Shir HaMa'alot or the Entire Book of Tehillim

Shir HaMa'alot or the Entire Book of Tehillim

Tehillim 124:1 «Shir HaMa'alot, le-David, lulei HaShem shehayah lanu, yomar na Yisrael» — (…if not for G-d, Who was with us—let Israel say). In the Torah portion Vayeitzei, (Bereishit 28:11), the Torah tells us about Yaakov Avinu: "And Yaakov left Beer-sheba and went toward Haran," and it continues: «And he took some of the stones of that place and placed them around his head, and lay down in that place». The Sages explain: — Rabbi Yehudah said: «Here he lay down, but during all 14 years that he remained in the Land of Israel and served Eber, he did not lie down». Rabbi Nechemiah said: «Here he lay down, but during all 20 years that he was in Lavan's house, he did not lie down». In the first case, the Sages understand the phrase «Yaakov lay down» to mean that he left his father's home and allowed himself to rest (until then, he had studied Torah in Eber's study hall). In the second case, they hint that Yaakov last conducted himself as a free man before arriving at Lavan's house. — What did he recite? Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said: «He read Shir HaMa'alot, which is in the Book of Tehillim». — What is the basis for this? «If not for G-d, Who was with us—let Israel say». This refers to Israel the elder (not the nation). Rabbi Shmuel bar Nachman said: «He recited the entire Book of Tehillim». — What is the basis for this? — «But You are holy, enthroned amid the praises of Israel». (Tehillim 22:4) This refers to Israel the elder—that is, the forefather Yaakov recited praises. (Midrash Bereishit Rabbah 68:11)