Daf 206b (דַּף ר״ו ע״ב)

Another matter (דָּבָר אַחֵר): “For behold, the kings assembled” (כִּי הִנֵּה הַמְּלָכִים נוֹעֲדוּ) this is Yehudah and Yosef (דָּא יְהוּדָה וְיוֹסֵף), who were brought together to dispute with one another (דְּאִזְדַּמְּנוּ לְאִתְוַכְּחָא דָּא עִם דָּא), to contend both as one (לְאִתְוַכְּחָא תַּרְוַויְיהוּ כְּחֲדָא). Because Yehudah was a king and Yosef was a king (בְּגִין דִּיהוּדָה הֲוָה מֶלֶךְ, וְיוֹסֵף הֲוָה מֶלֶךְ), and both came as one to argue (וְתַרְוַויְיהוּ אָתוּ כְּחֲדָא לְאִתְוַכְּחָא דָּא עִם דָּא): this one for Binyamin, and that one for Binyamin (דָּא עַל בִּנְיָמִן, וְדָא עַל בִּנְיָמִן). “For behold, the kings…”-Rabbi Yehudah said (כִּי הִנֵּה הַמְּלָכִים… אָמַר רִבִּי יְהוּדָה): this is a secret of faith (רָזָא דִּמְהֵימְנוּתָא הָכָא).

For when Desire is found, and the binding is crowned as one (דְּהָא כַּד רְעוּתָא אִשְׁתַּכַּח, וְקִשּׁוּרָא אִתְעַטַּר כְּחֲדָא), then two worlds are joined and readied as one (כְּדֵין תְּרֵין עָלְמִין מִתְקַשְּׁרָן כְּחֲדָא וְאִזְדַּמְּנָן כְּחֲדָא): this one to open the treasury, and that one to gather and collect within (דָּא לְאַפְתָּחָא אוֹצָרָא, וְדָא לְלַקְּטָא וּלְמִכְנַשׁ בְּגַוֵּיהּ). And then: “For behold, the kings assembled” (וּכְדֵין כִּי הִנֵּה הַמְּלָכִים נוֹעֲדוּ) two holy worlds: the upper world and the lower world (תְּרֵין עָלְמִין קַדִּישִׁין, עַלְמָא עִלָּאָה וְעַלְמָא תַּתָּאָה). “They passed on together” (עָבְרוּ יַחְדָּיו) this is the secret of the matter (רָזָא דְּמִלָּה): when they are united as one (דְּכַד מִתְחַבְּרָן כְּחֲדָא), then “they passed on together” (כְּדֵין עָבְרוּ יַחְדָּיו). Because all punishments of the world are not passed over to be subdued until they are united as one (בְּגִין דְּכָל חִיּוּבִין דְּעַלְמָא לָא אִתְעַבְרָן לְאִתְכַּפְיָא, עַד דְּמִתְחַבְּרָן כְּחֲדָא), as it is written: “And He passes over transgression” (כְּדִכְתִיב וְעוֹבֵר עַל פֶּשַׁע). And for this: “They passed on together” (וְעַל דָּא עָבְרוּ יַחְדָּיו). Passed on-the sins were subdued (עָבְרוּ, אִינוּן חוֹבִין אִתְכַּפָּרוּ), because then all faces shine (בְּגִין דְּהָא כְּדֵין כָּל אַנְפִּין נְהִירִין), and all sins are passed away (וְכָל חוֹבִין אִתְעֲבָרוּ).

Rabbi Ḥiyya said (רִבִּי חִיָּיא אָמַר): This secret is in the Tikkun of the offering (רָזָא דָא בְּתִקּוּנָא דְּקָרְבָּנָא אִיהוּ). For when an offering is brought and all are satisfied (דְּהָא כַּד קָרְבָּנָא אִתְקְרִיב וְכֹלָּא מִסְתַּפְּקִין), and each one according to what is proper for him (וְכָל חַד וְחַד כְּדְקָא חָזֵי לֵיהּ), then all is bound as one (כְּדֵין אִתְקַשַּׁר כֹּלָּא כְּחֲדָא), and all faces shine (וְכָל אַנְפִּין נְהִירִין), and one binding is found (וְקִשּׁוּרָא חַד אִשְׁתַּכַּח). And then “the kings assembled” and were joined as one (וּכְדֵין הַמְּלָכִים נוֹעֲדוּ וְאִזְדַּמְּנוּ כְּחֲדָא), to atone for sins (לְכַפָּרָא עַל חוֹבִין), to pass over them (לְאַעֲבָרָא עֲלַיְיהוּ). And then “the kings assembled,” and were bound together (וְאִתְקַשְּׁרָן כְּחֲדָא). “They passed on together” (עָבְרוּ יַחְדָּיו) to illuminate all faces and to make all desire as one (לְאַנְהָרָא כָּל אַנְפִּין, וּלְמֶהֱוֵי כֹּלָּא רְעוּתָא חָדָא). “They saw and so they marveled” (הֵמָּה רָאוּ כֵּן תָּמָהוּ) you might think this refers to those kings (סַלְקָא דַעְתָּךְ דְּאִינוּן מְלָכִים). Rather, it refers to those lords of judgment (אֶלָּא אִלֵּין מָארֵיהוֹן דְּדִינִין), whose joy it is to execute the judgment they were appointed over (דְּחֶדְוָה דִילְהוֹן לְמֶעְבַּד הַהוּא דִינָא דְּאִתְפַּקְּדוּ עֲלֵיהּ). And when the kings assemble both in one desire (וּכְדֵין, כַּד מְלָכִים אִזְדַּמְּנוּ תַּרְוַויְיהוּ בִּרְעוּתָא חָדָא), then “they saw” that desire of the two worlds (כְּדֵין הֵמָּה רָאוּ הַהוּא רְעוּתָא דִתְרֵין עָלְמִין), “so they marveled, were dismayed, hastened away” (כֵּן תָּמָהוּ נִבְהֲלוּ נֶחְפָּזוּ) because all masters of judgment are subdued and passed from the world (בְּגִין דְּכֻלְּהוּ מָארֵי דְּדִינָא אִתְכַּפְיָין וּמִתְעַבְּרָן מֵעַלְמָא), and are unable to rule (וְלָא יָכְלֵי לְשַׁלְּטָאָה). And then their endurance is removed, their dominion passed away (וּכְדֵין מִתְעַבְּרִין קִיּוּמֵיהוֹן, מְעַבְּרִין שָׁלְטָנְהוֹן).

Rabbi El‘azar said (רִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר אָמַר): “And Yehudah approached him” (וַיִּגַּשׁ אֵלָיו יְהוּדָה) why Yehudah? (מַאי טַעְמָא יְהוּדָה) Because so it was needed, for he was the guarantor (בְּגִין דְּהָכִי אִצְטְרִיךְ, דְּאִיהוּ עָרַב), as it is said: “For your servant became surety for the lad” (כְּמָא דְאַתְּ אָמֵר, כִּי עַבְדְּךָ עָרַב אֶת הַנַּעַר) (Bereshit 44). And the secret of the matter: Yehudah and Yosef had to draw near to each other (וְרָזָא דְמִלָּה, יְהוּדָה וְיוֹסֵף הָכִי אִצְטְרִיכוּ לְאִתְקָרְבָא כְּחֲדָא), because Yosef is the Tzaddik, and Yehudah is the king (בְּגִין דְּיוֹסֵף אִיהוּ צַדִּיק, יְהוּדָה אִיהוּ מֶלֶךְ). And because of this: “And Yehudah approached him” (וְעַל דָּא וַיִּגַּשׁ אֵלָיו יְהוּדָה).

Because their closeness, being drawn near as one, brought many benefits into the world (בְּגִין דְּקוּרְבָא דִלְהוֹן דְּאִתְקְרִיבוּ כְּחֲדָא, גָּרַם כַּמָּה טָבִין לְעַלְמָא): it brought peace to all the tribes (גָּרַם שְׁלָמָא לְכֻלְּהוּ שִׁבְטִין), it brought peace among them (גָּרַם שְׁלָמָא בֵּינַייהוּ), it caused Ya'akov’s spirit to be revived (גָּרַם לְיַעֲקֹב דְּאִתְקְיַּים רוּחָא דִילֵיהּ), as it is said: “And the spirit of Ya'akov their father revived” (כְּמָא דְאַתְּ אָמֵר, וַתְּחִי רוּחַ יַעֲקֹב אֲבִיהֶם). And therefore the nearness of this one to that one was needed in all dimensions, above and below (וְעַל דָּא קְרִיבוּ דְּדָא עִם דָּא אִצְטְרִיךְ, בְּכֻלְּהוּ סִטְרִין לְעֵילָא וְתַתָּא).

Rabbi Abba opened and said (רִבִּי אַבָּא פָּתַח וְאָמַר): “Beautiful in elevation, the joy of all the earth, Mount Tziyon on the northern side, the city of the great King” (תְּהִלִּים מ״ח: יְפֵה נוֹף מְשׂוֹשׂ כָּל הָאָרֶץ הַר צִיּוֹן יַרְכְּתֵי צָפוֹן קִרְיַת מֶלֶךְ רָב) (Tehillim 48). This verse is a secret of faith (הַאי קְרָא רָזָא דִּמְהֵימְנוּתָא אִיהוּ). “Beautiful in elevation”-this is Yosef the Tzaddik (יְפֵה נוֹף, דָּא אִיהוּ יוֹסֵף הַצַּדִּיק), as it is written of him: “And Yosef was handsome in form and handsome in appearance” (דִּכְתִיב בֵּיהּ, וַיְהִי יוֹסֵף יְפֵה תֹאַר וִיפֵה מַרְאֶה) (Bereshit 39). “Joy of all the earth”-he is joy and delight above and below (מְשׂוֹשׂ כָּל הָאָרֶץ, אִיהוּ חֶדְוָה וְחֵדוּ לְעֵילָא וְתַתָּא). “Mount Tziyon on the northern side”-because in his portion stands the Mishkan of Shiloh (הַר צִיּוֹן יַרְכְּתֵי צָפוֹן, בְּגִין דִּבְחוּלָקֵיהּ קָאִים מַשְׁכְּנָא דְּשִׁילֹה); “Mount Tziyon”-this is Yerushalayim (הַר צִיּוֹן, דָּא יְרוּשָׁלַיִם). “On the northern side”-so it truly is, above and below (יַרְכְּתֵי צָפוֹן, הָכִי הוּא וַדַּאי לְעֵילָא וְתַתָּא). “The city of the great King” (קִרְיַת מֶלֶךְ רָב) this is the place that is prepared to receive the great King (אֲתַר אִיהוּ מְתַקְּנָא לָקֳבֵיל מֶלֶךְ רָב), who is the supernal King of all, the Holy of Holies (דָּא מַלְכָּא עִלָּאָה דְּכֹלָּא, קֹדֶשׁ הַקֳּדָשִׁים). For from there comes all radiance, all blessings, and all joy of all (דְּהָא מִתַּמָּן אַתְיָא כָּל נְהִירוּ וְכָל בִּרְכָאן וְכָל חֵידוּ דְּכֹלָּא). For from there all faces shine (דְּהָא מִתַּמָּן נָהֲרִין כָּל אַנְפִּין), and the Beit HaMikdash is blessed from there (וּבֵי מַקְדְּשָׁא אִתְבָּרְכָא מִתַּמָּן). And when it is blessed, from there blessings go out to all the world (וְכַד אִיהִי מִתְבָּרְכָא, מִתַּמָּן נָפְקֵי בִּרְכָאן לְכָל עַלְמָא), for the entire world is blessed from there (דְּהָא כָּל עַלְמָא מִתַּמָּן אִתְבָּרְכָא).

Rabbi Yehudah and Rabbi Yosei happened to be in Kefar Ḥanan (רִבִּי יְהוּדָה וְרִבִּי יוֹסֵי אִעָרְעוּ בִּכְפַר חָנָן). While they were sitting in their lodging place (עַד דְּהֲווּ יָתְבֵי בֵּי אוּשְׁפִּיזַיְיהוּ), a man came with a jug of wine before him and entered the house (אֲתָא חַד בַּר נָשׁ וְחַד מָטוּלָא דְחַמְרָא קַמֵיהּ וְעָאל בְּבֵיתָא). Meanwhile, Rabbi Yehudah said to Rabbi Yosei (אַדְּהָכִי, אָמַר רִבִּי יְהוּדָה לְרִבִּי יוֹסֵי): We have learned that King David used to doze like a horse, and his sleep was light (הָא תָּנִינָן, דְּדָוִד מַלְכָּא הֲוָה מִתְנַמְנֵם כְּסוּס, וְשֵׁינְתֵיהּ זְעֵיר), so how did he rise at midnight? (הֵיךְ הֲוָה קָם בְּפַלְגּוּת לֵילְיָא). That measure is small, and he wouldn’t even have awakened in the third part of the night (הַאי שִׁעוּרָא זְעֵיר אִיהוּ וְלָא הֲוָה אִתְעַר אֲפִילּוּ בִּתְלָתוּת לֵילְיָא). He said to him (אָמַר לֵיהּ): At the time when night entered (בְּשַׁעְתָּא דְּעָאל לֵילְיָא), he would sit with all the nobles of his house and judge judgments (הֲוָה יָתִיב עִם כָּל רַבְרְבֵי בֵיתֵיהּ וְדָאִין דִּינָא), and he was engaged in matters of Orayta (וְעָסִיק בְּמִלֵּי דְאוֹרַיְיתָא). Afterwards, he would sleep until midnight (וּלְבָתַר הֲוָה נָאִים שֵׁינְתֵיהּ עַד פַּלְגוּת לֵילְיָא), and rise at midnight and awaken (וְקָם בְּפַלְגוּת לֵילְיָא וְאִתְעַר), and he would engage in the service of his Master with songs and praises (וְאִשְׁתְּדָּל בְּפוּלְחָנָא דְמָארֵיהּ, בְּשִׁירִין וְתוּשְׁבְּחָן).