Letter to Jacob (Gen 28 & 29)

Dear Jacob,

It seems if your brother was the bad boy of the family you were the good one, but the taking of your brothers birthright shows that you were not perfect. I have to ask if that one was your idea or your mums? What was it like growing up with a twin your mum obviously struggled with?

I find it interesting that you come across as a thinker and somebody who was more comfortable at home. If you were alive now I think there is a good chance you would have been an academic more at home in a book filled office or academic seminar than anywhere else.

You obviously understood your parents views on racial purity in a way your brother hadn’t until it was too late. Did you agree with them or did you want to please them?

Had you had dreams before where God spoke to you or was it a new one?

The tithing system of giving a tenth seems to start being referred to for the first time in this book, (although we know that this was not the first book actually written). Why did you decide to do this? Was it that you were continuing a practice that already existed?

It seems it was really intense for you when you met Rachel? Was this because you had heard so much about your extended family but never met them before or was it because you knew that this girl or one of her sisters would be your wife and you felt nervous about this?

It seems that you felt very comfortable with this family and were happy to be part of them. Was it a coming home experience that some 2^nd and 3^rd generation people who have grown up in the UK now talk about when they go back to a place of heritage?

It seems that you wanted to stay there to build up relationship with Rachel, and thought you knew what the deal was. However, there seems to have been confusion around the customs of the culture you had entered. I think that there may have been a genuine confusion rather than you getting palmed off with the sister who would have been more difficult to marry.

I feel really conflicted about your treatment of Leah. It was not right, but I understand that it was to do with having wanted to marry for love and not being able to do so and feeling you had been tricked. Did your relationship improve once your children were born?