The Road to Jerusalem (I)
Jerusalem in the Bible
Yeshivat Har Etzion
The Road to Jerusalem (Part
I)
By Rav Yitzchak
Levi
In his Commentary on the Torah, the Ramban explains the
significance of the stories of the forefathers with the famous dictum, "The
actions of the forefathers are a sign for the children":
I shall now teach you a general principle; understand
it. In all of the coming episodes concerning Avraham, Yitzchak, and Yaakov,
there is an important principle that is referred to by the Sages in brief when
they teach, "Everything that happened to the forefathers is a sign for their
descendants" (Tanchuma Lekh Lekha 9). Therefore, the text describes at
length the story of the journeys and the digging of the wells and the other
episodes. At first glance, we might
think that these stories are redundant and have no purpose. But all come to teach about the future,
for when a prophet comes to observe an episode that happens to one of the three
forefathers, that which is decreed for his descendants can be
understood.
And know that any decree of the Sages, when they proceed
from a potential decree to a symbolic act, then the decree is fulfilled in any
event, and therefore the prophets performed some act in their prophecies
And
for this reason the Holy One caused Avraham to possess the land and showed him
images of all that would happen to his descendants in the future; understand
this. (Bereishit 12:6)
The Ramban is teaching that the actions of the forefathers are prophetic
signs, as it were, that pave the way for their descendants. In this first lesson, we shall adopt the
Ramban's approach concerning the manner in which our forefathers entered the
Promised Land, and examine its significance with regard to Jerusalem both for
our forefathers and for all generations.
In Part I we shall discuss the route followed by the conquerors of the
land i.e., which cities they passed through when they entered the land; Part
II addresses the spiritual significance of this route for all generations
[1].
Part I: The Route
A.
Avraham
Avraham, the first of the forefathers who came to the
Land, covers a route that includes cities of central importance, which will be
of great significance in the unfolding of Israel's future. Let us examine this route with a view to
demonstrating the Ramban's assertion that it represents a pattern for future
generations.
1.
Geographical background
The Torah does not specify Avraham's point of entry into
the Land. However, it seems
probable that coming from Charan he crossed the Jordan River somewhere in
the region of where the Adam Bridge stands today. Throughout the generations, this place
served as a major point of transition between the eastern and western sides of
the Jordan [2]. From there, as far
as we are able to ascertain, Avraham ascended via Wadi Paro known as Nachal
Tirtza, which would have brought him to the Shekhem region. From here Avraham continued southward,
following the line of the country's watershed, on the ancient road mountain road
joining the Yizre'el Valley in the North and the Valley of Arad and Be'er Sheva
in the South. This road would have
covered Jenin, Yivle'am, Shekhem, Shilo, Beit-El, Jerusalem, Bethlehem, and
Hebron at which point it splits into a western fork, leading in the direction
of Devir and Be'er Sheva (via Beit Chaggai, Otniel, Meitar and Be'er Sheva of
today), and an eastern fork, which continues towards Zif, Ma'on, Carmel, Yatir,
and the Valley of Arad. Along the course of this geographic route, the Torah
mentions various place names and describes events that took place
there.
2. Stations
along the route
The first place that Avraham arrives at is "the place of
Shekhem, Elon Moreh" (12:6). Next
he pitches his tent "between Beit-El and Ai" (8), and from there heads "towards
the Negev (southward)" [3] (9).
Thereafter, Avraham "goes down to Egypt." His return journey from Egypt
covers the same route, in the opposite direction: he comes first to the "Negev,"
then journeys to the place where he had dwelled originally "between Beit-El
and Ai," and finally ends up "in Elonei Mamrei, which is by Hebron" (13:1, 3-4,
18).
It is from here that Avraham goes out to fight the
"first world war," to save Lot. On
his way back he reaches the "Valley of Shaveh, which is the King's Valley"
(14:17). Here he meets the king of
Sedom and the king of Shalem [4].
Then Avraham once again moves southward, passing various stations (which
we shall not enumerate here, for the sake of brevity), the last of which the
land of the Philistines is the place where he receives the command to offer up
his son Yitzchak at Moriah.
3.
Analysis
The major stations through which Avraham passes are
Shekhem, somewhere between Beit-El and Ai (where he pitches his tent), Hebron,
and Jerusalem (first the general environs of the city, later on Mount
Moriah).
Avraham's descent to the Negev and to Egypt from the
place between Beit-El and Ai are a sort of parenthetical insert in the journey,
as indicated by the special emphasis that the text gives to the fact that
Avraham returned to precisely the same place from which he
departed:
He journeyed on his way from the Negev to Beit-El, to
the place where his tent had been originally, between Beit-El and Ai to the
place of the altar which he had made there earlier, and Avram called in the Name
of God. (13:3-14)
This parenthetical insert would seem to hint at the continuation of
Avraham's route in the Negev: between Kadesh and Shur, in Gerar, Be'er Sheva,
and the land of the Philistines.
Indeed, in his later years, Avraham is located primarily in the South,
and Yitzchak continues in his fathers path in the same region. Yaakov, on the other hand, continues
Avraham's legacy along the major route: Shekhem, Beit-El, Ai, and
Hebron.
B.
Yaakov
1. The
route
On his own return journey from Charan back to Eretz
Yisrael, Yaakov follows a route similar to that of Avraham. At the end of Chapter 33 we find mention
of Sukkot, which lies to the east of the Adam Bridge. Hence, we deduce that Yaakov crossed
over the Jordan at the same point that Avraham used to enter the Land. From there he ascended via Wadi Paro to
Shekhem (33:18), where the story of Dina takes place, following which Yaakov
journeys by God's command to "Luz, which is Beit-El" (33:6). On his way southward, Yaakov buries
Rachel "on the road to Efrat, which is Bethlehem" (35:19), and then pitches his
tent "beyond Migdal Eder" (33:20), until he finally returns to his father,
Yitzchak, at "Mamrei, Kiryat Arba, which is Hebron."
2. Analysis
of the Route
Yaakov returns on Avraham's route, and he stops at the
same stations that Avraham used [5].
The similarity of the route is not surprising in itself; after all, this
was the main road along the hills.
What is notable about Yaakov's route, rather, is the stations through
which he passes. Firstly, he stops
between Beit-El and Hebron to bury Rachel.
Secondly, unlike his grandfather Avraham who covered the entire route
from beginning to end (Shekhem, Beit-El and Ai, Hebron, Jerusalem), Yaakov does
not continue from Jerusalem to Hebron.
The Hebron-Jerusalem link that is missing from Yaakov's travels is
supplied, many generations later, by King David.
C. Bnei
Yisrael and Their Entry into the Land
1. The
route
According to the literal understanding of the text, the
entry into the Land proceeded as follows: establishment of the camp at Gilgal
the first station mentioned in the text (Yehoshua 4:19); conquest of
Jericho (Chapter 6); conquest of Ai (7-8); construction of the altar at Mount
Eival, above Shekhem (8:30-35); wars against the kings of the South (10) and
against the kings of the North (11).
With the conclusion of the wars, the actual settlement of the Land
begins. The first settlers are the
tribes of Yehuda and Ephraim and the half of the tribe of Menasheh that settled
on the western side of the Jordan.
The first city to be settled was Hebron (14:13-14).
The above as we have noted follows the literal
text. However, the Sages understood
the entry into the land differently:
Look and see how many miracles were performed on that
same day
Israel crossed over the Jordan and came to Mount Gerizim and Mount
Eival a distance of more than sixty 'mil'! (Sota
36a)
In other words, on the very same day that Israel crossed
over the Jordan, they also reached Mount Gerizim and Mount Eival. This opinion matches the text in
Parashat Ki Tavo:
And it shall be, on the day that you cross over the
Jordan to the land which the Lord your God gives to you, that you shall set up
for yourselves great stones, and cover them with plaster. (Devarim
27:4)
Chazal
understand the expression, "on the day" in the literal sense; on the same day
that they passed over the Jordan, Bnei Yisrael arrived at Mount
Eival, above Shekhem, and built an altar there.
2. Analysis
of the route
According to the literal text, the first place that
Bnei Yisrael came to after entering the Land (in the region of
Gilgal and Jericho) was Ai Avraham's second station. Only afterwards did they move on to
Avraham's first stop and build an altar at Mount Eival. According to Chazals
interpretation, in contrast, Bnei Yisraels entry into the Land
followed the same order as that of Avraham: first they went straight to Mount
Eival, and thereafter to Ai [6].
In the story of Ai, the text draws a clear connection
between the conquest of the Land and the journeying of Avraham. Concerning Avraham's arrival in this
region, we are told: "He moved from there to the mountain, eastward of Beit-El,
and he pitched his tent with Beit-El on the west and Ai on the east"
(12:8). When we come to the story
of the war of Ai, we find a series of expressions that are remarkably similar to
those in the above verse: "
Ai, which is beside Beit-Aven, east of Beit-El"
(Yehoshua 7:2); "They dwelled between Beit-El and Ai, to the west of Ai"
(Chapters 8, 9); "He placed them as an ambush between Beit-El and Ai, to the
west of Ai" (8:12). Through the use of these expressions, the prophet hints at
the unmistakable connection between the conquest of the Land in the days of
Yehoshua, and the journeys of Avraham.
But the similarity to the story of Avraham stops
here. Bnei Yisrael
arrive at Ai and at Mount Eival, north of Shekhem but they do not reach
Jerusalem, nor is there any mention of the city in the text at this stage
[7]. The arrival in Jerusalem, the
city, and Mount Moriah, with the completion of the entire development, is
destined to come about only in the days of David, with the reign of a "king over
all of Israel."
D. The
kingship of David
Following the death of Shaul, David rules over Yehuda in
Hebron (II Shemuel 2:1-4) for seven years and six months. When Mefiboshet Shaul's son dies,
all the tribes of Israel come to coronate David in Hebron (5:1-3), and his first
act as king over all of Israel is to conquer Jerusalem (6-9). As king, then, David adopts the
Hebron-Jerusalem track, and in accordance with this chronology in which Hebron
precedes Jerusalem David has no connection to the Shekhem region or to the
area of Beit-El and Ai [8].
Summary
We have seen that Avraham, in his journeys, sets forth a
complete process that includes Shekhem, Beit-El and Ai, Hebron, and Jerusalem
(the city and the Temple), but in the lives of his descendants this process is
actualized in two stages: Yaakov and Bnei Yisrael carry out the
first part Shekhem, Mount Eival and Ai, up to Hebron; the second part from
Hebron to Jerusalem is completed by David.
Part II Significance of the
Route
Let us now try to understand the significance of the
route that we have sketched above.
We shall begin by examining the opinion of Prof. Moshe David (Umberto)
Cassuto; thereafter we shall quote Rabbi Mordechai Breuer.
A.
Cassuto's commentary
Concerning Avraham's journeys in Canaan, Cassuto writes
[9]:
What was the intention of the text in conveying these
details and listing Avram's journeys in Canaan as they are listed, from the
beginning up to the environs of Shekhem, and then from there up to the environs
of Beit-El, and finally from there on to the Negev? And why is the area of the
land thereby divided into three regions
? And why are we told that it was
specifically at those stations around Shekhem and around Beit-El - that Avram
built altars to God?
And just as Avram's altars/markers were meant, as it
were, to divide the land into three regions, each one further south than the
next, so also the altars/markers of Yaakov, which were established at the same
places. And just as Avraham bought
and paid in full for a certain place in the land the Field of Makhpela, next
to Hebron so Yaakov, too, purchased and paid in full for a certain place next
to Shekhem, and then two of his sons conquered all the surrounding area. The parallel is
clear
The Torah
meant to present before us, with Avram's
conceptual conquest, a sort of forecast as to what would happen to his
descendants. According to this
tradition, the sign was first given to Avram; thereafter it was given again to
Yaakov, and the repetition signifies confirmation and verification
Accordingly,
Sefer Yehoshua describes the actual conquest in a manner that
parallels the conceptual conquest of the forefathers even using similar terms,
as if to tell us that the acquisition of the Land achieved in the days of
Yehoshua was already included, in principle, within the symbolic conquest
carried out by the forefathers in their time. Everything was planned in advance and
foretold, in accordance with God's will.
After listing his proofs, Cassuto emphasizes the aspect of the
forefathers' route that divides the Land into three parts. He does not address directly the quality
and nature of the cities themselves; rather, he discusses what we may learn from
them concerning the three-way geographic division of the Land: from Shekhem
northward; between Shekhem and Beit-El and Ai; and from Beit-El southward,
towards the Negev.
Aside from the geographical aspects, Cassuto goes on to
note the significance of these places in the context of the division of the Land
among the tribes:
-
Shekhem is the
heart of the inheritance of the children of Yosef; the border between Ephraim
and Menasheh passes through it;
-
Beit-El
signifies the border between the sons of Rachel: Ephraim is to the north,
Binyamin is to the south;
-
The area south
of Beit-El, towards the Negev, represents the inheritance of Binyamin whose
northern border is Beit-El and southern border is Jerusalem, and the inheritance
of Yehuda which stretches southward of Jerusalem.
In this context it is interesting to note that when the
kingdom was divided, in the days of Rechavam and Yeravam, the border between the
two kingdoms passed through the region of Beit-El.
According to Cassuto's view, then, we may say that
Avraham's journeys not only set forth the path for his descendants, but also
hint at the future division of the central hill region between the
tribes.
B. Rabbi Breuer's commentary
In his article on Avraham's ascent to Eretz Yisrael
[10], Rabbi Breuer likewise addresses inter alia the major
stations in the Land:
First he passed through Shekhem and Beit-El, which were
destined to be major cities in the kingdom of Ephraim. After Lot separated from him, he arrived
in Hebron, which was destined to be a royal city in Yehuda. But in these journeys as in the rest
of his journeys in Canaan Avraham did not reach Jerusalem. We may understand this in accordance
with all that we have explained here.
Separation is a major issue in Sefer Bereishit; any type of
good that is revealed in this Sefer automatically brings about a
rejection of the waste. This
process of selection and rejection automatically brings about a string of
divisions, which characterize this Sefer: from the argument between Kayin
and Hevel, up to the transfer of the birthright from Menasheh to Ephraim. For this reason, when Avraham comes to
the land he gets only as far as Shekhem and Beit-El, which are cities of
Ephraim, and to Hebron, which is part of Yehuda. But he cannot reach Jerusalem, for
Jerusalem is located mid-way between Shekhem, Beit-El, and Hebron; it includes
all of them and forges them into a single unity. David, too, came from Hebron to
Jerusalem only when he ceased to be the king of Yehuda and became the king of
all of Israel. Thus, Jerusalem
transcends the divisiveness that pervades Sefer Bereishit; it is the city
"that was not divided among the tribes" (Yoma 12a). In fact, the fact that it is the capital
of all of Israel symbolizes the idealized vision of incorporation, which is
destined to prevail over the divisiveness.
[11]
And at this time of revelation of the essence of
unity, Jerusalem's hour has come.
For Avraham has already reached a level which transcends the usual
reality of Sefer Bereishit.
For this reason, he no longer sees only Shekhem and Beit-El on one side
and Hebron on the other; he merits seeing Jerusalem, which is located in between
them and includes all of them.
Therefore, immediately "after his return from slaying Kedarlaomer and the
kings who were with him," he meets with Malki-Tzedek, King of Shalem, who brings
him Jerusalem's greetings. For the
vision of the unity of Jerusalem was indeed realized through Avraham's victory
for its fortress now extends as far as Sedom, and all the nations dwelling to
the west and to the east of it were unified under him.
But it was only for a short while that Jerusalem was
revealed to Avraham. For Avraham
knew that the time was not yet ripe for the realization of this dream of unity
for Jerusalem. For the world was
still a world of duality [12].
Rabbi Breuer, unlike Cassuto, addresses the significance
of the cities themselves. Shekhem
and Beit-El are destined to occupy a major place in the Kingdom of Israel:
Shekhem as a capital city, and Beit-El as a central place of worship, where
Yeravam will station one of his golden calves, on the southern border of his
kingdom. Hebron is destined to
occupy a central place as the capital of the Kingdom of
Yehuda.
In his travels, Avraham seeks to reach the place where
he wants to dwell Hebron. But
after he settles there, Avraham is forced to go to war, in the wake of which he
also manages on his return journey to reach Jerusalem
[13].
Avraham reaches Shekhem, Beit-El and Ai together with
Lot, but in Beit-El their paths diverge, and Avraham comes to Hebron alone,
without Lot. The two of them meet
up again for a short time in Jerusalem which Avraham visits outside of the
framework of his journeying; he goes to Jerusalem in the wake of his victory
over the four kings and thereby brings about a revelation of the unity of that
city, before once again separating from one another.
Thus, Avraham's journeys pass through cities that are
destined to represent the divided reality of the two Kingdoms Yisrael and
Yehuda, each with its own capital, while Jerusalem which he fails to include
within the framework of his traveling, but rather visits only in the wake of the
war hints at the ideal unity; a unity with the power to serve as a bridge
between Shekhem and Hebron [14].
We may summarize, then, by saying that according to this
interpretation, Avraham's route reveals the divisiveness that is expressed in
the cities of Shekhem, Beit-El and Hebron, on the road towards unity and the
amalgamation of forces in Jerusalem.
Summary
Having demonstrated the existence of a route of entry
into the land that is followed by Avraham, Yaakov, and Bnei
Yisrael, we presented two ways of understanding Avraham's progress via
Shekhem, Beit-El, and Hebron prior to reaching Jerusalem and the site of the
Temple.
Both approaches assume that the journeys of this
forefather of the nation are meant to pave the way for his descendants. Cassuto emphasizes the internal division
of the Land that is represented by this route as expressed later in the
division of the Land between the tribes.
Rabbi Breuer notes the significance of the route as a progression on the
road that leads from divisiveness towards unity.
In the next lesson, we shall attempt to understand this
process in terms of the characteristics of these cities themselves: the
spiritual make-up of each place and the reason why Avraham chose to plot his
course in the order in which he did.
Notes:
[1] All references are to Sefer Bereishit, unless
otherwise indicated.
[2] It appears that the point of crossing was very close
to the place concerning which we read (Yehoshua 3:16): "The water flowing
down from on high rose up in a heap, very far from Adam, the city that is beside
Tzartan." This, once again, represents the same principle that "the actions of
the fathers are a sign for their descendants."
[3] Rashi, adopting Chazals interpretation,
explains that Avraham traveled southward, towards Jerusalem. However, the literal reading is "towards
the (region of) the Negev."
[4] The presence of Malki-Tzedek, King of Shalem which
is Jerusalem appears to indicate that the "King's Valley" was in the Jerusalem
region. We shall address proofs for
this assertion in future lessons.
[5] There are, admittedly, some discrepancies in the
definitions of the places themselves: Yaakov "came to Shalem, a city of
Shekhem," rather than "to the place of Shekhem, up to Elon Moreh"; thereafter he
arrives in Beit-El itself, rather than "between Beit-El and Ai," as mentioned in
the context of Avraham. The scope
of this lesson does not allow for elaboration as to the respective significances
of these differences.
[6] Bnei Yisraels next actions continue
to reflect the path laid down by Avraham.
As mentioned, after building the altar at Mount Eival (Yehoshua
8:30 and after) and the wars against the kings of the South and the kings of the
North, we find the settling of the tribes of Yehuda, Ephraim and half of the
tribe of Menasheh. It was in the
context of this process that Hebron was settled for the first time
(Yehoshua 14:13-14). This
matches the general order of the entry into the Land by both Avraham and Yaakov,
as demonstrated above.
[7] Throughout the period of Yehoshua and the Judges,
Jerusalem is mentioned only in passing.
[8] It is interesting to note that after the reign of
David and Shlomo, we find Rechavam returning to Shekhem (I Melakhim
12:1), and Yeravam to Shekhem and Beit-El (25:32).
[9] M.D. Cassuto, Commentary on Sefer Bereishit,
Jerusalem 5725, pp. 207-209 (in the second section of the book from Noah to
Avraham). Cassuto addresses the
stories of Avraham in general; we quote here only the section that is pertinent
to our discussion.
[10] Rabbi Mordechai Breuer, Pirkei Mo'adot I,
Jerusalem 5753, pp.
266-299.
[11] Rabbi Breuer goes on to describe how, following his
victory over the four kings, Avraham momentarily returns with Lot to Jerusalem;
for a short time they are reunited in the city whose essence is
unity.
[12] Ibid. pp. 295-296.
[13] We hope to discuss the proofs that Avraham reached
Jerusalem in one of our future lessons.
[14] We shall not expand here on the issue of the unity
that is revealed in Jerusalem. This
is a subject of major importance, and we hope to examine its various aspects in
future lessons.
Translated by Kaeren
Fish
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