Daf 188b (דַּף קפ״ח ע״ב)

The Yenuka (child) said (אָמַר הַהוּא יַנּוּקָא): by the fragrance of your garments I perceive (בְּרֵיחָא דִּלְבוּשַׁיְיכוּ חֲמֵינָא), that Ammon and Moav contend with you (דְּעַמּוֹן וּמוֹאָב מִתְגָרָן בְּכוּ). How were you saved from them? (הֵיךְ אִשְׁתְּזֵבְתּוּן מִנַּיְיהוּ). The weapons of war were not in your hands (מָאנֵי קְרָבָא לָא הֲווֹ בִּידַיְיכוּ). And if not, you would have been delivered into their hands, without fear (וְאִי לָאו, לְרָחְצָנוּ תֵּהֲכוּן, בְּלָא דְּחִילוּ).

Rabbi El'azar, Rabbi Abba, and the friends marveled (תַּוְוהוּ רִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר וְרִבִּי אַבָּא וְחַבְרַיָּיא). Rabbi Abba said (אָמַר רִבִּי אַבָּא): fortunate is this path, and fortunate is our portion that we merited to see this (זַכָּאָה אָרְחָא דָּא, וְזַכָּאָה חוּלָקָנָא דְּזָכֵינָא לְמֶיחמֵי דָּא). They prepared the table as before (אַתְקִינוּ פָּתוֹרָא כְּמִלְּקַדְּמִין).

He said (אָמַר): holy sages (חַכִּימִין קַדִישִׁין), do you wish bread of delights without battle? (תִּבְעוּ נָהֲמָא דְּתַפְנוּקֵי בְּלָא קְרָבָא). Some say: bread of battle, and a table of weapons of war (ס״א אוֹ נַהֲמָא דְּקְרָבָא וּפָתוֹרָא דְּמָאנֵי קְרָבָא). Or bread of battle? (אוֹ נַהֲמָא דִּקְרָבָא). Or do you wish to bless the King with all the weapons of war, for this table does not ascend without battle? (אוֹ תִּבְעוּן לְבָרְכָא לְמַלְכָּא בְּכָל מָאנֵי קְרָבָא, דְּהָא פָּתוֹרָא לָא אִסְתָּלִיק בְּלָא קְרָבָא).

Rabbi El'azar said (אָמַר רִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר): beloved, precious, holy son (בְּרָא רְחִימָא חֲבִיבָא קַדִישָׁא), thus we desire (הָכִי בָּעֵינָן). In all these weapons of war we have labored (בְּכָל הָנֵי זִינֵי קְרָבָא אִשְׁתָּדַּלְנָא בְּהוּ), and we know how to fight with sword, bow, spear, and sling-stones (וְיַדְעֵינָן לְאַגָחָא בְּחַרְבָּא, וּבְקַשְׁתָּא, וּבְרוֹמְחָא, וּבְאָבָנִין דְּקִירְטָא). And you, teacher, have not yet seen how mighty men of the world engage in battle (וְאַנְתְּ רַבְיָא, עַד לָא חָמִית, הֵיךְ מַגִיחִין קְרָבָא, גּוּבְרִין תַּקִּיפִין דְּעָלְמָא).

That child rejoiced (חַדֵּי הַהוּא יַנּוּקָא), and said (אָמַר): indeed, I have not seen, but it is written: “Let not him who girds boast himself as he who loosens” (1 Kings 20) (וַדַּאי לָא חֲמֵינָא, אֲבָל כְּתִיב אַל יִתְהַלֵּל חוֹגֵר כִּמְפַתֵּחַ). They prepared the table with bread and all that was needed (אַתְקִינוּ פָּתוֹרָא בְּנַהֲמָא, וּבְכָל מַה דְּאִצְטְרִיךְ).

Rabbi El'azar said (אָמַר רִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר): how much joy is in my heart for this teacher (כַּמָה חֵדוּ אִית בְּלִבָּאִי בְּרַבְיָא דָּא), and how many new insights will be renewed at this table (וְכַמָה חִדּוּשִׁין יִתְחַדְּשׁוּן עַל פָּתוֹרָא דָּא). And because of this I say, I know that the steps of the bells of the holy spirit walk within him (וְעַל דָּא אֲמָרִית, דְּיָדַעְנָא דְּזָגֵי פַּעְמוֹנֵי רוּחָא קַדִישָׁא הֲווֹ אָזְלִין בֵּיהּ).

The Yenuka (child) said (אָמַר הַהוּא יַנּוּקָא): whoever desires bread, let him eat upon the edge of the sword (מַאן דְּבָעֵי לְנַהֲמָא, עַל פּוּם חַרְבָּא יֵיכוּל). Rabbi El'azar rejoiced (חַדֵּי רִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר). The child turned and drew near to him (אַהְדָר וְקָרִיב יַנּוּקָא לְגַבֵּיהּ). He said to him (אָמַר לֵיהּ): since you praised yourself, it is upon you to engage in battle first (בְּגִין דְּשַׁבְחַת גַּרְמָךְ, אִית לָךְ לְמֵיגַח קְרָבָא בְּקַדְמִיתָא). But I said at first, the battle should be after eating (וַאֲנָא אֲמָרִית בְּקַדְמִיתָא, דִּקְרָבָא לִיהֱוִי בָּתַר אֲכִילָה). But now, whoever desires fine flour, let him hold the weapons of war in his hands (אֲבָל הַשְׁתָּא, מַאן דְּבָעֵי סוֹלְתָא, תוֹלֶה מָאנֵי קְרָבָא בִּידוֹי). Rabbi El'azar said (אָמַר רִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר): to you it is fitting to display those weapons of war of yours (לָךְ יֵאוֹת לְאַחֲזָאָה מֵאִינּוּן מָאנֵי קְרָבָא דִּילָךְ).

That child opened and said (פָּתַח הַהוּא יַנּוּקָא וְאָמַר): “And it shall be, when you eat of the bread of the land, you shall lift up a terumah to Hashem” (Numbers 15) (וְהָיָה בַּאֲכָלְכֶם מִלֶּחֶם הָאָרֶץ תָּרִימוּ תְּרוּמָה לַיְיָ). This verse was spoken concerning the omer of waving (קְרָא דָּא עַל עוֹמֶר הַתְּנוּפָה אִתְּמַר). What is tenufah? (מַאי תְּנוּפָה). If because the priest waves it upward - that is tenufah? (אִי בְּגִין דְּאָנִיף לֵיהּ כַּהֲנָא לְעֵילָּא, אִיהִי תְּנוּפָה). What difference does it make to us, whether he waves or lowers? (מַאי אִכְפַּת לָן, אִי אָנִיף אִי מָאִיךְ). Rather, surely it must be lifted upward (אֶלָּא וַדַּאי אִצְטְרִיךְ לְאַרְמָא לָהּ לְעֵילָּא), and this is terumah (וְהַיְינוּ תְּרוּמָה). And even though we expound two from a hundred, so it is (וְאַף עַל גַּב דְּדַרְשֵׁינָן תְּרֵי מִמְּאָה, וְהָכִי הוּא). But what is tenufah? It is surely elevation (אֲבָל תְּנוּפָה מַאי, הוּא אַרָמוּתָא). And here is a mystery of wisdom (וְרָזָא דְּחָכְמְתָא הָכָא).

Holy pious sages, masters of spears (אִי חֲסִידֵי קַדִישִׁין, מָארֵי דְּרוֹמְחִין), did you not serve Rabbi Shma‘yah the pious (לָא שְׁמַשְׁתּוּן לְרִבִּי שְׁמַעְיָה חֲסִידָא)? For otherwise, you would not know what tenufah is, what wheat is, what barley is (דְּאִי לָאו תִּנְדְּעוּן תְּנוּפָה מַאי הִיא. חִטָּה מַאי הִיא. שְׂעוֹרָה מַאי הִיא). Tenufah that we say, this is tenu peh (תְּנוּ פֶּה). And its mystery: “Give honor to Hashem your God” (Jeremiah 13) (וְרָזָא דִּילֵיהּ: תְּנוּ כָּבוֹד לַיְיָ אֱלֹהֵיכֶם). For the peh (mouth) above, that is honor (דְּהָא פֶּה (עִילָּאָה) הַיְינוּ כָּבוֹד), which we must give to Kudsha Berikh Hu (דְּבָעֵינָן לְמֵיהַב לֵיהּ לְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא). And because of this we must raise it upward, to show that we give this peh to Him (וְעַל דָּא אִבְעֵי לָן לְאַרְמָא לְעֵילָּא, לְאַחֲזָאָה דִּלֵּיהּ אֲנָן יָהֲבִין לְהַאי פֶּה).

For there is no praise to the supernal King except when Yisrael prepare this honor and give it to the King (דְּלֵית שְׁבָחָא לְמַלְכָּא עִלָּאָה, אֶלָּא כַּד יִשְׂרָאֵל מְתַקְּנֵי לֵיהּ לְהַאי כָּבוֹד, וְיָהֲבֵי לֵיהּ לְמַלְכָּא כָּבוֹד). And this is tenu peh, “give honor,” and it is surely elevation (וְדָא הוּא תְּנוּ פֶּה, תְּנוּ כָּבוֹד, וְאָרָמָא אִיהוּ וַדָאי). The verse with which we began: “And it shall be, when you eat of the bread of the land” (קְרָא דְּשָׁרֵינָן בֵּיהּ, וְהָיָה בַּאֲכָלְכֶם מִלֶּחֶם הָאָרֶץ). And is the land for you barley? Not so (וְכִי לָכֶם הָאָרֶץ שְׂעוֹרָה אִיהוּ, לָאו הָכִי). Yet we bring barley (וַאֲנָן שְׂעוֹרָה מְקָרְבֵינָן), because barley comes first before all other bread of the world (בְּגִין דִּשְׂעוֹרָה קַדְמָאָה לִשְׁאַר נָהֲמָא דְּעָלְמָא). Barley is - some say “the measure of hei,” for that place (שְׂעוֹרָה אִיהוּ (ס״א שִׁעוּר ה״א, דְּהָא אֲתַר)). Barley is the hei, it is known, in the measure of the hei (שְׂעוֹרָה דְּה״א יְדִיעַ הוּא, בְּשִׁיעוּרָא דְּהֵ״א). Some say: wheat with hei pointed, etc. (ס״א חִטָּה בְּה״א נְקוּדָה וְכוּ׳). Wheat is the daughter who sins before her father (חִטָּה בְּרָתָּא דְּמִתְחַטְּאָה לְקַמֵּי אֲבוּהָ), and he does her will (וְעָבִיד לָהּ רְעוּתָא). And what is wheat? It is the totality of the 22 letters (וּמַה חִטָּה. כְּלָלָא דּכ״ב אַתְוָון).

Rabbi El'azar said (אָמַר רִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר): even though we were to listen (אַף עַל גַּב דְּהֲוָה לָן לְמִשְׁמַע), here we must say, and draw the bow (הָכָא אִית לָן לְמֵימַר, וּלְדַרְכָא קַשְׁתָּא). The Yenuka (Child) said (אָמַר הַהוּא יַנּוּקָא): behold, a shield against the arrow (הָא מָגִנָּא לָקֳבֵל גִּירָא).

Rabbi El'azar said (אָמַר רִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר): surely wheat, so we call it (וַדַּאי חִטָּה הָכִי קָרֵינָן לָהּ). But we see in all the tribes that there is no letter ḥet in them (אֲבָל חֲמֵינָן בַּשְׁבָטִים כֻּלְּהוּ דְּלֵית בְּהוּ חֵ״ט), and in this there is the letter ḥet (וּבָהּ אִית חֵ״ט), and we call it wheat (וְקָרֵינָן חִטָּה).

The Yenuka (child) said (אָמַר הַהוּא יַנּוּקָא): surely so it is (וַדַּאי הָכִי הוּא), for the letter ḥet rests near it (דְּהָא חֵ״ט שַׁרְיָא סָמִיךְ לָהּ). In the tribes, these letters were not, for they came from the side of supernal holiness (בְּהוּ בְּשִׁבְטִין לָא הֲווֹ אַתְוָון אִלֵּין, דְּקָא אָתוּ מִסִּטְרָא דִּקְדוּשָּׁה דִּלְעֵילָּא), but regarding her, it rests (אֲבָל לְגַבָּהּ שַׁרְיָא). And if you wish to draw the sword (וְאִי בָּעִית לְאַפָּקָא חַרְבָּא), and say: why did that daughter take these letters? (וְתֵימָא אֲמַאי נַקְטַת אַתְוָון אִלֵּין הַהִיא בְּרַתָּא). Rather, if you would know the sin of Adam HaRishon (אֶלָּא אִי תִּנְדַּע חוֹבָא דְּאָדָם הָרִאשׁוֹן), of which they said: it was wheat (דְּאָמְרוּ חִטָּ״ה הֲוָה), you will know this (תִּנְדַּע הָא). And this tree, when it prevails, all is the side of good (וְאִילָנָא דָּא כַּד נָצַח, כֹּלָּא סִטְרָא דְּטוֹב), and it takes hold of every other side, and subdues it (נָקִיט לְכָל סִטְרָא אַחֲרָא, וְכַפְיָיא לֵיהּ).

The earlier friends explained this word (חַבְרַיָּיא קַדְמָאֵי פְּרִישׁוּ מִלָּה דָּא), and left it afar: wheat, simply (וְשָׁרוּ לָהּ מֵרָחִיק, חִטָּה סְתָם). The later ones came and said: wheat indeed (אָתוּ בַּתְרָאֵי וְאָמְרוּ, חִטָּה מַמָּשׁ). Yeshayahu came and explained it (אָתָא יְשַׁעְיָה וּפָרִישׁ לָהּ), as it is written: “And from terror, for it shall not come near you” (Isaiah 54) (דִּכְתִיב וּמִמְּחִתָּה כִּי לֹא תִקְרַב אֵלָיִךְ).

And therefore, a point is in the middle (וְעַל כֵּן נְקוּדָה בְּאֶמְצָעִיתָא), so that there be no sin (דְּלָא יְהֵא חַטָּאָה). For if there were no point, it would be sin (דְּאִלּוּ נְקוּדָה לָא הֲוִי, חַטָּאָה לֶהֱוִי). And the difference between the letter Tet and the letter Tav (וְחִלּוּפָא בֵּין ט׳ לְת׳), breaks toward the Sitra achra (תָּבִירוּ לְסִטְרָא אַחֲרָא), in the clarification of the word (בְּרִירוּ דְּמִילָה).