Daf 272a (דַּף רע״ב ע״א)

He opened and said (פָּתַח וְאָמַר), “And you shall make a table of acacia wood, etc.” (Exodus 25) (וְעָשִׂיתָ שֻׁלְחָן עֲצֵי שִׁטִּים וְגוֹ׳). Come and see (תָּא חֲזִי), good and beautiful customs were practiced by the masters of the banquet of the King (מִנְהָגִין טָבִין וְשַׁפִּירָן הֲווֹ נַהֲגֵי מָארֵי דִּסְעוּדָתָא דְּמַלְכָּא), to show that they are from the children of the King’s table (לְאַחֲזָאָה דְּאִינּוּן מִבְּנֵי פָּתוֹרָא דְּמַלְכָּא). First, one great among the children of the banquet (חַד [חדא], רַבְרְבָא מִבְּנֵי סְעוּדָתָא), washes his hands at the time that they enter the banquet to recline (נָטִיל יְדוֹי בְּזִמְנָא דְיֵיעַלוּן [דייעול] לִסְעוּדָתָא לְהָסֵב). The great one reclines at the head (גָּדוֹל מֵסֵב בָּרֹאשׁ), the second beneath him (תִּנְיָינָא תְּחוֹתֵיהּ), and the third beneath the second (וּתְלִיתָאָה תְּחוֹת תִּנְיָינָא). And these are called three couches (וְאִלֵּין אִתְקְרִיאוּ ג׳ מִטּוֹת), corresponding to the three Patriarchs (לָקֳבֵל תְּלַת אֲבָהָן), and corresponding to Kohanim, Levi’im, and Yisrael (וְלָקֳבֵל כֹּהֲנִים לְוִיִּם וְיִשְׂרְאֵלִים). From here onward, they have no order (מִכָּאן וְאֵילָךְ, לֵית לוֹן סֵדֶר), but whoever comes first, merits (אֶלָּא כָּל הַקּוֹדֵם זָכָה).

Second, the master of the house breaks bread (תִּנְיָינָא, בַּעַל הַבַּיִת בּוֹצֵעַ), in order that he break with a good eye (כְּדֵי שֶׁיִבְצַע בְּעַיִן יָפָה). And he completes the blessing, and afterwards he breaks (וּמַשְׁלִים בִּרְכָתָא, וּלְבָתַר בּוֹצֵעַ). And the Rabbis of the Mishnah have established (וְאוֹקְמוּהָ רַבָּנָן דְּמַתְנִיתִין), that the participants are not permitted to taste until the one who blesses has tasted (דְּאֵין הַמְסוּבִּין רַשָׁאִין לִטְעוֹם, עַד שֶׁיִטְעוֹם הַמְּבָרֵךְ). And the one who breaks is not permitted to taste until Amen has ceased from the mouths of the participants (וְלֵית הַבּוֹצֵעַ רַשָׁאי לִטְעוֹם, עַד שֶׁיִּכְלֶה אָמֵן מִפִּי הַמְסוּבִּין). And if it is his will to divide honor, permission is in his hand (וְאִם רְעוּתֵיהּ לְחַלֵּק כָּבוֹד, הָרְשׁוּת בִּידֵיהּ). And further they have established (וְעוֹד אוֹקְמוּהָ), that the guest blesses, in order that he bless the master of the house (דְּאוֹרֵחַ מְבָרֵךְ, בְּגִין דִּיבָרֵךְ לְבַעַל הַבַּיִת). And in the way of secret, the master of the house breaks bread (וְאֹרַח רָזָא, בַּעַל הַבַּיִת בּוֹצֵעַ), this is the middle column (דָּא עַמּוּדָא דְּאֶמְצָעִיתָא), which is the middle line (דְּאִיהוּ קַו הָאֶמְצָעִי). And on Shabbat he must break from two loaves (וּבְשַׁבָּת צָרִיךְ לִבְצוֹעַ מִשְּׁנֵי כִּכָּרוֹת), which are Hashem Hashem (דְּאִינּוּן ה׳ ה׳). The master of the house, this is the middle Vav (בַּעַל הַבַּיִת, דָּא ו׳ דְּאֶמְצָעִיתָא).

In this manner, and for this reason (וְכְגוֹונָא דָּא וּבְגִין דָּא): so as not to appear gluttonous (וּבְגִין דְּלָא לְאִתְחֲזָאָה כְּרַעַבְתָּנוּתָא), he may break from it for each and every one an amount the size of an egg (יָכִיל לְמִבְצַע בָּהּ לְכָל חַד וְחַד כַּבֵּיצָה). What is “the size of an egg”? (מַאי כַּבֵּיצָה). Yod and Yod (י׳ וְי׳). These are the points of the Holy Name (אִינּוּן נְקוּדִין דִּשְׁמָא קַדִּישָׁא), called crumbs of the size of an olive (אִתְקְרֵי פִּרוּרֵי בְּכַזַּיִת). These correspond to drops of seed (וְאִלֵּין לָקֳבֵל טִפִּין דְּזֶרַע). Whoever treats them contemptuously (וּמַאן דִּמְזַלְזֵל בְּהוֹן), and casts them in an unfitting place (וְזָרִיק לוֹן בַּאֲתָר דְּלָא אִצְטְרִיךְ), poverty pursues him (עֲנִיּוּתָא קָא רָדִיף אֲבַּתְרֵיהּ), and he goes wandering (וְאָזִיל נָע וָנָד).

This is what is written (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב): “He wanders for bread, where is it?” (Job 15) (נוֹדֵד הוּא לַלֶּחֶם אַיֵּה). And bread is nothing but Torah (וְלֵית לֶחֶם אֶלָּא תּוֹרָה), and he cries, “Where is he who will have mercy on him?” (וְהוּא צוֹוֵחַ אַיֵּה מַאן דִּמְרַחֵם עָלֵיהּ), and will not be forgotten (וְלָא יִשְׁכַּח). And crumbs the size of an olive, these are in the Tzaddik (וּפִרוּרִים בְּכַזַּיִת, אִינּוּן בְּצַדִּיק), who is beaten, beaten from those olives (דְּאִיהוּ כַּתִישׁ כְּתִישׁוּ מֵאִינּוּן זֵיתִים). And the guest blesses (וְאוֹרֵחַ מְבָרֵךְ): “And the path of the Tzaddikim is as the shining light” (Proverbs 4) (וְאֹרַח צַדִּיקִים כְּאוֹר נֹגַהּ). “Blessings are upon the head of the Tzaddik, the living one of worlds” (Proverbs 10) (בְּרָכוֹת לְרֹאשׁ צַדִּיק חַי עָלְמִין). And for this reason, the guest blesses (וּבְגִין דָּא אוֹרֵחַ מְבָרֵךְ).

Meanwhile, behold, the Holy Luminary came to him (אַדְּהָכִי, הָא בּוּצִינָא קַדִּישָׁא אָתָא לְגַבֵּיהּ). And he said, Ra‘aya Meheimna, one day I went, I and my friends, to one inn (וְאָמַר, רַעְיָא מְהֵימָנָא, יוֹמָא חַד אֲזִילְנָא אֲנָא וְחַבְרַיָּיא לְאַכְסַנְיָא חֲדָא), and there was a certain child there (וַהֲוָה תַּמָּן יַנוּקָא חֲדָא). He arose and prepared for us a lamp and a table from himself (קָם וְתָקִין לָן מְנַרְתָּא וּפָתוֹרָא אִיהוּ מִגַּרְמֵיהּ), as if he were twenty years old (כְּאִלּוּ הֲוָה מֵעֶשְׂרִין שְׁנִין), and yet he was only five years old (וְלָא הֲוָה אֶלָּא מִבֶּן חָמֵשׁ שְׁנִין). And he prepared a table with all kinds of food and drink (וְתָקִין פָּתוֹרָא מִכָּל מִינֵי מַאֲכָל וּמִשְׁתֶּה).

He said, Behold, the Rabbis have established that the master of the house breaks bread and the guest blesses (אָמַר, הָא אוֹקְמוּהָ רַבָּנָן דְּבַעַל הַבַּיִת בּוֹצֵעַ וְאוֹרֵחַ מְבָרֵךְ). But, “I am young in days and you are the aged, therefore I was afraid and feared to declare my opinion to you, until I should take permission from you” (Job 32) (אֲבָל צָעִיר אֲנִי לְיָמִים וְאַתֶּם יְשִׁישִׁים עַל כֵּן זָּחַלְתִּי וָאִירָא מֵחַוּוֹת דֵּעִי אֶתְכֶם. עַד דְּאֶטּוֹל רְשׁוּת מִכֶּם). He said to him, Speak, my son, angel of Hashem (אָמַר לֵיהּ, אֵימָא בְּרִי מַלְאָכָא דַּיְיָ).

He said to us: “Do you want bread of delicacies without battle (אָמַר לָן, אַתּוּן בָּעִיתוּן לֶחֶם תַּפְנוּקֵי בְּלָא קְרָבָא), or bread in battle? (אוֹ לֶחֶם בִּקְרָבָא). For so the Rabbis of the Mishnah have established: the time of eating is the time of war (דְּהָכִי אוֹקְמוּהָ רַבָּנָן דְּמַתְנִיתִין, שְׁעַת אֲכִילָה שְׁעַת מִלְחָמָה). If you desire to make battle over it (וְאִי בָּעִיתוּ לְמֶהֱוֵי קְרָבָא עָלֵיהּ), no one eats except the one who wins the battle (לֵית חַד אָכִיל, אֶלָּא מַאן דְּנָצַח קְרָבָא); he eats and breaks bread for all (אִיהוּ אָכִיל וּבוֹצֵעַ לְכֻלְּהוּ).”

The companions said to him: “My son, you are young (אָמְרוּ לֵיהּ חַבְרַיָּיא, בְּרִי אַנְתְּ זְעֵיר), and you do not yet know how mighty men engage in battle (וַעֲדַיִין לָא יַדְעַת אֵיךְ מְגִיחֵי גַּבְרִין רַבְרְבִין): with the sword (בְּחַרְבָּא), with the brandishing of the sword (בְּנִעְנוּעָ דְּחַרְבָּא), with the spear (בְּרוֹמְחָא), with the bow (בְּקַשְׁתָּא), with the arrows of the bow (בְּגִירִין דְּקַשְׁתָּא), with the sling (בְּקִירְטָא), and with the stones of the sling (בְּאַבְנִין דְּקִירְטָא).

He said to them, “Let not him that girds boast himself as he that loosens” (1 Kings 20) (אָמַר לְהוּ, אַל יִתְהַלֵּל חוֹגֵר כִּמְפַתֵּחַ). For indeed this has been established regarding the recitation of Shema: whoever recites Shema upon his bed, it is as if he holds a double-edged sword (דְּהָא וַדַּאי בְּקְרִיאַת שְׁמַע אוֹקְמוּהָ, כָּל הַקּוֹרֵא קְרִיאַת שְׁמַע עַל מִטָּתוֹ, כְּאִילּוּ אוֹחֵז חֶרֶב פִּיפִיּוֹת). As it is written: “The high praises of God in their throat, and a two-edged sword in their hand” (Psalms 149) (דִּכְתִּיב, רוֹמְמוֹת אֵל בִּגְרוֹנָם וְחֶרֶב פִּיפִיּוֹת בְּיָדָם). And the movement of the sword-he must move it to the six directions, as it has been established, in order that you enthrone Him over the heavens and the earth and over the four winds of the world (וְנִעְנוּעָא דְּחַרְבָּא, צָרִיךְ לְנַעְנְעָא לֵיהּ לְשִׁית סִטְרִין, כְּמָה דְּאוּקְמוּהָ, כְּדֵי שֶׁתַּמְלִיכוּהוּ עַל הַשָּׁמַיִם וְעַל הָאָרֶץ, וְעַל ד׳ רוּחוֹת הָעוֹלָם). And this is Vav, the body of the sword (וְדָא ו׳, גּוּף הַחֶרֶב). Yod, the head of the sword (י׳, רֹאשׁ הַחֶרֶב). The two Hehs are the two edges (ה״ה, תְּרֵי פִּיּוֹת). The sheath of the sword is Adonai (נַרְתְּקָא דְּחַרְבָּא, אֲדֹנָי).

The spear, two hundred and forty-eight in the recitation of Shema (רוּמְחָא, רמ״ח בְּקְרִיאַת שְׁמַע), with six words of unification (עִם שִׁית תֵּיבִין דְּיִחוּדָא), behold, 248 (הָא רוֹמַ״ח). Shield with sword, Mikha’el, Gavri’el, Nuri’el, attendants of the three Patriarchs (מָגֵ״ן עִם חַרְבָּא, מִיכָאֵל גַּבְרִיאֵל נוּרִיאֵל שַׁמָּשִׁין דְּג׳ אֲבָהָן). The bow that shoots arrows (קֶשֶׁת דְּזָרִיק חִצִּים), and every seed that does not shoot like an arrow does not give birth (וְכָל זֶרַע דְּאֵינוֹ יוֹרֶה כַּחֵץ אֵינוֹ מוֹלִיד). The sling, this is the recitation of Shema (קִירְטָא, דָּא קְרִיאַת שְׁמַע). The five stones of the sling: “Shema Yisrael, Hashem Eloheinu, Hashem” (Deuteronomy 6) (ה׳ אֲבָנִין דְּקִירְטָא, שְׁמַע יִשְׂרָאֵל יְיָ אֱלֹהֵינוּ יְיָ). Corresponding to them: “And David took five smooth stones from the brook” (1 Samuel 17) (לָקֳּבְלַיְיהוּ, וַיִּקַּח דָּוִד חֲמִשָּׁה חַלּוּקֵי אֲבָנִים מִן הַנַּחַל). And when he set them in the sling, which is the lip, and it is the Shekhinta, they all became one Heh, and he killed the Philistine (וְכַד שַׁוֵּי לְהוֹן בְּקִירְטָא, דְּאִיהִי שָׂפָה, וְאִיהִי שְׁכִינְתָּא, אִתְעָבִידוּ חַד כֻּלְּהוּ ה׳, וְקָטִיל לִפְלִשְׁתָּאָה). And until now we have cast this stone at Sama’el (וְעַד כְּעַן זָרִיקְנָא הַאי אַבְנָא לְסָמָאֵל), who is the stone of oppression (דְּאִיהוּ אֶבֶן מָצוֹר), and we have broken his oppression (וְהָרַסְנָא מָצוֹר דִּילֵיהּ), and we have cast him down below (וְאַשְׁפַּלְנָא לֵיהּ לְתַתָּא). And for this reason I said to you: “Let not him that girds boast himself as he that loosens” (1 Kings 20) (וּבְגִין דָּא אֲמֵינָא לְכוֹן, אַל יִתְהַלֵּל חוֹגֵר כִּמְפַתֵּחַ). Now it will be made clear to you (כְּעַן יִתְבָּרֵר לְכוֹן), that I know how mighty men clash with swords, with spears, with bows, with slings (דַּאֲנָא יְדַעְנָא אֵיךְ מַגִיחִין גֻּבְרִין רַבְרְבִין בְּסַיְיפִין, בְּרוּמְחָא, בְּקַשְׁתָּא, בְּקִירְטָא). We trembled and were not able to speak before him (תַּוַּוהְנָא וְלָא יָכִילְנָא לְמַלְּלָא קַמֵּיהּ). The Rabbis said to him, Now we shall see who shall merit the bread, which is the bread of HaMotzi (אָמְרוּ לֵיהּ רַבָּנָן, כְּעַן נֶחֱזֵי מַאן יְהֵא מָרְוָוח נַהֲמָא, דְּאִיהוּ לֶחֶם הַמּוֹצִיא).

He opened and said (פָּתַח וְאָמַר): “And it shall be, when you eat of the bread of the land, you shall offer up a terumah to Hashem” (Numbers 15) (וְהָיָה בַּאֲכָלְכֶם מִלֶּחֶם הָאָרֶץ תָּרִימוּ תְּרוּמָה לַיְיָ). With what is the Shekhinta elevated? (בְּמַאי אַתְרִימָת שְׁכִינְתָּא) She is the Heh of HaMotzi (דְּאִיהִי ה׳ דְּהַמּוֹצִיא). Upon her the masters of Mishnah have established (דְּאוֹקִימוּ עָלָהּ מָארֵי מַתְנִיתִין), that whoever breaks bread must be careful with the Heh (כָּל הַבּוֹצֵעַ, צָרִיךְ לְדַקְדֵּק בְּה׳). But indeed, the Rabbis of the Mishnah have established (אֶלָּא וַדַּאי הָא אוֹקְמוּהָ רַבָּנָן דְּמַתְנִיתִין): straw and chaff are exempt from tithes (מוֹץ וְתֶבֶן פְּטוּרִין מִן הַמַּעֲשֵׂר). And when she is in straw and chaff, she is in the prison-house (וְכַד הִיא בְּמוֹץ וְתֶבֶן, אִיהִי בְּבֵית אֲסוּרִין), and she has no permission to ascend to the Mem, to act with it the M”H (וְלֵית לָהּ רְשׁוּ לְאָרָמָא לְגַבֵּי מ׳, לְמֶעְבַּד עִמָּהּ מ״ה). And this is terumah (וְהַאי אִיהוּ תְּרוּמָה), the Torah which is the five books of the Torah (תּוֹרָ״ה דְּאִיהִי ה׳ חוּמָשֵׁי תּוֹרָה), in which it is written: “And Moshe was on the mountain forty days…” (Exodus 24) (דְּבָהּ וַיְהִי מֹשֶׁה בָּהָר אַרְבָּעִים יוֹם וְגוֹ׳).