Daf 241b (דַּף רמ״א ע״ב)

Seven supernal eyes-these are as it is written (Zechariah 4:10) “the eyes of Hashem, they roam”-masculine, for this is a male aspect (שִׁבְעָה עַיְנִין עִלָּאִין, אִלֵּין דִּכְתִיב: עֵינֵי יְיָ הֵמָּה מְשׁוֹטְטִים דְּכוּרִין, דְּהָא אֲתַר דִּדְכוּרָא אִיהוּ). Here (II Chronicles 16:9): “the eyes of Hashem roam”, this refers to the adornments of the Shekhinṭa below-place of the feminine (הָכָא: עֵינֵי יְיָ מְשׁוֹטְטוֹת, בְּתִקּוּנֵי שְׁכִינְתָּא לְתַתָּא, אֲתַר דְּנוּקְבָא). Seven supernal eyes correspond to what is written (I Chronicles 29:11) “Yours, Hashem, is the greatness, and the power…” (שִׁבְעָה עַיְנִין עִלָּאִין, לָקֳבֵיל הָא דִכְתִיב: לְךָ יְיָ הַגְּדוּלָּה וְהַגְּבוּרָה וְגו׳). This place completes every side (הַאי אֲתַר, אַשְׁלִים לְכָל סְטַר).

Further: hair, as it is written (Psalms 106:2) “Who can utter the mighty acts of Hashem?” (תוּ: שַׂעֲרָא, כְּמָה דִכְתִיב: מִי יְמַלֵּל גְּבוּרוֹת יְיָ). This is what is written (Psalms 40:13) “They are more numerous than the hairs of my head” (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב: עָצְמוּ מִשַּׂעֲרוֹת רֹאשִׁי). And it is written (Lamentations 3:22) “The kindnesses of Hashem have not ceased…” (וּכְתִיב: חַסְדֵּי יְיָ כִּי לֹא תָמְנוּ וְגו׳). And these adornments are withdrawn from one place to another (וְתִקּוּנִין אִלֵּין אִסְתַּלָּקוּ לְאֲתַר אָחֳרָא). And even though here it was said more, it ascends through the supernal and lower balances (וְאַף עַל גַּב דְּהָכָא אִתְּמָר טְפֵי, וְאִסְתַּלִּיק בְּמַתְקְלָא עִלָּאָה וְתַתָּאָה), and Shlomo the king spoke them, and we need to explain them (וּשְׁלֹמֹה מַלְכָּא אֲמָרָן, וְאִצְטָרִיכְנָא לְפָרְשָׁא לוֹן). Fortunate is the portion of the Righteous, who know the path of Kudsha Berikh Hu (זַכָּאָה חוּלְקֵיהוֹן דְּצַדִּיקַיָּא יַתִּיר, דְּיָדְעִין אָרְחָא דְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא), and here everything is revealed to those who know judgment (וְהָכָא כֹּלָּא אִתְגַּלְּיָיא לְיָדְעֵי מִדִּין).

Rabbi Yehudah said: Zevulun and Yissakhar made a condition: one would sit and toil in Orayta, and one would go out and engage in commerce, and support Yissakhar (אָמַר רִבִּי יְהוּדָה: זְבוּלוּן וְיִשָּׂשכָר תְּנַאי עֲבָדוּ, חַד יָתִיב וְלָעֵי בְּאוֹרַיְּיתָא, וְחַד נָפִיק וְעָבִיד פְּרַקְמַטְיָא, וְתָמִיךְ לְיִשָּׂשכָר), as it is written (Proverbs 3:18) “and its supporters are praiseworthy” (דִּכְתִיב: וְתוֹמְכֶיהָ מְאוּשָּׁר). He would journey to the seas to engage in commerce, and his portion was so, for the sea was his inheritance (וְהֲוָה פָּרִישׁ בְּיַמֵּי לְמֶעְבַּד פְּרַקְמַטְיָא, וְחוּלָקֵיהּ הָכִי הֲוָה, דְּהָא יַמָּא הֲוָה אַחְסַנְתֵּיהּ). And for this he was called “thigh” (וּבְגִינִי כָּךְ קָרֵי לֵיהּ יָרֵךְ), for the thigh goes out and enters (דַּרְכֵּיהּ דְּיָרֵךְ לְנַפְקָא וּלְמֵיעַל). This is as it is written (Deuteronomy 33:18) “Rejoice, Zevulun, in your going out, and Yissakhar in your tents” (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב: שְׂמַח זְבוּלוּן בְּצֵאתֶךָ, וְיִשָּׂשכָר בְּאֹהֳלֶךָ). “By the seashore shall he dwell”-with those who journey the seas for trade (לְחוֹף יַמִּים יִשְׁכּוֹן, בְּאִינוּן פְּרִישֵׁי יַמִּים לְמֶעְבַּד פְּרַקְמַטְיָא). Even though only one sea was in his portion, two seas dwelled in him (לְחוֹף יַמִּים, אַף עַל גַּב דְּחַד יַמָּא הֲוָה לֵיהּ בְּאַחְסַנְתֵּיהּ, בִּתְרֵין יַמִּין שָׁרְיָיא).

Rabbi Yose said: All the other seas would return perfume leaves into his sea (רִבִּי יוֹסֵי אָמַר, כָּל שְׁאָר יַמִּין הֲווּ מְהַדְּרָן קַרְפּוֹלִין בְּיַמָּא דִילֵיהּ). And he dwells at the coast of ships-this is the place where all merchants are found for business (וְהוּא לְחוֹף אֳנִיּוֹת, אֲתַר דְּכָל אַרְבִין מִשְׁתַּכְּחִין לְמֶעְבַּד סְחוֹרָתָא). And his border-Rabbi Ḥizqiyah said-his border reaches the edge of Tzidon (וְיַרְכָתוֹ, אָמַר רִבִּי חִזְקִיָּה, יַרְכָתֵיהּ דִּילֵיהּ מָטֵי עַל סְפַר צִידוֹן), and the boundary extends to that place, and the business of all merchants do trade and sell their wares in that place (וּתְחוּמָא פָּרִישׁ לְהַהוּא אֲתַר, וּפְרַקְמַטְיָא דְּכָל מָארֵי סְחוֹרָתָא, סָחֲרִין וְתָיְיבִין בִּסְחוֹרָתַיְהוּ לְהַהוּא אֲתַר).

Rabbi Aḥa said: It is written (Leviticus 2:13) “You shall not omit the salt of the covenant of your God from your meal offering; on all your offerings you shall offer salt” (רִבִּי אַחָא אָמַר, כְּתִיב: וְלֹא תַשְׁבִּית מֶלַח בְּרִית אֱלֹהֶיךָ מֵעַל מִנְחָתֶךָ, עַל כָּל קָרְבָּנְךָ תַּקְרִיב מֶלַח). Why salt? Because it refines and sweetens bitterness to taste (וְכִי אַמַּאי מֶלַח אֶלָּא בְּגִין דְּאִיהוּ מְמָרֵק וּמְבַשֵּׂם מְרִירָא לְאַטְעָמָא), and were it not for salt, the world could not endure bitterness (וְאִי לָאו הֲוֵי מִלְחָא, לָא יָכִיל עַלְמָא לְמִסְבַּל מְרִירָא). This is as it is written (Isaiah 26:9) “When Your judgments are on the earth, the inhabitants of the world learn righteousness” (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב: כִּי כַּאֲשֶׁר מִשְׁפָּטֶיךָ לָאָרֶץ צֶדֶק לָמְדוּ יוֹשְׁבֵי תֵבֵל). And it is written (Psalms 89:15) “Righteousness and justice are the foundation of Your throne” (וּכְתִיב: צֶדֶק וּמִשְׁפָּט מְכוֹן כִּסְאֲךָ). And salt is the covenant by which the world endures (וּמֶלַח אִיהוּ בְּרִית דְּעַלְמָא קָיְימָא בֵּיהּ), for it is written (Jeremiah 33:25) “If not for My covenant by day and night, I would not have appointed the laws of heaven and earth” (דִּכְתִיב: אִם לֹא בְּרִיתִי יוֹמָם וָלַיְלָה, חֻקּוֹת שָׁמַיִם וָאָרֶץ לֹא שָׂמְתִּי). Therefore it is called the covenant of your God, and it is called Salt Sea, and the sea is named after it (בְּגִין כָּךְ, אִקְרֵי בְּרִית אֱלֹהֶיךָ, וְאִקְרֵי יַם הַמֶּלַח, וְיַמָּא אִקְרֵי עַל שְׁמֵיהּ).

Rabbi Ḥiyya said: It is written (Psalms 11:7) “For righteous is Hashem, He loves righteousness”-this is the salt in the sea (רִבִּי חִיָּיא אָמַר, כְּתִיב: כִּי צַדִּיק יְיָ צְדָקוֹת אָהֵב, דָּא מִלְחָא בְּיַמָּא). And whoever separates from it brings death upon himself (וּמַאן דְּפָּרִישׁ לוֹן, גָּרִים לְגַרְמֵיהּ מִיתָה). Therefore it is written: “You shall not omit salt”-for one without the other cannot endure (בְּגִין כָּךְ כְּתִיב: לֹא תַשְׁבִּית מֶלַח, דְּהָא דָא בְּלָא דָא לָא אָזְלָא).

Rabbi Aha said (אָמַר רִבִּי אַחָא), one sea it is (יַם חַד הוּא), and it is called "seas" (וְאִקְרֵי יַמִּים), (Exodus 48). Rather, there is a region in the sea which is clear waters (אֶלָּא אֲתַר אִית בְּיַמָּא דְּאִיהוּ מַיִין צְלִילָן), and a region that contains sweet waters (וַאֲתַר דְּאִית בֵּיהּ מַיִין מְתִיקָן), and a region that contains bitter waters (וַאֲתַר דְּאִית בֵּיהּ מַיִין מְרִירָן), therefore we call it "seas" (בְּגִין כָּךְ יַמִּים קָרִינָן), and for this reason, "to the shore of the seas" (וְעַל דָּא לְחוֹף יַמִּים). Rabbi Abba said (אָמַר רִבִּי אַבָּא), each and every tribe (כָּל שִׁבְטָא וְשִׁבְטָא), and each one a single bond (וְכָל חַד וְחַד קִשְׁרָא חַד), from among those bonds that are joined in the body (מֵאִינוּן קִשְׁרִין דְּמִתְחַבְּרָן בְּגוּפָא).

Rabbi Abba was sitting one night (רִבִּי אַבָּא הֲוָה יָתִיב לֵילְיָא חַד) and arose to engage in the Orayta (וְקָם לְמִלְעֵי בְּאוֹרַיְּיתָא). While he was sitting (עַד דְּהֲוָה יָתִיב), Rabbi Yosi came (אֲתָא רִבִּי יוֹסֵי), and knocked at the entrance (וּבָטַשׁ אֲפִתְחָא). He said (אָמַר), “A lip among scribes is always found” (סִיפְטָא בְּטוּפְסְרָא קַפְּטְלָאֵי שְׁכִיחֵי). They sat and engaged in the Orayta (יָתְבוּ וְלָעוּ בְּאוֹרַיְּיתָא). Meanwhile, the son of the host arose (אַדְהָכִי קָם בְּרֵיהּ דְּאוּשְׁפִיזָא) and sat before them (וְיָתִיב קַמַּיְיהוּ), and said to them (אָמַר לוֹן), “What is written (מַאי דִּכְתִיב), (Joshua 2) ‘And you shall keep alive my father and my mother,’ etc.” (וְהַחֲיִיתֶם אֶת אָבִי וְאֶת אִמִּי וְגו׳), and it is written, ‘And you shall give me a sign of truth’ (וּכְתִיב וּנְתַתֶּם לִי אוֹת אֱמֶת). What was she asking of them? (מַאי קָא בָּעַאת מִנַּיְיהוּ).

Rabbi Abba said (אָמַר רִבִּי אַבָּא), “Rightly have you asked (יָאוֹת שָׁאַלְתְּ), but if you have heard anything, say, my son” (אֲבָל אִי שָׁמַעְתְּ מִידִי אֵימָא בְּרִי). He said (אָמַר), “Further is the question (תוּ שְׁאֵלְתָּא), for they gave her that which she did not request from them (דְּהָא אִינוּן יַהֲבוּ לָהּ מַה דְּלָא בָּעַאת מִנַּיְיהוּ), as it is written, ‘This cord of scarlet thread you shall tie in the window,’ etc.” (דִּכְתִיב, אֶת תִּקְוַת חוּט הַשָּׁנִי הַזֶּה תִּקְשְׁרִי בַּחֲלוֹן וְגו׳). Rather, thus have we learned (אֶלָּא הָכִי אוֹלִיפְנָא), she asked for a sign of life (הִיא בָּעַאת סִימָנָא דְּחַיֵּי), as it is written, ‘And you shall keep alive my father,’ etc. (דִּכְתִיב וְהַחֲיִיתֶם אֶת אָבִי וְגו׳), and she said, ‘A sign of life does not endure (וַאֲמָרָה, סִימָנָא דְּחַיֵּי לָא שַׁרְיָיא), except by a sign of truth’ (אֶלָּא בְּאוֹת אֱמֶת), and what is it, ‘a sign of truth’? (וּמַאי אִיהוּ אוֹת אֱמֶת), this is the letter Vav (דָּא אוֹת ו׳), because in it life resides (בְּגִין דְּבֵיהּ שַׁרְיָין חַיִּין).

Thus have we learned (הָכִי אוֹלִיפְנָא), she was asking for the sign of Moshe (סִימָנָא דְּמֹשֶׁה קָא בָּעַאת), and why did they give her the scarlet thread of hope? (וְאִינוּן אַמַּאי יַהֲבוּ לָהּ תִּקְוַת חוּט הַשָּׁנִי). But they said (אֶלָּא אִינוּן אָמְרֵי), Moshe-behold he has departed from the world (מֹשֶׁה הָא אִסְתַּלַּק מֵעָלְמָא), for the sun has set (דְּהָא אִתְכְּנִישׁ שִׁמְשָׁא), and the time has arrived for the moon to rule (וְהָא מָטָא זִמְנָא דְּסִיהֲרָא לְמִשְׁלַט). A sign of the moon we have to give you (סִימָנָא דְּסִיהֲרָא אִית לָן לְמֵיהַב לָךְ), and what is it?-this cord of scarlet thread (וּמַאי אִיהוּ, תִּקְוַת חוּט הַשָּׁנִי הַזֶּה), as you say, (Song of Songs 4) “Like a thread of scarlet are your lips” (כְּחוּט הַשָּׁנִי שִׂפְתוֹתַיִךְ). A sign of Yehoshua shall be upon you (סִימָנָא דִּיְהוֹשֻׁעַ יְהֵא גַבָּךְ), because the rulership is now of the moon (בְּגִין דְּשׁוּלְטָנוּתָא דְּסִיהֲרָא הַשְׁתָּא).