These
questions illuminate the Torah portion. By asking yourself these questions,
Parshat Vayeitze will be more meaningful.
Additionally,
associated with each question are references to the text, quotes and key words providing
context.
Learn
more about Parshat Vayeitze go to:
https://shabbos-table.blogspot.com/2025/11/vayetze-2810-323.html
1.
WHAT IS THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE WORD וַיֵּצֵ֥א IN
THE PHRASE: וַיֵּצֵ֥א
יַֽעֲקֹ֖ב מִבְּאֵ֣ר שָׁ֑בַע
“AND
JACOB LEFT FROM BEERSHEVA..”?
2.
IN WHAT WAY IS JACOB’S JOURNEY TO CHARAN REMINISCENT OF ABRAHAM’S JOURNEYS?
3.
HOW IS IT DIFFERENT?
4.
HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE JACOB’S EXPERIENCE AT THE PLACE WHERE HE SEES A LADDER
EXTENDING TO HEAVEN?
https://youtu.be/Ly6ZhQVnVow?si=1zdJP65-KUIQx_ws
5.
WHAT DOES HASHEM PROMISE JACOB?
6.
WHEN JACOB WAKES UP, WHAT IS HIS REACTION?
7.
AT 28:11, WHAT IS SIGNIFICANT ABOUT THE WORD מָּק֔וֹם ?
9.HOW
DOES HASHEM INTRODUCE HIMSELF?
10
– WHAT IS HASHEM’S PROMISE TO JACOB?
11.
DOES ESAU HAVE ANYTHING LIKE THIS?
12.
IS HASHEM’S PROMISE TO JACOB A COVENANT?
13.
WHEN HE REWAKENS, WHAT IS JACOB/S REACTION?
14
– WHEN HE REWAKENS, WHAT DOES JACOB DO?
15
- WHAT IS JACOB’S VOW?
16.
WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A VOW (NEDER) AND AN OATH (SHAVUA)?
17.
HOW DID JACOB TRAVEL TO CHARRAN?
18.
WHAT PREVENTED LEAH FROM BECOMING A SHEPHERDESS?
19.
WERE YOU SURPRISED WHEN THE MAN OF THE TENTS WAS ABLE TO ROLL AWAY THE HEAVY
STONE FROM THE WELL MOUTH?
https://youtu.be/P0rf3_viTxk?si=V7QSxJct7yi7t7hs
20.
WHERE DO WE FIND THAT JACOB WAS LUSTFUL?
21.
HOW DO YOU ACCOUNT FOR JACOB NOT RECOGNIZING THAT LEAH NOT RACHEL WAS HIS
BRIDE?
22.
FROM WHERE IN CHUMASH DO WE CELEBRATE SHEVA BARUCHAS?
23.
WHAT IS THE SIGNIFICANCE OF REUVEN’S NAME?
24.
COMPARE JACOB TO HIS FATHER ISAAC WHEN THEIR WIVES HAD DIFFICULTY BECOMING
PREGNANT.
25. WHAT IS דֽוּדָאִים.
26.
WO WAS THE 7TH CHILD BORN TO LEAH?
27.
WHO PRAYED FOR RACHEL THAT SHE CONCIEVED JOSEPH?
28.
DID JACOB TAKE STEPS TO ENSURE THAT HE WOULD KEEP HIS BARGAIN TO LAVAN
REGARDING THE COLOR OF HIS ANIMALS?
29.
Did LAVAN HAVE OTHER CHILDREN?
30.
DID JACOB AND LAVAN LIVE SIDE BY SIDE?
31.
WHAT PROMPTED JACOB TO LEAVE LAVAN?
32.
WHY DID RACHEL AND LEAH AGREE TO STAY WITH JACOB?
33.
THINK ABOUT THE WHY, WHEN AND HOW OF RACHEL STEALING HER FATHER’S TERAPHIM?
34.
WHERE IS MT. GILEAD?
35.
DESCRIBE THE CONSEQUENCES OF THE
AGREEMENT
BETWEEN JACOB AND LAVAN?
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
VAYEITZE
KEY Q&A
1. WHAT IS THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE WORD וַיֵּצֵ֥א IN THE PHRASE: וַיֵּצֵ֥א
יַֽעֲקֹ֖ב מִבְּאֵ֣ר שָׁ֑בַע
“AND JACOB LEFT FROM BEERSHEVA..”?
28:10 – THE VERSE COULD HAVE SAID “AND HE WENT”
WHEN A RIGHTEOUS PERSON LEAVES THERE IS A LOSS TO THE LAND.
2. IN WHAT WAY IS JACOB’S JOURNEY TO CHARAN REMINISCENT OF
ABRAHAM’S JOURNEYS?
It is reminiscent of Lech Lecha at 12:1 - “And the Lord
said to Abram, "Go forth from your land and from your birthplace and from
your father's house….”
3. HOW IS IT DIFFERENT?
ABRAHAM WAS TRAVELING TO A HOLY PLACE. JACOB IS LEAVING A HOLY
PLACE.
IT IS SIMILAR TO LEAVING THE LAND AND GOING TO EGYPT WHERE WE
BECAME SLAVES.
4. HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE JACOB’S EXPERIENCE AT THE PLACE WHERE HE
SEES A LADDER EXTENDING TO HEAVEN?
28:12 - IT IS AN OTHER WORLDLY, SUREAL MYSTICAL EXPERIENCE. JACOB
SEES ANGELS. MORE IMPORTANTLY, HASHEM SPEAKS TO HIM.
5. WHAT DOES HASHEM PROMISE JACOB?
28:13 – LAND,
28:15 - PROTECTION AND BRING YOU BACK.
6. WHEN JACOB WAKES UP, WHAT IS HIS REACTION?
WOW!
28:17 – FEAR, HOUSE OF GOD, THIS IS THE GATEWAY TO HEAVEN.
7. AT 28:11, WHAT IS SIGNIFICANT ABOUT THE WORD מָּק֔וֹם ?
28:11 - JACOB COMES TO A SPECIAL PLACE:
“And he CAME TO the place and lodged there because the sun had set, and he took from the stones of the place and put at his head, and he lay down in that place”.
וַיִּפְגַּ֨ע בַּמָּק֜וֹם וַיָּ֤לֶן שָׁם֙ כִּי־בָ֣א הַשֶּׁ֔מֶשׁ וַיִּקַּח֙ מֵֽאַבְנֵ֣י הַמָּק֔וֹם וַיָּ֖שֶׂם מְרַֽאֲשֹׁתָ֑יו וַיִּשְׁכַּ֖ב בַּמָּק֥וֹם הַהֽוּא
The word “place”, מָּק֔וֹם is used three times in this verse.
Perhaps it is another name for Hashem as used in the Passover Haggadah or
maybe a reference to the location of the future Temple, a place to which Hashem
will show you.
וַיִּפְגַּ֨ע could be translated as “meet” or “encounter”; מָּק֔וֹם could be understood as “God”.
Jacob had an encounter with Hashem.
8. AT 28: WHAT IS SIGNIFICANT ABOUT THE WORD וַיִּפְגַּ֨ע?
9.HOW DOES HASHEM INTRODUCE HIMSELF?
28:13 - I am HASHEM, the God of Abraham YOUR father, and the God
of Isaac.
10 – WHAT IS HASHEM’S PROMISE TO JACOB?
28:13,14, 15 - HASHEM
PROMISES LAND.
28:15 - JACOB IS PROMISED TO HAVE HASHEM’S PROTECTIONPROTECTION AND HASHEM WILL BRING HIM BACK.
11. DOES ESAU HAVE ANYTHING LIKE THIS?
12. IS HASHEM’S PROMISE TO JACOB A COVENANT?
NO.
13. WHEN HE REWAKENS, WHAT IS JACOB/S REACTION?
28:17 –FEAR, HOUSE OF GOD, THIS IS THE GATEWAY TO HEAVEN.
14 – WHEN HE REWAKENS, WHAT DOES JACOB DO?
28:18. 19, 20, 21 –
18 - takes the stone that he had placed under his head, and sets
it up as a monument and he then pours oil on the top of it.
19 - He names the place Bethel
15 - WHAT IS JACOB’S VOW?
20, 21 –
He makes a vow: If Hashem
will protect me on this journey, give me food and clothing, let me return to my
father in peace, then Hashem will be my God.
22 – then this stone will become a House of God. I will set aside
for You a tenth of everything that You give me.”
16. WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A VOW (NEDER) AND AN OATH
(SHAVUA)?
A vow (neder) makes something forbidden to oneself, while an oath
(shavua) is a declaration of a promise to act.
17, HOW DID JACOB TRAVEL TO CHARRAN?
29:1AN JACOB ENDURED; BY FOOT HE WENT.
18. WHAT PREVENTED LEAH FROM BECOMING A SHEPHERDESS?
29:17 – WEAK EYES.
19. WERE YOU SURPRISED WHEN THE MAN OF THE TENTS WAS ABLE TO ROLL
AWAY THE HEAVY STONE FROM THE WELL MOUTH?
https://youtu.be/P0rf3_viTxk?si=V7QSxJct7yi7t7hs
20. WHERE DO WE FIND THAT JACOB WAS LUSTFUL?
29:21 - Give me my wife, for my days are filled, so I may go in
unto her.
21. HOW DO YOU ACCOUNT FOR JACOB NOT RECOGNIZING THAT LEAH NOT
RACHEL WAS HIS BRIDE?
22. FROM WHERE IN CHUMASH DO WE CELEBRATE SHEVA BARUCHAS?
29:27 - Fulfil the week of this one, and
we will give thee the other also for the service which thou shalt serve with me
yet seven other years.'
29:28 - And Jacob did so, and fulfilled
her week; and he gave him Rachel his daughter to wife.
23. WHAT IS THE SIGNIFICANCE OF REUVEN’S NAME?
29:32 – BEHOLD, A SON.
24. COMPARE JACOB TO HIS FATHER ISAAC WHEN THEIR WIVES HAD
DIFFICULTY BECOMING PREGNANT.
25:21 – ISAAC PRAYED TO HASHEM.
30:2 -JACOB BECOMES ANGRY.
25. WHAT IS דֽוּדָאִים.
30:14 – MANDRAKE ROOT
26. WO WAS THE 7TH CHILD BORN TO LEAH?
30:21 – DINAH.
27. WHO PRAYED FOR RACHEL THAT SHE CONCIEVED JOSEPH?
30:23 – RACHEL PRAYED.
28. DID JACOB TAKE STEPS TO ENSURE THAT HE WOULD KEEP HIS BARGAIN
TO LAVAN REGARDING THE COLOR OF HIS ANIMALS?
29. Did LAVAN HAVE OTHER CHILDREN?
31:1 - he heard the words of Laban's sons saying…
וַיִּשְׁמַע, אֶת-דִּבְרֵי בְנֵי-לָבָן לֵאמֹר
30. DID JACOB AND LAVAN LIVE SIDE BY SIDE?
30:36 - וַיָּ֗שֶׂם דֶּ֚רֶךְ שְׁל֣שֶׁת יָמִ֔ים בֵּינ֖וֹ וּבֵ֣ין יַֽעֲקֹ֑ב
AND HE (LAVAN) STEPPED 3 DAYS BETWEEN…
31. WHAT PROMPTED JACOB TO LEAVE LAVAN?
31:2 LAVAN’S ATTITUDE CHANGED.
31:3, 31:13 -- HASHEM SPOKE TO JACOB.
32. WHY DID RACHEL AND LEAH AGREE TO STAY WITH JACOB?
31:14, TREATED AS STRANGERS, SOLD US, NO DOWRY, NO INHERITANCE.
33. THINK ABOUT THE WHY, WHEN AND
HOW OF RACHEL STEALING HER FATHER’S TERAPHIM?
3-DAY DISTANCE.
35. DESCRIBE THE CONSEQUENCES OF
THE
AGREEMENT
BETWEEN JACOB AND LAVAN?
31:52 – FOREVER SEPARATED.
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