Part II - Ha'Makom, Bet El, & The Bet Ha'Mikdash

Introduction
In our introduction to Part I, we explained that God's opening "hitgalut" to Yaakov featured both the primary theme of "zera v'aretz" as well as additional elements from previous promises to Avraham Avinu. (See Board #9.)

Let's take a careful look at the second pasuk of this hitgalut:

"And your offspring shall be like the afar ha'retz, you shall spread out to the West, East, North, and South ("ya'ma v'kayd'ma, tzafona, v'negba"), and through you all the nations of the earth shall be blessed." (28:14)
The first two phrases - "afar ha'aretz" and "east west north & south" - had been mentioned only once before, when God affirmed Avraham's bechira at Bet-El (after Lot's relocation in Sdom):
"And God said to Avram, after Lot had parted from him, Raise your eyes and look out... to the North, South, East, and West, for I give you all the land which you see... I will make your offspring like the afar ha'aretz..." (13:14-16)
[Note (by reading 13:1-13 carefully) that this affirmation also took place at Bet El!]

Now recall from our shiur on Parshat Lech L'cha that Bet-El is the focal point of Avraham's "aliya" from both Mesopotamia and Egypt. Twice we find at Bet El that Avraham builds a mizbayach and "calls out in God's name" (12:8, 13:4). This, we explained, symbolizes the ultimate mission of God's special nation - to make God's name known to all mankind (see Ramban 12:8). Therefore, the repetition of these two key phrases in God's first "hitgalut" to Yaakov emphasizes not only his "bechira," but also its purpose. (See Board #10.)

[Hence, it is not by chance then when Yaakov wakes up he immediately realizes that he has slept in Bet-El (see 28:17).]

Similarly, the third phrase in this pasuk - "and through you all the nations of the earth shall be blessed" ["v'nivrchu bcha kol mish'pchot ha'adama"] - is also a virtual citation from earlier blessings. In fact, this promise appears in the opening "hitgalut" to both Avraham (12:3) and Yitzchak (26:4), and now in the inaugural "hitgalut" to Yaakov!

God repeats this expression when He consults with Avraham before destroying Sdom (18:18), as well as in the context of God's oath to Avraham after the Akeyda (22:18).]

The reason why God would reiterate this point to each of the Avot is clear. The goal of "v'nivrchu bcha kol mish'pchot ha'adama" reflects the ultimate purpose of God's special nation: through Am Yisrael, all the nations of the world will be blessed. Through the leadership and guidance of Am Yisrael, every nation will have the opportunity to develop a proper relationship with God.

Thus, the second pasuk in this "hitgalut" reminds Yaakov of both the mission and purpose of his bechira.

We may thus summarize God's initial "hitgalut" to Yaakov as follows: the first pasuk confirms Yaakov's bechira (28:13); the second pasuk emphasizes his mission and purpose (28:14); while in the third pasuk God assures Yaakov that He will accompany him in exile and ultimately bring him back to Eretz Canaan (28:15). (See Board #11.)

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