16 Kislev 5780
December 14, 2019

Parashat Vayishlach
“And He Sent”

Here are the Torah, Haftarah and suggested Brit Chadasha (New Testament) readings for this week. Listen to the current Portion readings from the Tree of Life Version here.

• Genesis 32:4(3)-36:43
• Obadiah 1:1-21
• Hebrews 11:11-20

The seven aliyot readings from the Torah begin at these verses:

1. Genesis 32:4(3)
2. Genesis 32:14(13)
3. Genesis 32:31(30)
4. Genesis 33:6
5. Genesis 34:1
6. Genesis 35:12 (A) 35:14 (S)
7. Genesis 36:20

Maftir: Genesis 36:40

In Vayishlach

The Key People include Ya’akov (Jacob) renamed Yisra’el (Israel), Esav (Esau), messengers, sons of Chamor (Hamor), Dinah, Sh’chem (Shechem), D’vorah (Deborah), Rachel, Binhamin (Benjamin), 12 sons, and Yitzchak.

The Scenes include Se’ir (Seir), Edom, Yabok (Jabbok), P’ni’el (Peniel), Sukkot (Sukkoth), Sh’chem (Shechem), Luz – later renamed Beit-El (Bethel), Efrat (Ephrath), and Mamre.

The Main Events include sending tribute, all-night wrestling, Ya’akov renamed Yisra’el, Esav encounter, Dinah shamed, town circumcised, then killed, house purified and altar built at Beit-El, eternal promises of children and land repeated, death of Rachel on road, Binyamin’s birth, visit to Yitzchak, death, burial by both sons, Esav’s generations, and Esav’s move to Edom.

Then God said to Jacob, “Get up! Go up to Beth-El and stay there. Make an altar there to the God who appeared to you when you fled from your brother Esau.”
(Genesis 35:1 TLV)

The Haftarah

Then those of the Negev will possess the hill country of Esau, and those of the foothills the Philistines. Then they will possess the territory of Ephraim and the territory of Samaria, while Benjamin will possess Gilead. The exiles of this army of Bnei-Yisrael will possess what belonged to the Canaanites as far as Zarephath, while the exiles of Jerusalem, who are in Sepharad, will possess the cities of the Negev. The victorious will go up on Mount Zion to judge the hill country of Esau. Then the kingdom shall be Adonai’s.
(Obadiah 1:19-21 TLV)

The Brit Chadasha

By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau, even concerning things to come.
(Hebrews 11:20 TLV)

Torah Portion readings and the associated Haftarah readings generally follow the Stone Edition Chumash and/or the Complete Jewish Bible. Verse numbering generally follows the Hebrew tradition, and where modern Christian traditions differ those verse numbers are shown in parentheses (). Haftarah readings generally follow the Ashkenazi tradition. Where the Sephardic tradition differs, the Haftarah portions are designated as (A) and (S). Suggested New Testament readings are taken from the Walk! series of Messianic Devotion Commentaries by Dr. Jeffrey Enoch Feinberg. The Key People, The Scenes, and The Main Events are taken from the Walk! series of Messianic Devotion Commentaries by Dr. Jeffrey Enoch Feinberg. Scripture taken from the Tree of Life Version (TLV) © 2015 by the Messianic Jewish Family Bible Society. Used by permission of the Messianic Jewish Family Bible Society.