Daf 186b (דַּף קפ״ו ע״ב)

“And she conceived and bore a son, and he called his name Er” (וַתַּהַר וַתֵּלֶד בֵּן, וַיִּקְרָא אֶת שְׁמוֹ עֵר) and he was evil (Ra) (וְאִיהוּ רַע), and it is all one (וְכֹלָּא חַד), for he came from the side of the evil inclination (דְּאַתְיָא מִסִּטְרָא דְּיֵצֶר הָרָע). And because of this it is written: “and he called his name,” and not “he called his name” (וּבְגִין כָּךְ כְּתִיב: וַיִּקְרָא אֶת שְׁמוֹ, וְלֹא כְּתִיב: וַיִּקְרָא שְׁמוֹ. Of Ya‘akov it is written: “And he called his name,” for Kudsha Berikh Hu called him Ya‘akov (בְּיַעֲקֹב כְּתִיב: וַיִּקְרָא שְׁמוֹ, דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא קָרָא לֵיהּ יַעֲקֹב). But here, “et” comes to include another degraded level, a defiled impurity that was born (וְהָכָא: אֶת, לְאַסְגָּאָה דַּרְגָּא אָחֳרָא דְּזוּהֲמָא דִּמְסָאֲבָא אִתְיְלִיד), and this is Er, evil (וְדָא הוּא: עֵר, רַע), and it is all one (וְכֹלָּא חַד). Afterward, the place was not sweetened until Shelah came, who was the root of all of them (לְבָתַר לָא אִתְבַּסַּם אַתְרָא עַד דְּאֲתָא שֵׁלָה, דְּהֲוָה עִקָּרָא דְּכֻלְּהוּ). What is written? “And Er, the firstborn of Yehudah, was evil in the eyes of Hashem” (מַה כְּתִיב וַיְהִי עֵר בְּכוֹר יְהוּדָה רַע בְּעֵינֵי יְיָ). It is written here “Ra,” and it is written there (Bereshit 8): “for the inclination of man’s heart is evil from his youth” (כְּתִיב הָכָא: רַע, וּכְתִיב הָתָם: כִּי יֵצֶר לֵב הָאָדָם רַע מִנְּעֻרָיו) Evil — that sheds blood, that spills seed upon the earth (רַע דְּאוֹשִׁיד דָּמִין, אוֹשִׁיד זַרְעָא עַל אַרְעָא). And because of this: “And Hashem caused him to die” (וּבְגִין כָּךְ: וַיְמִיתֵהוּ יְיָ). What is written afterward? “And Yehudah said to Onan, go to the wife of your brother…” (מַה כְּתִיב בַּתְרֵיהּ: וַיֹּאמֶר יְהוּדָה לְאוֹנָן: בֹּא אֶל אֵשֶׁת אָחִיךָ וְגו׳).

“And Yehudah said to Onan: Go to the wife of your brother…” (וַיֹּאמֶר יְהוּדָה לְאוֹנָן: בֹּא אֶל אֵשֶׁת אָחִיךָ וְגו׳). Rabbi Shim‘on opened and said (רִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן פָּתַח וְאָמַר), (Isaiah 41): “I have roused one from the north, and he has come; from the rising of the sun shall he call in My name, and he shall come upon princes as upon mortar, and as the potter treads clay” (הָעִירוֹתִי מִצָּפוֹן וַיָּאת, מִמִּזְרַח שֶׁמֶשׁ יִקְרָא בִשְׁמִי, וְיָבֹא סְגָנִים כְּמוֹ חֹמֶר וּכְמוֹ יוֹצֵר יִרְמָס טִיט). Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי), how many are the foolish among men who do not know nor look to perceive the ways of Kudsha Berikh Hu (כַּמָּה אִינוּן בְּנֵי נָשָׁא טִפְּשִׁין דְּלָא יָדְעִין וְלָא מִסְתַּכְּלִין לְמִנְדַּע אָרְחוֹי דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא), for all are sleeping, who do not awaken the sleep from their minds (דְּהָא כֻּלְּהוּ נַיְמִין, דְּלָא מִתְעָרֵי שֵׁינְתָא בְּחוֹרֵיהוֹן).

Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי), Kudsha Berikh Hu made man (קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא עֲבַד לֵיהּ לְבַר נָשׁ), in the likeness of that which is above (כְּגַוְונָא דִּלְעֵילָא). All is in wisdom (כֹּלָּא אִיהוּ בְּחָכְמְתָא), for there is not a single limb or limb of man that does not correspond to supernal wisdom (דְּלֵית לָךְ שַׁיְפָא וְשַׁיְפָא בְּבַר נָשׁ דְּלָא קָיְימָא בְּחָכְמְתָא עִלָּאָה). For once the whole body has been properly prepared in its limbs (דְּהָא כֵּיוָן דְּאִתְתַּקַּן כָּל גּוּפָא בְּשַׁיְפוֹי כְּדְקָא יְאוּת), Kudsha Berikh Hu joined Himself with him (קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא אִשְׁתַּתַּף בַּהֲדֵיהּ) some say: strengthened Himself in him (נ״א: אִתְתַּקַּף) and instilled into him a holy Neshamah (וְאָעִיל בֵּיהּ נִשְׁמָתָא קַדִּישָׁא), in order to teach him the path of Orayta and to guard the commandments (בְּגִין לְאוֹלָפָא לֵיהּ לְבַר נָשׁ לְמֵהַךְ בְּאָרְחוֹי דְּאוֹרַיְּיתָא וּלְמִטַּר פִּקּוּדוֹי), so that man be rectified as is proper (בְּגִין דְּיִתְתַּקַּן בַּר נָשׁ כְּדְקָא יְאוּת). Some say: and furthermore (ס״א: וּבְגִין דָּא, בְּעוֹד), some say: and in addition (וּבְגִין, ס״א: וּבְעוֹד), since there is within him a holy Neshamah, it is necessary that man elevate the image of the supernal King in the world (דְּאִית בֵּיהּ נִשְׁמָתָא קַדִּישָׁא, מִבָּעֵי לֵיהּ לְבַר נָשׁ לְאַסְגָּאָה דִּיוּקְנָא דְּמַלְכָּא עִלָּאָה בְּעָלְמָא).

And this is the secret: that the river which flows and issues forth never ceases its waters (וְרָזָא דָּא: דְּהָא הַהוּא נָהָר דְּנָגִיד וְנָפִיק לָא פָּסְקָן מֵימוֹי לְעָלְמִין). And for this reason, a man must not interrupt his river and his source in this world p4-2(וְעַל דָּא מִבָּעֵי לֵיהּ לְבַר נָשׁ דְּלָא יַפְסִיק נַהֲרָא וּמְקוֹרָא דִּילֵיהּ בְּהַאי עָלְמָא) And all the time that a man does not succeed in this world-some say: and for this reason, he must not cut off his river and source in this world, and if not (וְכָל זִמְנָא דְּבַר נָשׁ לָא יַצְלַח בְּהַאי עָלְמָא, ס״א: וְעַל דָּא מִבָּעֵי לֵיהּ לְבַר נָשׁ דְּלָא יַפְסִיק נַהֲרָא וּמְקוֹרָא דִּילֵיהּ בְּהַאי עָלְמָא, וְאִי לָא) Kudsha Berikh Hu uproots him and replants him many times as before (קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא עָקַר לֵיהּ וְנָטַע לֵיהּ בְּכַמָּה זִמְנִין כְּמִלְּקַדְּמִין).

Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי), what is written? “I have roused from the north and he came” (מַה כְּתִיב: הָעִירוֹתִי מִצָּפוֹן וַיָּאת). “I have roused”-this is the arousal of the Zivug of man in this world (הָעִירוֹתִי, דָּא אִתְעֲרוּתָא דְּזִוּוּגָא דְּבַר נָשׁ בְּהַאי עָלְמָא), which is an arousal from the side of the north (דְּאִיהוּ אִתְעֲרוּתָא מִסִּטְרָא דְּצָפוֹן). “And he came”-this is the holy Neshamah that comes from above (וַיָּאת, דָּא הִיא נִשְׁמָתָא קַדִּישָׁא דְּאַתְיָא מִלְּעֵילָא), and Kudsha Berikh Hu sends it from above (וּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא מְשַׁדֵּר לָהּ מִלְּעֵילָא). It comes into this world and enters into a human being, as was said above (אַתְיָא בְּהַאי עָלְמָא וְעָאלַת בְּגוֹ בְּנֵי נָשָׁא כִּדְקָאֲמָרָן). “From the rising of the sun”-this is the place of that river which flows and goes out, from which the Neshamah emerges and becomes illuminated (מִמִּזְרַח שֶׁמֶשׁ, דָּא אֲתַר דְּהַהוּא נָהָר דְּנָגִיד וְנָפִיק דְּמִתַּמָּן נָפְקַת נִשְׁמָתָא וְאִתְנְהִירַת). “And nobles shall come” (וְיָבוֹא סְגָנִים), these are the forces of the world that come because of-some say: through-that arousal of Neshamot (אִלֵּין אִינוּן חֵילִין דְּעָלְמָא דְּאַתְיָין בְּגִין-ס״א: בְּגוֹ-הַהוּא אִתְעֲרוּתָא דְּנִשְׁמָתִין). “Like clay”-in the manner that man is stirred in the body (כְּמוֹ חֹמֶר, כְּגַוְונָא דְּאִתְעַר בַּר נָשׁ בְּגוּפָא). For because of this, Kudsha Berikh Hu makes Zivugim and sends Neshamot into the world (דְּהָא בְּגִין דָּא, קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא עָבִיד זִוּוּגִין וְאַטִּיל נִשְׁמָתִין בְּעָלְמָא), and Friendship is found above and below (וְחַבְרוּתָא אִשְׁתַּכַּח לְעֵילָא וְתַתָּא), and the source of all is (some say: shall be-blessed (וּמְקוֹרָא דְּכֹלָּא הוּא-ס״א: יְהֵא-בָּרוּךְ). And because of this, Kudsha Berikh Hu made man (וּבְגִין כָּךְ קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא עֲבַד לֵיהּ לְבַר נָשׁ), so that he would labor in His ways (בְּגִין לְאִשְׁתַּדְּלָא בְּאָרְחוֹי), and not interrupt his source and his spring forever (וְלָא יַפְסִיק מְקוֹרֵיהּ וּמַבּוּעָא דִּילֵיהּ לְעָלְמִין). And anyone who severs his source (וְכָל מַאן דְּפָסִיק מְקוֹרֵיהּ) from below, he withers it; as if, Heaven forbid, he causes its severance above (מִתַּתָּא וּמְיַבֵּשׁ לֵיהּ, כְּבִיכול כְּאִילוּ גָּרִים לֵיהּ לְאִתְפַּסְּקָא לְעֵילָא), as it is written (Job 14): “The waters depart from the sea, and the river dries and withers” (כְּדֵין: אָזְלוּ מַיִם מִנִּי יָם, וְנָהָר יֶחֱרַב וְיָבֵשׁ).

Since man was established below as a reflection of what is above (הוֹאִיל וּבַר נָשׁ אִתְתַּקֵּם לְתַתָּא כְּדוּגְמָא דְּלְעֵילָא), one who dries up his source and fails to bear fruit (מַאן דְּמְקוֹרֵיהּ יְמִישׁ מִלְּמֶעְבַּד פִּירִין) for example, one who refuses to take a wife (כְּגוֹן דֵּין דְּלָא בָּעָא לְמֵיתַב אִיתְּתָא), or one who marries her and labors but cannot (אוֹ נְסִיב לָהּ דְּאִשְׁתַּדַּל וְלָא יָכִיל) these are two opposites (אֵלּוּ דְּתְרֵין הָפְכִין אִינוּן), this from that (דָּא מִן דָּא). Some say: the one who fails to bear fruit has no repair ever (ס״א: הַהוּא דִּימִישׁ מִלְּמֶעְבַּד פִּירִין, לֵית לֵיהּ תִּקּוּנָא לְעוֹלָם), as it is written (Ecclesiastes 1): “That which is crooked cannot be made straight” (מְעֻוָּת לֹא יוּכַל לִתְקוֹן) because he did not desire to take a wife and labor in procreation (בְּגִין דְּלָא בָּעָא לְמִסַּב אִיתְּתָא וּלְאִשְׁתַּדְּלָא בִּפְרִיָּה וּרְבִיָּה). But the one who labored and married a wife and could not (וְהַהוּא דְּאִשְׁתַּדַּל וְנְסִיב אִיתְּתָא וְלָא יָכִיל), he is repaired through redemption by his brother who is close to him (דָּא מִתְתַּקֵּן בִּפְרִיקֵיהּ דְּקָרִיב לֵיהּ דְּהוּא אֲחוֹי). And the one who dies without offspring (וְהַהוּא דְּמֵית בְּלֹא בְּנִין).

When he leaves this world (כַּד נָפִיק מֵהַאי עָלְמָא), that man does not enter into the curtain (הַהוּא בַּר נָשׁ לָא עָאל בְּפַרְגּוֹדָא), and does not receive a share in that world (וְלָא נָטִיל חוּלָק בְּהַהוּא עָלְמָא), and his Neshamah is not included among the place where all Neshamot are joined (וְנִשְׁמָתֵיהּ לָא אִתְכְּלִילַת בְּאַתַּר דְּכָל נִשְׁמָתִין אִתְכְּלִילוּ), and his image is cut off from there (וְאִתְגַּזַּר דְּיוּקְנֵיהּ מִתַּמָּן). This is what is written (Leviticus 22) “And that soul shall be cut off from before Me” (הֲדָא הוּא דִּכְתִיב: וְנִכְרְתָה הַנֶּפֶשׁ הַהִיא מִלְּפָנַי). Since it is so, Kudsha Berikh Hu prepares a redemption for him (הוֹאִיל וּכְדֵין הוּא, בְּרָא לֵיהּ קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא פְּרִיק), to redeem him from the hands of the destroyers (דִּיפְרוֹק לֵיהּ מִיָּדָא דְּמְחַבְּלִין), and this is the brother who is close to him, as it is said (Deuteronomy 25): “If brothers dwell together…” (וְדָא: אֲחוֹי דְּקָרִיב לֵיהּ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: כִּי יֵשְׁבוּ אַחִים יַחְדָּו וְגו׳), and it is written: “He shall go to the wife of his brother and perform Yibbum with her…” (וְכְתִיב: בָּא אֶל אֵשֶׁת אָחִיךָ וְיִבְּמָהּ וְגו׳). Because his Neshamah did not enter before Kudsha Berikh Hu, but stood outside (בְּגִין דְּנִשְׁמָתֵיהּ לָא עָאלַת קֳמֵי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, אֶלָּא הִיא קָיְימָא לְבָר), because he did not merit to be illuminated in this world in that body (בְּגִין דְּלָא זָכָה לְאַנְהֲרָא בְּהַאי עָלְמָא בְּהַהוּא גּוּפָא). Whoever does not merit in this place (מַאן דְּלָא זָכָה בְּהַאי אֲתַר), let him go to another place and merit there (יֵהֵךְ לַאֲתַר אָחֳרָא וְיִזְכֵּי בֵיהּ), like this example: a beam that is darkened and no light rises in it (כְּגוֹנָא דָּא: אֲעָא דְּדַלִּיק וְנְהוֹרָא לָא סַלִּיק), they strike it until light rises in it and it illuminates (יִבְטְשׁוּן לֵיהּ וִיסַלֵּק נְהוֹרָא בֵיהּ וִינְהִיר). The beam is man, as it is written (Deuteronomy 20): “For man is a tree of the field” (אֲעָא הוּא אָדָם, דִּכְתִיב: כִּי הָאָדָם עֵץ הַשָּׂדֶה). Meaning: man, when he is in this world and he eats and drinks and joins with a woman but does not merit children (רָצוֹנוֹ לוֹמַר: בַּר נָשׁ, כַּד אִיהוּ בְּהַאי עָלְמָא וְאָזֵיל וְתָאֵיב וְאָכֵיל וְשָׁתֵי, וְאִזְדַּוֵּוג בְּאִתְּתָא וְלָא זָכֵי לְבְנִין), this is a beam that is burning but the light does not ascend (דָּא הוּא אֲעָא דְּדַלִּיק וְנְהוֹרָא לָא סַלִּיק), that is, his Neshamah was not purified in that body to shine forth, and it remains in darkness (כְּלוֹמַר: נִשְׁמָתֵיהּ לָא זַכְיָא בְּהַהוּא גּוּפָא לְאִתְנַהֲרָא, אֶלָּא הִיא בַּחֲשׁוֹכָא).

Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי), what is written? “He did not create it for chaos, but formed it to be inhabited” (Isaiah 45) (כְּתִיב: לֹא תֹהוּ בְּרָאָהּ, לְשֶׁבֶת יְצָרָהּ), for Kudsha Berikh Hu made man properly as we have said (דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא בְּגִין דָּא עֲבַד לֵיהּ לְבַר נָשׁ כְּדְקָא יְאוּת כְּדְאָמַרָן). And Kudsha Berikh Hu dealt kindly with the world (וּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא עֲבַד טִיבוּ עִם עָלְמָא). Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי), what is written? “And Avraham added and took a wife, and her name was Keturah” (Bereshit 25) (מַה כְּתִיב: וַיּוֹסֶף אַבְרָהָם וַיִּקַּח אִשָּׁה וּשְׁמָהּ קְטוּרָה), the secret of the Neshamah comes to be rectified as at first (רָזָא דְּנִשְׁמָתָא אָתַת לְאִתְתַּקָּנָא כְּמִלְּקַדְּמִין).

Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי), that body-what is written? “And Hashem desired to crush him, to make him ill: if his soul places itself as a guilt-offering, he shall see seed, he shall prolong his days, and the desire of Hashem shall succeed in his hand” (Isaiah 53) (מַה כְּתִיב: וַיְיָ חָפֵץ דַּכְּאוֹ הֶחֱלִי, אִם תָּשִׂים אָשָׁם נַפְשׁוֹ יִרְאֶה זֶרַע, יַאֲרִיךְ יָמִים, וְחֵפֶץ יְיָ בְּיָדוֹ יִצְלָח). “And Hashem desired to crush him”-this verse must be carefully examined (וַיְיָ חָפֵץ דַּכְּאוֹ, הַאי קְרָא אִית לְאִסְתַּכָּלָא בֵּיהּ), why was it desirable? In order that he be purified (אַמַּאי חָפֵץ בְּגִין דְּיִתְדַּכֵּי). “If his soul places itself as a guilt-offering”-it should have said: “If he places a guilt-offering” (אִם תָּשִׂים אָשָׁם, אִם יָשִׂים אָשָׁם מִבָּעֵי לֵיהּ), why “if his soul places”? Rather, the matter returns to the Neshamah (אֶלָּא לְנִשְׁמָתָא אַהֲדַר מִלָּה): if that Neshamah desires to be rectified properly (אִי הַהִיא נִשְׁמָתָא בָּעְיָא לְאִתְתַּקָּנָא כְּדְקָא יָאוֹת), “he shall see seed” (יִרְאֶה זֶרַע). For that Neshamah goes and travels and is destined to enter into that seed with which the man engaged in procreation (בְּגִין דְּהַהִיא נִשְׁמָתָא אָזְלַת וְשָׁאטַת, וְאִיהִי זְמִינָא לְעָלוֹת בְּהַהוּא זֶרַע דְּאִתְעַסַּק בָּהּ בַּר נָשׁ בִּפְרִיָּה וּרְבִיָּה), and then “he shall prolong his days” (וּכְדֵין: יַאֲרִיךְ יָמִים). “And the desire of Hashem”-this is Orayta-“shall succeed in his hand” (וְחֵפֶץ יְיָ דָּא אוֹרַיְּיתָא, בְּיָדֵיהּ אַצְלַח).

Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי), even though a man labors in Orayta day and night (אַף עַל גַּב דְּבַר נָשׁ אִשְׁתַּדַּל בְּאוֹרַיְּיתָא יְמָמָא וּלֵילְיָא), if his source and his spring do not flow within him beneficially (וּמְקוֹרֵיהּ וּמַבּוּעֵיהּ קָיְימֵי בֵּיהּ לְמַגָּנָא), he has no place to enter the curtain (לֵית לֵיהּ אֲתַר לְעָלוֹת לְפַרְגּוֹדָא). For it was said (וְהָא אִתְּמַר), the well of water-if that source and spring have not entered him (דְּבֵירָא דְמַיָּא, אִי הַהוּא מְקוֹרָא וּמַבּוּעָא לָא עָאַל בֵּיהּ), he is not a well; a well and a source are one and the same (לָאו אִיהוּ בְּאֵר, דְּבֵירָא וּמְקוֹרָא, כְּחַדָּא אִינוּן), and it is one secret (וְרָזָא חַדָּא אִיהוּ), and we have established this (וְאוֹקִימְנָא).

It is written (כְּתִיב), “In vain do you rise early, sit late, and eat the bread of sorrows-so He gives to His beloved in sleep” (Psalms 127) (שָׁוְא לָכֶם מַשְׁכִּימֵי קוּם מֵאַחֲרֵי שֶׁבֶת אוֹכְלֵי לֶחֶם הָעֲצָבִים כֵּן יִתֵּן לִידִידוֹ שֵׁנָה). Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי), how beloved are the matters of Orayta (כַּמָּה חֲבִיבִין אִינוּן מִילֵי דְּאוֹרַיְּיתָא), for every word of Orayta contains supernal, holy secrets (דְּכָל מִלָּה וּמִלָּה דְּאוֹרַיְּיתָא אִית בֵּיהּ רָזִין עִלָּאִין קַדִּישִׁין). And it was said (וְהָא אִתְּמַר) that when Kudsha Berikh Hu gave Orayta to Yisrael (דְּכַד יָהַב קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא אוֹרַיְּיתָא לְיִשְׂרָאֵל), all the supernal holy treasures were given through Orayta (כָּל גְּנִיזִין עִלָּאִין קַדִּישִׁין כֻּלְּהוּ יָהַב לְהוּ בְּאוֹרַיְּיתָא), and all were given to Yisrael at the time they received Orayta at Sinai (וְכֻּלְּהוּ אִתְיְהִיבוּ לְהוּ לְיִשְׂרָאֵל בִּשְׁעַתָּא דְּקַבִּילוּ אוֹרַיְּיתָא בְּסִינַי).

Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי), “In vain do you rise early” (Psalms 127) (שָׁוְא לָכֶם מַשְׁכִּימֵי קוּם), these are those individuals found (אִילֵין אִינוּן יְחִידִים דְּאִשְׁתַּכָּחוּ), who are not male and female properly united (דְּלָא אִינוּן דְּכַר וְנוּקְבָא כְּדְקָא יְאוּת), and who rise early in the morning for their labor (וְאַקְדְּמָן בְּצַפְרָא לַעֲבִידְתַּיְהוּ). As it is said (כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר), “There is one and not a second…” (Ecclesiastes 4) (יֵשׁ אֶחָד וְאֵין שֵׁנִי וְגו׳), and “there is no end to all his toil” (וְאֵין קֵץ לְכָל עֲמָלוֹ). “From after sitting” (מֵאַחֲרֵי שֶׁבֶת), they delay rest (מְאַחֲרִין נַיְיחָא), as it is said (כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר), “for in it He rested” (Bereshit 2) (כִּי בוֹ שָׁבַת) — because the woman, in relation to the man, is truly rest for him (בְּגִין דְּאִתְּתָא לְגַבֵּי בַּר נָשׁ אִיהִי נַיְיחָא לְגַבֵּיהּ וַדַּאי). “Eaters of the bread of sorrows” (אוֹכְלֵי לֶחֶם הָעֲצָבִים) — what is ‘bread of sorrows’? (מַאי לֶחֶם הָעֲצָבִים) When a man has children (דְּכַד בַּר נָשׁ אִית לֵיהּ בְּנִין), the bread he eats, he eats with joy and with the desire of heart (הַהוּא נַהֲמָא דְּאָכִיל, אָכִיל לֵיהּ בְּחֶדְוָה וּבִרְעוּתָא דְלִבָּא). But he who has no children (וְהַהוּא דְּלֵית לֵיהּ בְּנִין), that bread he eats is bread of sorrow (הַהוּא נַהֲמָא דְּאָכִיל אִיהוּ נַהֲמָא דַּעֲצִיבוּ).

And these are truly the eaters of the bread of sorrows (וְאִילֵּין אִינוּן אוֹכְלֵי לֶחֶם הָעֲצָבִים וַדַּאי). “So He gives to His beloved sleep” (Psalms 127) (כֵּן יִתֵּן לִידִידוֹ שֵׁנָה) — what is “He gives to His beloved”? (מַאי יִתֵּן לִידִידוֹ) This refers to one whose source is blessed (דָּא הוּא דִּמְקוֹרֵיהּ מְבָרַךְ), for Kudsha Berikh Hu gives him sleep in that world (דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא יָהַב לֵיהּ שֵׁינָה בְּהַהוּא עַלְמָא), as it is said (כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר), “You shall lie down and your sleep shall be pleasant” (Proverbs 3) ( וְשָׁכַבְתָּ וְעָרְבָה שְׁנָתֶךָ). Because he has a portion in the World to Come (בְּגִין דְּאִית לֵיהּ חוּלָקָא בְּעַלְמָא דְאָתֵי), for that man lies down and delights in that World to Come properly (בְּגִין דְּהַהוּא בַּר נָשׁ שָׁכִיב וְיִתְהַנֵּי בְּהַהוּא עַלְמָא דְאָתֵי כְּדְקָא יְאוּת). “There is one and not a second…” (Ecclesiastes 4) (יֵשׁ אֶחָד וְאֵין שֵׁנִי וְגו׳) — “There is one,” this is the man who is alone in the world (יֵשׁ אֶחָד, דָּא הוּא בַּר נָשׁ דְּאִיהוּ יְחִידָאִי בְּעַלְמָא), not alone properly (לָא יְחִידָאִי כְּדְקָא יְאוּת), but one who is without Zivug (אֶלָּא דְּאִיהוּ בְּלָא זִוּוּגָא). “And not a second” — meaning there is no support with him (וְאֵין שֵׁנִי, דְּלֵית עִמֵּיהּ סֶמֶךְ). “Also a son” — he left no continuation in Yisrael (גַּם בֵּן, דְּיוֹקִים שְׁמֵיהּ בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל לָא שָׁבַק). And a brother — he has none to bring him to Tikkun (וְאָח [אֵין לוֹ] לְאַיְיתָאָה לֵיהּ לְתִקּוּנָא).