Jacob in Shechem

Question

Shalom,

Please help my lack of understanding a few of the following things:
Jacob went to Shechem instead of Bethel where G-d told him to go, and he set up living there with his family. He then made an altar and named it EleloheIsrael, meaning G-d of Israel. Question: is Jacob saying or acknowledging that G-d is his G-d?

And did G-d allow the horrible act upon his daughter Dinah to happen to cause Jacob to stop idolatry and to go back to Bethel where he should have been in the first place?

 

Thank you for any enlightenment or depth you may give me.

 

 

 

 

 

0

Answers

  1. The Just Ask! - AskTheRabbi.org Team

    The commentaries explain that Jacob, on entering into the Land of Israel, immediately bought a plot of land to symbolize that he was no longer transient. Rather, that had arrived to his permanent home in the land that God had promised to his offspring. He then built an altar, which was named to reflect the eternal truth that the Almighty God is the God of the Jewish nation.

    The Sages teach that Dina was not guilty in any way for what happened and it was not a punishment because Jacob did not travel immediately to Bet-El. Rather, it was the free-will of Shechem to choose to rape Dina.

    Best wishes from the AskTheRabbi.org Team