Daf 240a (דַּף ר״מ ע״א)

“He washed his garments in wine…” (כִּבֵּס בַּיַּיִן לְבוּשׁוֹ וְגו׳) He washed-it should have said Washer (כִּבֵּס-כּוֹבֵס מִבָּעֵי לֵיהּ). Rather, He washed-from the day the world was created (אֶלָּא: כִּבֵּס-מִיּוֹמָא דְּאִתְבְּרֵי עַלְמָא). And who is this? This is the King Mashiach (וּמַאן אִיהוּ דָּא מַלְכָּא מְשִׁיחָא). In wine-the side of the left (בַּיַּיִן-סִטְרָא דְּשְׂמָאלָא). And in the blood of grapes-the side of the left below (וּבְדַם עֲנָבִים-סִטְרָא דְּשְׂמָאלָא לְתַתָּא).

And the King Mashiach is destined to rule above over all other forces of the nations, idolaters and stargazers (וְזַמִּין מַלְכָּא מְשִׁיחָא לְשַׁלְּטָאָה לְעֵילָא עַל כָּל חֵילִין אָחֳרָנִין דְּעַמִּין עוֹבְדֵי עֲבוֹדַת כּוֹכָבִים וּמַזָּלוֹת), and to break their power from above and from below (וּלְתַבְרָא תּוֹקְפֵיהוֹן מֵעֵילָא וּמִתַּתָּא). Another matter: “He washed his garments in wine…”-like this wine, its appearance is joyous, but it is all judgment (דָּבָר אַחֵר: כִּבֵּס בַּיַּיִן לְבוּשׁוֹ-כְּגַוְונָא דְּהַאי חַמְרָא, אַחֲזֵי חֵידוּ, וְכוּלֵיהּ דִּינָא). So too the King Mashiach-he will show joy to Yisrael, but all will be judgment for the nations, idolaters and stargazers (הָכִי נָמֵי מַלְכָּא מְשִׁיחָא, יֶחֱזִי חֵידוּ לְיִשְׂרָאֵל, וְכוּלֵיהּ דִּינָא לְעַמִּין עוֹבְדֵי עֲבוֹדַת כּוֹכָבִים וּמַזָּלוֹת).

It is written (Bereshit 1:2): “And the Spirit of Elohim hovered over the face of the waters” (כְּתִיב: וְרוּחַ אֱלֹהִים מְרַחֶפֶת עַל פְּנֵי הַמָּיִם) this is the spirit of the King Mashiach (דָּא רוּחָא דְּמַלְכָּא מְשִׁיחָא), and from the day the world was created, his garments have been soaked in supernal wine (וּמִן יוֹמָא דְּאִתְבְּרֵי עַלְמָא, אַסְחֵי לְבוּשֵׁיהּ בְּחַמְרָא עִלָּאָה). See what is written after: “His eyes are red from wine and his teeth whiter than milk” (Bereshit 49:12) (חָמֵי מַה כְּתִיב בַּתְרֵיהּ: חַכְלִילִי עֵינַיִם מִיָּיִן, וּלְבֶן שִׁנַּיִם מֵחָלָב). This is the supernal wine (דָּא חַמְרָא עִלָּאָה) [Some say: that satiates Orayta (נ״א דְּמַרְוֵי דְּאוֹרַיְּיתָא)] — the Orayta that satiates (דְּאוֹרַיְּיתָא דְּמַרְוֵי), from it he drinks (מִנֵּיהּ שָׁתֵי). “And his teeth whiter than milk”-for Orayta is both wine and milk (וּלְבֶן שִׁנַּיִם מֵחָלָב, דְּהָא אוֹרַיְּיתָא יַיִן וְחָלָב), the Written Torah and the Oral Torah (תּוֹרָה שֶׁבִּכְתָב וְתוֹרָה שֶׁבְּעַל פֶּה). It is written, “And wine gladdens the heart of man” (Psalms 104:15) (כְּתִיב: וְיַיִן יְשַׂמַּח לְבַב אֱנוֹשׁ). Why? Because it comes from the place of joy-and who is that? The end of the verse (ס״א: אַמַּאי בְּגִין דְּמֵאֲתַר דְּחַדְוָה קָאֵי, וּמַאן הוּא סוֹפֵיהּ דְּקְרָא): “To make the face radiant more than oil” (לְהַצְהִיל פָּנִים מִשֶּׁמֶן). Surely, from the place called Shemen (Oil) (וַדַּאי: מֵאֲתַר דְּאִתְקְרֵי שֶׁמֶן).

Come and see: the root of wine is joy (תָּא חֲזֵי: שֵׁירָתָא דְּחַמְרָא-חֶדְוָה), it is the place from which all gladness issues forth (הוּא אֲתַר דְּכָל חֵידוּ מִנֵּיהּ נַפְקָא). And its end is judgment (וְסוֹפֵיהּ דִּינָא). Why? Because its end is the gathering place of all, and that is judgment, through which the world is judged (מַאי טַעְמָא בְּגִין דְּסוֹפָא דִילֵיהּ-אֲתַר כְּנִישׁוּ דְּכֹלָּא-דִּינָא הוּא, וּבֵיהּ אִתְדָּן עַלְמָא). Therefore its beginning is joy, and its end is judgment (וְעַל דָּא: שֵׁירוּתָא-חֶדְוָה, וְסוֹפָא-דִּינָא). For this reason: “To make the face radiant more than oil”-from the place from which all joy issues forth (בְּגִינֵי כָךְ: לְהַצְהִיל פָּנִים מִשֶּׁמֶן-מֵאֲתַר דְּכָל חֶדְוָה מִנֵּיהּ נָפְקָא). “And bread sustains the heart of man” (Psalms 104:15) (וְלֶחֶם לְבַב אֱנוֹשׁ יִסְעָד) who is bread? (מַאן לֶחֶם) Rather, bread sustains the world (אֶלָּא: לֶחֶם-עַלְמָא סָעִיד [סָמִיךְ]).

And if you say that only the sustenance of the world depends on it alone, not so-for night without day does not exist (וְאִי תֵימָא דְּבֵיהּ תָּלְיָיא סְעִידוּ דְעַלְמָא בִּלְחוֹדוֹי-לָאו הָכִי, דְּהָא לֵילְיָא בְּלָא יוֹמָא לָא אִשְׁתַּכַּח), and one should not separate them (וְלָא בָּעֵי לְאַפְרָשָׁא לוֹן). And one who separates them shall be separated from life (וּמַאן דְּאַפְרִישׁ לוֹן-יִתְפָּרַשׁ מֵחַיֵּין).

And this is what is written (Deuteronomy 8:3) “That man does not live by bread alone” (וְהַיְינוּ דִּכְתִיב: לְמַעַן הוֹדִיעֲךָ כִּי לֹא עַל הַלֶּחֶם לְבַדּוֹ יִחְיֶה הָאָדָם) because one should not cause separation (בְּגִין דְּלָא בָּעֵי לְאִתְפָּרְשָׁא). And if you say, how could David say: “And bread sustains the heart of man”, since the world’s sustenance does not depend on it alone (וְאִי תֵימָא: דָּוִד הֵיכִי קָאֲמַר: וְלֶחֶם לְבַב אֱנוֹשׁ יִסְעָד-הוֹאִיל וְלָא תָּלְיָיא בֵּיהּ בִּלְחוֹדוֹי סְעִידוּ דְּעַלְמָא)? Rather, examine the word carefully: “VeLeḥem”-the Vav was added, as in “And YHVH” (אֶלָּא: דַּיְיקָא דְּמִלָּה-וְלֶחֶם-וָ״ו אִתּוֹסַף, כְּמוֹ וַיי׳). And therefore, all is found as one (וְעַל דָּא: כֹּלָּא אִשְׁתַּכַּח כְּחַדָּא).

Come and see: one who blesses over food should not bless over an empty table (תָּא חֲזֵי: מַאן דִּמְבָרֵךְ עַל מְזוֹנָא, לָא יְבָרֵךְ עַל פְּתוֹרָא רֵיקָנְיָא), and there must be bread upon the table (וּבָעֵי נַהֲמָא לְאִשְׁתַּכְּחָא עַל פָּתוֹרָא), and the cup of wine in the right hand (וְכַסָּא דְּחַמְרָא בִּימִינָא). Why? To bind the left to the right (מַאי טַעְמָא בְּגִין לְקָשְׁרָא שְׂמָאלָא בִּימִינָא), and the bread to be blessed from them, to be joined with them (וְנַהֲמָא דְּיִתְבָּרַךְ מִנַּיְיהוּ, וּלְאִתְקַשְּׁרָא בְּהוּ), so that all become one bond (וּלְמֶהֱוֵי כֹּלָּא חַד קִשּׁוּרָא), and to bless the Holy Name properly (לְבָרְכָא שְׁמָא קַדִּישָׁא כְּדְקָא יְאוּת). For bread is bound with wine, and wine in the right hand (דְּהָא לֶחֶם אִתְקַשַּׁר בְּיַיִן, וְיַיִן בִּימִינָא), and then blessings rest upon the world (וּכְדֵין בִּרְכָּאן שַׁרְיָין בְּעַלְמָא), and the table is completed as it should be (וּפָתוֹרָא אִשְׁתְּלִים כְּדְקָא יְאוּת).

Rabbi Yitzḥak said, Were this journey arranged for us for no other reason than to hear these words, it would be enough for us (אָמַר רִבִּי יִצְחָק, אִלְמָלֵא לָא אִזְדַּמַּן לָן אוֹרְחָא דָּא אֶלָּא לְמִשְׁמַע מִלִּין אִלֵּין, דַּי לָן). Rabbi Yehudah said, It is fitting for this child not to know all this-and I am afraid for him (אָמַר רִבִּי יְהוּדָה, יָאוֹת הוּא לְהַאי יְנוּקָא דְּלָא יִנְדַּע כָּל הַאי, וַאֲנָא מִסְתָּפִינָא עֲלֵיהּ). If he remains in the world, it is on account of this (אִי יִתְקַיֵּים בְּעַלְמָא בְּגִין הַאי). Rabbi Yitzḥak asked, And why? (אָמַר רִבִּי יִצְחָק, וְלָמָּה). He said to him, Because this youth is able to gaze upon a place that no other person is permitted to gaze upon (אָמַר לֵיהּ, בְּגִין דְּהַאי רַבְיָא יָכִיל לְאִסְתַּכְּלָא בְּאַתְרָא דְּלֵית רְשׁוּ לְבַר נָשׁ לְאִסְתַּכְּלָא בֵּיהּ), and I fear for him, lest he look before his time and be punished (וּמִסְתָּפִינָא עֲלוֹי, דְּעַד לָא יִמְטֵי לְפִרְקוֹי, יַשְׁגַּח וְיִסְתַּכַּל וְיַעַנְּשׁוּן לֵיהּ).

The Yenuka heard this and said, I do not fear punishment at all (שָׁמַע הַהוּא יְנוּקָא. אָמַר, לָא מִסְתַּפִּינָא מֵעוֹנָשָׁא לְעָלְמִין), for when my father left this world, he blessed me and prayed for me (דְּהָא בִּשְׁעָתָא דְּאִסְתַּלִּיק אַבָּא מֵעַלְמָא, בָּרִיךְ לִי וְצַלֵּי עָלַי), and I know that the merit of my father protects me (וְיָדַעְנָא דִּזְכוּתָא דְּאַבָּא יָגִין עָלַי). They said to him, And who is your father? (אָמְרוּ לֵיהּ, וּמַאן הוּא אֲבוּךְ). He said, Some say: he is not-Rabbi Yehudah-I am the son of Rav Hamnuna Sava (אָמַר, [נ״א: לֵיתָא רַב יְהוּדָה] בְּרֵיהּ דְּרַב הַמְנוּנָא סָבָא). They lifted him and carried him on their shoulders three mil (נָטְלוּ לֵיהּ, וְאַרְכְּבוּהָ עַל כִּתְפַּיְיהוּ תְּלַת מִילִין).

They proclaimed over him (Judges 14:14) “From the eater came forth food, and from the strong came forth sweetness…” (קָרוּ עֲלֵיהּ: מֵהָאוֹכֵל יָצָא מַאֲכָל וּמֵעַז יָצָא מָתוֹק וְגו׳). That youth said to them, A word has come to your hands-explain it (אָמַר לוֹן הַהוּא יְנוּקָא: מִלָּה אֲתָא לִידַּיְכוּן, פָּרִישׁוּ לָהּ). They said to him, Kudsha Berikh Hu has prepared for us a path of life-speak, you (אָמְרוּ לֵיהּ, קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא זַמִּין לָן אוֹרְחָא דְּחַיֵּי, אֵימָא אַנְתְּ). He opened and said, “From the eater came forth food, and from the strong came forth sweetness” (פָּתַח וְאָמַר: מֵהָאוֹכֵל יָצָא מַאֲכָל, וּמֵעַז יָצָא מָתוֹק). This verse-we have a tradition on it (הַאי קְרָא, אַסְמַכְתָּא אִית לָן בֵּיהּ): “From the eater”-this is the Tzaddik, as it is written (Proverbs 13:25) “The Tzaddik eats to satisfy his soul” (מֵהָאוֹכֵל-דָּא צַדִּיק, דִּכְתִיב: צַדִּיק אוֹכֵל לְשֹׂבַע נַפְשׁוֹ). The Tzaddik eats indeed and takes all (צַדִּיק אוֹכֵל וַדַּאי, וְנָטִיל כֹּלָּא).

Why? To satisfy his soul (אַמַּאי לְשֹׂבַע נַפְשׁוֹ) to bring satisfaction to that place called the soul of David (לְמֵיהַב שָׂבְעָא לְהַהוּא אֲתַר דְּאִקְרֵי נַפְשׁוֹ דְּדָוִד). “Came forth food”-for were it not for that Tzaddik, nourishment would not go forth into the world, and the world could not exist (יָצָא מַאֲכָל-דְּאִלְמָלֵא הַהוּא צַדִּיק לָא יִפּוּק מְזוֹנָא לְעָלְמִין, וְלָא יָכִיל עַלְמָא לְקָיְימָא [בֵּיהּ]). “And from the strong came forth sweetness”-this is Yitzḥak, who blessed Ya‘akov with the dew of the heavens and the fatness of the earth (וּמֵעַז יָצָא מָתוֹק-דָּא יִצְחָק, דְּבָרִיךְ לְיַעֲקֹב בְּטַל הַשָּׁמַיִם וּמִשְׁמַנֵּי הָאָרֶץ).