Vayetze: Stones, sacrifices & dreams
Rav Johnny's original thoughts on the weekly parsha
This Shabbat we read the story of Yaakov laying his head down in Jerusalem at the spot that was to be where the Temple would later be built, and there Yaakov dreamt of a ladder grounded on earth and reaching heavenwards, with angels ascending and descending.
In terms of the manner in which Yaakov slept on this holy spot, many of us are familiar with the words of Rashi who, while quoting Gemara Chullin 91b (which notes how Bereishit 28:11 speaks of the ‘stones’ on which he laid his head, while Bereishit 28:18 speaks of ‘the stone’), explains that while Yaakov initially collected a number of nearby stones on which to lay his head, these stones then quarreled with each other, with each insisting that they be the stone on which Yaakov should lay his head. And so, for the sake of avoiding such conflict in this holy place, God fused these stones into one single stone.
Interestingly, Pirkei D’Rabbi Eliezer Ch. 35 states that Yaakov took twelve stones. Accordingly, the quarrel of the stones comes to symbolize the future conflict of the twelve sons of Yaakov, while the very fact that they fuse together as one in Jerusalem - which was the portion of land given to Binyamin - represents how Binyamin would eventually be the one to cause the brothers to restore faith in one another.
But in addition to all this, Pirkei D’Rabbi Eliezer then adds a further layer of symbolism to this historic event by claiming that these twelve stones were the stones that Avraham previously used to build the altar on which he bound Yitzchak.
Naturally, there are many ways to interpret this connection between the stones that Yaakov’s grandfather had taken in order to build an altar to sacrifice his father on which his head then lay. However, the way in which I understand this connection is that many of our dreams are only possible because of the sacrifices made by those who came before us.
And so, when we lay our head at night and dream, we should acknowledge that doing so comes at a very heavy price – a price that has been paid dearly by the men and women who have stood up and fought, in the name of the God of peace, for the safety and future of their people and their land.
Shabbat Shalom!
TWO ANNOUNCEMENTS!
I am currently planning a trip to North American between January 11-21. If you would like me to visit your community or to deliver a shiur in your home, please be in contact.
To book a free 30 minute discovery call to share what is on your mind to and hear what kind of spiritual coaching package I think may suit you, visit https://rabbijohnnysolomon.com/discovery/