Daf 234b (דַּף רל״ד ע״ב)

At that moment when Ya'akov called them (בְּהַאי שַׁעְתָּא דְּיַעֲקֹב קָרָא לוֹן), the Shekhinta departed from him (אִסְתַּלַּק מִנֵּיהּ שְׁכִינְתָּא), and this has already been established (וְהָא אוּקְמוּהָ). Come and see (וְתָּא חֲזֵי): at the moment when Ya'akov was calling his sons (בְּשַׁעְתָּא דְּיַעֲקֹב הֲוָה קָאָרֵי לִבְנוֹי), Avraham and Yitzḥak were summoned there (אִזְדַּמְּנוּ אַבְרָהָם וְיִצְחָק תַּמָּן), and the Shekhinta was upon them (וּשְׁכִינְתָּא עַל גַּבַּיְיהוּ). The Shekhinta rejoiced in Ya'akov (וּשְׁכִינְתָּא הֲוָה חָדֵי בֵיהּ בְּיַעֲקֹב), to unite with the patriarchs (לְאִתְחַבְּרָא בַּאֲבָהָן), and to be bound with their Neshamot as one (לְאִתְקַשְּׁרָא עִם נַפְשַׁיְיהוּ כְּחַד), to be a flaming bond (לְמֵהֲוֵי רְתִיכָא).

At the moment when Ya'akov opened and said: “Gather yourselves together, and I will tell you what will befall you in the end of days” (Bereshit 49) (בְּשַׁעְתָּא דְּפָתַח יַעֲקֹב, וְאָמַר: הֵאָסְפוּ וְאַגִּידָה לָכֶם אֵת אֲשֶׁר יִקְרָא אֶתְכֶם בְּאַחֲרִית הַיָּמִים), “in the end”-this refers to the Shekhinta (בְּאַחֲרִית, דָּא שְׁכִינְתָּא), who, as it were, felt sorrow within him and departed (כִּבְיָכוֹל יָהַב עֲצִיבוּ בֵּיהּ, וְאִסְתַּלַּק). Afterwards his sons returned her through their expressions of Union (וּלְבָתַר אַהֲדָרוּ לָהּ בְּנוֹי בְּיִחוּדֵי דְּמִילַיְיהוּ), and they opened and said: “Shema Yisrael…” (Deuteronomy 6) (וּפָתְחוּ וְאָמְרוּ: שְׁמַע יִשְׂרָאֵל וְגו׳). At that moment Ya'akov arose and said: “Blessed be the Name of the Glory of His Kingdom forever and ever” (בְּהַהִיא שַׁעְתָּא קָאֵים לָהּ יַעֲקֹב, וְאָמַר: בָּרוּךְ שֵׁם כְּבוֹד מַלְכוּתוֹ לְעוֹלָם וָעֶד), and the Shekhinta returned to her place (וְאִתְיַיְּישְׁבַת שְׁכִינְתָּא בְּדוּכְתָּהּ). And Ya'akov called-what is called here? (וַיִּקְרָא יַעֲקֹב, מַאי קְרִיאָה הָכָא) Rather, calling is to establish their places (אֶלָּא קְרִיאָה לְקַיְּימָא דוּכְתַּיְיהוּ), to establish them above and below (לְקַיְּימָא לוֹן לְעֵילָא וְתַתָּא).

Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי): in every place where it says calling in this manner, as it is written: “And Moshe called Hoshea bin Nun, Yehoshua” (Numbers 13) (בְּכָל אֲתַר קְרִיאָה בְּהַאי גַּוְונָא: וַיִּקְרָא מֹשֶׁה לְהוֹשֵׁעַ בִּן נוּן יְהוֹשֻׁעַ) to establish his position in the place where needed, and to bind him there (לְקַיְּימָא דוּכְתֵּיהּ בְּאֲתַר דְּאִצְטְרִיךְ, וּלְקָשְׁרָא לֵיהּ). So too: “And he called his name Ya'akov” (Bereshit 25) (וְכֵן: וַיִּקְרָא שְׁמוֹ יַעֲקֹב), and it is written: “And He called him El Elohei Yisrael” (Bereshit 33) (וּכְתִיב: וַיִּקְרָא לוֹ אֵל אֱלֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל) Kudsha Berikh Hu established him in this place with that Name (קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא קִיֵּים לֵיהּ לְאֲתַר דָּא בִּשְׁמָא דָּא). Calling comes to establish (קְרִיאָה לְקִיּוּמָא קָא אַתְיָא). If you would say: “And they cried out to Elohim” (Jonah 3), or “I called out from my distress to Hashem” (Jonah 2), so it truly is (אִי תֵימָא: וַיִּקְרְאוּ אֶל אֱלֹהִים, קָרָאתִי מִצָּרָה לִי אֶל ה׳, הָכִי הוּא וַדַּאי) to bind and establish enduring permanence above (לְקָשְׁרָא וּלְקַיְּימָא קִיּוּמָא לְעֵילָא). And who is it? This is the order of the praise of the Master (וּמַאן אִיהוּ סִדּוּרָא דְּשִׁבְחָא דְּמָארֵיהּ). And all these words requested before the Master (וְכָל אִינוּן מִלִּין דְּבָעָאן קַמֵּי מָארֵיהּ), receive sustenance from Him, for He is the place upon which all depends (קִיּוּמָא יָהִיב לֵיהּ לְמָארֵיהּ, דְּאַחֲזֵי דְּבֵיהּ תַּלְיָא כֹּלָּא), and not in another place (וְלָא בְּאֲתַר אָחֳרָא). Thus, all has permanence and endurance (הָא כֹּלָּא קַיָּים קִיּוּמָא). So too: And Ya'akov called to his sons-he established them in complete permanence (כְּהַאי גַּוְונָא: וַיִּקְרָא יַעֲקֹב אֶל בָּנָיו, קִיֵּים לוֹן בְּקִיּוּמָא שְׁלִים). Likewise: And He called to Mosheh-he was established in his permanence (כְּגַוְונָא דָּא: וַיִּקְרָא אֶל מֹשֶׁה, אִתְקַיֵּים בְּקִיּוּמֵיהּ).

Rabbi Yitzḥak said (אָמַר רִבִּי יִצְחָק): why is the alef in Vayikra small? (אַלֶ״ף דְּוַיִּקְרָא, אַמַּאי הִיא זְעֵירָא) He said to him: Mosheh was established in wholeness, but not in totality (אָמַר לֵיהּ: אִתְקַיֵּים מֹשֶׁה בִּשְׁלִימוּ, וְלָא בְּכֹלָּא), for he separated from his wife (דְּהָא אִסְתַּלַּק מֵאִתְּתֵיהּ). In the early books, they said this for his praise (בְּסִפְרֵי קַדְמָאֵי אָמְרֵי לְשִׁבְחָא), but we have learned differently-that what is elevated above must be connected both above and below (וַאֲנַן הָכִי תָּנִינָן: מַה דְּאִסְתַּלַּק לְעֵילָא, יִתְקַשַּׁר לְעֵילָא וּלְתַתָּא), and only then is it whole (וּכְדֵין אִיהוּ שְׁלִים).

Moreover, the small alef comes from a small place (תוּ, אַלֶ״ף זְעֵירָא מֵאֲתַר זְעֵירָא הֲוָה) small because it is great in its union above (זְעֵירָא דְּאִיהוּ רַב בְּאִתְחַבְּרוּתֵיהּ לְעֵילָא), Some say: both above and below, and only then whole (נ״א: לְעֵילָא וּלְתַתָּא וּכְדֵין שְׁלִים). And he said-what is “and he said”? (וַיֹּאמֶר, מַאי וַיֹּאמֶר) This has already been explained (הָא אוּקְמוּהָ), as it is said: “And he said in his heart” (Isaiah 49) (כְּמָא דְּאַתְּ אָמֵר: וַיֹּאמֶר בִּלְבָבוֹ) Amirah is in quiet (אֲמִירָה בַּחֲשָׁאי). They were gathered — it should have said: ‘gather!’ — as it is said: ‘Gather to Me My faithful ones’ (Psalms 50) (הֵאָסְפוּ, אִסְפוּ מִבָּעֵי לֵיהּ, כְּמָא דְּאַתְּ אָמֵר: אִסְפוּ לִי חֲסִידָי). Rather (Some say: He established them) it comes from above (אֶלָּא נ״א: קִיֵּם לוֹן, הֵאָסְפוּ מֵאֲתַר דְּלְעֵילָא הוּא) gathered in perfect binding in single Union (הֵאָסְפוּ בְּקִשּׁוּרָא שְׁלִים בְּיִחוּדָא חַד). And I shall tell you—what is ‘and I shall tell you’? It is the secret of Chokhmah (וְאַגִּידָה לָכֶם, מַאי וְאַגִּידָה רָזָא דְּחָכְמְתָא אִיהוּ).

Rabbi Yosei asked Rabbi Shim‘on (רִבִּי יוֹסֵי שָׁאִיל לְרִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן): He said to him: “And I shall tell,” or “and he will tell,” or “and they will tell,” and so with all of them for we have learned that it is the secret of Chokhmah; why is it in this wording? (אָמַר לֵיהּ: וְאַגִּידָה, אוֹ וְיַגֵּד, אוֹ וְיַגִּידוּ, וְכֵן כֻּלְּהוּ, דְּתָנִינָן דְּרָזָא דְּחָכְמָתָא אִיהִי, אַמַּאי בְּמִלָּה דָּא) He said to him: because it is a word that comes in gimmel-dalet without separation (אָמַר לֵיהּ: בְּגִין דְּאִיהוּ מִלָּה דְּאָתְיָא בְּגִימֶ״ל דָּלֶ״ת בְּלָא פִּירוּדָא), and this is the secret of Chokhmah (וְהַאי אִיהוּ רָזָא דְּחָכְמְתָא). A word that comes in wholeness in the secret of the letters-so it is when they are in Chokhmah (מִלָּה דְּאָתְיָא בִּשְׁלִימוּ בְּרָזָא דְּאַתְּוָון, הָכִי הוּא, כַּד אִינוּן בְּחָכְמְתָא). But dalet without gimmel is not complete (אֲבָל דָּלֶ״ת בְּלָא גִּימֶ״ל לָאו הוּא שְׁלִימוּ), and likewise gimmel without dalet (וְכֵן גִּימֶ״ל בְּלָא דָּלֶ״ת).

For this one is bound to that without separation (דְּהָא דָּא בְּדָא אִתְקַשְּׁרוּ בְּלָא פִּירוּדָא), and whoever separates them brings death upon himself (וּמַאן דְּאַפְרִישׁ לוֹן גָּרִים לְגַרְמֵיהּ מוֹתָא), and this secret is the transgression of Adam (וְרָזָא דָּא חוֹבָא דְּאָדָם). Because of this, it is a word of the secret of Chokhmah (בְּגִין כָּךְ, הוּא מִלָּה דְּרָזָא דְּחָכְמְתָּא), and even though there is sometimes a Yod between the Gimel and the Dalet (וְאַף עַל גַּב דְּאִית יו״ד לְזִמְנִין בֵּין גִּימֶ״ל לְדָלֶ״ת), it is not a separation (לָאו הֲוֵי פִּירוּדָא), but all is one binding (וְכֹּלָּא קִשּׁוּרָא חָדָא), and for this word, it truly is so (וְעַל דָּא מִלָּה דָּא, הָכִי הוּא וַדַּאי).

And I shall tell you-this is the secret of Chokhmah (וְאַגִּידָה לָכֶם, רָזָא דְּחָכְמְתָּא), he sought to reveal the finality of all the deeds of Yisrael (בָּעָא לְגַלְּאָה סוֹפָא דְּכָל עוֹבָדֵיהוֹן דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל). And if you say that he did not reveal what he wanted to reveal (וְאִי תֵימָא, דְּלָא גָּלֵי מַה דְּבָעָא לְגַלְּאָה), then why is it written in the Orayta with the word of Ya'akov intact, if afterward it was diminished and not completed? (אִי הָכִי, אַמַּאי כְּתִיב בְּאוֹרַיְּיתָא מִלָּה דְּיַעֲקֹב שְׁלֵימָא, וְאִתְּפְּגִים לְבָתַר, וְלָא אִשְׁתְּלִים מִלָּה). Rather, surely it was completed (אֶלָּא וַדַּאי אִשְׁתְּלִים); everything that needed to be revealed was revealed, and [what needed to remain] hidden was hidden-he spoke it outwardly and concealed it inwardly (כָּל מַה דְּאִצְטְרִיךְ לְגַלְּאָה גָּלֵי, וְסָתִים. אָמַר מִלָּה, וְגַלֵּי לְבַר וְסָתִים לְגוֹ). And a word of Orayta is never blemished (וּמִלָּה דְּאוֹרַיְּיתָא לָא אִתְּפְּגִים לְעָלְמִין). And all is concealed within it-in the Orayta-because Orayta is the wholeness of all (וְכֹּלָּא הוּא סָתִים בֵּיהּ בְּאוֹרַיְּיתָא, בְּגִין דְּאוֹרַיְּיתָא הוּא שְׁלִימוּ דְּכֹּלָּא), wholeness above and below (שְׁלִימוּ דִּלְעֵילָא וְתַתָּא), and no word or letter in Orayta is blemished (וְלָא אִית מִלָּה אוֹ אוֹת בְּאוֹרַיְּיתָא פְּגִימוּ). And Ya'akov, everything he needed to say, he said (וְיַעֲקֹב כָּל מַה דְּאִצְטְרִיךְ לֵיהּ לְמֵימַר אָמַר), but revealed and concealed, and he did not blemish even one letter of what he intended (אֲבָל גַּלֵּי וְסָתִים, וְלָא פָּגֵים מִכָּל מַה דְּבָעָא אֲפִלּוּ אוֹת אַחַת).

Rabbi Yehudah and Rabbi Yosei were sitting one day at the entrance to Lod (רִבִּי יְהוּדָה וְרִבִּי יוֹסֵי הֲווּ יָתְבֵי יוֹמָא חַד אֲפִתְחָא דְּלוֹד). Rabbi Yosei said to Rabbi Yehudah: we see that Ya'akov blessed his sons, as it is written “and he blessed them”-but we do not find their actual blessings written (אָמַר רִבִּי יוֹסֵי לְרִבִּי יְהוּדָה: הָא דְּחָמִינָן דְּיַעֲקֹב בָּרִיךְ לִבְנוֹי, חָמִינָן מִמַּה דִּכְתִיב: וַיְבָרֶךְ אוֹתָם. אֲבָל לָן בִּרְכָּתָא דִּלְהוֹן). He said to him: all are blessings that he gave them-like “Yehudah, you-your brothers shall acknowledge”; “Dan shall judge his people”; “From Asher-his bread shall be rich”, and so with all of them (אָמַר לֵיהּ: כֹּלָּא בִּרְכָּאן אִינוּן דְּבָרִיךְ לְהוּ. כְּגוֹן: יְהוּדָה אַתָּה יוֹדוּךָ אַחֶיךָ. דָּן יָדִין עַמּוֹ. מֵאָשֵׁר שְׁמֵנָה לַחְמוֹ. וְכֵן כֻּלְּהוּ).