Daf 227b (דַּף רכז ע״ב)

“And Yisrael saw the sons of Yosef and said: Who are these?” (וַיַּרְא יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶת בְּנֵי יוֹסֵף וַיֹּאמֶר מִי אֵלֶּה) [Bereishit 48]. Rabbi Yitzchak said (אָמַר רִבִּי יִצְחָק), this verse is difficult (הַאי קְרָא קַשְׁיָא), for it is written: “And Yisrael saw” (דִּכְתִיב וַיַּרְא יִשְׂרָאֵל), yet it is also written: “And the eyes of Yisrael were heavy with age; he could not see” (וּכְתִיב וְעֵינֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל כָּבְדוּ מִזּוֹקֶן לֹא יוּכַל לִרְאוֹת). If he could not see (אִי לֹא יוּכַל לִרְאוֹת), what does it mean “And Yisrael saw”? (מַהוּ וַיַּרְא יִשְׂרָאֵל). Rather, he saw through Ruach Qudsha (אֶלָּא דְּחָמָא בְּרוּחַ קוּדְשָׁא), those sons of Yosef (אִינוּן בְּנֵי יוֹסֵף), who are Yerov‘am and his associates (דְּאִינוּן יָרָבְעָם וַחֲבֵירָיו). For Yerov‘am made two golden calves (דְּיָרָבְעָם עֲבַד תְּרֵין עֶגְלֵי זָהָב), and said (וְאָמַר), “These are your gods, O Yisrael” [Melakhim I 12] (אֵלֶּה אֱלֹהֶיךָ יִשְׂרָאֵל). And because of this, “Who are these?” (וּבְגִין כָּךְ, מִי אֵלֶּה) who is destined to say “These are your gods” to foreign abominations? (מַאן הוּא דְּזַמִּין לְמֵימַר אֵלֶּה אֱלֹהֶיךָ לְטַעֲוָון אָחֳרָן). And for this reason: “And Yisrael saw the sons of Yosef” (וּבְגִין כָּךְ וַיַּרְא יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶת בְּנֵי יוֹסֵף). From here (מִכָּאן), the Righteous see deeds from afar (דְּצַדִּיקִיָּיא חָמָאן עוֹבָדָא לְמֵרָחוֹק), and Kudsha Berikh Hu crowns them with His crown (וּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא מְעַטֵּר לוֹן בְּעִטְרָא דִילֵיהּ). Just as Kudsha Berikh Hu sees from afar (מַה קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא חָמֵי לְמֵרָחוֹק), as it is written (כְּמָה דִכְתִיב), “And Elohim saw everything that He had made, and behold it was very good” [Bereishit 1] (וַיַּרְא אֱלֹהִים אֶת כָּל אֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה וְהִנֵּה טוֹב מְאֹד), for Kudsha Berikh Hu saw all deeds before they were done (דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא חָמָא כָּל עוֹבָדִין, עַד לָא יַעֲבֵד לוֹן), and all passed before Him (וְכֻלְּהוּ אַעֲבָרוּ קַמֵּיהּ).

In this manner (כְּגַוְונָא דָא), all generations of the world (כָּל דָּרִין דְּעַלְמָא), from one end of the world to the other (מִסְּיָיפֵי עַלְמָא עַד סְיָיפֵי עַלְמָא), all were prepared and stood before Him before they came into the world (כֻּלְּהוּ אִתְעַתָּדוּ וְקָיְימִין קַמֵּיהּ עַד לָא יֵיתוּן לְעַלְמָא). This is what is written (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב), “Calling the generations from the beginning” [Yeshayahu 41] (קוֹרֵא הַדּוֹרוֹת מֵרֹאשׁ), before the world was created (עַד לָא אִתְבְּרֵי עַלְמָא). For all Neshamot that descend to the world (בְּגִין דְּכָל נִשְׁמָתִין דְּנָחֲתִין לְעַלְמָא), before they are engraved (עַד לָא יֵיחֲתוּן), all stand before Kudsha Berikh Hu (כֻּלְּהוּ קָיְימֵי קַמֵּיהּ דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא), in the image that they will appear in this world (בְּדִיוּקְנָא דְּקָיְימֵי בְּהַאי עַלְמָא), and they are called by their names (וְאִקְרוּן בִּשְׁמָהָן), as it is written (דִּכְתִיב), “He calls them all by name” [Yeshayahu 40] (לְכֻלָּם בְּשֵׁם יִקְרָא). So too (אוּף הָכִי), the Righteous (צַדִּיקִיָּיא), Kudsha Berikh Hu shows them all the generations of the world (קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא אַחְמֵי לוֹן כָּל דָּרִין דְּעַלְמָא), before they come and are found in the world (עַד לָא יֵיתוּן וְיִשְׁתַּכְּחוּן בְּעַלְמָא). From where do we learn this? From Adam (מְנָא לָן מֵאָדָם), the first (דְּהֲוָה קַדְמָאָה). For Kudsha Berikh Hu showed him all those generations before they would come (דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא אַחְמֵי לֵיהּ כָּל אִינוּן דָּרִין עַד לָא יֵיתוּן), as it is written (כְּדִכְתִיב), “This is the book of the generations of Adam” [Bereishit 5] (זֶה סֵפֶר תּוֹלְדוֹת אָדָם).

For we have learned (דְּתָנִינָן): He showed him all those generations destined to come into the world (אַחְמֵי לֵיהּ כָּל אִינוּן דָּרִין דְּזַמִּינִין לְמֵיתֵי לְעַלְמָא). And so with Moshe (וְכֵן לְמשֶׁה), as it is written, “And Hashem showed him all the land” [Devarim 34] (וַיַּרְאֵהוּ ה׳ אֶת כָּל הָאָרֶץ), for Kudsha Berikh Hu showed him all the generations of the world (דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא אַחְמֵי לֵיהּ כָּל דָּרִין דְּעַלְמָא), and all those who would lead the world (וְכָל אִינוּן מַנְהִיגֵי עַלְמָא), and all other prophets (וְכָל שְׁאָר נְבִיאֵי), before they came into the world (עַד לָא יֵיתוּן לְעַלְמָא). So too here (אוּף הָכָא), “And Yisrael saw the sons of Yosef” (וַיַּרְא יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶת בְּנֵי יוֹסֵף) he saw from afar (חָמָא לְמֵרָחוֹק), and he was shaken (וְאִזְדַּעְזַע), and said, “Who are these?” (וְאָמַר מִי אֵלֶּה).

And this verse is completed on two sides (וְהַאי קְרָא אַשְׁלִים לִתְרֵין סִטְרִין): on this side and on that side (לְהַאי סִטְרָא וּלְהַאי סִטְרָא). And therefore Yosef answered and said (וְעַל דָּא אָתִיב יוֹסֵף וְאָמַר), “They are my sons whom Elohim has given me here” [Bereishit 48] (בָּנַי הֵם אֲשֶׁר נָתַן לִי אֱלֹהִים בָּזֶה). And from where do we know that Kudsha Berikh Hu showed him with The Holy Spirit? (וּמְנָא לָן דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא אַחְמֵי לֵיהּ בְּרוּחָא דְּקוּדְשָׁא) For it is written (דִּכְתִיב), “Behold, Elohim has shown me also your seed” [Bereishit 48] (וְהִנֵּה הֶרְאָה אֹתִי אֱלֹהִים גַּם אֶת זַרְעֶךָ). “Also” (gam) to elevate those who would descend from him, as we have said (גַּם, לְאַסְגָּאָה אִינוּן דְּנָפְקִין מִנֵּיהּ כִּדְקָאֲמָרָן). “And he blessed Yosef and said, ‘Elohim before whom my fathers…’” (וַיְבָרֶךְ אֶת יוֹסֵף וַיֹּאמַר הָאֱלֹהִים אֲשֶׁר וְגו׳) [Bereishit 48]-in this verse we must reflect (בְּהַאי קְרָא אִית לְאִסְתַּכָּלָא בֵּיהּ). “And he blessed Yosef” (וַיְבָרֶךְ אֶת יוֹסֵף) but we do not find here that he blessed Yosef, only his sons (דְּלָא אַשְׁכְּחָן הָכָא בְּרָכָה דִּבְרִיךְ לֵיהּ לְיוֹסֵף אֶלָּא לִבְנוֹי). If to his sons, it should have said “And he blessed them” (אִי לִבְנוֹי, וַיְבָרֲכֵם מִבָּעֵי לֵיהּ). What is the meaning of “And he blessed Yosef”? (מַהוּ וַיְבָרֶךְ אֶת יוֹסֵף), for we do not find here that Yosef was blessed (וְלָא אַשְׁכְּחָן הָכָא דְּאִתְבְּרִיךְ יוֹסֵף).

Rabbi Yosei said (אָמַר רִבִּי יוֹסֵי), et is precise (אֶת דַּיְיקָא), for it is written: “et Yosef” (כְּתִיב אֶת יוֹסֵף). The blessing was for his sons (בִּרְכְתָא דִּבְנוֹי הֲוָה), and when his sons were blessed (וְכַד אִתְבָּרְכָאן בְּנוֹי), he himself was blessed (אִיהוּ מִתְבָּרֵךְ), for the blessing of a man’s sons is his own blessing (דְּבִרְכְתָא דִּבְנוֹי דְּבַר נָשׁ בִּרְכָתֵיהּ אִיהִי).

Rabbi El‘azar said (אָמַר רִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר), “And he blessed et Yosef” (וַיְבָרֶךְ אֶת יוֹסֵף) et is exact (אֶת דַּיְיקָא), for he blessed the sign of the covenant (דְּבָרִיךְ לְאָת קַיָּימָא), the secret (רָזָא) Some say: of the berit (נ״א: דְּבְרִית) because when he said “They are my sons whom Elohim gave me here,” then he blessed that site of the secret (בְּגִין דְּכֵיוָן דְּאָמַר בָּנַי הֵם אֲשֶׁר נָתַן לִי אֱלֹהִים בָּזֶה, כְּדֵין בָּרֵיךְ לְהַהוּא אֲתַר רָזָא), the secret of the Berit that Yosef guarded (דִּבְרִית דְּנָטַר יוֹסֵף), and because of this he is called Tzaddik (וּבְגִין כָּךְ אִקְרֵי צַדִּיק), et Yosef (אֶת דְּיוֹסֵף) the secret of the Berit that exists within Yosef (רָזָא דִּבְרִית דְּקָיְימָא בַּהֲדֵיהּ דְּיוֹסֵף).

“Elohim before whom my fathers walked” (הָאֱלֹהִים אֲשֶׁר הִתְהַלְּכוּ אֲבוֹתַי לְפָנָיו) Elohim, this is the secret of the holy Berit (הָאֱלֹהִים, דָּא רָזָא דִּבְרִית קַדִּישָׁא), the holy covenant (קְיָימָא קַדִּישָׁא). “My fathers before Him”-before Him is precise (אֲבוֹתַי לְפָנָיו, דַּיְיקָא לְפָנָיו), meaning those primal supernal ones (דְּאִינוּן קַדְמָאֵי עִלָּאֵי), who are before this mystery-Avraham and Yitzchak (מִקַּמֵּי רָזָא דְּנָא, אַבְרָהָם וְיִצְחָק), for from them that site was nourished and suckled (דְּהָא מִנְּהוֹן אִתְזָן וְיָנְקָא הַהוּא אֲתַר (נ״א: מֵהַהוּא אֲתַר).

“Elohim who shepherds me…” (הָאֱלֹהִים הָרוֹעֶה אוֹתִי) why again is Elohim used? (מַאי טַעְמָא זִמְנָא אָחֳרָא הָאֱלֹהִים) Rather, it is a supernal secret (אֶלָּא רָזָא עִלָּאָה אִיהוּ), and here he blessed that place (וְהָכָא בָּרֵיךְ לְהַהוּא אֲתַר), with the secret of the Living Elohim (בְּרָזָא דְּאֱלֹהִים חַיִּים), the source of life (מְקוֹרָא דְחַיֵּי), from which blessing issues forth (דְּמִנֵּיהּ נָפְקִין בִּרְכָאן). And because of this he mentioned himself in that place (וּבְגִין דָּא אַדְכַּר גַּרְמֵיהּ בְּהַאי אֲתַר), and said: “Elohim who shepherds me” (וְאָמַר, הָאֱלֹהִים הָרוֹעֶה אוֹתִי), because all blessings that extend from the source of life (בְּגִין דְּכָל בִּרְכָאן דְּנָגְדֵי מִמְּקוֹרָא דְחַיֵּי), Ya'akov receives them (יַעֲקֹב נָטִיל לוֹן). And since he receives them (וְכֵיוָן דְּנָטִיל לוֹן אִיהוּ), that place receives blessing (הַאי אֲתַר נָטַל בִּרְכָאן), and all is dependent (וְכֹלָּא אִיהוּ תַּלְיָא), Some say: on the male principle (נ״א: בְּדְכוּרָא), on speech (בְּדִבּוּרָא). And therefore it is written, “And he blessed et Yosef” (וְעַל דָּא וַיְבָרֶךְ אֶת יוֹסֵף כְּתִיב).