Shabbat Shalom! At Beit Torah we will discuss how families get dispersed:

Vayetzei 5785 In-laws; Bereishit 28:10-32:3;

Hosea 11:7-12:12 [Sephard]; 12:13-14:10 [Ashkenaz]

On the way to Laban in Charan, Yaacov had a dream

About a passage up to HaShem, traffic going both ways.

Therein HaShem again promised land and numerous offspring,

Spread across many nations to be returned to the Land,

As promised before to Avraham and Yitzchak in their days -

Including saying that all other nations will bless their stand…

Yaacov bargained that if he returned home safely indeed,

He would embrace HaShem who there dwelt at Beth-El… thus vowed he

That known before as Luz, this place a most Holy site will be!

 

Continuing eastward, Yaacov found folk near a well who

Pointed to Cousin Rachel and all her flock – and Laban knew…

So Yaacov moved the well stone and watered so her’s could share...

Then they went home to be welcomed by Laban: his sister’s son

To his home and for his daughters – a potential groom had come!

With deceit he charged fourteen years labor for both daughters fare…

As a first step he gave Yaacov, Leah in disguise to bed.

For seven years more labor, he gave Rachel also to wed.

The sisters, now wives, fought to have more offspring than each other.

They counted their maids' kids as their own, surrogates made mothers...

 

With twelve children in tow, Yaacov wanted to go on home

But Laban convinced him to stay.

For six more years of labor with speckled, spotted, dark, and roan

Goats and sheep given as his pay.

Laban gave him a flock to tend with none of these color tones.

 

Yet Yaacov bred many claiming HaShem said to use rods

Carved with desired patterns to gain

Some speckled, spotted, dark studs for breeding colors of the same…

A good story for the soo ignorant Laban and his sons…

Facts say Yaacov’s careful observations likely were done.

 

Laban’s sons were jealous. For Yaacov ‘twas time to go home.

So while Laban was out shearing, on camels with flocks they flee…

On third day Laban chased – a week to overtake them it took

And to accuse them of sneaking away with an idol crook…

Yaacov trusted that there was nothing amiss to be seen.

He let Laban search, naive to realities of deceit…

 

Not so with Rachel who understood well her Father:

To restrain violence he surely would not bother.

She knew she needed to interrupt his decisions

By removing his counselors, idols of visions...

So that claims to property and children became moot;

So that in local court he could never win a suit.

 

Thus Jacob, Leah, Rachel showed family unity

With fourteen plus years resisting Laban’s impunities.

Still discord and fear of Father Laban, his offspring,

Who were ready to fight for all flocks, lands, and well springs -

Until a treaty was agreed to amid a feast,

With boundary markers set and servitude released!

Pillar and stone mound: vows to each one's 'god' sealed the same...

Would Laban have agreed to such a complete defeat

Had HaShem not warned him to desist while in a dream?

So that place was called Gal-ed, later, Mitzpah’s the name…

 

Then HaShem’s folk met Yaacov near the Canaan border.

Mahanaim thence named to recall their return’s fame…

 

Sephardic Haftorah:

To give up on the unfaithful Folk, HaShem refused.

So the lands of Ephraim and Judah were beseeched

Repeatedly: return to HaShem, no Laws abused,

To avoid dishonesties, idolatries eschewed

Until forgiveness, repentance, and returns are reached…

The Ashkkenazi version ends on a more positive note:

Forgiveness, repentance and returns will be achieved.

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Shabbat Shalom! Does cultural assimilation always occur? To what extent? At Beit Torah we will discuss how to stay 'Jewish' in foreign cultures:

Toldot 5785, To be a Hurrite; Bereishit 25:19-28:9; Malachi 1:1-27

​

Yitzchak grieved a full three years before Rivka came on the scene. For many years more he begged of HaShem to give him offspring…

Twins took hold in Rivka’s womb. She asked HaShem to stop their fight. HaShem promised her two mighty nations they would grow to be With older serving the younger, in a future she would see.

Red Esau came first, then Yaacov holding his heel most tightly:

Red outdoor hunter for Dad’s palette with meat spiced just rightly;

Pensive Mama’s boy home-body, learning from all in his sight.

For Yaacov’s stew, under oath, hungry Esau sold his birthright…

 

Famine made Gerar, Philistia, a welcome place to go

After HaShem told to Yitzchak that Egypt going is no way

To keep the Land promised, that he and his wife needed to stay!

Yitzchak did fear. So they tried another sister-wife show.

Yet Avimelech was wise to them, but understood fearful thoughts.

So he told all his countrymen: as to Yitzchak, keep your hands off!

 

Then Yitzchak settled near Gerar gaining herds and many folk,

But some Philistines were jealous and Avraham’s wells clogged up.

Avimelech was concerned, told Yitzchak it was no joke,

That he needed to leave town before skirmishes would erupt.

 

So to Wadi Gerar he moved, but was chased from two wells more

[Esek and Sitnah] until the third, Rehovot, was good score!

Yitzchak’s men dug a seventh well. Avimelech came to meet...

Along with his entourage, he sued for a sworn peace Pact Brit!

 

The well (Beer), called Sheva, gave water. Beer-Sheva the place was named.

[Note: Yitzchak's said gone to Beer Sheva before Sheva well dug through!]

This place was where HaShem to Yitzchak Avraham's Brit renewed too!

Yehudit and Basmat, Hittite wives of Esau, were his shame…

 

With Yitzchak’s eyes failing, he asked Esau to hunt, cook some game

To be blessed, Yaacov went in his stead, … Rivka's plan, staged

With Esau’s clothes, kid skin arms, savory goat favorite stew…

Yaacov was blessed with all brothers as servants the Hurrite way…

 

Although Esau was blessed that the yoke to serve would go away,

Esau swore to kill his brother once his Father died. Enraged,

He caused his Mom fear. She sent Yaacov to Laban as he fled,

But told Yitzchak it was for him to find cousin wives to woo -

At age forty with twenty years more or so 'fore returning, too.

Esau, to please them, took Ishmael’s child, Machalot, to wed.

​

Malachi Haftorah:

 

It seems HaShem did prefer Yaacov’s over Esau’s ways:

Arrogant Edom thought it's easy to rebuild after ruins...

Unlike his bro, he'd not honored HaShem, so such plans were doomed!

 

Our “Father” was to be given reverence throughout all days.
So why's Jacob scorned? Altars defiled? Priests and Folk cursed who stray?

When such honor not given, calamities will come their way!
Still the Levite Brit stands if they follow truth, lead none astray...

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