The word "Malach" in Hebrew can be translated as "Angel" or as "Messenger".

 

In this week's portion Jacob (before leaving Israel) dreams of a ladder with angels going up to heaven and others coming down.

When he wakes up and realizes he had a Holy Dream in a Holy Place (where the Temple was to be built in Jerusalem)  – he goes on his way to look for his uncle's house in Syria.

 

He asks the locals where the uncle's house is – and they say "Here's Laban's daughter coming with her sheep".

Were they messengers? Were they angels? Or ordinary people?

 

Is Jacob looking for a job (like he got with his uncle) or a handout?

 

 No – his parents sent him there to marry his cousin – the girl who was such a kind soul that everyone respected her (the local towns people) – and even the animals she took care of.

 

So who were the angels Jacob saw in his dream?

 

Rashi explains that there were real angels in a more-than-real dream.

Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach used to say "and here Rachel comes with her sheep – like a mother  with her flock of little children happily frolicking around her, with so much mutual love and caring".

And he used to bless us all to have such loving relationships!

 

Really - you walk all the way to Syria and the first people you meet just happen toknow your cousins?

 

Who were the angels that Jacob saw walking the ladder up to heaven? Were they the guardians of the forefathers – Abraham Isaac and Jacob?

And who was descending from the Almighty – because in the dream the Almighty stood at the top of the ladder?

 Were they the angels Jacob had to meet – Rachel and Leah?

 

And maybe the souls of the 12 sons and the daughter who were to be born to them in Syria?

 

Maybe Jacob saw all those angels and great souls only when the townspeople - the messengers of the Almighty -

said "here come the flock with Rachel …

 

May we all be blessed with dreams of angels and to meet people whose souls remind us of angels – and maybe do a

 few good deeds that turn average people into angels.

 

Shabbat Shalom

Rabbi Andy Eichenholz