Daf 182b (דַּף קפ״ב ע״ב)

And this is as it is written (וְדָא הוּא כְּמָה דִכְתִיב), (Isaiah 57): “The Tzaddik perished” (הַצַּדִּיק אָבַד) “was lost” or “destroyed” is not written (אָבוּד אוֹ נֶאֱבַד לֹא נֶאֱמַר), but rather “perished” (אֶלָּא אָבַד), for blessings do not dwell except in a place where male and female are found as one (דְּלָא שַׁרְיָין בִּרְכָאן אֶלָּא בְּאֲתַר דְּאִשְׁתַּכָּחוּ דְּכַר וְנוּקְבָא כְּחֲדָא), as it is said (כְּמָה דְּאִתְּמָר). Because of this, in that time when the male was not found with her (בְּגִין דָּא בְּהַהוּא זִמְנָא דְּלָא אִשְׁתַּכַּח דְּכוּרָא בַּהֲדָהּ), then all those Neshamot that emerged (וּכְדֵין כָּל אִינוּן נִשְׁמָתִין דְּנָפְקֵי), all had change from what they were at the time when the sun was united with the Moon (כֻּלְּהוּ הֲוֵי לְהוּ שִׁנּוּיָא מִכְּמָה דְּהֲווּ בְּזִמְנָא דְּשִׁמְשָׁא אִתְחַבַּר בְּסִיהֲרָא), as it is said (כְּמָה דְּאִתְּמָר).

And for this: “These are the generations of Ya‘akov: Yosef” and so forth (וְעַל דָּא: אֵלֶּה תּוֹלְדוֹת יַעֲקֹב יוֹסֵף וְגו׳), and it is said (וְאִתְּמָר). “And he was a youth” (וְהוּא נַעַר), because Tzaddik and Tzedek are never separated, they are one (בְּגִין דְּלָא מִתְפָּרְשִׁין לְעָלְמִין, צַדִּיק וְצֶדֶק כְּחֲדָא אִינוּן), just as she is called by a masculine name (כְּמָה דְּאִיהִי אִתְקְרִיאַת בִּשְׁמָא דִדְכוּרָא), so too he is called by her name, as it is written: “And he was a youth” (הָכִי נָמֵי אִתְקְרֵי אִיהוּ בִּשְׁמָא דִילָהּ, דִּכְתִיב: וְהוּא נַעַר). “The sons of Bilhah and the sons of Zilpah” (אֶת בְּנֵי בִלְהָה וְאֶת בְּנֵי זִלְפָּה) in all of them, he constantly sustained them properly (בְּכֻלְּהוּ קָיְימָא לְחַדְתָּא לוֹן כְּדְקָא יְאוּת), and caused them to delight in his joy (וּלְאִשְׁתַּעְשְׁעָא לוֹן בְּחֶדְוָה דִילֵיהּ). For all are branches and all are ascents (דְּכֻלְּהוּ עַנְפִין וְכֻלְּהוּ עָלִין), all are blessed in his joy (כֻּלְּהוּ אִתְבָּרְכִין בְּחֶדְוָה דִילֵיהּ). “These are the generations of Ya‘akov: Yosef” (אֵלֶּה תּוֹלְדוֹת יַעֲקֹב יוֹסֵף), as it is said: that all the image of Ya‘akov was in Yosef (כְּמָה דְאִתְּמָר: דְּכָל דִּיוּקְנָא דְיַעֲקֹב הֲוָה בֵּיהּ בְּיוֹסֵף), and all that happened to this one happened to that one (וְכָל מַה דְּאֵירַע לְהַאי אֵירַע לְהַאי), and both went together as one (וְתַרְוַיְיהוּ כְּחֲדָא אָזְלֵי).

And this is the secret of the letter Vav (וְדָא הוּא רָזָא דְּאוֹת ו״ו), that they go together as one (דְּאָזְלֵי תַּרְוַיְיהוּ כְּחֲדָא), because they are one secret and one image (בְּגִין דְּאִינוּן רָזָא חָדָא וְדִיוּקְנָא חָדָא). And Yosef brought their evil report (וַיָּבֵא יוֹסֵף אֶת דִּבָּתָם רָעָה), behold, it has been established (הָא אוּקְמוּהָ) that he would say to his father about them (דְּהֲוָה אָמַר לְאֲבוֹי עֲלַיְיהוּ), that they would eat flesh torn from living animals while they were alive (דְּהֲווּ אָכְלֵי שַׁיְיפָא מִבַּעֲלֵי חַיִּין כַּד אִינוּן חַיִּין). “And Yosef brought their evil report” (וַיָּבֵא יוֹסֵף אֶת דִּבָּתָם רָעָה) now were they of the count of the sons of handmaids? (וְכִי הָא בְּמִנְיָינָא הֲווּ אִינוּן בְּנֵי שְׁפָחוֹת), how could they belittle the sons of Leah? (הֵיךְ הֲווּ מְזַלְזְלִין בְּהוֹן בְּנֵי לֵאָה), and how could they eat a limb from a living creature and transgress the command of their Master? (וְהֵיךְ הֲווּ אָכְלִין אֵבָר מִן הַחַי וְהֲווּ עָבְרִין עַל פִּקּוּדָא דְּמָארֵיהוֹן). For He commanded the sons of Noach this command (דְּהָא פַּקִּיד עַל בְּנֵי נֹחַ פִּקּוּדָא דָא), as you say (כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר), (Bereshit 9): “Only flesh with its life, its blood, you shall not eat” (אַךְ בָּשָׂר בְּנַפְשׁוֹ דָמוֹ לֹא תֹאכֵלוּ). And they were eating it and transgressing the command of their Master (וְאִינוּן הֲווּ אָכְלֵי לֵיהּ וְעָבְרִין עַל פִּקּוּדָא דְּמָארֵיהוֹן). Rather, Yosef was saying this (אֶלָּא יוֹסֵף הֲוָה קָאֲמַר), and for this he was punished (וְעַל דָּא אִתְעַנַּשׁ).

Rabbi Yehuda said (רִבִּי יְהוּדָה אָמַר): “Their evil report” (אֶת דִּבָּתָם רָעָה), as it has been established (כְּמָה דְּאוּקְמוּהָ), that they set their eyes upon the daughters of the land (דְּיַהֲבֵי עֵינַיְיהוּ בִּבְנוֹת אַרְעָא), and this is their evil report (וְדָא הוּא דִּבָּתָם רָעָה): to draw nourishment for all those impure levels (לְיַנְקָא לְכָל אִינוּן דַּרְגִּין דְּלָא קַדִּישִׁין) some say: even though (ד״א: ל״ג אַף עַל גַּב) that they come from a defiled side (דְּאַתְיָין מִסִּטְרָא מְסָאֲבָא). “And Yisrael loved Yosef more than all his sons” (וְיִשְׂרָאֵל אָהַב אֶת יוֹסֵף מִכָּל בָּנָיו), “for he was the son of his old age” (כִּי בֶן זְקֻנִים הוּא לוֹ), “and he made for him a coat of many colors” (וְעָשָׂה לוֹ כְּתֹנֶת פַּסִּים). Rabbi El‘azar opened and said (רִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר פָּתַח וְאָמַר), (Isaiah 26): “Go, My people, enter your chambers” (לֵךְ עַמִּי בֹּא בַּחֲדָרֶיךָ), “and shut your doors about you” (וּסְגֹר דְּלָתְךָ בַּעֲדֶךָ), “hide yourself for a little while until the fury passes” (חֲבִי כִּמְעַט רֶגַע עַד יַעֲבָר זַעַם). “Go, My people, enter your chambers” (לֵךְ עַמִּי בֹּא בַּחֲדָרֶיךָ).

Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי), how much Kudsha Berikh Hu loves Yisrael (כַּמָּה קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא רָחִים לוֹן לְיִשְׂרָאֵל). And because of their love (וּבְגִין רְחִימוּתָא דִּלְהוֹן), that He loves them more than all the nations (דְּרָחִים לוֹן עַל כָּל עַמִּין), idol worshippers and stargazers (עוֹבְדֵי עֲבוֹדַת כּוֹכָבִים וּמַזָּלוֹת), He warned them (אַזְהַר לוֹן), and wished to guard them in all that they do (וּבָעֵי לְנַטְרָא לוֹן בְּכָל מַה דְּאִינוּן עָבְדִין).

Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי), three times there are in the day when judgment rests upon the world (תְּלַת זִמְנִין אִית בְּיוֹמָא דְּדִינָא שַׁרְיָא בְּעַלְמָא), and when that time comes (וְכַד אָתֵי הַהוּא זִמְנָא), a man must be cautious and guard himself (מִבָּעֵי לֵיהּ לְבַר נָשׁ לְאִזְדַּהֲרָא וּלְאִסְתַּמְרָא) so that that judgment should not strike him (דְּלָא יִפְגַע בֵּיהּ הַהוּא דִינָא), and those times are known (וְאִינוּן זִמְנִין יְדִיעָן), and behold, it has been established (וְהָא אוּקְמוּהָ). Because when morning rises (בְּגִין דְּהָא כַּד סָלִיק צַפְרָא), Avraham is aroused in the world (אַבְרָהָם אִתְעַר בְּעַלְמָא), and he takes hold of judgment to bind it with him (וְאָחִיד לֵיהּ לְדִינָא לְקָשְׁרָא לֵיהּ בַּהֲדֵיהּ).

And in the course of the first three hours (וּבְשֵׁירוּתָא דִּתְלַת שָׁעֵי קַמַּיְיתָא), judgment is taken from its place (נָטִיל דִינָא מֵאַתְרִיהּ), to be aroused through Ya‘akov (לְאַתְעָרָא בֵּיהּ בְּיַעֲקֹב), until the arousal of the Minḥah prayer (עַד דְּאִתְעַר צְלוֹתָא דְמִנְחָה), which returns judgment to its place (דְּאַהֲדַר דִינָא לְאַתְרֵיהּ), and then judgment from below is aroused (וְאִתְעַר דִּינָא דִלְתַתָּא), to be connected with the judgment above (לְאִתְקַשְּׁרָא בְּדִינָא דִלְעֵילָא). For then judgment is bound with judgment (דְּהָא כְּדֵין אִתְקַשַּׁר דִּינָא בְּדִינָא), and one must beware (וּבָעֵי לְאִזְדַּהֲרָא). Furthermore, when judgment is aroused in the world (תוּ כַּד דִּינָא אִתְעַר בְּעַלְמָא), and death is found in the city (וּמוֹתָא אִשְׁתַּכַּח בְּמָתָא), a man should not walk alone in the marketplace (לָא לִיבָּעֵי לֵיהּ לְבַר נָשׁ לְמֵיהַךְ יְחִידָאָי בְּשׁוּקָא), and behold, we have established this matter (וְהָא אוֹקִימְנָא מִלֵּי).

Rather, he should enclose himself (אֶלָּא בָּעֵי לְאַסְגָּרָא גַּרְמֵיהּ), that he not go outside (דְּלָא יִפּוּק לְבַר), as was established concerning Noach (כְּמָה דְאוּקְמוּהָ בְּנֹחַ), that he enclosed himself in the ark (דְּאַסְגַּר גַּרְמֵיהּ בְּתֵיבוּתָא), so that he not be found before the destroyer (דְּלָא יִשְׁתַּכַּח קַמֵי מְחַבְּלָא). And concerning this, “Go, My people, enter your chambers” (וְעַל דָּא: לֵךְ עַמִּי בֹּא בַחֲדָרֶיךָ), enclose yourself (אַסְגַּר גַּרְמָךְ). “And shut your door behind you” (וּסְגוֹר דְּלָתְךָ בַּעֲדֶךָ), so that you not be seen by the destroyer (דְּלָא יִתְחֲזֵי קַמֵּיהּ דִּמְחַבְּלָא). “Hide for a little moment until the fury passes” (חֲבִי כִּמְעַט רֶגַע עַד יַעֲבוֹר זַעַם), for after judgment has passed, the destroyer has no permission to destroy (דְּבָתַר דְּאַעֲבַר דִּינָא לֵית לֵיהּ רְשׁוּ לִמְחַבְּלָא לְחַבָּלָא).

Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי), that Kudsha Berikh Hu (דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא), because of the love that He loves Yisrael and draws them close to Him (בְּגִין רְחִימוּתָא דְּאִיהוּ רָחִים לוֹן לְיִשְׂרָאֵל וְקָרִיב לוֹן לְגַבֵּיהּ), all other nations, worshippers of stars and constellations, hate Yisrael (כָּל שְׁאָר עַמִּין עוֹבְדֵי כּוֹכָבִים וּמַזָּלוֹת שָׂנְאִין לוֹן לְיִשְׂרָאֵל), because they are distant, and Yisrael are close (בְּגִין דְּאִינוּן מִתְרַחֲקִין וְיִשְׂרָאֵל קְרֵיבִין). And come and see (וְתָּא חֲזֵי), because of the love that Ya‘akov loved Yosef more than his brothers (בְּגִין רְחִימוּתָא דְּרָחִים יַעֲקֹב לְיוֹסֵף יַתִּיר מֵאֲחוֹי), even though they were all his brothers (אַף עַל גַּב דְּכֻלְּהוּ הֲווּ לֵיהּ אַחִין), what is written? “And they conspired against him to kill him” (מַה כְּתִיב: וַיִּתְנַכְּלוּ אוֹתוֹ לַהֲמִיתוֹ) how much more so the nations, idol worshippers and astrologers, against Yisrael (כָּל שֶׁכֵּן עַמִּין עוֹבְדֵי עֲבוֹדַת כּוֹכָבִים וּמַזָּלוֹת לְיִשְׂרָאֵל).