Parsha Vayetze

(28,10) Yaakov left Beer Sheva and went toward Charan.

(28,11) He reached the place and spent the night there because the sun had set. He took some of the stones of that place, and arranged them around his head, and lay down [to sleep] in that place.

(28,12) He dreamed, and behold a ladder was set up on the earth and the top of it reached toward heaven; and behold angels of Elohim were ascending and descending on it.

(28,13) And behold Adonoy stood over him, and said, I am Adonoy, God of Avraham, your father, and God of Yitzchok. The land upon which you are lying, I will give to you and to your descendants.

(28,14) Your descendants shall be as the dust of the earth. You shall spread to the west, to the east, to the north and to the south. Through you shall be blessed all the families of the earth, and through your descendants.

(28,15) Behold, I am with you, and I will guard you wherever you go, and I will bring you back to this land. I will not forsake you until I have done that which I have spoken for you.

(28,16) Yaakov awoke from his sleep, and said, In truth, Adonoy is in this place, and I did not know it.

(28,17) He was afraid and said, How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of Elohim, and this is the gate of heaven.

(28,18) Yaakov rose early in the morning and took the stone that he had placed at his head; and he set it as a monument, and poured oil on its top.

(28,19) He named that place Beis Eil, but Luz was the original name of the city.

(28,20) Yaakov made a vow, saying, If Elohim will be with me, and guards me on this path that I am going, and gives me bread to eat and clothing to wear;

(28,21) And if I return in peace to my father’s house, and Adonoy will be my God;

(28,22) [Then] this stone which I have set [as] a monument will become a House of God, and of all that You give, I will surely give a tenth to You.

(29,1) Yaakov [then] lifted his feet and went toward the land of the people of the East.

(29,2) He looked and [saw] a well in the field; and behold there were three flocks of sheep lying beside it, for from that well the flocks are watered. There was a large stone over the mouth of the well.

(29,3) When all the flocks would gather, [the shepherds] would roll the stone from the well’s mouth, and water the sheep. They would [then] return the stone to its place over the mouth of the well.

(29,4) Yaakov said to them, My brothers, from where do you come? They said, We are from Charan.

(29,5) He said to them, Do you know Lavan, the son of Nachor? They said, We know him.

(29,6) He said to them, Is he doing well? They said, He is doing well. Behold Rochel, his daughter, is coming with the sheep.

(29,7) He said to them, The day is yet long, it is not yet time for the sheep to be gathered, water the sheep and go pasture them.

(29,8) They said, We cannot [do so] until all the flocks have gathered and [the shepherds] roll the stone from the mouth of the well. Then we can water the sheep.

(29,9) While he was still speaking with them, Rochel came with her father’s sheep, for she was a shepherdess.

(29,10) When Yaakov saw Rochel, the daughter of Lavan, his mother’s brother, with the sheep of Lavan, his mother’s brother, he stepped near and rolled the stone from the mouth of the well. He then watered the sheep of Lavan, his mother’s brother.

(29,11) Yaakov kissed Rochel and cried in a loud voice.

(29,12) Yaakov told Rochel that he was a relative of her father, that he was the son of Rivkah. She ran and told her father.

(29,13) When Lavan heard the news of Yaakov, his sister’s son, he ran to greet him. He embraced him and kissed him, and brought him to his house. [Yaakov] told Lavan all that had happened.

(29,14) Lavan said to him, Nevertheless, you are my bone and flesh. [Yaakov] lived with him for a month.

(29,15) Lavan said to Yaakov, Just because you are my relative, must you work for me without pay? Tell me, [what should] your wages [be]?

(29,16) Lavan had two daughters. The name of the older one was Leah, and the name of the younger one was Rochel.

(29,17) The eyes of Leah were tender. Rochel was of beautiful form and of beautiful appearance.

(29,18) Yaakov loved Rochel. and he said, I will work for you seven years for Rochel, your younger daughter.

(29,19) Lavan said, Better that I give her to you than I should give her to another man. [Remain] living with me.

(29,20) Yaakov worked seven years for Rochel, but they seemed to him like a few days, so much did he love her.

(29,21) Yaakov said to Lavan, Give me my wife, for my term is completed; and thus I will consummate the marriage with her.

(29,22) Lavan gathered all the local people and he made a [wedding] feast.

(29,23) When it was evening, he took Leah, his daughter, and brought her to him [Yaakov]. He consummated the marriage with her.

(29,24) Lavan gave Zilpah, his servant to her, to Leah, his daughter as a handmaid.

(29,25) When it was morning, behold it was Leah! He [Yaakov] said to Lavan, What have you done to me? Did I not work with you for Rochel? Why did you deceive me?

(29,26) Lavan said, It is not done so in our place, to give the younger [daughter in marriage] before the firstborn.

(29,27) Complete the [marriage] week for this one. We will then give you the other also—in return for the work that you will do with me for another seven years.

(29,28) Yaakov did so, and he completed the [marriage] week for this one [Leah]. He [Lavan] then gave Rochel, his daughter to him as a wife.

(29,29) To his daughter, Rochel, Lavan gave his servant Bilhah, to be her handmaid.

(29,30) He [Yaakov] also consummated his marriage with Rochel. He loved Rochel more than Leah, and he worked with [Lavan] additionally, another seven years.

(29,31) Adonoy saw that Leah was the hated one, and He opened her womb. Rochel remained barren.

(29,32) Leah conceived and gave birth to a son. She named him Reuvein, as she said, Adonoy has seen my affliction; for now my husband will love me.

(29,33) She conceived again and gave birth to a son. She said, Since Adonoy heard that I am the hated one, He also gave me this one, and she named him Shimon.

(29,34) She conceived again and gave birth to a son. She said, This time my husband will become attached to me, for I have born him three sons. He therefore named him Leivi.

(29,35) She conceived again and gave birth to a son. She said, This time I will praise Adonoy. She therefore named him Yehudah. She then stopped giving birth.

(30,1) Rochel saw that she was not bearing children to Yaakov. Rochel became jealous of her sister, and she said to Yaakov, Give me children; if not I am [considered] dead.

(30,2) Yaakov became very angry with Rochel, and he said, Am I in God’s place? [It is He] who has withheld from you the fruit of the womb.

(30,3) She said, Here is my handmaid, Bilhah, consummate a marriage with her. Let her give birth upon my knees, and I too will have a son through her.

(30,4) She gave him Bilhah, her handmaid, as a wife and Yaakov consummated the marriage with her.

(30,5) Bilhah conceived and bore Yaakov a son.

(30,6) Rochel said, Elohim has judged me. He has also heard my voice, and has given me a son. She therefore named him Don.

(30,7) She conceived again, and Bilhah, Rochel’s handmaid, bore a second son to Yaakov.

(30,8) Rochel said, With Elohim’s bonds, I have been joined to my sister, and I have also prevailed. She [therefore] called him Naftali.

(30,9) Leah realized that she was no longer bearing children. She [therefore] took Zilpah, her handmaid, and gave her to Yaakov as a wife.

(30,10) Zilpah, Leah’s handmaid, bore Yaakov a son.

(30,11) Leah said, Unexpected success has come, and she named him Gad.

(30,12) Zilpah, Leah’s handmaid bore a second son to Yaakov.

(30,13) Leah said, It is in my good fortune that daughters [women] will consider me fortunate. She named him Asher.

(30,14) Reuvein went in the days of the wheat harvest, and found jasmine flowers in the field. He brought them to Leah, his mother. Rochel said to Leah, Please give me some of your son’s jasmine flowers.

(30,15) She [Leah] said to her, Isn’t it enough that you took my husband? Would you also take my son’s jasmine flowers? Rochel said, Therefore, he shall be with you tonight in exchange for your son’s jasmine flowers.

(30,16) Yaakov came from the field in the evening, and Leah went out to meet him. She said, You will come to me, for I have hired you with my son’s jasmine flowers, and he was with her at night.

(30,17) Elohim perceived Leah’s [wish]. She conceived and bore [her] fifth son to Yaakov.

(30,18) Leah said, Elohim has given me my reward because I gave my handmaid to my husband. She named him Yissachar.

(30,19) Leah conceived again and bore [her] sixth son to Yaakov.

(30,20) Leah said, Elohim has given a goodly portion. Now my husband will make his [main] home with me, for I have borne him six sons. She named him Zevulun.

(30,21) Afterwards she gave birth to a daughter, and named her Deenah.

(30,22) Elohim remembered Rochel and opened her womb.

(30,23) She conceived and gave birth to a son. She said, Elohim has removed my shame.

(30,24) She named him Yoseif, saying, May Adonoy add to me another son.

(30,25) When Rochel had given birth to Yoseif, Yaakov said to Lavan, Send me on my way, and I will go to my own place and to my homeland.

(30,26) Give me [permission to take] my wives and my children, for whom I worked for you, and I will go; for you know my work that I did for you.

(30,27) Lavan said to him, If I have found favor in your eyes, I have divined that Adonoy has blessed me because of you.

(30,28) He said, Set your wage for me, and I will give it.

(30,29) He [Yaakov] said to him, You know how I worked for you, and how your livestock were with me.

(30,30) For the little you had before I came here has increased and has become a multitude. Adonoy has blessed you with my coming. Now when will I also do something for my own house?

(30,31) He [Lavan] said, What shall I give you? Yaakov said, Do not give me anything—if you do this thing for me. I will continue to tend your flock and guard it.

(30,32) I will go through all your flocks this day. I will remove from them every lamb that is speckled, or spotted, and every dark one among the sheep, and every goat that is spotted and speckled. That [kind] will be my wage.

(30,33) My righteousness shall testify for me in the future when it comes before you regarding my wage. Any goat which is not speckled or spotted, and any sheep that is [not] dark, is stolen [if it is] in my possession.

(30,34) Lavan said, Agreed, may it be as you say.

(30,35) That day he [Lavan] removed the he-goats that were ringed and spotted, and all the she-goats that were speckled and spotted, everyone that had white in it, and all the dark ones among the sheep; and he gave them to his sons.

(30,36) He placed a three days journey between himself and Yaakov. Yaakov tended Lavan’s remaining flocks.

(30,37) Yaakov took rods of poplar that were fresh, hazel and chestnut [trees], and peeled white stripes in them by uncovering the white which is in the rods.

(30,38) He stuck the rods that he had peeled into the ducts of the watering troughs where the flock [ewes] came to drink, facing the flock [rams]; that they should become heated when they came to drink.

(30,39) The flock became heated [and mated] before the rods, and the flock gave birth to ringed, speckled and spotted [offspring].

(30,40) Yaakov separated the lambs. He set the faces of the flock toward the ringed ones and all the dark ones; [he did so] with Lavan’s flocks. He formed separate flocks of his own, and did not set them with Lavan’s flocks.

(30,41) When the early-bearing flock were heated [to mate], Yaakov placed the rods before the flock’s eyes at the ducts, so they would be in heat among the rods.

(30,42) But when the flock were late-bearing, he did not place [the rods before them]. Thus the late-bearing ones were Lavan’s, and the early-bearing ones became the possession of Yaakov.

(30,43) The man became tremendously prosperous. He had multipying flocks, female slaves and male slaves, camels and donkeys.

(31,1) He [Yaakov] heard the words of Lavan’s sons [who were] saying, Yaakov has taken all that belonged to our father. From that which was our father’s, he made all this wealth.

(31,2) Yaakov saw Lavan’s face [demeanor] and it was not toward him as it was before.

(31,3) Adonoy said to Yaakov, Return to the land of your fathers and to your birthplace, and I will be with you.

(31,4) Yaakov sent and called Rochel and Leah to [come to] the field, to his flock.

(31,5) He said to them, I saw your father’s face; it is not toward me as it was before, but the God of my father was with me.

(31,6) You know that I served your father with all my strength.

(31,7) Your father cheated me and changed my wage ten countings; but Elohim did not let him harm me.

(31,8) If he would say, The speckled will be your wage, then all the flock gave birth to speckled ones. If he would say, Ringed ones will be your wage, all the flock gave birth to ringed ones.

(31,9) Thus God delivered your father’s livestock, and gave it to me.

(31,10) At the time the flock were in heat [to mate], I lifted my eyes, and in a dream I saw that the males going upon the flock were ringed, speckled and striped.

(31,11) An angel of Elohim said to me in a dream, Yaakov, and I said, Here I am.

(31,12) He said, Lift up your eyes and see, all the males going up on the flock are ringed, speckled, and striped; for I have seen all that Lavan is doing to you.

(31,13) I am the Almighty of Elohim who appeared to you in Beis Eil, where you anointed a monument, where you made a vow to Me. Now arise and leave this land, and return to the land of your birthplace.

(31,14) Rochel and Leah replied and said to him, Do we still have a portion and an inheritance in our father’s house?

(31,15) Are we not considered by him as strangers? For he has sold us, and has completely consumed our money.

(31,16) All the wealth that Elohim rescued from our father belongs to us and our children. Now, whatever God has said to you, do it.

(31,17) Yaakov rose and lifted his sons and his wives upon the camels.

(31,18) He led away all his livestock, and all his possessions that he had acquired, which he had purchased with his own livestock that he had acquired in Padan Aram, [in order] to come to Yitzchok, his father, to the land of Canaan.

(31,19) Lavan [meanwhile] had gone to shear his flock, and Rochel stole the idols that belonged to her father.

(31,20) Yaakov fooled Lavan, the Aramean, by not telling him that he had fled.

(31,21) He fled with all that he possessed. He set out and crossed the river, setting out in the direction of Mount Gilod.

(31,22) Lavan was told on the third day that Yaakov had fled.

(31,23) He took his brothers [kinsmen] with him, and pursued him a distance of seven days. He overtook him in Mount Gilod.

(31,24) Elohim appeared to Lavan the Aramean, in a dream that night, and said to him, Guard yourself, that you do not speak to Yaakov either good or evil.

(31,25) Lavan overtook Yaakov. Yaakov had set up his tents on the mountain, and Lavan and his brothers had set up on Mount Gilod.

(31,26) Lavan said to Yaakov, What have you done? You fooled me, and led my daughters away like prisoners of war.

(31,27) Why did you flee so stealthily? You robbed me and did not tell me. I would have sent you away, with joy and with song, with drum and harp.

(31,28) You did not let me kiss my [grand]sons and daughters. Now see how foolishly you acted.

(31,29) It is within the power of my hand to harm you, but the God of your father spoke to me last night saying, Guard yourself not to speak to Yaakov either good or evil.

(31,30) Now you have gone for you yearned for your father’s house, but why did you steal my gods?

(31,31) Yaakov replied and said to Lavan, Because I was afraid, for I said you might forcibly take your daughters from me.

(31,32) With whomsoever you find your gods, he shall not live. In the presence of our brethren, identify anything belonging to you that is here with me and take it back with you. Yaakov did not know that Rochel had stolen them.

(31,33) Lavan came into Yaakov’s tent, and into Leah’s tent, and into the tents of the two handmaids, but he found nothing. He left Leah’s tent and came into Rochel’s tent.

(31,34) Rochel had taken the idols, and placed them in the camel’s saddle-pillow, and sat upon them. Lavan searched the whole tent and found nothing.

(31,35) She said to her father, Let there not be anger in the eyes of my master that I cannot rise before you, for the way of women is upon me. He searched but did not find the idols.

(31,36) Yaakov was angry and he argued with Lavan. Yaakov replied and said to Lavan, What is my crime? What sin did I commit that you were in such hot pursuit of me?

(31,37) When you searched all my goods, what did you find of all your household goods? Place it here in the presence of my brethren and your brethren, and let them decide between the two of us.

(31,38) These twenty years that I was with you, your ewes and she-goats never miscarried, and I did not eat any rams of your flocks.

(31,39) I never brought you a mutilated animal. I will take the blame for it. You demanded compensation from my hand whether [an animal] was stolen from me by day or whether it was stolen from me by night.

(31,40) I was consumed by the burning heat by day and ice at night. My sleep was taken from my eyes.

(31,41) These twenty years that I have been in your house, I served you fourteen years for your two daughters, and six years for your sheep, but you changed my wages ten times.

(31,42) Had not the God of my father, the God of Avraham and the Fear of Yitzchok been with me, you would have sent me away empty-handed. My misery and the labor of my hands was seen by Elohim, and He reprimanded you last night.

(31,43) Lavan replied and said to Yaakov, The daughters are my daughters, and the sons are my sons, and the[se] flocks are my flocks. All that you see is mine. What can I do unto these, my daughters, today, or to their children that they have born.

(31,44) Now come [therefore] let us make a pact, I and you. Let Him be witness between me and you.

(31,45) Yaakov took a boulder and raised it as a monument.

(31,46) Yaakov said to his brethren, Gather stones. They took stones and made a mound, and they ate on the mound.

(31,47) Lavan called it Yegar Sohadusa, but Yaakov called it Galeid.

(31,48) Lavan said, This mound is witness between me and you this day. He therefore called its name Galeid.

(31,49) And [he also called it] Mitzpah [Watchtower] because he said, Adonoy will watch between me and you, when we are concealed from each other[’s sight].

(31,50) If you afflict my daughters, or marry other wives in addition to my daughters, there may be no man with us, but see, Elohim is witness between me and you.

(31,51) Lavan said to Yaakov, Here is this mound, and here is this monument that I have cast between me and you.

(31,52) This mound is witness, and the monument is witness, that I will not cross over to you beyond this mound; and you are not to cross over to me beyond this mound and this monument for harmful purposes.

(31,53) The God of Avraham and the god of Nachor, the god of their fathers will judge between us. Yaakov swore by the Fear of his father, Yitzchok.

(31,54) Yaakov slaughtered animals on the mountain, and invited his brethren to eat bread [a meal]. They ate bread and spent the night on the mountain.

(32,1) Lavan rose early in the morning. He kissed his sons and daughters and blessed them. Lavan departed and returned to his place.

(32,2) Yaakov went on his way, and the angels of Elohim met him.

(32,3) When Yaakov saw them, he said, This is Elohim’s camp. He named the place Machanayim.