Daf 177a (דַּף קע״ז ע״א)

And come and see (וְתָּא חֲזֵי), when Yisra’el were in the land (כַּד הֲווּ יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּאַרְעָא), and would offer sacrifices (וְהֲווּ מַקְרִיבִין קָרְבָּנִין), all would draw near to Kudsha Berikh Hu properly (כֻּלְּהוּ הֲווּ מִתְקָרְבִין לְגַבֵּי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא כְּדְקָא יָאוֹת). And when the offering was performed (וְכַד קָרְבָּנָא אִתְעֲבִיד), and the smoke ascended in a straight path (וּתְנָנָא סָלִיק בְּאֹרַח מֵישַׁר), then they knew (כְּדֵין הֲווּ יָדְעֵי) that the smoke of the altar (דִּתְנָנָא דְּמַדְבֵּחָא) had kindled a flame that was seen to ignite (אַדְלִיק בּוֹצִינָא דְּאִתְחַזְּיָא לְאַדְלָקָא), and all faces were radiant and lights ablaze (וְכָל אַנְפִּין נְהִירִין וּבוֹצִינִין דָּלְקִין).

And from the day that the Temple was destroyed (וּמִיּוֹמָא דְּאִתְחָרִיב בֵּי מַקְדְּשָׁא), there has not been a single day without anger and wrath (לֵית לָךְ יוֹמָא וְיוֹמָא דְּלֵית בֵּיהּ זְעִימוּ וְרוּגְזָא). As it is said (כְּמָה דְּאַתְּ אָמֵר): (Psalms 7) “And El is angry every day” (וְאֵל זוֹעֵם בְּכָל יוֹם), and joy is removed from above and below (וְאִתְפָּרַשׁ חֶדְוָה מֵעֵילָא וּמִתַּתָּא). And Yisra’el go into exile (וְיִשְׂרָאֵל אָזְלִין בְּגָלוּתָא), and they are under the dominion of other transgressions (וְאִינוּן בִּרְשׁוּ דְּטַעֲוָון אָחֳרָנִין). Then the verse is fulfilled (וּכְדֵין אִתְקַיֵּים קְרָא דִּכְתִיב): (Deuteronomy 28) “And there you shall serve other gods” (וְעָבַדְתָּ שָׁם אֱלֹהִים אֲחֵרִים). And why all this? (וְכָל דָּא לָמָּה), because it is written (בְּגִין דִּכְתִיב): (Deuteronomy 28) “Because you did not serve Hashem your God with joy and a good heart, from the abundance of all” (תַּחַת אֲשֶׁר לֹא עָבַדְתָּ אֶת ייָ אֱלֹהֶיךָ בְּשִׂמְחָה וּבְטוּב לֵבָב מֵרֹב כֹּל). What is “from the abundance of all”? (מַאי מֵרֹב כֹּל), here it says “from the abundance of all” (הָכָא מֵרֹב כֹּל), and there it says “in the lack of all” (וְהָתָם בְּחֹסֶר כֹּל).

Until Kudsha Berikh Hu will awaken (עַד דְּיִתְעַר קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא), and redeem them from among the nations (וְיִפְרוֹק לוֹן מִבֵּינֵי עַמְמַיָּא), as it is said (כְּמָה דְּאַתְּ אָמֵר): (Deuteronomy 30) “And Hashem your God will return your captivity and have mercy upon you, and He will return and gather you from all the nations where Hashem your God scattered you” (וְשָׁב ייָ אֱלֹהֶיךָ אֶת שְׁבוּתְךָ וְרִחֲמֶךָ, וְשָׁב וְקִבֶּצְךָ מִכָּל הָעַמִּים אֲשֶׁר הֱפִיצְךָ ייָ אֱלֹהֶיךָ שָׁמָּה). And it is written (וּכְתִיב): “If your dispersed will be at the ends of the heavens, from there He will gather you…” (אִם יִהְיֶה נִדָּחֲךָ בִּקְצֵה הַשָּׁמַיִם, מִשָּׁם יְקַבֶּצְךָ וְגו׳). “And these are the generations of Esav, he is Edom” (וְאֵלֶּה תּוֹלְדוֹת עֵשָׂו הוּא אֱדוֹם).

Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי), in the lifetime of Yitzḥak, the sons of Esav were not enumerated (בְּחַיֵּי יִצְחָק לָא אִתְמַנּוּן בְּנוֹי דְּעֵשָׂו), as were the sons of Ya‘akov (כְּמָה דְּאִתְמַנּוּן בְּנוֹי דְּיַעֲקֹב), for until Yitzḥak died they were not enumerated (דְּהָא עַד לָא מֵית יִצְחָק אִתְמַנּוּן). But concerning Esav, what is written? (אֲבָל בְּעֵשָׂו מַה כְּתִיב): “And Yitzḥak expired and died, and was gathered to his people, old and full of days; and Esav and Ya‘akov his sons buried him” (וַיִּגְוַע יִצְחָק וַיָּמָת, וַיֵּאָסֶף אֶל עַמָּיו, זָקֵן וּשְׂבַע יָמִים, וַיִּקְבְּרוּ אֹתוֹ עֵשָׂו וְיַעֲקֹב בָּנָיו). And afterward what is written? (בַּתְרֵיהּ מַה כְּתִיב): “And these are the generations of Esav, he is Edom” (וְאֵלֶּה תּוֹלְדוֹת עֵשָׂו הוּא אֱדוֹם). Why? (מַאי טַעְמָא), because his portion and inheritance and attachment were not his (בְּגִין דְּהָא בְּחוּלָקֵיהּ וּבְאַחְסַנְתֵּיהּ וְעַדְבֵּיהּ לָאו אִיהוּ), but Ya‘akov and his sons (אֶלָּא יַעֲקֹב וּבְנוֹי). And because of this (וּבְגִין כָּךְ), Ya‘akov and his sons are the portion of Kudsha Berikh Hu (יַעֲקֹב וּבְנוֹי אִינוּן חוּלָקֵיהּ דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא), and enter into the reckoning (וְעָאלִין בְּחוּשְׁבְּנָא). But Esav, who was not in the portion of the side of faith (אֲבָל עֵשָׂו דְּלָאו אִיהוּ בְּחוּלָקָא דְּבִסְטַר דִּמְהֵימְנוּתָא), his reckoning was made after the death of Yitzḥak (עָבִיד חוּשְׁבְּנֵיהּ לְבָתַר דְּמִית יִצְחָק), and his portion was separated to another place (וְאִתְפְּרַשׁ חוּלָקֵיהּ לְאֲתַר אָחֳרָא).

Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי), after Yitzḥak died, and Esav separated to his side (לְבָתַר דְּמִית יִצְחָק, וְעֵשָׂו אִתְפָּרַשׁ לְסִטְרֵיהּ), what is written? “And Esav took his wives…” (מַה כְּתִיב: וַיִּקַּח עֵשָׂו אֶת נָשָׁיו וְגו׳), “because of Ya‘akov his brother” (מִפְּנֵי יַעֲקֹב אָחִיו). For he left to Ya‘akov the horn and the space of the bondage of Egypt, and the land (דְּשָׁבַק לֵיהּ לְיַעֲקֹב קֶרֶן וְרֶוַח שִׁעְבּוּדָא דְּמִצְרַיִם, וְאַרְעָא). And he sold to him his portion in the cave of Machpelah (וְזַבִּין לֵיהּ חוּלָקֵיהּ מִן מְעָרְתָּא דְּכָפֶלְתָּא), and went from the land and from faith and from his portion (וְאַזַּל לֵיהּ מִן אַרְעָא וּמִן מְהֵימְנוּתָא וּמֵחוּלָקֵיהּ), for he left everything (דְּאַזַּל לֵיהּ מִכֹּלָּא).

Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי), how good was the portion of Ya‘akov in everything (כַּמָּה הֲוָה חוּלָקֵיהּ דְּיַעֲקֹב טָבָא בְּכֹלָּא). Because Esav was not left with him (בְּגִין דְּלָא אִשְׁתָּאַר עֵשָׂו בַּהֲדֵיהּ), and he separated from him and went to his portion and place (וְאִתְפְּרַשׁ מִנֵּיהּ וְאַזַּל לֵיהּ לְחוּלָקֵיהּ וּלְעַדְבֵּיהּ), and Ya‘akov remained holding the inheritance of his father and of his forefathers (וְאִשְׁתָּאַר יַעֲקֹב אָחִיד בְּאַחְסָנַת אֲבוֹי וּבְאַחְסָנַת אַבְהָתוֹי). And concerning this it is written: “And he went to a land because of Ya‘akov his brother” (וְעַל דָּא: וַיֵּלֶךְ אֶל אֶרֶץ מִפְּנֵי יַעֲקֹב אָחִיו).

What is the meaning of “because of Ya'akov his brother”? (מַאי מִפְּנֵי יַעֲקֹב אָחִיו), because he did not want his portion, inheritance, and the bond of his faith (דְּלָא בָּעָא חוּלָקֵיהּ וְאַחְסַנְתֵּיהּ וְעַדְבָּא דִּמְהֵימְנוּתָא דִּילֵיהּ). Fortunate is the portion of Ya‘akov (זַכָּאָה חוּלָקֵיהּ דְּיַעֲקֹב), about him it is written: (Deuteronomy 32) “For the portion of Hashem is His people, Ya‘akov is the lot of His inheritance” (עָלֵיהּ כְּתִיב כִּי חֵלֶק ייָ עַמּוֹ, יַעֲקֹב חֶבֶל נַחֲלָתוֹ).

“And these are the kings who reigned in the land of Edom before a king reigned over the children of Yisra’el” (וְאֵלֶּה הַמְּלָכִים אֲשֶׁר מָלְכוּ בְּאֶרֶץ אֱדוֹם לִפְנֵי מְלֹךְ מֶלֶךְ לִבְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל). Rabbi Yisa opened and said (רַבִּי יֵיסָא פָּתַח וְאָמַר): (Obadiah 1) “Behold, I have made you small among the nations; you are very despised” (הִנֵּה קָטָן נְתַתִּיךָ בַּגּוֹיִם, בָּזוּי אַתָּה מְאֹד). Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי), when Kudsha Berikh Hu made the world (כַּד עֲבַד קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא עַלְמָא), and divided the earth into seventy distinct boundaries (וּפָלַג אַרְעָא לְשִׁבְעָה תְּחוּמֵי פְּלִיגִין), in correspondence with seventy appointed supernal rulers (לָקוּבֵיל שִׁבְעִין רַבְרְבִין מְמַנָּן), and Kudsha Berikh Hu apportioned them to seventy nations (וְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא פָּלִיג לוֹן לְשִׁבְעִין עַמִּין), each one according to what was fitting for it (כָּל חַד וְחַד כְּדְקָא חָזֵי לֵיהּ), as it is written: (Deuteronomy 32) “When the Most High gave nations their inheritance, when He separated the children of man, He established the borders of peoples…” (כְּמָה דְּאַתְּ אָמֵר: (דְּבָרִים ל״ב) בְּהַנְחֵל עֶלְיוֹן גּוֹיִם, בְּהַפְרִידוֹ בְּנֵי אָדָם, יַצֵּב גְּבוּלוֹת עַמִּים).

And among all those appointed rulers delivered to the other nations (וּמִכֻּלְּהוּ רַבְרְבָן מְמַנָּן דְּאִתְמַסְּרוּ לִשְׁאָר עַמִּין), none is as despised before Him as the appointee of Esav (לָא אִית בְּהוּ בָּזוּי קַמֵּיהּ כִּמְמַנָּא דְּעֵשָׂו). Why is that? (מַאי טַעֲמָא), because the side of Esav is a defiled side (בְּגִין דְּסִטְרָא דְּעֵשָׂו סִטְרָא מְסָאֲבָא אִיהוּ), and the defiled side is disgrace before Kudsha Berikh Hu (וְסִטְרָא דִּמְסָאֲבָא אִיהוּ קְלָנָא קַמֵּיהּ קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא). From those lowest grades that come after the siftings of the red spice grinders (מֵאִינוּן דַּרְגִּין זְעִירִין דְּבָתַר רֵיחַיָּא סְרִיקְתָּא דְּקוֹסְטְרֵי סוּמְקֵי קָא אַתְיָא), and because of that it is written: “Behold, I have made you small among the nations; you are very despised” (וְעַל דָּא: הִנֵּה קָטָן נְתַתִּיךָ בַּגּוֹיִם, בָּזוּי אַתָּה מְאֹד). As it is written: (Bereshit 3) “Upon your belly you shall go, and dust you shall eat all the days of your life” (דִּכְתִיב עַל גְּחוֹנְךָ תֵּלֵךְ, וְעָפָר תֹּאכַל כָּל יְמֵי חַיֶּיךָ). “Very” (me’od), as it is said: “Cursed are you more than all the beasts and all the animals of the field” (מְאֹד, כְּמָה דְּאַתְּ אָמֵר: אָרוּר אַתָּה מִכָּל הַבְּהֵמָה וּמִכָּל חַיַּת הַשָּׂדֶה).

Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי), in the lower degrees there are grades upon grades (בְּדַרְגִּין תַּתָּאִין אִית דַּרְגִּין עַל דַּרְגִּין), all differing one from another (כֻּלְּהוּ מְשַׁנְיָין דָּא מִן דָּא), and all these degrees are connected (וְכֻּלְּהוּ דַּרְגִּין קַפְטִירִין אִלֵּין), and bound one to another (וּקְשִׁירִין אִלֵּין בְּאִלֵּין). And Molcho separated one from the other (וּמַלְכוּ אִתְפָּרַשׁ דָּא מִן דָּא), And Molcho was bound with Molcho (וּמַלְכוּ אִתְקַשַּׁר בְּמַלְכוּ). This one descends and that one ascends (דָּא עֲיֵיל, וְדָּא סָלִיק), all held in one bond (אֲחִידָן בְּקִשְׁרָא חָדָא).