The Midrash offers 2 contradictory explanations of the metaphor of the ladder in Yaakov’s dream. This dream took place on the Temple Mount as Yaakov declared “this is the House of G-d and the gateway to Heaven”.
On one hand, the Midrash teaches that the ladder represents the ramp of the Mizbeach, the sacrificial altar. At the same time, the ladder was also a metaphor for the statue in the dream of Nevuchadnezar, the Babylonian king who destroyed the Temple. This statue represented the nations who would exile the Jewish people.
The Kabbalists explain that there are 2 types of ladder. The ladder of Kedusha is one that lifts us up to higher spiritual levels. The ladder of impurity takes us down to the spiritual depths.
The Kohanim ascended the Mizbeach with a ramp, because the Torah states that we may not ascend the Mizbeach with stairs. The sages explain that this was to ensure that the Kohanim would not take large strides (פסיעה גסה). The word גסה also means arrogance.
This is the difference between the 2 ladders.
The ladder of impurity is when our accomplishments lead to arrogance and feelings of superiority. Far from lifting us up, this ladder pulls us down and brings spiritual destruction and exile.
The ladder of holiness is like the ramp of the Mizbeach. On this ladder, our strides are taken with humility and instead of becoming haughty, our accomplishments make us more humble.
