(2012/5773)
While fleeing from his brother, Eisav, to his uncle Lavan, Ya’akov does something that is seemingly inconsistent with his normal righteous behavior. After waking up from a prophecy-filled dream, Ya’akov makes a deal with Hashem, in which he states, “Im Yihyeh Elokim Imadi UShemarani BaDerech HaZeh Asher Anochi Holeich…VeChol Asher Titen Li Aseir A’aserenu Lach,” “If God will be with me and will guard me on this way that I am going…And anything that you shall give me, I shall separate tithes from for You” (BeReishit 28:20-22). In other words, if Hashem helps out Ya’akov, Ya’akov will give back to Hashem. How can Ya’akov make a deal with Hashem like a person may make with a regular man? How can Ya’akov be so seemingly audacious?
The Torah regards the Mitzvah of Ma’aseir as one of the few Mitzvot for which Hashem ensures blessing upon fulfillment (Devarim 14:22-29). Therefore, Ya’akov is simply asking that Hashem keep His part of the deal, which He essentially has already promised to do. However, a question still remains. Why does Ya’akov seemingly say that he will not serve Hashem if Hashem will not help him out? It could be that Ya’akov is asking only for what was previously promised to him in the dream he just had. In the dream, Hashem specifically said that Ya’akov is to follow in his fathers’ footsteps and begin to take a leadership position in the family. Hashem was appearing to Ya’akov to pass him the torch, so to speak, and to inform him that he will inherit the nation. This makes sense; Yitzchak is getting old, and it will soon be Ya’akov’s turn to continue the service of God and to keep his family alive. Still, if Hashem had already promised Ya’akov safety, why does Ya’akov make this condition after his dream?
After the dream is over, Ya’akov makes the deal with Hashem to confirm that he will follow in his father’s ways. In fact, it isn’t a deal at all. Rather, it is his way of accepting the mission Hashem has just given him. It is therefore no coincidence that Ya’akov has his dream in Beit El, a city near Yerushalayim, because Ya’akov now has to become the center of Avraham’s family. Just like Beit El is situated in the center of Israel and is in close proximity to the most central city of the Jewish world, Ya’akov now has to assume the role of the central figure of his family.
This can also explain why, until Ya’akov renamed it, Beit El was known as Luz. Chazal (BeReishit Rabbah 7) say that the “Luz” is a bone near the spine, located in the center of the body. Similarly, the city Luz, or Beit El, as Ya’akov calls it, is located in the center of Israel. Furthermore, Chazal (ibid.) teach that the “Luz” bone is virtually indestructible and that it will be the bone from which we will re-grow during Techiyat HaMeitim. This parallels Ya’akov perfectly, because it is said of Ya’akov (BeReishit 49:33) that at the end of his life he expires and is gathered unto his people. The Gemara (Ta’anit 5b) comments that Ya’akov does not die the same way all others mentioned in Tanach do. He does not “die;” rather, his time on this earth runs out. Ya’akov will return and herald Techiyat HaMeitim, just as the “Luz” bone lasts forever until Techiyat HaMeitim. Just like Ya’akov is the only person able to fulfill his role of leadership in Klal Yisrael, so too, there are times when the survival of Klal Yisrael may depend on any of us and we will be the only ones who are able to save it. We should all step up to the plate and fulfill our role in the Jewish people, whatever and whenever that may be.