Daf 249a (דַּף רמ״ט ע״א)

And it is written: “And Shlomo’s wisdom increased” (וּכְתִיב וַתֵּרֶב חָכְמַת שְׁלֹמֹה) (Melakhim I 5:9). The wisdom of Shlomo-this is the mother of Shlomo (חָכְמַת שְׁלֹמֹה, דָּא אֵם שְׁלֹמֹה). As it is written: “The words of Lemuel the king, the burden that his mother admonished him” (דִּכְתִיב דִּבְרֵי לְמוּאֵל מֶלֶךְ מַשָּׂא אֲשֶׁר יִסְרַתּוּ אִמּוֹ) (Mishlei 31:1). “The words of Lemuel the king”-this verse is not known, what is its closed meaning? (דִּבְרֵי לְמוּאֵל מֶלֶךְ, הַאי קְרָא לָאו אִתְיְידַע מַהוּ סְתִימָא דִילֵיהּ). Rather: “The words of Lemuel the king”-words spoken concerning El, who is the King (אֶלָּא, דִּבְרֵי לְמוּאֵל מֶלֶךְ, דְּבָרִים דְּאִתְּמָר בְּגִין אֵל דְּאִיהוּ מֶלֶךְ).

And who is He? This is: “El who is angry every day” (וּמַאן אִיהוּ. דָּא אֵל זוֹעֵם בְּכָל יוֹם) (Tehillim 7:12), and El Shaddai (וְאֵל שַׁדַּי). As it is said (כְּמָה דְאִתְּמָר). “Lemuel” - as you would say: “to His mouth” (לְמוּאֵל כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר לְמוֹ פִי) (Job 40:4). “Lemuel the king”-this is Bat-Sheva (לְמוּאֵל מֶלֶךְ, דְּאִיהוּ בַּת שֶׁבַע). “The burden that his mother admonished him” - when the revelation came upon him in Givon, in the dream of the night (מַשָּׂא אֲשֶׁר יִסְרַתּוּ אִמּוֹ, כַּד אִתְגְּלִי עֲלוֹי בְּגִבְעוֹן, בְּחֶלְמָא דְלֵילְיָא) (Melakhim I 3:5).

Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי), Ya'akov was gathered unto the moon (יַעֲקֹב אִתְכְּנִישׁ לְגַבֵּי סִיהֲרָא), and produced fruits in her for the world (וְעָבִיד בָּהּ פֵּירִין לְעַלְמָא). And there is no generation in the world that does not have in it a shoot of Ya'akov (וְלֵית לָךְ דָּרָא בְּעַלְמָא, דְּלָא אִית בֵּיהּ אִיבָּא דְיַעֲקֹב), because he aroused an arousal above (בְּגִין דְּהָא אִיהוּ אִתְעַר אִתְעֲרוּתָא לְעֵילָא). As it is written: “And he gathered his feet onto the bed” (בְּגִין דִּכְתִיב, וַיֶּאֱסֹף רַגְלָיו אֶל הַמִּטָּה) (Bereishit 49:33), this is the bed of Ya'akov, truly (דְּאִיהוּ מִטָּתֵיהּ דְיַעֲקֹב וַדַּאי). Blessed is the portion of Ya'akov (זַכָּאָה חוּלָקֵיהּ דְיַעֲקֹב), for he was completed above and below (דְּהָא אִשְׁתְּלִים לְעֵילָא וְתַתָּא), as it is written: “And you, fear not, My servant Ya'akov, says Hashem…” (דִּכְתִיב וְאַתָּה אַל תִּירָא עַבְדִּי יַעֲקֹב נְאֻם ה' וְגו') (Yirmeyahu 30:10). “For I am with you”-it does not say “with Me are you,” rather “I am with you” (כִּי אִתְּךָ אָנִי. כִּי אִתִּי אַתָּה לָא אִתְּמָר, אֶלָּא כִּי אִתְּךָ אָנִי), and so it has been stated (וְהָא אִתְּמָר).

Rabbi Yitzchak opened and said (רִבִּי יִצְחָק פָּתַח וְאָמַר), “And they came to the Threshing Floor of Atad,” and so forth (וַיָּבֹאוּ עַד גֹּרֶן הָאָטָד וְגו') (Bereishit 50:10), and it is written (וּכְתִיב), “And the Canaanite inhabitants of the land saw the mourning in the Threshing Floor of Atad,” and so forth (וַיַּרְא יוֹשֵׁב הָאָרֶץ הַכְּנַעֲנִי אֶת הָאֵבֶל בְּגֹרֶן הָאָטָד וְגו'). These verses need to be considered (הַנִּי קְרָאֵי אִית לְאִסְתַּכָּלָא בְּהוּ), what concern is it of ours that they came to the Threshing Floor of Atad? (מַאי אִיכְפַּת לָן דְּאִינוּן אָתוּ עַד גֹּרֶן הָאָטָד). And why was this mourning arranged for Egypt? (וּמַאי טַעְמָא אִתְכָּנַת אֲבֵלוּתָא דָא לְמִצְרַיִם), for the mourning should have been for Yisrael (דְּהָא אֵבֶל יִשְׂרָאֵל מִבָּעֵי לֵיהּ).

Why for Egypt? (מַאי טַעְמָא לְמִצְרַיִם). Rather, thus they said (אֶלָּא הָכִי אָמְרוּ): the entire time that Ya'akov was in Egypt (כָּל הַהוּא זִמְנָא דְּהֲוָה יַעֲקֹב בְּמִצְרַיִם), the land was blessed on his account (אִתְבָּרַךְ אַרְעָא בְּגִינֵיהּ), and the Nile would overflow and water the land (וְנִילוּס הֲוָה נָפִיק וְאַשְׁקֵי אַרְעָא), and furthermore the famine ceased because of Ya'akov (וְעוֹד דְּפָסַק כַּפְנָא בְּגִינֵיהּ דְּיַעֲקֹב). And for this, the Egyptians held mourning (וְעַל דָּא, מִצְרָאֵי עֲבָדוּ אֲבֵלוּתָא), and it was established upon them (וְאִתְכַּנֵּי עֲלַיְיהוּ). He opened and said (פָּתַח וְאָמַר), “Who can utter the mighty acts of Hashem, proclaim all His praise?” (מִי יְמַלֵּל גְּבוּרוֹת יְיָ יַשְׁמִיעַ כָּל תְּהִלָּתוֹ) (Tehillim 106:2). This verse has been established (הַאי קְרָא אוּקְמוּהָ). But what is “utter”? - it should say “speak” (אֲבָל מַהוּ יְמַלֵּל, יְדַבֵּר מִבָּעֵי לֵיהּ). And if you say that it is simply the way of Scripture to speak thus (וְאִי תֵימָא דְּאָרְחֵיהּ דִּקְרָא הָכִי הוּא), that there are many verses that do so (דְּהָא קְרָאֵי אִינוּן הָכִי). No! (לָא). All come to show a matter (דְּכֻלְּהוּ לְאַחֲזָאָה מִלָּה קָא אַתְיָין). So here too (אוּף הָכָא), it comes to show something (לְאַחֲזָאָה מִלָּה קָא אַתְיָא): “Who can utter the mighty acts of Hashem,” as it is written (מִי יְמַלֵּל גְּבוּרוֹת יְיָ, כְּדִכְתִיב), “and you shall pluck the heads of grain” (וְקָטַפְתָּ מְלִילוֹת) (Devarim 23:26). “Gevurot Hashem”-because they are numerous (גְּבוּרוֹת ה׳, בְּגִין דְּסַגִּיאִין אִינוּן), for all decrees of judgment come from there (דְּהָא כָּל גְּזֵרָא דְּדִינָא, מִתַּמָּן קָא אַתְיָא). And for this: who is it that can ascend and nullify even a single decree from among those mighty acts that Kudsha Berikh Hu performs? (וְעַל דָּא, מַאן אִיהוּ דִּיסַלֵּק וְיַעֲבֵר גְּזֵרָה חָדָא, מֵאִינוּן גְּבוּרָאן דְּעָבִיד קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא).

Furthermore: “Who can utter”-and “can speak”-it is all one (תוּ, מִי יְמַלֵּל, וִידַבֵּר, כֹּלָּא חַד). “Can speak”-for there are so many mighty acts (יְדַבֵּר, דְּהָא כַּמָּה וְכַמָּה גְּבוּרָאן אִינוּן), that they are beyond reckoning (דְּלֵית לוֹן חוּשְׁבָּנָא): how many masters of judgments (כַּמָּה מָארֵי דְּדִינִין), how many masters of shields (כַּמָּה מָארֵי תְּרֵיסִין), how many judicial scribes of law (כַּמָּה גַּרְדִּינֵי נִמּוּסִין), and no utterance can utter them (וּמִלּוּלָא לָא יָכִיל לְמַלָּלָא לוֹן). And how are they known? (וּבְמָּה יְדִיעָן), all of them through Aggadah (כֻּלְּהוּ בְּהַגָּדָה), which contains the secret of Chokhmah (דְּאִית בֵּיהּ רָזָא דְחָכְמְתָא), for with speech and utterance they cannot be expressed (דְּהָא בְּמִלּוּלָא וּבַאֲמִירָה לָא יָכִיל לְמַלָּלָא לוֹן). To know them-yes (לְמִנְדַּע לוֹן, אֲבָל), through Aggadah they are known (בְּהַגָּדָה יְדִיעָן), as it is written: “Generation to generation shall praise Your works, and they shall declare Your mighty acts” (כְּמָה דִּכְתִיב דּוֹר לְדוֹר יְשַׁבַּח מַעֲשֶׂיךָ וּגְבוּרוֹתֶיךָ יַגִּידוּ) (Tehillim 145:4). In this secret they are known (בְּרָזָא דָא יָדְעִין), but “Your mighty acts” that are lower Gevurah (אֲבָל גְּבוּרָתֶךָ דְּהִיא גְּבוּרָה תַּתָּאָה), they shall speak (יְדַבֵּרוּ), as it is written: “And they shall speak of Your might” (דִּכְתִיב, וּגְבוּרָתְךָ יְדַבֵּרוּ) (Tehillim 145:11). “Who shall proclaim all His praise” (יַשְׁמִיעַ כָּל תְּהִלָּתוֹ) these are many levels (דְּסַגִּיאִין אִינוּן), some say: degrees (נ״א דַּרְגִּין), of Dinim (דִּינִין), which are known and joined in praise (דְּאִשְׁתְּמוֹדְעָן וּמִתְחַבְּרָן בִּתְהִלָּה), and how many forces (וְכַמָּה חֵילִין), and how many camps are joined in it (וְכַמָּה מַשִּׁירְיָין דְּמִתְחַבְּרָן בָּהּ), as it is written: “Is there a number to His troops?” (כְּדִכְתִיב הֲיֵשׁ מִסְפָּר לִגְדוּדָיו) (Job 25:3). And because of this-who can proclaim all His praise? (וְעַל דָּא, מַאן יָכִיל לְאִשְׁתְּמַע כָּל תְּהִלָּתוֹ).

Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי), all the Egyptians were wise (מִצְרָאֵי כֻּלְּהוּ חַכִּימִין הֲווּ), and from the side of Gevurah they came forth (וּמִסִּטְרָא דִגְבוּרָה קָא נָפְקֵי) how many forces, how many camps (כַמָּה חֵילִין וְכַמָּה מַשִּׁירְיָין), and how many levels upon levels (וְכַמָּה דַּרְגִּין עַל דַּרְגִּין), until they reached the lower levels (עַד דְּמָטוּ לְגַבֵּי דַּרְגִּין תַּתָּאִין). And the Egyptians were craftsmen and wise in them (וּמִצְרָאֵי הֲווּ חֳרָשִׁין וְחַכִּימִין בְּהוּ), and knew the secrets of the world (וְיָדְעִין סְתִימִין דְּעַלְמָא). And they observed this: that in the time Ya'akov existed in the world (וְאִסְתַּכָּלוּ הָא, דְּבְּזִמְנָא דְיַעֲקֹב קַיַּים בְּעַלְמָא), there was no nation that ruled over his children (לָא אִית עַמָּא דְּשָׁלְטָא עַל בְּנוֹי). And they knew that Yisrael would be subjugated by them many times (וְיָדְעוּ דְּהָא יִשְׁתַּעְבְּדוּ בְּהוּ בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל זִמְנִין סַגִּיאִין).

Once Ya'akov died, they rejoiced (כֵּיוָן דְּמִית יַעֲקֹב חָדוּ), and they observed what would be in the end (אִסְתַּכָּלוּ מַה יְּהֵא בְּסוֹפָא), until they reached the Threshing Floor of Atad (עַד דְּמָטוּ לְגוֹרֶן הָאָטָד), which is the place where the decree of judgment rules (דְּאִיהוּ גְּזֵרָא דְּדִינָא שַׁלִּיטָא). Atad in gematria is yad (אָטָ''ד בְּגִימַטְרִיָּא יַד), as it is said: “And Yisrael saw the great hand…” (כְּמָא דְאַתְּ אָמֵר וַיַּרְא יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶת הַיָּד הַגְּדוֹלָה וְגו') (Shemot 14:31). Once they arrived at that place (כֵּיוָן דְּמָטוּ לְאֲתַר דָּא), they beheld the mighty forces issuing from that atad (חָמוּ גְּבוּרָאן דְּנָפְקֵי מֵהַאי אָטָד). Why is it called atad? (אַמַּאי אִקְרֵי אָטָד). Because, just as the atad (thornbush) sends out spikes in all directions (אֶלָּא, מַה אָטָד נָפְקֵי כּוּבִין לְהַאי סִטְרָא וּלְהַאי סִטְרָא), so too the yad (hand) sends out fingers (הָכִי נָמֵי יַ''ד, נָפְקֵי מִינָהּ אֶצְבָּעָאן), in all directions (לְהַאי סִטְרָא וּלְהַאי סִטְרָא). And every finger rises with many mighty forces (וְכָל אֶצְבָּעָא וְאֶצְבָּעָא סָלִיק בְּכַמָּה גְּבוּרָאן), with many judgments (בְּכַמָּה דִּינִין), and with many laws (וּבְכַמָּה נִמּוּסִין). Then it says: “And they mourned there a very great and heavy mourning,” and therefore its name was called The Mourning of Egypt (כְּדֵין וַיִּסְפְּדוּ שָׁם מִסְפֵּד גָּדוֹל וְכָבֵד מְאֹד עַל כֵּן קָרָא שְׁמָהּ אָבֵל מִצְרָיִם) (Bereishit 50:11), truly a heavy mourning for Egypt (וַדַּאי אֵבֶל כָּבֵד זֶה לְמִצְרַיִם), and not for another (וְלָא לְאָחֳרָא).

Rabbi Shimon separated from the group (רִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן פָּרִישׁ פָּרְשָׁתָא). They went and sat inside the cave (נָפְקֵי יָתְבוּ לְגוֹ מְעַרְתָּא). He said: “I see that this day, a house will fall in the city, and two Roman prosecutors will perish” (אָמַר חָמֵינָא דְּיוֹמָא דֵין יִנְפּוֹל בֵּיתָא בְּמָתָא, וִיעָדְרוּן תְּרֵי רוֹמָאֵי מְקַטְרְגִין). “If I am in the city, the house will not fall” (אִי אֲנָא בְּמָתָא לָא יִנְפּוֹל בֵּיתָא). They returned into the cave and sat (אַהֲדָרוּ לְגוֹ מְעַרְתָּא יָתְבוּ).