Daf 191b (דַּף קצ״א ע״ב)

I was a single son to my mother (אֲנָא בְּרָא יְחִידָא הֲוִינָא לְאִמִּי), give me the cup and I will bless the holy King (הָבוּ לִי כַּסָּא וַאֲבָרֵךְ לְמַלְכָּא קַדִישָׁא), who placed in the house of my mother men of might (דְּיָהַב בְּבֵיתָא דְּאִמִּי גּוּבְרִין דְּחֵילָא), before whom I speak mighty words (דְּמַלִּילְנָא קַמַּיְיהוּ מִלִּין תַּקִּיפִין), and I merited through them (וְזָכֵינָא לוֹן). And because of this, I will bless (וּבְגִין כָּךְ אֲנָא אֲבָרֵךְ). And before this, the verse is established in its place (וְקוֹדֶם דָּא אִתְיָשֵׁב קְרָא עַל תִּקּוּנֵיהּ), that with which we began (הָא דְּשָּׁרֵינָן בֵּיהּ). “He who withholds grain, the people will curse him” (Proverbs 11) (מוֹנֵעַ בָּר יִקְּבוּהוּ לְאֹם), one who withholds a son, as has been said, “the people will curse him” (מַאן דְּאַמְנַע בַּר כְּמָה דְּאִתְּמַר, יִקְּבוּהוּ לְאֹם). As you say: “And the son of the Yisraelite woman pronounced the Name” (Leviticus 24) (כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר, וַיִקוֹב בֶּן הָאִשָּׁה הַיִּשְׂרְאֵלִית אֶת הַשֵּׁם).

So too here, “they will curse him” (אוּף הָכָא יִקְּבוּהוּ). And they expound it as “to the Mother” (וַיְפָרְשׁוּן לֵיהּ לְאֵם), they will reveal his sins to the Holy Imma (יְפָרְשׁוּ חֶטְאוֹי לְאִמָּא קַדִישָׁא). “And blessing is upon the head of him who sells” (Proverbs 11) (וּבְרָכָה לְרֹאשׁ מַשְׁבִּיר), for that man who trains his son to bless Kudsha Berikh Hu (לְהַהוּא בַּר נָשׁ דִּיחָנֵךְ בְּרֵיהּ לְבָרְכָא לְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא), and to train him in the commandments of the Orayta (וּלְחַנְּכָא לֵיהּ בְּפִקּוּדֵי אוֹרַיְיתָא). And the mystery of the matter is written in the supernal mystery (וְרָזָא דְּמִלָּה, כְּתִיב בְּרָזָא דִּלְעֵילָּא): “What is His name, and what is His son’s name, if you know?” (Proverbs 30) (מַה שְּׁמוֹ וּמַה שֶּׁם בְּנוֹ כִּי תֵדָע).

That known Name is Hashem Tzeva’ot (הַהוּא שֵׁם יְדִיעָא, יְיָ צְבָאוֹת שְׁמוֹ). “And His son’s name” - Yisrael is His name (שֶּׁם בְּנוֹ. יִשְׂרָאֵל שְׁמוֹ), as it is written: “My son, My firstborn, Yisrael” (Exodus 4) (דִּכְתִיב, בְּנִי בְכֹרִי יִשְׂרָאֵל). And behold, Yisrael - all keys of faith depend on it (וְהָא יִשְׂרָאֵל, כָּל מַפְתְּחָן דִּמְהֵימְנוּתָא בֵּיהּ תַּלְיָין). And he is praised and said: “Hashem said to me: You are My son” (Psalms 2) (וְאִיהוּ מִשְׁתְּבַּח וְאָמַר, יְיָ אָמַר אֵלַי בְּנִי אַתָּה).

And so it surely is (וְהָכִי הוּא ודַּאי), for Abba and Imma crowned him and blessed him with many blessings (דְּהָא אַבָּא וְאִמָּא עֲטְּרוּ לֵיהּ, וּבָרִיכוּ לֵיהּ בְּכַמָּה בִּרְכָאן). And they said and commanded all: “Kiss the son” (Psalms 2) (וְאָמְרוּ וּפָקִידוּ לְכֹלָּא, נַשְּׁקוּ בַר), kiss the hand of this son (נַשְּׁקוּ יְדָא לְהַאי בַר). As it were, dominion was given to him over all, that all should serve him (כִּבְיָכוֹל, שָׁלְטָנוּ יָהַב לֵיהּ עַל כֹּלָּא, דְּכֹלָּא יִפְלְחוּן לֵיהּ). “Lest He be angry” (Psalms 2) (פֶּן יֶאֱנַף), because they crowned him with judgment and mercy (בְּגִין דְּאַעְטָּרוּ לֵיהּ בְּדִינָא וְרַחֲמֵי). Whoever is worthy of judgment - to judgment; whoever is worthy of mercy - to mercy (מַאן דְּזָכֵי לְדִינָא, לְדִינָא. מַאן דְּזָכֵי לְרַחֲמֵי, לְרַחֲמֵי).

All blessings above and below ascend to this Son and are crowned upon Him (כָּל בִּרְכָאן דִּלְעֵילָּא, וְתַתָּא לְהַאי בַּר סַלְּקִין וּמִתְעַטְּרָן). He opened and said (פָּתַח וְאָמַר): “He who withholds grain, the people will curse him; but blessing is upon the head of him who sells” (מוֹנֵעַ בָּר יִקְּבֻהוּ לְאוֹם וּבְרָכָה לְרֹאשׁ מַשְׁבִּיר) (Proverbs 11). This verse is according to its plain meaning (הַאי קְרָא כְּמַשְׁמָעוֹ). But we have learned (אֲבָל תָּנֵינָן): every person is obligated in Birkat haMazon [Grace After Meals] (כָל בַּר נָשׁ חַיָּיב בְּבִרְכַת הַמָּזוֹן). If he does not know, his wife or his sons bless for him (וְאִי לָא יָדַע, אִתְּתֵיהּ, אוֹ בְּנוֹי, מְבָרְכִין לֵיהּ), and a curse comes upon that man (וְתָבֹא מְאֵרָה לְהַהוּא גַּבְרָא), who does not know to bless (דְּלָא יָדַע לְבָרְכָא), until he must rely on his wife and his sons to bless for him (עַד דְּיִצְטְרִיךְ לְאִתְּתֵיהּ וְלִבְנוֹי דְּיִבָרְכוּן לֵיהּ).

If he knows (וְאִי הוּא יָדַע), he must train his son (אִצְטְרִיךְ לְחַנְכָא לִבְרֵיהּ), and give him the cup to bless (וּלְמֵהַב לֵיהּ כַּסָּא לְבָרְכָא). Whoever prevents him from being trained (וּמַאן דְּמָנַע לֵיהּ, דְּלָא יִתְחַנֵּךְ), “the people will curse him” (יִקְּבוּהוּ לְאוֹם). “He who withholds a son” (מוֹנֵעַ בָּר)—who prevents him from blessing Kudsha Berikh Hu and from being trained in mitzvot [commandments] (דְּלָא לְבָרְכָא לְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, וְלָא יִתְחַנֵּךְ בְּמִצְוֹת). “The people will curse him” (יִקְּבוּהוּ לְאוֹם): it should have said, “he will curse him” (יִקְּבֵהוּ מִבָּעֵי לֵיהּ), or “the peoples will curse him” (אוֹ יִקְּבוּהוּ לְאוּמִּים). For le’om [people] is singular (דְּהָא לְאֹם חַד הוּא), as you say (כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר): “One people shall be stronger than the other people” (וּלְאֹם מִלְאֹם יְאֱמָץ) (Bereshit 25). What is “the people will curse him”? (מַאי יִקְּבוּהוּ לְאֹם). Rather, le’em [to the mother] is written (אֶלָּא לְאֵם כְּתִיב), to the holy Imma [Mother] (לְאִימָא קַדִישָׁא). They will curse that man (יִקְּבוּהוּ לְהַאי בָּר נָשׁ), who prevented that son from blessing Kudsha Berikh Hu (דְּמָנַע לְהַהוּא בַּר מִלְּבָרְכָא לְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא).

That Yenuka [child] said (אָמַר הַהוּא יַנּוּקָא): you may not part except through words of Orayta (לֵית לְכוּ לְאִתְפָּרְשָׁא, אֶלָּא מִגּוֹ מִלֵּי אוֹרַיְיתָא), and so we have learned (וְהָכִי תָּנֵינָן). He opened and said (פָּתַח וְאָמַר): “And Hashem went before them by day in a pillar of cloud…” (וַיְיָ הוֹלֵךְ לִפְנֵיהֶם יוֹמָם בְּעַמּוּד עָנָן וְגוֹ׳) (Exodus 13). “And Hashem” (וַיְיָ): the Zakef [cantillation mark] is above—why? (זָקִיף טַעֲמָא לְעֵילָּא, אֲמַאי). Rather, at that time (אֶלָּא, בְּהַהוּא שַׁעֲתָא), how fitting and beautiful was this bride (כַּמָּה יָאוּת וּשְׁפִּירוּ הֲוַת לְהַאי כַּלָּה), who until then had been subdued in exile (דְּאִתְכְּפִיאַת עַד הַשְׁתָּא בְּגָלוּתָא), and now goes with head held high amid her multitude, in joy (וְהַשְׁתָּא אַזְלַת בִּזְקִיפוּ דְּרֵישָׁא בְּאֻכְלוּסָהָא בְּחֶדְוָה).

In “And Hashem went before them by day” (בְּוַיְיָ זָקִיף טַעֲמָא לְעֵילָּא, הוֹלֵךְ לִפְנֵיהֶם יוֹמָם), until here one did not know if this bride went before them, or not (עַד הָכָא לָא יָדַע, אִי הַאי כַּלָּה אַזְלַה לְקַמַּיְיהוּ, אִי לָא), for the accent separates at “Hashem” (דְּהָא טַעֲמָא אַפְסִיק בְּוַיְהוָה). Rather, she was there (אֶלָּא אִיהִי הֲוַת תַּמָּן), but the one who went before them was the supernal Elder, Master of the House, the one whom Kudsha Berikh Hu appointed (אֲבָל מַאן דְּאָזִיל קַמַּיְיהוּ, סָבָא עִלָּאָה, מָארֵיהּ דְּבֵיתָא, הַהוּא דְּאוֹמֵי (נ״א דַּאֲזְמִין) לֵיהּ קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא). And who is he? Avraham (וּמַנוֹ. אַבְרָהָם). As it is written: “By day Hashem commands His steadfast love” (Psalms 42) (דִּכְתִיב, יוֹמָם יְצַוֶּה יְיָ חַסְדּוֹ). And it is written: “If not for My covenant by day and night…” (Jeremiah 33) (וּכְתִיב, אִם לֹא בְּרִיתִי יוֹמָם וָלַיְלָה). “Day” - the day in which all days are included (יוֹמָא דְּכָל יוֹמִין כְּלִילָן בֵּיהּ). The day of all other days, surely (יוֹמָא דִּשְׁאַר יוֹמִין, אִיהוּ שְׁאַר כָּל יוֹמִין וַדַּאי). And because of this it is called “by day” (וְעַל דָּא אִקְרֵי יוֹמָם), and not “day” (וְלָא יוֹם). And because of this: “He went before them by day” (וּבְגִין כָּךְ הוֹלֵךְ לִפְנֵיהֶם יוֹמָם). He went in the day (הוּא אָזִיל בִּימָמָא), and the bride went by night (וְכַלָּה אַזְלַת בִּלֵּילְיָא), as it is written: “And by night in a pillar of fire to give them light” (Exodus 13) (דִּכְתִיב, וְלַיְלָה בְּעַמּוּד אֵשׁ לְהָאִיר לָהֶם). This is the bride (דָּא כַּלָּה), each as is fitting (כָּל חַד כִּדְקָחֲזֵי לֵיהּ). And you, friends, “by day and by night” shall be before you at all times (וְאַתּוּן חַבְרַיָּיא, יוֹמָם וָלַיְלָה יְהֵא קַמַּיְיכוּ, בְּכָל שַׁעֲתָא). They kissed him, and blessed him as before, and went (נְשָׁקוּהוּ, וּבֵרְכוּהוּ כְּמִלְּקַדְּמִין, וְאַזְלוּ).

They came to Rabbi Shimon and told him the matter (אָתוּ לְגַבֵּי רִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן, וְסָחוּ לֵיהּ עוֹבָדָא). He marveled and said: how fitting it is (תָּוָּה, אָמַר כַּמָּה יָאוּת הוּא). But it has not risen in name (אֲבָל לָא סָלִיק בִּשְׁמָא). A thin flame, when its light rises, it rises for a moment and immediately dies out and is extinguished (אָעָא דָּקִיק, כַּד סָלִיק נְהוֹרֵיהּ, סָלִיק לְפוּם שַׁעֲתָא, וּמִיַּד כָּבָה וְאִשְׁתְּקַע). And furthermore, I say: from where was this light? (וְתוּ הָא אֲמֵינָא נְהוֹרָא דָּא מִמָּה הֲוִי). He opened and said (פָּתַח וְאָמַר): “Mighty in the earth shall be his seed; the generation of the upright shall be blessed” (Psalms 112) (גִּבּוֹר בָּאָרֶץ יִהְיֶה זַרְעוֹ דּוֹר יְשָׁרִים יְבוֹרָךְ). When a man is mighty in the earth - mighty in Orayta, mighty over his inclination - mighty in the earth surely (כַּד בַּר נָשׁ אִיהוּ גִּבּוֹר בָּאָרֶץ, גִּבּוֹר בְּאוֹרַיְיתָא, גִּבּוֹר בְּיִצְרֵיהּ, גִּבּוֹר בָּאָרֶץ וַדַּאי). His light rises, and a great flow extends in him (סָלִיק נְהוֹרֵיהּ, וְאִתְמְשַׁךְ בֵּיהּ מְשִׁיכוּ סַגִּי). Then: “The generation of the upright shall be blessed” - it is written “shall bless” (כְּדֵין דּוֹר יְשָׁרִים יְבֹרָךְ, יְבָרֵךְ כְּתִיב).