“Jacob lifted his feet, and went to the land of the people of the east” (Genesis 29:1). “Jacob lifted his feet” – Rabbi Aḥa said: “A healing heart is the life of the flesh [besarim]” (Proverbs 14:30) – when one is the recipient of good tidings [shenitbaser besorot], his heart bears his feet. That is what is said: The stomach bears the feet. “He saw, and behold, a well in the field, and, behold, three flocks of sheep lying there alongside it, since from that well they watered the flocks and the great stone was on the mouth of the well” (Genesis 29:2).
“All the flocks would gather there, they would roll the stone from the well’s mouth, and water the sheep, and return the stone onto the well’s mouth in its place” (Genesis 29:3). “He saw, and behold, a well in the field” – Rabbi Ḥama bar Ḥanina interpreted it in six ways: “Behold, a well in the field” – this is the well;17The well which accompanied Israel in the desert when they left Egypt. “behold, three flocks of sheep” – Moses, Aaron, and Miriam; “since from that well they watered the flocks” – as from there, each and every one would draw water for his banner, for his tribe, and for his family; “and the great stone was on the mouth of the well” – it was the size of the contents of a small sieve;18It was called “great” because of the water that miraculously flowed from it.
“All the flocks would gather there” – at the time of the encampments; “and return the stone onto the well’s mouth in its place” – during the journeys it would be restored to its original state. “Behold, a well in the field” – this is Zion; “behold, three flocks of sheep” – these are the three pilgrimage festivals; “since from that well they watered” – as from there they would draw the Divine Spirit; “and the great stone” – this is the Celebration of the Place of the Drawing of the Water.19See Sukkah 51a. Rabbi Hoshaya said: ‘Why would they call it the “Place of the Drawing”?
It is because they would draw the Divine Spirit from there.’ “All the flocks would gather there” – coming from Levo Ḥamat20In the north. to the Ravine of Egypt;21In the south. “and they would roll the stone…” – as they would draw the Divine Spirit from there. “And return the stone…” – it was replaced for the next pilgrimage festival. Another matter, “he saw, and behold, a well in the field” – this is Zion; “behold, three flocks of sheep” – these are the three courts, as we learned: Three courts were there; one on the Temple Mount, one at the entrance of the courtyard, and one in the Chamber of Hewn Stone.
“Since from that well…” – as from there, they would hear the ruling; “and the great stone” – this is the High Court that was in the Chamber of Hewn Stone. “All the flocks would gather there” – these are the courts in the Land of Israel; “they would roll the stone…” – as they would hear the ruling from there; “and return the stone” – they would deliberate regarding the ruling until they would establish it properly.
Another matter, “behold, three flocks of sheep,” “behold, a well,” – this is Zion; “behold, three flocks of sheep” – these are the first three kingdoms,22Babylon, Persia, and Greece, kingdoms that ruled over Israel when there was a Temple. “since from that well they watered the flocks” – as they became wealthy from the consecrations in the chambers; “and the great stone was on the mouth of the well” – this is the merit of the patriarchs.
“All the flocks would gather there” – this is the Roman Empire, that conscripted troops from all the nations of the world; “they would roll the stone” – as they became wealthy from the consecrations in the chambers; “and return the stone onto the well’s mouth in its place” – in the future, the merit of the patriarchs will prevail. Another matter, “behold, a well in the field” – this is the Sanhedrin; “behold, three flocks of sheep” – these are the three rows of students who would sit before them; “since from that well they watered the flocks” – as from there, they would hear the halakha; “and the great stone was on the mouth of the well” – this is the most distinguished member of the Sanhedrin, who would analyze the halakha.
“All the flocks would gather there” – these are the Torah scholars in the Land of Israel; “they would roll the stone” – as from there, they would hear the halakha; “and return the stone onto the well’s mouth” – they would deliberate regarding the halakha until they would establish it properly. Another matter, “He saw, and behold, a well in the field” – this is the synagogue; “behold, three flocks of sheep” – these are the three called to the Torah;23During morning prayers on Mondays and Thursdays and afternoon prayers on Shabbat, the Torah is read, and three people are called up to the Toah. “since from that well…” – as from there, they would hear the Torah; “and the great stone” – this is the evil inclination.
“All the flocks would gather there” – this is the congregation; “they would roll the stone”– as from there, they would hear the Torah; “and return the stone…” – when they would exit, the evil inclination would return to its place.24Hearing the Torah keeps the evil inclination in check.