aakov remained focused on his duties to the Almighty even as he tended to his mundane affairs and began building his life anew with his family in the Land of Israel. And yet, nevertheless, Chazal found fault in Yaakov’s priorities, as he neglected to fulfill his vow.
We read in Parashat Vayishlach the tragic story of Dina’s abduction in Shekhem, after which God appeared to Yaakov and commanded him to settle in Beit-El and construct an altar (35:1). Several commentators note that God refers here to the vow Yaakov had made when he first left Canaan to make a religious site at the place where he had slept and beheld his famous dream of the ladder (28:22). Rashi (among others) goes even further and (based on the Midrash) detects an element of criticism in God’s command: “Because you delayed [fulfilling] your vow, you were punished and had to endure this [trouble] from your daughter.” Startlingly, Rashi asserts that the tragedy of Dina was a punishment for Yaakov’s failure to promptly fulfill his vow. Instead of proceeding directly to Beit-El upon returning to Eretz Yisrael, Yaakov first encamped in the area of Shekhem, where he purchased property and built a home and stables. Rashi asserts that Yaakov acted improperly by delaying the fulfillment of his vow, and thus his residence in the area of Shekhem resulted in a family tragedy.
It is interesting to note, however, that Yaakov did, in fact, construct an altar – outside Shekhem. The Torah makes a point of telling us that after settling outside Shekhem, “he set up an altar there” (33:20). It is thus quite clear that Yaakov did not somehow neglect God as a result of his involvement in building homes and stables. Yaakov remained focused on his duties to the Almighty even as he tended to his mundane affairs and began building his life anew with his family in the Land of Israel. And yet, nevertheless, Chazal found fault in Yaakov’s priorities, as he neglected to fulfill his vow.
The lesson, perhaps, is the importance of tending to our basic responsibilities before seeking additional areas of religious activity. The altar Yaakov was required to build was to have taken precedence over the altar which he voluntarily chose to build. Although Yaakov constructed an altar outside Shekhem, which was certainly a noble and admirable undertaking, he is criticized for not prioritizing the altar in Beit-El, which he had committed to building. Even as we involve ourselves in worthwhile and noble pursuits, we must ensure that they do not come at the expense of our more basic responsibilities and obligations, which must always take precedence and be given priority.