Daf 123a (דַּף קכ״ג ע״א)

Rabbi Shim‘on said (אָמַר רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן), come and see the secret of the matter (תָּא חֲזֵי רָזָא דְמִלָּה): why is it that in all of them it says shanah, shanah (מַאי שְׁנָא בְּכֻלְּהוּ דְּאָמַר שָׁנָה שָׁנָה), but for those seven it says shanim? (וּבְאִינוּן שֶׁבַע דְּאָמַר שָׁנִים). For it is written: a hundred years and twenty years (דִּכְתִיב: מֵאָה שָׁנָה וְעֶשְׂרִים שָׁנָה), and afterward seven years (וּלְבָתַר שֶׁבַע שָׁנִים). Rather, all is one (אֶלָּא כֹּלָּא חֲד). One hundred years—the totality of all (מֵאָה שָׁנָה כְּלָלָא דְכֹלָּא), some say: it is all as one in the secret of one hundred, blessing in every day (נ״א: כְּלָא כְּחַדָּא בְּרָזָא דְמֵאָה בִּרְכָּאן בְּכָל יוֹמָא). And likewise, twenty years, for it is included in the supernal concealed one of all concealments (וְכֵן עֶשְׂרִים שָׁנָה דְּאִתְכְּלִיל עִלָּאָה סְתִימָא דְכָל סְתִימִין), and therefore it is written shanah-a secret of union that is never separated (וּבְגִין כָּךְ כְּתִיב שָׁנָה-רָזָא דְּיִחוּדָא דְּלָא אִתְפְּרַשׁ). Kudsha Berikh Hu, who is included from the supernal place, the concealed of all concealeds, in the hundred, in the secret of one hundred, blessing of every day (קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא דְּאִתְכְּלִיל מֵאֲתַר עִלָּאָה סְתִימָא דְכָל סְתִימִין בְּמֵאָה בְּרָזָא דְמֵאָה בִּרְכָּאן דְכָל יוֹמָא), and likewise twenty years (וְכֵן עֶשְׂרִים שָׁנָה), and therefore it is written shanah-a secret of union that is never separated (וּבְגִין כָּךְ כְּתִיב שָׁנָה רָזָא דְּיִחוּדָא דְּלָא אִתְפְּרַשׁ), a thought and a flowing that extend to the worlds (מַחֲשָׁבָה וְיוֹבְלָא לְעָלְמִין). But seven years-these are separated and go out from the general concealment above (שֶׁבַע שָׁנִים אִלֵּין אִתְפָּרְשָׁן וְנָפְקָאן מִכְּלָלָא סְתִימָאָה דִלְעֵילָא). And although all is one Union (וְאַף עַל גַּב דְּכֹלָּא יִחוּדָא חָדָא), nevertheless they are separated in din and rachamei in many aspects and pathways unlike that which is above (אֲבָל מִתְפָּרְשָׁן בְּדִינָא וְרַחֲמֵי בְּכַמָּה סִטְרִין וְאוֹרְחִין מַה דְּלָא הֲוִי הָכִי לְעֵילָא). And therefore it is written shanah-a secret of Union that is never separated for the worlds (וּבְגִין כָּךְ כְּתִיב שָׁנָה רָזָא דְּיִחוּדָא דְּלָא אִתְפְּרַשׁ לְעָלְמִין). These seven years are distinguished in judgment and mercy in several sides and paths, which was not so above (שֶׁבַע שָׁנִים אִלֵּין אִתְפָּרְשָׁאן בְּדִינָא וְרַחֲמֵי בְּכַמָּה סִטְרִין וְאוֹרְחִין מַה דְּלָא הֲוֵי הָכִי לְעֵילָא), and because of this, in these seven years it is written concerning them “years” and not “year” (וּבְגִין כָּךְ בְּאִלֵּין שֶׁבַע שָׁנִים כְּתִיב בְּהוּ שָׁנִים וְלָא שָׁנָה), and all of them are called life (וְכֻלְּהוּ אִקְרוּן חַיִּים): And the life of Sarah was (וַיִּהְיוּ חַיֵּי שָׂרָה), for they were truly created and sustained above (דְּהֲווּ מַמָּשׁ דְּאִתְבְּרִיאוּ וְאִתְקַיְּימוּ לְעֵילָא).

Rabbi Ḥiyya said (אָמַר רַבִּי חִיָּיא), this has already been established (הָא אוּקְמוּהָ), that when Yitzḥak was bound, he was thirty-seven years old (דְּהָא כַּד אִתְעַקַּד יִצְחָק בַּר תְּלָתִין וְשֶׁבַע שָׁנִים הֲוָה), and since the binding of Yitzḥak, Sarah died (וְכֵיוָן דְּאִתְעַקַּד יִצְחָק מִיתַת שָׂרָה), as it is written: And Avraham came to eulogize Sarah and to weep for her (דִּכְתִיב: וַיָּבֹא אַבְרָהָם לִסְפֹּד לְשָׂרָה וְלִבְכֹּתָהּ) (Bereishit 23). From where did he come? He came from Mount Moriah (מֵאַיִן בָּא מֵהַר הַמּוֹרִיָּה בָּא), from binding Yitzḥak (מִלְּמֶעֱקַד לֵיהּ לְיִצְחָק). And those thirty-seven years from the day that Yitzḥak was born until the moment he was bound (וְאִינוּן תְּלָתִין וְשֶׁבַע שְׁנִין מִיּוֹמָא דְּאִתְיְילִיד יִצְחָק עַד שַׁעְתָּא דְּאִתְעַקַּד), those were the life of Sarah indeed (אִינוּן הֲווּ חַיֵּי שָׂרָה וַדַּאי), As the numerical value of “and they were” in gematria (כְּחוּשְׁבַּן וַיִּהְיוּ בְּגִימַטְרִיָּא), which is thirty-seven years (תְּלָתִין וּשְׁבַע שְׁנִין הֲווּ), as it is said: from the time Yitzḥak was born until he was bound (כְּמָה דְּאִתְּמָר: מִדְּאִתְיְילִיד יִצְחָק עַד דְּאִתְעַקַּד).

Rabbi Yosei opened and said (רַבִּי יוֹסֵי פָּתַח וְאָמַר): A psalm, sing to Hashem a new song, for He has done wonders; His right hand and His holy arm have saved Him (תְּהִלִּים צ״ח: מִזְמוֹר שִׁירוּ לַיְיָ שִׁיר חָדָשׁ כִּי נִפְלָאוֹת עָשָׂה הוֹשִׁיעָה לוֹ יְמִינוֹ וּזְרוֹעַ קָדְשׁוֹ) (Tehillim 98). This verse was established by the friends (הַאי קְרָא אוּקְמוּהָ חַבְרַיָּא), that the cows said it (דְּפָרוֹת אֲמְרוּהָ), as it is written: And the cows went straight on the way (כְּמָה דִכְתִיב וַיִּשַּׁרְנָה הַפָּרוֹת בַּדֶּרֶךְ) (Shmuel I 6). What is they went straight? That they were saying a new song (מַאי: וַיִּשַּׁרְנָה דְּהֲווּ אָמְרֵי שִׁירָתָא חַדְתָּא). And what song did they say? A psalm, sing to Hashem a new song, for He has done wonders (וּמַאי שִׁירָה אָמְרוּ מִזְמוֹר שִׁירוּ לַיְיָ שִׁיר חָדָשׁ כִּי נִפְלָאוֹת עָשָׂה).