Divine Connection of Jacob Vayishlach תרל”ט 5
בפסוק ויקרא לו אל כו’ הקב”ה קראו ליעקב אל.
“In the verse ‘And He called him El,’ the Holy One, blessed be He, called Jacob ‘El.’”
The Sefat Emet begins by noting that God Himself bestowed the name “El” upon Jacob, indicating a profound spiritual elevation.
הענין הוא מ”ש בגמ’ ויקרא אלקים לאור יום קריא רחמנא לנהורא ופקדי’ אמצותא דיממא כו’.
“The matter is as the Gemara says: ‘God called the light Day’—the Merciful One calls the light ‘day,’ and assigns it the function of daytime.”
The Sefat Emet cites the Talmudic teaching that God’s ‘calling’ something is an act of giving it role, purpose, and spiritual function.
פי’ שקריאה לשון חבה וידיעה ודביקות.
“This means that calling is a term of affection, recognition, and attachment.”
Divine calling expresses intimacy and a deep spiritual connection between God and the one called.
וזה שניתן להאור כח ושליטה על היום נקרא קריאה כנ”ל.
“Thus the granting of power and dominion to the light over the day is termed ‘calling,’ as above.”
Giving light control over daytime is interpreted as an act of divine endearment and designation.
וכמו כן ניתן זאת הדביקות בעניני האלקות ליעקב אבינו.
“So too this attachment in matters of divinity was granted to our father Jacob.”
Jacob received a unique ability to connect intimately with the divine.
כי העוה”ז אם כי הוא גשמיי יש בו כח אלקות.
“For although this world is physical, it contains divine power.”
The Sefat Emet emphasizes that holiness is embedded even within the material world.
וצריך להיות נמצא בעולם איש שיוכל להמשיך כח אלקות הנ”ל.
“And there must be someone in the world who can draw down this divine power.”
A righteous person is needed to channel divine energy into the physical realm.
וזה בכלל ברכת יצחק ויתן לך האלקים ודרשו חכמים יתן לך אלהותו כו’.
“And this is included in Isaac’s blessing ‘May God give you,’ which the Sages interpreted as: May He give you His divinity.”
The blessing to Jacob was not only material but spiritual—access to divine rootedness.
פרשנו שם שיהי’ השפעות שלו דביקין בשורש האלקות והוא עיקר הברכה.
“We explained there that his influences would cling to the root of divinity, and this is the essence of the blessing.”
The core blessing is that Jacob’s spiritual flow remains attached to its divine source.
וזכה אבינו יעקב בכאן יותר מכל הצדיקים שכתבו חכמים אין הקב”ה מייחד שמו על הצדיקים בחייהם וכאן ייחד הקב”ה שמו עליו.
“And our father Jacob merited here more than all the righteous, for the Sages wrote that God does not attach His name to the righteous during their lifetimes, yet here He did so for Jacob.”
Jacob attained a level of divine association unprecedented among the righteous.
והטעם כי יעקב אבינו הוא כלל ישראל ועל הכלל הקב”ה מייחד שמו כמו שאנו אומרים אלקינו.
“And the reason is that Jacob is the entirety of Israel, and upon the collective God does attach His name, as we say ‘our God.’”
Jacob embodies the whole nation, and therefore merits collective forms of divine attachment.
ובכאן נתקיים הבקשה שביקש יעקב אע”ה והיה ה’ לי לאלקים.
“And here was fulfilled the request Jacob made: ‘And Hashem shall be my God.’”
The fulfillment of his vow signifies complete divine attachment.
היינו שנתייחד שמו ית’ עליו.
“Meaning that His blessed Name became attached to him.”
Jacob achieved a permanent bond with the divine Name.
ולכן סמך הכ’ ענין דינה שאמרו חכמים שנענש על שלא קיים נדרו שעכשיו שנתקיים והי’ ה’ לי לאלקים הי’ צריך לקיים נדרו מיד כנ”ל.
“Therefore the Torah juxtaposes the matter of Dinah, for the Sages said he was punished for not fulfilling his vow—now that ‘Hashem was his God’ was fulfilled, he should have fulfilled his vow immediately.”
The tragic episode of Dinah is presented as a consequence of Jacob’s delay in keeping his vow once divine attachment had been granted.
Summary: The Sefat Emet explains that God’s “calling” confers spiritual attachment and mission. Jacob uniquely received this divine closeness, embodying the collective soul of Israel. His elevated status fulfilled his vow, and his failure to act immediately carried consequences.
