Daf 158a (דַּף קנ״ח ע״א)

Rabbi Yehudah said (אָמַר רִבִּי יְהוּדָה): All these tribes—they are arrangements below (כָּל אִלֵּין שִׁבְטִין, תִּקּוּנִין דִּלְתַּתָּא אִינוּן), and all of them are in the likeness of above (וְכֻלְּהוּ כְּגַוְונָא דִּלְעֵילָא). Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי): “For I have hired you” (כִּי שָׂכֹר שְׂכַרְתִּיךָ) (Bereishit 30) to take from him the body. And who is that? Torah (לְנַסְבָּא מִנֵּיהּ גּוּפָא, וּמַאן אִיהוּ—תּוֹרָה). “I have hired you”—for you, for your very body (שָׂכֹר שְׂכַרְתִּיךָ, לְךָ, לְגוּפָךְ מַמָּשׁ). “I have hired you”—for the offspring of your likeness (שָׂכֹר שְׂכַרְתִּיךָ, לְאוֹלָדָא דְּיוּקְנָךְ). From here we learn (מֵהָכָא): one who toils in Orayta inherits the World to Come (מַאן דְּלָעֵי בְּאוֹרַיְיתָא, אַחְסִין עַלְמָא דְּאָתֵי), and inherits the inheritance of Ya'akov (וְאַחְסִין אַחְסַנְתָּא דְּיַעֲקֹב). He inherits the World to Come, as it is written: “Yissakhar has a reward” (אַחְסִין עַלְמָא דְּאָתֵי, דִּכְתִּיב: יִשָּׂשכָר יֵשׁ שָׂכָר) (Yirmeyahu 31): “For there is reward for your work” (כִּי יֵשׁ שָׂכָר לִפְעֻלָּתֵךְ), and it is written: “To bequeath substance to those who love Me, and I will fill their treasuries” (וּכְתִיב: לְהַנְחִיל אֹהֲבַי יֵשׁ וְאוֹצְרוֹתֵיהֶם אֲמַלֵּא) (Mishlei 8). “For I have borne him six sons” (כִּי יָלַדְתִּי לוֹ שִׁשָּׁה בָּנִים) (Bereishit 30).

Rabbi Ḥizkiyah said (אָמַר רִבִּי חִזְקִיָּה): these are above and below, and the four directions of the world (אִלֵּין עֵילָא וְתַתָּא וְאַרְבַּע סִטְרִין דְּעַלְמָא). And one who extends in the One must enthrone Kudsha Berikh Hu above, below, and to the four directions of the world (וּמַאן דְּאָרִיךְ בְּאֶחָד, בָּעֵי לֵיהּ לְאַמְלָכָא לְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לְעֵילָא וּלְתַתָּא וּלְאַרְבַּע סִטְרֵי דְּעַלְמָא), and this is One (וְהַיְינוּ אֶחָד).

Rabbi Ḥizkiyah said (אָמַר רִבִּי חִזְקִיָּה): it is written: “Upon the mountains of separation” (כְּתִיב: עַל הָרֵי בָתֶר) (Shir haShirim 2), and it is written: “Upon the mountains of spices” (וּכְתִיב: עַל הָרֵי בְּשָׂמִים) (Shir haShirim 8). What are the mountains of spices? (מַאן אִינוּן הָרֵי בְּשָׂמִים) These are the six sons of Leah (אִלֵּין שִׁית בְּנִין דְּלֵאָה), who include within themselves six others (דְּאַכְלָלָן שִׁית אָחֳרָנִין), and these are twelve (וְאִינוּן תְּרֵיסַר), and those are six (וְאִינוּן שִׁית). Because (בְּגִין) (Daf 241a): each one is included in its fellow (דְּכָל חַד כָּלִיל בְּחַבְרֵיהּ), and Leah over them (וְלֵאָה עֲלַיְיהוּ), to fulfill the verse: “A joyful mother of children, Halleluyah” (לְקַיְּימָא: אֵם הַבָּנִים שְׂמֵחָה הַלְלוּיָה) (Tehillim 113). And concerning this it is written: “You shall not take the mother with the children” (וְעַל דָּא כְּתִיב: לֹא תִקַּח הָאֵם עַל הַבָּנִים) (Devarim 22), because She is the concealed world (בְּגִין דְּאִיהוּ עַלְמָא דְּאִתְכַּסְיָא), and not revealed (וְלָא אִתְגַּלְיָא). And concerning this, it is written: “You shall surely send away the mother, and the children you may take for yourself” (וְעַל דָּא: שַׁלַּח תְּשַׁלַּח אֶת הָאֵם, וְאֶת הַבָּנִים תִּקַּח לָךְ) (Devarim 22). Because She is the concealed world (בְּגִין דְּאִיהוּ עַלְמָא דְּאִתְכַּסְיָא), and not revealed at all (וְלָא אִתְגַּלְיָא כְּלָל). “And the children you shall take for yourself”—this is what is written: (וְאֶת הַבָּנִים תִּקַּח לָךְ, הַיְינוּ דִּכְתִּיב:) “For ask now about the former days…” (כִּי שְׁאַל נָא לְיָמִים רִאשׁוֹנִים וְגו׳) (Devarim 4), and further: “From one end of heaven to the other” (וּלְמִקְצֵה הַשָּׁמַיִם וְעַד קְצֵה הַשָּׁמַיִם) (Devarim 4). And all these are called “mountains of spices” (וְכָל הַנֵּי, אִקְרוּן הָרֵי בְּשָׂמִים), but from here downward they are called “mountains of separation” (מִכָּאן וּלְתַתָּא אִקְרוּן הָרֵי בָּתֶר), as it is written: “And from there it parted and became four heads” (דִּכְתִּיב: וּמִשָּׁם יִפָּרֵד וְהָיָה לְאַרְבָּעָה רָאשִׁים) (Bereishit 2), mountains of separation (טוּרֵי דְּפִירוּדָא).

Rabbi Yesa said (אָמַר רִבִּי יֵיסָא): The sons of the handmaids are tied with bonds (בְּנֵי הַשְּׁפָחוֹת קְשִׁירוּ קִשְׁרִין) four bonds that are required for Tikkun (אַרְבַּע קִשְׁרִין דְּאִצְטְרִיכוּ לְתִקּוּנָא). And Rabbi El'azar said (וְאָמַר רִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר): Therefore those bonds emerge outward (דִּבְּגִין כָּךְ נָפְקֵי לְבַר אִינוּן קִשְׁרִין), and even though they are all one (וְאַף עַל גַּב דְּכֻלְּהוּ חַד), and from here on they are all one (וּמִכָּאן וּלְהָלְאָה כֻּלְּהוּ חַד), in a straight path (בְּאוֹרַח מֵישָׁר). And for this reason, all the tribes ascend in testimony above (וְעַל דָּא כֻּלְּהוּ שִׁבְטִין סָלְקִין בְּסַהֲדוּתָא דִּלְעֵילָא), as it is written: “There the tribes went up, the tribes of Yah, a testimony for Yisrael to give thanks to the Name of Hashem” (הֲדָא הוּא דִּכְתִּיב: שָׁם עָלוּ שְׁבָטִים שִׁבְטֵי יָהּ עֵדוּת לְיִשְׂרָאֵל לְהוֹדוֹת לְשֵׁם יי) (Tehillim 122). And Rabbi El'azar said (וְאָמַר רִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר): It is written: “And it came to pass, when Rachel had borne Yosef…” (כְּתִיב: וַיְהִי כַּאֲשֶׁר יָלְדָה רָחֵל אֶת יוֹסֵף וְגו׳) (Bereishit 30). What did Ya'akov see that he desired to go on his way once Yosef was born? (מַה חָמָא יַעֲקֹב לְמֵהַךְ לְאוֹרְחֵיהּ, כָּד אִתְיְלִיד יוֹסֵף) And before Yosef was born, he did not wish to go on his way? (וְעַד לָא אִתְיְלִיד יוֹסֵף לָא בָּעָא לְמֵהַךְ לְאוֹרְחֵיהּ) Rather—we have already established—that he saw that the adversary of Esav had been born (אֶלָּא הָא אוּקְמוּהָ: דְּחָמָא דְּאִתְיְלִיד שִׂטְנָא דְּעֵשָׂו).

Come and see (וְתָא חֲזֵי): Yosef completed his place after him (יוֹסֵף אַשְׁלִים דּוּכְתֵּיהּ בַּתְרֵיהּ), and Yosef merited it (וְיוֹסֵף זָכֵי לֵיהּ), for he is called Tzaddik (דְּאִקְרֵי צַדִּיק). And here is the completion of the Body (וְהָכָא סִיּוּמָא דְּגוּפָא). When Ya'akov saw that the Body was completed (כֵּיוָן דְּחָמָא יַעֲקֹב דְּאִשְׁתְּלִים גּוּפָא), the Body desired to go on its way (בָּעָא גּוּפָא לְמֵהַךְ לְאוֹרְחֵיהּ). And the conclusion of the Body is the Brit (וְסִיּוּמָא דְּגוּפָא הוּא בְּרִית). And with all this, Binyamin completes the count (וְעִם כָּל דָּא בִּנְיָמִן אַשְׁלִים חוּשְׁבְּנָא), for in him the twelve were completed (דְּבֵיהּ אִשְׁתְּלִימוּ תְּרֵיסַר). And if you say: did Ya'akov not know that until now the tribes were not complete, even though Yosef had been born? (וְאִי תֵימָא, וְכִי לָא הֲוָה יָדַע יַעֲקֹב, דְּעַד כְּעָן לָא אִשְׁתַּלִּימוּ שִׁבְטִין, אַף עַל גַּב דְּאִתְיְלִיד יוֹסֵף), then why did he not delay until Binyamin would be born and the tribes would be completed? (מַאי טַעְמָא לָא אוֹרִיךְ עַד דְּיִתְיְלִיד בִּנְיָמִין וְיִשְׁתַּלִּימוּ שִׁבְטִין) Rather, Ya'akov acted with Chokhmah, and he knew the matter (אֶלָּא, יַעֲקֹב בְּחָכְמְתָא עֲבַד, וּמִלָּה יָדַע). He said: Surely, if all the tribes were completed here, then I would know that the Tikkun above would rest upon them as is fitting (אָמַר: וַדַּאי אִי אִשְׁתַּלִּימוּ הָכָא כֻּלְּהוּ שִׁבְטִין, הָא יְדַעְנָא דְּתִקּוּנָא דִּלְעֵילָא שַׁרְיָא עֲלַיְיהוּ כְּדְקָא יְאוּת). And in this land, they should not be completed, but in the Holy Land (וּבְאַרְעָא דָא, לָא לִיבָּעֵי דְּיִשְׁתְּלִימוּ, אֶלָּא בְּאַרְעָא קַדִּישָׁא).

Come and see that it is so (תָּא חֲזֵי דְּהָכִי הוּא): for all twelve tribes are the Tikkun of the lower world (דְּכֻּלְּהוּ תְּרֵיסַר שִׁבְטִין, תִּקּוּנָא דְּעַלְמָא תַּתָּאָה נִינְהוּ). And when Binyamin was born, the death of Rachel occurred (וְכֵיוָן דְּאִתְיְלִיד בִּנְיָמִין, מִיתַת רָחֵל), and this lower world took its place to be rectified through them (וְנָטְלָא דוּכְתָּא הַאי עַלְמָא תַּתָּאָה, לְאִתְּתַקָּנָא בְּהוּ). And therefore Binyamin was not born except in the Holy Land (וְעַל דָּא לָא אִתְיְלִיד בִּנְיָמִין, אֶלָּא בְּאַרְעָא קַדִּישָׁא). This is what is written: “And I, when I came from Paddan, Rachel died upon me in the land of Canaan, on the road…” (הֲדָא הוּא דִּכְתִּיב: וַאֲנִי בְּבֹאִי מִפַּדָּן מֵתָה עָלַי רָחֵל בְּאֶרֶץ כְּנַעַן בַּדֶּרֶךְ) (Bereishit 48). And there, the death of Rachel, and the lower world took the place (וְתַמָּן מִיתַת רָחֵל, וְנָטְלָא דוּכְתָּא הַאי עַלְמָא תַּתָּאָה), to be settled in a complete house (לְאִתְיַשְּׁבָא בְּבֵיתָא שְׁלֵימָתָא). And so long as Rachel remained, the lower world was not rectified through them (וְכָל זִמְנָא דְּרָחֵל קָיְימָא, עַלְמָא תַּתָּאָה לָא אִתְתַּקְּנָא בְּהוּ). The death of Rachel made the house whole (מִיתַת רָחֵל, נָטְלָא בֵּיתָא בִּשְׁלִימוּ), Some say: above (ד״א ל״ג לְעֵילָא). And if you say: why did Leah not die at that time? (וְאִי תֵימָא, לֵאָה אַמַּאי לָא מִיתַת בְּהַהוּא זִמְנָא) Rather, because the house is of the lower world (אֶלָּא בְּגִין דְּבֵיתָא בְּעַלְמָא תַּתָּאָה), Some say: upper (נ״א: עִלָּאָה) it is, and all was to be rectified from her (אִיהוּ, וְכֹלָּא מִנֵּיהּ הֲווּ לְאִתְתַּקָּנָא), and not from the supernal world (וְלָאו מֵעָלְמָא עִילָּאָה), Some say: lower (נ״א: תַּתָּאָה). And for this reason she did not die at that time (וּבְגִין כָּךְ לָא מִיתַת בְּהַהִיא שַׁעְתָּא). And all the deeds of Leah are in concealment (וְכָל עוֹבָדוֹי דְּלֵאָה בְּאִתְכַּסְיָא אִינוּן), because the supernal world is in concealment (בְּגִין דְּעַלְמָא עִילָאָה אִיהוּ בְּאִתְכַּסְיָא), and not in revelation (וְלָאו בְּאִתְגַּלְיָא). And for this reason, the death of Leah is not recorded like the death of Rachel (וּבְגִין כָּךְ לָא אִדְכַּר מִיתָתָהּ דְּלֵאָה, כְּמִיתָתָהּ דְּרָחֵל).