Jacob's Seed Like the Dust and the Gate of Heaven

"And your seed shall be like the dust of the earth" (Genesis 28:14). Just as dust is blessed only through water, so your children are blessed only through the merit of the Torah, which is compared to water. Just as dust wears away vessels of metal yet itself endures forever, so your children wear away all the nations of the world, yet they themselves endure forever. Just as dust is made something to be trodden upon by the whole world, so your children are made something trodden upon by the kingdoms. This is what is written, "And I will put it into the hand of those who afflict you" (Isaiah 51:23) — these are the ones who wear you down; and even so, they churn you up for your own good. This is what is written, "With showers You soften it, You bless its growth" (Psalms 65:11), "who said to your soul: Bow down that we may pass over" (Isaiah 51:23). What did they do to them? They would lay them down in the open streets and pass plows over them — and that is a good sign: just as the street wears down those who come and go, yet itself endures forever, so your children wear down the nations of the world, yet they themselves endure forever. "And you shall spread out to the west and to the east" (Genesis 28:14). Rabbi Abba bar Chanina said: this refers to the gates of the sea, as you say, "the one who breaks through has gone up before them" (Micah 2:13). Rabbi Yose bar Chanina said: He even showed him the divisions of Ezekiel. But did not Ezekiel describe only the east? Isaiah came and described, "for you shall spread out to the right and to the left" (Isaiah 54:3). "And behold, I am with you and will keep you wherever you go" (Genesis 28:15). The Rabbis say: about everything He answered him, but about sustenance He did not answer him — "if God will be with me," "behold, I am with you"; "and will keep me," "and will keep you"; "on this way that I go," "wherever you go"; "and I return in peace to my father's house," "and I will bring you back to this land" (Genesis 28:20-21). But about sustenance He did not answer him. Rabbi Asi said: He answered him even about sustenance, as it is said, "for I will not forsake you" — and forsaking means nothing other than sustenance, as you say, "and I have not seen a righteous man forsaken or his seed seeking bread" (Psalms 37:25). "And Jacob awoke from his sleep" (Genesis 28:16). Rabbi Yochanan said: from his learning. "And he said: Surely the LORD is in this place" — surely the Divine Presence dwells in this place, and I did not know. "And he was afraid and said: How awesome is this place!" (Genesis 28:17). This ladder stands in Beersheba, and its slope reaches to the Temple. What is the reason? "And he was afraid and said: How awesome is this place," and it is written, "and he called the name of that place Beth El" (Genesis 28:19). Rabbi Yochanan said: this ladder stands in the Temple, and its slope reaches to Beth El. "This is none other than the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven." Rabbi Acha said: this gate is destined to be opened for many righteous ones like him. Likewise Rabbi Shimon ben Yochai said: the upper Temple is no higher than the lower Temple by more than eighteen mil. What is the reason? "and this is the gate of heaven" — the numerical value of "and this."