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Parashah Insights by

Rabbi Yaakov Hillel Rosh Yeshivat Ahavat Shalom

Parashat Vayetze

Impressions of Sanctity

A Tzaddik’s Departure “And Yaakov left Beer Sheva, and he went to Haran” (Bereshit 28:10). Rashi, citing the Sages (Bereshit Rabbah 58:6), explains the wording of this

verse. “And he left: it should have said only, ‘and Yaakov went to Haran.’ Why does it

[also] mention his departure [from Beer Sheva]? To teach us that the departure of a righteous individual from a place makes an impression. For when a tzaddik is in a city, he is its glory, its radiance, its beauty. When he leaves there, its glory leaves, its radiance leaves, and its beauty leaves.”

“Glory” refers to good deeds, “radiance” to Torah, and “beauty” to good middot.

When a tzaddik leaves, all these qualities go with him. The holiness of a tzaddik is like a powerful light source. The brilliant illumination of the light itself also casts a more distant aura. When a tzaddik departs, the bright light force is gone, but the aura, a glow of his spiritual light, still lingers on. This glow of sanctity will be there forever, a source of blessing to all who live there.

Why do our Sages say that a tzaddik’s departure leaves behind an impression,

suggesting a positive, tangible presence, rather than saying that when he leaves, there is a lack and his presence is missed?

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The Mekubalim teach that even after a sanctified entity departs from the place

where it was, it leaves an aura of holiness behind in that location (Etz Hayyim, Shaar Kaf-heh, Derush Zayin). The same is true of a righteous individual who studied Torah, prayed, and served Hashem in a certain place. He makes an imprint of sanctity there, which remains even after he leaves.

With this in mind, we can understand an interesting incident recorded by a

student of the Arizal (Toldot HaArizal, p.352). The Arizal would go to learn with his students out in the fields,1 in order to gather the “sparks of holiness” scattered in these out-of-the-way places.2 They noticed that the Arizal always left the beaten paths, and took them instead through tortuous routes, maneuvering over boulders, bushes, tree trunks and thorns. His students wondered. There was a path; why not use it, instead of scrambling over the rocks? When they questioned him, he explained that the paths had been leveled by Arab donkey and camel drivers, who had cleared the road for themselves and their animals. The paths he led them through were paths of holiness, tread by our saintly Forefathers. By walking along them, the Forefathers had permanently imbued them with sanctity. As proof, he cited the verse, “The path of the righteous is like the glow of sunlight, growing brighter until high noon” (Mishle 4:18). The aura left behind by the tzaddikim who walked the road in former times lasts forever, and this was the path the Arizal chose to follow.

A Tzaddik’s Belongings This is true not only of the tzaddik himself, but even of his belongings. Any object

which comes into contact with a tzaddik is elevated spiritually, absorbing the

1 Another reason was that by going to isolated, uninhabited areas, they fulfilled the pious concept of “going into exile,” sharing, as it were, in the “exile” the Divine Presence has endured since the Destruction of the Temple. 2 According to Kabbalistic teachings, there are “sparks of holiness” (nitzotzot) scattered everywhere in our world, which must be retrieved and rectified by studying Torah and fulfilling mitzvot in the remote places where they are located. The Hidda teaches that this is the meaning of the term shakle v’azle, literally “collecting and walking,” which is used in the Gemara (Berachot 18a; Hagigah 5b; Kiddushin 39a; Baba Kama 81b). He explains why the Sages did not simply say azle (walking), but rather shakle v’azle (collecting and walking). The Sages did not take idle walks; while they walked, they were also engaged in spiritual activities, whether discussing or mentally reviewing Torah topics or fulfilling other mitzvot, such as guarding their eyes from impure sights (see Bamidbar 15:39). Through these deeds, they “collected” holy sparks even as they walked (Devash L’Fi, Maarechet Bet, Ot tet-vav).

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impression of sanctity imprinted by his use. The Ramhal discusses this concept in Mesillat Yesharim (Chapter 1).

He writes that it is a great source of spiritual elevation for any created entity to

serve a tzaddik, as we learn from our Sages’ words concerning the light which the Al-mighty preserved for the righteous: “When the light saw that it would be hidden away for the righteous, it rejoiced, as is written (Mishle 13:9), ‘The light of the righteous rejoices’” (Hagigah 12a). The Ramhal also cites the Sages’ teaching about the twelve stones which Yaakov placed around his head at Mt. Moriah: “They all gathered together to one place, and each one said, ‘let the righteous one rest his head on me’” (Hullin 91b).

An early example of this principle is the story of our Forefather Avraham’s

acquisition of the field of Efron the Hittite, the site of the Cave of Machpelah. The Torah describes the transaction in the following words: “Vayakam sedeh Efron … And the field of Efron which was in Machpelah which is before Mamre... became the possession of Avraham” (Bereshit 23:17-18). Rashi explains the significance of the unusual wording vayakam sedeh Efron, literally translated as “the field of Efron was uplifted.” He writes, “Tekumah haytah lo. It was uplifted in that it left the possession of a commoner and became the possession of a king.” The sole change in the property was the transfer of ownership, and yet, once it became the possession of our saintly Forefather Avraham, even a simple plot of ground was spiritually elevated.

An insight from the Hatam Sofer teaches us how very great the impact of an

owner on his belongings can be (Commentary on Bereshit 27:19,36). When Yitzhak grew old, he instructed his son Esav to go out hunting, slaughter an

animal, and prepare a meal for him, so that he would be worthy of the blessing of material wealth. Rivkah, who had a greater awareness of the true spiritual standing of her twin sons, overheard the conversation, and insisted that Yaakov pose as Esav and receive the blessings in his stead. To aid in the impersonation, she had Yaakov wear Esav’s cherished one-of-a-kind clothing. The Hatam Sofer points out that for a tzaddik such as Yaakov, his speech to his father on this occasion was perhaps a bit gruff – he told Yitzhak that he had done what he wanted, and that he should just sit down and eat so that he could get his blessing. In addition, Yaakov, an extremely pious person, spoke in a manner which lent itself to double meanings. Esav, on the other hand, was surprisingly polite when he approached his father to serve him, even addressing him in the third person (Bereshit 27:1-31).

What had happened to make the brothers step out of character like this?

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The Hatam Sofer explains. When Yaakov spoke brusquely to Yitzhak, he was wearing Esav’s clothing. The garments belonging to this wicked man had a negative impact on Yaakov’s behavior. This was precisely Rivkah’s intention in having Yaakov dress up in Esav’s clothing – she wanted him to be able to speak in a deceptive manner. On his own, Yaakov was totally incapable of even the mildest tinge of deception. She knew that she would have to pull him down a few levels, so to speak, in order for him to mislead Yitzhak. The only way this could happen was if he was wearing Esav’s clothing. By the time Yaakov removed them, though, he had imparted some of his own piety and sanctity to the clothing, so that when Esav next put them on, he was moved to speak respectfully to Yitzhak.

Another example involving Yaakov is his overnight stay at Mt. Moriah, the future

site of the Bet HaMikdash, while on his way to Lavan’s home in Haran. Yaakov had just spent fourteen years of intensive study in the yeshivah of Shem and Ever – so intensive, our Sages tell us, that during that entire time, he did not once stretch out in a bed for a good night’s sleep. When he settled down for the night in the open field, he set up twelve stones from the altar erected by Avraham as a protective barrier around his head. One stone would be the “pillow” on which he would rest his head. All the stones began clamoring for the privilege of serving as Yaakov’s pillow, and miraculously, the twelve stones merged into one (Bereshit 28:11, Rashi; Bereshit Rabbah 68:11,13; Hullin 91b).

Our Sages teach that the twelve stones represent the twelve Tribes of Israel

(Bereshit Rabbah 68:11). They combined into one single stone to show that they all shared the same common goal, that of serving the tzaddik Yaakov. The Torah continues, “And Yaakov rose early in the morning, and he took the stone he had placed under his head, and he set it up as a monument and he poured oil over it” (Bereshit 28:18). Centuries later, this stone monument became the foundation stone of the Bet HaMikdash.3

In this case, Yaakov had merely rested his head on the stone while he slept. And

yet, this was enough to instill it with such sanctity that it became the very foundation of our Holy Temple! If he could impart holiness to a mere stone, we can only imagine the lofty sanctity a tzaddik himself acquires through his Torah and mitzvot.

We also find this concept in the teachings of our Sages. They relate the story of

an elderly man from the Galilee who was able to annul a problematic vow made by Rabbi Shimon. When the Sages asked him how he had known what to do, he told them that he was in possession of Rabbi Meir’s staff. Just looking at this holy object had enlightened him with wisdom (Jerusalem Talmud Nedarim 29b).

3 See below, “The Founders of the Sanctuary.”

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With this in mind, we can also understand the events surrounding a halachic

dispute among the Sages. Rabbi Eliezer HaGadol (the Great) ruled one way, and the other Sages ruled the opposite. In an attempt to prove his point, Rabbi Eliezer said, “‘If the halachah is in keeping with my opinion, let the walls of the bet midrash prove it.’ The walls of the bet midrash started tilting downward. Rabbi Yehoshua reprimanded them, saying, ‘If Torah scholars are arguing with one another about a matter of halachah, what is it to you?’ They did not fall because of the honor of Rabbi Yehoshua, and they did not straighten up because of the honor of Rabbi Eliezer” (Baba Metzia 59b).

What sort of proof are “the walls of the bet midrash,” and what relevance do they

have to a halachic dispute? While they obviously could not testify to the truth of a halachic ruling, they could testify to something else: Rabbi Eliezer’s enormous stature as a Torah scholar. The walls of the bet midrash where he had spent so many hours, days, and years in intensive Torah study had absorbed the sanctity of his Torah, so much so that they defied nature and leaned over in his honor, in order to prove his point.

What was true of inanimate objects belonging to our great Sages was also true of

the animals they owned. Our Sages tell us, “If the ancients are sons of angels then we are sons of man (human beings). And if the ancients are sons of man, then we are like donkeys, and not like the donkey of Rabbi Hanina ben Dosa and of Rabbi Pinhas ben Yair, but like other donkeys” (Shabbat 112b). Rabbi Pinhas ben Yair’s donkey was special indeed; our Sages relate that it could tell with just a quick whiff whether or not its fodder had been tithed (Hullin 7a)! The Arizal teaches that simply by riding on it, Rabbi Pinhas ben Yair had elevated a humble animal to an impressive level of spirituality (Shaar HaMitzvot, Parashat Ekev, p. 42a).

As we see, a great tzaddik has the power to imbue even inanimate objects, as

well as living beings, with something of his sanctity.

Imprints of Evil There is a principle that “G-d has made the one corresponding to the other”

(Kohelet 7:14), meaning two opposing forces which parallel one another. Just as the sanctity of the righteous has the power to elevate, so too, the impurity of the wicked has the power to defile and debase.

Our Sages teach that at the time of the Generation of the Flood, mankind’s moral

decay had spread to other living beings as well. Rabbi Yosef Dov Soloveitchik

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explains the verse, “For all flesh has perverted its way upon the earth” (Bereshit 6:12). He cites the Sages’ teaching that the depravity of that era was so widespread that even animals (“all flesh”) had become corrupt, and were mating with creatures outside their own species (Sanhedrin 108a, Bereshit Rabbah 28:8).

He points out that this is very surprising phenomenon. Human beings with free

will may cultivate perverse, abnormal desires, but animals act strictly on instinct. Mating outside their species is contradictory to their natural instincts; how could this behavior have become so widespread among animals, to the point that they were deserving of destruction?

The answer lies in the Gemara’s question later on the same page, which appears

to contradict its earlier statement about the depraved behavior of the animals in that era. It cites the verse, “‘And [Hashem]4 wiped out all that existed on the face of the earth, from man to animal’ (Bereshit 7:23). Although man sinned, what was the sin of the animals?” The Flood was a punishment for man’s degeneracy. Why were the animals punished along with them?

He explains that man’s evil contaminates the atmosphere, actually corrupting the

environment and even other beings. When human beings develop an appetite for perversion, it will spill over to the animal world as well. This is why even the animals were destroyed in the Flood, along with their wicked masters. Now we can understand our Sages’ question. They first say that all beings had sinned, and then ask, “What was the sin of the animals?” They recognized that in the Generation of the Flood, it was not the animals who were responsible for their sins – it was man’s wickedness which had perverted them (Bet HaLevi, Parashat Noah).

Our Sages also describe the devastating extent of the damage wrought by

depravity even on lifeless entities. Before the Flood, “G-d said to Noah, the end of all flesh has come before Me, for the land is full of corruption because of them. I will destroy them from the earth” (Bereshit 6:13). Rashi comments that “from the earth” can also mean “with the earth”; the earth itself would also be destroyed along with mankind. The Sages teach that “even the three handbreadths that the plow penetrates into the earth were destroyed” (Bereshit Rabbah 31:7). The earth was lifeless and obviously incapable of sin, yet it too was affected by the wickedness of its inhabitants. As the Torah tells us, “And the earth had become corrupted before G-d” (Bereshit 6:11), leading to its destruction. Sin literally has the power to contaminate every level of Creation.

4 See Rabbenu Behayye’s commentary on Bereshit 7:1, which explains that the Al-mighty’s Name is not mentioned explicitly in this verse, in order not to associate His Name with destruction.

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In Place We find this principle in another teaching of our Sages as well. “When a person

sins in a closed room, who will testify against him? The walls and the roof” (Taanit 11a). Our actions, carried out in the privacy of our homes, leave an indelible impression on the walls around us. There is no need for them to come to the bet din to testify, so to speak. The very fact that walls are contaminated is testimony to the sin of the owners.

This concept is highlighted in King David’s words, “Happy is the man who did not

walk in the counsel of the wicked, and in the way of the sinners he did not stand, and in a gathering place of scoffers he did not sit” (Tehillim 1:1).

The wording of the verse indicates that it was not only when the sinners and

scoffers were physically present that he stayed away from their haunts. Even after they had left the scene, he still kept his distance, because the imprint of impurity that the wicked impart clings to the location permanently. The power of that entrenched impurity affects those who stand or sit there, even long after they are gone.

Based on this concept, we can explain a teaching of our Sages in Avot which

cites this verse: “Rabbi Hanina ben Teradyon says, two who sit together with no words of Torah between them are considered a gathering of scoffers, as it says, ‘And in a gathering place of scoffers he did not sit’” (3:2). Our Sages’ statement is surprising. How can we imagine two Jews sitting together without sharing words of Torah?

Apparently the location was to blame, as we learn from a later mishnah in the

same chapter: “Ten who sit and engage in Torah, the Divine Presence dwells among them” (Avot 3:6). This mishnah clearly describes the setting of a bet midrash. This must mean that the two who neglected to speak about Torah were not in a bet midrash. It was a chance meeting distinctly outside the study hall, be it at a bus stop or a doctor’s waiting room.

Even so, however, they should have used the opportunity to discuss Torah,

regardless of the fact that this was a chance meeting and not a planned time for Torah study. They did not, making their get-together “a gathering place of scoffers.” The Tanna tells us how this came about: it was specifically because they were seated in “a gathering place of scoffers.” Sometime before these two gentlemen took their seats, the place had been occupied by sinners and scoffers, who defiled it with their evil deeds and words. The bad influence sank in, causing even those who came by later, when they were already gone, to sit idly and waste a golden opportunity for Torah study.

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The Tanna continues, “But two who sit together and there are words of Torah

between them, the Divine Presence resides between them.” When two people sit together and do discuss Torah even outside a bet midrash, it also tells us something about the place where they are sitting: it must be that the Shechinah was already present, brought to dwell there by tzaddikim who sanctified the location with their Torah and mitzvot. Their positive influence still lingers on, and it inspires those who come later to follow in their footsteps.

The “ten who sit and engage in Torah” while in the study hall are doing exactly

what they came for – that is why they are there. And yet, even when people meet in other settings, they should also study Torah together, even if that was not their original intent in going there.

Dedicated by the Akedah As we said, when Yaakov slept on Mt. Moriah, where he had his prophetic dream,

he established it as the future site of the Bet HaMikdash. However, even before Yaakov, Avraham and Yitzhak had consecrated it as the future site of the Mikdash with Akedat Yitzhak (the Binding of Yitzhak). Akedat Yitzhak was an incredibly lofty act of utter dedication to the Al-mighty on the part of our two saintly Forefathers. For each of them, the test was greater than we may realize, because with the Akedah, they were called upon to negate their own nature, the inherent lifelong trait related to the root of their souls.

Avraham was the ish hahesed, the man of lovingkindness; Hesed was his very

essence. At the Akedah, he was commanded to behave cruelly not merely to a fellow human being, but to his beloved, long-awaited only son. What is more, with the act of slaughtering this son he would literally lose everything, for this was the child of whom Hashem had said, “For through Yitzhak you will have your [true] descendents” (Bereshit 21:12). By killing him, he would be severing his sole living branch with his own hands.

There was even more to it than that. Avraham had spent his life educating the

world about the evils of human sacrifice, in particular the unspeakable practice of sacrificing one’s children to the Molech, an infamous idolatrous deity of the times. Now, with a single swipe of the blade, he would destroy his entire way of life, his future, his progeny, and everything he had stood for – in public – throughout his life. Because he was Avraham Avinu, he did it without hesitation, doubt, or question. When it came to fulfilling Hashem’s Will, Avraham, the ish hahesed, was stronger than iron.

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Yitzhak’s primary trait was Gevurah (Might), also known as Din (Strict Judgment).

The trait of Din is expressed in our Sages’ teaching, “let judgment (din) pierce the mountain” (Yevamot 92a). Din does not veer from the straight and narrow path. From the standpoint of Din, there was no reason for Yitzhak to be killed; he certainly did not deserve to die. By Yitzhak’s inherent nature, he should have insisted that he be allowed to live and carry on his mission, without allowing anything whatsoever to sidetrack him from this purpose.

And yet, Yitzhak gave himself up without a second thought, out of sheer love for

the Al-mighty – a supreme act of Hesed. With this most difficult of trials, Avraham and Yitzhak reached the highest levels of perfection, laying the foundation for the building of the Bet HaMikdash. By acting with Din at the akedah, Avraham reached the higher plane of Hesed intertwined with Din. Yitzhak, by responding with Hesed in this most exalted form, reached the level of Din intertwined with Hesed.

To serve Hashem we need both of these attributes, each brought to the fore at

the proper time. In certain circumstances, we must be a fountain of Hesed. In others, we must have the strength to fight for the honor of the Torah. Avraham and Yitzhak each acquired some elements of the characteristic that contradicted their own inherent trait, which elevated them to perfection.

We find this concept in the verse, “and rejoice with trembling” (Tehillim 2:11).

Our joy in serving Hashem must be laced with fearful respect. The Zohar teaches that a mitzvah is only considered a mitzvah if it is fulfilled “with fear and love, and with love and fear.” The two elements combine to produce a perfect mitzvah.

Sanctified with Torah However, the Heavenly Chariot is only complete when it has all three legs.

Yaakov, the third Forefather, also had to lay his own foundations at the site of the Temple.

Yaakov, the “tzaddik of the world” (Avodat HaKodesh, Chapter 64), was the elite

of the Forefathers (Bereshit Rabbah 76:1). Our Sages tell us that “his bed was perfect, [meaning that] all his sons were righteous” (Vayikra Rabbah 36:5), and that “his image is engraved on Hashem’s Throne” (Targum Yonatan, Bereshit 28:12). Even while asleep, Yaakov was able to complete the task begun by Avraham and Yitzhak in their greatest of trials. What was Yaakov’s special spiritual strength?

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Yaakov, the prototype talmid hacham (Torah scholar), was the “perfect man who dwelled in [the] tents” of Torah study (Bereshit 25:27, Rashi). Our Sages teach that he “established tents for Torah study” (Pesikta Rabbati 5). He embodied truth, as we learn from the verse “Grant truth to Yaakov” (Michah 7:20), and “there is no truth other than Torah” (Jerusalem Talmud Rosh Hashanah 3:8). Yaakov was Torah: this was his great spiritual power.

Let us try to understand more about how Yaakov completed the holy task begun

by Avraham and Yitzhak. On his way to Haran and the home of Lavan, Yaakov made a stop to pray at Mt.

Moriah, the holy site where his saintly father and grandfather had prayed. It was still daylight when he concluded his prayers, so he prepared to continue with his journey. Suddenly the world around him turned pitch black, in the middle of the day! The darkness was so thick and heavy that he was unable to travel any further. Hashem had caused the sun to set early in order to detain Yaakov in the place where His Shechinah was destined to dwell (Bereshit 28:11, Rashi; Bereshit Rabbah 58:10).

As we said, during the fourteen years that Yaakov learned in the yeshivah of

Shem and Ever, he had never allowed himself to lie down to sleep. He reached such a high level of sanctity that when he did finally lie down on Mt. Moriah, this act alone made so powerful an impact on the sacred spot that it laid the foundation for the building of the Bet HaMikdash.

While he slept that night, Yaakov was granted the prophetic vision of “a ladder

standing on earth and its head reaching the Heavens, and angels of G-d going up and down upon it” (Bereshit 28:12). Through this dream, he was shown the holiness of the place where he was lying: it had a direct connection to Hashem’s Heavenly Throne. In the words of the Torah, “And behold, Hashem was standing over him” (28:13). This place was the connecting link between Heaven and earth.

Hashem told Yaakov, “I am Hashem, the G-d of Avraham your father and the G-d

ofYitzhak. The land you are lying on I will give to you and to your descendants” (ibid.). The connection between Yaakov and the land already existed, because of the groundwork laid by Avraham and Yitzhak. Now Yaakov, by lying down on that ground, forged the ultimate bond, consecrating it as the future site of the Bet HaMikdash, G-d’s dwelling place on earth.

Our Sages teach that the Al-mighty “folded up” the entire Holy Land, border to

border, including the holy city of Jerusalem and the site of the Temple, and placed it under Yaakov’s head as he slept on Mt. Moriah (Hullin 91b), bringing together the Holy of Holies, the Temple, Jerusalem and Eretz Yisrael at this one spot, the center

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of the world. Eretz Yisrael is the conduit for all the Heavenly influx. All Divine bounty, material and spiritual, is directed to the rest of the world by way of Eretz Yisrael.

Yaakov was on an enormously high spiritual level. He was the “perfect man,” the

living symbol of Torah. He attained the lofty level of “a ladder standing on earth and its head reaching the Heavens, and angels of G-d going up and down upon it.” By sleeping in this sacred location, the site of the Holy of Holies, he brought about a great tikun for the world. Yaakov, the perfect tzaddik, became the link connecting all of Creation to the Al-mighty, the Source of all blessing and sanctity. This power has been passed on from Yaakov to his descendants in all subsequent generations. Through Torah and mitzvot, the Jewish people draw down blessing and sanctity to the whole of Creation.

Our Sages teach that just as there is a Bet HaMikdash on earth, there is a parallel

Bet HaMikdash in Heaven (see Rashi on Bereshit 28:17). The site where Yaakov slept would forever be the junction connecting the two. Through this sacred spot, blessing would descend to earth, to be channeled to Eretz Yisrael and from there, to the rest of the world (Zohar, vol. III, p. 36a). Of this Hashem told him, “and all the families of the earth will be blessed in you” (28:14).

When Yaakov awoke, he understood how very holy this mountain was. He said,

“Indeed G-d is in this place, and I did not know.” Realizing that it was the site of the earthly counterpart of the Heavenly Bet HaMikdash, he continued, “How awesome is this place. It is none other then the House of G-d, and this is the Gateway to Heaven” (28:18)

Yaakov then “took the stone he had placed under his head, and he set it up as a

monument and he poured oil over it” (ibid.). This was the stone formed by the twelve smaller stones which had longed to serve the saintly Yaakov as a pillow while he slept. With the physical act of lifting the stone and dedicating it as an altar to G-d, he established it as the future cornerstone of the Bet HaMikdash, the eternal resting place of the Shechinah.

The power of a Torah scholar’s presence is great enough to found the Bet

HaMikdash, even while he sleeps. Yaakov, who embodied Torah, had only to rest his head on the ground to complete the work of his saintly ancestors.5

5 We may find it surprising that such great spiritual significance is attributed to Yaakov’s act of lying down to sleep, surely a mundane physical function. However, this teaches us an important lesson. Everything a Torah scholar does is imbued with sanctity. Our Sages mention the concept of “the Dew of Resurrection” which Hashem will use to restore the dead to life in the future (Hagigah 12b). That dew will be composed of the moisture that slips out of a weary Torah’s

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The Founders of the Sanctuary The Zohar interprets the verse, “And I, with Your great lovingkindness, shall come

to Your House, I will bow to your Holy Sanctuary in fear of You” (Tehillim 5:8) in relation to the Forefathers: “‘And I, with Your great lovingkindness,’ is Avraham. ‘I will bow to your Holy Sanctuary’ is Yitzhak. ‘In fear of You’ is Yaakov” (Zohar, vol. I p.11a).

What does the Zohar teach us with this statement? The whole world was founded on the Rock of Shetiyah, at the heart of the Bet

HaMikdash. This site on Mt. Moriah is the gateway to Heaven, through which Heavenly influx descends to earth, as our Forefather Yaakov saw in his prophetic dream. Even before Creation, Hashem knew that this would be the place where He would rest His Divine Presence, just as He foresaw everything that would transpire throughout the history of the world.

Nevertheless, it was Hashem’s Will that the site be consecrated specifically by all

three Forefathers. Avraham and Yitzhak dedicated it with the Akedah, when Avraham sacrificed his son and Yitzhak sacrificed his own life. This great act of devotion sanctified it as the place where the Shechinah would dwell on earth, and where sacrifices would be offered and favorably accepted by the Al-mighty.

With the power of his Torah, Yaakov did even more. By sleeping on on the Rock

of Shetiyah at Mt. Moriah, he established it as the site parallel to the Bet HaMikdash on high. This is the meaning of his prophetic dream of “a ladder standing on earth and its head reaching the Heavens.” It was Yaakov who made the Rock of Shetiyah the link connecting Heaven and earth.

Yaakov was the root of human spirituality. The future site of the Holy of Holies is

the root of spirituality in the material world. When Yaakov slept in this sacred spot, he linked the spirituality of man and the spirituality of the earth to Hashem, the ultimate Source of all spirituality.

scholar’s mouth as he falls into an exhausted sleep, because that too is holy (see Tefillat David by the Aderet, p. 94, Piyut Ahavat Nefesh, citing the Sages, note 53).

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Early Impressions In our times, perhaps even more than ever before, this parashah bears a critical

and very relevant lesson. We are inundated with negative influences at every turn. Technology, the media, and sophisticated communications surround us everywhere. The messages they impart and the morals they espouse are antithetical to Torah, and we are constantly exposed. Of spiritual demons our Sages write, “Had permission been granted to see them, no human being would be able to survive it” (Berachot 6a). Today, the very air we breathe is filled with “demons” of another sort: sound waves and visual images which freely transmit the worst of wickedness and heresy to their attentive audiences. Our senses are relentlessly assaulted with impurity, and it makes its mark on us from our earliest days.

We read of our people’s great Torah scholars in earlier eras and we are awed.

They were holy even in their youth, and acquired extensive, in-depth knowledge of all facets of Torah. They achieved great heights in sanctity and refined middot, and attained towering levels of spirituality. And yet, they were also people. How did they climb so high? The answer is simple: they were spared the flood of negative, impure influences which assails our generation.

We also want our children to grow in Torah, middot, and fear of Heaven, please

G-d. We can give them that opportunity, by clearing our homes and our lives of the impure influences which destroy sanctity. If we wonder why some of our children feel little attachment to Torah and fall away from our sacred traditions, G-d forbid, this is the answer. From childhood on, they are filled with impressions and ideas contradictory to Torah values. They do their work and our children are harmed, sometimes even lost entirely, G-d forbid.

We as parents can make a firm commitment to do our very best to guard our

precious children from negative influences. We can see to it that they are exposed only to what is positive and holy. Our homes will become miniature sanctuaries, where we transform the physical and material into spirituality by dedicating them to Torah and mitzvot, achieving the highest form of connection to the Al-mighty. If we do so, then with Hashem’s help, we will be privileged to see great nahat from our sons and daughters.

This essay contains divre Torah. Please treat it with proper respect.