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Bereshit 29

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1 וַיִּשָּׂא יַעֲקֹב רַגְלָיו וַיֵּלֶךְ אַרְצָה בְנֵי־קֶדֶם׃

2 וַיַּרְא וְהִנֵּה בְאֵר בַּשָּׂדֶה וְהִנֵּה־שָׁם שְׁלֹשָׁה עֶדְרֵי־צֹאן רֹבְצִים עָלֶיהָ כִּי מִן־הַבְּאֵר הַהִוא יַשְׁקוּ הָעֲדָרִים וְהָאֶבֶן גְּדֹלָה עַל־פִּי הַבְּאֵר׃

3 וְנֶאֶסְפוּ־שָׁמָּה כָל־הָעֲדָרִים וְגָלֲלוּ אֶת־הָאֶבֶן מֵעַל פִּי הַבְּאֵר וְהִשְׁקוּ אֶת־הַצֹּאן וְהֵשִׁיבוּ אֶת־הָאֶבֶן עַל־פִּי הַבְּאֵר לִמְקֹמָהּ׃

4 וַיֹּאמֶר לָהֶם יַעֲקֹב אַחַי מֵאַיִן אַתֶּם וַיֹּאמְרוּ מֵחָרָן אֲנָחְנוּ׃

5 וַיֹּאמֶר לָהֶם הַיְדַעְתֶּם אֶת־לָבָן בֶּן־נָחֹור וַיֹּאמְרוּ יָדָעְנוּ׃

6 וַיֹּאמֶר לָהֶם הֲשָׁלֹום לֹו וַיֹּאמְרוּ שָׁלֹום וְהִנֵּה רָחֵל בִּתֹּו בָּאָה עִם־הַצֹּאן׃

7 וַיֹּאמֶר הֵן עֹוד הַיֹּום גָּדֹול לֹא־עֵת הֵאָסֵף הַמִּקְנֶה הַשְׁקוּ הַצֹּאן וּלְכוּ רְעוּ׃

8 וַיֹּאמְרוּ לֹא נוּכַל עַד אֲשֶׁר יֵאָסְפוּ כָּל־הָעֲדָרִים וְגָלֲלוּ אֶת־הָאֶבֶן מֵעַל פִּי הַבְּאֵר וְהִשְׁקִינוּ הַצֹּאן׃

9 עֹודֶנּוּ מְדַבֵּר עִםָּם וְרָחֵל בָּאָה עִם־הַצֹּאן אֲשֶׁר לְאָבִיהָ כִּי רֹעָה הִוא׃

10 וַיְהִי כַּאֲשֶׁר רָאָה יַעֲקֹב אֶת־רָחֵל בַּת־לָבָן אֲחִי אִמֹּו וְאֶת־צֹאן לָבָן אֲחִי אִמֹּו וַיִּגַּשׁ יַעֲקֹב וַיָּגֶל אֶת־הָאֶבֶן מֵעַל פִּי הַבְּאֵר וַיַּשְׁקְ אֶת־צֹאן לָבָן אֲחִי אִמֹּו׃

11 וַיִּשַּׁק יַעֲקֹב לְרָחֵל וַיִּשָּׂא אֶת־קֹלֹו וַיֵּבְךְּ׃

12 וַיַּגֵּד יַעֲקֹב לְרָחֵל כִּי אֲחִי אָבִיהָ הוּא וְכִי בֶן־רִבְקָה הוּא וַתָּרָץ וַתַּגֵּד לְאָבִיהָ׃

13 וַיְהִי כִשְׁמֹעַ לָבָן אֶת־שֵׁמַע יַעֲקֹב בֶּן־אֲחֹתֹו וַיָּרָץ לִקְרָאתֹו וַיְחַבֶּק־לֹו וַיְנַשֶּׁק־לֹו וַיְבִיאֵהוּ אֶל־בֵּיתֹו וַיְסַפֵּר לְלָבָן אֵת כָּל־הַדְּבָרִים הָאֵלֶּה׃

14 וַיֹּאמֶר לֹו לָבָן אַךְ עַצְמִי וּבְשָׂרִי אָתָּה וַיֵּשֶׁב עִמֹּו חֹדֶשׁ יָמִים׃

15 וַיֹּאמֶר לָבָן לְיַעֲקֹב הֲכִי־אָחִי אַתָּה וַעֲבַדְתַּנִי חִנָּם הַגִּידָה לִּי מַה־מַּשְׂכֻּרְתֶּךָ׃

16 וּלְלָבָן שְׁתֵּי בָנֹות שֵׁם הַגְּדֹלָה לֵאָה וְשֵׁם הַקְּטַנָּה רָחֵל׃

17 וְעֵינֵי לֵאָה רַכֹּות וְרָחֵל הָיְתָה יְפַת־תֹּאַר וִיפַת מַרְאֶה׃

18 וַיֶּאֱהַב יַעֲקֹב אֶת־רָחֵל וַיֹּאמֶר אֶעֱבָדְךָ שֶׁבַע שָׁנִים בְּרָחֵל בִּתְּךָ הַקְּטַנָּה׃

19 וַיֹּאמֶר לָבָן טֹוב* תִּתִּי אֹתָהּ לָךְ מִתִּתִּי אֹתָהּ לְאִישׁ אַחֵר שְׁבָה עִמָּדִי׃

20 וַיַּעֲבֹד יַעֲקֹב בְּרָחֵל שֶׁבַע שָׁנִים וַיִּהְיוּ בְעֵינָיו כְּיָמִים אֲחָדִים בְּאַהֲבָתֹו אֹתָהּ׃

21 וַיֹּאמֶר יַעֲקֹב אֶל־לָבָן הָבָה אֶת־אִשְׁתִּי כִּי מָלְאוּ יָמָי וְאָבֹואָה אֵלֶיהָ׃

22 וַיֶּאֱסֹף לָבָן אֶת־כָּל־אַנְשֵׁי הַמָּקֹום וַיַּעַשׂ מִשְׁתֶּה׃

23 וַיְהִי בָעֶרֶב וַיִּקַּח אֶת־לֵאָה בִתֹּו וַיָּבֵא אֹתָהּ אֵלָיו וַיָּבֹא אֵלֶיהָ׃

24 וַיִּתֵּן לָבָן לָהּ אֶת־זִלְפָּה שִׁפְחָתֹו לְלֵאָה בִתֹּו שִׁפְחָה׃

25 וַיְהִי בַבֹּקֶר וְהִנֵּה־הִוא לֵאָה וַיֹּאמֶר אֶל־לָבָן מַה־זֹּאת עָשִׂיתָ לִּי הֲלֹא בְרָחֵל עָבַדְתִּי עִמָּךְ וְלָמָּה רִמִּיתָנִי׃

26 וַיֹּאמֶר לָבָן לֹא־יֵעָשֶׂה כֵן בִּמְקֹומֵנוּ לָתֵת הַצְּעִירָה לִפְנֵי הַבְּכִירָה׃

27 מַלֵּא שְׁבֻעַ זֹאת וְנִתְּנָה לְךָ גַּם־אֶת־זֹאת בַּעֲבֹדָה אֲשֶׁר תַּעֲבֹד עִמָּדִי עֹוד שֶׁבַע־שָׁנִים אֲחֵרֹות׃

28 וַיַּעַשׂ יַעֲקֹב כֵּן וַיְמַלֵּא שְׁבֻעַ זֹאת וַיִּתֶּן־לֹו אֶת־רָחֵל בִּתֹּו לֹו לְאִשָּׁה׃

29 וַיִּתֵּן לָבָן לְרָחֵל בִּתֹּו אֶת־בִּלְהָה שִׁפְחָתֹו לָהּ לְשִׁפְחָה׃

30 וַיָּבֹא גַּם אֶל־רָחֵל וַיֶּאֱהַב גַּם־אֶת־רָחֵל מִלֵּאָה וַיַּעֲבֹד עִמֹּו עֹוד שֶׁבַע־שָׁנִים אֲחֵרֹות׃

31 וַיַּרְא יְהוָה כִּי־שְׂנוּאָה לֵאָה וַיִּפְתַּח אֶת־רַחְמָהּ וְרָחֵל עֲקָרָה׃

32 וַתַּהַר לֵאָה וַתֵּלֶד בֵּן וַתִּקְרָא שְׁמֹו רְאוּבֵן כִּי אָמְרָה כִּי־רָאָה יְהוָה בְּעָנְיִי כִּי עַתָּה יֶאֱהָבַנִי אִישִׁי׃

33 וַתַּהַר עֹוד וַתֵּלֶד בֵּן וַתֹּאמֶר כִּי־שָׁמַע יְהוָה כִּי־שְׂנוּאָה אָנֹכִי וַיִּתֶּן־לִי גַּם־אֶת־זֶה וַתִּקְרָא שְׁמֹו שִׁמְעֹון׃

34 וַתַּהַר עֹוד וַתֵּלֶד בֵּן וַתֹּאמֶר עַתָּה הַפַּעַם יִלָּוֶה אִישִׁי אֵלַי כִּי־יָלַדְתִּי לֹו שְׁלֹשָׁה בָנִים עַל־כֵּן קָרָא־שְׁמֹו לֵוִי׃

35 וַתַּהַר עֹוד וַתֵּלֶד בֵּן וַתֹּאמֶר הַפַּעַם אֹודֶה אֶת־יְהוָה עַל־כֵּן קָרְאָה שְׁמֹו יְהוּדָה וַתַּעֲמֹד מִלֶּדֶת׃

   

From Swedenborg's Works

 

Arcana Coelestia #3776

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3776. My brethren whence are ye? That this signifies, What is the origin of the charity? is evident from the signification of “brethren,” as being those who are in good, and thence as being good itself, consequently charity (see n. 367, 2360, 3303, 3459); and from the signification of “whence are ye?” as being from what origin is it? All this shows that whatever in the sense of the letter involves a question and is determined to persons, in the internal sense falls into an idea undetermined to any person; for in heaven among the angels the historicals of the letter vanish when they leave man and enter heaven; so that Jacob’s question to the men of Haran, “My brethren whence are ye?” signifies charity there, from what origin is it?

[2] The case herein is as follows: The charity the external form of which appears as charity is not always charity in the internal form. Its quality and its source are known from its end. The charity that comes from a selfish or worldly end in its internal form is not charity, neither ought it to be called charity; but the charity that regards as its end the neighbor, the general good, heaven, and thus the Lord, is real charity, and has within it the affection of doing good from the heart, and the derivative delight of life which in the other life becomes bliss. It is of the utmost importance to know this, in order that man may know what the Lord’s kingdom is in itself. Inquiry concerning this charity, or what is the same thing, concerning this good, is now treated of in these verses; and here it is first asked from what origin was the charity there; which is signified by, “My brethren whence are ye?”

  
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Thanks to the Swedenborg Foundation for the permission to use this translation.

From Swedenborg's Works

 

Arcana Coelestia #367

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367. It is unnecessary to confirm these things by similar passages from the Word, except so far as to prove that charity is the “brother” of faith, and that a “field” signifies whatever is of doctrine. That charity is the “brother” of faith is evident to everyone from the nature or essence of faith. This brotherhood was represented by Esau and Jacob, and was the ground of their dispute about the birthright and the consequent dominion. It was also represented by Pharez and Zarah, the sons of Tamar by Judah (Genesis 38:28-29, 30); and by Ephraim and Manasseh (Genesis 48:13-14); and in both of these, as well as in other similar cases, there is a dispute about the primogeniture and the consequent dominion. For both faith and charity are the offspring of the church. Faith is called a “man” as was Cain, in verse 1 of this chapter, and charity is called a “brother” as in Isaiah 19:2; Jeremiah 13:14 and other places. The union of faith and charity is called “the covenant of brethren” (Amos 1:9). Similar to the signification of Cain and Abel, was that of Jacob and Esau, as just said; in that Jacob also was desirous of supplanting his brother Esau, as is evident also in Hosea:

To visit upon Jacob his ways, according to his doings will He recompense him; he supplanted his brother in the womb (Hosea 12:2-3).

But that Esau, or the charity represented by Esau, should nevertheless at length have the dominion, appears from the prophetic prediction of their father Isaac:

By thy sword shalt thou live, and shalt serve thy brother; and it shall come to pass, when thou hast the dominion, that thou shalt break his yoke from off thy neck (Genesis 27:40).Or what is the same, the Church of the Gentiles, or new church, is represented by Esau, and the Jewish Church is represented by Jacob; and this is the reason for its being so often said that the Jews should acknowledge the Gentiles as brethren; and in the Church of the Gentiles, or primitive church, all were called brethren, from charity. Such as hear the Word and do it are likewise called brethren by the Lord (Luke 8:21); those who hear are such as have faith; those who do are such as have charity; but those who hear, or say that they have faith, and do not, or have not charity, are not brethren, for the Lord likens them unto fools (Matthew 7:24, 26).

  
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Thanks to the Swedenborg Foundation for the permission to use this translation.

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