Rashi is emphasizing that the place in Aram from which they came and the place to which Yaakov eventually returns and spends many years of his life, cannot easily be rediscovered. If the name Padan represents a description of the place, which might enable me to locate it precisely, Rashi points out that that is not the case. Though the place called Paddan Aram was so important in this chapter of our history, and you might have a yearning to return to that place which is a kind of a crucible of our history, Rashi informs us immediately that that is impossible. For the descendents of Avraham and Yizhaq, return to the place of Lavan is unthinkable. Though there is not specific prohibition in the Torah, Rashi tells us that the precise place has been erased from our memory and the name will not be of any help in discovering the exact location.
History is a strange creature.
Paddan Aram played an important role in the history of our fathers, but we do not connect to it. Though the Torah specifies that the place was the Paddan in Aram, we do not have the means of discovering its exact location. Let me know what you think. Return to Yeshivat Hamivtar - Orot Lev Virtual Jerusalem Site Terms, Conditions of Use and Warranties.