Daf 152b (דַּף קנ״ב ע״ב)

Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי), when Ya'akov was sitting by the well (יַעֲקֹב כַּד הֲוָה יָתִיב עַל בֵּירָא), and he saw that the waters were rising toward him (וְחָמָא מַיָּא דְסָלְקִין לְגַבֵּיהּ), he knew that his wife would be prepared for him there (יָדַע דְּתַמָּן תִּזְדַּמֵּן לֵיהּ אִתְּתֵיהּ). And so with Moshe (וְכֵן בְּמֹשֶׁה), when he sat by the well (כַּד יָתִיב עַל בֵּירָא), once he saw that the waters were rising toward him (כֵּיוָן דְּחָמָא דְמַיָּא סַלְקִין לְגַבֵּיהּ), he knew that his wife had been prepared for him there (יָדַע דְּאִתְּתֵיהּ אִזְדַּמְּנַת לֵיהּ תַּמָּן). And thus it was for Ya'akov (וְהָכִי הֲוָה לֵיהּ לְיַעֲקֹב), that there his wife was prepared for him (דְּתַמָּן אִזְדַּמֵּינַת לֵיהּ אִתְּתֵיהּ), as it is written (כְּמָה דִכְתִיב): “While he was still speaking with them, Rachel came with the flock” (עוֹדֶנּוּ מְדַבֵּר עִמָּם וְרָחֵל בָּאָה עִם הַצֹּאן) (Bereishit 29), “And it came to pass when Ya'akov saw Rachel, etc.” (וַיְהִי כַּאֲשֶׁר רָאָה יַעֲקֹב אֶת רָחֵל וְגו׳). Moshe, as it is written (מֹשֶׁה, דִּכְתִיב): “And the shepherds came and drove them away, etc.” (וַיָּבֹאוּ הָרֹעִים וַיְגָרְשׁוּם וְגו׳) (Shemot 2), and there Tzipporah was prepared for him (וְתַמָּן אִזְדַּמְּנַת לֵיהּ צִפּוֹרָה), because that well caused it for them (בְּגִין דְּהַהוּא בְּאֵר גָּרְמָא לוֹן).

Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי), this well (הַאי בְּאֵר)—seven times it is written in this passage (שֶׁבַע זִמְנִין כְּתִיב בְּפָרְשָׁתָא דָא), because it is a hint to Sheva (בְּגִין דְּאִיהוּ רֶמֶז לְשֶׁבַע), and so it is called Be’er Sheva (וְהָכִי אִקְרֵי בְּאֵר שֶׁבַע). And because of this (וּבְגִין), this well is mentioned seven times in this passage (בְּאֵר דָּא אִדְכַּר שֶׁבַע זִמְנִין בְּפָרְשָׁתָא דָא): “And he saw, and behold, a well in the field” (וַיַּרְא וְהִנֵּה בְּאֵר בַּשָּׂדֶה), “For from that well” (כִּי מִן הַבְּאֵר הַהִיא), “And the great stone was upon the mouth of the well” (וְהָאֶבֶן גְּדוֹלָה עַל פִּי הַבְּאֵר), “And all the flocks were gathered there, etc.” (וְנֶאֶסְפוּ שָׁמָּה כָּל הָעֲדָרִים וְגו׳), “From upon the mouth of the well” (מֵעַל פִּי הַבְּאֵר), “And they gave drink to the flock and returned the stone upon the mouth of the well” (וְהִשְׁקוּ אֶת הַצֹּאן וְהֵשִׁיבוּ אֶת הָאֶבֶן עַל פִּי הַבְּאֵר), “And they rolled the stone from upon the mouth of the well” (וְגָלֲלוּ אֶת הָאֶבֶן מֵעַל פִּי הַבְּאֵר), “And Ya'akov rolled the stone from upon the mouth of the well” (וַיְגַל אֶת הָאֶבֶן מֵעַל פִּי הַבְּאֵר)—these are seven (הָא שִׁבְעָה). And certainly it is so (וּבְוַדַּאי דְּהָכִי הוּא).

In Moshe it is written only one time (בְּמֹשֶׁה לָא כְּתִיב אֶלָּא זִמְנָא חָדָא), as it is written: “And he dwelled in the land of Midian and sat by the well” (דִּכְתִיב: וַיֵּשֶׁב בְּאֶרֶץ מִדְיָן וַיֵּשֶׁב עַל הַבְּאֵר) (Shemot 2), because Moshe (בְּגִין דְּמֹשֶׁה) (daf 24a) was separated from everything of the lower house (אִתְפָּרַשׁ מִכֹּל וָכֹל מִבֵּיתָא דִלְתַתָּא), but Ya'akov was not separated at all (וְיַעֲקֹב לָא אִתְפָּרַשׁ כְּלָל). In Moshe it is one (בְּמֹשֶׁה חַד), as it is written: “One is My dove, My perfect one” (כְּמָה דִכְתִיב: אַחַת הִיא יוֹנָתִי תַמָּתִי) (Shir haShirim 6), “She is one for her mother” (אַחַת הִיא לְאִמָּהּ). And for this reason (וּבְגִין כָּךְ), Moshe was master of the house (מֹשֶׁה מָארֵיהּ דְּבֵיתָא הֲוָה), and he ascended above (וְאִסְתַּלַּק לְעֵילָא). Concerning Moshe it is written: “And he sat by the well” (בְּמֹשֶׁה כְּתִיב: וַיֵּשֶׁב עַל הַבְּאֵר), but by Ya'akov: “And he saw, and behold, a well in the field” (בְּיַעֲקֹב: וַיַּרְא וְהִנֵּה בְּאֵר בַּשָּׂדֶה), and it is not written: “And he sat by the well” (וְלָא כְּתִיב: וַיֵּשֶׁב עַל הַבְּאֵר).

Another matter: “And Ya'akov went out from Be’er Sheva and went toward Charan” (דָּבָר אַחֵר: וַיֵּצֵא יַעֲקֹב מִבְּאֵר שָׁבַע וַיֵּלֶךְ חָרָנָה) (Bereishit 28). Rabbi Abba opened and said (רִבִּי אַבָּא פָּתַח וְאָמַר): “Happy are those who observe justice” (אַשְׁרֵי שֹׁמְרֵי מִשְׁפָּט) (Tehillim 106); “He who performs righteousness at all times” (עוֹשֵׂה צְדָקָה בְּכָל עֵת) (Tehillim 106). “Happy are those who observe justice” (אַשְׁרֵי שׁוֹמְרֵי מִשְׁפָּט)—fortunate are Yisrael (זַכָּאִין אִינוּן יִשְׂרָאֵל), for Kudsha Berikh Hu gave them the Orayta of truth (דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא יָהַב לוֹן אוֹרַיְּיתָא דִּקְשׁוֹט), to labor in it day and night (לְאִשְׁתַּדָּלָא בָהּ יְמָמָא וּלֵילֵי). For whoever toils in the Orayta (דְּהָא כָּל מַאן דְּאִשְׁתַּדַּל בְּאוֹרַיְּיתָא), has freedom from everything (אִית לֵיהּ חֵירוּ מִכֹּלָּא), freedom from death (חֵירוּ מִן מוֹתָא), which cannot rule over him (דְּלָא יָכְלָא לְשַׁלְּטָאָה עֲלֵיהּ), and this has already been established (וְהָא אוּקְמוּהָ). For whoever toils in the Orayta and is bound to it (בְּגִין דְּכָל מַאן דְּאִשְׁתַּדַּל בְּאוֹרַיְּיתָא וְאִתְאַחִיד בָּהּ), is bound to the Tree of Life (אִתְאַחִיד בְּאִילָנָא דְּחַיֵּי). But if he lets himself slacken from the Tree of Life (וְאִי אַרְפֵי גַּרְמֵיהּ מֵאִילָנָא דְּחַיֵּי), then the Tree of Death rests upon him (הָא אִילָנָא דְּמוֹתָא שַׁרְיָא עֲלוֹי), and he becomes bound to it (וְאִתְאַחִיד בֵּיהּ). This is what is written (הֲדָא הוּא דִּכְתִּיב): “If you slacken on the day of trouble, your strength is narrow” (הִתְרַפִּיתָ בְּיוֹם צָרָה צַר כֹּחֶכָה) (Mishlei 24). “You slackened” (הִתְרַפִּיתָ)—if he slackens his hand from the Orayta (אִי אַרְפֵי יְדוֹי מֵאוֹרַיְּיתָא).

“In the day of trouble, your strength is narrow” (בְּיוֹם צָרָה צַר כֹּחֶכָה)—what is “your strength is narrow”? (מַאי צַר כֹּחֶכָה) It means: narrow is the strength of Koh (Thus) (צַר כֹּחַ כֹּה), for she is always to the right (דְּהָא אִיהִי תָּדִיר לִימִינָא), and her guarding is constant upon the human being (וּנְטִירוּ דִּילָהּ תָּדִיר עַל בַּר נָשׁ), when he walks in the paths of the Orayta (כַּד אָזִיל בְּאוֹרְחוֹי דְּאוֹרַיְּיתָא). Then she drives away the evil one (וּכְדֵין דָּחֵי לֵיהּ לְרַע) to the outside, so he does not approach the human being (לְבַר דְּלָא יִקְרַב לְגַבֵּיהּ דְּבַר נָשׁ), and he cannot accuse him (וְלָא יָכִיל לְקַטְרְגָא לֵיהּ). But when a person strays from the ways of the Orayta (וְכַד בַּר נָשׁ אַסְטֵי מֵאָרְחוֹי דְּאוֹרַיְּיתָא), and slackens from it (וְאִתְרַפֵּי מִנָּהּ), then “narrow is the strength of Koh (Thus)” (כְּדֵין צַר כֹּחַ כֹּה), because that evil one (בְּגִין דְּהַהוּא רַע), which is the left side (דְּאִיהוּ שְׂמָאלָא), rules over the human being (שַׁלִּיט עֲלֵיהּ דְּבַר נָשׁ), and drives this Koh (Thus) away to the outside (וְדָחֵי לֵיהּ לְהַאי כֹּה לְבַר), until it is pressed out to a narrow place (עַד דְּדָחִיק לֵיהּ אֲתַר בְּעָקוּ).

Another matter: “your strength is narrow” (דָּבָר אַחֵר: צַר כֹּחֶכָה)—when a person holds to the ways of the Orayta (דְּכַד בַּר נָשׁ אָחִיד בְּאָרְחֵי דְּאוֹרַיְּיתָא), he is loved above and loved below (אִתְרָחִים לְעֵילָא וְאִתְרָחִים לְתַתָּא), and the love of Kudsha Berikh Hu is with him (וּרְחִימָא דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא הֲוֵי), as it is said (כְּמָה דְּאַתְּ אָמֵר): “And Hashem loved him” (וַייָ אַהֲבוֹ) (Shmuel II 12), which was the love of Kudsha Berikh Hu, and He loved him (דְּהֲוָה רְחִימוֹי דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא וְרָחִים לֵיהּ). But when a person strays from the ways of the Orayta (וְכַד בַּר נָשׁ אַסְטֵי מֵאָרְחֵי דְּאוֹרַיְּיתָא), then “your strength is narrow” (כְּדֵין צַר כֹּחַ כֹּה)—his strength is diminished (צַר דִּילֵיהּ), and the master of the house turns away from him (וּמָארֵי דְּבֵיתָא אִיהוּ לְגַבֵּיהּ), and that one who is called “evil” rules over him (וְשַׁלִּיט עֲלוֹי הַהוּא דְּאִקְרֵי רַע), until he accuses him in this world (עַד דִּמְקַטְרֵג בֵּיהּ בְּהַאי עַלְמָא), and in the World to Come (וּבְעַלְמָא דְּאָתֵי).

Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי), this evil one who is the Evil inclination (הַאי רַע דְּאִיהוּ יֵצֶר הָרָע), rules over the world through many aspects (שַׁלִּיט עַל עָלְמָא בְּכַמָּה סִטְרִין). And how many dominions he has in the world (וְכַמָּה שָׁלְטָנוּ אִית לֵיהּ בְּעָלְמָא), and he is the powerful serpent (וְאִיהוּ חִוְיָא תַּקִּיפָא), into whom the human being sinned (דְּחָב בֵּיהּ אָדָם), and the people of the world stumble in him (וְכָשְׁלִין בֵּיהּ בְּנֵי עָלְמָא), and he draws them toward him (וּמָשְׁכֵי לֵיהּ עֲלַיְיהוּ), until he takes their souls from them (עַד דְּאַפִּיק לוֹן נִשְׁמָתַיְיהוּ). And come and see (וְתָּא חֲזֵי), when he rules (כַּד אִיהוּ שַׁלִּיט), he rules over the body p3-7(שַׁלִּיט עַל גּוּפָא). And once he rules over the body (וְכֵיוָן דְּעַל גּוּפָא שַׁלִּיט), the neshamah departs from it (נִשְׁמָתָא נָפְקָא מִנֵּיהּ), because the body has become defiled (בְּגִין דְּגוּפָא אִסְתָּאַב), and the neshamah ascends (וְנִשְׁמָתָא סָלְקָא). But he does not rule over it until he receives permission (וְלָא שַׁלִּיט עֲלֵיהּ עַד דְּנָטִיל רְשׁוּ). And how many there are who come from his side (וְכַמָּה אִינוּן דְּאַתְיָין מִסִּטְרֵיהּ), and rule over the world (וְשָׁלְטִין עַל עָלְמָא). And behold we have learned (וְהָא תָּנִינָן), that all the actions of the world that are performed (דְּכָל עוֹבָדִין דְּעָלְמָא דְּאִתְעֲבִידוּ), he has dominion over them (וְשָׁלְטֵי בְּהוּ), and he has appointees and attendants (וְאִית לֵיהּ מְמַנָּן וְשַׁמָּשִׁין), all of whom are attendants over the affairs of the world (כֻּלְּהוּ שַׁמָּשִׁין בְּעוֹבָדִין דְּעָלְמָא). And for this reason (וְעַל דָּא), he is the end of the left side (אִיהוּ קֵץ דִּשְׂמָאלָא), and behold (וְהָא), it has been established (אוּקְמוּהָ), that there is a end for the right (דְּאִית קֵץ לִימִינָא), and there is a end for the left (וְאִית קֵץ לִשְׂמָאלָא), and this end of the left is called the End of All Flesh (וְהַאי קֵץ דִּשְׂמָאלָא, אִיהוּ קֵץ כָּל בָּשָׂר). End of All Flesh it is called (קֵץ כָּל בָּשָׂר אִקְרֵי), but The End of All Spirits it is not called (קֵץ כָּל רוּחָא לָא אִקְרֵי). And the secret of the matter is (וְרָזָא דְּמִלָּה), this is a End of All Flesh (דָּא אִיהוּ קֵץ כָּל בָּשָׂר), and this is a end—this one over the flesh (וְדָא קֵץ עַל בִּשְׂרָא), and this one over the spirit (וְדָא עַל רוּחָא). Therefore (בְּגִין כָּךְ), this one is inner and this one outer (דָּא פְּנִימִי וְדָא חִיצוֹן), this one right (דָּא יְמִינָא), and this one left (וְדָא שְׂמָאלָא), this one holy (דָּא קַדִּישָׁא), and this one impure (וְדָא מְסָאֲבָא). And behold it has been established (וְהָא אוּקְמוּהָ).