Prayer & Revelation – Vayyetzei
One of the great features of the sidra is Jacob’s dream about angels ascending and descending a ladder that joined earth and heaven (Gen. 28:12).
The Ba’al HaTurim says that the numerical value of sulam, a ladder (if you leave out the vav), is the same as the word Sinai.
Possibly the analogy delineates two central features of Judaism: prayer and Revelation. In both cases there is a link that joins earth and heaven.
In prayer the message proceeds from the earth; in Revelation it comes from the heavens.
In prayer, man seeks God’s downward concern for human problems; in Revelation, God seeks to raise man’s sights upwards to heavenly thoughts.
