Daf 213a (דַּף רי״ג ע״א)

Come and see: how much more exalted is the spirit of the father than the spirit of the son (תָּא חֲזֵי, כַּמָּה הוּא עָדִּיף רוּחָא דְּאַבָּא מֵרוּחָא דְּבָרָא). For the spirit of the father is the spirit of the son (דְּרוּחָא דְּאַבָּא הוּא רוּחָא דִּבְרָא), a spirit from a spirit that ascends (רוּחָא מֵרוּחָא סָלְקָא). And if another atmosphere mixes with that spirit (וְאִי סַיְיעַת אֲוִירָא אָחֳרָא בְּרוּחָא), it will not emerge whole (לָא נָפִיק שְׁלִים), for that spirit will be deficient through that atmosphere (דְּהָא חָסִיר הוּא בְּהַאי אֲוִירָא). And this is what is written: (Jeremiah 2) “A wild ass accustomed to the wilderness, in the craving of her soul she snatches at the wind” (וְהַיְינוּ: פֶּרֶא לִמּוּד מִדְבָּר בְּאַוַּת נַפְשָׁהּ שָׁאֲפָה רוּחַ).

It was taught (תָּנָא): See there for the full matter (ע״ש כִּי שָׁם בָּא כָּל הָעִנְיָן בִּשְׁלֵימוּתוֹ) Rav Hamnuna Sava went to Kapotkiya (רַב הַמְנוּנָא סָבָא אֲזַל לְקַפּוֹטְקִיָּיא), and entered before Rav Yissa Sava (עָאל לְקַמַּיְיהוּ רַב יִיסָּא סָבָא). He said to him: what are you engaged in? (אָמַר לֵיהּ: בְּמַאי עַסְקִיתוּ). Woe to him! woe to his soul! (וַוֵי לֵיהּ, וַוֵי לְנַפְשֵׁיהּ). If a defiled spirit was exchanged with him, and he caused it to descend to his son (אִי אִשְׁתַּלַּף רוּחָא דִּמְסָאֲבָא דְּאִשְׁתַּכַּח עִמֵּיהּ וְאוֹרִית לֵיהּ לִבְרֵיהּ), this one has no portion with Kudsha Berikh Hu (וְהַאי אִיהוּ דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לֵית לֵיהּ חוּלָקָא). He has forsaken his portion; he has forsaken his destiny in the World to Come (שָׁבִיק לֵיהּ חוּלָקָא, שָׁבִיק לֵיהּ לְשֵׁיצָאָה, לֵיהּ לְעַלְמָא דְּאָתֵי).

He said to him: from where do you know this? (אָמַר לֵיהּ: מְנָא לָךְ הָא). He said to him: I learned it here (אָמַר לֵיהּ: הָכָא אוֹלִיפְנָא), that this evil inheritance-sons who are not penitents (דְּהַאי יְרוּתָא בִּישְׁתָּא, אַחְסְנִין), all of them his sons, if they do not repent (כֻּלְּהוּ בְּנוֹי אִי לָא יְתוּבוּן), for nothing stands before Teshuvah (דְּהָא לֵית מִלָּה קָיְימָא קַמֵּי תְּשׁוּבָה). And I have learned this (וְאֲנָא הָכִי אוֹלִיפְנָא): they gave me one opportunity for healing (דְּהָא אַסְוָותָא דָּא יַהֲבוּ לִי זִמְנָא חָדָא), when I was marked on my face (דְּהֲוֵינָא רְשִׁים בְּאַנְפִּי). And one day, I was walking on the road and I encountered a righteous man (וְיוֹמָא חַד הֲוֵינָא אָזִיל בְּאָרְחָא וְעַרְעָנָא בְּחַד זַכָּאָה), and through him that mark was removed from me (וְעַל יְדוֹי אִתְעֲבַר מִנָּאי הַהוּא רְשִׁימָא).

He said to him: what is your name? (אָמַר לֵיהּ: מַה שְׁמָךְ). He said to him: El‘azar (אָמַר לֵיהּ: אֶלְעָזָר), and they call me “the other El‘azar” (וְקָרֵינָא לֵיהּ: אֶלְעָזָר אָחֳרָא). He said to him: Blessed is the Merciful One who allowed me to see you (אָמַר לֵיהּ: בָּרִיךְ רַחֲמָנָא דְּחָמֵינָא לָךְ), fortunate is your portion in this world and in the world to come (זַכָּאָה חוּלָקָךְ בְּעַלְמָא דֵּין, וּבְעַלְמָא דְּאָתֵי). “And he said: Swear to me…” (וַיֹּאמֶר הִשָּׁבְעָה לִי וְגו׳) (Bereshit 47).

Rabbi Ḥizkiyya opened and said (רִבִּי חִזְקִיָּה פָּתַח וְאָמַר): (Isaiah 62) “Hashem has sworn by His right hand and by the arm of His strength…” (נִשְׁבַּע יְיָ בִּימִינוֹ וּבִזְרוֹעַ עֻזּוֹ). Kudsha Berikh Hu established that Yisrael would go forth from their exile (קִּיֵּים קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא דִּיֵּיפּוּק לְיִשְׂרָאֵל מִן גָּלוּתָא דִּלְהוֹן), and this He upheld for them: that He would not abandon them in the land of their enemies (וְדָא קִּיֵּים לְהוֹן: קִּיָּים דְּלָא יִשְׁבּוֹק לוֹן בְּאַרְעָא שַׂנְאֵיהוֹן). (Bereshit 32): “And he said: Let me go, for the dawn has risen. And he said: I will not let you go unless you bless me” (וַיֹּאמֶר: שַׁלְּחֵנִי כִּי עָלָה הַשַּׁחַר, וַיֹּאמֶר: לֹא אֲשַׁלֵּחֲךָ כִּי אִם בֵּרַכְתַּנִי). What is “unless you bless me”? (מַאן בֵּרַכְתַּנִי). He gave them exile (יָהַב לוֹן גָּלוּתָא), and He upheld for them that they would go out from it (וְקִּיֵּים לוֹן דִּיֵּיפְקוּן מִנֵּיהּ).

It was taught (תָּנָא): Kudsha Berikh Hu is destined to bring the children of Yisrael (זַמִּין קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לִבְרֵיהוֹן דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל), each and every one of them beneath the Throne (דִּיהוֹן כָּל חַד וְחַד תַּחוֹת כָּרְסֵיָּא), and they shall be higher than all supernal ones (וִיהוֹן מַעַלְיָין מִכָּל עִלָּאֵי). Because of this, you will find a long Vav (בְּגִין דָּא תִּשְׁכַּח ו״א אֲרִיכָא). Kudsha Berikh Hu upheld the completion of the Vav of Reish-Aleph (קִּיֵּים קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לִשְׁלֵימוּתָא דְּו״ו דְּר״א). And because of this: (Bereshit 47) “And Yisrael bowed at the head of the bed” (וּבְגִין שִׁתָּא: וַיִּשְׁתַּחוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל עַל רֹאשׁ הַמִּטָּה). This is the bowing of Yisrael-that there is no Mashiach at the end of this count (סְגִיד יִשְׂרָאֵל דְּלֵיתֵי מְשִׁיחָא בְּסוֹף מִנְיָנָא דָּא), and the Shekhinta shall rest with them (וְתִּשְׁרֵי שְׁכִינְתָּא עִמְּהוֹן). “And it was after these things, and he said to Yosef: Behold, your father is ill…” (וַיְהִי אַחַר הַדְּבָרִים הָאֵלֶּה, וַיֹּאמֶר לְיוֹסֵף: הִנֵּה אָבִיךָ חוֹלֶה) (Bereshit 48).

Mishnah: Rabbi Ḥizkiyya said (מַתְנִיתִין: אָמַר רִבִּי חִזְקִיָּה): This verse did not come to tell us what happened, but to reveal what will be at the end of exile (לָא אֲתָא קְרָא לְאַשְׁמוּעִינָן דְּעָבַד, אֶלָּא לְאַתְיָא מַה דְּיֶהֱוֵי בְּסוֹף גָּלוּתָא), all these at the end of the appointed number (כָּל אִלֵּין לְסוֹף מִנְיָנָא דְּאִתְמְנֵי). It intends to say that Mashiach will come (צָבֵי לְמֵימַר דִּיֵּיתֵי מְשִׁיחָא), and the Father in heaven will say to him: “Prepare your face” (וְיֵימָא לֵיהּ: אָבוּךְ דִּבִשְׁמַיָּא בָּהִיל לִסְבַּר אַפָּךְ) sail to the edge of Mashiach’s boundary (סָפִין לְקִצָּא דִּמְשִׁיחָא). May it be the will of the God of heaven (יְהֵא רַעֲוָא מִן אֱלָהָא דִּשְׁמַיָּא), that He bring His son, who has been greatly afflicted in exile (דִּיֵּיסֵּיב בְּרֵיהּ דְּאַסְגִּיאוּ בְּגָלוּתָא), and because they were subjected (וּמִדְּאִתְנְשִׁיאוּ בְּהוּ), Kudsha Berikh Hu shall uplift them through their sins with truth (דְּנָשֵׁי יַתְּהוֹן קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא בְּחוֹבֵיהוֹן בְּקוּשְׁטָא).

When Rabbi Abba came, he said (כַּד אֲתָא רִבִּי אַבָּא אָמַר): I have not come for a derasha (לָאו לִדְרָשָׁא קָא אֲתִינָא), but to contemplate the secret of the matter: (Bereshit 30) “May Hashem add for me another son” (חֲשׁוֹב רָזָא דְּמִלְּתָא: יוֹסֵף ה׳ לִי בֵּן אַחֵר), as I explained above (כִּדְפָּרִישְׁנָא לְעֵיל). This sacred name is in Yosef-Yod-Heh-Vav shall say (הַאי שְׁמֵיהּ קַדִּישָׁא בְּיוֹסֵף: יָה״וּ יֹאמַר): behold, your father, Master of Worlds, is coming to do good to His son (הָא אֲבוּךְ מָארֵי עַלְמָא, דְּאָתֵי לְמֶעְבַּד טָבָא לִבְרֵיהּ), that they should go out from their exile (דְּיִפְקוּן מִן גָּלוּתָא דִּלְהוֹן). But if you do not walk in your truth (וְאִי אַתְּ לָא רָעֵי בְּקוּשְׁטָךְ), the four letters of YHVH (רִבּוּעָא יָדו״ד) will act against you (אֶחָד יַעֲבֵד יָתָךְ), and it will be known that the Matronita shall return to her place (וְיָדְעֵי דְּתֵיתוּב מַטְרוֹנִיתָא לְאַתְרָא). Our ancestors are the supernal bonds (דַּאֲבָהֳתָנָא אִינוּן רְתִּיכִין דִּלְעֵילָא), as it is written (Bereshit 17): “And Elohim ascended from upon Avraham” (וַיַּעַל אֱלֹהִים מֵעַל אַבְרָהָם). The ancestors are the thighs of the world (אֲבָהָן שׁוֹקֵי עַלְמָא). (Micah 7): “You will give truth to Ya'akov, lovingkindness to Avraham” (תִּתֵּן אֱמֶת לְיַעֲקֹב, חֶסֶד לְאַבְרָהָם). It was taught that Mashiach will come (תָּנָא דְּיֵיתֵי מְשִׁיחָא).

Rabbi Yose opened and said (רִבִּי יוֹסֵי פָּתַח וְאָמַר): (Zechariah 14) “It shall be one day-it is known to Hashem-not day and not night, but at evening time there shall be light” (וְהָיָה יוֹם אֶחָד, הוּא יִוָּדַע לַיי, לֹא יוֹם וְלֹא לַיְלָה, וְהָיָה לְעֵת עֶרֶב יִהְיֶה אוֹר). That is to say (רוֹצֶה לְמֵימַר): two great evils came upon His children to be in exile in the land of their enemies (תְּרֵין מְעַרְעִין בִּישִׁין דְּאָתָן לִבְנוֹהִי לִמְהוֵי בְּגָלוּתָא בְּאַרְעָא שַׂנְאֵיהוֹן), and He did not look upon them (וְלָא יִסְתְּכֵי בְּהוֹן), for many long years (כַּמָּה שְׁנִין סַגִּיאִין), due to their sins in truth (עַל חוֹבֵיהוֹן בְּקוּשְׁטָא).

So He abandoned them in the land of their enemies (הָכִי יִזְנַח יַתְּהוֹן בְּאַרְעָא שַׂנְאֵיהוֹן), and caused their sons to endure great evils (וְיִסַּב בְּנַיְיהוּ דְּאַרְעָא לְהוֹן בִּישִׁין אִלֵּין), and He will lead them to a good land according to the explanation of the verse (וְיַדְּבֵּר לְהוֹן לַאֲרַע טַב כְּפִירוּשָׁא דִּקְרָא). And there were two great supernal princes (וְהֲוָה תְּרֵי רַבְרְבָן סַגִּיאִין מַעַלְיָאֵין), who were standing beneath the Throne of Glory (מַעַלְיָיאן הֲוָה מְטַרְקָן תְּחוֹת כָּרְסֵי יְקָרָא), For the guardian of Yisrael (דְּאַפַּטְרוֹפָּא דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל), a fifth chamber (מְכִילָתָא חֲמִישָׁאָה), prepared for when they are in exile at this time (בְּדִיל דִּיהוֹן בְּגָלוּתָא כָּל עִדָּנָא הָדֵין), and the land that has subjected them in the land of their enemies (וְאַרְעָא דְּנָשֵׁי יַתְהוֹן בְּאַרְעָא שַׂנְאֵיהוֹן).

And they are two chambers (וְהוּא תְּרֵין מְכִילָתָן), in two ships (בִּתְרֵין סָפִין). One emerged and spoke before the Master of the World (נָפַק חָדָא וּמַלִּיל לָקֳבֵל רִבּוֹן עָלְמָא), and He gave it permission to speak whatever it wished (וְיָהִיב לֵיהּ רְשׁוּ דִּימַלֵּל כָּל מַאן דְּבָעֵי). And it saw regarding Yisrael from one side-to decree upon them (וְחָזֵי בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל מִן גִּיסָא חָדָא לְמִגְזַר בְּהוֹן בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל), that they should go out from exile, in the merit of their forefathers (דְּיִפְקוּן מִן גָּלוּתָא בְּדִין אֲבָהַתְּהוֹן). And from the other side (וּמִן גִּיסָא אַחֲרִינָא), it sought to decree upon them (רָעָא לְמִגְזַר עֲלֵיהוֹן), because of their sins (בְּדִיל חוֹבֵיהוֹן), for much evil was spoken concerning them (דְּאָמְרוּ עֲלַיְיהוּ בִּישָׁא סַגִּיאָה). These are four chambers (הָא ד׳ מְכִילָתָן), and the fifth chamber, the guardian of Yisrael, was not among them (וְלָא הֲוָה בְּהוֹן מְכִילָתָא חֲמִישָּאָה אַפַּטְרוֹפָּא דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל), and they spoke all their claims (וּמַלִּילוּ כָּל דִּרְעוּ).