Page 395 - BERESHIT

The visage of Yaakov Avinu is engraved on the Heavenly Throne. Why
specifically his countenance? And why was his countenance similar to
Adam Harishon’s?

Adam Harishon had the preeminence of being the handiwork of Hashem.
His name equals the numerical value of Hashem’s Four-Letter Name, his
heel emitted light as bright as the sun, and his visage was engraved on the
Heavenly Throne. After he sinned, Hashem removed that image, so as not
to draw unfavorable attention to mankind. Instead, Hashem put Yaakov’s
countenance there.

Avraham represented the middah of chessed, and Yaakov upheld the pillar
of Torah. A world built on the lone principle of chessed lacks direction
and guidance. We need Torah to give purpose and structure to our
benevolent acts and guide our lives of chessed. Thus Yaakov’s emergence
as the personification of Torah superseded Avraham’s status and
overshadowed his prominence. This is why Yaakov was selected as the
prototype of mankind and was the choicest of the Avot, and why Avraham
was saved from the fiery furnace in the merit of his grandson Yaakov.