Daf 21b (דַּף כ״א ע״ב)

The third Nehiru that includes these two (תְּלִיתָאָה נְהִירוּ דְּכָלִיל תְּרֵין אִלֵין). A Nehiru that shines in healing (נְהִירוּ דְּנָהִיר בְּאַסְוָותָא). This is the secret of what is written about Ya'akov (רָזָא דִּכְתִיב בְּיַעֲקֹב): “And the sun shone upon him…” (וַיִּזְרַח לוֹ הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ וְגוֹ') (Bereshit 32). Indeed, when he was included in that turning of the evening (וַדַּאי כַּד אִתְכְּלִיל בְּהַהוּא פְּנוֹת עֶרֶב), from that point onward he was limping upon his thigh (מִכָּאן וּלְהָלְאָה וְהוּא צוֹלֵעַ עַל יְרֵכוֹ). This is Netzach Yisrael (דָּא אִיהוּ נְצַח יִשְׂרָאֵל). Upon his thigh—his thigh is written, and not his thighs (עַל יְרֵכוֹ יְרֵכוֹ כְּתִיב וְלֹא יְרֵכָיו), this is the fourth level (דָּא דַרְגָא רְבִיעָאָה). For no man prophesied from there until Shmuel came (דְּלָא אִתְנַבֵּי בַּר נָשׁ מִתַּמָּן עַד דְּאֲתָא שְׁמוּאֵל), and regarding him it is written: “And also Netzach Yisrael…” (וְעֲלֵיהּ כְּתִיב, וְגַם נֵצַח יִשְׂרָאֵל וְגוֹ') (I Samuel 15). Then it was repaired, for it had been weakened, when Ya'akov Avinu was endangered by the appointee of Esav (כְּדֵין אִתְקַן דְּהֲוָה חָלְשָׁא מִכַּד אִסְתַּכֵּן יַעֲקֹב אָבִינוּ בִּמְמַנָּא דְעֵשָׂו). “And he touched the hollow of his thigh”—when he came upon Ya'akov, he seized strength from that turning of the evening with fierce judgment (וַיִּגַּע בְּכַף יְרֵכוֹ כַּד אֲתָא לְגַבֵּי דְיַעֲקֹב נְטַל תּוּקְפָא מֵהַהוּא פְּנוֹת עֶרֶב בְּדִינָא תַּקִּיפָא). And Ya'akov was included in it, and he could not overcome him (וְיַעֲקֹב הֲוָה אִתְכְּלִיל בֵּיהּ וְלָא יָכִיל לֵיהּ). “And he saw that he could not overcome him, so he touched the hollow of his thigh” (וַיַּרְא כִּי לֹא יָכוֹל לוֹ וַיִּגַּע בְּכַף יְרֵכוֹ). He took the power of judgment from there (נָטַל תּוּקְפָא דְדִינָא מִתַּמָּן). Because the thigh is outside the body (בְּגִין דְּיַרְכָא אִיהוּ לְבַר מִגּוּפָא). Ya'akov was the body (דְּיַעֲקֹב גּוּפָא הֲוָה), and his body was included in the secret of the two levels in the secret called Adam (וְגוּפֵּיהּ הֲוָה כָּלִיל בְּרָזָא דִתְרֵין דַּרְגִּין בְּרָזָא דְאִקְרֵי אָדָם). Since the strength was taken from outside the body (כֵּיוָן דְּנָטַל תּוּקְפָא לְבַר מִגּוּפָא), immediately: “And he dislocated the socket of Ya'akov’s thigh” (מִיָּד וַתֵּקַע כַּף יֶרֶךְ יַעֲקֹב). And no man prophesied from there until Shmuel came (וְלָא אִתְנַבֵּי בַּר נָשׁ מִתַּמָּן עַד דְּאֲתָא שְׁמוּאֵל). And because of this, it is written about Netzach Yisrael: “For He is not a man” (וְעַל דָּא נֶצַח יִשְׂרָאֵל כְּתִיב בֵּיהּ כִּי לֹא אָדָם הוּא). Yehoshua prophesied from the Hod of Moshe, as it is written: “And you shall bestow of your Hod upon him” (יְהוֹשֻׁעַ אִתְנַבֵּי מֵהוֹדוֹ שֶׁל מֹשֶׁה דִּכְתִיב וְנָתַתָּ מֵהוֹדְךָ עָלָיו) (Numbers 27). Hod—this is the fifth level (הוֹד. וְדָא דַרְגָא חֲמִישָׁאָה). Netzach is the left thigh of Ya'akov (נְצַח יַרְכָא שְׂמָאלָא דְּיַעֲקֹב). And therefore David came and included it in the right, as it is written: “Pleasures are in Your right hand, Netzach” (וּבְגִין כַּךְ אֲתָא דָוִד וְכָלִיל לֵיהּ בְּיָמִינָא דִּכְתִיב נְעִימוֹת בִּימִינְךָ נְצַח) (Psalms 16). It does not say “Your right hand,” but “in Your right hand” (יְמִינְךָ לֹא כְּתִיב אֶלָּא בִּימִינְךָ). Why was the thigh of Ya'akov weakened (מַאי טַעְמָא אִתְחַלַּשׁ יַרְכָא דְּיַעֲקֹב)? Because the impure side approached him and took strength from him, and it was delayed until Shmuel (בְּגִין דְּאִתְקָרַב בֵּיהּ סְטַר מְסָאָבָא וְנָקִיט תּוּקְפָא מִנֵּיהּ וְאִתְעַכֵּב עַד שְׁמוּאֵל). And because of this, it comes as a remembrance that this is the thigh of Yisrael, as it is written: “And also Netzach Yisrael” (וְעַל דָּא אֲתָא לְאַדְכָּרָא דְּדָא אִיהוּ יַרְכָא דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל דִּכְתִיב וְגַם נֶצַח יִשְׂרָאֵל) (I Samuel 15). And because of this, all of its fullness was in judgment—in song and in conclusion (וְעַל דָּא כָּל מִילוֹי הֲווּ בְּדִינָא בְּשֵׁירוּתָא וּבְסוֹפָא).

And furthermore, Kudsha Berikh Hu included it afterward in Hod (וְתוּ קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא כָּלִיל לֵיהּ לְבָתַר בְּהוֹד). When? After the kings were anointed (אֵימָתַי לְבָתַר דְּמָשַׁח מַלְכִין). And concerning this He took it as Moshe and Aharon (וְעַל דָּא שָׁקִיל אִיהוּ כְּמשֶׁה וְאַהֲרֹן). Just as Moshe and Aharon are in the two sides above, so too below in the likeness of those two sides (מַה מֹשֶׁה וְאַהֲרֹן בִּתְרֵין סִטְרִין דִּלְעֵילָא, אַף הוּא לְתַתָּא כְּגַוְונָא דְּאִנּוּן תְּרֵין סִטְרֵי). And who are they? Netzach and Hod (וּמָאן אִנּוּן. נֶצַח וְהוֹד). In the likeness of Moshe and Aharon above (כְּגַוְונָא דְמשֶׁה וְאַהֲרֹן דִּלְעֵילָא). And all the levels are bound one with the other, as it is written: “Moshe and Aharon among His priests, and Shmuel among those who call upon His Name” (וְכֻלְהוּ דַּרְגִין אֲחִידָן דָּא בְּדָא דִּכְתִיב מֹשֶׁה וְאַהֲרֹן בְּכֹהֲנָיו וּשְׁמוּאֵל בְּקוֹרְאֵי שְׁמוֹ) (Psalms 99). For the six sides were included and bound one with the other (דְּהָא שִׁית סִטְרִין אִתְכְּלִילוּ וְאֲחִידָן דָּא בְּדָא).

Just as these are bound—Moshe, Aharon, and Shmuel (כְּמָה דְּאִלֵּין אֲחִידָן משֶׁה וְאַהֲרֹן וּשְׁמוּאֵל), so too are bound (אוּף הָכִי אֲחִידָן) (Some say: one with the other) (ס״א דָּא בְּדָא): Ya'akov, Moshe, and Yosef (יַעֲקֹב משֶׁה וְיוֹסֵף). Ya'akov is the master of the house (יַעֲקֹב מָארֵיהּ דְּבֵיתָא). When Ya'akov died, Moshe took the house and appointed it in his lifetime (מִית יַעֲקֹב נְטַל משֶׁה בֵּיתָא וּמַנֵּי לָהּ בְּחַיָּיו). Yosef by the hand of Ya'akov, and Moshe was a Tzaddik (יוֹסֵף עַל יְדֵי דְּיַעֲקֹב וּמשֶׁה הֲוָה צַדִּיק). (And both did not serve the house except through Yosef, because he was righteous) (וְתַרְוֵיהוּ לָא שִׁמְּשׁוּ בֵּיתָא אֶלָּא בְּיוֹסֵף בְּגִין דְּהֲוָה צַדִּיק).

Ya'akov through Yosef took the house, as it is written: “These are the generations of Ya'akov, Yosef” (יַעֲקֹב בְּיוֹסֵף נָטַל בֵּיתָא דִּכְתִיב אֵלֶּה תּוֹלְדוֹת יַעֲקֹב יוֹסֵף) (Bereshit 37). Moshe did not serve in it until he received it from Yosef (משֶׁה לָא שִׁמֵּשׁ בָּהּ עַד דְּנָטַל לֵיהּ לְיוֹסֵף). When the Shekhinta went forth from exile, it could not join in Zivug with it except through Yosef, as it is written: “And Moshe took the bones of Yosef with him” (כַּד נָפְקַת שְׁכִינְתָּא מִן גָּלוּתָא לָא יָכִיל לְאִזְדַּוְוגָא בָּהּ אֶלָּא בְּיוֹסֵף דִּכְתִיב וַיִּקַּח משֶׁה אֶת עַצְמוֹת יוֹסֵף עִמּוֹ) (Exodus 13). Why is it written “with him” (אַמַּאי כְּתִיב עִמּוֹ)? Rather, the body cannot join with the female until it is joined with the covenant (אֶלָּא גּוּפָא לָא אִזְדַּוַוג בְּנוּקְבָא עַד דְּאִזְדַּוַּוג בַּהֲדֵי בְּרִית). And for this reason Moshe took Yosef with him (וְעַל דָּא משֶׁה נָטַל לֵיהּ לְיוֹסֵף עִמֵּיהּ). Since he was with him, he served in the female properly (כֵיוָן דְּהֲוָה עִמֵּיהּ שִׁמֵּשׁ בְּנוּקְבָא כְּדְּקָא יְאוּת). And therefore Ya'akov, Moshe, and Yosef went as one (וּבְגִין כָּךְ יַעֲקֹב משֶׁה וְיוֹסֵף כְּחֲדָא אָזְלֵי).

Ya'akov died and his body they brought into the Holy Land (יַעֲקֹב מִית וְגוּפֵיהּ אָעֳלוּ לֵיהּ בְּאַרְעָא קַדִּישָׁא). Yosef died, and his body was not buried in the Holy Land, only his bones (יוֹסֵף מִית גּוּפֵיהּ לָא אִתְקַּבַּר בְּאַרְעָא קַדִּישָׁא אֶלָּא גַרְמוֹי). Moshe did not enter either in this way or that way (משֶׁה לָא הַאי וְלָא הַאי). Why? (אַמַּאי). Because Ya'akov was the first husband of the Matronita (אֶלָּא יַעֲקֹב בַּעֲלָהּ קַדְמָאָה דְּמַטְרוֹנִיתָא הֲוָה). When Ya'akov died, she was joined to Moshe (מִית יַעֲקֹב אִזְדַּוְוגָא בֵּיהּ בְּמשֶׁה). And while Moshe was in this world, he appointed her properly, and he was her second husband (וּבְעוֹד דְּהֲוָה משֶׁה בְּהַאי עָלְמָא מָנֵי לָהּ כְּדְּקָא יְאוּת וְאִיהוּ הֲוָה בַּעֲלָהּ תִּנְיָינָא). Ya'akov was brought into the Holy Land, his body complete, because he was body (יַעֲקֹב אָעִילוּ לֵיהּ לְאַרְעָא קַדִּישָׁא גּוּפֵיהּ שְׁלִים בְּגִין דְּאִיהוּ גוּפָא). Yosef—his bones and not his body, because bones are the forces and camps above, and all go forth from that Tzaddik (יוֹסֵף גַּרְמוֹי וְלָא גוּפֵיהּ בְּגִין דְּגָרְמִין אִנּוּן חַיָּילִין וּמַשִּׁרְיָין דִּלְעֵילָא וְכֻלְּהוּ נַפְקֵי מֵהַהוּא צַדִּיק). And he is called Tzaddik Tzevaot (וְצַדִּיק צְבָאוֹת אִקְרֵי). What is the reason? Because all hosts and supernal camps go forth from him (מַאי טַעְמָא, בְּגִין דְּכָל צְבָאוֹת וּמַשִּׁרְיָין עִלָּאִין מִנֵּיהּ נָפְקִין). And for this reason his bones, which are the hosts, entered the land (וְעַל דָּא גַּרְמוֹי דְּאִנּוּן צְבָאוֹת אָעֳלוּ בְּאַרְעָא).

Moshe was outside, and did not enter there, neither his body nor his bones, but he caused the Shekhinta to enter into the land (משֶׁה הֲוָה לְבַר וְלָא עָאל תַּמָּן לָא גוּפֵיהּ וְלָא גַרְמוֹי אֶלָּא אָעֳלַת שְׁכִינְתָּא בְּאַרְעָא). After Moshe died, she returned to her first husband, who is Ya'akov (בָּתַר דְּמִית משֶׁה וְאִתְהַדְּרַת לְבַעֲלָהּ קַדְמָאָה וַדַּאי אִיהוּ יַעֲקֹב). From here we learn: the female who was married to two, in that world she returns to the first (מִכָּאן נוּקְבָא דְּאִתְנְסֵיבַת בִּתְרֵין, בְּהַהוּא עָלְמָא אֲהַדְּרַת לְקַדְמָאָה). Moshe was outside, since her first husband was in the land (משֶׁה הֲוָה לְבַר כֵּיוָן דְּבַעֲלָהּ קַדְמָאָה הֲוָה בְּאַרְעָא).