Daf 146b (דַּף קמ״ו ע״ב)

Ya‘akov said (אָמַר יַעֲקֹב): To that time they are needed, for when it comes to kings and all the nations of the world, I shall elevate them to that time (לְהָתָם אִצְטְרִיכוּ, לְגַבֵּי מְלָכִין וְכָל עַמִּין דְּכָל עַלְמָא, וְאַסְלִּיק לוֹן לְהָתָם). But now, for dealing with Esav, this one is enough for me (וְהַשְׁתָּא לְגַבֵּי דְעֵשָׂו, דַּי לִי בְּהַאי). Like a king who had many powerful legions (לְמַלְכָּא, דְּהֲווּ לֵיהּ כַּמָּה לִגְיוֹנִין תַּקִּיפִין), and many commanders who lead troops into battle, prepared to confront mighty kings in war (כַּמָּה מָארֵי מַגִּיחֵי קְרָבָא לַאֲגָחָא קְרָבִין, דִּזְמִינִין לְגַבֵּי מְלָכִין תַּקִּיפִין לְאֲגָחָא בְּהוּ קְרָבָא). Meanwhile, he heard of one highway robber, a lone bandit (אַדְהָכִי שָׁמַע עַל לִסְטִים חַד קַפָּחָא), and he said: “These gate-keepers will suffice to deal with him” (אָמַר, הַנֵּי בְּנֵי תַרְעֵי יְהֲכוּן תַּמָּן). He was told: “Of all your legions, will you not send others but these?” (אָמַר לֵיהּ, מִכָּל לִגְיוֹנִין דִּילָךְ, לֵית אַנְתְּ מְשַׁדֵּר הָתָם אֶלָּא אִלֵּין). He said: “For that robber, these will suffice” (אָמַר: לְגַבֵּי הַהוּא לִסְטִים, דַּי בְּאִלֵּין). For all my legions and captains of war are reserved for powerful kings, for the day of battle when they are truly needed (דְּהָא כָּל לִגְיוֹנוֹתַי וּמָארֵי קְרָבָא, אֶסְתַּלַּק לְגַבֵּי אִינוּן מְלָכִין תַּקִּיפִין, בְּיוֹמָא דִּקְרָבָא דְּאִצְטְרִיכוּ לִי, לֵיהֲווּ). So too Ya‘akov said regarding Esav: Now, these blessings are sufficient for me (אוּף הָכִי יַעֲקֹב אָמַר לְגַבֵּי עֵשָׂו, דַּי לִי הַשְׁתָּא בְּאִלֵּין בִּרְכָּאן). But for that future time, when my children will need [them] to confront all kings and rulers of the world, I shall elevate them (אֲבָל לְהַהוּא זִמְנָא דְּאִצְטְרִיכוּ לְבָנַי לְגַבֵּי כָּל מַלְכִין וְשַׁלִּיטִין דְּכָל עַלְמָא, אֲסַלֵּק לוֹן). When that time arrives, those blessings will be aroused from all directions (כַּד יִמְטֵי הַהוּא זִמְנָא, יִתְעָרוּן אִינוּן בִּרְכָּאן מִכָּל סִטְרִין), and the world will be established upon its proper foundations (וְיִתְקַיֵּים עַלְמָא עַל קִיּוּמֵיהּ כְּדְקָא יְאוּת). And from that day forward, this kingdom shall arise over all other Molchos (וּמֵהַהוּא יוֹמָא וּלְהָלְאָה, יְקוּם מַלְכוּתָא דָּא עַל כָּל שְׁאָר מַלְכוּ אָחֳרָא), as has been established, as it is written (Daniel 2): “It shall crush and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand forever” (כְּמָה דְּאוּקְמוּהָ, דִּכְתִיב: תַּדִּק וְתָסֵף כָּל אִלֵּין מַלְכְוָתָא וְהִיא תְּקוּם לְעָלְמַיָּא). And this is that stone which was hewn from the mountain not by hands (וְהַיְינוּ הַהִיא אַבְנָא דְּאִתְגְּזָרַת מִן טוּרָא דִּי לָא בִּידַיִן), as it is said (Bereshit 49): “From there, the Shepherd, the Stone of Yisrael” (כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר: מִשָּׁם רֹעֶה אֶבֶן יִשְׂרָאֵל). Who is this Even (מַאן אֶבֶן)? This is Kenesset Yisrael (דָּא כְּנֶסֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל), as it is said (Bereshit 28): “And this stone which I have set as a pillar…” (כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר: וְהָאֶבֶן הַזֹּאת אֲשֶׁר שַׂמְתִּי מַצֵּבָה וְגו׳).

Rabbi Ḥiyya said (רַבִּי חִיָּיא אָמַר), from this verse: “A remnant shall return, a remnant of Ya‘akov” (Isaiah 10) (מֵהָכָא: שְׁאָר יָשׁוּב שְׁאָר יַעֲקֹב) - these are the latter blessings that remained (אִלֵּין בִּרְכָּאן אָחֳרָנִין דְּאִשְׁתָּאֲרוּ). And it is written: “And the remnant of Ya‘akov shall be among the nations, in the midst of many peoples” (Micah 5) (וּכְתִיב: וְהָיָה שְׁאֵרִית יַעֲקֹב בַּגּוֹיִם בְּקֶרֶב עַמִּים רַבִּים). These are the same latter blessings, as it is written: “And the remnant of Ya‘akov…” (אֵלִּין בִּרְכָּאן אָחֳרָנִין כְּתִיב: וְהָיָה שְׁאֵרִית יַעֲקֹב) - among all the nations, and not with Esav alone (בַּגּוֹיִם כֻּלְּהוּ, וְלֹא בְּעֵשָׂו בִּלְחוֹדֵיהּ). And it is written: “And the remnant…” etc., “like dew from Hashem” (וּכְתִיב: וְהָיָה שְׁאֵרִית וְגו׳, כַּטַּל מֵאֵת יְיָ).

Rabbi Yisa opened and said (פָּתַח רַבִּי יֵיסָא וְאָמַר): “A son honors his father, and a servant his master” (Malachi 1) ("בֵּן יְכַבֵּד אָב וְעֶבֶד אֲדוֹנָיו"). A son — this is Esav (בֵּן, דָּא עֵשָׂו), for there was no man in the world who honored his father (דְּלָא הֲוָה בַּר נָשׁ בְּעַלְמָא דְּיוֹקִיר לְאֲבוֹי) like Esav honored his father (כְּמָה דְּאוֹקִיר עֵשָׂו לְאֲבוֹי). And that very honor that he honored him (וְהַהוּא יַקִּירוּ דְּאוֹקִיר לֵיהּ) gave him dominion in this world (אַשְׁלִיט לֵיהּ בְּהַאי עַלְמָא). “And a servant his master” — this is Eliezer, the servant of Avraham (וְעֶבֶד אֲדוֹנָיו, דָּא אֱלִיעֶזֶר עֶבֶד אַבְרָהָם). And it has been established (וְאוּקְמוּהָ): for the man who came to Charan (דְּהָא בַּר נָשׁ דְּהֲוָה אָתֵי לְחָרָן) with much wealth (בְּכַמָּה עוּתְרָא), and many gifts and treasures (וְכַמָּה מַתְּנָן וּנְבַזְבְּזִין), and camels bearing loads (וּגְמַלִּין טְעִינָן), he did not say to Betuel or Lavan (דְּלָא אָמַר לִבְתוּאֵל וְלָבָן) — who were the beloved ones of Avraham (דְּאִיהוּ רְחִימוֹי דְּאַבְרָהָם) — nor to any other man coming on Avraham’s behalf (אוֹ בַּר נָשׁ אָחֳרָא דְּאָתֵי בְּפִיּוּסָא דְּאַבְרָהָם), but before he spoke any of his words (אֶלָּא עַד לָא יְמַלֵּל מִלּוֹי), what is written? (מַה כְּתִיב): “And he said: ‘I am the servant of Avraham’” (Bereshit 24) ("וַיֹּאמֶר עֶבֶד אַבְרָהָם אָנֹכִי"). And afterward — “my master, my master” (וּלְבָתַר אֲדֹנִי אֲדֹנִי), because he honored Avraham (בְּגִין דְּיוֹקִיר לֵיהּ לְאַבְרָהָם), that very honor and goodness (הַהוּא יְקָרָא וְהַהוּא טִיבוּ) accompanied him many times (אוֹרִיךְ לֵיהּ לְכַמָּה זִמְנִין). So too Esav - that honor he gave to his father stood for him through all those times in which he would rule in this world (כָּךְ עֵשָׂו, הַהוּא יְקָרָא דְּאוֹקִיר לֵיהּ לְאֲבוֹי, אוֹרִיךְ לֵיהּ כָּל הַנֵּי זִמְנִין דְּיִשְׁלוֹט בְּעַלְמָא דָּא). And those tears [he shed] caused Yisrael to be brought under his subjugation (וְאִינוּן דִּמְעִין, אוֹרִידוּ לוֹן לְיִשְׂרָאֵל בִּשְׁעִבּוּדָא דִילֵיהּ), until Yisrael shall return to Kudsha Berikh Hu with weeping and with tears (עַד דִּיתוּבוּן יִשְׂרָאֵל לְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, בִּבְכִיָּה וּבְדִמְעִין). As it is written: “With weeping they shall come…” (Jeremiah 31) (דִּכְתִיב: בִּבְכִי יָבֹאוּ וְגו׳). And then it is written: “And saviors shall ascend Mount Zion to judge the Mount of Esav, and the kingdom shall be Hashem’s” (Obadiah 1) (וּכְדֵין כְּתִיב: וְעָלוּ מוֹשִׁיעִים בְּהַר צִיּוֹן לִשְׁפֹּט אֶת הַר עֵשָׂו וְהָיְתָה לַייָ הַמְּלוּכָה).

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

Parashat Vayetze

Sitre Torah

nd the sun rises and the sun sets” (וְזָרַח הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ וּבָא הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ). What did King Shlomo see, that the opening of the book of his wisdom began from here? (מַאי קָא חָמָא שְׁלֹמֹה מַלְכָּא, דְּשִׁירוּתָּא דְּסִפְרָא דְּחָכְמְתָּא דִּילֵיהּ מֵהָכָא אִיהוּ). Rather, Rabbi El'azar said, this book King Shlomo established upon seven Vanities, and the world stands upon them (אֶלָּא אָמַר רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר, שְׁלֹמֹה מַלְכָּא הַאי סִפְרָא, אוֹקִים לֵיהּ עַל שֶׁבַע הֲבָלִים, וְעַלְמָא קָאֵים עֲלַיְיהוּ). And they are pillars and supports, the sustaining structure of the world (וְאִינוּן עַמּוּדִין וְסָמְכִין, קִיּוּמָא דְעַלְמָא). Therefore they are called Vanities (דְּבְגִין כָּךְ אִקְרוּן הֲבָלִים). Some say: upon this breath that goes forth from the mouth of a person and is sustained by it, the Friends were aroused: the world is sustained only through the breath of the mouths of schoolchildren (נ״א: בְּהַאי הֶבֶל דְּנָפִיק מִפֻּמֵּיהּ דְּבַר נָשׁ וְאִתְקַיֵּים בֵּיהּ וְאִתְעָרוּ חַבְרַיָּיא: אֵין הָעוֹלָם מִתְקַיֵּים אֶלָּא בְּהֶבֶל פִּיהֶם שֶׁל תִּינוֹקוֹת שֶׁל בֵּית רַבָּן). Another matter: upon three things the world stands—upon the Torah, upon the service, and upon acts of kindness (דָּבָר אַחֵר: עַל שְׁלוֹשָׁה דְּבָרִים הָעוֹלָם עוֹמֵד, עַל הַתּוֹרָה, וְעַל הָעֲבוֹדָה, וְעַל גְּמִילוּת חֲסָדִים). Torah - this is Ya'akov (הַתּוֹרָה דָּא יַעֲקֹב), Avodah - this is Yitzḥak (הָעֲבוֹדָה דָּא יִצְחָק), Acts of Kindness - this is Avraham (גְּמִילוּת חֲסָדִים דָּא אַבְרָהָם). These three are supernal supports - three from the seven Vanities (שְׁלוֹשָׁה דְבָרִים אֵלִּין אִינוּן סָמְכִין עִלָּאִין, תְּלָתָא מִן שִׁבְעָה הֲבָלִים). Just as the body cannot endure without breath (מַה גּוּפָא, לָא אִתְּקַיֵּים בְּלָא הֶבֶל), so too the world is not sustained except by the Vanities that King Shlomo spoke of (אוּף הָכִי עַלְמָא, לָא אִתְּקַיֵּים אֶלָּא עַל הֲבָלִים דְּאָמַר שְׁלֹמֹה מַלְכָּא). And they are seven (וְאִינוּן שֶׁבַע), as it is written (דִּכְתִיב): “Vanity of vanities,” said Kohelet, “vanity of vanities, all is vanity” (הֲבֵל הֲבָלִים אָמַר קֹהֶלֶת, הֲבֵל הֲבָלִים הַכֹּל הָבֶל). Behold - seven (הָא שֶׁבַע). And if you should say (וְאִי תֵּימָא), if so - that these are precious gems upon which the world stands (אִי הָכִי דְּאִינוּן מַרְגְּלָאָן טָבָאן דְּעַלְמָא קָיְימָא עֲלַיְיהוּ), behold, in another place it is written of evil hevelim, and they are the destroyers of the world (הָא בְּאֲתַר אָחֳרָא כְּתִיב הֲבָלִים בִּישִׁין, וְאִינוּן סְתִּירוּ דְעַלְמָא), such as: “This also is a grievous evil” (Ecclesiastes 6) (כְּגוֹן: זֶה הֶבֶל וָחֳלִי רָע הוּא); and: “This also is vanity and chasing of the wind” (Ecclesiastes 4) (זֶה הֶבֶל וּרְעוּתּ רוּחַ). Rather, truly (אֶלָּא וְדַאִי), even though these seven Vanities are holy and sustain the world (אַף עַל גַּב דְּהַנֵּי שֶׁבַע הֲבָלִים, דְּאִינוּן קַדִּישִׁין קִיּוּמָא דְעַלְמָא), there exist opposite them seven Vanities from which all judgments of the world go forth (אִית לָקֳבֵל הַנֵּי ז׳ הֲבָלִים דְּכָל דִּינִין דְעַלְמָא מִנַּיְיהוּ נָפְקִין), and from them they are spread (וּמִנַּיְיהוּ מִתְפַּשְׁטִין). Some say: these are the latter Vanities, and all the structure of exile - or the world (נ״א: הֲבָלִים אַחֲרָנִין וְכָלָּא קִיּוּמָא דְגָלוּתָא [ס״א: דְעָלְמָא]) - because in these seven Vanities all the judgments of the world emerge and spread from them (בְּגִין דְאִית בְּהַנֵּי שֶׁבַע הֲבָלִים דְכָל דִּינִין דְעַלְמָא נַפְקִי וּמִתְפַּשְׁטִי מִינֵּיהּ). And they are called latter Vanities (וְאִקְרוּן הֲבָלִים אָחֳרָנִין), to strike the sons of men and to correct them, that they may walk in the straight path (לְאַלְקָאָה בְּנֵי נָשָׁא וּלְאַתְּקָנָא לוֹן דְּיַהֲכוּן בְּאֹרַח מֵישָׁר). And they are called Vanity in which is established grievous illness (וְאִקְרוּן הֶבֶל דְּשַׁרְיָא בְּהוּ חֳלִי רָע), Vanity, for it is the striving of spirit (הֶבֶל דְּאִיהוּ רְעוּתּ רוּחַ). And they are the structure of the world (וְאִינוּן קִיּוּמָא דְעַלְמָא), for through them mankind goes on the straight path and fears Kudsha Berikh Hu (דְּבִגִינֵיהוֹן בְּנֵי נָשָׁא אָזְלִין בְּאֹרַח מֵישָׁר וּדְחִילוּ מִקּוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא), and because of this, many are the Vanities that extend from these seven (וְעַל דָּא סַגִּיאִין אִינוּן הֲבָלִים דְּמִתְפַּשְׁטֵי מֵהַנֵּי שֶׁבַע). And the song that he said - it is the secret of the sun, which is Vanity through which the world is sustained (וְשֵׁירוּתָּא דְּאִיהוּ אָמַר, רָזָא דְּשִׁמְשָׁא, דְּאִיהוּ הֶבֶל, דְּקִיֵּים עַלְמָא), and it is the secret for a person to enter into the supernal faith of Kudsha Berikh Hu (וְאִיהוּ רָזָא לְאָעֳלָא בַּר נָשׁ לְגוֹ מְהֵימְנוּתָּא עִלָּאָה דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא). And for this reason, anything below this level is not the secret of faith (וּבְגִין כָּךְ, כָּל מַה דִּתְּחוֹת הַאי דַּרְגָּא, לָאו אִיהוּ רָזָא דִּמְהֵימְנוּתָּא). And so it is written (Ecclesiastes 2): “And there is no profit under the sun” (וְעַל דָּא כְּתִיב: וְאֵין יִתְּרוֹן תַּחַת הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ), and (Ecclesiastes 9): “In all that is done under the sun” (בְּכָל אֲשֶׁר נַעֲשָׂה תַּחַת הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ), for beneath this there is no need to cleave (דְּהָא תְּחוֹת הַאי לָא אִצְטְרִיךָ לְאִתְדַּבָּקָא). The sun and the moon are one, with no separation (שִׁמְשָׁא בְּסִיהֲרָא, חֲדָא אִינוּן בְּלָא פִּירוּדָא), and the moon, even though it is beneath the sun, it is all sun, with no separation (וְסִיהֲרָא אַף עַל גַּב דְּאִיהוּ תְּחוֹת שִׁמְשָׁא, כֹּלָּא אִיהוּ שִׁמְשָׁא, בְּלָא פִּירוּדָא). But beneath this - all is a striving of spirit (וּתְּחוֹת הַאי, כֹּלָּא אִיהוּ רְעוּתּ רוּחַ), and it is forbidden to cleave to it (וְאָסִיר לְאִתְּדַּבָּקָא בֵּיהּ).