Jacob Wakes and Realizes God Was in That Place

“Jacob awoke from his sleep, and he said: Indeed, the Lord is in this place and I did not know” (Genesis 28:16). “Jacob awoke from his sleep [mishenato]” – Rabbi Yoḥanan said: From his studies [mimishnato].12He did not sleep. “He said: Indeed, the Lord is in this place” – indeed, the Divine Presence is resting in this place, and I did not know. “He was frightened, and he said: How awesome is this place; this is nothing other than the house of God, and this is the gate of the heavens” (Genesis 28:17).

“He was frightened, and he said: How awesome is this place” – Rabbi Elazar said in the name of Rabbi Yosei ben Zimra: The ladder was standing in Beersheba, and its incline reached the Temple. What is the source? “Jacob departed from Beersheba…he dreamed and behold, a ladder…he was frightened, and he said: How awesome is this place.” Rabbi Yehuda ben Rabbi Simon said: The ladder was standing at the Temple and its incline reached Beit El.

What is the source? “He was frightened, and he said: How awesome is this place…He called the name of that place Beit El” (Genesis 28:17–19). “This is nothing other than the house of God, and this is the gate of the heavens” – Rav Aḥa said: This gate is destined to open for many righteous men like you. Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai said: The supernal Temple is only eighteen mil13Mil is a measure of distance. higher than the earthly Temple.

What is the source? “And this is [vezeh] the gate of the heavens” – the numerical value of vezeh.14Vav – 6 + zayin – 7 + heh – 5 = 18. Another matter, the Holy One blessed be He showed him the Temple destroyed and built. “He was frightened, and he said: How awesome is this place” – that is built, just as it says: “God, You are awesome from Your Temple” (Psalms 68:36).

“This is nothing [ein zeh]” – that is destroyed, just as it says: “For this [al zeh] our heart suffers; for these our eyes are dim” (Lamentations 5:17). “Other [ki] than the house of God” – built and enhanced in the future, just as it says: “For [ki] He has strengthened the bolts of your gates” (Psalms 147:13).