Daf 117b (דַּף קי״ז ע״ב)

When the Orayta and the Mishkan [Tabernacle] were established (כֵּיוָן דְּאוֹרַיְיתָא וּמַשְׁכְּנָא אִתּוֹקָמוּ), Kudsha Berikh Hu desired to count the armies of the Orayta (בָּעָא קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לְמִפְקַד חֵילוֹי דְּאוֹרַיְיתָא): how many hosts belong to the Orayta (כַּמָה חַיָּילִין אִינּוּן דְּאוֹרַיְיתָא), and how many hosts belong to the Mishkan [Tabernacle] (כַּמָה חַיָּילִין אִינּוּן דְּמַשְׁכְּנָא). Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי): every matter that needs to be established in its place (כָּל מִלָּה דְּבָעֵי לְאִתְיַישְּׁבָא בְּדוּכְתֵּיהּ) is not established until it is mentioned by the mouth (לָא מִתְיַישְּׁבָא עַד דְּאִדְכַּר בְּפוּמָא), and one is appointed over it (וְאִתְמְנֵי עָלָהּ). So too here (אוּף הָכָא), Kudsha Berikh Hu desired to count the armies of the Orayta and the armies of the Mishkan [Tabernacle] (בָּעָא קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לְמִפְקַד חַיָּילִין דְּאוֹרַיְיתָא, וְחַיָּילִין דְּמַשְׁכְּנָא), and all of them were as one (וְכֻלְּהוּ הֲווֹ כְּחַד), and were not separated one from another (וְלָא מִתְפָּרְשֵׁי דָּא מִן דָּא), all according to the supernal likeness (כֹּלָּא כְּגַוְונָא דִּלְעֵילָּא), for the Orayta and the Mishkan [Tabernacle] are not separated one from another (דְּהָא אוֹרַיְיתָא וּמַשְׁכְּנָא לָא מִתְפָּרְשֵׁי דָּא מִן דָּא), and go together as one (וְאָזְלִין כַּחֲדָא).

And because of this, their armies entered into number, to be known among them (וּבְגִין כַּךְ, חַיָּילֵיהוֹן עָאלִין בְּחוּשְׁבָּנָא לְאִשְׁתְּמוֹדְעָא גַּבַּיְיהוּ), except for those others who have no number (בַּר אִינּוּן אַחֲרָנִין דְּלֵית לוֹן חוּשְׁבָּנָא). And because of this it is written (וּבְגִין כַּךְ כְּתִיב): “And Hashem spoke to Moshe in the wilderness of Sinai, in the Tent of Meeting” (וַיְדַבֵּר יְיָ אֶל מֹשֶׁה בְּמִדְבַּר סִינַי בְּאֹהֶל מוֹעֵד) (Bamidbar 1:1). If it was in the Tent of Meeting, why was it in the wilderness of Sinai? (אִי בְּאֹהֶל מוֹעֵד, אֲמַאי בְּמִדְבַּר סִינַי). Rather, one refers to the Orayta, and one to the Mishkan [Tabernacle] (אֶלָּא חַד לְאוֹרַיְיתָא וְחַד לְמַשְׁכְּנָא). And this and that (וְהַאי וְהַאי): “On the first day of the second month, in the second year” (בְּאֶחָד לַחֹדֶשׁ הַשֵּׁנִי בַּשָּׁנָה הַשֵּׁנִית), and all is one (וְכֹלָּא חַד). And this is called the month of Ziv [Radiance] (וְהַאי אִקְרֵי חֹדֶשׁ זִיו) (I Kings 6:1), hinting to that month and year which shine for the Sihara [moon] (רֶמֶז לְהַהוּא יַרְחָא וְשַׁתָּא דְּנָהִיר לְסִיהֲרָא), for then all the worlds were found in completeness (דְּהָא כְּדֵין עָלְמִין כֻּלְּהוּ אִשְׁתְּכָחוּ בִּשְׁלִימוּ). “When they came out of the land of Egypt” (לְצֵאתָם מֵאֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם)—to make known that when Yisrael came out of Egypt, it was in the first month (לְאִשְׁתְּמוֹדְעָא דְּהָא כַּד נַפְקוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל מִמִּצְרַיִם, בַּחֹדֶשׁ הָרִאשׁוֹן הֲוָה).

Rabbi Yitzḥak opened (רִבִּי יִצְחָק פָּתַח): “Hashem has remembered us; He will bless; He will bless the house, etc.” (יְיָ זְכָרָנוּ יְבָרֵךְ יְבָרֵךְ אֶת בֵּית וְגוֹ׳) (Tehillim 115:12). “Hashem has remembered us; He will bless” (יְיָ זְכָרָנוּ יְבָרֵךְ)—these are the men who entered into number in the wilderness (אִלֵּין גּוּבְרִין. דַּהֲווֹ עָאלִין בְּחוּשְׁבָּנָא בְּמַדְבְּרָא), and Kudsha Berikh Hu blessed them (וְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא מְבָרֵךְ לוֹן), and increased them at all times (וְאוֹסִיף עָלַיְיהוּ בְּכָל זִמְנָא).

Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי), whoever speaks praise of his friend-of his children, or of his possessions-he must bless him, and acknowledge upon him blessing (הַאי מַאן דְּאָמַר שְׁבָחָא דְּחַבְרֵיהּ, דִּבְנוֹי, אוֹ דְּמָמוֹנֵיהּ, בָּעֵי לְבָרְכָא לֵיהּ, וּלְאוֹדָאָה עָלֵיהּ בִּרְכָאן). From where do we learn this? From Moshe (מְנָלָן. מִמֹּשֶׁה). As it is written: (Deuteronomy 1) And behold, you are today as the stars of the heavens for multitude (דִּכְתִּיב, וְהִנְּכֶם הַיּוֹם כְּכֹכְבֵי הַשָּׁמַיִם לָרוֹב). Afterwards, what is written? Hashem, the God of your fathers, will add upon you a thousand times as many as you are, etc. (לְבָתַר מַה כְּתִיב, יְיָ אֱלֹהֵי אֲבוֹתֵיכֶם יוֹסֵף עֲלֵיכֶם כָּכֶם אֶלֶף פְּעָמִים וְגוֹ׳). Two blessings were there: one, Hashem, the God of your fathers, etc.-that is one (תְּרֵין בִּרְכָאן הֲווֹ, חַד יְיָ אֱלֹהֵי אֲבוֹתֵיכֶם וְגוֹ׳. הָא חַד).

Afterwards: and He will bless you, as He has spoken to you-to acknowledge upon them blessing upon blessing (לְבָתַר וִיבָרֵךְ אֶתְכֶם כַּאֲשֶׁר דִּבֶּר לָכֶם. לְאוֹדָאָה עָלַיְיהוּ, בִּרְכָאן עַל בִּרְכָאן). And if he counts the praise of his friend and does not acknowledge upon him blessing, he is seized first from above (וְאִי אִיהוּ מָנֵי שְׁבָחָא דְּחַבְרֵיהּ, וְלָא אוֹדֵי עָלֵיהּ בִּרְכָאן. הוּא נִתְפַּס בְּקַדְמִיתָא מִלְּעֵילָּא). But if he blesses him, he is blessed from above (וְאִי אִיהוּ מְבָרֵךְ לֵיהּ, הוּא מִתְבָּרֵךְ מִלְּעֵילָּא). And blessing must be blessed with a good eye, and not with an evil eye (וּבִרְכְתָא בָּעֵי לְבָרְכָא לָהּ בְּעֵינָא טָבָא, וְלָא בְּעֵינָא בִּישָׁא). And in all, Kudsha Berikh Hu desires the love of the heart (וּבְכֹלָּא בָּעֵי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא רְחִימוּתָא דְּלִבָּא). And therefore, one who blesses his friend must have Kudsha Berikh Hu bless him with a good eye and a good heart (וּמַה מַאן דִּמְבָרֵךְ לְחַבְרֵיהּ, בָּעֵי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא דִּיְּבָרֵךְ לֵיהּ בְּעֵינָא טָבָא, בְּלִבָּא טָבָא). One who blesses Kudsha Berikh Hu, how much more so, that he requires a good eye, a good heart, and the love of the heart (מַאן דִּמְבָרֵךְ לְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, עַל אַחַת כַּמָּה וְכַמָּה, דְּבָעֵי עֵינָא טָבָא, וְלִבָּא טָבָא, וּרְחִימוּתָא דְּלִבָּא). Because of this, (Deuteronomy 6) And you shall love Hashem your God with all your heart, etc. (בְּגִין כָּךְ וְאָהַבְתָּ אֶת יְיָ אֱלֹהֶיךָ בְּכָל לְבָבְךָ וְגוֹ׳).

Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי), this has been established: blessing from above does not rest except on a matter that is appointed (הָא אוּקְמוּהָ לֵית בִּרְכָתָא דִּלְעֵילָּא שַׁרְיָא, עַל מִלָּה דְּאִתְמְנֵי). And if you say, how were Yisrael appointed? (וְאִי תֵּימָא, יִשְׂרָאֵל אֵיךְ אִתְמְנוּן). Rather, the ransom-money was taken from them, and this has been established (אֶלָּא כּוּפְרָא נַטְלֵי מִנַּיְיהוּ, וְהָא אוּקְמוּהָ). And the accounting was not until all that ransom-money was gathered, and it ascended to the accounting (וְחוּשְׁבָּנָא לָא הֲוִי עַד דְּיִתְכְּנִישׁ כָּל הַהוּא כּוּפְרָא, וְסָלִיק לְחוּשְׁבְּנָא). And at first they were blessed, Yisrael, and afterwards that ransom-money was counted, and afterwards they returned and blessed Yisrael (וּבְקַדְמִיתָא מְבָרְכָן לְהוּ לְיִשְׂרָאֵל, וּלְבָתַר מְנָאָן הַהוּא כּוּפְרָא, וּלְבָתַר מְהַדְּרִין וּמְבָרְכִין לוֹן לְיִשְׂרָאֵל). It is thus found that Yisrael were blessed at first and at last, and no wrath was upon them (אִשְׁתְּכָחוּ דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל מִתְבָּרְכִין בְּקַדְמִיתָא וּבְסוֹפָא, וְלָא סָלִיק בְּהוּ מוֹתָנָא). Why does wrath come upon counting? (מוֹתָנָא אֲמַאי סָלִיק בְּמִנְיָינָא). Rather, because blessing does not rest upon counting (אֶלָּא בְּגִין דְּבִרְכְתָא לָא שַׁרְיָא בְּמִנְיָינָא). Once blessing is removed, the Sitra achra rests upon it and is able to overpower (כֵּיוָן דְּאִסְתָּלַק בִּרְכָתָא, סִטְרָא אַחֲרָא שָׁארֵי עֲלוֹי, וְיָכִיל לְאַתְזְקָא).

Therefore, in counting they take ransom and redemption, to remove from them wrath (בְּגִין דָּא בְּמִנְיָינָא נַטְלִין כּוּפְרָא וּפִדְיוֹנָא, לְסַלְּקָא עָלֵיהּ מִנַּיְיהוּ). Some say: wrath is removed from upon them (ס״א מֵעֲלֵיהּ מוֹתָנָא). He will bless the house of Yisrael-these are the women, who are not taken in the counting (יְבָרֵךְ אֶת בֵּית יִשְׂרָאֵל, אִלֵּין נָשִׁין, דְּלָא סַלְּקִין בְּמִנְיָינָא). He will bless the house of Aharon-these are they who bless the people with a good eye, with a good heart, and with the love of the heart (יְבָרֵךְ אֶת בֵּית אַהֲרֹן, דְּאִינּוּן מְבָרְכִין לְעַמָּא, בְּעֵינָא טָבָא וּבְלִבָּא טָבָא, וּבִרְחִימוּתָא דְּלִבָּא). The house of Aharon-so too the women (אֶת בֵּית אַהֲרֹן, הָכִי נָמֵי נָשִׁין [דִּלְהוֹן]), who are blessed in their blessing (דְּאִתְבָּרְכָן בְּבִרְכָתָא). Some say: in their own blessing (ס״א דִּלְהוֹן). He will bless those who fear Hashem-these are the Levi’im, and all of them are blessed, because they fear Kudsha Berikh Hu (יְבָרֵךְ יִרְאֵי יְיָ. אִלֵּין אִינּוּן לֵיוָאֵי, וְכֻלְּהוּ מִתְבָּרְכִין, בְּגִין דְּדַחֲלִין לֵיהּ לְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא). The small with the great-even though they do not enter into the counting (הַקְּטַנִים עִם הַגְּדוֹלִים, אַף עַל גַּב דְּלָא עָאלִין בְּמִנְיָינָא).