Komentaryong Sumisipi para sa Mga Awit 102:15

what is a straight path that a person should cling to: From all of the good and straight paths that a person should cling to. He means to say to cling to one trait, to be complete with it. As it is better for a person to grab one trait in full - that it become easy for him to reach all of the important traits via it - than his being someone with [attempted mastery of] many traits and he is not complete in any one of them. And this is that which Rabbi Eliezer said, A good eye: He means to say the trait of generosity, which is a fine and praiseworthy trait. And once he is at the peak of generosity, he will certainly reach the other virtues - as this trait [comes] to him because of a broad heart and a good eye. And a person like this is fit for every good trait, and this is what is written (Proverbs 14:21)," he who shows pity (mechonen) for the lowly is happy." This means to say that the humble are the ones that find favor in his eyes and [so] he gives to them with a good eye. [This is like] the usage (Psalms 102:15), "and they will cherish (mechonen) its dust" - that the dust of the Land of Israel will find favor in their eyes.

FORASMUCH AS I HAVE SEEN THY FACE. Jacob said to him: “Take my present from me because I have seen your face, which to me is as one seeth the sight of an angel, ‘vatirtzeini’ (and thou wast pleased with me), as you indicated by accepting the present,” just as G-d ‘rotzeh’ (taketh pleasure) in them that fear Him,⁸⁰Psalms 147:11. by accepting their offerings and sacrifices. This is similar to the verses: ‘Venirtzah’ (And it shall be favourably accepted) for him;⁸¹Leviticus 1:4. Their burnt-offerings and their sacrifices shall be ‘leratzon’ (acceptable) upon Mine altar,⁸²Isaiah 56:7. this being associated with the expressions: Let him be ‘retzui’ (the favoured) of his brethren,⁸³Deuteronomy 33:24. And the light of Thy countenance, for ‘ratzitham’ (Thou wast favourable to them),⁸⁴Psalms 44:4. For Thy servants ‘ratzu’ (take pleasure) in her stones.⁸⁵Ibid., 102:15. All these forms of ratzah connote desire and pleasure in a matter. But Rashi wrote, “Because you have agreed to pardon my offense. Vatirtzeini, you are reconciled with me.” But I have already said⁸⁶Above, 32:21. that it was not advisable for Jacob to bring iniquity to remembrance.⁸⁷See Ezekiel 21:28.

“And he took from the stones of the place and put them at his head, etc.” After he realized that this place would become the House of God which dims the sun’s orbit, he therefore took from the stones of the place and placed them as protection for his head, to demonstrate the beloved holiness upon them, as it is written For Your servants desire its stones (Psalms 102:15). He took 12 stones corresponding to the 12 tribes, as it appears in the Midrash (Bereishit Rabbah 68:11), and the stones quarreled, each one saying “Upon me shall the righteous one rest his head,” until they became one stone. This hints to the future, as written by the Guide for the Perplexed, that the Holy One Blessed be He concealed the location that would become the place of the Temple and the King’s palace so there wouldn’t be quarreling between the tribes, as each tribe would desire that holy place. For the sake of peace it was said that the Lord will choose from all your tribes (Deuteronomy 12:5) and it is written only in the place that the Lord will choose in one of your tribes (Deuteronomy 12:14). How so? When David bought the threshing floor from Araunah the Jebusite, he collected money from all the tribes, as Rashi explains there. Therefore, this quarrel that occurred between the stones which ultimately became one stone was a sign and marker for the future, that likewise there would be a quarrel between the crown stones — the 12 tribes of God — as each tribe would say “upon me shall the Righteous One of the world rest His head,” referring to the Temple, about which it is said From the beginning, exalted, was the place of our sanctuary (Jeremiah 17:12). Eventually they became one stone through David collecting gold from all of them. Regarding this stone, it was said about the Second Temple And he shall bring forth the headstone (Zechariah 4:7), meaning the very stone that was at Jacob’s head was brought forth to establish God’s Temple. Jacob made it into a bed to lie upon, to be a sign that this would be “the bed of Solomon” — the king to whom peace belongs — as Rashi explains in Song of Songs on the verse Behold, it is Solomon’s bed (Song of Songs 3:7).