Jacob

==Religious perspectives==
{{Infobox saint
|name=Jacob/Israel
|feast_day=
|venerated_in=[[Judaism]]<br>[[Christianity]]<br>[[Islam]]<br>[[Baháʼí Faith]]
|image=Jacob (Israel).jpg
|imagesize=250px
|caption=[[Russian Orthodox]] [[Icon]] of St. Jacob, 18th century ([[Iconostasis]]) of [[Kizhi]] [[monastery]], [[Russia]]
|titles=Prophet, Patriarch
|beatified_date=
|major_shrine=[[Cave of the Patriarchs]], [[Hebron]]
|beatified_by=
|canonized_date=
|canonized_place=
|attributes=
|suppressed_date=
|issues=
|prayer=
|prayer_attrib=
}}

===Judaism===
There are two opinions in the [[Midrash]] as to how old Rebecca was at the time of her marriage and, consequently, at the twins' birth. According to the traditional counting cited by [[Rashi]], Isaac was 37 years old at the time of the [[Binding of Isaac]], and news of Rebecca's birth reached Abraham immediately after that event.<ref>[[Rashi]] writes, "The Holy One, blessed be He, announced to him [Abraham] that Rebecca, his [Isaac's] mate, had been born." Commentary on Gen. [http://www.chabad.org/library/bible_cdo/aid/8217/showrashi/true 22:20].</ref> In that case, since Isaac was 60 when Jacob and Esau were born and they had been married for 20 years, then Isaac was 40 years old when he married Rebecca (Gen. 25:20), making Rebecca three years old at the time of her marriage, and 23 years old at the birth of Jacob and Esau. According to the second opinion, Rebecca was 14 years old at the time of their marriage, and 34 years old at the birth of Jacob and Esau.{{Citation needed|date=August 2015}} In either case, Isaac and Rebecca were married for 20 years before Jacob and Esau were born. The Midrash says that during Rebecca's pregnancy whenever she would pass a house of Torah study, Jacob would struggle to come out; whenever she would pass a house of [[idolatry]], Esau would agitate to come out.<ref>[[Genesis Rabba|Bereshit Rabbah]] 63:6.</ref>{{better source needed|date=April 2019}}

Rashi explained that Isaac, when blessing Jacob instead of Esau, smelled the heavenly scent of [[Paradise|Gan Eden]] (Paradise) when Jacob entered his room and, in contrast, perceived [[Gehenna]] opening beneath Esau when the latter entered the room, showing him that he had been deceived all along by Esau's show of piety.<ref>''Pirkei d'Rav Kahana'', quoted in Scherman, p. 139.</ref>

According to the Talmud, Jacob did not flee directly to Haran (as would seem from the Biblical text), but rather studied for 14 years at the [[Shem and Eber Cave|study house of Shem and Eber]] before continuing towards Haran.<ref>[[Talmud Bavli]], Megillah 17a; {{Alhatorah|Breishit|28:9|Rashi}}</ref>

When Laban planned to deceive Jacob into marrying Leah instead of Rachel, the [[Midrash]] recounts that both Jacob and Rachel suspected that Laban would pull such a trick; Laban was known as the "Aramean" (deceiver), and changed Jacob's wages ten times during his employ (Genesis 31:7). The couple therefore devised a series of signs by which Jacob could identify the veiled bride on his wedding night. But when Rachel saw her sister being taken out to the wedding canopy, her heart went out to her for the public shame Leah would suffer if she were exposed. Rachel therefore gave Leah the signs so that Jacob would not realize the switch.

Jacob had still another reason for grieving the loss of Joseph. God had promised to him: "If none of your sons dies during your lifetime, you may look upon it as a token that you will not be put in ([[Hell]] of) [[Gehenna]] after your death."<ref name="Ginzberg">Ginzberg, Louis (1909). ''Legends of the Jews Vol I : Joseph's Coat Brought to His Father'' (Translated by Henrietta Szold) Philadelphia: Jewish Publication Society</ref> Thinking Joseph to be dead, Jacob had his own destiny to lament because he considered that he was doomed to that Hell.<ref name="Ginzberg"/>

Jewish [[apocalyptic literature]] of the Hellenistic period includes many ancient texts with narratives about Jacob, many times with details different from Genesis. The more important are the [[Book of Jubilees]] and the [[Book of Biblical Antiquities]]. Jacob is also the protagonist of the [[Testament of Jacob]], of the [[Ladder of Jacob]] and of the [[Prayer of Joseph]], which interpret the experience of this Patriarch in the context of [[merkabah]] [[mysticism]].

===Christianity===
The [[Eastern Orthodox Church]] and those [[Eastern Catholic Churches]] which follow the [[Byzantine Rite]] see Jacob's dream as a [[prophecy]] of the [[Incarnation (Christianity)|incarnation]] of the [[Logos (Christianity)|Logos]], whereby [[Jacob's ladder]] is understood as a symbol of the [[Theotokos]] (Virgin Mary), who, according to [[Eastern Orthodox theology]], united heaven and earth in her womb.{{citation needed|date=October 2020}} The biblical account of this vision<ref>''Hebrew-English Bible'' {{bibleverse||Genesis|28:10–17|HE}}</ref> is one of the standard Old Testament readings at [[Vespers]] on [[Great Feasts]] of the Theotokos.

The Eastern and Western Churches consider Jacob as a [[saint]] along with other [[biblical patriarchs]].<ref>''The patriarchs, prophets and certain other Old Testament figures have been and always will be honored as saints in all the Church's liturgical traditions.'' – Catechism of the Catholic Church 61</ref> Along with other patriarchs his feast day is celebrated in the Byzantine rite on the Second Sunday before the Advent (December 11–17), under the title ''the Sunday of the Forefathers''.<ref>[http://www.metropolitancantorinstitute.org/liturgy/Christmas_Fast.html Liturgy > Liturgical year >The Christmas Fast] – Byzantine Catholic Archeparchy of Pittsburgh</ref>

===Islam===
{{Main|Jacob in Islam}}
[[File:Cenotaph of Jacob.JPG|thumb|Cenotaph of Jacob, [[Cave of the Patriarchs]]]]
Two further references to [[Isra'il]] (Arabic: '''إِسْرَآئِیل''' [''ˈisraāˈiyl'']; Classical/ Quranic Arabic: '''إِسْرَآءِیْل''' [''ˈisraāãˈiyl'']) are believed to be mention of Jacob. The Arabic form [[Ya'qūb]] ({{lang-ar|يَعْقُوب|Yaʿqūb|links=no}}) may be direct from the [[Hebrew language|Hebrew]] or indirect through [[Syriac language|Syriac]].<ref>[[Jane Dammen McAuliffe]] (General Editor) [[Encyclopaedia of the Qur’an]] Volume Three : J-O</ref>

He is recognized in [[Islam]] as a [[Prophets in Islam|prophet]] who received inspiration from God. He is acknowledged as a [[patriarch]] of [[Islam]]. Muslims believe that he preached the same monotheistic faith as his forefathers [[Abraham in Islam|ʾIbrāhīm]], [[Isaac in Islam|ʾIsḥāq]] and [[Ishmael in Islam|Ismā'īl]]. Jacob is mentioned 16 times in the [[Quran]].<ref name="Encyclopedia of Islam 254" /> In the majority of these references, Jacob is mentioned alongside fellow [[prophet]]s and [[patriarch]]s as an ancient and pious prophet. According to the Quran, Jacob remained in the company of the elect throughout his life. (38:47) The Quran specifically mentions that Jacob was guided (6:84) and inspired (4:163) and was chosen to enforce the awareness of the Hereafter. (38:46) Jacob is described as a good-doer (21:72) and the Quran further makes it clear that God inspired Jacob to contribute towards purification and hold the contact prayer. (21:73) Jacob is further described as being resourceful and a possessor of great vision (38:45) and is further spoken of as being granted a "tongue [voice] of truthfulness to be heard." (19:50)

Of the life of Jacob, the Quran narrates two especially important events. The first is the role he plays in the story of his son [[Islamic view of Joseph|Joseph]]. The Quran narrates the story of Joseph in detail, and Jacob, being Joseph's father, is mentioned thrice and is referenced another 25 times.<ref name="Encyclopedia of Islam 254">"Jacob", ''Encyclopedia of Islam'' Vol. XI, p. 254.</ref> In the narrative, Jacob does not trust some of his older sons (12: 11, 18, 23) because they do not respect him. (12: 8, 16–17) Jacob's prophetic nature is evident from his foreknowledge of Joseph's future greatness (12:6), his foreboding and response to the supposed death of Joseph (12: 13, 18) and in his response to the sons' plight in [[Egypt]]. (12: 83, 86–87, 96) Islamic literature fleshes out the narrative of Jacob, and mentions that his wives included [[Rachel]].<ref>Kathir, Ibn. "Jacob," ''Stories of the Prophets''</ref> Jacob is later mentioned in the Quran in the context of the promise bestowed to [[Zechariah (priest)|Zechariah]], regarding the birth of [[John the Baptist]]. (19:6) Jacob's second mention is in the Quran's second chapter. As Jacob lay on his deathbed, he asked his 12 sons to testify their faith to him before he departed from this world to the next. (2:132) Each son testified in front of Jacob that they would promise to remain Muslim (in submission to God) until the day of their death; that is they would surrender their wholeselves to God alone and would worship only Him.

In contrast to the [[Judeo-Christian]] view of Jacob, one main difference is that the story of Jacob's blessing, in which he deceives Isaac, is not accepted in Islam. The Quran makes it clear that Jacob was blessed by [[God]] as a prophet and, therefore, Muslims believe that his father, being a prophet as well, also knew of his son's greatness.<ref>Azzam, Leila. "Isaac and Jacob," ''Lives of the Prophets''</ref> Jacob is also cited in the ''[[Hadith]]'' as an example of one who was patient and trusting in God in the face of suffering.<ref name="Encyclopedia of Islam 254" />

====Nation of Islam====
{{Main|Yakub (Nation of Islam)}}
According to the teachings of the [[Nation of Islam]] (NOI), the original inhabitants of the world were black (referred to as the "Asiatic Blackman"), while the white race are "devils" who were created 6,000 years ago on what is today the Greek island of [[Patmos]] by the biblical and quranic Jacob, whom the group refers to as the "bigheaded scientist" Yakub.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.finalcall.com/artman/publish/Perspectives_1/article_7371.shtml|title=Myth or high science? Is there evidence of Mr. Yakub?
|work=The Final Call (Nation of Islam)|author=Alan Muhammad|date=October 24, 2010|access-date=September 15, 2019}}</ref> Though rejected by the vast majority of American Muslims, several NOI breakaway sects, including the [[Five-Percent Nation]] subscribe to this narrative.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.academia.edu/8737494|title="Ain't No Spook God": Religiosity in the Nation of Gods and Earths|last=Andrews|first=Pamela|website=Academia.edu|access-date=2 August 2019}}</ref> In contrast to both the Bible and Qu’ran, NOI theology teaches that Yakub was born in [[Mecca]].<ref name = "mike">Michael Angelo Gomez, ''Black Crescent: The Experience and Legacy of African Muslims in the Americas'', Cambridge University Press, 2005, p. 311</ref>