Torah Trivia for Parshah Vayetze
1.) On what page, in my English translations of the Torah, does Vayetze begin? (Just Kidding J, but it actually is: page 110 in one, and page 166 in another).
1.) During what cycle of the Earth’s rotation (time of the day) does Yaakov see the ladder to Heaven with the Angels going up and down: a.) Sunrise; b.) morning; c.) mid-day; d.) afternoon; e.) Sunset; f.) night
Answer: Yaakov sees the ladder to Heaven during the night, after the Sun sets; Bereshit 28:11.
2.) What metaphor does Adonai utilise to describe the expansiveness of Yaakov’s descendants: a.) Stars in the Sky; b.) sands of the ocean; c.) dust of the Earth; d.) drops of water in the Sea; e.) grass in the fields; f.) ants in the ground?
Answer: Adonai utilises the metaphor of c.) dust of the Earth; Bereshit 28:14.
3.) What name does Yaakov give to the location of the altar that he builds to Adonai after seeing his vision, and what is that location previously named?
Answer: Yaakov provides the location of the altar with the name, “Beth El” (“Adonai’s Temple”); and the area is previously referred to as, “Luz;” Bereshit 28:19.
4.) What conditions does Yaakov communicate for fully dedicating himself to Adonai, and what promise does Yaakov make upon receiving Adonai’s blessing?
Answer: Yaakov communicates the conditions of Elohim 1.) being with Yaakov, 2.) protecting Yaakov, 3.) giving Yaakov food and clothing, and 4.) bringing Yaakov back Peacfully to his father’s home; and Yaakov promises to provide 1/10th of all he is provided; Bereshit 20 – 22.
5.) With how many shepherds does Yaakov maintain his conversation at the well immediately before Rachel approaches?
Answer: Actually, there is an absence of a description of a specific number; there are too few shepherds to move the stone from the well; however, there is the specific description of there being 3 flocks of sheep resting at the well (Bereshit 29:2), and a reference that Yaakov speaks to at least 2 shepherds, because the plural form is utilised (Bereshit 29:4 – 9), so there is the possibility of there being 3 shepherds, 1 for each flock of sheep; Bereshit 29:2 – 9.
6.) How many years does Yaakov labour for Laban in order to marry Rachel, and how many years, in total, does Yaakov labour for Laban?
Answer: Yaakov effectively works 14 years to marry Rachel: initially 7 years before being deceived into marrying Leah (Bereshit 29:18 – 26), and an additional 7 years to actually marry Rachel (Bereshit 29:27 – 29); it is also described that Yaakov works for Laban for another 7 years, after marrying Rachel, for a total of 21 years (Bereshit 29:30); and Yaakov later proclaims working for Laban for 20 years (Bereshit 31:38, 41).
7.) What is the sequence of birth, and the respective motherhood, of each of Yaakov’s sons; and when, and to whom, within this sequence, is Dinah born?
Answer: Reuven (from Leah); Bereshit 29:32
Simeon (from Leah); Bereshit 29:33
Levi (from Leah); Bereshit 29:34
Yudah (from Leah); Bereshit 29:35
Dan (from Bilhah); Bereshit 30:4 - 6
Naphtali (from Bilhah); Bereshit 30:7 - 8
Gad (from Zilpah); Bereshit 30:10 - 11
Asher (from Zilpah); Bereshit 30:12 – 13
Issachar (from Leah); Bereshit 30:17 – 18
Zebulun (from Leah); Bereshit 30:19 – 20
Yosef (from Rachel); Bereshit 30:22 – 24
Benjamin (from Rachel) is born after Israel reconciles with Esau and travels to Ephrath; Bereshit 35:16 – 20.
Dinah is born from Leah, after Zebulun is born to Leah, and before Yosef is born to Rachel; Bereshit 30:21, 19 – 24.
8.) What does Leah trade to Rachel in order to receive Rachel’s permission to sleep with Yaakov, whereby Leah conceives Issachar; and how old is Reuven at that time?
Answer: Leah provides Rachel with “love flowers” or “mandrakes” (“duda’im”) that are picked by Reuven in the fields; Bereshit 30:14 – 18; and although there is an absence of a specific description, Reuven is presumably less than 3 years old when he picks the duda’im from the fields: although Yaakov and Leah are married for 7 years prior, it is described that Leah only becomes pregnant and gives birth to Rueven after Yaakov marries Rachel (Bereshit 29:30 – 32); it is described that Yaakov works for Laban for only 7 years after marrying Rachel (Bereshit 29:30), and Leah has 3 children (Issachar, Zebulun, and Dinah) presumably with a duration of at least 3 years, seemingly exactly between the time that Reuven picks the duda’im and Yaakov decides to leave Laban (Bereshit 30:19 – 26); so, within that 7-year period after Yaakov marries Rachel, there is the consideration that Reuven is born after approximately 1 year, reaches the age of 3 when he picks the duda’im (for a total of four years), and then Leah has 3 additional children (Issachar, Zebulun, and Dinah) before the end of 7th year when Yaakov decides to leave Laban (presuming that Yosef is born to Rachel near the same time that Dinah is born to Leah, Bereshit 30:21 – 24, otherwise, Reuven is less than 2 years old when he picks the duda’im; Bereshit 29:30 – 30:26.
9.) What are the wages that Yaakov and Laban initially agree for Laban to provide to Yaakov as Yaakov prepares to leave Laban’s house; and how do Rachel and Leah both respond to Yaakov’s solicitation to leave the women’s father and return to Yaakov’s birthplace: a.) “We are staying here; see ya!”; b.) “Our father already spends our bridal dowry, he treats us like strangers, and everything you already take of his is rightfully ours; so let’s take it and go!”; c.) “We are turning you into the authorities for conspiracy of theft and kidnapping!”; d.) “You should be loyal and stay here with our father and family.”; or e.) “Let’s all sit down and talk about this like rational adults.”?
Answer: Laban and Yaakov agree for Laban to provide Yaakov with all the sheep with dark markings, and all the goats with spots and/or speckles; Bereshit 30:31 -33; Rachel and Leah respond by: b.) describing the licentiousness of the women’s father, Laban, and defiantly proclaiming ownership of Yaakov’s flocks from Laban, and agreeing to leave Padan Aram; Bereshit 31:14 – 16.
10.) How many days (rotations of the Earth) of a head start does Yaakov have when fleeing from Laban, and how many rotations of the Earth (days) does it require for Laban’s camp to catch up with Yaakov’s camp?
Answer: Yaakov has a 3-day (rotations of the Earth) head start, and it takes Laban’s camp 7 rotations of the Earth (days) to catch up with Yaakov’s camp; ; Bereshit 31:22 – 23.
11.) Where does Rachel hide Laban’s idols: a.) inside her tent; b.) dug into the nearby ground; c.) below the stone of the well where she first meets Yaakov; d.) underneath the table where Eliezar first negotiates with Laban for Rivkah to marry Yitzak; or e.) within the seat cushion atop the camel that she is riding?
Answer: Rachel hides Laban’s idols d.) within the seat cushion atop the camel that she is riding; Bereshit 31:34.
12.) What are the distinct, respective names that Yaakov and Laban provide to the mound of stones and the pillar where both make a pact of Peace and share a meal to represent this pact of Peace?
Answer: Laban names the mound, “Yegar Sahadutha” (“Witness Mound”), and Yaakov names the mound, “Gal’ed” (“Witness”); and Laban later proclaims the erected pillar as, “Mitzpah” (“Watchpost”); Bereshit 31:45 – 49.
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Discussion Questions:
What does it actually mean that “all the families of the (E)arth will be blessed because of (Yaakov) and (his) descendants”? Why dos Adonai communicate this to Yaakov before all the events that culminate with Yaakov wrestling with the Angel; is this some “positive prodding” to encourage Yaakov to persevere through the trials of Laban and returning to Esau? Bereshit 28:13 – 15.
What is the nature of providing offerings to Adonai? In a quid pro quo bartering arrangement, and amidst the acknowledgment of all bounty being provided by Adonai, what is the “balance of fairness” in a 100% to 10% exchange? What is the meaning, and the depths therein, within the offering of a sacrifice, and how does this coincide with the mitzvot to attend to the stranger, the the poor, the widow, and the orphan? Bereshit 28:22.
What is the significance of the mandrakes (duda’im) and what is the nature of the duty of “services” that Yaakov has to Leah via Rachel? Is there any irony in the fact that Leah becomes pregnant after Rachel eats the duda’im? Bereshit 30:14 – 18.
What is the nature of the breeding strategy that Yaakov employs? Are the speckles, spots, rings, and dark markings psycho-induced within the breeding process? And how long does this process actually take in order for Yaakov to amass a bountiful flock? And is Laban separated from Yaakov during this entire process? Bereshit 30:35 -43.
What is the significance of Laban referencing the Elohim of Avraham, the Elohim of Nachor, and the Elohim of Avraham’s and Nachor’s father’s? And what is the significance within Yaakov specifically recognising the Elohim of Yitzak? What are the respective distinctions and similitudes amidst these invocations? Bereshit 31:53 – 54.
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