Daf 29b (דַּף כ״ט ע״ב)

And the secret of the matter is this (וְרָזָא דְּמִלָּה): all those ten signs that Kudsha Berikh Hu performed (כָּל אִינּוּן עֶשֶׂר אָתִין דְּעָבַד קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא), all came from the mighty Hand (כֻּלְּהוּ הֲווֹ מִגּוֹ יָדָא תַּקִּיפָא), and that Hand prevailed over all their levels (וְהַהוּא יָדָא אִתְתְּקַף עַל אִינּוּן דַּרְגִּין), all their dominions (כּוּלְּהוּ שֻׁלְטָנוּתָא דִּלְהוֹן), in order to confound their minds (בְּגִין לְבַלְבְּלָא דַּעְתַּיְיהוּ), and they could not comprehend to do anything (וְלָא הֲווֹ יַדְעֵי לְמֶעְבַּד מִידִי).

Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי), all their levels (כָּל אִינּוּן דַּרְגִּין דִּילְהוֹן), once they went out to act (כֵּיוָן דְּנַפְקֵי לְמֶעְבַּד מִידִי), which was visible to all (דְּאִתְחָזֵי לְכֹלָּא), they were unable to act at all (לָא יַכְלִין לְמֶעְבַּד מִידִי). Some say: because of that Hand (נ״א: בְּגִין הַהוּא יָדָא תַּקִּיפָא), some say: that rested upon them (ס״א: שַׁרְיָא עָלַיְיהוּ). As it is written (דִּכְתִּיב) (Exodus 7) “And the river shall swarm with frogs, and they shall come up and enter your house” (וְשָׁרַץ הַיְאוֹר צְפַרְדְּעִים וְעָלוּ וּבָאוּ בְּבֵיתֶךָ).

Rabbi Shimon opened and said (ר׳ שִׁמְעוֹן פָּתַח וְאָמַר), “A voice is heard in Ramah, lamentation and bitter weeping, Rachel weeping for her children…” (Jeremiah 31) (קוֹל בְּרָמָה נִשְׁמָע נְהִי בְּכִי תַמְרוּרִים רָחֵל מְבַכָּה עַל בָּנֶיהָ וְגו׳).

Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי), this verse has been upheld in many places (הַאי קְרָא אוּקְמוּהָ בְּכַמָּה אַתְרֵי), and this verse is difficult (וְהַאי קְרָא קַשְׁיָא): Rachel weeps for her children (רָחֵל מְבַכָּה עַל בָּנְיָה), yet Rachel’s children were Yosef and Binyamin only (בְּנָהָא דְּרָחֵל יוֹסֵף וּבִנְיָמִין הֲווֹ וְלָא יַתִּיר), while Leah had all six tribes (וְלֵאָה שִׁית שְׁבָטִין הֲווֹ דִּילָהּ); why did Rachel weep and not Leah? (אֲמַאי בָּכַת רָחֵל וְלֹא לֵאָה). Rather, thus they said (אֶלָּא הָכִי אָמְרוּ): it is written (Bereshit 29) “And Leah’s eyes were soft” (כְּתִיב וְעֵינֵי לֵאָה רַכּוֹת). Why soft? (אֲמַאי רַכּוֹת).

Because every day she went out to the crossroads (בְּגִין דְּכָל יוֹמָא נַפְקַת לְפָרָשַׁת אֹרְחִין), and asked about Esav (וְשָׁאָלַת עַל עֵשָׂו), and they would tell her the deeds of that wicked one (וַהֲווּ אַמְרִין לָהּ עוֹבָדוֹי דְּהַהוּא רָשָׁע), and she feared falling into his lot (וְדָחִילַת לְמִנְפַּל בְּגוֹ עַדְבֵיהּ), and she wept every day (וַהֲוַת בָּכַת כָּל יוֹמָא), until her eyes became soft (עַד דְּאִתְרְכָּכוּ עֵינָהָא). And Kudsha Berikh Hu said (וְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא אָמַר), you wept on behalf of that Tzaddik (אַנְתְּ בָּכַת בְּגִין הַהוּא צַדִּיקָא), so that you would not fall into the lot of that wicked one (דְּלָא תֶּהֱוֵי בְּעַדְבֵיהּ דְּהַהוּא רָשָׁע).

By your life (חַיֶּיךְ), your sister shall stand at the crossroads (אַחֲתָךְ תָּקוּם בְּפָרָשַׁת אֹרְחִין), and shall weep over the exile of Yisrael (וְתִבְכֵּי עַל גָּלְוּתְהוֹן דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל), and you shall stand within and not weep for them (וְאַתְּ תָּקוּם לְגוֹ וְלָא תִּבְכֵּי עָלַיְיהוּ). And Racḥel-it is she who wept over the exile of Yisrael (וְרָחֵל אִיהִי בָּכַת עַל גָּלְוּתְהוֹן דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל). But this verse refers to what we have said (אֲבָל הַאי קְרָא, אִיהוּ עַל מַה דְּאַמָרָן).

But the secret of the matter is that Rachel and Leah are two worlds (אֲבָל רָזָא דְּמִלָּה, דְּרָחֵל וְלֵאָה תְּרֵי עָלְמִין נִינְהוּ), one a hidden world (חַד עָלְמָא דְּאִתְכַּסְיָא), and one a revealed world (וְחַד עָלְמָא דְּאִתְגַּלְיָא). And for this reason (וְעַל דָּא), one was buried and concealed in the cave and covered (דָּא אִתְקַבְּרַת וְאִתְחֲפִיאַת לְגוֹ בִּמְעַרְתָּא וְאִתְכְּסִיאַת), and one stands at the crossroads, in the open (וְדָא קַיְּימָא בְּפָרָשַׁת אָרְחִין בְּאִתְגַּלְיָא). And all is in the likeness of the supernal (וְכֹלָּא כְּגַוְונָא עִלָּאָה). And for this reason Ya‘akov did not bring her into the cave (וּבְגִין כַּךְ לָא אָעִיל לָהּ יַעֲקֹב בִּמְעַרְתָּא), nor to another place (וְלָא בַּאֲתָר אַחֲרָא), for it is written (Bereshit 48): “when there was still a stretch of land to come to Efrat” (דְּהָא כְּתִיב בְּעוֹד כִּבְרַת אֶרֶץ לָבוֹא אֶפְרָתָה), and he did not bring her to the city (וְלָא אָעִיל לָהּ לְמָתָא), because he knew that her place was in the revealed place (בְּגִין דְּהֲוָה יָדַע דְּאַתְרָהּ הֲוָה בְּאַתְרָא דְּאִתְגַּלְיָא).

Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי), Knesset Yisrael is thus called Rachel (כְּנֶסֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל הָכִי אִקְרֵי, רָחֵל), as it is said (Isaiah 53) “as Rachel before her shearers is mute” (וּכְרָחֵל לִפְנֵי גּוֹזְזֶיהָ נְאֱלָמָה). Why is she mute? (אֲמַאי נְאֱלָמָה). Because when other nations rule (דְּכַד שַׁלְטִין שְׁאַר עַמִּין), her voice is removed from her (קָלָא אִתְפְּסָק מִינָהּ), and she is silenced (וְהִיא אִתְאַלְּמַת). And this is what is written (וְדָא הוּא דִכְתִּיב): “A voice is heard in Ramah, lamentation and bitter weeping…” (Jeremiah 31) (קוֹל בְּרָמָה נִשְׁמָע נְהִי בְּכִי תַמְרוּרִים). “A voice is heard in Ramah”-this is Jerusalem above (קוֹל בְּרָמָה נִשְׁמָע דָּא יְרוּשָׁלַיִם לְעֵילָּא). “Rachel weeping for her children”-whenever Yisrael are in exile, she weeps for them (רָחֵל מְבַכָּה עַל בָּנֶיהָ, כָּל זִמְנָא דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל אִינּוּן בְּגָלוּתָא, אִיהִי מְבַכָּה עָלַיְיהוּ), for she is their mother (דְּאִיהִי אִימָּא דִּלְהוֹן). “She refused to be comforted for her children.” Why? (מֵאֲנָה לְהִנָּחֵם עַל בָּנֶיהָ. מַאי טַעְמָא). “Because he is not” (כִּי אֵינְנּוּ). It should have said: “because they are not” (כִּי אֵינָם מִבָּעֵי לֵיהּ).

Rather, because her husband, who is the voice, departed from her (אֶלָּא, בְּגִין דְּבַעְלָהּ דְּאִיהוּ קוֹל, אִסְתַּלָּק מִינָהּ), and was not united with her (וְלָא אִתְחֲבָּר בַּהֲדָהּ). And come and see (וְתָא חֲזֵי), it was not just at one moment that she wept over Yisrael (לָאו שַׁעֲתָא חֲדָא, אִיהִי דְּבָכַת עָלַיְיהוּ דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל), but at every time and time that they are in exile (אֶלָּא בְּכָל זִמְנָא וְזִמְנָא דְּאִינּוּן בְּגָלוּתָא). And because of this (וּבְגִינֵי כַּךְ), Kudsha Berikh Hu brought forth voice upon the Egyptians (קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא גָּרַם לוֹן קָלָא לְמִצְרָאֵי), as it is written (Exodus 11) “and there shall be a great cry throughout all the land of Egypt, such as never has been” (דִּכְתִּיב וְהָיְתָה צְעָקָה גְּדוֹלָה בְּכָל אֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם אֲשֶׁר כָּמוֹהוּ לֹא נִהְיָתָה וְגו׳).

And He prepared other voices for them (וְזָמִין לוֹן קָלִין אַחֲרָנִין), from those frogs (בְּאִינּוּן עוּרְדְּעָנִין), that emitted voices within their innards (דְּרָמָאן קָלִין בְּמֵעַיְיהוּ), and would fall in the marketplaces like corpses (וַהֲווּ נַפְלֵי בַּשְּׁוָקֵי כַּמֵּתִים). “And the frog came up” (וַתַּעַל הַצְּפַרְדֵּעַ), it was one (חֲדָא הֲוָת), and she gave birth and filled the land from them (וְאוֹלִידַת, וְאִתְמַלְיָית אַרְעָא מִינַיְיהוּ). And all of them were cast into fire (וַהֲווּ כֻּלְּהוּ מַסְרִין גַּרְמַיְיהוּ לְאֶשָּׁא), as it is written: “and in your ovens and in your kneading troughs” (Exodus 7) (דִּכְתִּיב וּבְתַנּוּרֶיךָ וּבְמִשְׁאֲרוֹתֶיךָ). And what did they say? (וּמַאי הֲווֹ אָמְרוּ). “We came through fire and through water, and You brought us out to abundance” (Psalms 66) (בָּאנוּ בָּאֵשׁ וּבַמַּיִם וַתּוֹצִיאֵנוּ לָרְוָיָה). And if you say: if so, why did the Egyptians care that all those frogs entered the fire (וְאִי תֵּימָא אִי הֲכִי מַאי אִיכְפָּת לְהוּ לְמִצְרָאֵי דְעֲאלִין לְאֶשָׁא כָּל אִינוּן עוֹרְדֵעַנִין). It is because all of them entered the fire and went into the ovens, and they did not die (אֶלָּא כֻּלְהוּ עֲאלִין לְאֶשָׁא וְאֲזְלִין בְּתַּנוּרָא וְלָא מֵתִין). And those that died-what did they do? (וְאִינוּן דְמֵתִּין מַאי קַא עַבְדֵי).

There was bread in the oven (נַהֲמָא הַוָה בְּתַּנוּרָא), and they entered into the bread, burst, and others came out from them and remained in the bread (וְעֲאלִין בְּגוֹ נַהֲמָא וּמִתְבַּקְעִין וְנַפְקֵי מִנַיְיהוּ אַחֲרָנִין וְאִשְׁתַאֲרִין בְּנַהָמָּא). They came to eat that bread, and the frogs returned into their innards, and croaked, and emitted voices until they died (אָתוּ לְמֵיכַל מִּינֵה הַהוּא פִּתָא, אִתְהַדְרוּ עוֹרְדֵעַנָיָיא בֵּמֶעֲיְיהוּ, וְקַרְדָן וְרַמָּאן קַלִין עַד דְהַווּ מֵתִים). And that was harder for them than anything (וְדָא קָשְׁיָיא לוֹן מִכֹּלָא).

Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי), it is written: “And the river swarmed frogs, and they went up and came into your house and your chamber and upon your bed” (Exodus 7) (כְּתִיב וְשָׁרַץ הַיְאוֹר צְפַרְדְּעִים וְעָלוּ וּבָאוּ בְּבֵיתֶךָ וּבַחֲדַר מִשְׁכָּבְךָ וְעַל מִטָּתְךָ). Pharaoh was the first and most affected of all (פַּרְעֹה אִיהוּ אַלְקֵי קַדְמָאַה מִּכֻּלְהוּ וְיָתִּיר מִּכֻּלְהוּ). May the Name of Eloah be blessed (לֵיהוֵי שְׁמֵיהּ דִּי אֱלָהָא מְבֹרָךְ), from eternity to eternity (מִן עָלְמָא וְעַד עָלְמָא), who decrees the deeds of human beings in all that they do (דְהָוָה פָּקִיד עוֹבַדִין דִבְנֵי נָשָׁא בְכָל מָה דְעֲבְדֵי). It is written (Bereshit 12) “And the princes of Pharaoh saw her and praised her before Pharaoh, and the woman was taken into Pharaoh’s house” (כְּתִיב וַיִּרְאוּ אוֹתָה שָׂרֵי פַּרְעֹה וַיְהַלְלוּ אוֹתָהּ אֶל פַּרְעֹה וַתֻּקַּח הָאִשָּׁה בֵּית פַּרְעֹה). This verse comes for derashah (הָאי קְרָא לִדְרָשָׁא הוּא דְאַתָּא). Three Pharaohs (תְּלָת פַּרְעֹה)...