Daf 187b (דַּף קפ״ז ע״ב)

And so with Moshe it is written (וְהָכִי בְּמֹשֶׁה כְּתִיב): “And the angel of Hashem appeared to him in a flame of fire” (Exodus 3) (וַיֵּרָא מַלְאַךְ יְיָ אֵלָיו בְּלַבַּת אֵשׁ). And if you say (וְאִי תֵּימָא): the praise of Avraham is greater, for it is not written of him “angel,” but rather “And Hashem appeared to him by the oaks of Mamre…” (Bereshit 18) (דְּלָא כְּתִיב בֵּיהּ מַלְאָךְ, אֶלָּא וַיֵּרָא אֵלָיו יְיָ בְּאֵלוֹנֵי מַמְרֵא וְגוֹ'). There with Avraham, Adonai was revealed to him (הָתָם בְּאַבְרָהָם, אִתְחֲזֵי לֵיהּ אֲדֹנָי), in the form of Alef–Dalet (בְּאָלֶף דָּלֶת).

Because at that time he received the covenant (בְּגִין דִּבְהַהוּא זִמְנָא קַבִּיל בְּרִית). And what had been hidden until then from him was revealed - Master and Ruler (וּמַה דְּהֲוָה אִתְכַּסֵּי עַד כְּעָן מִנֵּיהּ, אִתְחֲזֵי לֵיהּ רִבּוֹן וְשָׁלִיט). And so it was revealed, for then he was bound in that degree, and no more (וְהָכִי אִתְחֲזֵי, דְּהָא כְּדֵין בְּהַהוּא דַּרְגָּא אִתְקָשַׁר, וְלָא יַתִיר). And therefore, in the Name Adon, Ruler, over him (וּבְגִין כָּךְ, בִּשְׁמָא דַּאֲדוֹן רִבּוֹן עָלֵיהּ). But Moshe, in whom there was no separation (אֲבָל מֹשֶׁה דְּלָא הֲוָה בֵּיהּ פִּרוּדָא), as it is written: “Moshe, Moshe” - without pause between (Exodus 3) (דִּכְתִיב מֹשֶׁה מֹשֶׁה דְּלָא פָּסְקָא טַעֲמָא). As it is written: “Avraham, Avraham” - with pause between (Bereshit 22) (כְּמָה דִּכְתִיב אַבְרָהָם אַבְרָהָם, דְּפַסְקָא טַעֲמָא). Because now he was complete, which had not been earlier (בְּגִין דְּהַשְׁתָּא שְׁלִים, מַה דְּלָא הֲוָה מִקַּדְמַת דְּנָא).

A distinction exists between Avraham now and Avraham before (פְּרִישׁוּ אִית בֵּין אַבְרָהָם דְּהַשְׁתָּא, לְאַבְרָהָם דְּקַדְמֵיתָא). But Moshe, from the moment he was born, the clear mirror was with him (אֲבָל מֹשֶׁה, מִיַּד דְּאִתְיְילִיד, אַסְפַּקְלַרְיָאָה דְּנַהֲרָא הֲוָת עִמֵּיהּ). As it is written: “And she saw him, that he was good” (Exodus 2) (דִּכְתִיב וַתֵּרֶא אוֹתוֹ כִּי טוֹב הוּא). And it is written: “And God saw the light, that it was good” (Bereshit 1) (וּכְתִיב וַיַּרְא אֱלֹהִים אֶת הָאוֹר כִּי טוֹב). Moshe was immediately bound in his degree (מֹשֶׁה מִיָּד אִתְקְשַׁר בְּדַרְגָּא דִּילֵיהּ), and therefore “Moshe, Moshe,” without pause (וּבְגִין כָּךְ מֹשֶׁה מֹשֶׁה, וְלָא אַפְסִיק טַעֲמָא). And because of this, with Moshe it is written “angel of Hashem,” to diminish himself (וְעַל דָּא לְגַבֵּי דְּמֹשֶׁה, אַזְעִיר גַּרְמֵיהּ, דִּכְתִיב מַלְאַךְ יְיָ).

Ya‘aqov called Him thus, at the time when he departed from the world - “angel” (יַעֲקֹב קָרָא לֵיהּ, בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְּהֲוָה סָלִיק מֵעָלְמָא, מַלְאָךְ). What is the reason? (מַאי טַעֲמָא). Because at that time, it was given to Him to rule (בְּגִין דִּבְהַהִיא שַׁעֲתָא הֲוָה יָרִית לָהּ, לְשַׁלְּטָאָה). Moshe - in his lifetime (מֹשֶׁה בְּחַיָיו). Ya‘aqov - after he departed from the world (יַעֲקֹב, לְבָתַר דְּסָלִיק מֵעָלְמָא). Moshe - in the body (מֹשֶׁה בְּגוּפָא). Ya‘aqov - in the spirit (יַעֲקֹב בְּרוּחָא). Fortunate is the portion of Moshe (זַכָּאָה חוּלָקָא דְּמֹשֶׁה).

“The one who redeems me from all evil” (הַגּוֹאֵל אוֹתִי מִכָּל רָע), that he never drew near to the side of evil (דְּלָא אִתְקְרִיב לְעָלְמִין לְגַבֵּי סִטְרָא דְּרַע), and evil was never able to rule over him (וְלָא יָכִיל רַע לְשַׁלְּטָאָה בֵּיהּ). “May he bless the youths” (יְבָרֵךְ אֶת הַנְּעָרִים) - then Ya‘aqov was preparing his house (כְּדֵין יַעֲקֹב הֲוָה מְתַקֵּן לְבֵיתֵיהּ), like a man who goes to a new house (כְּבַר נָשׁ דְּאָזִיל לְבֵיתָא חַדְתָּא), and prepares it with arrangements (וּמְתַקֵּן לָהּ בְּתִקּוּנוֹי), and adorns it with adornments (וּמְקַשֵּׁט לָהּ בְּקִשׁוּטוֹי). “May he bless the youths” (יְבָרֵךְ אֶת הַנְּעָרִים) - these are the ones who are known (אִינּוּן דְּאִשְׁתְּמוֹדְעָן), those who are appointed over the world (אִינּוּן דְּאִתְפָּקְדָן עַל עָלְמָא), for blessing to be drawn from them (לְאִתְמַשְּׁכָא מִנַּיְיהוּ בִּרְכָאן). They are the two Keruvim (תְּרֵין כְּרוּבִין אִינּוּן). “And my name shall be called upon them” (וְיִקָּרֵא בָהֶם שְׁמִי) - now he prepared his house (הַשְׁתָּא אַתְקִין בֵּיתֵיהּ), and he was elevated in his degree (וְאִיהוּ אִסְתַּלָּק בְּדַרְגֵיהּ), because the bond was in Ya‘aqov (בְּגִין דְּחִבּוּרָא בְּיַעֲקֹב הֲוִי).

The body clings in the place needed (גּוּפָא, אִתְדְּבַק בַּאֲתָר דְּאִצְטְרִיךְ), with the two arms with it (וּתְרֵין דְּרוֹעִין בַּהֲדֵיהּ). After the youths are blessed properly (לְבָתַר דְּאִינּוּן נְעָרִים מִתְבָּרְכָן כַּדְּקָא יָאוּת), then: “And may they multiply like fish in the midst of the earth” (וְיִדְגּוּ לָרוֹב בְּקֶרֶב הָאָרֶץ). The way of fish is to increase in the waters (אָרְחָא דְּנוּנִין לְאַסְגָּאָה גּוֹ מַיִין). And if they go out from the waters to dry land, they die immediately (וְאִי נַפְקָן מִגּוֹ מַיָּא לְיַבֶּשְׁתָּא, מִיָּד מֵתִין). These are not so (אִלֵּין לָאו הָכִי), but they are from the Great Sea (אֶלָּא אִינּוּן מִן יַמָּא רַבָּא). And their multitude is to spread and to increase in the midst of the earth (וּסְגִיאוּ דִּלְהוֹן לְאַפָשָׁא וּלְאַסְגֵּי בְּקֶרֶב הָאָרֶץ אִיהוּ). Not so with all the fish of the world (מַה דְּלֵית הָכִי לְכָל נוּנִין דְּעָלְמָא). What is written above? (מַה כְּתִיב לְעֵילָּא). “And he blessed Yosef and said” (וַיְבָרֶךְ אֶת יוֹסֵף וַיֹּאמַר) (Bereshit 48). And we do not find here a blessing (וְלָא אַשְׁכְּחָן לֵיהּ הָכָא בִּרְכָאן). For afterwards he blessed him, as it is written: “Yosef is a fruitful son” (Bereshit 49) (דְּהָא לְבָתַר בָּרִיךְ לֵיהּ, דִּכְתִיב בֵּן פּוֹרָת יוֹסֵף). Rather, since he blessed these youths, Yosef was blessed (אֶלָּא, כֵּיוָן דְּבָרִיךְ לְאִלֵּין נְעָרִים, לְיוֹסֵף בְּרִיךְ). For they could not be blessed except through Yosef (דְּהָא לָא יַכְלִי לְאִתְבָּרְכָא, אֶלָּא מִגוֹ יוֹסֵף). And since he is in concealment, and not seen to be revealed (וּמִגוֹ דְּאִיהוּ בִּטְמִירוּ, וְלָא אִתְחֲזֵי לְאִתְגַּלָּאָה), it is written in concealment: “And my name shall be called upon them, and the name of my fathers” (וְיִקָרֵא בָהֶם שְׁמִי, וְשֵׁם אֲבוֹתַי). Upon the throne above (לְכַסְאָה עָלַיָּה). From the fathers they are blessed, and not from another place (מִן הָאָבוֹת מִתְבָרְכָן, וְלָא מֵאֲתָר אַחֲרָא). “In the midst of the earth” (בְּקֶרֶב הָאָרֶץ) - this is covering for the wedding canopy, what is needed (דָּא הוּא כִּסּוּיָא לְחֹפָּאָה מַה דְּאִצְטְרִיךְ).

They came and kissed him as before (אָתוּ וּנְשָׁקוּה כְּמִלְּקַדְּמִין). They said (אָמְרוּ): let us bless (הָבוּ וְנִבְרִיךְ). He said (אָמַר אִיהוּ): I will bless (אֲנִי אֲבָרֵךְ), for all that you have heard until now was from me (דְּכָל מַה דִּשְׁמַעְתּוּן עַד הָכָא מִנַּאי הֲוָה). And it is fulfilled in me: “A good eye - he shall bless” (Proverbs 22) (וַאֲקַיֵּים בִּי טוֹב עַיִן הוּא יְבוֹרָךְ). It reads as “he shall bless” (קָרֵי בֵּיהּ יְבָרֵךְ). Why is this? (מַאי טַעֲמָא). Because he gave of his bread to the poor (בְּגִין דְּנָתָן מִלַּחְמוֹ לַדָּל). My bread and the nourishment of Orayta you have eaten (מִלַּחְמָא וּמֵיכְלָא דְּאוֹרַיְיתָא דִּילִי אָכַלְתּוּן).

Rabbi Yehudah said (אָמַר רִבִּי יְהוּדָה): son, beloved of Kudsha Berikh Hu (בְּרָא רְחִימָא דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא), behold we have learned: the master of the house breaks, and the guest blesses (הָא תָּנֵינָן, בַּעַל הַבַּיִת בּוֹצֵעַ וְאוֹרֵחַ מְבָרֵךְ). He said to him (אָמַר לֵיהּ): I am not the master of the house, and you are not guests (לָאו אֲנָא בַּעַל הַבַּיִת, וְלָאו אַתּוּן אוֹרְחִין). But I found a verse, and I fulfill it (אֲבָל קְרָא אַשְׁכַּחְנָא, וַאֲקַיֵּים לֵיהּ). For surely I am a good eye (דְּהָא אֲנָא טוֹב עַיִן וַדַּאי). Without your asking, I have said until now (בְּלָא שָׁאִילוּ דִּלְכוֹן אֲמֵינָא עַד הַשְׁתָּא), and my bread and food you have eaten (וְלַחְמָא וּמֵיכְלָא דִּילִי אֲכַלְתּוּן).

He took the cup of blessing and blessed (נָטַל כַּסָּא דְּבִרְכָתָא וּבָרִיךְ). And his hands could not bear the cup, and they trembled (וִידוֹי לָא יַכְלֵי לְמִסְבַּל כַּסָּא, וַהֲווּ מְרַתְתֵּי). When it reached over the earth and over the food, he said (כַּד מָטָא לְעַל הָאָרֶץ וְעַל הַמָּזוֹן, אָמַר): “The cup of salvations I will lift, and in the name of Hashem I will call” (Psalms 116) (כּוֹס יְשׁוּעוֹת אֶשָּׂא וּבְשֵׁם יְיָ אֶקְרָא). The cup was established in its order (קַיְּימָא כַּסָּא עַל תִּקּוּנֵיהּ), and rested in his right hand, and he blessed (וְאִתְיְשַּׁב בִּיְמִינֵיהּ, וּבָרִיךְ). At the end he said (לְסוֹף אָמַר): may it be His will, that whoever of these draws life (יְהֵא רַעֲוָא דִּלְחַד מֵאִלֵּין, יִתְמַשְּׁכוּן לֵיהּ חַיִּין), from the King - or some say: from the Tree of Life - from which all life depends (מִגּוֹ אִילָנָא דְּחַיֵּי, דְּכָל חַיִּין בֵּיהּ תַּלְיָין). And Kudsha Berikh Hu make it sweet for him (וְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא יֶעֱרַב לֵיהּ), and may he find sweetness below (וְיִשְׁכָּח עָרֶב לְתַתָּא). And may it be established in His guarantee, together with the Holy King (דְּיִסְתַּכַּם בְּעַרְבוּתֵיהּ, בַּהֲדֵי מַלְכָּא קַדִישָׁא).