AND JACOB VOWED A VOW, SAYING: IF GOD WILL BE WITH ME, ETC. Said R. Judah: After receiving all these promises, how could Jacob still say, If God will be with me, etc.”? What Jacob meant, however, was this: “Some dreams are true and some not, so if this dream should come true, and God will really be with me as I have dreamt, then “the Lord shall be to me for God”, that is, I shall draw blessings from the well-spring of the universal stream towards the region called Elohim.’
For Israel being in the centre take first of the original well-spring, and after the bounty reaches them they pass it on toward that region. Hence we may render: “and the Lord shall be toward me, first, and afterwards the whole will be drawn toward Elohim“: i.e. in the same way as Elohim will fulfil for me all these good promises, so will I draw toward Him from my region all those blessings and will make Him the all-comprehensive uniting force. When will that be? “When I come back to my father’s house in peace”, when I shall be settled in my own grade, in the grade of peace so as to make perfect my father’s house, then “will the Lord be toward me, toward Elohim (God)”.’
According to another explanation, Jacob meant: “I desire to come back to my father’s house in peace, because there is the Holy Land, and there I will become perfected, and the Lord shall be my God. In that place will I duly rise from this grade to another grade, and there I will engage myself in His worship.”
R. Hiya adduced here the verse: The tale of iniquities is too heavy for me; our transgressions, thou wilt pardon them (Ps. 65, 4). ‘The two halves of the verse’, he said, ‘do not seem to fit one another. The truth is, however, that David first prayed for himself and then for mankind in general, as though to say, “I know my own sins, but there are a great number of sinners in the world whose sins are much more grievous than mine; this being so, both mine and theirs, all our transgressions, thou wilt pardon them.”
For when sinners become numerous in the world, they go up to the place where the records are kept, as it is written, “there is a sitting in judgement and the books are open” (Dan. 7, 10). That book stood, as it were, over the head of David, and hence he said, “The tale of iniquities is too heavy for me, and therefore”, he went on, “our transgressions thou wilt pardon them”.
Jacob, being in a similar condition, felt distrustful, not of God, but of himself, and he feared lest his sins should prevent him from returning in peace and deprive him of God’s providential care. THEN SHALL THE LORD BE MY GOD : i.e. should I return in peace, I shall not care even if the attribute of divine mercy becomes justice towards me, inasmuch as I will worship Him continually.’
R. Aha said that Jacob’s words amounted to saying: ‘Now I have no need of severity, but when I will return to my father’s house, I will link myself with that attribute also.’ Said R. Jose: ‘That is not so, but what Jacob ptactically said was: Now I require the attribute of divine justice to guard me (against my enemies) until I return in peace to my father’s house, but then I will combine mercy with justice, and bind all attributes in a firm unity.’ AND THIS STONE, WHICH I HAVE SET UP FOR A PILLAR, SHALL BE GOD’S HOUSE : seeing that all will be then united into one, and this stone will be blessed from the right and from the left, from on high and from below, for the reason that I will give the tenth of everything.
We should have expected here, instead of Elohim, the name TETRAGRAMMATON, as in the text: “to prepare chambers in the house of the Lord (TETRAGRAMMATON)” (II Chr. 31, 20), also: “Let us go unto the house of the Lord (TETRAGRAMMATON)” (Ps. 122, 1). But in truth, the name Elohim here points to the tribunal which represents the attribute of justice on its two supernal sides, on the side of the Jubilee year, known as Living God (Elohim Hayyim), and on the side of Isaac, expressed simply by the term “God” (Elohim).
R. Eleazar said: ‘The Jubilee Year, although it dispenses judgement, is yet altogether pervaded with mercy and is the source of universal joy and gladness. But “the house of God (Elohim)” represents rigorous judgement only, on the side of the left, either for good, in consonance with the text, “His left hand be under my head” (S. S. 2, 6), or for evil, as it says, “Out of the North the evil shall break forth upon all the inhabitants of the land” (Jer. 1, 14). Well then may it be called “the house of God (Elohim)”.’ R. Simeon said: ‘“The house of God (Elohim)” signifies the same as “the city of the great king” (Ps. 48, 3). Verily the supernal world is not only “King”, but a “Great King”, and that is what is meant here.’
(בראשית כ״ח:כ׳) וַיִּדַּר יַעֲקֹב נְדֶר לֵאמֹר אִם יִהְיֶה אֱלהִים עִמָּדִי וְגו', אָמַר רִבִּי יְהוּדָה כֵּיוָן דְּכָל הַאי אַבְטַח לֵיהּ קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, אַמַּאי לָא הֶאֱמִין, דְּאָמַר (בראשית כ״ח:כ׳) אִם יִהְיֶה אֱלֹהִים עִמָּדִי וְגו'. אֶלָּא, אָמַר יַעֲקֹב, חֶלְמָא חָלַמְנָא, וְחֶלְמִין מִנַּיְיהוּ קְשׁוֹט וּמִנַּיְיהוּ לָא קְשׁוֹט, וְאִם יִתְקַיֵּים הָא יְדַעְנָא דְּחֶלְמָא קְשׁוֹט הוּא, וְעַל דָּא אָמַר אִם יִהְיֶה אֱלהִים וְגו', כְּמָה דְחָלַמְנָא, וְהָיָה יְיָ לִי לֵאלֹהִים, אֲנָא אֱהֵא מָשִׁיךְ בִּרְכָאן מִמַּבּוּעָא דְּנַחֲלָא דְּכֹלָּא, לְאֲתַר דָּא דְּאִקְרֵי אֱלהִים.
AND JACOB VOWED A VOW, SAYING: IF GOD WILL BE WITH ME, ETC. Said R. Judah: After receiving all these promises, how could Jacob still say, If God will be with me, etc.”? What Jacob meant, however, was this: “Some dreams are true and some not, so if this dream should come true, and God will really be with me as I have dreamt, then “the Lord shall be to me for God”, that is, I shall draw blessings from the well-spring of the universal stream towards the region called Elohim.’
תָּא חֲזֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל דְּאִיהוּ בְּאֶמְצָעִיתָא, כֹּלָּא נָטִיל הוּא בְּקַדְמִיתָא מִמְּקוֹרָא דְּכֹלָּא, וּלְבָתַר דְּיִמְטֵי לֵיהּ, מִנֵּיהּ, נָגִיד וְאַמְשִׁיךְ לְהַאי אֲתַר, מַשְׁמַע דִּכְתִיב, וְהָיָה יְיָ לִי בְּקַדְמִיתָא, וּלְבָתַר כֹּלָּא לֵאלהִים. כְּמָה דְּאֱלֹהִים, יְהֵא נָטִיר וְעָבִיד לִי, כָּל אִלֵּין טָבָאן, אוּף אֲנָא אֱהֵא מָשִׁיךְ לֵיהּ מֵאֲתַר דִּילִי כָּל אִינוּן בִּרְכָאן, וְיִתְחַבַּר קִשְׁרָא דְּכֹלָּא בֵּיהּ. אֵימָתַי, (בראשית כ״ח:כ״א) וְשַׁבְתִּי בְּשָׁלוֹם אֶל בֵּית אָבִי, כַּד אֱהֵא יָתִיב בְּדַרְגָּא דִילִי, וְאֱהֵא יָתִיב בְּדַרְגָּא דְּשָׁלוֹם לְתַקְּנָא בֵּית אָבִי, וְשַׁבְתִּי בְשָׁלוֹם דַּיְיקָא, כְּדֵין וְהָיָה יְיָ לִי לֵאלהִים.
For Israel being in the centre take first of the original well-spring, and after the bounty reaches them they pass it on toward that region. Hence we may render: “and the Lord shall be toward me, first, and afterwards the whole will be drawn toward Elohim“: i.e. in the same way as Elohim will fulfil for me all these good promises, so will I draw toward Him from my region all those blessings and will make Him the all-comprehensive uniting force. When will that be? “When I come back to my father’s house in peace”, when I shall be settled in my own grade, in the grade of peace so as to make perfect my father’s house, then “will the Lord be toward me, toward Elohim (God)”.’
דָבָר אַחֵר וְשַׁבְתִּי בְשָׁלוֹם אֶל בֵּית אָבִי, דְּתַמָּן הוּא אַרְעָא קַדִּישָׁא, תַּמָּן אִשְׁתְּלִים. וְהָיָה יְיָ לִי לֵאלהִים. בְּאֲתַר דָּא, אֲסַלֵּק (אסתלק) מִדַּרְגָּא דָא לְדַרְגָּא אָחֳרָא כְּדְקָא יְאוּת, וְתַמָּן אֶפְלַח פּוּלְחָנֵיהּ.
According to another explanation, Jacob meant: “I desire to come back to my father’s house in peace, because there is the Holy Land, and there I will become perfected, and the Lord shall be my God. In that place will I duly rise from this grade to another grade, and there I will engage myself in His worship.”
רִבִּי חִיָּיא פָּתַח וְאָמַר, (תהילים ס״ה:ד׳) דִּבְרֵי עֲוֹנוֹת גָּבְרוּ מֶנִּי פְּשָׁעֵינוּ אַתָּה תְכַפְּרֵם. הַא קְרָא קַשְׁיָא, דְּלָאו סוֹפֵיהּ רֵישֵׁיהּ, וְלָאו רֵישֵׁיהּ סוֹפֵיהּ. אֶלָּא דָּוִד בָּעָא עַל גַּרְמֵיהּ, וּלְבָתַר בַּעְיָא עַל כֹּלָּא. דִּבְרֵי עֲוֹנוֹת גָּבְרוּ מֶנִּי. אָמַר דָּוִד, אֲנָא יַדָעְנָא בְּגַרְמַי דְּחַבְנָא, אֲבָל כַּמָּה חַיָּיבִין אִינוּן בְּעַלְמָא, דְּאִתְגַּבְּרוּ חוֹבַיְיהוּ עֲלַיְיהוּ יַתִּיר מִנִּי. הוֹאִיל וְכֵן, לִי וּלְהוֹן, פְּשָׁעֵינוּ אַתָּה תְכַפְּרֵם.
R. Hiya adduced here the verse: The tale of iniquities is too heavy for me; our transgressions, thou wilt pardon them (Ps. 65, 4). ‘The two halves of the verse’, he said, ‘do not seem to fit one another. The truth is, however, that David first prayed for himself and then for mankind in general, as though to say, “I know my own sins, but there are a great number of sinners in the world whose sins are much more grievous than mine; this being so, both mine and theirs, all our transgressions, thou wilt pardon them.”
תָּא חֲזֵי, בְּשַׁעְתָּא דְּחַיָּיבִין סַגִּיאִין בְּעַלְמָא, אִינוּן סָלְקִין, עַד הַהוּא אֲתַר דְּסִפְרֵי דְּחַיָּיבַיָא אִתְפַּתְּחוּ, כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר, (דניאל ז׳:י׳) דִּינָא יָתִיב וְסִפְרִין פְּתִיחוּ, וְהַהוּא סֵפֶר (דינא עלה קיימא), (נ"א לעילא מרישיה דדוד איהו) בְּגִינֵי כָּךְ, דִּבְרֵי עֲוֹנוֹת גָּבְרוּ מֶנִּי, וְעַל דָּא פְּשָׁעֵינוּ אַתָּה תְכַפְּרֵם.
For when sinners become numerous in the world, they go up to the place where the records are kept, as it is written, “there is a sitting in judgement and the books are open” (Dan. 7, 10). That book stood, as it were, over the head of David, and hence he said, “The tale of iniquities is too heavy for me, and therefore”, he went on, “our transgressions thou wilt pardon them”.
יַעֲקֹב, כְּגַוְונָא דָא בְּגִין כָּךְ לָא הֵימִין, אִי תֵימָא דְּלָא הֵימִין בְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, לָא. אֶלָּא, דְּלָא הֵימִין בֵּיהּ בְּגַרְמֵיהּ, דִּילְמָא יֵחוּב, וְהַהוּא חוֹבָא, יִמְנַע לֵיהּ, דְּלָא יְתוּב בִּשְׁלָם וְיִסְתַּלַּק נְטִירוּ מִנֵּיהּ, וּבְגִין כָּךְ, לָא הֵימִין בְּגַרְמֵיהּ. וְהָיָה יְיָ לִי לֵאלהִים, אֲפִילּוּ רַחֲמֵי, כַּד אִיתוּב בִּשְׁלָם, אֲשַׁוֵּי לְקֳבְלִי לְדִינָא, בְּגִין (ס"א דהא) דְּאֲנָא פָּלַח קַמֵּיהּ תָּדִיר.
Jacob, being in a similar condition, felt distrustful, not of God, but of himself, and he feared lest his sins should prevent him from returning in peace and deprive him of God’s providential care. THEN SHALL THE LORD BE MY GOD : i.e. should I return in peace, I shall not care even if the attribute of divine mercy becomes justice towards me, inasmuch as I will worship Him continually.’
אָמַר רִבִּי אַחָא, אָמַר יַעֲקֹב, הַשְׁתָּא לָא אִצְטְרִיכְנָא לְדִינָא, כַּד אִיתוּב לְבֵית אַבָּא, אִתְכְּלִילְנָא בְּדִינָא וְאֶתְקַשַּׁר בֵּיהּ. אָמַר רִבִּי יוֹסֵי, לָאו הָכִי, אֶלָּא אָמַר, הַשְׁתָּא אִם יִהְיֶה אֱלֹהִים עִמָּדִי, דִּינָא אִצְטְרִיכְנָא לְנַטְרָא לִי, עַד דְּאִיתוּב בִּשְׁלָם לְבֵית אַבָּא, אֲבָל כֵּיוָן דְּאִיתוּב בִּשְׁלָם, אִתְכְּלִילְנָא רַחֲמֵי בְּדִינָא, וְאֶתְקַשַּׁר בְּקִשּׁוּרָא מְהֵימְנָא, לְאַכְלָלָא כֹּלָּא כְּחַד. (בראשית כ״ח:כ״ב) וְהָאֶבֶן הַזֹּאת אֲשֶׁר שַׂמְתִּי מַצֵּבָה יִהְיֶה בֵּית אֱלהִים. דְּהָא כְּדֵין יְהֵא כֹּלָּא קִשּׁוּרָא חָדָא, וְהַאי אֶבֶן אִתְבָּרְכָא מִימִינָא וּמִשְׂמָאלָא, אִתְבָּרְכָא מֵעֵילָא וּמִתַּתָּא, בְּגִין (דא) דְּאֶתֵּן מַעַשְׂרָא מִכֹּלָּא.
R. Aha said that Jacob’s words amounted to saying: ‘Now I have no need of severity, but when I will return to my father’s house, I will link myself with that attribute also.’ Said R. Jose: ‘That is not so, but what Jacob ptactically said was: Now I require the attribute of divine justice to guard me (against my enemies) until I return in peace to my father’s house, but then I will combine mercy with justice, and bind all attributes in a firm unity.’ AND THIS STONE, WHICH I HAVE SET UP FOR A PILLAR, SHALL BE GOD’S HOUSE : seeing that all will be then united into one, and this stone will be blessed from the right and from the left, from on high and from below, for the reason that I will give the tenth of everything.
אָמַר רִבִּי אַבָּא, הָא כְּתִיב, (בראשית כ״ח:י״א) וַיִּקַּח מֵאַבְנִי הַמָּקוֹם. וְאִי תֵימָא דְאַבְנָא דָא, עִלָּאָה (על) כַּמָּה (קמ"ז ע"ב) אַבְנִין לְאֲתַר מוֹתָבֵיהּ, לְמִשְׁרֵי עֲלַיְיהוּ, (נ"א האי דכתיב) וְהָא כְּתִיב וְהָאֶבֶן הַזֹּאת אֲשֶׁר שַׂמְתִּי מַצֵּבָה, (נ"א עליונה מבעי ליה). בְּגִין (נ"א כיון) דְּאָמַר (בראשית כ״ח:כ״ב) אֵין זֶה כִּי אִם בֵּית אֱלהִים, הָכָא אָרִים לָהּ קַמָּא עִלָּאָה, בְּגִין דְּתָלָא כָּל שְׁבָחָא דְּזֶה בָּהּ, דְּאֵין זֶה לְקַיָּימָא (לתתא) כִּי אִם בֵּית אֱלֹהִים. וְשַׁפִּיר. וְעַל דָּא אֲשֶׁר שַׂמְתִּי מַצֵּבָה כְּתִיב.
יִהְיֶה בֵּית אֱלֹהִים לְעָלְמִין, בֵּית אֱלֹהִים, בֵּית יְיָ מִיבָּעֵי לֵיהּ, כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר, (עזרא א) לְכוֹנֵן אֶת בֵּית יְיָ. וְכֵן (תהילים קכ״ב:א׳) בֵּית יְיָ נֵלֵךְ. אֶלָּא, אֲתַר דְּבֵי דִינָא אִיהוּ מִתְּרֵין סִטְרִין עִלָּאִין, מִסִּטְרָא דְיוֹבְלָא, דְּאִיהוּ אֱלֹהִים חַיִּים. וּמִסִּטְרָא דְיִצְחָק אֱלהִים.
We should have expected here, instead of Elohim, the name TETRAGRAMMATON, as in the text: “to prepare chambers in the house of the Lord (TETRAGRAMMATON)” (II Chr. 31, 20), also: “Let us go unto the house of the Lord (TETRAGRAMMATON)” (Ps. 122, 1). But in truth, the name Elohim here points to the tribunal which represents the attribute of justice on its two supernal sides, on the side of the Jubilee year, known as Living God (Elohim Hayyim), and on the side of Isaac, expressed simply by the term “God” (Elohim).
אָמַר רִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר, יוֹבְלָא, אַף עַל גַּב דְּדִינִין (נפקין) מִתְעָרִין מִינָהּ, וְכֻלְּהוּ רַחֲמֵי (ודינין), כָּל חֵידוּ מִינָהּ נָפְקִין, וְהוּא חֶדְוָותָא (ס"א והוא חירותא) דְכֹלָּא. אֶלָּא בֵּית אֱלהִים, סִטְרָא דְדִינָא קַשְׁיָא, אִי לְטַב, בְּסִטְרָא (דיובלא) דִשְׂמָאלָא, אִתְעַר בֵּיהּ רְחִימוּתָא, כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר, (שיר השירים ב׳:ו׳) שְׂמֹאלוֹ תַּחַת לְרֹאשִׁי. אִי לְבִישׁ, בְּסִטְרָא דִשְׂמָאלָא, אִתְעַר בֵּיהּ דִּינָא קַשְׁיָא, כְּמָה דְאַתְ אָמֵר, (ירמיהו א׳:י״ד) מִצָּפוֹן תִּפָּתַח הָרָעָה עַל כָּל יוֹשְׁבֵי הָאָרֶץ, וַדַּאי בֵּית אֱלהִים. רִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן אָמַר, בֵּית אֱלהִים הַיְינוּ דִכְתִיב, (תהילים מ״ח:ג׳) קִרְיַת מֶלֶךְ רָב. אִית מֶלֶךְ סְתָם, וְאִית מֶלֶךְ רָב, וַדַּאי עַלְמָא עִלָּאָה, מֶלֶךְ רָב אִיהוּ, וְדָא הוּא (שם) קִרְיַת מֶלֶךְ רָב.
R. Eleazar said: ‘The Jubilee Year, although it dispenses judgement, is yet altogether pervaded with mercy and is the source of universal joy and gladness. But “the house of God (Elohim)” represents rigorous judgement only, on the side of the left, either for good, in consonance with the text, “His left hand be under my head” (S. S. 2, 6), or for evil, as it says, “Out of the North the evil shall break forth upon all the inhabitants of the land” (Jer. 1, 14). Well then may it be called “the house of God (Elohim)”.’ R. Simeon said: ‘“The house of God (Elohim)” signifies the same as “the city of the great king” (Ps. 48, 3). Verily the supernal world is not only “King”, but a “Great King”, and that is what is meant here.’