Daf 212a (דַּף רי״ב ע״א)

And because of this it is written, “And Ya'akov lived in Egypt” (וְעַל דָּא מָטָא, וַיְחִי יַעֲקֹב בְּמִצְרַיִם) (Bereshit 47), and he did not rejoice (וְלָא הֲוָה חָדֵי). For in that land, there are intermixtures of nations (כִּי בְּאַרְעָא הַהִיא סְפֵיקָן דְּעַמִּין), sapphires of the Throne of Glory (סַפִּרִין דְּכוּרְסֵי יְקָרָא). And no one reaches them, neither from above nor from below (וְלָא מָטָא לְהוֹן שׁוּם אֵינִישׁ, לָא מִן עִלָּאָה וְלָא מִן תַּתָּאָה), except eighteen (אֶלָּא ח״י).

And this is the secret: “For no man shall see Me and live” (וְרָזָא דָּא, כִּי לֹא יִרְאַנִי הָאָדָם וָחָי) (Exodus 33). How great is this supernal secret in this verse (כַּמָּה הוּא רָזָא עִלָּאָה בְּדָא קְרָא), and we, the friends, are astonished by them (וְאֲנַן חַבְרַיָּיא תְּמֵהִין עֲלַיְיהוּ), at the “Vayechi” that is mentioned with Ya'akov (עַל וַיְחִי דְּדָכִיר עִמֵּיהּ יַעֲקֹב). It ought to have said it in regard to Yisrael (הֲוָה לֵיהּ לְמֵימַר קַמֵּי יִשְׂרָאֵל). Whence Yisrael? For it is written, “Yisrael is holiness to Hashem, the first of His produce” (יִשְׂרָאֵל מִנַּיִן, דִּכְתִיב, קֹדֶשׁ יִשְׂרָאֵל לַה׳ רֵאשִׁית וְגו׳) (Jeremiah 2); and “My son, My firstborn, Yisrael” (בְּנִי בְכוֹרִי יִשְׂרָאֵל) (Exodus 4). Rabbi El'azar son of Rabbi Shimon said (רִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר בְּרֵיהּ דְּרִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן אָמַר), but did the verse not say, “And he sold his birthright to Ya'akov”? (וְכִי לֹא אָמַר קְרָא, וַיִּמְכֹּר אֶת בְּכוֹרָתוֹ לְיַעֲקֹב) (Bereshit 25).

Rabbi Shimon his father said (אָמַר רִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן אֲבוּהָ): At the time when Yisrael were upright and meritorious and performed merit (בְּעִידְנָא דְּהֲווּ יִשְׂרָאֵל קְשִׁיטִין וְזַכָּאִין וְעָבְדִין זְכוּ), they were not tremblingly called Yisrael, but only Ya'akov alone (וְלָא הֲווּ רְתִיתִין יִשְׂרָאֵל, אֶלָּא יַעֲקֹב לְחוּדֵיהּ). Through the good deeds they performed, there was to be performed for them many benefits-this for that (בְּדִין טָבָאן דְּעָבְדִין, הֲוָה לְמֶעְבַּד לְהוּ טָבָאן סַגִּיאִין דָּא בְּדָא). Because they sinned, and were exposed for their transgressions and their evil deeds (מִדְּחָבוּ, וְאִתְגַּלִּיאוּ עַל חוֹבֵיהוֹן, וְעַל עוֹבָדֵיהוֹן בִּישִׁין), they could not endure it, that they should not remain forever with the truth about their sins (לָא הֲווּ סָבְלִין יָתֵיהּ, דְּלָא יֶהֶוְיָין לְעַלְמָא, בְּקוּשְׁטָא עַל חוֹבֵיהוֹן). And because of this came a measure of mercy and judgment alone, Yisrael (וְעַל דָּא אָתֵי מְכִילְתָּא דְּרַחֲמֵי וְדִינָא לְחוּד, יִשְׂרָאֵל), and You placed them in the land of their exile (וְיַהֲבִית (וְיִשְׂרָאֵל יַהֲבִית) יַתְהוֹן בְּאַרְעָא גָּלוּתְהוֹן). It is proper for My Son to seek, but a person must look and understand this: Ya'akov, who is joined with Vayechi, is sanctity (יָאוֹת בָּעֵי בְּרִי, אֲבָל אִינִישׁ מִסְתַּכֵּל וְיִנְדַּע יָתֵיהּ, יַעֲקֹב דְּמִתְלַף עִם וַיְחִי, קֹדֶשׁ). And regarding this secret they said: Ya'akov chose him-a sapphire in the Throne of Glory (וְעַל דְּנָא רָזָא אָמְרִין, יַעֲקֹב בָּחַר יָתֵיהּ סַפִּירָא בְּכוּרְסֵי יְקָרָא).

Rabbi Shimon opened and said: (Isaiah 57) “And with the crushed and humble of spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly, and to revive the heart of the crushed” (רִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן פָּתַח וְאָמַר, וְאֶת דַּכָּא וּשְׁפַל רוּחַ לְהַחֲיוֹת רוּחַ שְׁפָלִים וּלְהַחֲיוֹת לֵב נִדְכָּאִים). “The heart of the crushed”-this is Ya'akov (לֵב נִדְכָּאִים, דָּא יַעֲקֹב). As you say, beneath that level the prophets descended with their blessing in Egypt (כְּמָא דְּאַתְּ אָמֵר, תַּחוֹת מִן דַּרְגָּא נְחִיתַת עֲלוֹהִי נְבִיאִין בִּרְכָּאן בְּמִצְרַיִם). It was taught, Rabbi Abba said: The heart saw (תָּנָא אָמַר רִבִּי אַבָּא, לִבָּא חָמָא), that Ya'akov was in Egypt, his prophecy was not of the loftiest kind (דְּיַעֲקֹב דְּהֲוָה בְּמִצְרַיִם לֵית נְבוּאָתֵיהּ מַעַלְיוּתָא). Some say: of a hated land (ס״א: דְּאַרְעָא סְנִיאָה) a degraded land (אַרְעָא סַגִּיאָה).

Come and see: He was not worthy to bless even one of his sons (תָּא חֲזֵי, לָא זָכֵי לְבָרֵךְ לְחַד מִבְּנוֹהִי), and the spirit to bless them was not in his power except in Egypt (וְלָא הֲוָה בִּידֵיהּ רוּחָא לְבָרֵךְ אֶלָּא בְּמִצְרַיִם), when he blessed each one according to the secret (כַּד בָּרִיךְ יַתְהוֹן כָּל חַד וְחַד בְּרָזָא). And the secret is: (Bereshit 42) “And Ya'akov saw that there was grain in Egypt, and Ya'akov said to his sons: Why do you look at one another?” (וְרָזָא: וַיַּרְא יַעֲקֹב כִּי יֵשׁ שֶׁבֶר בְּמִצְרַיִם, וַיֹּאמֶר יַעֲקֹב לְבָנָיו לָמָּה תִּתְרָאוּ).

Come and see: Prophecy is only given to one with a broken heart (תָּא חֲזֵי, דְּלָא אִיתְּיְהִיבַת נְבוּאָתָא אֶלָּא לִתְבִירֵי לִבָּא), as it is said (Bereshit 42) “Go down there and buy for us from there, so that we may live and not die” (כְּמָא דְּאַתְּ אָמֵר, רְדוּ שָׁמָּה וְשִׁבְרוּ לָנוּ מִשָּׁם וְנִחְיֶה וְלֹא נָמוּת).

Rabbi Yossi said (אָמַר רִבִּי יוֹסֵי): beneath the holy Throne of Glory (תַּחוֹת כָּרְסֵי יְקָרָא קַדִּישָׁא), Ya'akov is a sapphire (יַעֲקֹב סַפִּיר), which is the chamber of judgment on his side (דְּאִיהִי מְכִילָתָא דְּדִינָא לְסִטְרֵיהּ). He came and said: (Bereshit 32) “No longer shall your name be called Ya'akov, but Yisrael, for you have struggled with Elohim and with men and have prevailed” (אָתָא אָמַר, לֹא יַעֲקֹב יֵאָמֵר עוֹד שִׁמְךָ כִּי אִם יִשְׂרָאֵל כִּי שָׂרִיתָ עִם אֱלֹהִים וְעִם אֲנָשִׁים וַתּוּכָל). You find that Ya'akov saw his side-the chamber of judgment (אַתְּ מַשְׁכַּח דְּיַעֲקֹב חָזָא לְסִטְרֵיהּ מְכִילָתָא דְּדִינָא), and “the sun rose upon him as he passed Peniel” etc. (וַיִּזְרַח לוֹ הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ כַּאֲשֶׁר עָבַר אֶת פְּנוּאֵל וְגו׳). And the secret of the matter is: (Jeremiah 6) “Woe to us, for the day has turned, for the shadows of evening are stretched out” (וְרָזָא דְּמִלָּה: אוֹי לָנוּ כִּי פָנָה הַיּוֹם כִּי יִנָּטוּ צִלְּלֵי עָרֶב).

Rabbi Shimon said (רִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן אָמַר): when they were exiled from Yerushalayim, and continually wandered (כַּד אִתְגַּלִּיאוּ מִן יְרוּשָׁלֵם, וְאַעֲדִיאוּ תְּדִירָא), and hatred defiled the palace (וְסָאִיב מְסַנְאָה יַת הֵיכָלָא), at that time the kingship could not tolerate Yisrael due to their sins, except [the name] Yisrael (בְּעִדָּנָא הַהִיא לָא סוֹבְלַת מַלְכוּתָא לְיִשְׂרָאֵל עַל חוֹבֵיהוֹן, אֶלָּא יִשְׂרָאֵל), because it is from two sides: mercy and judgment (בְּגִין דְּהִיא מִתְּרֵי גִּיסָא: רַחֲמֵי וְדִינָא). And the phrase “No longer shall your name be Ya'akov, but Yisrael” was clarified in its meaning (וּמִלָּה דְּלֹא יַעֲקֹב יֵאָמֵר עוֹד שִׁמְךָ כִּי אִם יִשְׂרָאֵל, כַּד אִתְפְּרִישׁ בִּסְבִירֵיהּ). Yisrael, Ya'akov-supernal, one from the other (יִשְׂרָאֵל, יַעֲקֹב: עִלָּאָה דָּא מִן דָּא), and because of them was the staff of Moshe engraved on both sides (וּבְגִינֵיהוֹן הֲוָה חוּטְרָא דְּמֹשֶׁה גְּלִיפָא מִתְּרֵין סִטְרוֹי), from the holy Name-one [side] mercy in judgment, and one [side] judgment in judgment (מִשְּׁמֵיהּ קַדִּישָׁא: חַד רַחֲמֵי בְּדִינָא, וְחַד דִּינָא בְּדִינָא). And the secret is: (Numbers 23) “He has not beheld iniquity in Ya'akov, nor has He seen toil in Yisrael” (וְרָזָא: לֹא הִבִּיט אָוֶן בְּיַעֲקֹב וְלֹא רָאָה עָמָל בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל). For we are in exile, oppressed among enemies (מִדְּאַנַן בְּגָלוּתָא, דְּחִיקָן בֵּין שָׂנְאֵי), and the Matronita has departed from the King (וְאִסְתַּלִּיקַת מַטְרוֹנִיתָא מִן מַלְכָּא), and been distanced from Him (וְאִתְרְחִיקַת מִנֵּיהּ). May He cause His Shekhinta to dwell among us and redeem us (הוּא יַשְׁרֵי שְׁכִינְתָּא בֵּינָנָא וְיִפְרְקִינָנָא). And the secret is: (Isaiah 45) “Thus says Hashem, the King of Yisrael and his Redeemer, Hashem Tzevaot” (וְרָזָא: כֹּה אָמַר יְיָ מֶלֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵל וְגוֹאֲלוֹ יְיָ צְבָאוֹת). Vayechi Chai (Isaiah 66) “Thus says Hashem: The heavens are My throne and the earth is My footstool” (וַיְחִי חַי: כֹּה אָמַר יְיָ, הַשָּׁמַיִם כִּסְאִי וְהָאָרֶץ הֲדוֹם רַגְלָי).

The supernal structure: My two feet are Chai (בִּנְיָן עִלָּאָה, שְׁתֵּי״י רַגְלַי חַי), Lamed-Yod is great (לי״ רַבָּתָא), Yod to Chet is small (י׳ לְח׳ זְעֵירְתָּא), Chet to Tav, and Yod to Vav, Vav to Dalet (ח׳ לְתָיו, וי׳ לְו׳, ו׳ לְד׳), this is what emerges from above (הֲדָא הוּא דְּנָפִיק מֵעִלָּאָה). Beneath the Throne of Glory, from a precious stone in the land of Egypt (תַּחוֹת כָּרְסֵיהּ יְקָרָא, מֵאֶבֶן טָבָא בְּאֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם). As it is written: (Isaiah 19) “And Hashem shall strike Egypt…” etc. (הַיְינוּ דִּכְתִיב: וְנָגַף יְיָ אֶת מִצְרַיִם וְגו׳). Twelve divisions (י״ב פְּרִישָׁא). (Isaiah 26) “For Your dew is a dew of lights” (כִּי טַל אוֹרוֹת טַלֶּךָ י׳), for the sake of the division (בְּגִין פְּרִישָׁא). And because of this, all is interchanged as one (וּבְגִין דָּא מִתְחַלַּף כְּחֲדָא): two divisions of exile (ב׳ פְּרִישָׁא גָּלוּתָא), one initial division (א׳ פְּרִישָׁא קַדְמַיְיתָא).

Come and see: what is written? (Isaiah 2) “House of Ya'akov, come, let us walk in the light of Hashem” (תָּא חֲזֵי, מַה דִּכְתִיב: בֵּית יַעֲקֹב לְכוּ וְנֵלְכָה בְּאוֹר יְיָ). In exile, the letters that were decreed upon them, because of their sins (בְּגָלוּתָא, אַתְוָון דְּאִתְגְּזַר עֲלֵיהוֹן עַל חוֹבֵיהוֹן), in truth and in judgment they were (בְּקוּשְׁטָא בְּדִינָא הֲווּ), in Orayta is the rectification (בְּאוֹרַיְיתָא תַּקַּנְתָּא), and you shall go out from the wine of clay-that is exile (וְתִפְקוּן מִן חַמְרָא טִינָא, דְּהִיא גָּלוּתָא), and you shall return to the river of Hashem (וְתַהֲכוּ לְנַהֲרָא דַּיְיָ).