Vayetze-Behold

sent from Rabbi Jack Farber-Congregation Melech Yisrael, Canada's oldest Messianic Congregation

"Divine Confirmation"


Parashat HaShavua VaYeitzei / Behold

This Week's Reading List:
BeReshit / Genesis 28:10-32:2
Hoshea / Hosea 13:6-14:10
Yochanan / John 1:43-51

Bereshit {29:9} While he was yet speaking with them, Rachel came with her av's (fathers) sheep, for she kept them. {29:10} It happened, when Ya'akov (Jacob) saw Rachel bat (daughter of) Lavan, his em's (mother's) brother, and the sheep of Lavan, his em's brother, that Ya'akov went near, and rolled the stone from the well's mouth, and watered the flock of Lavan his em's brother. {29:11} Ya'akov kissed Rachel, and lifted up his voice, and wept. {29:12} Ya'akov told Rachel that he was her av's brother, and that he was Rivkah's son. She ran and told her av.

The verse that caught my attention from this portion of Scripture, which was taken from this week's Parasha, was:

Bereshit {29:11} “Ya'akov kissed Rachel, and lifted up his voice, and wept.”

It always intrigued me as to why Ya'acov cried after kissing Rachel. First, taking into consideration ancient Middle Eastern protocols between unmarried couples, this was not a passionate romantic kiss. It was, I am certain, the type of kiss Shaul suggested believers in Yeshua HaMashiach greet each other with; much like the French or Russians kiss when they greet each other.

Romim (Romans) {16:16} Greet one another with a holy kiss.

I interpret a holy kiss to be a peck, mostly into the air, on either or both cheeks without having any lower body contact. This was the type of kissing that was most common during that period among Semitic people, a custom that seems to have carried over into the first century. So, this being the case then Ya'acov would have given her a holy kiss when he met Rachel for the first time.

However, why did he lift up of his voice and cry out? Most people suggest that he was love struck at that very instant, but I do not see it that way. I see it more like this: Has G-d ever spoken to you and you have doubted that you actually heard from G-d, but then He gave you some type of confirmation that it was truly Him that you heard from? Yes, this is what I believe happened with Ya'acov. In his dream a day earlier Ya'acov saw HaShem standing at the top of this ladder that extended from earth to heaven. From that position HaShem said:

Bereshit {28:13} Behold, HaShem stood above it, and said, "I am HaShem, the G-D of Avraham (Abraham) your av, and the G-D of Yitzchak (Issac). The land whereon you lie, to you will I give it, and to your seed. {28:14} Your seed will be as the dust of the earth, and you will spread abroad to the west, and to the east, and to the north, and to the south. In you and in your seed will all the families of the earth be blessed. {28:15} Behold, I am with you, and will keep you, wherever you go, and will bring you again into this land. For I will not leave you, until I have done that which I have spoken of to you."

This was quite the promise and I am sure Ya'acov was impressed by the dream, but I am sure he also had his doubts that it was actually a prophetic dream, that it was true and that it was actually HaShem that was speaking to him. I would have my doubts as well as I am sure you would too.

How do I know that Ya'acov had his doubts? I know by what he said the very next morning after the dream:

Bereshit {28:18} Ya'akov rose up early in the morning, and took the stone that he had put under his head, and set it up for a pillar, and poured oil on the top of it. {28:19} He called the name of that place Beit-El (House of G-d), but the name of the city was Luz at the first. {28:20} Ya'akov vowed a vow, saying, "If G-D will be with me, and will keep me in this way that I go, and will give me bread to eat, and clothing to put on, {28:21} so that I come again to my av's house in shalom (peace), and HaShem will be my G-D, {28:22} then this stone, which I have set up for a pillar, will be G-D's house. Of all that you will give me I will surely give the tenth to you."

Did you notice the “IF” in verse 20? This tells me that Ya'acov did doubt his dream! Sure he did and like I said you and I would have as well. However, HaShem was not going to let Ya'acov go through his life doubting; He gave him confirmation that it was Him he had heard.

Ya'acov was running from his brother Esav, was heading to strange unfamiliar territory and was looking for someone he never met and therefore did not know. Where would he start looking for his mother's brother? What could he expect to encounter when he did meet him? Would they even receive him? All these questions and more, I am sure, were running through Ya'acov's mind. Then he stumbled upon a well, but not just any old well. I am sure there were many in the area of this city, but this well was the exact well where Lavan had his daughter Rachel water their sheep. An accident, a happenchance, I doubt it! This was from the L-rd and Ya'acov knew it! The kiss he planted on Rachel was a kiss of joy that HaShem had confirmed his promise and the lifting up of his voice was him praising HaShem for the conformation He gave him by this encounter. Now Ya'acov knew that he had heard right, that he had heard from G-d. From here on in he knew his destiny because all of HaShem promises are “Yea and Amen!!!”

Korintim Bet (2 Corinthians) {1:20} For all the promises of G-d in him are yea, and in Him Amen, unto the glory of G-d by us.

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Baruch HaShem
Rabbi Ya'acov Farber

Hallelujah for our Lord, our Teacher,our Rabbi, "YESHUA" King Messiah for ever and ever!!!