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One of the most noticeable things in this section of the Torah is the number of times that the Torah switches between “Yaakov” and “Yisrael.” First, “Yisrael” says that he should go see his son. Then, Hashem speaks to Yisrael, and says “Yaakov, Yaakov!” Then, Yaakov arises from Be’er Sheva, and the sons of Yisrael carry him to Mitzrayim. The name-changing here is particularly alarming and demands to be answered.
The Ramban, attempting to answer this question, says that Hashem calls him Yaakov in order to inform him that “now is not the time in which you will champion over the powerful” (כי עתה לא ישור עם אלהים ועם אנשים ויוכל), but you will descend into slavery first (as Hashem promised Avraham at the Brit bein HaBetarim). While this does answer that specific instance, as we pointed out, there are a number of other times that the Torah switches between the two names. How can we answer those?
If we look at the commentary of Rav Ovadia Seforno, we can gain some insight.
What was it that Hashem promised Yaakov here? “Do not be afraid to go down to Egypt, for I will make you into a great nation there.” Couldn’t the nation of Yaakov be made into a great nation where they were right then, in the land of Canaan? No, says Seforno. In the land of Canaan, the children of Yaakov would have married Canaanites, and their identity as a separate nation would have dissipated. In Mitzrayim, however, “the Egyptians would not eat bread with the Hebrews for it was an abomination to the Egyptians” (43:32). The family of Yaakov would be forced to be separate. Using both the Ramban and Seforno, we can understand all the instances that he is called Yisrael and all the times he is called Yaakov.
The name “Yisrael”, the Torah tells us, is because “כִּי שָׂרִיתָ עִם אֱלֹהִים וְעִם אֲנָשִׁים וַתּוּכָל – because you have striven with angels and with men and have prevailed.” Yisrael is the name of victory. When Yaakov is informed that Yosef is alive, his mindset changes to that of victory, so the Torah calls him Yisrael. The Gemara tells us (Shabbat 30b) that prophecy will only be given by God if the recipient is in a mindset of happiness. When Yaakov receives his prophecy here, he is rejoicing because his son Yosef is alive, so he is called Yisrael. But what is the message that he gets? Based on the Seforno, he is informed that his descendants will always be apart – based on the Ramban, this is the beginning of the fulfillment of the prophecy at Brit Bein HaBetarim; a long slavery. So, he is called Yaakov. He is carried by his children, beginning this long process, and is called Yaakov. But his family has turned into a nation (70 members of chapter 46, parallel to the 70 nations descended from Noach, chapter 10), beginning its national story. They are called “Bnei Yisrael.”
This message, that we can be Yaakov and Yisrael at the same time, has never been more important. Now is a time that we have seen Bnei Yisrael more downtrodden than we have seen in years – but also the time to see how we have come together as a nation and family, and to see “כִּי שָׂרִיתָ עִם אֱלֹהִים וְעִם אֲנָשִׁים וַתּוּכָל – because you have striven with angels and with men and have prevailed.”
Shabbat Shalom,
Rabbi Moshe Abrams
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