Parashat Va’etchanan

Daf 260a (דַּף ר״ס ע״א)

nd I besought Hashem at that time, saying” (Deuteronomy 3) (וָאֶתְחַנַּן אֶל יְיָ בָּעֵת הַהִיא לֵאמֹר). “O my Lord Hashem, You have begun to show Your servant…” (Deuteronomy 3) (אֲדֹנָ״י יְיָ אַתָּה הַחִלּוֹתָ לְהַרְאוֹת אֶת עַבְדְּךָ וְגוֹ׳). Rabbi Yosei opened (Bereshit 11) (רִבִּי יוֹסֵי פָּתַח): “And Hezekiah turned his face toward the wall and prayed to Hashem” (Isaiah 38) (וַיַּסֵּב חִזְקִיָּהוּ פָּנָיו אֶל הַקִּיר וַיִּתְפַּלֵּל אֶל יְיָ).

Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי), how great is the strong power of the Orayta, and how high it is above all (כַּמָּה הוּא חֵילָא תַּקִּיפָא דְּאוֹרַיְיתָא, וְכַמָּה הוּא עִלָּאָה עַל כֹּלָּא). For everyone who labors in the Orayta is not afraid of those above and those below (דְּכָל מַאן דְּאִשְׁתְּדַּל בְּאוֹרַיְיתָא, לָא דָּחִיל מֵעִלָּאֵי וְתַתָּאֵי). And he is not afraid of the evil stirrings of the world (וְלָא דָּחִיל מֵעִרְעוּרִין בִּישִׁין דְּעָלְמָא). Because he holds onto the Tree of Life and eats from it every day (בְּגִין דְּאִיהוּ אָחִיד בְּאִילָנָא דְּחַיֵּי, וְאָכִיל מִנֵּיהּ בְּכָל יוֹמָא).

For the Orayta teaches a man to go in the path of truth (דְּהָא אוֹרַיְיתָא אוֹלִיף לֵיהּ לְבַּר נָשׁ, לְמֵיהַךְ בְּאֹרַח קְשׁוֹט). It teaches him counsel how to set forth before his Master (אוֹלִיף לֵיהּ עֵיטָא הֵיךְ יְתוּב קַמֵּי מָארֵיהּ). To nullify that decree (לְבַטָּלָא לְהַהִיא גְּזֵרָה). And even if death is decreed upon him, all is nullified and removed from him, and does not rest upon him (וַאֲפִילּוּ יִתְגְּזָר עָלֵיהּ מוֹתָא, כֹּלָּא יִתְבָּטַּל וְיִסְתְּלַּק מִנֵּיהּ, וְלָא שַׁרְיָא עֲלוֹי). This is the counsel of man in this world (עֵיטָא דְּבַר נָשׁ בְּהַאי עָלְמָא). And therefore, one must labor in the Orayta by day and by night and not separate from it (וְעַל דָּא בָּעֵי לְאִשְׁתַּדְּלָא בְּאוֹרַיְיתָא יְמָמָא וְלֵילֵי, וְלָא יִתְעֲדֵי מִנַּהּ). This is what is written: “And you shall meditate in it day and night” (Joshua 1) (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב, וְהָגִיתָ בּוֹ יוֹמָם וָלַיְלָה). And if he separates from the Orayta, or removes himself from it, it is as if he has separated from Life (וְאִי אַעְדֵי מִינֵּיהּ אוֹרַיְיתָא, אוֹ אִתְפְּרַשׁ מִנַּהּ, כְּאִלּוּ אִתְפְּרַשׁ מִן חַיֵּי).

Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי): The counsel of man, when he ascends upon his bed at night (עֵיטָא דְּבַּר נָשׁ כַּד אִיהוּ סָלִיק בְּלֵילְיָא עַל עַרְסֵיהּ), he must receive upon himself the yoke of the Kingship above with a perfect heart (בָּעֵי לְקַבְּלָא עָלֵיהּ עוֹל מַלְכוּתָא דִּלְעֵילָּא, בְּלִבָּא שְׁלִים). And to precede to place in His charge the deposit of his soul (וּלְאַקְדְמֵי לְמִימְסַר גַּבֵּיהּ פִּקְדּוֹנָא דְּנַפְשֵׁיהּ). And behold, they have already established this (וְהָא אוּקְמוּהָ): Because all the world tastes the taste of death (בְּגִין דְּכָל עָלְמָא טַעֲמִין טַעֲמָא דְּמוֹתָא). For the tree of death dwells in the world (דְּהָא אִילָנָא דְּמוֹתָא שַׁרְיָא בְּעָלְמָא). And all the spirits of the sons of man go forth and ascend and are hidden with Him (וְכָל רוּחֵי דִּבְנֵי נָשָׁא נָפְקִין, וְסַלְּקִין וְאִתְטַמְּרָן). Some say: and they are given over (ס״א: וְאִתְמַסְּרוּ) to Him. And because they are in deposit, all return to their place (וּבְגִין דְּאִינּוּן בְּפִקְדּוֹנָא, כֻּלְּהוּ תַּיְיבִין לְאַתְרַיְיהוּ).

Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי): When the northern wind is aroused at midnight (כַּד אִתְּעַר רוּחַ צָפוֹן בְּפַלְגּוּת לֵילְיָא), a herald goes forth (וְכָרוֹזָא נָפִיק). And Kudsha Berikh Hu comes into the Garden of Eden to delight Himself with the spirits of the Righteous (וְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא אָתֵי לְגִנְתָּא דְּעֵדֶן לְאִשְׁתַּעְשְׁעָא בְּרוּחֵיהוֹן דְּצַדִּיקַיָּיא). Then all the children of the Matronita, and all the children of the palace, prepare (or: awaken) to praise the Holy King (כְּדֵין מִתְכָּוְונֵי [נ״א: מִתְעָרִי] כָּל בְּנֵי מַטְרוֹנִיתָא, וְכָל בְּנֵי הֵיכָלָא, לְשַׁבְּחָא לֵיהּ לְמַלְכָּא קַדִּישָׁא). And then all those deposits of the spirits that were delivered into her hand, all of them are returned to their Master (וּכְדֵין כָּל אִינּוּן פִּקְדּוֹנִין דְּרוּחִין דְּאִתְמַסְּרָן בִּידָהּ, כֻּלְּהוּ אָתִיב לְמָארֵיהוֹן). And most of the people of the world are aroused at that hour (וְרוּבָּא דִּבְנֵי עָלְמָא מִתְעָרִין בְּהַהִיא שַׁעֲתָא), and behold, the deposits of all of them are restored to Him (וְהָא פִּקְדוֹנֵיהּ דְּכֻלְּהוּ אָתִיב לְגַבַּיְיהוּ).

Those who are of the supernal palace stand firm in their existence (אִינּוּן דִּבְנֵי הֵיכָלָא עִלָּאָה קַיְימֵי בְּקִיּוּמַיְיהוּ), they awaken and labor in the praises of the Orayta (מִתְעֲרֵי מִשְׁתַּדְּלֵי בְּתוּשְׁבַּחְתָּא דְּאוֹרַיְיתָא), and join themselves with Knesset Yisrael until the day shines (וּמִשְׁתַּתְּפֵי בִּכְנֶסֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל, עַד דְּנָהִיר יְמָמָא). When the morning comes, she and all the children of the palace of the King come before the Holy King (כַּד אָתֵי צַפְרָא, הִיא, וְכָל בְּנֵי הֵיכָלָא [דְּמַלְכָּא] כֻּלְּהוּ אַתְיָין לְגַבֵּי מַלְכָּא קַדִּישָׁא). And they are called the sons of the King and the Matronita (וְאִינּוּן אִקְרוּן בְּנִין דְּמַלְכָּא וּמַטְרוֹנִיתָא). And behold, this has already been established (וְהָא אוּקְמוּהָ).

When the morning comes, a man must purify himself completely (כַּד אָתֵי צַפְרָא, בָּעֵי לְנַקָּאָה גַּרְמֵיהּ בְּכֹלָּא), and prepare his weapons (וּלְמֵיזַן זַיְינֵיהּ), to labor with the Holy King (לְאִשְׁתַּדְּלָא עִם מַלְכָּא קַדִּישָׁא). For at night he was laboring with the Matronita (דְּהָא בְּלֵילְיָא אִשְׁתְּדַּל בְּמַטְרוֹנִיתָא). Now she comes with the Matronita to be joined to the King (הַשְׁתָּא אַתְיָא עִם מַטְרוֹנִיתָא, לְזַוְּוגָא לָהּ עִם מַלְכָּא).

He comes to the synagogue (אָתֵי לְבֵי כְּנִישְׁתָּא), purifies himself with the offerings (מַדְכֵּי גַּרְמֵיהּ בְּקָרְבְּנִין), praises with the praises of King David (מְשַׁבַּח בְּתוּשְׁבַּחְתַּיְיהוּ דְּדָוִד מַלְכָּא). He takes Tefillin on his head (אָחִיד תְּפִילִין בְּרֵישֵׁיהּ). Some say: in his hand and on his head (ס״א: בְּיָדֵיהּ וּבְרֵישֵׁיהּ). And Tzitzit on his shoulders (וְצִיצִית בְּגַדְפֵיהּ). He recites “Tehillah leDavid” (Psalms 145) (אוֹמֵר תְּהִלָּה לְדָוִד). And behold, this has already been established (וְהָא אוּקְמוּהָ): He prays before his Master (צַלֵּי צְלוֹתָא קַמֵּי מָארֵיהּ). In prayer one must stand, in likeness to the union (בִּצְלוֹתָא בָּעֵי לְמֵיקָם, כְּגַוְונָא). Some say: in Zivug (ס״א: בִּזְוּוּגָא). With the supernal angels (דְּמַלְאֲכֵי עִלָּאֵי), to join himself with them (לְאִתְחַבְּרָא בַּהֲדַיְיהוּ), for they are called “those who stand” (דְּאִינּוּן אִקְרוּן הָעוֹמְדִים). As you say: “And I will give you walkings among these who stand” (Zechariah 3) (כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר, וְנָתַתִּי לְךָ מַהְלְכִים בֵּין הָעוֹמְדִים). And he should direct his will before his Master, and request his petitions (וּלְכַוְּונָא רְעוּתֵיהּ קַמֵּי מָארֵיהּ, וְיִתְבַּע בָּעוּתֵיהּ).

Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי): At the time when a man rises at midnight from his bed to labor in the Orayta (בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְּבַּר נָשׁ קָאִים בְּפַלְגּוּת לֵילְיָא מֵעַרְסֵיהּ, לְאִשְׁתַּדְּלָא בְּאוֹרַיְיתָא), a herald calls upon him and says (כָּרוֹזָא קָארֵי עָלֵיהּ וְאָמַר): “Behold, bless Hashem, all you servants of Hashem, who stand in the house of Hashem in the nights” (Psalms 134) (הִנֵּה בָּרְכוּ אֶת יְיָ כָּל עַבְדֵי יְיָ, הָעוֹמְדִים בְּבֵית יְיָ בַּלֵּילוֹת). Now, when he stands in prayer before his Master (הַשְׁתָּא כַּד אִיהוּ קָאִים בִּצְלוֹתָא קַמֵּי מָארֵיהּ), that herald calls upon him and says (הַהוּא כָּרוֹזָא קָּארֵי עָלֵיהּ וְאָמַר): “And I will give you walkings among these who stand” (Zechariah 3) (וְנָתַתִּי לְךָ מַהְלְכִים בֵּין הָעוֹמְדִים הָאֵלֶּה).