Daf 184a (דַּף קפ״ד ע״א)

And a man found him, and behold, he was wandering in the field; and the man asked him, saying: What do you seek? (וַיִּמְצָאֵהוּ אִישׁ, וְהִנֵּה תֹעֶה בַּשָּׂדֶה, וַיִּשְׁאָלֵהוּ הָאִישׁ לֵאמֹר: מַה תְּבַקֵּשׁ). What is written above? (מַה כְּתִיב לְעֵילָא), “And Yisrael said to Yosef: Are not your brothers pasturing in Shekhem? Come, and I will send you to them” (וַיֹּאמֶר יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶל יוֹסֵף: הֲלוֹא אַחֶיךָ רֹעִים בִּשְׁכֶם, לְכָה וְאֶשְׁלָחֲךָ אֲלֵיהֶם). And was not Ya‘akov perfect, who loved Yosef more than all his sons (וְכִי יַעֲקֹב שְׁלֵימָא דְּהֲוָה רָחִים לֵיהּ לְיוֹסֵף מִכָּל בְּנוֹי), and knew that all his brothers hated him (וְהֲוָה יָדַע דְּכָל אֲחוּי הֲווּ סָנְאִין לֵיהּ)? Why did he send him to them? (אַמַּאי שַׁדַּר לֵיהּ לְגַבַּיְיהוּ). Rather, he did not suspect them (אֶלָּא אִיהוּ לָא חָשִׁיד עֲלַיְיהוּ), for he knew they were all righteous (דְּהֲוָה יָדַע דְּכֻלְּהוּ הֲווּ זַכָּאִין), and he did not suspect them (וְלָא חָשִׁיד לוֹן). Rather, Kudsha Berikh Hu caused all this (אֶלָּא גָּרִים קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא כָּל דָּא), in order to fulfill the decree made at the Covenant Between the Parts (בְּגִין לְקַיְּימָא גְּזֵרָה דְּגָזַר בֵּין הַבְּתָרִים).

We have found in early books (אַשְׁכַּחְנָא בְּסִפְרֵי קַדְמָאי), that these sons of Ya‘akov wanted to rule over him before he would descend to Egypt (דְּבָעְיָין אִלֵּין בְּנֵי יַעֲקֹב לְשַׁלְּטָאָה עֲלוֹי עַד לָא יֵחוֹת לְמִצְרַיִם). For if he would descend to Egypt (דְּאִילּוּ הוּא יֵחוֹת לְמִצְרַיִם), and they had not first ruled over him (וְאִינוּן לָא שָׁלְטוּ בֵיהּ בְּקַדְמִיתָא), the Egyptians would be able to rule forever over Yisrael (יָכְלֵי מִצְרָאֵי לְשַׁלְּטָאָה לְעָלְמִין עֲלַיְיהוּ דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל). And it was fulfilled in Yosef (וְאִתְקַיְּימָא בֵּיהּ בְּיוֹסֵף), that he was sold as a servant and they ruled over him (דְּאִזְדַּבַּן לְעַבְדָא וְאִינוּן שָׁלְטוּ עֲלוֹי). And even though Yosef became king afterward (וְאַף עַל גַּב דְּיוֹסֵף הֲוָה מַלְכָּא לְבָתַר), and the Egyptians served him (וּמִצְרָאֵי הֲווּ עָבְדִין לֵיהּ), it turned out that Yisrael ruled over all of them (אִשְׁתַּכָּחוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל דְּשָׁלְטוּ עַל כֻּלְּהוּ).

Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי): Yosef, who is the supernal covenant (דְּיוֹסֵף דְּאִיהוּ בְּרִית עִלָּאָה) as long as the covenant endured (כָּל זִמְנָא דְּאִתְקַיַּים בְּרִית), the Shekhinta was established with Yisrael in peace as fitting (שְׁכִינְתָּא אִתְקַיַּימָא בַּהֲדַיְיהוּ דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל בִּשְׁלָם כְּדְקָא יְאוּת). Once Yosef, the supernal covenant, was removed from the world (כֵּיוָן דְּאִסְתַּלַּק יוֹסֵף בְּרִית עִלָּאָה מֵעַלְמָא), then the covenant, the Shekhinta, and all Yisrael entered into exile (כְּדֵין בְּרִית שְׁכִינְתָּא וְיִשְׂרָאֵל כֻּלְּהוּ בְּגָלוּתָא נָפְקוּ). And we have established this, as it is written (שֶׁהֲא אוֹקִימְנָא דִּכְתִיב), (Exodus 1): “And there arose a new king over Egypt who did not know Yosef” (וַיָּקָם מֶלֶךְ חָדָשׁ עַל מִצְרַיִם אֲשֶׁר לֹא יָדַע אֶת יוֹסֵף). And all was by the hand of Kudsha Berikh Hu properly (וְכֹּלָּא הֲוָה מֵעִם קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא כְּדְקָא יְאוּת).

Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי), “And a man found him” (וַיִּמְצָאֵהוּ אִישׁ) this is Gavri’el (דָּא גַּבְרִיאֵ״ל), and this has been established (וְאוּקְמוּהָ). It is written here: “And a man found him” (כְּתִיב הָכָא: וַיִּמְצָאֵהוּ אִישׁ), and it is written there (Daniel 9): “And the man Gavri’el whom I saw in the vision at the beginning” (וּכְתִיב הָתָם: וְהָאִישׁ גַּבְרִיאֵל אֲשֶׁר רָאִיתִי בֶּחָזוֹן בַּתְּחִלָּה). “And behold, he was wandering” (וְהִנֵּה תוֹעֶה) in everything he was wandering (בְּכֹלָּא תּוֹעֶה), for he was searching for his brothers (דְּאַבְטַח עַל אֲחוּי), he was seeking his brothers (דְּהֲוָה מִתְבַּע אַחְוָה דִלְהוֹן), and he could not find them (וְלָא אַשְׁכַּח), he demanded them and did not find (וְתָבַע לְהוּ וְלָא אַשְׁכַּח). And for this, he was “wandering in everything” (וְעַל דָּא תּוֹעֶה בְּכֹלָּא). And because of this: “And the man asked him, saying: What do you seek?” (וְעַל דָּא: וַיִּשְׁאָלֵהוּ הָאִישׁ לֵאמֹר: מַה תְּבַקֵּשׁ). “And he said: I seek my brothers…” (וַיֹּאמֶר: אֶת אַחַי אָנֹכִי מְבַקֵּשׁ וְגו׳). “And the man said: They have traveled from here…” (וַיֹּאמֶר הָאִישׁ: נָסְעוּ מִזֶּה וְגו׳).

Rabbi Yehuda opened and said (רִבִּי יְהוּדָה פָּתַח וְאָמַר), (Song of Songs 8): “O that You were as my brother, that sucked the breasts of my mother! I would find You outside, I would kiss You, they would not despise me” (מִי יִתֶּנְךָ כְּאָח לִי, יוֹנֵק שְׁדֵי אִמִּי, אֶמְצָאֲךָ בַּחוּץ, אֶשָּׁקְךָ, גַּם לֹא יָבוֹזוּ לִי). This verse was established by the Friends (הַאי קְרָא אוּקְמוּהָ חַבְרַיָּיא), but this verse is said by Knesset Yisrael to her King, of whom is peace (אֲבָל הַאי קְרָא: כְּנֶסֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל אֲמָרוֹ לְמַלְכָּא דִּשְׁלָמָא דִילֵיהּ). “O that You were as my brother” (מִי יִתֶּנְךָ כְּאָח לִי) as Yosef to his brothers (כְּיוֹסֵף עַל אֲחוּי), who said (Bereshit 50): “And now, do not be afraid-I will sustain you and your children” (וְעַתָּה אַל תִּירָאוּ, אָנֹכִי אֲכַלְכֵּל אֶתְכֶם וְאֶת טַפְּכֶם). He gave them food and sustained them in famine (יָהַב לוֹן מְזוֹנָא וְזָן לְהוּ בְּכַפְנָא). Because of this: “O that You were as my brother to me” (בְּגִין כָּךְ: מִי יִתֶּנְךָ כְּאָח לִי).

Another matter: “O that You were as my brother to me”-this is Yosef (דָּבָר אַחֵר: מִי יִתֶּנְךָ כְּאָח לִי, דָּא יוֹסֵף), concerning the Shekhinta, with whom he was united and cleaved (לְגַבָּהּ דְּשְׁכִינְתָּא דְּאִתְאַחַד עִמָּהּ וְאִתְדַּבַּק בַּהֲדָהּ). “That sucked the breasts of my mother”-for then there was brotherhood and completeness between them (יוֹנֵק שְׁדֵי אִמִּי, דְּהָא כְּדֵין אַחְוָה וּשְׁלִימוּ בַּהֲדַיְיהוּ). “I would find You outside”-in exile, which is in a foreign land (אֶמְצָאֲךָ בַּחוּץ, גּוֹ גָּלוּתָא, דְּאִיהוּ בְּאַרְעָא אָחֳרָא). “I would kiss You”-to join spirit to spirit (אֶשָּׁקְךָ, בְּגִין לְאִתְדַּבְּקָא רוּחָא בְּרוּחָא). “Also they would not despise me”-even though I am in a foreign land (גַּם לֹא יָבוֹזוּ לִי, אַף עַל גַּב דְּאַנָא בְּאַרְעָא אָחֳרָא).

Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי), that Yosef, even though his brothers were not to him as brothers when he fell into their hands (דְּיוֹסֵף אַף עַל גַּב דְּאֲחוֹי לָא הֲווּ לֵיהּ כְּאַחִין כַּד נָפַל בִּידַיְיהוּ), he was to them as a brother when they fell into his hands (אִיהוּ הֲוָה לוֹן כְּאַחָא כַּד נָפְלוּ בִּידֵיהּ). And this has been established (וְהָא אוּקְמוּהָ), as it is written (דִּכְתִיב) (Bereshit 50): “And he comforted them and spoke to their heart” (וַיְנַחֵם אוֹתָם וַיְדַבֵּר עַל לִבָּם) in everything, he spoke to their hearts (בְּכֹלָּא דִּבֶּר עַל לִבַּיְיהוּ).

And come and see (וְתָא חֲזֵי), what is written: “And each man said to his brother” (מַה כְּתִיב: וַיֹּאמְרוּ אִישׁ אֶל אָחִיו) this is Shim‘on and Levi, who were surely brothers in all things (דָּא שִׁמְעוֹן וְלֵוִי דְּאִינוּן הֲווּ אַחִין וַדַּאי בְּכֹלָּא), because they came from the side of harsh judgment (בְּגִין דְּקָא אָתוּ מִסִּטְרָא דְדִינָא קַשְׁיָא). And therefore their rage (וּבְגִין כָּךְ רוּגְזָא דִלְהוֹן), it was a rage of killing in the world (אִיהוּ רוּגְזָא דִּקְטָלָא בְּעַלְמָא), as it is said (Bereshit 49): “Cursed be their anger, for it was fierce, and their wrath, for it was harsh” (כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר: אָרוּר אַפָּם כִּי עָז, וְעֶבְרָתָם כִּי קָשָׁתָה).

Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי), the secret of the matter (רָזָא דְמִלָּה): there is wrath and there is wrath (אִית רוּגְזָא וְאִית רוּגְזָא). There is wrath that is blessed from above and below (אִית רוּגְזָא דְּאִיהוּ מְבָרְכָא מֵעֵילָא וּמִתַּתָּא), and it is called “Blessed” (וְאִקְרֵי בָּרוּךְ), as it is said, as it is written (Bereshit 14): “Blessed be Avram to El Elyon, Possessor of heaven and earth” (כְּמָה דְאִתְּמָר: בָּרוּךְ אַבְרָם לְאֵל עֶלְיוֹן קוֹנֵה שָׁמַיִם וָאָרֶץ), and this has been established (וְהָא אוּקְמוּהָ). And there is wrath that is cursed above and below (וְאִית רוּגְזָא דְּאִיהִי אִתְלַטְיָא לְעֵילָא וְתַתָּא), as it is said, it is called “Cursed” (כְּמָה דְאִתְּמָר: דְּאִקְרֵי אָרוּר), as it is written (Bereshit 3): “Cursed are you above all cattle and all beasts of the field” (דִּכְתִיב: אָרוּר אַתָּה מִכָּל הַבְּהֵמָה וּמִכָּל חַיַּת הַשָּׂדֶה), and “Cursed be their anger” (אָרוּר אַפָּם כִּי עָז). And according to this mystery, there are two mountains, as it is written (Deuteronomy 11): “And you shall place the blessing on Mount Gerizim and the curse on Mount Eival” (וְעַל רָזָא דָּא אִית תְּרֵין טוּרִין: דִּכְתִיב: וְנָתַתָּ אֶת הַבְּרָכָה עַל הַר גְּרִיזִים, וְאֶת הַקְּלָלָה עַל הַר עֵיבָל) to correspond to these two degrees (לָקֳבֵיל אִלֵּין תְּרֵין דַּרְגִּין). And for this, one is called “Cursed” and one is called “Blessed” (וְעַל דָּא: דָּא אִקְרֵי אָרוּר, וְדָא אִקְרֵי בָּרוּךְ). And Shim‘on and Levi are from the side of harsh judgment (וְשִׁמְעוֹן וְלֵוִי אִינוּן מִסִּטְרָא דְּדִינָא קַשְׁיָא), and from the side of strong harsh judgment (וּמִן סִטְרָא דְּדִינָא קַשְׁיָא תַּקִּיפָא), issues the wrath that is cursed (נָפְקַת רוּגְזָא דְּאִתְלַטְיָא).