Daf 172a (דַּף קע״ב ע״א)

Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי), how great was Esau's heart and intention toward Ya'akov (כַּמָּה הֲוָה לִבֵּיהּ וּרְעוּתֵיהּ דְּעֵשָׂו לְגַבֵּי דְיַעֲקֹב), for even at that moment (דְּהָא אֲפִילּוּ בְּהַהוּא שַׁעְתָּא), he intended for many times (Some say: to prolong the days (ס"א: לְאוֹרְכָא דְיוֹמִין)) to do evil and accuse him (חָשִׁיב לְאֹרֶךְ זִמְנִין לְמֶעְבַּד לֵיהּ בִּישִׁין וּלְקַטְרְגָא לֵיהּ). Therefore, "and they wept" (וְעַל דָּא וַיִּבְכּוּ). This one wept (דָּא הֲוָה בָּכֵי) because he did not expect to be delivered from his hand (דְּלָא הֲוָה חָשִׁיב לְאִשְׁתְּזָבָא מִן יְדוֹי), and this one wept (וְדָא הֲוָה בָּכֵי) because his father was still alive, and he could not prevail over him (בְּגִין דְּאֲבוֹי הֲוָה קַיָּים וְלָא יָכִיל לֵיהּ).

Rabbi Abba said (אָמַר רִבִּי אַבָּא), Certainly Esau's anger was weakened at the moment he saw Ya'akov (וַדַּאי אִתְחַלַּשׁ רוּגְזֵיהּ דְּעֵשָׂו בְּשַׁעְתָּא דְחָמָא לֵיהּ לְיַעֲקֹב). What is the reason? (מַאי טַעְמָא) Because Esau’s guardian angel had already reconciled with Ya'akov (בְּגִין דְּהָא אִסְתַּכַּם בַּהֲדֵיהּ הַהוּא מְמַנָּא דְעֵשָׂו). Therefore, Esau could not act upon his wrath (וְעַל דָא לָא יָכִיל עֵשָׂו לְשַׁלְטָאָה בְּרוּגְזֵיהּ), since all matters in this world depend on what happens above (דְּהָכִי כָּל מִלִּין דְּהַאי עַלְמָא תַּלְיָין לְעֵילָא). When agreements are reached above first, they are established below (וְכַד אִסְתַּכְּמוּ לְעֵילָא בְּקַדְמִיתָא אִסְתַּכְּמוּ לְתַתָּא). Dominion does not exist below until it is granted above (שָׁלְטָנוּתָא לָאו אִיהוּ לְתַתָּא עַד דְּאִיתְיָהִיב שָׁלְטָנוּתָא לְעֵילָא), and everything depends on this (וְכֹלָּא דָּא בְּדָא תַלְיָא).

"Let my lord pass on before his servant, and I will journey slowly..." (יַעֲבָר נָא אֲדֹנִי לִפְנֵי עַבְדּוֹ וַאֲנִי אֶתְנַהֲלָה לְאִטִּי וְגו'). Rabbi El'azar said (אָמַר רִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר): This is what we stated previously (הַיְינוּ דְקָאַמְרִינָן בְּקַדְמִיתָא)—that Ya'akov did not desire those initial blessings his father blessed him with now (דְּיַעֲקֹב לָא בָּעָא הַשְׁתָּא אִינוּן בִּרְכָאן קַדְמָאי דְּבָרְכֵיהּ אֲבוֹי). (Some say text: Because it is written (Lamentations 3): "It is good for a man to bear a yoke in his youth," and it is written (Proverbs 31): "She laughs at the last day" (ס''א: בְּגִין דִכְתִיב טוֹב לַגֶּבֶר כִּי יִשָּׂא עֹל בִּנְעוּרָיו. וּכְתִיב וַתִּשְׂחַק לְיוֹם אַחֲרוֹן)). But not even one of those blessings has yet been fulfilled for him (וַעֲדַיִין לָא אִתְקַיְימוּ בֵּיהּ אֲפִילּוּ חַד מִנַּיְיהוּ), because they are reserved for the end of days (בְּגִין דְּסָלִיק לוֹן לְסוֹף יוֹמַיָא), when his children will need them against all nations of the world (בְּשַׁעְתָּא דְּאִצְטְרִיכוּ לִבְנוֹי לְגַבֵּי כָּל עַמִּין דְּעַלְמָא).

Because of this (וּבְגִין כָּךְ), at the moment when Esau said (בְּשַׁעְתָּא דְּאָמַר עֵשָׂו): "Let us travel and go" (נִסְעָה וְנֵלֵכָה), "and let us divide this world as one, and rule together" (וְנִפְלוּג הַאי עַלְמָא כְּחֲדָא וְנִשְׁלוֹט כְּחֲדָא). What did Ya'akov say? (מַה אָמַר) "Let my lord pass before his servant" (יַעֲבָר נָא אֲדֹנִי לִפְנֵי עַבְדּוֹ). Let Esau advance his rule now, in this world (יַקְדִּים עֵשָׂו שָׁלְטָנֵיהּ הַשְׁתָּא בְּהַאי עַלְמָא). "Let my lord pass," just as it says (יַעֲבָר נָא, כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר), (Micah 2): "And their king passed before them, and Hashem at their head" (וַיַּעֲבוֹר מַלְכָּם לִפְנֵיהֶם וַייָ בְּרֹאשָׁם).

Advance your rule first in this world (אַקְדִּים אַנְתְּ שׁוּלְטָנוּתָךְ בְּקַדְמִיתָא בְּהַאי עַלְמָא), and I will journey slowly (וַאֲנִי אֶתְנַהֲלָה לְאִטִּי). I will preserve myself for that coming world and for the end of days (אֲנָא אֲסַלֵּק גַּרְמִי לְהַהוּא עַלְמָא דְאָתֵי וּלְסוֹף יוֹמַיָא), those days which move slowly (לְאִינוּן יוֹמַיָא דְאָזְלִין לְאַט). "According to the pace of the work" (לְרֶגֶל הַמְלָאכָה)—what is "the work"? (מַאן מְלָאכָה). This is the non-luminous mirror (דָּא אַסְפַּקְלַרְיָא דְלָא נָהֲרָא), through which the work of this world is done (דְּבָהּ אִתְעֲבִיד עֲבִידְתָּא דְעָלְמָא). "Which is before me" (אֲשֶׁר לִפְנֵי)—this is always before Hashem everywhere (דָּא הִיא מִן קֳדָם יְיָ בְּכָל אֲתַר). "And according to the pace of the children" (וּלְרֶגֶל הַיְלָדִים)—this is the secret of the Cherubim (דָא הוּא רָזָא דִכְרוּבִים), revealing the secret of faith attached to them (לְאַחֲזָאָה רָזָא דִמְהֵימְנוּתָא דְּאִיהוּ אִתְדָּבַּק בְּהוּ).

"Until I come to my lord at Seir"(Bereshit 33) (עַד אֲשֶׁר אָבֹא אֶל אֲדֹנִי שֵׂעִירָה)—I will endure your exile (אֲנָא אֶסְבּוֹל גָּלוּתָא דִילָךְ) until my time comes (עַד דְּיֵיתֵי וְיִמְטֵי זִמְנָא דִילִי) to rule over Mount Esau (לְשַׁלְטָאָה עַל הַר עֵשָׂו), as it is said (כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר), (Obadiah 1): "And saviors shall ascend Mount Zion to judge Mount Esau" (וְעָלוּ מוֹשִׁיעִים בְּהַר צִיּוֹן לִשְׁפֹּט אֶת הַר עֵשָׂו), and then (וּכְדֵין) "the kingdom shall be Hashem's" (וְהָיְתָה לַייָ הַמְלוּכָה).

Rabbi Chiya opened and said (רִבִּי חִיָּיא פָּתַח וְאָמַר), (Psalms 127): "A Song of Ascents for Solomon: If Hashem will not build the house…" (שִׁיר הַמַּעֲלוֹת לִשְׁלֹמֹה אִם יְיָ לֹא יִבְנֶה בַּיִת וְגו'), "If Hashem will not guard the city…" (אִם יְיָ לֹא יִשְׁמָר עִיר וְגו'). Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי), at the moment when the will of Kudsha Berikh Hu arose to create the world (בְּשַׁעְתָּא דְסָלִיק בִּרְעוּתָא דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לְמִבְרֵי עַלְמָא), He brought forth from the Hard Spark (אַפִּיק מִבּוּצִינָא דְקַרְדִינוּתָא) one vapor (חַד קִטּוּרָא), which blazed from within the darkness (וְאִתְלְהִיט מִגּוֹ חֲשׁוֹכָא), and remained in elevation (וְאִשְׁתָּאַר בִּסְלִיקוּ). Descending downward (וְנָחֲתָא לְתַתָּא), that darkness illuminated (הַהִיא חֲשֵׁכָה לָהִיט) and kindled into one hundred paths (בְּמֵאָה שְׁבִילִין אוֹרְחִין), slender yet great (דְּקִיקִין רַבְרְבָן), and formed the house of the world (וְאִתְעֲבִיד בֵּיתָא דְעַלְמָא).

This house is the innermost core of everything (הַאי בֵּיתָא אִיהוּ גוֹ אֶמְצָעִיתָא דְכֹלָּא), with many doors and chambers encircling it (כַּמָּה פִּתְחִין וְאִדְרִין לֵיהּ סְחוֹר סְחוֹר), holy supernal places (דּוּכְתִּין עִלָּאִין קַדִּישִׁין), where the birds of heaven nest (תַּמָּן מְקַנְנֵי צִפֳּרֵי שְׁמַיָא), each according to its species (כָּל חַד וְחַד לְזִינֵיהּ). Within it grows forth a great and powerful tree (בְּגַוֵּויהּ נָפִיק חַד אִילָנָא רַבְרְבָא וְתַקִּיף), with abundant branches and fruit (עָפְיֵיהּ וְאִנְבֵּיהּ סַגֵּי), providing nourishment to all (מְזוֹנָא לְכֹלָּא בֵּיהּ). That tree rises to the clouds of heaven (הַהוּא אִילָנָא סָלִיק לַעֲנָנֵי שְׁמַיָא) and is concealed between three mountains (וְאִתְטַמַּר בֵּין תְּלַת טוּרִין). From beneath these three mountains (מִתְּחוֹת אִילֵּין תְּלַת טוּרִין), it emerges, ascending above (נָפִיק, סָלִיק לְעֵילָא) and descending below (נָחִית לְתַתָּא). This house is nourished by that [tree] (הַאי בֵּיתָא אִתְשַׁקְיָיא מִנֵּיהּ), and within it are concealed many supernal treasures (וְגָנִיז בְּגַוֵּויהּ כַּמָּה גִּנְזִין עִלָּאִין) which remain unknown (דְּלָא אִתְיְדָעוּ). With this was the house constructed (בְּדָא אִתְבְּנֵי הַאי בֵּיתָא), and that tree was completed (וְאִשְׁתַּכְלַל הַהוּא אִילָנָא). It is revealed by day (אִתְגַּלְּיָיא בִּימָמָא), and concealed by night (וְאִתְכַּסְּיָא בְּלֵילְיָא). This house rules at night (וְהַאי בֵּיתָא שָׁלְטָא בְּלֵילְיָא) and is concealed during the day (וְאִתְכַּסְּיָא בִּימָמָא). When darkness enters and binds itself there (בְּשַׁעְתָּא דְּעָאל חֲשׁוֹכָא וְאִתְקַטִּיר בֵּיהּ), it dominates, and all entrances close from every direction (שָׁלְטָא, וְכָל פִּתְחִין סְתִימִין מִכָּל סִטְרִין). Then numerous spirits fly through the air (כְּדֵין כַּמָּה רוּחִין פָּרְחִין בַּאֲוִירָא), longing to know and enter therein (תְּאִיבִין לְמִנְדַע וּלְמֵיעַל בֵּיהּ). They enter among those birds (וְעָאלִין בֵּין אִינוּן צִפּוֹרִין), taking witness (וְנָטְלִין סָהֲדוּתָא), wandering and seeing whatever they see (וְשָׁטְיָין וְחָמָאן מַה דְּחָמָאן). Until that darkness which bound itself awakens (עַד דְּאִתְעַר הַהוּא חֲשׁוֹכָא דְּאִתְקַטִּיר בֵּיהּ), emitting one flame (וְאַפִּיק חַד שַׁלְהוֹבָא), striking with powerful hammers (וּבָטַשׁ בְּכָל פַּטִּישִׁין תַּקִּיפִין), opening gates (וּפְתַח פִּתְחִין), breaking openings (וּבָקַע טִנָּרִין). The flame rises and descends (סַלְקָא וְנָחֲתָא הַהוּא שַׁלְהוֹבָא), striking throughout the world (וּבָטַשׁ בְּעַלְמָא), and arousing voices above and below (וְאִתְעַר קָלִין לְעֵילָא וְתַתָּא).