Parashat Vayeshev

nd Ya‘akov dwelled in the land of his father’s sojournings, in the land of Canaan” (וַיֵּשֶׁב יַעֲקֹב בְּאֶרֶץ מְגוּרֵי אָבִיו, בְּאֶרֶץ כְּנָעַן). Rabbi Ḥiyya opened and said (רִבִּי חִיָּיא פָּתַח וְאָמַר): (Psalms 34) “Many are the afflictions of the Tzaddik, but Hashem delivers him from them all” (רַבּוֹת רָעוֹת צַדִּיק, וּמִכֻּלָּם יַצִּילֶנּוּ ייָ).

Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי): how many accusers a person has from the day that Kudsha Berikh Hu places within him a Neshamah (כַּמָּה מְקַטְּרְגִין אִית לֵיהּ לְבַר נָשׁ מִיּוֹמָא דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא יָהַב בֵּיהּ נְשָׁמָתָא), to be sustained in this world (בְּהַאי עַלְמָא). For once a person enters the atmosphere of the world (דְּכֵיוָן דְּנָפִיק בַּר נָשׁ לַאֲוִירָא דְּעָלְמָא), immediately the Evil inclination comes to join with him (מִיָּד אִזְדַּמַּן לְאִשְׁתַּתְּפָא בַּהֲדֵיהּ יֵצֶר הָרָע), as it is said (כְּמָה דְּאִתְּמָר): (Bereshit 4) “At the opening, sin crouches…” (דִּכְתִּיב: לַפֶּתַח חַטָּאת רֹבֵץ וְגו׳). And then the Evil inclination joins with him (וּכְדֵין אִשְׁתַּתַּף בַּהֲדֵיהּ יֵצֶר הָרָע). And Come and See (וְתָּא חֲזֵי), that so it is (דְּהָכִי הוּא): for animals, from the day they are born (דְּהָא בְּעִירֵי מִיּוֹמָא דְּאִתְיַלִּידוּ), all guard themselves (כֻּלְּהוּ נָטְרֵי גַרְמַיְיהוּ), and flee from fire and from all harmful places (וְעָרְקִין מִן גּוֹ נוּרָא, וּמִן כָּל אַתְרִין בִּישִׁין). But a human being (וּבַר נָשׁ), immediately comes to damage himself, entering into fire (מִיָּד אָתֵי לַאֲרָמָא גַּרְמֵיהּ גּוֹ נוּרָא), because the Evil inclination dwells within him (בְּגִין דְּיֵצֶר הָרָע שָׁארֵי בְּגַוִּיהּ), and immediately leads him astray to the evil path (וּמִיָּד אַסְטֵי לֵיהּ לְאָרְחָא בִישָׁא).

And we have established (וְאוֹקִימְנָא): as it is written (Ecclesiastes 4): “Better a poor and wise child than an old and foolish king, who no longer knows how to be warned” (דִּכְתִיב: טוֹב יֶלֶד מִסְכֵּן וְחָכָם מִמֶּלֶךְ זָקֵן וּכְסִיל, אֲשֶׁר לֹא יָדַע לְהִזָּהֵר עוֹד). “Better a child”-this is the Good inclination, which is called a child (טוֹב יֶלֶד, דָּא הוּא יֵצֶר טוֹב), because it arrives with the person only after a few years (דְּהוּא יֶלֶד מִיּוֹמִין זְעִירִין עִמֵּיהּ דְּבַר נָשׁ), from thirteen years and onward (דְּהָא מִתְּלֵיסַר שְׁנִין וָאֵילָךְ), as it is said (כְּמָה דְאִתְּמָר).

Daf 179b (דַּף קע״ט ע״ב)

“Than a king, old and foolish” (מִמֶּלֶךְ זָקֵן וּכְסִיל). “Than a king”-this is the Evil inclination, who is called king and ruler in the world over human beings (מִמֶּלֶךְ, דָּא הוּא יֵצֶר הָרָע, דְּאִיהוּ אִקְרֵי מֶלֶךְ וְשַׁלִּיט בְּעָלְמָא עַל בְּנֵי נָשָׁא). “Old and foolish”-he is certainly old, as has been established (זָקֵן וּכְסִיל, דְּאִיהוּ זָקֵן וַדַּאי, כְּמָה דְּאוּקְמוּהָ), for when a person is born and comes into the atmosphere of the world, he immediately joins with him (דְּכַד אִתְיְלִיד בַּר נָשׁ, וְנָפִיק לַאֲוִירָא דְּעָלְמָא, אִיהוּ אִזְדַּמַּן עִמֵּיהּ דְּבַר נָשׁ). And for that reason, he is the “king, old and foolish” (וְעַל דָּא אִיהוּ מֶלֶךְ זָקֵן וּכְסִיל). “Who no longer knows to be cautious” (אֲשֶׁר לֹא יָדַע לְהִזָּהֵר עוֹד) it is not written “to caution,” but “to be cautious” (לְהַזְהִיר לָא כְּתִיב, אֶלָּא לְהִזָּהֵר), because he is a fool (בְּגִין דְּאִיהוּ כְּסִיל). And concerning him Shlomo said, peace be upon him (וְעֲלֵיהּ אָמַר שְׁלֹמֹה עָלָיו הַשָּׁלוֹם): (Ecclesiastes 2) “And the fool walks in darkness” (וְהַכְּסִיל בַּחֹשֶׁךְ הוֹלֵךְ). For he comes from the filth of darkness (דְּהָא מֵסּוּסִיתָא דְּחָשׁוֹךְ קָא אַתְיָא), and he has no light forever (וְלֵית לֵיהּ נְהוֹרָא לְעָלְמִין).

Rabbi Shim‘on said (רִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן אָמַר): Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי), it is written: “Better is a poor and wise child” (Ecclesiastes 4) (כְּתִיב: טוֹב יֶלֶד מִסְכֵּן וְחָכָם). Who is this poor child? This has already been established and said-that it is the Good inclination (מַאן יֶלֶד מִסְכֵּן הָא אוּקְמוּהָ וְאִתְּמָר, דְּאִיהוּ יֵצֶר טוֹב). But “Better is a child”-this is what is written: (Psalms 37) “I was young and now I am old” (טוֹב יֶלֶד, הֲדָא הוּא דִּכְתִיב: נַעַר הָיִיתִי גַּם זָקַנְתִּי). And this is the youth who is the poor child, who has nothing of his own (וְדָא הוּא נַעַר דְּאִיהוּ יֶלֶד מִסְכֵּן, דְּלֵית לֵיהּ מִגַּרְמֵיהּ כְּלוּם). And why is he called Na‘ar? Because he possesses the renewal of the moon, which renews continually (וְאַמַּאי אִקְרֵי נַעַר בְּגִין דְּאִית לֵיהּ חַדְתּוּ דְּסִיהֲרָא, דְּמִתְחַדְּשָׁא תָּדִיר), and always he is a poor child, as we said (וְתָּדִיר אִיהוּ יֶלֶד מִסְכֵּן כְּמָה דְּאֲמְרָן). And wise-because wisdom rests within him (וְחָכָם, בְּגִין דְּחָכְמָה שַׁרְיָא בֵּיהּ).

“Than an old king”-this is the Evil inclination, as has been said (מִמֶּלֶךְ זָקֵן, דָּא הוּא יֵצֶר הָרָע כְּמָה דְּאִתְּמָר). For from the day he came into existence, he never left his filth (דְּהָא מִן יוֹמָא דְּהֲוָה, לָא נָפַק מִמְּסָאֲבוּתֵיהּ לְעָלְמִין), and he is a fool (וְאִיהוּ כְּסִיל), for all his ways are evil paths (דְּכָל אָרְחוֹי אִינוּן לְאֹרַח בִּישָׁא), and he goes and misleads people and does not know to beware (וְאָזִיל וְסָטֵי לִבְנֵי נָשָׁא, וְלָא יָדַע לְאִזְדַּהֲרָא). And he comes to a person at the beginning in order to estrange him from the good path to an evil one (וְאִיהוּ אָתֵי עִם בַּר נָשׁ בְּתִסְקוּפִין, בְּגִין לְאַסְטָאָה לוֹן מֵאֹרַח טָבָא לְאֹרַח בִּישָׁא).

Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי): for this reason he arrives first with a person on the day of his birth-so he might be believed (עַל דָּא אַקְדִּים עִם בַּר נָשׁ בְּיוֹמָא דְּאִתְיְלִיד, בְּגִין דְּיְהֵימִין לֵיהּ). For when the Good inclination comes, a person is not able to believe him, and he appears as though false (דְּהָא כַּד אָתֵי יֵצֶר טוֹב, לָא יָכִיל בַּר נָשׁ לִמְהֵימְנָא לֵיהּ, וְדָמֵי עֲלֵיהּ כְּמָטוּלָא).

In such a manner we have learned (כְּגַוְונָא דָּא תַּנִּינָן): Who is a cunning wicked one (מַאן הוּא רָשָׁע עָרוּם)? This is one who precedes to arrange his words before the judge, before his fellow, the master of judgment, comes (דָּא הוּא מַאן דְּאַקְדִּים לְאַטְעָנָא מִלּוֹי לְקַמֵּי דַּיְינָא, עַד לָא יֵיתֵי חַבְרֵיהּ מָארֵי דְּדִינָא). As it is said: (Proverbs 18) “The first to plead his case seems just…” (כְּמָה דְּאַתְּ אָמֵר: צַדִּיק הָרִאשׁוֹן בְּרִיבוֹ וְגו׳).

In this manner (כְּגַוְונָא דָּא), this is the cunning evildoer (הוּא רָשָׁע עָרוּם), as it is said (Bereshit 3): “And the serpent was cunning” (כְּמָה דְּאַתְּ אָמֵר: וְהַנָּחָשׁ הָיָה עָרוּם). And he came first and joined with the human before his companion came to dwell upon him (וְהוּא אַקְדִּים וְשָׁרֵי עִמֵּיהּ דְּבַר נָשׁ, עַד לָא יֵיתֵי חַבְרֵיהּ לְאַשְׁרָאָה עֲלֵיהּ). And because he came first and already lodged his argument with him (וּבְגִין דְּאִיהוּ אַקְדִּים, וְהָא אַטְעִין טַעֲנָתֵיהּ עִמֵּיהּ), when his companion comes-that is, the Good inclination-he has already corrupted the person with him, and he cannot lift his head (כַּד אָתֵי חַבְרֵיהּ דְּאִיהוּ יֵצֶר הַטּוֹב, אַבְּאִישׁ לֵיהּ לְבַר נָשׁ בַּהֲדֵיהּ, וְלָא יָכִיל לְזָקְפָא רֵישֵׁיהּ), as though he has laid upon his shoulders all the burdens of the world (כְּאִילּוּ אַטְעִין עַל כִּתְפֵיהּ כָּל מָטוֹלִין דְּעָלְמָא), because of that cunning evildoer who came first (בְּגִין הַהוּא רָשָׁע עָרוּם דְּאַקְדִּים עִמֵּיהּ). And on this Shlomo said (Ecclesiastes 9): “The wisdom of the poor man is despised, and his words are not heard” (וְעַל דָּא אָמַר שְׁלֹמֹה: וְחָכְמַת הַמִּסְכֵּן בְּזוּיָה, וּדְבָרָיו אֵינָם נִשְׁמָעִים), because the other came first (בְּגִין דְּהָא אַקְדִּים אָחֳרָא).

And for this reason (וְעַל דָּא), any judge who accepts words from a person before his fellow comes (כָּל דַּיְינֵי דְּקַבֵּיל מִבַּר נָשׁ מִלָּה, עַד לָא יֵיתֵי חַבְרֵיהּ), it is as though he accepts a false judgment for the sake of belief (כְּאִילּוּ מְקַבֵּל עֲלֵיהּ טַעֲוָאָה אָחֳרָא לִמְהֵימְנוּתָא). Rather, as it is written: (Proverbs 18) “Then his neighbor shall come and examine him” (אֶלָּא: וּבָא רֵעֵהוּ וַחֲקָרוֹ), and this is the way of a righteous person (וְדָא הוּא אוֹרַח דְּבַר נָשׁ זַכָּאָה): for a righteous person is one who does not believe that cunning evildoer-the Evil inclination-until his companion, the Good inclination, arrives (דְּהָא בַּר נָשׁ זַכָּאָה דָּא הוּא, דְּלָא הֵימִין לְהַהוּא רָשָׁע עָרוּם דְּיֵצֶר הָרָע, עַד דְּיֵיתֵי חַבְרֵיהּ דְּאִיהוּ יֵצֶר טוֹב). And because of this, people stumble regarding the World to Come (וּבְגִין דָּא בְּנֵי נָשָׁא אִינוּן כָּשְׁלִין לְעָלְמָא דְאָתֵי). But that fortunate one (אֲבָל הַהוּא זַכָּאָה), who is in awe of his Master (דְּאִיהוּ דָּחִיל לְמָארֵיהּ), how many evils he endures in this world (כַּמָּה בִּישִׁין סָבִיל בְּהַאי עָלְמָא), because he does not believe in nor associate with that Evil inclination (בְּגִין דְּלָא יְהֵימִין וְלָא יִשְׁתַּתַּף בְּהַהוּא יֵצֶר הָרָע). And Kudsha Berikh Hu saves him from all of them (וּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא שֵׁזִיב לֵיהּ מִכֻּלְּהוּ), as it is written: (Psalms 34)“Many are the afflictions of the Tzaddik, but Hashem delivers him from them all” (רַבּוֹת רָעוֹת צַדִּיק, וּמִכֻּלָּם יַצִּילֶנּוּ ייָ). It does not say “many are the afflictions to the Tzaddik” (רַבּוֹת רָעוֹת לַצַּדִּיק לָא כְּתִיב), but “Tzaddik” alone (אֶלָּא: צַדִּיק), because Kudsha Berikh Hu desires him (בְּגִין דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא אִתְרָעֵי בֵיהּ). And therefore Kudsha Berikh Hu is favorable toward that man and saves him from everything, in this world and in the World to Come (וּבְגִין כָּךְ קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא אִתְרָעֵי בְּהַהוּא בַּר נָשׁ, וְשֵׁזִיב לֵיהּ מִכֹּלָּא בְּהַאי עָלְמָא וּבְעָלְמָא דְּאָתֵי), fortunate is his portion (זַכָּאָה חוּלָקֵיהּ).

Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי), how many evils passed upon Ya‘akov (כַּמָּה בִּישִׁין עָבְרוּ עֲלֵיהּ דְּיַעֲקֹב), because he would not cling to that Evil inclination and sought to distance himself from its portion (בְּגִין דְּלָא יִתְדַּבַּק בְּהַהוּא יֵצֶר הָרָע, וְיִתְרְחַק מֵחוּלָקֵיהּ). And because of this, he endured many punishments and many evils and had no rest (וּבְגִין כָּךְ סָבִיל כַּמָּה עוֹנְשִׁין, כַּמָּה בִּישִׁין, וְלָא שָׁקִיט). He opened and said: (Job 3) “I had no ease, no quiet, and no rest-and trouble came” (פָּתַח וְאָמַר: לֹא שָׁלַוְתִּי וְלֹא שָׁקַטְתִּי וְלֹא נַחְתִּי, וַיָּבֹא רֹגֶז).

Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי), how many evils the Righteous suffer in this world (כַּמָּה בִּישִׁין סָבְלִין צַדִּיקַיָּא בְּהַאי עָלְמָא) evil upon evil, pain upon pain (בִּישִׁין עַל בִּישִׁין, כְּאֵבִין עַל כְּאֵבִין), in order to merit them for the World to Come (בְּגִין לְמִזְכֵּי לוֹן לְעָלְמָא דְּאָתֵי).

Ya‘akov-how many evils did he constantly endure, one upon another (יַעֲקֹב, כַּמָּה סָבִיל בִּישִׁין עַל בִּישִׁין תָּדִיר), as it is said: “I had no ease” (כְּמָה דְּאַתְּ אָמֵר: לֹא שָׁלַוְתִּי) in the house of Lavan (בְּבֵיתָא דְּלָבָן), and I could not escape from him (וְלָא יָכִילְנָא לְאִשְׁתְּזָבָא מִנֵּיהּ). “And I had no quiet” (וְלֹא שָׁקַטְתִּי) from Esav (מֵעֵשָׂו), from the distress that his appointee caused me (מֵהַהוּא צַעֲרָא דְּצִעֵר לִי הַהוּא מְמַנָּא דִּילֵיהּ), and afterwards the fear of Esav (וּלְבָתַר דְּחִילוּ דְּעֵשָׂו). “And I had no rest” (וְלֹא נַחְתִּי) from Dinah and from Shekhem (מִן דִּינָה וּמִן שְׁכֶם). “And then came trouble” (וַיָּבֹא רֹגֶז) this is the turmoil and anguish of Yosef (דָּא רוּגְזָא וְעִרְבּוּבְיָא דְּיוֹסֵף), which was the harshest of all (דְּאִיהוּ קַשְׁיָא מִכֻּלְּהוּ), because of Ya‘akov’s love for Yosef (מִגּוֹ רְחִימוּתָא דְּיַעֲקֹב לְגַבֵּי דְּיוֹסֵף), who was the mystery of the covenant (secret deVrit) (דְּאִיהוּ רָזָא דִּבְרִית), and he went down into Egypt (עָאל בְּמִצְרַיִם). Because later it is written: (Exodus 6) “And I remembered My covenant” (וָאֶזְכֹּר אֶת בְּרִיתִי), so that the Shekhinta (Some say: sun) would be found there with him (לְאִשְׁתַּכָּחָא שְׁכִינְתָּא (נ״א: שֶׁמֶשׁ) תַּמָּן בַּהֲדֵיהּ).