and the Rabbis are picking apart why he made such a point of leaving t...

CreationPatriarchs

Presence: Jacob at the Dawn of Creation

Midrash Rabbah Bereshit Rabbah 69:3

It turns out, this isn't just a modern observation. Our sages recognized this dynamic thousands of years ago. Rabbi Ḥama bar Ḥanina, in Bereshit Rabbah 69, starts us off with a quo...

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Abraham's Prayer and Jacob

Midrash Rabbah Bereshit Rabbah 69:4

Rabbi Ḥanina, quoting Rabbi Pinḥas, makes a striking observation in Bereshit Rabbah. He points out that the patriarchs – Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob – are mentioned eighteen times in...

CreationPatriarchsTorahPrayer

Abraham's Legacy and Jacob

Midrash Rabbah Bereshit Rabbah 70:6

Rabbi Yehoshua of Sikhnin, quoting Rabbi Levi, shares a profound idea: God took the conversations of the patriarchs – Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob – and transformed them into the very...

PatriarchsMessiahProphecyHoly Land

Jacob's Vision and Meir

Midrash Rabbah Bereshit Rabbah 70:7

Seems straightforward. But a curious question arises, a question that leads us into a fascinating rabbinic debate found in Bereshit Rabbah 70. The scene opens with an idolater tryi...

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Leah's Journey

Midrash Rabbah Bereshit Rabbah 71:3

Our journey begins with Leah, one of the matriarchs of the Jewish people. Genesis 29:32 tells us, "Leah conceived and bore a son, and she called his name Reuben; she said: Because ...

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