10Jacob left Beersheba and went to Charan. |
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יוַיֵּצֵ֥א יַֽעֲקֹ֖ב מִבְּאֵ֣ר שָׁ֑בַע וַיֵּ֖לֶךְ חָרָֽנָה: |
וַיֵּצֵא יַֽעֲקֹב - Jacob left. Since the Torah wished to tell us that because the Canaanite girls were evil in Isaac’s eyes Esau went to Ishmael, it interrupted the narrative about Jacob and wrote: “Esau saw that Isaac had blessed…”; once it finished relating this, it returned to the previous subject. |
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וַיֵּצֵא יַֽעֲקֹב.
עַל יְדֵי שֶׁבִּשְׁבִיל שֶׁרָעוֹת בְּנוֹת כְּנַעַן בְּעֵינֵי יִצְחָק אָבִיו הָלַךְ עֵשָׂו אֶל יִשְׁמָעֵאל, הִפְסִיק הָעִנְיָן בְּפָרָשָׁתוֹ שֶׁל יַעֲקֹב, וּכְתִיב וַיַּרְא עֵשָׂו כִּי בֵרַךְ וְגוֹ', וּמִשֶּׁגָּמַר חָזַר לָעִנְיָן הָרִאשׁוֹן:
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וַיֵּצֵא - [Jacob] left. It need only have written: “Jacob went to Charan.” Why, then, does it mention his leaving? In order to tell us that the departure of a righteous person from a place makes an impression – for while the righteous person is in a town, he is its majesty, he is its brilliance, and he is its honor, but once he has left there, its majesty has gone, its brilliance has gone, and its honor has gone. Similarly, the phrase “She left the place” that is mentioned in connection with Naomi and Ruth has the same significance. |
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וַיֵּצֵא.
לֹא הָיָה צָרִיךְ לִכְתֹּב אֶלָּא וַיֵּלֶךְ יַעֲקֹב חָרָנָה, וְלָמָּה הִזְכִּיר יְצִיאָתוֹ? אֶלָּא מַגִּיד שֶׁיְּצִיאַת צַדִּיק מִן הַמָּקוֹם עוֹשָׂה רֹשֶׁם, שֶׁבִּזְמַן שֶׁהַצַּדִּיק בָּעִיר, הוּא הוֹדָהּ הוּא זִיוָהּ הוּא הֲדָרָהּ; יָצָא מִשָּׁם, פָּנָה הוֹדָהּ פָּנָה זִיוָהּ פָּנָה הֲדָרָהּ. וְכֵן וַתֵּצֵא מִן הַמָּקוֹם הָאָמוּר בְּנָעֳמִי וְרוּת (רות א'):
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וַיֵּלֶךְ חָרָֽנָה - He went to Charan - means here: “he set out for Charan.” |
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וַיֵּלֶךְ חָרָֽנָה.
יָצָא לָלֶכֶת לְחָרָן:
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11He came upon the place. He spent the night there because the sun had set. He took some stones of that place and placed them around his body and head and then lay down in that place to sleep. |
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יאוַיִּפְגַּ֨ע בַּמָּק֜וֹם וַיָּ֤לֶן שָׁם֙ כִּי־בָ֣א הַשֶּׁ֔מֶשׁ וַיִּקַּח֙ מֵֽאַבְנֵ֣י הַמָּק֔וֹם וַיָּ֖שֶׂם מְרַֽאֲשֹׁתָ֑יו וַיִּשְׁכַּ֖ב בַּמָּק֥וֹם הַהֽוּא: |
וַיִּפְגַּע בַּמָּקוֹם - He came upon the place. Scripture does not mention which place, but the intent is to the place already specified elsewhere. This is Mount Moriah, about which it says: “and he saw the place from afar.” |
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וַיִּפְגַּע בַּמָּקוֹם.
לֹא הִזְכִּיר הַכָּתוּב בְּאֵיזֶה מָקוֹם אֶלָּא בַּמָּקוֹם – הַנִּזְכָּר בְּמָקוֹם אַחֵר, הוּא הַר הַמּוֹרִיָּה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר בּוֹ וַיַּרְא אֶת הַמָּקוֹם מֵרָחֹק:
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וַיִּפְגַּע - He came upon - as in “and it reached (וּפָגַע) Jericho,” and “and it reached (וּפָגַע) Dabeshet.” But our rabbis explained it as an expression of prayer, as in “and do not beseech (תִּפְגַּע) Me.” This teaches us that he instituted the evening prayer. However, the verse changed from the usual word for “praying” and did not write וַיִּתְפַּלֵּל, to also teach you that the ground shrunk for him and he thus reached the place very quickly, as is explained in Chapter Gid HaNasheh. |
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וַיִּפְגַּע.
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):
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כִּי־בָא הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ - Because the sun had set. It should have written: “the sun set and he spent the night there”; “because the sun had set” indicates that the sun set suddenly, before its time, in order that he spend the night there. |
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כִּי־בָא הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ.
הָיָה לוֹ לִכְתֹּב וַיָּבֹא הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ וַיָּלֶן שָׁם, כִּי בָא הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ מַשְׁמַע שֶׁשָּׁקְעָה לוֹ חַמָּה פִּתְאוֹם, שֶׁלֹּא בְּעוֹנָתָהּ, כְּדֵי שֶׁיָּלִין שָׁם:
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וַיָּשֶׂם מראשותיו - And placed them around his head. He arranged them in the form of a drainpipe around his head because he was afraid of wild animals. The stones then started quarreling among themselves. One said, “Let the righteous man rest his head on me,” and another said, “Let him rest his head on me.” Immediately, the Holy One, blessed be He, transformed them into one stone, and thus it says: “he took the stone that he had placed under his head.” |
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וַיָּשֶׂם מראשותיו.
עֲשָׂאָן כְּמִין מַרְזֵב סָבִיב לְרֹאשׁוֹ, שֶׁיָּרֵא מִפְּנֵי חַיּוֹת רָעוֹת; הִתְחִילוּ מְרִיבוֹת זוֹ אֶת זוֹ, זֹאת אוֹמֶרֶת עָלַי יָנִיחַ צַדִּיק אֶת רֹאשׁוֹ וְזֹאת אוֹמֶרֶת עָלַי יָנִיחַ; מִיָּד עֲשָׂאָן הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא אֶבֶן אַחַת, וְזֶהוּ שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר וַיִּקַּח אֶת הָאֶבֶן אֲשֶׁר שָׂם מְרַאֲשֹׁתָיו:
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וַיִּשְׁכַּב בַּמָּקוֹם הַהֽוּא - And lay down in that place. הַהוּא is a limiting clause: in that place he lay down to sleep, but for the 14 years that he was in attendance of his teachers in the study-house of Ever he did not lie down at night, for he was continuously engaged in Torah study. |
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וַיִּשְׁכַּב בַּמָּקוֹם הַהֽוּא.
לְשׁוֹן מִעוּט; בְּאוֹתוֹ מָקוֹם שָׁכַב אֲבָל י"ד שָׁנִים שֶׁשִּׁמֵּשׁ בְּבֵית עֵבֶר לֹא שָׁכַב בַּלַּיְלָה, שֶׁהָיָה עוֹסֵק בַּתּוֹרָה:
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12He had a dream: he beheld a ladder standing firmly on the ground and sloping upward, its top reaching up toward heaven. Angels of God were ascending it and descending it. |
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יבוַיַּֽחֲלֹ֗ם וְהִנֵּ֤ה סֻלָּם֙ מֻצָּ֣ב אַ֔רְצָה וְרֹאשׁ֖וֹ מַגִּ֣יעַ הַשָּׁמָ֑יְמָה וְהִנֵּה֙ מַלְאֲכֵ֣י אֱלֹהִ֔ים עֹלִ֥ים וְיֹֽרְדִ֖ים בּֽוֹ: |
עולים וְיֹֽרְדִים - Ascending and descending. Why does it say about angels, whose permanent home is in heaven, that they were first ascending and then descending? The answer is that the angels who accompanied him in the Land of Israel were not permitted to leave the land, and so they ascended to heaven, whereupon the angels who serve outside the land descended to accompany him. |
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עולים וְיֹֽרְדִים.
עוֹלִים תְּחִלָּה וְאַחַר כָּךְ יוֹרְדִים? מַלְאָכִים שֶׁלִּוּוּהוּ בָּאָרֶץ אֵין יוֹצְאִים חוּצָה לָאָרֶץ, וְעָלוּ לָרָקִיעַ וְיָרְדוּ מַלְאֲכֵי חוּצָה לָאָרֶץ לְלַוּוֹתוֹ:
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13And behold, God was standing over him. He said, “I am God, God of Abraham your forebear, and God of Isaac. I will give the land upon which you are lying to you and your descendants. |
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יגוְהִנֵּ֨ה יְהֹוָ֜ה נִצָּ֣ב עָלָיו֘ וַיֹּאמַר֒ אֲנִ֣י יְהֹוָ֗ה אֱלֹהֵי֙ אַבְרָהָ֣ם אָבִ֔יךָ וֵֽאלֹהֵ֖י יִצְחָ֑ק הָאָ֗רֶץ אֲשֶׁ֤ר אַתָּה֙ שֹׁכֵ֣ב עָלֶ֔יהָ לְךָ֥ אֶתְּנֶ֖נָּה וּלְזַרְעֶֽךָ: |
נִצָּב עָלָיו - Standing over him - to guard him. |
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נִצָּב עָלָיו.
לְשָׁמְרוֹ:
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וֵֽאלֹהֵי יִצְחָק - And God of Isaac. Although we do not find in Scripture that the Holy One, blessed be He, associates His Name with righteous people during their lifetime by writing “God of so-and-so,” because it says: “Even in His holy ones He does not trust” – here He associated His Name with Isaac, because Isaac’s eyes had become dim and he was confined to his house, and he was thus considered as if he were dead and the evil inclination had left him. Tanchuma. |
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וֵֽאלֹהֵי יִצְחָק.
אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁלֹּא מָצִינוּ בַּמִּקְרָא שֶׁיִּחֵד הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא שְׁמוֹ עַל הַצַּדִּיקִים בְּחַיֵּיהֶם לִכְתֹּב אֱלֹהֵי פְּלוֹנִי, מִשּׁוּם שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר הֵן בִּקְדֹשָׁו לֹא יַאֲמִין (איוב ט"ו), כָּאן יִחֵד שְׁמוֹ עַל יִצְחָק, לְפִי שֶׁכָּהוּ עֵינָיו וְכָלוּא בַבַּיִת, וַהֲרֵי הוּא כְמֵת וְיֵצֶר הָרָע פָּסַק מִמֶּנּוּ, תַּנְחוּמָא:
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שֹׁכֵב עָלֶיהָ - Upon which [you] are lying. The Holy One, blessed be He, contracted the entire Land of Israel under him. He thereby hinted to him that it would be as effortless for his descendants to conquer as it was to control the area of four cubits occupied by his own body. |
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שֹׁכֵב עָלֶיהָ.
קִפֵּל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא כָּל אֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל תַּחְתָּיו, רָמַז לוֹ שֶׁתְּהֵא נוֹחָה לִכָּבֵשׁ לְבָנָיו כְּד' אַמּוֹת שֶׁזֶּה מְקוֹמוֹ שֶׁל אָדָם (חולין שם):
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14Your descendants will be as numerous as the dust of the earth, and you will spread out powerfully to the west, to the east, to the north, and to the south, and all the families on earth will be blessed through you and through your descendants. |
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ידוְהָיָ֤ה זַרְעֲךָ֙ כַּֽעֲפַ֣ר הָאָ֔רֶץ וּפָֽרַצְתָּ֛ יָ֥מָּה וָקֵ֖דְמָה וְצָפֹ֣נָה וָנֶ֑גְבָּה וְנִבְרְכ֥וּ בְךָ֛ כָּל־מִשְׁפְּחֹ֥ת הָֽאֲדָמָ֖ה וּבְזַרְעֶֽךָ: |
וּפָֽרַצְתָּ - means here “And you will grow strong” - as in “the more they would spread (יִפְרֹץ),” which also denotes strength. |
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וּפָֽרַצְתָּ.
וְחָזַקְתָּ, כְּמוֹ וְכֵן יִפְרֹץ:
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15Behold, I am with you, I will protect you wherever you go, and I will bring you back to this land, for I will not neglect you until I have fulfilled what I have promised Abraham concerning you.” |
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טווְהִנֵּ֨ה אָֽנֹכִ֜י עִמָּ֗ךְ וּשְׁמַרְתִּ֨יךָ֙ בְּכֹ֣ל אֲשֶׁר־תֵּלֵ֔ךְ וַֽהֲשִׁ֣בֹתִ֔יךָ אֶל־הָֽאֲדָמָ֖ה הַזֹּ֑את כִּ֚י לֹ֣א אֶֽעֱזָבְךָ֔ עַ֚ד אֲשֶׁ֣ר אִם־עָשִׂ֔יתִי אֵ֥ת אֲשֶׁר־דִּבַּ֖רְתִּי לָֽךְ: |
אָֽנֹכִי עִמָּךְ - I am with you. God reassured Jacob because he was afraid of Esau and Laban. |
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אָֽנֹכִי עִמָּךְ.
לְפִי שֶׁהָיָה יָרֵא מֵעֵשָׂו וּמִלָּבָן:
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עַד אֲשֶׁר־אִם־עָשִׂיתִי - Until I have fulfilled. Here the word אִם is used with the meaning כִּי “that.” |
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עַד אֲשֶׁר־אִם־עָשִׂיתִי.
אִם מְשַׁמֵּשׁ בִּלְשׁוֹן כִּי (גיטין צ'):
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דִּבַּרְתִּי לָֽךְ - I have promised concerning you. לָךְ here means “for your benefit” and “concerning you.” That which I promised Abraham concerning his descendants, I promised regarding you and not Esau, for I did not say to Abraham: “for those born to Isaac will be considered your descendants,” but “for of those born to Isaac,” and not all those born to Isaac. Similarly, every לִי, לְךָ, לוֹ, or לָהֶם that follows the verb דִבֵּר “to speak” has the meaning “to speak about me, you, him, or them,” and this verse serves as a proof of this, for God had not spoken with Jacob previously. |
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דִּבַּרְתִּי לָֽךְ.
לְצָרְכְּךָ וְעָלֶיךָ; מַה שֶּׁהִבְטַחְתִּי לְאַבְרָהָם עַל זַרְעוֹ, לְךָ הִבְטַחְתִּיו וְלֹא לְעֵשָׂו, שֶׁלֹּא אָמַרְתִּי לוֹ כִּי יִצְחָק יִקָּרֵא לְךָ זָרַע אֶלָּא כִּי בְיִצְחָק, וְלֹא כָּל יִצְחָק, וְכֵן כָּל לִי וּלְךָ וְלוֹ וְלָהֶם הַסְּמוּכִים אֵצֶל דִּבּוּר מְשַׁמְּשִׁים לְשוֹן עַל, וְזֶה יוֹכִיחַ, שֶׁהֲרֵי עִם יַעֲקֹב לֹא דִבֵּר קֹדֶם לָכֵן:
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16Jacob awoke from his sleep and said, “God is truly present in this place, yet I was not aware of it.” |
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טזוַיִּיקַ֣ץ יַֽעֲקֹב֘ מִשְּׁנָתוֹ֒ וַיֹּ֗אמֶר אָכֵן֙ יֵ֣שׁ יְהֹוָ֔ה בַּמָּק֖וֹם הַזֶּ֑ה וְאָֽנֹכִ֖י לֹ֥א יָדָֽעְתִּי: |
וְאָֽנֹכִי לֹא יָדָֽעְתִּי - Yet I was not aware - for if I would have known, I would not have slept in such a holy place. |
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וְאָֽנֹכִי לֹא יָדָֽעְתִּי.
שֶׁאִם יָדַעְתִּי, לֹא יָשַׁנְתִּי בְּמָקוֹם קָדוֹשׁ כָּזֶה:
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17He became afraid, and said, “How awesome is this place! This is none other than Mount Moriah, the future site of the House of God. And thus, this is the gateway through which prayer ascends to heaven.” |
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יזוַיִּירָא֙ וַיֹּאמַ֔ר מַה־נּוֹרָ֖א הַמָּק֣וֹם הַזֶּ֑ה אֵ֣ין זֶ֗ה כִּ֚י אִם־בֵּ֣ית אֱלֹהִ֔ים וְזֶ֖ה שַׁ֥עַר הַשָּׁמָֽיִם: |
כִּי אִם־בֵּית אֱלֹהִים - None other than the House of God.
Rabbi Eleazar said in the name of Rabbi Yosei ben Zimra: This ladder was standing on the ground at Beersheba, and the middle of its slope was positioned opposite the site of the holy Temple. For Beersheba is situated in the south of the portion of Judah, Jerusalem is to its north, on the border between the portions of Judah and Benjamin, and Bethel was in the north of Benjamin’s portion, on the border between Benjamin and Ephraim and Manasseh, the two tribes that descended from the sons of Joseph. Thus, it follows that a ladder whose base is in Beersheba and whose top is above Bethel has the middle of its slope positioned opposite Jerusalem.
And regarding that which our rabbis said that the Holy One, blessed be He, said: “This righteous person has come to My Dwelling-house (i.e., the site of the holy Temple in Jerusalem) and he will leave without staying the night?!” and that which our rabbis said: “Jacob named Jerusalem Bethel,” which both imply that Bethel is synonymous with Jerusalem – yet this place, Bethel, was Luz and not Jerusalem, so from where did they derive such statements? I answer that Mount Moriah was uprooted and came here to Bethel, and this is the shrinking of the ground referred to in Shechitat Chulin, that the holy Temple came towards him as far as Bethel; and that is what is meant by “He came upon the place.”
Should you then ask: When Jacob passed the site of the holy Temple, why did God not detain him there? – I answer that if to Jacob it did not occur to pray in the place where his fathers had prayed, should they have detained him there from heaven?! Rather, what happened was that he went as far as Charan, as we have learned in Chapter Gid HaNasheh, and as is borne out in the verse: “he went to Charan.” When he reached Charan he said to himself, “Is it possible that I passed the place where my fathers prayed and I did not pray there?” He decided to return and went back as far as Bethel, at which point the land shrank for him.
This Bethel is not the one close to Ai, but to Jerusalem, and because it was to be the city of God, Jacob called it Bethel (“House of God”). It is also known as Mount Moriah, where Abraham prayed, and the field where Isaac prayed, for so we have learned in Pesachim: Scripture says: “Come, let us go up to the Mountain of God and to the House of the God of Jacob.” Why is Jacob mentioned in particular? It is to point out the following: Unlike Abraham, who called the Temple site a mountain, and unlike Isaac, who called it a field, this verse refers to it in the way Jacob did, who called it “the House of God.”
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כִּי אִם־בֵּית אֱלֹהִים.
אָמַר רַבִּי 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 הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא 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 (עַד כָּאן פֵּרַשִׁ"י מְדֻיָּק):
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מַה־נּוֹרָא - How awesome. Onkelos translates this as: “How great is the awe (דְחִילוּ) of this place.” דְחִילוּ is a noun of a similar form to סוּכְלְתָנוּ (“insight”), and וּכְסוּ לְמִלְבָּשׁ (“and clothing to wear”). |
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מַה־נּוֹרָא.
תַּרְגּוּם מַה דְּחִילוּ אַתְרָא הָדֵין, דְּחִילוּ שֵׁם דָּבָר הוּא, כְּמוֹ סוּכְלְתָנוּ וּכְסוּ לְמִלְבָּשׁ:
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וְזֶה שַׁעַר הַשָּׁמָֽיִם - And this is the gateway to heaven - i.e., it is a place of prayer for their prayer to ascend to Heaven. Its Midrashic explanation is: The holy Temple above is situated directly corresponding to the holy Temple below in this world. |
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וְזֶה שַׁעַר הַשָּׁמָֽיִם.
מְקוֹם תְּפִלָּה לַעֲלוֹת תְּפִלָּתָם הַשָּׁמַיְמָה. וּמִדְרָשׁוֹ, שֶׁבֵּית הַמִּקְדָשׁ שֶׁל מַעְלָה מְכֻוָּן כְּנֶגֶד בֵּית הַמִּקְדָשׁ שֶׁל מַטָּה:
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18Jacob rose early in the morning, took the stone that he had placed under his head, and set it up as a monument. He then poured oil on the top of it, consecrating it as an altar. |
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יחוַיַּשְׁכֵּ֨ם יַֽעֲקֹ֜ב בַּבֹּ֗קֶר וַיִּקַּ֤ח אֶת־הָאֶ֨בֶן֙ אֲשֶׁר־שָׂ֣ם מְרַֽאֲשֹׁתָ֔יו וַיָּ֥שֶׂם אֹתָ֖הּ מַצֵּבָ֑ה וַיִּצֹ֥ק שֶׁ֖מֶן עַל־רֹאשָֽׁהּ: |
19He named that place Bethel [“House of God”], although the original name of the town was Luz. |
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יטוַיִּקְרָ֛א אֶת־שֵֽׁם־הַמָּק֥וֹם הַה֖וּא בֵּֽית־אֵ֑ל וְאוּלָ֛ם ל֥וּז שֵֽׁם־הָעִ֖יר לָרִֽאשֹׁנָֽה: |
20Jacob made a vow, saying, “If God will be with me; and will protect me physically on this journey that I am undertaking; and will give me bread to eat and clothing to wear; |
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כוַיִּדַּ֥ר יַֽעֲקֹ֖ב נֶ֣דֶר לֵאמֹ֑ר אִם־יִֽהְיֶ֨ה אֱלֹהִ֜ים עִמָּדִ֗י וּשְׁמָרַ֨נִי֙ בַּדֶּ֤רֶךְ הַזֶּה֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר אָֽנֹכִ֣י הוֹלֵ֔ךְ וְנָֽתַן־לִ֥י לֶ֛חֶם לֶֽאֱכֹ֖ל וּבֶ֥גֶד לִלְבֹּֽשׁ: |
אִם־יִֽהְיֶה אֱלֹהִים עִמָּדִי - If God will be with me - i.e., if He keeps these promises – for He promised me to be with me, as He told me: “Behold, I am with you.” |
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אִם־יִֽהְיֶה אֱלֹהִים עִמָּדִי.
אִם יִשְׁמֹר לִי הַבְטָחוֹת הַלָּלוּ שֶׁהִבְטִיחַנִי לִהְיוֹת עִמָּדִי, כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמַר לִי וְהִנֵּה אָנֹכִי עִמָּךְ:
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וּשְׁמָרַנִי - And will protect me - as He told me: “I will protect you wherever you go.” |
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וּשְׁמָרַנִי.
כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמַר לִי וּשְׁמַרְתִּיךָ בְּכֹל אֲשֶׁר תֵּלֵךְ:
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וְנָֽתַן־לִי לֶחֶם לֶֽאֱכֹל - And will give me bread to eat - as He said: “for I will not neglect you (לֹא אֶעֱזָבְךָ),” and one who lacks food is called נֶעֱזָב “forsaken,” as it says: “and I have not seen a righteous person forsaken (נֶעֱזָב), nor his children begging for bread.” |
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וְנָֽתַן־לִי לֶחֶם לֶֽאֱכֹל.
כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמַר כִּי לֹא אֶעֱזָבְךָ, וְהַמְבַקֵּשׁ לֶחֶם הוּא קָרוּי נֶעֱזָב, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר וְלֹא רָאִיתִי צַדִּיק נֶעֱזָב וְזַרְעוֹ מְבַקֶּשׁ לָחֶם (תהילים ל"ז):
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21and will protect me spiritually so that I will be able to return to my father’s house untainted by sin; and if God will be my God— |
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כאוְשַׁבְתִּ֥י בְשָׁל֖וֹם אֶל־בֵּ֣ית אָבִ֑י וְהָיָ֧ה יְהֹוָ֛ה לִ֖י לֵֽאלֹהִֽים: |
וְשַׁבְתִּי - And I will return - as He told me: “and I will bring you back to this land.” |
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וְשַׁבְתִּי.
כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמַר לִי וַהֲשִׁבֹתִיךָ אֶל הָאֲדָמָה:
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בְשָׁלוֹם - (lit.) In peace - i.e., perfectly free (שָׁלֵם) of sin, that I not learn from Laban’s ways. |
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בְשָׁלוֹם.
שָׁלֵם מִן הַחֵטְא, שֶׁלֹּא אֶלְמַד מִדַּרְכֵי לָבָן:
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וְהָיָה ה' לִי לֵֽאלֹהִֽים - And if God will be my God - i.e., His Name will rest upon me from beginning to end, that no unworthy person be found among my offspring; as it says: “until I have fulfilled what I have promised concerning you” – and this promise God had made to Abraham, as it says: “to be God to you and to your descendants after you,” “Your descendants” implying pure lineage without blemish. |
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וְהָיָה ה' לִי לֵֽאלֹהִֽים.
שֶׁיָּחוּל שְׁמוֹ עָלַי מִתְּחִלָּה וְעַד סוֹף, שֶׁלֹּא יִמָּצֵא פְּסוּל בְּזַרְעִי, כְּמוֹ שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר אֲשֶׁר דִּבַּרְתִּי לָךְ; וְהַבְטָחָה זוֹ הִבְטִיחַ לְאַבְרָהָם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר לִהְיוֹת לְךָ לֵאלֹהִים וּלְזַרְעֲךָ אַחֲרֶיךָ (בראשית י״ז:ז׳):
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22then this stone that I have set up as a monument will become a house of God.” Addressing God directly, he said, “I will set aside for You a tenth of everything that You give me.” |
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כבוְהָאֶ֣בֶן הַזֹּ֗את אֲשֶׁר־שַׂ֨מְתִּי֙ מַצֵּבָ֔ה יִֽהְיֶ֖ה בֵּ֣ית אֱלֹהִ֑ים וְכֹל֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר תִּתֶּן־לִ֔י עַשֵּׂ֖ר אֲעַשְּׂרֶ֥נּוּ לָֽךְ: |
וְהָאֶבֶן הַזֹּאת - (lit.) And this stone. This is how you should explain the ו of וְהָאֶבֶן: If You will do all these aforementioned things for me, then I, too, will do this: |
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וְהָאֶבֶן הַזֹּאת.
כָּךְ תְּפָרֵשׁ וָי"ו זוֹ שֶׁל וְהָאֶבֶן: אִם תַּעֲשֶׂה לִי אֶת אֵלֶּה, אֲנִי אֶעֱשֶׂה זֹאת:
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וְהָאֶבֶן הַזֹּאת אֲשֶׁר־שַׂמְתִּי מַצֵּבָה וגו' - Then this stone that I have set up as a monument… The meaning of “will become a house of God” is as Onkelos translates it: “upon it (the stone) I will serve God.” And so he did when he returned from Padan Aram, when God said to him, “Arise, go up to Bethel.” What does it say there? “Jacob erected a monument…. He poured a wine-libation upon it.” |
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וְהָאֶבֶן הַזֹּאת אֲשֶׁר־שַׂמְתִּי מַצֵּבָה וגו'.
כְּתַרְגּוּמוֹ אֱהִי פָלַח עֲלָהּ קֳדָם ה', וְכֵן עָשָׂה בְשׁוּבוֹ מִפַּדַּן אֲרָם; כְּשֶׁאָמַר לוֹ קוּם עֲלֵה בֵית אֵל (שם ל"ה י"ד) מַה נֶּאֱמַר שָׁם? וַיַּצֵּב יַעֲקֹב מַצֵּבָה וַיַּסֵּךְ עָלֶיהָ נֶסֶךְ:
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