Daf 157b (דַּף קנ״ז ע״ב)

Further, he said (תוּ הֲוָה אָמַר): when a person emerges into this world (דְּבַר נָשׁ, כַּד נָפִיק לְהַאי עַלְמָא), he knows nothing (לָא יָדַע מִידִּי), until he tastes bread (עַד דְּאַטְעִים נַהֲמָא). Once he eats bread (כֵּיוָן דְּאָכִיל נַהֲמָא), he is aroused to know and to become aware (אִתְעַר לְמִנְדַּע וּלְאִשְׁתְּמוֹדְעָא). So too, when Yisrael went out of Egypt (כָּךְ כַּד נָפְקוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל מִמִּצְרַיִם), they knew nothing (לָא הֲווּ יָדְעֵי מִידֵּי), until Kudsha Berikh Hu fed them bread from this land (עַד דְּאַטְעִים לוֹן קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לֶחֶם מֵהַאי אֶרֶץ), as it is written: “A land from which bread comes forth” (דִּכְתִּיב: אֶרֶץ מִמֶּנָּה יֵצֵא לָחֶם) (Job 28). And then Yisrael entered into knowing and awareness of Kudsha Berikh Hu (וּכְדֵין עָאלוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל לְמִנְדַּע וּלְאִשְׁתְּמוֹדְעָא לֵיהּ לְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא). And a child does not know, and is not aware (וִינוּקָא לָא יָדַע וְלָא אִשְׁתְּמוֹדְעָא), until he tastes the bread of this world (עַד דְּטָעִים נַהֲמָא דְּהַאי עַלְמָא).

Yisrael did not know and were not aware of supernal matters (יִשְׂרָאֵל לָא יָדְעוּ וְלָא אִשְׁתְּמוֹדְעוּ בְּמִילִּין דִּלְעֵילָא), until they ate supernal bread (עַד דְּאָכְלוּ לֶחֶם עִילָּאָה). Then they knew and became aware (וּכְדֵין יָדְעוּ וְאִשְׁתְּמוֹדְעוּ) in that place, and Kudsha Berikh Hu desired that Yisrael should know more (בְּהַהוּא אֲתַר, וּבָעָא קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא דְּיִנְדְּעוּן יִשְׂרָאֵל יַתִּיר), in that place which was shown to be this land (בְּהַהוּא אֲתַר דְּאִתְחֲזֵי לְהַאי אֶרֶץ). But they were not able until they tasted bread from that place (וְלָא יָכִילוּ עַד דְּטָעֲמוּ לֶחֶם מֵהַהוּא אֲתַר). And what is it? Shamayim (וּמַאן אִיהוּ שָׁמַיִם), as it is written: “Behold, I rain for you bread from the heavens” (דִּכְתִּיב: הִנְנִי מַמְטִיר לָכֶם לֶחֶם מִן הַשָּׁמַיִם) (Shemot 16). Then they knew and looked into that place (וּכְדֵין יָדְעוּ וְאִסְתַּכָּלוּ בְּהַהוּא אֲתַר). And until they ate bread from that place (וְעַד דְּאָכְלוּ לֶחֶם מֵהַהוּא אֲתַר), Some say: and until they ate bread from these places (ס״א: וְעַד דְּלָא אָכְלוּ לֶחֶם מֵאִלֵּין אֲתָרֵי), they knew nothing and were not aware (לָא יָדְעוּ מִידִּי וְלָא אִשְׁתְּמוֹדְעוּ).

Rabbi Yosei came and kissed him (אֲתָא רַבִּי יוֹסֵי וּנְשָׁקֵיהּ). He said: “Indeed, on this, Kudsha Berikh Hu aroused them in this matter” (אָמַר: וַדַּאי עַל דָּא אִתְעַר לוֹן קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא בְּהַאי), and on this—Yisrael’s service to know—bread was the cause (וְעַל דָּא שֵׁירוּתָא דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל לְמִנְדַּע, לֶחֶם הֲוָה). They rose and went (קָמוּ וְאֲזְלוּ). As they went (עַד דְּהֲווּ אָזְלוּ), they saw two forms—one male and one female (חָמוּ תְּרֵי דַּרְמוּסְקִין, חַד דְּכַר וְחַד נוּקְבָא).

Rabbi Yosei said (אָמַר רִבִּי יוֹסֵי): “There is nothing in the world (לֵית לָן מִלָּה בְּעָלְמָא), that does not consist of male and female (דְּלָא הֲוֵי דְּכַר וְנוּקְבָא), and everything that exists on land (וְכָל מַה דִּי בְּאַרְעָא), so too is it in the sea” (הָכִי נָמֵי בְּיַמָּא).

Sitre Torah

“And Ya'akov came from the field in the evening” (סִתְרֵי תּוֹרָה וַיָּבֹא יַעֲקֹב מִן הַשָּׂדֶה בָּעֶרֶב). “And Ya'akov came”—this is the holy Tiferet (וַיָּבֹא יַעֲקֹב, דָּא תִּפְאֶרֶת קַדִּישָׁא), from that field which holds all blessing (מֵהַהוּא שָׂדֶה דְּנָקִיט כָּל בִּרְכָּאן), as it is written regarding it: “Which Hashem has blessed” (דִּכְתִּיב בֵּיהּ: אֲשֶׁר בֵּרֲכוֹ יי) (Bereishit 27). “In the evening”—why “in the evening”? (בָּעֶרֶב, אַמַּאי בָּעֶרֶב) But “in the evening,” as it is written: “And Yitzḥak went out to meditate in the field at evening time” (אֶלָּא בָּעֶרֶב, דִּכְתִּיב: וַיֵּצֵא יִצְחָק לָשׂוּחַ בַּשָּׂדֶה לִפְנוֹת עֶרֶב) (Bereishit 24). At the time that Yitzḥak, his father, was aroused toward that field (בְּזִמְנָא דְּאִתְּעַר יִצְחָק אֲבוֹי לְגַבֵּי הַאי שָׂדֶה), and held it (וְנָקִיט לֵיהּ), for Yitzḥak had not turned toward that field (דְּהָא יִצְחָק לָא אִתְּעַר לְגַבֵּי הַאי שָׂדֶה), until Ya'akov departed from there at evening (כֵּיוָן דְּאִסְתַּלַּק יַעֲקֹב מִתַּמָּן בָּעֶרֶב), leaving that field to Yitzḥak his father (שָׁבִיק הַאי שָׂדֶה לְיִצְחָק אֲבוֹי), and he ascended at that time upward (וְאִיהוּ סָלִיק בְּהַהוּא זִמְנָא לְגַבֵּי עֵילָּא). What is written? “And Leah went out to meet him” (מַה כְּתִיב: וַתֵּצֵא לֵאָה לִקְרָאתּוֹ) (Bereishit 30). The Imma Ila’ah came toward the unique son (אִמָּא עִילָּאָה לְגַבֵּי בְּרָא יְחִידָא). “And she said: ‘To me you shall come’”—under my wings, to bless you (וַתֹּאמֶר: אֵלַי תָּבוֹא, תְּחוֹת גַּדְפָּאי לְבָרְכָּא לָךְ), and to satisfy you with delight and supernal pleasure (וּלְרַוָּאָה לָךְ בְּתַפְּנוּקִין וְעִדּוּנִין עִילָּאִין).

Behold—it is a time of Desire and delight (הָא עִידַן רַעֲוָא וְעִנּוּגָא), to give you the comfort of supernal spirit (לְמֵיהַב לָךְ נַיְיחָא דְּרוּחָא עִילָּאָה), in relation to that field (לְגַבֵּי הַהוּא שָׂדֶה), before it is ignited by the severity of Yitzḥak (עַד לָא יִתּוֹקַּד בְּתוּקְפָּא דְּיִצְחָק). Once Ya'akov was taken under her wings (כֵּיוָן דְּנָקְטָא לְיַעֲקֹב תְּחוֹת גַּדְפָאָה), then it is written: “And he lay with her that night” (כְּדֵין: וַיִּשְׁכַּב עִמָּהּ בַּלַּיְלָה הוּא) (Bereishit 30). He—the one hidden from all (הוּא—דְּסָתִּים מִכֹּלָּא). He—from whom all blessings and all sanctities emerge (הוּא—דְּכָל בִּרְכָּאן וְכָל קִדּוּשִׁין נָפְקֵי מִתַּמָּן). It does not write “Ya'akov”—only He (יַעֲקֹב לָא כְּתִיב, אֶלָּא: הוּא), the one seen to be aroused toward her (מַאן דְּאִתְּחֲזֵי לְאִתְּעָרָא לְגַבָּהּ). And before he was prepared toward her, under her wings (וְעַד דְּלָא זַמִּין לְגַבָּהּ תְּחוֹת גַּדְפָאָה), one who holds those sanctities and blessings (מַאן דְּנָקִיט אִינוּן קַדִּישָׁאן וּבִרְכָּאן), is not filled from the hidden point (לָא אִתְּמְלֵי מִנְּקוּדָה טְמִירָא), that supernal world (הַהוּא עַלְמָא עִילָּאָה). And concerning this, the duda’im arouse all (וְעַל דָּא דּוּדָאִים מִתְּעָרֵי כָּלָּא), and all is in the likeness of the secret Ila’ah (וְכֹּלָּא כְּגַוְונָא דְּרָזָא עִילָּאָה).

Reuven—what is Reuven? (רְאוּבֵן, מַאי רְאוּבֵן) Kudsha Berikh Hu established her name in the earth (קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא שַׁוִּי שְׁמָהָן בְּאַרְעָא), as it is written: “Come, behold the works of Hashem, who has placed desolations in the earth” (דִּכְתִּיב: לְכוּ חֲזוּ מִפְּעֲלוֹת יי אֲשֶׁר שָׂם שַׁמּוֹת בָּאָרֶץ) (Tehillim 46). Thus concludes Sitre Torah(עד כאן סִתְרֵי תּוֹרָה).

Rabbi Yosei opened and said (פָּתַח רִבִּי יוֹסֵי וְאָמַר): “And Ya'akov came from the field in the evening, and Leah went out to meet him…” (וַיָּבֹא יַעֲקֹב מִן הַשָּׂדֶה בָּעֶרֶב וַתֵּצֵא לֵאָה לִקְרָאתוֹ וְגו׳) (Bereishit 30). “And Leah went out to meet him”—how did she know? (וַתֵּצֵא לֵאָה לִקְרָאתוֹ, מְנָא יָדְעַת) They said: the donkey brayed (הָא אָמְרוּ: דְּגָעָא חֲמָרָא), and Leah knew and went out to him (וְלֵאָה יָדְעַת וְנָפְקַת לֵיהּ), and she caused that Yissakhar came forth from her (וְגָרִים לֵיהּ דְּנָפַק מִנָּהּ יִשָּׂשכָר). This is what is written: “Yissakhar, a strong-boned donkey” (הֲדָא הוּא דִּכְתִּיב: יִשָּׂשכָר חֲמוֹר גָּרֶם) (Bereishit 49). Do not read garem (“strong-boned”), but garam—that the donkey caused it (אַל תִּקְרֵי גָּרֶם, אֶלָּא גָּרַם: דְּחֲמָרָא גָּרְמָא לֵיהּ).

Leah said: “Indeed I know, that if Ya'akov enters Rachel’s tent (אָמְרַת לֵאָה: וַדַּאי יָדַעְנָא דְּאִי יֵיעוּל יַעֲקֹב בְּמִשְׁכְּנָא דְּרָחֵל), I will not be able to bring him out (לֵית לִי לְאֲפָקָא לֵיהּ). Rather, I will draw him here (אֶלָּא אוֹרִיךְ לֵיהּ הָכָא), and he will enter my tent (וְיֵיעוּל בְּמִשְׁכָּנִי).” “For I have hired you with my son’s duda’im…” (כִּי שָׂכֹר שְׂכַרְתִּיךָ בְּדוּדָאֵי בְּנִי) (Bereishit 30). What is “with my son’s duda’im”? (מַאי: בְּדוּדָאֵי בְּנִי) Because it was pleasant to Ya'akov through this, that these assist conception (בְּגִין דְּנִיחָא לֵיהּ לְיַעֲקֹב עַל דָּא, דְּאִלֵּין מְסַיְּעִין לְאוֹלָדָא). And Ya'akov knew that the matter did not stand in the duda’im, but only above (וְיַעֲקֹב הֲוָה יָדַע, דְּמִלָּה לָא קָיְמָא בַּדּוּדָאִים, אֶלָּא לְעֵילָא). He opened and said (פָּתַח וְאָמַר): “He settles the barren woman of the house as a joyful mother of children, Halleluyah” (מוֹשִׁיבִי עֲקֶרֶת הַבַּיִת אֵם הַבָּנִים שְׂמֵחָה הַלְלוּיָה) (Tehillim 113). Rabbi Ḥiyya said: the Holy Spirit is saying this (אָמַר רִבִּי חִיָּיא: רוּחָא דְּקוּדְשָׁא קָאֲמַר), “He settles the barren woman of the house”—this is Rachel (מוֹשִׁיבִי עֲקֶרֶת הַבַּיִת, דָּא רָחֵל). “A joyful mother of children”—this is Leah (אֵם הַבָּנִים שְׂמֵחָה, דָּא לֵאָה). “He settles the barren woman of the house”—this is the lower world (מוֹשִׁיבִי עֲקֶרֶת הַבַּיִת, דָּא עַלְמָא תַּתָּאָה). “A joyful mother of children, Halleluyah”—this is the supernal world (אֵם הַבָּנִים שְׂמֵחָה [הַלְלוּיָה], דָּא עַלְמָא עִילָּאָה), and for this reason: Halleluyah (בְּגִינֵי כָּךְ: הַלְלוּיָה).