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Save "Vayetze ~ a ladder to...
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Vayetze ~ a ladder to...

(י) וַיֵּצֵ֥א יַעֲקֹ֖ב מִבְּאֵ֣ר שָׁ֑בַע וַיֵּ֖לֶךְ חָרָֽנָה׃ (יא) וַיִּפְגַּ֨ע בַּמָּק֜וֹם וַיָּ֤לֶן שָׁם֙ כִּי־בָ֣א הַשֶּׁ֔מֶשׁ וַיִּקַּח֙ מֵאַבְנֵ֣י הַמָּק֔וֹם וַיָּ֖שֶׂם מְרַֽאֲשֹׁתָ֑יו וַיִּשְׁכַּ֖ב בַּמָּק֥וֹם הַהֽוּא׃ (יב) וַֽיַּחֲלֹ֗ם וְהִנֵּ֤ה סֻלָּם֙ מֻצָּ֣ב אַ֔רְצָה וְרֹאשׁ֖וֹ מַגִּ֣יעַ הַשָּׁמָ֑יְמָה וְהִנֵּה֙ מַלְאֲכֵ֣י אֱלֹקִ֔ים עֹלִ֥ים וְיֹרְדִ֖ים בּֽוֹ׃ (יג) וְהִנֵּ֨ה ה' נִצָּ֣ב עָלָיו֮ וַיֹּאמַר֒ אֲנִ֣י ה' אֱלֹקֵי֙ אַבְרָהָ֣ם אָבִ֔יךָ וֵאלֹקֵ֖י יִצְחָ֑ק הָאָ֗רֶץ אֲשֶׁ֤ר אַתָּה֙ שֹׁכֵ֣ב עָלֶ֔יהָ לְךָ֥ אֶתְּנֶ֖נָּה וּלְזַרְעֶֽךָ׃ (יד) וְהָיָ֤ה זַרְעֲךָ֙ כַּעֲפַ֣ר הָאָ֔רֶץ וּפָרַצְתָּ֛ יָ֥מָּה וָקֵ֖דְמָה וְצָפֹ֣נָה וָנֶ֑גְבָּה וְנִבְרְכ֥וּ בְךָ֛ כׇּל־מִשְׁפְּחֹ֥ת הָאֲדָמָ֖ה וּבְזַרְעֶֽךָ׃ (טו) וְהִנֵּ֨ה אָנֹכִ֜י עִמָּ֗ךְ וּשְׁמַרְתִּ֙יךָ֙ בְּכֹ֣ל אֲשֶׁר־תֵּלֵ֔ךְ וַהֲשִׁ֣בֹתִ֔יךָ אֶל־הָאֲדָמָ֖ה הַזֹּ֑את כִּ֚י לֹ֣א אֶֽעֱזׇבְךָ֔ עַ֚ד אֲשֶׁ֣ר אִם־עָשִׂ֔יתִי אֵ֥ת אֲשֶׁר־דִּבַּ֖רְתִּי לָֽךְ׃ (טז) וַיִּיקַ֣ץ יַעֲקֹב֮ מִשְּׁנָתוֹ֒ וַיֹּ֕אמֶר אָכֵן֙ יֵ֣שׁ ה' בַּמָּק֖וֹם הַזֶּ֑ה וְאָנֹכִ֖י לֹ֥א יָדָֽעְתִּי׃ (יז) וַיִּירָא֙ וַיֹּאמַ֔ר מַה־נּוֹרָ֖א הַמָּק֣וֹם הַזֶּ֑ה אֵ֣ין זֶ֗ה כִּ֚י אִם־בֵּ֣ית אֱלֹקִ֔ים וְזֶ֖ה שַׁ֥עַר הַשָּׁמָֽיִם׃ (יח) וַיַּשְׁכֵּ֨ם יַעֲקֹ֜ב בַּבֹּ֗קֶר וַיִּקַּ֤ח אֶת־הָאֶ֙בֶן֙ אֲשֶׁר־שָׂ֣ם מְרַֽאֲשֹׁתָ֔יו וַיָּ֥שֶׂם אֹתָ֖הּ מַצֵּבָ֑ה וַיִּצֹ֥ק שֶׁ֖מֶן עַל־רֹאשָֽׁהּ׃ (יט) וַיִּקְרָ֛א אֶת־שֵֽׁם־הַמָּק֥וֹם הַה֖וּא בֵּֽית־אֵ֑ל וְאוּלָ֛ם ל֥וּז שֵׁם־הָעִ֖יר לָרִאשֹׁנָֽה׃ (כ) וַיִּדַּ֥ר יַעֲקֹ֖ב נֶ֣דֶר לֵאמֹ֑ר אִם־יִהְיֶ֨ה אֱלֹקִ֜ים עִמָּדִ֗י וּשְׁמָרַ֙נִי֙ בַּדֶּ֤רֶךְ הַזֶּה֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר אָנֹכִ֣י הוֹלֵ֔ךְ וְנָֽתַן־לִ֥י לֶ֛חֶם לֶאֱכֹ֖ל וּבֶ֥גֶד לִלְבֹּֽשׁ׃ (כא) וְשַׁבְתִּ֥י בְשָׁל֖וֹם אֶל־בֵּ֣ית אָבִ֑י וְהָיָ֧ה ה' לִ֖י לֵאלֹקִֽים׃ (כב) וְהָאֶ֣בֶן הַזֹּ֗את אֲשֶׁר־שַׂ֙מְתִּי֙ מַצֵּבָ֔ה יִהְיֶ֖ה בֵּ֣ית אֱלֹקִ֑ים וְכֹל֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר תִּתֶּן־לִ֔י עַשֵּׂ֖ר אֲעַשְּׂרֶ֥נּוּ לָֽךְ׃

(10) Jacob left Beer-sheba, and set out for Haran. (11) He came upon/entreated/harmed a certain place and stopped there for the night, as the sun was setting, and took one of the stones of that place, and put it under his head and lay down in that place. (12) He dreamed, and behold, a sulam was set on the ground and its/his head reached to the sky, and messengers of God were going up and down on it. (13) And behold, standing on top of it/him was ה', who said, “I am ה', the God of your father Abraham and the God of Isaac, the ground on which you are lying I will give to you and to your seed. (14) Your seed shall be as the dust of the earth; you shall spread out to the west and to the east, to the north and to the south, and all the families of the earth shall bless themselves by you and your seed. (15) Behold, I am with you: I will protect you wherever you go and will bring you back to this land because I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.” (16) Jacob awoke from his sleep and said, “Surely ה' is in this place, and I did not know it!” (17) He was awed and he said, “How awesome is this place, this is none other than the house of God, and this is the gate to heaven.” (18) Jacob got up early in the morning, and took the stone that he had put under his head and set it up as a pillar and poured oil on the top of it. (19) He named that site Beit-El; but previously the name of the city had been Luz. (20) Jacob then made a vow, saying, “If God remains with me, and protects me on this path that I am walking, and gives me bread to eat and clothing to wear. (21) And [if] I return in peace to my father’s house, then ה' shall be my God. (22) And this stone, which I have set up as a pillar, shall be God’s house; and of all that You give me, I will set aside a tithe for You.”

~ Why has Yaakov left?

~ What unclear parts exist in this passage? [The translation has been modified to highlight the Hebrew problems]. Note that the term sulam appears only here, sometimes it is translated as stairway and sometimes, ladder. Does it make a difference how we translate the term?

~ What are the symbols of the stone? And the sulam/ladder/stairway?

~ What do you make of Yaakov's oath? How is it a response to the dream?

~ Why does he rename the place, and why do we need to know the previous name?

(ד) וַיֹּאמְר֞וּ הָ֣בָה ׀ נִבְנֶה־לָּ֣נוּ עִ֗יר וּמִגְדָּל֙ וְרֹאשׁ֣וֹ בַשָּׁמַ֔יִם וְנַֽעֲשֶׂה־לָּ֖נוּ שֵׁ֑ם פֶּן־נָפ֖וּץ עַל־פְּנֵ֥י כׇל־הָאָֽרֶץ׃

(4) And they said, “Come, let us build us a city, and a tower with its head in the sky, to make a name for ourselves; else we shall be scattered all over the world.”

(ט) עַל־כֵּ֞ן קָרָ֤א שְׁמָהּ֙ בָּבֶ֔ל כִּי־שָׁ֛ם בָּלַ֥ל ה' שְׂפַ֣ת כׇּל־הָאָ֑רֶץ וּמִשָּׁם֙ הֱפִיצָ֣ם ה' עַל־פְּנֵ֖י כׇּל־הָאָֽרֶץ׃ {פ}
(9) That is why it was called Babel, because there ה' confounded the speech of the whole earth; and from there ה' scattered them over the face of the whole earth.

bab el, in Akkadian actually means 'the gate of god'

~ What are the reverberations between the two stories, taking into account the culture in which Bereshit is situated?

And in Egyptian culture...

~ Below the falcon, emblem of the god Horus, the goddesses Isis and Nephthys stand on either side of the djed pillar, symbol of Osiris. The crook and flail (heka and nekhakha) were symbols used in ancient Egyptian society. They were originally the attributes of Osiris that became insignia of pharaonic authority.

~ Osiris as the Djed Pillar holding the Disc of the Sun God Ra, supported by the ankh, symbol representing Life. To the sides Isis and Nephthys. Egyptian Book of the Dead, Papyrus of Ani. New Kingdom, 19th Dynasty . 1250 BC. British Museum.

~ source: https://www.wonderfulthingsart.com/post/isis-and-nephthys

~ Whether stairway or ladder, Yaakov in not the first one to have the image of "going up" as a moment of meeting a deity or the transcendent.

~ The question is, in our text, where is Yaakov going? How is the dream a defining moment for him - and for us?

(י) ויצא חַמְשָׁא נִיסִין אִתְעֲבִידוּ לְיַעֲקב בִּזְמַן דִנְפַק מִן בֵּירָא דְשָׁבַע. נִיסָא קַמָא אִתְקַצְרוּ שְׁעוֹי דְיוֹמָא וּטְמַע שִׁימְשָׁא בְּלָא אִשׁוּנֵיהּ מִן קֳדָם דַהֲוָה דְבִירָא מִתְחַמָד לְמַלָלָא עִמֵיהּ. נִיסָא תִנְיָינָא אַרְבַּעְתֵּי אַבְנַיָא דְשַׁוִי אִיסָדוֹי אַשְׁכַּח יַתְהוֹן בְּצַפְרָא לְאַבְנָא חָדָא. נִיסָא תְּלִיתָאָה אַבְנָא דַהֲווֹ כָּל עֶדְרַיָא מִתְכַּנְשִׁין וּמְגַלְגְלִין לָהּ מֵעִילוֹי פֻּם בֵּירָא גִלְגַל יָתָהּ בַּחֲדָא מִן דְרָעוֹי. נִיסָא רְבִיעָאָה דְטָפַת בֵּירָא וּסְלִיקוּ מַיָא לְאַנְפּוֹי וַהֲוָת טַיְיפָא כָּל יוֹמִין דַהֲוָה בְּחָרָן. נִיסָא חֲמִישָׁאָה קָפְצַת אַרְעָא קוּמוֹי וּבְהַהוּא יוֹמָא דְנָפַק אָזַל לְחָרָן

(10) Five miracles were wrought for our father Jakob at the time that he went forth from Beersheba. The first sign: the hours of the day were shortened, and the sun went down before his time, for the Word had desired to speak with him. The second sign: the four stones which Jakob had set for his pillow he found in the morning, had become one stone. The third sign: the Stone which, when all the flocks were assembled, they rolled from the mouth of the well, he rolled away with one of his arms. The fourth sign: the well overflowed, and the water rose to the edge of it, and continued to overflow all the days that he was in Haran. The fifth sign: the country was shortened before him, so that in one day he went forth and came to Haran.

~ Targum Yonatan adds a few midrashim in this reading. What are the reasons for the first two?

(יא) וַיִּקַח מֵאַבְנֵי הַמָּקוֹם (בראשית כח, יא), רַבִּי יְהוּדָה וְרַבִּי נְחֶמְיָה וְרַבָּנָן, רַבִּי יְהוּדָה אָמַר שְׁנֵים עֶשְׂרֵה אֲבָנִים נָטַל, כָּךְ גָּזַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא שֶׁהוּא מַעֲמִיד שְׁנֵים עָשָׂר שְׁבָטִים, אָמַר אַבְרָהָם לֹא הֶעֱמִידָן, יִצְחָק לֹא הֶעֱמִידָן, אֲנִי אִם מִתְאַחוֹת הֵן שְׁנֵים עָשָׂר אֲבָנִים זוֹ לָזוֹ יוֹדֵעַ אֲנִי שֶׁאֲנִי מַעֲמִיד שְׁנֵים עָשָׂר שְׁבָטִים, כֵּיוָן שֶׁנִּתְאַחוּ שְׁנֵים עָשָׂר אֲבָנִים זוֹ לָזוֹ, יָדַע שֶׁהוּא מַעֲמִיד שְׁנֵים עָשָׂר שְׁבָטִים. רַבִּי נְחֶמְיָה אָמַר נָטַל שָׁלשׁ אֲבָנִים, אָמַר, אַבְרָהָם יִחֵד הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא שְׁמוֹ עָלָיו, יִצְחָק יִחֵד הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא שְׁמוֹ עָלָיו, וַאֲנִי אִם מִתְאַחוֹת הֵן שָׁלשׁ אֲבָנִים זוֹ לָזוֹ, יוֹדֵעַ אֲנִי שֶׁהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מְיַחֵד שְׁמוֹ עָלַי, וְכֵיוָן שֶׁנִּתְאַחוּ, יָדַע שֶׁהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מְיַחֵד שְׁמוֹ עָלָיו. רַבָּנָן אָמְרֵי מִעוּט אֲבָנִים שְׁנַיִם, אַבְרָהָם יָצָא מִמֶּנּוּ פְּסֹלֶת, יִשְׁמָעֵאל וְכָל בְּנֵי קְטוּרָה. וְיִצְחָק יָצָא עֵשָׂו וְכָל אַלּוּפָיו. וַאֲנִי אִם מִתְאַחוֹת שְׁתֵּי אֲבָנִים זוֹ לָזוֹ, יוֹדֵעַ אֲנִי שֶׁאֵינוֹ יוֹצֵא הֵימֶנִּי פְּסֹלֶת.

And he took from the stones of the place (Gen. 28:11) - R. Yehudah and Rabbi Nehemiah disagree. R. Yehudah said: He took twelve stones since the Holy Blessed One decreed that twelve tribes should spring forth. [Yaakov] said: "neither Avraham nor Itzchak has produced them. If these twelve stones cleave to one another, then I know that I will produce the twelve tribes." When therefore the twelve stones united, he knew that he was to produce the twelve tribes.

R. Nehemiah said: He took three stones, saying: He took three stones, saying: "The Holy Blessed One united His name with Abraham; with Isaac too God united His name. If these three stones become joined, then I am assured that God's name will be united with me too." And when they did thus join, he knew that God would unite His name with him. The Rabbis said: [He took] the least number that 'stones' can connote, two, saying: "From Avraham came [descendants who were] not essential Ishmael and the children of Keturah; from Isaac there came forth Esau and all his descendants. As for me, if these two stones join, I will be assured that all my descendants will be essential."

~ How many stones, and why?

ויפגע במקום. לֹא הִזְכִּיר הַכָּתוּב בְּאֵיזֶה מָקוֹם אֶלָּא בַּמָּקוֹם – הַנִּזְכָּר בְּמָקוֹם אַחֵר, הוּא הַר הַמּוֹרִיָּה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר בּוֹ וַיַּרְא אֶת הַמָּקוֹם מֵרָחֹק:
ויפגע במקום AND HE LIGHTED UPON THE PLACE — Scripture does not mention which place, but by writing בַּמָקוֹם the place it refers to the place mentioned already in another passage, viz., Mount Moriah of which it is stated (Genesis 22:4) “And he saw the place (המקום) afar off”.

~ Where is Mount Moriah? What other important formative event happened there?

~ How does this commentary by Rashi reinforces the holiness of Mount Moriah?

~ Is Mount Moriah really in Beit-El/Luz?

כי אם בית אלהים. אָ"רַ אֶלְעָזָר בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי יוֹסֵי בֶּן זִמְרָא, הַסֻּלָּם הַזֶּה עוֹמֵד בִּבְאֵר שֶׁבַע וְאֶמְצַע שִׁפּוּעוֹ מַגִּיעַ כְּנֶגֶד בֵּית הַמִּקְדָשׁ, שֶׁבְּאֵר שֶׁבַע עוֹמֵד בִּדְרוֹמָהּ שֶׁל יְהוּדָה, וִירוּשָׁלַיִם בִּצְפוֹנָהּ, בַּגְּבוּל שֶׁבֵּין יְהוּדָה וּבִנְיָמִין, וּבֵית אֵל הָיָה בַּצָּפוֹן שֶׁל נַחֲלַת בִּנְיָמִין, בַּגְּבוּל שֶׁבֵּין בִּנְיָמִין וּבֵין בְּנֵי יוֹסֵף; נִמְצָא סֻלָּם שֶׁרַגְלָיו בִּבְאֵר שֶׁבַע וְרֹאשׁוֹ בְּבֵית אֵל מַגִּיעַ אֶמְצַע שִׁפּוּעוֹ נֶגֶד יְרוּשָׁלַיִם; וּכְלַפֵּי שֶׁאָמְרוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ שֶׁאָמַר הַקָּבָּ"ה צַדִּיק זֶה בָּא לְבֵית מְלוֹנִי וְיִפָּטֵר בְּלֹא לִינָה, וְאָמְרוּ יַעֲקֹב קְרָאָהּ לִירוּשָׁלַיִם בֵּית אֵל וְזוֹ לוּז הִיא וְלֹא יְרוּשָׁלַיִם, וּמֵהֵיכָן לָמְדוּ לוֹמַר כֵּן? אֲנִי אוֹמֵר שֶׁנֶּעֱקַר הַר הַמּוֹרִיָה וּבָא לְכָאן, וְזוֹ הִיא קְפִיצַת הָאָרֶץ הָאֲמוּרָה בִּשְׁחִיטַת חֻלִּין, שֶׁבָּא בֵּית הַמִּקְדָשׁ לִקְרָאתוֹ עַד בֵּית אֵל, וְזֶהוּ וַיִּפְגַּע בַּמָּקוֹם. וְאִם תֹּאמַר כְּשֶׁעָבַר יַעֲקֹב עַל בֵּית הַמִּקְדָשׁ, מַדּוּעַ לֹא עִכְּבוֹ שָׁם? אִיהוּ לָא יְהַב לִבֵּיהּ לְהִתְפַּלֵּל בַּמָּקוֹם שֶׁהִתְפַּלְּלוּ אֲבוֹתָיו, וּמִן הַשָּׁמַיִם יְעַכְּבוּהוּ? אִיהוּ עַד חָרָן אֲזַל, כִּדְאָמְרִינַן בְּפֶרֶק גִּיד הַנָּשֶׁה; וּקְרָא מוֹכִיחַ וַיֵּלֶךְ חָרָנָה; כִּי מְטָא לְחָרָן אָמַר, אֶפְשָׁר שֶׁעָבַרְתִּי עַל מָקוֹם שֶׁהִתְפַּלְּלוּ אֲבוֹתַי וְלֹא הִתְפַּלַּלְתִּי בּוֹ? יְהַב דַּעְתֵּיהּ לְמֶהֱדַר וְחָזַר עַד בֵּית אֵל וְקָפְצָה לוֹ הָאָרֶץ. הַאי בֵּית אֵל לֹא הַסָּמוּךְ לָעַי אֶלָּא לִירוּשָׁלַיִם, וְעַל שֵׁם יִהְיֶה בֵּית אֱלֹהִים קְרָאוֹ בֵּית אֵל, וְהוּא הַר הַמּוֹרִיָה שֶׁהִתְפַּלֵּל בּוֹ אַבְרָהָם, וְהוּא שָׂדֶה שֶׁהִתְפַּלֵּל בּוֹ יִצְחָק, כְּדִכְתִיב לָשׂוּחַ בַּשָּׂדֶה; דְּהָכִי אָמְרִינַן בִּפְסָחִים "אֶל הַר ד' וְאֶל בֵּית אֱלֹהֵי יַעֲקֹב" – מַאי שְׁנָא יַעֲקֹב? אֶלָּא לֹא כְּאַבְרָהָם שֶׁקְּרָאוֹ הַר, דִּכְתִיב בְּהַר ד' יֵרָאֶה, וְלֹא כְּיִצְחָק שֶׁקְּרָאוֹ שָׂדֶה, דִּכְתִיב לָשׂוּחַ בַּשָּׂדֶה, אֶלָּא כְּיַעֲקֹב שֶׁקְּרָאוֹ בַּיִת (עַ"כַּ פֵּרַשִׁ"י מְדֻיָּק):
כי אם בית אלהים THIS IS NONE OTHER THAN THE HOUSE OF GOD —R. Eleazar said in the name of R. José the son of Zimra: “This ladder stood in Beersheba and [the middle of]) its slope reached opposite the Temple” (Genesis Rabbah 69:7). For Beersheba is situated in the South of Judah, Jerusalem in the North of it on the boundary between Judah and Benjamin and Bethel in the North of Benjamin’s territory, on the border between the land of Benjamin and that of the children of Joseph. It follows, therefore, that a ladder whose foot is in Beersheba and whose top is in Bethel has the middle of its slope reaching opposite Jerusalem. Now as regards what our Rabbis stated (Chullin 91b) that the Holy One, blessed be He, said, “This righteous man has came to the place where I dwell (i.e., the Temple at Jerusalem, whilst from here it is evident that he had come to Luz) and shall he depart without staying here over night?”, and with regard to what they also said, (Pesachim 88a) “Jacob gave the name Bethel to Jerusalem”, whereas this place which he called Bethel was Luz and not Jerusalem, whence did they learn to make this statement (which implies that Luz is identical with Jerusalem)? I say that Mount Moriah was forcibly removed from its locality and came hither (to Luz), and that this is what is meant by the “shrinking” of the ground that is mentioned in the Treatise (Chullin 91b) — that the site of the Temple came towards him (Jacob) as far as Bethel and this too is what is meant by ויפגע במקום, “he lighted upon the place” (i.e., he “met” the place, as two people meet who are moving towards each other; cf. Rashi on Genesis 5:11). Now, since Jacob’s route must have been from Beersheba to Jerusalem and thence to Luz and Haran and consequently when he reached Luz he had passed Jerusalem, if you should ask, “When Jacob passed the Temple why did He not make him stop there?” — If it never entered his mind to pray at the spot where his fathers had prayed should Heaven force him to stop there to do so? Really he had reached as far as Haran as we say in the Chapter גיד הנשה (Chullin 91b), and Scripture itself proves this since it states, “And he went to Haran”. When he arrived at Haran he said, “Is it possible that I have passed the place where my fathers prayed without myself praying there?” He decided to return and got as far as Bethel where the ground "shrank” for him. This Bethel is not the Bethel that is near Ai (cf. Genesis 12:8) but that which is near Jerusalem, and because he said of it, “It shall be the House of God”, he called it Bethel. This, too, is Mount Moriah, where Abraham prayed, and it is also the field in which Isaac offered prayer as it is written, “[Isaac went out] to meditate (i. e., to pray; cf. Genesis 24:63) in the field”. Thus, too, do we read in the Treatise (Pesachim 88a) in a comment on the verse Micah 4:2: “[O come ye and let us go up] to the mountain of the Lord (i.e. the mountain upon which the Temple is built) and to the house of the God of Jacob”. What particular reason is there for mentioning Jacob? But the text calls the Temple not as Abraham did who called it a mount, and not as Isaac did, who called it a field, but as Jacob did who called it Beth[el]—the House of God. (To here from “This Bethel” is to be found in a certain correct Rashi-text)
ויפגע. כְּמוֹ וּפָגַע בִּירִיחוֹ וּפָגַע בְּדַבָּשֶׁת (יהושע ט"ז וי"ט) וְרַבּוֹתֵינוּ פֵּרְשׁוּ לְשׁוֹן תְּפִלָּה (ברכות כ"ו), כְּמוֹ וְאַל תִּפְגַּע בִּי (ירמיהו ז'), וְלָמַדְנוּ שֶׁתִּקֵּן תְּפִלַּת עַרְבִית. וְשִׁנָּה הַכָּתוּב וְלֹא כָּתַב וַיִּתְפַּלֵּל, לְלַמֶּדְךָ שֶׁקָּפְצָה לוֹ הָאָרֶץ, כְּמוֹ שֶׁמְּפֹרָשׁ בְּפֶרֶק גִּיד הַנָּשֶׁה (חולין צ"א):

ויפגע AND HE LIGHTED — similar are (Joshua 16:7) “and it reached (ופגע) unto Jericho”, and (Joshua 19:11) “and reached (ופגע) to Dabesheth”. Our Rabbis explained it in the sense of “praying”, just as (Jeremiah 7:16) “Neither make intercession (תפגע) to me”. Thus we may learn that Jacob originated the custom of Evening Prayer. Scripture purposely changed the usual word for “praying”, not writing יתפלל, “And he prayed” (which would have been the more appropriate word, but ויפגע which means to hit upon a place unexpectedly), to teach you also that the ground shrunk before him (the journey was miraculously shortened) as it is explained in the Chapter גיד הנשה (Chullin 91b).

~ How does Rashi explain the ambivalence of the Hebrew פגע?

ואנכי לא ידעתי. שֶׁאִם יָדַעְתִּי, לֹא יָשַׁנְתִּי בְּמָקוֹם קָדוֹשׁ כָּזֶה:
ואנכי לא ידעתי AND I KNEW IT NOT — for had I known it I would not have slept in such a holy place as this.

~ Why is Yaakov unhappy to have slept, according to Rashi?

אכן יש ה'. הטעם בעבור שימצאו מקומות יראו שם נסים. ולא אוכל לפרש למה זה כי סוד מופלא הוא:
SURELY THE LORD IS IN THIS PLACE. The meaning of Jacob’s statement is that there are places where miracles are seen. I cannot explain why this is so because it is a deep mystery.

~ Has Yaakov seen a miracle, in your opinion?

אכן יש ה' במקום הזה. אין ספק שזה המקום מוכן לנבואה מאחר שראיתי בו מראה כזאת בלתי שאתכוין לנבואה כי אמנם ישתנו תכונות משמשי העצם השכלי המתנבא כפי השתנות הארץ והאויר כאמרם אוירה של ארץ ישראל מחכים:
אכן יש ה' במקום הזה, there can be no question that this is a location from where the gift of prophetic insights is dispensed, seeing that I have been granted such an insight without even having expected it or prepared myself for it spiritually. It is a fact that the characteristics of a person undergo changes in the land of Israel just as the climate and very air in this country are different, contribute to one’s mental and spiritual progress. Our sages have phrased this (Baba Batra 158) as “the very air of the Land of Israel makes one wiser.”
ואנכי לא ידעתי. שאלו ידעתי הייתי מכין עצמי לנבואה ולא כן עשיתי:
ואנכי לא ידעתי, if I had realised the special distinction of this site I would have prepared myself mentally for receiving these Divine insights.

~ According to Sforno, what is happening here?

In the Sister Haggadah, 14th century, note how the angels are depicted. Note the position of the angels as Yaakov goes to sleep.

The Sister Haggadah is a 14th-century CE manuscript copied and painted in Catalonia. It gets its name from the fact that it is similar in themes to the Golden Haggadah, but less developed. Folio 4v (below)

The Golden Haggadah is a manuscript of around c. 1320-1330 in Catalonia. Folio 4v (above)

Above is the Sarajevo Haggadah, produced in Spain, 1350. In all haggadot the V composition is already present, with Yaakov in the place of the axis mundi.

~ The dream in art: the head in the heaven

Jusepe de Ribera ~ Jacob's Dream, 1639; Jose' de Ribera was a Spanish painter of the Tenebrist school (in which darkness is dominant).

Note that Yaakov's body connects the tree with the shaft of light, creating a V-shaped link between earth and heaven in place of the conventional ladder of angels. Trees, like stairs, symbolize the axis mundi, the vertical connection between the material and the spiritual - the center of the universe. Ribera's choice to suggest rather than illustrate makes the viewer imagine rather than see. Yaakov here is unaware that he is the link between the world, God and the viewer.

Rembrandt, 1635 - still no ladder. Angels - not those in the dream- point to the the sleeper and his wanderer's staff. There is again the V composition and the staff is the axis mundi. Note that in both of these pictures, Yaakov's head is positioned upward, expressing the ambiguity of the phrase “and its/his head reached toward the heavens”. In these two works Yaakov could be the ladder himself - but he is unaware. The viewer is invited to imagine the rest.

~ Giorgio Vasari, 1532

God on top of the staircase. No V composition

~ Salvator Rosa, 1665.

Now we have a ladder. Note the V composition and the axis mundi symbolized by the trees.

~ Is it easy or hard for the angels to go up and down this ladder?

~ William Blake, 1799-1806 - differentiates between our view of the sleeper and Yaakov's view of his dream. Note that the sulam becomes a spiral staircase. Some of the angles have wings, many do not. Note the presence of scrolls, compasses, and women with children and food.

No V composition here.

Gustave Doré (1855) does not see a spiral staircase, but rather a straight one. All angels are conventionally portrayed. An image of God is set on the top of the stairs. The figure at the center of the stairs seems to be Yaakov himself. V composition by feet and trees.

~ This might be another way of understanding the dream.

Woodcut found in Camille Flammarion's L'atmosphère : météorologie populaire , 1888. Colored after its publishing in Jung, Flying Saucers: A Modern Myth of Things Seen in the Skies (1959) by Roberta Weir and distributed by Berkeley's Print Mint in 1970

~ Jacob's Ladder will eventually become the idea of understanding the cosmos. Woodengraving, 17th century

(ג) אָמַר רַבִּי אַבָּהוּ, מָשָׁל לְבֶן מְלָכִים שֶׁהָיָה יָשֵׁן עַל גַּבֵּי עֲרִיסָה וְהָיוּ זְבוּבִים שׁוֹכְנִים עָלָיו, וְכֵיוָן שֶׁבָּא מֵנִיקְתּוֹ שָׁחָה עָלָיו מֵנִיקְתּוֹ וּבָרְחוּ מֵעָלָיו, כָּךְ בַּתְּחִלָּה וְהִנֵּה מַלְאֲכֵי אֱלֹקִים עֹלִים וְיֹרְדִים בּוֹ, כֵּיוָן שֶׁנִּתְגַּלֶּה עָלָיו הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא בָּרְחוּ מֵעָלָיו. רַבִּי חִיָּא רַבָּה וְרַבִּי יַנַּאי, חַד אָמַר, עָלָיו, עַל סֻלָּם. וְחַד אָמַר, עָלָיו, עַל יַעֲקֹב. מַאן דְּאָמַר עָלָיו, עַל הַסֻּלָּם, נִיחָא, אֶלָּא לְמַאן דְּאָמַר עָלָיו, עַל יַעֲקֹב, מִי מִתְקַיֵּם עָלָיו, אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן הָרְשָׁעִים מִתְקַיְּמִין עַל אֱלֹהֵיהֶם, (בראשית מא, א): וּפַרְעֹה חֹלֵם וְהִנֵּה עֹמֵד עַל הַיְאֹר, אֲבָל הַצַּדִּיקִים אֱלֹהֵיהֶם מִתְקַיֵּם עֲלֵיהֶם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: וְהִנֵּה ה' נִצָּב עָלָיו וַיֹּאמֶר אֲנִי ה' אֱלֹקֵי אַבְרָהָם.

(3) ."Ad-nay was standing on him" (Genesis 28:13) - Rabbi Abahu said: the matter can be compared to the son of a king who was sleeping on his crib and flies were sitting on him, and when the babysitter came in and stood over him, the flies fled. Similarly, 'and behold angels of Elohim went up and down' and when the Holy Blessed One revealed Godself they fled from him. Rabbi Chiya Rabba and Rabbi Yanay: one said 'on him' that means on the ladder; one said 'on him' that means on Yaakov. For the one who says 'on it', on the ladder, it is easy. For the one who says 'on Yaakov', how can this be? Rabbi Yochanan said: The wicked, their existence depends on their gods. As it says "And Pharaoh dreamt; and he was standing upon the river" (Genesis 41:1). But the righteous, their God's existence depends on them. As it says "Behold God stood upon him and said I am Hashem the God of Avraham." (Genesis 28:13)

~ This midrash is making a very bold assertion about God. What is it?

~ On these first two works by Chagall, the first from 1931-1934 and the second dated 1966, the artist sets God at the top of the stairs, preferring the ladder to the staircase.

~ What do you make of the figure on top of Yaakov in the first image?

Inverted V on the first, lines and trees on the second are loose.

1960-1966

Find Yaakov.

Is the Shechinah represented? Is God represented?

Why has the V disappeared from this?

1977. V composition

~ Shalom Moskovitz (1896-1980) known as Shalom of Safed began to paint relatively late, at the age of 55, while under the influence of the famous Israeli artist Yosi Bergner.

~ Find Yaakov. Find God.

David Sharir (b. 1968)

~ David Sharir uses a midrashic idea of the four directions becoming the four stones. Notice the depiction of the angels' faces and Yaakov's face.

~ Inspired in MC Escher. What does this depiction say about the dream?

1997 - Note the difference in the angels.

~ The sacred center, the axis mundi, is at one and the same time in Bethel, Jerusalem, Sinai, wherever there is a conscious connection with God

ויחלום והנה כו' ויקץ יעקב משנתו ויאמר אכן יש ה' במקום הזה ואנכי לא ידעתי כו' אין זה כי אם בית אלקים וזה שער השמים איתא במדרש ויקץ יעקב ממשנתו והוא תמוה ונ"ל דהנה ידוע שעיקר עבודת האדם לבא לתכלית השלימות בעבודתו ית"ש להשיג אלקותו ית"ש הוא ע"י התורה והתפלה ולא יוכל להיות אחד בלא שני כי לא ע"ה חסיד וגם בתורה לחוד לא ישלים נפשו כמאמר חכז"ל כל האומר אין אלא תורה אין לו תורה כי בוודאי ע"י עסק התורה לשמה יכול לבא לקדושה גדולה כשלומד לשמה ומדבק עצמו בנפשו רוחו ונשמתו באותיו' התורה אמנם אעפ"כ לא יוכל לבא לעיקר הירא' והאהבה וההשתוקקות לעבודתו ית"ש ולהשיג אלקותו רק ע"י התפלה במ"נ ובהתהלהבות כידוע מכל ספרי הקדושים. והנה ידוע מאמר חכמז"ל ויפגע במקום שתיקן תפלת ערבית הנה לא ידע עד עתה סוד התפלה איך היא גדולה ומצינו שנטמן יעקב בבית מדרשו של שם ועבר ולמד תורה נמצא ידע סוד התורה אמנם לא בא להתגלות אלקותו ית"ש עד עתה שנתגלה עליו אחר שעמד על סוד התפלה. וזה פי' המדרש ויקץ יעקב משנתו ממשנתו ר"ל מתורתו שנתעורר ע"י התפלה הזאת והבין שלא בא לתכלית ההשגה ע"י התורה לחוד ואמר אכן יש ה' במקום הזה ר"ל ע"י התפלה הזאת יוכל להבין יותר התגלות אלקות ממה שהשיג עד עתה ע"י התורה לחוד ואנכי לא ידעתי סוד זה אין זה כי אם בית אלקים ר"ל כי ע"י התפלה בהתעוררות והתלהבות יכול האדם לבוא ליראה הרוממות אשר יקרא בלשון חכמז"ל בית כמאמר חכז"ל חבל על דלית ליה דרתא כו' וזה שער השמים כי התפלה היא עיקר שער השמים לבא להשגת אלקות ויראת שמים אוצר הטוב את השמים כי ירחת ה' היא אוצרו ודו"ק היטב כי נכון הוא.
And he dreamt, etc, and Yaakov woke up from his sleep and said 'Surely H' is present in this place, and I did not know it! etc This is none other than the abode of God, and that is the gateway to heaven.' (Gen. 28:16-17) And there is a midrash that Yaakov awoke from his mishnah (Bereishit Rabbah 69:7). And this is surprising, and it appears to me [that the explanation is] that it is known that the essence of the service of a person, to come to the objective of completeness in their service to the Holy One of Blessing, to attain the Blessed One's Godliness, happens through Torah and Tefilah, and one cannot exist without the other. This is because an Am Haaretz cannot be a Hasid (Pirkei Avot 2:5), and also, Torah alone will not complete one's soul, as the saying of the sages z"l "anyone who says he has nothing other than Torah, has no Torah" (Yevamot 109b:4), since obviously through doing Torah for its own sake one can come to a great holiness when one learns for its own sake, and clings to one's life-force [nefesh], spirit [ruach] and soul [neshamah] through the letters of the Torah. However, one cannot come to the essence of Awe and Love and Longing in one's service to the Holy One of Blessing , and to grasp Godliness [with Torah alone], rather, through Tefilah, with self-sacrifice and enthusiasm as it is know from the sacred books. And behold the saying of the sages z"l is known: "and he encountered the Place, meaning, he fixed the evening prayer" (Brachot 26b:7) - behold he didn't know until that moment the secret of Tefilah, how great it is, and we find that Yaakov hid in the study house of Shem and Ever (Megillah 17a:5) and learned Torah, and we see that he knew the secret of Torah, however he did not discover God's Godliness until this moment, when it was revealed for him after he stood at the secret of Tefilah. And this is the explanation for the midrash "and he awoke from his sleep - from his mishnah" - they wanted to say from his Torah, that was awaken through this Tefilah, and he understood that he had not reached complete understanding through Torah alone, and so he said 'behold, there is Hashem in this place', meaning, through this tefilah he was able to understand more deeply the revelation of Godliness than he had until that moment, which was through Torah alone. "And I didn't know" this secret "this is but the House of Elokim", meaning through Tefilah, self-awakening and enthusiasm a persn can come to Higher Awe, which is called in the language of our sages z"l 'pity on one who has no courtyard etc' (Shabbat 31b:1). "And this is the gate to heaven" that Tefilah is the essence of the gate to heaven, to come to an understanding of Godliness and awe of heaven, a good treasure, since "awe of Hashem is God's treasure" (Isaiah 33:6) and pay attention to this, because it is correct.
"תניא כוותי' דר' יוסי ברבי חנינא אברהם תקן תפלת שחרית, שנאמר וישכם אברהם בבקר אל המקום אשר עמד שם את פני ד', ואין עמידה אלא תפלה שנא' ויעמד פנחס ויפלל. יצחק תקן תפלת המנחה, שנאמר ויצא יצחק לשוח בשדה לפעת ערב, ואין שיחה אלא תפלה, שנא' תפלה לעני כי יעטף ולפני ד' ישפך שיחו. יעקב תקן תפלת ערבית, שנאמר ויפגע במקום וילן שם, ואין פגיעה אלא תפלה, שנא' ואל תשא בעדם רנה ותפלה ואל תפגע בי". (ברכות כ"ו:). שלש לשונות אלו, עמידה, שיחה, פגיעה, מכוונות הן כנגד שלשה ענינים של תועלת התפלה בעבודת השי"ת. התחלת פעולת התפלה היא, שכל הענינים הקדושים והציורים הנעלים של יסודי היראה והמוסר, שקנה האדם בנפשו, התפלה תשריש אותם יפה בלב שלא ימוטו מהסתערות רוחות של השחתת המוסר והעבודה ע"י יצר לב האדם ותאות הזמן. זמנה של פעולה זו הוא ביותר בשחרית, שקודם שיפנה האדם לעסקי החיים ורגשי תאות הגוף המוכרחים יכין לעצמו מעמד מוסרי חזק ונכון, שיתקים בנסיונות ההתנגדות של גלי הזמן, ולכן התפלה המכוונת לפעולה זו נערכת בשם עמידה. לזה הוכשר ביותר אברהם אבינו ע"ה, שהי' ראש למאמינים, ועמד בעשרה נסיונות נפלאים, ועם כל המון המתנגדים אל הדרך העולה באור ד', שהסתערו להפיצו ולהדיחו, נלחם למצא מעמד נכון וקים לעד. שיחה תקרא התפלה, בשם משתתף עם צמחים ואילנות, שנקראו שיחים, על הפרחת הנפש בכחות חדשים, המסתעפים באפן טבעי ע"י רגשת הנפש בעבודה שבלב. זה ראוי ביותר לעת מנחת ערב, שהאדם קרוב להסיר מעליו את הטרדות, ואז תוכל נפשו להתרומם בטבעה, ורגשי הקדש הטבעיים, האצורים בתוכה, לדבקה באלהים חיים ולהתגבר באהבתו ויראתו הטהורה, יוסיפו פרי תנובה וישלחו בדים ופארות להיות כדמות אילן רב ואחד השיחים. ההפרחה הטבעית הזאת מתוך יושר הנפש היא שרש להנהגת הדין, אל הנוטה מנתיב יושר של ארחות חיים, שמדת הדין, בכל מה שיש לה חק טבעי, מדוקדקת היא אל המשנה דרכה ונוטה מנתיבה, והיא מדתו של יצחק, כדכתיב ופחד יצחק הי' לי, וכדאמרי רבנן ברוב ביאור. אמנם עוד רב יתרון לתפלה, שהיא מוצאת תכליתה ברמי המעלה והערך, קדושי עליון הנגשים אל ד', שע"י התפלה ירומו וינשאו למעלת הנבואה או קרוב לה, כד' טושו"ע או"ח סי' צ"ח, שהם פוגעים מעמדים יותר גדולים מהליכות הטבע, כי יתרוממו הרבה על מצב־הטבע הרגיל וידבקו באלהים חיים בטהר לב ונפש. לזה מוכשר הוא הלילה במנוחתו והתבודדותו, וכמו שביאר החסיד בחוה"ל (שער אהבת ד' פ"ו) ביתרון תפלת הלילה, שהוא מאפשר להפקד גם במחזות נשאים וקדושים ותבואות שכליות נוראות, אשר לא יושגו בחברת חושי החומר. ולפי שהדברים המושגים למעלה מתהלוכות השכליות המוטבעות באים הם שלא כסדר ההדרגה הטבעית מהקל אל הכבד, וע"פ דרכי עיונים בודדים המתלקטים למערכה, כי־אם בפתע יגלה האור הגדול מנעם ד', אשרי כל זוכה לו, תקרא התפלה, מצד היותה כוללת זאת התכלית, בשם פגיעה, כדרך ההולך ופוגע, לא לפי ערך מדת מהלכו של ההולך לבדו כי־אם גם לפי ערך מדת קרבתו של הנפגע המתאים לזה. וכן הי' באמת ביעקב אבינו ע"ה, שודאי השלימתו ג"כ התפלה לאותו החזיון הנבואי הנשגב של מראה הסולם וכל פרטיו, שעל כן נתיחס לתפלתו שם פגיעה, ויפגע במקום, והיא מתאימה לערבית.
“A tanna teaches like R. Yosi bar R. Chanina – Avraham established the morning prayer, as it says ‘Avraham rose early in the morning to the place where he had stood before G–d…’ (Bereshit 19:27) and there is no standing (amidah) other than prayer, as it says ‘ Pinchas stood up and prayed.’ (Tehillim 106:30) Yitzchak established the afternoon prayer, as it says ‘Yitzchak went out to converse (lasuach) in the field at evening time…’ (Bereshit 24:63) and there is no conversation (siach) other than prayer, as it says ‘A prayer of the afflicted, when he faints and pours out his complaint (sicho) before G–d.’ (Tehillim 102:1) Yaakov established the nighttime prayer, as it says ‘He encountered (va’yifgah) the place, and stayed the night there…’ (Bereshit 28:11) and there is no encounter other than prayer, as it says ‘Therefore pray you not for this people, neither lift up cry nor prayer for them, nor make intercession (tifgah) to me…’ (Yermiyahu 7:16)” [Berachot 26b]
These three expressions – standing, conversing and encounter, are aligned with three principle benefits that prayer brings to the service of G–d. The first act of prayer is to root firmly in the heart all the holy concepts and lofty images, the foundations of awe and morality which one has acquired in their soul, so that they will not falter under the storm winds which devastate morality and Divine service through desires of the heart and the passions of the time. The primary time for this rooting is the morning. That before one turn to the business of life and the inevitable feelings of bodily desire, they prepare a strong and well-founded moral posture for themselves which will standup under the oppositional trials of the waves of the times; therefore, the prayer which is oriented toward this activity is known as amidah, standing. To this end our father Avraham, first of the faithful, who withstood ten wondrous trials, and against all the multitude that opposed the path which rises in the light of G–d, who stormed in order to scatter and push him aside, was most fit; he fought to find a well-founded and enduring place to stand.
Prayer is called sichah (conversation), sharing a name with the plants and trees which are called sichim, due to the blossoming of the soul with new powers, which branch out naturally through the excitation of the soul in the service of the heart. This is most fit to the time of the evening offering, (see Tehillim 141:2) when one is close to casting off their troubles. Then their soul can elevate her nature, and the natural holy emotions stored up in her, to join to the living G–d and overflow with His pure love and awe, increasing fertile fruit and sending out shoots and branches, taking the likeness of a mighty tree - one of the sichim. This natural blossoming from within the rightness of the soul is the root of the judgment which is passed upon the one who turns aside from the straight path of life. The attribute of judgment, in so far that it has a natural law, is exacting with one who changes its ways and strays from its path; and this is the attribute of Yitzchak, as it is written “Were it not that the G–d of my father, the G–d of Avraham and the Fear of Yitzchak, had been with me…” (Bereshit 31:42), as our Sages taught with thorough explanation.
However, there is another great advantage to prayer, that she find her essential purpose in those of the highest level and value, the highest holy ones who draw near to G–d, who rise up in prayer and lift themselves to the level of prophecy, or near to it, as is written in Tur/Shulchan Aruch Orach Chaim 98; they encounter states well beyond the ways of nature, because they are lifted up far beyond the natural condition and cleave to the living G–d in purity of heart and soul. And the night is best suited for this, in its respite and solitude, as the chasid explained in The Duties of the Heart (Gate of Love of G–d, ch. 6) on the advantage of nighttime prayer, which also facilitates visitation of sacred lofty visions and awesome intellectual fruits, that cannot be apprehended in the company of the physical senses. Things grasped from beyond the conceptual processes embedded in nature come not according to the natural gradual order of simple to profound, or through individual analytic pathways gathered together into a framework. Rather the great light of the sweetness of G–d is revealed suddenly, happy is the one who merits to it! Prayer is called encounter (pgiya), as when one happens upon something, as a result not only of the nature of the path which the traveler takes but also of the immanent nearness of the one encountered. And so it was for our father Yaakov, peace be upon him, for it is a certainty that his prayer prepared him for the lofty prophetic vision of the ladder and all its particulars (see Bereshit 28:10-17) , and that is why the name encounter is associated with his prayer, “and he encountered the place.” This is befitting the nighttime prayer.
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