Daf 137a (דַּף קַל״ז ע״א)

Rabbi Yitzchak said (אָמַר רִבִּי יִצְחָק), even though she did all that (אַף עַל גַּב דְּכוּלַי הַאי עָבְדַת), I do not know her deeds-whether they were righteous or not (לָא יְדַעְנָא עוֹבָדָהָא אִי אִינוּן כְּשֵׁרָאן אוֹ לָאו). Rather, come and see (אֶלָּא, תָּא חֲזֵי): it is written (כְּתִיב) (Song of Songs 2): “As a rose among the thorns, so is My beloved among the daughters” (כְּשׁוֹשַׁנָּה בֵּין הַחוֹחִים כֵּן רַעֲיָתִי בֵּין הַבָּנוֹת). “As a rose”-this is Knesset Yisrael, who is among the multitude like a rose among thorns (כְּשׁוֹשַׁנָּה, דָּא כְּנֶסֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל, דְּאִיהִי בֵּין אוּכְלוּסָהָא כְּוַרְדָּא בֵּין כּוּבִין). And the secret of the matter is this (וְרָזָא דְמִלָּה): Yitzchak comes from the side of Avraham, who is supernal Chesed (יִצְחָק אָתֵי מִסִּטְרָא דְאַבְרָהָם דְּאִיהוּ חֶסֶד עִלָּאָה), and he performs Chesed with all beings (וְעָבִיד חֶסֶד עִם כָּל בִּרְיָין), even though he himself is harsh judgment (וְאַף עַל גַּב דְּאִיהוּ דִּינָא קַשְׁיָא). And Rivkah came from the side of harsh judgment (וְרִבְקָה אָתַת מִסִּטְרָא דְדִינָא קַשְׁיָא), and she separated from them and cleaved to Yitzchak (וְאִסְתַּלְּקַת מִבֵּינַיְיהוּ וְאִתְחַבְּרַת בְּיִצְחָק). For Rivkah came from the side of harsh judgment (דְּהָא רִבְקָה מִסִּטְרָא דְדִינָא קַשְׁיָא אַתְיָא), and although she was from that side, she was soft (וְאַף עַל גַּב דְּאִיהִי מִסִּטְרָא דְדִינָא, רַפְיָא הֲוַת), and a thread of Chesed was suspended in her (וְחוּטָא דְחֶסֶד תָּלֵי בָּהּ), and Yitzchak is harsh judgment and she is soft (וְיִצְחָק דִּינָא קַשְׁיָא, וְאִיהִי רַפְיָא), like a rose among thorns they were (כְּשׁוֹשַׁנָּה בֵּין הַחוֹחִים הֲווּ). And if she were not soft (וְאִי לָאו דְּאִיהִי רַפְיָא), the world would not be able to bear the harsh judgment of Yitzchak (לָא יָכִיל עַלְמָא לְמִסְבַּל דִּינָא קַשְׁיָא דְּיִצְחָק). In this manner Kudsha Berikh Hu makes Zivugim in the world (כְּגַוְונָא דָא, קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא מְזַוֵּוג זִוּוּגִין בְּעָלְמָא): one strong and one soft (חַד תַּקִּיף וְחַד רַפְיָא), in order that all be repaired and the world sweetened (בְּגִין לְאִתְתַּקָּנָא כֹּלָּא וְיִתְבַּסֵּם עָלְמָא).

Rabbi Yehudah followed and opened and said (פָּתַח רִבִּי יְהוּדָה אֲבַתְרֵיהּ וְאָמַר), (Bereshit 25): “And Yitzchak entreated Hashem opposite his wife” (וַיֶּעְתַּר יִצְחָק לַי־יָ לְנֹכַח אִשְׁתּוֹ). What is “and he entreated”? — that he brought near to Him an offering and prayed over her (מַהוּ וַיֶּעְתַּר-דְּקָרִיב לֵיהּ קָרְבָּנָא, וְצַלֵּי עֲלָהּ). And what korban did he bring? A burnt offering he brought (וּמַה קָרְבָּנָא קָרִיב-עוֹלָה קָרִיב), for it is written: “And Hashem was entreated of him” (דִּכְתִיב: וַיֵּעָתֶר לוֹ יְיָ), and it is written there (2 Samuel 24): “And Elohim was entreated for the land” (וּכְתִיב הָתָם: וַיֵּעָתֶר אֱלֹהִים לָאָרֶץ וְגו׳)-just as there it involved a korban, so here too a korban (מַה לְּהַלָּן קָרְבָּן, אַף כָּאן קָרְבָּן). It is written: “And Yitzchak entreated” (כְּתִיב: וַיֶּעְתַּר יִצְחָק), and it is written: “And He was entreated by him” (וּכְתִיב: וַיֵּעָתֶר לוֹ), for fire emerged above to meet the fire below (דְּנָפַק אֵשָׁא מִלְּעֵילָא לְקֳבְלָא אֵשָׁא דִלְתַּתָּא).

Another matter: “And Yitzchak entreated” (דָּבָר אַחֵר: וַיֶּעְתַּר יִצְחָק)-he prayed his prayer and pierced upward toward the mazal concerning children (דְּצַלֵּי צְלוֹתֵיהּ וְחָתַר חֲתִירָה לְעֵילָא לְגַבֵּי מַזָּלָא עַל בְּנִין), for in that place children depend (דְּהָא בְּהַהוּא אֲתַר תַּלְיָין בְּנִין), as it is written (דִּכְתִיב) (I Samuel 1): “And she prayed unto Hashem” (וַתִּתְפַּלֵּל עַל יְיָ). Then it is written: “And Hashem was entreated by him” (וּכְדֵין: וַיֵּעָתֶר לוֹ יְיָ). Do not read “and He was entreated by him,” but rather: “and He tunneled for him” (אַל תִּקְרֵי וַיֵּעָתֶר לוֹ, אֶלָּא: וַיֵּחָתֵר לוֹ), Kudsha Berikh Hu pierced a channel for him (חֲתִירָה חָתַר לֵיהּ קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא), and accepted him (וְקַבִּיל לֵיהּ), and then “Rivkah his wife conceived” (וּכְדֵין: וַתַּהַר רִבְקָה אִשְׁתּוֹ).