Yaakov and the Foundation Stone of the World - VaYesse

 This week’s parsha is parshas Vayeitzei. We are going tofocus on the fascinating journey of the stone that Yaakov Avinu placed beneathhis head when he slept at the site of the future Mikdash. Subsequently, he tookthat stone and consecrated it as a monument to become the House of G-d. Thisjourney begins with the opening pesukim of the parsha (Bereishis 28, 10):     וַיֵּצֵ֥א יַעֲקֹ֖ב מִבְּאֵ֣ר שָׁ֑בַע וַיֵּ֖לֶךְ חָרָֽנָה׃   Jacob left Beer-sheba, and set out for Haran.   וַיִּפְגַּ֨ע בַּמָּק֜וֹם וַיָּ֤לֶן שָׁם֙ כִּי־בָ֣אהַשֶּׁ֔מֶשׁ וַיִּקַּח֙ מֵאַבְנֵ֣י הַמָּק֔וֹם וַיָּ֖שֶׂם מְרַֽאֲשֹׁתָ֑יווַיִּשְׁכַּ֖ב בַּמָּק֥וֹם הַהֽוּא׃   He came upon a certain place and stopped there for thenight, for the sun had set. Taking one of the stones of that place, he put itunder his head and lay down in that place.    Rashi comments: AND PUT THEM FOR ARESTING PLACE FOR HIS HEAD — He arranged them in the form of a drain-pipearound his head for he was afraid of wild beasts (Genesis Rabbah 68:11). They(the stones) began quarrelling with one another. One said, “Upon me let thisrighteous man rest his head”, and another said “Upon me let him rest it”.Whereupon the Holy One, blessed be He, straightway made them into one stone!This explains what is written (Genesis 28:18), “And he took the stone that hehad put under his head” (Chullin 91b).   CHIZKUNI: ויקח מאבני המקום, “he took some of the stoneslying around on that place” (to make some kind of headrest for himself).According to tradition these stones had been part of the altar on which hisfather Yitzchok had been bound on the occasion of the Akeydah. According toRashi, during the night these stones fused so that when he awoke there was onlyone stone. We have a tradition also that the meaning of this phenomenon wasthat Yaakov’s children as opposed to those of his father and grandfather, wouldall remain true to their father’s religious outlook. Some commentators(Rash’bam) claim that Yaakov had taken only a single stone and that this is thereason why the Torah wrote immediately after these words: (after he awoke) “hetook the stone which he had placed as his headrest.”   KLI YAKAR: and he took some of the stones of the place andplaced them at his head - After it was known to him that this place would bethe House of Gd which dims the sphere of the sun, therefor he took some of thestones of the place and set them as a guard to his head in order to show how hecherished their sanctity as it says “For Your servants desired its stones…”(Tehillim 102:15) He took twelve stones parallel to the twelve tribes as itsays in the midrash (Bereshit Raba 68:11) that the stones argued, each onesaying ‘let the righteous one rest his head on me!’ until they became onestone. This was a hint for the future as the writer of the Guide to thePerplexed wrote, that this is why the Holy One hid this place which would bethe location of the Holy Temple and the King’s palace – in order that there notbe argument between the tribes, each desiring that holy place to be theirs.Also for the sake of peace, as it says “But only to the place which the Lordyour God shall choose from all your tribes…” (Devarim 12:5) And it is written“But only in the place the Lord will choose in one of your tribes…” (Devarim12:14) How is this? When David purchased the threshing floor from Aravna theYevusi, he collected the money from all of the tribes, as Rashi explains there(see Shmuel II 24:24). If this is so, then the argument between the stoneswhich ended in their becoming one stone was sign for the future, that so toowill be the argument between the crown jewels, the twelve tribes of Gd, thateach tribe will say let the righteous One of the world rest His head upon me,referring to the Holy Temple as it says “As a Throne of Glory, exalted from thebeginning, so is the place of our Sanctuary.” (Yirmiyahu 17:12) In the end theywere made as one stone when David collected the gold from all of them. Aboutthis stone it is said regarding the building of the Second Temple “Who are you,O great mountain? Before Zerubbabel you sink to a plain! He will bring out thestone of the main architect, with shouts of grace, grace to it.” (Zechariah4:7) When it says that He will bring out the stone of the main architect (evenrosha) it means the stone which was at the head (rosh) of Yaakov. Bring it outto build the foundation for the Palace of Gd. Yaakov made a bed from it to lieupon in order that it be a sign that this will be 'the bed which is to Shlomo'(Song of Songs 3:7) – the king to whom peace belongs, as Rashi explained inShir HaShirim on the verse “Behold the bed of Shlomo…”  TUR HA’AROCH: קח מאבני המקום, “he took from the stones ofthat place, etc.” According to the plain meaning of the text, he took a singleone of these stones. The sages explaining the allegorical meaning of the text,say that Yaakov took quite a number of such stones, but that these stonesmiraculously all became fused into a single stone.   Tzenah Urenah: “He took the stones of that place”[28:11]. He took many stones to place around himself. Rashi asks aquestion here. It is written here that he took many stones and later in theTorah portion it is written, “he took the stone” [28:18]. He took astone. The explanation is that Jacob took many stones and lay them as a wallaround himself, that the wild animals should not harm him at night whenhe would sleep. The stones argued with each other. Each stone said: let therighteous one place his head on me. The Holy One made peace among the stonesand made one stone from all the stones  Kitzur Shulchan Arukh 124:2 - You should express grief inthe manner of your sleeping. For example, if you are accustomed to sleep on twopillows, you should sleep only on one. Some people have the custom to sleep onthe floor during the night of Tishah beAv, and to put a stone underneaththeir head as a reminder of what was said, 'And he took some of the stonesof the place etc.,' (Genesis 28:11). Our Sages comment that Jacob foresawthe destruction of the Beis Hamikdash and said, 'Howfrightful' etc. (verse 17). It all depends on the person's attitude.     BereshitRabbah 68:11  “He tookfrom the stones of the place” (Genesis 28:11) – Rabbi Yehuda, Rabbi Neḥemya, andthe Rabbis, Rabbi Yehuda said: He took twelve stones. So, the Holy One blessedbe He decreed that he would produce twelve tribes. He [Jacob] said: ‘Abrahamdid not produce them, Isaac did not produce them, I, if these twelve stonesjoin with one another, I know that I will produce twelve tribes.’ When thetwelve stones joined together one to another, he knew that he would producetwelve tribes.   Rabbi Neḥemya said: He took three stones. He said: ‘Abraham, theHoly One blessed be He designated His name upon him; Isaac, the Holy Oneblessed be He designated His name upon him; I, if these three stones join withone another, I know that He will designate His name upon me.’ When the threestones joined with one another, he knew that the Holy One blessed be He woulddesignate His name upon him.   The Rabbis said: The minimum number of “stones” is two. Abraham, waste emergedfrom him – Ishmael and all the sons of Ketura. Isaac, Esau and all hischieftains emerged [from him]. I, if these two stones join with one another, Iwill know that waste will not emerge from me.   Rabbi Levi and Rabbi Elazar said in the name of Rabbi Yosei bar Zimra: He madethem in the shape of a roof gutter and placed it beneath his head because hefeared the beasts.   Rabbi Berekhya and Rabbi Levi said in the name of Rabbi Ḥama bar Ḥanina: Itis written: “For, behold, the Lord emerges from His place, and will descend andtread on the heights of the earth. [The mountains will melt under Him, and thevalleys will burst like wax before the fire, like waters poured down a slope]”(Micah 1:3–4). All the more so for one in a place where the Holy One blessed beHe has revealed Himself. Rabbi Berekhya said in the name of Rabbi Levi: Those stones that Jacob placedunder his head became like a bed and a feather pillow under him. Whatblossoming did he blossom there? “The beams of our houses are cedars, [and ourrafters are junipers]” (Song of Songs 1:17) – the righteous men and women thatemerged from him.   “And lay in that place” – Rabbi Yehuda and Rabbi Neḥemya,Rabbi Yehuda said: He lay here, but all fourteen years that he was hidden inthe house of Ever, he did not lie. Rabbi Neḥemya said:He lay here, but all twenty years that he stayed in Laban’s house, he did notlie. What would he recite? Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said: The fifteen songs ofascent in the book of Psalms. What is his source? “A song of ascents, by David.[If the Lord had not been with us,] Let Israel now say” (Psalms 124:1) – Israelthe elder. Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥman said: He would say the entire bookof Psalms. What is the source? “Yet You are holy, enthroned in the praises ofIsrael” (Psalms 22:4) – Israel the elder.