## Or HaChaim on Genesis Chapter 35

###### Or HaChaim on Genesis 35:1:1
[Or HaChaim on Genesis 35:1:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Genesis/r/35:1:1)

**קוּם עֲלֵה וְגוֹ׳ וְשֶׁב שָׁם וְגוֹ׳.** טַעַם אָמְרוֹ ״וְשֶׁב שָׁם״ פֵּרוּשׁ: הֲגַם שֶׁהוּא מֵאֶרֶץ הַכְּנַעֲנִי יוֹשֵׁב הָאָרֶץ, שֵׁב שָׁם וְלֹא תִפְחַד מֵהֶם.

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
**קום עלה בית אל, "Arise and proceed to Bet El, and settle there."** The reason G'd said that Jacob should settle there though Bet El is in the land of the Canaanites is to reassure Jacob that he had nothing to fear from the local population.


###### Or HaChaim on Genesis 35:1:2
[Or HaChaim on Genesis 35:1:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Genesis/r/35:1:2)

**אוֹ** יֹאמַר **וְשֶׁב שָׁם** וְלֹא תֵּשֵׁב כָּאן, כִּי שָׁכִיחַ הֶזֵּק שָׁם בִּמְקוֹם הַפִּרְצָה.


###### Or HaChaim on Genesis 35:1:3
[Or HaChaim on Genesis 35:1:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Genesis/r/35:1:3)

**אוֹ** יִרְמוֹז עַל זֶה הַדֶּרֶךְ: **וְשֶׁב שָׁם** – פֵּרוּשׁ, שָׁם הָיָה לְךָ לָשֶׁבֶת וְלֹא בְּמָקוֹם זֶה, כִּי אֵין רָאוּי לָתֵת מַרְגּוֹעַ לְרַגְלֶיךָ עַד שָׁמָּה, וַעֲשֵׂה מִזְבֵּחַ וְגוֹ׳.

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
The meaning could also be that G'd told Jacob to settle in Bet El in preference to his present location near Shechem. He should not settle anywhere until he had built an altar at the site he had experienced the vision of the ladder.


###### Or HaChaim on Genesis 35:2:1
[Or HaChaim on Genesis 35:2:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Genesis/r/35:2:1)

**הָסִירוּ אֶת אֱלֹהֵי הַנֵּכָר.** פֵּרוּשׁ, לֶהֱיוֹת שֶׁרָצָה יַעֲקֹב לִסַּע מֵהַמָּקוֹם הַהוּא, חָשׁ שֶׁמָּא יִקְחוּ בְּיָדָם מֵאֱלֹהֵי הָעַמִּים וְיִהְיוּ בִּרְשׁוּתָם, וְלֶהֱיוֹת שֶׁלֹּא הָיוּ עִמָּהֶם מֵהָאוּמּוֹת שֶׁיְּבַטְּלוּ אוֹתָם קֹדֶם שֶׁיָּבוֹאוּ לְבֵיתָם, אֵין לָהֶם בִּטּוּל עַל יְדֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל.

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
**הסירו את אלוהי הנכר, "Remove the foreign gods!"** Seeing that Jacob was about to leave the present location he was afraid that perhaps someone would take along trinkets which had served the people of Shechem as idols. Since Jacob's entourage did not include idol worshippers of the local population there had not been anyone who could neutralise these gods before they had come into the tents of Jacob's camp. Once that happened there is no way a Jew can neutralise these gods except by destroying them completely.


###### Or HaChaim on Genesis 35:2:2
[Or HaChaim on Genesis 35:2:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Genesis/r/35:2:2)

וְאִם תֹּאמַר לָמָּה לֹא בִּטְּלוּ אוֹתָם נְשֵׁי אַנְשֵׁי שְׁכֶם קֹדֶם שֶׁבָּאוּ לְיָדָם, כְּאָמְרָם זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (עבודה זרה מג.) גּוֹי מְבַטֵּל עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה בְּעַל כָּרְחוֹ וַאֲפִלּוּ עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה שֶׁל חֲבֵרוֹ? וְיֵשׁ לוֹמַר כִּי הַנָּשִׁים דִּינָם כִּקְטַנִּים וְאֵין הַקְּטַנִּים מְבַטְּלִים עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה, וּכְמוֹ דְּאָמְרִינַן בְּמַסֶּכֶת עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה דַּף מ״ג וְאָמְרוּ שָׁם וְזֶה לְשׁוֹנָם: וּשְׁמַע מִנָּהּ הַיּוֹדֵעַ בְּטִיב וְכוּ׳ וְשֶׁאֵינוֹ יוֹדֵעַ בְּטִיב עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה וּמְשַׁמְּשֶׁיהָ אֵינוֹ מְבַטֵּל, עַד כָּאן, וְהַנָּשִׁים דִּינָם כְּקָטָן. **אוֹ** אֶפְשָׁר שֶׁלֹּא הָיוּ מְדַקְדְּקִים שֶׁלֹּא יַגִּיעוּ לְיָדָם עַד שֶׁיְּבַטְּלוּ אוֹתָם. אוֹ שֶׁהָיוּ עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה נִסְתָּרִים בַּכֵּלִים וְכַדּוֹמֶה, וְלֹא הָיוּ נִכָּרִים אֶצְלָם לְתַקֵּן בִּטּוּלָם קֹדֶם שֶׁיַּגִּיעוּ לְיָדָם, וְעַל זֶה צִוָּה יַעֲקֹב לִבְדֹּק לְהָסִיר הַכִּעוּר. אוֹ אוּלַי שֶׁנִּתְעָרְבָה עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה אוֹ תַּשְׁמִישׁ עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה שֶׁלֹּא נִתְבַּטְּלוּ וְנֶאֶסְרוּ הַכֹּל.

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
*Avodah Zarah* 43 teaches that when one forces a Gentile to renounce his idol or even that belonging to a friend of his, such renunciation is legally valid. Once the idol has become the possession of a Jew, the only way it can be neutralised is by utterly destroying it. The Talmud distinguishes between adult Gentiles and children, however. The reason Jacob or the brothers did not force the surviving women of Shechem to neutralise these gods may have been that those women were halachically in the same category as children, i.e. that their actions had no validity in law. It is also possible that the sons of Jacob had simply not been careful to differentiate between different kinds of the loot. When they examined it at home it was already too late to do anything about neutralising these objects and making them usable for a Jew. Some of these idols may even have been hidden within other larger vessels which the sons of Jacob had captured. Another possibility is that the gods which had been neutralised in time somehow became mixed with others which had not.


###### Or HaChaim on Genesis 35:2:3
[Or HaChaim on Genesis 35:2:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Genesis/r/35:2:3)

וְאָמַר לָהֶם שֶׁיִּטַּהֲרוּ מִמַּגַּע עָבָר, כִּי עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה מְטַמְּאָה אָדָם וְכֵלִים. וְאָמְרוֹ **וְהַחֲלִיפוּ** וְגוֹ׳, עַל דֶּרֶךְ מַה שֶׁכָּתַב הָרַמְבַּ״ם בְּפֶרֶק ו׳ מֵהִלְכוֹת אֲבוֹת הַטֻּמְאָה וְזֶה לְשׁוֹנוֹ: כָּל אַב הַטֻּמְאָה שֶׁמְּטַמֵּא בְּמַגָּע וּבְמַשָּׂא, בֵּין אָב וְכוּ׳, אָדָם הַנּוֹגֵעַ בּוֹ אוֹ הַנּוֹשְׂאוֹ מְטַמֵּא בְּגָדִים בִּשְׁעַת מַגָּעוֹ וְכוּ׳, עַד כָּאן. לָזֶה אָמַר לָהֶם שֶׁאֲפִלּוּ לֹא נָגְעוּ הַשְּׂמָלוֹת בַּעֲבוֹדָה זָרָה, הֲרֵי הֵם טְמֵאִים וּצְרִיכִין לְהַחְלִיפָם. וְלָזֶה דִּקְדֵּק לוֹמַר **שִׂמְלֹתֵיכֶם**, פֵּרוּשׁ, אוֹתָם שֶׁהָיוּ עֲלֵיהֶם בְּעֵת שֶׁבָּזְזוּ הַבִּזָּה שֶׁהָיוּ בָּהֶם עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה.

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
Jacob instructed the members of his household to purify themselves because contact with idols defiles a person. Maimonides writes in *Hilchot Avot Ha-Tumah* chapter six that any אב הטומאה, source of serious impurity, which confers impurity through touch or through carrying same, not only confers impurity on any person who touches same but also on anyone touching or carrying objects that have been in touch with the person who is אב הטומאה. Accordingly, Jacob was quite right when he instructed his people to purify themselves and their clothing even if not they personally, but only their clothing had been in contact with the idolatrous trinket. Jacob was also very precise in referring to שמלותיכם, your garments. He meant that the garments worn by the people of Shechem at the time they were slain had to be purified also.


###### Or HaChaim on Genesis 35:2:4
[Or HaChaim on Genesis 35:2:4](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Genesis/r/35:2:4)

וְאִם תֹּאמַר: לָמָּה יָחוּשׁ לְהַחְלָפַת בְּגָדִים, וַהֲלֹא אֵין אָדָם וְכֵלִים מְקַבְּלִין טֻמְאָה אֶלָּא מֵאַב הַטֻּמְאָה, וּבְגָדִים אֵלּוּ לוּ יְהֵא שֶׁנָּגְעוּ בַּעֲבוֹדָה זָרָה עַצְמָהּ, אֵינָם נַעֲשִׂים אַב הַטֻּמְאָה וְאֵינָם מְטַמְּאִים אָדָם? יֵרָאֶה, כֵּיוָן שֶׁמָּצִינוּ קְרִיאַת שֵׁם לַעֲבוֹדָה זָרָה מֵתִים, דִּכְתִיב (תהילים ק״ו:כ״ח) ״וַיֹּאכְלוּ זִבְחֵי מֵתִים״, וּמָצִינוּ שֶׁאָמְרָה תּוֹרָה (חולין ג.) חֶרֶב הֲרֵי הוּא כְּחָלָל, וְכָתַב הָרַמְבַּ״ם בְּפֶרֶק ה׳ מֵהִלְכוֹת טֻמְאַת מֵת וְזֶה לְשׁוֹנוֹ: וְהוּא הַדִּין לִשְׁאָר כֵּלִים וְכוּ׳ וּבְגָדִים, עַד כָּאן, אִם כֵּן נַעֲשׂוּ הַבְּגָדִים כְּטֻמְאַת עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה עַצְמָהּ, וְלָזֶה יְצַו הַצַּדִּיק לְהַחְלִיף הַבְּגָדִים.

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
You may ask that there should have been no need to change clothing seeing that clothing could have become defiled only through direct contact with the idolatrous object, an אב הטומאה, and even if these garments had been in direct contact with the idolatrous object they could not have conferred impurity on a human being seeing they themselves were not primary sources of impurity. When we read in Psalms 106,28: ויאכלו מזבחי מתים, "they ate sacrifices offered to the dead," the word "dead" is understood to be a reference to idolatry. Idolatry and the dead are equated halachically for the purpose of the transference of impurity. *Chulin* 3 states that the sword of a slain person is of the **same** degree of impurity as the person who has been slain with it. [normally it would be of a lesser degree, seeing it is not the original source of that impurity, Ed.] According to Maimonides *Hilchot Tum-at met* chapter chapter 5 the example of "sword" is applicable to any of the objects that were attached to the slain person at the time he died, including his garments. According to the foregoing the garments of the people of Shechem then were capable of transferring impurity to human beings just as the sword which kills a person.


###### Or HaChaim on Genesis 35:5:1
[Or HaChaim on Genesis 35:5:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Genesis/r/35:5:1)

**וַיִּסָּעוּ וַיְהִי וְגוֹ׳.** אוּלַי שֶׁחִדּוּשׁ יַשְׁמִיעֵנוּ, כִּי הֲגַם שֶׁנָּסְעוּ מִשָּׁם, וְזֶה יַגִּיד עַל עֲנַף הַבְּרִיחָה, אַף עַל פִּי כֵן ״וַיְהִי חִתַּת״ וְגוֹ׳. אוֹ עַל זֶה הַדֶּרֶךְ: הֲגַם שֶׁרָאוּ שֶׁמִּלְּטוּ מִיָּדָם וְהָלְכוּ לָהֶם, אַף עַל פִּי כֵן נָפְלָה עֲלֵיהֶם אֵימָתָה וְלֹא רָדְפוּ, וְהִסְכִּימוּ עַל מְלִיטָתָם.

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
**ויסעו, ויהי חתת אלוקים על הערים, They departed; the fear of the Lord was on the cities in their region.** Perhaps the Torah informs us here of the surprising fact that although the departure of Jacob's family from Shechem must have been perceived by the local inhabitants as a flight, they were so overcome with the fear of the Lord that they did not pursue them. Alternatively: although by the time the local inhabitants became aware of it, Jacob's family had long gone and thereby escaped their determination to attack them, they were so afraid of the Lord that they decided not to give chase.


###### Or HaChaim on Genesis 35:7:1
[Or HaChaim on Genesis 35:7:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Genesis/r/35:7:1)

**וַיִּקְרָא לַמָּקוֹם אֵל וְגוֹ׳.** הֲגַם שֶׁכְּבָר קְרָאוֹ כֵן בְּבָרְחוֹ מִפְּנֵי עֵשָׂו, חָזַר וְהוֹסִיף לוֹמַר ״אֵל בֵּית אֵל״. פֵּרוּשׁ: יִחֵד שְׁמוֹ יִתְבָּרַךְ עַל הַמָּקוֹם שֶׁשְּׁמוֹ בֵּית אֵל, וְנָתַן טַעַם לָזֶה ״כִּי שָׁם נִגְלוּ״ וְגוֹ׳, וּלְצַד שֶׁמָּקוֹם זֶה שָׁם קָנָה הַהַבְטָחוֹת שֶׁנִּתְקַיְּמוּ בּוֹ, יִחֵד הוֹסִיף לְהַעֲלוֹת לַמָּקוֹם הַהוּא.

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
**ויקראו למקום א־ל בית אל, He named the place El Bet El.** Although Jacob had already named this place Bet El when he fled from Esau, he repeated naming the place El Bet El; he meant that G'd specifically associated His name with that site. The reason he thought so was that G'd had revealed Himself to him there. The reason he returned to this place was that G'd had meanwhile fulfilled the promise He made to Jacob at the time of his flight from Esau. The site had therefore assumed an even higher degree of sanctity in Jacob's eyes.


###### Or HaChaim on Genesis 35:10:1
[Or HaChaim on Genesis 35:10:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Genesis/r/35:10:1)

**לֹא יִקָּרֵא שִׁמְךָ וְגוֹ׳ כִּי אִם יִשְׂרָאֵל.** צָרִיךְ לָדַעַת מַה נִשְׁתַּנָּה יַעֲקֹב מֵאַבְרָהָם, כִּי הַקּוֹרֵא לְאַבְרָהָם אַבְרָם עוֹבֵר בַּעֲשֵׂה (ברכות יג.), אֲבָל הַקּוֹרֵא לְיִשְׂרָאֵל יַעֲקֹב אֵינוֹ עוֹבֵר. וַהֲגַם שֶׁרַבּוֹתֵינוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (שם) אָמְרוּ כִּי יַעֲקֹב אַהְדְּרֵיהּ קְרָא, וְלָמָּה לֹא נִלְמַד מִמַּה דְּאַהְדְּרֵיהּ לְיַעֲקֹב הֲגַם שֶׁאָמַר בּוֹ ״לֹא יִקָּרֵא״ וְאַהְדְּרֵיהּ כְּמוֹ כֵן בְּאַבְרָהָם?

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
**לא יקרא שמך יעקב כי אם ישראל, "You will not be called Jacob but Israel, etc."** We need to understand the difference between when G'd renamed Abram and when he renamed Jacob. *Berachot* 13 states that anyone who calls Abraham Abram nowadays violates a positive commandment, whereas it is permissible to refer to Jacob as either Jacob or Israel. Although our rabbis in the Talmud there point out that the Torah itself refers to Israel as Jacob after G'd renamed him, in view of the fact that we ignore the words לא יקרא when it comes to Jacob, why should the same rule not apply to Abraham and we should have the choice of calling him by either name?


###### Or HaChaim on Genesis 35:10:2
[Or HaChaim on Genesis 35:10:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Genesis/r/35:10:2)

וְאוּלַי כִּי לְצַד שֶׁשִּׁנָּה ה׳ דְּבָרוֹ הַטּוֹב הָאָמוּר בְּיַעֲקֹב מֵהָאָמוּר בְּאַבְרָהָם, בְּמַה שֶׁאָמַר ״שִׁמְךָ יַעֲקֹב״, כִּי לֹא הָיָה צָרִיךְ לוֹמַר כֵּן, כִּי מַה חִדֵּשׁ בָּזֶה בְּאָמְרוֹ ״שִׁמְךָ יַעֲקֹב״? אֶלָּא וַדַּאי שֶׁנִּתְכַּוֵּן לוֹמַר שֵׁם קָבוּעַ הוּא לְךָ. אֶלָּא שֶׁצָּרִיךְ לָדַעַת טַעְמוֹ שֶׁל הקב״ה לָמָּה בְּאַבְרָהָם הִקְפִּיד עַל אַבְרָם, וְעַל יַעֲקֹב לֹא הִקְפִּיד. וְיֵרָאֶה כִּי יֵשׁ טַעַם נָכוֹן, וְהוּא לְמַה שֶׁקָּדַם לָנוּ כִּי שְׁמוֹת בְּנֵי הָאָדָם הֵם שְׁמוֹת נַפְשׁוֹתָם, וַה׳ שָׂם שַׁמּוֹת בָּאָרֶץ וְדָרְשׁוּ זַ״ל (ברכות ז.) וְכוּ׳. וְהִנֵּה יַעֲקֹב יִהְיֶה שֵׁם נֶפֶשׁ שֶׁהָיְתָה לוֹ, וְלָזֶה הֲגַם שֶׁנִּתּוֹסֵף בּוֹ רוּחַ אֱלֹהִים הַנִּקְרָא יִשְׂרָאֵל, לֹא מִפְּנֵי זֶה אָבַד הָרִאשׁוֹן, וַהֲרֵי יֶשְׁנָם לְרִאשׁוֹן גַּם שֵׁנִי וְיָכוֹל הוּא לִקָּרֵא יַעֲקֹב וְאֵין רָאוּי שֶׁיֵּעָקֵר שְׁמוֹ הָרִאשׁוֹן לַחֲלוּטִין. מַה שֶׁאֵין כֵּן אַבְרָהָם, כִּי גַּם אַחַר שִׁנּוּי שְׁמוֹ לְעִלּוּי לֹא נֶעֱקַר שֵׁם הָרִאשׁוֹן, כִּי יֵשׁ בִּכְלַל אַבְרָהָם אַבְרָם, וְלָזֶה יְצַו הָאֵל לִקְרוֹת לוֹ בִּתְמִידוּת אַבְרָהָם, וְאֵין עֲקִירָה לָרִאשׁוֹן כִּי בִּכְלַל אַבְרָהָם אַבְרָם. וְאוּלַי כִּי זֶה רָמַז הַכָּתוּב בְּדִבְרֵי הַיָּמִים (דברי הימים א׳ א:כו) ״אַבְרָם הוּא אַבְרָהָם״. וּכְפִי זֶה אָמְרוֹ **לֹא יִקָּרֵא שִׁמְךָ עוֹד** וְגוֹ׳, פֵּרוּשׁ לְבַד אֶלָּא גַּם יִשְׂרָאֵל. גַּם דִּיֵּק בְּאָמְרוֹ ״לֹא יִקָּרֵא שִׁמְךָ עוֹד״ וְלֹא אָמַר ״לֹא יִקָּרֵא עוֹד שִׁמְךָ״ כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמַר בְּאַבְרָהָם (בראשית יז:ה), וְהָבֵן:

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
Perhaps the very fact that G'd limited the good news when He renamed Jacob by saying: "your name is Jacob," made this change of name qualitatively different from that of Abraham at the time. There had been no need for G'd to repeat "your name is Jacob." Who did not know this? Surely what G'd meant by this was that Jacob's permanent name would remain Jacob, but that on some occasions he would be referred to by an additional name, i.e. Israel. Why would it bother G'd that we should not refer to Abraham's original name? I believe there is a very good reason. We have to remember that names describe the nature of its bearers' souls, their essence. The Talmud *Berachot* 7 illustrates this point. Jacob's essence then is described by the name Jacob. Whenever he enjoyed a large measure of Holy Spirit he was referred to as "Israel." There is certainly no reason why Jacob should be deprived of his original name on account of an occasional infusion of רוח הקודש. It was quite different in the case of Abraham who retained all the letters of his original name in his expanded name also. This is why G'd commanded to call him only by his new and expanded name Abraham. By doing so one did not deny his original name at all. Perhaps Chronicles I,1 26 refers to this when it states: "Abram is Abraham." When the Torah said: "your name shall not be called, etc," the meaning is that it should not be called exclusively Jacob but also Israel. This is exactly parallel to Genesis 17,5 where Abraham's name was changed.


###### Or HaChaim on Genesis 35:12:1
[Or HaChaim on Genesis 35:12:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Genesis/r/35:12:1)

**לְאַבְרָהָם וּלְיִצְחָק.** עַיֵּין מַה שֶׁפֵּרַשְׁנוּ בְּפָרָשַׁת תּוֹלְדוֹת בְּפָסוּק (בראשית כ״ו:ג׳) ״כִּי לְךָ וּלְזַרְעֲךָ״ וְגוֹ׳, כִּי יִצְחָק נִתּוֹסֵף לוֹ זְכוּת בְּחֵלֶק אֶחָד יָתֵר עַל אַבְרָהָם, וְאוֹתוֹ נָתַן ה׳ גַּם כֵּן לְיַעֲקֹב.

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
**לאברהם וליצחק, to Abraham and Isaac.** Check on what we have written on Genesis 26,3 that the promise G'd made to Isaac concerning inheriting the land of Israel contained an additional dimension to the promise made to Abraham. G'd promised this additional dimension also to Jacob.


###### Or HaChaim on Genesis 35:12:2
[Or HaChaim on Genesis 35:12:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Genesis/r/35:12:2)

**אֶתֵּן אֶת הָאָרֶץ.** צָרִיךְ לָדַעַת לָמָּה הֻצְרַךְ לַחְזוֹר לוֹמַר ״אֶתֵּן אֶת הָאָרֶץ״ וְלֹא הִסְפִּיק בְּמַה שֶׁקָּדַם לוֹמַר ״לְךָ אֶתְּנֶנָּה וּלְזַרְעֶךָ״? וְאוּלַי שֶׁנִּתְכַּוֵּן לוֹמַר כִּי לוֹ, לְיַעֲקֹב, נָתַן הָאָרֶץ שֶׁיֶּאֱחֹז בָּהּ, וְאִלּוּ אָמַר ״לְךָ אֶתְּנֶנָּה וּלְזַרְעֶךָ״ תִּהְיֶה הַכַּוָּנָה שֶׁיִּתְּנֶנָּה לוֹ לְהַנְחִילָהּ לְזַרְעוֹ. לָזֶה דִּקְדֵּק לוֹמַר שְׁתֵּי נְתִינוֹת, אֶחָד לוֹ וְאֶחָד לְזַרְעוֹ, מַה שֶׁלֹּא דִקְדֵּק לוֹמַר כֵּן בְּהַבְטָחַת שְׁנֵי אָבוֹת.

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
**אתן את הארץ. "I shall give the land."** Why did the Torah have to mention the word "the land" once more instead of simply saying "it," as the Torah did at the beginning of this verse? Perhaps the Torah wanted to tell us that G'd would give this land to Jacob in order that he personally should possess it, not merely his descendants. Had the Torah merely written לך אתננה ולזרעך, we would have understood that Jacob could only make the claim to the land over to his children as an inheritance. This is why the Torah speaks of two separate gifts here, one to him and one to his descendants. This had not been the case when G'd promised the land to either Abraham or Isaac.


###### Or HaChaim on Genesis 35:15:1
[Or HaChaim on Genesis 35:15:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Genesis/r/35:15:1)

**וַיִּקְרָא יַעֲקֹב וְגוֹ׳ אֲשֶׁר וְגוֹ׳ בֵּית אֵל.** קָשֶׁה, וַהֲלֹא כְּבָר קְרָאוֹ כֵן, וְגַם בְּתוֹסֶפֶת ״אֵל בֵּית אֵל״, וּכְמוֹ שֶׁפֵּרַשְׁתִּי לְמַעְלָה (בראשית לה:ז), וּמָה חִדֵּשׁ בִּקְרִיאָה זוֹ? וְאוּלַי שֶׁהוֹסִיף לִקְרוֹת לַמָּקוֹם סָמוּךְ לְבֵית אֵל שֶׁגַּם הוּא יִקָּרֵא ״בֵּית אֵל״ כְּשֶׁדִּבֶּר ה׳ אֵלָיו בּוֹ, וְהוּא שֶׁדִּקְדֵּק לוֹמַר **אֶת שֵׁם הַמָּקוֹם אֲשֶׁר דִּבֶּר** וְגוֹ׳, פֵּרוּשׁ כִּי לְצַד הַדִּבּוּר שֶׁהָיָה שָׁם קָרָא לוֹ גַּם כֵּן וְכוּ׳, שֶׁאִלּוּ לַמָּקוֹם שֶׁנִּגְלָה שָׁם אֵלָיו בְּבָרְחוֹ לֹא הָיָה צָרִיךְ לוֹמַר ״אֲשֶׁר דִּבֶּר״:

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
**ויקרא יעקב….בית אל. Jacob called… it Bet El.** This is difficult. We had been told this previously; even the additional word "El" had already been mentioned in verse 4. Perhaps the Torah means that at this time Jacob enlarged the area which he had previously named Bet El. Perhaps this is alluded to in the otherwise superfluous words "**the name of the place** that G'd spoke to him." He clearly referred to the difference between having experienced a dream with a divine message many years ago, and the present revelation where G'd appears to have addressed Jacob when he was awake.


###### Or HaChaim on Genesis 35:17:1
[Or HaChaim on Genesis 35:17:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Genesis/r/35:17:1)

**אַל תִּירְאִי כִּי גַם וְגוֹ׳.** צָרִיךְ לָדַעַת מַה הִיא הַמּוֹרָא שֶׁמַּבְטִיחָתָהּ עָלָיו שֶׁלֹּא תִּירָא, וְלִכְשֶׁנֹּאמַר כִּי אֵימוֹת מָוֶת הָיוּ לָהּ, בַּמֶּה מְסִירָה מִמֶּנָּה הַמּוֹרָא בְּאָמְרָהּ **כִּי גַם זֶה** וְגוֹ׳? עוֹד צָרִיךְ לָדַעַת מַה כַּוָּנָתָהּ בְּאָמְרָהּ ״גַם״?

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
**אל תיראי כי גם זה לך בן. "Do not fear, for this one too is a son for you."** What exactly was Rachel's fear which the midwife tried to alleviate? Assuming that Rachel was afraid to die, how did the midwife's words relieve Rachel's fears by saying "this one too is a son for you?" We also have to analyse the midwife's use of the word גם, "also."


###### Or HaChaim on Genesis 35:17:2
[Or HaChaim on Genesis 35:17:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Genesis/r/35:17:2)

**אָכֵן** יִתְבָּאֵר עַל דֶּרֶךְ אָמְרָם זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (בראשית רבה פב:ח) כִּי בִּנְיָמִין נוֹלְדוּ עִמּוֹ שְׁתֵּי תְּאוֹמוֹת, מַה שֶׁלֹּא נוֹלְדוּ כֵּן עִם יוֹסֵף כִּי אִם תְּאוֹמָה אַחַת, עַד כָּאן. וְלָזֶה ״וַיְהִי בְהַקְשֹׁתָהּ״ אָמְרָה לָהּ הַמְיַלֶּדֶת ״אַל תִּירְאִי״ מִמַּה שֶׁאַתְּ מִתְקַשֵּׁית בַּלֵּדָה שֶׁמָּא תִּסְתַּכְּנִי, כִּי יֵשׁ לָךְ הֵרָיוֹן מְשֻׁנֶּה מֵהָרִאשׁוֹן, וְהוּא אָמְרוֹ **כִּי גַם** בְּתוֹסֶפֶת רִבּוּי זֶה לָךְ כֵּן, כְּאִלּוּ אָמַר ״כִּי גַם בֵּן זֶה לָךְ״.

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
In order to understand this we must refer to *Bereshit Rabbah* 82,8 that whereas a twin sister was born with all the other sons of Jacob, Benjamin's birth was accompanied by the birth of two twin sisters. This is why the midwife told Rachel that she should not be afraid to die but that her special difficulties were due to her giving birth to triplets, something that had not been the case when she gave birth to Joseph. The word גם was a reference to the births which would accompany the birth of Benjamin.


###### Or HaChaim on Genesis 35:17:3
[Or HaChaim on Genesis 35:17:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Genesis/r/35:17:3)

**עוֹד** תִּרְמֹז עַל פִּי מַה שֶׁיָּדוּעַ (נדה לא.) כִּי הַמְקַשָּׁה לֵילֵד בְּבֵן זָכָר אֵינָהּ מִסְתַּכֶּנֶת, וְהַמְקַשָּׁה לֵילֵד בְּבַת הִיא מִסְתַּכֶּנֶת, לָזֶה אָמְרָה כִּי וַדַּאי גַּם זֶה לָךְ בֵּן וְלֹא תִסְתַּכְּנִי.

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
She may also have hinted at the statement we find in *Niddah* 31 that if a mother experiences difficulties when giving birth to a male child this does not threaten her life, whereas if she experiences similar difficulties when giving birth to a female child this does endanger her life. This is why the midwife reassured Rachel saying that the baby about to be born was definitely a boy.


###### Or HaChaim on Genesis 35:23:1
[Or HaChaim on Genesis 35:23:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Genesis/r/35:23:1)

**בְּנֵי לֵאָה בְּכוֹר יַעֲקֹב וְגוֹ׳.** טַעַם שֶׁהֻצְרַךְ לְהוֹדִיעַ הֱיוֹתוֹ בְּכוֹר יַעֲקֹב, לוֹמַר שֶׁלֹּא תַחְשֹׁב בּוֹ דָּבָר בִּלְתִּי הָגוּן דִּכְתִיב בְּסָמוּךְ ״וַיִּשְׁכַּב אֶת בִּלְהָה״, כִּי לֹא שָׁכַב מַמָּשׁ. וְהָרְאָיָה, שֶׁחָזַר וּמְנָאוֹ עִם שְׁאָר אֶחָיו, דִּכְתִיב ״וַיִּהְיוּ בְנֵי יַעֲקֹב שְׁנֵים עָשָׂר״, וְלָזֶה רָשַׁם וְאָמַר **בְּכוֹר יַעֲקֹב**, כִּי הוּא בְּכוֹר יַעֲקֹב, וְלֶהֱיוֹתוֹ טִפָּה רִאשׁוֹנָה שֶׁל יַעֲקֹב, בְּחִינָה זוֹ תַּשְׁרֵשׁ בּוֹ הַרְחָקַת הַתִּעוּב וְלֹא תַחְשְׁדֶנּוּ.

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
**בני לאה, בכור יעקב ראובן the sons of Leah Jacob's firstborn Reuben.** The reason that the Torah had to repeat here that Reuben was Jacob's firstborn was in order that we should not think that Reuben's misconduct with Bilhah had disqualified him from being the firstborn. This also proves that when the Torah described Reuben as having slept with Bilhah this was not meant literally. When the number of Jacob's sons is described as 12, this too is proof that Reuben had not committed an act by which he forfeited being included in that count. Inasmuch as Reuben represented the first drop of semen Jacob ever ejaculated, the idea that he could have been guilty of such a horrendous crime as actually sleeping with one of his father's wives is quite impossible. This is why the Torah emphasises בכור יעקב, he was Jacob's firstborn.


###### Or HaChaim on Genesis 35:28:1
[Or HaChaim on Genesis 35:28:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Genesis/r/35:28:1)

**וַיִּהְיוּ יְמֵי יִצְחָק וְגוֹ׳.** טַעַם שֶׁלֹּא הִזְכִּיר ״חַיִּים״ בְּיִצְחָק כְּמִנְהַג הַכָּתוּב בְּאַבְרָהָם וְיַעֲקֹב, וְגַם בְּיוֹסֵף הִזְכִּיר חַיִּים דִּכְתִיב (בראשית נ:כב) ״וַיְחִי יוֹסֵף״, וְאוּלַי כִּי לֶהֱיוֹת שֶׁמִּיּוֹם שֶׁנּוֹלַד עַד הָעֲקֵדָה לֹא הָיְתָה לוֹ בַּת זוּג, וְאָמְרוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (קהלת רבה ט׳) הַשָּׁרוּי בְּלֹא אִשָּׁה שָׁרוּי בְּלֹא חַיִּים, וּמֵעֵת הָעֲקֵדָה אָמְרוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (בראשית רבה פ׳ סה) שֶׁהִתְחִילוּ לִכְהוֹת עֵינָיו, לָזֶה לֹא הִזְכִּיר בּוֹ חַיִּים.

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
**ויהיו ימי יצחק מאת שנה ושמונים שנה, Isaac lived to be one hundred and eighty years old.** The reason that the Torah does not add אשר חי, "which he lived," as it did when reporting Abraham's death or Jacob's death or even Joseph's death, may have been that from the day of his birth until the time he was bound on the altar no wife had been assigned to Isaac; our sages in *Kohelet Rabbah* section 9 state that anyone who lives without a wife is not really considered as "living." On the other hand, our sages also say that as a result of the עקדה Isaac began to lose his eyesight (*Bereshit Rabbah* 65,10). A person who is deprived of his eyesight cannot be described as truly "alive."


###### Or HaChaim on Genesis 35:28:2
[Or HaChaim on Genesis 35:28:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Or%20HaChaim%20on%20Genesis/r/35:28:2)

**אוֹ** אֶפְשָׁר, לֶהֱיוֹת שֶׁלֹּא הֵבִיא עִמּוֹ חַיִּים עַד הָעֲקֵדָה לֹא הִזְכִּיר בּוֹ חַיִּים.

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
Alternatively: since he did not bring חיים with him on his way to the עקדה, the Torah did not see fit to mention the word חיים in his connection.