Daf 120b (דַּף ק״כ ע״ב)

And a messenger of Hashem called to him, and so on (וַיִּקְרָא אֵלָיו מַלְאַךְ יְיָ וְגו׳), a pause in the cantillation is within them (פָּסִיק טַעְמָא בְּגַוַּויְהוּ), because this was not Avraham in the latter as in the former (דְּלָאו אַבְרָהָם בַּתְרָאָה כְּקַדְמָאָה). The latter was complete (בַּתְרָאָה שְׁלִים), the former was not complete (קַדְמָאָה לָא שְׁלִים). Just like this case: Shmuel, Shmuel (כְּגַוְונָא דָא שְׁמוּאֵל שְׁמוּאֵל), the latter was complete (בַּתְרָאָה שְׁלִים), the former was not complete (קַדְמָאָה לָא שְׁלִים). The latter was a prophet (בַּתְרָאָה נָבִיא), the former was not a prophet (קַדְמָאָה לָא נָבִיא). But Moshe, Moshe (אֲבָל מֹשֶׁה מֹשֶׁה), there is no pause (לָא פָּסִיק), because from the day he was born the Shekhinta never departed from him (בְּגִין דְּמִיּוֹמָא דְּאִתְיְילִיד לָא אַעֲדֵי מִנֵּיהּ שְׁכִינְתָּא). Avraham, Avraham (אַבְרָהָם אַבְרָהָם). Rabbi Ḥiyya said: in order to awaken him with a different spirit (רַבִּי חִיָּיא אָמַר בְּגִין לְאַתְעָרָא לֵיהּ בְּרוּחָא אָחֳרָא), in a different action (בְּעוֹבָדָא אָחֳרָא), in a different heart (בְּלִבָּא אָחֳרָא).

Rabbi Yehudah said: Yitzchak was refined (רַבִּי יְהוּדָה אָמַר אִתְבְּרִיר יִצְחָק), and ascended in desire before Kudsha Berikh Hu (וְאִסְתַּלִּיק בִּרְעוּתָא קַמֵּי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא), like the fragrance of incense spices (כְּרֵיחָא דִקְטוֹרֶת בּוּסְמִין) that the priests bring before Him (דְּקָרְבִין כָּהֲנַיָּיא קַמֵּיהּ), twice daily (תְּרֵין זִמְנִין בְּיוֹמָא), and the offering was completed (וְאִשְׁתְּלִים קָרְבָּנָא). For the sorrow of Avraham was at the moment it was said to him (דְּהָא צַעֲרָא דְאַבְרָהָם הֲוָה בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְּאִתְּמָר לֵיהּ): “Do not send your hand against the lad, and do not do anything to him” (אַל תִּשְׁלַח יָדְךָ אֶל הַנַּעַר וְאַל תַּעַשׂ לוֹ מְאוּמָה). He thought his offering was not completed (חָשִׁיב דְּקָרְבָּנֵיהּ לָא אִשְׁתְּלִים), and that he had done all for nothing (וּלְמַגָּנָא עָבַד), and arranged everything and built the altar (וְסִדֵּר כֹּלָּא וּבְנָה מִזְבֵּחַ). Immediately (מִיָּד): And Avraham lifted his eyes and saw, and behold—a ram after, etc. (וַיִּשָּׂא אַבְרָהָם אֶת עֵינָיו וַיַּרְא וְהִנֵּה אַיִל אַחַר וְגו׳). Behold, we have learned: that was the ram that was created at twilight (הָא תָּנִינָן הוּא אַיִל דְּאִתְבְּרֵי בֵּין הַשְּׁמָשׁוֹת הֲוָה), and it was a year old, as you say (וּבֶן שְׁנָתוֹ הָיָה כְּמָא דְאַתְּ אָמֵר), “one lamb, one year old” (כֶּבֶשׂ אֶחָד בֶּן שְׁנָתוֹ) (Bemidbar 7). And so it was necessary (וְהָכִי אִצְטְרִיךְ). Some say: “And you said: at twilight. And furthermore, was Yitzchak not yet in the world, but rather entrusted, etc.” (נ״א: וְאַתְּ אָמַרְתְּ בֵּין הַשְּׁמָשׁוֹת. וּתוּ, וְהָא יִצְחָק לָא הֲוָה בְּעָלְמָא, אֶלָּא אִתְפָּקִיד וְכו׳). (And Yitzchak was not in the world) (וְהָא יִצְחָק לָא הֲוָה בְּעָלְמָא), and you say: at twilight? (וְאַתְּ אֲמַרְתְּ בֵּין הַשְּׁמָשׁוֹת). Rather, a force was appointed to bring forth that ram at the moment when Avraham needed it (אֶלָּא אִתְפַּקַּד חֵילָא לְאִזְדַּמְּנָא הַהוּא אִימְרָא בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְּאִצְטְרִיךְ לֵיהּ לְאַבְרָהָם). Just as all those things that were created at twilight—a force was appointed for that matter to be brought forth at that time when it would be needed (כְּמָה דְּכָל אִנּוּן מִלִּין דְּהֲווּ בֵּין הַשְּׁמָשׁוֹת אִתְמַנָּא חֵילָא לְאִזְדַּמְּנָא הַהוּא מִלָּה לְהַהוּא זִמְנָא בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְּאִצְטְרִיךְ לֵיהּ). So too was this ram, that was offered in place of Yitzchak (הָכִי נָמֵי הַאי אַיִל דְּאִתְקְרִיב תְּחוֹתֵיהּ דְּיִצְחָק).

He opened and said (פָּתַח וְאָמַר), “In all their distress, He was not distressed” (בְּכָל צָרָתָם לֹא צָר), “and the messenger of His face saved them” (וּמַלְאַךְ פָּנָיו הוֹשִׁיעָם), and so on (וְגו׳). Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי), in all the distress of Yisrael (בְּכָל צָרָתָם דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל), when affliction comes upon them (כַּד אִזְדַּמַּן לוֹן עָאַקָן), it is written “not” with an Aleph (כְּתִיב לֹא בְּאַל״ף), but read as a Vav (וּקְרִי לוֹ בְּוא״ו), because Kudsha Berikh Hu is with them in their affliction (בְּגִין דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא עִמְּהוֹן בְּעָקוּ). “Not” with an Aleph (לֹא בְּאַל״ף), refers to a higher place (אֲתַר עִלָּאָה יַתִּיר), even though it is not a place of wrath and distress (אַף עַל גַּב דְּלָאו בְּהַהוּא אֲתַר רוּגְזָא וְעָקוּ), nevertheless, to that place above reaches the cry of Yisrael (לְהָתָם לְעֵילָא מָטָא עַקְתָּא דְיִשְׂרָאֵל). “Not” with an aleph (לֹא בְּאַל״ף), as you say (כְּמָא דְאַתְּ אָמֵר), “It is He who made us, and not we ourselves” (תְּהִלִּים ק: הוּא עָשָׂנוּ וְלֹא אֲנַחְנוּ), it is written with an aleph (כְּתִיב בְּאַל״ף), it is read with a Vav (וּקְרִי בְּוא״ו). “And the Angel of His face saved them” (וּמַלְאַךְ פָּנָיו הוֹשִׁיעָם). And behold, He was with them in that affliction (וְהָא אִיהוּ עִמְּהוֹן בְּהַהוּא עָקוּ), and you say “He saved them”? (וְאַתְּ אֲמַרְתְּ הוֹשִׁיעָם). But it is not written “their savior” (אֶלָּא מוֹשִׁיעָם לֹא כְּתִיב), but rather “He saved them” (אֶלָּא הוֹשִׁיעָם), from beforehand (מִקַּדְמַת דְּנָא), for He is prepared in that affliction to suffer with them (דְּאִיהוּ זַמִּין בְּהַהוּא עָקוּ לְמִסְבַּל עִמְּהוֹן).

Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי), in every time that Yisrael are in exile (בְּכָל זִמְנָא דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל אִנּוּן בְּגָלוּתָא), the Shekhinta is with them in exile (שְׁכִינְתָּא עִמְּהוֹן בְּגָלוּתָא), and so it has been established (וְהָא אוּקְמוּהָ), as it is written (דִּכְתִיב): “Hashem your God will return your captivity and have compassion upon you…” (וְשָׁב יְיָ אֱלֹהֶיךָ אֶת שְׁבוּתְךָ וְרִחַמְךָ וְגו׳) (Devarim 30).

Another matter: “And the Angel of His face saved them” (דָּבָר אַחֵר: וּמַלְאַךְ פָּנָיו הוֹשִׁיעָם), this is the Shekhinta (דָּא שְׁכִינְתָּא), who is with them in exile (דְּאִיהִי עִמְּהוֹן בְּגָלוּתָא), and you say that He saved them? (וְאַתְּ אֲמַרְתְּ דְּאִיהוּ הוֹשִׁיעָם). Rather, thus it is certainly so (אֶלָּא הָכִי הוּא וַדַּאי), that these are the dwellings of Kudsha Berikh Hu in exile (דְּאִלֵּין אִנּוּן מִשְׁכְּנוֹתָיו דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא בְּגָלוּתָא), and because the Shekhinta is with them (וּבְגִין דִּשְׁכִינְתָּא עִמְּהוֹן), Kudsha Berikh Hu remembers them to benefit them (קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא אַדְכַּר לוֹן לְאוֹטָבָא לוֹן), and to bring them out of exile (וּלְאֲפָקָא לוֹן מִן גָּלוּתָא), as it is written (דִּכְתִיב): “And I remembered My covenant” (וָאֶזְכֹּר אֶת בְּרִיתִי) (Shemot 6), and afterward: “And now, behold, the cry of the children of Yisrael has come to Me” (וְעַתָּה הִנֵּה צַעֲקַת בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל בָּאָה אֵלַי) (Shemot 3). “And also I have seen” (וְגַם רָאִיתִי), to elevate another seeing (לְאַסְגָּאָה רְאִיָּה אָחֳרָא), which is the most primordial of all (דְּאִיהוּ קַדְמָאָה דְּכֹלָּא), and it is written (וּכְתִיב): “And Elohim remembered His covenant” (וַיִּזְכֹּר אֱלֹהִים אֶת בְּרִיתוֹ) (Shemot 2), this is the Shekhinta (דָּא שְׁכִינְתָּא). “Et Avraham”—it should have said “to Avraham” (אֶת אַבְרָהָם לְאַבְרָהָם מִבָּעֵי לֵיהּ), rather, “Et Avraham,” this is her companionship and Zivug with the Patriarchs (אֶלָּא אֶת אַבְרָהָם דָּא הוּא חַבְרוּתָא וְזִוּוּגָא דִילָהּ בַּאֲבָהָן). “Et Avraham” (אֶת אַבְרָהָם) (Bamidbar 120:1) this is the western-southern direction (דָּא הוּא מַעֲרָבִית דְּרוֹמִית). “Et Yitzchak” — this is northern-western (אֶת יִצְחָק דָּא הוּא צְפוֹנִית מַעֲרָבִית). “And Et Ya'akov” — this is one Zivug, one totality, a complete Zivug as is fitting (וְאֶת יַעֲקֹב דָּא הוּא זִוּוּגָא חָדָא, כְּלָלָא חָדָא, זִוּוּגָא שְׁלִים כְּדְקָא יָאוֹת). In this manner: “Et HaShamayim”—this is the inclusion of the measure of night within day (כְּגַוְונָא דָא: אֶת הַשָּׁמַיִם דָּא הוּא כְּלָלָא מִדַּת לַיְלָה בַּיּוֹם), and “Et HaAretz”—this is the measure of day within night, as one (וְאֶת הָאָרֶץ דָּא מִדַּת יוֹם בְּלַיְלָה כְּחֲדָא). So too here: in all these “et”s, and in “et Ya'akov and et” (אוּף הָכָא בְּכֻלְּהוּ אֶת, וּבְיַעֲקֹב וְאֶת), it is to be one Zivug, that male and female never separate forever (לְמֶהֱוֵי כֹּלָּא זִוּוּגָא חָדָא דְּלָא מִתְפָּרְשִׁין דְּכַר וּנְקוֵבָא לְעָלְמִין). And Kudsha Berikh Hu is destined to proclaim in all the worlds (וְזַמִּין קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לְאַכְרָזָא בְּכָל עָלְמָא), and to make heard the voice that declares (וּלְאַשְׁמָעָא קָל דְּיֵימָא): “And He said: Surely they are My people, children who will not lie, and He was to them a savior” (וַיֹּאמֶר אַךְ עַמִּי הֵמָּה בָּנִים לֹא יְשַׁקֵּרוּ וַיְהִי לָהֶם לְמוֹשִׁיעַ) (Isaiah 63).

Blessed is Hashem forever, amen and amen (בָּרוּךְ יְיָ לְעוֹלָם אָמֵן וְאָמֵן)