Daf 186a (דַּף קפ״ו ע״א)

In him it is written (בְּאִיהוּ כְּתִיב), (Bereshit 27): “And the skins of the goats she placed on his hands and on the smooth part of his neck” (וְאֵת עוֹרוֹת גְּדָיֵי הָעִזִּים הִלְבִּישָׁה עַל יָדָיו וְעַל חֶלְקַת צַוָּארָיו). Therefore (בְּגִין כָּךְ), “And they dipped the coat in the blood” (וַיִּטְבְּלוּ אֶת הַכֻּתֹּנֶת בַּדָּם) they offered the coat as mockery (אַקְרִיבוּ לֵיהּ כֻּתּוֹנְתָּא לְאַכְּחָשָׁא לֵיהּ). And all this was measure for measure (וְכֹלָּא דָּא לָקֳבֵל דָּא). He caused it, for it is written: “And Yitzḥak trembled with very great trembling” (אִיהוּ גָּרִים, דִּכְתִיב: וַיֶּחֱרַד יִצְחָק חֲרָדָה גְּדוֹלָה עַד מְאֹד), and so they caused trembling at that moment, as it is written: “Recognize, please, is this your son’s coat or not?” (בְּגִין כָּךְ גָּרְמוּ לֵיהּ דְּחָרַד חֲרָדָה בְּהַהוּא זִמְנָא, דִּכְתִיב: הַכֶּר נָא הַכְּתֹנֶת בִּנְךָ הִיא אִם לֹא).

Rabbi Ḥiyya said (רִבִּי חִיָּיא אָמַר), concerning him it is written (בֵּיהּ כְּתִיב), (Bereshit 27): “Are you my son Esav or not?” (הַאַתָּה זֶה בְּנִי עֵשָׂו אִם לֹא). Of him it is written: “Is this your son’s coat or not?” (לֵיהּ כְּתִיב: הַכְּתֹנֶת בִּנְךָ הִיא אִם לֹא). And for this (וּבְגִין כָּךְ), Kudsha Berikh Hu is exacting with the Righteous in all they do (קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא מְדַקְדֵּק בְּהוּ בְּצַדִּיקַיָּיא בְּכָל מַה דְּאִינוּן עָבְדִין).

Rabbi Abba said (רִבִּי אַבָּא אָמַר), some say: Amar Rabbi Abba (נ״א: אֲמַר רִבִּי אַבָּא): When all the tribes saw the suffering of their father (כֵּיוָן דְּחָמוּ כֻּלְּהוּ שִׁבְטִין הַהוּא צַעֲרָא דְּאֲבוּהוֹן), they surely repented (אִתְנֶחָמוּ וַדַּאי), and they gave themselves in for Yosef (וִיהִיבוּ גַּרְמַיְיהוּ עֲלֵיהּ דְּיוֹסֵף), to redeem him in case he would be forgotten (דְּיִפְדוּן לֵיהּ, אִלְמָלֵא יִשְׁכְּחוּן לֵיהּ). When they saw they could not (כֵּיוָן דְּחָמוּ דְּלָא יָכִילוּ), they turned to Yehuda and passed leadership to him (אַהֲדָרוּ לְגַבֵּיהּ דִּיהוּדָה, וְאַעֲבָרוּ לֵיהּ מֵעֲלַיְיהוּ), because he was the king over them (בְּגִין דְּאִיהוּ הֲוָה מַלְכָּא עֲלַיְיהוּ). And then-some say: when they passed him (ס״א: וְכֵיוָן דְּ), what is written? “And it was at that time, and Yehuda went down…” (מַה כְּתִיב: וַיְהִי בָּעֵת הַהִיא וַיֵּרֶד יְהוּדָה וְגו׳).

Rabbi Yehudah opened and said (רִבִּי יְהוּדָה פָּתַח וְאֲמַר): “And Hashem thundered in the heavens, and the Most High gave forth His voice — hail and coals of fire” (Psalms 18) ( וַיַּרְעֵם בַּשָּׁמַיִם יְיָ וְעֶלְיוֹן יִתֵּן קוֹלוֹ בָּרָד וְגַחֲלֵי אֵשׁ). Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי): When the Holy One Blessed Be He created the world (כַּד בָּרָא קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא עַלְמָא), He established for it seven supports upon which it stands (אַתְקִין לֵיהּ שִׁבְעָה סְמָכִין עַל מַה דְּקָיְימָא), and all these supports stand upon one singular foundation (וְכֻלְּהוּ סְמָכִין קָיְימֵי בְּחַד סָמְכָא יְחִידָאי), and this has already been established (וְהָא אוּקְמוּהָ). As it is written (דִּכְתִיב): “Wisdoms have built her house; she has hewn her seven pillars” (Proverbs 9) (חַכְמוֹת נָשִׁים בָּנְתָה בֵיתָהּ חָצְבָה עַמּוּדֶיהָ שִׁבְעָה). And all of these stand on one level among them (וְאִלֵּין כֻּלְּהוּ אִינוּן קָיְימֵי בְּחַד דַּרְגָּא מִנַּיְיהוּ), which is called: “A Tzaddik is the foundation of the world” (דִּכְתִיב צַדִּיק יְסוֹד עוֹלָם). And the world, when it was created, was created from that place (וְעַלְמָא כַּד אִתְבְּרֵי, מֵהַהוּא אֲתַר אִתְבְּרֵי), which is the completion of the world and its perfection (דְּאִיהוּ שִׁכְלוּלָא דְּעַלְמָא, וְתִקּוּנוֹי).

That is the one point of the world and the center of all (דְּאִיהוּ חַד נְקוּדָה דְעַלְמָא, וְאֶמְצָעִיתָא דְכֹלָּא). And who is it? Zion (וּמַאן אִיהוּ, צִיּוֹן). As it is written (דִּכְתִיב): “A psalm of Asaf: God, Hashem, spoke and called the earth from the rising of the sun to its setting” (Psalms 50) (מִזְמוֹר לְאָסָף אֵל אֱלֹהִים יְיָ דִּבֶּר וַיִּקְרָא אֶרֶץ מִמִּזְרַח שֶׁמֶשׁ עַד מְבוֹאוֹ). And from where? From Zion (וּמֵאָן אֲתַר, מִצִּיּוֹן), as it is written (דִּכְתִיב): “From Zion, the perfection of beauty, God has shone forth” (Psalms 50) (מִצִּיּוֹן מִכְלַל יוֹפִי אֱלֹהִים הוֹפִיעַ). From that place which is the aspect of the perfection of complete faith, as is fitting (מֵהַהוּא אֲתַר דְּאִיהוּ סִטְרָא דְּשִׁכְלוּלָא דִּמְהֵימְנוּתָא שְׁלֵימָתָא כְּדְקָא יְאוּת)p4-1. And Zion is strong, the point of the whole world (וְצִיּוֹן תַּקִּיפוּ וּנְקוּדָה דְּכָל עַלְמָא), and from that place the whole world was perfected and made (וּמֵהַהוּא אֲתַר אִשְׁתַּכְלַל כָּל עַלְמָא וְאִתְעֲבִיד), and from within it the world is nourished (וּמִגַּוֵּיהּ כָּל עַלְמָא אִתְּזָן).

Come and see (וְתָּא חֲזֵי): “Hashem thundered in the heavens, and the Most High gave forth His voice…” (Psalms 18) (וַיַּרְעֵם בַּשָּׁמַיִם יְיָ וְעֶלְיוֹן יִתֵּן קוֹלוֹ וְגו׳). Since it already says “Hashem thundered in the heavens,” why does it then say “and the Most High gave forth His voice”? (כֵּיוָן דְּאָמַר וַיַּרְעֵם בַּשָּׁמַיִם יְיָ, אַמַּאי כְּתִיב וְעֶלְיוֹן יִתֵּן קוֹלוֹ).

Behold (הָא), here is the secret of faith (הָכָא רָזָא דִּמְהֵימְנוּתָא), and upon this is the world (ועל מה ס''א עלמא), as I said: Zion is the perfection and the beauty of the world, and the world is sustained from it (דְּאֲמִינָא דְּצִיּוֹן אִיהוּ שִׁכְלוּלָא וְשַׁפִּירוּ דְּעַלְמָא, וְעַלְמָא מִנֵּיהּ אִתְּזָן). Because these are two levels, and they are one (בְּגִין דִּתְרֵין דַּרְגִּין אִינוּן וְאִינוּן חַד): They are Zion and Yerushalayim (אִינוּן צִיּוֹן וִירוּשָׁלַם), this one is judgment and this one is mercy (דָּא דִינָא וְדָא רַחֲמֵי), and they are both one (וְתַרְוַיְיהוּ חַד), from here judgment and from here mercy (מֵהָכָא דִּינָא וּמֵהָכָא רַחֲמֵי). From above, far above, a voice emerges and is heard (מֵעֵילָא לְעֵילָא נָפְקָא קוֹל דְּאִשְׁתְּמַע). After that voice goes forth and is heard (לְבָתַר דְּהַהוּא קוֹל נָפֵק וְאִשְׁתְּמַע), judgments emerge and the paths of judgment (נָפְקֵי דִינִין וְאָרְחֵי דְדִינָא), and mercy goes forth and is distinguished from there (וְרַחֲמֵי נָפְקִין וּמִתְפָּרְשָׁן מִתַּמָּן). “And Hashem thundered in the heavens” (וַיַּרְעֵם בַּשָּׁמַיִם יְיָ), this is judgment within mercy (דָּא בֵּי דִינָא בְּרַחֲמֵי). “And Elyon”-even though He is not found and not known (וְעֶלְיוֹן, אַף עַל גַּב דְּלָא אִשְׁתַּכַּח וְלָא אִתְיְידַע), once that voice issues forth, all becomes revealed: judgment and mercy (כֵּיוָן דְּהַהוּא קוֹל נָפֵיק, כְּדֵין אִשְׁתַּכַּח כֹּלָּא: דִינָא וְרַחֲמֵי). This is what is written: “And Elyon gave forth His voice” (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב: וְעֶלְיוֹן יִתֵּן קוֹלוֹ). Once He gives His voice, then hail and coals of fire-water and fire (כֵּיוָן דְּיִתֵּן קוֹלוֹ, כְּדֵין: בָּרָד וְגַחֲלֵי אֵשׁ-מַיָּא וְאֶשָּׁא).

Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי), at the time that Yehudah was born, what is written? (בְּשַׁעְתָּא דְּאִתְיְלִיד יְהוּדָה, מַה כְּתִיב): (Bereshit 29): “And she ceased to give birth” (וַתַּעֲמֹד מִלֶּדֶת) because this is the fourth foundation from among the four that are the supernal chariots, one support from the four pillars (בְּגִין דְּדָא הוּא יְסוֹדָא רְבִיעָאָה מֵאִינוּן אַרְבַּע דְּאִינוּן רְתִיכָא עִלָּאָה-סַמְכָא חַד מֵאִינוּן אַרְבַּע סַמְכִין). What is written about him? “And it was at that time, and Yehudah went down from his brothers” (מַה כְּתִיב בֵּיהּ: וַיְהִי בָּעֵת הַהִיא וַיֵּרֶד יְהוּדָה מֵאֵת אֶחָיו), for he was king over them (דְּהֲוָה מַלְכָּא עֲלַיְיהוּ). Why? Because Yosef had gone down to Egypt, as has been said (מַאי טַעְמָא בְּגִין דְּיוֹסֵף נָחֲתוּ לֵיהּ לְמִצְרַיִם כִּדְקָאֲמָרָן). “And Yehudah saw there the daughter of a Canaanite man” (וַיַּרְא שָׁם יְהוּדָה בַּת אִישׁ כְּנַעֲנִי) but was he a Canaanite? Rather, this has been established by the Friends (וְכִי כְּנַעֲנִי הֲוָה אֶלָּא הָא אוּקְמוּהָ חַבְרַיָּיא). “And she conceived and bore a son, and he called his name Er” (וַתַּהַר וַתֵּלֶד בֵּן, וַיִּקְרָא אֶת שְׁמוֹ עֵר). Yehudah had three sons (תְּלַת בְּנִין הֲווּ לֵיהּ לִיהוּדָה), and none of them remained except one, and this was Shelah (וְלָא אִשְׁתָּאֲרוּ מִנַּיְיהוּ בַּר חַד, וְדָא הוּא שֵׁלָה).

Rabbi El‘azar, and Rabbi Yose, and Rabbi Ḥiyya were walking on the road (רִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר וְרִבִּי יוֹסֵי וְרִבִּי חִיָּיא הֲווּ אָזְלֵי בְּאָרְחָא). Rabbi Yose said to Rabbi El‘azar (אָמַר רִבִּי יוֹסֵי לְרִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר): Why is it written by the sons of Yehudah (אַמַּאי כְּתִיב בִּבְנוֹי דִּיְהוּדָה), in the first: “And he called his name Er” (בְּקַדְמָאָה: וַיִּקְרָא אֶת שְׁמוֹ עֵר), and with the other two it is written: “And she called his name Onan,” and “She called his name Shelah” (וּבִתְרֵין אָחֳרָנִין: כְּתִיב וַתִּקְרָא אֶת שְׁמוֹ אוֹנָן, וַתִּקְרָא אֶת שְׁמוֹ שֵׁלָה). He said to him (אָמַר לֵיהּ):

Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי): this passage is a supernal secret (הַאי פָּרְשְׁתָּא רָזָא עִלָּאָה אִיהוּ), and all is as it should be (וְכֹּלָּא אִיהוּ כְּדְקָא חָזֵי). “And Yehudah went down from his brothers” for the Moon was concealed (וַיֵּרֶד יְהוּדָה מֵאֵת אֶחָיו, דְּהָא אִתְכַּסְיָא סִיהֲרָא), and descended from the level of Tikkun to another level (וְנָחֲתַת מִדַּרְגָּא דְּתִקּוּנָא לְגוֹ דַּרְגָּא אָחֳרָא), wherein the serpent attached himself (דְּאִתְחַבַּר בֵּיהּ חִוְיָא), as it is said: “And he turned to a man of Adullam whose name was Ḥirah” (כְּמָה דְּאַתְּ אָמֵר: וַיֵּט עַד אִישׁ עֲדֻלָּמִי וּשְׁמוֹ חִירָה).