Let’s start at the beginning – The story of Jacob

Every story has a beginning and to know Israel’s story we have to go way way back in history.

The story of Israel starts with Abraham and Sarah, the first Jews. Abraham and his wife Sarah had a son called Isaac, and Isaac eventually marries Rebekkah. Rebekkah falls pregnant with twin – two boys. During her pregnancy she feels very uncomfortable and asks God why she feels as though her babies were fighting in her womb. They fought to see who would be born first, Esau won and became the oldest Esau was the oldest brother and his name means ‘hairy’ – he was big and tough and grew up to be a hunter. The youngest was name Jacob, his name means ‘heel-grabber’. Jacob was smart. They were very different. Whilst Esau became a hunter, Jacob was at home dreaming and thinking. One day Esau came home, he was very tired and hungry. Jacob was making soup and it smelled oh so delicious. Esau asked his brother to give him some. He really was very very hungry. But Jacob replied, ‘First you must promise to give me your birthright.’ Do you know what birthright is? It means that he took the ‘right’ to own all his father’s stuff after his father dies. Before this was always given to the older brother. And guess what, Esau actually agreed. This was not the only time Jacob tricked his brother. His mother helped him to disguise himself as his Esau because his father, Isaac was getting old. His father could not see so well anymore. Disguised as his brother Jacob went to see his father and his father blessed him. As soon as he was finished blessing Jacob, Esau came home. His father heard his voice and was confused. Esau was very upset. So Isaac blessed Esau too, but he was still not happy. In fact he became even angrier.

Question:
Do you ever feel a little jealous of your brother or sister, or your best friend? What did you do or say? Perhaps your mom or dad can tell you of a time when they were a bit jealous of their brother or sister?

Rebekkah then said to Jacob that he should leave home and go to her brother, at least until his brother calmed down. So Jacob left for his Uncle Lavans house. Jacob walked for a long time. That night he was so tired he fell asleep and had an amazing dream He dreamt of a ladder that goes up into the heavens. Angels were climbing up and down on it. Then God spoke to Jacob. This land you are lying on is the land I am going to give you and your children and you will have many children...
Then Jacob awoke, he was afraid. He promised that if God took care of him and his family then he will love God for the rest of his life.
Just before he arrives at his uncle he stops to drink. There he meets Rachel. He loved Rachel immediately. He told her that he was her cousin , Rachel was so happy she ran ahead to tell her father. Lavan was very pleased to see him. Jacob worked well and stayed with his uncle. He promised Lavan to work for him for seven years if he coud marry Rachel. Lavan agreed.

Now Lavan had an older daughter named Leah. Lavan wanted to be sure that she too would be married afterall she was the oldest. So on the day of the wedding, he tricked Jacob and switched the daughters. Jacob only realised this but it was too late, he was married to Leah. So he marries Leah and then seven years later he marries Rachel. Later Jacob had twelve sons and one daughter. Then came news that his father Isaac died. Jacob had to go home. He was afraid, afraid that his brother will still be angry with him. He was afraid that his brother would fight with him. But Jacob knew he had to go back home. On his way back he saw two angels. He knew that God was still with him. Jacob arrived in town late that night and decided to wait till morning to see his brother. That night he was alone. That night he wrestled with a stranger. They wrestled all night. No one could win. Then the stranger asked to go, but Jacob said that he would let him go if he blesses him . The angel gave Jacob a new name – Israel. He said that Israel means the one who can wrestle with God’

Jacob remembered wrestling with Esau. The next morning even though he was still afraid , he went to see his brother. And guess what, when he came to his brothers home, Esau was very happy to see his brother. There was no fighting that day.

Summary : Yisrael was the name of a man. This man was Jacob. One night Jacob wrestled with a stranger and got a new name. Yisrael had a large family, he had twelve sons and a daughter. The twelves sons later became known as the twelve tribes of Israel. His family was called B’nei-Yisrael (the family of Israel). The family grew and grew so big it became a nation. This nation is called Yisrael. AM-Israel is the people of Israel :

Song:

Am-Israel Chai
Am Israel Chai
Am Israel Chai
Repeat

Od avinu, od avinu, od avinu chai
Od avinu, od avinu, od avinu chai
Repeat


Activity :
Draw your family tree, try and see how far back you can go...