Daf 16a (דַּף ט״ז ע״א)

All grasses of the earth (כָּל עֲשָׂבִין דְּאַרְעָא), over them were appointed mighty rulers in the heavens (דְּאִתְמְנֵי עֲלֵיהוֹן רַבְרְבִין תַּקִּיפִין בִּשְׁמַיָּא). Each and every one has a mystery of its own (כָּל חַד וְחַד רָזָא בִּלְחוֹדוֹי), in the likeness of that which is above (כְּגַוְונָא דִּלְעֵילָּא). And for this reason it is written (וּבְגִין כַּךְ כְּתִיב), (Vayikra 19) “Your field you shall not sow with mixed species” (שָׂדְךָ לֹא תִזְרַע כִּלְאָיִם), for each one enters alone and emerges alone (דְּכָל חַד וְחַד עָאל בִּלְחוֹדוֹי, וְנָפִיק בִּלְחוֹדוֹי).

This is as it is written (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב), (Job 38) “Do you know the statutes of the heavens? Can you establish their dominion on the earth?” (הֲיָדַעְתָּ חֻקּוֹת שָׁמַיִם אִם תָּשִׂים מִשְׁטָרוֹ בָּאָרֶץ). And it is written (וּכְתִיב), (Yeshayahu 40) “He calls them all by name” (לְכֻלָּם בְּשֵׁם יִקְרָא). And if with everything in the world each has its own secret (וּמַה בְּכָל מַה דִּבְעָלְמָא רָזָא בִּלְחוֹדוֹי), and Kudsha Berikh Hu did not wish to mix them or to confuse them (וְלָא בָּעָא קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לְגַלָּאָה לוֹן, וּלְעַרְבְבָא לוֹן), but called them by their names (וּקְרָאן בִּשְׁמָהָן), how much more so the sons of Ya'akov, who are the holy tribes (בְּנֵי יַעֲקֹב דְּאִינּוּן שְׁבָטִין קַדִּישִׁין), who are the foundation of the world (דְּאִינּוּן קִיּוּמָא דְּעָלְמָא), upon how much more so (עַל אַחַת כַּמָּה וְכַמָּה). This is what is written (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב): “And these are the names of the children of Yisrael” (וְאֵלֶּה שְׁמוֹת בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל).

Rabbi Yose son of Rabbi Yehudah said (ר׳ יוֹסֵי בַּר׳ יְהוּדָה אָמַר): had it said “these are the names” (אִילוּ נְאֱמַר אֵלֶּה שְׁמוֹת), it would imply that this is how it is (מַשְׁמַע דְּהָכִי הוּא). But now that it is written “and these are the names” (הַשְׁתָּא דִּכְתִיב וְאֵלֶּה שְׁמוֹת), it implies that it is adding to the former (מַשְׁמַע דְּעַל הָרִאשׁוֹנִים מוֹסִיף): just as the first were sons of Ya'akov (מַה הָרִאשׁוֹנִים בְּנֵי יַעֲקֹב), so too here are the sons of Ya'akov (אַף כָּאן בְּנֵי יַעֲקֹב).

Rabbi Yehudah said (אָמַר רִבִּי יְהוּדָה): Heaven forbid (חַס וְשָׁלוֹם), at the moment when Kudsha Berikh Hu said (בְּשָׁעָתָא דְּאָמַר קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא), (Bereshit 46) “I Myself will go down with you to Egypt” (אָנֹכִי אֵרֵד עִמְּךָ מִצְרַיְמָה), would it enter your mind that Shekhinta descended with him at that moment (סַלְּקָא דַעְתָּךְ דִּשְׁכִינְתָּא תֵיחוֹת עִמֵּיהּ בְּהַהִיא שָׁעָתָא)? He said to him: but behold it is written, “with you” - literally (אָמַר לֵיהּ וְהָא כְּתִיב עִמְּךָ מַמָּשׁ).

Rather, at the time when there was a descent for his children (אֶלָּא בְּשַׁעֲתָא דַהֲוַת יְרִידָה לִבְנוֹהִי), Shekhinta descended (נַחְתָּת שְׁכִינְתָּא), as it is written (כְּמָה דִּכְתִיב): “I Myself will go down with you to Egypt, and I Myself will surely bring you up again” (אָנֹכִי אֵרֵד עִמְּךָ מִצְרַיְמָה וְאָנֹכִי אֲעַלְךָ גַם עָלֹה). As long as you have an ascent (כָּל זִמְנָא דִּיהֲוֵי לָךְ עֲלִיָּיָה), I too, so to speak, have an ascent (כִּבְיָכוֹל עֲלִיָּיָה אִית לִי); and when you have a descent (וּבְשַׁעֲתָא דִּיהֲוֵי לָךְ יְרִידָה), so to speak, I Myself will go down with you (כִּבְיָכוֹל אָנֹכִי אֵרֵד עִמְּךָ). And from the moment that Yosef and all his brothers died (וְעַד דְּמֵית יוֹסֵף וְכָל אָחוּי), and they had a descent (וַהֲוַת לוֹן יְרִידָה), Shekhinta arose and descended with them (קָמַת שְׁכִינְתָּא וְנַחְתָּת עִמְּהוֹן). Just as they descended (כְּמָה דְּנַחְתוּ אִלֵּין), so too did these descend (כַּךְ נַחְתוּ אִלֵּין).

Rabbi Yehudah (some say: Rabbi Yose son of Rabbi Yehudah) said (אָמַר ר׳ יְהוּדָה ס''א ר׳ יוֹסֵי בַּר ר׳ יְהוּדָה): what is written just above this (מַה כְּתִיב לְעֵיל מִנֵּיהּ), (Bereshit 50) “And Yosef died, being a hundred and ten years old” (וַיָּמָת יוֹסֵף בֶּן מֵאָה וָעֶשֶׁר שָׁנִים וגו'). At that time when Yosef died, and all the tribes (בְּהַהִיא שַׁעֲתָא דְּמֵית יוֹסֵף וְכֻלְּהוּ שְׁבָטִין), they had a descent (וַהֲוָה לוֹן יְרִידָה), the children of Yisrael descended into exile (נַחְתוּ בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּגָלוּתָא), and Shekhinta and the upper angels descended with them (וּשְׁכִינְתָּא וּמַלְאֲכֵי עִלָּאֵי נַחְתוּ עִמְּהוֹן). This is what is written (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב): “And these are the names of the sons of Yisrael” (וְאֵלֶּה שְׁמוֹת בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל), meaning, these were added to the former ones (דְּאִינּוּן אִתּוֹסָפוּ עַל קַדְמָאֵי) to go down into exile (לְמֵיחַת בְּגָלוּתָא). He said to him (אָמַר לֵיהּ): if so, was Ya'akov still alive or not (אִי הָכִי, יַעֲקֹב הֲוָה מִית אוֹ לָא)? He said to him: he died (אֲמַר לֵיהּ מִית). He said to him: and what is that which is written (וּמַהוּ דִּכְתִּיב), “who came to Egypt with Ya'akov” (הַבָּאִים מִצְרַיְמָה אֵת יַעֲקֹב)? If in his lifetime, say “with Ya'akov” (אִי בְּחַיֵּי, אֵימָא אֵת יַעֲקֹב); and if after he died, then remove from there “with Ya'akov” (וְאִי בָּתַר דְּמִית, אַפִּיק מִתַּמָּן אֵת יַעֲקֹב).

Rather, come and see (אֶלָּא תָּא חֲזֵי): the verse did not say “those who descended to Egypt with Ya'akov” (לֹא אָמַר קְרָא הַיּוֹרְדִים מִצְרַיְמָה אֵת יַעֲקֹב), for until this point, it was not a descent for Ya'akov (דְּעַד כְּעָן לָא הֲוַת יְרִידָה לְיַעֲקֹב); rather, “who came” (אֶלָּא הַבָּאִים), from which we learn that they came with Ya'akov (אוֹלִיפְנָא דְּאָתוּ עִמֵּיהּ דְּיַעֲקֹב), and they went their way (וְאָזְלוּ לְהוֹן), and when these descended into exile, these descended with them (עַד דְּנַחְתוּ אִלֵּין בְּגָלוּתָא, נַחְתוּ אִלֵּין עִמְּהוֹן). This is what is written: “And these are the names” (הֲדָא הוּא דִּכְתִּיב וְאֵלֶּה שְׁמוֹת וגו').

Rabbi Dostai said (ר׳ דּוֹסְתָּאי אָמַר): every single day they are coming and going (בְּכָל יוֹמָא וְיוֹמָא הֲווֹ אַתְיָין וְאַזְלִין לוֹן), as it is written (הֲדָא הוּא דִּכְתִּיב): “the ones coming to Egypt” (הַבָּאִים מִצְרַיְמָה), and not “who came” (וְלֹא כְּתִיב אֲשֶׁר בָּאוּ). And thus it is written (וְהַיְינוּ דִּכְתִּיב): “who came to Egypt at first with Ya'akov” (הַבָּאִים מִצְרַיְמָה בְּקַדְמִיתָא אֵת יַעֲקֹב), and afterward, when there was a descent (וּלְבָתַר כַּד הֲוַת לוֹן יְרִידָה), “each man and his household came” (אִישׁ וּבֵיתוֹ בָּאוּ). And come and see (וְתָא חֲזֵי): the children of Ya'akov were all dead at that time (בְּנֵי יַעֲקֹב כֻּלְּהוּ הֲווֹ מֵתִין בְּהַהוּא זִמְנָא), and these and these descended (וְנַחְתוּ אִלֵּין וְאִלֵּין).

Rabbi Yose and Rabbi El'azar said (רִבִּי יוֹסֵי וְרִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר אָמְרוּ): this passage contains sublime mystical words (הַאי פַּרְשְׁתָּא מִלִּין עִלָּאִין אִית בָּהּ), as we have learned (דִּתְנַן): Holy chariots and holy encampments (רְתִיכִין וּמַשִּׁרְיָין קַדִּישִׁין) descended, the forms of the Tribes that were engraved above (דִּיוֹקְנֵיהוֹן דִּשְׁבָטִין דִּגְלִיפִין לְעֵילָּא) all entered to dwell with them (כֻּלְּהוּ עָאלָן לְמֵידָר עִמְּהוֹן). This is what is written (הֲדָא הוּא דִּכְתִּיב): “each man and his household came” (אִישׁ וּבֵיתוֹ בָּאוּ), and it is written (וּכְתִיב): “Reuven, Shimon, Levi…” (רְאוּבֵן שִׁמְעוֹן לֵוִי). Another explanation of “And these are the names of the children of Yisrael who came to Egypt with Ya'akov…” (דָּבָר אַחֵר וְאֵלֶּה שְׁמוֹת בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל הַבָּאִים מִצְרַיְמָה אֵת יַעֲקֹב וְגוֹ') - this passage corresponds to what Rabbi Yose son of Rabbi Yehudah said, and it all fits together (אִתְחֲזַר פַּרְשְׁתָּא דָּא, לְמָה דְּאָמַר רִבִּי יוֹסֵי בְּרִבִּי יְהוּדָה, וְכֹּלָּא הֲוָה).

Come and see (וְתָּא חֲזֵי), Rabbi El'azar ben Arakh, when he would reach this verse, he would cry (רִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר בֶּן עֲרָךְ, כַּד הֲוָה מָטֵי לְהַאי פָּסוּק, הֲוָה בָּכֵי), for it is taught (דְּתַנְיָא): Rabbi El'azar ben Arakh said, at the time that Yisrael went into exile (בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְּאָזְלוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּגָלוּתָא), all the souls of the Tribes gathered in the Cave of the Machpelah (אִתְכְּנָשׁוּ כֻּלְּהוּ נִשְׁמָתֵיהוֹן דִּשְׁבָטִין לִמְעָרְתָּא דְּכַפֶּלְתָּא), and they cried out saying (צָוְחוּ וְאָמְרוּ): Sava, Sava (סָבָא סָבָא), like a father whose children are not in the pleasures of this world (כְּאֵבָא דִּבְנִין לָאו בַּלָּאוּתָא דְּעָלְמָא דֵּין), your children are all enslaved with hardship (בָּנֶיךָ כֻּלְּהוּ מִשְׁתַּעְבְּדִין בְּקַשְׁיוּ), a strange nation subjugates them - the punishers of the world (עַם אַחֲרָן עַבְדִּין בְּהוּ נוּקְמִין דְּעָלְמָא). At that time (בְּהַהִיא שַׁעֲתָא), the spirit of that elder was aroused (אִתְעַר רוּחֵיהּ דְּהַהוּא סָבָא), he requested permission and descended (רְשׁוּתָא שָׁאִיל, וְנָחִית), and Kudsha Berikh Hu summoned all His chariots and camps and their kings at their heads (קָרָא קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לְכָל רְתִיכוֹי וּמַשִּׁרְיָיתֵיהּ, וּמַלְכֵיהוֹן בְּרָאשֵׁיהוֹן), and they all descended with Ya'akov and his sons (וְנַחְתוּ כֻּלְּהוּ עִם יַעֲקֹב וְעִם שִׁבְטוֹהִי).

The Tribes descended alive with their father (שְׁבָטִין נַחְתוּ חַיִּין עִם אֲבוּהוֹן), and the Tribes descended dead with their father (וּשְׁבָטִין נַחְתוּ מֵתִים עִם אֲבוּהוֹן). This is what is written (הֲדָא הוּא דִּכְתִּיב): “And these are the names of the children of Yisrael who came to Egypt…” (וְאֵלֶּה שְׁמוֹת בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל הַבָּאִים מִצְרַיְמָה וגו׳), and it is written (וּכְתִיב): “Reuven, Shimon, Levi…” (רְאוּבֵן שִׁמְעוֹן לֵוִי וגו׳).

Come and see (וְתָּא חֲזֵי): they were dead and they descended (מֵתִים הֲווֹ, וְנַחְתוּ), and it is written (וּכְתִיב): “And Yosef was in Egypt” (וְיוֹסֵף הָיָה בְּמִצְרָיִם). Rabbi Abba said (אָמַר רִבִּי אַבָּא): with this it is called (בְּהַאי אִתְקְרֵי), (Tehillim 103) “As a father has mercy on his children” (כְּרַחֵם אָב עַל בָּנִים).