[21]
(Gen. 35:1:) THEN GOD SAID UNTO JACOB: ARISE, GO UP TO BETHEL. Let our master instruct us: When one prays,
The particular prayer under consideration is the Tefillah, also known as the ‘Amidah or the “Eighteen Benedictions” (Shemoneh ‘Esreh). This prayer, which ultimately came to contain nineteen benedictions, is recited as part of the daily services.
where should he direct his heart? Thus have our masters taught: One who prays should (according to
Ber. 4:5-6)
DIRECT HIS HEART TOWARD THE HOUSE OF THE HOLY OF HOLIES.
PR 33:1; also Sifre Deut. 3:26 (29); TBer. 3:14-16; yBer. 4:5 (8bc); Ber. 30a; see Yev. 105b; Cant. R. 4:4:9.
R. Eliezer ben Jacob says: One who prays outside of the land [is to direct his heart towards the land of Israel. One who prays in the land of Israel is to direct his heart toward Jerusalem. One who prays in Jerusalem is to direct his heart toward the Sanctuary. When one prays in the Sanctuary], he is to direct his heart to the House of the Holy of Holies. R. Abbin the Levite said: It is written (in Cant. 4:4):
LIKE THE TOWER OF DAVID (i.e., the Temple), YOUR NECK IS BUILT FOR TLPYWT (TURRETS). What is the meaning of
FOR TLPYWT? That all mouths
PYWT pray through it.
Cf. PR 33:1: “The hill (TL) towards which all mouths (PYWT) turn.” This explanation succeeds in accounting for all the letters in TLPYWT.
[R. Judah the Levite said: It is written (in I Kings 6:17):
THAT IS THE TEMPLE LPNY. What is the meaning of
LPNY? That all the faces (
PNYM) turn to
The Buber text here reads B (“in,” “on,” “by means of,” etc.). A more likely reading is that of the Hebrew Bible, i.e., L (“to” or “toward”), which accounts for the L in LPNY.
it.] The Holy One said: Everyone is going to and yearning for my house. Are you not going there?
(Gen. 35:1) ARISE, GO UP TO BETHEL.
BETHEL means “the house of God.”
R. Jose said: He immediately began to take [counsel with] the tribes who would go up with him. Thus it is stated (in Gen. 35:3): LET US ARISE AND GO UP. They said to him: Where to? He said to them: To the place where my Creator told me (in vs. 1): ARISE, GO UP TO BETHEL…. R. Aha said: Jerusalem is only built by virtue of the tribes. It is so stated (in Ps. 122:3): JERUSALEM IS BUILT UP AS A CITY WHICH HAS BEEN KNIT TOGETHER. What is written after this (in vs. 4)? FOR THERE HAVE THE TRIBES GONE UP….
[22] It is written (in Ps. 50:14):
SACRIFICE A THANK OFFERING TO GOD. When Jacob left his father's house, he left with nothing but his staff, as stated (in Gen. 32:11 [10]):
WITH ONLY MY STAFF I CROSSED THIS JORDAN. Immediately Jacob had made a vow before the Holy One, as stated (in Gen. 28:20):
THEN JACOB VOWED A VOW. What is written at the end of the passage (in vs. 22)?
AND OF ALL THAT YOU GIVE ME. But, when he enriched him, as stated (in Gen. 30:43):
SO THE MAN (Jacob) BECAME VERY VERY PROSPEROUS, he forgot his vow. Immediately he provoked Laban against him, as stated (in Gen. 31:23):
SO HE (Laban) TOOK HIS RELATIVES WITH HIM < AND PURSUED HIM (Jacob) SEVEN DAYS' JOURNEY >. When he had escaped from Laban, Esau was incited against him. Immediately the angel appeared to him. He said to him: Are you not aware of all this trouble? Why has all the trouble come over you? Because you have been late with your vow. Jacob said to him (in Gen. 32:30 [29]) {
WHAT IS}
[PLEASE TELL] YOUR NAME. He said to him (ibid.):
WHY IS IT THAT YOU ARE ASKING FOR MY NAME? Sometimes the angel is made into a spirit, as stated (in Ps. 104:4):
HE HAS MADE HIS ANGELS SPIRITS. Sometimes he is made a into lightning bolt, as stated (in Job 38:35):
CAN YOU SEND FORTH LIGHTNINGS SO THAT THEY GO? But as for the miracles (of transformation), he (God) acts himself. And so the angel said to Manoah (in Jud. 13:18):
YOU ARE NOT TO ASK MY NAME. (Gen. 32:30 [29]:)
WHY IS IT THAT YOU ARE ASKING FOR MY NAME?
Yalqut Shim‘oni, Jud., 69, explains that names are useless because the angel would not know into what form God might change him.
Immediately the angel blessed him, as stated (in Gen. 32:30 [29]):
AND HE BLESSED HIM THERE. (Hos. 12:5 [4]:)
SO HE STROVE WITH AN ANGEL AND PREVAILED. What did he say to him? Go, fulfill your vow. (Eccl. 5:4 [5]:)
IT IS BETTER NOT TO VOW < THAN TO VOW AND NOT FULFILL >. What did Simeon and Levi do immediately?
TWO OF JACOB'S SONS, [SIMEON AND LEVI, BROTHERS OF DINAH, EACH TOOK HIS SWORD] … < AND KILLED EVERY MALE >. < Jacob > immediately fell on his face and did not get up until < the Holy One > gave him permission (in Gen. 35:1):
ARISE, GO UP TO BETHEL. So also with Joshua (according to Josh. 7:6 & 10):
[AND HE FELL ON HIS FACE] < .. . > THEN THE LORD SAID UNTO JOSHUA: ARISE, GO. WHY IS IT THAT YOU FALL UPON YOUR FACE? So also with David (according to I Chron. 21:16):
SO DAVID AND THE ELDERS, COVERED IN SACKCLOTH, FELL UPON THEIR FACES. Then what was said to him (in II Sam. 24:18)?
GO UP, ERECT AN ALTAR TO THE LORD ON THE THRESHING FLOOR OF ARAUNAH. It is therefore stated (in Gen. 35:1):
ARISE, GO UP TO BETHEL. He immediately journeyed with his whole house; and the Holy One put his fear upon all about him, as stated (in Gen. 35:5):
AND, AS THEY JOURNEYED, A TERROR FROM GOD CAME < UPON THE CITIES THAT WERE ROUND ABOUT THEM >. It is also stated (in Deut. 28:10):
AND ALL THE PEOPLES OF THE EARTH SHALL SEE THAT THE NAME OF THE LORD IS PROCLAIMED OVER YOU, AND THEY SHALL BE AFRAID OF YOU.
[23]
(Gen. 35:9:) NOW GOD APPEARED UNTO JACOB AGAIN…. This text is related (to Eccl. 7:2):
IT IS BETTER TO GO UNTO A HOUSE OF MOURNING < THAN UNTO A HOUSE OF FEASTING >…. R. Simeon bar Abba said: There are two ways to be charitable, to be charitable with a bride and with the dead. If both of these < opportunities > should present themselves to you, you would not know which of them to seize first. Solomon came and explained (in Eccl. 7:2):
IT IS BETTER TO GO INTO THE HOUSE OF MOURNING < THAN UNTO A HOUSE OF FEASTING >…. We have found that, when people have gone to the house of feasting, their names were not specified; but, when people have gone to the house of mourning, they have been excluded from Gehinnom, their names have been specified, and they have prophesied through the Holy Spirit.
Eccl.R. 7:2:4.
So who were those who entered the house of feasting? It is written (in Gen. 21:8):
SO THE CHILD (Isaac) GREW AND WAS WEANED, AND ABRAHAM MADE A GREAT FEAST. What is the meaning of
GREAT? It teaches that Shem, Eber, and Abimelech were there; but their names were not specified.
Cf. Gen. R. 53:10.
However, the names of those who went to the house of mourning {Job and his friends} were excluded from Gehinnom and the Holy Spirit rested upon them, i.e., upon Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite. And the Holy Spirit rested upon them, in that it is stated (in Job 4:1):
THEN ANSWERED ELIPHAZ THE TEMANITE. Now he would only have answered in the language of prophecy. Thus it is stated (in Exod. 19:19):
MOSES SPOKE, AND GOD ANSWERED HIM IN THUNDER.
See also ySot. 7:2 (21c).
Ergo:
IT IS BETTER TO GO INTO THE HOUSE OF MOURNING < THAN INTO A HOUSE OF FEASTING >…. And who was the first to show his face [as a mourner]. See, the Holy One says < when >. When? When Deborah died, as stated (in Gen. 35:8):
THEN < REBEKAH'S NURSE > DEBORAH DIED < AND WAS BURIED UNDER THE OAK BELOW BETHEL; AND ITS NAME WAS CALLED WEEPING OAK >. And it is written (in vs. 9):
NOW GOD APPEARED UNTO JACOB AGAIN … < AND BLESSED HIM >.
According to below, 8:26; Eccl. 7:2:3, the Holy One blessed him with a benediction for mourners.
[24] [
(Gen. 35:9:) NOW GOD APPEARED UNTO JACOB AGAIN….]
< AND BLESSED HIM >. This text is related (to Job 4:12-13):
NOW A WORD WAS SECRETLY BROUGHT UNTO ME, AND MY EAR RECEIVED A WHISPER OF IT, IN THOUGHTS FROM NIGHT VISIONS, WHEN DEEP SLEEP FALLS UPON PEOPLE. NOW A WORD WAS SECRETLY BROUGHT UNTO ME. [When the Holy One reveals himself unto the wicked, he reveals himself unto them by stealth at night; but] when he reveals himself unto the righteous, he reveals himself unto them in public.
Gk.: parresia.
{But when he} [R. Issachar said: When the Holy One] reveals himself unto the wicked, he reveals himself in colloquial speech, in unclean speech,
Gen. R. 52:5; Lev. R. 1:13.
in semi-utterance. Thus it is stated (in Numb. 23:4):
THEN GOD ENCOUNTERED BALAAM. ENCOUNTERED < denotes > nothing but unclean speech. Thus it is stated (in Deut. 23:11 [10]):
WHO IS UNCLEAN BECAUSE OF WHAT HE ENCOUNTERS AT NIGHT (i.e., a nocturnal emission). But when he reveals himself to the righteous, he reveals himself in clean speech. Thus it is stated (in Lev. 1:1):
THEN < THE LORD > CALLED UNTO MOSES < AND SPOKE UNTO HIM FROM THE TENT OF MEETING >. It was therefore stated (in Job 4:12):
NOW A WORD WAS SECRETLY BROUGHT UNTO ME (Eliphaz). When the Holy One reveals himself to the wicked, [he reveals himself] in the night because their deeds are dark like the night. For that reason he reveals himself to them in the night. Thus it is stated (concerning Laban in Gen. 31:24):
THEN GOD CAME UNTO LABAN < THE ARAMAEAN > IN A DREAM AT NIGHT. But when he comes to the righteous, what is written (in Gen. 35:9)?
NOW GOD APPEARED UNTO JACOB AGAIN, < WHEN HE CAME FROM PADDANARAM >.
Since the Holy One appeared to Jacob on arrival, before he had retired for the night, the verse implies that the Holy One appeared during the daylight hours.
[25] [(
Gen. 35:9,
11:)
NOW GOD APPEARED UNTO JACOB AGAIN]… < AND GOD SAID TO HIM: I AM GOD ALMIGHTY >. This text is related (to … Ps. 61:6 [5]):
FOR YOU, O GOD, HAVE HEARKENED TO MY VOWS; < YOU HAVE GRANTED THE HERITAGE OF THOSE WHO FEAR YOUR NAME >. Isaac had a face with a visage like < that of > his father.
Gk.: prosopon. On Isaac’s face being like that of Abraham, see Targum Pseudo-Jonathan, Gen. 25:19; BM 87a.
(Gen. 25:19:) THESE ARE THE GENERATIONS OF ISAAC BEN ABRAHAM: ABRAHAM SIRED ISAAC. What is the meaning of
ABRAHAM SIRED ISAAC? That he had a face with a visage like that of his father. Ergo (in Ps. 61:6 [5]):
YOU HAVE GRANTED THE HERITAGE OF THOSE WHO FEAR YOUR NAME.
According to BM 87a, Isaac’s visage miraculously became like that of Abraham and thereby demonstrated his paternity, i.e., that Isaac had a heritage.
Just as Abraham had the Holy One speak with him at the age of ninety-nine years (in Gen. 17:1), so did Jacob have the Holy One speak with him at the age of ninety-nine years. Just as Abraham had the Holy One say to him (in Gen. 17:1):
I AM GOD ALMIGHTY; BE FRUITFUL AND MULTIPLY;
These last four words are not found in the Masoretic Text.
so did
JACOB have him speak with him as God Almighty. It is so stated (in Gen. 35:9, 11:)
NOW GOD APPEARED UNTO JACOB AGAIN … < AND GOD SAID TO HIM >: [I AM GOD ALMIGHTY); BE FRUITFUL AND MULTIPLY.
[26] [(
Gen. 35:9,
11:)
NOW GOD APPEARED UNTO JACOB AGAIN < .. > AND GOD SAID TO HIM:]
< I AM GOD ALMIGHTY >. This text is related (to Deut. 28:6):
BLESSED SHALL YOU BE IN YOUR COMING; < AND BLESSED SHALL YOU BE IN YOUR GOING AWAY >. When Jacob went away from his father's house, he went away with a blessing, as stated (in Gen. 28:3):
MAY GOD ALMIGHTY BLESS YOU. Also, when he came from Paddan-Aram, he came with a blessing, as stated (in Gen. 35:9):
NOW GOD APPEARED UNTO JACOB AGAIN < … > AND BLESSED HIM. How did he bless him? R. Levi said: He blessed him with a benediction for mourners. What is written above on the matter (in Gen. 35:8)?
THEN < REBEKAH'S NURSE > DEBORAH DIED < AND WAS BURIED UNDER THE OAK BELOW BETHEL; AND ITS NAME WAS CALLED WEEPING OAK >. R. Samuel bar Nahman said: While Jacob was observing the mourning for his nurse, news < about the death > of his mother came, as stated (ibid.):
AND ITS NAME WAS CALLED WEEPING OAK (
Allon Bakhut). R. Samuel bar Nahman said: The language is Hellenistic. What is the meaning of
Allon < in Greek >? "Another."
I.e., another occasion for weeping, namely the occasion of the death of Rebekah. So Targum Pseudo-Jonathan, Gen. 35:8; Gen. R. 81:8; PRK 3:1.
The Holy One said: How long will this righteous one remain in grief? R. Jonathan bar Il'ay said: The Holy One said: It is right that I show him a friendly face, as stated (in Gen. 35:9):
NOW GOD APPEARED UNTO JACOB AGAIN….
[27] [
(Gen. 35:9:) NOW GOD APPEARED UNTO JACOB AGAIN.] This text is related (to Job 22:28):
WHEN YOU DECREE SOMETHING, IT SHALL COME TO PASS FOR YOU. < The passage > speaks about Jacob. (Ibid., cont.:)
[AND LIGHT SHALL SHINE UPON YOUR WAYS. UPON] two WAYS. When he went away from his father's house, the Holy One revealed himself to him. What is written (in Gen. 28:13)?
AND BEHOLD, THE LORD STOOD OVER HIM AND SAID. Also, when he returned, what is written (in 35:9)?
NOW GOD APPEARED UNTO JACOB AGAIN. What is the meaning of AGAIN? R. Judah said: He said to him: Once
AGAIN I am revealing myself to you. The Holy One revealed himself to him five times, which corresponds to the five blessings with which his father had blessed him; and they are as follows (according to Gen. 28:3f):
(1) < MAY > GOD ALMIGHTY < BLESS YOU, (2) MAKE YOU FRUITFUL, AND (3) MULTIPLY YOU, (4) SO THAT YOU MAY BECOME A CONGREGATION OF PEOPLES >; (5) AND MAY HE GRANT YOU THE BLESSING OF ABRAHAM…. Here are five blessings. And < God > revealed himself to him:
< Once > When he went away from his father's house, as stated (in Gen. 28:13): AND BEHOLD, THE LORD STOOD OVER HIM.
Once with Laban (in Gen. 31:3): < THEN THE LORD SAID UNTO JACOB > : RETURN UNTO THE LAND OF YOUR ANCESTORS.
Once (in Gen. 35:1): < THEN GOD SAID UNTO JACOB >: ARISE, GO UP TO BETHEL.
Once (in Gen. 35:9): NOW GOD APPEARED UNTO JACOB AGAIN.
And once (in Gen. 46:2,4): THEN GOD SPOKE TO ISRAEL AND SAID…. I MYSELF WILL GO DOWN WITH YOU….
Another interpretation (of Gen. 35:9):
NOW GOD APPEARED UNTO JACOB AGAIN. What is the meaning of
AGAIN? I am never
AGAIN {causing my name to rest upon} [joining my name to] a human except < to be called > (as in Exod. 3:6)
THE GOD OF ABRAHAM, THE GOD OF ISAAC, AND THE GOD OF JACOB. Once
AGAIN I am revealing myself to him.
Gen. R. 82:3.
[28]
(Gen. 35:9:) NOW GOD APPEARED UNTO JACOB AGAIN. What is written next (in vs. 11)?
AND GOD SAID TO HIM: I AM GOD ALMIGHTY; BE FRUITFUL AND MULTIPLY. You are an omen for your children. When I came to you, I came laden with blessings. So, when I come to your children, I will come laden with blessings, as stated (in Exod. 20:21 [24]):
IN EVERY PLACE WHERE I CAUSE MY NAME TO BE MENTIONED, I WILL COME UNTO YOU AND BLESS YOU. Ergo (in Gen. 35:9):
NOW GOD APPEARED UNTO JACOB AGAIN, < WHEN HE CAME FROM PADDANARAM, AND BLESSED HIM >. And not to Jacob only < did he do so >, but also to our father Abraham. What is written (about Abraham in Gen. 18:1)?
THEN THE LORD APPEARED UNTO HIM … < AS HE SAT >….
Above, 4:4; Gen. R. 48:7; PRK 5:8.
The Holy One was standing, as it were, while he was sitting. He wanted to stand. The Holy One said to him: Sit down! By your life, you are an omen for your children. Just as you sit while I stand; {according to what is stated (in Ps. 82:1):
GOD STANDS IN THE DIVINE CONGREGATION} so also shall your children sit in synagogues and academies while I stand, as it were, according to what is stated (in Ps. 82:1):
GOD STANDS IN THE DIVINE CONGREGATION. Here also (at Paddan-Aram in Gen. 35:9) the Holy One said to Jacob: You are an omen to your children. Just as in your case, when I came to you, I came laden with blessings; < so > also in the case of your children, when I reveal myself to them, I will be laden with blessings. As soon as the Tabernacle had been built, what is written (in Numb. 7:1, 4):
SO IT CAME TO PASS THAT ON THE DAY THAT MOSES HAD FINISHED SETTING UP THE TABERNACLE, < HAD ANOINTED IT AND SANCTIFIED IT…THE LORD SPOKE UNTO MOSES >. Now, when work on it was finished, the Holy One said: I have made an agreement with them. When I reveal myself to them, I will be laden with blessings. What did the Holy One do? He blessed them and later revealed himself to them. What is written about the priestly blessing (in Numb. 6:24-26)?
THE LORD BLESS YOU AND KEEP YOU; THE LORD MAKE HIS FACE SHINE UPON YOU AND BE GRACIOUS TO YOU; THE LORD LIFT UP HIS FACE UNTO YOU AND GRANT YOU PEACE. Then, later (in Numb. 7:1, 4):
SO IT CAME TO PASS THAT ON THE DAY THAT MOSES HAD FINISHED SETTING UP THE TABERNACLE … < THE LORD SPOKE UNTO MOSES >.
[29]
(Gen. 35:11:) AND GOD SAID < TO HIM >: I AM GOD ALMIGHTY; BE FRUITFUL AND MULTIPLY … [AND KINGS SHALL COME OUT OF YOUR LOINS]. The sages have said: On the basis of this text Abner drew an interpretation, as a result of which he enthroned Saul's son Ishbosheth,
Gen. R. 82:4.
namely, that Benjamin was going to produce two kings, since < God > had said to him:
AND KINGS (in the plural)
SHALL COME OUT OF YOUR LOINS.
Abner’s argument was that, as a promise, the passage refers to the future and that the next event mentioned (in vss. 16-18) is the birth of Jacob’s last son, Benjamin.
Now until then only Saul had arisen (as a king out of Benjamin). He therefore enthroned Saul's son Ishbosheth. And not only that, but also in < the incident of > the concubine at Gibeah (Jud. 19-21), {< the Israelites > had readmitted him (i.e., Benjamin)}. R. Samuel bar Nahman said: < They did so > on the basis of this text. When they had opposed him, they had said (in Jud. 21:1):
NONE OF US SHALL GIVE HIS DAUGHTER IN MARRIAGE TO BENJAMIN. Thus they had banished him, but they later repented and accepted him. They said: If he were not more exalted than the heavens, the Holy One would not have said to our father Jacob (in Gen. 35:11), when he came < back > to the land from abroad:
AND KINGS SHALL COME OUT OF YOUR LOINS. Thus on the basis of this text they readmitted him.
[30] Another interpretation (of Gen. 35:11):
I AM GOD ALMIGHTY. Aquila translated (in his Greek version):
I AM TRUSTWORTHY TO REPAY TO EVERYONE ACCORDING TO HIS WORKS.
Apart from this reference in the Buber Tanhuma, all other evidence indicates that Aquila regularly translated GOD ALMIGHTY (El Shadday) with the Greek words ischyros and hikanos, which mean “mighty” and “sufficient.” So Joseph Reider and Nigel Turner, An Index to Aquila (“Supplements to Vetus Testamentum,” 12; Leiden: Brill, 1966), s.v., hikanos, ischyros, El, and Shadday; so also Gen. R. 46:3, as interpreted by Reider, Prolegomena to a Greek-Hebrew and Hebrew-Greek Index to Aquila, 1913 Dropsie College Ph.D. thesis (Philadelphia: Dropsie, 1916), p. 152.
(Ibid., cont.:) BE FRUITFUL AND MULTIPLY. I was looking for you to BE FRUITFUL, MULTIPLY, and < so > raise up tribes.
(Ibid., cont.:) A NATION, EVEN AN ASSEMBLY OF NATIONS, SHALL COME FROM YOU. He brought him the news that his children were going to become like the nations. Just as the nations number seventy, so also shall your children be seventy < like > a Sanhedrin: It is so stated (in Numb. 11:16): GATHER FOR ME SEVENTY PEOPLE.
Another interpretation: A NATION EVEN AN ASSEMBLY OF NATIONS. He brought him news that his children were going to be sacrificing to Asherah like the < non-Jewish > nations. When? In the days of Elijah. What is written (in I Kings 18:30)? AND HE REPAIRED (RP') THE BROKEN-DOWN ALTAR OF THE LORD, in that he healed (RP') them and brought them into the way of goodness when he did all those miracles for them. When they saw him, what did they say (according to I Kings 18:39)? THE LORD ALONE IS GOD; THE LORD ALONE IS GOD! In this world, because idolatry was common, they said: THE LORD ALONE IS GOD; THE LORD ALONE IS GOD; but in the world to come, when the Holy One reigns over us and over all Israel, they shall say (according to Zech. 14:9): AND THE LORD SHALL BE A KING OVER ALL THE EARTH. IN THAT DAY THE LORD SHALL BE ONE, AND HIS NAME ONE.
The End of Parashat Wayyishelah
