Vayigash 46:1 · unit 1

Parashas Vayigash · Passuk 46:1

The Complete Passuk

וַיִּסַּ֤ע יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ וְכׇל־אֲשֶׁר־ל֔וֹ וַיָּבֹ֖א בְּאֵ֣רָה שָּׁ֑בַע וַיִּזְבַּ֣ח זְבָחִ֔ים לֵאלֹהֵ֖י אָבִ֥יו יִצְחָֽק׃

Yisrael set out with all that was his and came to Be’er Sheva, and he offered sacrifices to the God of his father Yitzchak.

Chabad / Judaica Press

Source Citation

Torah Temimah points to Bereishit Rabbah (and parallel).

TT lemma: לאלהי אביו יצחק.

Core Text of Chazal

Core Text
לֵאלֹהֵי אָבִיו יִצְחָק — לֵאלֹהֵי אָבִיו אַבְרָהָם לֹא נֶאֱמַר. אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן: מְלַמֵּד שֶׁחַיָּב אָדָם בִּכְבוֹד אָבִיו יוֹתֵר מִכְּבוֹד אֲבִי אָבִיו.

English: “To the God of his father Yitzchak” — it does not say “to the God of his father Avraham.” Rabbi Yochanan said: This teaches that a person is obligated in the honor of his father more than in the honor of his father’s father.

On the daf / in context: The selective mention of Yitzchak (rather than Avraham) is used to rank the duty of filial honor.

Type of Learning

Derash on the verse (midrash) — not a formal named middah of the 13. The omission of Avraham’s name yields a ranking of obligations.

What Is Learned

A person is obligated to honor his own father more than he is obligated to honor his grandfather.