Daf 157a (דַּף קנ״ז ע״א)

And if you say that these duda’im opened the womb of Rachel (וְאִי תֵימָא דְּאִלֵּין דּוּדָאִים פָּתְחוּ מְעָהָא דְּרָחֵל), not so (לָאו), for it is written: “And Elohim heard her and He opened her womb” (דְּהָא כְּתִיב: וַיִּשְׁמַע אֵלֶיהָ אֱלֹהִים וַיִּפְתַּח אֶת רַחֲמָהּ) (Bereishit 30), Kudsha Berikh Hu and not another cause (קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, וְלָא מִלָּה אָחֳרָא). Because those duda’im, although their force is above (בְּגִין דְּאִינוּן דּוּדָאִים, אַף עַל גַּב דְּחֵילָא דִּלְהוֹן לְעֵילָא), with all their power (בְּהַהוּא חֵילָא דִּלְהוֹן), they were not appointed with the command of children (לָא אִתְמַנֵּי פְּקִידָא דִּבְנִין), for children depend on mazal (דְּהָא בְּנִין בְּמַזָּלָא תָּלְיָין), and not on any other matter (וְלָא בְּמִלָּה אָחֳרָא). And if you say that they were created in vain (וְאִי תֵימָא דְּהָא אִינוּן לְמַגָּנָא אִתְבְּרִיאוּ), not so (לָאו), for even for this matter they are an assistance to those delayed (דְּהָא אֲפִילּוּ לְמִלָּה דָּא, סִיּוּעָא אִינוּן לְאִינוּן דְּמִתְעַכְּבֵי), and they are not barren (וְלָא אִינוּן עֲקָרָאן), and it is not decreed over them except through mazal (וְלָא אִתְּגְּזַר עֲלַיְיהוּ אֶלָּא בְּמַזָּלָא). “And Leah went out to meet him and said: ‘You must come in to me…’” (וַתֵּצֵא לֵאָה לִקְרָאתוֹ וַתֹּאמֶר אֵלַי תָּבוֹא וְגוֹ') (Bereishit 30). This matter seems brazen (הַאי מִלָּה חֲצִיפוּתָא אִיהוּ). But it is not so (לָאו אִיהוּ הָכִי), rather from here we learn Leah’s humility (אֶלָּא מֵהָכָא אוֹלִיפְנָא עִנְוְותָנוּתָא דְּלֵאָה), that she did not say anything before her sister (דְּלָא אָמְרָה קַמֵּי אֲחָתָהּ מִידִּי), and she went ahead to the path (וְאִיהִי אַקְדִּימַת לְאוֹרְחָא), and said it to him quietly (וְאָמְרָה לֵיהּ בַּחֲשַׁאי), and informed him (וְאוֹדְעָא לֵיהּ). For it was in Rachel’s permission (דְּהָא בִּרְשׁוּתָא דְּרָחֵל הֲוָה), as it is written: “For I have hired you…” (דִּכְתִּיב: כִּי שָׂכֹר שְׂכַרְתִּיךָ) (Bereishit 30), from Rachel she took permission (מֵרָחֵל נְטִילַת רְשׁוּ), and in order that she not appear shameful in Rachel’s eyes (וּבְגִין דְּלָא יַבְאִישׁ בְּעֵינָאָה דְּרָחֵל), she told him outside and not in the house (אָמְרָה לֵיהּ לְבַר וְלָא בְּבֵיתָא). And not only that, but the entrance of Leah’s tent (וְלָא עוֹד, אֶלָּא פִּתְחָא מִשְׁכְּנָא דְּלֵאָה), she went out to meet him outside (נָפְקַת לְבַר), and brought him in to Ya'akov at the entrance outside (וְעַיְּילַת לֵיהּ לְיַעֲקֹב בְּפִתְחָא דִּלְבַּר), before he entered the tent of Rachel (עַד לָא יֵיעוּל לְמִשְׁכְּנָא דְּרָחֵל). What is the reason? (מַאי טַעְמָא) So that she would not say a word before Rachel (בְּגִין דְּלָא תֵימָא מִלָּה קַמֵּי דְּרָחֵל), and not act brazenly before her sister (וְלָא תַּחְצִיף קַמֵּי אֲחָתָהּ). And not only this, but Leah said (וְלָא עוֹד, אֶלָּא אָמְרָה לֵאָה): “If Ya'akov enters the tent of Rachel, it is not proper to remove him from there” (אִי יֵיעוּל יַעֲקֹב בְּמִשְׁכְּנָא דְּרָחֵל, לָא דִּין הוּא לְאַפְקֵיהּ מִתַּמָּן); therefore she met him first outside (בְּגִין כָּךְ אַקְדִּימַת לֵיהּ לְבַּר). And all of this, why? (וְכָל הַאי לָמָּה) Because in Leah the Holy Spirit was aroused (אֶלָּא לֵאָה רוּחָא דְּקוּדְשָׁא אִתְעָרַת בָּהּ), and she knew that all those supernal tribes (וְיָדְעַת דְּכָל הַנֵּי שִׁבְטִין עִילָּאִין), all holy (כֻּלְּהוּ קַדִּישִׁין), would emerge from her (יִפְקוּן מִנָּהּ). And she pressed the moment (וְדָחְקַת שַׁעְתָּא), with affection for Kudsha Berikh Hu (בַּחֲבִיבוּתָא לְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא), and because of that she named them their names (וּבְגִין כָּךְ הִיא קָרָאת לוֹן שְׁמָהָן), with the secret of Chokhmah (בְּרָזָא דְּחָכְמְתָא).

Rabbi Ḥiyya and Rabbi Yosei were going on the road (רַבִּי חִיָּיא וְרַבִּי יוֹסֵי הֲווּ אָזְלֵי בְּאוֹרְחָא). Rabbi Yosei said to Rabbi Ḥiyya (אָמַר רִבִּי יוֹסֵי לְרַבִּי חִיָּיא): “At every time (בְּכָל זִמְנָא), when we go on the road (דַּאֲנַן דְּאָזְלִינָן בְּאוֹרְחָא), and engage in Orayta (וְלָעֵינַן בְּאוֹרַיְּיתָא), Kudsha Berikh Hu performs miracles for us (קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא מַרְחִישׁ לָן נִסִּין). And now this path is long for us (וְהַשְׁתָּא אוֹרְחָא דָא אָרִיךְ לָן), let us engage in Orayta (נִתְעַסַּק בְּאוֹרַיְּיתָא), and Kudsha Berikh Hu will be joined with us (וְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא יִזְדַּוֵּוג בַּהֲדָן).

Rabbi Ḥiyya opened and said (פָּתַח רִבִּי חִיָּיא וְאָמַר): “In the first, on the fourteenth day of the month in the evening, you shall eat matzot” (בָּרִאשׁוֹן בְּאַרְבָּעָה עָשָׂר יוֹם לַחֹדֶשׁ בָּעָרֶב תֹּאכְלוּ מַצּוֹת) (Shemot 12); and it is written: “Seven days you shall eat upon it matzot, the bread of affliction” (וּכְתִיב: שִׁבְעַת יָמִים תֹּאכַל עָלָיו מַצּוֹת לֶחֶם עֹנִי) (Devarim 16) . Lechem oni is written (לֶחֶם עָנִי כְּתִיב). This word has been aroused by the Friends (הַאי מִלָּה אִתְעָרוּ בָּהּ חַבְרַיָּיא). But come and see (אֲבָל תָּא חֲזֵי): when Yisrael were in Egypt (כַּד הֲווּ יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּמִצְרַיִם), they were under another dominion (הֲווּ בִּרְשׁוּתָא אָחֳרָא). When Kudsha Berikh Hu wanted to draw them close to Him (כַּד בָּעָא קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לְקָרְבָא לוֹן לְגַבֵּיהּ), He gave them the place of lechem oni (יָהַב לוֹן אֲתַר דְּלֶחֶם עֹנִי).

Lechem oni—who is “oni”? (לֶחֶם עָנִי, מַאן עָנִי) This is King David (דָּא דָּוִד מַלְכָּא), for it is written of him: “For I am poor and needy” (דִּכְתִיב בֵּיהּ: כִּי עָנִי וְאֶבְיוֹן אָנִי) (Tehillim 40). And this lechem oni is called matzah (וְהַאי לֶחֶם עֹנִי אִקְרֵי מַצָּה), the Nukvah without the male (נוּקְבָא בְּלָא דְּכוּרָא); it is poverty (מִסְכְּנוּתָא הֲוֵי). They were brought near first to the matzah (אִתְקְרִיבוּ לְגַבֵּי מַצָּה בְּקַדְמִיתָא). Once they were brought closer (כֵּיוָן דְּקָרִיבוּ לוֹן יַתִּיר), Kudsha Berikh Hu brought them in to other levels (עַיִּיל לוֹן קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא בְּדַרְגִּין אָחֳרָנִין), and the Dechura was joined with the Nukvah (וְאִתְחַבַּר דְּכוּרָא בְּנוּקְבָא). Then, the matzah, when it is joined with the Dechura, is called mitzvah with the added letter vav (וּכְדֵין מַצָּה כַּד אִתְחַבְּרַת בִּדְכוּרָא אִקְרֵי מִצְוָה בְּתוֹסֶפֶת ו״ו). This is what is written: “For this mitzvah” (הֲדָא הוּא דִּכְתִיב: כִּי הַמִּצְוָה הַזֹּאת) (Devarim 30). For this reason (בְּגִינֵי כָךְ), matzah at first, and afterward mitzvah (מַצָּה בְּקַדְמִיתָא, וּלְבָתַר מִצְוָה). As they were going (עַד דְּהֲווּ אָזְלֵי), they heard a voice saying (שְׁמָעוּ חַד קָלָא דְּאָמַר): “Small scribes (טוּפְסְרָא דְּקַטְּנּוּן), twist upward on the path (עֲקִימָן בְּאוֹרְחָא), ascend upward (סְטוּ לְעֵילָא), do not descend into the furnace of the smoke of below” (לָא תֶחְתוּן בְּקוּסְטְרָא דְּקִטְרָא דִּלְתַּתָּא). Rabbi Yosei said (אָמַר רִבִּי יוֹסֵי): “From this we hear (שְׁמַע מִינָהּ) that Kudsha Berikh Hu desires to guard the paths (דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא בָּעֵי לְנַטְרָא אוֹרְחִין).” They ascended upward (סְלִיקוּ לְעֵילָא), and went up to a mountain (וְעָאלוּ בְּחַד טוּרָא), among strong furnaces (בֵּין טִנָּרִין תַּקִּיפִין). They said (אָמְרוּ): “Since Kudsha Berikh Hu desires this journey (הוֹאִיל וְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא בָּעָא בְּאוֹרְחָא דָּא), let us speak words, or perhaps a miracle will be performed for us” (מִלָּה נְחֲמֵי אוֹ נִיסָּא [תִּרְחִישׁ] אִתְרְחִישׁ לָן).

They went and sat near the fissures of the furnace (אָזְלֵי, יָתְבֵי גַּבֵּי בְּקִיעֵי דְּטִנָּרָא). One man came up before them (סָלִיק לוֹן חַד בַּר נָשׁ), and they observed him (תְּוָוהוּ). Rabbi Yosei said: “Who are you?” (אָמַר רִבִּי יוֹסֵי: מַאן אַנְתְּ). He said: “I am from the people of the earth” (אָמַר: מֵאַנְשֵׁי אַרְקָא אֲנָא). He said to him: “And there, are there human beings?” (אָמַר לֵיהּ: וְתַמָּן אִית בְּנֵי נָשָׁא) He said: “Yes. They sow and they harvest” (אָמַר: אִין, וְזָרְעִין וְחַצְדִין). “Some of them, in other appearance, differ from me (מִנַּיְיהוּ בְּחֵיזוּ אָחֳרָא מְשַׁנְיָין מִנָּאי), and I ascended to you to learn from you (וְסָלִיקְנָא גַּבַּיְכוּ לְמִנְדַּע מִנַּיְיכוּ), what is the name of the land you are in?” (מַה שְּׁמֵיהּ דְּאַרְעָא דְּאַתּוּן בָּהּ) He said to him: “Eretz—because here dwells the Land of Life” (אָמַר לֵיהּ: אֶרֶץ, בְּגִין דְּהָכָא אֶרֶץ הַחַיִּים שַׁרְיָא), as it is written: “From it comes forth bread” (דִּכְתִּיב: אֶרֶץ מִמֶּנָּה יֵצֵא לָחֶם) (Job 28). From this land comes forth bread (מֵהַאי יֵצֵא לֶחֶם), from other lands it does not come forth bread (בִּשְׁאָר אַרְעָא לָא יֵצֵא לָחֶם), and even if it does, it is not from the seven species (וְאִי נָפִיק, לָאו מִשִּׁבְעַת הַמִּינִין). As this happened, he returned to his place (אַדְּהָכִי עָאל לְאַתְרֵיהּ). They observed him again (תְּוָוהוּ). They said: “Surely Kudsha Berikh Hu desires to arouse us in this matter” (אָמְרוּ: וּדְוַאִי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא בָּעֵי לְאִתְעָרָא לָן בְּמִלָּה).

Rabbi Ḥiyya said (אָמַר רִבִּי חִיָּיא): “Certainly, concerning that verse which you said (וַדָּאי עַל הַאי קְרָא דְּאֲמַרְתָּ), I remember that I learned from the elders one supernal matter (דָּכִירְנָא דְּאוֹלִיפְנָא מִסָּבָאֵי חַד מִלָּה עִילָּאָה): at Passover, when Kudsha Berikh Hu gave Yisrael this bread (בְּפֶסַח, דְּיָהַב לוֹן קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לְיִשְׂרָאֵל לֶחֶם דָּא), it was from the Land of Life (מֵאַרְעָא דְּחַיֵּי), and afterward, bread from heaven (וּלְבָתַר לֶחֶם מִן הַשָּׁמַיִם). This bread—indeed!—and we have already established this matter” (לֶחֶם דָּא, וְהָא אוֹקִימְנָא מִלָּה).