Daf 103a (דַּף ק״ג ע״א)

Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי), the five surely are his (חֲמִשָּׁאָה דִּילֵיהּ הוּא וַדַּאי), as it has been said (כְּמָה דְּאִתְּמַר). And then Abba shines to Imma (וּכְדֵין נָהִיר אַבָּא לְאִימָּא), and from her are illuminated fifty gates to shine to the five (וְאִתְנְהִירוּ מִנָּהּ חַמְשִׁין תַּרְעִין לְאַנְהָרָא לַחֲמִשָּׁאָה). And if you say seven (וְאִי תֵּימָא שְׁבִיעָאָה), it is because the King is in the completeness of the Avot (בְּגִין דְּמַלְכָּא בִּשְׁלִימוּ דַּאֲבָהָן), and the crown descends from the seven (וַעֲטָרָה יָרִית מִשְּׁבִיעָאָה), as it is written: Go out, daughters of Zion, and see (כְּמָה דִּכְתִּיב צְאֶינָה וּרְאֶינָה בְּנוֹת צִיּוֹן) (Song of Songs 3).

And for this reason, in the seven is the day when the King is crowned with His crowns (וְעַל דָּא בִּשְׁבִיעָאָה הוּא יוֹמָא דִּמְעַטְּרָא מַלְכָּא בְּעִטְרוֹי), and then the King descends to Abba and Imma, who are joined together (וּכְדֵין יָרִית מַלְכָּא לְאַבָּא וְאִימָּא דְּמִזְדַּוְּוגִין כַּחֲדָא). And for this reason everything depends upon one (וְעַל דָּא כֹּלָּא בְּחַד תַּלְיָיא). And on the fifteenth day… (וּבַחֲמִשָּׁה עָשָׂר יוֹם) (Leviticus 23). Rabbi Yehudah opened (רִבִּי יְהוּדָה פָּתַח): And the Canaanite king of Arad heard (וַיִּשְׁמַע הַכְּנַעֲנִי מֶלֶךְ עֲרָד) (Numbers 21).

We have learned (תָּנֵינָן), three supernal gifts were prepared for Yisrael (ג' מַתְּנָן עִלָּאִין אִזְדְּמָנוּ לְהוּ לְיִשְׂרָאֵל), by the hands of three siblings: Moshe, Aharon, and Miriam (עַל יְדֵי תְּלָתָא אָחִין מֹשֶׁה אַהֲרֹן וּמִרְיָם). Manna, in the merit of Moshe (מָן בִּזְכוּת מֹשֶׁה). Clouds of Glory, in the merit of Aharon (עֲנָנֵי כָּבוֹד בִּזְכוּת אַהֲרֹן). The Well, in the merit of Miriam (בְּאֵר בִּזְכוּת מִרְיָם). And all were bound above (וְכֻלְּהוּ אֲחִידָן לְעֵילָּא). Manna in the merit of Moshe (מָן בִּזְכוּת מֹשֶׁה), as it is written: Behold I will rain down for you bread from the heavens (דִּכְתִּיב הִנְנִי מַמְטִיר לָכֶם לֶחֶם מִן הַשָּׁמַיִם) (Exodus 16), truly from the heavens (מִן הַשָּׁמַיִם דַּיְקָא), this is Moshe (דָּא מֹשֶׁה).

Clouds of Glory in the merit of Aharon (עֲנָנֵי כָּבוֹד בִּזְכוּת אַהֲרֹן), as it is written: For eye to eye Hashem appeared, etc. (דִּכְתִּיב אֲשֶׁר עַיִן בְּעַיִן נִרְאָה אַתָּה יְיָ וְגוֹ׳) (Numbers 14). And it is written: And the cloud of incense shall cover (וּכְתִיב וְכִסָּה עֲנַן הַקְּטֹרֶת) (Leviticus 16). Just as there, seven (מַה לְהַלָּן שִׁבְעָה), so too here there are seven (אַף כָּאן נָמֵי שִׁבְעָה). For in the incense, seven clouds are bound together (דְּהָא בַּקְּטֹרֶת שִׁבְעָה עֲנָנִין מִתְקַשְּׁרָן כַּחֲדָא). And Aharon is the head of all seven clouds (וְאַהֲרֹן רֵישָׁא לְכָל שִׁבְעָה עֲנָנִין הוּא), and he ties the six others to him every day (וְהוּא קָשִׁיר לְשִׁית אָחֳרָנִין בֵּיהּ בְּכָל יוֹמָא).

The Well in the merit of Miriam (בְּאֵר בִּזְכוּת מִרְיָם), for surely she is called “the Well” (דְּהָא הִיא וַדַּאי בְּאֵר אִתְקְרֵי). And in the book of Aggadah it is written: And his sister stood from afar, to know, etc. (וּבְסִפְרָא דְּאַגַּדְתָּא וַתֵּתַצַּב אֲחוֹתוֹ מֵרָחוֹק לְדֵעָה וְגוֹ׳) (Exodus 2). This is the Well of living waters (דָּא הוּא בְּאֵר מַיִם חַיִּים). And all is one bond (וְכֹלָּא קִשּׁוּרָא חַד). When Miriam died, the Well departed (מֵתָה מִרְיָם אִסְתַּלָּק בְּאֵר), as it is written: And there was no water for the congregation (דִּכְתִּיב וְלֹא הָיָה מַיִם לָעֵדָה) (Numbers 20). And at that time another Well sought to depart, that was present with Yisrael (וּבְהַהִיא שַׁעֲתָא בָּעָאת בְּאֵר אָחֳרָא לְאִסְתַּלְּקָא דְּהֲוָה שְׁכִיחַ עִמְּהוֹן דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל). When she saw the six clouds that were tied upon her (כַּד חָמָאת שִׁיתָּא עֲנָנִין דַּהֲווֹ קְשִׁירִין עָלָהּ), she was bound with them (אִתְקַשְּׁרַת הִיא בְּהוּ).

When Aharon died (מִית אַהֲרֹן), those clouds departed (אִסְתְּלָקוּ אִינּוּן עֲנָנִין), and the cloud of the Well departed with them (וְאִסְתַּלָּק עֲנָנָא דְּבֵירָא עִמְּהוֹן). Moshe came and returned them (אָתָא מֹשֶׁה אַהְדָּר לְהוּ). This is what is written (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב): You ascended on high, you led captivity captive, you took gifts in man (עָלִיתָ לַמָּרוֹם שָׁבִיתָ שֶּׁבִי לָקַחְתָּ מַתָּנוֹת בָּאָדָם) (Psalms 68). You took gifts surely (לָקַחְתָּ מַתָּנוֹת וַדַּאי), these are the gifts that were at first, the Well and the clouds (אִינּוּן מַתָּנוֹת דַּהֲווֹ בְּקַדְמִיתָא בְּאֵר וַעֲנָנִין).

The Well, this is the Well of Yitzchak (בְּאֵר דָּא בְּאֵר דְּיִצְחָק). The clouds, these are the clouds of Aharon (עֲנָנִים אִלֵּין עֲנָנִים דְּאַהֲרֹן). Rabbi Yitzchak said (אָמַר רִבִּי יִצְחָק): why did Aharon merit this (מִפְּנֵי מַה זָכָה אַהֲרֹן לְדָא)? Because he was joined with the clouds (בְּגִין דְּאִיהוּ קָשִׁיר בַּעֲנָנִים). Some say: he was the head of the clouds (נ״א רֵישָׁא לַעֲנָנִים). And he would bind them all together every single day (וְהוּא אַקְשִׁיר כָּל יוֹמָא וְיוֹמָא לְכֻלְּהוּ כַּחֲדָא), and all were blessed through him (דְּמִתְבָּרְכָאן כֻּלְּהוּ עַל יְדוֹי).

Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי), for every act of kindness that Kudsha Berikh Hu did for Yisrael (עַל כָּל חֶסֶד דְּעָבַד קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל), He bound with them seven precious clouds (קָשִׁיר עִמְּהוֹן ז׳ עֲנָנֵי יַקִירָן), and bound them with Knesset Yisrael (וְקָשִׁיר לְהוּ בִּכְנֶסֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל), for her cloud was bound with six others (דְּהָא עֲנָנָא דִּילָהּ אִתְקְשַׁר בְּשִׁיתָא אָחֳרָנִין). And with all seven, Yisrael journeyed in the wilderness (וּבְכֻלְּהוּ שִׁבְעָה אַזְלוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּמַדְבְּרָא).

What is the reason (מַאי טַעֲמָא)? Because all were bonds of faith (בְּגִין דְּכֻלְּהוּ קִשְׁרָא דִּמְהֵימְנוּתָא נִינְהוּ). And for this reason it is written: In sukkot you shall dwell seven days (וְעַל דָּא בַּסֻּכּוֹת תֵּשְׁבוּ שִׁבְעַת יָמִים) (Leviticus 23). What does this teach (מַאי קָא מַיְירֵי)? Because it is written: In His shade I delighted and I sat, and His fruit was sweet to my palate (בְּגִין דִּכְתִּיב בְּצִלּוֹ חִמַּדְתִּי וְיָשַׁבְתִּי וּפִרְיוֹ מָתוֹק לְחִכִּי) (Song of Songs 2). And a person needs to show himself as one who sits under the shade of faith (וּבָעֵי בַּר נָשׁ לְאַחֲזָאָה גַּרְמֵיהּ דְּיָתִיב תְּחוֹת צִלָּא דִּמְהֵימְנוּתָא).

Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי), all the years that Aharon was alive (כָּל אִינּוּן שְׁנִין דְּקָאִים אַהֲרֹן), Yisrael were under the shade of faith, beneath these clouds (הֲווֹ יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּצִלָּא דִּמְהֵימְנוּתָא תְּחוֹת אִלֵּין עֲנָנִין). After Aharon died (בָּתַר דְּמִית אַהֲרֹן), one cloud departed (אִסְתַּלָּק עֲנָנָא חַד), that is the right side of all (דְּהוּא יְמִינָא דְּכֹלָּא). And when this departed (וְכַד הַאי אִסְתַּלָּק), all the rest departed with it (אִסְתְּלָקוּ כָּל שְׁאָר עִמֵּיהּ). Some say: the clouds (נ״א עֲנָנִין). And all appeared diminished (וְאִתְחֲזִיאוּ כֻּלְּהוּ בִּגְרִיעוּתָא).

And we have established it (וְהָא אוּקְמוּהָ), as it is written: And all the congregation saw that Aharon was dead (דִכְתִיב וַיִּרְאוּ כָּל הָעֵדָה כִּי גָוַע אַהֲרֹן) (Numbers 20). Do not read they saw (אַל תִּקְרֵי וַיִּרְאוּ), but they feared (אֶלָּא וַיִּירְאוּ). Immediately it is written (מִיַּד): And the Canaanite king of Arad, who dwelt in the Negev, heard that Yisrael came by the way of the Atharim (וַיִּשְׁמַע הַכְּנַעֲנִי מֶלֶךְ עֲרָד יוֹשֵׁב הַנֶּגֶב כִּי בָא יִשְׂרָאֵל דֶּרֶךְ הָאֲתָרִים) (Numbers 21). He heard that those clouds had departed (שְׁמַע דְּאִסְתָּלְקוּ אִינּוּן עֲנָנִים), and the great protector who was tied with all those clouds had died (וּמִית תַּיָירָא רַבְרְבָא דְּכָל אִינּוּן עֲנָנִים אִתְקְשָּׁרוּ בֵיהּ).

Rabbi Yitzchak said (אָמַר רִבִּי יִצְחָק), the Canaanite, king of Arad, dwelt in the Negev surely (הַכְּנַעֲנִי מֶלֶךְ עֲרָד יוֹשֵׁב הַנֶּגֶב וַדַּאי). And when those scouts came whom Moshe sent (וְכַד אָתוּ אִינּוּן מְאַלְּלִין דְּשָׁדַר מֹשֶׁה), they said: Amalek dwells in the land of the Negev (אַמְרוּ עֲמָלֵק יוֹשֵׁב בְּאֶרֶץ הַנֶּגֶב) (Numbers 13), to break their hearts (בְּגִין לְתַּבְרָא לִבַּיְיהוּ). For through Amalek their power was broken at first (דְּהָא בַּעֲמָלֵק אַתְּבַּר חֵילֵיהוֹן בְּקַדְמִיתָא).

Rabbi Abba said (אָמַר רִבִּי אַבָּא), And the Canaanite heard (וַיִּשְׁמַע הַכְּנַעֲנִי) - what does this teach here (מַאי קָא מַיְירֵי הָכָא)? After those clouds departed (בָּתַר דְּאִסְתְּלָקוּ אִינּוּן עֲנָנִים). Rather, Canaan is written concerning him (אֶלָּא כְּנַעַן כְּתִיב בֵּיהּ): And he said: Cursed be Canaan, a servant of servants shall he be to his brothers (וַיֹּאמֶר אָרוּר כְּנָעַן עֶבֶד עֲבָדִים יִהְיֶה לְאֶחָיו) (Bereshit 9). Here we learn (הָכָא אוֹלִיפְנָא), that one who removes himself from under the shade of faith (מַאן דְּאַפִּיק גַּרְמֵיהּ מִצִּלָא דִּמְהֵימְנוּתָא), is seen to be a servant to the servants of servants (אִתְחֲזֵי לְמֶהֱוִי עֶבֶד לְעַבַדֵּי עַבַדִּין).

This is what is written (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב): And he fought with Yisrael and took from them captives (וַיִּלָּחֶם בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל וַיִשְׁבְּ מִמֶּנּוּ שֶׁבִי) (Numbers 21). He took servants from Yisrael for himself (הוּא נָטַל עַבַדִּין מִיִשְׂרָאֵל לְגַרְמֵיהּ). And for this reason it is written (וְעַל דָּא כְּתִיב): All the native-born in Yisrael shall dwell in sukkot (כָּל הָאֶזְרָח בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל יֵשְׁבוּ בַּסּוּכּוֹת) (Leviticus 23). Everyone who is from the holy root and stock of Yisrael (כָּל מַאן דְּאִיהוּ מִשָׁרְשָׁא וְגִזְעָא קַדִּישָׁא דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל), they shall dwell in sukkot (יֵשְׁבוּ בַּסֻּכּוֹת), under the shade of faith (תְּחוֹת צִלָּא דִּמְהֵימְנוּתָא). And one who is not from the holy stock and root of Yisrael (וּמַאן דְּלֵיתֵיהּ מִגִּזְעָא וְשׁוֹרְשָׁא קַדִּישָׁא דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל), does not dwell in them (לָא יְתִיב בְּהוּ), and removes himself from under the shade of faith (וְיִפּוּק גַּרְמֵיהּ מִתְּחוֹת צִלָּא דִּמְהֵימְנוּתָא).