A classic example of an envelope structure is God, Jacob, and Bethel.

Last week’s reading: At the beginning of Jacob’s dangerous journey, when he is alone and vulnerable, God promises to be with him, to protect him, and not to leave him until he comes safely back home. Jacob pours oil upon a stone, creating a pillar at a place called Bethel, which the Torah notes used to be called Luz. (Genesis 28: 13-19)

This week’s reading: Many years later, Jacob now has four wives, eleven sons and his daughter Dinah. He and his large family have made it back home to Canaan and survived his reunion with Esau. It seems like God has fulfilled God’s promises. The Torah self-consciously and intentionally creates an envelope structure:

God said to Jacob, “Arise, go up to Bethel and remain there; and build an altar there to the God who appeared to you when you were fleeing from your brother Esau. (Genesis 35:1)

Thus, Jacob came to Luz—that is, Bethel—in the land of Canaan, he and all the people who were with him. There he built an altar and named the site El-bethel, for it was there that God had revealed Himself to him when he was fleeing from his brother. (Genesis 35: 6-7)

God parted from him at the spot where He had spoken to him; and Jacob set up a pillar at the site where He had spoken to him, a pillar of stone, and he offered a libation on it and poured oil upon it. Jacob gave the site, where God had spoken to him, the name of Bethel. (Genesis 35: 13-14)

Promises made at Bethel. Promises fulfilled, duly noted, and celebrated, at Bethel.

Clean. Neat. Tidy.

Or not? What do we learn about the apparent envelope of Jacob’s story that can help us make sense of our own reality that is not clean, not neat, not tidy?