Having successfully taken Eisav's place when their father, Yitzchak, gave out the blessings, Yaakov was now running for his life. Eisav hadn't taken too kindly to what his better half had done, and he wanted revenge! So Yaakov was hurried out of town by his mother, Rivkah, to save his life.
His parents had another reason for sending Yaakov to Charan: to find a nice girl to marry from Lavan's family. (Charan was where Avraham's family had lived and Lavan was Rivkah's brother.)
Yaakov sneaked quietly out of town so that his brother couldn't follow him. But Eisav still found out! He sent his son, Elifaz, on a mission to kill Uncle Yaakov.
Your Money or Your Life
Elifaz wasn't excited about his assignment, but he had no choice. Armed with his weapons, he ran and ran until he finally caught up to Yaakov. Then he threatened to kill him!
"Wait, Elifaz!" Yaakov said. "You don't have to kill me! Just take everything I own and go! Without money, I'm as worth less as a dead man... right?"
Elifaz, relieved to find a way out, agreed. "Yeah... right, Uncle Yaakov!"
He robbed Yaakov of every last little thing-including all the expensive gifts he had brought along for his future wife. But Yaakov was just thankful to be alive!
Sweet Dreams!
On his way to Charan, Yaakov stopped off at Mount Moriah. He prayed Maariv, the evening prayer, and got ready to go to sleep. But where would he sleep? He didn't have a bed, of course. Well, he noticed that there were some stones lying around, so he took twelve of them and laid them in a circle, and he lay down inside.
The ground was his mattress, and Yaakov used one of the stones as a pillow (not too comfortable, but he didn't mind!). While he was sleeping, all of the stones were arguing about who should have the honor of being Yaakov's pillow. They all moved closer and closer together, each one trying to get under his head... until they miraculously became one big rock!
During the night, Yaakov had a dream. He saw a huge ladder near him, which stretched all the way up to the sky. He saw malachim (angels) going up and down the ladder.
And then HaShem spoke to Yaakov in his dream: "I am the G-d of your grandfather, Avraham, and of Yitzchak, your father. I will give you this entire land and I will bless you. I will protect you until you return home."
When Yaakov woke up from his dream, he thought: "What an amazing dream! How could I have slept on such holy ground? I had no idea that this was the gateway to heaven!" Yaakov knew then that the Bet HaMikdash (Holy Temple) would someday be built on that very spot.
Then he made a promise to HaShem: "If You will protect me while I am in Charan, and give me enough bread to eat and clothing to wear, I will give plenty of tzedakah (charity) from everything I earn."
All's Well That End's Well
Yaakov continued on his journey, and arrived at the well near Charan.
There was a giant stone covering the opening of the well. Shepherds were gathering at the well with their herds, waiting to give their sheep water. Since the stone was too heavy for any one person to lift, they would wait until all of the shepherds had come, and then they would lift the giant stone together.
Yaakov approached them and asked, "Excuse me, do you know Lavan, from Charan?"
"Lavan? Sure we know him! And here comes his daughter, Rachel!"
Rachel was a shepherdess, and she was coming to the well with her sheep. She looked just like Rivkah! Yaakov knew that she was the girl he was supposed to marry.
Yaakov immediately stepped forward and single-handedly lifted the huge stone off the well. It was as easy for him as popping the cap off a bottle! He gave water to Rachel's sheep.
He introduced himself to Rachel: "I am your cousin, Yaakov. My mother, Rivkah, is your father's sister. I have come here from the faraway land of Canaan."
"Come with me, and meet my father," Rachel said. And with that, she ran off to tell her father, Lavan, the exciting news.
