Daf 153b (דַּף קנ״ג ע״ב)

And furthermore (וְתוּ), in order to draw the eye and heart of Ya'akov to the beauty of Rachel (בְּגִין לְאַמְשָׁכָא עֵינָא וְלִבָּא דְּיַעֲקֹב בְּשַׁפִּירוּ דְּרָחֵל), to establish his dwelling there (לְמֶעְבַּד דִּיּוּרֵיהּ תַּמָּן), and on her account (וּבְגִינָהּ), Leah was joined to him (אִזְדַּוְּוגַת לֵיהּ לֵאָה), and all the tribes were established (וְאוֹקִימַת כָּל אִינוּן שִׁבְטִין). How did Ya'akov know who Rachel was? (בַּמֶּה יָדַע יַעֲקֹב מַאן הִיא רָחֵל) Rather, the shepherds told him (אֶלָּא דְּאִינוּן רַעְיָין אָמְרוּ לֵיהּ), as it is written: “And behold Rachel his daughter was coming with the flock” (דִּכְתִּיב: וְהִנֵּה רָחֵל בִּתּוֹ בָּאָה עִם הַצֹּאן) (Bereshit 29).

Come and see what is written (תָּא חֲזֵי מַה כְּתִיב): “And he said, I will serve you seven years for Rachel your younger daughter” (וַיֹּאמֶר: אֶעֱבָדְךָ שֶׁבַע שָׁנִים בְּרָחֵל בִּתְּךָ הַקְּטַנָּה) (Bereshit 29). Why did Ya'akov not say ten months, or one year? (וְכִי מַה דַּעְתֵּיהּ דְּיַעֲקֹב דְּלָא קָאֲמַר עֶשֶׂר יַרְחִין אוֹ שַׁתָּא חָדָא) Why seven years? (אֶלָּא שֶׁבַע שָׁנִים אַמַּאי) Rather, Ya'akov acted with wisdom (אֶלָּא יַעֲקֹב בְּחָכְמָתָא עֲבַד), so that they would not say (בְּגִין דְּלָא יֵימְרוּן) that he acted out of desire for the beauty of Rachel (דִּבְגִין תִּיאוּבְתָּא דְּשַׁפִּירוּ דְּרָחֵל עֲבַד), but rather for the sake of Chokhmah (אֶלָּא בְּגִין חָכְמְתָא). For the moon is the daughter of seven years (דְּסִיהֲרָא בַּת שֶׁבַע שְׁנִין הִיא), and all seven years are supernal (וְכֻלְּהוּ שֶׁבַע שְׁנִין עִלָּאִין), and rested upon Ya'akov (שָׁרוּ עֲלֵיהּ דְּיַעֲקֹב), before he took Rachel (עַד לָא נָסִיב לָהּ לְרָחֵל), to dwell with her as is fitting (לְמֵיתַב גַּבָּהּ כְּדְקָא יְאוּת). For Ya'akov took all first (דְּהָא יַעֲקֹב נָטַל כֻּלְּהוּ בְּקַדְמִיתָא), and afterward came to her (וּלְבָתַר אֲתָא לְגַבָּהּ), so that he would be found as Heaven (בְּגִין לְאִשְׁתַּכָּחָא אִיהוּ שָׁמַיִם), and she as Earth (וְאִיהִי אָרֶץ). And the secret of the matter is (וְרָזָא דְּמִלָּה): “And they were in his eyes as a few days” (וַיִּהְיוּ בְּעֵינָיו כְּיָמִים אֲחָדִים) (Bereshit 29). What is “as a few days”? (מַהִי כְּיָמִים אֲחָדִים) Rather, all seven years he perceived as such in his eyes (אֶלָּא כֻּלְּהוּ שֶׁבַע שְׁנִין שָׁקִיל לוֹן בְּעֵינוֹי), like those supernal ones (כְּאִינוּן עִלָּאִין), that are union which are never separated (דְּאִינוּן אֲחָדִין דְּלָא מִתְפָּרְשָׁאן), and all are one (וְכֻלְּהוּ חַד), bound one to the other (דְּמִתְקַשְּׁרָן דָּא בְּדָא), in his love for her (בְּאַהֲבָתוֹ אוֹתָהּ), to be found in the supernal likeness (לְאִשְׁתַּכָּחָא כְּגַוְונָא עִלָּאָה).

Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי), for even Lavan hinted to him through those seven (דְּאָפִילּוּ לָבָן רָמַז לֵיהּ בְּאִינוּן שֶׁבַע), and he did not know what he was saying (וְלָא יָדַע מַאי קָאֲמַר), for he opened and said “It is better…” (דְּפָתַח וְאָמַר טוֹב), as it is written: “It is better that I give her to you…” (דִּכְתִיב: טוֹב תִּתִּי וְגו׳) (Bereshit 29). Rabbi Abba said (אָמַר רִבִּי אַבָּא), this is certainly so (הָכִי הוּא וַדַּאי): he labored seven years (פָּלַח שֶׁבַע שְׁנִין), to be joined in Zivug during a Shemittah (לְאִזְדַּוְּוגָא בִּשְׁמִטָּה). Rabbi El'azar said (אָמַר רִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר), come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי), in every place the Jubilee is concealed and not revealed (בְּכָל אֲתַר יוֹבְלָא סָתִים דְּלָא אִתְגַּלְּיָא), and Shemittah is revealed (וּשְׁמִטָּה אִתְגַּלְּיָא).

Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי), at the time that Ya'akov labored the first seven years (בְּשַׁעְתָּא דְּיַעֲקֹב פָּלַח שֶׁבַע שְׁנִין קַדְמָאִין), a voice went out and said (נָפְקָא קָלָא וְאָמַר): “Ya'akov” — as it is written (יַעֲקֹב, דִּכְתִיב): “From the world and until the world” (מִן הָעוֹלָם וְעַד הָעוֹלָם) (Psalms 106). “Olam” above is hidden — the Jubilee — from there is the service (עוֹלָם סָתִים דִּלְעֵילָא יוֹבְלָא, מִתַּמָּן שֵׁירוּתָא). For those that are hidden, nothing is revealed to them from the Jubilee (דְּאִלֵּין דְּאִינוּן סְתִימִין, דְּלָא אִתְגַּלְּיָא לוֹן מִן יוֹבְלָא אִינוּן). Therefore it was hidden from Ya'akov (בְּגִין כָּךְ אִסְתִּימוּ מִיַּעֲקֹב), who thought they were from Shemittah (דְּלָא יָדַע, דְּחָשַׁב דְּהָא מִן שְׁמִטָּה אִינוּן). And because he served from the upper world (וּבְגִין דְּיַעֲבִיד שֵׁירוּתָא מֵעוֹלָם דִּלְעֵילָא), it was concealed from him (אִתְכַּסְיָין מִנֵּיהּ), for Jubilee is hidden (בְּגִין דְּיוֹבְלָא אִיהוּ סָתִים). And after the two hidden Jubilee years passed (וּלְבָתַר דַּעֲבָרוּ שְׁנֵי יוֹבְלָא דְּאִתְכַּסְיָיא), he performed two revealed Shemittah years (עֲבַד שְׁנֵי שְׁמִטָּה דְּאִתְגַּלְיָין), and was crowned in two worlds and grasped them (וְאִתְעַטַּר בִּתְרֵין עָלְמִין וְאָחִיד לוֹן).

Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי): Leah gave birth to six sons and one daughter (לֵאָה אוֹלִידַת שִׁית בְּנִין וּבְרַתָּא חָדָא). And thus it appears (וְהָכִי אִתְחֲזֵי): for six directions are established upon her (דְּהָא שִׁית סִטְרִין קָיְימִין עֲלָהּ), and these six (וְאִלֵּין שִׁית), and one daughter (וּבְרַתָּא חָדָא), emerge from a supernal secret (בְּרָזָא עִלָּאָה נָפְקָא). Rachel gave birth to two Tzaddikim (רָחֵל אוֹלִידַת תְּרֵין צַדִּיקִים), and so it is fitting (וְהָכִי אִתְחֲזֵי): behold the Shemittah, which dwells between two Tzaddikim for all time (הָא שְׁמִטָּה, דְּבֵין תְּרֵי צַדִּיקֵי יָתְבָא לְעָלְמִין), as it is written: “The Tzaddikim shall inherit the earth” (דִּכְתִיב: צַדִּיקִים יִירְשׁוּ אָרֶץ) (Psalms 37). One Tzaddik above (צַדִּיק לְעֵילָא), and one Tzaddik below (וְצַדִּיק לְתַתָּא). The Tzaddik above (צַדִּיק לְעֵילָא): from him flow supernal waters (מִנֵּיהּ נָגְדָן מַיִין עִלָּאִין). The Tzaddik below (צַדִּיק לְתַתָּא): from him the feminine springs flow toward the masculine (מִנֵּיהּ נָבְעָא נוּקְבָא מַיָּא לְגַבֵּי דְּכוּרָא), with perfect desire (בְּתִיאוּבְתָּא שְׁלִים). One Tzaddik from this side (צַדִּיק מִסִּטְרָא דָא), and one Tzaddik from that side (וְצַדִּיק מִסִּטְרָא דָא), just as the male above dwells between two females (כְּמָא דִּדְּכוּרָא לְעֵילָא יָתִיב בֵּין תְּרֵי נוּקְבֵי), so too the female below dwells between two Tzaddikim (הָכִי נָמֵי נוּקְבָא לְתַתָּא יָתְבָא בֵּין תְּרֵי צַדִּיקֵי). And because of this (וְעַל דָּא), Yosef and Binyamin are two Tzaddikim (יוֹסֵף וּבִנְיָמִין תְּרֵין צַדִּיקִין נִינְהוּ). Yosef merited to be the Tzaddik above (יוֹסֵף זָכָה לְמֶהֱוֵי צַדִּיק לְעֵילָא), because he guarded the sign of the covenant (בְּגִין דְּנָטַר אוֹת קַיָּימָא). Binyamin is the Tzaddik below (בִּנְיָמִין אִיהוּ צַדִּיק לְתַתָּא), to crown the Shemittah between two Tzaddikim (לְאִתְעַטְּרָא שְׁמִטָּה בֵּין תְּרֵי צַדִּיקֵי): Yosef the Tzaddik, and Binyamin the Tzaddik (יוֹסֵף הַצַּדִּיק, וּבִנְיָמִין הַצַּדִּיק). And was Binyamin a Tzaddik? (וְכִי בִּנְיָמִין צַדִּיק הֲוָה) Yes (אִין). For all his days he did not sin with the sign of the covenant (דְּכָל יוֹמוֹי לָא חָטָא בְּהַאי אוֹת קַיָּימָא), even though he did not have the opportunity like Yosef (וְאַף עַל גַּב דְּלָא אִזְדַּמַּן לֵיהּ עוֹבָדָא כְּיוֹסֵף). If so, why is he called Tzaddik? (אִי הָכִי, אַמַּאי אִקְרֵי צַדִּיק) Rather, all the days that Ya'akov was in mourning for Yosef (אֶלָּא, כָּל יוֹמוֹי דְּיַעֲקֹב הֲוָה בְּאֶבְלָא דְּיוֹסֵף), he did not use his bed (לָא שִׁמֵּשׁ עַרְסֵיהּ). And if you say (וְאִי תֵּימָא), that after Yosef was removed from Ya'akov, Binyamin was already grown and did not marry (דְּכַד אִתְנְטִיל יוֹסֵף מִיַּעֲקֹב, רַבְיָא הֲוָה וְלָא נְסִיב), and you say he did not use his bed (וְאַתְּ אֲמַרְתְּ דְּלָא שִׁמֵּשׁ עַרְסֵיהּ), rather, even though he married afterward, he did not desire to use his bed (אֶלָּא, אַף עַל גַּב דְּאִזְדַּוַּוג לְבָתַר, לָא בָּעָא לְשַׁמְּשָׁא עַרְסֵיהּ). And we have learned thus (וְאֲנַן הָכִי תְּנַן): when Yosef asked Binyamin (בְּשָׁעָה דְּשָׁאֵיל יוֹסֵף לְבִנְיָמִין), he said to him: “Do you have a wife?” (אָמַר לֵיהּ: אִית לָךְ אִינְתּוּ) He said to him: “Yes” (אָמַר לֵיהּ: אִין). “Do you have sons?” (אָמַר לֵיהּ: אִית לָךְ בְּנִין) He said to him: “Yes” (אָמַר לֵיהּ: אִין). “And what are their names?” (וְהֵיךְ אִקְרוּן) He said to him: “For the sake of my brother…” etc. (אָמַר לֵיהּ: עַל שׁוּם אָחִי וְגו׳) (Bereshit 46). Some say: He said to him: “Do you have sons?” He said: “They are prepared for me.” And how will they be called? He said: “For the sake of my brother…” (נ״א: אָמַר לֵיהּ: אִית לָךְ בְּנִין אָמַר לֵיהּ: זְמִינִין לִי. וְאֵיךְ יִתְקָרוּן לָךְ אָמַר לֵיהּ: עַל שׁוּם אָחִי וְגו׳). Gera and Naaman, etc. (גֵּרָא וְנַעֲמָן וְגו׳), as it is written: “And the sons of Binyamin were Bela and Becher…” (דִּכְתִיב: וּבְנֵי בִנְיָמִין בֶּלַע וָבֶכֶר וְגו׳) (Bereshit 46). And you said that he did not use his bed? (וְאַתְּ אֲמַרְתְּ דְּלָא שִׁמֵּשׁ) Some say: only at that time (נ״א: אֶלָּא בְּהַהִיא שַׁעְתָּא).