<< Previous post in the Jacob series: #1 Jacob’s ladder – dreaming awake
Running away is not a solution
In my commentary on the ladder dream (Jacob #1), we’ve seen Jacob go through an important spiritual transformation using Four-Worlds consciousness. But that’s not the end of his spiritual journey, only one stage in it. Jacob’s spiritual growth (in Atzilut) will be hampered unless he can learn a lot more about how to operate well, with integrity, in the worlds of right thinking (Beriah), clean emotion and relationship (Yetzirah), and right action (Assiyah). He has a complicated relationship with his father-in-law Lavan. Jacob has challenges with Lavan around contracts and ownership (Assiyah-Physical World). They don’t trust each other (Yetzirah-Emotional World); Lavan tricks Jacob more than once, and Jacob responds with his own cunning (Beriah-Mental World). Jacob clearly needs to leave. But how? He can’t just ‘run’. He did that before when he fled from Esau (understandably, to save his own life); and many years later, Jacob is still stuck with all his unresolved issues around Esau. Running from Lavan would simply exacerbate what is already a dysfunctional relationship. This next stage sees Jacob working through how to rise above a messy situation, and exit with some grace and wisdom, and with the relationship intact, rather than broken or just abandoned; after all, he needs to think of his wives and children, and their relationship to their father and grandfather. Jacob has work to do in physical, emotional and mental dimensions.
Addressing unresolved relationship issues – Lavan and Esau
[Gen. 31:3, Vayeitzei] And YHVH said to Yaakov: Return to the land of your fathers, to your kindred! I will be with you!
YHVH, God as EHYH, the God-of-Presence, -of-Unfolding-Moment-by-Moment (Atzilut-Spiritual World), advises Jacob to return to the land of his kindred. Why? After all, this is the land where his brother Esau lives, the brother who has vowed to kill him (Gen. 27:41-2). Such a move might test Jacob’s confidence in God. God reminds him of the promises made in the ladder dream: to be with Jacob, and to protect him (Gen. 28:10-19). Jacob approaches his wives and explains that he thinks that he’s no longer welcome—or perhaps even safe—with their father Lavan. He tells them that he has had a dream (Yetzirah-Imaginal World) in which God tells him they must all leave, and return to the land of Jacob’s family.
[Gen 31:13] I am the God [Eil] of Beit-Eil, where you anointed the pillar, where you vowed a vow to me. So now, arise [kum], get out [tzei] of this land, return to the land of your kindred!
This communication from God is very specifically for Jacob; we know this because God identifies Himself as the God that Jacob encountered in the ladder dream. This journey is very much Jacob’s. What vow did Jacob make after the ladder dream, when he made the stone into an altar? “If YHVH-God will be with me and will watch over me on this way that I go, … to me, YHVH shall be God.” (Gen. 28:20-21) God now asks Jacob to take his family and worldly belongings, and physically leave Lavan’s land. This is another decision moment for Jacob; if he and God are going to have a meaningful relationship, Jacob has to show in his actions (Assiyah-Physical World) that he trusts God to indeed protect him. “Kum tzei—arise, leave / liberate yourself!”, says God. This could also be a spiritual directive; Jacob needs to elevate his awareness, and release himself from his current situation, evolving emotionally, mentally and spiritually. To do this, he must travel back to his family of origin. Modern psychology might suggest that, in order for Jacob to evolve, he must do inner work on his family issues. But, as well as having a challenge ahead of him, Jacob also has to do some inner work to break free from the ‘land’ he is in. Lavan doesn’t back off without first having a serious disagreement with Jacob, and Jacob has to attend to that relationship first, finding a way to renegotiate it peacefully so that he can move on.
[Gen. 32:2] As Yaakov went on his way, messengers / angels [mal’achei] of God encountered him.
As soon as Jacob and Lavan have made peace, and Lavan leaves, God sends Jacob ‘messengers’ (mal’achim-angels) to meet him. Perhaps this is God’s way of confirming to Jacob that he’s dealt successfully with the challenges of his relationship with Lavan (lower three Worlds). It also shows that God is upholding His side of the agreement, looking after Jacob.
[Gen. 32:3] Yaakov said when he saw them: This is a camp of God! And he called the name of that place [makom]: Machanayim / Double-Camp.
Continuing work on awareness practice
Through his ladder dream, and his dealings with Lavan, Jacob grows in his whole Four-Worlds self. So when the ‘messengers’ appear, Jacob is able to recognise them for what they are: angels, a gift from God. And, as with the location of the ladder dream, he recognises this one also as makom, ‘the Place’ of God (remember, Ha-makom is one of the names of God). Rashi suggests that the name Machanayim / ‘Double-Camp’ refers to two sets of angels, one set accompanying Jacob up until this point, and the other set who will accompany him on the next phase of his journey. I think of this also as a representation of Jacob’s dual consciousness—the ordinary, lower awareness that he started with, and the higher, and more integrated Four-Worlds consciousness that he has begun to develop and operate from. And remember, the ladder with the angels ascending and descending can be understood as a metaphor of Jacob (and ourselves) constantly moving up and down levels of awareness. I imagine that it is in a fluctuating state that Jacob takes his next step: preparing to meet Esau.
Facing our ‘outer’ demons
What do I learn from this episode? Having a ‘spiritual experience’ like the ladder dream (Jacob #1), and the ‘aha!’ learning that can come with it is not complete in itself. It must be grounded. To integrate a sudden spiritual ‘download’ we must find how it relates to the worlds of thought, feeling and action. We must engage with the world, and draw on the inner work we have done. We need to learn how to make good endings, address unfinished family issues, and operate competently on the physical plane. We can experience God’s benevolent presence in our lives (as Jacob does when the angels arrive), but only if we’re prepared to do the work (Jacob addressing his Lavan relationship), and step into the unknown. Part of our foundational mythic mission as Jews comes from God’s call to Abraham: Lech l’cha – “Go to yourself!” (Gen. 12:1, Lech Lecha) In other words: go into yourself – do the work – leave where you are – keep moving into the unknown. Having learned how to make as good an ending as possible with Lavan, Jacob must now learn how to make a good new beginning with Esau.
>> Next in the Jacob series: #3 Wrestling at Yabbok – doing the inner work