This week’s parsha is parshas Vayeitzei. We are going tofocus on the fascinating journey of the stone that Yaakov Avinu placed beneathhis head when he slept at the site of the future Mikdash. Subsequently, he tookthat stone and consecrated it as a monument to become the House of G-d. Thisjourney begins with the opening pesukim of the parsha (Bereishis 28, 10): וַיֵּצֵ֥א יַעֲקֹ֖ב מִבְּאֵ֣ר שָׁ֑בַע וַיֵּ֖לֶךְ חָרָֽנָה׃ Jacob left Beer-sheba, and set out for Haran. וַיִּפְגַּ֨ע בַּמָּק֜וֹם וַיָּ֤לֶן שָׁם֙ כִּי־בָ֣אהַשֶּׁ֔מֶשׁ וַיִּקַּח֙ מֵאַבְנֵ֣י הַמָּק֔וֹם וַיָּ֖שֶׂם מְרַֽאֲשֹׁתָ֑יווַיִּשְׁכַּ֖ב בַּמָּק֥וֹם הַהֽוּא׃ He came upon a certain place and stopped there for thenight, for the sun had set. Taking one of the stones of that place, he put itunder his head and lay down in that place. Rashi comments: AND PUT THEM FOR ARESTING PLACE FOR HIS HEAD — He arranged them in the form of a drain-pipearound his head for he was afraid of wild beasts (Genesis Rabbah 68:11). They(the stones) began quarrelling with one another. One said, “Upon me let thisrighteous man rest his head”, and another said “Upon me let him rest it”.Whereupon the Holy One, blessed be He, straightway made them into one stone!This explains what is written (Genesis 28:18), “And he took the stone that hehad put under his head” (Chullin 91b). CHIZKUNI: ויקח מאבני המקום, “he took some of the stoneslying around on that place” (to make some kind of headrest for himself).According to tradition these stones had been part of the altar on which hisfather Yitzchok had been bound on the occasion of the Akeydah. According toRashi, during the night these stones fused so that when he awoke there was onlyone stone. We have a tradition also that the meaning of this phenomenon wasthat Yaakov’s children as opposed to those of his father and grandfather, wouldall remain true to their father’s religious outlook. Some commentators(Rash’bam) claim that Yaakov had taken only a single stone and that this is thereason why the Torah wrote immediately after these words: (after he awoke) “hetook the stone which he had placed as his headrest.” KLI YAKAR: and he took some of the stones of the place andplaced them at his head - After it was known to him that this place would bethe House of Gd which dims the sphere of the sun, therefor he took some of thestones of the place and set them as a guard to his head in order to show how hecherished their sanctity as it says “For Your servants desired its stones…”(Tehillim 102:15) He took twelve stones parallel to the twelve tribes as itsays in the midrash (Bereshit Raba 68:11) that the stones argued, each onesaying ‘let the righteous one rest his head on me!’ until they became onestone. This was a hint for the future as the writer of the Guide to thePerplexed wrote, that this is why the Holy One hid this place which would bethe location of the Holy Temple and the King’s palace – in order that there notbe argument between the tribes, each desiring that holy place to be theirs.Also for the sake of peace, as it says “But only to the place which the Lordyour God shall choose from all your tribes…” (Devarim 12:5) And it is written“But only in the place the Lord will choose in one of your tribes…” (Devarim12:14) How is this? When David purchased the threshing floor from Aravna theYevusi, he collected the money from all of the tribes, as Rashi explains there(see Shmuel II 24:24). If this is so, then the argument between the stoneswhich ended in their becoming one stone was sign for the future, that so toowill be the argument between the crown jewels, the twelve tribes of Gd, thateach tribe will say let the righteous One of the world rest His head upon me,referring to the Holy Temple as it says “As a Throne of Glory, exalted from thebeginning, so is the place of our Sanctuary.” (Yirmiyahu 17:12) In the end theywere made as one stone when David collected the gold from all of them. Aboutthis stone it is said regarding the building of the Second Temple “Who are you,O great mountain? Before Zerubbabel you sink to a plain! He will bring out thestone of the main architect, with shouts of grace, grace to it.” (Zechariah4:7) When it says that He will bring out the stone of the main architect (evenrosha) it means the stone which was at the head (rosh) of Yaakov. Bring it outto build the foundation for the Palace of Gd. Yaakov made a bed from it to lieupon in order that it be a sign that this will be 'the bed which is to Shlomo'(Song of Songs 3:7) – the king to whom peace belongs, as Rashi explained inShir HaShirim on the verse “Behold the bed of Shlomo…” TUR HA’AROCH: קח מאבני המקום, “he took from the stones ofthat ...
