Comentario sobre Génesis 35:13

במקום אשר דבר אתו AT THE PLACE WHERE HE SPAKE WITH HIM — I do not know what this is intended to tell us.

AND G-D WENT UP FROM HIM. I.e., just as it said with respect to Abraham, And G-d went up from Abraham.²⁰⁰17:22. In both cases, it serves to inform us that this was no mere vision or prophetic dream alone, or something like, And it brought me in the visions of G-d to Jerusalem,²⁰¹Ezekiel 8:3. but that the Divine Presence rested upon him in the place where he stood. And by way of the Truth, [that is, the mystic lore of the Cabala], “G-d went up from him,” from the place where He spoke with him, this being similar in purport to that which is said, Blessed be the glory of the Eternal from His place.²⁰²Ibid., 3:12. Scripture is thus stating that which the Sages have mentioned:²⁰³See Ramban above, 17:22. “It is the patriarchs that constitute the Divine Chariot.”

במקום אשר אתו, when he was on his way to Charan (34 years earlier) at that same inn. There G’d appeared to him (verse 9) and there G’d’s Presence departed from him. This is why he erected a monument at that very site.

ויעל מעליו, just as we have been told in 17,22 when G’d departed from Avraham. The manifestation of His Presence revealed to the patriarchs in a vision came to an end. Yaakov had a visual impression of G’d as He was withdrawing His presence from him. In Bereshit Rabbah 82,6 Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish points out the appropriate nature of this expression for G’d “rising, as it confirms that the patriarchs were the “carriers” of G’d’s Presence on earth (merkavah).

ויעל מעליו האלוקים, “G’d rose from above him.” This verse teaches that this encounter with G’d did not take place at night, in a dream, but that the Divine Presence had manifested itself to Yisrael in a location where he was standing on his feet.

I do not know what this teaches us. [Note: Rashi’s comment relates to v. 13.] Bereishis Rabboh derives from this verse that the Patriarchs are the מרכבה (seat and vehicle of Hashem’s Presence). And Rashi holds of this exposition, as he cited it on 17:22. Nevertheless, Rashi still holds that “At the place where He had spoken to him” is superfluous. For regarding Avraham it is written (17:22), “Elohim ascended from Avraham.” [And it teaches that the Patriarchs are the מרכבה,] even though it does not conclude, “At the place where He had spoken to him.”

במקום אשר דבר אתו. Dem ganzen Zusammenhange nach war die Stelle, an welcher sich hier Gott Jakob offenbarte, nicht dieselbe, die er bereits früher Bethel genannt hatte. Wenn gleichwohl wir Raw Hirsch on Genesis 35: 15 hören, dass Jakob auch diese Bethel nannte, so dürfte diesem die bedeutsame Absicht zu Grunde liegen, die Gegenwart Gottes nicht an eine besondere Stelle zu knüpfen. Überall, wo ein der Offenbarungsnähe Gottes würdiger Mensch weilt, da wird die Stelle zu einer Offenbarungsstätte Gottes geweiht, da entsteht ein "Bethel". Und dies dürfte vielleicht auch in dem Beisatz במקום אשר דבר אתו noch besonders hervorgehoben sein. "Gott enthob sich von ihm an der Stätte, wo Er mit ihm gesprochen hatte". Er, und nicht der Ort, war Basis und Bedingung der dort sichtbar gewordenen besonderen Gottesgegenwart. האבות הן הן מרכבה, wie das erläuternde Wort der Weisen zur Stelle lautet.

במקום אשר דבר אתו, to inform us that the site in question was especially suitable for receiving prophetic insights. G’d spoke to Yaakov at this site already for a second time, as pointed out to him by the angel. He would speak to prophets at that location also in the future as we know from Hoseah 12,5. The site under discussion here is the one where Yaakov at the time when he had the dream with the ladder had anointed the stone which had served as his pillow. The words ויעל מעליו, are a hint that the day would come-after the sin of the golden calf- when the Presence of G’d will withdraw from the Jewish people.