Yonatan Kohn - Notes on Vayetze

This week's reading begins with Jacob fleeing his parents' home, knowing that his twin brother is set on murdering him at some future time. His father Isaac instructs him to go to Padan Aram, the place where Rebecca was raised, so that he may find a wife there. Nevertheless, Rebecca has made it quite clear (Genesis 27:44-45) that Jacob is running for his life. More than running to somewhere, he is running from home. And this is evident from the Torah's emphasis that Jacob leaves Be'er Sheva and goes to Haran. Inasmuch as he does set out for Haran, his journey is equally motivated by escape for escape's sake. And Jacob is very lost.

Throughout his early travels, until he arrives in his uncle's home, the Torah demonstrates that Jacob is a lonely traveler without bearings or specific destination. Before he even reaches the border of his homeland, Jacob has a strange vision and prophetic dream. As the Torah records (28:11), "And he reached the place, and he slept there for the sun had set, and he took of the stones of the place and put [them] at his head. And he lay in that place." After all the details the Torah provides about the early journeys of Abraham and details some of the prominent places in Kena'an, the anonymity and ambiguity of Jacob's setting are striking. Jacob's location is described as "the place" six times within the story, as Jacob is even unaware of the place's name (28:19).
In the dream, Jacob sees a ladder that extends from the earth to the Heavens; he observes that angels are "ascending and descending" it. Rashi notes (28:12) that the ascending angels are those assigned to escort Jacob within the borders of the Promised land, and those descending are those charged with protecting him outside the land. But here, too, the ascent of the local angels precedes the descent of the remote angels; Jacob is uprooting himself before he embarks on his journey. And in this encounter, Gd repeats to Jacob the same assurances that He has offered his father and grandfather before him. The promises closely resemble blessings to Isaac as he heads to Gerar (Genesis 26 3-5). And yet, whereas Isaac, like his father before him, is told where to live (26:2), Gd tells Jacob that He will accompany wherever he will go (28:15). And though Gd is to be with him, Jacob has less direction* as he turns to the road than his fathers had before him.
Jacob's isolation is highlighted and heightened by an encounter with some local shepherds. Jacob ventures to engage the local men in friendly conversation, hoping to determine his whereabouts and perhaps procure some assistance.
"Jacob said to them, 'My brothers, from whence are you?'
They said, 'We are from Haran.'
He said to them, 'Do you know Laban son of Nahor?'
They said, 'We know.'
He said to them, 'Does he have peace (i.e. is he well)?'
They said, 'Peace. And behold Rachel his daughter comes with the sheep'" (29:4-6).
Though Jacob persists in attempting to speak with them, they refuse to engage him in conversation. They answer his questions blankly, not speaking 'to him', and tersely. There isn't even so much as an exchange of names. Though Jacob has initiated conversation, they remain pronouns, anonymous and distant strangers. Likely flustered and emotionally spent, Jacob reacts to seeing his cousin with overwhelmed emotion. He shoos away the unfriendly shepherds and tends to his uncle's sheep, then kissing Rachel** and weeping. In describing the interaction (28:9-12) between Jacob and Rachel, the Torah carefully points out their names consistently, instead of describing 'he' and 'she.' Here, Jacob finds a context for himself and a sense of attachment to another.

After all, as the verses note many times, Rachel is Laban's daughter. It is in his house that she learns the proper and gentle way to treat others. Again, in marked contrast to the shepherds at the well, Laban runs out to greet Jacob and hugs him and kisses him, ushering him into the home. Laban, as a member of Abraham’s extended family, has learned the basics of kindness and the quality of giving.
Still, it should be noted that Laban’s apparent kindness has a certain superficial quality to it. Haameq Davar notes that he ‘hugs to him’ and ‘kisses to him’; Laban’s embrace is sort of proffered and not shared. It is impersonal and cold. And when Jacob comes in to Laban’s house, he tells him ‘all of these things.’ But the Torah does not say exactly what Jacob tells Laban, because the Torah is reflecting Laban’s listening skills. He has not heard a word that Jacob has said. Later, Laban proves himself fundamentally duplicitous and backsliding, and for this Tradition criticizes him harshly. Ultimately, he is a complicated, if not confused person, who sometimes does things right.^ The danger in dealing with Laban is precisely that; it is impossible to discern the true intentions behind his kind exterior.
Ultimately, what befalls Jacob again resembles what befell his father before him. The grace Rachel shows in embracing a stranger immediately recalls Rebecca's behavior when Abraham's servant came looking for Jacob's mother so many years before. And in this context, Jacob begins to lay his part of the foundations of the people of Israel.

* ..."If Gd will be with me and will watch over me on this path that I go..." (28:20). Jacob is to travel a path to an undetermined destination. The Torah continues that "Jacob lifted his legs and went towards the land of the children of the East" (29:1). Though this appears to be just another name for his original destination, Padan Aram, (see Genesis 10:30) the vague name and orientation- the land of the children of the East- denote a far less specified goal and destination.

** Seforno notes that Jacob feels compelled to explain to Rachel that he is her cousin so that she should not be alarmed by the kiss of a complete stranger. Were he not her cousin, it seems that the kiss would be inappropriate. It seems that kissing a cousin, however, was permitted without compunction before the Torah was given to Jacob's family. Still, though Jacob's kiss is evidently a greeting expressing familial kinship, it is curious that he would be so forthcoming and unreserved as to kiss a young woman whom he has never before met (even before introducing himself!). Therefore, it may be possible to explain his greeting in a wholly different manner. Just before Jacob 'kisses' Rachel (v. 11), the Torah explains that he tends to the sheep- giving them drink (v.10). The word there is *vayashq*; when he 'kisses' Rachel, the Torah uses the word *vayishaq*. The juxtaposition of these two words, whose letters (vav, yod, shin, quf) are identical, should not be overlooked or ignored. Perhaps Jacob does not kiss Rachel at all; rather he relates to her through his act of tending to the sheep and initial greeting in such a way that has the emotional import of a kiss. Considering his journey's duress and knowing that his whole journey may have been largely meant to allow him to marry her (Laban's daughter), it may be that Jacob reaches out to her in such a way that is the emotional equivalent of a kiss.

^ Consider Ohr HaChaim's remarks when the Torah first introduces Laban, Rebecca's brother (24:29). To him, the Torah introduces Laban in the manner deserved by the righteous (here Laban is showing being protective of his sister, in the presence of a suspicious stranger). The Torah's treatment of him, originally positive, reflects his own penchant for putting up a good facade. Note in this vein verse 30:27 as well. Laban tells Jacob, “I have divined, and Gd has blessed me on your behalf.” Rabbi Yehuda Halpern (formerly a member of the Gruss kollel) made the brilliant observation that this verse shows Laban’s basic nature, unsure where he is religiously and quite confused. On the one hand, he recognizes Gd’s blessing; on the other hand, he adheres to his idolatrous and pagan divination.