Daf 171b (דַּף קע״א ע״ב)

We need strength to overcome in the world (וְחֵילָא בְּעִינָן לְאִתְתַּקָּפָא בְּעַלְמָא), and to demonstrate, "For you have contended with divine beings and with men, and have prevailed" (Bereshit 32) [כִּי שָׂרִיתָ עִם אֱלֹהִים וְעִם אֲנָשִׁים וַתּוּכָל]. And when he saw that the place was not broken nor consumed (וְכַד חָמֵי דְּהָא לָא אִתְּבַּר וְלָא אִתְאֲכִיל הַהוּא אֲתַר), then his strength and power were broken (כְּדֵין אִתְבַּר חֵילֵיהּ וְתוּקְפֵיהּ), and he could not harm the children of Ya'akov (וְלָא יָכִיל לְאַבְאָשָׁא לִבְנוֹי דְיַעֲקֹב). Therefore, we must not give a place for the creatures of the world to eat it (וְעַל דָּא לָא בְּעִינָן לְמֵיהַב דּוּכְתָּא לִבְרִיָּיתָא דְעַלְמָא לְמֵיכַל לֵיהּ), nor may it be eaten at all (וְלָא לְאִתְאֲכָלָא כְּלָל).

Rabbi Yisa the Elder expounded: Because he touched the hollow of Ya'akov’s thigh. (רַבִּי יֵיסָא סָבָא דָּרַשׁ: כִּי נָגַע בְּכַף יֶרֶךְ יַעֲקֹב) (Bereshit 32). It is written here: Because he touched the hollow, and it is written there: Whoever touches a corpse, the soul of a man, etc. (כְּתִיב הָכָא: כִּי נָגַע בְּכַף, וּכְתִיב הָתָם: כָּל הַנּוֹגֵעַ בְּמֵת בְּנֶפֶשׁ הָאָדָם וְגוֹ') (Numbers 19). Just as there, it causes defilement—so too here, it causes defilement. (מַה לְהַלָּן מְסָאֲבָא, אַף הָכָא נָמֵי מְסָאֲבָא). For that place became defiled, and from a defiled place we are not to derive any benefit at all. (דְּסָאִיב הַהוּא אֲתַר, וּמֵאֲתַר מְסָאֲבָא לֵית לָן לְאִתְהֲנָאָה מִנֵּיהּ כְּלָל). All the more so from a place where that defiled side approached. (כָּל שֵׁכֵן בַּאֲתַר דְּקָרִיב הַהוּא סִטְרָא מְסָאֲבָא). And the Orayta says only: Because he touched. And it is written: And he touched the hollow of his thigh—just as it says: And everything that the defiled touches shall become defiled. (וְאוֹרַיְּיתָא לָא קָאֲמַר אֶלָּא: כִּי נָגַע. וּכְתִיב: וַיִּגַּע בְּכַף יְרֵכוֹ כְּמָה דְּאַתְּ אָמֵר: וְכֹל אֲשֶׁר יִגַּע בּוֹ הַטָּמֵא יִטְמָא) (Numbers 19). Blessed is the Merciful One who gave the Orayta to Yisrael, that they may merit through it in this world and in the World to Come, as it is written: Length of days is in her right hand, in her left hand riches and honor. (בָּרִיךְ רַחֲמָנָא דְּיָהִיב אוֹרַיְּיתָא לְיִשְׂרָאֵל לְמִזְכֵּי בָהּ בְּעָלְמָא דֵין וּבְעָלְמָא דְאָתֵי, כְּמָה דִּכְתִיב: אֹרֶךְ יָמִים בִּימִינָהּ, בִּשְׂמֹאלָהּ עֹשֶׁר וְכָבוֹד) (Proverbs 3). And he passed before them and bowed to the ground seven times, until he came near to his brother. (וְהוּא עָבַר לִפְנֵיהֶם, וַיִּשְׁתַּחוּ אַרְצָה שֶׁבַע פְּעָמִים עַד גִּשְׁתּוֹ עַד אָחִיו) (Bereshit 33). Rabbi El'azar opened and said: For you shall not bow to another god, for Hashem is jealous is His Name. (רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר פָּתַח וְאָמַר: כִּי לֹא תִשְׁתַּחֲוֶה לְאֵל אַחֵר, כִּי יְיָ קַנָּא שְׁמוֹ) (Exodus 34). And Ya‘akov, who is complete from among those patriarchs (וְיַעֲקֹב, דְּאִיהוּ שְׁלִים מֵאִינוּן אַבָּהָן), for a complete portion was clarified for Kudsha Berikh Hu (דְּאִתְבְּרִיר חוּלָקָא שְׁלֵימָתָא לְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא), and he drew nearer to Him more (וְאִיהוּ אִתְקְרִיב לְגַבֵּיהּ יַתִּיר) (Some say: and he was completed above and below) (ס״א: וְאִשְׁתְּלִים לְעֵילָא וּלְתַתָּא), how did he bow to that wicked one, Esav (הֵיכִי סָגִיד לֵיהּ לְהַהוּא רָשָׁע דְּעֵשָׂו), who is on the side of another god (דְּאִיהוּ בְּסִטְרָא דְאֵל אַחֵר). And one who bows to him bows to another god. (וּמַאן דְּסָגִיד לֵיהּ — סָגִיד לְאֵל אַחֵר). And if you say: Because they say, “Bow to the fox in his time” — not so. (וְאִי תֵימָא: בְּגִין דְּאָמְרוּ תַּעֲלָא בְּעִידָנֵיהּ סָגֵיד לֵיהּ — לָאו הָכִי). For Esav was as another god, and Ya'akov would not bow to that side and that portion at all. (דְּהָא עֵשָׂו כְּאֵל אַחֵר הֲוָה, וְיַעֲקֹב לָא יִסְגּוֹד לְהַהוּא סִטְרָא וּלְהַהוּא חוּלָקָא כְּלָל).

Rabbi Abba opened and said: And you shall say thus to life, and you are peace, and your house peace, and all that is yours peace. (פָּתַח רַבִּי אַבָּא וְאָמַר: וַאֲמַרְתֶּם כֹּה לְחַי, וְאַתָּה שָׁלוֹם, וּבֵיתְךָ שָׁלוֹם, וְכָל אֲשֶׁר לְךָ שָׁלוֹם) (I Samuel 25). And it has been said that it is forbidden (Some say: does not belong) to offer peace first to the wicked. (וְהָא אִתְּמַר: דְּאָסִיר (ד״א: לֵ״ג לֵיהּ) לְאַקְדּוּמֵי לְהוֹן שְׁלָם לְרִשְּׁעַיָּא). And since it is forbidden, how do we find that David said this verse to Naval? (וּכְיוָן דְּאָסִיר, הֵיכִי אַשְׁכַּחְנָא דְּדָוִד אָמַר הַאי קְרָא לְנָבָל). Rather, it has been established: that he was speaking before Kudsha Berikh Hu, in order to bind himself to life. (אֶלָּא הָא אוּקְמוּהָ: דִּלְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא קָאֲמַר, בְּגִין לְקַשְׁרָא לֵיהּ לְחַי). And he accounted Naval as the one of whom it is said. (וְחָשִׁיב נָבָל דְּעֲלֵיהּ קָאֲמַר).

Similarly here (כְּגַוְונָא דָא), "And Israel bowed upon the head of the bed" (Bereshit 47) [וַיִּשְׁתַּחוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל עַל רֹאשׁ הַמִּטָּה]. Did he bow to his son? (וְכִי לְגַבֵּי דִבְרֵיהּ סְגִיד). Rather, he bowed to the place of the Shekhinta (אֶלָּא לְאַתְרֵיהּ דִּשְׁכִינְתָּא קָא כָּרַע וְסָגִיד). So too here (אוּף הָכָא), "And he passed before them" (וְהוּא עָבַר לִפְנֵיהֶם). What is meant by "and he"? (מַאי וְהוּא), it is the Supernal Shekhinta (דָּא שְׁכִינְתָּא עִלָּאָה) who was passing before him (דְּהֲוָה אָזְלָא קַמֵּיהּ). This is the Supernal Protection (וְדָא הוּא נְטִירוּ עִלָּאָה). When Ya'akov saw this (כֵּיוָן דְּחָמָא יַעֲקֹב), he said, "Now is the proper time to bow before Kudsha Berikh Hu, who was going ahead of him" (אָמַר, הָא עִידָן לְסָגְדָא לְגַבֵּיהּ דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא דְּהֲוָה אָזִיל קַמֵּיהּ).

He bowed down seven times until he approached his brother (כָּרַע וְסָגִיד שְׁבַע זִמְנִין עַד גִּשְׁתּוֹ עַד אָחִיו), but it is not written, "And he bowed to Esau" (וְלָא כְּתִיב וַיִּשְׁתַּחוּ לְעֵשָׂו). Rather, once he saw Kudsha Berikh Hu passing before him (אֶלָּא כֵּיוָן דְּחָמָא דְּהָא קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא אָזַל קַמֵּיהּ), he then bowed before Him (כְּדֵין סָגִיד לְקֳבְלֵיהּ), so as not to attribute honor or worship to anyone but Him alone (בְּגִין דְּלָא לְמֵיהַב יְקָר לְמִסְגַד לְאָחֳרָא בַּר מִנִּיהּ). And everything is exactly as it should be (וְכֹלָּא אִיהוּ כְּדְקָא יְאוּת).

Fortunate are the Righteous (זַכָּאִין אִינוּן צַדִּיקַיָיא), for all their actions are done for the honor of their Master alone (דְּכָל עוֹבָדֵיהוֹן דְּקָא עָבְדֵי בְּגִין יְקָרָא דְמָארֵיהוֹן אִיהוּ), and so that they never stray to the right or the left (וּבְגִין דְּלָא יִסְטוּן לִימִינָא וְלִשְׂמָאלָא). "And Esau ran to meet him and embraced him, and fell upon his neck" (וַיָּרָץ עֵשָׂו לִקְרָאתוֹ וַיְחַבְּקֵהוּ וַיִּפֹּל עַל צַוָּארָו). "His neck" (צַוָּארוֹ) is written defective (כְּתִיב חָסֵר). "And he kissed him, and they wept" (וַיִּשָּׁקֵהוּ וַיִּבְכּוּ). Rabbi Yitzchak said (רַבִּי יִצְחָק אָמַר), "But the wicked are like the driven sea; for it cannot rest, and its waters cast up mire and dirt" (Isaiah 57) [וְהָרְשָׁעִים כַּיָּם נִגְרָשׁ כִּי הַשְׁקֵט לֹא יוּכַל וַיִּגְרְשׁוּ מֵימָיו רֶפֶשׁ וָטִיט]. This verse has already been explained (הַאי קְרָא אִתְּמָר). And the words of Orayta (וּמִלֵּי דְאוֹרַיְיתָא), how many supernal mysteries they contain (כַּמָּה רָזִין עִלָּאִין אִית בְּהוּ), each differing from the other (מְשַׁנְיָין דָּא מִן דָּא), yet all are one (וְכֹלָּא חַד). "But the wicked are like the driven sea; for it cannot rest" (וְהָרְשָׁעִים כַּיָּם נִגְרָשׁ כִּי הַשְׁקֵט לֹא יוּכָל)—this refers to Esau (דָּא עֵשָׂו), whose deeds were entirely wicked and sinful (דְּכָל עוֹבָדוֹי בִּרְשִׁיעוּ וּבְחִיּוּבָא).

For when he came to Ya'akov, his actions were not peaceful (דְּהָא כַּד אֲתָא לְגַבֵּיהּ דְּיַעֲקֹב, עוֹבָדוֹי לָא הֲווּ בִּשְׁלָם). "And he fell upon his neck" (וַיִּפּוֹל עַל צַוָּארוֹ) singular (חַד). "His neck" (צַוָּארוֹ) refers to Yerushalayim, which is the neck of the entire world (דָּא יְרוּשָׁלַ ם דְּאִיהוּ צַוָּארוֹ דְּכָל עָלְמָא). Thus, it says "upon his neck" (וַיִּפֹּל עַל צַוָּארוֹ), not "necks" (וְלֹא עַל צַוָּארָיו), because the Beit Mikdash was destroyed twice (בְּגִין דִּתְרֵין זִמְנִין אִתְחָרִיב בֵּי מַקְדְּשָׁא): once by Babylon (חַד מִבָּבֶל), and once by the descendants of Esau (וְחַד מִזַּרְעֵיהּ דְּעֵשָׂו), who threw themselves upon it once and destroyed it (דְּאַפִּיל גַּרְמֵיהּ עֲלֵיהּ זִמְנָא חָדָא וְחָרִיב לֵיהּ). Therefore, "he fell upon his neck" singularly (וְעַל דָּא וַיִּפֹּל עַל צַוָּארוֹ חַד). "And he kissed him" (וַיִּשָּׁ''קֵהוּ)—with dots above (נָקוּד לְעֵיל), meaning he did not kiss him sincerely (דְּלָא נָשְׁקֵיהּ בִּרְעוּתֵיהּ). And we have learned, what does it mean when it is written (Proverbs 27): "The kisses of an enemy are abundant" (וְנְעְתָּרוֹת נְשִׁיקוֹת שׂוֹנֵא)? This refers to Bilaam (דָּא בִּלְעָם) when he blessed Israel (כַּד בָּרִיךְ לוֹן לְיִשְׂרָאֵל), for he did not bless them with heartfelt sincerity (דְהָא לָא בָּרִיךְ לוֹן בִּרְעוּתָא דְלִבָּא). Similarly here (אוּף הָכָא), "the kisses of an enemy are abundant," refers to Esau (נֶעְתָּרוֹת נְשִׁיקוֹת שׂוֹנֵא, דָּא עֵשָׂו).

Rabbi Yosei said: It is written, Arise, Hashem, save me, my God—for You struck all my enemies on the cheek, the teeth of the wicked You have broken. (אָמַר רִבִּי יוֹסֵי, כְּתִיב: קוּמָה יְיָ, הוֹשִׁיעֵנִי אֱלֹהַי, כִּי הִכִּיתָ אֶת כָּל אוֹיְבַי לֶחִי, שִׁנֵּי רְשָׁעִים שִׁבַּרְתָּ) (Psalms 3). And it was taught: Do not read “shibbarta” —“You have broken”— but “shirbabta” —“You have elongated.” (וּתְנַן: אַל תִּקְרֵי שִׁבַּרְתָּ, אֶלָּא שִׁרְבַּבְתָּ). For their teeth multiplied, and they intended to bite him, etc. (דְּהָא אַסְגִּיאוּ שִׁינֵי, וְחָשִׁיב לְנָשְׁכָא לֵיהּ וְכוּ'). And concerning this, they wept—this one wept and that one wept, and the Friends established it. (וְעַל דָּא: וַיִּבְכּוּ — דָּא בָּכֵי וְדָא בָּכֵי, וְאוּקְמוּהָ חַבְרַיָּיא).