Despite claims to the contrary, the simple fact is that our connection to the land of Israel spans thousands of years. We are far from settler colonialists. In fact, Israel is our land of indigeneity. This truth is evident not only in the archaeological record but also in our poetry, songs, and liturgy. And, of course, it is woven throughout our ancient book of wisdom, which is central not only to our sacred story but also that of Christians.
In this week’s Torah portion, we read about Jacob’s journey from Be’er Sheva in Israel to Haran, which is located in modern-day southeast Turkey. Jacob leaves for two compelling reasons: 1) His brother Esau wants to kill him because of the purloined blessing, so, for his own safety, he must distance himself from Esau and 2) it is time for him to find a spouse. His parents want him to marry one of Laban’s daughters rather than a Canaanite woman. As Jacob prepares to set out on his journey, he has his famous dream of the ladder stretching from earth to heaven, with angels ascending and descending it.
In Jacob’s dream, God appears to him and says:
“The ground on which you are lying I will assign to you and to your offspring. Your descendants shall be as the dust of the earth; you shall spread out to the west and to the east, to the north and to the south. All the families of the earth shall bless themselves by you and your descendants.” (Genesis 28:13-14)
When Jacob wakes from his dream, he realizes the significance of what has transpired—he has encountered the divine. He declares:
“Surely ADONAI is present in this place, and I did not know it!… How awesome is this place! This is none other than the abode of God, and that is the gateway to heaven.” (Genesis 28:16-17)
These verses hold deep significance for every Jew and all who consider themselves part of Am Yisrael. Remember that it is Jacob (Ya’akov) who will be given a new name, Yisrael, in next week’s parasha. This moment is one of the most powerful in the master story of the Jewish people, binding us eternally to the land of Israel. These words also hold special resonance for the Stephen Wise Temple family. The Hebrew that appears above our ark in the Sanctuary is taken from this same passage:
מַה־נּוֹרָא הַמָּקוֹם הַזֶּה
How awesome is this place!
When we built Katz Family Pavilion, which we opened and dedicated in November of 2017, we again chose wording from this section to adorn the entrance:
וְנִבְרְכוּ בְךָ כׇּל־מִשְׁפְּחֹת הָאֲדָמָה וּבְזַרְעֶךָ
All the families of the earth shall bless themselves by you and your descendants.
When we published our Stephen Wise Temple Machzor in 2018, we titled it, Sha’ar HaShamayim: Gateway to Heaven, a phrase that is, once more, found in this week’s Torah portion.
These words and phrases are part of the sacred story of Am Yisrael—a story which stretches back from the time of Jacob to the present day. It spans more than four millennia, connecting places across the globe—from Be’er Sheva in the Negev desert where Jacob set out, to Beit El where Jacob dreamed, to our own Sanctuary in Bel Air, one of the countless places where his numerous descendants can be found today.
Wherever we find ourselves on this planet—and perhaps someday elsewhere in the solar system— we are, and will continue to be, connected to this special place; the birthplace of Ya’akov (Jacob), who became Yisrael.
Shabbat Shalom,
—Rabbi Yoshi