1. Hashem’s Name Associated with the Living
When Hashem appears to Yaakov in his dream, He introduces Himself as the G-d of Avraham and Elokei Yitzchak—the G-d of Yitzchak. Chazal, as brought by Rashi in the Chumash, teach that Hashem does not typically associate His name with a person during their lifetime. Even among the holiest individuals, Hashem refrains from declaring Himself as their G-d while they are still alive, since a person who is righteous at one point could potentially change later in life. Therefore, Hashem waits until after a person’s passing to designate them as “the G-d of” that individual.2. The Exception Made for Yitzchak
Rashi cites Chazal that there is an exception in the case of Yitzchak. Although Yitzchak was still alive at the time, Hashem refers to Himself as Elokei Yitzchak. The reason given is that Yitzchak was blind—vatich’henah einov (Bereishis 27:1), his eyesight had become weak. There is a principle that a blind person—suma—is considered kimeis, like someone who is already deceased, because they are housebound and unable to go out into the world. Under such circumstances, it is possible for Hashem to rest His name upon them and call Himself their G-d even during their lifetime.3. The Deeper Question: Blindness Alone Is Not Enough
However, we know that even someone who is blind can still commit sins. Blindness alone does not guarantee righteousness or spiritual perfection. Therefore, it cannot be solely due to Yitzchak’s blindness that Hashem associated His name with him. We must look deeper into why Yitzchak became blind and what made his situation unique.4. The Age and Lifespan of Yitzchak
Rashi notes that at this point in the narrative, Yitzchak was 123 years old. This calculation comes from Yaakov being 63 years old at the time (as Rashi explains at the end of Parshas Toldos), plus another 14 years that Yaakov spent hidden in the yeshiva of Eiver before going to Lavan’s house. Since Yitzchak was 60 years older than Yaakov—he was 60 when Yaakov and Esav were born—this means he was either 123 or possibly 137 if we add those extra years. Despite his advanced age at this point, Yitzchak lived until 180 years old, so he survived for nearly another 60 years after becoming blind.5. Why Did Yitzchak Lose His Sight?
Rashi offers two explanations for why Yitzchak lost his eyesight. The first reason relates to Esav’s wives: they were Hittite women who worshipped avodah zarah—idolatry—and would burn incense for their idol worship. The smoke from this incense entered into Yitzchak’s eyes and blinded him. It is interesting to note that this smoke did not affect Esav’s wives themselves or even Rivka or others nearby; apparently, there was something unique about Yitzchak’s sensitivity. The second explanation Rashi brings is more spiritual: when Avraham bound Yitzchak on the altar during the Akeidah, angels shed tears over what was happening, and those tears fell into Yitzchak’s eyes, causing his blindness later in life. This idea requires further exploration on its own—what does it mean for angelic tears to have such an effect? But it points to a deeper spiritual dimension behind his blindness.6. Spiritual Sensitivity and Unique Status of Yitzchak
The main point here is that Yitzchak’s blindness was not merely a physical condition but reflected a heightened spiritual sensitivity. He was affected by the smoke of idolatry because he was attuned not just physically but spiritually to impurity around him. This distinguishes him from an ordinary blind person; his blindness came about through spiritual causes and signified a special level of sanctity. Therefore, in the case of Yitzchak, Hashem could uniquely associate His name with him—Elokei Yitzchak—even while he was still alive. It was not simply due to his physical blindness but because his entire situation reflected a profound connection to spirituality and purity, making him worthy of this exceptional designation by Hashem.