If hayom, which literally means “the day,” is used to refer to “today,” the day of the present, right now, then perhaps hamakom, “the place” has the same resonance, meaning “where you are right now,” today’s particular emotional space.
Yaakov, run out of home by the threat of his brother’s vengeful threat to kill him, stops on his journey to Haran in hamakom. The rabbis name the place — Mount Moriah, where the binding of Isaac happened and the Temple would eventually stand — but perhaps we can also understand the term as referring to Yaakov’s particular emotional state at that moment.
He stopped and rested in that place — in that space of fear mixed with excitement and loneliness and worry and homesickness and loss and perhaps a little guilt — he paused in that place; he lay his head down in the “rocks of that place,” in what was difficult and hard at that moment; he lay in it, not running away, but resting in the feelings.
What happens when Yaakov pauses and is present in “the place” of right now, no matter how difficult? A ladder of connection opens up for him, reaching from earth to heaven; God reveals Godself and lets Yaakov know he is not alone, that he will be protected wherever he goes.
When we truly rest in hamakom, in the place of today, whatever it is, we open up access to another hamakom, to God, to the ultimate Place of the World.
As Yaakov says upon awakening, akhen yesh Hashem bamakom hazeh ve’anokhi lo yadati. Behold, God is in “this place” and I, I did not know — in this place, always and only in this place of nowness and presence in all its hardship; when I am myself truly in it, God resides right there alongside me.
Photo by Tina Nord from Pexels
I love this. Am sharing the link with some of my spirit buddies. Grateful for the opportunity to share space with with you.
Thank you so much, Lynna! Yes, always grateful to share that space with you, too!