and he lay down in that place – R’ Yehudah says ‘here he lay down, but all fourteen years that he was hidden away in the land serving Ever he never laid down.’ R’ Nechemia says ‘here he lay down, but all twenty years that he was in the House of Lavan he never laid down.’ And what would he say? Fifteen songs of ascent which are in the Book of Tehillim. And why the songs of ascent? As it says “…Had it not been for the Lord Who was with us, let Israel declare now,” (Tehillim 124:1) this refers to grandfather Yisrael (Yisrael Saba). R’ Shmuel bar Nachman said ‘he would say the whole Book of Tehillim, and for what reason? As it says “But You are holy; You await the praises of Israel,” (Tehillim 22:4) this refers to grandfather Yisrael (Yisrael Saba). Yaakov was seventy-seven when he left his house, and the well went before him two day’s travel all the way from Be’er Sheva to Mount Moriah. He reached there at midday and the Holy One encountered him there, as it says “And he arrived at the place…” (Bereshit 28:11) Why is the Holy One known as ‘place’ (makom) Because in every place where the righteous stand, there the Holy One is found, as it says “Wherever I allow My name to be mentioned, I will come to you and bless you.” (Shemot 20:21) The Holy One said to him ‘Yaakov, the bread is in your bag and the well is before you to eat and drink. Lay down in this place.’ He replied ‘Master of the world, right now when the sun is only a fifth down, should I lay down in the place at the wrong time?!’ The sun moved into the west and Yaakov looked and saw the sun and lay down there, as it says “…and he lodged there because the sun had set…” (Bereshit 28:11) Yaakov took twelve stones from the stones of the altar upon which Yitzchak was bound and placed them under his head. The place (hamakom) came to make known to him that in the future twelve tribes would rise out of him, and they were made into one rock in order to make known to him that they would all in the future be one nation in the land.