Daf 242b (דַּף רמ״ב ע״ב)

Another matter: “Yissakhar is a strong-boned donkey, lying,” etc. (דָּבָר אַחֵר: יִשָּׂשכָר חֲמוֹר גָּרֶם רוֹבֵץ וְגו׳). He opened and said (פָּתַח וְאָמַר), (Psalms 27) “Of David: Hashem is my light and my salvation-whom shall I fear? Hashem is the stronghold of my life-of whom shall I be afraid?” (לְדָוִד יְיָ אוֹרִי וְיִשְׁעִי מִמִּי אִירָא יְיָ מָעוֹז חַיַּי מִמִּי אֶפְחָד). How beloved are the words of Orayta (כַּמָּה חֲבִיבִין אִינוּן מִלִּין דְּאוֹרַיְּיתָא), how beloved are those who labor in Orayta (כַּמָּה חֲבִיבִין אִינוּן דְּמִשְׁתַּדְּלֵי בְּאוֹרַיְּיתָא), before Kudsha Berikh Hu (קַמֵּי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא). For whoever labors in Orayta (דְּכָל מַאן דְּאִשְׁתַּדַּל בְּאוֹרַיְּיתָא), fears not the afflictions of the world (לָא דָחִיל מִפִּגְעֵי עַלְמָא); he is guarded above, he is guarded below (נָטִיר הוּא לְעֵילָא, נָטִיר הוּא לְתַתָּא). And not only that, but he subdues all the afflictions of the world (וְלָא עוֹד אֶלָּא דְּכָפִית לְכָל פְּגִיעֵי דְּעַלְמָא), and casts them into the depths of the great abyss (וְאָחִית לוֹן לְעוּמְקֵי דִּתְּהוֹמָא רַבָּא).

Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי): at the time when night enters (בְּשַׁעְתָּא דְּעָאל לֵילְיָא), the sealed ones open (פָּתְחִין סְתִימִין), and dogs and donkeys roam and wander in the world (וְכַלְבֵּי וַחֲמָרֵי שַׁרְיָין וְשָׁטָאן בְּעַלְמָא), and permission is given to the destroyer (וְאִתְיְהִיבַת רְשׁוּ לְחַבָּלָא), and all the people of the world lie in their beds (וְכָל בְּנֵי עַלְמָא נַיְּימֵי בְּעַרְסַיְיהוּ), and the Neshamot of the Righteous ascend to delight above (וְנִשְׁמַתְהוֹן דְּצַדִּיקַיָּיא סָלְקִין לְאִתְעֲנָגָא לְעֵילָא). When the north wind awakens (כַּד אִתְעַר רוּחַ צָפוֹן), and the night is split (וְאִתְפְּלִיג לֵילְיָא), a holy arousal awakens in the world (אִתְעֲרוּתָא קַדִּישָׁא אִתְעַר בְּעַלְמָא), and this is spoken in many places (וְאִתְּמַר בְּכַמָּה דוּכְתֵּי).

Happy is the portion of that person (זַכָּאָה חוּלָקֵיהּ דְּהַהוּא בַּר נָשׁ), who stands at that time (דְּאִיהוּ קָאֵים בְּהַהִיא שַׁעְתָּא), and labors in Orayta (וְאִשְׁתְּדַּל בְּאוֹרַיְּיתָא). As soon as he opens in Orayta (כֵּיוָן דְּאִיהוּ פָּתַח בְּאוֹרַיְּיתָא), all those evil forces (כָּל אִינוּן זִינִין בִּישִׁין), he casts them into the holes of the great abyss (אָעִיל לוֹן בְּנוּקְבֵי דִּתְּהוֹמָא רַבָּה), and subdues the donkey (וְכָפִית לֵיהּ לַחֲמוֹר), and he brought him down among the scribes beneath the dust (וְנָחִית לֵיהּ בְּטַפְסְרֵי דִּתְחוֹת עַפְרָא), of the impurities of Caesar (דְּזוּהֲמֵי קִסְרָא). Therefore (בְּגִינֵי כָּךְ), Yissakhar, whose labor is in Orayta (יִשָּׂשכָר, דְּאִשְׁתַּדְּלוּתֵיהּ בְּאוֹרַיְּיתָא), subdues the donkey and brings it down (כָּפֵית לֵיהּ לַחֲמוֹר, וְנָחִית לֵיהּ), from that bone of the spine (מֵהַהוּא גְּרַם הַמַּעֲלוֹת), which ascends to damage the world (דְּאִיהוּ סָלִיק לְנִזְקָא עַלְמָא), and he made his dwelling between the boundaries (וְשַׁוֵּי מָדוֹרֵיהּ בֵּין הַמִּשְׁפְּתָיִם), Among the impurities of the scribes of the dust (בֵּין זוּהֲמֵי דְּטַפְסְרֵי דְּעַפְרָא).

Come and see, what is written (תָּא חֲזֵי, מַה כְּתִיב): “And he saw that rest was good, and the land that it was pleasant, and he bowed his shoulder to bear, and became a servant under tribute” (וַיַּרְא מְנוּחָה כִּי טוֹב וְאֶת הָאָרֶץ כִּי נָעֵמָה וַיֵּט שִׁכְמוֹ לִסְבֹּל וַיְהִי לְמַס עֹבֵד) (Bereshit 49). “And he saw that rest was good”-this is the Written Torah (וַיַּרְא מְנוּחָה כִּי טוֹב, דָּא תּוֹרָה שֶׁבִּכְתָב). “And the land that it was pleasant”-this is the Oral Torah (וְאֶת הָאָרֶץ כִּי נָעֵמָה, דָּא תּוֹרָה שֶׁבְּעַל פֶּה). “And he bowed his shoulder to bear”-to bear the yoke of Orayta (וַיֵּט שִׁכְמוֹ לִסְבֹּל, לְמִסְבַּל עוּלָא דְּאוֹרַיְּיתָא), and to cleave to it day and night (וּלְדָבְקָא בָּהּ יוֹמֵי וְלֵילֵי). “And became a servant under tribute”-to become a servant to Kudsha Berikh Hu (וַיְהִי לְמַס עֹבֵד, לְמֶהֱוֵי פָּלַח לְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא), and to cleave to Him (וּלְאִתְדַּבְּקָא בֵּיהּ), and to bind himself to Him (וּלְאַתָּשָׁא גַּרְמֵיהּ בָּהּ).

Rabbi Shimon and Rabbi Yosi and Rabbi Chiyya were going from Upper Galilee to Tiberias (רִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן וְרִבִּי יוֹסֵי וְרִבִּי חִיָּיא הֲווּ קָא אָזְלֵי מִגָּלִילָא עִלָּאָה לִטְבֶרְיָה). Rabbi Shimon said (אָמַר רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן), “Let us go and engage in Orayta (נֵיהַךְ וְנִשְׁתַּדַּל בְּאוֹרַיְּיתָא), for whoever knows to labor in Orayta and does not labor (דְּכָל מַאן דְּיָדַע לְאִשְׁתַּדְּלָא בְּאוֹרַיְּיתָא, וְלָא אִשְׁתַּדַּל), is liable with his soul (אִתְחַיֵּיב בְּנַפְשֵׁיהּ). And not only that, but they place upon him the yoke of the earth and an evil subjugation (וְלָא עוֹד אֶלָּא דְּיַהֲבִין לֵיהּ עוּלָא דְּאַרְעָא, וְשִׁעְבּוּדָא בִּישָׁא), as it is written of Yissakhar, ‘And he bowed his shoulder to bear’” (דִּכְתִיב בְּיִשָּׂשכָר, וַיֵּט שִׁכְמוֹ לִסְבֹּל). What is ‘he bowed’?-he deviated (מַהוּ וַיֵּט, סָטָא), as you say (כְּמָא דְּאַתְּ אָמֵר), (I Samuel 8) “And they turned aside after gain” (וַיָּטּוּ אַחֲרֵי הַבָּצַע). One who deviates his path and his self, to not bear the yoke of Orayta (מַאן דְּסָטָא אָרְחֵיהּ וְגַרְמֵיהּ, דְּלָא לְמִסְבַּל עוּלָא דְּאוֹרַיְּיתָא), immediately “and he became a servant under tribute” (מִיָּד וַיְהִי לְמַס עֹבֵד).

Rabbi Shimon opened and said (פָּתַח רִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן וְאָמַר), (Proverbs 8) “To bequeath substance to my lovers, and their treasuries I will fill” (לְהַנְחִיל אֹהֲבַי יֵשׁ וְאוֹצְרוֹתֵיהֶם אֲמַלֵּא). Happy are those in the world (זַכָּאִין אִינוּן בְּנֵי עַלְמָא), those who labor in Orayta (אִינוּן דְּמִשְׁתַּדְּלֵי בְּאוֹרַיְּיתָא), for whoever labors in Orayta is beloved above and below (דְּכָל מַאן דְּאִשְׁתָּדַּל בְּאוֹרַיְּיתָא, אִתְרָחִים לְעֵילָא, וְאִתְרָחִים לְתַתָּא), and inherits every day the inheritance of the World to Come (וְאַחְסִין בְּכָל יוֹמָא יְרוּתָא דְעָלְמָא דְאָתֵי). This is what is written, “To bequeath substance to my lovers” (הֲדָא הוּא דִּכְתִיב: לְהַנְחִיל אֹהֲבַי יֵשׁ). What is ‘yesh’ (substance)? (מַאי יֵשׁ). This is the World to Come (דָּא עָלְמָא דְאָתֵי), whose waters never cease (דְּלָא פָסַק מֵימוֹי לְעָלְמִין), and which carries a supernal good reward (וְנָטַל אֲגַר טַב עִלָּאָה), which no other human being merits (דְּלָא זָכֵי בֵיהּ בַּר נָשׁ אָחֳרָא). And what is it?-Yesh (וּמַאי אִיהוּ: יֵ"שׁ). And therefore, the name of Yissakhar who toiled in Orayta alludes to it (וּבְגִינֵי כָּךְ, רָמִיז לָן שְׁמָא דְּיִשָּׂשכָר דְּאִשְׁתַּדַּל בְּאוֹרַיְּיתָא): Yesh Sakhar-there is reward (יֵשׁ שָׂכָר).

This is the reward of those who labor in Orayta (דָּא הוּא אַגְרָא דְּאִינוּן דְּמִשְׁתַּדְּלֵי בְּאוֹרַיְּיתָא): Yesh (י״שׁ). It is written, (Daniel 7) “I beheld till thrones were cast down, and the Ancient of Days sat,” etc. (כְּתִיב, חָזֵה הֲוֵית עַד דִּי כָּרְסָוָון רְמִיו וְעַתִּיק יוֹמִין יְתִיב וְגו׳). “I beheld till thrones were cast down”-when the Beit Mikdash was destroyed (חָזֵה הֲוֵית עַד דִּי כָּרְסָוָון רְמִיו, כַּד אִתְחָרַב בֵּי מִקְדְּשָׁא), two thrones fell (תְּרֵי כָּרְסָוָון נָפְלוּ), two above, two below (תְּרֵי לְעֵילָא, תְּרֵי לְתַתָּא). The two above-because the lower separated from the upper (תְּרֵי לְעֵילָא, בְּגִין דְּאִתְרְחִיקַת תַּתָּאָה מֵעִלָּאָה); the throne of Ya'akov was separated from the throne of David (כֻּרְסְיָיא דְּיַעֲקֹב אִתְרְחִיקַת מִכֻּרְסְיָיא דְּדָוִד). And the throne of David fell (וְכֻּרְסְיָיא דְּדָוִד נָפְלַת). This is what is written, (Lamentations 2) “He has cast down from heaven to earth” (הֲדָא הוּא דִּכְתִיב, הִשְׁלִיךְ מִשָּׁמַיִם אֶרֶץ). Two thrones below-Yerushalayim, and those who are masters of Orayta (תְּרֵי כָּרְסָוָון לְתַתָּא: יְרוּשָׁלַיִם, וְאִינוּן מָארֵי דְּאוֹרַיְּיתָא). The throne below corresponds to the throne above (וְכָרְסָוָון דִּלְתַּתָּא כְּגַוְונָא דְּכָרְסָוָון דִּלְעֵילָא): the masters of Orayta are the throne of Ya'akov (מָרֵיהוֹן דְּאוֹרַיְּיתָא הַיְינוּ כֻּרְסְיָיא דְּיַעֲקֹב); Yerushalayim is the throne of David (יְרוּשָׁלַיִם הַיְינוּ כֻּרְסְיָיא דְּדָוִד). And regarding this it is written “till thrones” (וְעַל דָּא כְּתִיב עַד דִּי כָּרְסָוָון), and not “throne” (וְלָא כָּרְסְיָא): many thrones fell (כָּרְסָוָון סַגִּיאִין נָפְלוּ), and all of them did not fall except from the insult to Orayta (וְכֻלְּהוּ לָא נָפְלוּ, אֶלָּא מֵעֶלְבּוֹנָהּ דְּאוֹרַיְּיתָא).

Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי): when those who are truly righteous engage in Orayta (כַּד אִינוּן זַכָּאֵי קְשׁוֹט מִשְׁתַּדְּלֵי בְּאוֹרַיְּיתָא), all the powers of the other nations, all their armies and their forces, are subdued and do not rule in the world (כָּל אִינוּן תּוּקְפִין דִּשְׁאָר עַמִּין, דִּשְׁאָר חֵילִין, וְכָל חֵילִין דִּלְהוֹן, אִתְכַּפְיָין וְלָא שָׁלְטֵי בְּעָלְמָא), and Yisrael-Some say: and Yesh (נ"א: וְיִשְׂרָאֵל (וְי״ש) are empowered over all (אִזְדַּמַּן עֲלַיְיהוּ לְסַלְקָא לוֹן עַל כֹּלָּא). And if not-then a donkey caused Yisrael to go into exile (וְאִי לָא, חֲמוֹר גָּרְמָא לוֹן לְיִשְׂרָאֵל לְמֵיהַךְ בְּגָלוּתָא), and to fall among the nations (וּלְמִנְפַל בֵּינֵי עַמְמַיָּא), and to be ruled over by them (וּלְמִשְׁלַט עֲלַיְיהוּ). And all this-why? (וְכָל דָּא אַמַּאי) Because “he saw rest that it was good,” and it was ready before him (בְּגִין, וַיַּרְא מְנוּחָה כִּי טוֹב, וּמִתַּקְנָא קַמֵּיהּ), and he was able to gain much good and longing through it (וְיָכִיל לְמִרְוַח בְּגִינָהּ כַּמָּה טָבִין וְכַּמָּה כִּסּוּפִין), and he deviated from his way, not to bear the yoke of Orayta (וְסָטָא אוֹרְחֵיהּ דְּלָא לְמִסְבַּל עוּלָא דְּאוֹרַיְּיתָא). Therefore, “and he became a servant under tribute” (בְּגִין כָּךְ וַיְהִי לְמַס עֹבֵד).