Midrasz do Rodzaju 28:17

(Lev. 25:25,35:) “And when your relative becomes poor and sells some of his property […]. And when your relative becomes poor, and his strength fails.” This text is related (to Prov. 22:22-23), “Do not rob the impoverished because he is impoverished […]. For the Lord shall plead their cause.” The Holy One, blessed be He, said, “’Do not rob the impoverished because he is impoverished,’ for I have made him impoverished. [Hence] whoever robs him or mocks at him reproaches his Maker. [It is] as if he is mocking at Me, as stated (in Prov. 17:5), ‘One who mocks a poor person reproaches his Maker […].’” What is the meaning of (Prov. 22:22), “Do not rob the impoverished?” Is there someone robbing the impoverished? Of what does he rob him, when he does not have anything?¹¹Cf. Numb. R. 5:2. It is simply that, if you are accustomed to maintaining¹²PRNS. Cf. the Gk.: pronoein (“to plan ahead”). him, and you have reconsidered and said, “How long shall I provide for him,” and you [then] hold back from giving to him; if you do this, know that you are robbing him. Ergo (in Prov. 22:22), “Do not rob the impoverished because he is impoverished”; but rather maintain him, because he has no other place [to turn]. (Ibid., cont.:) “And do not oppress the poor in the gate,” lest I stop up the heavens because of you; for the heavens also have a gate, as stated (in Gen. 28:17), “and this is the gate of the heavens.” (Prov. 22:23:) “For the Lord shall plead their cause.” I am pleading [their cause] with you, because I made him poor and you rich. I am inverting his charm¹³Gk.: magganon. and will make him rich and you poor. Thus it is stated (in Prov. 22:2), “Rich and poor meet; the Lord made them all.” Why? (Prov. 22:23:) “For the Lord shall plead their cause.” Why so much? Because you are reducing his spirit (nefesh), if you do not maintain him. Therefore (ibid., cont.), “and he will despoil the ones who despoil them of life (nefesh).”

(Lev. 25:25:) WHEN YOUR RELATIVE BECOMES POOR AND SELLS SOME OF HIS PROPERTY < …. > This text is related (to Prov. 22:22–23): DO NOT ROB THE IMPOVERISHED BECAUSE HE IS IMPOVERISHED…; FOR THE LORD SHALL PLEAD THEIR CAUSE…. The Holy One said to Israel: Do not rob the impoverished because he is impoverished, for I have made him impoverished, and whoever robs him or mocks at him reproaches his maker.¹²Tanh., Lev. 9:2. < It is > as if he is mocking at me. It is so stated (in Prov. 17:5): ONE WHO MOCKS A POOR PERSON REPROACHES HIS MAKER. What is the meaning of (Prov. 22:22): DO NOT ROB THE IMPOVERISHED? Is there someone robbing the impoverished? Of what does he rob him, when he is impoverished?¹³Cf. Numb. R. 5:2. It is simply that, if you are accustomed to maintaining¹⁴PRNS. Cf. the Gk.: pronoein (“to plan ahead”). him, < if > you have reconsidered and said: How long do I supply him? and < if > you are holding back from giving to him; know that you are robbing him. Ergo (in Prov. 22:22): DO NOT ROB THE IMPOVERISHED < BECAUSE HE IS IMPOVERISHED >; but maintain him, because there is no other place for him. (Ibid., cont.:) AND DO NOT OPPRESS THE POOR IN THE GATE, lest I stop up the heavens because of you; for they (i.e., the heavens) are also called a gate, where it is stated (in Gen. 28:17): < THIS IS NOTHING BUT THE ABODE OF GOD, > AND THIS ISA GATE, THE HEAVENS.¹⁵Such is the interpretation of the midrash. Cf. the more traditional 1985 JPS translation: AND THAT (i.e., Jacob’s ladder) IS THE GATEWAY TO HEAVEN. (Prov. 22:23): FOR THE LORD SHALL PLEAD THEIR CAUSE. I am pleading < their cause > with you,¹⁶This expansion comes from the parallel in Tanh., Lev. 2. because I made him poor and you rich. I am inverting my charm¹⁷Gk.: magganon. and will make him rich and you poor. Thus it is stated (in Prov. 22:2): RICH AND POOR MEET; THE LORD MADE THEM ALL. Why? (Prov. 22:23:) FOR THE LORD SHALL PLEAD THEIR CAUSE. Why? Because you are reducing his livelihood (nefesh), if you do not maintain him. Therefore (ibid., cont.): AND HE WILL ROB THE ONES WHO ROB THEM OF LIFE (nefesh).

(Gen. 28:17:) SO HE WAS AFRAID AND SAID: HOW AWESOME IS THIS PLACE! THIS is nothing but the Holy Temple, as stated (in Ps. 78:54): THEN HE BROUGHT THEM TO THE BORDER OF HIS SANCTUARY, THIS MOUNTAIN THAT HIS RIGHT HAND HAD PROCURED. Moreover, AWESOME can only refer to the Holy Temple. Thus it is stated (in Ps. 68:36 [35]): O GOD, YOU ARE AWESOME IN YOUR SANCTUARIES. He (Jacob) saw it destroyed, as stated (in Gen. 28:17): THIS IS NOTHING. (Ibid., cont.:) BUT THE HOUSE OF GOD, since he saw it < re >built. All the prophets also saw it built, destroyed, and < re > built. The Holy One simply said: You have seen it destroyed in this world, but in the world to come I am < re > building it myself. Then in my glory I am returning within it with you watching. Thus it is stated (in Is. 52:8): FOR EYE TO EYE THEY WILL SEE THE RETURN OF THE LORD TO ZION.³¹The midrash seems to picture Jacob’s dream ladder extending from the earthly Temple up eighteen miles to the heavenly temple. See Gen. R. 69:7.

Jacob rose up early in the morning in great fear, and said: The house of the Holy One, blessed be He, is in this place, as it is said, "And he was afraid, and said, How dreadful is this place ! this is none other but the house of God" (Gen. 28:17). Hence thou canst learn that every one who prays in Jerusalem is (reckoned) as though he had prayed before the Throne of Glory, for the gate of heaven is there, and it is open to hear the prayers of Israel, as it is said, "And this is the gate of heaven" (ibid.).

... Another explanation. Why does the verse (Psalms 81:2) mention Yaakov and not all of the forefathers? Our rabbis taught: a man is measured with the measure by which he measures, as it says “In that measure (b’saseah), when they sent them out, it strove with it…” (Isaiah 27:8) A seah with a seah. I only know seah, from where do I learn tirkav and a half tirkav, kab and a half kav, rovah and a half rovah, a tuman and an uchlah? Scripture says “For every victory shout (s’on soein) sounds with clamor…” (Isaiah 9:4) Here there are many measures. I only know about something which comes by measure, from where do I learn little bits that add up to a large amount? Scripture says “…adding one to another to find out the account.” (Ecclesiastes 7:27) This is like a king who had three people that loved him, and sought to build himself a palace. He brought the first one and said to him: I want to build a palace for myself. His love replied to him: I recall that it was a mountain in the beginning. He called to the second love and said to him: I want to build a palace for myself. He replied: I recall that it was a field in the beginning. He called to the third love and said: I want to build a palace for myself. He replied: I recall that it was a palace in the beginning. He said to him: by your life! I will build that palace and call it by your name. So too Avraham, Yitzchak and Yaakov were lovers of the Holy One. Avraham called the Holy Temple ‘mountain,’ as it says “On the mountain, the Lord will be seen.” (Genesis 22:14) Yitzchak called it field, as it says “…the fragrance of my son is like the fragrance of a field…” (Genesis 27:27) Yaakov called it ‘house’ even before it was built, as it says “This is none other than the house of God…” (Genesis 28:17) The Holy One said to him: by your life! You called it a house before it was built and I will call it by your name, as it says “Come, let us go up to the Lord's mount, to the house of the God of Jacob…” (Isaiah 2:3) So too Jeremiah said “So said the Lord: Behold I am returning the captivity of the tents of Jacob…” (Jeremiah 30:18) So too Asaf decorated his words and only recalled the God of Yaakov with a trumpet blast, as it says “…sound the shofar to the God of Jacob.” (Psalms 81:2)

“O Lord, You have been our dwelling place throughout all generations.” (Tehillim 90:1) R’ Yitzchak said ‘from that which the Scripture says “…which are the abode for the God Who precedes all…” (Devarim 33:27) we could not know if the Holy One is the dwelling place of the world, or if the world is His abode, until Moshe came and explained it ‘You have been our dwelling place throughout all generations.’ R’ Yosi bar Halifta said ‘we could not know if the Holy One is dependent on His world or His world is dependent on Him, until the Holy One came and explained “…Behold, there is a place with Me…” (Shemot 33:21) This means that He is the place of the world and the world is not His place, therefore the world is dependent on Him and He is not dependent on His world. R’ Huna said in the name of R’ Ami ‘why is the Holy One called ‘place’? Because He is the place of His world, as it says “…Behold, there is a place with Me…” (Shemot 33:21) Avraham called Him ‘place,’ as it says “And Abraham named that place, The Lord will see…” (Bereshit 22:14) Yaakov called Him ‘place,’ as it says “And he was frightened, and he said, "How awesome is this place!” (Bereshit 28:17) Moshe called Him ‘place,’ as it says “…Behold, there is a place with Me…” (Shemot 33:21) [Another explanation - why is He called ‘place’? Because anywhere the righteous are standing, there He is found with them, as it says “Wherever I allow My name to be mentioned, I will come to you and bless you.” (Shemot 20:21) So too it says “And he arrived at the place and lodged there…” (Bereshit 28:11)

... Another version. The Rabbis said the minimum number that the word ‘stones’ can refer to is two, and Yaakov woke up in the morning and found that they were one. He was in great fear and said ‘the house of the Holy One is in this place and I was not conscious of His Presence’ as it says “And he was afraid and said, How dreadful is this place! This is no other than the house of Gd…” (Bereshit 28:17) From here they said that anyone who prays in Jerusalem is as if they pray before the Throne of Glory, because the gate of heaven is there; and an open door to hear prayer, as it says “…and this is the gate of heaven. (ibid.) Yaakov went back to gather the stones and he found that they were one stone. Yaakov took the stone and placed it as a monument in the midst of the place and oil descended from heaven for him and he pour it out on the stone, as it says “…and he poured oil on top of it.” (Bereshit 28:18) What did the Holy One do? He took its right foot, sank it to the deepest depths and made it a keystone for the earth, like a man who places a keystone in an arch. Therefore it is called foundation stone, because there is the navel of the world and from there the world was opened out. And upon it is the palace of Gd, as it says “And this stone, which I have placed as a monument, shall be a house of God…” (Bereshit 28:22) And Yaakov fell to the ground before the foundation stone, praying before the Holy One, and said ‘Master of the World! If you bring me back to this place in peace, then I will sacrifice before you whole offerings and thanksgiving offerings!’ as it says, “And Jacob uttered a vow, saying…” (Bereshit 28:20) He vowed and he fulfilled his vow. From there he picked up his feet (to go) and there he left the well, because the well had been going before him, and in the blink of an eye came to Haran as it says, [“Now Jacob lifted his feet…” (Bereshit 29:10)] “And Jacob left Be’er Sheva, and he went to Haran.” (Bereshit 28:10) About him the tradition says, “When you walk, your step will not be constrained, and if you run, you will not stumble.” (Mishle 4:12) R’ Abahu said in the name of R’ Yochanan – the angels carried him as it says, “On [their] hands they will bear you…” (Tehillim 91:12) Ya’akov’s steps were not constrained and his strength did not falter and like a mighty man he rolled back the stone from off of the mouth of the well. Then the well rose up and overflowed and the shepherds were astounded because all together they were unable to roll off the stone and he did it alone as it says, “…that Jacob drew near and rolled the rock off…” (Bereshit 29:10)

(Devarim, Ibid.) "He (the L-rd) hovers over it": This is the first Temple. "all the day": This is the ultimate Temple. "and between his (Benjamin's) shoulders (i.e., in a slight depression on the highest part of Benjamin's land) does it (the Temple) dwell": built and finished in time to come. And thus do you find with Abraham: that he saw it built, and he saw it in ruins, and he saw it built (again), viz. (Bereshith 22:14) "And Abraham called the name of that place 'The L-rd will see'" — built; "of which (place) it will be said (in future generations) 'On this day in the mountain' — in ruins; 'the L-rd shall appear'" — built and finished in time to come. And thus do you find with Isaac: that he saw it built, and he saw it in ruins, and he saw it built (again), viz. (Ibid. 27:27) "See, the smell of my son is like the (pleasing) smell (of the sacrifices)" — built; "field" — in ruins, viz. (Michah 3:12) "Therefore, because of you, Zion will be plowed over like a field"; "which the L-rd has blessed" — built and finished in time to come, viz. (Psalms 133:3) "For there the L-rd has commanded the blessing — life forever!" And thus do you find with Jacob: that he saw it built, and he saw it in ruins, and he saw it built and finished in time to come, viz. (Bereshith 28:17) "And he feared and he said: 'How awesome is this place' — built; 'This is not' — in ruins; 'other than the house of G-d'" — built and finished in time to come.

... Another reading: “Comfort, oh comfort My people” (Isaiah 40:1) Said the Holy Blessed One: Who needs to be comforted? For one whose wife died, not the husband? Thus was Zion analogized - “He has made me dwell in darkness, Like those long dead” (Lamentations 3:6). Is it not Me who you need to comfort ‘Comfort Me Comfort Me My people’? Similarly, to what may this matter be compared? To one whose two children were taken captive during their father’s life. To whom do we offer comfort, not to the father? So too, “My children have gone forth from me And are no more” (Jeremiah 10:20). Similarly, to what may this matter be compared? To one whose house burned down. To whom do we offer comfort, not to the owner of the house? So this must be the Holy Blessed One, whose house was burned down, as it says: “He burned the House of the LORD” (Kings II 25:9). Similarly, to what may this matter be compared? To one whose vineyards were cut down. Do we not offer comfort to the owner of the vineyard? So too, “For the vineyard of the LORD of Hosts Is the House of Israel” (Isaiah 5:7). And similarly, to what may this matter be compared? To a shepherd whose flocks were ravaged by a lion. To whom do we offer comfort, not to the shepherd? So too, “My people were lost sheep” (Jeremiah 50:6). Nevertheless, go and appease the House of Israel — immediately, all of the prophets enter and approach her. And she says to them: “Why then do you offer me empty consolation? Of your replies only the perfidy remains.” (Job 21:34) Rabbi Abba bar Kahana said: Do your words need polishing? Until this moment my ears have been filled with the chastisements that you have rebuked me with, and now you come to comfort me?? Hosea walked to comfort her. He said: The Holy Blessed One send me to you to comfort you. She said to him: what do you have [in your hand]? He said to her: “I will be to Israel like dew” (Hosea 14:6). She said: yesterday you told me “Ephraim is stricken, Their stock is withered; They can produce no fruit” (9:16) and now you say thus to me — which should I believe, the first or the second?? Joel walked to comfort her. He said: The Holy Blessed One send me to you to comfort you. She said to him: what do you have [in your hand]? He said to her: “And in that day, The mountains shall drip with wine” (Joel 4:18). She said: yesterday you told me “Wake up, you drunkards, and weep, Wail, all you swillers of wine— For the new wine that is denied you!” (1:5) and now you say thus to me — which should I believe, the first or the second?? Amos walked to comfort her. He said: The Holy Blessed One send me to you to comfort you. She said to him: what do you have [in your hand]? He said to her: “In that day, I will set up again the fallen booth of David” (Amos 9:11). She said: yesterday you told me “Fallen, not to rise again, Is Maiden Israel” (5:2) and now you say thus to me — which should I believe, the first or the second?? Micah walked to comfort her. He said: The Holy Blessed One send me to you to comfort you. She said to him: what do you have [in your hand]? He said to her: “Who is a God like You, Forgiving iniquity And remitting transgression” (Micah 7:18). She said: yesterday you told me “All this is for the transgression of Jacob, And for the sins of the House of Israel” (1:5) and now you say thus to me — which should I believe, the first or the second?? Nahum walked to comfort her. He said: The Holy Blessed One send me to you to comfort you. She said to him: what do you have [in your hand]? He said to her: “Never again shall scoundrels invade you” (Nahum 2:1). She said: yesterday you told me “The base plotter Who designed evil against the LORD Has left you” (1:11) and now you say thus to me — which should I believe, the first or the second?? Habakuk walked to comfort her. He said: The Holy Blessed One send me to you to comfort you. She said to him: what do you have [in your hand]? He said to her: “You have come forth to deliver Your people, To deliver Your anointed” (Habakuk 3:13). She said: yesterday you told me “How long, O LORD, shall I cry out And You not listen, Shall I shout to You, “Violence!” And You not save?” (1:2) and now you say thus to me — which should I believe, the first or the second?? Zephaniah walked to comfort her. He said: The Holy Blessed One send me to you to comfort you. She said to him: what do you have [in your hand]? He said to her: “At that time, I will search Jerusalem with lamps [And I will punish the men Who rest untroubled on their lees]” (Zephaniah 1:12). She said: yesterday you told me “A day of darkness and deep gloom” (1:15) and now you say thus to me — which should I believe, the first or the second?? Hagai walked to comfort her. He said: The Holy Blessed One send me to you to comfort you. She said to him: what do you have [in your hand]? He said to her: “while the seed is still in the granary, and the vine, fig tree, pomegranate, and olive tree have not yet borne fruit. For from this day on I will send blessings” (Hagai 2:19). She said: yesterday you told me “You have sowed much and brought in little” (1:6) and now you say thus to me — which should I believe, the first or the second?? Zecharia walked to comfort her. He said: The Holy Blessed One send me to you to comfort you. She said to him: what do you have [in your hand]? He said to her: “and I am very angry with those nations” (Zecharia 1:15). She said: yesterday you told me “The LORD was very angry with your fathers.” (1:2) and now you say thus to me — which should I believe, the first or the second?? Malachi walked to comfort her. He said: The Holy Blessed One send me to you to comfort you. She said to him: what do you have [in your hand]? He said to her: “And all the nations shall account you happy, for you shall be the most desired of lands—said the LORD of Hosts.” (Malachi 3:12). She said: yesterday you told me “I take no pleasure in you” (1:10) and now you say thus to me — which should I believe, the first or the second?? The Holy Blessed One said to Avraham: Walk, comfort Jerusalem — maybe she will receive comfort from you. Avraham walked and said to her: receive comfort from me. She said to him: How can I receive comfort from you when you made me [Jerusalem] like a mountain, as it says: “On the mount of God there is vision” (Genesis 22:14)? Yitzchak walked and said to her: receive comfort from me. She said to him: How can I accept comfort from you, from whom Eisav the Wicked emerged who made me a field and whose sons burned me with fire? Yaakov walked and said to her: receive comfort from me. She said to him: How can I accept comfort from you, who made me as if I didn’t exist “This is none other than the abode of God’ (Genesis 28:17)? Moshe walked and said to her: receive comfort from me. She said to him: How can I accept comfort from you, who wrote curses and harsh decrees about me, as it is written: “Wasting famine, ravaging plague” (Deuteronomy 32:24)? Immediately, they all walked before the Holy Blessed One and said: Master of the Universe — she does not accept our comfortings, as it is written: “Unhappy, storm-tossed one, uncomforted!” (Isaiah 54:11). The Holy Blessed One said: I and you shall walk to comfort her, i.e. “Comfort O comfort my people” — ‘Comfort Her, O comfort her, my people.’ It is not fitting that anyone but me should walk, because I have transgressed what it written in the Torah: “you must not work your firstling ox” (Deuteronomy 15:19) and Israel I called “My first-born son” (Exodus 4:22) and I told them “Put your necks under the yoke of the king of Babylon” (Jeremiah 27:12). I wrote in my Torah: “You shall not hate your kinsfolk in your heart” (Leviticus 19:17) and I hated her — therefore it is upon me to appease her. I wrote in my Torah: “You shall not turn over to his master a slave” (Deuteronomy 23:16) and I passed them over to idol-worshippers, as it says: “Unless their Rock had sold them, The LORD had given them up” (Deuteronomy 32:30). I wrote in my Torah: “you shall not reap all the way to the edges of your field” (Leviticus 19:9) and I vented [play of the word for “reap”] my anger upon them, as it says: “The LORD vented all His fury” (Lamentations 4:11). I wrote in my Torah: “he who started the fire must make restitution (Exodus 22:5), and I ignited her on fire, as it says: “From above He sent a fire” (Lamentations 1:13), and I will build a fire in the future, as it says: “And I Myself—declares the LORD—will be a wall of fire all around it” (Zechariah 2:9). Immediately, the Holy Blessed One walked to her and said: My Daughter, why all of this anger? She said before God: Master of the Universe, is it not justified that I be angry — you dispersed me among the nations, and cursed me with evil curses, and whipped me until my face looked like the rim of the caldron, and despite all of this I sanctified Your great name! The Holy Blessed One said to her: corresponding to the meritorious deeds you did there are accounts that must be repaid, as you transgressed what is written in the Torah: “Honor your father and mother” (Exodus 20:12), and regarding you it is written: “Fathers and mothers have been humiliated within you” (Ezekiel 22:7); it is written: “Whoever sheds the blood of man [By man shall his blood be shed]” (Genesis 9:6), and regarding you it is written: “Base men in your midst were intent on shedding blood” (Ezekiel 22:9); it is written: “You shall not murder; you shall not commit adultery” (Exodus 20:13), and regarding you it is written: “[False] swearing, dishonesty, and murder, And theft and adultery are rife” (Hosea 4:2). She said before God: Master of the Universe, since you dispersed me among the nations, is it not justified that I not keep Shabbat and fulfill your mitzvot? God said to her: My Daughter, the time has come to be redeemed. Immediately, she said before God: Master of the Universe, I shall nor be comforted until you show me those same wicked people who caused me to suffer and disgraced Your name. Immediately God said to her: My Daughter, I will surely bring them and exact revenge from them in front of you until they are eating their own flesh, as it says: “I will make your oppressors eat their own flesh, They shall be drunk with their own blood as with wine. And all mankind shall know That I the LORD am your Savior, The Mighty One of Jacob, your Redeemer” (Isaiah 49:26). Immediately she said: Who shall give You to me like a brother? Like which brother — like Cain to Hevel, he killed him; like Yishmael to Yitzchak, he hated him; like Eisav to Yaakov, he also hated him; like Yosef’s brothers to Yosef, they also hated him; rather like Yosef to his brothers, [you find] after all of the troubles they put him through, it is written: “And so, fear not. I will sustain you and your children.” Thus he reassured them, speaking kindly to them” (Genesis 50:21), and we know this from a kal va’chomer: If Yosef could speak to his brothers kind and comforting words, then when the Holy Blessed One came to comfort Jerusalem, all the more so. You find that everything that Jeremiah smote, Isaiah cam and healed. Jeremiah said: “There is none to comfort her” (Lamentations 1:2), Isaiah came and healed: “Comfort, oh comfort My people” (Isaiah 40:1).