Daf 197b (דַּף קצ״ז ע״ב)

And Come and see (וְתָּא חֲזֵי): once Yosef was lost from his father (כֵּיוָן דְּאִתְאֲבִיד יוֹסֵף מֵאֲבוֹי), Ya'akov lost that additional spirit he had (יַעֲקֹב אָבִיד הַהוּא תּוֹסֶפֶת רוּחָא דְּהֲוָה לֵיהּ), and the Shekhinta departed from him (וְאִסְתַּלְּקַת מִנֵּיהּ שְׁכִינְתָּא). Later what is written? “And the spirit of Ya'akov their father revived” (לְבָתַר מַה כְּתִיב: וַתְּחִי רוּחַ יַעֲקֹב אֲבִיהֶם) (Bereshit 45). Was he dead until now? (וְכִי עַד הַשְׁתָּא מִית הֲוָה) Rather, that additional spirit departed from him (אֶלָּא: הַהוּא תּוֹסֶפֶת רוּחָא), the Shekhinta had left him (אִסְתַּלַּק מִנֵּיהּ שְׁכִינְתָּא), and was no longer within him (וְלָא הֲוָה בְּגַוֵּיהּ), because the sorrow he held within caused it to depart (בְּגִין דְּעִצְבוֹנָא דְּהֲוָה בֵיהּ גָּרְמָא לֵיהּ - [ס״א דְּלָא] לָא הֲוָה רוּחֵיהּ בְּקִיּוּמֵיהּ). Therefore: “And the spirit of Ya'akov their father revived” (וּבְגִין כָּךְ: וַתְּחִי רוּחַ יַעֲקֹב אֲבִיהֶם). And here it is written: “And Ya'akov saw” (וְהָכָא: וַיַּרְא יַעֲקֹב) - until now he had not received the glad tidings, so how did he know? (דְּעַד כְּעָן לָא אִתְּבַּשַּׂר, מְנָא הֲוָה יָדַע) Rather, “And Ya'akov saw” - that he saw all the dwellers of the land going down to Egypt and bringing grain (אֶלָּא: וַיַּרְא יַעֲקֹב - דְּחָמָא לְכָל דַּיְירֵי אַרְעָא דְּאָזְלֵי לְמִצְרַיִם וּמַיְיתָן עִיבּוּרָא), as it is written: “And Ya'akov saw” (הֲדָא הוּא דִּכְתִיב: וַיַּרְא יַעֲקֹב).

Rabbi Yitzḥak said (רִבִּי יִצְחָק אָמַר): Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי), King David merited to be joined with the patriarchs (דָּוִד מַלְכָּא זָכָה לְאִתְחַבְּרָא בַּאֲבָהָן), and he inherited his place among them (וְיָרִית דּוּכְתֵּיהּ בְּגַוַּיְיהוּ). This is what is written: “The stone that the builders rejected became the cornerstone” (הֲדָא הוּא דִּכְתִיב: אֶבֶן מָאֲסוּ הַבּוֹנִים הָיְתָה לְרֹאשׁ פִּנָּה) (Psalms 118).

Rabbi Yisa and Rabbi Ḥizkiyah were traveling from Kappotkiya to Lod (רִבִּי יֵיסָא וְרִבִּי חִזְקִיָּה הֲווּ אָזְלֵי מִקַּפְּוֹטְקִיָּא לְלוֹד), and with them was a certain Jew with a small jug of wine (וְהֲוָה עִמְּהוֹן חַד יְהוּדָאִי בְּמָטוּל דְּקַפְטִירָא דְּחַמְרָא). While they were going (עַד דְּהֲווּ אָזְלֵי), Rabbi Yisa said to Rabbi Ḥizkiyah (אָמַר רִבִּי יֵיסָא לְרִבִּי חִזְקִיָּה): open your mouth and say one of those precious words of Orayta (אַפְתַּח פּוּמָךְ וְאֵימָא חַד מִלָּה מֵאִינוּן מִילֵי מַעַלְיָיתָא דְּאוֹרַיְּיתָא), which you say every day before the Holy Luminary (דְּאַתְּ אֲמֵר בְּכָל יוֹמָא קַמֵּי בּוּצִינָא קַדִּישָׁא). He opened and said (פָּתַח וְאֲמַר): “Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace” (דְּרָכֶיהָ דַרְכֵי נוֹעַם וְכָל נְתִיבוֹתֶיהָ שָׁלוֹם) (Proverbs 3). “Her ways are ways of pleasantness” - these are the paths of the Orayta (דְּרָכֶיהָ דַרְכֵי נוֹעַם, אִלֵּין אָרְחִין דְּאוֹרַיְּיתָא).

For whoever walks in the ways of the Orayta, Kudsha Berikh Hu places upon him the sweetness of the Shekhinta (דְּמַאן דְּאָזִיל בְּאָרְחֵי דְּאוֹרַיְּיתָא, קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא אַשְׁרֵי עֲלֵיהּ נְעִימוּתָא דִּשְׁכִינְתָּא), which never departs from him (דִּי לָא תַעֲדֵי מִנֵּיהּ לְעָלְמִין). “And all her paths are peace” (וְכָל נְתִיבוֹתֶיהָ שָׁלוֹם) - all the pathways of the Orayta are peace (דְּכֻלְּהוּ נְתִיבִין דְּאוֹרַיְּיתָא כֻּלְּהוּ שְׁלָם): peace above, peace below (שְׁלָם לֵיהּ לְעֵילָא, שְׁלָם לֵיהּ לְתַתָּא); peace in this world, peace in the World to Come (שְׁלָם לֵיהּ בְּעָלְמָא דֵין, שְׁלָם לֵיהּ בְּעָלְמָא דְּאָתֵי). That Jew said (אָמַר הַהוּא יוּדָאָי): “A coin in a jug is found in this verse” (אִיסִירָא [אַסְתְּרָא] בְּקִיסְטְרָא בְּהַאי קְרָא אִשְׁתַּכַּח). They said to him: “From where do you have this?” (אָמְרוּ לֵיהּ: מִנַּיִן לָךְ). He said to them: “From my father I heard it, and I have learned a good word here from this verse” (אָמַר לוֹן: מֵאַבָּא שְׁמַעְנָא, וְאוֹלִיפְנָא הָכָא בְּהַאי קְרָא מִלָּה טָבָא). He opened and said (פָּתַח וְאֲמַר): this verse is in two colors, and on two sides (הַאי קְרָא בִּתְּרֵין גְּוָונִין אִיהוּ, וּבִתְּרֵין סִטְרִין): it calls it derakhim (ways), and it calls it netivot (paths) (קָרֵי בֵּיהּ דְּרָכִים, וְקָרֵי בֵּיהּ נְתִיבוֹת); it calls it no‘am (pleasantness), and it calls it shalom (peace) (קָרֵי בֵּיהּ נֹעַם, וְקָרֵי בֵּיהּ שָׁלוֹם). Who is “ways,” and who is “paths”? Who is “pleasantness,” and who is “peace”? (מַאן דְּרָכִים, וּמַאן נְתִיבוֹת מַאן נֹעַם, וּמַאן שָׁלוֹם)

Rather: “Her ways are ways of pleasantness” - this is as written: “Who places a path in the sea” (אֶלָּא: דְּרָכֶיהָ דַּרְכֵי נֹעַם - הַיְינוּ דִּכְתִיב: הַנּוֹתֵן בַּיָּם דָּרֶךְ) (Isaiah 43). For wherever the Orayta is called derekh (way), it is an open path for all (דְּהָא בְּכָל אֲתַר דְּאִקְרֵי בְּאוֹרַיְּיתָא דֶּרֶךְ - הוּא אוֹרַח פְּתִיחָא לְכֹלָּא), like this path that is open to every person (כְּהַאי אָרְחָא דְּאִיהוּ פְּתִיחַ לְכָל בַּר נָשׁ). So too: “Her ways are ways of pleasantness” - these are the ways that are opened from the patriarchs (כָּךְ: דְּרָכֶיהָ דַּרְכֵי נֹעַם - אִילֵין דְּרָכִים דְּאִינוּן פְּתִיחָן מֵאֲבָהָן), which were inscribed in the great sea (דְּכָרָאן בְּיַמָּא רַבָּא), and enter into it, and from them the paths branch out to all sides and all directions of the world (וְעָאלִין בְּגַוֵּיהּ, וּמֵאִינוּן אוֹרְחִין מִתְפַּתְּחִין לְכָל עֵיבַר וּלְכָל סִטְרֵי עָלְמָא). And this No‘am - this is the pleasantness that flows from the World to Come (וְהַאי נֹעַם, הוּא נְעִימוּ דְּנָפַק מֵעָלְמָא דְּאָתֵי). And from the World to Come all lamps shine (וּמֵעָלְמָא דְּאָתֵי נָהֲרִין כָּל בּוּצִינִין), and they are distributed to all sides (וּמִתְפַּרְשִׁין לְכָל עֵיבַר). And that goodness and that light of the World to Come (וְהַהוּא טִיבוּ וְהַהוּא נְהוֹרָא דְּעָלְמָא דְּאָתֵי), which the Patriarchs draw upon themselves - that is called No‘am (דְּיָנְקִין [נ״א דִּירְתִּין] אֲבָהָן, אִקְרֵי נֹעַם).

Another matter: the World to Come is called No'am [Pleasantness] (דָּבָר אַחֵר, עָלְמָא דְּאָתֵי אִקְרֵי נֹעַם), and when the World to Come is aroused, all joy and all goodness and all light and all freedom of the world are aroused (וְכַד אִתְעַר עָלְמָא דְּאָתֵי, כָּל חֵידוּ וְכָל טִיבוּ וְכָל נְהוֹרִין וְכָל חֵירוּ דְּעָלְמָא אִתְעַר), and for this reason it is called No'am [Pleasantness] (וּבְגִינֵי כָּךְ אִקְרֵי נֹעַם). And for this reason we have learned (וְעַל דָּא תָּנִינָן): the guilty in Gehinom - at the time Shabbat enters, they all find rest (חַיָּיבִין דְּגֵיהִנֹּם, בְּשַׁעְתָּא דְּעָאל שַׁבָּתָא, נָיְיחִין כֻּלְּהוּ), and they have freedom and repose (וְאִית לְהוּ חֵירוּת וְנַיְיחָא). When Shabbat departs, we must arouse supernal joy upon us (בְּשַׁעְתָּא דְּנָפִיק שַׁבָּתָא, אִית לָן לְאִתְעָרָא חֵידוּ עִלָּאָה עֲלָנָא), so as to be delivered from that punishment of the guilty that resumes from that time on (דְּנִשְׁתֵּזִיב מֵהַהוּא עוֹנָשָׁא דְּחַיָּיבַיָּא דְּאִתְדָּנוּ [ס״א דְּאַהֲדָרוּ] מֵהַהִיא שַׁעְתָּא וּלְהָלְאָה). And we must arouse and say: “And let the pleasantness of Hashem our God be upon us” (וְאִית לָן לְאִתְעָרָא וְלֵימָא: וִיהִי נֹעַם יְיָ אֱלֹקֵינוּ עָלֵינוּ) (Psalms 90).

This is the supernal No‘am, the joy of all (דָּא הוּא נֹעַם עִלָּאָה, חֵידוּ [ס״א חֵירוּ] דְּכֹלָּא), and on this is written: “Her ways are ways of pleasantness” (וְעַל דָּא: דְּרָכֶיהָ דַּרְכֵי נֹעַם). “And all her paths are peace” - who are “her paths”? (וְכָל נְתִיבוֹתֶיהָ שָׁלוֹם, מַאן נְתִיבוֹתֶיהָ) These are the trails that go out from above (אִלֵּין אִינוּן שְׁבִילִין דְּנָפְקִין מִלְּעֵילָא), and all of them are held by the Covenant of Oneness (וְכֻלְּהוּ נָקִיט לוֹן בְּרִית יְחִידָאִי), which is called Shalom (שֶׁהוּא אִקְרֵי שָׁלוֹם), the peace of the house (שְׁלָמָא דְּבֵיתָא). And it brings them into the great sea when it is in its strength (וְאָעִיל לוֹן לְיַמָּא רַבָּא כַּד אִיהוּ בְּתוּקְפֵיהּ), and then gives it peace (וּכְדֵין יָהִיב לֵיהּ שְׁלָמָא). This is what is written: “And all her paths are peace” (הֲדָא הוּא דִּכְתִיב: וְכָל נְתִיבוֹתֶיהָ שָׁלוֹם) (Proverbs 3).

Come and see: Yosef was the Covenant of Peace (תָּא חֲזֵי: יוֹסֵף בְּרִית שָׁלוֹם הֲוָה), and in Egypt he was king and ruler over the land (וְהֲוָה בְּמִצְרַיִם מַלְכָּא, וְשַׁלִּיט עַל אַרְעָא). But Ya'akov, since the Shekhinta departed from him, did not know (וְיַעֲקֹב, בְּגִין דְּאִסְתַלַּק מִנֵּיהּ שְׁכִינְתָּא, לָא הֲוָה יָדַע). Yet despite all that, Ya'akov had brokenness (וְעִם כָּל דָּא, יַעֲקֹב הֲוָה לֵיהּ תַּבְרָא), because he needed to obtain grain in Egypt (בְּגִין לְמִזְבַּן עִיבּוּרָא בְּמִצְרַיִם). And he saw that he was broken above brokenness - that his sons would go down to Egypt (וְחָמָא דְּאִיהוּ תְּבִירָא עַל תְּבִירָא, דְּיֵחֲתוּן בְּנוֹי לְמִצְרַיִם). And it is written: “And Ya'akov said to his sons, why do you appear as if gazing?” (וַיֹּאמֶר יַעֲקֹב לְבָנָיו לָמָה תִּתְרָאוּ), meaning: do not let your bodies appear as if full, but rather like hungry men (בְּגִין דְּלָא תַּחֲמוּן גּוּפַיְיכוּ אֶלָּא כִּרְעֵבִין, כְּגוּבְרִין דְּלֵית לוֹן שָׂבְעָא).

Rabbi Ḥizkiyah said (אָמַר רִבִּי חִזְקִיָּה): surely this is a secret here (וַדַּאי רָזָא הָכָא). For in every time when there is suffering in the world, a person should not show himself in the marketplace (דְּהָא בְּכָל זִמְנָא דְּצַעֲרָא אִיהוּ בְּעָלְמָא, לָא בָּעֵי בַּר נָשׁ לְאַחֲזָאָה גַּרְמֵיהּ בְּשׁוּקָא), so as not to be caught in his guilt (בְּגִין דְּלָא יִתָּפֵס בְּחוֹבוֹי). And therefore he said: “Why do you appear?” - and this has already been explained (וְעַל דָּא אָמַר: לָמָה תִּתְרָאוּ, וְהָא אִתְּמָר).