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Monday, August 13, 2012

Genesis 29:25, What Did Jacob Steal From Esau?

When morning came, there was Leah! 

//If you said Jacob stole Esau's birthright, you're right.

If you said Jacob stole Esau's blessing, you're right.

If you said Jacob stole Esau's wife, you're right.

According to oral tradition in the Kabbalah, the story goes that Laban's two daughters had been betrothed to Isaac's two sons all along. Rachel to Jacob, the older Leah to the older Esau. Jacob falls in love with Rachel and agrees to work seven years for her, while Esau wanders off and ignores his bride. So, after the seven years are over, Leah remains unmarried, and according to custom, the older must marry first, so in the morning Jacob wakes up to find not Rachel in bed with him, but Leah! He has married the one betrothed to his brother! 

He works another seven years for Rachel, and Esau seems unperturbed about losing Leah (she had "weak eyes"), so all's well that ends well.

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