Kabbalah Library

161) “And he built there an altar to the Lord, who had appeared to him.” “And he built there an altar,” meaning he corrected the degree that is fit for correction. “An altar to the Lord” means correction of the lower degree, which is Nukva, and connecting it with the upper degree, which is ZA. “And called the place El-beth-el”: The name he gave to Nukva is as the name of the Upper One, Bina, since when the Nukva illuminated from ZA, the daughter, which is the Nukva, became as her mother, Bina. This is why Jacob called her by the name, El [God], which is the name of Ima.

162) “Because there God was revealed unto him,” meaning angels. He said, “revealed,” in plural form, not in singular form [in Hebrew they are spelled differently], since there are always seventy angels next to the Shechina, and seventy thrones around the Shechina. Hence, where there is disclosure of angels, there is the revelation of the Shechina. This is why it is written, “because there God was revealed unto him,” in this revealed place, in the Nukva. It is written, “And, behold, the Lord stood beside him,” on the ladder, which is Nukva. Previously, it said, “the angels of God ascending and descending on it.” Thus, the revelation of the angels came along with the revelation of the Shechina. This is why Jacob called the altar there, “El-beth-el,” [House of God] after the revelation of the Shechina, and he tied it to the disclosure of the angels.