Daf 168b (דַּף קס״ח ע״ב)

Certainly, Avraham gave David five years (וַדַּאי אַבְרָהָם שָׁבַק לֵיהּ חָמֵשׁ שְׁנִין), for Avraham should have lived one hundred and eighty years (דְּהֲוָה לֵיהּ לְאִתְקַיְּימָא מֵאָה וּתְמָנִין שְׁנִין), yet he lived only one hundred seventy-five years, lacking five (וְאִתְקְיַּים מֵאָה וְשִׁבְעִים וְחָמֵשׁ שְׁנִין, חֲסֵרִין חָמֵשׁ). Ya'akov should have lived as long as Avraham (יַעֲקֹב הֲוָה לֵיהּ לְאִתְקָיְימָא בְּעַלְמָא כְּיוֹמֵי דְאַבְרָהָם), but lived only one hundred forty-seven years (וְלָא אִתְקְיַּים אֶלָּא מֵאָה וְאַרְבָּעִין וְשֶׁבַע שְׁנִין), lacking twenty-eight (חֲסֵרִים תְּמַנְיָא וְעֶשְׂרִין). Thus Avraham and Ya'akov gave David thirty-three years of their lives combined (אִשְׁתַּכָּחוּ דְּאַבְרָהָם וְיַעֲקֹב שְׁבָקוּ לֵיהּ מֵחַיֵּיהוֹן תְּלָתִין וּתְלַת שְׁנִין). Yosef, who lived one hundred and ten years (יוֹסֵף דְּאִתְקְיַּים מְאָה וְעֶשֶׂר שְׁנִין), should have lived one hundred forty-seven years like Ya'akov (הֲוָה לֵיהּ לְאִתְקַיָּימָא מְאָה וְאַרְבָּעִין וְשֶׁבַע שְׁנִין כְּיוֹמֵי דְיַעֲקֹב), but lacked thirty-seven years (וְחָסֵר מִנְּהוֹן תְּלָתִין וְשֶׁבַע שְׁנִין).

These are the seventy years given to King David (הָא שִׁבְעִין שְׁנִין דִּשְׁבָקוּ לֵיהּ לְדָוִד מַלְכָּא לְאִתְקָיְימָא בְּהוֹן), and through them, David lived out all the years given by the Patriarchs (וּבְהוּ אִתְקַיַים דָּוִד בְּכָל אִינוּן שְׁנִין דִּשְׁבָקוּ לֵיהּ אֲבָהָן). And if you ask why Yitzchak gave David nothing (וְאִי תֵימָא יִצְחָק אַמַּאי לָא שָׁבַק לֵיהּ כְּלוּם כְּהַנֵּי), it is because he represents darkness, and David emerged from the side of darkness (בְּגִין דְּאִיהוּ חשֶׁךְ וְדָוִד מִסִּטְרָא דְחשֶׁךְ קָא אֲתָא). One who exists within darkness possesses no illumination, and thus has no intrinsic life (וּמַאן דְּאִיהוּ בַּחשֶׁךְ לֵית לֵיהּ נְהוֹרָא כְּלַל וְלֵית לֵיהּ חַיִּים). Therefore, David originally had no life of his own (וּבְגִין כָּךְ לָא הֲווּ לְדָוִד חַיִּים כְּלַל). However, those Patriarchs who possessed illumination illuminated David (אֲבָל אִלֵּין דְּהֲווּ לְהוֹן נְהוֹרָא, נְהִירוּ לֵיהּ לְדָוִד מַלְכָּא), and from them he needed to draw light and life (וּמִנַּיְיהוּ אִצְטְרִיךְ לְאַנְהָרָא וּלְמֶהוֵי לֵיהּ חַיִּים). For from the side of darkness there is no life at all (דְּהָא מִסִּטְרָא דְחשֶׁךְ לֵית לֵיהּ חַיִּים כְּלַל), hence Yitzchak is not included in this calculation (וְעַל דָּא לָא אֲתָא יִצְחָק בְּחוּשְׁבְּנָא). And if you say, why did Yosef give more years than all the others (וְאִי תֵימָא יוֹסֵף אַמַּאי יַתִּיר מִכֻּלְּהוּ)? Certainly, Yosef alone equaled all the others, because he is called Tzaddik (אֶלָּא וַדַּאי יוֹסֵף בִּלְחוֹדוֹי, כְּכֻלְּהוּ בְּגִין דְּאִקְרֵי צַדִּיק). And this is Yosef who illumines the moon more than all others (וְדָא הוּא דְאַנְהִיר לְסִיהֲרָא יַתִּיר מִכֻּלְּהוּ). Thus, he gave King David more life than all (וּבְגִין כָּךְ הַאי שָׁבַק לֵיהּ לְדָוִד מַלְכָּא יַתִיר מִכֻּלְּהוּ חַיִּין), as it is written (דִּכְתִיב), (Bereshit 1) "And God set them in the expanse of the heavens to illuminate the earth" (וַיִּתֵּן אֹתָם אֱלהִים בִּרְקִיעַ הַשָּׁמַיִם לְהָאִיר עַל הָאָרֶץ).

Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי): Ya'akov’s prayer protected him from Esav (יַעֲקֹב צְלוֹתֵיהּ אָגִין לֵיהּ מֵעֵשָׂו), because Ya'akov wanted his merit to remain for his children after him, and not to expend it now against Esav (בְּגִין דְּבָעָא לְסַלְקָא זְכוּתֵיהּ לִבְנוֹי אֲבַתְרֵיהּ וְלָא לְאֲפָקָא לֵיהּ הַשְׁתָּא לְגַבֵּיהּ דְּעֵשָׂו). Thus, he prayed before Kudsha Berikh Hu (וְעַל דָּא צַלֵי צְלוֹתֵיהּ לְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא), and did not rely on his merit to rescue him now (וְלָא אִסְתְּמִיךְ עַל זְכוּתֵיהּ לְשֵׁיזָבָא לֵיהּ בְּגִינִיהּ).

He said (וַיֹּאמֶר): "If Esav comes upon the first camp and strikes it, the remaining camp shall escape" (אִם יָבֹא עֵשָׂו אֶל הַמַּחֲנְה הָאַחַת וְהִכָּהוּ וְהָיָה הַמַּחֲנֶה הַנִּשְׁאָר לִפְלֵיטָה). Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי), what is written (מַה כְּתִיב): "And he divided the people who were with him, and the flocks and cattle and camels, into two camps" (וַיַּחַץ אֶת הָעָם אֲשֶׁר אִתּוֹ וְאֶת הַצֹּאן וְאֶת הַבָּקָר וְהַגְּמַלִּים לִשְׁנֵי מַחֲנוֹת). Why two camps (אַמַּאי לִשְׁנֵי מַחֲנוֹת)? Because he said, "If Esav comes upon one camp and strikes it, the remaining camp shall escape" (בְּגִין דְּאָמַר אִם יָבֹא עֵשָׂו אֶל הַמַּחֲנְה הָאַחַת וְהִכָּהוּ וְהָיָה הַמַּחֲנֶה הַנִּשְׁאָר לִפְלֵיטָה).

Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי): the Shekhinta never departed from Leah’s tent or from Rachel’s tent (שְׁכִינְתָּא לָא עֲדִיאַת מֵאֹהֶל לֵאָה וּמֵאֹהֶל רָחֵל). Ya'akov said, "I know Kudsha Berikh Hu protects them" (אָמַר יַעֲקֹב יָדַעְנָא דְּהָא נְטִירוּ לוֹן לְאִלֵּין מִן קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא). What did he do (מָה עֲבַד)? "And he placed the maidservants and their children first" (וַיָּשֶׂם אֶת הַשְּׁפָחוֹת וְאֶת יַלְדֵיהֶן רִאשׁוֹנָה), saying, "If Esav kills anyone, he will kill these" (אָמַר אִם יַקְטִיל עֵשָׂו, לְאִלֵּין יַקְטֵיל). But regarding the others, "I am not afraid for them, because the Shekhinta is with them" (אֲבָל אִלֵּין לָא מִסְתָּפִינָא מִנַּיְיהוּ, בְּגִין דִּשְׁכִינְתָּא עִמְּהוֹן). Thus, "the remaining camp shall escape" (וְעַל דָּא וְהָיָה הַמַּחֲנֶה הַנִּשְׁאָר לִפְלֵיטָה). After doing this, he prepared his prayer for them (כֵּיוָן דְּעָבִיד הַאי אַתְקִין צְלוֹתֵיהּ עֲלַיְיהוּ). What is written (מָה כְּתִיב)? "And Ya'akov said, 'God of my father Avraham, and God of my father Yitzchak, Hashem who said to me, Return to your land and your birthplace and I will do good with you'" (וַיֹּאמֶר יַעֲקֹב אֱלהֵי אָבִי אַבְרָהָם וֵאלֹהֵי אָבִי יִצְחָק יְיָ הָאוֹמֵר אֵלַי שׁוּב לְאַרְצְךָ וּלְמוֹלַדְתְּךָ וְאֵטִיבָה עִמָּךְ).

Rabbi Yosei opened and said (רִבִּי יוֹסֵי פָּתַח וְאָמַר), (Tehillim 102) "A prayer of the poor man when he is faint and pours forth his plea before Hashem" (תְּפִלָּה לֶעָנִי כִי יַעֲטֹף וְלִפְנִי יְיָ יִשְׁפֹּךְ שִׂיחוֹ). This verse has been explained in many ways (הַאי קְרָא אוּקְמוּהָ בְּכַמָּה אֲתַר). But King David said this when he reflected upon the plight of the poor man (אֶלָּא דָּוִד מַלְכָּא אָמַר דָּא כַּד אִסְתַּכַּל וְחָמָא בְּמִלֵּי דְמִסְכְּנָא), and he saw himself fleeing from his father-in-law, and he expressed this prayer (וְאִסְתַּכַּל בֵּיהּ כַּד הֲוָה אָזִיל וְעָרַק מִקַּמֵּי חָמוֹי אָמַר דָּא). "Prayer of the poor"—this is the prayer the poor man prays before Kudsha Berikh Hu (תְּפִלָּה לֶעָנִי, דָּא הוּא צְלוֹתָא דְּבָעֵי מִסְכְּנָא קַמֵּי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא). This prayer precedes all other prayers in the world (וְדָא צְלוֹתָא דְּאַקְדִימַת לְכָל צְלוֹתְהוֹן דְּעַלְמָא). It is written here, "A prayer of the poor" (כְּתִיב הָכָא תְּפִלָּה לֶעָנִי), and written there (Tehillim 90) "A prayer of Moshe, the man of God" (וּכְתִיב הָתָם תְּפִלָּה לְמשֶׁה אִישׁ הָאֱלֹהִים). What is the difference between this prayer and that one? (מַה בֵּין הַאי לְהַאי). Rather, this one ("prayer of the poor") is the prayer of the hand (אֶלָּא דָּא תְּפִלָּה שֶׁל יַד), and that one ("prayer of Moshe") is the prayer of the head (וְדָא תְּפִלָּה שֶׁל רֹאשׁ). Yet there is no actual separation between the prayer of the poor and the prayer of Moshe, the man of God (וְלֵית לְאַפְרָשָׁא בֵּין הַאי תְּפִלָּה לְעָנִי וּבֵין תְּפִלָּה לְמשֶׁה אִישׁ הָאֱלֹהִים), for both are equal (וְתַרְוַויְיהוּ שְׁקִילִין כְּחַד). Therefore, the prayer of the poor comes before Kudsha Berikh Hu ahead of all other prayers in the world (וְעַל דָּא צְלוֹתָא דְעָנִי אַקְדִימַת קַמֵּי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא מִכָּל צְלוֹתִין דְּעַלְמָא), as it is written (Tehillim 22), "For He has not despised nor scorned the affliction of the poor" (כִּי לא בָזָה וְלֹא שִׁקַּץ עֱנוּת עָנִי וְגו'). Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי), "the prayer of the poor"—this is the prayer of the hand (תְּפִלָּה לְעָנִי, דָּא תְּפִלָּה שֶׁל יַד), because the poor man clings to his poverty, like one who has nothing of his own at all (דְּעָנִי אִתְדָּבַּק בְּמִסְכְּנוּתֵיהּ, כְּמַאן דְּלֵית לֵיהּ מִגַּרְמֵיהּ כְּלוּם).

Another matter: "A prayer" refers to Moshe (דָּבָר אַחֵר תְּפִלָּה דָּא משֶׁה). "Of the poor" refers to David (לְעָנִי דָּא דָוִד). "When he is faint"—when the moon is covered and the sun's light withdrawn from it (כִּי יַעֲטֹף, כַּד אִתְכַּסְּיָא סִיהֲרָא וְאִתְכַּסֵּי שִׁמְשָׁא מִינָהּ). "And before Hashem he pours forth his plea," so as to reconnect with the sun (וְלִפְנֵי יְיָ יִשְׁפֹּךְ שִׂיחוֹ, בְּגִין לְאִתְחַבְּרָא בַּהֲדֵי שִׁמְשָׁא).

Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי), the prayer of all people is a prayer (צְלוֹתָא דְכָל בְּנֵי נָשָׁא צְלוֹתָא). But the prayer of the poor person stands uniquely before Kudsha Berikh Hu (וּצְלוֹתָא דְמִסְכְּנָא אִיהִי צְלוֹתָא דְקָיְימָא קַמֵּיהּ דְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא). It breaks through gates and openings and enters to be accepted by Him (וְתָבַר תַּרְעִין וּפִתְחִין וְעָאלַת לְאִתְקַבָּלָא קַמֵּיהּ), as it is written (Shemot 22) , "And it will be, when he cries out to Me, I shall hear, for I am compassionate" (וְהָיָה כִי יִצְעַק אֵלַי וְשָׁמַעְתִּי כִּי חַנּוּן אָנִי), and it is written, "I will surely hear his cry" (וּכְתִיב שָׁמֹעַ אֶשְׁמַע צַעֲקָתוֹ). "Before Hashem he pours forth his plea," like one who pleads concerning the judgment of Kudsha Berikh Hu (וְלִפְנֵי יְיָ יִשְׁפֹּךְ שִׂיחוֹ, כְּמַאן דְּמִתְרַעֵם עַל דִּינוֹי דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא).