Jacob at Bethel

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Tanakh versions:

Throughout this site I will use the following three versions of the TaNaKh: 1. “Jewish Publication Society” (JPS-1917), 2. “Sefaria.org” (SEF), and 3. “Mechon-Mamre.org” (MEC).

Colour coded details of the - TaNaKh:

1. Torah = History & Law, 2. Nevi’im = The Prophets. 3. *Ketuvim = all other Writings.

*The Ketuvim - Includes, Poetical books - Psalms, Proverbs, Job, the Megillot, or Scrolls - Song of Solomon, Ruth, Lamentations of Jeremiah, Ecclesiastes, and Esther, prophecy of Daniel, and history of Ezra, Nehemiah, and Chronicles I & II.

Please Note: Some alterations have been made relating to ‘Names’ and ‘Attributes’ having been corrected as it once was, pre the “Masoretic Text”.

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Remember the following three truth’s from our beloved Scriptures!

“Ye shall NOT ADD TO THE WORD which I command you, neither shall ye diminish from it, that ye may keep the commandments of יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵיכֶם (the LORD your Elo’lei’chem) which I command you”. Davarim - Deuteronomy 4:2. (JPS-1917).

“This is My Name FOREVER, and this is My Memorial to ALL Generations”. Shemot - Exodus 3:15. (JPS).

“I am יְהוָה, that is My Name; and My glory will I not give to another”. Yeshayahu - Isaiah 42:8. (JPS).

יַעֲקֹב - Ya’aqov - Jacob at Bethel

With, Dr. Reuven Ben Avraham-Goossens, PhD.

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Just before the study, I would like to commence another most important quote from the book of Yahushua - Joshua Ch 1:7-8. (JPS-1917).

“Be strong and courageous. Be careful to obey the entire Torah My servant Moshe has given you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. Do not let this Book of the Torah depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.”

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Please Note: This study uses verses’ from the “Jewish Publication Society” (JPS-1917).

Introduction:

Bereshit - Genesis 28:10 to 22 narrates Ya’aqov - Jacob’s flight to Haran, when he arrived at his unexpected lodging, at “the place,” he had a nocturnal vision of a ladder (or stairway) with angels ascending and descending, אֱלֹהִים - Elohim’s (God’s), blessed be His Name, reiteration and expansion of the patriarchal promises, Ya’aqov - Jacob’s awed response, and his vow to יְהוָה - the LORD if אֱלֹהִים, blessed be His Holy Name, preserves him.

The scene turns an ordinary roadside night into a permanent sacred locus Bethel, “the house of אֱלֹהִים” and this sets his life on a covenantal trajectory.

Bereshit - Genesis 28:10-22. (JPS):

וַיֵּצֵא יַעֲקֹב, מִבְּאֵר שָׁבַע; וַיֵּלֶךְ, חָרָנָה

10. “And Ya’aqov - Jacob went out from Be’er-sheba, and went toward Haran”.

After many years of living in the Holy Land, Ya’aqov headed for Haran in order - 1. To save his life from Esau, and 2. To find one who would be the right wife. Therefore the portion opens with the words, ”And Ya’aqov went out”.

וַיִּפְגַּע בַּמָּקוֹם וַיָּלֶן שָׁם, כִּי-בָא הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ, וַיִּקַּח מֵאַבְנֵי הַמָּקוֹם, וַיָּשֶׂם מְרַאֲשֹׁתָיו; וַיִּשְׁכַּב, בַּמָּקוֹם הַהוּא

11. “And he lighted upon the place, and tarried there all night, because the sun was set; and he took some of the stones of the place, and put it under his head, and lay down in that place to sleep”.

The journey and the “place” (vv. 10–11):

With Ya’aqov having left Be’er Sheba and being on his way to Haran, when he entered in what the Torah calls: “The Place” - ba’Ma’kom, where at night he “took of the ‘stones’ (in plural) of that place, and put them at his head, and there he laid down.

Then, he dreamed of a Ladder that reached to the Sky, with Angels ascending and descending, with אֱלֹהִים - Elohim (God), blessed be He, standing over him, blessing him with the ‘Blessing of Abraham’ his father, and he exclaimed: ‘This is the Gate of Heaven!’. So he woke up, and anointed the “Stone” (in singular) which he had used for his pillow.

Ya’aqov’s flight is both literal and existential: leaving home, family, and the familiar to a luminal - transitional space. The verb that describes his arrival (he “lighted upon” the place), suggesting a providential meeting thus not by a mere chance. The “place” was unnamed, neutral, until אֱלֹהִים appears.

The vision of the ladder and angels (v. 12-14):

וַיַּחֲלֹם, וְהִנֵּה סֻלָּם מֻצָּב אַרְצָה, וְרֹאשׁוֹ, מַגִּיעַ הַשָּׁמָיְמָה; וְהִנֵּה מַלְאֲכֵי אֱלֹהִים, עֹלִים וְיֹרְדִים בּוֹ

12. “And he dreamed, and behold a ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven; and behold the angels of אֱלֹהִים - ascending and descending on it”.

וְהִנֵּה יְהוָה נִצָּב עָלָיו, וַיֹּאמַר, אֲנִי יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵי אַבְרָהָם אָבִיךָ, וֵאלֹהֵי יִצְחָק; הָאָרֶץ, אֲשֶׁר אַתָּה שֹׁכֵב עָלֶיהָ-לְךָ אֶתְּנֶנָּה, וּלְזַרְעֶךָ

13 .“And, behold, יְהוָה - the LORD stood beside him, and said: אֲנִי יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵי – ‘I am the LORD, the Elohei of Avraham thy father, and the אֱלֹהִים of Yitzchak - Isaac. The land whereon thou liest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed”.

The ladder & the stairway image, was a connection between heaven and earth. Angels moving up and down suggest ongoing Divine traffic, אֱלֹהִים- Elohim’s care is not a one-time descent but continuous engagement. The image resists a merely vertical, static theology: the world is a theatre of movement where heaven and earth interact.

אֱלֹהִים identifies Himself as the אֱלֹהִים of Avraham - Abraham and Yeshayahu - Isaac, thereby continuing the covenant chain. The promises are expansive: land, offspring as dust, blessing to the nations, presence and preservation, and a guaranty of return. Note the reciprocity: אֱלֹהִים - Elohim will be with Ya’aqov; אֱלֹהִים and will not leave until the promise is fulfilled!

Divine speech and promise (vv. 14-15):

וְהָיָה זַרְעֲךָ כַּעֲפַר הָאָרֶץ, וּפָרַצְתָּ יָמָּה וָקֵדְמָה וְצָפֹנָה וָנֶגְבָּה; וְנִבְרְכוּ בְךָ כָּל-מִשְׁפְּחֹת הָאֲדָמָה, וּבְזַרְעֶךָ

14. “And thy seed shall be as the dust of the earth, and thou shalt spread abroad to the west, and to the east, and to the north, and to the south. And in thee and in thy seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed”.

וְהִנֵּה אָנֹכִי עִמָּךְ, וּשְׁמַרְתִּיךָ בְּכֹל אֲשֶׁר-תֵּלֵךְ, וַהֲשִׁבֹתִיךָ, אֶל-הָאֲדָמָה הַזֹּאת: כִּי, לֹא אֶעֱזָבְךָ, עַד אֲשֶׁר אִם-עָשִׂיתִי, אֵת אֲשֶׁר-דִּבַּרְתִּי לָך

15. “And, behold, I am with thee, and will keep thee whithersoever thou goest, and will bring thee back into this land; for I will not leave thee, until I have done that which I have spoken to thee of”.

אֱלֹהִים identifies Himself as the אֱלֹהִים of Avraham and Yeshayahu - Isaac, thereby continuing the covenant chain. The promises are expansive: land, offspring as dust, blessing to the nations, presence and preservation, and a guaranty of return. Note the reciprocity: אֱלֹהִיםwill be with Ya’aqov - Jacob; אֱלֹהִים will not leave until the promise is fulfilled.

Ya’aqov’s reaction, fear, awe, naming (vv. 16–19):

וַיִּיקַץ יַעֲקֹב, מִשְּׁנָתוֹ, וַיֹּאמֶר, אָכֵן יֵשׁ יְהוָה בַּמָּקוֹם הַזֶּה; וְאָנֹכִי, לֹא יָדָעְתִּי

16. “And Jacob awaked out of his sleep, and he said: ‘Surely the LORD is in this place; and I knew it not’.

17. And he was afraid, and said: ‘How full of awe is this place! this is none other than the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven’.

18. And Jacob 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 upon the top of it.

19. And he called the name of that place ‘Beth-el’, but the name of the city was Luz at the first.

Ya’aqov - Jacob names the place “Bethel” (House of Elohim) and calls it “awe-inspiring.” His language shifts from personal fear to a communal sign: the rock becomes a pillar; the pillar becomes a memorial with vows attached.

Jacob’s vow and conditional piety (vv. 20–22):

Ya’aqov - Jacob vows loyalty, tithes, and a conditional promise: if אֱלֹהִים - Elohim keeps him and returns him, then יְהוָה - the LORD will be his אֱלֹהִים, blessed be His Holy Name.

The vow reveals human precariousness and the need to codify Divine encounters into remembered practice.

Theological and literary observations:

The narrator places Ya’aqov - Jacob squarely in the Abraham–Isaac line; the promises are reissued and broadened (notably the universal blessing “all families of the earth”), showing covenant as both particular (land, seed) and universal (blessing to nations).

Divine encounter happens in threshold moments, journey, night, vulnerable rest, teaching that sacred meeting is often found beyond routine security.

Human response and memorialisation: Ya’aqov’s Jacob’s pillar, naming, and vow institutionalize the encounter. Memory and ritual (a pillar, a vow, and tithing) are the means by which a private vision becomes communal vocation.

Ambiguity in Jacob’s vow:

The vow is conditional, “if” אֱלֹהִים preserves, revealing both faith and bargaining, genuine devotion and understandable human contingency. The narrative neither wholly approves nor condemns the bargaining; it records honest human negotiation with the divine.

Threshold spirituality: Invite participants to name moments when life felt “in-between” and discuss how those moments might be openings for divine word.

Presence in journeying: Emphasize that covenantal assurance can accompany exile, migration, and uncertainty. Jacob’s promise is anchored not in comfort but in God’s faithful presence during movement.

Memory-shaping practices: Discuss simple memorial practices (a marked place, a short prayer, a yearly recollection) that turn ephemeral spiritual experiences into communal lifelines.

Wrestling with vows: Use Jacob’s conditional vow to talk about a faith and to do things for our beloved Creator with a heart!

Let us learn from him, and when we are in prayer to אֱלֹהִים be sincere, and do everything with love, with and a heart of love!

In conclusion:

Thus, יְהוָה אֱלֹהִים meets Ya’aqov - Jacob in the silence of a roadside night and makes a home of that threshold, revealing that covenant presence travels with the wanderer.

יְהוָה אֱלֹהִים - the LORD Elohim, blessed be His Sanctified Name, in the liminal (transitional or in-between state or place that evokes a feeling of unease or nostalgia) places of our lives, to mark them with memory, and to walk on with the courage of all of us live under a host of blessings, and feel His presence during the ‘מוֹעֲדִים - Mo’a’dim - Feasts, and continue saying your daily תְּפִלָּה - Te’fee’lah’s (Prayers) and regular בְּרָכָה - Be’ra’chah’s, blessings.

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In Conclusion, a Question to Deepen the Conversation:

Which part of the Tanakh study, or possibly a particular line or statement within it has touched you the most? And how do you feel about spending more time studying our beloved Tanakh? I pray that you are doing well as a faithful Hebrew, and אֱלֹהִים - Elohim willing you are upholding as many of our blessed Mitzvoth’s?

Dear reader, please remember this, pray for peace and solitude in your and yur loved ones life, and then work on keeping a calm persona as possible and learn to improve your life, for אֱלֹהִים - Blessed be He, is always there and ready to help and guide you!

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PLEASE NOTE: If you need assistance in some way, just ask, I can email you special items to help you with whatever you may need, etc! Just email me (using the link further below) and I will send it to your email, without any follow up whatsoever, or any requests from me! The email is just down this page.

This site was originally for those who needed to return to our blessed and wonderful faith, thus be wise and work on your faith and pray at least two or of possible three times a day and always seek אֱלֹהִים - Elohim’s guidance! But as you may have discovered it has become very much a teaching site!

Remember what אֱלֹהִים - Elohim, blessed be He, said the following, via a number of our prophets...

“Return unto Me, and I will return unto you, saith צְבָאוֹת- יְהוָה- the LORD of hosts”. Mal’a’chi - Malachi 3:7. MEC).

And Remember ...

Enjoy your Sabbath Rest, Shabbat Shalom!

אֲנִי יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵיכֶם, בְּחֻקּוֹתַי לֵכוּ; וְאֶת-מִשְׁפָּטַי שִׁמְרוּ, וַעֲשׂוּ אוֹתָם

וְאֶת-שַׁבְּתוֹתַי, קַדֵּשׁוּ; וְהָיוּ לְאוֹת, בֵּינִי וּבֵינֵיכֶם-לָדַעַת, כִּי אֲנִי יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵיכֶם

“I am אֱלֹהֵיכֶם יְהוָה (the LORD your Elo’hei’chem); walk in My statutes, and keep Mine ordinances, and do them; and hallow My Sabbaths, and they shall be a sign between Me and you, that ye may know that I am אֱלֹהֵיכֶם יְהוָה - YaHVaH your Elo’hei’chem”. Yechezkel - Ezekiel 20:19-20. (JPS).

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“Hebraic Studies” motto is as follows;

“The More Torah, the More Life”.

For our Elohim is the One who gave us our ... Life!

May the שָׁלוֹם - Shalom = Peace of צְבָאוֹת- יְהוָה= the LORD of hosts. be with you, and please always uphold our blessed שַׁבָּת - Shabbat, as well as the ‘מוֹעֲדִים - Mo’a’dim - Feasts, and continue saying your daily תְּפִלָּה - Te’fee’lah’s (Prayers) and regular בְּרָכָה - Be’ra’chah’s (blessings) before food and drinks, etc!

שָׁלוֹם עֲלֵיכֶם - Shalom Aleichem - Peace be with you!

Rabbi, Dr. Reuven Ben Avraham-Goossens, PhD.

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