Shabbat Parashat Vayishlach - 5786

Shabbat Parashat Vayishlach - 5786

Rabbi Hal Miller

  Then God said to him, Your name is Yaakov. Your name shall no longer be

  called Yaakov rather Yisrael shall be your name. And He called his name

  Yisrael. [Bereishit 35:10]

A few weeks ago we read [17:5] "your name shall no longer be called Avram but your name shall be Avraham". The wording in Hebrew is virtually identical with our verse. Or HaChayim notes that the Gemara "Berachot 13 states that anyone who calls Avraham Avram nowadays violates a positive commandment, whereas it is permissible to refer to Yaakov as either Yaakov or Yisrael." We have to ask, what is the difference that allows us to refer to either Yaakov or Yisrael, but not the same for Avraham and his former name? Further, we already read in 32:29, "no longer will it be said that your name is Yaakov, but Yisrael" so why do we need a second verse to tell us this?

Torah Temimah says that the reason we are not restricted with Yaakov is because the Torah itself later uses both names, but does not for Avraham, which might explain a preference but does not state a commandment. Rabbeinu Chananel looks at the phrase "lo yikra shimecha od", "your name shall no longer be called Yaakov". He explains "the word od (no longer) means the same as bilvad, exclusively." But he does not explain why this does not apply also to the same wording regarding Avraham. Rashi gives reasons why Yaakov's name gets changed, but not why Avraham's situation is different.

Rav Soloveitchik brings Ramban with an explanation. Avraham had one destiny, and his new name reflects it. Yaakov's "two names reflect two destinies, two roles played by the covenantal community. Yaakov was often dependent on others, working for Lavan, trying to assuage Eisav, forced to go down to Egypt against his will, being pulled along. Yisrael represents the one who was no longer subservient" to anyone but God. These two destinies will continue for the family of Yaakov, one working in the world within its vagaries, and the other standing alone as the representative of God. Ramban gives an alternative explanation saying that when our verse begins "your name is Yaakov" this indicates that in addition to Yisrael it is still permitted to call him Yaakov.

Radak in verse 32:29 explains that lo yaakov yeiameir od does not mean "your name shall no longer be called Yaakov" but means "not only Yaakov will your name be in the future". He gives examples that teach "not once but many" and notes that this was not said of Avraham in chapter 17. This is also an answer to our question about the repetition between verses 29 and 35, but there are also other approaches. Rashi understands the angel as foretelling in verse 29 that God will change Yaakov's name in 35. Rav Hirsch concurs. Rav Moshe Feinstein says that 29 proves this when the angel gives Yaakov a reason for the change, that Yaakov has merited the new name, but God did not give a reason, only implemented the change. Sforno believes that the "your name will no longer be Yaakov" applies to the end of days, when the things that Yaakov's name stood for will no longer be relevant, only what the name Yisrael stands for, thus at this point, there is no repetition of the change.