Daf 235b (דַּף רל״ה ע״ב)

And Come and see (וְתָא חֲזֵי), a complete bed was not found from the day that the world was created (עַרְסָא שְׁלֵימָתָא לָא אִשְׁתַּכַּח מִן יוֹמָא דְּאִתְּבְּרֵי עָלְמָא), like that moment when Ya‘akov sought to depart from the world (כְּהַהִיא שַׁעְתָּא דְּבָעָא יַעֲקֹב לְאִסְתַּלְּקָא מֵעָלְמָא). Avraham was at his right, Yitzḥak at his left, Ya'akov was lying between them, and the Shekhinta before him (אַבְרָהָם מִימִינֵיהּ, יִצְחָק מִשְּׂמָאלֵיהּ, יַעֲקֹב הֲוָה שָׁכִיב בֵּינַיְיהוּ, שְׁכִינְתָּא קַמֵּיהּ).

When Ya'akov saw this, he called his sons and grasped them around the Shekhinta, and arranged them in complete order (כֵּיוָן דְּחָמָא יַעֲקֹב כָּךְ, קָרָא לִבְנוֹי, וְאָחִיד לוֹן סַחֲרָנֵיהּ דִּשְׁכִינְתָּא, וְסִדֵּר לוֹן בְּסִדּוּרָא שְׁלִים). From where do we know that he arranged them around the Shekhinta? From the verse: He’asfu (gather), and then everything was found there in complete wholeness (מְנָא לָן דְּסִדֵּר לוֹן סַחֲרָנֵיהּ דִּשְׁכִינְתָּא דִּכְתִיב: הֵאָסְפוּ, וּכְדֵין אִשְׁתַּכַּח תַּמָּן שְׁלִימוּ דְּכֹּלָּא). And many supernal radiances circled them (וְכַמָּה רְתִיכִין עִלָּאִין סַחֲרָנַיְיהוּ). They opened and said: “Yours, Hashem, is the greatness, the power…” (I Chronicles 29) (פָּתְחֵי וְאָמְרֵי: לְךָ ה׳ הַגְּדֻלָּה וְהַגְּבוּרָה וְגו׳).

Then the sun gathered toward the moon, and the east drew close to the west (כְּדֵין אִתְכְּנִישׁ שִׁמְשָׁא לְגַבֵּיהּ דְּסִיהֲרָא, וְאִתְקְרִיב מִזְרָח בְּמַעֲרָב). This is what is written: “And he gathered his feet into the bed” (Bereshit 49) (הֲדָא הוּא דִּכְתִיב: וַיֶּאֱסֹף רַגְלָיו אֶל הַמִּטָּה), and the moon was illuminated and found complete (וְאִתְנְהִיר סִיהֲרָא, וְאִשְׁתַּכַּח בִּשְׁלִימוּ). And then truly we have learned: Ya'akov Avinu did not die (וּכְדֵין וַדַּאי תָּנִינָן: יַעֲקֹב אָבִינוּ לָא מֵית). Once Ya‘akov saw a complete side (כֵּיוָן דְּחָמָא יַעֲקֹב סִטְרָא שְׁלִים) (Some say: an order (נ״א: סִדּוּרָא), what was not found so with any other bar nash, he rejoiced and praised Kudsha Berikh Hu (מַה דְּלָא אִשְׁתַּכַּח הָכִי לְבַר נָשׁ אָחֳרָא, חָדֵי וְשַׁבַּח לֵיהּ לְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא), and he opened and blessed his sons, each one properly as was fitting for him (וּפָתַח וּבָרִיךְ לִבְנוֹי, כָּל חַד וְחַד כְּדְקָא יְאוּת לֵיהּ).

Rabbi Yosei and Rabbi Yissa were walking on the road (רִבִּי יוֹסֵי וְרִבִּי יֵיסָא הֲווּ אָזְלֵי בְּאָרְחָא). Rabbi Yissa said: indeed we have learned that all the sons of Ya'akov were arranged in complete order (אָמַר רִבִּי יֵיסָא: הָא וַדַּאי תָּנִינָן: כָּל בְּנוֹי דְּיַעֲקֹב אִתְּתַּקָּנוּ בְּסִדּוּרָא שְׁלִים), and each was blessed as fitting (וְאִתְּבָּרְכוּ כָּל חַד וְחַד כְּדְקָא יְאוּת לֵיהּ). But what can we say about the verse: “From Asher, his bread shall be rich…” (Bereshit 49) (מַאי קָא נֵימָא בְּהַאי קְרָא: מֵאָשֵׁר שְׁמֵנָה לַחְמוֹ וְגו׳)? He said to him: I do not know, for I did not hear this from the Holy Luminary (אָמַר לֵיהּ: לָא יְדַעְנָא, בְּגִין דְּלָא שָׁמַעְנָא בֵּיהּ מִבּוּצִינָא קַדִּישָׁא). Rather, let us you and I go to the Holy Luminary (אֶלָּא: אַנְתְּ וַאֲנָא נֵיזִיל לְגַבֵּי בּוּצִינָא קַדִּישָׁא). They went, and when they came to Rabbi Shim‘on, they spoke the matter and asked their question (אָזְלֵי, כַּד מָטוּ לְגַבֵּי דְּרִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן, אָמְרוּ מִלָּה וְשָׁאִילוּ שְׁאֵלְתָּא). He said to them: surely, this is a secret of Chokhmah (אָמַר לוֹן: וַדַּאי רָזָא דְּחָכְמְתָּא הוּא).

He opened and said: “Asher sat at the shore of the seas, and dwelt upon its bays” (Judges 5) (פָּתַח וְאָמַר: אָשֵׁר יָשַׁב לְחוֹף יַמִּים וְעַל מִפְרָצָיו יִשְׁכּוֹן) why did he sit there? (אַמַּאי יָתִיב תַּמָּן). Rather, one who sits at the edge of the sea enjoys the delights of the world (אֶלָּא מַאן דְּיָתִיב בְּשִׂפְתָּא דְּיַמָּא אִשְׁתַּמֵּשׁ בְּתַפְנוּקֵי עָלְמָא). And here, Asher is the supernal gate of Tzaddik (וְהָכָא אָשֵׁר דָּא פִּתְחָא עִלָּאָה דְּצַדִּיק), Some say: Tzedek (נ״א: דְּצֶדֶק), when blessing flows to the earth, blessings in the world (כְּד אִתְּבָרְכָא לְאַרְקָא בִּרְכָּאן בְּעָלְמָא). Some say: and here it is adjacent to this verse: “From Asher—his bread is rich,” to the supernal opening, from which blessings are poured out to the world (נ״א: וְהָכָא סָמֵךְ לְהַאי קְרָא: מֵאָשֵׁר שְׁמֵנָה לַחְמוֹ, לְפִתְחָא עִלָּאָה דְּמִתַּמָּן אַתְרְקוּ בִּרְכָּאן לְעָלְמָא). And this gate is constantly recognized as the source of the world’s blessings and is called Asher (וְהַאי פִּתְחָא אִשְׁתְּמוֹדַע תָּדִיר בִּרְכָּאן דְּעָלְמָא וְאִקְרֵי אָשֵׁר), and this is the pillar among those upon whom the world stands (וְדָא הוּא עַמּוּדָא מֵאִינוּן דְּקָאִים עָלְמָא עֲלַיְיהוּ). And that place called leḥem oni-from that very place it was prepared (וְהַהוּא אֲתַר דְּאִקְרֵי לֶחֶם עוֹנִי, מֵהַהוּא אֲתַר אַתְקִין). This is as it is written: “From Asher, his bread is rich” (Bereshit 49) (הֲדָא הוּא דִּכְתִיב: מֵאָשֵׁר שְׁמֵנָה לַחְמוֹ) what was once the bread of poverty (leḥem oni) became rich bread (leḥem pannik) (מַה דְּהֲוָה לַחְמָא דְּמִסְכֵּנָא אִתְהַדַּר לֶחֶם פַּנָּג שְׁמֵנָה). Because it was emptied and blessings and delights were poured into it (בְּגִין דְּאֲרִיק וְאַרְמֵי בֵּיהּ בִּרְכָּאן וְתַפְנוּקִין), and the end of the verse proves it: “And he shall give delicacies of a king” (וְסוֹפָא דִּקְרָא אוֹכַח: וְהוּא יִתֵּן מַעֲדַנֵּי מֶלֶךְ). Who is this king? This is Kenesset Yisrael (מַאן מֶלֶךְ דָּא כְּנֶסֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל), from whom the world is nourished with delights (דְּמִנָּהּ אִתְּזָן בְּתַפְנוּקֵי עָלְמָא), and she gives to this king all blessings, all joy, all goodness (וְדָא יָהִיב לְהַאי מֶלֶךְ כָּל בִּרְכָּאן, כָּל חֵידוּ, וְכָל טִיבוּ). He gives, and from her it flows (הוּא יָהִיב וּמִנָּהּ נַפְקֵי). They said: if we came to this world only to know this, it would suffice us (אָמְרוּ: אִי לָא אֲתֵינָא לְעָלְמָא אֶלָּא לְמִנְדַּע דָּא-טַב לָן). Re’uven was the firstborn of Ya'akov (רְאוּבֵן בּוּכְרָא דְּיַעֲקֹב הֲוָה).

Rabbi Ḥiyya said: to him belonged everything, and all was removed from him (אָמַר רִבִּי חִיָּיא: לֵיהּ הֲוָה אִתְחֲזֵי כֹּלָּא, וְאִתְעֲבַר מִינָהּ כֹּלָּא), and Molcho was given to Yehudah, the birthright to Yosef, and the priesthood to Levi (וְאִתְיְהִיב מַלְכוּ לִיהוּדָה, בְּכֵירוּתָא לְיוֹסֵף, כְּהוּנָּתָא לְלֵוִי). As it is written: “Unstable as water, you shall not excel” (Bereshit 49) (הֲדָא הוּא דִּכְתִיב: פַּחַז כַּמַּיִם אַל תּוֹתַר) you shall not remain among them (לָא תִשְׁתָּאַר בְּהוּ). And what he said: “my strength and the first of my vigor”-there he blessed him and entrusted him to Kudsha Berikh Hu (וּמַה דְּאָמַר: כֹּחִי וְרֵאשִׁית אוֹנִי-הָכָא בָּרְכֵיהּ וּפַקְּדֵיהּ לְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא). To the beloved of the King (לִרְחִימָא דְּמַלְכָּא), who sought from the King to bestow goodness upon him (דְּבָעָא מִן מַלְכָּא לְמֵעֲבַד בֵּיהּ טִיבוּ), Some say: who had a son and wanted the King to do him good (נ״א: דְּהֲוָה לֵיהּ בְּרָא, וְהֲוָה בָּעֵי דְּמַלְכָּא יַעֲבִיד לֵיהּ טִיבוּ) one day he passed his son through the marketplace (יוֹמָא חַד אַעֲבַר בְּרֵיהּ בִּשְׁוּקָא), and said to the King: “This is my son, indeed the beloved of my soul” (אָמַר לְמַלְכָּא: דָּא הוּא בְּרִי, וַדַּאי רְחִימָא דְּנַפְשָׁאי).

The King heard and knew that he was asking on behalf of his son (שָׁמַע מַלְכָּא, וְיָדַע דְּהָא שָׁאִיל עַל בְּרֵיהּ). So too Ya'akov said: Re’uven, you are my firstborn, my strength… (Bereshit 49) (כָּךְ יַעֲקֹב אָמַר: רְאוּבֵן בְּכוֹרִי אַתָּה כֹּחִי וְגו׳), here he entrusted him to the King (הָכָא פַּקְּדֵיהּ לְמַלְכָּא). Unstable as water, you shall not excel-here he stated the flaw in him, that he would not remain in the land, and cast him out from the land (פַּחַז כַּמַּיִם אַל תּוֹתַר-הָכָא אָמַר מַה דְּאִעֲרַע לֵיהּ, דְּלָא אִשְׁתַּאֵר בְּאַרְעָא, וְשָׁדֵי לֵיהּ לְבַר מֵאַרְעָא). In response to this, one appointee from the side of the supernal Mishkan, who is under the hand of Mikha’el (לָקֳבֵל דָּא, חַד מְמַנָּא מִסִּטְרָא דְּמִשְׁכְּנָא לְעֵילָא, דִּי מְמַנָּא תַּחוֹת יָדָא דְּמִיכָאֵל), Some say: under the hand of Gavri’el (וְאָמְרֵי לָהּ: תַּחוֹת יְדָא דְּגַבְרִיאֵל). And Mikha’el is chief in every place from the side of Chesed (וּמִיכָאֵל הוּא רֵישָׁא בְּכָל אֲתַר מִסִּטְרָא דְּחֶסֶד), and Gavri’el from the left side of Gevurah (וְגַבְרִיאֵל מִסִּטְרָא דִּשְׂמָאלָא דִּגְבוּרָה). As it is written: “Yehudah still strives with El” (Hosea 12) (וִיהוּדָה עוֹד רָד עִם אֵל), this is the side of Gevurah (סְטַר גְּבוּרָה), called the House of Judgment (בֵּי דִּינָא אִקְרֵי), and Re’uven is joined next to him (וְסָמִיךְ לֵיהּ רְאוּבֵן), even though Molcho belonged to Yehudah (אַף עַל גַּב דְּמַלְכוּ הֲוָה דִּיהוּדָה), Re’uven was positioned adjacent to him (רְאוּבֵן סָמוּךְ לְקֳבְלֵיהּ הֲוָה).

Rabbi Shim‘on said: the sons of Re’uven are destined to provoke two wars in the land p4-29(אָמַר רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן: זְמִינִין אִינוּן בְּנֵי רְאוּבֵן לַאֲגָחָא תְּרֵין קְרָבִין בְּגוֹ אַרְעָא). Come and see: it is written “My strength”—in the exile of Egypt (תָּא חֲזֵי: כְּתִיב כֹּחִי-בְּגָלוּתָא דְּמִצְרָיִם). And the first of my vigor-they were the first to go to battle ahead of their brothers (וְרֵאשִׁית אוֹנִי: דְּאִינוּן הֲווּ קַדְמָאִין לְגַבֵּי אֲחוּהוֹן לִקְרָבָא). “greater exaltation”: to the exile of Assyria (יֶתֶר שְׂאֵת: לְגָלוּתָא דְּאַשּׁוּר), where the children of Gad and the children of Re’uven were exiled before all others (דְּמִתַּמָּן גָּלוּ בְּנֵי גָד וּבְנֵי רְאוּבֵן קַדְמָאֵי מִכֻּלְּהוּ), and they endured many evils and much affliction (וְסָבְלֵי כַּמָּה בִּישִׁין, וְכַמָּה עִנּוּיִין סָבְלוּ), and have not returned until now (וְלָא תָּבוּ עַד כְּעָן). And greater might-this refers to the time when the King Mashiach will be aroused in the world p4-30(וְיֶתֶר עָז, לְזִמְנָא דְּמַלְכָּא מְשִׁיחָא יִתְעַר בְּעָלְמָא), they [the descendants of Re’uven] will emerge and provoke wars in the world (אִינוּן יִפְקוּן וְיִגְחוּן קְרָבִין בְּעָלְמָא), and they will be victorious and strong against the nations (וְיִנַצְּחוּן, וְיִתַּקְפוּן עַל עַמְמַיָּא).

The inhabitants of the world will fear them and tremble before them (וּבְנֵי עָלְמָא יִדְחֲלוּן מִנַּיְיהוּ וְיִרְתְּתוּן קַמַּיְיהוּ), and they will reckon to rise up in kingship, yet will not remain in it (וְיַחְשִׁיבוּ לְאִתְגַּבְּרָא בְּמַלְכוּתָא, וְלָא יִשְׁתָּאֲרוּן בֵּיהּ). This is what is written: Unstable as water, you shall not excel (הֲדָא הוּא דִּכְתִיב: פַּחַז כַּמַּיִם אַל תּוֹתַר) why shall they not remain? Even in one aspect of the world? Because you ascended upon the bed of your father (מַאי טַעְמָא לָא יִשְׁתָּאֲרוּן בֵּיהּ, וַאֲפִילּוּ בְּסִטְרָא חַד דְּעָלְמָא, בְּגִין: כִּי עָלִיתָ מִשְׁכְּבֵי אָבִיךָ). For they are destined to ascend and wage war in the holy land (דְּזְמִינִין לְאַעֲלָא וּלְאַגָּחָא קְרָבִין בְּגוֹ אַרְעָא קַדִּישָׁא), the beds of your father-this specifically refers to Jerusalem (מִשְׁכְּבֵי אָבִיךָ דַּיְיקָא-זוֹ יְרוּשָׁלֵם).