Daf 193a (דַּף קצ״ג ע״א)

“For great is His camp” (כִּי רַב מְאֹד מַחֲנֵהוּ), as it is said (כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר): “Is there any number to His troops?” (הֲיֵשׁ מִסְפָּר לִגְדוּדָיו) (Job 25). For how many commanders and messengers are there to Kudsha Berikh Hu (דְּכַמָּה מְמַנָּן וּשְׁלִיחָן אִית לֵיהּ לְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא), and all of them stand to accuse Yisrael (וְכֻלְּהוּ קָיְימֵי לְאַסְטָאָה עֲלַיְיהוּ דְיִשְׂרָאֵל), in order to defile them (בְּגִין לְאַסְתְּאַבָּא לְהוּ). And for this reason, Kudsha Berikh Hu presents Himself before Yisrael (וְעַל דָּא קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא אִזְדַּמַּן קַמַּיְיהוּ דְיִשְׂרָאֵל), in order to protect them (בְּגִין לְנַטְרָא לְהוּ), and they are not able to accuse them (וְלָא יָכִילוּ לְקַטְרְגָא לְהוּ). “For mighty is he that does His word” (כִּי עָצוּם עוֹשֵׂה דְבָרוֹ). Who is mighty? (מַאן עָצוּם) - This is the fortunate one who toils in the Holy Orayta by day and by night. (דָּא הוּא זַכָּאָה הַהוּא דְּאִשְׁתַּדַּל בְּאוֹרַיְּיתָא קַדִּישָׁא יְמָמָא וְלֵילֵי). Another matter: “mighty” - this is the accuser who is found before Kudsha Berikh Hu (דָּבָר אַחֵר כִּי עָצוּם, דָּא הוּא מְקַטְרְגָא דְּאִשְׁתַּכַּח קַמֵּי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא), and he is strong like iron, strong like tin (וְאִיהוּ תַּקִּיפָא כְּפַרְזְלָא תַּקִּיפָא כְּטִינָרָא). “He that does His word” - who receives permission from above and takes the soul from below (עוֹשֵׂה דְבָרוֹ, דְּנָטִיל רְשׁוּת מִלְּעֵילָא וְנָטִיל נִשְׁמָתָא מִתַּתָּא). “For great is the day of Hashem, and exceedingly awesome, and who can bear it?” (כִּי גָדוֹל יוֹם יְיָ וְנוֹרָא מְאֹד וּמִי יְכִילֶנּוּ) - for He rules over all (דְּאִיהוּ שַׁלִּיט עַל כֹּלָּא), and is supreme and mighty over all (וְעִלָּאָה וְתַקִּיפָא עַל כֻּלְּהוּ), and all are under His dominion (וְכֻלְּהוּ תְּחוֹת שָׁלְטָנֵיהּ). Fortunate are the Righteous (זַכָּאִין אִינוּן צַדִּיקִיָּיא), for Kudsha Berikh Hu is constantly pleased with them (דְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא אִתְרָעֵי בְּהוּ תָּדִיר), to merit them for the World to Come (לְזַכָּאָה לוֹן לְעַלְמָא דְאָתֵי), and to bring them joy with the rejoicing of the Righteous, who are destined to rejoice in Kudsha Berikh Hu (וּלְמֶחֱדֵי לְהוּ בְּחֵידוּ דְצַדִּיקִיָּיא דִּזְמִינִין לְמֶחֱדֵי בֵּיהּ בְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא). As it is written: “And let all who take refuge in You rejoice, forever they will shout for joy, and You will shelter them; and those who love Your Name will exult in You” (דִּכְתִיב: וְיִשְׂמְחוּ כָל חוֹסֵי בָךְ לְעוֹלָם יְרַנֵּנוּ וְתָסֵךְ עָלֵימוֹ וְיַעְלְצוּ בְךָ אֹהֲבֵי שְׁמֶךָ) (Psalms 5).

Blessed is Hashem forever, amen and amen (בָּרוּךְ יְיָ לְעוֹלָם אָמֵן וְאָמֵן)

Parashat Miketz

nd it came to pass at the end (וַיְהִי מִקֵּץ), Rabbi Ḥiyya opened and said (רִבִּי חִיָּיא פָּתַח וְאָמַר): “He set an end to darkness, and to every limit He searches it out-the stone of darkness and shadow of death” (קֵץ שָׂם לַחֹשֶךְ וּלְכָל תַּכְלִית הוּא חוֹקֵר אֶבֶן אֹפֶל וְצַלְמָוֶת) (Job 28). This verse was spoken (הַאי קְרָא אִתְּמָר): “He set an end to darkness” (קֵץ שָׂם לַחֹשֶךְ) - this is the end of the left side (דָּא אִיהוּ קֵץ דִּשְׂמָאלָא), which roams through the world (דְּאִיהוּ שָׁאט בְּעָלְמָא), and roams above (וְשָׁאט לְעֵילָא), and stands before Kudsha Berikh Hu (וְקָיְימָא קַמֵּי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא), and obscures and accuses the world (וְאַסְטֵי, וְקַטְרִיג עַל עַלְמָא). And this has been said already (וְהָא אִתְּמָר). “And to every limit He searches it” (וּלְכָל תַּכְלִית הוּא חוֹקֵר), for all his actions are not for good (דְּהָא כָּל עוֹבָדוֹי לָא אִינוּן לְטַב), but rather for destruction continually and to bring ruin upon the world (אֶלָּא לְשֵׁיצָאָה תָּדִיר וּלְמֶעְבַּד כְּלָיָה בְּעָלְמָא). “A stone of darkness and shadow of death” (אֶבֶן אֹפֶל וְצַלְמָוֶת), this is the stumbling stone (דָּא אֶבֶן נֶגֶף), upon which the guilty stumble (דְּבָהּ כָּשְׁלִין חַיָּיבִין), and it stands in that which is called (וְקָיְימָא בְּהַאי דְאִקְרֵי), “A land of thick darkness, as darkness itself” (אֶרֶץ עֵפָתָהּ כְּמוֹ אֹפֶל) (Job 10).

Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי): there is a land of life above (אִית אֶרֶץ חַיִּים לְעֵילָא), and that is Eretz Yisrael (וְהַאי אִיהוּ אֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל). Some say: there is a land below called “darkness and shadow of death” (ד״א וְאִית אֶרֶץ לְתַתָּא וְנִקְרָא: אֹפֶל וְצַלְמָוֶת), darkness that comes from a land of gloom (אֹפֶל דְּנַפְקָא מֵאֶרֶץ עֵפָתָה). What is “a stone of darkness and shadow of death”? (מַאי אֶבֶן אֹפֶל וְצַלְמָוֶת) - this is the “End” that is from the side of darkness (דָּא הוּא קֵץ דְּאִיהוּ מִסִּטְרָא דְּחָשֶׁךְ), the filth of gold (זוּהֲמָא דְּדַהֲבָא), and this has already been said (וְהָא אִתְּמָר).

Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי): how many opportunities are there for people to contemplate the service of Kudsha Berikh Hu (כַּמָּה אִית לְבוֹנֵי נָשָׁא לְאִסְתַּכָּלָא בְּפוּלְחָנָא דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא), and to toil in the Orayta day and night (וּלְאִשְׁתַּדְּלָא בְּאוֹרַיְּיתָא יְמָמָא וְלֵילֵי), so they may know and behold His service (בְּגִין דְּיִנְדְּעוּן וְיִסְתַּכְּלוּן בְּפוּלְחָנֵיהּ). For the Orayta proclaims every day before a person and says (דְּהָא אוֹרַיְּיתָא אִיהִי מַכְרְזָא בְּכָל יוֹמָא קַמֵּיהּ דְּבַר נָשׁ וְאָמְרָה): “Whoever is simple, let him turn in here; one who lacks heart, she says to him…” (מִי פֶתִי יָסוּר הֵנָּה, חֲסַר לֵב וְאָמְרָה לוֹ) (Proverbs 9). And we have already established these matters (וְהָא אוֹקִימְנָא מִלֵּי). And when a person labors in the Orayta and cleaves to it (וְכַד בַּר נָשׁ אִשְׁתַּדַּל בְּאוֹרַיְּיתָא וְאִתְדָּבַּק בָּהּ), he merits to be strengthened in the Tree of Life (זָכֵי לְאִתְתַּקְפָא בְּאִילָנָא דְחַיֵּי), as it is written: “A tree of life…” (דִּכְתִיב: עֵץ חַיִּים וְגו׳) (Proverbs 3).

Come and see (וְתָּא חֲזֵי): when a person is strengthened in the Tree of Life in this world (כַּד בַּר נָשׁ אִתְתַּקַּף בְּאִילָנָא דְחַיֵּי בְּהַאי עַלְמָא), he is strengthened in it in the World to Come (אִתְתַּקַּף בֵּיהּ לְעַלְמָא דְאָתֵי). For when souls depart from this world (דְּהָא כַּד נִשְׁמָתִין נָפְקִין מֵהַאי עַלְמָא), thus are levels prepared for them in the World to Come (הָכִי אִתְתַּקְּנָן לְהוּ דַּרְגִּין לְעַלְמָא דְאָתֵי).

Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי): the Tree of Life (אִילָנָא דְחַיֵּי) is expressed through many levels, separated one from another, and all are one (אִיהוּ בְּכַמָּה דַרְגִּין מִתְפָּרְשָׁן דָּא מִן דָּא, וְכֻלְּהוּ חַד). For in the Tree of Life there are levels, one above the other (דְּהָא בְּאִילָנָא דְחַיֵּי אִית דַּרְגִּין אִלֵּין עַל אִלֵּין): branches, leaves, shells (some say: foliage), the trunk of the tree, and the roots (עַנְפִין, וְעָלִין, קְלִיפִין [ס״א נוֹפָא], גּוּפָא דְאִילָנָא, שָׁרָשִׁין). And all of it is one tree (וְכֹלָּא הוּא אִילָנָא). In this likeness, whoever labors in the Orayta is rectified and strengthened in the Tree of Life (כְּגַוְונָא דָא, כָּל מַאן דְּאִשְׁתַּדַּל בְּאוֹרַיְּיתָא, אִיהוּ אִתְתַּקַּן וְאִתְתַּקַּף בְּאִילָנָא דְחַיֵּי).