A Heretical Dvar Torah On the Canaanite Origins of Beit-El

A Dvar Torah courtesy of James Kugel, abridged:

It is clear from archaeological evidence that Beit-El was a city of Canaanite religious significance. In fact, the word 'el is a reference to the proper name of the head of the Canaanite pantheon. How does this connect with the story of Jacob's ladder at Beit-El? Simple: the purpose of the story is to sever the connection between Beit-El and Canaanite practice, thereby justifying the construction of a temple at that site during the time of Yerovam. (Edit: The connection between this episode and Yerovam isn't strong, but the episode of Yaakov at Beit-El explains how a city which apparently had a long career as a sacred site and ended up being chosen for one of two royal temples at the time of Yerovam, first came to be considered holy.)

The story does so in four ways:

1. Yaakov just chances upon the site. In the story, Beit-El is insignificant. The only reason Yaakov stops there is because the sun was setting. He just chanced upon it. It wasn't a bustling Canaanite religious center!

2. The site had no religious significance until Yaakov got there. Only after his weird dream did he realize that God was there (v'lo yadati!). Yaakov's dream converted the site from ordinary to sacred.

3. Matzevot are associated with Canaanite worship. Just about everywhere else in Tanach, matzevot are looked down upon. One of the first things we had to do when we got to Israel was destroy the matzevot that were there. But Yaakov built one! Why? Well, if some pillar was still at Beit-El at the time of the story's composition, it's clearly because Yaakov built it! Canaanites had nothing to do with it.

4. Why is the city called Beit-El? No, stupid! It's not named after the head of the Canaanite pantheon! It was called Luz until Yaakov got there are called it Beit Elohim!