Meaning of “El Beth-El” (Genesis 35)

Question

Shalom,

Why was Bethel renamed El-Bethel when Jacob went there? Is there any significance as to the renaming?
thank you

 

 

0

Answers

  1. The Just Ask! - AskTheRabbi.org Team

    The name did not change at all. The translation of the Hebrew needs to be correctly understood, as Rashi explains:

    El Beth-el: Heb. בֵּית-אֵל אֵל, The Holy One, blessed be He, IS IN Beth-el (בְּבֵית-אֵל) – (meaning that) the manifestation of His presence of God is in Beth-el.

    The words “is in” are not explicit in the text but are implicit.
    This is what Jacob was saying about Beth-el.

    I hope this is helpful to you.

    Best wishes from the AskTheRabbi.org Team