25 Nov VAYEITZEI: IT’S A MATCH!

Comparing The
Image In Heaven
With The Image
On Earth: Do
They Match?
Yaakov Avinu [our
Patriarch] dreamt of a ladder that was
based on earth, with its top reaching
up to Heaven. Angels of G-d were
ascending and descending the ladder.
The Talmud [Chulin 91] comments on
the Angels’ actions: They would
ascend to examine the image of
Yaakov, which was present beneath
the Divine Throne and then they
would descend to examine the image
of the real-life Yaakov below.
What is the meaning of this imagery?
Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik (1903-
1993) offered a beautiful insight into
this Talmudic passage. The Angels
were amazed at the similarity of the
images. The earthly Yaakov’s image

was precisely the same as the
Heavenly image of Yaakov. This was
a tremendous accomplishment. There
was an image in Heaven of who the
Patriarch Yaakov was supposed to be.
G-d perceived Yaakov’s spiritual
potential and created an image under
his Heavenly Throne which
represented that potential. Yaakov
achieved in deed on this earth exactly
what had been expected of him in
Heaven. This was such a noteworthy
accomplishment that it stirred the
interest of legions of Angels who
came to inspect this amazing
phenomenon for themselves.
Rav Soloveitchik added that the same
concept holds true for all of us. When
G-d created each of us, he gave us
certain gifts and talents and had
something in mind for us in terms of
how we should use those gifts and
talents. Each of us has a Heavenly

image. Each of us also has an earthly
image of what we indeed look like.
We must strive throughout our lives
to try to ensure that the two images
match up as precisely as possible.
Finally, Rav Soloveitchik pointed out
that Angels are not the only ones who
look at the images of what is up above
and compare them with what is here
on earth. People have a strong sense

of what the image of a Torah-
observant Jew looks like in Heaven,

in the ideal. Wherever religious Jews
go, people are comparing them with
what they intuitively know to be the
image of a religious Jew up in Heaven.

Everyone has an idea of what a Torah-
observant Jew is supposed to be like,

how he is supposed to act in business,
how he is supposed to talk, what kind
of lifestyle he is supposed to lead.
People are constantly holding up the
Earthly image to the Heavenly image.

Unfortunately, not everyone matches
up with the Heavenly image as well as
our Patriarch Yaakov matched his
Heavenly image. Unfortunately, the
“real-life image” of the so-called
religious Jew is often not what it is
really supposed to be, as indicated in
Heaven. The religious community
must be especially sensitive to this.
Our life’s challenge is to become like
Yaakov, to ensure that our two images
match precisely.