Daf 216b (דַּף רט״ז ע״ב)

Another matter: “And your people, all of them are Tzaddikim” (דָּבָר אַחֵר, וְעַמֵּךְ כֻּלָּם צַדִּיקִים) - this refers to Ya'akov and his sons who descended into Egypt among a hard and stiff-necked people (דָּא יַעֲקֹב וּבְנוֹי דְּנָחֲתוּ לְמִצְרַיִם בֵּין עַם קְשֵׁי קְדַל), and they were all found to be meritorious (וְאִשְׁתַּכָּחוּ כֻּלְּהוּ זַכָּאִין). And because of this it is written, “they shall forever inherit the land” (וּבְגִין כָּךְ כְּתִיב, לְעוֹלָם יִירְשׁוּ אֶרֶץ); for from there they ascended to inherit the holy land (דְּמִּתַּמָּן סְלִיקוּ לִירַית אַרְעָא קַדִּישָׁא).

“And Ya'akov lived in the land of Egypt” (וַיְחִי יַעֲקֹב בְּאֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם) - why is this parashah closed? (אַמַּאי פַּרְשָׁתָא דָא סְתִימָא). Rabbi Ya'akov said: at the moment Ya'akov died, the eyes of Yisrael were sealed (רִבִּי יַעֲקֹב אָמַר, בְּשַׁעְתָּא דְּמִית יַעֲקֹב, אִסְתִּימוּ עֵינֵיהוֹן דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל). Rabbi Yehudah said: because then they descended into exile and were enslaved (רִבִּי יְהוּדָה אָמַר, דִּכְדֵין נָחֲתוּ לְגָלוּתָא, וְאִשְׁתַּעְבִּידוּ בְּהוֹן).

Rabbi Shimon said: What is written above? “And Yisrael dwelt in the land of Egypt, in the land of Goshen, and they took possession of it, and were fruitful and multiplied greatly” (רִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן אָמַר, מַה כְּתִיב לְעֵילָא, וַיֵּשֶׁב יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּאֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם בְּאֶרֶץ גֹּשֶׁן וַיֵּאָחֲזוּ בָהּ וַיִּפְרוּ וַיִּרְבּוּ מְאֹד) (Bereshit 47). And it is written: “And Ya'akov lived” (וּכְתִיב וַיְחִי יַעֲקֹב), and no separation is seen between this and that (דְּלָא אִתְחֲזֵי לְאַפְרָשָׁא בֵּין דָּא לְדָא). Just as they dwelled in royal pleasures and received delights and comforts for themselves (מָה אִינוּן קָיְימֵי בְּתַפְנוּקִין דְּמַלְכִין, וְקַבִּילוּ עִנּוּגָא וְכִסּוּפִין לְגַרְמַיְיהוּ), so too Ya'akov likewise dwelled in royal pleasures, in delight and comfort for himself (אוּף יַעֲקֹב נָמֵי, קַיָּים בְּתַפְנוּקֵי מַלְכִין, בְּעִנּוּגָא וְכִסּוּפָא לְגַרְמֵיהּ), and this was not separated from that (לָא אִתְפְּרַשׁ דָּא מִן דָּא). And here it is called “And he lived” (וְהָכָא אִקְרֵי וַיְחִי).

For all his days he was not called “And he lived” (דְּהָא כָּל יוֹמוֹי לָא אִקְרֵי וַיְחִי), because all his days were in suffering (בְּגִין דְּכָל יוֹמוֹי בְּצַעֲרָא הֲווּ), they were found in affliction (בְּצַעֲרָא אִשְׁתַּכְּחָן). Upon him it is written: “I had no tranquility, nor did I have quiet, nor was I at rest - and trouble came” (עֲלֵיהּ כְּתִיב, לֹא שָׁלַוְתִּי וְלֹא שָׁקַטְתִּי וְלֹא נָחְתִּי וַיָּבֹא רֹגֶז) (Job 3). After he descended into Egypt, it is called “And he lived” (בָּתַר דְּנָחַת לְמִצְרַיִם, אִקְרֵי וַיְחִי). He saw his son a king (חָמָא לִבְרֵיהּ מַלְכָּא), he saw all his sons righteous Tzaddikim (חָמָא לְכָל בְּנוֹי זַכָּאִין צַדִּיקִין), and all of them in worldly delight and royal luxury (וְכֻלְּהוּ בְּתַעֲנוּגֵי וְתַפְנוּקֵי עַלְמָא), and he sat among them like good wine settled on its lees (וְהוּא יָתִיב בֵּינֵיהוֹן כַּחֲמַר טַב דְּיָתִיב עַל דּוּרְדַּיֵּיהּ), then it is called: “And Ya'akov lived” (כְּדֵין אִקְרֵי וַיְחִי יַעֲקֹב). And no separation is made between “they were fruitful and multiplied greatly” and “Ya'akov lived” (וְלָא פָרִישׁ בֵּין וַיִּפְרוּ וַיִּרְבּוּ מְאֹד לְוַיְחִי יַעֲקֹב), and so it is fitting (וְהָכִי אִתְחֲזֵי).

Seventeen years - what is the reason for the seventeen years? (שְׁבַע עֶשְׂרֵה שָׁנָה, מַאי טַעְמָא שְׁבַע עֶשְׂרֵה שָׁנָה). Rather, Rabbi Shim‘on said (אֶלָּא אָמַר רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן), all the days of Ya'akov were in suffering (כָּל יוֹמוֹי דְּיַעֲקֹב בְּצַעֲרָא הֲווּ), and suffering passed over him in the beginning (בְּצַעֲרָא אַעֲבַר לוֹן בְּקַדְמִיתָא). When he saw Yosef, who stood before him (כֵּיוָן דְּחָמָא לְיוֹסֵף, וְהֲוָה קָאֵים קַמֵּיהּ), whenever Ya'akov looked at Yosef, his soul was made whole (כַּד יַעֲקֹב מִסְתַּכֵּל בְּיוֹסֵף, הֲוָה אִשְׁתְּלִים בְּנַפְשֵׁיהּ), as if he saw Yosef’s mother (כְּאִילּוּ חָמָא לְאִמֵּיהּ דְּיוֹסֵף), for Yosef’s beauty resembled the beauty of Rachel (דְּשַׁפִּירוּ דְּיוֹסֵף דָּמֵי לְשַׁפִּירוּ דְּרָחֵל). And it was as if in himself it were as though suffering had never passed over him in his days (וְהֲוָה דָּמֵי בְּגַרְמֵיהּ כְּמָה דְּלָא אַעֲבַר עֲלֵיהּ צַעֲרָא בְּיוֹמוֹי). And when Yosef was separated from him (וְכַד יוֹסֵף אִתְפְּרַשׁ מִנֵּיהּ), then it was fulfilled: “I had no tranquility, and no rest, and no quiet - and trouble came” (כְּדֵין אִתְקְיַּים, לֹא שָׁלַוְתִּי וְלֹא שָׁקַטְתִּי וְלֹא נָחְתִּי וַיָּבֹא רֹגֶז) (Job 3). For this was more difficult for Ya'akov than all that he had endured (דְּדָא קַשְׁיָא לֵיהּ לְיַעֲקֹב מִכָּל מַה דְּעֲבַר). And in the time that Yosef was separated from him, what is written? (וּבְזִמְנָא דְּאִתְפְּרַשׁ יוֹסֵף מִנֵּיהּ, מַה כְּתִיב), “Yosef was seventeen years old and he was tending the flock” and so forth (יוֹסֵף בֶּן שְׁבַע עֶשְׂרֵה שָׁנָה הָיָה רוֹעֶה וְגו') (Bereshit 37).

And in all the days of Ya'akov, there was no suffering like this (וְכָל יוֹמִין דְּיַעֲקֹב, לָא הֲוָה לֵיהּ צַעֲרָא כְּהַאי), and he wept every day over those seventeen years of Yosef (וְהֲוָה בָּכֵי כָּל יוֹמָא לְאִינוּן שְׁבַע עֶשְׂרֵה שָׁנָה דְּיוֹסֵף). What is written for him? (מַה קָּאֲתִיבוּ לֵיהּ), “And Yosef shall place his hand upon your eyes” (וְיוֹסֵף יָשִׁית יָדוֹ עַל עֵינֶיךָ) (Bereshit 46); behold for you are seventeen final years (הָא לְךָ שְׁבַע עֶשְׂרֵה שָׁנָה אָחֳרָנִין), in delight and luxury and pleasure and comfort (בְּעִנּוּגִין וְתַפְנוּקִין וַהֲנָאוֹת וְכִסּוּפִין). This is what is written: “And Ya'akov lived in the land of Egypt seventeen years” and so forth (הֲדָא הוּא דִּכְתִיב, וַיְחִי יַעֲקֹב בְּאֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם שְׁבַע עֶשְׂרֵה שָׁנָה וְגו') (Bereshit 47). It was taught: all those years (תָּנָא, כָּל אִינוּן שְׁנִין), the Shekhinta, the glory of Kudsha Berikh Hu, was found with him (שְׁכִינְתָּא יְקָרָא דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, עִמֵּיהּ אִשְׁתַּכְּחָא), and because of this, they are called “life” (וּבְגִין כָּךְ חַיִּים אִקְרוּן).

Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי), it is written: “And the spirit of their father Ya'akov revived” (כְּתִיב וַתְּחִי רוּחַ יַעֲקֹב אֲבִיהֶם) (Bereshit 45). It is revealed that beforehand, that spirit of his had died (אִתְחֲזֵי דְּהָא בְּקַדְמִיתָא מִית הֲוָה הַהוּא רוּחָא דִילֵיהּ), and he was not oriented to receive another spirit (וְלָא הֲוָה מִתְכַּוֵּין לְקַבְּלָא רוּחָא אָחֳרָא). For the spirit from above does not rest upon emptiness (דְּהָא רוּחָא דִּלְעֵילָא, לָא שַׁרְיָא בְּרֵיקַנְיָא).

Rabbi Yosei said (אָמַר רִבִּי יוֹסֵי): the Shekhinta does not rest except in a complete place (שְׁכִינְתָּא לָא שַׁרְיָא, אֶלָּא בְּאֲתַר שְׁלִים), not in a lacking place (וְלָא בְּאֲתַר חָסֵר), not in a blemished place (וְלָא בְּאֲתַר פָּגִים), and not in a place of sadness (וְלָא בְּאֲתַר עָצִיב), only in a place of intention, a place of joy (אֶלָּא בְּאֲתַר דְּאִתְכַּוֵּון, בְּאֲתַר חֲדוּ). And because of this, all those years that Yosef was separated from his father (וּבְגִין כָּךְ, כָּל אִינוּן שְׁנִין דְּיוֹסֵף אִתְפְּרַשׁ מֵאֲבוֹי), and Ya'akov was sad (וְיַעֲקֹב הֲוָה עָצִיב), the Shekhinta did not rest upon him (לָא שַׁרְיָא בֵּיהּ שְׁכִינְתָּא).

It was taught: Rabbi El‘azar said in the name of Rabbi Abba (תָּנָא, אָמַר רִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר אָמַר רִבִּי אַבָּא): it is written, “Serve Hashem with joy, come before Him with singing” (כְּתִיב, עִבְדוּ אֶת ה׳ בְּשִׂמְחָה בֹּאוּ לְפָנָיו בִּרְנָנָה) (Psalms 100), to teach that there is no service of Kudsha Berikh Hu except from joy (לְאַפָּקָא, דְּלֵית פּוּלְחָנָא דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, אֶלָּא מִגּוֹ חֶדְוָה). Rabbi El‘azar said: the Shekhinta does not rest amid sadness (דְּאָמַר רִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר, לֵית שְׁכִינְתָּא שַׁרְיָא מִגּוֹ עַצְבוּת), as it is written: “Now bring me a musician, and it was when the musician played…” (דִּכְתִיב, וְעַתָּה קְחוּ לִי מְנַגֵּן וְהָיָה כְּנַגֵּן הַמְנַגֵּן) (II Kings 3). “Played, played” - three times; why? (מְנַגֵּן מְנַגֵּן תְּלַת זִימְנֵי, אַמַּאי). To arouse the spirit from the completeness of all (בְּגִין לְאַתְעָרָא רוּחָא מִשְּׁלֵימוּתָא דְּכֹלָּא), which is a perfect spirit (דְּהוּא רוּחַ שְׁלֵימָא).

Rabbi Abba said (אָמַר רִבִּי אַבָּא): There we learned, from the four directions all is found (תַּמָּן תָּנִינָן, מֵאַרְבַּע סִטְרִין כֹּלָּא אִשְׁתַּכַּח), and all the roots of the supernal and lower are held within them (וְכָל שָׁרָשִׁין דְּעִלָּאִין וְתַתָּאִין בְּהוּ אֲחִידָן). And it is taught: this one enters, and this one goes out, this one is sealed, and this one is revealed (וְתָנָא, דָּא עָיִיל וְדָא נָפִיק, דָּא סָתִים וְדָא פָּרִישׁ), one is unified with its partner (אִתְאַחַד חַד בַּחֲבֶרְתָּהּ), and these are the Patriarchs of all (וְאִינוּן אֲבָהָן דְּכֹלָּא).

Rabbi Shim‘on said (רִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן אָמַר): “Only in your fathers did Hashem desire” (רַק בַּאֲבֹתֶיךָ חָשַׁק ה׳) (Deuteronomy 10). It is written: “your fathers,” literally three (כְּתִיב בַּאֲבֹתֶיךָ, מַמָּשׁ תְּלָתָא), and it implies that the word “only” (רַק) - truly only (וּמַשְׁמַע דִּכְתִיב רַק, רַק מַמָּשׁ), and from these are separated and unified all the others (וּמֵאִלֵּין מִתְפָּרְשָׁן וּמִתְאַחֲדָן כָּל שְׁאָר אָחֳרָנִין), and the name ascends to be crowned (וְסָלְקִין שְׁמָא לְאִתְעַטְּרָא).