A Ladder Reaching to Heaven

 

Jacobs is on his way to Haran, penniless, and fleeing from the anger of his brother who has threatened to kill him.  He sleeps out in the open in a “place” which he later names Beth El, and there he experiences a vision of a ladder reaching towards the heavens, upon which angels of Elokim are ascending and descending.

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  “Jacob departed from Beersheba and went to Haran.  He encountered the place and spent the night there because the sun had set.” (Genesis 28:10-11)  

 

Where is this “place”?  It is as if the Bible assumes we already know where it is.  In fact, Rashi will remind us that this “place” has been mentioned previously in the Bible, in the Akeida story:

 "And he encountered the place (וַיִּפְגַּע בַּמָּקוֹם): The verse does not mention which place, but it means “the place” that has been mentioned elsewhere.  This is Mount Moriah, of which it has been said: “And he perceived the place from afar.”9

 

There is a problem though.  The location of “the place” is never identified in the Akeida.  There is, however, a very strong Jewish tradition that “the place” is the Temple Mount in Jerusalem. 

 Hence, we are told the following in Chronicles 2;3:1:  

 

"And Solomon began to build the house of the Lord in Jerusalem in the mount of Amoria, where the Lord appeared to his father David, in the place which David had prepared in the threshing-floor of Orna the Jebusite.” (Chronicles 2:3:1)  

 

From this verse it sounds very much as if the Temple was built on Mount Moriah.  However, this opinion has not been universally accepted.  Hence, the Greek Septuagint translates the land of Moriah described in Genesis as “the highland,” and the Mount of Amoriah in Chronicles as “the Mount of Amoria.” 

 In chapter 28 of Genesis “the place” is identified very specifically.  Following his nighttime vision, the Bible tells us:

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 “Jacob arose early in the morning and took the stone that he had placed around his head and set it as a pillar; and he poured oil on its top.  And he called the name of that place Beth-el; however, Luz was the city’s name originally.” (Genesis 28:18-19) 

 

Rashi attempts to maintain the Rabbinic tradition that the gate of heaven was over Jerusalem by envisaging a slanting ladder:

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 “The Amora R’ Elazar said in the name of R’ Yose ben Zimra. This ladder was standing with its feet in Beer-sheba, and the middle of its incline reached opposite [i.e. over] the Temple (Beis HaMikdash). For Beer-sheba stands in the southern part of the territory of the Tribe of Judah and Jerusalem is in its northern part on the boundary between Judah and Benjamin.  And Beth-el was in the northern part of Benjamin’s territory on the border between Benjamin and the sons of Joseph.  It is thus found a ladder whose feet are in Beer-sheba and whose upper end in is Beth-el, the middle of its incline (length) reaches opposite [i.e. over] Jerusalem.”10

 

Nevertheless, the selection of Jerusalem by King David as the site for the Temple is relatively late in Jewish history.  Until that time, either Beth El or Shilo functioned as the religious center for the Jewish people, and that the Ark of the Covenant was located in these places during the period of the Judges.  We are told the following, for example, regarding Beth El.

 

“Bnei Yisrael and all the nation went up and came to Beth-El, and they wept and sat there before God and fasted on that day until the evening, and they offered up burnt offerings and peace offerings before God.  And Bnei Yisrael asked of God, for there the Ark of God’s Covenant was in those days.  And Pinchas, the son of Elazar, the son of Aharon, stood before Him in those days.”(Judges 20:26-28)

 

We also know that the Ark of the Covenant was in Shilo for much of the time during the time of Joshua and the Judges.11  Shilo is within about 10 miles of Beth El.  

 

However politically inconvenient this idea is, it seems unlikely that the site of “the place” of Jacob’s dream and “the place” of the Akeida was in Jerusalem.  More likely, it was just as the Torah tells us - in Beth El.

 

To continue - at the very top of “it” was YKVK Himself.   

 

This phrase is ambiguous.  Where was God – above his head or above the ladder?  Either suggestion would fit into this sentence.  Rashi is of the opinion that God was standing directly over Jacob.  Nachmanides suggests that YKVK was standing on top of the ladder. 

 

YKVK now ratifies the prayer that Isaac made before sending Jacob on his way to Haran, and He assures him that he will inherit the mantle of Abraham: 

 

“And behold, YKVK stood over it/him and He said, "I am YKVK, the God of your father Abraham, and God of Isaac.  THE LAND UPON WHICH YOU ARE LYING – TO YOU I WILL GIVE IT, AND TO YOUR DESCENDANTS.   YOUR OFFSPRING SHALL BE AS THE DUST OF THE EARTH, and you shall spread out WESTWARD, EASTWARD, NORTHWARD AND SOUTHWARD; and THROUGH YOU SHALL ALL THE FAMILIES OF THE EARTH BE BLESSED." (Genesis 28:13-14)

 

In a beautiful essay, Rav Tamir Granot points out that much of this speech had already been conveyed to Abraham.12  Abraham receives two communications from YKVK at the beginning of his mission.  The first is when he is living in Haran, when he is told to leave his homeland to become a great nation and a source of blessing to humanity.  The second is when his nephew Lot, who until that time would probably have been his heir, separates from him and leaves for the city of Sodom.  The points of similarity between God’s speech at the dream of the ladder and those given to Abraham in Haran and when Lot separates from him are highlighted in capitals.   It can be seen that God’s speech to Jacob summarizes that which had been told previously to Abraham:

 

The dream of the ladder:

And behold, YKVK stood over him/it and said, "I am YKVK, the God of your father Abraham, and the God of Isaac.  THE LAND UPON WHICH YOU ARE LYING – TO YOU I WILL GIVE IT, AND TO YOUR DESCENDANTS. 

 YOUR OFFSPRING SHALL BE AS THE DUST OF THE EARTH, and you shall spread WESTWARD, EASTWARD, NORTHWARD AND SOUTHWARD; AND THROUGH YOU SHALL ALL THE FAMILIES OF THE EARTH BE BLESSED." (Genesis 28:13-14)

 

The blessing at Haran

 

YKVK said to Avram, "Go forth… and I will make of you a great nation; I will bless you and make your name great, and you shall be a blessing.

I will bless those who bless you, and him who curses you I will curse; AND THROUGH YOU SHALL ALL THE 

FAMILIES OF THE EARTH BE BLESSED." (Genesis 12:1-3)

 

The blessing following the separation from Lot, to the east side of Beth-El:

 

YKVK said to Avram, after Lot had parted from him. "Lift up your eyes and see, from the place where you are – NORTHWARD, SOUTHWARD, EASTWARD AND WESTWARD.

 FOR ALL THE LAND WHICH YOU SEE – TO YOU I WILL GIVE IT, AND TO YOUR DESCENDANTS, FOREVER.

I SHALL MAKE YOUR OFFSPRING AS THE DUST OF THE EARTH, that if one can count the dust of the earth – then your offspring too shall be counted.

 Arise, walk about in the land, throughout its length and breadth, for to you I will give it.” 

So Abram packed his tent and moved and dwelled in the plains of Mamrei, which are in Hebron, and he built there an altar to YKVK. (Genesis 13:14-18)

 

 

God has now bestowed upon Jacob the blessing of Abraham.  He has also promised to protect him, and eventually to bring him back to the Land of Israel.  

 

Jacob’s vision of angels ascending and descending a ladder reaching up to heaven is the clearest exposition in the Torah of the concept of individual providence.  At the time the Bible was given this would have been a radical idea.  The ancients envisaged a clear separation between the activities of the gods and the lives of humans.  The gods were confined to the heavens.  They inhered within nature, and could influence the affairs of man by producing storms, floods, sickness and fertility, but they had no interest in the lives of individual people.  The God of Abraham, on the other hand, has concern over the affairs of individuals, even to the extent of ensuring they are sufficiently fed and clothed.  Moreover, the gods of the ancient world were extremely territorial, and areas or cities had their favored gods.  That the providence of a single God could extend over the entire Near East would have been a sweeping concept at that time.

 

A question - why were the angels going up before coming down?  Surely, angels reside in heaven?  Rashi, based on a midrash, suggests that the angels going up were those who had completed their task of protecting Jacob in Canaan, while those descending were the angels who would accompany him outside of Israel.  Jacob will again encounter angels as he is about reenter Israel at Machanayim after spending 20 years in Padam Aram in Mesopotamia. (Genesis 32:2-3)  Rashi will suggest there that these were angels about to escort him into the land of Israel.  

 

There are problems, though, with this explanation.  Machanayim may have been close to the border of Israel, but Beth El is only 12 miles from Jerusalem and still within the heartland of Israel.  It is also not clear why one person should warrant so many angels.  An alternative suggestion provided by Nachmanides is that this vision is demonstrating to Jacob the function of Divine providence in this world:

 

“[God] showed [Jacob] in a prophetic dream that everything done on earth is done through the hand of the angels and everything they do is by the Supreme One’s decree upon them.  For the angels of God, whom YKVK sends to travel throughout the earth, do not do anything minor or major before returning to present themselves before the Lord of all the land….”13

 

Angels are messengers of God who carry out God’s directives.  The events in this world are not random but directed by God, and angels are a means by which He directs His will on this world.  

 

But why would angels go up to heaven first?  Should they not obtain first their directives from God in heaven and then descend?  This leads to a radical thought - the abode of angels is not in heaven but on earth!  The angels go up the ladder to obtain their instructions from YKVK, who is standing on top of the ladder in the heavens (and not above Jacob as Rashi suggests).  They then return to earth to carry out His instructions. 

 

Having been assured of God’s protection, Jacob takes an oath and addresses God’s promises phrase by phrase.  Note how modest Jacob is in his requests.  All he asks for are the basic necessities of life – food and clothing:14

 And He said: I am YKVK …….

Behold I AM WITH YOU

And I will guard you wherever you go.

And I will return you to this soil, for I will not forsake you until I have done what I spoke to you. (Genesis 28:15)

 

 

Then Jacob took a vow saying:

 If Elokim WILL BE WITH ME, 

 and He will guard me on this way that I am going, and He will give me bread to eat and clothes to wear

And I return in peace to my father’s house, and YKVK will be a God to me – then this stone which I have set up as a pillar shall become a house of Elokim, and whatever You shall give me I shall tithe to you. (Genesis 28:20-21)   

 

 Jacob’s vision sets the scene for his stay in Mesopotamia.  In Padan Aram, he will find two wives and build up a family.  It is also in Padam Aram that God will demonstrate to Jacob that he is caring for him, especially in situations that have the potential to be unfavorable to him.  Jacob is very much aware of this fact.  Hence, when he remonstrates with Laban when caught trying to flee from him he says: “Were it not that the God of my father, the God of Abraham and the fear of Isaac WERE WITH ME ……..” (Genesis 31:42)

 

The demonstration of God’s individual providence is a necessary preliminary for the concept of national providence.  Now that God has demonstrated His ability to care for their forefathers, the Jewish people can fully trust He will do the same for them.  

 

 Wrestling to the Dawn

 

Isaac was a man of peace and spirituality who nevertheless appreciated the materialism and strength that Esau brought to the family.  However, Isaac’s attempt to co-opt these strengths for the Abrahamic tradition was not to be.  The twins were destined even in the womb to be two nations in conflict. 

 Jacob is now on his way back to his parent’s home after an absence of 20 years.  He is married with two wives, two concubines and 11 children, and his favored wife is pregnant with a child to be named Benjamin.  The tension in the story builds up as Jacob sends messengers to his brother announcing that he is on his way to meet him.  The messengers return with information that Esau is coming to him with 400 men – a small battalion.   Jacob now greatly fears for his life and that of his family.  He prays to God, separates his camp into two, lest one be stricken, leaving the other camp the opportunity to flee, and he prepares expansive gifts for his brother. 

 

The Rabbinic sages are puzzled by Jacob’s actions.  Why did he arrange for this meeting in the first place?  Why court trouble?

 

An answer may be that Jacob intended returning to his father in Hebron, which is not that distant from Edom.  If Jacob had gone to Hebron without acknowledging his brother, Esau could have arranged a marauding party and massacred Jacob’s entire family.  One way or another his brother had to be faced.

 

Before he even knows that Esau will be arriving with warriors, Jacob sets the tone for this reunion by instructing his messengers to say the following:

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“Then Jacob sent messengers ahead of him to Esau his brother to the land of Seir, to the field of Edom.  He charged them saying: “This shall you say to my master, to Esau: ‘So said your servant Jacob  ….” (Genesis 32:4-5)

 

Jacob is the servant and Esau the master.

 

Jacob now returns to the other side of the Jabbok River, where, isolated from his party, he encounters a “man” who wrestles with him throughout the entire night.

 

“And Jacob was left alone and a man wrested with him until the break of dawn.  When he perceived that he could not overcome him, he struck the ball of his thighbone; and the ball of Jacob’s thighbone became dislocated as he wrested with him. Then he said, “Let me go, for dawn has broken.” And he said, “I will not let not let you go unless you have blessed me.” He said to him, “What is your name?” He said, “Jacob.”  He said, “No longer will it be said that your name is Jacob, but Israel, for (שָׂרִיתָ) you have striven with the Divine (עִם-אֱלֹהִים) and with men and you have overcome.” Then Jacob inquired, and he said, “Tell, if you please, your name.” And he said, “Why is it that you ask my name?” And he blessed him there. So Jacob called the name of the place Peniel - “For I have seen the Divine face to face and yet my life was spared.” The sun shone for him as he passed Penuel and he was limping on his hip.  Therefore the children of Israel do not eat the gid hanoshe (the displaced sinew) on the hip socket to this day because he struck Jacob’s hip socket on the gid hanoshe.”  (Genesis 32:25-30)

 

This encounter is clearly symbolic, but it leaves us with many questions.  Who does this “man” represent?  He has the physical form of a man, but is also recognized by Jacob as being “Divine”.  What is the meaning of this struggle?  What is the significance of Jacobs’s name change?  What is the import of his limping?  And what is the significance of the Jewish people refraining from eating the gid hanoshe, the tendon of the sciatic nerve?  

 

Jewish commentators provide many answers to these questions.  Rashi follows the midrashic opinion that Jacob was wrestling with the guardian angel of Esau.15  This would explain how the tension that has been building up in the story could so quickly dissipate, and why Esau, arriving with 400 men and displaying warlike intent, now breaks down in weeping when he sees his brother.  It is almost as if a mystical force has reversed his aggressive intent.  

 

Rashi also explains that the blessing the “man” dispensed was a ratification of the blessing that Jacob obtained by trickery from his father.16  The angel of Esau now willingly bestows this blessing upon his brother.  Moreover, comments Rashi in reference to Jacob’s name change to Israel: 

 

"No longer will it be said that the blessings came to you through treachery (הבעקב) and deceit but rather through authority (serara) and in full view, and your destiny shall be that the Holy One, Blessed is He, will reveal Himself to you in Beth-el and change your name and there he shall bless you, and I shall be there and I shall concede to you with regard to them."14 

 

With this explanation, the story has come full circle.  Jacob has emerged victorious and with full mastery against his brother Esau.

 

Yet there are significant problems with this interpretation.  The concept of a guardian angel is first found in the Book of Daniel, which chronologically is a late book in the Bible.  Moreover, God has already demonstrated to Jacob in the vision of the ladder the function of angels as messengers of God involved in carrying out God’s plans in relation to humanity.  It would be odd for the Bible to now introduce a completely new notion of the function of angels without prior explanation.   

 

An alternative explanation is that this “man” is a messenger or angel sent by God to reassure Jacob in his struggle with his brother.17  The wrestling match demonstrates to Jacob that his superiority lies in his ability to survive.  With the arrival of the dawn, it is apparent that not only has he survived, but he has prevailed.  The gid hanashe is the symbol of the Jew’s physical survival in his cyclical struggle with the descendants of Esau.

 

The Sefer Hachinuch, a compendium of Jewish Biblical law, discusses these ideas:

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“At the root of this precept lies the purpose that Jewry should have a hint that even though they will endure great tribulations in the exiles at the hands of the nations and the descendants of Esau, they should remain assured that they will not perish, but their progeny and name will endure forever, and a redeemer will come and deliver them from the oppressor’s hand. Remembering this matter always through the precept, which will serve as a reminder, they will stand firm in their faith and righteousness forever.”18

 

Rabbi Samson Raphael Hirsch sees in this wrestling match, and specifically the symbol of gid hanashe, the attempt of the spirit of Esau to prevent the Jewish people from walking through history.

 

“After all this the meaning of the prohibition cannot be doubted. The spirit of Esau will not be able to conquer Jacob nor to throw him down throughout the whole fight against him during the long ages of darkness on earth, but will be able to hamstring him, to prevent him standing firmly on both feet.  Without a firm stand and walk, does Jacob go through history  ....…  Whenever they sit down to table, the admonition from the story of the wanderings of their life shall come to them, that they are cheerfully to renounce this tendon, this submission of their strength to Esau, realize that their existence, and the continuation of their existence is not dependent on it, that they are not to feel that without it, that they are less protected and less certain of enduring throughout the ages because they are not armed with the sword like Esau, yea, cannot even take a firm step on earth.”19

 

Jacob has been reassured that he has God’s protection and that he will be able to survive against superior physical forces.  There is now only one way for Jacob to assuage Esau’s anger and establish a new relationship with him and this is for Jacob to seek forgiveness for his past actions.  Jacob has to acknowledge that he wronged his brother and that Esau is indeed the master.  

 

It has been suggested that Jacob was putting on a show in order to deflect Esau’s wrath.  However, this is not at all apparent from the text.  To the contrary, the text suggests that Jacob is sincere in his seeking forgiveness.  Note the section in brackets in the following sentence.  These brackets are not in the Torah but they frame the comments of Jacob as, speaking to himself, he acknowledges his desire to reestablish a relationship with Esau, a relationship which will be greased with gifts, and in which Esau will have the upper hand:

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“And say: “Behold your servant Jacob is behind us, (for he said: “I will wipe away his anger/face (אֲכַפְּרָהפָנָיו) with the offering that proceeds me, and afterwards I will see his face (אֶרְאֶהפָנָיו), perhaps he will accept me (יִשָּׂאפָנָי)). (Genesis 32:21) 

 

This passage above is full of words usually associated with repentance.20  In this next passage, Jacob completely ingratiates himself with Esau.

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“Jacob raised his eyes and saw – behold, Esau was coming and with him were four hundred men – so he divided the children among Leah, Rachel and the two maidservants.  He put the maidservants and their children first, Leah and her children next, and Rachel and Joseph last.  The he himself went on ahead of them and bowed earthwards seven times until he reached his brother.” (Genesis 33:1-4)

 

Jacob bows to his brother seven times.  The number 7 is a sign of absolute homage, akin to the homage due to a god.  In the ancient world number 6 was associated with the physical world, while number 7 was associated with the godly.  In fact, Jacob will acknowledge as much when he says to Esau: “inasmuch as I have seen your face, which is like seeing the face of a Divine being.(Genesis 33:10). 

 

Following Jacob’s bowing to his brother, his handmaids, his wives and their children also bow down to Esau:

“Then the handmaidens came forward – they and their children – and they bowed down.  Leah, too, came forward with her children and they bowed down; and afterwards, Joseph and Rachel came forward and bowed down.” (Genesis 33:6-7) 

 

One is reminded at this stage of the blessing bestowed upon Jacob by his father, the blessing intended for Esau:

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“May the nations serve you, and may peoples bow down to you; may you be a lord over your brethren, and may your mother's sons bow down to you.” (Genesis 27:28)

 

It seems very much as if Jacob is handing back to Esau the blessing he obtained from his father by deceit.  This is even more apparent from the words he now says to his brother:

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“But Jacob said: “Please do not!  If I have now found favor in your eyes, then accept my tribute (מִנְחָתִי) from me, inasmuch as I have seen your face, which is like seeing the face of God, and you have been appeased by me.  Please accept my homage/tribute/blessing (בִּרְכָתִי  קַחנָאאֶת) which was brought to you, inasmuch as God has been gracious to me and inasmuch as I have everything.”  He urged him and he accepted.” (Genesis 33:10-11)

 

Jacob urges Esau to accept his large gift.  In so doing, he tells Esau to takeבִּרְכָתִי birchati.   This word can have several meanings.  Nachmanides suggests that it has the meaning here of my tribute.”20  

 

However, it also has its literal meaning of “my blessing.”  In other words, Jacob may be hinting to his brother, or even explicitly telling him, that he is giving back to him the blessing that he wrongfully took from him 20 years previously. 

 

But how could Jacob give up his privilege of dominion like this?  One answer is that he had no option.  It was Esau who had the sword and it was Esau who had the small army.  He, Jacob, was powerless.  But there is perhaps another answer.  Jacob had begun to appreciate that his father’s blessing of dominion was of limited importance.  There would be times that Esau and his progeny would have dominion and other times when the Jewish people would.  At this particular moment in time, it was Esau who was physically superior.  However, with God’s protection, it was no longer important.  

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‘And he [Esau] said, “Travel on and let us go – I will proceed alongside you.” But he [Jacob] said to him, “My lord knows that the children are tender, and the nursing flocks and cattle are upon me; and they will drive them hard for one day, then all the flocks will die. Let my lord go ahead of his servant; I will make my way at my slow pace according to the gait of the work that is before me and to the gait of the children until I come to my lord at Seir.” (Genesis 33:13-14)

 

Is Jacob up to his old tricks again?  After all, he had no intention of following Esau to Edom. “Then Jacob journeyed to Succoth...” (Genesis 33:17)  Soon after saying this, he had crossed the Jordan and was in the highlands of Canaan.  

 

Unlike Abraham, whose original name Avram was changed to a completely new name, Jacob’s original name still remains.   This is because Jacob encompasses two aspects, the wiliness that he was born with, and the aspect of superiority that is now acknowledged by the angel.  It is not that one has given way to the other.  They both exist.  To be Jewish in a world in which one’s adversaries have power means that sometimes the Jew has to use guile and even outright lies.  The Bible never asked the Jewish people to deal with their enemies with suicidal candor and truth.

 

But there is another aspect to Jacob.  The word Israel comes from the root שרה, which is often translated as to struggle, strive or contend.  This sentence is therefore frequently translated as “for you have striven with the Divine and with men, and have prevailed.”  Jacob has prevailed against Laban and also “the man” of his nighttime struggle, whom he realizes is Divine.  It would follow from this that the name Israel means “one who struggles against God”.   

 

Yet this is a very strange concept.  Are the Jewish people really struggling against God?  And in what way are they doing this? 

 

This is perhaps the reason that the 2nd temple interpreter Onkelos provides another interpretation of the verb שרה (sara).  He writes:

 “For you have become mighty before G-d and men and you have prevailed”.  

 

It could also mean that you are a prince or ruler before God, or even with God.  In actuality, it is impossible to tell who is the subject in the word Israel, and whether it is Jacob or God.  R’ Samson Raphael Hirsch, for example, interprets the name Israel as “God is the All-conquering One.”22   The Jewish people are in partnership with God thereby demonstrating that it is He who has absolute power.