Posted on November 28, 2025 by Harold Levin
This week’s parashah, Vayeitzei, comes from the book of Genesis which means “And he left.” This portion details Jacob’s journey from Beersheba to Haran, including his vision of the ladder to heaven, his time working in servitude for his uncle Laban, and his marriages to Leah and Rachel. When I had the privilege to drash on Vayeitzei in the past, I usually focused on the contentious relationship between Laban and Jacob. This time, I decided to look at Jacob’s creation of the evening prayer, Ma’ariv.
In Genesis 28:10-13, Jacob left Beer-sheba and set out for Haran. “Vayifga the place and stopped there for the night, for the sun had set. Taking one of the stones of that place, he put it under his head and lay down in that place. He had a dream; a stairway was set on the ground and its top reached to the sky, and angels of God were going up and down on it. And the LORD was standing beside him and He said, ‘I am the LORD, the God of your father Abraham and the God of Isaac: the ground on which you are lying I will assign to you and to your offspring.'”
Rabbi Yosei, son of Rabbi Ḥanina, said: The practice of praying three times daily is ancient, albeit not in its present form; prayers were instituted by the Patriarchs. However, Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said that the prayers were instituted based on the daily offerings sacrificed in the Holy Temple.
Jacob instituted the evening prayer when he encountered [Vayifga] the place and he slept there as the sun had set. The word encounter meant prayer, as it is stated when God spoke to Jeremiah: “And you, do not pray on behalf of this nation and do not raise on their behalf song and prayer, and do not encounter Me for I do not hear you.” Jacob prayed during the evening, after the sun had set.
The timing for the evening prayer was not permanently set because of the burning of the limbs and fats of the offerings that were not consumed by the fire on the altar until the evening. They remained on the altar and were offered continuously throughout the entire night.
On the basis of this passage, the Sages said that “Jacob instituted the evening prayer.” The inference is based on Vayifga which can mean not only, “he came to, encountered, happened upon, chanced upon” but also “he prayed, entreated, pleaded” as in Jeremiah, “Do not pray for this people, nor raise up a cry for them, and do not plead with Me… [ve-al tifga bi]” (Jeremiah 7:16).
The Sages commented that Abraham’s prayers represented morning, Shacharit, while Isaac’s represented afternoon, Mincha, and Jacob’s equated to evening, Maariv. This is a very compelling idea. Abraham is known as the initiator, the one who introduced a new religious consciousness to the world. With him a day begins.
Isaac represented afternoon, no major transition from darkness to light or light to darkness. Isaac was known to be steadfast and determined. Many commentators agree that Jacob represented night, willing to wrestle with G-d, others, and himself.
Some experts disagree that Jacob was responsible for the evening service. Rabbi Joshua takes the view that, unlike Shacharit or Mincha, the evening prayer is not Why, if it was instituted by Jacob, was it not held to carry the same obligation as the prayers of Abraham and Isaac?
Here are three commonly discussed theories:
The first is that the view that Ma’ariv is non-obligatory according to those who hold that our daily prayers are based not on the patriarchs but on the sacrifices that were offered in the Temple.
The second is that there is a law that those on a journey are exempt from prayer. In the days when journeys were hazardous – when travelers were in constant fear of attack by raiders – it was impossible to concentrate. Prayer requires concentration (kavanah).
The third is that there is a tradition that, as Jacob was traveling, “the sun set suddenly” – not at its normal time. Jacob had intended to say the afternoon prayer, but found, to his surprise, that night had fallen. Jacob had not meant to say an evening prayer at all.
There is, however, a more profound explanation. A different linguistic construction is used for each of the three occasions that the Sages saw as the basis of prayer. Abraham “rose early in the morning to the place where he had stood before God” (Gen. 19:27). Isaac “went out to meditate in the field towards evening” (Gen. 24:63). Jacob “met, encountered, came across, chanced upon” G-d [vayifga bamakom]. These are different kinds of religious experiences.
If I were going to bet money, which I never do, I would go for the third option. Following the travels, encounters, mishaps and wanderings of Jacob through the stories about him in the torah I tend to think he either lost track of time or encountered stormy, dark weather.
I wish to wrap up this discussion by sharing the beautiful words of Changing Light from the siddur Sim Shalom as translated into English by Rabbi Jules Harlow:
Light and darkness, night and day.
We marvel at the mystery of the stars. Moon and sky, sand and sea.
We marvel at the mystery of the sun. Twilight, high noon, dusk and dawn.
Though we are mortal, we are Creation’s crown. Flesh and bone, steel and stone.
We dwell in fragile, temporary shelters. Grant steadfast love, compassion, grace.
Sustain us, Lord; our origin is dust. Splendor, mercy, majesty, love endure.
We are but little lower than the angels.
Resplendent skies, sunset, sunrise.
The grandeur of Creation lifts our lives.
Evening darkness, morning dawn. Renew our lives as You renew all time.
