How Awesome is This Place!

Genesis 28:16-18

Jacob awoke from his slumber and said, “Surely God is present in this place, and I did not know it!”
In awe, he exclaimed, “How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God, and this is the gateway to heaven.”
Early in the morning, Jacob took the stone that he had put under his head and set it up as a pillar and poured oil on the top of it.

וַיִּיקַץ יַעֲקֹב מִשְּׁנָתוֹ וַיֹּאמֶר אָכֵן יֵשׁ יְהוָה בַּמָּקוֹם הַזֶּה וְאָנֹכִי לֹא יָדָעְתִּי׃
וַיִּירָא וַיֹּאמַר מַה־נּוֹרָא הַמָּקוֹם הַזֶּה אֵין זֶה כִּי אִם־בֵּית אֱלֹהִים וְזֶה שַׁעַר הַשָּׁמָיִם׃
וַיַּשְׁכֵּם יַעֲקֹב בַּבֹּקֶר וַיִּקַּח אֶת־הָאֶבֶן אֲשֶׁר־שָׂם מְרַאֲשֹׁתָיו וַיָּשֶׂם אֹתָהּ מַצֵּבָה וַיִּצֹק שֶׁמֶן עַל־רֹאשָׁהּ

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Jacob’s night vision of God and the angels ascending and descending from the heavens transforms a maqom, a generic place, into beit elohim, the house of God. Jacob recognizes the ever-present nature of God, and he sanctifies the encounter by anointing the now holy place with oil. A stone becomes a temple, a home becomes a sanctuary. We can find meaningful prayer space everywhere as we seek and are sought by God’s presence.