[Avodah] Vayeitze "Are You Sleeping or Are You Dreaming?"

[David Riceman]

Richard Wolberg wrote:
>
> I don't know if the following question has ever been asked.  Chapter 
> 28, verse 16 states: "Vayikatz Ya'akov mishnaso," And Jacob awoke from 
> his sleep..." Now my question is: if it says "Jacob awoke," then why 
> does it have to say "from his sleep?"
>

Many years ago I said Purim Torah about this.  There's a machloketh 
between R. Haim Volozhin (in Nefesh HaHayim) and the Baal Shem Tov (in 
Tzavath HaRivash, cited anonymously in Nefesh HaHayyim) about whether it 
is forbidden or mandatory to interrupt one's study of Torah with 
thoughts of God.  The pasuk here tells us that Yaakov Avinu paskened 
like the Baal Shem Tov.  The appropriate translation is: "Ya'akov paused 
his review of mishnayoth and said Verily God is in this place."

David Riceman