Daf 233a (דַּף רל״ג ע״א)

In all those works below, it is not written “let there be” (בְּכָל אִינוּן עוֹבָדִין דִּלְתַּתָּא, לָא כְּתִיב יְהִי), because this secret-which is (some say: the emanation) from the supernal secret, the concealed of all concealed (בְּגִין דְּרָזָא דָא דְּאִיהוּ (נ״א: אַמְשָׁכוּתָא) מֵרָזָא עִלָּאָה, סְתִימִין דְּכָל סְתִימִין), is only sustained through supernal words above (לָא אִתְקְיַּים אֶלָּא בְּמִלִּין עִלָּאֵי דִּלְעֵילָא), and is not spoken with those lower words of below (וְלָא אִתְּמָר בְּאִינוּן מִלִּין תַּתָּאִין דִּלְתַּתָּא). And through this, the holy Name is blessed in all (וּבְדָא מִתְבָּרַךְ שְׁמָא קַדִּישָׁא בְּכֹלָּא), and concerning this it is written: “May the Name of Hashem be blessed…” (Psalms 113) (וְעַל דָּא כְּתִיב יְהִי שֵׁם יְיָ מְבוֹרָךְ וְגו׳), from the rising of the sun to its setting-this is the supernal place from which the sun radiates, and gives light to all (מִמִּזְרַח שֶׁמֶשׁ עַד מְבוֹאוֹ, דָּא אֲתַר עִלָּאָה, דְּקָא נָהִיר מִנֵּיהּ שִׁמְשָׁא, וְנָהִיר לְכֹלָּא).

And this is the place of the concealed supernal head (וְדָא הוּא אֲתַר דְּרֵישָׁא עִלָּאָה סְתִימָאָה). And to its setting-this is the place of connection, where faith is properly connected (וְעַד מְבוֹאוֹ, דָּא הוּא אֲתַר קִשְׁרָא, דְּאִתְקַּשַּׁר בֵּיהּ מְהֵימְנוּתָא כְּדְקָא חָזֵי), and from there blessings go forth to all (וּמִתַּמָּן נָפְקָן בִּרְכָּאן לְכֹלָּא), and the world is nourished from there, as it is said (וְעַלְמָא מֵהָכָא אִתְּזָן, כְּמָה דְּאִתְּמָר). And because of this, this place is established to be nourished from above and to be blessed from there (וּבְגִין כָּךְ קָיְימָא הַאי אֲתַר לְאִתְּזָנָא מֵעֵילָא, וּלְאִתְבָּרְכָא מִתַּמָּן). And all stands through the awakening from below, which is stirred by those servants of Hashem when they bless the holy Name, as we have said (וְכֹלָּא קָיְימָא בְּאִתְעֲרוּתָא דִּלְתַּתָּא, דְּמִתְעָרֵי אִינוּן עַבְדֵּי יְיָ, כַּד מְבָרְכֵי שְׁמָא קַדִּישָׁא, כִּדְקָאֲמָרָן). And because this is in revelation, it is written: “Praise, servants of Hashem! Praise the Name of Hashem!” (וּבְגִין כָּךְ דְּאִיהוּ בְּאִתְגַּלְיָיא, כְּתִיב: הַלְלוּ עַבְדֵּי יְיָ, הַלְלוּ אֶת שֵׁם יְיָ).

Meanwhile, morning light was shining (אַדְהָכִי הֲוָה נָהִיר צַפְרָא), they went out from the cave (נָפְקוּ מִן מְעַרְתָּא), and that night they had not slept (וּבְהַהוּא לֵילְיָא לָא דְּמִיכוּ). They walked on the path (אָזְלוּ בְּאָרְחָא), and when they departed from those mountains, they sat and prayed the prayer (כַּד נָפְקוּ מֵאִינוּן טוּרִין, יָתְבוּ וְצַלּוּ צְלוֹתָא). They arrived at a certain village (מָטוּ לְחַד כְּפַר), and they stayed there all that day (וְיָתְבוּ תַּמָּן כָּל הַהוּא יוֹמָא), and that night they slept (בְּהַהוּא לֵילְיָא נָמוּ), until it was midnight-they arose to engage in Orayta (עַד דְּהֲוָה פַלְגוּת לֵילְיָא, קָמוּ לְאִתְעַסְּקָא בְּאוֹרַיְּיתָא).

Rabbi Yehudah opened and said (פָּתַח רִבִּי יְהוּדָה וְאָמַר): “And he blessed them that day, saying: Through you shall Yisrael bless…” (Bereshit 48) (וַיְבָרֲכֵם בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא לֵאמֹר בְּךָ יְבָרֵךְ יִשְׂרָאֵל וְגו׳). And he blessed them that day (וַיְבָרֲכֵם בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא) what is “that day”? (מַאי בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא), for it is sufficient that it says “and he blessed them” (דְּהָא סַגִּי דְּקָאֲמַר וַיְבָרֲכֵם). And further, every “to say” (leimor) is written without a vav, but here it is written with a vav (וְתוּ, כָּל לֵאמֹר כְּתִיב חָסֵר, וְהָכָא לֵאמֹר בְּו״ו כְּתִיב), Some say: it is always written “to say”, but here it is with a Vav-what is different? (נ״א: כְּלָלָא כְּתִיב לֵאמֹר, אֶלָּא בְּו״ו לֵאמֹר כְּתִיב הָכָא, מַאי שְׁנָא). Rather, it is a secret: And he blessed them that day-what is “that day”? (אֶלָּא רָזָא אִיהוּ, וַיְבָרַכֵם בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא, מַאי בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא), it is the secret of the level appointed over the blessings from above (רָזָא דְּדַרְגָּא דְּאִתְמַנָּא עַל בִּרְכָּאן לְעֵילָא).

That day-the day from that supernal place which is called He (יוֹם הַהוּא, יוֹם מֵהַהוּא אֲתַר עִלָּאָה, דְּאִקְרֵי הוּא). And this that day has no separation between day and he (וְהַאי יוֹם הַהוּא, דְּלֵית פִּירוּדָא בֵּין יוֹם וּבֵין הוּא), and in every place where it says that day, it is [indicative of] two supernal levels (וּבְכָל אֲתַר הַיּוֹם הַהוּא, דָּא תְּרֵין דַּרְגִּין עֶלְיוֹנִין), a higher level and a lower level that are one (דַּרְגָּא עִלָּאָה וְתַתָּאָה דְּאִינוּן כְּחֲדָא). And because of this, when Ya'akov sought to bless the sons of Yosef (וּבְגִין כָּךְ, כַּד בָּעָא יַעֲקֹב לְבָרְכָא לִבְנוֹי דְּיוֹסֵף), he blessed them with Union of above and below together as one (בָּרִיךְ לוֹן בְּיִחוּדָא דִלְעֵילָא וְתַתָּאָה כֻּלְּהוּ כְּחֲדָא), Some say: leimor with a vav-this vav includes and unites the levels, therefore he unified them in the Union of above all as one (נ״א: לֵאמֹר בְּו״ו דְּאִתְכְּלִיל וָ״ו בֵּינֵיהוּ, עַל דָּא יִחֵד לוֹן בְּיִחוּדָא דִלְעֵילָא כֻּלְּהוּ כְּחֲדָא), in order that their blessing be sustained (בְּגִין דְּיִתְקַיֵּים בִּרְכָּתְהוֹן), and afterward all was unified as one (וּלְבָתַר כָּלִיל כֹּלָא כְּחֲדָא). And he said: Through you shall Yisrael bless-“to say” (וְאָמַר, בְּךָ יְבָרֵךְ יִשְׂרָאֵל לֵאמֹר). What is “through you”? (מַאי בְּךָ), Surely this is the secret of Union (וַדַּאי דָּא רָזָא דְּיִחוּדָא), which at first ascends from below to above (בְּקַדְמִיתָא מִתַּתָּא לְעֵילָא), Some say: that day ascends from below to above (נ״א: יוֹם הַהוּא מִתַּתָּא לְעֵילָא), and afterward it descends to the middle and below (וּלְבָתַר נָחִית לְאֶמְצָעִיתָא וּלְתַתָּא). Leimor with a vav-that is the middle level (לֵאמֹר בְּו״ו הָא אֶמְצָעִיתָא), and afterward it descends below to through you (וּלְבָתַר נָחִית לְתַתָּא בְּךָ). And thus it is fitting and proper-ascending from below to above, and descending from above to below (וְהָכִי הוּא יָאוֹת כְּדְקָא חָזֵי, מִתַּתָּא לְעֵילָא וּמֵעֵילָא לְתַתָּא).

Through you shall Yisrael bless-what is Yisrael? (בְּךָ יְבָרֵךְ יִשְׂרָאֵל, מַאי יִשְׂרָאֵל), Yisrael Saba (יִשְׂרָאֵל סָבָא). It does not say Yisrael shall be blessed, but shall bless (יְבוֹרַךְ יִשְׂרָאֵל לָא כְּתִיב, אֶלָּא יְבָרֵךְ), for Yisrael receives blessings from above (דְּהָא יִשְׂרָאֵל נָטִיל בִּרְכָּאן מִלְּעֵילָא), and afterward he blesses all (וּלְבָתַר אִיהוּ מְבָרֵךְ לְכֹּלָּא), precisely in this lower level that is stated (בְּהַאי דַּרְגָּא תַּתָּאָה דַּיְיקָא), as it says: Through you shall Yisrael bless, leimor (דְּקָאֲמַר: בְּךָ יְבָרֵךְ יִשְׂרָאֵל לֵאמֹר).

May Elohim make you like Ephraim and like Menasheh (יְשִׂימְךָ אֱלֹהִים כְּאֶפְרַיִם וְכִמְנַשֶּׁה) he placed Ephraim first at the beginning (אַקְדִּים לֵיהּ לְאֶפְרַיִם בְּקַדְמִיתָא), because Ephraim is called upon the name of (Yosef) Yisrael (בְּגִין דְּאֶפְרַיִם עַל שְׁמָא (דְּיוֹסֵף) דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל אִקְרֵי). From where do we learn this? (מְנָא לָן) from this, that when the tribe of Ephraim went out before the end of the time of Egyptian servitude (מֵהָא, דְּכַד שִׁבְטָא דְּאֶפְרַיִם נָפַק, עַד לָא אִשְׁתְּלִים זִמְנָא דְּשִׁעְבּוּדָא דְּמִצְרַיִם), they forced the time and went out from exile (דָּחֲקוּ שַׁעְתָּא וְנָפְקוּ מִן גָּלוּתָא), and their enemies rose up against them and killed them (קָמוּ עֲלֵיהוֹן שַׂנְאֵיהוֹן וּקְטָלוּ לוֹן). And it is written: “Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Yisrael” (Ezekiel 37) (וּכְתִיב, בֶּן אָדָם הָעֲצָמוֹת הָאֵלֶּה כָּל בֵּית יִשְׂרָאֵל הֵמָּה). It is understood from what is written: “the whole house of Yisrael they are” (מַשְׁמַע דִּכְתִיב, כָּל בֵּית יִשְׂרָאֵל הֵמָּה), and therefore he placed Ephraim before Menasheh (וְעַל דָּא אַקְדִּים לְאֶפְרַיִם קֳדָם מְנַשֶּׁה). Because of this, Ephraim was situated to the west, and that was his position p4-25(בְּגִין כָּךְ אֶפְרַיִם מָטוּלֵיהּ לִסְטַר מַעֲרָב, וּמַטְלָנוֹי הֲוָה).

Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי): the blessing that he gave to the sons of Yosef-why did he bless them before blessing his own sons? (בִּרְכְתָּא דְּבָרִיךְ לִבְנֵי יוֹסֵף, אַמַּאי אַקְדִּים לוֹן בִּרְכָּאן, עַד לָא יְבָרֵךְ לִבְנוֹי). Rather, from here we learn that the affection for one’s grandchildren is more beloved to a person than his own sons (אֶלָּא מִכָּאן, דַּחֲבִיבוּתָא דִּבְנֵי בְּנוֹי, חָבִיב עֲלֵיהּ דְּבַר נָשׁ יַתִּיר מִבְּנוֹי), and because of this he placed the affection for his grandchildren before his sons, to bless them first (וּבְגִין כָּךְ, אַקְדִּים חֲבִיבוּתָא דִּבְנֵי בְּנוֹי קוֹדֶם לִבְנוֹי, לְבָרְכָא לוֹן בְּקַדְמִיתָא). And he blessed them that day, saying… (וַיְבָרַכֵם בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא לֵאמֹר).

Rabbi Yose opened and said: “Hashem has remembered us; He will bless. He will bless the house of Yisrael…” (Psalms 115) (רִבִּי יוֹסֵי פָּתַח וְאָמַר, יְיָ זְכָרָנוּ יְבָרֵךְ, יְבָרֵךְ אֶת בֵּית יִשְׂרָאֵל וְגו׳). Hashem has remembered us; He will bless-these are the men (יְיָ זְכָרָנוּ יְבָרֵךְ, אִלֵּין גּוּבְרִין). He will bless the house of Yisrael-these are the women (יְבָרֵךְ אֶת בֵּית יִשְׂרָאֵל, אִלֵּין נָשִׁין). Because the males must be blessed first, and afterward the females (בְּגִין דִּדְכוּרִין בָּעְיָין לְאִתְבָּרְכָא בְּקַדְמִיתָא, וּלְבָתַר נָשִׁין), and women are not blessed except through the blessing of the males (וְנָשִׁין לָא מִתְבָּרְכָן אֶלָּא מִבִּרְכָּתְהוֹן דִּדְכוּרִין), for when the males are blessed, then the females are blessed (דְּכַד דְּכוּרִין מִתְבָּרְכָן, כְּדֵין נָשִׁין מִתְבָּרְכָן). And if you would say from here, as it is written: “And he shall atone for himself and for his household” (Leviticus 16) (וְאִי תֵימָא מֵהָא, דִּכְתִיב: וְכִפֶּר בַּעֲדוֹ וּבְעַד בֵּיתוֹ) he must first atone for himself, and afterward for his household (דְּבָעֵי לְכַפָּרָא עֲלֵיהּ בְּקַדְמִיתָא, וּלְבָתַר עַל בֵּיתֵיהּ), because she is blessed through him (בְּגִין דְּמִתְבָּרְכָא מִנֵּיהּ).