(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; and behold there was a ladder set on the ground and its top reached to the sky, and angels of God were going up and down on it. (13) And the LORD was standing beside him and He said, “I am the LORD, the God of your father Abraham and the God of Isaac: the ground on which you are lying I will assign to you and to your offspring. (14) Your descendants shall be as the dust of the earth; you shall spread out to the west and to the east, to the north and to the south. All the families of the earth shall bless themselves by you and your descendants. (15) Remember, I am with you: I will protect you wherever you go and will bring you back to this land. I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.” (16) Jacob awoke from his sleep and said, “Surely the LORD is present in this place, and I did not know it!” (17) Shaken, he said, “How awesome is this place! This is none other than the abode of God, and that is the gateway to heaven.”
(י) ויפגע במקום - בקש לעבור, נעשה העולם כולו כמין כותל לפניו.
(10) "And he came upon the place" - he tried to pass through, but the whole world became like a wall before him.
(יב) ...תני בר קפרא: לית חלום שאין לו פתרון. והנה סולם, זה הכבש. מוצב ארצה, זה מזבח, (שמות כ): מזבח אדמה תעשה לי. וראשו מגיע השמימה, אלו הקרבנות, שריחן עולה לשמים. והנה מלאכי אלהים, אלו כהנים גדולים. עולין ויורדין בו, שהם עולים ויורדים בכבש. והנה ה' נצב עליו, (עמוס ט): ראיתי את ה' נצב על המזבח.
רבנן פתרין ליה בסיני: ויחלום והנה סולם, זה סיני. מוצב ארצה, (שמות יט): ויתיצבו בתחתית ההר. וראשו מגיע השמימה, (דברים ד): וההר בוער באש עד לב השמים... והנה מלאכי אלהים, על שם (תהלים סח): רכב אלהים רבותים אלפי שנאן... זה משה ואהרן... והנה ה' נצב עליו: וירד ה' על הר סיני אל ראש ההר.
(12) ... Bar Kapara taught: There is no dream that has no explanation. "And behold there was a ladder", this is the ramp [of the altar]. "Set on the ground", this is the altar, [about which it says], "an altar of the ground you should make for Me." "And its top reached to the sky", these are the sacrifices, whose scent reaches to the sky. "And behold the angels of Hashem", these are the high priests. "Going up and down", this refers to the high priests going up and down the ramp [of the altar]. "And behold Hashem was standing above it", [as it says about the altar], "And I saw Hashem standing above the altar."
The rabbis interpreted it as referring to Sinai: "And he dreamed and there was a ladder", this is Mount Sinai. "Standing on the ground", [as it says about Sinai], "And they stood at the foot of the mountain." "And its top reached the sky", [as it says about Sinai], "And behold a fire burned until the heart of the sky"... "And behold the angels of Hashem", [as it says about Sinai], "Hashem's chariots are myriads upon myriads." [Alternatively], this refers to Moshe and Aharon... "And behold Hashem stood above it", [as it says about Sinai], "And Hashem descended upon Mount Sinai to the top of the mountain."