Daf 211b (דַּף רי״א ע״ב)

Then, when Ya'akov saw and perceived that this lower Tikkun was completed in the likeness of the supernal (כְּדֵין כֵּיוָן דְּחָמָא יַעֲקֹב וְאִסְתַּכַּל דְּהָא תִּקּוּנָא דִלְתַּתָּא אִשְׁתַּכְלַל כְּגַוְונָא דִּלְעֵילָא), then he said: “I will die this time, etc.” (כְּדֵין אָמַר אָמוּתָה הַפָּעַם וְגו׳) (Bereshit 46). “For you are still alive” (כִּי עוֹדְךָ חָי), meaning, you endure in the secret of the holy covenant, which is called “Life of the Worlds” (דְּאִתְקַיְּימַת בְּרָזָא דִּבְרִית קַדִּישָׁא, דְּאִקְרֵי חַי הָעוֹלָמִים), and therefore: “for you are still alive” (וּבְגִין כָּךְ כִּי עוֹדְךָ חָי). And regarding this, previously he said: “Much-my son Yosef is still alive” (וְעַל דָּא בְּקַדְמִיתָא אָמַר, רַב עוֹד יוֹסֵף בְּנִי חָי), for it was necessary that he endure in the secret of life (דְּאִצְטְרִיךְ לְמֵיקַם בְּרָזָא דְּחַי), and this has been said (וְהָא אִתְּמַר).

Come and see, what is written? “And Ya'akov blessed Pharaoh” (תָּא חֲזֵי, מַה כְּתִיב, וַיְבָרֶךְ יַעֲקֹב אֶת פַּרְעֹה) (Bereshit 47)[בְּרֵאשִׁית מ״ז]. Rabbi Yossi said, Pharaoh, although he has been established in another secret, is a support by which we are supported in the world (אָמַר רִבִּי יוֹסֵי, פַּרְעֹה אַף עַל גַּב דְּאוּקְמוּהָ בְּרָזָא אָחֳרָא, סֶמֶךְ דְּקָא סַמְכִינָן בְּעַלְמָא). But come and see, (Song of Songs 1) “To My mare among Pharaoh’s chariots have I likened you, My beloved” (אֲבָל תָּא חֲזֵי, לְסוּסָתִי בְּרִכְבֵי פַרְעֹה דִּמִּיתִיךְ רַעֲיָתִי). Come and see, there are fusions to the left in the secret of the Sitra achra (תָּא חֲזֵי, אִית רְתִיכִין לִשְׂמָאלָא בְּרָזָא דְּסִטְרָא אָחֳרָא), and there are fusions to the right in the supernal secret of holiness (וְאִית רְתִיכִין לִימִינָא בְּרָזָא דִּלְעֵילָא דִּקְדוּשָּׁה), and these are opposite those (וְאִלֵּין לָקֳבֵל אִלֵּין).

These are of mercy, and these are of judgment (אִלֵּין דְּרַחֲמֵי וְאִלֵּין דְּדִינָא). And when Kudsha Berikh Hu performed judgment upon the Egyptians (וְכַד קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא עָבַד דִּינָא בְּמִצְרָאֵי), every judgment He did was in the same form as those very fusions (כָּל דִּינָא דְּעָבִיד, כְּהַהוּא גַוְונָא דְּאִינוּן רְתִיכִין מַמָּשׁ), and in the form of that very side itself (וּכְגַוְונָא דִּילֵיהּ דְּהַהוּא סִטְרָא מַמָּשׁ). Just as that side literally kills and extracts souls (מַה הַהוּא סִטְרָא (מַמָּשׁ) קָטִיל וְאַפִּיק נִשְׁמָתִין), so too did Kudsha Berikh Hu act in that very form (אוּף קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא עָבִיד בְּהַהוּא גַוְונָא מַמָּשׁ). As it is written, (Exodus 13) “Hashem killed all the firstborn” (דִּכְתִיב, וַיַּהֲרֹג ה׳ כָּל בְּכוֹר), and likewise everything in Egypt was in that exact form (וְכֵן כֹּלָּא בְּמִצְרַיִם, בְּהַהוּא גַוְונָא מַמָּשׁ). And because of this: “I likened you, My beloved,” in her very form for killing (וּבְגִין כָּךְ דִּמִּיתִיךְ רַעֲיָתִי, כְּגַוְונָא דִּילָהּ מַמָּשׁ לְקָטְלָא). As it is written, “For I am Hashem-I, and no other” (דִּכְתִיב, כִּי אֲנִי ה׳ אֲנִי הוּא וְלֹא אַחֵר) (Deuteronomy 32). And at the time to come, what is written? (Isaiah 63) “Who is this coming from Edom, with crimsoned garments from Botzrah?” etc. (וּלְזִמְנָא דְּאָתֵי מַה כְּתִיב, מִי זֶה בָּא מֵאֱדוֹם חֲמוּץ בְּגָדִים מִבָּצְרָה וְגו׳).

Come and see, what is written? “And Yisrael dwelled in the land of Egypt, in the land of Goshen, and they took possession of it, and were fruitful and multiplied exceedingly” (תָּא חֲזֵי, מַה כְּתִיב, וַיֵּשֶׁב יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּאֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם בְּאֶרֶץ גֹּשֶׁן, וַיֵּאָחֲזוּ בָהּ, וַיִּפְרוּ וַיִּרְבּוּ מְאֹד) (Bereshit 47). “And they took possession of it”-an eternal inheritance (וַיֵּאָחֲזוּ בָהּ, אַחְסָנַת עָלְמִין). “And they took possession of it”-for it appeared to them, as has been established (וַיֵּאָחֲזוּ בָּהּ, דְּהָא לְהוֹן אִתְחֲזֵי, כְּמָה דְּאוּקְמוּהָ). Some say: Rabbi Yossi (נ״א: ל״ג אָמַר רִבִּי יוֹסֵי). “And they were fruitful and multiplied exceedingly”-indeed (וַיִּפְרוּ וַיִּרְבּוּ מְאֹד, וַדַּאי), for sorrow had not yet rested upon them (דְּהָא צַעֲרָא לָא שָׁרַת בְּהוּ), and they lived in the delights of the world (וְקָיְימֵי בְּתַפְנוּקֵי עַלְמָא), and because of this: “they were fruitful and multiplied exceedingly” (וּבְגִין כָּךְ וַיִּפְרוּ וַיִּרְבּוּ מְאֹד).

Blessed is Hashem forever, Amen and Amen (בָּרוּךְ יְיָ לְעוֹלָם אָמֵן וְאָמֵן)

Parashat Vayechi

nd Ya'akov lived in the land of Egypt seventeen years, etc. (וַיְחִי יַעֲקֹב בְּאֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם שְׁבַע עֶשְׂרֵה שָׁנָה וְגו׳) (Bereshit 47). Rabbi Yossi said (אָמַר רִבִּי יוֹסֵי): the heart saw with prophecy (לִבָּא חָמָא בִּנְבוּאָה), in Egypt (בְּמִצְרַיִם), which is their radiance in several hues (דִּיהוֹן בְּנוֹהִי בְּכַמָּה גַּלָּוָון), until here and until the time of the end of Mashiach (עַד הָכָא וְעַד עִדָּנָא דְּקֵץ מְשִׁיחָא). And the prophecy of “Vayechi” came to him only in Egypt (וְלָא מָטָא לִנְבוּאָה דְּוַיְחִי אֶלָּא בְּמִצְרַיִם). And this is a lofty prophecy (וְהִיא מַעַלְיָיתָא), a prophecy that those who prophesied (נְבוּאָתָא מִדְּאִתְנַבִּיאוּ) Some say: did not prophesy (ד״א: לָא אִתְנַבִּיאוּ) in such form (אִתְנַבִּיאוּ דְּכַוָּותָה), and no one among the sons of the prophets reached it (וְלָא מָטָא לְהוּ שׁוּם אֵינִישׁ מִן בְּנֵי נְבִיאָה), except he and Moshe (אֶלָּא הוּא וּמֹשֶׁה). Concerning Moshe, it is written: “For no man shall see Me and live” (כִּי לֹא יִרְאַנִי הָאָדָם וָחָי) (Exodus 33). Concerning Ya'akov, it is written: “And Ya'akov lived” (בְּיַעֲקֹב כְּתִיב, וַיְחִי יַעֲקֹב). Vayechi-this is the prophecy that descended from the Shining Mirror (וַיְחִי, נְבוּאָתָא דְּנַחֲתָא מֵאַסְפַּקְלַרְיָיא) Some say: illuminated (מֵאִירְתָּא) of the brilliant light (דְּנַהֲרָא). He desired to say (בָּעֵי לְמֵימַר) [That] that desire was in his eyes (חֵפֵץ הַהוּא הֲוָה בְּעֵינוֹהִי): the prophecy of the exile that will befall his children in the land of Canaan and in every land they will be exiled to (נְבוּאָן דְּגָלוּתָא דְּעַרְעָן לִבְנוֹהִי בְּאַרְעָא דִּכְנָעַן וּבְכָל אַרְעָא דְּאִתְּוֹתַב בָּהּ). From the land of Egypt his heart was shattered (מֵאַרְעָא דְּמִצְרַיִם הֲוָה תְּבִיר לִבֵּיהּ), As it is written, “for there is grain in Mitzrayim” (דִּכְתִיב, כִּי יֵשׁ שֶׁבֶר בְּמִצְרָיִם) (Bereshit 42).