Daf 154a (דַּף קנ״ד ע״א)

He said to him: Yes (אָמַר לֵיהּ: אִין), for at that time he did not have [sons] (דְּהָא בְּהַהִיא שַׁעְתָּא לָא הֲווּ לֵיהּ). Some say: After Yosef went out from the prison, then he had them (נ״א: לְבָתַר דִּיָּצָא מִבֵּית הָאֲסוּרִין הֲווּ לֵיהּ). And if you say (וְאִי תֵּימָא): “And the sons of Binyamin were Bela and Becher…” (וּבְנֵי בִנְיָמִן בֶּלַע וָבֶכֶר) (Bereshit 46) when they entered Egypt (כַּד עָאלוּ לְמִצְרַיִם), so it certainly was (הָכִי הוּא וַדַּאי), that all the time Ya'akov mourned for Yosef (דְּכָל זִמְנָא דְּאִתְאַבַּל יַעֲקֹב עַל יוֹסֵף), he did not use his bed and yet begot sons (לָא שִׁמֵּשׁ עַרְסֵיהּ וְאוֹלִיד בְּנִין). And Binyamin said (וְאָמַר בִּנְיָמִין): “Behold, Yosef my brother, you were the sustaining one of our father” (הָא יוֹסֵף אָחִי, אַתְּ קְיָימָא דְּאַבָּא הֲוָה). For he was the covenant of completion of the body (דְּהָא בְּרִית סִיּוּמָא דְגוּפָא אִיהוּ). Since he was lost (כֵּיוָן דְּאִיהוּ אִתְאֲבִיד), I shall be the one to guard the place of my brother (אֲנָא אֱהֵא נָטִיר אַתְרֵיהּ דְּאָחִי). And if you say (וְאִי תֵּימָא): At that time when he was lost, he was not yet a Tzaddik (הָא בְּהַהוּא זִמְנָא דְּאִתְאֲבִיד לָא הֲוָה צַדִּיק), for a Tzaddik is not named so until action is performed in him (דְּצַדִּיק לָא הֲוָה עַד דְּאָעֲרַע עוֹבָדָא בֵיהּ). Rather, they all knew from Ya'akov (אֶלָּא, כֻּלְּהוּ הֲווּ יָדְעֵי מִיַּעֲקֹב), for Ya'akov knew that this place would be Yosef’s inheritance (דְּיַעֲקֹב הֲוָה יָדַע דְּאֲתַר דָּא יָרִית יוֹסֵף). And for this reason he prolonged his stay with Lavan (וּבְגִינֵי כָךְ אוֹרִיךְ בְּלָבָן כָּל כָּךְ), until the body was completed (עַד דְּיִסְתַּיֵּים גּוּפָא). And who is the completion of the body? The covenant (וּמַאן הוּא סִיּוּמָא דְגוּפָא בְּרִית). And about this it is written: “And it came to pass when Rachel gave birth to Yosef…” (וְעַל דָּא כְּתִיב: וַיְהִי כַּאֲשֶׁר יָלְדָה רָחֵל אֶת יוֹסֵף וְגו׳) (Bereshit 30) for then certainly the body was complete (דְּהָא וַדַּאי הַשְׁתָּא אִשְׁתְּלִים גּוּפָא). Since the body was completed (כֵּיוָן דְּגוּפָא אִשְׁתְּלִים), I desire to go (בְּעִינָא לְמֵיזַל). And for this reason, Binyamin knew and guarded the path of his brother (וּבְגִינֵי כָךְ בִּנְיָמִין יָדַע וְנָטַר אוֹרְחֵיהּ דַּאֲחוּי). Once he came to Yosef and found him (כֵּיוָן דְּאֲתָא לְיוֹסֵף, וְאִשְׁתַּכַּח), Binyamin returned to his house (בִּנְיָמִין הָדַר לְבֵיתֵיהּ), and used his bed (וְשִׁמֵּשׁ עַרְסֵיהּ), and had sons (וְאוֹלִיד בְּנִין). Some say: they went and entered [his house] (נ״א: אַזְלֵי וְעָאלוּ). And for this reason (וְעַל דָּא), Kudsha Berikh Hu made him a Tzaddik below (קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא עָבִיד לֵיהּ צַדִּיק לְתַתָּא), and Yosef a Tzaddik above (וְיוֹסֵף צַדִּיק לְעֵילָא). And because of this (וּבְגִינֵי כָךְ), Rachel gave birth to two sons (רָחֵל תְּרֵין בְּנִין אוֹלִידַת), and Leah six sons and one daughter (וְלֵאָה שִׁית בְּנִין וּבְרַתָּא). And because of this (וְעַל דָּא), those first seven years were hidden (אִינוּן שֶׁבַע שְׁנִין קַדְמָאֵי אִתְכַּסְּיָין), for Ya'akov did not know about them (דְּלָא יָדַע בְּהוּ יַעֲקֹב), because they were of the Jubilee (בְּגִין דְּהֲווּ דְּיוֹבְלָא). And those of Shemittah were revealed (וְאִינוּן דִּשְׁמִטָּה אִתְגַּלְיָין), and in the revealed Shemittah, he served the hidden Jubilee (וּבִשְׁמִטָּה דְּאִתְגַּלְּיָא פָּלַח לְיוֹבְלָא דְּאִתְכַּסְיָא), as it is written: “And Ya'akov served for Rachel seven years” (דִּכְתִיב: וַיַּעֲבֹד יַעֲקֹב בְּרָחֵל שֶׁבַע שָׁנִים) (Bereshit 29. “Seven years” — in general (שֶׁבַע שָׁנִים סְתָם). For Rachel, he served seven supernal years (בְּרָחֵל פָּלַח שֶׁבַע שְׁנִין עִלָּאִין), and he was unified through them in two worlds (וְאִתְאֲחִיד בְּהוּ בִּתְרֵי עָלְמִין). From here we learn (מִכָּאן אוֹלִיפְנָא), from that which is revealed (מִגּוֹ דְּאִתְגַּלְּיָא), a person comes to the concealed (אָתֵי בַּר נָשׁ לִסְתִּימָאָה). And if you say (וְאִי תֵימָא): If so, that the earlier years were of the Jubilee (אִי הָכִי דִּשְׁנִין קַדְמָאֵי מִיּוֹבְלָא אִינוּן), behold, regarding Jubilee it is written: “Seven years, seven times” (הָא בְּיוֹבְלָא כְּתִיב: שֶׁבַע שָׁנִים שֶׁבַע פְּעָמִים) (Leviticus 25). “Seven years” are frequent (שֶׁבַע שָׁנִים שְׁכִיחֵי); “seven times” — they are not found so commonly (שֶׁבַע פְּעָמִים לָא שְׁכִיחֵי אָנּוּן). Rather, those are the seven days he waited during the hilula of Leah (אֶלָּא, אִינוּן שִׁבְעָה יוֹמִין דְּנָטַר בְּהִלּוּלָא דְלֵאָה), that completed the count (אַשְׁלִימוּ חוּשְׁבְּנָא), for each day is called one “seven” (דְּהָא כָּל יוֹמָא שֶׁבַע אַחַת אִקְרֵי), as it is written: “Seven times a day I praise You for Your righteous laws” (דִּכְתִיב: שֶׁבַע בַּיּוֹם הִלַּלְתִּיךָ עַל מִשְׁפְּטֵי צִדְקֶךָ) (Psalms 119). And all seven were completed in seven days (וְכָל שִׁבְעָה אִשְׁתְּלִים בְּשִׁבְעָה יוֹמִין), seven each day (ז׳ בְּכָל יוֹמָא), each called once (דְּאִקְרֵי פַּעַם אַחַת). But with Rachel it was not so (וּבְרָחֵל לָא הֲוָה כֵן), for he did not wait seven days (דְּלָא נָטַר ז׳ יוֹמִין), but rather served seven years afterward (אֶלָּא שֶׁבַע שְׁנִין דְּפָלַח לְבָתַר). And if you say (וְאִי תֵימָא): If so, the Shemittah years should have been served first (אִי הָכִי, שְׁנִין דִּשְׁמִטָּה הֲוָה לֵיהּ לְמִפְלַח קוֹדֶם), and afterward he should have been joined in Zivug during Shemittah (וּלְבָתַר לְאִזְדַּוְּוגָא בִּשְׁמִטָּה). Rather, once he accepted upon himself to serve (אֶלָּא כֵּיוָן דְּקַבִּיל עֲלֵיהּ לְמִפְלַח), it was as if he had already served (כְּאִילּוּ פָּלַח לוֹן).

Rabbi Abba came and kissed him (אֲתָא רִבִּי אַבָּא וּנְשָׁקֵיהּ), and said (אָמַר): Blessed is the Merciful One who merited me to this verse (בָּרוּךְ רַחֲמָנָא דְּזָכִינָא לְהַאי קְרָא). For regarding that place it is written: “Hashem desired for the sake of His righteousness to magnify the Torah and make it glorious” (עַל הַהוּא אֲתַר כְּתִיב: יְיָ חָפֵץ לְמַעַן צִדְקוֹ יַגְדִּיל תּוֹרָה וְיַאְדִּיר) (Isaiah 42). Furthermore, Rabbi El'azar said (תוּ אָמַר רִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר): that which was said—that Leah bore six sons and one daughter (הָא דְּאִתְּמָר לֵאָה אוֹלִידַת שִׁית בְּנִין וּבְרַתָּא חָדָא)—this is certainly so (הָכִי הוּא וַדַּאי); Rachel bore two sons—certainly (רָחֵל תְּרֵי בְּנִין וַדַּאי); the sons of the maidservants were four—how does their Tikkun stand? (בְּנֵי שְׁפָחוֹת אַרְבָּעָה, תִּקּוּנָא דִלְהוֹן הֵיךְ קָיְימֵי). Rather, they are four knots that are called Achorayim (אֶלָּא אִינוּן אַרְבַּע קְשָׁרִים דְּאִקְרוּן אֲחוֹרַיִם), as it is written: “And all their backs were inward” (דִּכְתִיב: וְכָל אֲחוֹרֵיהֶם בָּיְתָה) (I Kings 7). For in the right arm are three knots (דְּהָא בִּדְרוֹעָא יְמִינָא תְּלַת קִשְׁרִין), but one knot is in the middle, which is great and behind (אֲבָל קִשְׁרָא חַד בְּאֶמְצָעִיתָא דְּאִיהוּ רַב וְאִיהוּ אָחוֹר), which remains outside (דְּאִשְׁתָּאַר לְבַר). And likewise, one in the left arm (וְכֵן חַד בִּדְרוֹעָא שְׂמָאלָא), and likewise one in the right thigh (וְכֵן חַד בְּיַרְכָא יְמִינָא), and likewise one in the left thigh (וְכֵן חַד בְּיַרְכָא שְׂמָאלָא). And when all is repaired (וְכַד אִתְתַּקַּן כֹּלָּא), they are all found inward (אִשְׁתַּכָּחוּ כֻּלְּהוּ בָּיְתָה), to fulfill the verse that is written: “And all their backs were inward” (לְקַיְימָא קְרָא דִּכְתִיב: וְכָל אֲחוֹרֵיהֶם בָּיְתָה). All other connections (כָּל שְׁאָר קִשּׁוּרִין), all are seen clearly (כֻּלְּהוּ אִתְחַזְּיָין בְּמֵישַׁר), and these emerge (וְאִלֵּין נָפְקִין), outward from the arms and outward from the thighs (לְבַר מִדְּרוֹעִין וּלְבַר מִיַּרְכִין), to be seen in the sons of the maidservants (לְאִתְחֲזָאָה בִּבְנֵי הַשְּׁפָחוֹת). For even though they are in the count (דְּאַף עַל גַּב דְּאִינוּן בְּמִנְיָינָא), they are not considered like the sons of Rachel and Leah (לָא חֲשִׁיבֵי כִּבְנֵי רָחֵל וְלֵאָה). And for this reason, they are outward (וּבְגִינֵי כָךְ נָפְקֵי לְבַר).

Another matter (דָבָר אַחֵר): these are the four (אִלֵּין אִינוּן אַרְבַּע), for all the other connections received within them (דְּכָל שְׁאָר קִשְׁרִין נָטְלֵי בְּגִינַיְיהוּ), and these received them (וְאִלֵּין נָטְלֵי לוֹן). Rabbi Abba said (אָמַר רִבִּי אַבָּא): this is certainly so (הָכִי הוּא וַדַּאי). Some say: Rabbi Abba said, this is not so (נ״א: אָמַר רִבִּי אַבָּא: דָּא לָאו דָּא). And because of this, all is rectified as one (וְעַל דָּא כֹּלָּא מִתְתַּקַּן כְּחֲדָא): “And Hashem saw that Leah was hated…” (וַיַּרְא יְיָ כִּי שְׂנוּאָה לֵאָה וְגו׳) (Bereshit 29).

Rabbi El'azar opened and said (רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר פָּתַח): “He settles the barren woman of the house as a joyful mother of children—Halleluyah” (מוֹשִׁיבִי עֲקֶרֶת הַבַּיִת אֵם הַבָּנִים שְׂמֵחָה הַלְלוּיָה) (Psalms 113). “He settles the barren woman of the house”—this is Rachel (מוֹשִׁיבִי עֲקֶרֶת הַבַּיִת: דָּא רָחֵל), for she is the essence of the house (דְּאִיהִי עִקְרָא דְבֵיתָא). “A joyful mother of children”—this is Leah (אֵם הַבָּנִים שְׂמֵחָה: דָּא לֵאָה).

Another matter (דָבָר אַחֵר): “He settles the barren woman of the house”—this is Shemittah (מוֹשִׁיבִי עֲקֶרֶת הַבַּיִת: דָּא שְׁמִטָּה), which is the root (דְּאִיהִי עִקָּרָא), for upon it the world was constructed (דְּהַאי עַלְמָא עֲלֵיהּ אִתְדַּבַּר). “A joyful mother of children”—this is Jubilee (אֵם הַבָּנִים שְׂמֵחָה: דָּא יוֹבְלָא), for all joy and all gladness of all worlds depends upon it (דְּכָל חֵידוּ וְכָל חֶדְוָה דְּכֻלְּהוּ עָלְמִין בֵּיהּ תַּלְיָין). And this verse is an inclusive totality of all (וְהַאי קְרָא כְּלָלָא דְּכֹלָּא הוּא), because this encompasses all (בְּגִין דְּהַאי כָּלִיל כֹּלָּא), in the holy secret (בְּרָזָא קַדִּישָׁא). And for this reason, the conclusion of the verse is “Halleluyah” (וְעַל דָּא סִיּוּמָא דִקְרָא: הַלְלוּיָה).