It centers around the verse: "He slaughtered feast-offerings to the God of his father Isaac" (Genesis 46:1). Why Isaac? Why not Abraham, the patriarch of them all?

Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi was clearly bothered by this. The text tells us, "I circulated among all of the aggadah experts in the south so that they would explain this verse to me… but they could not tell me." Aggadah, by the way, refers to the non-legal, storytelling parts of Jewish tradition. So, Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi was going to the best storytellers and interpreters he could find!

Finally, he found Yehuda ben Pedaya, the son of ben Kappar’s sister, who offered a fascinating explanation: “If a teacher and disciple are walking on the way, one first inquires after the wellbeing of the disciple, and then one inquires after the wellbeing of the teacher.” Because disciples would walk before their teacher, Jacob invoked Isaac first. It's about respect and the proper order of things. A beautiful image, isn't it?

But that's not the end of the story. When Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi later went to Tiberias, he posed the same question to Rabbi Yoḥanan and Reish Lakish, two other prominent scholars. Rabbi Yoḥanan suggested that "a person is obligated in the honor of his father more than the honor of his grandfather." A more direct, hierarchical reason.

Reish Lakish, however, had a different take. He believed Jacob sacrificed offerings for "the covenant of the tribes." This refers to the covenant God made with Abraham, promising descendants and land, a covenant that would be fulfilled specifically through Isaac, and not Ishmael (as we see in Genesis 17:21).

The interpretations didn't stop there! Bar Kappara and Rabbi Yosef bar Patros offered two more insights. One said Jacob was acknowledging his own desires, just as Isaac loved Esau because of the food he brought him (Genesis 25:28). Jacob was going to Egypt to be sustained by Joseph, acknowledging a similar dynamic. The other suggested Jacob was atoning for his favoritism towards Joseph, which had led to the events bringing him to Egypt in the first place. This preferential treatment, as the Etz Yosef commentary notes, created a need for atonement.

Jacob may have also been aware that Joseph's elevated status in Egypt would allow him to provide sustenance. Maybe, as the Yefeh To’ar suggests, Jacob was going to Egypt despite the danger because of the needs of the many people who needed sustenance. He then said, "Father had only the burden of one life, but I have the burden of seventy lives upon me." Quite a weight to carry.

Rabbi Yudan offered still more perspectives. He suggested Jacob was recognizing the fulfillment of the blessings Isaac had bestowed upon him. "Peoples will serve you and nations will prostrate themselves to you" (Genesis 27:29) – this was being realized through Joseph. He also noted that Jacob felt he would get a taste of those blessings.

Finally, Rabbi Berekhya offered a powerful idea: "The Holy One blessed be He associates His name with a living person only for those who undergo suffering." Since Isaac was already dead, Jacob invoked "the God of his father Isaac," highlighting the suffering Isaac endured. Rabbi Berekhya added that Isaac had suffered. The Rabbis added to this, declaring that "Isaac’s ashes are viewed as though they are accumulated upon the altar." A potent image of sacrifice and remembrance.

So, what do we take away from all this? It's clear there's no single, definitive answer. Instead, we have a multitude of perspectives, each offering a different facet of understanding. It reminds us that the Torah, and Jewish tradition as a whole, is a rich tapestry woven with diverse interpretations, inviting us to engage, question, and ultimately, find our own meaning within its ancient words. Perhaps the most important insight is that invoking the God of Isaac acknowledges the burdens, blessings, and sacrifices that shape our lives and link us to generations past.