(י) וַיֵּצֵ֥א יַעֲקֹ֖ב מִבְּאֵ֣ר שָׁ֑בַע וַיֵּ֖לֶךְ חָרָֽנָה׃ (יא) וַיִּפְגַּ֨ע בַּמָּק֜וֹם וַיָּ֤לֶן שָׁם֙ כִּי־בָ֣א הַשֶּׁ֔מֶשׁ וַיִּקַּח֙ מֵאַבְנֵ֣י הַמָּק֔וֹם וַיָּ֖שֶׂם מְרַֽאֲשֹׁתָ֑יו וַיִּשְׁכַּ֖ב בַּמָּק֥וֹם הַהֽוּא׃ (יב) וַֽיַּחֲלֹ֗ם וְהִנֵּ֤ה סֻלָּם֙ מֻצָּ֣ב אַ֔רְצָה וְרֹאשׁ֖וֹ מַגִּ֣יעַ הַשָּׁמָ֑יְמָה וְהִנֵּה֙ מַלְאֲכֵ֣י אֱלֹהִ֔ים עֹלִ֥ים וְיֹרְדִ֖ים בּֽוֹ׃
(10) Jacob left Beer-sheba, and set out for Haran. (11) He came upon a certain place and stopped there for the night, for the sun had set. Taking one of the stones of that place, he put it under his head and lay down in that place. (12) He had a dream; a stairway was set on the ground and its top reached to the sky, and angels of God were going up and down on it.
אָמַר רַבִּי אַבָּהוּ דִּבְרֵי חֲלוֹמוֹת לֹא מַעֲלִין וְלֹא מוֹרִידִין
Rabbi Abuhu said: The words of dreams do not ascend and do not descend
The Gemara asks: Is that to say that all dreams follow the mouth is a verse. Yes, and in accordance with Rabbi Elazar, as Rabbi Elazar said: From where that all dreams follow the mouth As it is stated “And it came to pass, as he interpreted to us, so it was” (Genesis 41:13). Rava said, : This is only in a case where it is interpreted for him in a manner akin to the dream=, as it is stated “Each man according to his dream he did interpret” (Genesis 41:12).
ויפגע AND HE LIGHTED — Thus we may learn that Jacob originated the custom of Evening Prayer. Scripture purposely changed the usual word for “praying”, not writing יתפלל, “And he prayed” (which would have been the more appropriate word, but ויפגע which means to hit upon a place unexpectedly), to teach you also that the ground shrunk before him (the journey was miraculously shortened) as it is explained in the Chapter גיד הנשה (Chullin 91b).
ודרך סלם להיות סמל
...סלם רמז לנשמה העליונה ומלאכי אלקים מחשבות החכמה
...ויאמר רבי ישועה כי טעם סולם שעלתה בו תפלתו וירדה ישועתו מן השמים
The nature of a ladder [sulam] is a symbol.
...And Rabbi Shlomo HaSefardi said that 'ladder' hints at the highest soul and 'G-d's angels' hints at wise thoughts.
...Rabbi Joshua said that the reason for the ladder is that his (Jacob's) prayer rose on it and his salvation from the heavens came down on it.