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VaYishlach

  
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 35:1
 35:2
35:1 God said to Jacob, 'Set out and go up to Beth El. Remain there and make an altar to [Me], the God who appeared to you when you were fleeing from your brother Esau.'
Vayomer Elohim el-Ya'akov kum aleh Veyt-El veshev-sham va'aseh-sham mizbe'ach la-El hanir'eh eleycha bevorchacha mipeney Esav achicha.
35:2 Jacob said to his family and everyone with him, 'Get rid of the idolatrous artifacts that you have. Purify yourselves and change your clothes.
Vayomer Ya'akov el-beyto ve'el kol-asher imo hasiru et-elohey hanechar asher betochechem vehitaharu vehachalifu simloteychem.


Commentary:

Beth El
  See Genesis 28:19. Jerusalem was 32 miles south of Shechem, while Bethel was 19 miles south. The expression 'go up' is used since Jerusalem is higher than Shechem.

idolatrous artifacts
  Literally 'foreign gods,' or 'alien gods.' Others render it 'alienated gods' or 'alienating gods' (cf. Hirsch). Some say that these were the artifacts plundered from Shechem (Targum Yonathan; Rashi). According to others, Jacob had discovered the teraphim that Rachel had taken (Genesis 31:19; Josephus 1:20:2, Yov'loth 31:2).





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