Беседа LVI

“And Jacob said to Laban: Give me my wife before the days are completed, that I may go in to her” (Gen. 29:21). From the love that Jacob had for Rachel, having passed yesterday to the love and great devotion of the Apostle Paul to Christ, we were carried away, as it were, by some rapid stream and could no longer return to the sequential order of the word. Therefore, now, if you wish, let us turn to what follows and fill in what remains (unsaid), so that we can receive sufficient benefit from the current conversation and then go home. Since he had already completed seven years, and for such a long time it seemed to Jacob “as if the days were short” (as it is said), because he loved Rachel, “said (Jacob) to Laban: Give me my wife, before my days are completed, that I may go in to her. Laban gathered together all the men of that place; and make a marriage. And when it was evening, Laban brought Leah his daughter to Jacob” (Gen. 29:21-23). Do you see with what decorum marriages were performed in ancient times? Listen, you who are addicted to satanic amusements and who from the very beginning have disgraced the honesty of marriage: were there pipes then, were there cymbals, were there demonic dances? Tell me: why do you immediately bring such disgrace into the house and call together actors and dancers? To insult the chastity of a girl with this untimely luxury and make the boy more shameless? And without such inflammations, it is difficult for this age to calmly withstand the storm of passions. And when such objects, through sight and hearing, increase the fire even more and produce an even greater flame in the crucible of passions, how can the youthful soul not drown? This is why there is such damage and corruption in everything, that when entering into cohabitation, chastity is undermined from the very beginning; and often from the very first day, the young man, looking (at the girl) with intemperate eyes, is already wounded in his soul by his satanic arrow, and the girl through hearing and sight becomes a captive (of passion). And from the same day, the wounds, increasing more and more, produce evil. And, firstly, the unanimity between the spouses is undermined and their mutual love becomes impoverished. When a husband turns his heart to another, then, being divided in his soul and already controlled by the devil himself, he fills his home with all kinds of sorrow. And if the wife is carried away by a similar passion, then everything, so to speak, is turned upside down: hiding each other from each other, one suspects the wife, the other suspects the husband; where there should have been agreement and unity, people who should be one flesh - “you will be,” it is said, “both in one flesh” (Matthew 19:5) - reach such a separation from each other, as if they were already completely divorced. The devil who has come to them causes such destruction in them that every day they have war and battles, and there is never peace from troubles. And what can we say about the contempt towards them from the servants, about the ridicule from their neighbors, about the obvious shame? Just as if the helmsmen are at enmity with each other, then those sailing on the ship are exposed to danger, and the ship itself along with the people must sink, so here too, if a husband and wife are at enmity with each other, then, naturally, all the household suffer. Therefore, I beg you: in anticipation of all this, do not follow accepted customs. I know that many, citing these customs, do not want to listen to our words; despite this, we are obliged to say what is useful and what can save us from future punishments. Where is there such great harm to the soul, why are you pointing out this custom to me? So I offer you a custom, much better, observed in ancient times, when people did not yet have such concepts (as they do now) about piety. Do not think, however, that I am talking here about the righteous Jacob - no; but imagine that Laban, a man still devoted to idolatry, who had no concept of piety, discovered such wisdom in himself. Such a good deed 555 belonged not to the one who married the girl, but to the father who gave the girl in marriage. That's why I started talking about this, directing my speech not so much against the grooms as against the parents of the bride and groom. Isn’t it unreasonable that we, who benefit from God’s great love for mankind and have been honored with terrible and ineffable sacraments, are in this respect worse than Laban, who still worshiped idols? Or don’t you hear Paul’s words that marriage is a sacrament, an image of the love that Christ showed for the Church (Eph. 5:32)? Let us not disgrace ourselves, let us not violate the honorability of marriage. If something is thought out well and useful, then, even if it is not a custom, let it be done; and if what you do is harmful and disastrous, although this is the custom, you must reject it. After all, if we allow this, then the thief, the fornicator, and every other villain will refer to custom; but this will not give him any benefit, nor forgiveness, but will be a grave condemnation for the fact that he could not overcome the bad custom. 2. If we want to be sober and have greater concern for our salvation, then we can give up both bad customs and turn to good customs: in this way we will give our descendants a considerable incentive to imitate us in this, and we ourselves will receive a reward for their good behavior. He who has shown the beginning of a good path becomes the culprit of what others do (following his example), and therefore receives a double reward - both for what he himself does and for the fact that he has led others to a better way of thinking. Don’t tell me those empty and ridiculous words that this is something legal and therefore must be observed. This is not what makes a marital union legal, but cohabitation in accordance with the laws of God, chaste and honest, when those living together are united by unanimity. This is how (external civil) laws understand it; ask people who study them, and they will say that marriage is nothing more than intimacy or affection 556. Let us not transgress the laws of God together with human ones and prefer the laws of demons and such a destructive custom to them, because this is the legalization of one who always rejoices in our destruction. And what could be more absurd than this custom, when a husband and wife listen to inappropriate jokes and various ridicule from servants and insignificant people, and no one can forbid this, when anyone who wants is allowed to say everything without fear until the evening, bombarding the bride and groom with jokes? If at another time someone decided to mock or vilify him, then he would be taken to court, he would be fined, he would be in trouble; and then, when one must especially observe reverence, special decency, modesty, then everything is filled with shamelessness, so that one might think that the devil controls all this. But do not be upset, I ask you: it was not without a reason that I entered into this reasoning, but because I care about you, about your salvation, about your good behavior, and I wish that you, having shown a change for the better, would be the first to initiate good customs. If only a beginning had been made, the path had been indicated: and then with kind, praiseworthy jealousy one would compete with one another in this, and then everyone would praise you. Not only will the inhabitants of this city imitate this wonderful transformation, but you will also captivate those living far away with your example and make them your zealous imitators - and thus you will receive a special crown from God for the fact that, out of the fear of God and according to the commandment of God, you trampled upon such a demonic custom. I am firmly confident that you will willingly accept this advice from us and put it into action. I see with what pleasure you listen to my words, and from your applause and praise I conclude that you will actually improve. Satisfied, therefore, with what has been said, I turn to the continuation of the previous word. “And it was evening,” it says, “and Laban brought Leah his daughter to Jacob” (Gen. 29:23). Let's not ignore this either. And from here much can be learned: firstly, the simplicity of Jacob - how he, being alien to all guile, was deceived; secondly, how everything was done then with great decency: there were no dances, no lamps, or any other illumination beyond the need, which is why Laban was deceived. However, one can also notice here Laban’s love for Jacob, because he came up with this in order to keep the righteous man with him longer. Laban knew that Jacob was burning with love for another, and that if he had received the one he wanted, he would not have remained to serve and live with him for Leah’s sake. Therefore, Laban, noticing the good qualities of this man and realizing that otherwise it was impossible to persuade and convince him to do so, used such deception and gave him Leah, together with Zilpha, a slave. And then, when the righteous man demanded an explanation from him why he had deceived him so much, Laban offered a plausible excuse. When Jacob said: “Why have you done this to me; Wasn’t it for Rachel’s sake that you worked for you, and you offended me so much,” then what did Laban answer him? – “There are no tacos in our place, give the smaller one before the oldest one. So end 557 this week, and I will give you this too for the work that you have done with me for another seven years” 558 (Gen. 29:25–27). You see that this was precisely the purpose for which he arranged everything this way. Knowing Jacob's love for the girl, he says: do not think that you are offended; I did this because we have a law - first, the eldest daughter should be given in marriage; but you can marry the one you love if you work for the same number of years. Having heard this, the righteous man readily agreed to everything; and after another seven years, “Lavan gave him 559 Rachel his daughter to wife” (Gen. 29:28). 3. Here you see again that marriage matters were performed in ancient times with all decency. But when you hear that Jacob took the eldest, and then the younger, for himself, do not be embarrassed and do not judge the affairs of that time by the current circumstances. Then, when times were still primitive, initial, it was allowed to marry two, three wives and even more, for the spread of the human race; now, by the grace of God, the human race has already spread in great numbers, and progress in virtue has increased. Christ, having come to earth and planted virtue among people, making people, so to speak, angels, eradicated all such customs of antiquity. You see how one should not rely on custom, but look for what is useful everywhere. This custom (polygamy) was not good; it has been eradicated, and now no one is allowed to refer to it. Therefore, do not look at custom in anything, but always seek what is useful, not harmful to your soul. If something turns out to be good, even if it was not in custom, let it be with us; and if something is harmful, even if it is customary, we will avoid and turn away from it. “And,” it is said, “he gave Jacob Rachel and Bilhah the servant” (Gen. 29:29). See, what prudence! Were there crowds of servants here? Were there records, contracts, funny conditions like: “If this happens, if this happens”? Even before marriage, not knowing whether (those entering into marriage) will live to see the evening, they immediately agree in notes about what will happen after a long time, something like: “If, they say, he dies childless, if he leaves behind children,” and the like. But there (in ancient times) there was nothing like that: the father gave each daughter one servant, and with that he gave his daughters in marriage. “Thou shalt love Rachel more than Leah, and his work shall be another seven years” (Gen. 29:30). Since from the very beginning Jacob loved Rachel greatly for her beauty, and yet had difficulty achieving what he wanted, he loved her, as it is said, more than Leah. So, Rachel's beauty aroused his love for her. But notice here, too, the indescribable love of the Lord for mankind, how little by little He brings His promises to fulfillment. He said: “I will be with you, keeping you in every way, and even if you go, I will make you grow and multiply” (Gen. 28:15); and now everything is fine. To be convinced of this, listen to how clearly the Divine Scripture itself speaks about this: “When the Lord God saw that Leah was hated, he opened her up: but Rachel was unfruitful. And Leah conceived and bare a son to Jacob” (Gen. 29:31–32). Notice the providential wisdom of God. Since one attracted the favor of her husband with her beauty, and the other, devoid of beauty, seemed unloved, then God bestows childbearing on the latter, and in the other he encloses the womb: arranging both according to His characteristic love for mankind, so that one would have some consolation from the children she gives birth to, attracting the love of her husband, and the other, because of beauty and good looks, would not rebel against her sister. “And he opened,” it is said, “the lie of it.” Learn from this, beloved, that the Creator of everything is and the Ruler of everything, and He arouses nature to the birth of children, and that cohabitation remains fruitless as soon as there is no help from above. This is why it is said: “open her lie,” so that we know that the Lord Himself was pleased to grant Leah the power of childbearing, to console her in sorrow. He Himself forms and gives life to the fetus in the mother’s womb, just as David said: “Thou tookst me from my mother’s womb” (Ps. 139:13). And notice how Divine Scripture shows us that the Creator of nature produces both by his own power and awakens the ability of childbearing in one, and withholds it from Rachel. He is the Lord of nature, and therefore He does everything without hindrance. “And Leah conceived,” it is said, “and bore a son to Jacob: and he called his name Reuben, saying: For the Lord hath looked upon my humility...: now shall my husband love me” (Gen. 29:32). Look how grateful this wife is! The Lord, she says, seeing my humility, gave me a child so that for his sake I could be loved (by my husband). Notice with what generosity the man-loving God rewards her, wanting to multiply the offspring of the righteous, and at the same time make Leah more lovable for Jacob: “and she conceived,” it is said, “again... and gave birth to a second son to Jacob, and said: The Lord heard, because I am hated, and gave unto me also this: and he called his name Simeon” ( Gen.29:33). Look how she thanks the Lord for each child, and how grateful she is for the blessings: the Lord heard, she says, that I am hated, and gave me another child! And therefore “he will call his name Simeon.” 4. You see that she even gives names to those born not just and how it happened: she named her son “Simeon” because the Lord heard her. This name in Hebrew means “heard.” “And she conceived again, and bare a son, and said, At this present time I will have my husband; From these words one can, it seems to me, guess that even with the birth of two sons Leah could not yet attract her husband’s favor, that he was still completely attached to Rachel. That is why Leah says: “At this time I will have my husband,” - i.e. the birth of a third son, perhaps, will awaken my husband’s affection for me, since I have already given birth to three sons for him. “And having conceived again, gave birth to a son and said: now again let us confess this to the Lord. For this reason he will call his name Judah” (Gen. 29:35). What does it mean: “we will confess this to the Lord”? “Let us confess,” i.e. I will thank and glorify the Lord for giving me another fourth son, for giving me such great wealth: as much as physical disgrace could harm me in my husband’s disposition, so much the birth of children, given to me by God’s love for mankind, rewards me, dispels my excessive sorrow, comforting me, who is hated for my lack of beauty, and turning dislike (of my husband) towards my sister. But having given birth to Judas, it is said further, Leah “stopped giving birth. When Rachel saw that she had not given birth to Jacob, she was jealous of her sister and said to Jacob: “Give me children 562, or else I will die” (Gen. 29:35, 30:1). An unreasonable demand typical of a wife and a soul tormented by jealousy! “Give mi chada!” But haven’t you heard that it was not cohabitation with her husband that brought fertility to your sister, but the Lord God, seeing “that she was hated, he opened her deceit” (Gen. 29:31)? Why do you demand from your husband what is above nature and, forgetting the Lord of nature, blame your husband, who cannot help you in the least with this? “Give my children: otherwise, I will die.” Jealousy is a terrible evil! She even falls into madness, as Rachel experienced. Looking at her sister’s pile of children and thinking about her loneliness, Rachel could not bear this shame, could not restrain the thoughts that embarrassed her - and uttered words full of madness. “Give me,” he says, “children: otherwise, I will die.” Perhaps she noticed in her husband his love for his sister and, thinking that for this very reason she had so many children, and she had not yet given birth to one, says to her husband: “Give me children”; then, wanting to frighten him, he adds: “If not, I’ll die.” What does pious Jacob have to do with this? “I was angry,” it is said, “at these words, and I said to her: I am food instead of God, who has deprived you of the fetus 563 of the womb?” (Gen.30:2). Why, he says, having forgotten the Lord of nature, do you reproach me? He has robbed you of the fruit of your womb; Why don’t you ask the One who can reveal the productivity of nature and give the womb the ability to bear children? Know that He deprived your womb of fruit and gave your sister such fertility. So, do not demand from me what I cannot give and over which I have no power. If it were up to me, I would, of course, prefer you to my sister, having more goodwill towards you. But since I cannot help you in this at all, even if I were a thousand times more inclined, then resort with forgiveness to the One who exposes you to infertility, but can also resolve it. Look how reasonable the righteous man is: even when driven to anger by his wife’s words, he gives her an answer with great wisdom; carefully teaches her, explaining to her the reason (infertility), so that she, having left the Lord, does not demand from anyone else what only God alone can bestow. Having thus learned that she was deprived of childbearing from God, and seeing her sister proud of her children, wanting to receive at least a little consolation, she said to Jacob: You have now taught me that it is not your fault that I remain childless; and so take at least my slave and give me children from her, so that I can find at least a little consolation for myself in the adoption of those born from a slave. “And he gave him,” it is said, “Bilhah his servant to be his wife: and he went down to her... and conceived... and bore Jacob a son. And Rachel said: God judge me and obey my voice, and give me a son: for this reason his name was given” (Gen. 30:4-6), So she received some joy when the slave gave birth; That’s why she herself gives the child a name and thanks the Lord for his birth. “And Bilhah conceived,” it is further said, “and gave birth,... and Rachel said: God raised me up, and became equal to my sister, and became strong: and I called his name Naphtali” (Gen. 30:7-8). Finally, from (the example of) the slave, she clearly understood that it was not Jacob who was to blame for her childlessness; That’s why he raises those born from slaves as his own children; She herself gives them names, finding in this the greatest consolation for herself. “And when Leah saw that she had ceased to give birth, she gave the servant Zilph 565 Jacob a wife: and he conceived... and gave birth. And Leah’s speech: I received 566 ", i.e. I achieved my goal, “and his name was called Gad” (Gen. 30:9-11). She named him Gada because her wish came true. “And conceive again... and give birth to another 567. And Leah said: Blessed am I, for 568 wives will please me. And he called his name Asher” (Gen. 30:12–13). 5. You see that Leah also adopted children born from a slave and even called herself blessed and worthy of blessing because of their birth. But look what followed then, and further, how the passion of jealousy passes first to one side and then to the other, and torments first one, then the other (Jacob’s wife). “Go,” it is said, “Reuben in the days 569 of the wheat harvest and you will find mandrake apples 570 on the field, and I will bring 571 to my mother. And 572 Rachel spoke to Leah 573: Give me your son from the mandrakes. Leah said: is it not enough for you that you have taken my husband? Will you stir up my son’s food and mandrakes?” (Gen.30:14-15). Do you see how clearly she reveals her spiritual passion with these words? Is it not enough, he says, for you that you have taken my husband? Will you also take my son’s mandrakes? “Rachel said: not like this: let this night be with you for the mandrakes of your son,” - give me, he says, the mandrakes - and take a husband today. Do you see how Jacob turns out to be completely devoted to his love for Rachel? Although Leah bore him so many children, his heart was disposed towards Rachel: and if it had not been for that 574, then how could Leah endure life with her sister? As having complete power over her husband, she gives up her husband for the mandrakes and says: “Let it be done to you today for the mandrakes.” Fulfill, he says, my desire regarding the mandrakes, and take my husband. When Jacob arrived, Leah, coming out to meet, said: “Come to me today: I will give you today for the mandrakes of my son. And, it was said, “that night was with her.” And God listened to Leah: and she conceived 575 and gave birth to a fifth son. And Leah said: God give me my reward; I have not given my servant to my husband. And he called his name Issachar, for there is a reward” (Gen. 30:16–18). “I listened,” it is said, “God of Leah.” Since God saw that Leah was dejected with grief and did not enjoy favor, he heard her, and she gave birth and said: I received reward for giving my slave to my husband; That's why she named her son Issachar. “And she conceived again and gave birth to a sixth son. And Leah said: God has given me a good gift: at this time my husband will love 576 me, for he has given birth to six sons. And he called his name Zebulun” (Gen. 30:19–20). Finally, she says, I will be kind to my husband, because I gave birth to six sons. Therefore, she gave the name to her son – Zabulon. “Give birth to a daughter, and call her name Dina. “God will remember,” it says further, “Rachel, and when he heard her, 577, and opened her womb. And she conceived and bore 578 Jacob a son. And Rachel said: God take away my reproach. And they called his name Joseph, saying, “God has given 579 me another son” (Gen. 30:21–24). God delivered me, she says, from reproach; resolved my infertility, was appeased, gave the power of childbearing to my womb and freed me from dishonor. “And they called his name Joseph, saying, God hath given me another son.” Do you see how little by little the promises of God were fulfilled? This is what a large family of children the righteous one now had, according to God’s providence for him! Since he showed great patience, lovingly enduring fourteen years of slavery, God, rewarding the piety of the righteous man, helped him to exalt himself to such an extent that he subsequently became the object of envy, as we will see from subsequent legends (Holy Scripture), which I would like to review now. 6. But so as not to burden your love too much with the length of the word, let’s save the rest for next time, if you like, and now let’s finish the conversation. I only urge your love to remember what has been said, to imitate the ancients in virtues - in marrying sons, in giving away daughters in marriage, and with your virtues to incline yourself to God’s favor. If God favors us, then, even if we were on someone else’s side, even if we were deprived of everything and unknown to anyone, we will be more glorious than everyone else. There is no more blessed person who is helped by the hand of the Highest. Blessed Jacob, taking advantage of her assistance, little by little exalted himself to such glory that those who received him as a stranger began to envy him. Let us also take care that we are worthy of help from above, and we will not resort to human power or seek protection from it. Nothing is as unreliable as this defense, as the experiences of human affairs sufficiently show us. Every day we see rapid changes; We see how everything turns, and those who were recently at the height of prosperity suddenly fall into extreme misfortune and often suffer the fate of the condemned. What madness it would be to seek the protection of people who themselves are in such uncertainty about their fate and cannot even control their own affairs with certainty! Therefore, let us remove ourselves from all human protection, remembering the words of the prophet: “Cursed is the man who trusts in man” (Jer. 17:5). You see that such a person is not only foolish, but is cursed because, having left the Lord of all, he turned to a slave like himself, who is not strong enough for himself. Let us avoid this curse, I beg you, and place all our hope in God. This is a firm, unshakable hope, not subject to change, like hope for people. Here, either death cuts off protection and leaves those who resort to it naked and deprived of everything, or even before death, a change in circumstances that has occurred makes everything unsuccessful on both sides. All real life is filled with such examples. Therefore, people are unworthy of forgiveness who, after so many experiences, still rely on human protection, and often suffer thousands of sorrows from their imaginary patrons. Anger has increased to such an extent that they often pay for services in the wrong way. Only with the God of all things everything is contrary to this: He constantly does good to us, even when we are ungrateful; He does not deprive Him of His protection despite our ingratitude, and always acts only out of His own love for mankind, of which may we all be worthy, by the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, with Whom to the Father, with the Holy Spirit, be glory, power, honor, now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. St. Chrysostom here means deanery at the marriage of Jacob to Leah. συνήθεια – habit, intimacy, acquaintance. καὶ ταύτης τὰ ἕβδομα ; in Lucian. etc. sp. καὶ – “and” is not read here, as in Hebrew. t. ῞Ετερα – “other”, read in Lucian, etc. sp. and ev. t., at Zlat. omitted. καὶ μετὰ ταῦτα ἕτερα ἑπτὰ ἕτη, ἔδωκε.. . Zlat. Κύριος ὁ Θεὸς according to Alex. sp.; in Lucian. sp. ὁ Θεὸς is not readable. Zlat.: τέτοκα γὰρ; in Lucian. sp. ἔτεκον γὰρ; the meaning of both expressions is the same. Zlat.: τέκνα agrees with Alex. etc.; in Lucian. and Bodleian. – τέκνον – “child”. – καρπῶν – (lit. “fruit”) instead of καρπὸν – “fruit” in Lucian. and many more other sp. In sp. Dorotheus after κοιλίας - “womb” is read σοῦ - “you”, which is absent from Zlata. συναντελάβετό μου according to the original. reading 70 (“Field”. Origenis Hexapl.); in Lucian. and other sp. – συνελάβετό μοι – “helped me”; in sp. Dorothea - ἀντελάβετο - “took firmly.” ᾿Ιδοῦσα δὲ (instead of εἶδε δὲ - “vide”)... ἐδωκε (instead of καὶ ἔλαβε Ζέλφαν τὴν παιδίσκην αὐτῆς καὶ ἔδωκεν - “and he took Zilpah his servant and dade"); here the saint, obviously for the sake of brevity, omits some words from the Bible. text and partly changes the form of speech, because in hitherto known reading lists this passage, which fully corresponds to Zlatoust, is not found. τετύχηκα according to sp. Dorothea; in Lucian. and other sp. – εὐτύχηκα – “good thing happened to me” (Slav. B.); original translation of the 70 (according to “Field”): ἐν τύχῃ – “in happiness” or: “I am happy.” – ἕτερον instead of δεύτερον – “second” in Lucian. and in all other sp., as in Hebrew. t. – μακαριοῦσι according to Monac., Vienna. (130 at Holmes) and Tsittaw. sp.; in Lucian., Alex. and other sp. – μακαρίζουσι – “please”. Zlat.: ἐν ἡμέραις according to sp. Alex., Cotton., Dorothea, etc.; in Lucian. – ἐν ἡμέρα – “in the days.” μῆλα μανδραγορῶν, in Lucian. – μ. μανδραγόρου. Words: πρὸς Λείαν - “to Leah” (Slav. B.), usually read in Greek. sp., as in Hebrew. t., at Zlat. are omitted, as a result of which instead of τὴν μητέρα αὐτοῦ it reads: τῇ μητρὶ αὐτου - “his mother”. Καὶ εῖ᾿πε instead of εῖ᾿πε δὲ – “speech” in Lucian. and other sp. Words: τῇ ἀδελφῇ αὐτῆς – “to his sister”, read in Lucian. sp., are not read in Zlat. according to Alex., Coton. and other sp. τῷ ᾿Ιακὼβ - “To Jacob”, usually read in the book, are omitted from Zlat. So according to the text in Min: ᾿Εν τῷ νῦν καιρῷ αἰρετιεῖ, i.e. the words: “at the present time” refer to the verb: “will love,” and not to the previous words: “a good gift,” as in Slav. B. Here ὁ Θεὸς is “God”, read in Lucian. and other sp., as in Hebrew. t., is not read by Zlat. according to nek. Greek sp. (Holmes). Zlat.: καὶ συνέλαβε καὶ ἔτεκε according to sp. Dorothea; in Lucian. and others – καὶ συλλαβοῦσα ἔτεκεν – “and having conceived” (Slav. B.). Προσέθετο according to sp. Lucian., Dorothea, etc. instead of προσθέτω - “may he give” (Slav. B.) in Alex. and other sp. You might be interested in: