"And Jacob awoke...How dreadful is this place"

Synopsis

The Patriarch Jacob awakens at the future site of the Temple. As Jacob recognizes the power of the sacred ground, great spiritual Light is revealed to him.

Relevance

Sometimes a simple observation conveys more than many words can describe. Such is the case with this passage. Suffice it to say that our souls tread the sacred ground upon which Jacob slept, and upon which the Temple stood.

Holy Name Jacob Samuel Shechinah

64. "And Jacob awoke out of his sleep, and he said, Surely Hashem is in this place; and I knew it not" (Beresheet 28:16). HE ASKS, It is a wonder that he did not conceive such great knowledge. HE ANSWERS, The meaning of "and I (Heb. anochi) knew it not" is similar to the meaning of the verse, "and I have not made supplications to Hashem" (I Shmuel 13:12). THAT IS, "I KNEW IT NOT" ARE WORDS OF UNION AND DEVOTION, AS ARE THE WORDS, "I HAVE NOT MADE SUPPLICATION." Jacob said, This was all revealed to me, though I have not attentively searched to know THE HOLY NAME Anochi ('I'), WHICH IS THE SHECHINAH, and come under the wings of the Shechinah to become a whole man.

64. וַיִּיקַץ יַעֲקֹב מִשְּׁנָתוֹ וַיֹּאמֶר אָכֵן יֵשׁ ה' בַּמָּקוֹם הַזֶּה וְאָנֹכִי לֹא יָדַעְתִּי. וְכִי תְּוָוהָא הוּא דְּלָא יָדַע. אֶלָּא מַאי וְאָנֹכִי לֹא יָדָעְתִּי, כד"א וּפְנֵי ה' לֹא חִלִּיתִי. אֲמַר, וְכִי כָּל הַאי אִתְגְּלֵי לִי, וְלָא אִסְתַּכַּלְנָא לְמִנְדַע אָנֹכִי, וּלְמֵיעַל תְּחוֹת גַּדְפֵי דִשְׁכִינְתָּא, לְמֶהֱוֵי שְׁלִים.

Grades Jacob Light Marriage Rebecca Shechinah Tents Tetragrammaton Yud Hei Vav Hei (YHVH)

65. Come and behold. It is written, "and she said, If it be so, why am I (anochi) thus" (Beresheet 25:22). Rivkah beheld the light of the Shechinah daily because the Shechinah was in her tent where she prayed. When Rivkah began to experience the pains of childbirth, it is written, "And she went to inquire of Hashem (Yud Hei Vav Hei)" (Beresheet 25:22). She went from the grade of Anochi ('I') to the other grade of Yud Hei Vav Hei. SO ANOCHI IS A NAME OF THE SHECHINAH. Therefore, Jacob said, 'I have seen so much, yet did not know I...' (anochi). This is because he was not married and did not yet come under the wings of the Shechinah.

65. תָּא חֲזֵי, כְּתִיב וַתֹּאמֶר אִם כֵּן לָמָּה זֶה אָנֹכִי, כָּל יוֹמָא וְיוֹמָא, חָמַאת רִבְקָה נְהוֹרָא דִשְׁכִינְתָּא, דְּהַוְיָא שְׁכִינְתָּא בְּמַשְׁכְּנָהָא, וְצַלִּיאַת תַּמָּן. כֵּיוָן דְּחָמַאת עָאקוּ דִּילָהּ בִּמְעָהָא, מַה כְּתִיב וַתֵּלֶךְ לִדְרשׁ אֶת ה,' נָפְקַת מִדַּרְגָּא דָא, לְדַרְגָּא אָחֳרָא, דְּאִיהוּ הוי"ה. בְּגִינֵי כָךְ אֲמַר יַעֲקֹב, וְכִי כָּל כָּךְ חָמֵינָא, וְאָנֹכִי לֹא יָדַעְתִּי, בְּגִין דַּהֲוָה בִּלְחוֹדוֹי, וְלָא עָאל תְּחוֹת גַּדְפֵי דִשְׁכִינְתָּא.

Brit (Covenant) Covenant (Brit) Fear Shechinah

Blessing Body Fear Flow Gates Heaven House Nukva

67. Although these are two aspects, YESOD AND MALCHUT, they are actually the same. He said, "this is none other than the house of Elohim." 'This,' WHICH IS YESOD,' must not be neglected; "this" should not be left alone. Its existence is no other than the house of Elohim, WHICH IS THE NUKVA, with which it unites to produce offspring and to pour blessings upon her from all the organs of the body. For this, WHICH IS YESOD, is the gate to the entire body, WHICH IS TIFERET, as the scripture reads, "and this is the gate of heaven" (Beresheet 28:17). THAT IS, TIFERET IS CALLED BOTH 'BODY' AND 'HEAVEN.' Assuredly, this is the gate to the body by which blessings flow down TO THE NUKVA. It is attached above TO HEAVEN, WHICH IS TIFERET, and attached below TO THE NUKVA, WHICH IS CALLED 'PLACE,' AND ALSO 'THE HOUSE OF ELOHIM.' HE EXPLAINED, It is attached above, as it is written, "And this is the gate of heaven," AS YESOD IS THE GATE OF TIFERET, WHICH IS CALLED 'HEAVEN.' It is attached below, as it is written, "this is no other than the house of Elohim," WHICH MEANS THAT THIS, YESOD, IS FOUND ONLY IN THE HOUSE OF ELOHIM, WHICH IS THE NUKVA. Therefore, "he was afraid, and said, How dreadful is this place." THE PLACE IS THE NUKVA, AND "THIS" IS YESOD. But men disregard the preciousness OF YESOD, of being perfected through it. The father of the young man went to him and kissed him.

67. וְאַף עַל גָּב דְּאִינְהוּ תְּרֵי סִטְרֵי, חַד הוּא. אֲמַר אֵין זֶה כִּי אִם בֵּית אֱלֹהִים, אֵין זֶה, לְמֶהֱוֵי בָּטֵיל. אֵין זֶה, לְאִשְׁתַּכְּחָא בִּלְחוֹדוֹי, קְיָימָא דִילֵיהּ לָאו אִיהוּ, אֶלָּא בֵּית אֱלֹהִים, לְאִשְׁתַּמְּשָׁא בֵּיהּ, וּלְמֶעְבַּד בֵּיהּ פֵּירִין, וְלַאֲרָקָא בֵּיהּ בִּרְכָאן, מִכָּל שָׁיְיפֵי גוּפָא, דְּהַאי הוּא תַּרְעָא, דְּכָל גּוּפָא, הה"ד וְזֶה שַׁעַר הַשָּׁמָיִם, דָּא תַּרְעָא דְגוּפָא וַדַּאי, תַּרְעָא אִיהוּ, לַאֲרָקָא בִּרְכָאן לְתַתָּא, אָחִיד לְעֵילָא, וְאָחִיד לְתַתָּא. אָחִיד לְעֵילָא, דִּכְתִיב וְזֶה שַׁעַר הַשָּׁמָיִם. לְתַתָּא, דִּכְתִיב אֵין זֶה כִּי אִם בֵּית אֱלֹהִים. וְעַל דָּא וַיִּירָא וַיֹּאמַר מַה נּוֹרָא הַמָּקוֹם הַזֶּה, וּבְנֵי נָשָׁא לָא מַשְׁגְּחָן בִּיקָרָא דְּבֵיהּ, לְמֶהֱוֵי בֵּיהּ שְׁלִים, לְעֵילָא וְתַתָּא. אֲתָא אֲבוֹי וּנְשָׁקֵיהּ.

Marriage Wisdom

68. אֲמַר רִבִּי יִצְחָק, כַּד מִלִּין אִינוּן שְׁמַעְנָא מִפּוּמֵיהּ בָּכֵינָא, וַאֲמֵינָא בְּרִיךְ רַחֲמָנָא, דְּלָא בָּטֵיל מֵעַלְמָא, חָכְמְתָא עִלָּאָה. אָזְלִינָא עִמְּהוֹן עַד תְּלַת פַּרְסֵי, עַד דְּעָאֳלָנָא עִמְּהוֹן לְמָתָא. לָא סְפִיקוּ לְמֵיעַל, עַד דְּשִׁדֵּךְ הַהוּא בַּר נַשׁ לִבְרֵיהּ, וְאָמְרֵי לֵיהּ, מִלָּיךְ לָא יְהוֹן לְבַטָּלָה.

Ladder Wisdom

69. אֲמֵינָא, הָא דַּאֲמַר רִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן, דְּמִלִּין אִלֵּין, כֻּלְּהוּ בְּרָזָא דְחָכְמְתָא נִינְהוּ, וּלְאַחֲזָאָה מִלִּין אָחֳרָנִין. כַּד סַדַּרְנָא מִלִּין קַמֵּיהּ דְּר' שִׁמְעוֹן, אָמַר לוֹ, לָא תֵימָא דְּמִלִּין אִלֵּין, דִּינוּקָא נִינְהוּ, אֶלָּא מִלִּין דְּרָזִין עִלָּאִין נִינְהוּ, וְכֹלָּא בְּרָזָא דְּחָכְמְתָא רְשִׁימִין.