Daf 242a (דַּף רמ״ב ע״א)

Rabbi Abba and Rabbi Yosi rose (קָמוּ רִבִּי אַבָּא וְרִבִּי יוֹסֵי), and kissed him (וּנְשָׁקוּהוּ). They said (אָמְרוּ), "Surely you are destined to be head of the Academy (וַדַּאי זַמִּין אַנְתְּ לְמֶהֱוֵי רֵישׁ מְתִיבְתָּא), or a great man in Yisrael" (אוֹ גַבְרָא רַבָּא בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל). And who is he? Rabbi Bon (וּמַנּוּ. רִבִּי בּוֹן). Again he asked and said (תוּ שָׁאִיל וְאָמַר), “The sons of Ya'akov-all twelve tribes (בְּנוֹי דְּיַעֲקֹב כֻּלְּהוּ תְּרֵיסַר שִׁבְטִין), were arranged below corresponding to above (אִתְסַדְּרוּ לְתַתָּא כְּגַוְונָא דִּלְעֵילָא), why then is Zevulun always mentioned before Yissakhar in the blessings?” (אַמַּאי אַקְדִּים בְּבִרְכָּאן זְבוּלוּן לְיִשָּׂשכָר תָּדִיר), “But Yissakhar-his toil is in Orayta (וְהָא יִשָּׂשכָר אִשְׁתַּדְּלוּתֵיהּ בְּאוֹרַיְּיתָא), and Orayta comes first in every place (וְאוֹרַיְּיתָא אַקְדִּים בְּכָל אֲתַר).

Why then is Zevulun placed before him in the blessings?” (אַמַּאי אַקְדִּים לֵיהּ זְבוּלוּן בְּבִרְכָּאן). “His father preceded him (אֲבוֹי אַקְדִּים לֵיהּ), Moshe preceded him” (מֹשֶׁה אַקְדִּים לֵיהּ). Rather, Zevulun merited because he brought forth bread from his mouth (אֶלָּא זְבוּלוּן זָכָה עַל דְּאַפִּיק פִּתָּא מִפֻּמֵּיהּ), and gave to the mouth of Yissakhar (וְיָהַב לְפֻמֵּיהּ דְּיִשָּׂשכָר). Therefore he was placed before him in the blessings (בְּגִינֵי כָּךְ אַקְדִּים לֵיהּ בְּבִרְכָּאן). From here we learn (מֵהָכָא אוֹלִיפְנָא), whoever supports the master of Orayta (מַאן דְּסָעִיד לְמָרֵיהּ דְּאוֹרַיְּיתָא), receives blessing from above and below (נָטִיל בִּרְכָּאן מֵעֵילָא וְתַתָּא).

And not only this, but he merits two tables (וְלָא עוֹד אֶלָּא דְּזָכֵי לִתְרֵי פָּתוֹרֵי), what no other person merits (מַה דְּלָא זָכֵי בַּר נָשׁ אַחֲרָא): he merits wealth that is blessed in this world (זָכֵי לְעוּתְרָא דְּיִתְבָּרַךְ בְּהַאי עָלְמָא), and he merits to have a portion in the World to Come (וְזָכֵי לְמֶהֱוֵי לֵיהּ חוּלָקָא בַּעָלְמָא דְּאָתֵי). This is what is written, “Zevulun shall dwell at the shore of the seas” (הֲדָא הוּא דִּכְתִיב, זְבוּלוּן לְחוֹף יַמִּים יִשְׁכּוֹן), “and he shall be at the shore of ships” (וְהוּא לְחוֹף אֳנִיּוֹת). Since it says “at the shore of the seas” (כֵּיוָן דִּכְתִיב לְחוֹף יַמִּים), why say “and he shall be at the shore of ships”? (אַמַּאי וְהוּא לְחוֹף אֳנִיּוֹת). Rather, “the shore of seas”-in this world (אֶלָּא, לְחוֹף יַמִּים, בַּעָלְמָא דֵין), “the shore of ships”-in the World to Come (לְחוֹף אֳנִיּוֹת, בַּעָלְמָא דְּאָתֵי), as you say, (Psalms 104) “There ships go to and fro,” etc. (שָׁם אֳנִיּוֹת יְהַלֵּכוּן וְגו׳), for there is the dominion of the World to Come (דְּתַמָּן הוּא נְגִידוּ דְּעָלְמָא דְּאָתֵי).

He opened and said (פָּתַח וְאָמַר), (Song of Songs 3) “I adjure you, daughters of Yerushalayim, if you find my beloved, what will you tell him? That I am sick with love” (הִשְׁבַּעְתִּי אֶתְכֶם בְּנוֹת יְרוּשָׁלַיִם אִם תִּמְצְאוּ אֶת דּוֹדִי מַה תַּגִּידוּ לוֹ שֶׁחוֹלַת אַהֲבָה אָנִי). And who is close to the King like Knesset Yisrael? (וְכִי מַאן קָרִיב לְמַלְכָּא כִּכְנֶסֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל), who is the one saying, “If you find my beloved, what will you tell him?” (דְּאִיהִי אָמְרַת אִם תִּמְצְאוּ אֶת דּוֹדִי מַה תַּגִּידוּ לוֹ). Rather, the daughters of Yerushalayim (אֶלָּא בְּנוֹת יְרוּשָׁלַיִם) these are the souls of the Righteous (אִלֵּין אִינוּן נִשְׁמַתְהוֹן דְּצַדִּיקַיָּיא), who are ever close to the King (דְּאִינוּן קְרֵיבִין לְמַלְכָּא תָּדִיר), and inform the King every day of the affairs of the Matronita (וּמוֹדְעִין לְמַלְכָּא בְּכָל יוֹמָא עִסְקוֹי דְּמַטְרוֹנִיתָא).

For thus have we learned (דְּהָכִי אוֹלִיפְנָא): At the moment when the Neshama descends to the world (בְּשַׁעְתָּא דְּנִשְׁמְתָא נָחֲתַת לְעָלְמָא), Knesset Yisrael ascends upon it in the form of declaration (כְּנֶסֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל עָאלַת עֲלָהּ בְּקִיּוּמָא דְּאוֹמָאָה), to show the King and make known to Him her love for Him (דִּיחֲוֵי לְמַלְכָּא, וְיוֹדַע לֵיהּ רְחִימוּתָא דִילָהּ לְגַבֵּיהּ), so as to be reconciled with Him (בְּגִין לְאִתְפַּיְיסָא בַּהֲדֵיהּ). And by what means? (וּבְמָה), Because it is a duty upon a person (בְּגִין דְּחִיּוּבָא עַל בַּר נָשׁ), to unify the Holy Name with his mouth (לְיַחֲדָא שְׁמָא קַדִּישָׁא בְּפוּמָא), in his heart, in his soul (בְּלִבָּא, בְּנַפְשָׁא), and to bind all (וּלְאַקְּשְׁרָא כֹּלָּא), like a flame that is bound to the wick (כְּשַׁלְהוֹבָא דְּאִתְקַשְּׁרָא בְּטִיפְסָא). And in that Union that he performs (וּבְהַהוּא יִחוּדָא דְּעָבִיד), he causes the King to be reconciled with the Matronita (גָּרִים לְאִתְפַּיְיסָא מַלְכָּא בְּמַטְרוֹנִיתָא), and informs the King of her love for Him (וְאוֹדַע לֵיהּ לְמַלְכָּא רְחִימוּתָא דִילָהּ לְגַבֵּיהּ).

Another matter (דָּבָר אַחֵר): “Daughters of Yerushalayim”-these are the twelve tribes (בְּנוֹת יְרוּשָׁלַיִם, אִלֵּין תְּרֵיסַר שִׁבְטִין). As we have learned (דְּתָנִינָן), Yerushalayim stands upon twelve mountains (יְרוּשָׁלַיִם עַל תְּרֵיסַר טוּרִין קָיְימָא). And one who says seven, did not speak in complete perfection (וּמַאן דְּאָמַר עַל שִׁבְעָה, לָא קָאֲמַר לְאַשְׁלָמָא שְׁלִימוּ), and even though all is one (וְאַף עַל גַּב דְּכֹלָּא חַד), for there are seven, and there are four, and there are twelve (דְּאִית שִׁבְעָה, וְאִית ד׳, וְאִית תְּרֵיסַר), and all is one (וְכֹלָּא חַד). Surely it stands upon twelve mountains (וַדַּאי עַל תְּרֵיסַר טוּרִין קָיְימָא), three mountains to this side (תְּלַת טוּרִין לְסִטְרָא דָא), and three mountains to that side (וּתְּלַת טוּרִין לְסִטְרָא דָא), and likewise to the four directions (וְכֵן לְאַרְבַּע זִוְוֵיָין), and then it is called Chayah (וּכְדֵין אִתְקְרֵי חַיָּה), as it is said, (Ezekiel 10) “This is the Chayah I saw beneath the God of Yisrael” (כְּמָא דְאַתְּ אָמֵר, הִיא הַחַיָּה אֲשֶׁר רָאִיתִי תַּחַת אֱלֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל). And these are called the daughters of Yerushalayim (וְאִלֵּין אִקְרוּן בְּנוֹת יְרוּשָׁלַיִם), because she stands upon them (בְּגִין דְּקָיְימָא עֲלַיְיהוּ). And they are witnesses bearing testimony to the King about Knesset Yisrael (וְאִינוּן סָהֲדֵי סַהֲדוּתָא לְמַלְכָּא עַל כְּנֶסֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל). This is what is written, (Psalms 122) “The tribes of Yah, a testimony for Yisrael, to give thanks to the Name of Hashem” (הֲדָא הוּא דִּכְתִיב, שִׁבְטֵי יָהּ עֵדוּת לְיִשְׂרָאֵל לְהוֹדוֹת לְשֵׁם יְיָ).

Rabbi Yehudah said (אָמַר רִבִּי יְהוּדָה), “Happy is the portion of Yisrael (זַכָּאָה חוּלְקֵיהוֹן דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל), for they know the ways of Kudsha Berikh Hu (דְּיָדְעֵי אוֹרְחוֹי דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא). Of them it is written, (Deuteronomy 14) ‘For you are a holy people to Hashem your God, and Hashem has chosen you,’ etc.” (עֲלַיְיהוּ כְּתִיב, כִּי עַם קָדוֹשׁ אַתָּה לַייָ אֱלֹהֶיךָ וּבְךָ בָחַר יְיָ וְגו׳). “Yissakhar is a strong-boned donkey, lying between the boundaries” (יִשָּׂשכָר חֲמוֹר גָּרֶם רוֹבֵץ בֵּין הַמִּשְׁפְּתָיִם). Rabbi Elazar said (אָמַר רִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר), “And is Yissakhar called a donkey?” (וְכִי יִשָּׂשכָר חֲמוֹר אִקְרֵי). If because he is diligent in Orayta (אִי בְּגִין דְּאִשְׁתַּדַּל בְּאוֹרַיְּיתָא), let him be called a horse, or a lion, or a leopard (נִקְרְיֵיהּ לֵיהּ סוּס אוֹ אַרְיֵהּ אוֹ נָמֵר). Why a donkey? (אַמַּאי חֲמוֹר). But they said (אֶלָּא אָמְרוּ), because a donkey bears a burden (בְּגִין דַּחֲמוֹר נָטִיל מָטוּלָא), and does not kick its master like other beasts (וְלָא בָּעִיט בְּמָארֵיהּ כִּשְׁאָר בְּעִירֵי), and it does not possess arrogance of spirit (וְלָא אִית בֵּיהּ גַּסּוּת הָרוּחַ), and does not care for lying down in a pleasant place (וְלָא חַיִּישׁ לְמִשְׁכַּב בְּאֲתַר מִתְתַּקַּן). Likewise Yissakhar (אוּף הָכִי יִשָּׂשכָר), whose toil is in Orayta (דְּאִשְׁתַּדְּלוּתֵיהּ בְּאוֹרַיְּיתָא), bears the burden of Orayta (נָטִיל מָטוּלָא דְּאוֹרַיְּיתָא), and does not kick against Kudsha Berikh Hu (וְלָא בָּעִיט בֵּיהּ בְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא), and possesses no arrogance (וְלָא אִית בֵּיהּ גַּסּוּת הָרוּחַ), like a donkey that does not care for its own honor (כַּחֲמוֹר דְּלָא חָיִישׁ לִיקָרָא דִילֵיהּ), but rather for the honor of its Master (אֶלָּא לִיקָרָא דְּמָרֵיהּ) Some say: its teacher (ס"א: דרביה). “Lying between the boundaries” (רוֹבֵץ בֵּין הַמִּשְׁפְּתָיִם), as we say, “you shall sleep upon the earth, and live a life of sorrow” (כִּדְאַמְרִינַן, וְעַל הָאָרֶץ תִּישַׁן, וְחַיֵּי צַעַר תִּחְיֶה), and in Torah you shall labor (וּבַתּוֹרָה אַתָּה עָמֵל).