Parshat Vayeitzei
Rabbi Avrohom Gordimer

Parshas Vayeitzei commences with the flight of Yaakov Avinu from the Land of Israel and concludes with his return home. His departure is marked by an angelic escort (28:12 - see Rashi), and his return consists of a parallel celestial welcome (ibid. 32:2). Why are Yaakov's travels accompanied by angels, whereas the other Avos did not merit this luxury when they sojourned?

The Rambam (based on a Medrash) explains that Har Hamoriah was known to the Avos by three distinct terms. To Avrohom it was a "mountain" (Bereshis 22:2); Yitzchak related to it as a "field" (ibid. 24:63); Yaakov referred to it as a "house" (ibid. 28:17). The underlying meaning of this statement is that Avrohom's role was to raise Mankind from the abyss of idolatry to a recognition of One God; his mission was that of elevating the world from the depths to spiritual heights. (Thus, Har Hamoriah was a "mountain" in terms of Avrohom's work.) Yitzchak began and continued his life on a high spiritual plane, and his persona was imbedded on the surface of Har Hamoriah. (The place was therefore like a "field" to him, as Yitzchak's positive other-worldliness related to its lofty qualities and its aura of sacrifice were a natural reflection of his life's essence.) Yaakov, however, presents a different picture, upon which Har Hamoriah is deemed a "house". Let's investigate.

Rashi (ibid. 28:11) quotes the Gemara (Chulin 91b), in which Rabbi Yitzchak explains that the stones upon which Yaakov Avinu rested when he envisioned the angelic ladder all sought to service Yaakov, each stone proclaiming, "The tzaddik should lay his head upon me." Furthermore, Rashi invokes the words of Medrash Rabbah (Bamidbar 2:8) when he elaborates on the transport of Yaakov's body from Egypt to Hebron. The Medrash states that the coffin was carried by Yaakov's sons in the same exact order and formation as the Holy Ark was borne. What do these aggadic interpretations indicate?

I suggest that the overall theme is that Yaakov represents endowing the material with kedusha - holiness. His mission was to bring holiness into the mundane world and sanctify it, and this is why the lowly, bare and earthy stones merited to service him and thereby perform a holy function. (See chapter 26 of Mesilas Yesharim for details). Similarly, Yaakov, who facilitated an infusion of holiness into the human realm, was likened to the Holy Ark, and his body was thus treated in a similar fashion. Yaakov Avinu was the embodiment of kedusha in this world, and - as a celestial human - he identified with and merited to experience the escort of angels. The place of his vision was suffused with kedusha (Targum Yonasan ben Uziel on Bereshis 28:17), and Yaakov's visage is carved on God's throne (Medrash).

This explains why Yaakov related to Har Hamoriah as a "house", for Yaakov's contribution to the legacy of the Avos was the concept of infusing the material with kedushah and drawing God's Presence into the world. This is precisely what the "house" - the Beis Hamikdash - located upon Har Hamoriah is all about, and it is the message and mission of the Jewish People.     

It is extremely noteworthy that the name "Yisroel", meaning that one has triumphed in the spiritual, was endowed specifically on Yaakov. His essence is that of relating to kedusha and bringing this world under its veil, and this is the epitome of Yaakov's mission and that of his offspring.

We must never neglect the spiritual goals vested in us by Yaakov, the "Bechir Ha-Avos" ("Choicest of the Forefathers"). Although we live and function in the physical world as we know it, our grounding and source of identity must be the spiritual.

We are charged with the task of infusing the earthly and making it heavenly, of elevating our environs by cleaving to God and using the the gifts of this world for that mission. (See Koheles Rabbah 7, quoted in chapter 1 of Mesilas Yesharim.) The manner in which we conduct our lives, how we spend out time, where we decide to live, and what is really important in our value system is largely reflective of our focus on our divine work. May we stay the course and truly merit our holy designation as Bnei Yisroel.

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