וְאִם־נְבִאִ֣ים הֵ֔ם וְאִם־יֵ֥שׁ דְּבַר־יְהוָ֖ה אִתָּ֑ם יִפְגְּעוּ־נָא֙ בַּֽיהוָ֣ה צְבָא֔וֹת לְבִלְתִּי־בֹ֜אוּ הַכֵּלִ֣ים ׀ הַנּוֹתָרִ֣ים בְּבֵית־יְהוָ֗ה וּבֵ֨ית מֶ֧לֶךְ יְהוּדָ֛ה וּבִירוּשָׁלִַ֖ם בָּבֶֽלָה׃ (פ)
Jika mereka memang nabi, dan jika firman Yang Mahakekal memang ada pada mereka, biarlah mereka sekarang memohon kepada Yang Mahakekal semesta alam, supaya perkakas-perkakas yang masih tertinggal di Bait Yang Mahakekal, di istana raja Yehuda, dan di Yerusalem tidak dibawa ke Babel.
Mekhilta DeRabbi Yishmael
and (Ibid. 27:17) "Yifgu na ('Let them now pray') to the L–rd of hosts that the vessels which remain in the house of the L–rd, etc." And thus is it written (Isaiah 41:14) "Fear not, O worm of Jacob, men of Israel." Just as a worm smites a cedar only with its mouth, so, Israel has recourse only to prayer.
Midrash Tanchuma Buber
Another interpretation (of Gen. 28:11): WHEN HE CAME ACROSS (rt.: PG') A CERTAIN PLACE where the Holy Spirit rested upon him, < i.e., > upon Jacob. Then he prophesied that Israel was going to sin and that the Holy Spirit would depart from them. {Now this derives from (ibid., cont.): BECAUSE THE SUN HAD SET. So also we find that it is written in the prophecy of Micah (3:6): THE SUN SHALL SET < UPON THE PROPHETS >, where it is a case of retribution and the passing away of prophecy.} Thus it is stated (in Jer. 27:18): IF THEY ARE PROPHETS AND IF THE WORD OF THE LORD IS WITH THEM, PLEASE LET THEM INTERCEDE (rt.: PG') WITH THE LORD. < The verse > teaches that this "coming across" (rt.: PG') is prophecy. (Gen. 28:11:) WHEN HE CAME ACROSS (rt.: PG') A CERTAIN PLACE … BECAUSE THE SUN HAD SET. What is it that is written (in Micah 3:6)? THE SUN SHALL SET UPON THE PROPHETS, AND THE DAY SHALL BE DARKENED.
Bereshit Rabbah
“He encountered the place and spent the night there because the sun had set; he took from the stones of the place, which he placed beneath his head, and lay down in that place” (Genesis 28:11).
“He encountered [vayifga] the place” – Rav Huna said in the name of Rabbi Ami: Why do they change the name of the Holy One blessed be He and call Him the Omnipresent [hamakom]? It is because He is the place [mekomo] of the world, and His world is not His place. From what is written: “Behold, there is a place [makom] with Me” (Exodus 33:21) – the Holy One blessed be He is the place of the world, and His world is not His place.11God is not contained in the world, he does not "live" there. He is the "place" of the world. The world exists because of Him.
Rabbi Yitzḥak said: It is written: “An abode of the God of eternity” (Deuteronomy 33:27). We do not know whether the Holy One blessed be He is the abode of the world, or whether the world is His abode. From what is written: “You are an abode for us” (Psalms 90:1) – that is, the Holy One blessed be He is the abode of the world, but His world is not His abode.
Rabbi Abba bar Yudan said: This is analogous to a warrior who was riding on a horse, and his garments were flowing to both sides. The horse is secondary to the rider, but the rider is not secondary to the horse, as it is stated: “You will ride on Your horses” (Habakkuk 3:8).
Another matter, what is vayifga? He prayed. “In the place” – he prayed in the Temple. Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said: The early patriarchs instituted three prayers: Abraham instituted the morning prayer, as it is stated: “Abraham arose early in the morning to go to the place where he stood…” (Genesis 19:27), and standing is nothing other than prayer, as it is stated: “Pinḥas stood and prayed” (Psalms 106:30). Isaac instituted the afternoon prayer, as it is stated: “Isaac went out walking [lasuaḥ] in the field” (Genesis 24:63), and siḥa is nothing other than prayer, as it is stated: “I will pour out [eshpoḥ] my woe before Him” (Psalms 142:3). Jacob instituted the evening prayer, as it is stated: “He encountered [vayifga] the place,” and pegia is nothing other than prayer, as it is stated: “You, do not raise a cry [or a prayer] on their behalf, and do not plead with [tifga] Me” (Jeremiah 7:16). Likewise it says: “If they are prophets, and if the word of the Lord is with them, please, let them plead [yifge’u] with the Lord of hosts” (Jeremiah 27:18). Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥman said: It is corresponding to the three times that the day changes. In the evening, a person must say: ‘May it be Your will, Lord my God, to take me out from darkness to light.’ In the morning, he must say: ‘I give thanks before You, Lord my God, that You have taken me from darkness to light.’ In the afternoon, a person must say: ‘May it be Your will, Lord my God, that just as you accorded me the privilege of seeing the sun in its rising, so You will accord me the privilege to see it in its setting.’
Another matter, “he encountered the place” – the Rabbis say: It is corresponding to the daily offerings.12The midrash is giving an alternative source for the three daily prayers. The morning prayer, corresponding to the daily morning offering; the afternoon prayer, corresponding to the daily afternoon offering; the evening prayer is not obligatory. Rabbi Tanḥuma said: Even the evening prayer is obligatory – corresponding to the limbs and fats that were consumed in the fire on the altar.13The limbs and fats were also consumed in the fire at night.
“He encountered [vayifga] the place” – Rav Huna said in the name of Rabbi Ami: Why do they change the name of the Holy One blessed be He and call Him the Omnipresent [hamakom]? It is because He is the place [mekomo] of the world, and His world is not His place. From what is written: “Behold, there is a place [makom] with Me” (Exodus 33:21) – the Holy One blessed be He is the place of the world, and His world is not His place.11God is not contained in the world, he does not "live" there. He is the "place" of the world. The world exists because of Him.
Rabbi Yitzḥak said: It is written: “An abode of the God of eternity” (Deuteronomy 33:27). We do not know whether the Holy One blessed be He is the abode of the world, or whether the world is His abode. From what is written: “You are an abode for us” (Psalms 90:1) – that is, the Holy One blessed be He is the abode of the world, but His world is not His abode.
Rabbi Abba bar Yudan said: This is analogous to a warrior who was riding on a horse, and his garments were flowing to both sides. The horse is secondary to the rider, but the rider is not secondary to the horse, as it is stated: “You will ride on Your horses” (Habakkuk 3:8).
Another matter, what is vayifga? He prayed. “In the place” – he prayed in the Temple. Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said: The early patriarchs instituted three prayers: Abraham instituted the morning prayer, as it is stated: “Abraham arose early in the morning to go to the place where he stood…” (Genesis 19:27), and standing is nothing other than prayer, as it is stated: “Pinḥas stood and prayed” (Psalms 106:30). Isaac instituted the afternoon prayer, as it is stated: “Isaac went out walking [lasuaḥ] in the field” (Genesis 24:63), and siḥa is nothing other than prayer, as it is stated: “I will pour out [eshpoḥ] my woe before Him” (Psalms 142:3). Jacob instituted the evening prayer, as it is stated: “He encountered [vayifga] the place,” and pegia is nothing other than prayer, as it is stated: “You, do not raise a cry [or a prayer] on their behalf, and do not plead with [tifga] Me” (Jeremiah 7:16). Likewise it says: “If they are prophets, and if the word of the Lord is with them, please, let them plead [yifge’u] with the Lord of hosts” (Jeremiah 27:18). Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥman said: It is corresponding to the three times that the day changes. In the evening, a person must say: ‘May it be Your will, Lord my God, to take me out from darkness to light.’ In the morning, he must say: ‘I give thanks before You, Lord my God, that You have taken me from darkness to light.’ In the afternoon, a person must say: ‘May it be Your will, Lord my God, that just as you accorded me the privilege of seeing the sun in its rising, so You will accord me the privilege to see it in its setting.’
Another matter, “he encountered the place” – the Rabbis say: It is corresponding to the daily offerings.12The midrash is giving an alternative source for the three daily prayers. The morning prayer, corresponding to the daily morning offering; the afternoon prayer, corresponding to the daily afternoon offering; the evening prayer is not obligatory. Rabbi Tanḥuma said: Even the evening prayer is obligatory – corresponding to the limbs and fats that were consumed in the fire on the altar.13The limbs and fats were also consumed in the fire at night.