Daf 223a (דַּף רכ״ג ע״א)

And come and see (וְתָּא חֲזֵי), the Fathers merited to be buried there (אַבְהָתָא זָכוּ לְאִתְקַבְּרָא תַּמָּן), they and their zivugim (אִינוּן וְזִוּוּגַיְיהוּ). Ya'akov and Leah (יַעֲקֹב הוּא וְלֵאָה) - why did Rachel not [merit this]? (מַאי טַעְמָא רָחֵל לָא), and is it not written (וְהָא כְּתִיב): and Rachel was barren [Bereshit 29] (וְרָחֵל עֲקָרָה) - for she is the essence of the house (דְּאִיהִי עִקָּרָא דְבֵיתָא)? Rather, Leah merited more (אֶלָּא, לֵאָה זָכְתָה בֵּיהּ), to bring forth six tribes from the holy root in the world (לְאֲפָקָא שִׁית שִׁבְטִין מִגִּזְעָא קַדִּישָׁא בְּעַלְמָא יַתִּיר). And because of this (וּבְגִינֵי כָּךְ), she was given to him as a zivug in the cave (אִתְיַיהֲבַת עִמֵּיהּ לְזִוּוּגָא בִּמְעַרְתָּא).

Rabbi Yehudah said (אָמַר רִבִּי יְהוּדָה): Leah every day stood at the crossroad (לֵאָה כָּל יוֹמָהָא, הֲוַת בְּפָרָשַׁת אוֹרְחִין קַיָּימָא), and wept for Ya'akov (וּבָכַת בְּגִינֵיהּ דְּיַעֲקֹב), when she heard that he was a Tzaddik (כַּד שָׁמְעַת דְּאִיהוּ צַדִּיקָא). And her prayer preceded him (וּצְלוֹתָא אַקְדָמַת לֵיהּ). And this is what is written (וְהַיְינוּ דִּכְתִיב): And the eyes of Leah were soft [Bereshit 29] (וְעֵינֵי לֵאָה רַכּוֹת), as we have established (כְּמָה דְאוֹקִימְנָא): because she would sit at the crossroad to ask (דְּמַקְדָּמַת וְיָתְבַת בְּפָרָשַׁת אוֹרְחִין לְמִשְׁאַל).

Rachel never went out to the crossroad (רָחֵל לָא נָפְקַת לְאוֹרְחִין לְעַלְמָא). Therefore Leah merited to be buried with him (בְּגִינֵי כָּךְ זָכְתָה לֵאָה לְאִתְקַבְּרָא עִמֵּיהּ). And Rachel’s burial stands at the crossroad (וְרָחֵל קַיֶּמֶת קְבוּרָתָהּ בְּפָרָשַׁת אוֹרְחִין), and she was buried there (וְאִתְקְבָרַת תַּמָּן). This is what is written (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב): And I, when I came from Paddan, Rachel died upon me [Bereshit 48] (וַאֲנִי בְּבֹאִי מִפַּדָּן מֵתָה עָלַי רָחֵל). What is “upon me”? (מַהוּ עָלַי) - surely “upon me,” meaning “because of me” (עָלַי וַדַּאי, כְּלוֹמַר בְּגִינִי).

In the land of Canaan on the way (בְּאֶרֶץ כְּנָעַן בַּדֶּרֶךְ) - on account of the death on the way (בְּגִינִי מִיתַת בַּדֶּרֶךְ), for she did not go out for me as her sister did (דְּלָא נָפְקַת בְּגִינִי לְעָלְמִין כַּאֲחָתָהּ). Because of this (בְגִין כָּךְ), Leah who went out and wept at the crossroads for Ya'akov (לֵאָה דְּנָפְקַת וּבָכַת בְּפָרָשַׁת אוֹרְחִין בְּגִינֵיהּ דְּיַעֲקֹב), merited to be buried with him (זָכְתָה לְאִתְקְבָרָא עִמֵּיהּ). Rachel, who did not want to go out and plead with him (רָחֵל דְּלָא בָּעַאת לְמֵיפַק וּלְמִשְׁאַל בַּהֲדֵיהּ), for that reason her burial is at the crossroads (בְגִין כָּךְ קְבוּרָתָה בְּפָרָשַׁת אוֹרְחִין). And the secret of the matter (וְרָזָא דְמִלָּה), this we have already established and said (הָא אוֹקִימְנָא וְאִתְּמָר), this is in the revealed (דָּא בְּאִתְגַּלְיָא), and that in the hidden (וְדָא בְּאִתְכַּסְּיָא). And come and see (וְתָּא חֲזֵי), it was taught (דְּתַנְיָא): many tears did that righteous woman Leah shed (דִּמְעִין סַגִּיאִין שָׁדִיאַת הַהִיא צַדֶּקֶת לֵאָה), in order to be the portion of Ya'akov (בְּגִין לְמֶהֱוֵי חוּלָקֵיהּ דְּיַעֲקֹב), and not of that wicked one Esav (וְלָא בְּהַהוּא רָשָׁע דְּעֵשָׂו).

And this is what we have learned (וְהַיְינוּ דְּתָנִינָן): any person who sheds tears before Kudsha Berikh Hu (כָּל בַּר נָשׁ דְּאוֹשִׁיד דִּמְעִין קַמֵּיהּ דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא), even if a punishment was decreed upon him (אַף עַל גַּב דְּאִתְגְּזַר עֲלֵיהּ עוֹנָשָׁא), it is torn up (יִתְקָרַע), and that punishment cannot rule over him (וְלָא יָכִיל הַהוּא עוֹנָשָׁא לְשַׁלְּטָאָה בֵּיהּ). From where [do we learn this]? From Leah (מְנָלָן, מִלֵּאָה), for it was decreed that Leah should be the portion of Esav (דְּהָא לֵאָה אִתְגְּזַר לְמֶהֱוֵי חוּלָקָא דְעֵשָׂו), but through prayer she reached Ya'akov before him (וְהִיא בְּבָעוּתָא אַקְדִימַת לֵיהּ לְיַעֲקֹב), and she was not given to Esav (וְלָא אִתְיְיהִיבַת לֵיהּ לְעֵשָׂו). Rabbi Ḥiyya said (אָמַר רִבִּי חִיָּיא): And I shall lie with my fathers and so on (וְשָׁכַבְתִּי עִם אֲבוֹתַי וְגו').

Rabbi Yitzḥak opened and said (רִבִּי יִצְחָק פָּתַח וְאָמַר): What advantage does man have in all his labor which he labors under the sun? [Kohelet 1] (מַה יִּתְרוֹן לָאָדָם בְּכָל עֲמָלוֹ שֶׁיַּעֲמֹל תַּחַת הַשָּׁמֶשׁ). In many places I have examined the words of Shlomo (בְּכַמָּה אֲתַר אִתְּמָר דְּאִסְתַּכַּלְנָא בְּמִלּוֹי דִּשְׁלֹמֹה), and they appear as sealed words (וְאִתְחֲזֵי מִלּוֹי סְתִימִין), but all the words of Shlomo (אֲבָל כֻּלְּהוּ מִלֵּי דִּשְׁלֹמֹה), are all called wisdom (כֻּלְּהוּ אִקְרוּן בְּחָכְמָתָא). For it was taught (דְּתַנְיָא): it is written (כְּתִיב): And the wisdom of Shlomo increased [Melakhim I 5] (וַתֵּרֶב חָכְמַת שְׁלֹמֹה). In the days of King Shlomo (בְּיוֹמוֹי דִשְׁלֹמֹה מַלְכָּא), the moon was in its fullness (קָיְימָא סִיהֲרָא בְּאַשְׁלָמוּתָא).

And this is what is written (וְהַיְינוּ דִכְתִיב): And the wisdom of Shlomo was greater than the wisdom of all the children of the East (וַתֵּרֶב חָכְמַת שְׁלֹמֹה מֵחָכְמַת כָּל בְּנֵי קֶדֶם). There we have learned (תַּמָּן תָּנִינָן): who are the Children of the East? (מַאן אִינוּן בְּנֵי קֶדֶם) - behold, it was already explained (הָא אוּקְמוּהָ). But the wisdom of the Children of the East (אֲבָל חָכְמַת בְּנֵי קֶדֶם), is the wisdom inherited from Avraham (הִיא חָכְמְתָא דְּיָרְתוּ מֵאַבְרָהָם). For it was taught (דְּתַנְיָא), it is written (כְּתִיב): And Avraham gave all that he had to Yitzchak [Bereshit 25] (וַיִּתֵּן אַבְרָהָם אֶת כָּל אֲשֶׁר לוֹ לְיִצְחָק). What is “all that he had”? (מַאי אֶת כָּל אֲשֶׁר לוֹ) - this is supernal wisdom (דָּא חָכְמְתָא עִלָּאָה), for he knew the Holy Name of Kudsha Berikh Hu (דְּהֲוָה יָדַע בִּשְׁמָא קַדִּישָׁא דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא). And it implies “all that was his” (וּמַשְׁמַע אֶת כָּל אֲשֶׁר לוֹ), that it was his possession (דְּהֲוָה דִילֵיהּ).

As we have learned regarding that daughter that Avraham had (כִּדְתָנִינָן בְּהַהִיא בַּת דְּהֲוַת לֵיהּ לְאַבְרָהָם), and her name was “Bakol” (וּבַכֹּל שְׁמָהּ). And to the sons of the concubines which Avraham had, Avraham gave gifts… [Bereshit 25] (וְלִבְנֵי הַפִּילַּגְשִׁים אֲשֶׁר לְאַבְרָהָם נָתַן אַבְרָהָם מַתָּנוֹת וְגו'). That he gave them known words (דְּיָהַב לְהוּ מִילִין יְדִיעָאן), with lower crowns (בְּכִתְרִין תַּתָּאִין), and placed them in a land fit for them (וּבְאָן אֲתַר אַשְׁרֵי לוֹן), to the land of the East (אֶל אֶרֶץ קֶדֶם). And from there the Benei Kedem inherited wisdom (וּמִתַּמָּן יָרִיתוּ בְּנֵי קֶדֶם חָכְמָתָא), and this is what is written (וְהַיְינוּ דִכְתִיב): greater than the wisdom of all the Children of the East (מֵחָכְמַת כָּל בְּנֵי קֶדֶם).

It was taught (תָּאנָא): One day Rabbi Shimon came from Cappadocia to Lod (יוֹמָא חַד הֲוָה אָתֵי רִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן מִקַּפּוֹטְקִיָּא לְלוֹד), and with him were Rabbi Abba and Rabbi Yehudah (וְהֲוָה עִמֵּיהּ רִבִּי אַבָּא וְרִבִּי יְהוּדָה). Rabbi Abba was weary (רִבִּי אַבָּא הֲוָה לָאֵי), and was running behind Rabbi Shimon who was riding (וְהֲוָה רָהִיט אֲבַתְרֵיהּ דְּרִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן דְּהֲוָה רָכִיב). Rabbi Abba said (אָמַר רִבִּי אַבָּא): Surely, After Hashem they shall walk, like a lion shall He roar [Hoshea 11] (וַדַּאי: אַחֲרֵי ה' יֵלֵכוּ כְּאַרְיֵה יִשְׁאָג).

Rabbi Shimon descended (נָחַת רִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן), and said to him (אָמַר לֵיהּ): Surely it is written (וַדַּאי כְּתִיב): And I sat on the mountain forty days and forty nights [Devarim 9] (וָאֵשֵׁב בָּהָר אַרְבָּעִים יוֹם וְאַרְבָּעִים לַיְלָה). Indeed, wisdom does not settle (וַדַּאי חָכְמְתָא לָא מִתְיַישְׁבָא), except when a person sits and does not move (אֶלָּא כַּד בַּר נָשׁ יָתִיב וְלָא אָזִיל), but rather stands firm in his being (אֶלָּא קָאִים בְּקִיּוּמֵיהּ). And we have already established the matter, why it is written and I sat (וְהָא אוֹקִימְנָא מִלֵּי עַל מַה כְּתִיב וָאֵשֵׁב). Now the matter depends on calmness (הַשְׁתָּא בְּנַיְיחָא תַּלְיָיא מִילְתָא). They sat down (יָתְבוּ).

Rabbi Abba said (אָמַר רִבִּי אַבָּא): It is written (כְּתִיב): And the wisdom of Shlomo was greater than the wisdom of all the Children of the East and all the wisdom of Egypt [Melakhim I 5] (וַתֵּרֶב חָכְמַת שְׁלמֹה מֵחָכְמַת כָּל בְּנֵי קֶדֶם וּמִכָּל חָכְמַת מִצְרַיִם). What is the wisdom of Shlomo, and what is the wisdom of Egypt, and what is the wisdom of all the Children of the East? (מַאי הִיא חָכְמַת שְׁלמֹה וּמַאי הִיא חָכְמַת מִצְרַיִם וּמַאי הִיא חָכְמַת כָּל בְּנִי קֶדֶם). He said to him (אָמַר לֵיהּ):

Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי): in many places it is established in that name (בְּכַמָּה אֲתַר אוּקְמוּהָ בְּהַהוּא שְׁמָא), that the moon, when blessed from all (דְּסִיהֲרָא כַּד אִתְבָּרְכָא מִכֹּלָּא), it is written and it increased (כְּתִיב וַתֵּרֶב). In the days of Shlomo (בְּיוֹמוֹי דִשְׁלֹמֹה), it was exalted and blessed and stood in completeness (דְּאִתְרְבִיאַת וְאִתְבָּרְכַת וְקָיְימָא בְּאַשְׁלָמוּתָא).