Daf 133b (דַּף קל״ג ע״ב)

And come and see (וְתָא חֲזֵי), the Patriarchs all followed one secret (אֲבָהָן כֻּלְּהוּ בְּרָזָא חָדָא אֲזְלוּ), and they all served through four women each (וְכֻּלְּהוּ שִׁמְּשׁוּ בְּאַרְבַּע נָשִׁין כָּל חַד מִנַּיְיהוּ): Avraham through four-Sarah, Hagar, and two concubines (אַבְרָהָם בְּאַרְבַּע שָׂרָה וְהָגָר וּתְרֵי פִּילַגְשִׁים), as it is written, “And to the sons of the concubines of Avraham…” (Bereishit 25:6) (דִּכְתִיב וְלִבְנֵי הַפִּילַגְשִׁים אֲשֶׁר לְאַבְרָהָם)-“concubines,” two; behold, four (פִּילַגְשִׁים תְּרֵי, הָא אַרְבַּע).

Yitzchak-through the secret of four, within the concealment of Rivkah (יִצְחָק בְּרָזָא דְאַרְבַּע דִּסְטִירוּ דְרִבְקָה), as it is written, “And he took Rivkah”-that’s one (דִּכְתִיב: וַיִּקַּח אֶת רִבְקָה - חַד); “and she became his wife”-two (וַתְּהִי לוֹ לְאִשָּׁה - תְּרֵי); “and he loved her”-three (וַיֶּאֱהָבֶהָ - תְּלַת); “and Yitzchak was comforted after his mother”-behold, four (וַיִּנָּחֶם יִצְחָק אַחֲרֵי אִמּוֹ - הָא אַרְבַּע). Corresponding to this, there were four wives for Ya'akov (לָקֳבֵיל דָּא הֲווּ לְיַעֲקֹב אַרְבַּע נָשִׁין), and all is one secret (וְכֹּלָּא בְּרָזָא חָדָא).

Rabbi Chiyya said (רִבִּי חִיָיא אָמַר): Avraham and Yitzchak each served only one woman (אַבְרָהָם וְיִצְחָק שִׁמְּשׁוּ כָּל חַד בְּאִתְּתָא חָדָא), by the secret of Kudsha Berikh Hu (בְּרָזָא דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא): Avraham with Sarah (אַבְרָהָם בְּשָׂרָה), Yitzchak with Rivkah (יִצְחָק בְּרִבְקָה), and corresponding to the two of them (וְלָקֳבֵיל תַּרְוַויְיהוּ), there were four wives to Ya'akov in two parts (הֲוֵי אַרְבַּע נָשִׁין לְיַעֲקֹב בִּתְרֵין חוּלָקִין).

Rabbi Shim'on said (רִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן אָמַר): let these words ascend to their place (סְלִיקוּ מִלִּין לְאַתְרַיְיהוּ), for all was done through a holy secret (דְּהָא כֹּלָּא בְּרָזָא קַדִּישָׁא אִתְעֲבַד), and all is one secret (וְכֹּלָּא בְּרָזָא חָדָא). “And Avraham added and took a wife, and her name was Keturah” (Bereishit 25:1) (וַיּוֹסֶף אַבְרָהָם וַיִּקַּח אִשָּׁה וּשְׁמָהּ קְטוּרָה). Keturah-this is Hagar (קְטוּרָה דָּא הִיא הָגָר), for we have learned (דְּהָא תָּנִינָן), after Hagar separated from Avraham (בָּתַר דְּאִתְפְּרָשָׁא הָגָר מִנֵּיהּ דְּאַבְרָהָם), and she went astray after the idols of her father (וְטָעַת בָּתַר גִּלּוּלֵי דְּאֲבוּהָ), afterward she returned to righteous deeds (לְבָתַר אִתְקַשְּׁרָא בְּעוֹבָדִין דְּכַשְׁרָן).

And because of this, her name was changed (וּבְגִין כָּךְ אִשְׁתַּנֵּי שְׁמָהּ), and she was called Keturah because of her righteous deeds (וְאִקְרֵי קְטוּרָה בְּעוֹבָדִין דְּכָשְׁרָן). And Avraham sent and took her as a wife (וְשָׁדַר אַבְרָהָם וּנְסָבָהּ לֵיהּ לְאִנְתוּ). From here we learn (מִכָּאן) that a change of name atones for transgressions (דְּשִׁנּוּי שְׁמָא מְכַפֵּר חוֹבִין), and because of this her name was changed (וְעַל דָּא אִשְׁתַּנֵּי שְׁמָהּ). “And Avraham added” (וַיּוֹסֶף אַבְרָהָם)-what is “added”? (מַאי וַיּוֹסֶף) If you say that it was upon Sarah that he added (אִי תֵימָא דְּעַל שָׂרָה אִיהוּ דְּאוֹסִיף)-not so (לָאו הָכִי).

Rather, in the days of Sarah he had united with her one time (אֶלָּא בְּיוֹמָהָא דְּשָׂרָה אִזְדַּוַּוג בַּהֲדָהּ זִמְנָא חָדָא), and afterward he divorced her over the matter of Yishmael (וּלְבָתַר תָּרִיךְ לָהּ עַל עִסְקֵי דְּיִשְׁמָעֵאל). Then afterward, “and he added”-as before-once more (וּלְבָתַר וַיּוֹסֶף כְּמִלְקַדְּמִין זִמְנָא אָחֳרָא), according to that which he had previously married her (עַל מַה דְּנָסִיב לָהּ בְּקַדְמִיתָא). And just as the action changed, so also her name was changed (וּכְפוּם דְּשָׁנֵי עוֹבָדָהָא הָכִי נָמֵי שָׁנֵי שְׁמָהּ). And come and see (וְתָא חֲזֵי), that Rabbi El'azar said (דְּאָמַר רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר): “And Yitzchak brought her into the tent, Sarah his mother” (Bereishit 24:67) (וַיְבִיאֶהָ יִצְחָק הָאֹהֱלָה שָׂרָה אִמּוֹ)-that the image of Sarah was revealed (דְּאִתְגַּלְיָא דִּיוּקְנָא דְּשָׂרָה), and Yitzchak was consoled after the revelation of his mother (וְיִצְחָק אִתְנְחַם אַחֲרֵי דְּאִתְגַּלְיָא אִמּוֹ), and her likeness was seen every day (וְדִיוּקְנָהָא הֲוָה חָמֵי כָּל יוֹמָא). And Avraham, even though he had remarried (וְאַבְרָהָם אַף עַל גַּב דְּאִינְסִיב), did not enter that tent (לָא עָאַל בְּהַהוּא בֵּיתָא), and did not bring that woman there (וְלָא אָעִיל לָהּ לְהַאי אִתְּתָא תַּמָּן), because “the maid shall not inherit with her mistress” (Bereishit 21:10) (בְּגִין דְּשִׁפְחָה לֹא תִירַשׁ גְּבִירְתָּה). And in Sarah’s tent, no other woman was seen except Rivkah (וּבְאֹהֶל דְּשָׂרָה לָא אִתְחֲזֵי אִתְּתָא אָחֳרָא אֶלָּא רִבְקָה). And Avraham, even though he knew (וְאַבְרָהָם אַף עַל גַּב דְּהֲוָה יָדַע), that Sarah’s image was revealed there (דְּדִיוּקְנָא דְּשָׂרָה אִתְגַלְיָא תַּמָּן), left that tent for Yitzchak (שַׁבְקֵיהּ לְיִצְחָק הַהוּא אֹהֶל), to behold the image of his mother every day (לְמֶחְמֵי דִּיוּקְנָא דְאִמֵּיהּ כָּל יוֹמָא)-Yitzchak and not Avraham (יִצְחָק וְלָא אַבְרָהָם). This is what is written: “And Avraham gave all that he had to Yitzchak” (Bereishit 25:5) (הֲדָא הוּא דִּכְתִיב: וַיִּתֵּן אַבְרָהָם אֶת כָּל אֲשֶׁר לוֹ לְיִצְחָק). “All that he had”-precisely (אֶת כָּל אֲשֶׁר לוֹ דַּיְיקָא): this is the likeness of Sarah in that mishkan (דָּא הַהוּא דִּיוּקְנָא דְּשָׂרָה בְּהַהוּא מַשְׁכְּנָא).

Another matter (דָּבָר אַחֵר): “And Avraham gave all that he had to Yitzchak” (וַיִּתֵּן אַבְרָהָם אֶת כָּל אֲשֶׁר לוֹ לְיִצְחָק)-this is the secret of the supernal faith, so that Yitzchak might cleave to his proper level (רָזָא דִּמְהֵימְנוּתָא עִלָּאָה לְאִתְדַּבְּקָא יִצְחָק בְּדַרְגָּא דְּחוּלָקֵיהּ כְּדְקָא יְאוּת). Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי): here, fire is included with water (הָכָא אִתְכְּלִיל (ס״א: מַיָּא בְּאֶשָּׁא), and truly, fire receives water (וַדַּאי אֶשָּׁא נָטִיל מַיָּא). This implies: “And Avraham gave all that he had to Yitzchak”-this is water included in fire (מַשְׁמַע: וַיִּתֵּן אַבְרָהָם אֶת כָּל אֲשֶׁר לוֹ לְיִצְחָק - דָּא מַיָּא דְּאִתְכְּלִיל בְּאֶשָּׁא). And at first, they were included as one-fire in water (וּבְקַדְמִיתָא אִתְכְּלִיל כְּחֲדָא אֶשָּׁא בְּמַיָּא). When? At the moment that he bound Yitzchak to perform judgment upon him (אֵימָתַי בְּשַׁעְתָּא דְּעָקַד לֵיהּ לְיִצְחָק לְמֶעְבַּד בֵּיהּ דִּינָא). Then, fire was included in water (כְּדֵין אִתְכְּלִיל אֶשָּׁא בְּמַיָּא). And now, water is included in fire (וְהַשְׁתָּא אִתְכְּלִילוּ מַיָּא בְּאֶשָּׁא), to become entirely the secret of supernal faith (לְמֶהְוֵי כֹּלָּא רָזָא דִּמְהֵימְנוּתָא עִלָּאָה).

“And to the sons of the concubines that belonged to Avraham, Avraham gave gifts” (Bereishit 25:6) (וְלִבְנֵי הַפִּילַגְשִׁים אֲשֶׁר לְאַבְרָהָם נָתַן אַבְרָהָם מַתָּנוֹת). What are “gifts”? (מַאי מַתָּנוֹת) These are the secrets of lower levels (אִלֵּין סִטְרֵי דַּרְגִּין תַּתָּאִין), which are names belonging to the side of impure spirit (דְּאִינוּן שְׁמָהָן דְּסִטְרֵי רוּחַ מְסָאֲבָא), in order to complete the structure of levels (בְּגִין לְאַשְׁלָמָא דַּרְגִּין). And Yitzchak ascended above them all, in supernal faith, as is fitting (וְאִסְתַּלַּק יִצְחָק עַל כֹּלָּא בִּמְהֵימְנוּתָא עִלָּאָה כְּדְקָא חָזֵי).

“Sons of the concubines”-these were the sons of Keturah, a concubine originally and still a concubine now (בְּנֵי הַפִּילַגְשִׁים, אִלֵּין הֲווּ בְּנֵי קְטוּרָה, פִּילֶגֶשׁ בְּקַדְמִיתָא וּפִילֶגֶשׁ הַשְׁתָּא). Rabbi Chiyya said: literal concubines (רַבִּי חִיָּיא אָמַר: פִּילַגְשִׁים מַמָּשׁ). “And he sent them away from Yitzchak his son” (Bereishit 25:6) (וַיְשַׁלְּחֵם מֵעַל יִצְחָק בְּנוֹ)-so that they would not rule over Yitzchak (דְּלָא לְשַׁלְּטָאָה לְגַבֵּיהּ דְּיִצְחָק). “While he was still alive”-while Avraham was alive and existing in this world (בְּעוֹדֶנּוּ חַי, בְּעוֹד דְּהֲוָה אַבְרָהָם חַי וְקַיָּים בְּעָלְמָא), so they wouldn’t accuse him later (דְּלָא יְקַטְרְגוּן לֵיהּ לְבָתַר), and so that Yitzchak would be established under the aspect of harsh supernal judgment (וּבְגִין דְּיִתְתַּקַּן יִצְחָק בִּסְטַר דִּינָא קַשְׁיָא עִלָּאָה), to be strengthened over them all (לְאִתְתַּקְּפָא עַל כֻּלְּהוּ), and all would be subjugated before him (וְכֻּלְּהוּ אִתְכַּפְּיָין קַמֵּיהּ). “To the east, to the land of the east” (Bereishit 25:6) (קֵדְמָה אֶל אֶרֶץ קֶדֶם)-because there are the sides of sorcerers of impurity (בְּגִין דְּתַּמָּן אִינוּן סִטְרֵי חֳרָשֵׁי מְסָאֲבֵי).

Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי): it is written, “And the wisdom of Shlomo surpassed the wisdom of all the children of the east” (Melakhim I 5:10) (כְּתִיב: וַתֵּרֶב חָכְמַת שְׁלֹמֹה מֵחָכְמַת כָּל בְּנֵי קֶדֶם). These are those who were from the sons of Avraham’s concubines (אִלֵּין אִינוּן דְּהֲווּ מִבְּנֵי פִּילַגְשֵׁי אַבְרָהָם). And we have already established (וְהָא אוֹקִימְנָא), that those “mountains of the east” (הַרְרֵי קֶדֶם) are those who teach sorcery to mankind (אִינוּן דְּאוֹלְפִין חֳרָשִׁין לִבְנֵי נָשָׁא), and from that land of the east came Lavan, Beor, and Bilaam his son-all sorcerers (וּמֵהַהִיא אֶרֶץ קֶדֶם נָפְקוּ לָבָן וּבְעוֹר וּבִלְעָם בְּנוֹ וְכֻּלְּהוּ חֳרָשֵׁי), and this has been established (וְהָא אוּקְמוּהָ).