Daf 161a (דַּף קס״א ע״א)

And this is what is written (וְהַיְינוּ דִּכְתִיב), “And Hashem said to Ya'akov: Return to the land of your fathers and to your birthplace, and I will be with you” (Bereshit 31) (וַיֹּאמֶר יְיָ אֶל יַעֲקֹב שׁוּב אֶל אֶרֶץ אֲבוֹתֶיךָ וּלְמוֹלַדְתְּךָ וְאֶהְיֶה עִמָּךְ). What is, “and I will be with you”? (מַאי וְאֶהְיֶה עִמָּךְ). Rather, He said to him (אֶלָּא אָמַר לֵיהּ), until now Rachel was with you, the essence of the house (עַד הָכָא רָחֵל הֲוַת עִמָּךְ עִקְּרָא דְבֵיתָא); from now onward, I will be with you and will take the house with you through the twelve tribes (מִכָּאן וּלְהָלְאָה אֲנָא אֱהֵא עִמָּךְ וֶאֱטוֹל בֵּיתָא בַּהֲדָךְ בִּתְרֵיסַר שִׁבְטִין). And this is what is written (וְהַיְינוּ דִּכְתִיב), “And I, when I came from Paddan, Rachel died upon me…” (Bereshit 48) (וַאֲנִי בְּבֹאִי מִפַּדָּן מֵתָה עָלַי רָחֵל). Upon me it was (עָלַי הֲוָה), and because of me it was (וּבְגִינִי הֲוָה), the matter was rejected from her (מִלָּה דְּאִתְדַּחְיָא אִיהִי), and another dwelling came (וְאַתְיָא דִיּוּרָא אָחֳרָא), and the house was taken on my account to dwell with me (וְנָטְלָא בֵיתָא בְּגִינִי לְדָיְירָא עִמִּי). “And he said: Specify your wages upon me, and I will give” (Bereshit 30) (וַיֹּאמֶר נָקְבָה שְׂכָרְךָ עָלַי וְאֶתֵּנָה). What is “specify” (מַאי נָקְבָה)?

Rabbi Yitzḥak said (אָמַר רִבִּי יִצְחָק): that wicked one said (הַהוּא רָשָׁע אָמַר), I see that Ya'akov looks only to the female (אֲנָא חָמֵי דְּיַעֲקֹב לָא אִסְתַּכֵּל אֶלָּא בְּנוּקְבֵי), and therefore he will serve me (וּבְגִין כָּךְ יִפְלַח לִי). He said, “Specify your wage”—this female who is your reward, as before (אָמַר: נָקְבָה שְׂכָרְךָ—הָא נְקֵבָה דְּאִיהוּ שְׂכָרְךָ כַּד בְּקַדְמִיתָא). “And I will give”—meaning, whichever female you look at, I will give her, and serve me through her (וְאֶתֵּנָה, אֵימָא: מַאן נְקֵבָה אִסְתַּכַּלְתְּ בָּהּ, וְאֶתֵּנָה, וּפְלַח לִי בְּגִינָהּ). “And Ya'akov said: You shall not give me anything” (Bereshit 30) (וַיֹּאמֶר יַעֲקֹב לֹא תִתֵּן לִי מְאוּמָה). Ya'akov said (אָמַר יַעֲקֹב): Heaven forbid (חָלִילָה), for everything I do, I do for the sake of the honor of the Holy King (דְּהָא אֲנָא כָּל מַה דְּעֲבִידְנָא, לְשֵׁם יְקָרָא דְמַלְכָּא קַדִּישָׁא עֲבִידְנָא), Some say: and not for my own self-glorification (נ״א: וְלָאו לִכְסוּפָא דְּגַרְמַאי), and for that reason: “You shall not give me anything” (וְעַל דָּא לֹא תִתֵּן לִי מְאוּמָה), for this is not my intention in the matter (דְּהָא לָאו דַּעְתָּאי בְּהַאי), but if you do this thing for me, etc. (אֶלָּא אִם תַּעֲשֶׂה לִי הַדָּבָר הַזֶּה וְגוֹ'). “And he removed on that day the he-goats…” (Bereshit 30) (וַיָּסַר בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא אֶת הַתְּיָשִׁים). Rabbi El‘azar opened and said (רִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר פָּתַח וְאָמַר): “Hashem, who shall sojourn in Your tent…” (Tehillim 15) (יְיָ מִי יָגוּר בְּאָהֳלֶךָ וְגוֹ׳).

This we have already established (הָא אוֹקִימְנָא), and my Friends have upheld it (וְאוּקְמוּהָ חַבְרַיָיא): “He who walks in integrity”—this is Avraham (הוֹלֵךְ תָּמִים: דָּא אַבְרָהָם), for when he was circumcised, he was called Tamim (דְּכַד אִתְגְּזַר, תָּמִים אִקְרֵי); “and performs righteousness”—this is Yitzḥak (וּפוֹעֵל צֶדֶק: דָּא יִצְחָק); “and speaks truth”—this is Ya'akov (וְדוֹבֵר אֱמֶת: דָּא יַעֲקֹב). Indeed, Ya'akov was bound in truth (וַדַּאי יַעֲקֹב בֶּאֱמֶת אִתְדָּבַּק); if he was bound in truth, why then did he act with Lavan in such a manner? (אִי הוּא בֶּאֱמֶת אִתְדָּבַּק, מַאי טַעֲמָא עֲבַד עִם לָבָן כְּגַוְונָא דָא) Rather, Ya'akov examined whether his mazal was presently strong (אֶלָּא, יַעֲקֹב בָּחִין שַׁעְתָּא דְּמַזְּלֵיהּ הֲוָה), for it is permitted for a person to test his hour (דְּשָׁרֵי לֵיהּ לְאִנָּשׁ לְמִבְחַן שַׁעְתֵּיהּ) before he returns to his land (עַד לָא יָתוּב לְאַרְעֵיהּ), and if his mazal stands, then what he does will succeed (וְאִי מַזָּלֵיהּ קָאִים בְּמָּה דְּעֲבִיד שַׁפִּיר), And if not, he shall not extend his foot until it is removed (וְאִי לָאו, לָא יוֹשִׁיט רַגְלוֹי עַד דְּיִסְלַק) (Some say: until he stands in what was done toward him (נ״א: דְּקָאֵים בְּמָּה דְּעֲבִיד לְגַבֵּיהּ).

Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי): it is written (כְּתִיב), “And my righteousness shall answer for me on the morrow…” (Bereshit 30) (וְעָנְתָה בִּי צִדְקָתִי בְּיוֹם מָחָר וְגוֹ׳), for he did not act in order to take for himself without cause (דְּהָא אִיהוּ לָא עֲבַד בְּגִין דְּיִטּוֹל מִדִּילֵיהּ לְמַגָּנָא), but everything was in truth and completeness of intention (אֶלָּא כֹּלָּא בְּקוּשְׁטָא וּשְׁלִימוּ דִּרְעוּתָא). And not only that, but he took permission from Lavan (וְלָא עוֹד אֶלָּא דְּאִיהוּ נָטִיל רְשׁוּ מִלָּבָן), and because of this it is written (וְעַל דָּא כְּתִיב): “I have divined, and Hashem has blessed me on your account” (Bereshit 30) (נִחַשְׁתִּי וַיְבָרֲכֵנִי יְיָ בִּגְלָלֶךָ). How many enchantments and calculations did Lavan perform (כַמָּה חֳרָשִׁין וְזִינִין עֲבַד לָבָן), and he examined his mazal on account of Ya'akov (וּבָחִין מַזָּלֵיהּ בְּגִינֵיהּ דְּיַעֲקֹב), and he found, for Ya'akov’s sake, one hundred lambs every month (וְהֲוָה אַשְׁכַּח בְּגִינֵיהּ דְּיַעֲקֹב מְאָה עָאנָא כָּל יַרְחָא), and one hundred ewes and one hundred she-goats more than his usual portion (וּמְאָה אִמְרִין וּמְאָה עִזִּין יַתִּיר עַל עָאנֵיהּ).

Rabbi Abba said (רַבִּי אַבָּא אָמַר): one thousand lambs, one thousand ewes, and one thousand goats would Ya'akov produce additionally every month (אֶלֶף עָאנִין וְאֶלֶף אִמְרִין וְאֶלֶף עִזִּין הֲוָה מַיְיתֵי לֵיהּ יַעֲקֹב יַתִּיר בְּכָל יַרְחָא וְיַרְחָא). This is what is written (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב): “For it was little that you had before me, and it has increased greatly, and Hashem has blessed you for my sake” (Bereshit 30) (כִּי מְעַט אֲשֶׁר הָיָה לְךָ לְפָנַי וַיִּפְרֹץ לָרֹב, וַיְבָרֶךְ יְיָ אֹתְךָ לְרַגְלִי). And the blessing from above was never less than one thousand from each kind and kind (וּבִרְכְתָא דִלְעֵילָא לָא אִיהוּ פָּחוֹת מֵאֶלֶף מִכָּל זִינָא וְזִינָא): from lambs, a thousand were found (מֵעָאנִין אֶלֶף אִשְׁתַּכַּח); from ewes, a thousand were found (מֵאִמְרִין אֶלֶף אִשְׁתַּכַּח); from goats, a thousand were found (מֵעִזִּין אֶלֶף אִשְׁתַּכַּח). For every channel upon which the upper blessing rested (עַל כָּל מַה דְּשַׁרְיָא בִּרְכְתָא דִלְעֵילָא), it was never less than a thousand (לָא פָּחוֹת מֵאֶלֶף). Until, on account of Ya'akov, Lavan became exceedingly wealthy (עַד דִּבְגִינֵיהּ דְּיַעֲקֹב אִסְתַּלַּק לָבָן לְכַמָּה עוּתְרָא). And when Ya'akov came to take his wages (וְכַד בָּעָא יַעֲקֹב לְנַטְּלֵיהּ אַגְרֵיהּ), he found only ten from each kind and kind (לָא אַשְׁכַּח אֶלָּא עֲשָׂרָה מִכָּל זִינָא וְזִינָא), and Ya'akov considered that great wealth (וְיַעֲקֹב חָשִׁיב לֵיהּ לְעוּתְרָא סַגִּי). See how much he took of his own (חָמֵי כַּמָּה נָטִיל מִדִּילֵיהּ), from that which he had given in Lavan’s merit (מִמַּה דְּהֲוָה יָהִיב אִיהוּ בִּזְכוּתֵיהּ לְלָבָן). And all that Ya'akov attained (וְכָל דָּא דְּסָלִיק בֵּיהּ יַעֲקֹב), it was only through the rods (לָא הֲוָה אֶלָּא בִּזְרוֹעַ דְּאִינוּן מַקְלוֹת), which he set up near the watering trough (דְּשַׁוֵּי לְגַבֵּי עָנָא).

Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי), how much effort that perfect one, Ya'akov, exerted after Lavan (כַּמָּה טָרַח הַהוּא שְׁלֵימָא דְיַעֲקֹב אֲבַתְרֵיהּ דְּלָבָן). It is written (כְּתִיב): “And he set a distance of three days' journey…” (Bereshit 30) (וַיָּשֶׂם דֶּרֶךְ שְׁלֹשֶׁת יָמִים וְגוֹ׳), and he brought him all that wealth (וְהֲוָה אַיְיתֵי לֵיהּ כָּל הַאי עוּתְרָא). And with all that, Lavan did not desire that Ya'akov’s wages be like that (וְעִם כָּל דָּא לָא בָעָא לָבָן דִּיהֵא אַגְרֵיהּ דְיַעֲקֹב הָכִי), but he took ten from this and ten from that and gave them into the hands of his sons (אֶלָּא נְטַל עֲשָׂרָה מִן דָּא וַעֲשָׂרָה מִן דָּא וְיָהַב בִּידָא דְּבְנֵי לֵיהּ), and said to him: Take these (וְאָמַר לֵיהּ טוֹל הַנֵּי), and if they bear offspring as you said, in that manner shall your wages be (וְאִי יוֹלִידוּ כְּמָה דַאֲמַרְתְּ בְּהַאי גַוְונָא יְהֵא אַגְרָךְ). This is what is written (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב): “And he changed my wages ten times…” (Bereshit 31) (וַתַּחְלֵף אֶת מַשְׂכֻּרְתִּי עֲשֶׂרֶת מוֹנִים), those ten from this and ten from that (וּבְהָנֵי עֲשָׂרָה מִן דָּא וַעֲשָׂרָה מִן דָּא), and it is written (וּכְתִיב): “Your father mocked me and changed my wages ten times” (Bereshit 31) (וַאֲבִיכֶן הֵתֶל בִּי וְהֶחֱלִיף אֶת מַשְׂכֻּרְתִּי עֲשֶׂרֶת מוֹנִים). And with these ten (וּבְהָנֵי עֲשָׂרָה), he exerted himself toward Kudsha Berikh Hu, and He blessed him (אִשְׁתַּדַּל בָּתַר קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא וּבָרְכֵיהּ). And from all that Lavan arranged with Ya'akov, he reversed his words and took everything from Ya'akov (וּמִכָּל מַה דְּשַׁוֵּי לָבָן עִמֵּיהּ דְיַעֲקֹב אַהֲדַר בְּמִלּוּלֵיהּ וְנָטִיל מִיַעֲקֹב כֹּלָּא), until Kudsha Berikh Hu had compassion on him and took it from Lavan with force (עַד דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא חָס עֲלֵיהּ וְנָטַל מִדִּילֵיהּ בִּזְרוֹעַ).

Rabbi El‘azar said (אָמַר רִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר): all these verses come to show wisdom (כָּל הַנֵּי קְרָאֵי לְאַחֲזָאָה חָכְמָתָא קָא אַתְיָין), for we have learned: some matters above depend on deeds (דְּתָנִינָן מִלִּין דִּלְעֵילָא מִנְּהוֹן תַּלְיָין בְּעוֹבָדָא), some on speech (וּמִנְּהוֹן בְּמִלּוּלָא), and some on intention of the heart (וּמִנְּהוֹן בִּרְעוּתָא דְלִבָּא). And one who wishes to draw down blessing—by prayer, by speech, and by will (וּמַאן דְּבָעֵי לְאַמְשָׁכָא בִּרְכָאן בִּצְלוֹתָא בְּמִלּוּלָא וּרְעוּתָא). And some things depend not on prayer, but on deed alone (וּמִנְּהוֹן דְּלָא בִּצְלוֹתָא אֶלָּא בְּעוֹבָדָא תַּלְיָין).

Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי): Ya'akov was perfect; everything he did, he did with wisdom (יַעֲקֹב שְׁלִים, כָּל מַה דְּעֲבַד בְּחָכְמְתָא עָבִיד), as it is written (כְּתִיב): “And he set the rods which he had peeled in the troughs at the watering places…” (Bereshit 30) (וַיַּצֵּג אֶת הַמַּקְלוֹת אֲשֶׁר פִּצֵּל בָּרְהָטִים בְּשִׁקֳּתוֹת הַמַּיִם). All was in wisdom (כֹּלָּא בְּחָכְמְתָא), to draw blessing from the fountain of all (לְאַמְשָׁכָא בִּרְכָאן מִמַּבּוּעָא דְכֹלָּא), to all supernal levels that are his portions and his attachment (לְכֻלְּהוּ דַּרְגִּין עִלָּאִין דְּאִינוּן חוּלָקֵיהּ וְעַדְבֵיהּ). The rods—who are the rods? (אֶת הַמַּקְלוֹת: מַאן מַקְלוֹת) These are the levels of judgment (אִלֵּין דַּרְגִּין דְּאִינוּן בֵּי דִינָא); which he peeled—he removed judgment from them (אֲשֶׁר פִּצֵּל: דְּאַעֲבַר מִנְּהוֹן דִּינָא); in the troughs—this is as it is written (בָּרְהָטִים: הַיְינוּ דִכְתִיב): “The king is bound by the channels” (Shir haShirim 7) (מֶלֶךְ אָסוּר בָּרְהָטִים), for from that King come blessings to all the worlds (דְּהָא מֵהַהוּא מֶלֶךְ אַתְיָין בִּרְכָאן לְכֻלְּהוּ עָלְמִין).