Daf 146a (דַּף קמ״ו ע״א)

“So shall you bless the children of Israel; say to them” (כֹּה תְבָרַכוּ אֶת בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל אָמוֹר לָהֶם) (Numbers 6). “So shall you bless” (כֹּה תְבָרַכוּ)—in the Holy Tongue (בְּלָשׁוֹן הַקֹּדֶשׁ). “So shall you bless” (כֹּה תְבָרַכוּ)—with Yirah [awe] (בְּיִרְאָה). “So shall you bless” (כֹּה תְבָרַכוּ)—with humility (בַּעֲנָוָה). Rabbi Abba said (אָמַר רִבִּי אַבָּא): “So shall you bless” (כֹּה תְבָרַכוּ)—it was taught: this Tzedek [Righteousness] is called Koh [Thus] (תָּאנָא, הַאי צֶדֶ״ק אִתְקְרֵי כֹּ״ה), for all judgments are aroused from Koh [Thus] (דְּכָל דִּינִין מִתְעָרִין מִכֹּ״ה), [some say: from it] (נ״א: מִנֵּיהּ). And this is what Rabbi El‘azar said (וְדָא הוּא דְּאָמַר רִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר): what is “a great blow”? (מַהוּ מַכָּה רַבָּה). [Some say: from Koh [Thus]] (ס״א: דְּכֹה), that is to say, a blow from Koh [Thus] (כְּלוֹמַר, מַכָּה מִן כֹּה). And it is written (וְהִנֵּה לֹא שָׁמַעְתָּ עַד כֹּ״ה): “And behold, you have not listened until now” (וְהִנֵּה לֹא שָׁמַעְתָּ עַד כֹּ״ה) (Exodus 7). And it is written: “By this you shall know that I am Hashem” (בְּזֹאת תֵּדַע כִּי אֲנִי יְיָ) (Exodus 7), and all is one. And it is written: “And he did not set his heart even to this” (וְלֹא שָׁת לִבּוֹ גַּם לָזֹאת) (Exodus 7). And from this Koh [Thus], judgments are aroused (וּמֵהַאי כֹּ״ה מִתְעָרִין דִּינִין). But when Chesed [Kindness] joins with her (וּמִדְּאִתְחַבָּר עִמָּהּ חֶסֶד), she is sweetened (אִתְבַּסְּמַת). And because of this, this was given over to the Kohen [priest] (וּבְגִין כַּךְ, אִתְמְסַר דָּא לַכֹּהֵן), who comes from Chesed [Kindness] (דְּאָתֵי מֵחֶסֶד), so that Koh [Thus] may be blessed and sweetened (בְּגִין דְּתִתְבָּרֵךְ וְתִתְבְּסָם כֹּ״ה). This is what is written (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב): “So shall you bless” (כֹּה תְבָרַכוּ)—that is to say, although this Koh [Thus] is found in judgments (כְּלוֹמַר, אַף עַל גַּב דְּהַאי כֹּה אִשְׁתְּכָחַת בְּדִינִין), you shall sweeten her and bless her (תְּבַסְּמוּן לָהּ, וּתְבָרְכוּן לָהּ). As it is written (דִּכְתִיב): “So shall you bless the children of Israel” (כֹּה תְבָרַכוּ אֶת בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל)—you shall bless Koh [Thus] with this Chesed [Kindness] (תְּבָרַכוּ בְּהַאי חֶסֶד לְכֹ״ה), and sweeten her before Israel (וּתְבַסְּמוּן לָהּ לָקֳבְלַיְיהוּ דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל), so that judgments may not be found in her (בְּגִין דְּלָא יִשְׁתַּכְּחוּן בָּהּ דִּינִין). This is what is written (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב): “So shall you bless the children of Israel; say to them” (כֹּה תְבָרַכוּ אֶת בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל אָמוֹר לָהֶם) (Numbers 6). It does not say imru [say] (אִמְרוּ לֹא כְּתִיב), but rather amor [say] (אֶלָּא אָמוֹר)—to exclude the case when the violent ones multiply, who do not publicize the matter (לְאַפָּקָא מִשֶּׁרָבּוּ הַפָּרִיצִים, דְּלָא מְפַרְסְמִין מִלָּה). For they were not commanded to publicize the Name (דְּהָא לָא אִתְפְּקָדוּ לְפַרְסְמָא שְׁמָא); this is implied by its saying, “say to them” (מַשְׁמַע דִּכְתִיב אָמוֹר לָהֶם). Amor [say], without specification (אָמֹר סְתָם). Another matter (דָּבָר אַחֵר): since it is written, “So shall you bless” (כֹּה תְבָרַכוּ), why is it not written, tomru [you shall say]? (אֲמַאי לָא כְּתִיב תֹּאמְרוּ). Rather, Rabbi Yehudah taught (אֶלָּא תָּנֵי רִבִּי יְהוּדָה): “Say to them” (אָמוֹר לָהֶם)—if they are worthy, say to them (זָכוּ לָהֶם); if they are not worthy, amor [say], without specification (לֹא זָכוּ אָמוֹר סְתָם).

Rabbi Yitzḥak opened (רִבִּי יִצְחָק פָּתַח): “And I, Daniel, alone saw the vision; and the men who were with me did not see the vision…” (וְרָאִיתִי אֲנִי דָּנִיֵאל לְבַדִּי אֶת הַמַּרְאָה, וְהָאֲנָשִׁים אֲשֶׁר הָיוּ עִמִּי לֹא רָאוּ אֶת הַמַּרְאָה וְגוֹ׳) (Daniel 10). “And I, Daniel, alone saw” (וְרָאִיתִי אֲנִי דָּנִיֵאל לְבַדִּי). But have we not learned (וְהָא תָּנֵינָן) that they were prophets (אִינְהוּ נְבִיאֵי), while he was not a prophet? (וְאִיהוּ לָאו נָבִיא). And who were they? (וּמַאן נִינְהוּ). Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi (חַגַּי, זְכַרְיָה וּמַלְאָכִי). If so (אִי הָכִי), has the holy become profane? (אִתְעָבִיד קֹדֶשׁ חוֹל). But it is written: “They did not see” (וְהָא כְּתִיב לֹא רָאוּ)—why, then, were they afraid? (אֲמַאי דְּחִילוּ). Yet of Daniel it is written: “And I saw” (וּבְדָנִיֵּאל כְּתִיב וְרָאִיתִי אֲנִי), and he was not afraid (וְלָא דָּחִיל). Yet he was not a prophet (וְאִיהוּ לָאו נָבִיא)—behold, the profane is holy (הָא חוֹל קֹדֶשׁ). Rather, thus it was taught (אֶלָּא הָכִי תָּאנָא): it is written (כְּתִיב), “Though a camp should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear; though war should rise against me, in this I trust” (אִם תַּחֲנֶה עָלַי מַחֲנֶה לֹא יִירָא לִבִּי, אִם תָּקוּם עָלַי מִלְחָמָה, בְּזֹאת אֲנִי בוֹטֵחַ) (Psalms 27). B’zot [in This] (בְּזֹאת)—that which we have said: Zot [This] is the strength of his portion, to be strengthened and to exact vengeance for him (הָא דְּאַמַרָן, זֹאת עַדְבָא חוּלָקֵיהּ, לְאִתְחַסָנָא, וּלְמֶעְבַּד לֵיהּ נוּקְמִין). And it was taught (וְתָנָא): Kudsha Berikh Hu [the Holy One, blessed be He] made for David a holy chariot with the Patriarchs (עֲבַיד קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לְדָוִד, רְתִיכָא קַדִּישָׁא עִם אֲבָהָתָא), the supernal holy crowns of all (כִּתְרִין עִלָּאִין קַדִּישִׁין דְּכֹלָּא), which the Patriarchs inherited (דְּאַחֲסִינוּ אֲבָהָתָא).

And it was taught (וְתָנָא): David inherited Molcho for his sons after him (מָלְכוּ יָרִית דָּוִד לִבְנוֹי בַּתְרוֹי). And in the place of the supernal Molcho it was strengthened (וּבַאֲתָר מַלְכוּ דִּלְעֵילָּא אִתָּקַף), and he and his sons inherited this Molcho (וְאַחֲסִין הוּא וּבְנוֹי מָלְכוּ דָּא), not to pass from their dominion for all generations (דְּלָא אַעְדֵּי מִשׁוּלְטָנֵהוֹן לְדָרֵי דָּרִין).

And it was taught (וְתָאנָא): at the time when this crown of kingship was aroused for the sons of David (בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְּהַאי כִּתְרָא דְּמַלְכוּתָא אִתְּעַר לִבְנוֹי דְּדָוִד), none could stand before it (לֵית מַאן דְּקָאִים קַמֵּיהּ). “And I, Daniel, alone saw the vision” (וְרָאִיתִי אֲנִי דָּנִיֵאל לְבַדִּי אֶת הַמַּרְאָה)—because he was of the sons of David (מִשּׁוּם דְּמִבְּנוֹי דְּדָוִד הֲוָה), as it is written: “And there were among them from the children of Yehudah, Daniel, Hananiah…” (דִּכְתִיב, וַיְהִי בָהֶם מִבְּנֵי יְהוּדָה, דָּנִיֵאל, חֲנַנְיָה וְגוֹ׳) (Daniel 1). And he saw and rejoiced, for this was from the side of the inherited portion of his fathers (וְהוּא חָמָא וְחַדֵּי, בְּהַאי דְּהוּא מִסְּטַר אַחֲסָנַת חוּלָקָא עַדְבָא דַּאֲבוֹי). And because it was his, he endured it (וּמִשּׁוּם דְּהֲוָה דִּילֵיהּ הוּא סָבִיל), but others could not endure (וְאַחֲרִינֵי לָא סַבְלֵי).

For Rabbi Shimon said (דְּאָמַר רִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן): when this Koh [Thus] is aroused in its judgments (בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְּהַאי כֹּ״ה אִתְּעַר בְּדִינוֹי), the children of the world cannot stand before it (לָא יַכְלִין בְּנֵי עָלְמָא לְמֵיקָם קָמֵיהּ). And when the Kohanim [priests] spread their hands (וּבְשַׁעֲתָא דְּפַרְסִין כַּהֲנֵי יְדַיְיהוּ), which come from Chesed [Kindness] (דְּאַתְיָין מֵחֶסֶד), the supernal Chesed [Kindness] is aroused (אִתְּעַר חֶסֶד דִּלְעֵילָּא), and joins with this Koh [Thus] (וְאִתְחַבָּר בְּהַאי כֹּה). And it is sweetened and blessed with radiant countenance toward the children of Israel (וּמִתְבַּסְּמָא וּמִתְבָּרְכָא בְּאַנְפִּין נְהִירִין לִבְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל), and judgments depart from them (וְאִתְעָדֵי מִנְּהוֹן דִּינִין). This is what is written (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב): “So shall you bless the children of Israel” (כֹּה תְבָרַכוּ אֶת בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל) (Numbers 6), and not the other nations (וְלָא לִשְׁאַר עַמִּין). Because of this, a Kohen [priest], and no other (בְּגִין כַּךְ כֹּהֵן, וְלָא אַחֲרָא). The Kohen [priest]—because this crown of his, Chesed [Kindness], is aroused upon his hands (כֹּהֵן בְּגִין דְּיִתְּעַר הַאי כִּתְרָא דִּילֵיהּ חֶסֶד, עַל יְדוֹי), for he is called a Chasid [pious one] (דְּאִקְרֵי חָסִיד), as it is written: “To the man of Your Chasid [pious one]” (לְאִישׁ חֲסִידֶךָ) (Deuteronomy 33). And he comes from the side of Chesed [Kindness] (וְהוּא אָתֵי מִסִּטְרָא דְּחֶסֶד). And it is written: “And Your Chasidim [pious ones] shall bless You” (וַחֲסִידֶיךָ יְבָרְכוּכָה) (Psalms 145). Do not read “shall bless You” (אַל תִּקְרֵי יְבָרְכוּכָה), but rather, “shall bless Koh [Thus]” (אֶלָּא יְבָרְכוּ כֹּ״ה). “So shall you bless” (כֹּה תְבָרַכוּ)—with the Shem haMeforesh [Explicit Name] (בְּשֵׁם הַמְּפוֹרָשׁ). “So shall you bless” (כֹּה תְבָרַכוּ)—in the Holy Tongue (בְּלְשׁוֹן הַקֹּדֶשׁ).

It was taught (תָּאנָא), Rabbi Yehudah said (אָמַר רִבִּי יְהוּדָה): at the time when the Kohen below stands and spreads his hands (בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְּכַהֲנָא דִּלְתַּתָּא קָם וּפָרִיס יְדוֹי), all the holy crowns above are aroused (כָּל כִּתְרִין קַדִּישִׁין דִּלְעֵילָּא מִתְעָרִין), and are rectified to be blessed (וּמִתְתַּקְּנִין לְאִתְבָּרְכָא). And they shine from the depth of the well (וְנַהֲרִין מֵעוּמְקָא דְּבֵירָא), which is drawn for them from that depth that flows continually (דְּאִתְמְשָׁךְ לְהוּ מֵהַהוּא עוּמְקָא דְּנָפַק תָּדִיר). And the blessings of that spring never cease (וְלָא פָּסִיק בִּרְכָאן דְּנַבְעִין), but stream forth to all the worlds, and they are blessed and given to drink from all of them (מַבּוּעִין לְכֻלְּהוּ עָלְמִין, וּמִתְבָּרְכָן וּמִתְשַׁקְיָין מְכֻּלְּהוּ).

And it was taught (וְתָאנָא): at that time, silence and stillness are in all worlds (בְּהַהוּא זִמְנָא, לְחִישׁוּתָא וּשְׁתִּיקוּתָא הֲוִי בְכָל עָלְמִין)—as with a King who desires to unite with the Matronita (לְמֶלֶךְ דְּבָעֵי לְאִזְדַּוְּוגָא בְּמַטְרוֹנִיתָא), and desires to enter to her in whisper (וּבָעֵי לְמֵעַאל לָהּ בִּלְחִישׁוּ). And all the attendants are aroused at that time (וְכָל שַׁמָּשִׁין מִתְעָרִין בְּהַהוּא זִמְנָא), and whisper to each other: “Behold, the King is coming to unite with the Matronita” (וּמִתְלַחֲשִׁין, הָא מַלְכָּא אָתֵי לְאִזְדַּוְּוגָא בְּמַטְרוֹנִיתָא). Who is the Matronita (מַאן מַטְרוֹנִיתָא)? This is Knesset Yisrael (דָּא כְּנֶסֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל). And who is Knesset Yisrael (מַאן כְּנֶסֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל)? Knesset Yisrael, simply (כְּנֶסֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל סְתָם).