Daf 239a (דַּף רל״ט ע״א)

When Rabbi Yehudah and Rabbi Yitzḥak reached him, he drew near to them (כַּד מָטוּ רִבִּי יְהוּדָה וְרִבִּי יִצְחָק, קָרִיב לְגַבַּיְיהוּ). They asked him, and he told them the matter (שְׁאִילוּ לֵיהּ, וְסָח לוֹן עוֹבָדָא). Rabbi Yehudah said to him: You have done well-come with us, and let us sit here and hear a word from your mouth (אָמַר לֵיהּ רִבִּי יְהוּדָה: שַׁפִּיר קָא עֲבַדְתָּ. זִיל בַּהֲדָן, וְנֵיתִיב הָכָא, וְנִשְׁמַע מִלָּה מִפּוּמָךְ). He said to them: I am fasting today-some say: Rabba-and have not eaten (אָמַר לוֹן: לָאֵי [נ״א: רַבָּא] אֲנָא, דְּלָא אָכִילְנָא יוֹמָא דֵּין). They brought out bread and gave it to him (אֲפִיקוּ נַהֲמָא, וִיהִיבוּ לֵיהּ). A miracle occurred for them, and they found a small spring of water under a tree (אִתְרְחִישׁ לוֹן נִיסָּא, וְאַשְׁכָּחוּ חַד נְבִיעָא דְּמַיָּא דַּקִּיק תַּחוֹת אִילָנָא). He drank from it, and they drank and sat (שָׁתֵי מִנַּיְיהוּ, וְאִינוּן שָׁתוּ וִיתִּיבוּ).

The Yenuka opened and said (Psalms 37) “Of David. Do not be incensed by evildoers; do not be envious of workers of iniquity” (פָּתַח הַהוּא יְנוּקָא וְאָמַר: לְדָוִד אַל תִּתְחַר בַּמְרֵעִים אַל תְּקַנֵּא בְּעֹשֵׂי עַוְלָה). Of David-if it were a song, it does not say so; if it were a prayer, it does not say so (לְדָוִד-אִי שִׁירָתָא, לָא קָאֲמַר; אִי תְּפִלָּה, לָא קָאֲמַר). Rather, in every place where it says “of David” simply, it was the Ruach haKodesh that said it (אֶלָּא: בְּכָל אֲתַר לְדָוִד סְתָם, רוּחַ הַקֹּדֶשׁ אֲמָרוֹ). Do not be incensed by evildoers-what does this mean? It should have said: do not associate with evildoers (אַל תִּתְחַר בַּמְרֵעִים-מַאי אַל תִּתְחַבֵּר מִבָּעֵי לֵיהּ).

Rather, it means: do not contend with evildoers (אֶלָּא: אַל תַּעֲבִיד תַּחֲרוּת בַּמְרֵעִים), because you do not know the root from which they come, and you cannot overcome it-for perhaps he is a tree that is never uprooted, and you will fall before him (בְּגִין דְּלָא יָדַעְתָּ יְסוֹדָא דְּגַרְמָךְ, וְלָא תֵיכוֹל לֵיהּ-דִּילְמָא אִיהוּ אִילָנָא דְּלָא אִתְעַקַּר לְעָלְמִין, וְתִּדְחֵי קַמֵּיהּ). And do not be envious of workers of iniquity-do not pay attention to their deeds or become jealous of them (וְאַל תְּקַנֵּא בְּעֹשֵׂי עַוְלָה-דְּלָא תַשְׁגַּח בְּעוֹבָדֵיהוֹן, וְלָא תֵיתֵי לְקַנְאָה עֲלַיְיהוּ). For whoever sees their deeds and is not jealous for Kudsha Berikh Hu transgresses three prohibitions (דְּכָל מַאן דְּחָמֵי עוֹבָדֵיהוֹן וְלָא קַנֵּי לְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, אַעֲבַר עַל תְּלַת לָאוִין): as it is written (Exodus 20) “You shall have no other gods before Me. You shall not make for yourself a graven image… You shall not bow to them nor serve them, for I, Hashem your God, am a jealous God” (דִּכְתִיב: לֹא יִהְיֶה לְךָ אֱלֹהִים אֲחֵרִים עַל פָּנָי. לֹא תַעֲשֶׂה לְךָ פֶסֶל וְכָל תְּמוּנָה. לֹא תִשְׁתַּחֲוֶה לָהֶם וְלֹא תָעָבְדֵם, כִּי אָנֹכִי יְיָ אֱלֹהֶיךָ אֵל קַנָּא). Because of this, a person must separate from them, and distance his path from them (בְּגִין כָּךְ, בָּעֵי לֵיהּ לְבַר נָשׁ לְאִתְפָּרְשָׁא מִנַּיְיהוּ, וּלְמִסְטֵי אוֹרְחֵיהּ מִנַּיְיהוּ). For this reason I withdrew and diverted my path (עַל דָּא אִתְפְּרָשְׁנָא וְסָטִינָא אוֹרְחָאי). From now on, since I have found you, I will recite these verses before you (מִכָּאן וּלְהָלְאָה דְּאַשְׁכַּחְנָא לְכוֹן, אֵימָא הָנֵי קְרָאֵי קַמֵּיכוֹן).

He opened and said: “And He called to Moshe…” (Leviticus 1:1) here, the Alef is small (פָּתַח וְאָמַר: וַיִּקְרָא אֶל מֹשֶׁה-הָכָא אָלֶ״ף זְעֵירָא). Why? Because this calling was not in completeness (אַמַּאי בְּגִין דְּהַאי קְרִיאָה לָא הֲוָה בִּשְׁלִימוּ). Why not? Because it took place in the Mishkan, and in another land (מַאי טַעְמָא דְּהָא לָא הֲוָה אֶלָּא בְּמִשְׁכְּנָא, וּבְאַרְעָא אָחֳרָא), for completeness is found only in the Holy Land (בְּגִין דִּשְׁלִימוּ לָא אִשְׁתַּכַּח אֶלָּא בְּאַרְעָא קַדִּישָׁא). Furthermore, here it is only the Shekhinta-some say: only the feminine aspect (תוּ: הָכָא שְׁכִינְתָּא-[נ״א: ל״ג הַתָּם וְגָּרִיס נוּקְבָא]), whereas there it was the union of male and female (הָתָם שְׁלִימוּ דְּדְכַר וְנוּקְבָא), as it is written (I Chronicles 1:1) “Adam, Shet, Enosh” (אָדָם שֵׁת אֱנוֹשׁ) Adam was the completeness of male and female (אָדָם: שְׁלִימוּ דְּכַר וְנוּקְבָא); here, it is only female (הָכָא נוּקְבָא). Furthermore, the end of the verse: “And Hashem spoke to him from the Tent of Meeting, saying” (תוּ: סֵיפָא דִּקְרָא: וַיְדַבֵּר יי אֵלָיו מֵאֹהֶל מוֹעֵד לֵאמֹר) therefore the Alef is small (בְּגִין כָּךְ אָלֶ״ף זְעֵירָא).

Furthermore, this small Alef is likened to a king who sat on his throne with the royal crown upon him, and was called the Supernal King (תוּ: אָלֶ״ף זְעֵירָא מְתַל לְמַלְכָּא, דְּהֲוָה יָתֵיב בְּכָרְסְיֵיהּ, וְכִתְרָא דְּמַלְכוּתָא עֲלֵיהּ-אִקְרֵי מֶלֶךְ עִלָּאָה). When he descends and goes to the house of his servant, he is called merely a lesser king (כַּד נָחֵית וְאֲזַל לְבֵי עַבְדֵּיהּ: מֶלֶךְ זוּטָא אִקְרֵי). So too, Kudsha Berikh Hu-when He is above all, He is called Supernal King (כָּךְ קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא: כָּל זִמְנָא דְּאִיהוּ לְעֵילָא עַל כֹּלָּא, מֶלֶךְ עִלָּאָה אִקְרֵי). But when He descends below, He is called King-but not as before (כֵּיוָן דְּנָחֵית מָדוֹרֵיהּ לְתַתָּא: מֶלֶךְ אִיהוּ, אֲבָל לָאו עִלָּאָה כְּקַדְמִיתָא). Therefore, the Alef is small (בְּגִין כָּךְ אָלֶ״ף זְעֵירָא). “And He called” (וַיִּקְרָא) so we have learned: He is destined to bring him into His palace (הָכִי תָּנִינָן: זַמִּין לֵיהּ לְהֵיכָלֵיהּ). “From the Tent of Meeting” (מֵאֹהֶל מוֹעֵד) what is the Tent of Meeting? It is the tent in which depend the appointed times, festivals, and Shabbatot for calculation (מַאן אֹהֶל מוֹעֵד? אֹהֶל דְּבֵיהּ תַּלְיָין מוֹעֵד וְחַגָּא וְשַׁבָּתָא לְמִמְנֵי), as it is said (Bereshit 1) “They shall be for signs and for appointed times…” (כְּמָא דְאַתְּ אָמֵר: וְהָיוּ לְאֹתוֹת וּלְמוֹעֲדִים).

There dwells the accounting for enumeration (בֵּיהּ שַׁרְיָא חוּשְׁבְּנָא לְמִמְנֵי). And who is it? The Moon (וּמַאן אִיהוּ סִיהֲרָא), as it is said (Isaiah 33) “A tent that shall not be moved, its stakes shall never be pulled up…” (כְּמָא דְאַתְּ אָמֵר: אֹהֶל בַּל יִצְעָן בַּל יִסַּע יְתֵדוֹתָיו לָנֶצַח). “Saying” (Leimor) what is Leimor? To reveal (לֵאמֹר-מַאי לֵאמֹר בְּגִין לְגַלָּאָה), although all is one and good-because it is complete and proper to reveal what had previously been concealed within (אֲבָל כֹּלָּא חַד וּשַׁפִּיר הוּא, בְּגִין דִּשְׁלִימוּ וְשַׁפִּירוּ הוּא אֲתַר לְגַלָּאָה מַה דְּהֲוָה סָתִים לְגוֹ). And in every place Leimor, as it is said: “And Hashem spoke to Moshe, saying” (וּבְכָל אֲתַר לֵאמֹר, כְּמָא דְאַתְּ אָמֵר: וַיְדַבֵּר יי אֶל מֹשֶׁה לֵאמֹר), indicates permission to reveal (דְּאִתְיְהֵיב רְשׁוּ לְגַלָּאָה). Yet all is one and fitting, because that word was appointed to the Moon from the place where Moshe stood (אֲבָל כֹּלָּא חַד הוּא וּשַׁפִּיר הוּא, בְּגִין דְּהָא אִתְמַנֵּי לְסִיהֲרָא הַהִיא מִלָּה מֵאֲתַר דְּמֹשֶׁה קָיְימָא). “And He spoke” (וַיְדַבֵּר) this is above (לְעֵילָא); “to Moshe” (אֶל מֹשֶׁה) this is in the middle (בְּאֶמְצָעִיתָא); “saying” (לֵאמֹר) this is last (בַּתְרַיְיתָא), the place where permission is given to reveal (אֲתַר דְּאִית רְשׁוּ לְגַלָּאָה). Furthermore (תוּ), “And He called to Moshe…” (וַיִּקְרָא אֶל מֹשֶׁה) what is written above it? (Exodus 39) “And they brought the Mishkan to Moshe…” (מַה כְּתִיב לְעֵילָא וַיָּבִיאוּ אֶת הַמִּשְׁכָּן אֶל מֹשֶׁה וְגו׳). Why to Moshe? It was said: because Moshe had seen it on the mountain, and Kudsha Berikh Hu had shown it to him in a vision of the eye (אַמַּאי אֶל מֹשֶׁה הָכִי אָמְרוּ: בְּגִין דְּמֹשֶׁה חָמָא לֵיהּ בְּטוּרָא, וּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא אַחְמֵי לֵיהּ בְּחֵיזוּ דְעֵינָא), as it is said (Exodus 27): “As He showed you on the mountain” (כְּמָא דְאַתְּ אָמֵר: כַּאֲשֶׁר הֶרְאָה אֹתְךָ בָּהָר), and it is written (Numbers 8): “According to the vision that Hashem showed Moshe…” (וּכְתִיב: כַּמַּרְאֶה אֲשֶׁר הֶרְאָה יי אֶת מֹשֶׁה וְגו׳), and it is written (Exodus 28) “See and make according to their pattern which you were shown on the mountain” (וּרְאֵה וַעֲשֵׂה בְּתַבְנִיתָם אֲשֶׁר אַתָּה מָרְאֶה בָּהָר). Now they brought it to him to see if it was like the Mishkan he had seen (הַשְׁתָּא אַיְיתִיאוּ לֵיהּ, בְּגִין דְּיֶחֱמֵי, אִי אִיהוּ כְּהַהוּא מִשְׁכְּנָא דְּחָמָא). But why does it say “And they brought the Mishkan to Moshe” (וַיָּבִיאוּ אֶת הַמִּשְׁכָּן אֶל מֹשֶׁה)? But why “and they brought the Mishkan to Moshe”?

Rather: it is like a King who desired to build a palace for the Matronita, and he commanded the craftsmen: this palace in such and such a place, here a place for the bed, here a place for rest (אֲבָל אַמַּאי וַיָּבִיאוּ אֶת הַמִּשְׁכָּן אֶל מֹשֶׁה אֶלָּא: לְמַלְכָּא דְּבָעָא לְמִבְנֵי פַלְטְרִין לְמַטְרוֹנִיתָא, פַּקִּיד לְאוּמָנִין-הֵיכָלָא דָּא בְּדוּךְ פְּלַן, הָכָא אֲתַר לְעַרְסָא, הָכָא אֲתַר לְנַיְיחָא). Once the craftsmen had made it, they showed it to the king (כֵּיוָן דַּעֲבִידוּ לוֹן אוּמָנִין, אַחְמִיּוּ לְמַלְכָּא). So too: “And they brought the Mishkan to Moshe”-Master of the House, Man of God (כָּךְ: וַיָּבִיאוּ אֶת הַמִּשְׁכָּן אֶל מֹשֶׁה-מָארֵי דְּבֵיתָא, אִישׁ הָאֱלֹהִים). Once the palace was completed, the Matronita was summoned to the King’s palace, summoned to her Husband to be with her (כֵּיוָן דְּאִשְׁתַּכְּלַל הֵיכָלָא, מַטְרוֹנִיתָא זְמִינַת לְמַלְכָּא לְהֵיכָלָא, זְמִינַת לְבַעֲלָהּ עִמָּהּ). For this reason, “And He called to Moshe” (בְּגִין כָּךְ: וַיִּקְרָא אֶל מֹשֶׁה).