בראשית, פרק מ״ו, פסוק א׳

Jacob departs on a fateful journey that closes the era of the Patriarchs in the land of Canaan and ushers in the long years of exile. His first destination is Beersheba [רש״י, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. This location is chosen deliberately. As the southern border of the land and the final stop before crossing into foreign territory, Jacob pauses here to seek God's will before leaving his homeland [רד״ק, שד״ל]. Furthermore, Beersheba serves as a profound spiritual anchor. It was a place of prayer for his ancestors, the very site where his father Isaac had built an altar and experienced divine revelation [רשב״ם, חזקוני, רמב״ן].

Upon arriving, Jacob brings sacrifices. The primary approach among commentators is that these are peace or thanksgiving offerings. After enduring long years of mourning during which he was unable to bring peace offerings, Jacob now acts out of deep calm, joy, and gratitude that Joseph is alive and their family is finally reunited [העמק דבר, חתם סופר, רש״ר הירש]. At the same time, these offerings are intended to invite a spirit of prophecy to guide him through the uncertain times ahead [רד״ק]. Additionally, these sacrifices serve as an atonement for the twenty-two years Jacob spent away from his father's home, a period during which he neglected the commandment of honoring his parents [חומת אנך].

Jacob directs these offerings specifically to the God of his father Isaac, rather than to the God of both Abraham and Isaac. Commentators explore three intertwined perspectives to explain this choice, illuminating Jacob's inner world at this critical juncture. The first perspective is rooted in moral duty. A person is obligated to honor his father more than his grandfather, prompting Jacob to attribute his respect directly to Isaac [רש״י, מזרחי, תורה תמימה]. While Jacob previously invoked the merit of both ancestors when praying for the future, expressing gratitude for the past requires only the mention of his immediate father [דברי דוד]. Moreover, as long as Isaac was alive, Jacob refrained from exclusively associating God's name with him, as God does not attach His name to the righteous during their lifetimes. Now that Isaac has passed, the full obligation of honor falls upon Jacob [משכיל לדוד].

The second perspective focuses on a practical fear. In the past, God explicitly commanded Isaac not to go down to Egypt. About to descend into that exact land, Jacob is terrified that this prohibition might also apply to him. Therefore, he appeals directly to the God of Isaac, seeking permission to leave the land from the very divine authority that had previously restrained his father [ספורנו, רד״ק, בכור שור, אלשיך].

The third perspective reveals a deeper, hidden dimension to the event. Jacob foresees through divine inspiration that the descent into Egypt marks the beginning of a harsh exile for his descendants. Filled with anxiety for the fate of his children, he directs his sacrifices toward the divine attribute of strict justice, which is traditionally represented by the fear of Isaac. By bringing peace offerings, whose purpose is to bring harmony to the world, Jacob seeks to soften and mitigate this strict justice. He hopes to ensure that his descendants will survive the Egyptian exile and ultimately be redeemed. In response to this profound effort, God immediately appears to him in visions of the night, promising to descend with him to Egypt and to eventually bring his children out [רמב״ן, רבנו בחיי, שפתי כהן].