You’re never alone. Remember that when you think no one sees, and when you think no one cares.
(GY:XK TYwARB) „...WYLE BCN ÂH HNHW‰ “And behold Hashem was standing upon it...” (Beraishis 28:13)
Enroute to his uncle Lavan’s home, Yaakov had a dream as he passed the place where the Bais HaMikdash would ultimately be built. In his dream, he saw a ladder, planted on the earth, with its top reaching to the sky. Angels were traveling up and down the ladder, and he perceived Hashem’s presence on it as well.
Though the word ‘alav’ could mean, “upon it,” referring to the ladder, it could also mean, “upon him,” referring to Yaakov. It seemed Hashem was standing over Yaakov. Why? Rashi and others say it was to protect Yaakov.
The angels Hashem had sent to escort Yaakov, had a “changing of the guard.” The angels who accompanied him in the land of Canaan, the land promised to Avraham and Yitzchak, were ascending to Heaven, and other angels were descending in order to accompany Yaakov outside the land. During that time, Yaakov was vulnerable. Therefore, Hashem, Himself, stood by, watching over Yaakov to guard him.
The Ohr HaChaim adds that the word, “upon him,” applies to Yaakov inasmuch as the Avos were the carriers of Hashem’s throne, and Yaakov was leaned upon more heavily than the others because he completed the throne. (As the third generation, Yaakov built on what Avraham and Yitzchak had done before and with his Torah, completed Hashem’s chariot.) Thus, Yaakov felt Hashem “leaning” on him, as it were.
Hashem then told Yaakov that the land upon which he was laying would be given to him and his children, just as it was promised to his father and grandfather. Interestingly, it is this land about which the Torah writes, “always, Hashem, your G-d’s, eyes are upon it.” (Devarim 11:12)
In the place where Hashem promised to give Yaakov the land which had His undivided attention, we find that Hashem gave Yaakov the same attention, guarding over him when the angels could not. What can we learn from this?
Perhaps we can understand just how involved Hashem is with our lives. Not only Yaakov, but each of us, is worthy of the personal attention of Hashem. While the messengers He sends may come and go, Hashem is still there. If we think that a particular person or circumstance will be the vehicle of our salvation, we can become discouraged if they don’t come through or it doesn’t work out. But we shouldn’t. That’s because messengers are just messengers, and Hashem has many more.
Regardless of what the messengers do, it is Hashem, Himself, who is looking after us.
A childless couple came to their Rebbe in tears. They had been married for many years and wanted a child desperately. The Rebbe heard their pleas, and felt very bad for them, but told them, “I’m so sorry, but I can’t help you. I see that you are not destined to have children.”
The husband, a devout follower of the Rebbe, was crushed, but accepted his lot with faith. Not so his wife. Incensed, she said, “Let’s get out of here. We don’t need a Rebbe who tells us we can’t have children. We will go daven to Hashem on our own and we’ll see that He will answer us!”
Indeed, the couple was answered just a few months later when they found out the woman was expecting a child. The Rebbe was right when he said he could not help them, because it was not the Rebbe’s prayers they needed - but their own.
©2024 – J. Gewirtz
