Jacob has fled from the murderous anger of his brother, Esau. He comes to a certain place, and he falls asleep. As he sleeps, he dreams of a ladder that stretches from the earth to the heavens ...

The angels have already seen God’s portrait of us — God’s ideal portrait of us. They are going up and down upon the ladder, because they want to see who we are — who we really are.

“The ladder is a symbol of Jacob’s attachment to God,” he explained in a 1966 sermon, “like a ladder, he can make his way, step by step, until he reaches the highest point of communion.” ...