Immediately afterwards, the Torah states:
וַיָּבֹא יַעֲקֹב שָׁלֵם עִיר שְׁכֶם אֲשֶׁר בְּאֶרֶץ כְּנַעַן בְּבֹאוֹ מִפַּדַּן אֲרָם וַיִּחַן אֶת פְּנֵי הָעִיר;
And Yaakov came whole to the city of Shechem, which is in the land of Canaan, when he came from Paddan Aram; and he encamped before the city.
The question arises – what is the meaning of וַיָּבֹא יַעֲקֹב שָׁלֵם? Rashi explains, whole in his body, that he was healed from his limp; whole in his money, that nothing was lacking from all that gift he gave; and whole in his Torah, that he did not forget his learning in Lavan's house.
The Chatam Sofer comes and asks a valid question. In last week's Parsha, when Yaakov Avinu dreamed the dream of the ladder, he promises that if Hakadosh Baruch Hu will be with him and guard him etc. and return him in peace to his father's house etc. he will surely offer a tithe to Him. The Chatam Sofer says this request is not understood. If Hakadosh Baruch Hu returns him, then certainly he will return in peace, so why did he need to write וְשַׁבְתִּי בְּשָׁלוֹם – it would have been sufficient to say only וְשַׁבְתִּי (and I return).
Additionally, when Yaakov awoke from the dream, he said: מַה נּוֹרָא הַמָּקוֹם הַזֶּה אֵין זֶה כִּי אִם בֵּית אֱלֹהִים וְזֶה שַׁעַר הַשָּׁמָיִם – How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of G-d, and this is the gate of heaven. The Chatam Sofer asks why he needed to say אֵין זֶה (this is none other) – just simply say זֶה בֵּית אֱלֹהִים וְזֶה שַׁעַר הַשָּׁמָיִם!
Of all the holy Avot, Yaakov Avinu is the most connected to the Batei Hamikdash. This is found in Tehillim, when David HaMelech says אֲשֶׁר נִשְׁבַּע לַה' נָדַר לַאֲבִיר יַעֲקֹב – How he swore to Hashem, vowed to the Mighty One of Yaakov, and also in the Tefillah of וַיְבָרֶךְ דָּוִיד where בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה ה' אֱלֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל אָבִינוּ refers specifically to Yaakov Avinu in the context of the Beit Hamikdash, as he was the first to say to build a house of G-d – according to the Radak.
Following Yaakov’s dream, which resulted in the dedication of the stone that lay under his head and his pledge of offering a tithe to Hakadosh Baruch Hu, Chazal say (Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer 35) Hakadosh Baruch Hu extended His right foot and sank the stone to the depths of the abyss, and made it a foundation for the earth like a person who makes a foundation for a dome. Therefore, it is called the אֶבֶן הַשְּׁתִיָּה – the Foundation Stone, because from there is the navel of the earth, and from there all the earth was stretched out, and upon it the Mikdash of Hashem stands.
Back to the story of David HaMelech referred to in וַיְבָרֶךְ דָּוִיד, David HaMelech goes and purchases the threshing floor for six hundred silver pieces; then he goes to Natan HaNavi and says, "Here I am dwelling in a house of cedar, while the Ark of Hashem stands within curtains! How can it be that I live in a palace while Hakadosh Baruch Hu sits in a tent?! I want to build the Beit Hamikdash!" Natan responds to him, “All that is in your heart, go do, for Hashem is with you. Start building and may there be blessing and success!" But then we find:
וַיְהִי בַּלַּיְלָה הַהוּא וַיְהִי דְּבַר ה' אֶל־נָתָן לֵאמֹר׃ לֵךְ וְאָמַרְתָּ אֶל עַבְדִּי אֶל דָּוִד כֹּה אָמַר ה' הַאַתָּה תִּבְנֶה־לִי בַיִת לְשִׁבְתִּי׃
But that same night the word of Hashem came to Natan: Go and say to My servant David: Thus said Hashem: “Are you the one to build a house for Me to dwell in?“
The Pasuk says וַיְהִי בַּלַּיְלָה, prompting the question: why would Hakadosh Baruch Hu reveal Himself to Natan at night, when nighttime prophecy is usually reserved for prophets of the nations? Rashi explains that David acts quickly, and if not stopped immediately, he would already begin hiring workers to build the Beit Hamikdash, causing him grief afterwards when told to stop. The Midrash says (Yalkut Shimoni 143) Hakadosh Baruch Hu urgently revealed Himself to Natan at night so he could run to David at the smack of dawn, and before fifty workers were on site measuring and placing beams. Tell him: “You will not be the one to build the house.”
David HaMelech continued to plead and ask: Ribbono Shel Olam, why shouldn't I build the Beit Hamikdash?" And the answer is found in Sefer Divrei HaYamim I (22:8):
וַיְהִי עָלַי דְּבַר־ה' לֵאמֹר דָּם לָרֹב שָׁפַכְתָּ וּמִלְחָמוֹת גְּדֹלוֹת עָשִׂיתָ לֹא תִבְנֶה בַיִת לִשְׁמִי כִּי דָּמִים רַבִּים שָׁפַכְתָּ אַרְצָה לְפָנָי׃
But the word of Hashem came to me, saying, “You have shed much blood and fought great battles; you shall not build a House for My name, for you have shed much blood on the earth before Me.”
Commentators ask – what is the meaning of דָּמִים רַבִּים שָׁפַכְתָּ – you have shed much blood? David HaMelech never went out to any war without consulting the Urim VeTumim first! Nonetheless, the Radak writes, since he happened to shed much blood, Hakadosh Baruch Hu prevented him from building the Beit Hamikdash which is for peace and atonement, and the crown of prayer; just like they were prevented from using iron on the altar and in the Beit Hamikdash because iron is used to make instruments of war and death.
Who was the first to make iron tools? The Torah states it was Tuval Kayin: לֹטֵשׁ כָּל־חֹרֵשׁ נְחֹשֶׁת וּבַרְזֶל – Who forged all implements of copper and iron. And why was he called by the name תּוּבַל קַיִן? Rashi says it is because he refined the craft of Kayin. Tuval comes from the word tavlin (spices); he spiced and perfected Kayin's craft to make weapons for murderers! This implies that the entire creation of iron was intended to kill people, therefore Hakadosh Baruch Hu did not agree that iron should enter the Beit Hamikdash; and if iron cannot enter, then certainly one who has shed blood cannot build the Beit Hamikdash! Therefore, the Gemara states (Berachot 32b) that a kohen who has killed a person may not perform the Birkat Kohanim.
