Daf 236b (דַּף רל״ו ע״ב)

Come and see: Ya'akov had four wives, and he bore children from all of them (תָּא חֲזֵי: יַעֲקֹב הֲוָה לֵיהּ אַרְבַּע נָשִׁין, וְאוֹלִיד בְּנִין מִכֻּלְּהוּ), and he was completed through his wives (וְאִסְתַּלִּיק (נ״א: וְאִשְׁתַּלֵּם בִּנְשׁוֹי). When Ya'akov sought to depart from the world, the Shekhinta stood upon him (כַּד בָּעָא יַעֲקֹב לְאִסְתַּלָּקָא, שְׁכִינְתָּא קָיְימֵי עֲלוֹי), and he wanted to bless them, but could not-out of reverence for the Shekhinta (בָּעָא לִבְרוּכֵי לְאִלֵּין, וְלָא יָכִיל, מִקַּמֵּי שְׁכִינְתָּא דְּדָחִיל). He said: “What shall I do? For these two [Shim‘on and Levi] come from the side of harsh judgment” (אָמַר: הֵיךְ אַעֲבִיד, דְּהָא תַּרְוַיְיהוּ מִסִּטְרָא דְּדִינָא קַשְׁיָא קָא אַתְיָין).

If I act forcefully before the Shekhinta, I will not be able-for I had four wives, and I was completed through them (אִי אַתְקִיף בִּשְׁכִינְתָּא לָא יָכִילְנָא, דְּהָא אַרְבַּע נָשִׁין הֲווּ לִי, וְאִשְׁתַּלֵּמְנָא בְּהוֹן). Rather, I shall turn the matter over to the Master of the House (אֶלָּא: אֲסַלֵּק לוֹן לְמָארֵי דְּבֵיתָא), for the House stands by His will (דְּהָא בֵּיתָא בִּרְעוּתֵיהּ קָיֵימָא), and whatever He desires, He shall do (וּמַה דְּבָעֵי יַעֲבִיד). So Ya'akov said: “The portions of wives and children I have taken in this world, and I have been completed” (כָּךְ יַעֲקֹב אָמַר: חוּלָקִין דְּנְשִׁין וּבְנִין הָא נָסְבִית בְּהַאי עָלְמָא, וְאִשְׁתַּלַּמְּנָא) how can I exert force upon the Matronita more than is fitting? (הֵיךְ אַתְּקִיף בְּמַטְרוֹנִיתָא יַתִּיר). Rather, I turn the matter over to the Master of the Matronita, and He will do as He desires, and will not fear (אֶלָּא: אֲסַלֵּק מִילִין לְמָארֵי מַטְרוֹנִיתָא, וְהוּא יַעֲבִיד מַה דְּבָעֵי, וְלָא יִדְחַל).

Come and see: what is written? “And this is the blessing with which Moshe, the man of God, blessed…” (Deuteronomy 33) (תָּא חֲזֵי: מַה כְּתִיב: וְזֹאת הַבְּרָכָה אֲשֶׁר בֵּרַךְ מֹשֶׁה אִיש הָאֱלֹהִים) the Master of the House, the Master of the Matronita (מָארֵיהּ דְּבֵיתָא, מָארֵיהּ דְּמַטְרוֹנִיתָא). As it is written: “Her husband will confirm it, or her husband will annul it” (Numbers 30) (כְּמָה דִּכְתִיב: אִישָׁהּ יְקִימֶנּוּ וְאִישָׁהּ יְפֵרֶנּוּ). For it is written: “When Moshe finished…” (Numbers 7) (דְּהָא: כַּלֹּת מֹשֶׁה כְּתִיב). And because of this, Moshe blessed whomever he wished and was not afraid, as we have established (וְעַל דָּא: מֹשֶׁה בָּרֵיךְ מַאן דְּבָעָא וְלָא דָחִיל, כִּדְּאוֹקִימְנָא).

And for this reason Ya'akov said: “Now that we have seen that my sons are on the side of harsh judgment, let the Master of the House come and bless them” (וּבְגִין כָּךְ אָמַר יַעֲקֹב: הָא חָמֵינָן דְּבָנַי אִלֵּין בְּסִטְרָא דְּדִינָא קַשְׁיָא-יֵיתֵי מָארֵיהּ דְּבֵיתָא וִיבָרֵךְ לוֹן). Mosheh was indeed a man of Elohim (מֹשֶׁה וַדַּאי אִישׁ הָאֱלֹהִים הָיָה), and his Desire was fulfilled in his household (וּרְעוּתֵיהּ עָבִיד בְּבֵיתֵיהּ), as it is said: “Her husband shall confirm it” (Numbers 30) (כְּמָא דְּאַתְּ אָמֵר: אִישָׁהּ יְקִימֶנּוּ). This is what is written: “Mosheh said, ‘Arise, Hashem!’” (Numbers 10) (הֲדָא הוּא דִּכְתִיב: וַיֹּאמֶר מֹשֶׁה: קוּמָה ה׳). And “Her husband shall annul it”-as it is written: “And when it rested, he said, ‘Return, Hashem’” (Numbers 10) (וְאִישָׁהּ יְפֵרֶנּוּ-הֲדָא הוּא דִּכְתִיב: וּבְנֻחֹה יֹאמַר: שׁוּבָה ה׳).

Indeed, the will of the Master of the House was done through him, and no one could object (וַדַּאי רְעוּתֵיהּ עָבַד מָארֵיהּ דְּבֵיתָא, וְלֵית דְּיִמְחֵי בִּידֵיהּ), like a man who decrees upon his wife and she fulfills his will (כְּבַר נָשׁ דְּגָזַר עַל אִנְתְּתֵיהּ, וְעָבְדָא רְעוּתֵיהּ). And for this reason Ya'akov-even though he grasped the Tree of Life-was not the Master of the House, but rather below; Mosheh was above (וְעַל דָּא: יַעֲקֹב אַף עַל גַּב דְּהֲוָה אָחִיד בְּאִילָנָא דְּחַיֵּי, לָא הֲוָה מָארֵי דְּבֵיתָא-אֶלָּא לְתַתָּא; מֹשֶׁה הוּא לְעֵילָא), and for this reason he handed them over to the Master of the House (בְּגִין כָּךְ סָלִיק לוֹן לְמָארֵיהּ דְּבֵיתָא). In their counsel may my soul not enter… (Bereshit 49) (בְּסוֹדָם אַל תָּבוֹא נַפְשִׁי וְגו׳). Rabbi Abba opened and said: “The secret of Hashem is to those who fear Him…” (Psalms 25) (רִבִּי אַבָּא פָּתַח וְאָמַר: סוֹד ה׳ לִירֵאָיו וְגו׳). The secret of Hashem to those who fear Him-this is the supernal secret of the Orayta (סוֹד ה׳ לִירֵאָיו: רָזָא עִלָּאָה דְּאוֹרַיְּיתָא), which Kudsha Berikh Hu gives only to those who fear sin (לָא יָהִיב קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא אֶלָּא לְאִינוּן דַּחֲלֵי חַטָּאָה). And to those who fear sin, the supernal secret of the Orayta is revealed (וּמַאן דְּאִינוּן דַּחֲלֵי חַטָּאָה, אִתְגְּלִי לוֹן רָזָא עִלָּאָה דְּאוֹרַיְּיתָא). And what is this supernal secret of the Orayta? It is the Mother-this holy ET (וּמַאן אִיהוּ רָזָא עִלָּאָה דְּאוֹרַיְּיתָא הֱוֵי: אֵימָא, דָּא אָ"ת קַיָּימָא קַדִּישָׁא), which is called Secret of Hashem, the covenant of holiness (דְּאִקְרֵי: סוֹד ה׳-בְּרִית קֹדֶשׁ).

Shim‘on and Levi troubled themselves concerning this secret, regarding the men of Shekhem-who were circumcised and thereby took on this secret (שִׁמְעוֹן וְלֵוִי אַטְרְחוּ גַּרְמַיְּיהוּ עַל הַאי סוֹד, בְּאַנְשֵׁי שְׁכֶם, דְּיִגְזְרוּן גַּרְמַיְּיהוּ וִיקַבְּלוֹן עֲלוֹן הַאי סוֹד). And the verse testifies: “In their deceit…” (וּקְרָא אַסְהִיד: בְּמִרְמָה). Further, in the matter of Zimri son of Salu, who profaned this secret (תוּ: בְּעוֹבָדָא דְּזִמְרִי בֶּן סָלוּא, דְּפָסַל הַאי סוֹד). And Ya'akov said: “In their counsel may my soul not enter” (וְיַעֲקֹב אָמַר: בְּסוֹדָם אַל תָּבוֹא נַפְשִׁי).

What is my soul? This is the Nefesh which entered and was united with the supernal covenant above (מַאי נַפְשִׁי דָּא נַפְשָׁא דְּעָאֳלַת וְאִתְאַחֲדַת בִּבְרִית עִלָּאָה לְעֵילָא), And it is called: the soul is bound in the bundle of life (וְאִקְרֵי: נֶפֶשׁ צְרוֹרָא דְּחַיֵּי). In their assembly let my honor not be united (בִּקְהָלָם אַל תֵּחַד כְּבוֹדִי) this has already been established (הָא אוּקְמוּהָ), as it is said: “And Korach assembled against them…” (Numbers 16) (כְּמָא דְּאַתְּ אָמֵר: וַיַּקְהֵל עֲלֵיהֶם קֹרַח). Let my honor not be united-this is the glory of plain Yisrael (אַל תֵּחַד כְּבוֹדִי, דָּא כְּבוֹד יִשְׂרָאֵל סְתָם). And because of this, their father did not bless them (וְעַל דָּא לָא בָּרֵיךְ לוֹן אֲבוּהוֹן), because he handed them over to Mosheh (בְּגִין דְּסָלִיק לוֹן לְמֹשֶׁה).

Rabbi Ḥiyya said: from these verses it is evident (רִבִּי חִיָּיא אָמַר: מֵהַנֵּי קְרָאֵי), Some say: it is implied that these were not joined one with another, and this was necessary (ס״א: מַשְׁמַע דְּלָא אִתְאֲחִיד דָּא בְּדָא, וְאִצְטְרִיךְ הָכִי). And because of this, all is contained within him (וְעַל דָּא אִית בֵּיהּ כֹּלָּא), and there is no generation in the world where their judgment does not descend to prosecute in the world (וְלֵית לָךְ דָּרָא בְּעָלְמָא דְּלָא נָחֲתָא דִּינָא דִּלְּהוֹן לְקַטְרְגָא בְּעָלְמָא), and many return to the gates of men (וְאַסְגִּיאוּ מְהַדְּרֵי עַל פְּתָחַיְיהוּ דִּבְנֵי נָשָׁא). Here is everything (הֵא לָךְ כֹּלָּא), Some say: this is the counterpart to that (ס״א: הָא לְקַבֵּל הָא). Yehudah, you are he whom your brothers shall praise; your hand shall be on the neck of your enemies… (Bereshit 49) (יְהוּדָה אַתָּה יוֹדוּךָ אַחֶיךָ, יָדְךָ בְּעֹרֶף אוֹיְבֶיךָ וְגו׳).

Rabbi Yosei opened: “He made the moon for festivals…” (Psalms 104) (רִבִּי יוֹסֵי פָּתַח: עָשָׂה יָרֵחַ לְמוֹעֲדִים וְגו׳). He made the moon-in order to sanctify the beginning of months and the beginning of years (עָשָׂה יָרֵחַ בְּגִין לְקַדְּשָׁא בֵּיהּ רֵישׁ יַרְחִין, וְרֵישׁ שַׁתִּין). And the moon never shines except through the sun (וּלְעָלְמִין סִיהֲרָא לָא נָהִיר אֶלָּא מִשִּׁמְשָׁא). And when the sun rules, the moon does not rule (וְכַד שִׁמְשָׁא שַׁלִּיט, סִיהֲרָא לָא שָׁלְטָא). But when the sun is gathered, then the moon rules (כַּד אִתְכְּנִישׁ שִׁמְשָׁא, כְּדֵין סִיהֲרָא שָׁלְטָא). And there is no reckoning of the moon except when the sun is gathered (וְלֵית חוּשְׁבָּן לְסִיהֲרָא אֶלָּא כַּד אִתְכְּנִישׁ שִׁמְשָׁא).

And both were made by Kudsha Berikh Hu to give light (וְתַּרְוַיְיהוּ עֲבַד קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לְאַנְהָרָא). As it is written: “And Elohim placed them in the firmament of the heavens to illuminate the earth…” (Bereshit 1) (הֲדָא הוּא דִּכְתִיב: וַיִּתֵּן אֹתָם אֱלֹהִים בִּרְקִיעַ הַשָּׁמַיִם לְהָאִיר עַל הָאָרֶץ). And they shall be for signs-these are the Shabbatot, as it is written: “For it is a sign…” (Exodus 31) (וְהָיוּ לְאוֹתוֹת: אִלֵּין שַׁבָּתוֹת, דִּכְתִיב: כִּי אוֹת הִיא). And for appointed times-these are the festival days (וּלְמוֹעֲדִים: אִינוּן יוֹמִין טָבִין). And for days-these are the beginnings of the months (וּלְיָמִים: אִלֵּין רֵישֵׁי יַרְחִין). And for years-these are the beginnings of the years (וּלְשָׁנִים: אִלֵּין רֵישֵׁי שְׁנִין). For the nations of the world make their reckoning by the sun (דְּלֶהֱווֹן אוּמּוֹת הָעוֹלָם עָבְדִין חוּשְׁבָּן לְשִׁמְשָׁא), but Yisrael by the moon (וְיִשְׂרָאֵל לְסִיהֲרָא).