Rabbi Avraham Brandwein of Yerushalayim

12.28.03
Parshas Va'yay'tzay

With the help of Heaven

In our Parsha, it is told how Yaakov fled from Be’air Sheva to Charan, after his brother Aisav wanted to kill him, because he stole from him the blessings, through trickery. On the way to Charan, Yaakov laid down in the place where the Holy Temple would be built. It is told, that he placed (twelve) stones under his head, and after the stones argued upon whom the Tzaddik would rest his head, the stones became one stone. At the time when he arrived in the evening, as the verse says, “For the sun was setting,” he established the Maariv (evening) prayer.

There is a rule: “The actions of the fathers are a sign for the children.” Whatever the Forefathers did are signposts for what will occur throughout the generations to the Children of Israel. Yaakov’s leaving of the land Israel hinted to the exile of the Bnai Yisroel. Therefore, it says, “He laid down, since the sun was setting,” since the Galus is also the aspect of “night.” The stones which were arguing amongst each other, in the place of the Holy of Holies, hints to the two destructions of the First and second Temples. It is known that the two Holy Temples correspond to Avraham and Yitzchak. Avraham called the place of the Temple a “mountain.” Yitzchak called it a “field.” However, the third Temple which corresponds to Yaakov, is the eternal Third Temple, so Yaakov called it a “house,” as is written in our Parsha, “This is nothing but the House of the Lord.” The prayer, which Yaakov established, which is the prayer of Maariv, has within it the Shema. The reason is that the protection for the Nation of Israel in the exile, amongst the Nations of the World, will only be because of the self-sacrifice to fulfill the Mitzvos. So too the third Temple will only be because of the unity of the Nation of Israel. This is what the Sages of blessed memory hinted to that the stones argued with one another. There were twelve stones corresponding to the twelve tribes. Through their union into one stone, then the Tzaddik could lay down his head. This is as it is written, “That Hakadosh Baruch Hu folded the Land of Israel.” This is coming to hint that the Bnai Yisroel will live on their land in security, only through unity that will be between them. Then also the Shechinah will be able to dwell upon them. This is what is written, “And this stone … will be the House of the Lord.”

The power of Yaakov is in that he is called the “Middle Line”, which unites between the two opposing forces. Therefore, he maintains his existence as is written in Pirkei Avos, “The world stands on three things, Torah, Avodah (Worship) and Good Deeds.” Also, “The world is maintained by three things, Truth, Din (Judgment), and Peace.” Only through maintaining all powers (does the world exist), since each power has its role and each one is needed for the other. Therefore, through unity eternalness is achieved. May it be the Will (of Hashem) that we should soon merit to see the building of the Temple.