What was the meaning or message of this dream? Why was there a need for a dream at all? Why did G-d not speak directly to Yaakov? Furthermore, what is the significance of the sullam with malakhim going up and down? How was the vision in the dream related to what G-d told Yaakov?
James Kugel (1997, p.211) quotes several early interpretations of the dream. Philo (20 BCE–50 CE) explains that the dream was to give Yaakov a lesson for his own life that the path of human affairs goes up and down subject to unstable and shifting happenstance. This would be appropriate to Yaakov at that time since then he was on the down path of life as he was on the run from Esav. A book called the Ladder of Jacob (first century) writes that Yaakov saw the future exile of his descendants and their redemption afterwards. This interpretation was not relevant to Yaakov’s life but depending on when the book was written it might have had more relevance to the readers of the book. Targum Neophyti (the dating here is unclear, though Kugel claims that it was the end of the 1st century) explains that really the angels were going down and up to see Yaakov because he was such a righteous man. This would then be a confidence boost to Yaakov, that even though he was on the run, angels wanted to see him. This seems far-fetched, and Kugel notes that the Christians incorporated this idea.
N. Leibowitz (1976, Va-yetze 1) discusses two Midrashic interpretations of the dream. First, she quotes Midrash Tanhuma (medieval compilation of Midrash) that Yaakov saw the history of the world, the rise and fall of the Babylonians, the Media, the Greeks, and Edom (Rome). The symbolism of G-d standing at the top shows that G-d is in control of the history of the world. (This explanation also appears in Vayikra Rabbah 29:2 (redacted approximately 5th century) and is quoted by Ramban on 28:12.) N. Leibowitz notes that this explanation does not accord with plain sense of the text since it has nothing to do with Yaakov fleeing his brother.
She prefers the explanation of Rashi, on 28:12, who quotes a different Midrashic interpretation from Bereshit Rabbah 68:12 (compiled end of 4th or early 5th century). The Midrash is bothered why 28:12 first records that the angels went up and then went down, but if the angels were from heaven, then they should have first gone down and then up. (Rashbam, on 28:12, argues that according to the simple sense of the text this not a question since people normally first refer to going up and then to going down.) The Midrash answers that the angels that were ascending were angels that regularly accompanied Yaakov but could not leave the land of Israel, while the descending angels were the new contingent of angles who would accompany him outside of Israel.
N. Leibowitz argues that this explanation accords perfectly with the text since when Yaakov was returning to Israel, 32:3 record that angels again met him. I am surprised that she thinks this. The most that one can infer from the text is that angels periodically met Yaakov but not that angels accompanied him all the time. Furthermore, when Yaakov had this dream he was not on the border of Israel so why did the angels of Israel have to leave him? Finally, where do we get this idea that some angels cannot leave Israel while others can? My guess is that this idea is an ex post explanation, meaning that we determine the behavior of angels to explain the text.
Other commentators explain that the dream was a way of teaching philosophy or religion beliefs. The most prominent example is Rambam (Moreh I:15, see also II:12), who argues that the angels were prophets, messengers of G-d, who went up to learn some lessons, and then descended to teach these lessons to people. However, Abravanel wonders why G-d was teaching Yaakov philosophical lessons at that particular moment? Were the lessons related to Yaakov leaving his home?
Abravanel explains that Yaakov was having doubts whether he did the right thing in stealing the blessings from Esav. Thus, in the dream, G-d reaffirmed to Yaakov that he was to receive the blessings. The sullam was to symbolize the Bet ha-Mikdash, as it was a place to reach G-d. The angels symbolize that they would ascend with the sacrifices and prayers, and the angels coming down symbolize the acceptance of these sacrifices and prayers. While I agree that Yaakov probably was concerned about the propriety of his actions with his father and brother and G-d’s speech in the dream was then to give him self-confidence, still I cannot accept his understanding of the sullam and the angels. If Yaakov was to know of the Bet ha-Mikdash why did he not dream of it or at least of an altar with sacrifices going up? Also, do angels accompany every sacrifice and prayer?
If we accept the idea of the Abravanel that Yaakov was unsure of his previous actions, then the vision in the dream should express these doubts. The idea of the sullam, ladder or stairway, shows the idea of ascending and descending. Yaakov saw figures, which can be construed as messengers of G-d, going up to the heavens and away from the heavens. The ones going to heaven were getting closer to G-d, while the ones going down were moving further away from G-d. Yaakov’s doubt was where was he on the sullam, with the people going up or the people going down? If he was truly destined to receive the blessings of Avraham then he would have been with the figures going up the ladder, but if he was not to receive these blessings then he would have been with the figures going down the ladder. The vision of the ladder in the dream was Yaakov’s self-conscious and not a message from G-d. 28:13 then records that G-d interposed in the dream, which transformed the dream to a type of prophecy. G-d re-assured Yaakov that even though he was leaving the land of Israel, he was destined to receive the blessings of Avraham.
Kugel, James L. 1997, The Bible As it Was, Cambridge, Mass: The Belknap Press of Harvard University Press.
Leibowitz, Nehama (1905-1997), 1976, Studies in Bereshit, translated by Aryeh Newman, Jerusalem: The World Zionist Organization.
Sarna, Nahum (1923-2005), 1989, The JPS Torah Commentary: Genesis, Philadelphia: The Jewish Publication Society.
If we accept the idea of the Abravanel that Yaakov was unsure of his previous actions, then the vision in the dream should express these doubts. The idea of the sullam, ladder or stairway, shows the idea of ascending and descending. Yaakov saw figures, which can be construed as messengers of G-d, going up to the heavens and away from the heavens. The ones going to heaven were getting closer to G-d, while the ones going down were moving further away from G-d. Yaakov’s doubt was where was he on the sullam, with the people going up or the people going down? If he was truly destined to receive the blessings of Avraham then he would have been with the figures going up the ladder, but if he was not to receive these blessings then he would have been with the figures going down the ladder. The vision of the ladder in the dream was Yaakov’s self-conscious and not a message from G-d. 28:13 then records that G-d interposed in the dream, which transformed the dream to a type of prophecy. G-d re-assured Yaakov that even though he was leaving the land of Israel, he was destined to receive the blessings of Avraham.
Bibliography:
Kugel, James L. 1997, The Bible As it Was, Cambridge, Mass: The Belknap Press of Harvard University Press.
Leibowitz, Nehama (1905-1997), 1976, Studies in Bereshit, translated by Aryeh Newman, Jerusalem: The World Zionist Organization.
Sarna, Nahum (1923-2005), 1989, The JPS Torah Commentary: Genesis, Philadelphia: The Jewish Publication Society.
No comments:
Post a Comment