Daf 196a (דַּף קצ״ו ע״א)

Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי): when Yosef began to speak to Pharaoh (יוֹסֵף כַּד שָׁרָא לְמַלָּלָא לְפַרְעֹה), what is written? “Elohim will answer the peace of Pharaoh” (מַה כְּתִיב: אֱלֹהִים יַעֲנֶה אֶת שְׁלוֹם פַּרְעֹה) (Bereshit 41). Rabbi Yehuda said (אָמַר רִבִּי יְהוּדָה): this has been stated (הָא אִתְּמָר): Kudsha Berikh Hu has compassion for the peace of kingship (דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא חָס עַל שְׁלָמָא דְּמַלְכוּתָא), as it is said: “And He commanded them concerning the children of Yisrael and concerning Pharaoh king of Egypt” (כְּמָה דְּאַתְּ אָמֵר: וַיְצַוֵּם אֶל בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וְאֶל פַּרְעֹה מֶלֶךְ מִצְרַיִם) (Exodus 6); and this has been established (וְאוּקְמוּהָ).

Rabbi Ḥiyya said (רִבִּי חִיָּיא אָמַר): Pharaoh wanted to test Yosef (פַּרְעֹה בָּעָא לְנַסָּאָה לֵיהּ לְיוֹסֵף), and he changed the dream (וְאַחְלַף לֵיהּ חֶלְמָא). But Yosef, because he knew the levels (וְיוֹסֵף בְּגִין דְּהֲוָה יָדַע דַּרְגִּין), looked into every detail (אִסְתַּכַּל בְּכָל מִלָּה וּמִלָּה), and said: “This is how you saw” - every matter in its proper order (וְאָמַר: כָּךְ חֲמִיתָא, כָּל מִלָּה וּמִלָּה כְּדְקָא חָזֵי). This is what is written: “And Pharaoh said to Yosef: After Elohim has made all this known to you, there is none so discerning and wise as you” (הֲדָא הוּא דִּכְתִיב: וַיֹּאמֶר פַּרְעֹה אֶל יוֹסֵף: אַחֲרֵי הוֹדִיעַ אֱלֹהִים אוֹתְךָ אֶת כָּל זֹאת, אֵין נָבוֹן וְחָכָם כָּמוֹךָ) (Bereshit 41). “After Elohim has made known…” - after you were there at the time you saw the dream, you were present (אַחֲרֵי הוֹדִיעַ אֱלֹהִים - אַחֲרַי הֲוֵית בְּהַהִיא שַׁעְתָּא דַּחֲלָמִית חֶלְמָא, תַּמָּן הֲוֵית שְׁכִיחַ). Therefore he said (Some say: truly, if you knew all this, how did you know its interpretation? (וּבְגִין כָּךְ אָמַר [ס״א: אֱמֶת אֶת כָּל זֹאת יָדַעְתָּ, וְאֵיךְ יָדַעְתָּ פִּשְׁרָיהָ]): “You knew the dream, how it was, and you knew its interpretation” (אֶת כָּל זֹאת יָדַעְתְּ חֶלְמָא הֵיךְ הֲוָה, וְיָדַעְתָּ פִּשְׁרֵיהּ).

Rabbi Yitzḥak said (אָמַר רִבִּי יִצְחָק): If so, Yosef said the entire dream and its interpretation, just like Daniel who said the dream and its meaning (אִי הָכִי, יוֹסֵף אָמַר כֹּלָּא - חֶלְמָא וּפִשְׁרָא, כְּדָנִיֵּאל דְּאָמַר: חֶלְמָא וּפִשְׁרֵיהּ). He said to him: not so (אָמַר לֵיהּ: לָאו הַאי כְּהַאי). Yosef inferred from Pharaoh’s speech, which he spoke in known levels (יוֹסֵף אִסְתַּכַּל מִגּוֹ מִלּוּלָא דְּפַרְעֹה דְּהֲוָה אָמַר בְּדַרְגִּין יְדִיעָן), and saw that he was mistaken, and corrected him (וְחָמָא לֵיהּ דְּקָא טָעָה, וְאָמַר לֵיהּ: לָאו הָכִי, אֶלָּא הָכִי הוּא), because the levels come in their order (בְּגִין דְּדַרְגִּין כְּסִדְרָן אַתְיָין). But Daniel did not infer anything from Nevukhadnetzar’s words (אֲבָל דָּנִיֵּאל לָא אִסְתַּכַּל מִגּוֹ מִלּוּלָא דִּנְבוּכַדְנֶצַּר כְּלוּם), and he told him the entire dream and its interpretation (וְכֹּלָּא קָאָמַר לֵיהּ: חֶלְמָא וּפִשְׁרֵיהּ). What is written regarding Daniel? “Then was the secret revealed to Daniel in a night vision” (מַה כְּתִיב בְּדָנִיֵּאל: אֱדַיִן לְדָנִיֵּאל בְּחֶזְוָא דִּי לֵילְיָא רָזָא גֲלִי בְּחֶזְוָא דִּי לֵילְיָא) - (Daniel 2). What is this “night vision”? (מַאן חֶזְוָא דִּי לֵילְיָא) This is Gavri’el (דָּא גַּבְרִיאֵל), who is the visionary of visions from within visions (דְּאִיהוּ חֶזְוָא - חֵיזוּ מִן חֵיזוּ).

Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי): what is written? “And behold, the glory of the Elohim of Yisrael was coming from the way of the east, and His voice was like the sound of many waters, and the earth shone with His glory” (מַה כְּתִיב: וְהִנֵּה כְּבוֹד אֱלֹקֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל בָּא מִדֶּרֶךְ הַקָּדִים וְקוֹלוֹ כְּקוֹל מַיִם רַבִּים וְהָאָרֶץ הֵאִירָה מִכְּבוֹדוֹ) (Ezekiel 43). What is written after? “And the appearance was like the appearance that I had seen when I came to destroy the city, and like the appearances that I had seen at the River Kevar, and I fell upon my face” (מַה כְּתִיב בַּתְרֵיהּ: וּכְמַרְאֵה הַמַּרְאֶה אֲשֶׁר רָאִיתִי בְּבֹאִי לְשַׁחֵת אֶת הָעִיר וּמַרְאוֹת כַּמַּרְאֶה אֲשֶׁר רָאִיתִי אֶל נְהַר כְּבָר וָאֶפֹּל עַל פָּנָי). All these appearances (כָּל אִלֵּין מַרְאוֹת) - they are six (אִינוּן שִׁית), which are visions and revelations of sight (דְּאִינוּן מַרְאוֹת וְחֵיזוּ דְּחֶזְוָא). Vision has the capacity to reveal supernal colors (חֵיזוּ אִית לֵיהּ לְאִתְחֲזָאָה בֵּיהּ גְּוָונִין דִּלְעֵילָא), and they appear through that vision (וְאִתְחֲזוּן בְּהַהוּא חֵיזוּ). And there is a vision within a vision, and a vision to a vision, one upon another (וְאִית חֵיזוּ לְחֵיזוּ, וְחֵיזוּ לְחֵיזוּ, דָּא עַל דָּא).

And all of them exist in known and governing levels (וְכֻלְּהוּ קָיְימִין בְּדַרְגִּין יְדִיעָן וְשָׁלְטֵי), and are called night visions (וְאִקְרוּן חֵיזוּ דְּלֵילְיָא), and through them all the dreams of the world are interpreted (וּבְהוּ מִתְפָּרְשִׁין כָּל חֶלְמִין דְּעָלְמָא), and these resemble their supernal pattern (וְאִלֵּין אִינוּן כְּגַוְונָא דִּלְעֵילָא עֲלַיְיהוּ). And for this reason, to Daniel, in a night vision the secret was revealed (וּבְגִין כָּךְ: דָּנִיֵּאל בְּחֶזְוָא דְּלֵילְיָא רָזָא גֲלִי). “It is revealed” is not written, but rather “the secret was revealed” (אִתְגְּלִי לָא כְּתִיב, אֶלָּא רָזָא גֲלִי) - one of these levels (חַד מֵאִלֵּין דַּרְגִּין) revealed to him that dream and its interpretation (גַּלֵּי לֵיהּ הַהוּא חֶלְמָא וּפִשְׁרֵיהּ). But Yosef, from within Pharaoh’s words (אֲבָל יוֹסֵף מִגּוֹ מִלּוֹי דְּפַרְעֹה), looked into supernal levels and spoke accordingly (אִסְתַּכַּל בְּדַרְגִּין עִלָּאִין וְקָאֲמַר). And for this reason (וּבְגִין כָּךְ), He appointed him over all the land of Egypt (פַּקְדֵיהּ עַל כָּל אַרְעָא דְּמִצְרַיִם), because Kudsha Berikh Hu - from that which was Yosef’s - gave to him (בְּגִין דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, מִדִּילֵיהּ דְּיוֹסֵף קָא יָהִיב לֵיהּ).

A mouth that did not kiss transgression - it is written: “At your mouth shall all my people kiss” (פּוּמָא דְּלָא נָשַׁק לַעֲבֵירָה, כְּתִיב: וְעַל פִּיךָ יִשַּׁק כָּל עַמִּי) (Bereshit 41).

A hand that did not approach sin - it is written: “He placed it on Yosef’s hand” (יָדָא דְּלָא קָרִיב לַעֲבֵירָה, כְּתִיב: וַיִּתֵּן אוֹתָהּ עַל יַד יוֹסֵף).

A neck that did not incline to sin - “He placed a golden chain upon his neck” (צַוָּאר דְּלָא קָרִיב לַעֲבֵירָה, כְּתִיב: וַיָּשֶׂם רְבִיד הַזָּהָב עַל צַוָּארוֹ).

A body that did not approach sin - “He clothed him in garments of fine linen” (גוּפָא דְּלָא קָרִיב לַעֲבֵירָה: וַיַלְבֵּשׁ אֹתוֹ בִּגְדֵי שֵׁשׁ). A foot that did not tread in sin - “He rode him in the second chariot” (רֶגֶל דְּלָא רָכִיב לַעֲבֵירָה: כְּתִיב: וַיַּרְכֵּב אֹתוֹ בְּמִרְכֶּבֶת הַמִּשְׁנֶה אֲשֶׁר לוֹ). A thought that did not devise evil - he is called “discerning and wise” (הַמַּחֲשָׁבָה דְּלָא חָשַׁב, נִקְרָא נָבוֹן וְחָכָם). A heart that did not meditate sin - “They called before him Avrekh” (לֵב שֶׁלֹּא הִרְהֵר: וַיִּקְרְאוּ לְפָנָיו אַבְרֵךְ) (Bereshit 41). And all of it was given from his own (וְכֹלָּא מִדִּילֵיהּ נָטַל). What is written? “And Yosef went out from before Pharaoh and passed through all the land of Egypt” (מַה כְּתִיב: וַיֵּצֵא יוֹסֵף מִלִּפְנֵי פַרְעֹה וַיַּעֲבֹר בְּכָל אֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם) (Bereshit 41). Rabbi Ḥizkiyah said (אָמַר רִבִּי חִזְקִיָּה): What is the reason it says “and he passed through all the land of Egypt”? (מַאי טַעְמָא: וַיַּעֲבוֹר בְּכָל אֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם) - in order to assert his dominion, that it be proclaimed before him as such (בְּגִין לְשַׁלְטָאָה, דְּמַכְרְזֵי קַמֵּיהּ הָכִי), and to gather produce in every place (וּבְגִין לְמִכְנַשׁ עִבּוּרָא בְּכָל אֲתַר וַאֲתַר).

Rabbi El‘azar said (רִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר אָמַר): Yosef gathered grain in every place so that it would not rot (כָּנַשׁ יוֹסֵף עִיבּוּר בְּכָל אֲתַר, בְּגִין דְּלָא יִתְרַקַּב). Rabbi Shim‘on said (אָמַר רִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן): Everything that Kudsha Berikh Hu does is for the purpose of revolving Gilgulim (כָּל מַה דְּעֲבַד קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, כֹּלָּא אִיהוּ לְגַלְגְּלָא גִּלְגּוּלִין), for He desires to uphold what is destined (בְּגִין דְּבָעֵי לְקָיְימָא קִיּוּמָא).

Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי): when Kudsha Berikh Hu created the world (כַּד בָּרָא קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא עַלְמָא), He brought forth all that the world would need beforehand (אַיְיתֵי כָּל מַה דְּאִצְטְרִיךְ עַלְמָא בְּקַדְמִיתָא), and afterward brought man into the world, and he found sustenance (וּלְבָתַר אַיְיתֵי לֵיהּ לְבַר נָשׁ לְעַלְמָא, וְאַשְׁכַּח מְזוֹנָא). In this manner (כְּגַוְונָא דָא), Kudsha Berikh Hu said to Avraham (קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא אָמַר לְאַבְרָהָם): “Know surely that your seed will be a stranger in a land not theirs… and afterwards they shall go out with great possessions” (יָדוֹעַ תֵּדַע כִּי גֵּר יִהְיֶה זַרְעֲךָ בְּאֶרֶץ לֹא לָהֶם… וְאַחֲרֵי כֵן יֵצְאוּ בִּרְכוּשׁ גָּדוֹל) (Bereshit 15). When Yosef came to the land of Egypt (כַּד אֲתָא יוֹסֵף לְאַרְעָא דְמִצְרַיִם), there was no “great possessions” found there (לָא אִשְׁתְּכַח בָּהּ רְכוּשׁ גָּדוֹל). He revolved Gilgulim and brought famine upon the world (גִּלְגֵּל גִּלְגוּלִין, וְאַיְיתֵי כַּפְנָא עַל עַלְמָא), and all the world brought their silver and gold to Egypt (וְכָל עַלְמָא הֲווּ מַיְיתִין כַּסְפָּא וְדַהֲבָא לְמִצְרַיִם), and the whole land of Egypt was filled with silver and gold (וְאִתְמְלֵי כָל אַרְעָא דְמִצְרַיִם כַּסְפָּא וְדַהֲבָא). After all the “great possessions” were arranged (לְבָתַר דְּאִתְתַּקַּן כֹּלָּא רְכוּשׁ גָּדוֹל), He brought Ya'akov to Egypt (אַיְיתֵי יַעֲקֹב לְמִצְרַיִם).