Мидраш к Берешит 28:11

And Jacob went out from Beer-sheba (Gen. 28:10). May it please our master to teach us where a man who has unintentionally taken the life of another man may take refuge. Thus do our masters teach us: A man who has unintentionally killed another person may take refuge either in one of the three cities of refuge in Trans-Jordan or in one of the three cities in Canaan.¹The three cities of refuge on the other side of the Jordan were Bezer in the territory of Reuben, Ramouth in the territory of Gad, and Golan in the territory of Manasseh; the cities in Canaan were Kadesh in the territory of Naphtali, Shechem in Ephraim, and Hebron in Judah. Our patriarch Jacob took refuge in Haran. He fled there because he feared that his wicked brother, Esau, would slay him. When the Holy One, blessed be He, saw that Jacob was deeply distressed, He appeared before him in a dream. R. Abahu said in the name of R. Simeon the son of Lakish: As soon as the stones beneath his head beheld the glory of the Holy One, blessed be He, they dissolved into each other and formed one stone. Whence do we know this? Before he went to sleep, Scripture states: He took stones of the place (Gen. 28:11), but after he awakened, it is written: He took the stone (ibid., v. 18).

Another interpretation (of Gen. 28:10): AND JACOB SET OUT. This text is related (to Prov. 6:22): WHEN YOU WALK, IT (your father's commandment and your mother's torah) WILL GUIDE YOU. This refers to Jacob, who had been occupied with Torah when he set out from his father's house, and he did not leave it behind. Thus it is stated (ibid., cont.): IN YOUR LYING DOWN, IT WILL WATCH OVER YOU. When? (In Gen. 28:11:) THEN HE TOOK ONE OF THE STONES OF THE PLACE, [SET IT UNDER HIS HEAD, AND LAY DOWN IN THAT PLACE]. When he lay down, it guarded him. (Prov. 6:22, cont.:) AND WHEN YOU AWAKEN, IT WILL CONVERSE WITH YOU. [(Gen. 28:16:) THEN JACOB AWAKENED FROM HIS SLEEP.]

Another interpretation (of I Sam. 2:9): HE SHALL PROTECT THE FEET OF HIS SAINTS. This refers to Jacob, when he set out to go to Haran; for the Holy One said this to him (in Gen. 28:15): SEE, I AM WITH YOU. (Ibid., cont.:) BUT THE WICKED SHALL PERISH IN DARKNESS. This refers to Esau, of whom it is stated (in Job 20:26): UTTER DARKNESS AWAITS HIS TREASURES; < AN UNFANNED FIRE SHALL CONSUME HIM >…. (Obad. 18:) THE HOUSE OF JACOB SHALL BE FIRE … AND THE HOUSE OF ESAU SHALL BE STRAW; < THEY SHALL BURN IT AND CONSUME IT >. When Esau set out to pursue Jacob, it was for ten hours that the Holy One concealed the day and made it evening. Accordingly, it is stated (in Gen. 28:11): WHEN HE CAME ACROSS A CERTAIN PLACE, < HE SPENT THE NIGHT THERE BECAUSE THE SUN HAD SET >. So Esau remained in the darkness and did not know where he was going. Thus it is stated (in I Sam. 2:9): BUT THE WICKED SHALL PERISH IN DARKNESS. Why? (Ibid., cont.:) BECAUSE ONE SHALL NOT PREVAIL BY STRENGTH. The Holy One said to him: Perhaps you think you are mighty! And in the world to come he (the Holy One) is also acting for Israel. Thus it is stated (in Ps. 97:11): LIGHT IS SOWN FOR THE RIGHTEOUS. It also says (in Prov. 4:18f.): BUT THE PATH⁶The Buber text has or (LIGHT) here instead orah (PATH). PATH not only fits better into the context, but also represents the traditional biblical text. OF THE RIGHTEOUS IS LIKE LUMINOUS SPLENDOR…. < BUT THE WAY OF THE WICKED IS LIKE DEEP DARKNESS; THEY DO NOT KNOW ON WHAT THEY WILL STUMBLE >. And if you have some doubts (about such treatment of the wicked), it has already happened in this world (to the Egyptians), as stated (in Exod. 10:23): NOR COULD ONE SEE HIS BROTHER.⁷As most translations recognize, the passage simply means that the Egyptians could not see each other under the plague of darkness; however, the midrash understands the Hebrew more literally as a parallel to Esau not being able to see his brother Jacob.