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An envelope structure is a great way to tell a story. The story begins with a place, an event, a memorable moment. Stuff happens. The plot unfolds. And the story ends back at the same place or a newer, deeper version of the same event or memorable moment.\n\nA classic example of an envelope structure is God, Jacob, and Bethel.\n\nLast week\u2019s reading: At the beginning of Jacob\u2019s 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)\n\nThis week\u2019s 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\u2019s promises. The Torah self-consciously and intentionally creates an envelope structure:\n\nGod said to Jacob, \u201cArise, 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)\n\nThus, Jacob came to Luz\u2014that is, Bethel\u2014in 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)\n\nGod 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)\n\nPromises made at Bethel. Promises fulfilled, duly noted, and celebrated, at Bethel.\n\nClean. Neat. Tidy.\n\nOr not? What do we learn about the apparent envelope of Jacob\u2019s story that can help us make sense of our own reality that is not clean, not neat, not tidy?