ויפגע במקום וילן שם כי בא השמש (ויצא כח:יא)

Rashi says that “ויפגע” transcribes as “תפילה.”  From here, we learn that Yaakov composed the tefilla of Maariv.

Whoever merited to see the holy Sanzer Rav, the Divrei Chaim zt”l, entering the Beis Medrash for Maariv, could sense tangibly that there is a Creator before whom one must tremble.

The Divrei Chaim endured intense pain in his legs, and at times the suffering was so severe that he needed to lean on two attendants to walk into the Beis Medrash. But as soon as he reached the entrance, the Divrei Chaim would push himself free from their support, and with his own feet, he would run to his place with a swiftness that seemed as if he were lifted through the air.

Then, as he recited “Shir HaMa’alos,” and reached the words “בלילה שירו עמי תפילה לא-ל חיי,” an indescribable awe and reverence would fill the entire Beis Medrash—an atmosphere of pure yiras Shamayim that cannot be fully captured in words.