Daf 148b (דַּף קמ״ח ע״ב)

Two were they who said “Arise, Hashem” (תְּרֵין אִינוּן הֲווּ דְּאָמְרוּ קוּמָה יְיָ): Moshe and David (מֹשֶׁה וְדָוִד). Moshe said (מֹשֶׁה אָמַר), “Arise, Hashem, and let Your enemies scatter” (Numbers 10) (קוּמָה יְיָ וְיָפוּצוּ אוֹיְבֶיךָ). And David said, “Arise, Hashem, to Your resting place” (וְדָוִד אָמַר, קוּמָה יְיָ לִמְנוּחָתֶךָ).

What is the difference between them? (מַאי אִיכָּא בֵּינַיְיהוּ). Rather, Moshe spoke as one commanding his household (אֶלָּא מֹשֶׁה כְּמַאן דְּפָקִּיד לְבֵיתֵיהּ קָאָמַר), Moshe gave the order to go out to war against the enemies (מֹשֶׁה פַּקִּיד לָהּ, לְאַגָּחָא קְרָבָא לְקֳבֵיל שַׂנְאוֹי). p3-5David invited Him to rest, like one who invites his Master (דָּוִד זַמִּין לֵיהּ לְנַיְיחָא, כְּמָה דְּמַזְמִין לְמָרִיהּ), inviting the King and the Matronita together (זַמִּין לְמַלְכָּא וּלְמַטְרוֹנִיתָא עִמֵּיהּ). This is what is written: “Arise, Hashem, to Your resting place - You and the Ark of Your strength” (Psalms 132) (הֲדָא הוּא דִּכְתִיב: קוּמָה יְיָ לִמְנוּחָתֶךָ אַתָּה וַאֲרוֹן עֻזֶּךָ), so as not to separate them (בְּגִין דְּלָא לְאַפְרָשָׁא לוֹן). “Your priests shall be clothed in righteousness, and Your pious ones shall sing” (Psalms 132) (כֹּהֲנֶיךָ יִלְבְּשׁוּ צֶדֶק וַחֲסִידֶיךָ יְרַנֵּנוּ). From here we learn (מִכָּאן אוֹלִיפְנָא) whoever prepares for the King, let him change his deeds in order to give joy to the King. (דְּמַאן דִּמְזַמֵּן לְמַלְכָּא, יְשַׁנֵּי עוֹבָדוֹי בְּגִין לְמֵהַב חֶדְוָה לְמַלְכָּא). If it is the way of the King that common jesters gladden Him, he will arrange before Him jesters of the nobles (Rufinus) and the royal officers (Pardashche). (אִי אוֹרְחֵיהּ דְּמַלְכָּא דְּחָדָאן לֵיהּ בְּדִיחֵי הֶדְיוֹטֵי, יְסַדַּר קַמֵּיהּ בְּדִיחֵי רוֹפִינוּס וּפַרְדַּשְׁכֵּי), but if not, then this is not the King’s joy (וְאִי לָאו, לָאו אִיהוּ בְּדִיחוּתָא דְּמַלְכָּא).

Come and see: David invited the King and the Matronita to rest (תָּא חֲזֵי: דָּוִד זַמִּין לֵיהּ לְמַלְכָּא וּלְמַטְרוֹנִיתָא לְנַיְיחָא). What did he do? He changed the King's jesters for the sake of [on account of] the nobles (Rufinus) (מָה עֲבַד שָׁנֵי בְּדִיחֵי דְּמַלְכָּא בְּגִין רוֹפִינוּס). And who are they? As it is written: “Your priests shall clothe themselves with righteousness, and Your pious ones shall sing” (וּמַאן נִינְהוּ דִּכְתִיב: כֹּהֲנֶיךָ יִלְבְּשׁוּ צֶדֶק וַחֲסִידֶיךָ יְרַנֵּנוּ). “Your pious ones shall sing” - it should have said: “Your Levites shall sing,” for the Levites are the King’s singers (וַחֲסִידֶיךָ יְרַנֵּנוּ - לֵוִיֶּיךָ יְרַנֵּנוּ מִבָּעֵי לֵיהּ, דְּהָא לֵיוָאֵי אִינוּן בְּדִיחֵי מַלְכָּא). And now that David invited Him to rest, he made the priests and pious ones to be those who bring joy to the King (וְהַשְׁתָּא דָּוִד דְּזַמִּין לֵיהּ לְנַיְיחָא, עֲבַד כֹּהֲנֵי וַחֲסִידֵי דִּלְהֵווּ אִינוּן בְּדִיחֵי מַלְכָּא).

Kudsha Berikh Hu said to him, David, I do not wish to trouble you (אָמַר לֵיהּ קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, דָּוִד, לָא בָּעֵינָא לְאַטְרָחָא עֲלָךְ). Some say: Kudsha Berikh Hu said to him, David, is it not so? (נ״א: אָמַר לֵיהּ קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, דָּוִד, לָאו הָכִי). David said to Him, My Master - not so, but rather (אָמַר לֵיהּ דָּוִד, מָארִי, לָאו הָכִי אֶלָּא), when You are in Your palace, You act according to Your will (כַּד אַנְתְּ בְּהֵיכָלָךְ, אַתְּ עָבִיד רְעוּתָךְ). Now that I have invited You, by my own will the matter stands - to draw near these, who are more worthy, even though it is not their way in this place (הַשְׁתָּא דְּזַמִּינְנָא לָךְ, בִּרְעוּתִי קַיְימָא מִלָּה לְאַקְרָבָא אִלֵּין, דְּאִינוּן חֲשִׁיבֵי יַתִּיר, אַף עַל גַּב דְּלָאו אָרְחַיְיהוּ בְּהַאי). From here we learn that one who is in his own house arranges his ways and actions according to his own will (מִכָּאן אוֹלִיפְנָא, דְּמַאן דְּאִיהוּ בְּבֵיתֵיהּ, יְסַדֵּר אוֹרְחֵיהּ וְעוֹבָדֵיהּ כִּרְעוּתֵיהּ). But if they invite him, he should act according to the will of his host, just as is arranged upon him (אִי מְזַמְּנִין לֵיהּ, יַעֲבִיד רְעוּתֵיהּ דְּאוּשְׁפִּיזֵיהּ, כְּמָה דִּמְסַדַּר עֲלוֹי). For David changed the Levites and arranged the priests instead (דְּהָא דָּוִד אַחְלַף לֵיוָאֵי וְסַדַּר כַּהֲנֵי), and Kudsha Berikh Hu upheld the matter according to his will (וּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא אוֹקִים מִלָּה כִּרְעוּתֵיהּ).

David said: For the sake of David Your servant, do not turn away the face of Your anointed one (אָמַר דָּוִד: בַּעֲבוּר דָּוִד עַבְדֶּךָ, אַל תָּשֵׁב פְּנֵי מְשִׁיחֶךָ), this order that I arrange - let it not be reversed (סִדּוּרָא דְּקָא סַדַּרְנָא, לָא יְתוּב לַאֲחוֹרָא). Kudsha Berikh Hu said to him: David, by your life, even with My vessels I will not serve - only with yours (אָמַר לֵיהּ קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא: דָּוִד, חַיֶּיךָ, אֲפִלּוּ בְּמָאנִין דִּילִי לָא אֶשְׁתַּמֵּשׁ, אֶלָּא בְּמָאנִין דִּילָךְ). And Kudsha Berikh Hu did not move from there until He gave him treasures and gifts, as it is written (Psalms 132): “Hashem swore to David in truth - He will not turn from it: from the fruit of your womb I will set upon your throne” (וְלֹא זָז קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא מִתַּמָּן, עַד דְּיָהִיב לֵיהּ נְבַזְבְּזָן וּמַתְּנָן, דִּכְתִיב: נִשְׁבַּע יי לְדָוִד אֱמֶת לֹא יָשׁוּב מִמֶּנָּהּ, מִפְּרִי בִטְנְךָ אָשִׁית לְכִסֵּא לָךְ).

Rabbi Yitzḥak came and kissed him (אֲתָא רִבִּי יִצְחָק וּנְשַׁקֵּיהּ), and said: if I had come on this path only to hear this - it would be enough (אָמַר: אִי לָא אֲתֵינָא לְהַאי אָרְחָא, אֶלָּא לְמִשְׁמַע דָּא - דַּיַּי). One of his sons opened and said (פָּתַח חַד בְּרֵיהּ וְאָמַר), “And Ya'akov went out from Be’er Sheva and went to Ḥaran” (Bereshit 28) (וַיֵּצֵא יַעֲקֹב מִבְּאֵר שָׁבַע וַיֵּלֶךְ חָרָנָה), this is what is written (הַיְינוּ דִּכְתִיב), “Therefore shall a man leave his father and mother and cleave to his wife” (Bereshit 2) (עַל כֵּן יַעֲזָב אִישׁ אֶת אָבִיו וְאֶת אִמּוֹ וְדָבַק בְּאִשְׁתּוֹ). Another matter: “And Ya'akov went out from Be’er Sheva and went to Ḥaran” (דָבָר אַחֵר: וַיֵּצֵא יַעֲקֹב מִבְּאֵר שָׁבַע וַיֵּלֶךְ חָרָנָה), this alludes to when Yisrael went out from the Temple and were exiled among the nations (רָמַז: כַּד נָפְקוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל מִבֵּי מַקְדְּשָׁא, וְאִתְגָּלוּ בֵּינֵי עַמְמַיָא), as it is said (Lamentations 1): “From the daughter of Tziyon went out all her splendor” (כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר: וַיֵּצֵא מִן בַּת צִיּוֹן כָּל הֲדָרָהּ), and it is written: “Yehudah has gone into exile out of affliction…” (וּכְתִיב: גָּלְתָה יְהוּדָה מֵעוֹנִי וְגו׳).

Another, the younger, opened and said (פָּתַח אָחֳרָא זְעֵירָא וְאָמַר), “And he encountered the place and lodged there, for the sun had set…” (Bereshit 28) (וַיִּפְגַּע בַּמָּקוֹם וַיָּלֶן שָׁם כִּי בָא הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ וְגו׳). What is “And he encountered the place”? (מַהִי: וַיִּפְגַּע בַּמָּקוֹם) - like a king who goes to the house of the Matronita, he wants to encounter her and sweeten her with words (לְמַלְכָּא דְּאָזִיל לְבֵי מַטְרוֹנִיתָא, בָּעֵי לְמִפְגַע לָהּ וּלְבַסְּמָא לָהּ בְּמִלִּין), so that she not be found with him as if she were ownerless (בְּגִין דְּלָא תִשְׁתַּכַּח גַּבֵּיהּ כְּהֶפְקֵירָא). Not only that, but even if he has a bed of gold and coverings of embroidery in a royal chamber to rest in (וְלֹא עוֹד, אֶלָּא דְּאַפִילּוּ אִית לֵיהּ עַרְסָא דְדַהֲבָא, וּכְסוּתוּתֵי מְרַקְמָאן בְּאַפְלַטְיָיא לְמֵיבַת בְּהוּ), and she prepares his bed on the ground, with a bundle of straw (וְאִיהִי מְתַקְּנָא עַרְסֵיהּ בְּאַבְנִין, בְּאַרְעָא, וּבְקִיסְטְרָא דְּתִיבְנָא), he will leave his own and dwell in hers, to give her rest (יִשְׁבּוֹק דִּידֵיהּ וְיָבִית בְּהוּ לְמֵיהַב לָהּ נַיְיחָא), so that their will be united as one - not by compulsion (וּבְגִין דִּיהֵא רְעוּתָא דִילְהוֹן כְּחֲדָא, בִּדְלָא אֲנִיסוּ). As we have learned here: once he went to her, what is written? (כְּמָה דְאוֹלִיפְנָא הָכָא, דְּכֵיוָן דְּאֲזַל לְגַבָּהּ מַה כְּתִיב) - “And he lodged there, for the sun had set…” - to show that it is forbidden for a man to place his bed in sunlight by day (וַיָּלֶן שָׁם כִּי בָא הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ, לְאַחֲזָאָה דְּאָסִיר לֵיהּ לְבַר נָשׁ לְשַׁמְּשָׁא עַרְסֵיהּ בַּיּוֹמָא). “And he took from the stones of the place and placed them at his head…” and “He lay down in that place” (Bereshit 28) (וַיִּקַּח מֵאַבְנֵי הַמָּקוֹם וַיָּשֶׂם מֵרַאֲשׁוֹתָיו, וַיִּשְׁכַּב בַּמָּקוֹם הַהוּא) - to give her rest (בְּגִין לְמֵיהַב לָהּ נַיְיחָא), for even the stones of the house loved him, to be in them (דְּאַפִילּוּ אַבְנֵי בֵיתָא רְחִימִין קַמֵּיהּ, לְמֵיבַת בְּהוּ). Some say: as it is written - “And he lay down in that place” (ס״א: דִּכְתִיב: וַיִּשְׁכַּב בַּמָּקוֹם הַהוּא).