Bereisheet (Genesis): Vayeitzei > Ch 28

Isaac sends Jacob to take a wife from the daughters of Laban

• Isaac called Jacob, blessed him, and told him to go to Padan aram, and take a wife of the daughters of Laban (Rebecca’s brother). He also commanded Jacob not to take a wife of the daughters of Canaan.

Esau takes the daughter of Ishmael for a wife, to displease his father

• Esau saw that the daughters of Canaan were displeasing to his father Isaac. So, Esau went to Ishmael, and he took Mahalath, the daughter of Ishmael, the son of Abraham, the sister of Nebaioth, in addition to his other wives as a wife

Jacob sees a miraculous dream in which G-d tells him about the covenant

• As Jacob was traveling to Haran, he went to sleep in the desert, using stones to rest his head.. And he dreamed, and behold! A ladder set up on the ground and its top reached to heaven; and behold, angels of G-d were ascending and descending upon it. And behold, the Lord was standing over him, and He said, "I am the Lord, the God of Abraham your father, and the God of Isaac; the land upon which you are lying to you I will give it and to your seed. And your seed shall be as the dust of the earth, and you shall gain strength westward and eastward and northward and southward; and through you shall be blessed all the families of the earth and through your seed. And behold, I am with you, and I will guard you wherever you go, and I will restore you to this land, for I will not forsake you until I have done what I have spoken concerning you."

Jacob marks the place as the house of G-d, names it Beth-el and promises that part of everything he gets through the blessings, he will return to G-d

• When Jacob awaken he said, "How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of G-d, and this is the gate of heaven." Jacob took the stone that he had placed at his head, and set it up as a monument, and he poured oil on top of it. And he named the place Beth el, but Luz was originally the name of the city. And Jacob uttered a vow, saying, "If G-d will be with me, and He will guard me on this way, upon which I am going, and He will give me bread to eat and a garment to wear; And if I return in peace to my father's house, and the Lord will be my G-d; Then this stone, which I have placed as a monument, shall be a house of G-d, and everything that You give me, I will surely tithe to You”.

Rashi Commentary

• And…the Almighty G-d Heb. שַׁדַּי. May He Who has enough (שֶׁדָּי) blessings for those who are blessed from His mouth, bless you.

Research & Analysis

• everything that You give me, I will surely tithe to You Jacob didn't think this subconsciously, he made an explicit promise to G-d.