Gn32-13b, presenting Jacob's supplication to God to save him from this brother Esauv states And you,God, said, I will surely do you good, and make your seed as the sand of the sea, which can not be counted for multitude. Rashi simply explains the underlined citation by providing a cross reference from an other verse: Rashi first cites Gn28-14 which states And your seed shall be as the dust of the earth, and you shall spread abroad to the west, and to the east, and to the north, and to the south; and in you and in your seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed.

Rashi is not fully satisfied with this other verse. After all one verse speaks about your seed shall be as the sand of the sea while the other verse speaks about your seed shall be as the dust of the earth. Dust and sand are similar but not identical. Rashi therefore cites a verse mentioned to Abraham, Gn32-13 That in blessing I will bless you, and in multiplying I will multiply your seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore; and your seed shall possess the gate of his enemies; Rashi argues that since this blessing was stated to Abraham for his progeny it is therefore an appropriate cross reference to Jacob.

Sermonic points:The Talmud states that the incidents of the Patriarchs are moral norms for the children. Here Jacob teaches us how to pray: Jacob was afraid he might die---to strengthen himself thru prayer he cites a Biblical prophecy that Abraham's seed would be plentiful. Here the Biblical prophecy directly contradicts the possibility of war and massive death. In this way the utterance of prophecy during prayer spiritually strengthens him. Such uses of prophecy during times of stress are meritorious and an intrinsic part of the prayer experience.