Aggada -- Translations into English; Bible. Old Testament -- Legends; Jewish legends; Midrash -- Translations into English
The fragrance emanating from Jacob was not the only thing about him
derived from Paradise. The archangel Michael had fetched thence the
wine which Jacob gave his father to drink,[93] that an exalted mood
might descend upon him, for only when a man is joyously excited the
Shekinah rests upon him.[94] The holy spirit filled Isaac, and he gave
Jacob his tenfold blessing: "God give thee of the dew of heaven," the
celestial dew wherewith God will awaken the pious to new life in days
to come; "and of the fatness of the earth," the goods of this world;
"and plenty of corn and wine," the Torah and the commandments which
bestow the same joy upon man as abundant harvests;[95] "peoples shall
serve thee," the Japhethites and the Hamites; "nations shall bow down
to thee," the Shemite nations; "thou wilt be lord over thy brethren,"
the Ishmaelites and the descendants of Keturah; "thy mother's sons will
bow down to thee," Esau and his princes; "cursed be every one that
curseth thee," like Balaam; "and blessed be every one that blesseth
thee," like Moses.[96]
For each blessing invoked upon Jacob by his father Isaac, a similar
blessing was bestowed upon him by God Himself in the same words. As
Isaac blessed him with dew, so also God: "And the remnant of Jacob
shall be in the midst of many peoples as dew from the Lord." Isaac
blessed him with the fatness of the earth, so also God: "And he shall
give the rain of thy seed, that thou shalt sow the ground withal; and
bread of the increase of the ground, and it shall be fat and
plenteous." Isaac blessed him with plenty of corn and wine, so also
God: "I will send you corn and wine." Isaac said, "Peoples shall serve
thee," so also God: "Kings shall be thy nursing fathers, and their
queens thy nursing mothers; they shall bow down to thee with their
faces to the earth, and lick the dust of thy feet." Isaac said,
"Nations shall bow down to thee," so also God: "And He will make thee
high above all nations which He hath made, in praise, and in name, and
in honor."
To this double blessing his mother Rebekah joined hers: "For He shall
give His angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways. They
shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy feet against a
stone. Thou shalt tread upon the lion and adder; the young lion and the
serpent shalt thou trample under feet. Because he hath set his love
upon me, therefore will I deliver him; I will set him on high, because
he hath known my name."
The holy spirit added in turn: "He shall call upon me, and I will
answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and
honor him. With long life will I satisfy him, and show him my
salvation."[97]
Jacob left the presence of his father crowned like a bridegroom,
adorned like a bride, and bathed in celestial dew, which filled his
bones with marrow, and transformed him into a hero and a giant.[98]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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