Don't Forget to
The Parashah tells of Jacob's travels, life, and return from Haran. It recounts Jacob's dream of a ladder to heaven, Jacob's meeting of Rachel at the well, Jacob's time working for Laban and living with Rachel and Leah, the birth of Jacob's children, and the departure of Jacob's family from Laban.
One of the points that we focus in on is on Jacob's "ladder" and showing the context of how it is actually a vision of an ANET structure called a ziggurat. We will then discover the function of this structure as well as why YHVH was so upset by people building one in Gen 11 in order to discover the message that YHVH was sending to Jacob by giving him this vision. We will also go in depth of many other topics within the portions and its significances.
This page includes Torah Portions from multiple years covered by Wisdom in Torah. Each year we covered the Torah from a different perspective so you can explore each Parashah from a different perspective and focus.
- 2010 Portions: Focus on Messianic connections in the Parashah
- ANET Portions: Focus on the ancient Near Eastern cultural context of the Parashah
- Mitzvot Portions: Focus on explaining and exploring the commandments found in the Parashah (in progress)
- 2015 Portions: Revisiting the Parashah looking at the ancient cultural context more in depth with additional areas that have been researched
- Brit Portions: Focus on connecting the Brit Hadashah (New Testament) to the Parashah
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15 thoughts on “Torah Portion Vayetze Complete”
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Torah Nugget:
Ryan, thank you again for your time spent in service to out King. You caught my attention as soon as you used the word, “ziggurat”. By Rico’s suggestion I have gotten a copy of, “The IVP Bible Background Commentary”, an excellent resource. Speaking of Gen.11:4 they state that ziggurats provided “stairways from the heavens to earth so that the gods could come down into their temple and into the town and bring blessings. It was a convenience provided for the deity and his messengers…also are portrayed in Jacob’s dream (Gen28:12). Speaking of “head in the heavens”, This phrase is reserved almost exclusively for the description of ziggurats in Akkadiean usage.”
It is my understanding that ziggurats where four square and as high as they where wide. Note John’s description of New Jerusalem:
Rev 21:16 And the town is square, as wide as it is long; and he took the measure of the town with the rod, one thousand and five hundred miles: it is equally long and wide and high. BBE
I can not find right now but read in either Zephaniah or Zechariah about a 50 mile span across the top of the Mountain of the Lord. Again the thinking of the ancients of the time, in their language as stated in the beginning of your “Nugget”.
One more point:
In order for the New Jerusalem, 1500 miles high +/- to sit on the earth, there needs to be an equal structure going down in the opposite direction. I think it is the principle of “isosceles”, other wise the earth would just wobble off into space because of gyration/out of balance. My thought: could this in turn be the “pit of hell”, lake of fire prepared for the devil and his angels:
(ASV) And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought the signs in his sight, wherewith he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast and them that worshipped his image: they two were cast alive into the lake of fire that burneth with brimstone: ?
Another great teaching and i haven’t even gotten past the “Nugget”. Praise Yah for WIT.
Love the insight on Dinah and the Palestinians parallel! Yes we are in the year 6000 (if we add the Temple lost years to the equation), and that is a type of the 6 sons from Leah, and the bride the 7th. That also reminds me of the red heifer and Eve from the side of Adam and the kahal from the side of the Second Adam, Yeshua, who took the lamb sin sacrifice in Adam’s place and the red heifer Eve curses upon Him as well. Aleluyah! He is wonderful in all of His ways!
Glad you mentioned the manna too! That is a hard one when people around you are talking about having extra dried food, etc. and I tend to worry or fret but Yah said to me He can bring manna again if needed. We don’t need to fear, He will take care of His children for His name sake. Aleluyah!
And yes, Yahveh will bring us home from the 4 corners of the earth in eagles (angels) wings. Aleluyah!
According to the genealogy in the Book of Jasher Leah and Rachel were in effect twins. Leah probably was born a few minutes before. Their being twins by the way would help explain why Yacob confused them on their wedding night. These girls were probably about 12 when they were betrothed to Yacob, who as you said was much older (at least 40) at the time. Yes Yacob learned Torah under Shem whereas Esau/esav/tares disdained Torah and rather went hunting caring little for his inheritance but like Cain did, wanting the goodies without the sacrifice. Cain also disdained Torah and never repented just wanting life for free. Esau too never repented, just wanted to reap the benefits regardless.
The blood/DNA of the Canaanites was contaminated all right, by fallen angel seed. It was not just what they practiced, what they practiced was a reflection of what ran through their veins. There is a reason why Yah told Israel at times to eliminate whole towns including animals and vegetation. Canaan’s seed was compromised and from it came the giants after the flood. From the get go the Adversary wanted to alter Adam’s DNA and the DNA of all the Yah created in this earth. Satan wants it to be after his image or else he will mark it somehow. Kind of like wild cats marking their territory…
Question, the picture above leads me to believe I’m not TOO random, asking this question…
“Messiah Ben Yoseff”
Is Mashiyakh literally a son of Yoseff somewhere down the line? Surely Yahudim did not keep a closed circle in who they mated with within the 12 tribes…..?
Shalom
good to see and hear you again!
Just wanted to say thank you for continuing on opening our eyes, ears, mind and heart – on this journey with
you, Ryan and Daniel thru the Torah…
When we heard your teaching about Jacob not returning to Bethel and instead of bowing down to Esau – it was WOW – now we understand all the turmoil of Jacob and his sons!!!!!
Context of ANE, and now Honor and Shame makes reading scripture a whole new experience than before – opening up so many layers…
Shalom
Wonderful teaching, Brother Rico:) I am still trying to understand why Israel allows Esav into their promised land and why they don’t allow instead, people like us who follow the Torah and love the Jews and Israel?
DeVora Clark
Thanks Rico for your efforts of teaching us.
I am in wonder that this was totally Yah’s plan from the beginning.
IF this had not happened the way it did there would have been only 2 tribes and not 12…Jacob would have done things his way and gone home with one wife whom he loved….Just saying.
Shalom,
Jim
Great job bro! I already talked to you about this, but figured I’d share with everyone else:
I would propose that Laban was actually trying to maintain the honor of Leah by giving her to Jacob in deceit. Leah was the first born daughter, and as you mentioned in your ANET portion, probably was his first born child. For her younger sister to be married before her would have brought shame and humiliation upon her and so Laban acts to maintain her honor (which is also his honor as her patron). The text also seems to indicate that Jacob was choosing his bride based on her outward appearance, not based on honor.
This is an excellent example of where we need to get past our western mindset of “its either right or wrong”. Both Jacob and Laban appear to have had good intentions, this was just a situation that didn’t have a perfect outcome.
Shalom Rico. Thank you is not enough! The 2010-11 opened my eyes to the Torah, then the ANE completely changed me in my understanding and sharing, then Righteousness, Justice and Equity stepped it up again to another dimension and now Honor and Shame has shed another Light on His amazing Word. I have been completely transformed from what I thought I understood, to realizing I am but dust. I knew nothing and I know nothing. I am ever learning, and so grateful for you as a wise teacher, with the Ruach HaKodesh, taking me into places I would have never dreamed of going in His Word. And again, thank you is just not enough! Blessings to you and your family at Wisdom in Torah Ministries. Shalom to all of you for Yah has truly chosen you to share the light of His Word. I am forever indebted to my King, for He has shown me such compassion, in drawing my spirit through His, to know and understand that my name is written in the Lamb’s Book of Life. Shalom!
Shalom Brother
Trust me my brother I am also learning so much the last 3 years and I feel that i still don’t know anything.
Totally agree with you. It’s like you took the exact words out of my month. Todah to Rico, Ryan and Daniel for all the hard work. Shalom and ahava!
Honor and Shame is just rocking my world, thank you Rico for really opening up this Torah portion. I have always enjoyed reading the scriptures but now in the context of the ANE, righteousness and justice and honor and shame it is like REAL to me. How wonderful to not have to be satisfied with just reading past things and thinking they aren’t important.
Shalom
Thanks so much