Daf 11b (דַּף י״א ע״ב)

For we have learned (דְּתָנִינָן), at the time when the body of a Tzaddik is born in this world (בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְּאִתְיְילִיד גּוּפָא דְּצַדִּיק בְּהַאי עָלְמָא), Kudsha Berikh Hu calls to Gavriel (קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא קָרֵי לֵיהּ לְגַּבְרִיאֵל), and he takes that Neshamah (וְנָטִיל הַהִיא נִשְׁמְתָא), of the Tzaddik that is in the garden (דִּי בְּגִנְתָּא), and he brings it down into the body of the Righteous that was born in this world (וְנַחְתָּא לָהּ לְהַאי גּוּפָא דְּצַדִּיקַיָּא דְּאִתְיְילִיד בְּהַאי עָלְמָא), and he is appointed over it and guards it (וְאִיהוּ אִתְפְּקַד עָלָה וְנָטִיר לָהּ).

And if you will say (וְאִי תֵּימָא): that angel who is appointed over the spirits of the Righteous, his name is Layla (הַהוּא מַלְאָכָא דְּאִתְמָנָא עַל רוּחֵיהוֹן דְּצַדִּיקַיָּא לַיְלָה שְׁמֵיהּ), and you said that it is Gavriel (וְאַתְּ אַמָרְתְ דְּאִיהוּ גַּבְרִיאֵל) so it is, indeed (הָכִי הוּא וַדַּאי), because he comes from the side of the left (בְּגִין דְּאָתֵי מִסִּטְרָא דִּשְׂמָאלָא), and whoever comes from the side of the left is so called (וְכָל מַאן דְּאָתֵי מִסִּטְרָא דִּשְׂמָאלָא הָכִי אִקְרֵי). And a man went (וַיֵּלֶךְ אִישׁ): this is Amram (דָּא עַמְרָם). And he took the daughter of Levi (וַיִּקַּח אֶת בַּת לֵוִי): this is Yocheved (דָּא יוֹכֶבֶד). And a heavenly voice descended and said to him to unite with her (וּבַת קוֹל נַחְתַּת וְאַמְרַת לֵיהּ לְאִזְדַּוְּוגָא בָּהּ), for the time of the redemption of Yisrael is near (דְּהָא קָרִיב זִמְנָא דְּפוּרְקָנָא דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל), through the child who will be born from them (עַל יְדָא דִּבְּרָא דְּאִתְיְלִיד מִנַּיְיהוּ).

And Kudsha Berikh Hu assisted in it (וְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא סִיֵּיעַ בֵּיהּ), for we have learned (דְּתָנֵינָן), the Shekhinta rests upon their bed (שְׁכִינְתָּא שַׁרְיָא עַל עַרְסַיְיהוּ), and their will was in one cleaving (וּרְעוּתָא דִּלְהוֹן בִּדְבֵקוּתָא חֲדָא), it was in her, in the Shekhinta (הֲוָה בָּהּ בִּשְׁכִינְתָּא). And for this reason (וְעַל דָּא), the Shekhinta did not depart from that child whom they bore to endure (לָא אִתְעָדֵי שְׁכִינְתָּא מֵהַהוּא בְּרָא דְּאוֹלִידוּ לְקַיְּימָא), as it is written (דִּכְתִּיב), (Vayikra 11) “And you shall sanctify yourselves and be holy” (וְהִתְקַדִּשְׁתֶּם וִהְיִיתֶם קְדוֹשִׁים). A person who sanctifies himself from evil (בַּר נָשׁ דִּמְקַדֵּשׁ גַּרְמֵיהּ מִלְּרַע), Kudsha Berikh Hu sanctifies him from above (קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא מְקַדֵּשׁ לֵיהּ לְעֵילָּא), just as their will was in cleaving to the Shekhinta (כְּמָה דִּרְעוּתָא דִּלְּהוֹן הֲוָה בִּדְבֵקוּתָא דִּשְׁכִינְתָּא). Thus the Shekhinta cleaved in that very act which they did (הָכִי אִתְדַּבְּקָא שְׁכִינְתָּא בְּהַהוּא עוֹבָדָא מַמָּשׁ דְּעָבְדוּ).

Rabbi Yitzchak said (אָמַר רִבִּי יִצְחָק), blessed are the Righteous, whose will is always in cleaving to Kudsha Berikh Hu (זַכָּאִין אִינּוּן צַדִּיקַיָּא דִּרְעוּתָא דִּלְּהוֹן בִּדְבֵקוּתָא דְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא תָּדִיר), and just as they cleave to Him constantly (וְכְמָה דְּאִינּוּן מִתְדַּבְּקִין בֵּיהּ תָּדִיר), so too He cleaves to them (הָכִי נָמֵי אִיהוּ אִתְדַּבָּק בְּהוּ), and does not leave them ever (וְלָא שָׁבִיק לוֹן לְעָלְמִין). Woe to the wicked (וַוי לְרַשִׁיעַיָּיא), whose will and cleaving is distant from Him (דִּרְעוּתָא דִּלְּהוֹן וּדְבֵקוּתָא דִּלְּהוֹן מִתְרַחֲקָא מִנֵּיהּ). And it is not enough for them that they are distanced from Him (וְלָא דַּי לְהוּ דְּמִתְרַחֲקָן מִנֵּיהּ), but they cleave to the other side (אֶלָּא דְּמִתְדַּבְּקָן בְּסִטְרָא אַחֲרָא).

Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי), Amram who cleaved to Kudsha Berikh Hu (עַמְרָם דְּאִתְדַּבָּק בֵּיהּ בְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא). From him came forth Moshe (נָפַק מִנֵּיהּ מֹשֶׁה), whom Kudsha Berikh Hu never removed from Him (דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לָא אַעְדֵי מִנֵּיהּ לְעָלְמִין), and the Shekhinta cleaved with him always (וּשְׁכִינְתָּא אִתְדַּבְּקַת בַּהֲדֵיהּ), (Bereishit 21b), fortunate is his portion (תָּדִיר, זַכָּאָה חוּלָקֵיהּ). (Shemot 2) “And the woman conceived and bore a son, and she saw him that he was good” (וַתַּהַר הָאִשָׁה וַתֵּלֶד בֶּן וַתֵּרֶא אוֹתוֹ כִּי טוֹב הוּא). What is “that he was good” (מַאי כִּי טוֹב הוּא)? Rabbi Chiyya said (אָמַר רִבִּי חִיָּיא): that he was born circumcised (דְּאִתְיְילִיד מָהוּל). Because the secret of the covenant is called Tov (בְּגִין דְרָזָא דִּבְרִית טוֹב אִקְרֵי), as it is written (דִּכְתִּיב), (Yeshayahu 3) “Say of the righteous that it is good” (אִמְרוּ צַדִּיק כִּי טוֹב).

Rabbi Yosi said (רִבִּי יוֹסֵי אָמַר): the light of the Shekhinta that shone in him was seen (נְהִירוּ דִּשְׁכִינְתָּא דְּנָהִיר בֵּיהּ חָמָאת), for at the time he was born, the whole house was filled with light (דִּבְשַׁעֲתָא דְּאִתְיְלִיד אִתְמַלְיָא כָּל בֵּיתָא נְהוֹרָא), as it is written (דִּכְתִּיב): “And she saw him that he was good” (וַתֵּרְא אוֹתוֹ כִּי טוֹב הוּא), and it is written (Bereishit 1 “And Elohim saw the light that it was good” (וַיַּרְא אֱלֹהִים אֶת הָאוֹר כִּי טוֹב). And therefore “that he was good” is written (וְעַל דָּא כִּי טוֹב הוּא כְּתִיב), and all of it was so (וְכֹלָּא הֲוָה). And she hid him for three months (וַתִּצְפְּנֵהוּ שְׁלֹשָׁה יְרָחִים): what do the three months signify (ג׳ יְרָחִים מַאי קָא מַיְירֵי)?

Rabbi Yehudah said (אָמַר ר׳ יְהוּדָה): It is a hint that he hinted (רֶמֶז הוּא דְּקָא רָמַז), that Moshe was not revealed in supernal radiance (דְּלָא אִשְׁתְּמוֹדָע מֹשֶׁה בְּזִהֲרָא עִלָּאָה), until three months (עַד ג׳ יְרָחִים). As it is written (דִּכְתִּיב), (Shemot 19) “In the third month” (בַּחֹדֶשׁ הַשְׁלִישִׁי), for then the Torah was given through him (דְּהָא כְּדֵין אִתְיְהִיבַת תּוֹרָה עַל יְדוֹי), and the Shekhinta was revealed and dwelled upon him (וּשְׁכִינְתָּא אִתְגַּלְיָא וְשַׁרְיָא עֲלוֹי), before the eyes of all (לְעֵינֵיהוֹן דְּכֹלָּא), as it is written (דִּכְתִּיב), (Shemot 19) “And Moshe went up to HaElohim, and Hashem called to him” (וּמֹשֶׁה עָלָה אֶל הָאֱלֹהִים וַיִּקְרָא אֵלָיו יְיָ׳). (Shemot 2) “And she could no longer hide him” (וְלֹא יָכְלָה עוֹד הַצְּפִינוֹ): until that moment, his speech was not yet recognized in Kudsha Berikh Hu (דְּעַד הַהוּא שַׁעְתָא לָא אִשְׁתְּמוֹדַע מִלּוּלֵיהּ בְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא), and it is written (וּכְתִיב): “Moshe would speak, and HaElohim would answer him with a voice” (מֹשֶׁה יְדַבֵּר וְהָאֱלֹהִים יַעֲנֶנּוּ בְּקוֹל). And she took for him an ark of reeds (וַתִּקַּח לוֹ תֵּבַת גּוֹמֶא): this is a remez to the Ark (רֶמֶז עַל הָאָרוֹן), in which the Tablets of the Covenant were placed (דְּלוּחוֹת קַיָּימָא עָאלִין בְּגַוֵּיהּ). An ark of reeds (תֵּבַת גּוֹמֶא): this is the Ark of the Covenant (אֲרוֹן הַבְּרִית אִיהוּ). And she covered it with clay and pitch (וַתַּחְמְרָה בַחֵמָר וּבַזָּפֶת): that ark (דְּהָהִיא תֵּיבָה דְּאִיהוּ), for the Ark was covered inside and outside (הָאָרוֹן הֲוָה מְחוּפֶּה מִלְּגָו וּמִלְּבַר).

Rabbi Yehudah said (רִבִּי יְהוּדָה אָמַר): this is the Orayta (דָּא הִיא אוֹרַיְיתָא), which Kudsha Berikh Hu reinforced with positive and negative commandments (דְּהֶחמִירָה קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא בְּמִצְוֹת עֲשֵׂה וּבְמִצְוֹת לֹא תַּעֲשֶׂה). And she placed the child in it (וַתָּשֶׂם בָּהּ אֶת הַיֶּלֶד): these are Yisrael (אֵלּוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל), as it is said (כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר), (Hoshea 11) “For Yisrael was a child, and I loved him” (כִּי נַעַר יִשְׂרָאֵל וָאֹהֲבֵהוּ). And she placed him among the reeds (וַתָּשֶׂם בַּסּוּף): when the commandments of the Orayta were not yet practiced with strictness p5-24(דְּלָא הֲווֹ פִּקּוּדֵי אוֹרַיְיתָא חוּמְרָא לְמֶעְבַּד), until the end, when Yisrael entered the land (עַד סוֹף דְּעָאלוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל לְאַרְעָא), at the end of forty years (לְסוֹף אַרְבְּעִין שְׁנִין).

At the edge of the river (עַל שְׂפַת הַיְאוֹר): by the word of those who teach Orayta and statute to Yisrael (עַל מֵימְרָא דְּאִינּוּן דְּמוֹרִים אוֹרַיְיתָא וְחוּקָּה לְיִשְׂרָאֵל). Some say: Rabbi Chizkiyah said, thus we have learned (נ״א: רִבִּי חִזְקִיָּה אָמַרז הָכִי אוּלִיפְנָא).

Another matter: And a man went (דָּבָר אַחֵר וַיֵּלֶךְ אִישׁ), this is Kudsha Berikh Hu (דָּא קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא), as it is written (דִּכְתִּיב), (Shemot 15) “Hashem is a man of war” (יְיָ׳ אִישׁ מִלְחָמָה). From the house of Levi (מִבֵּית לֵוִי): this is Kudsha Berikh Hu (דָּא קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא), the place of supernal Chokhmah (אֲתָר דְּחָכְמָה עִלָּאָה), and that river (וְהַהוּא נָהָר) are joined together as one (מִתְחַבְּרָן כַּחֲדָא), and are never separated (וְלָא מִתְפָּרְשִׁין לְעָלְמִין). From the house of Levi (מִבֵּית לֵוִי): Ashrei Livyatan (דְּאַשְׁרֵי לִוְיָתָן), Some say: All riddles (נ״א: כָּל חִידוֹ), for a riddle in the world (לְחִידוּ בְּעָלְמָא), this is what is written (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב), (Tehillim 104) “This Livyatan You formed to play with” (לִוְיָתָן זֶה יָצַרְתָּ לְשַׂחֶק בּוֹ). And he took the daughter of Levi (וַיִּקַּח אֶת בַּת לֵוִי): this is Kudsha Berikh Hu (דָּא קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא), the place from which the moon’s light shines (אֲתָר דִּנְהִירוּ דְּסִיהֲרָא נָהִיר).