Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi interpreted the verse regarding the exile. “Jacob departed [vayetze] from Beersheba” (Genesis 28:10) – just as it says: “Send them from My presence, and let them go [veyetze’u]” (Jeremiah 15:1). “And went to Ḥaran” (Genesis 28:10) – just as it says: “With which the Lord has tormented me on the day of His enflamed wrath [ḥaron apo]” (Lamentations 1:12). “He encountered the place” (Genesis 28:11) – “until there is no more place” (Isaiah 5:8).
“And stayed the night there because the sun had set” (Genesis 28:11) – “the one who bore seven is miserable…[her sun set while still day]” (Jeremiah 15:9). “He took from the stones from the place” (Genesis 28:11) – “The sacred stones are spilled at the head of every street” (Lamentations 4:1). “Which he placed beneath his head” (Genesis 28:11) – “[splendor] has come down from your heads” (Jeremiah 13:18).
“And lay in that place” (Genesis 28:11) – “we will lie in our shame, and our humiliation will cover us” (Jeremiah 3:25). “He dreamed, and behold, a ladder [sulam]” (Genesis 28:12) – this is Nebuchadnezzar’s dream. “Behold, a ladder” – this is Nebuchadnezzar’s idol; it is a symbol [semel], and it is a [sulam] – The letters of this are the letters of that.31Sulam – samekh, lamed, mem. Semel - samekh, mem, lamed.
“Was set on the earth” (Genesis 28:12) – “he erected it in the valley of Dura” (Daniel 3:1). “Its top was reaching the heavens” – “its height was sixty cubits, and its width six cubits. He erected it in the plain of Dura, in the province of Babylonia” (Daniel 3:1). “And behold, the angels of God” – this is Ḥananya, Mishael, and Azarya.
“Were ascending and descending on it” – they were exalting his32Nebuchadnezzar’s. honor and denigrating his honor;33They said to him: ‘You are our king for taxes and land taxes, but as far as engaging in idol worship, you and a dog are equal’ (Bemidbar Rabba 15:14). dancing and leaping before him and denigrating: “Let it be known to you, king, that we will not worship your gods, and we will not prostrate ourselves to the golden image that you have erected” (Daniel 3:18).
“Behold, the Lord was standing over him” (Genesis 28:13) – he said to Ḥananya, Mishael, and Azarya: “Servants of God Most High, emerge and come” (Daniel 3:26). Another matter, “and behold, the angels of God” (Genesis 28:12) – this is Daniel. “Were ascending and descending on it” (Genesis 28:12) – he ascended and removed what it had swallowed from its mouth. That is what is written: “I will reckon with Bel in Babylon, and I will remove what it swallowed from its mouth” (Jeremiah 51:44).
Nebuchadnezzar had a serpent and it would swallow everything that was cast before it. Nebuchadnezzar said to Daniel: ‘How great is its power, in that it swallows everything that is cast before it.' Daniel said to him: 'Give me permission and I will exhaust it.' He gave permission.
What did he do? He took straw, concealed nails in it, cast it before it, and the nails perforated its innards. That is what is written: “I will remove what it swallowed from its mouth.”