Luz

The verse says (28:19) that when Yaakov awoke “he called the place Beis Kel, but Luz was the original name.”  Of what significance is it to know the place was originally named Luz?  In halacha it’s brought that it’s the Luz bone that gets its sustenance from the food of melavah malkah.  That means Luz is that bridge between kedusha and chol.  It’s the capability to raise up the mundane to be holy.  To take what seems far from kedusha and bring out its light.  That is what Yaakov experienced overnight in Luz.  The Rambam based upon the midrash (Yesodah Hatorah 7:3) says that Yaakov saw the four stages of golus.  However, Yaakov was able to see the light within the darkness of the golus, the kedusha behind the kelipa and that’s now he transferred Luz into Beis Kal.  This theme can be used to explain what the  Gemorah mentions about Luz in Sotah (46b) that Luz was where the techelas was spun.  Techelas also represents this idea of bringing kedusha even into the chol as discussed here.

This is the theme behind the entire service of Yaakov.  The Rebbe points out that the learning of Yaakov in Shem V'Ever is derived from a scriptural nuance.  The bulk of the description of Yaakov the Torah informs us about is his great struggles dealing with Laven, Esav and other problems.  Yaakov is the Av that teaches us the ability to bring kedusha into one's worldly dealings.

The midrash says that the ladder Yaakov saw refers to the ramp of the mizbaoch, standing upward is the mizbaoch, the head reaching the heavens is the korbanot etc. עיי"ש.  Why was the message of korbanot shown to Yaakov?  The Sidduro Shel Shabbos explains that Yaakov in the past 14 years learnt Torah 24/7.  Through these years Yaakov transformed into a being of complete ruchnious.  Since Yaakov was now perfected, Hashem was showing him a new path in His service, that of being mekadesh the chomer.  That is why He caused Yaakov to sleep in a holy place, to illustrate that even a physical need like sleeping can become holy.  The message of the korban is that just as an animal can be offered to Hashem, so too all of gashmious can become ruchni.