Yaakov is fleeing to Haran to escape Esav’s anger and also to find someone to marry. On his way, he lies down to sleep, and he has an amazing dream.
וַיַּחֲלֹם וְהִנֵּה סֻלָּם מֻצָּב אַרְצָה וְרֹאשׁוֹ מַגִּיעַ הַשָּׁמָיְמָה וְהִנֵּה מַלְאֲכֵי אֱלֹקִים עֹלִים וְיֹרְדִים בּוֹ׃
וְהִנֵּה ה’ נִצָּב עָלָיו וַיֹּאמַר
אֲנִי ה’ אֱלֹקֵי אַבְרָהָם אָבִיךָ וֵאלֹקֵי יִצְחָק
הָאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר אַתָּה שֹׁכֵב עָלֶיהָ לְךָ אֶתְּנֶנָּה וּלְזַרְעֶךָ׃
Yaakov dreamed. And behold: There was a ladder standing on the ground, and its head reached the heavens.
And behold: Angels of God were going up and down on it.
And behold: God stood there and said,
“I am the Lord, God of your father Avraham, and God of Yitzhak.
This land where you are sleeping – I will give it to you and your children.”
- What is the meaning of the angels on the ladder? Do they connect to God’s message?
- What do you notice about the direction the angels were going? What direction would you expect angels to travel?
- How many times do these pesukim say וְהִנֵּה (vehinei, and behold)? What do you think this repetition means?
- How do you think this dream might have made Yaakov feel? (The Torah tells us a bit about Yaakov’s reaction: Look it up! Bereishit 28:16-17.)
- Have you ever had a dream that made you feel better about something going on in real life? What kinds of dreams do you wish you could have?
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