Daf 162a (דַּף קס״ב ע״א)

In the troughs, at the watering channels, as we have established (בָּרְהָטִים בְּשִׁקַּתוֹת הַמַּיִם, כְּמָה דְאוֹקִימְנָא), and then, through this act of wisdom, blessings flowed downward (וּכְדֵין בְּעוֹבָדָא דָא דְּחָכְמְתָא נָגְדִין בִּרְכָאן לְתַתָּא), and all the worlds were watered (Some say: and blessed (וּמִתַּשְׁקְיָין—נ״א: וּמִתְבָּרְכָאן—כֻּלְּהוּ עָלְמִין), and blessings settled upon it (וְשַׁרְיָין עֲלֵיהּ בִּרְכָאן), as was established (כְּמָה דְאוּקְמוּהָ).

As it is written (דִּכְתִיב): “In the morning he shall devour the prey…” (Bereshit 49) (בַּבֹּקֶר יֹאכַל עַד וְגוֹ׳), and later it says (וּלְבָתַר מִכָּאן): “And in the evening he shall divide the spoil” (וְלָעֶרֶב יְחַלֵּק שָׁלָל). All this so that blessing should flow to all the lower worlds (לְאִתְבָּרְכָא כֻּלְּהוּ עָלְמִין לְתַתָּא). And Ya'akov took his portion from those blessings that rest upon him below (וְיַעֲקֹב נָטַל חוּלָקֵיהּ מֵאִינוּן בִּרְכָאן דְּשַׁרְיָין עֲלֵיהּ לְתַתָּא), because he is the portion and attachment of Kudsha Berikh Hu (בְּגִין דְּאִיהוּ חוּלָקֵיהּ וְעַדְבָּא דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא).

Rabbi Yisa Zuta was frequently before Rabbi Shim'on (רִבִּי יֵיסָא זוּטָא הֲוָה שְׁכִיחַ קַמֵּיהּ דְּרִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן), he said to him: this which is written (Mishlei 10): “Blessings are upon the head of the Tzaddik” (בְּרָכוֹת לְרֹאשׁ צַדִּיק), it should have said “to the Tzaddik”—what is “upon the head of the Tzaddik”? (לַצַדִּיק מִבָּעֵי לֵיהּ, מַאי לְרֹאשׁ צַדִּיק) He said to him: Rosh Tzaddik—this is the holy crown (אָמַר לֵיהּ: רֹאשׁ צַדִּיק דָּא הִיא עֲטָרָה קַדִּישָׁא), and this has been established (וְאוּקְמוּהָ). Furthermore: Rosh Tzaddik—this is Ya'akov (תוּ: רֹאשׁ צַדִּיק, דָּא יַעֲקֹב), who received blessings and extended them to the Tzaddik (דְּאִיהוּ נָטִיל בִּרְכָאן, וְנָגִיד לוֹן לַצַדִּיק), and from there they stream to all limbs (וּמִתַּמָּן אִזְדְּרִיקוּ לְכָל עֵיבָר), and all the worlds are blessed (וּמִתְבָּרְכָן כֻּלְּהוּ עָלְמִין).

But we have already established (אֲבָל הָא אוֹקִימְנָא): “Blessings are upon the head of the Tzaddik”—Rosh Tzaddik is the place of the covenant (בְּרָכוֹת לְרֹאשׁ צַדִּיק—רֹאשׁ צַדִּיק אִקְרֵי, הַהוּא אֲתַר דִּבְרִית), from which fountains go forth to the outside (דְּמִנֵּיהּ נָפְקִין מַבּוּעִין לְבַר), the female of the wine cup issues from there (נוּקְבָא דְּכִיסְטָא דְּחַמְרָא נָפִיק מִנֵּיהּ)—it is the head (אִיהוּ רֵישָׁא). Thus, Rosh Tzaddik is that place (כָּךְ רֹאשׁ צַדִּיק, הַהוּא אֲתַר), and when it sends fountains to the female, it is called Rosh Tzaddik (כַּד זָרִיק מַבּוּעִין לְנוּקְבָא, אִקְרֵי רֹאשׁ צַדִּיק). Tzaddik—he is the head (צַדִּיק אִיהוּ רֹאשׁ), Some say: the head of all blessings (נ״א: רֵישָׁא לְכָל בִּרְכָאן), because all blessings rest within him (בְּגִין דְּכָל בִּרְכָאן בֵּיהּ שָׁרְיָין).

Furthermore, that human being who merits to guard the sacred, enduring sign (תוּ: הַהוּא בַּר נָשׁ דְּזָכֵי לְמִנְטַר אוֹת קַיָּימָא קַדִּישָׁא), and performs the commandments of Orayta (וְעָבִיד פִּקּוּדֵי דְאוֹרַיְיתָא), is called Tzaddik (צַדִּיק אִקְרֵי), and from his head to his feet he is so named (וּמֵרִישֵׁיהּ וְעַד רַגְלוֹי הָכִי אִקְרֵי). And when blessings flow into the world (וְכַד בִּרְכָאן נָגְדִין לְעָלְמָא), they rest upon his head (שַׁרְיָין עַל רֵישֵׁיהּ), and from him the blessings stand for the world (וּמִנֵּיהּ קָיְימֵי בִּרְכָאן לְעָלְמָא), through righteous, holy offspring whom he raises (בִּבְנִין קַדִּישִׁין זַכָּאִין דְּאוֹקִים).

Rabbi Yisa further asked and said (רִבִּי יֵיסָא תוּ שָׁאִיל וְאָמַר): it is written (Tehillim 37): “I have been a youth, and I have grown old…” (נַעַר הָיִיתִי גַּם זָקַנְתִּי וְגוֹ׳). This verse, they established as being said by the minister of the world (הַאי קְרָא אוּקְמוּהָ: דְּשָׂרוֹ דְּעַלְמָא אֲמָרוֹ); he spoke it in wisdom, beyond what human beings imagine (אִיהוּ אֲמָרוֹ בְּחָכְמְתָא, יַתִּיר מִמַּה דְּחָשְׁבִין בְּנֵי נָשָׁא). He said to him: my son, it is fitting (אָמַר לֵיהּ: בְּרִי יָאוֹת הוּא), for it was spoken in the Holy Union (דְהָא בִּיִחוּדָא קַדִּישָׁא אִתְּמַר: נַעַר הָיִיתִי גַּם זָקַנְתִּי, וְהָכִי הוּא). “And I have not seen a Tzaddik abandoned” (Tehillim 37) (וְלֹא רָאִיתִי צַדִּיק נֶעֱזָב): this is the praise of the Union—that there is no day without night (דָּא הוּא שְׁבָחָא דְּיִחוּדָא: דְּלָא אִשְׁתַּכַּח יוֹם בְּלָא לַיְלָה), for night is always found within it (דְּהָא לַיְלָה בֵּיהּ אִשְׁתַּכַּח תְּדִירָא), and the Tzaddik is bound above and bound below (וְצַדִּיק אָחִיד לְעֵילָא וְאָחִיד לְתַתָּא).