Daf 12b (דַּף י״ב ע״ב)

And the daughter of Pharaoh descended to bathe at the river (וַתֵּרֶד בַּת פַּרְעֹה לִרְחוֹץ עַל הַיְאוֹר): at the time when Yisrael ceased from Orayta (בְּשַׁעֲתָא דַּהֲווּ פַּסְקֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל מֵאוֹרַיְיתָא), immediately the daughter of Pharaoh descended to bathe at the river (מִיָּד וַתֵּרֶד בַּת פַּרְעֹה לִרְחוֹץ עַל הַיְאוֹר). The quality of judgment descended (הֲוָת נַחְתַּת מִדַּת הַדִּין), to be defiled with the blood of Yisrael (לְאִסְתַּחֲאָה מִדָּמָא דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל), for the disgrace of the Orayta (עַל עֶלְבּוֹנָה דְּאוֹרַיְיתָא). And her maidens walked by the river (וְנַעֲרוֹתֶיהָ הוֹלְכוֹת עַל יַד הַיְאוֹר): these are the nations (אִלֵּין אוּמַיָּא), who go and pursue after her (דְּאִינּוּן אַזְלִין וְרַדְפִין אֲבַּתְרַיְיהוּ), by the river (עַל יַד הַיְאוֹר), on account of the disgrace of the Orayta (עַל סִבַּת עֶלְבּוֹנָה דְּאוֹרַיְיתָא), and those who instruct in her (וְאִינּוּן דְּמוֹרִים), Some say: those who support her (נ״א: דְּמִיכִין), who slackened their hands from her (דְּרָפוּ יְדַיְיהוּ מִינָהּ).

Rabbi Yehudah said (אָמַר רִבִּי יְהוּדָה): all matters of the world depend on Teshuvah (כָּל מִלִּין דְּעָלְמָא תַּלְיָין בִּתְשׁוּבָה), and on the prayer that a person prays to Kudsha Berikh Hu (וּבִצְלוֹתָא דְּצַלֵּי בַּר נָשׁ לְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא), and all the more so one who sheds tears in his prayer (וְכָל שֶׁכֵּן מַאן דְּאוֹשִׁיד דִּמְעִין בִּצְלוֹתֵיהּ), for there is no gate through which tears do not enter (דְּלֵית לָךְ תַּרְעָא דְּלָא עָאלִין אִינּוּן דִּמְעִין). What is written (מַה כְּתִיב):

And she opened it and saw him, the child (וַתִּפְתַּח וַתִּרְאֵהוּ אֶת הַיֶּלֶד)? She opened-this is the Shekhinta (וַתִּפְתַּח דָּא שְׁכִינְתָּא), who stands over Yisrael (דְּקַיְּימָא עָלַיְיהוּ דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל), like a mother over her children (כְּאִימָּא עַל בְּנִין), and she opens constantly for the sake of Yisrael (וְהִיא פָּתְחָה תָּדִיר בִּזְכוּתֵיהוֹן דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל). Once she opened (כֵּיוָן שֶׁפָּתְחָה), and saw him, the child (וַתִּרְאֵהוּ אֶת הַיֶּלֶד), (Yirmeyahu 31) “A child of delights” (יֶלֶד שַׁעֲשׁוּעִים): this is Yisrael (דְּאִינּוּן יִשְׂרָאֵל), who plead before their King (דְּמִתְחַטָּאן קָמֵי מַלְכֵיהוֹן), Some say: before their Father (נ״א: מֵאֲבִיהוֹן), in all things (בְּכֹלָּא).

And as soon as they plead before Kudsha Berikh Hu (וּמִיָּד דְּמִתְחַנְּנָן קָמֵי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא), and return in Teshuvah (הַדְרֵי בִּתְשׁוּבָה), and cry before Him (וּבָכָאן קָמֵיהּ), like a son who cries before his father (כִּבְרָא דְּבָכֵי קָמֵי אֲבוֹי): what is written? And behold, a youth was crying (מַה כְּתִיב וְהִנֵּה נַעַר בּוֹכֶה). Once he cried (כֵּיוָן דְּבָכֵי), all the evil decrees of the world were broken (אִתְעַדוּ), Some say: shattered (ס״א: מִתְתַּבְּרֵי) (כָּל גִּזְרִין בִּישִׁין דְּעָלְמָא). What is written? And she had compassion on him (מַה כְּתִיב וַתַּחְמוֹל עָלָיו), mercy was aroused upon him (אִתְּעַר עֲלוֹי בְּרַחֲמִים), and He had mercy on him (וּמְרַחֵם לֵיהּ).

And she said: this is one of the children of the Hebrews (וַתֹּאמֶר מִיַּלְדֵי הָעִבְרִים זֶה): for they are soft of heart (דְּאִינּוּן רַכֵּי לִבָּא), and not from the children of idol worshippers and star-gazers (וְלָא מִיַּלְדֵי הַעֲבוֹדַת כּוֹכָבִים וּמַזָּלוֹת), who are hard of skull and hard of heart (דְּאִינּוּן קְשֵׁי קְדַל וּקְשֵׁי לִבָּא). The children of the Hebrews are soft of heart from their fathers and mothers to repent before their Master (מִיַּלְדֵי הָעִבְרִים רַכֵּי לִבָּא מֵאֲבָהָן וּמֵאִמָּהָן לְאָתָבָא קָמֵי מָארֵיהוֹן). And she called the mother of the child (וַתִּקְרָא אֶת אֵם הַיָּלֶד): who was weeping (שֶׁהָיְתָה בּוֹכָה), this is what is written (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב), (Yirmeyahu 31) “A voice is heard in Ramah, lamentation and bitter weeping; Rachel weeping for her children…” (קוֹל בְּרָמָה נִשְׁמָע נְהִי בְּכִי תַמְרוּרִים רָחֵל מְבַכָּה עַל בָּנֶיהָ וְגוֹ׳). He was weeping (הוּא בּוֹכֶה), and the mother of the child was weeping (וְאֵם הַיֶּלֶד הִיא בּוֹכָה).

Rabbi Yehudah said (אָמַר רִבִּי יְהוּדָה): in the future, what is written (לְזִמְנָא דְּאָתֵי מַה כְּתִיב), (Yirmeyahu 31) “With weeping they shall come, and with supplications…” (בִּבְכִי יָבוֹאוּ וּבְתַחֲנוּנִים וְגוֹ׳). What is with weeping they shall come (מַהוּ בִּבְכִי יָבוֹאוּ)? In the merit of the weeping of the mother of the child (בִּזְכוּת בְּכִי דְּאֵם הַיֶּלֶד), who is Rachel (שֶׁהִיא רָחֵל), they shall come and be gathered from the exile (יָבוֹאוּ וְיִתְכַּנְשׁוּן מִן גָּלוּתָא).

Rabbi Yitzchak said (וְאָמַר רִבִּי יִצְחָק): the redemption of Yisrael depends only on weeping (פּוּרְקָנָא דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל לָא תַּלְיָא אֶלָּא בִּבְכִי). When it is complete and finished, the weeping of the tears that Esav wept before his father (כַּד יִשְׁתַּלְּמוּן וְיִכְלוּן בְּכִי דְּמָעוֹת דְּבָכָה עֵשָׂו קָמֵי אָבִיו), as it is written (דִּכְתִּיב), (Bereishit 27) “And Esav lifted his voice and wept” (וַיִּשָּׂא עֵשָׂו קוֹלוֹ וַיֵּבְךְ). Rabbi Yosi said: that weeping that Esav wept (אָמַר רִבִּי יוֹסֵי אוֹתוֹ בְּכִי דְּבָכָה עֵשָׂו), and those tears brought Yisrael down into exile (וְאִינּוּן דִּמְעִין אֲחִיתוּ לְיִשְׂרָאֵל בְּגָלוּתֵיהּ). When the tears of the weeping of Yisrael are complete (כֵּיוָן דְּיִכְלוּן אִינּוּן דִּמְעִין בְּבִכְיָה דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל), they shall go out from their exile (יִפְקוּן מִגָּלוּתֵיהּ), as it is written (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב), (Yirmeyahu 31) “With weeping they shall come and with supplications I will lead them” (בִּבְכִי יָבוֹאוּ וּבְתַחֲנוּנִים אוֹבִילֵם). (Shemot 2) “And he turned this way and that…” (וַיִּפֶן כֹּה וָכֹה): he saw in these fifty letters (חָמָא בְּאִלֵּין נ׳ אַתְוָון), with which Yisrael unite Him every day (דִּמְיַחֲדִין לֵיהּ יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּכָל יוֹמָא), Shema Yisrael twice (שְׁמַע יִשְׂרָאֵל פַּעֲמַיִם), which contain twenty-five each (דְּאִית בְּהוֹן כ״ה כ״ה תְּרֵי זִמְנֵי), and he did not see in him (וְלָא חָמָא בֵּיהּ).

And he turned this way and that… (וַיִּפֶן כֹּה וָכֹה וְגוֹ׳): this way (כֹּה), Rabbi Abba said (אָמַר רִבִּי אַבָּא): he saw if there were righteous deeds in him (כֹּה חָמָא אִי הֲווֹ בֵּיהּ עוֹבָדִין דְּכַשְׁרָן). And that (וָכֹה): if he was destined to produce a worthy son (אִי זַמִין לְנָפְקָא מִנֵּיהּ בְּרָא מְעַלְיָא). Immediately (מִיָּד): “And he saw that there was no man” (וַיַּרְא כִּי אֵין אִישׁ): he saw with the Holy Spirit (חָמָא בְּרוּחַ קוּדְשָׁא), that he was not destined to produce a worthy son (דְּלָא זַמִין לְנָפְקָא מִנֵּיהּ בְּרָא מְעַלְיָא).

Rabbi Abba said (דְּאָמַר רִבִּי אַבָּא): how many guilty ones there are in the world (כַּמָּה חַיָּיבִין אִינּוּן בְּעָלְמָא), who bring forth worthy sons (דְּמָפְקֵי בְּנִי מְעַלְיָא), more than the righteous (יַתִּיר מֵאִינוּן זַכָּאִין). And that worthy son who emerges from a sinner (וְהַהוּא בְּרָא מְעַלְיָא דְּנָפַק מִן חַיָּיבָא), is greater still (אִיהוּ מְעַלְיָא יַתִּיר), to be pure from impure (לְמֶהֱוֵי טָהוֹר מִטָּמֵא), light from within darkness (נְהוֹרָא מִגּוֹ חֲשׁוֹכָא), wisdom from within foolishness (חָכְמְתָא מִגּוֹ טִפְּשׁוּתָא), and this is greater than all (וְדָא אִיהוּ מְעַלְיָא מִכֹּלָּא).

And he saw (וַיַּרְא): And he saw that (וַיַּרְא דְּהָכָא), all was seen in the Holy Spirit (כֹּלָּא בְּרוּחַ קוּדְשָׁא אִסְתָּכַל וְחָמָא), and therefore he looked at him and killed him (וּבְגִין כַּךְ אִסְתָּכַּל בֵּיהּ וְקָטַל לֵיהּ), and Kudsha Berikh Hu arranged everything (וְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא סִבֵב כֹּלָּא), to bring him to that well (לִמְהַךְ לְהַהוּא בֵּירָא), just as Ya'akov went to that well (כְּמָה דְּאָזַל יַעֲקֹב לְגַבֵּי הַהוּא בֵּירָא), as it is written (דִּכְתִּיב), (Shemot 2) “And he sat by the well” (וַיֵּשֶׁב עַל הַבְּאֵר). With Ya'akov it is written (בְּיַעֲקֹב כְּתִיב), (Bereishit 29) “And he saw, and behold, a well” (וַיַּרְא וְהִנֵּה בְּאֵר). With Moshe it is written (בְּמֹשֶׁה כְּתִיב): “And he sat in the land of Midian, and he sat by the well” (וַיֵּשֶׁב בְּאֶרֶץ מִדְיָן וַיֵּשֶׁב עַל הַבְּאֵר), because Moshe and Ya'akov, although they were on one level (בְּגִין דְּמֹשֶׁה וְיַעֲקֹב אַף עַל גַּב דִּבְדַרְגָּא חֲדָא הֲווֹ), Moshe rose above him in this respect (אִסְתָּלַק מֹשֶׁה בְּהַאי יַתִּיר מִנֵּיהּ).

Rabbi Yosi and Rabbi Yitzchak were walking on the road (רִבִּי יוֹסֵי וְרִבִּי יִצְחָק הֲווֹ אַזְלֵי בְּאוֹרְחָא). Rabbi Yosi said (אָמַר רִבִּי יוֹסֵי): that well which Ya'akov saw and Moshe saw (הַהוּא בְּאֵר דְּחָמָא יַעֲקֹב וְחָמָא מֹשֶׁה), was that the well which Avraham and Yitzchak dug (אִי דָּא הֲוָה הַהוּא בֵּירָא דְּחָפַר אַבְרָהָם וְיִצְחָק)? He said to him: no (אֲמַר לֵיהּ לָאו), rather at the time the world was created, this well was created (אֶלָּא בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְּאִתְבְּרֵי עָלְמָא אִתְבְּרֵי הַאי בֵּירָא), and at twilight on Erev Shabbat its opening was formed (וּבְעֶרֶב שַׁבָּת בֵּין הַשְּׁמָשׁוֹת אִתְבְּרֵי פּוּמָא דִּילֵיהּ), and this is the well that Ya'akov and Moshe saw (וְהַאי אִיהוּ בְּאֵר דְּחָמוּ יַעֲקֹב וּמֹשֶׁה).

(Mishnah) (מַתְנִיתִין): those who pursue truth (אִינּוּן דְּרֹדְפֵי קְשׁוֹט), they are those who seek the secret of faith (אִינּוּן דְּתַבְעֵי רָזָא דִּמְהֵימָנוּתָא). They are those who cleave in faithful connection (אִינּוּן דְּאִתְדְּבָקוּ בְּקִשּׁוּרָא מְהֵימָנָא). They are those who know the pathways of the supernal King (אִינּוּן דְּיָדְעִין אוֹרְחוֹי דְּמַלְכָּא עִלָּאָה). Draw near, listen (קְרִיבוּ שִׁמְעוּ).