Daf 199b (דַּף קצ״ט ע״ב)

Another matter: “And righteousness saves from death”-this is literal Charity (דָּבָר אַחֵר, וּצְדָקָה תַּצִּיל מִמָּוֶת, דָּא צְדָקָה מַמָּשׁ), and it is in two aspects and two directions (וּבִתְרֵין גְּוָונִין אִיהוּ, וּבִתְרֵין סִטְרִין). It is called Orayta, and it is called Charity-and it is all one (קָרֵי בֵּיהּ אוֹרַיְּיתָא, וְקָרֵי בֵּיהּ צְדָקָה, וְכֹלָּא חַד).

That Jew said: “And it is called Shalom” (אָמַר הַהוּא יוּדָאָי, וְקָרֵי בֵּיהּ שָׁלוֹם). Rabbi Yose said: “So it is, indeed, that it is called Shalom” (אָמַר רִבִּי יוֹסֵי, הָכִי הוּא וַדַּאי דְּאִקְרֵי שָׁלוֹם). That Jew arose and joined him (קָם הַהוּא יוּדָאָי, וְאִשְׁתַּתַּף בַּהֲדֵיהּ), and that Jew opened and said: “He who works his land shall have abundant bread, but he who pursues vain things shall have poverty in plenty” (Proverbs 28) (פָּתַח הַהוּא יוּדָאָי וְאָמַר: עוֹבֵד אַדְמָתוֹ יִשְׂבַּע לָחֶם, וּמְרַדֵּף רֵקִים יִשְׂבַּע רֵישׁ). This verse is difficult (הַאי קְרָא קַשְׁיָא), for how could King Shlomo, who was wiser than all men, say that a man should toil in working land and follow after it and forsake eternal life? (וְכִי שְׁלֹמֹה מַלְכָּא דְּאִיהוּ חַכִּים מִכָּל בְּנֵי עַלְמָא, הֵיךְ אָמַר דְּיִשְׁתָּדַּל בַּר נָשׁ לְמִפְלַח אַרְעָא וּלְאִשְׁתַּדְּלָא אֲבַתְרֵיהּ, וְיִשְׁבּוֹק חַיֵּי עָלְמָא)? Rather, it is a secret (אֶלָּא רָזָא אִיהוּ). He opened and said: “And Hashem Elohim took the man and placed him in Gan Eden, to work it and to guard it” (Bereshit 2) (פָּתַח וְאָמַר: וַיִּקַּח יְיָ אֱלֹהִים אֶת הָאָדָם, וַיַּנִּיחֵהוּ בְּגַן עֵדֶן לְעָבְדָהּ וּלְשָׁמְרָהּ) and it has already been established that this is in the secret of offerings (וְאוּקְמוּהָ בְּרָזָא דְּקָרְבָּנִין אִיהוּ).

Come and see: “To work it”-this is the supernal King (תָּא חֲזֵי: לְעָבְדָהּ, דָּא מַלְכָּא עִלָּאָה). “And to guard it”-this is the lower King (וּלְשָׁמְרָהּ, דָּא מַלְכָּא תַּתָּאָה). The supernal world, and the lower world (עַלְמָא עִלָּאָה, וְעַלְמָא תַּתָּאָה). “To work it”-in the secret of male (דְּדָכוּרָא) (לְעָבְדָהּ בְּרָזָא דְּדָכוּרָא); “to guard it”-in the secret of Shamor (וּלְשָׁמְרָהּ בְּרָזָא דְּשָׁמוֹר). And therefore: “He who works his land”-this is Gan Eden (וּבְגִין כָּךְ: עוֹבֵד אַדְמָתוֹ, דָּא גַּן עֵדֶן), which must be worked and served (דְּאִצְטְרִיךְ לְמֶעְבַּד וּלְמִפְלַח), and to draw down blessing upon it from above (וּלְאַמְשָׁכָא לָהּ בִּרְכָּאן מִלְעֵילָא). And when blessing is bestowed and drawn down upon it from above (וּכְדֵין אִתְבָּרְכָא וְאִתְמַשְּׁכָא לָהּ בִּרְכָּאן מִלְעֵילָא), he too is blessed with it (אִיהוּ נָמֵי אִתְבָּרֵךְ בַּהֲדָהּ).

Come and see: the Kohen who blesses-he himself is blessed (תָּא חֲזֵי: דְּכַהֲנָא דִּמְבָרֵךְ, מִתְבָּרֵךְ), as it is written: “And I shall bless them” (Numbers 6) (כְּמָה דְּאַתְּ אָמֵר: וַאֲנִי אֲבָרֲכֵם). And therefore: “He who works his land shall have abundant bread”-this is the sustenance from above (וּבְגִין כָּךְ: עוֹבֵד אַדְמָתוֹ יִשְׂבַּע לָחֶם, דָּא הוּא מְזוֹנָא דִלְעֵילָא). “But he who pursues vain things”-this is one who cleaves to the Other Side (וּמְרַדֵּף רֵקִים, מַאן דְּיִתְדַּבַּק בְּסִטְרָא אָחֳרָא), for he pursues emptiness (דְּאִיהוּ מְרַדֵּף רֵקִים). “Shall have poverty”-indeed (יִשְׂבַּע רֵישׁ ודַּאי).

Rabbi Yose said: “Blessed are you, for you have merited this matter” (אָמַר רִבִּי יוֹסֵי: זַכָּאָה אַנְתְּ, דְּזָכִית לְהַאי מִלָּה). And again he opened and said the verse that follows: “A man of faithfulness shall abound in blessings” (Proverbs 28) (תּוּ פָּתַח וְאָמַר קְרָא אֲבַתְרֵיהּ: אִישׁ אֱמוּנוֹת רַב בְּרָכוֹת) this is the man in whom there is the faith of Kudsha Berikh Hu, such as Rabbi Yisa Sava (דָּא הוּא בַּר נָשׁ דִּמְהֵימְנוּתָא דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא בֵּיהּ, כְּגוֹן רִבִּי יֵיסָא סָבָא), who even though he had his meal prepared for that day, would not prepare it until he had asked for his sustenance before the Holy King (דְּאַף עַל גַּב דְּהֲוָה לֵיהּ מֵיכְלָא דְּהַהוּא יוֹמָא לְמֵיכַל, לָא הֲוָה מַתְקִין לֵיהּ עַד דְּשָׁאִיל מְזוֹנֵיהּ קַמֵּי מַלְכָּא קַדִּישָׁא). After praying his prayer and asking for his sustenance before the King, then he would prepare (לְבָתַר דְּצַלֵּי צְלוֹתֵיהּ וְשָׁאִיל מְזוֹנֵיהּ קַמֵּי מַלְכָּא, כְּדֵין הֲוָה מְתַקִּין). And he would always say: “We shall not prepare until it is given from the house of the King” (וְהֲוָה אָמַר תָּדִיר: לָא נְתַקִּין עַד דְּיִנָּתְנוּן מִבֵּי מַלְכָּא). “And he that hastens to be rich shall not go unpunished”-because he does not want to engage in Orayta (וְאָץ לְהַעֲשִׁיר לֹא יִנָּקֶה, בְּגִין דְּלָא בָּעָא לְאִשְׁתַּדְּלָא בְּאוֹרַיְּיתָא), which is life of this world and life of the world to come (דְּאִיהִי חַיֵּין דְּעַלְמָא דֵין, וְחַיֵּין דְּעַלְמָא דְּאָתֵי).

Now is the time to engage in Orayta-let us engage! (הַשְׁתָּא דְּאִיהִי שַׁעְתָּא לְאִשְׁתַּדְּלָא בְּאוֹרַיְּיתָא, נִשְׁתַּדֵּל). That man opened in the secret of dreams and said: “And Yosef remembered the dreams that he dreamed about them…” (Bereshit 42) (פָּתַח הַהוּא גַבְרָא בְּרָזָא דְּחֶלְמָא וְאָמַר: וַיִּזְכּוֹר יוֹסֵף אֶת הַחֲלוֹמוֹת אֲשֶׁר חָלַם לָהֶם וגו׳). “And Yosef remembered the dreams” why did Yosef then recall the dreams he had dreamed about them? (וַיִּזְכּוֹר יוֹסֵף אֶת הַחֲלוֹמוֹת-וְכִי יוֹסֵף אַמַּאי [נ״א: אָמַר אוֹ] אַדְכַּר לוֹן אִינוּן חֲלוֹמוֹת דְּחָלַם לְהוּ). And what would be missing if he had not recalled them, for Yosef was wise, and it is written: “Every shrewd person acts with knowledge, but a fool spreads out folly” (Proverbs 13) (וּמַה סַגְיָא לֵיהּ אִלּוּ לָא אַדְכַּר לְהוּ, דְּהָא יוֹסֵף חַכִּים הֲוָה, וּכְתִיב: כָּל עָרוּם יַעֲשֶׂה בְדָעַת וּכְסִיל יִפְרֹשׂ אִוֶּלֶת).

Rather, when he saw that they had come and bowed to him with their faces to the ground (אֲבָל, כֵּיוָן דְּחָמָא דְּאִינוּן אָתּוּ וְסָגְדֵי לֵיהּ אַפִּין עַל אַרְעָא), then he remembered what he had dreamed about them when he was with them (כְּדֵין אִדְכַּר מִמַּה דְּחָלַם לְהוּ כַּד הֲוָה עִמְּהוֹן). As it is written: “And behold, my sheaf arose and also stood upright; and behold, your sheaves surrounded it and bowed down to my sheaf” (Bereshit 37) (דִּכְתִיב: וְהִנֵּה קָמָה אֲלֻמָּתִי וְגַם נִצָּבָה, וְהִנֵּה תְּסֻבֶּינָה אֲלֻמּוֹתֵיכֶם וַתִּשְׁתַּחֲוֶינָה לַאֲלֻמָּתִי). Yosef said: at the moment that he saw his brothers bowing before him (אָמַר יוֹסֵף: בְּשַׁעְתָּא דְּחָמָא דְּכָרְעִין אֲחוֹי קַמֵּיהּ), as it is written: “And the brothers of Yosef came and bowed to him with their faces to the ground” (Bereshit 42) (דִּכְתִיב: וַיָּבֹאוּ אֲחֵי יוֹסֵף וַיִּשְׁתַּחֲווּ לוֹ אַפַּיִם אַרְצָה) then “Yosef remembered the dreams that he had dreamed” (כְּדֵין וַיִּזְכֹּר יוֹסֵף אֶת הַחֲלוֹמוֹת אֲשֶׁר חָלַם), for he saw that they were being fulfilled (דְּהָא חָמָא דְּהֲווּ קָיְימֵי [מִתְקַיְּימֵי]).

Further: “And Yosef remembered the dreams that he had dreamed”-he recalled them (תוּ, וַיִּזְכֹּר יוֹסֵף אֶת הַחֲלוֹמוֹת אֲשֶׁר חָלַם, אַדְכַּר לוֹן). For there is no forgetting before Kudsha Berikh Hu (בְּגִין דְּלֵית נַשְׁיוּ קַמֵּי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא). For a dream that is good-man must recall it and not forget it, and then it is fulfilled (דְּהָא חֶלְמָא דְּאִיהוּ טָבָא, בָּעֵי בַּר נָשׁ לְאַדְכָּרָא לֵיהּ דְּלָא יִתְנְשֵׁי, וּכְדֵין אִתְקַיֵּים). For as it is forgotten by a man, so is it forgotten from upon him (דְּהָא כְּמָה דְּאִתְנְשֵׁי קַמֵּיהּ דְּבַר נָשׁ, הָכִי אִתְנְשֵׁי עֲלֵיהּ).

Come and see: a dream that is not interpreted is like a letter that is not read (תָּא חֲזֵי: חֶלְמָא דְּלָא אִתְפַּשַּׁר, כְּאִגַּרְתָּא דְּלָא מִתְקַרְיָא). And come and see: because it is not remembered, it is as though it is not known at all (וְתָּא חֲזֵי: בְּגִין דְּלָא אִדְכַּר, כְּמַאן דְּלָא יָדַע לֵיהּ). And for this reason, one who forgets a dream and does not know it, it is not fulfilled (וְעַל דָּא, מַאן דְּאִתְנְשֵׁי מִנֵּיהּ חֶלְמָא וְלָא יָדַע לֵיהּ, לָא קָיְימָא עֲלֵיהּ לְאִתְקַיֵּימָא). And for this reason Yosef remembered his dream, so it would be fulfilled (וּבְגִין דָּא יוֹסֵף הֲוָה דָּכִיר חֶלְמֵיהּ, בְּגִין לְאִתְקַיֵּימָא) so the dream would never be forgotten from him, and he waited for it constantly (בְּגִין דְּלָא יִתְנְשֵׁי חֶלְמָא מִנֵּיהּ לְעָלַם, וְהֲוָה מְחַכֵּה לֵיהּ תָּדִיר). “And he said to them: You are spies!”-he remembered the dream (וַיֹּאמֶר אֲלֵיהֶם מְרַגְּלִים אַתֶּם-אִיהוּ דָּכִיר חֶלְמָא). But he said nothing to them, except “You are spies” (אֲבָל מִלָּה לָא אָמַר לוֹן, אֶלָּא: מְרַגְּלִים אַתֶּם).

Rabbi Yose opened and said: “For a dream comes through much occupation, and a fool’s voice through many words” (Ecclesiastes 5) (פָּתַח רִבִּי יוֹסֵי וְאָמַר: כִּי בָא הַחֲלוֹם בְּרוֹב עִנְיָן, וְקוֹל כְּסִיל בְּרוֹב דְּבָרִים). “For a dream comes through much occupation”-this has been established (כִּי בָא הַחֲלוֹם בְּרוֹב עִנְיָן-הָא אוּקְמוּהָ). For many are involved in dreams, and appointed grades upon grades (דְּכַמָּה אִינוּן סְמִיכִין בְּחֶלְמָא, וּמְמַנָּן דַּרְגִּין עַל דַּרְגִּין), until some of them are wholly true (עַד דְּחָלְמִין מִנְּהוֹן קְשׁוֹט כֻּלְּהוּ), and some have truth and falsehood within them (וּמִנְּהוֹן דְּאִית בְּהוֹן קְשׁוֹט וּכְדִיבוּ). But to the meritorious, to the righteous-only truth is revealed, never falsehood (אֲבָל לְאִינוּן זַכָּאֵי קְשׁוֹט, לָא אִתְגְּלִי לוֹן מִלִּין כְּדִיבָן כְּלוּם, אֶלָּא כֻּלְּהוּ קְשׁוֹט).