Parashat Vayigash

Daf 205b (דַּף ר״ה ע״ב)

nd Yehudah approached him, etc. (וַיִּגַּשׁ אֵלָיו יְהוּדָה וְגו') Rabbi El'azar opened: “For You are our Father; for Avraham did not know us and Yisrael did not recognize us. You, Hashem, are our Father; our Redeemer from eternity is Your Name” (רִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר פָּתַח כִּי אַתָּה אָבִינוּ כִּי אַבְרָהָם לֹא יָדְעָנוּ וְיִשְׂרָאֵל לֹא יַכִּירֶנּוּ אַתָּה יי אָבִינוּ גּוֹאֲלֵנוּ מֵעוֹלָם שְׁמֶךָ) (Isaiah 63). This verse has been established, but come and see (הַאי קְרָא אוּקְמוּהָ, אֲבָל תָּא חֲזֵי): When Kudsha Berikh Hu created the world (כַּד בָּרָא קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא עַלְמָא), every day He performed His works appropriately (כָּל יוֹמָא וְיוֹמָא, עָבִיד עֲבִידְתָּא כְּדְקָא חָזֵי), each day according to what was required (בְּכָל יוֹמָא וְיוֹמָא כְּמָה דְּאִצְטְרִיךְ). Once the sixth day came, and it was required to create man (כֵּיוָן דְּאָתָא יוֹמָא שְׁתִיתָאָה וְאִצְטְרִיךְ לְמִבְרֵי אָדָם), Orayta came before Him (אָתַת אוֹרַיְיתָא קַמֵּיהּ). She said before Kudsha Berikh Hu (אָמְרָה קַמֵּי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא): This man whom You desire to create (הַאי אָדָם דְּאַתָּ בָּעֵי לְמִבְרֵי), he is destined to provoke You (זַמִּין הוּא לְאַרְגָּזָא קַמָּךְ). Were it not that You are long-suffering in wrath, it would be better that he not be created (אִלְמָלֵא לָא תַאֲרִיךְ רוּגְזָא, טַב לֵיהּ דְּלָא יִתְבְּרֵי). Kudsha Berikh Hu said to her (אָמַר לָהּ קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא): And is it for nothing that I am called “long-suffering”? (וְכִי לְמַגָּנָא אִתְקְרֵינָא אֶרֶךְ אַפַּיִם). Rather, all was created through Orayta (אֶלָּא, כֹּלָּא בְּאוֹרַיְיתָא אִתְבְּרֵי), and all was completed through Orayta (וְכֹלָּא בְּאוֹרַיְיתָא אִשְׁתַּכְלַל). For before Kudsha Berikh Hu created the world (בְּגִין דְּעַד לָא בָּרָא קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא עַלְמָא), all the letters came before Him (אַתְיָין כָּל אַתְוָון קַמֵּיהּ), and each entered in reverse order (וְעָאלוּ כָּל חַד וְחַד לְמַפְרֵעַ).

The letter Tav entered (עָאֳלַת תי״ו). She said before Him (אָמְרָה קַמֵּיהּ): Is it Your will to create the world through me? (רְעוּתָךְ לְמִבְרֵי בִּי עַלְמָא) He said to her, No (אָמַר לַהּ לָאו), for through you many Righteous are destined to die, as it is written (דְּבָךְ זְמִינִין כַּמָּה צַדִּיקַיָּא לְמֵימַת, דִּכְתִיב): “And mark a Tav on the foreheads of the men…” (וְהִתְוֵיתָ תָּיו עַל מִצְחוֹת הָאֲנָשִׁים וְגו') (Ezekiel 9). And we have learned: “Begin from My Sanctuary” (וְתָנִינָן, דִּכְתִיב וּמִמִּקְדָּשִׁי תָּחֵלוּ), do not read “My Sanctuary” but “My Sanctified Ones” (אַל תִּקְרֵי מִמִּקְדָּשִׁי, אֶלָּא מִמְקוּדָּשַׁי). And therefore the world shall not be created through you (וּבְגִין כָּךְ עַלְמָא לָא יִתְבְּרֵי בָּךְ).

Three letters entered-Shin, Kuf, Reish-each one alone (עָאלוּ תְּלַת אַתְוָון, שִׁי״ן, קוּ״ף, רֵי״שׁ, כָּל חַד וְחַד בִּלְחוֹדוֹי). Kudsha Berikh Hu said to them (אָמַר לְהוּ קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא): You are not worthy to create the world through you (לָאו אַתּוּן כְּדַאי לְמִבְרֵי בְּכוּ עַלְמָא), for you are the letters through which sheqer (falsehood) is formed (דְּהָא אַתּוּן אַתְוָון דְּאִתְקְרֵי בְּכוּ שֶׁקֶר), and sheqer (falsehood) is not fit to stand before Me (וְשֶׁקֶר לָאו אִיהוּ כְּדַאי לְמֵיקַם קַמַּאי), and this has been established (וְהָא אוּקְמוּהָ). And the letters Peh and Tzadi entered, and so did all of them, until they reached the letter Kaf (וְעָלוּ פּ״א צַד״י, וְכֵן כֻּלְּהוּ, עַד דְּמָטוּ אַתְוָון לְאָת כ״ף). When Kaf descended from above the crown (כֵּיוָן דְּנָחַת כ״ף מֵעַל כִּתְרָא), all the upper and lower realms trembled, etc. (אִזְדַּעְזָעוּ עִלָּאֵי וְתַתָּאֵי כו׳), until all was resolved through the letter Bet (עַד דְּאִתְקַיֵּים כְּלָא בְּאָת בֵּי״ת), for she is the sign of blessing (דְּאִיהוּ סִימָן בְּרָכָה), and through her the world was completed and created (וּבֵיהּ אִשְׁתָּכְלַל עַלְמָא וְאִתְבְּרֵי). And if you say (וְאִי תֵימָא), that Alef is the first of all the letters (דְּאַל״ף אִיהוּ רֵישָׁא דְּכָל אַתְוָון), it is not proper (לֹא יָאוֹת אִיהוּ). Rather, because it is contained in “cursed” (אֶלָּא בְּגִין דְּאִתְקְרֵי בֵּיהּ אָרוּר), therefore the world was not created with it (וּבְגִין דָּא לָא אִתְבְּרֵי בֵּיהּ עַלְמָא), even though Alef is the letter of supernal secret (אַף עַל גַּב דְּאַל״ף אִיהוּ אָת דְּרָזָא עִלָּאָה). Because one should not give place to the other side, which is called “cursed” (בְּגִין דְּלָא לְמֵיהַב דּוּכְתָּא לְסִטְרָא אָחֳרָא דְּאִקְרֵי אָרוּר), the world was not created with it (לָא אִתְבְּרֵי בֵּיהּ עַלְמָא). And the world was completed with Bet (וְאִשְׁתַּכְלַל בְּבֵי״ת עַלְמָא), and with it the world was created (וּבֵיהּ אִתְבְּרֵי).

Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי): “For You are our Father” (כִּי אַתָּה אָבִינוּ) because this world was completed and created through this level (בְּגִין דְּהַאי עַלְמָא, בְּהַאי דַרְגָּא אִשְׁתַּכְלַל וְאִתְבְּרֵי). And man was created in it (וּבַר נַשׁ בֵּיהּ אִתְבְּרֵי), and entered the world (וְנָפַק לְעַלְמָא). “For Avraham did not know us” (כִּי אַבְרָהָם לֹא יְדָעָנוּ) for although the world’s endurance was in him (דְּהָא אַף עַל גַּב דְּבֵיהּ קִיּוּמָא דְעַלְמָא), he did not occupy himself with us as he did with Yishma‘el (לֹא אִשְׁתַּדַּל עֲלָן, כְּמָה דְאִשְׁתַּדַּל עַל יִשְׁמָעֵאל).

For he said: “Would that Yishma‘el might live before You” (דְּאָמַר לוּ יִשְׁמָעֵאל יִחְיֶה לְפָנֶיךָ) (Bereshit 17). “And Yisrael did not recognize us” (וְיִשְׂרָאֵל לֹא יַכִּירֶנּוּ) because for all the blessings that he had to give to his sons, he left this level to bless them all (בְּגִין דְּכָל בִּרְכָּאן דְּאִצְטְרִיךְ לְבָרְכָא לִבְנוֹי, שָׁבַק לְהַאי דַרְגָּא לְבָרְכָא כֻּלְּהוּ). “You, Hashem, are our Father” (אַתָּה יי אָבִינוּ) for You are constantly present for us to bless us and to watch over us (דְּהָא אַנְתְּ קָיְימַת עֲלָן תָּדִיר לְבָרְכָא, וּלְאַשְׁגָּחָא עֲלָן), like a father who watches over his children in all that they need (כְּאַבָּא דְאַשְׁגַּח עַל בְּנִין בְּכָל מַה דְּאִצְטְרִיךְ לוֹן). “Our Redeemer from eternity is Your Name” (גּוֹאֲלֵנוּ מֵעוֹלָם שְׁמֶךָ) for You are the Redeemer, as the Redeeming Angel is called (דְּהָא אַנְתְּ הוּא גּוֹאֵל, דְּהָכִי אִתְקְרֵי הַמַּלְאָךְ הַגּוֹאֵל). And this is “Our Redeemer from eternity is Your Name”-Your Name indeed (וְדָא גּוֹאֲלֵנוּ מֵעוֹלָם שְׁמֶךָ, שְׁמֶךָ וַדַּאי).

We have learned (תָּנִינָן): one does not interrupt between Ge’ulah and Tefillah (אֵין מַפְסִיקִין בֵּין גְּאוּלָּה לִתְפִלָּה), just as one does not interrupt between the hand tefillin and the head tefillin (כְּמָה דְלָא מַפְסִיקִין בֵּין תְּפִלָּה שֶׁל יַד לִתְפִלָּה שֶׁל רֹאשׁ). For one must show that all is one (דְּבָעֵי לְמֶחֱזֵי דְּכֹלָּא חַד), and this has been established (וְהָא אוּקְמוּהָ).

Rabbi Yitzḥak and Rabbi Yehudah were sitting one night and studying Orayta (רִבִּי יִצְחָק וְרִבִּי יְהוּדָה הֲווּ יַתְבֵי לֵילְיָא חַד וְלָעָאן בְּאוֹרַיְיתָא). Rabbi Yitzḥak said to Rabbi Yehudah (אָמַר רִבִּי יִצְחָק לְרִבִּי יְהוּדָה): Have we not learned that when Kudsha Berikh Hu created the world (הָא תָּנִינָן דְּכַד בָּרָא קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא עַלְמָא), He made the lower world in the likeness of the upper world (עֲבַד עַלְמָא תַּתָּאָה כְּגַוְונָא דְּעַלְמָא עִלָּאָה)? And all this was to correspond this to that (וְכֹלָּא דָּא לָקֳבֵל דָּא). He called it glory above and below (וְאִיהוּ יְקָרֵיהּ לְעֵילָא וְתַתָּא).

Rabbi Yehudah said, So it surely is (אָמַר רִבִּי יְהוּדָה, הָכִי הוּא וַדַּאי). And He created man above all (וּבָרָא אָדָם עַל כֹּלָּא), as it is written: “I made the earth and created man upon it” (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב אָנֹכִי עָשִׂיתִי אֶרֶץ וְאָדָם עָלֶיהָ בָּרָאתִי) (Isaiah 40). “I made the earth”-surely (אָנֹכִי עָשִׂיתִי אֶרֶץ וַדַּאי). Why did I make the earth? Because “man upon it I created” (מַאי טַעְמָא עָשִׂיתִי אֶרֶץ, בְּגִין דְּאָדָם עָלֶיהָ בָּרָאתִי), for he is the existence of the world (דְּאִיהוּ קִיּוּמָא דְעַלְמָא), to make all whole as one (לְמֶהֱוֵי כֹּלָּא בִּשְׁלִימוּ חַד). He opened and said (פָּתַח וְאָמַר): “Thus says the El Hashem, Creator of the heavens and stretcher of them, spreader of the earth and its offspring, Giver of soul to the people upon it and spirit to those who walk in it” (יְשַׁעְיָה מ״ב: כֹּה אָמַר הָאֵל יי בּוֹרֵא הַשָּׁמַיִם וְנוֹטֵיהֶם רוֹקַע הָאָרֶץ וְצֶאֱצָאֶיהָ נוֹתֵן נְשָׁמָה לָעָם עָלֶיהָ וְרוּחַ לַהוֹלְכִים בָּהּ) (Isaiah 42).

This verse has been established, but (הַאי קְרָא אוּקְמוּהָ, אֲבָל): “Thus says the El Hashem, Creator of the heavens and stretcher of them”-this is Kudsha Berikh Hu above above (כֹּה אָמַר הָאֵל יי בּוֹרֵא הַשָּׁמַיִם וְנוֹטֵיהֶם, דָּא קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לְעֵילָא לְעֵילָא), for He is the Creator of the heavens, and prepares them continually in every time (דְּאִיהוּ בּוֹרֵא הַשָּׁמַיִם, וְאַתְקִין לֵיהּ תָּדִיר בְּכָל זִמְנָא). “Spreader of the earth and its offspring”-this is the holy land, bundle of life (רוֹקַע הָאָרֶץ וְצֶאֱצָאֶיהָ, דָּא אַרְעָא קַדִּישָׁא, צְרוֹרָא דְּחַיֵּי). “Giver of soul to the people upon it”-this land is she who gives soul, etc. (נוֹתֵן נְשָׁמָה לָעָם עָלֶיהָ. דָּא הִיא דְּיַהֲבָה נְשָׁמָה וְגו׳).

Rabbi Yitzḥak said (אָמַר רִבִּי יִצְחָק): All is from above (כֹּלָּא אִיהוּ לְעֵילָא), for from there comes the soul of life to this earth (דְּהָא מִתַּמָּן נָפְקָא נִשְׁמָתָא דְּחַיֵּי לְהַאי אֶרֶץ). And this earth receives the soul to give to all (וְהַאי אֶרֶץ נָקְטָא נִשְׁמָתָא לְמֵיהַב לְכֹּלָּא). For that river which flows and issues forth (בְּגִין דְּהַהוּא נָהָר דְּנָגִיד וְנָפִיק), it gives and brings souls to this earth (אִיהוּ יָהִיב וְעָיִיל נִשְׁמָתִין לְהַאי אֶרֶץ), and she receives them and gives to all (וְאִיהוּ נָקְטָא לוֹן וְיָהֲבָא לְכֹּלָּא).

Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי): When Kudsha Berikh Hu created man (כַּד בָּרָא קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לֵיהּ לְאָדָם), He gathered his dust from the four sides of the world (אַכְנִישׁ עַפְרֵיהּ מֵאַרְבַּע סִטְרִין דְּעַלְמָא), and formed his body below in the place of the Sanctuary (וְעֲבַד גַּרְמֵיהּ בְּאֲתַר דְּמַקְדְּשָׁא לְתַתָּא), and drew upon him the soul of life from the upper Sanctuary (וְאַמְשִׁיךְ עֲלֵיהּ נִשְׁמָתָא דְּחַיֵּי מִבֵּי מַקְדְּשָׁא לְעֵילָא).