Summary of The Weekly Torah Reading:
Parshas Vayeitzei
Note: The Shabbos Torah Reading is divided into 7 sections. Each section
is called an Aliya [literally: Go up] since for each Aliya, one person
"goes up"
to make a bracha [blessing] on the Torah Reading.
1st Aliya:
Yakov experiences the famed prophecy of "Jacob's Ladder".
2nd Aliya:
Yakov arrives in Charan, encounters Rachel, and contracts with
Lavan for her hand in marriage.
3rd Aliya:
Lavan switches Leah for Rachel forcing Yakov to negotiate another
7 years of service for Rachel. Leah gives birth to Reuven, Shimon, Levi, and
Yehudah. Rachel marries off Bilhah to Yakov who gives birth to Dan and
Naftoli. Leah marries off Zilpah to Yakov, and she gives birth to Gad and
Asher.
4th Aliya:
Rachel contracts with Leah for Reuven's mandrakes, after which
Leah gives birth to Yisachar and Zevulen. Rachel finally gives birth to
Yoseph, and Yakov approaches Lavan to negotiate a proper salary for continued
service.
5th Aliya:
Yakov's uses his vast knowledge of nature and husbandry to amass a
fortune in sheep and cattle. After 6 years he decides with Rachel and Leah to
flee from Lavan.
6th Aliya:
They flee and Lavan catches them. Hashem (G-d) intervenes and Yakov,
while confronting Lavan for his years of duplicity, unwittingly curses
Rachel.
7th Aliya:
Yakov and Lavan separate and Yakov arrives at the border of Canaan
in 2205.
Parsha Summary by Rabbi Aron Tendler
