וישב יעקב בארץ מגורי אביו (בראשית לז א). זש"ה מעונה אלהי קדם (דברים לג כז), אמר ר' ירמיה אין אנו יודעים אם מעונה הוא האלהים אם האלהים הוא מעונה, כשהוא אומר תפלה למשה איש האלהים ה' מעון אתה (תהלים צ א) [הוי הקב"ה מעונו של עולמו ואין עולמו מקומו]. אעפ"י שברא הקב"ה עולמו לא ישב בארץ אלא צדיק, ובזכותן הן מעמידין את הועלם, שנאמר ומתחת זרועות עולם (דברים שם), בוא וראה שכל ימים שרשעים בעולם, אין הצדיקים נראין, וכן אתה מוצא שכל הימים שהיה עשו בארץ ישראל, לא היה יעקב יכול ליראות, עבר עשו שנאמר ויקח עשו את נשיו וגו' (בראשית לו ו), מיד וישב יעקב, לפיכך ויגרש מפניך אויב (דברים שם), באותה שעה, וישכן ישראל בטח בדד (שם). (Gen. 37:1:) NOW JACOB DWELT IN THE LAND WHERE HIS FATHER HAD SOJOURNED, < IN THE LAND OF CANAAN >. This text is related (to Deut. 33:27): THE ETERNAL GOD IS A DWELLING PLACE. R. Jeremiah said: We do not know (from the Hebrew text of Scripture) whether a DWELLING PLACE is GOD or whether GOD is a DWELLING PLACE. 1Gen. R. 68:9 states the problem more clearly: “We do not know whether the Holy One is the place for his world or whether the world is his place.” Similarly, M. Pss. 90:10. When it says (in Ps. 90:1): A PRAYER OF MOSES, THE MAN OF GOD: O LORD, YOU HAVE BEEN OUR DWELLING PLACE, [here the Holy One is the dwelling place for his world and the world is not his place]. Although the Holy One created his world, he did not dwell in the land but a righteous one;2Cf. MS 1240 from the De Rossi library in Parma: “He did not dwell in the land with < the > righteous.” Perhaps the text should read: “He did not dwell in the land but with the righteous. So Y. Elman in a private communication. and by their merit < such righteous > ones sustain the world, as stated (in Deut. 33:27, cont.): AND UNDERNEATH ARE THE ARMS OF THE WORLD.3English translations generally render ARMS OF THE WORLD as “everlasting arms,” but here the midrash views the merits of the righteous as supporting the world like the arms of the mythological Atlas. Come and see how, during all the time the wicked are in the world, the righteous never appear. And so you find that, during all the time Esau was in the land of Israel, Jacob was unable to appear. Esau passed on, as stated (in Gen. 36:6): THEN ESAU TOOK HIS WIVES, < AND WENT INTO A LAND AWAY FROM HIS BROTHER JACOB >. Immediately (one reads in Gen. 37:1): NOW JACOB DWELT < IN THE LAND >. Therefore, (according to Deut. 33:27, cont.): SO HE DROVE OUT THE ENEMY FROM BEFORE YOU. At that time (according to vs. 28): THUS ISRAEL DWELT SAFELY ALONE.