According to the Midrash Bereshit Raba 66, Yaacov’s image is engraved on G-d’s Heavenly Throne. In Yaacov’s dream, angels ascended the ladder to look on Yaacov’s image on the Heavenly Throne, and then descended the ladder to look on Yaacov on Earth. The angels were amazed at how both images were identical. Rav Soloveitchik explains, that when a person sins, his external personality deviates from his pure, inner self.

However, because Yaacov was without sin, the faces of the ideal Yaacov engraved on the Heavenly Throne and the physical Yaacov on Earth were exactly the same.

Why did G-d engrave Yaacov’s face on the Heavenly Throne and not Avraham’s face or Yitzchak’s face? Rav Soloveitchik answers, because the face of Yaacov is not simply the image of an individual, it is the image of the Jewish People.

Yaacov, more than Avraham or Yitzchak, represents the entire nation of Israel. Yaacov’s face engraved on the Heavenly Throne, demonstrates that the covenant between Israel and G-d is permanent and eternal. It is not a temporary covenant that was concluded and then abandoned when the Jewish people sinned and were exiled from Eretz Yirsael.

G-d’s Heavenly Throne symbolizes permanence and eternity. As Tehillim 93 states “Your Throne stands firm from eternity; You, G-d, exist eternally.” Just like G-d and His Heavenly Throne exist eternally so too do the Jewish People exist eternally. This idea is what the Midrash means when it states that Yaacov’s image is engraved on G-d’s Heavenly Throne, which symbolizes eternity.