Jacob left his parents’ home to escape from his brother Esau’s wrath, and to find a wife from his mother’s family, as well.
On his way to Charan, Jacob stopped to sleep at the mountain of Moriah, the same spot that Abraham had brought Isaac as a sacrifice. He dreamed about a ladder reaching from earth up to the heavens. G-d spoke to him from above the ladder, and promised Jacob that He would accompany him throughout his exile, and that eventually he would return to the Land of Canaan with his children. The ladder represented Jacob’s mission of bridging the spiritual world he had enjoyed until this point, and the physical world he would encounter in the house of his uncle, the deceptive Laban.
In Laban’s house, Jacob had to overcome many difficult challenges. He offered to work seven years for Rachel, Laban’s younger daughter’s hand in marriage. Laban tricked Jacob into marrying his older daughter, Leah. Jacob had to work another seven years in order to marry Rachel. Although Jacob loved Leah, he did harbor some resentment towards her because of her involvement in this deception.
G-d saw Leah’s pain and allowed her to bear children, immediately, unlike any of the other three Matriarchs. This endeared her to Jacob. She bore him a total of six sons, Reuben, Simon, Levi, Judah; and then later, Yissachar, and Zevulun. She also bore Jacob a daughter, Dinah.
Rachel saw that she could not yet bear children, so she gave her maidservant Bilhah to Jacob as a concubine. Bilhah bore Jacob two more sons, Gad and Asher. Leah also gave her maidservant Zilpah as a concubine to Jacob. She too bore him two sons, Dan and Naftali. Finally, Rachel conceived, and she bore Jacob a son, Joseph. Later, on the road back to Canaan, she bore him another son, Benjamin, but she died during childbirth.
Laban tried to cheat Jacob out of his hard earned wages. Jacob had to make numerous deals with Laban in order to receive his fair pay. Even then, only through miraculous intervention could Jacob stop Laban from cheating him.
After twenty years in the house of Laban, Jacob spoke to his wives, and decided to return to his parents’ home in Canaan. He tried to leave secretly, but Laban learned of the escape and caught up with Jacob’s camp. Eventually, the two made peace with one another, and Jacob left peacefully. The peace was short-lived, however, as Jacob received word that Esau was awaiting his return with an army of four hundred men.
All these circumstances helped prepare Jacob with the fortitude he needed to be able to build the Jewish nation.
…Jacob departed from Beer Sheva… (Gen. 28:10)
Rav Itzikel of Brod was pushed out of his position as rabbi of the community. Before he left, the community hosted a farewell reception for the rabbi where they praised him lavishly.
Rav Itzikel responded by citing Rashi’s comment that a righteous person’s departure leaves a mark. It seems that the righteous person’s presence is only felt once he leaves.
Rav Yitzchak Hutner commented similarly that the word “leviyah” which means to connect or accompany is often used to denote a departure, such as a funeral, which is called a levaya, since we accompany the deceased to the final resting place. He explained that unfortunately, one often feels a connection only after the passing of a person. .
Throughout the week after the wedding it is customary to invite family and friends to special meals with the bride and groom. If there are ten men present, the Sheva Berachos (seven blessings recited at the wedding ceremony) are recited for the couple. It must be the first wedding of either the bride or the groom in order to recite the Sheva Berachos. At least one of those present may not have attended the wedding, as his presence now increases the joy of the bride and groom. On Shabbos the blessings may be recited even if there nobody new present.
