For some of the radical interpretations of the Jacob myth, see “Jacob the Angel,” p. 364, and “Jacob the Divine,” p. 366.
Sources:
Pirkei de-Rabbi Eliezer 32; Song of Songs Rabbah 4:24.
458. RACHEL AND THE STOLEN IDOLS
Rachel stole the idols of her father, Laban, as it is said, Rachel, meanwhile, had taken the idols (Gen. 31:34). But why did she take them?
Some say that she didn’t want her father to worship idols. But if so, why did she take them with her, and not bury them on the way, rather than hiding them in her saddlebags?
Others say that Rachel stole the Terafim because she knew that Laban was a great sorcerer who practiced all kinds of magical arts, and that he knew how to compel the Terafim to reveal Jacob’s whereabouts to Laban. How could they do that? Because they were not idols of clay or stone, but speaking heads that could be made to reveal secrets, as it is said, For the Terafim spoke delusion (Zech. 10:2). Rachel knew that Laban would force the Terafim to reveal the direction Jacob had taken. Thus, since Rachel knew the powers of the Terafim and the dangers they posed, she took them with her, so Laban would not be able to use the Terafim against them.
How were the Terafim made? They would slay a firstborn, cut off his head, remove the hair, and sprinkle it with salt and spices. Then they would write magical formulas and names of unclean spirits on a golden tablet and put it under his tongue. They would set it up on the wall, and at certain times of the day the Terafim would absorb celestial influences. Then, when they wanted to divine, they would light candles, and bow down in front of it. Then when the head was questioned, it would be forced to respond to any questions asked of it. And it was to these idols that Laban bowed down.
As for those who made the Terafim, as well as those who used them, every one was sent down to Gehenna to be punished.
Laban was distraught because his Terafim, whom he called his “gods”—(Why did you steal my gods?—(Gen. 31:30), were taken when Jacob and his family took flight. The Torah states quite explicitly that it was Rachel who took them: Rachel, meanwhile, had taken the idols (Gen. 31:34). Rachel’s actions in this case perplexed the commentators. They didn’t want to consider that she stole them because she was attached to them, or because she believed that the one who possessed them had the power of the gods at his command. This dilemma gave birth to one of the strangest midrashim, which asserts that the Terafim actually were speaking heads. Drawing a hint from the verse For the Terafim spoke delusion (Zech. 10:2), this midrash presumes that the Terafim could speak. This leads to a barbaric description of how the heads were obtained, found in Midrash Tanhuma-Yelammedenu, Pirkei de-Rabbi Eliezer, and other sources, in which a firstborn son was sacrificed and his head cut off. After it had been shrunken with salt and oil, an amulet bearing the name of an evil spirit was placed beneath the tongue. As a result, whenever people invoked that evil spirit, they could force these heads to speak and to reveal everything they wanted to know. In this way Rachel’s incriminating actions are fully explained: she was simply trying to prevent the Terafim from assisting her father in finding Jacob and his family.
Ibn Ezra indicates the controversy about the very meaning of the term Terafim: “Some say that the Terafim are copper objects used to tell time. Others say that astrologers have the power to make an image that speaks at certain times.” Ibn Ezra also gives an explanation for Rachel’s taking the Terafim that links them to astrology, while identifying Laban as an astrologer: “The most likely reason that Rachel stole the Terafim was that Laban, her father, was an astrologer, and Rachel feared that he would look at the stars and discover which way they fled.” This suggests that the Terafim drew their power from the stars and revealed hidden things to Laban.
Note that there is a shift from the identification of the Terafim as wooden or stone idols that would be the objects of worship, to speaking heads whose primary purpose is to divine. This change alleviates the suspicion that Rachel took the Terafim in order to worship them. But it also seems to contradict Laban’s assertion that the Terafim were his “gods.”
The barbaric custom described here seems completely outside of Jewish tradition. It not only involves ritual murder of a firstborn son, but knowledge of techniques that one would associate with cannibals. The primary point of the account of the binding of Isaac in Genesis 22 is that there would be no more ritual sacrifice of children. Thus the clear indication is that the creation of the Terafim was not a Jewish practice. Nor, for that matter, was Laban Jewish. It is hard to find a similarly barbaric example in Jewish myth except for the Yemenite folktale that Adam and Eve devoured the son of Samael. See “How Samael Entered the Heart of Man,” p. 454.
Joseph Dan links this ingenious explanation of why Rachel stole the idols with a nineteenth-century folktale. See “Terafim: From Popular Belief to a Folktale.” This is a story about a boy kidnapped by a demon disguised as a wealthy merchant so that his head could be cut off and serve as one of these Terafim. Apparently Terafim only last for 80 years, and then must be replaced. The story describes the boy’s escape from the castle of demons with the crucial aid of the speaking head he finds there and takes with him. Thus he behaves as does Rachel, and for the same reason—because the Terafim could be forced to speak. See “The Speaking Head” in Lilith’s Cave, pp. 148-159.
Rabbinic commentary links Jacob’s vow to Laban, “But anyone with whom you find your gods shall not remain alive!” (Gen. 31:32) with the premature death of Rachel. In his Torah commentary, Rabbi Bachya ben Asher (1260-1340) says, “This curse resulted in Rachel’s dying on the journey.” Of course, there is nothing in the text to indicate that Jacob had any idea Rachel had taken the Terafim. But many midrashim suggest that Jacob’s words turned into a dreadful curse that may have inadvertently brought about Rachel’s early death, and prevented her from being buried in the Cave of Machpelah.
Sources:
Genesis Rabbah 74:5, 74:9; Pirkei de-Rabbi Eliezer 36; Midrash Tanhuma-Yelammedenu, va-Yetze 12; Sefer ha-Yashar 103; Midrash Aseret ha-Dibrot 40; Targum Yonathan on Genesis 31:19; Zohar 1:164b; Or ha-Hayim on Gen. 31:30; Torah commentary of Ibn Ezra on Genesis 31:19; Torah commentary of Rabbi Bachya ben Asher on Genesis 31:32.
Studies:
“Terafim: From Popular Belief to a Folktale” by Joseph Dan.
459. JACOB’S DREAM
Jacob left Beersheva, and set out for Haran. He came upon a certain place and stopped there for the night, for the sun had set. Taking one of the stones of that place, he put it under his head and lay down in that place. He had a dream; a stairway was set on the ground and its top reached to the sky, and angels of God were going up and down on it. And the Lord was standing beside him and He said, “I am the Lord, the God of your father Abraham and the God of Isaac: the ground on which you are lying I will assign to you and to your offspring. Your descendants shall be as the dust of the earth; you shall spread out to the west and to the east, to the north and to the south. All the families of the earth shall bless themselves by you and your descendants. Remember, I am with you: I will protect you wherever you go and will bring you back to this land. I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.”
Jacob awoke from his sleep and said, “Surely the Lord is present in this place, and I did not know it!” Shaken, he said, “How awesome is this place! This is none other than the abode of God, and that is the gateway to heaven.” Early in the morning, Jacob took the stone that he had put under his head and set it up as a pillar and poured oil on the top of it. He named that site Bethel; but previously the name of the city had been Luz.
This memorable dream of Jacob has been subjected to extensive rabbinic interpretation. In Genesis Rabbah 68:12, there is a discussion about its symbolic meaning. The first interpretation comes from Bar Kappara, who viewed the dream as referring to the sacrifices made by the priests in the Temple: “No dream is without its interpretation. And behold a ladder (Gen. 28:12) symbolizes the stairway. Set upon the earth (Gen. 28:1
2) refers to the altar, as it is said, An altar of earth you shall make unto Me (Exod. 20:21). And the top of it reached to heaven (Gen. 28:12) refers to the sacrifices, the odor of which ascended on high. And behold the angels of God (Gen. 28:13) refers to the High Priests. Ascending and descending on it (Gen. 28:12) refers to ascending and descending the stairway. And, behold, the Lord stood beside him (Gen. 28:13), refers to I saw the Lord standing beside the altar (Amos 9:1).”
Other rabbis related the dream to Mount Sinai: “And he dreamed, and behold a ladder symbolizes Sinai. Set upon the earth refers to And they took their places at the foot of the mountain (Exod. 19:17). And the top of it reached to heaven refers to The mountain was ablaze with flames to the very skies (Deut. 4:11). And behold the angels of God alludes to Moses and Aaron. Ascending (Gen. 28:13) refers to And Moses went up to God (Exod. 19:3). And descending (Gen. 28:13) refers to And Moses came down from the mountain (Exod. 19:14). And, behold, the Lord stood beside him (Gen. 28:13) refers to The Lord came down upon Mount Sinai (Exod. 19:20).”
Sources:
Genesis 28:10-19.
460. MEETING THE PLACE
Jacob left Beersheva and went to Haran. On the way to Haran, he met the place (Gen. 28:11). What does this mean? That Jacob did indeed go all the way to Haran. Then he remembered that he had passed the place where his father and grandfather had prayed, and he had failed to stop. He said to himself, “Is it possible that I passed by the place where my forefathers prayed and I did not pray?” Just as his forefathers prayed for the building of Jerusalem and the holy Temple, and their prayers were answered during the time of the two Temples, so too did Jacob want to pray for the future rebuilding of Jerusalem and the Temple.
At that moment a miracle occurred, and he immediately arrived at that place, the site where, in the future, the Temple would one day be built. There Jacob prayed as never before. And when he finished praying, the sun, which was high in the sky, set two hours before its time.
That is why Jacob decided to sleep there, for it had already grown dark. And as he lay down, God folded up the whole of the Land of Israel and placed it beneath Jacob, and that is the meaning of the verse “The ground on which you are lying I will assign to you and to your offspring” (Gen. 28:13). And that night Jacob dreamed of the ladder reaching from earth to heaven, with angels ascending and descending on it. And when he awoke he understood that it was indeed a holy place, the very gate of heaven.
This midrash responds to the strange language of he met the place (Gen. 28:11) by suggesting that a miracle occurred, and he was transported to that place, which is identified as the same spot where Abraham and Isaac had prayed. So too does the sun set before its time. This second miracle, of the sun setting prematurely, is parallel to the stopping of the sun in the Book of Joshua: And the sun stood still, and the moon halted (Josh. 10:13). The place where Jacob’s dream takes place is identified by the rabbis as Mount Moriah, where the future Temple would be built. Genesis Rabbah quotes God as saying to Jacob: “On your departure I caused the orb of the sun to set for you, and on your return I restored to you the hours you lost.” This is an example of how anything is possible for God, even changing the natural order that He Himself had created.
According to Ba’al Shem Tov, God rolled up all of the Holy Land and put it under Jacob so that he would not have to travel everywhere in the land to retrieve the holy sparks that had been scattered there at the time of the shattering of the vessels. Instead, he would find all the sparks in one place (Sefer Ba’al Shem Tov, va-Yetze 8, 9).
Sources:
B. Hullin 91b; B. Sanhedrin 95a-b; Y. Berakhot 4:1; Genesis Rabbah 68:10; Beit Elohim, Sha’ar ha-Tefillah 18; Sefer Ba’al Shem Tov, va-Yetze 8, 9.
461. JACOB’S VISION
Jacob was traveling alone from Beersheva to Haran. Along the way, he met the place (Gen. 28:11). Why did Jacob choose to stop there?
Some say that Jacob had a vision when he reached that place of the Holy Temple being built, destroyed, and then restored to its full perfection.
Others say that he saw two Jerusalems, one of earth and one of heaven.
Still others say that as he approached, he saw the Shekhinah hovering over that place, in the site where the future Temple would be built.
Then there are those who say that when Jacob reached that place, the world became like a wall before him, and he had no choice but to stop.
Jacob’s comments about the place where he had his dream of the heavenly ladder demonstrate that it was inherently sacred: “How full of awe is this place. This is none other than the abode of God and that is the gateway of heaven” (Gen. 28:17). These myths attempt to offer a reason for Jacob deciding to stop there. Three of these suggest that Jacob had a vision linked with the Temple that would be built in Jerusalem. In the rabbinic view, Jacob’s vision took place on Mount Moriah, just as did Abraham’s sacrifice of the ram caught in the thorns, and Mount Moriah was identical, in this mythic view, with the place of the Temple Mount in Jerusalem.
The fourth interpretation, from Genesis Rabbah, states that Jacob could not go on, for “the world became like a wall before him.” Here God is portrayed as leaving Jacob no choice but to stop there, much as, in one myth, God compels Israel to accept the Torah by holding Mount Sinai over their heads (B. Shab. 88a). See “God Offers the Torah to Israel,” p. 264.
Pesikta de-Rav Kahana 21:5 explains that God envisioned the Temple built, destroyed, and rebuilt from the very beginning. It links Genesis 1:1 to the building of the Temple, Genesis 1:2 to the destruction of the Temple, and Genesis 1:3 to the rebuilding of the Temple at the End of Days.
Sources:
Rashi on Genesis 28:11; Genesis Rabbah 68:10; Midrash Tehillim 91:7; Pesikta de-Rav Kahana 21:5; Sifre on Deuteronomy 352.
462. JACOB’S HEAVENLY VISION
In his dream, Jacob not only saw the ladder and the angels, but when he peered up to the top of the ladder he saw the face of a man, carved out of fire, peering down at him. So too did Jacob see God fashioning the heavenly Temple with His own hands out of jewels and pearls and the radiance of the Shekhinah. And when he saw that glorious Temple taking form on high, Jacob understood that it was the House of God that would sustain Israel forever, until the end of all generations. And he also understood that just as God was fashioning a Temple in heaven, so too would He build one in the same way on earth, as it is said, The sanctuary, O Yahweh, which Your hands established (Exod. 15:17).
Then Jacob peered into the highest heaven and saw God’s throne. He saw that there was a face carved into the throne, and the face that Jacob saw there was his own.
Then God called out to him, saying “Jacob, Jacob!” And Jacob replied, “Here I am, Lord.” And God revealed his covenant to Jacob, as he had to Abraham and Isaac before him.
The Ladder of Jacob expands the details of Jacob’s dream (Gen. 28:10-19), adding that “there were twelve steps leading to the top of the ladder, and on each step to the top there were two human faces, on the right and on the left, twenty-four faces …. And God was standing above its highest face, and he called to me from there, saying ‘Jacob, Jacob’” (The Ladder of Jacob 1:5, 1:8). The key image is that of the fiery face at the top of the ladder: “And the top of the ladder was the face as of a man, carved out of fire” (1:4-5). Although the face is not identified, there is a strong implication it is that of God.
One motivation for Jacob’s vision of God at the top of the ladder in The Ladder of Jacob may have been a response to the biblical verse And the Lord was standing beside him (Gen. 28:13). God is rarely found standing on the earth, and The Ladder of Jacob puts God back in heaven, which is considered more appropriate.
The tradition that God showed the heavenly and earthly Temple to Jacob (and the other patriarchs) is very old. Sifre on Deuteronomy 352 says of the Temple, “Jacob saw it built, destroyed, and rebuilt.” This is derived from Genesis 28:17: Shaken, he said, “How awe-inspiring is this place!” This is none other than the abode of God, and that is
the gateway to heaven. The rabbis interpret: This is none indicates that the Temple was destroyed; other than the abode of God and that is the gateway to heaven shows that he saw it rebuilt in the future. Midrash Tanhuma, va-Yetze 9 states that “the prophets also saw it built, destroyed, and rebuilt.” Here God is quoted as saying: “You have seen it destroyed in this world, but in the World to Come I am rebuilding it Myself. I burned it, and I shall rebuild it.”
Other sources indicate that God showed other visions to Jacob in his dream. According to Midrash Tanhuma-Yelammedenu, va-Yetze 2, God showed Jacob the guardian angels of Babylon, Media, Greece, and Edom, all ascending and descending.
Sources:
Genesis Rabbah 56:10, 69:17, 79:7; The Ladder of Jacob 1:1; Bereshit Rabbati, 158-160 in Beit ha-Midrash 6:22-23; Pesikta Rabbati 31; Pesikta de-Rav Kahana 21:5; Sifre on Deuteronomy 352; Yalkut ha-Makhiri on Psalm 147.
Studies:
“The Ladder of Jacob” by James Kugel.
463. THE GATEWAY TO HEAVEN
When Jacob awoke from the dream of the ladder reaching from earth to heaven, with angels ascending and descending on it, he said, “In truth, the Glory of the Shekhinah dwells in this place, and I did not know it. Shaken, he said, ‘How awesome is this place!’” (Gen. 28:17). This is not a profane place, but a sanctuary to the name of the Lord, and this is a place suitable for prayer, corresponding to the Gate of Heaven, found beneath the Throne of Glory.”
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