רש”י: “ …התחילו מריבות זו עם זו, זאת אומרת עלי יניח צדיק את ראשו, וזאת אומרת עלי יניח, מיד עשאן הקדוש ברוך הוא אבן אחת, וזהו שנאמר (פסוק יח) ויקח את האבן אשר שם מראשותיו..”
Rashi: “…they (the rocks) began to quarrel with each other, this one said “The tzaddik should rest his head on me,” and this one said “on me.” Immediately, Hakadosh Baruch Hu made them into one rock, and this is what is said, “And he (Yaakov) took the rock that he had placed under his head.”
We may have no choice, but involvement with the physical world is certainly a risky business. It captivates us, and draws us in, distracting our attention from the Borei Olam. Yet, shockingly enough, the physical world also “wants” to connect to something higher, as we see in the Rashi above. The rocks all wanted Yaakov to rest his head on them. The same world that pulls us away from Ruchniyas (spirituality) desires Ruchniyas as well.
But only Man is able to relate to something above himself. He can even be דבק (cleave) to the Borei Olam. A rock cannot. The only way a rock can (fulfill its purpose and) connect to Ruchniyas is through Man. As the Messilas Yesharim writes, “For behold it is a great elevation for all the creations when they serve the complete man who is sanctified with His sanctity, may He be blessed.” Man serves as a sort of waystation between this world and a Higher Reality.
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In our Avodah, we typically place ourselves at the center. And for good reason; we aim for Shleimus (wholeness or completion) on a personal level. But there is also another realm to Avodah: that the world should achieve its purpose as well. And that depends on us. The Medrash (Koheles ch. 7) relates that when Hakadosh Baruch Hu created Adam HaRishon, He brought Adam to all the trees of Gan Eden, and said to him, “Look at My creations how beautiful and admirable they are, and everything I created, I created for you, be careful that you not ruin and destroy My world.” Hakadosh Baruch Hu left His world in Man’s care. The world is Hakadosh Baruch Hu’s business, and we have a job in His business.
Hakadosh Baruch Hu showed the trees to Adam. He did not just tell Adam, but rather brought him to all the trees in Eden. It is much more of a challenge for us, especially when the results of our actions cannot be easily measured. All the mores so, that we should take care to keep this important lesson in mind.