ספר בראשית

‎ The Torah writes in 33,20: ‎ויקרא לו א-ל אלוקי ישראל‎, “He ‎‎(G’d) called him ‘a G’d Who is the G’d of Yisrael.’” (Compare ‎‎Megillah 18) How do we know that G’d bestowed such a ‎‎“title” on Yaakov? Does it not almost sound blasphemous? ‎‎[Rabbeinu Bachya, see my translation page 519 ‎already deals with this problem. Ed.]‎In order to explain this puzzling verse, we must state ‎categorically that the word ‎א-ל‎ is most certainly not meant to ‎convey that the bearer of that title should be regarded as ‎someone to be worshipped. We need to answer why the Torah ‎chose this occasion for bestowing such a strange sounding title ‎on Yaakov/Yisrael, and if so why only on this occasion? The word ‎אל‎ generally refers to someone powerful and aggressive.‎We have mentioned on several occasions that the ‎‎tzaddik is powerful enough to bring about cancellation of ‎decrees issued by G’d. (Compare also Moed Katan 16 on the ‎subject where G’d Himself is quoted as saying: ‎מי מושל בי? צדיק‎ ‎‎“Who has the power to rule over me? the righteous.”) This ‎‎“ruling” over G’d, is restricted to the ability of the righteous to ‎cancel evil decrees directed at the people of Israel by G’d. ‎Accordingly, our verse answers the question: “who is it who called ‎Yaakov “el,” i.e. someone righteous enough to be able to overturn ‎harmful decrees against the Jewish people?” Answer; ‎אלוקי ‏ישראל‎, “the G’d of Israel.”‎