SAN DIEGO — The portion we read last weekend, Vayetsei, tells the story of Jacob, our third and final forefather. It begins with a dream. Jacob dreams of a ladder “to the sky” with angels going up and down it. God talks to Jacob, telling him his children and their future generations shall spread out all over. God says he will protect Jacob.
The Parshah continues with the story of Jacob’s wives. Jacob sees Rachel by a watering well and falls deeply in love with her. He asks her father if he can marry her. Her father says yes, after Jacob works for him for seven years. Jacob works for those seven years, but is tricked into marrying Rachel’s sister Leah instead. It seems that the older daughter must marry before the younger one can. So, Jacob works another seven years and marries Rachel (remember, back then it was okay to have more than one wife).
Jacob winds up with four wives who give him many sons and one daughter. Over the next six years he builds a large flock of sheep and goats, then leaves with his wives and children.
What this means: We see in this Parshah that Jacob worked for fourteen years to get to marry Rachel. He didn’t give up, but kept working toward the goal he wanted.
What you can do: If there is something you really want, even if it is difficult to get, don’t give up. Keep working toward that goal and you can achieve it. *
*
Marcia Berneger is a retired elementary school teacher. She loves writing stories for children. She is the author of such children’s books as Buster the Little Garbage Truck, and A Dreidel in Time.