Vayetze וַיֵּצֵא - And He Went Out
Genesis 28:10-32:3
Reading #4 - Genesis 30:14–27
My Thoughts:
The mandrake is a plant with supposedly fertility power. Did Rachel know this and is this why she demanded that Leah give some to her? Rachel wanted to conceive so badly that she traded the mandrake in place of Leah having sex with Jacob. Kind of ironic don’t you think? Rachel wants to have children so badly, but in the course of this agreement, Leah becomes pregnant.
Would you trade something of value just to get something you wanted in return? To what extent would you go? Would you give up your child’s college money to buy an expensive sports car? Or has someone done something to hurt you in a trade for something else? Many children are abused so that the mother can be in a relationship. Maybe we need to think about what Rachel did and pray to Hashem that we never make that type of mistake!
Challenge:
My challenge to you today is to think about something you are desiring in life. An object, a person, money or whatever. Would you be willing to trade something of real value to get what you want? Or would you be willing to go to Hashem in prayer and worship and ask Him? Search your heart on this and be honest.
Reading #4 - Genesis 30:14–27
14 Reuben went in the days of wheat harvest, and found mandrakes in the field, and brought them to his mother, Leah. Then Rachel said to Leah, “Please give me some of your son’s mandrakes.”
15 Leah said to her, “Is it a small matter that you have taken away my husband? Would you take away my son’s mandrakes, also?”
Rachel said, “Therefore he will lie with you tonight for your son’s mandrakes.”
16 Jacob came from the field in the evening, and Leah went out to meet him, and said, “You must come in to me; for I have surely hired you with my son’s mandrakes.”
He lay with her that night. 17 Elohim listened to Leah, and she conceived, and bore Jacob a fifth son. 18 Leah said, “Elohim has given me my hire, because I gave my servant to my husband.” She named him Issachar. 19 Leah conceived again, and bore a sixth son to Jacob. 20 Leah said, “Elohim has endowed me with a good dowry. Now my husband will live with me, because I have borne him six sons.” She named him Zebulun. 21 Afterwards, she bore a daughter, and named her Dinah.
22 Elohim remembered Rachel, and Elohim listened to her, and opened her womb. 23 She conceived, bore a son, and said, “Elohim has taken away my reproach.” 24 She named him Joseph, saying, “May Hashem add another son to me.”
25 When Rachel had borne Joseph, Jacob said to Laban, “Send me away, that I may go to my own place, and to my country. 26 Give me my wives and my children for whom I have served you, and let me go; for you know my service with which I have served you.”
27 Laban said to him, “If now I have found favor in your eyes, stay here, for I have divined that Hashem has blessed me for your sake.”
