Daf 3a (דַּף ג׳ ע״א)

And we have learned (וְתָנִינָן), in every place that Yisrael went into exile (בְּכָל אֲתָר דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל גָּלוּ), there the Shekhintā went into exile with them (תַּמָן שְׁכִינְתָּא גָּלְתָה עִמְּהוֹן). And here, in the exile of Egypt, what is written? (וְהָכָא בְּגָלוּתָא דְּמִצְרַיִם מַה כְּתִיב): And these are the names of the sons of Yisrael etc. (וְאֵלֶּה שְׁמוֹת בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וְגוֹ׳). Since it is written the sons of Yisrael (כֵּיוָן דִּכְתִּיב בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל), what is with Ya'akov doing here? (מַהוּ אֵת יַעֲקֹב), it should have simply said "they came" (הַבָּאִים אִתּוֹ אִצְטְרִיךְ לְמֵימָר).

Rather (אֶלָּא), these are the names of the sons of Yisrael-these are the celestial chariots and supernal divisions (אֵלֶּה שְׁמוֹת בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל אִינּוּן רְתִיכִין וּמַשִּׁרְיָין עִלָּאִין), who descended with Ya'akov (דְּנַחְתוּ עִם יַעֲקֹב), together with the Shekhintā (בַּהֲדֵי שְׁכִינְתָּא), into the exile of Egypt (בְּגָלוּתָא דְּמִצְרַיִם). And these are the names of the sons of Yisrael who came to Egypt with Ya'akov, each man and his household came (וְאֵלֶּה שְׁמוֹת בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל הַבָּאִים מִצְרַיְמָה אֵת יַעֲקֹב אִישׁ וּבֵיתוֹ בָּאוּ) (Exodus 1).

Rabbi Ḥiyyā opened (רִבִּי חִיָּיא פָּתַח): With Me from Levanon, My bride; with Me from Levanon you shall come, you shall gaze from the top of Amanah, from the top of Senir and Ḥermon, from the lions’ dens, from the mountains of leopards (אִתִּי מִלְּבָנוֹן כַּלָּה אִתִּי מִלְּבָנוֹן תָּבוֹאִי תָּשׁוּרִי מֵרֹאשׁ אֲמָנָה מֵרֹאשׁ שְׂנִיר וְחֶרְמוֹן מִמְּעוֹנוֹת אֲרָיוֹת מֵהַרְרֵי נְמֵרִים) (Song of Songs 4:8). This verse was spoken regarding Kenesset Yisrael (הַאי קְרָא עַל כְּנֶסֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל אִתְּמַר), at the time when Yisrael came out from Egypt (בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְּנַפְקוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל מִמִּצְרַיִם), and approached Mount Sinai to receive the Orayta (וּקָרִיבוּ לְטוּרָא דְּסִינַי לְקַבְּלָא אוֹרַיְּיתָא). Kudsha Berikh Hu said to her (אָמַר לָהּ קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא): With Me from Levanon (אִתִּי מִלְּבָנוֹן) from that supernal delight you have come (מִן הַהוּא עִדּוּנָא עִלָּאָה קָא אָתָאת). Bride-perfect (כַּלָּה: שְׁלֵימָתָא), like this Moon that is completed from the Sun with all brilliance and sparkle (כְּהַאי סִיהֲרָא דְּאִשְׁתְּלִימַת מִן שִׁמְשָׁא בְּכָל נְהוֹרָא וּנְצִיצוּ). With Me from Levanon you shall come (אִתִּי מִלְּבָנוֹן תָּבוֹאִי), in order to receive your children, the Orayta (בְּגִין לְקַבְּלָא בָּנַיִיךְ אוֹרַיְּיתָא).

You shall gaze from the top of Amanah (תָּשׁוּרִי מֵרֹאשׁ אֲמָנָה), You shall gaze-as you say (תָּשׁוּרִי: כְּמָה דְּאַתְּ אָמֵר), And there was no gift to bring (וּתְשׁוּרָה אֵין לְהָבִיא) (I Samuel 9), meaning she shall receive an offering for your children (תְּקַבֵּיל תַּקְרוּבְתָּא עַל בָּנַיִיךְ). From the top of Amanah-from the beginning, when they entered into supernal faith (מֵרֹאשׁ אֲמָנָה: מֵרֵאשִׁיתָא דְּעָאלוּ בִּמְהֵימָנוּתָא עִלָּאָה), and said (וְאָמְרוּ): All that Hashem has spoken, we will do and we will hear (כָּל אֲשֶׁר דִּבֶּר יְיָ נַעֲשֶׂה וְנִשְׁמָע) (Exodus 24), and they were of one resolve like the supernal angels (וַהֲווּ בְּמַתְקְלָא חֲדָא כְּמַלְאָכִין עִלָּאִין), as it is written of them (דְּהָכִי כְּתִיב בְּהוּ): Bless Hashem, O His angels, mighty in strength, who perform His word to listen to the voice of His word (בָּרְכוּ יְיָ מַלְאָכָיו גִּבּוֹרֵי כֹחַ עוֹשֵׂי דְבָרוֹ לִשְׁמוֹעַ בְּקוֹל דְּבָרוֹ) (Psalms 103).

Then Kenesset Yisrael received the gift (כְּדֵין קַבֵּילַת כְּנֶסֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל תְּשׁוּרָה). From the top of Senir and Ḥermon-this is Mount Sinai (מֵרֹאשׁ שְׂנִיר וְחֶרְמוֹן: דָּא טוּרָא דְּסִינַי), which they approached (דְּקָרִיבוּ לְגַבֵּיהּ), and prepared themselves beneath it (וְאִתְעַתָּדוּ תַּחוֹתֵיהּ), as it is written (דִּכְתִיב): And they stood at the foot of the mountain (וַיִּתְיַצְּבוּ בְּתַחְתִּית הָהָר) (Exodus 19). From the dens of lions-these are the children of Se‘ir (מִמְּעוֹנוֹת אֲרָיוֹת: אִלֵּין בְּנֵי שֵׂעִיר), to whom Kudsha Berikh Hu offered the Orayta (דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא זַמִּין לוֹן בְּאוֹרַיְּיתָא), but they did not desire to receive it (וְלָא בָּעוּ לְקַבְּלָהּ). From the mountains of leopards-these are the children of Yishma‘el (מֵהַרְרֵי נְמֵרִים: אִלֵּין בְּנֵי יִשְׁמָעֵאל). As it is written (דִּכְתִיב): Hashem came from Sinai, and shone forth from Se‘ir unto them; He appeared from Mount Paran and came with myriads of holy ones (יְיָ מִסִּינַי בָּא וְזָרַח מִשֵּׂעִיר לָמוֹ, הוֹפִיעַ מֵהַר פָּארָן וְאָתָא מֵרִבְבֹת קֹדֶשׁ) (Deuteronomy 33). What is and He came with myriads of holiness? (מַאי וְאָתָא מֵרִבְבוֹת קֹדֶשׁ) (Deuteronomy 33).

For we have learned (דְּתָנֵינָן): When Kudsha Berikh Hu desired to give the Orayta to Yisrael (כַּד בָּעָא קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לְמֵיהַב אוֹרַיְּיתָא לְיִשְׂרָאֵל), there came supernal angelic hosts (אָתוּ מַשִּׁרְיָין דְּמַלְאָכִין עִלָּאִין), they opened and said (פָּתְחוּ וְאָמְרוּ): Hashem, our Master, how mighty is Your Name in all the earth, Who has set Your glory above the heavens (יְיָ אֲדוֹנֵינוּ מָה אַדִּיר שִׁמְךָ בְּכָל הָאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר תְּנָה הוֹדְךָ עַל הַשָּׁמָיִם) (Psalms 8). They wished that the Orayta be given to them (בָּעָאן דְּיִתְיְהִיב לוֹן אוֹרַיְּיתָא).

Kudsha Berikh Hu said to them (אָמַר לוֹן קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא): Do you have mortality among you? (וְכִי אִית בְּכוֹן מוֹתָא), as it is written: A man who dies in a tent (דִּכְתִּיב: אָדָם כִּי יָמוּת בְּאֹהֶל) (Numbers 19). And it is written: If a man have a sin worthy of death, he shall be put to death (וְכִי יִהְיֶה בְאִישׁ חֵטְא מִשְׁפַּט מָוֶת וְהוּמָת) (Deuteronomy 21). Do you have sin among you? (חֵטְא אִית בֵּינַיְיכוּ). And are you subject to judgment? (וְכִי אַתּוּן בָּעָאן לְדִינִין). Among you is theft or robbery (אִית בֵּינַיְיכוּ גֶּזֶל אוֹ גְּנֵבָה), as it is written: You shall not steal (דִּכְתִּיב: לֹא תִגְנֹב) (Exodus 20).

Among you is adultery (אִית בֵּינַיְיכוּ נָשִׁין), as it is written: You shall not commit adultery (דִּכְתִּיב: לֹא תִנְאָף) (Exodus 20). Among you is falsehood (אִית בֵּינַיְיכוּ שִׁקְרָא), as it is written: You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor (דִּכְתִּיב: לֹא תַעֲנֶה בְרֵעֲךָ עֵד שָׁקֶר) (Exodus 20). Among you is envy (אִית בֵּינַיְיכוּ חֶמְדָּה), as it is written: You shall not covet (דִּכְתִּיב: לֹא תַחְמֹד) (Exodus 20). What do you seek the Orayta for? (מַה אַתּוּן בָּעָאן אוֹרַיְּיתָא).

Immediately, they opened and said (מִיָּד פָּתְחוּ וְאָמְרוּ): Hashem, our Master, how mighty is Your Name in all the earth (יְיָ אֲדוֹנֵינוּ מָה אַדִּיר שִׁמְךָ בְּכָל הָאָרֶץ). But Who has set Your glory above the heavens-this was not written again (וְאִילּוּ אֲשֶׁר תְּנָה הוֹדְךָ עַל הַשָּׁמָיִם לָא כְּתִיב). And this is And He came with myriads of holiness (וְעַל דָּא וְאָתָא מֵרִבְבוֹת קֹדֶשׁ), then From His right hand went a fiery law for them (כְּדֵין מִימִינוֹ אֵשׁ דָּת לָמוֹ) (Deuteronomy 33).

Rabbi Yosei established this verse (רַבִּי יוֹסֵי אוֹקִים לְהַאי קְרָא), when the Shekhinta descended into the exile of Egypt (כַּד נַחְתָּא שְׁכִינְתָּא בְּגָלוּתָא דְּמִצְרַיִם). And Rabbi Shim‘on said (וְרַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן אָמַר), this verse was spoken concerning the secret of the Union of Faith (הַאי קְרָא, עַל רָזָא דְּיִחוּדָא דִּמְהֵימָנוּתָא אִתְּמַר), “Come with Me from Lebanon, O bride” (אִתִּי מִלְּבָנוֹן כַּלָּה), Voice said to speech: “Come with Me” (קוֹל אֲמַר לְדִבּוּר אִתִּי), because (בְּגִין דְּהָא), Voice comes to Speech (קוֹל אָתֵי לְדִבּוּר), and speaks with her together (וּמְדַבָּר לָהּ בַהֲדֵיהּ), to be as one without any separation at all (לְמֶהֱוֵי כַּחֲדָא בְּלָא פִּרוּדָא כְּלָל). Because the voice is the general, and the speech is the particular (בְּגִין דְּקוֹל אִיהוּ כְּלָל דִּבּוּר אִיהוּ פְּרַט). And for this reason, the general needs the particular, and the particular needs the general (וְעַל דָּא כְּלָל אִצְטְרִיךְ לִפְרָט, וּפְרָט אִצְטְרִיךְ לִכְלָל). For there is no voice without speech, and no speech without voice (דְּהָא לֵית קוֹל בְּלֹא דִּבּוּר, וְלֵית דִּבּוּר בְּלָא קוֹל).

And therefore it says, “Come with Me from Lebanon, O bride,” etc. (וְעַל דָּא אִתִּי מִלְּבָנוֹן כַּלָּה וְגו׳), because originally both of them came from Lebanon (דְּעִקָרָא דְּתַרְוַיְיהוּ מִלְּבָנוֹן קָא אַתְיָין). “You shall gaze from the summit of Amanah” (תָּשׁוּרִי מֵרֹאשׁ אֲמָנָה): this is the throat (דָּא אִיהוּ גָּרוֹן), from which proceeds the breath to perfect all (דְּמִתַּמָּן נַפְקָא רוּחָא לְאַשְׁלְמָא כֹּלָּא), from the secret of hidden and concealed Lebanon (מֵרָזָא דִּלְבָנוֹן סָתִים וְגָנִיז); some say: bride (נ״א: כַּלָּה). “From the summit of Senir and Hermon” (מֵרֹאשׁ שְׂנִיר וְחֶרְמוֹן): this is the tongue, both upper and middle (דָּא אִיהִי לִישָׁנָא רֵישָׁא וְאֶמְצָעִיתָא), which shapes speech (דִּמְחַתְּכָא לְדִּבּוּר). “From the dens of lions” (מִמְּעוֹנוֹת אֲרָיוֹת): these are the teeth (אִלֵּין אִינּוּן שִׁינַיִם). “From the mountains of leopards” (מֵהַרְרֵי נְמֵרִים): these are the lips (אִלֵּין אִינּוּן שְׂפְוָון), the completion through which speech is made whole (שְׁלִימוּ דְּאִשְׁתְּלִים בְּהוּ דִּבּוּר). And These are the names of the children of Yisrael (וְאֵלֶּה שְׁמוֹת בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל).

Rabbi Ḥiyya opened (רִבִּי חִיָּיא פָּתַח): “Do not struggle for the bread of one who has an evil eye, and do not desire his delicacies” (Mishlei 23) (אַל תִּלְחַם אֶת לֶחֶם רַע עָיִן וְאַל תִּתְאַו לְמַטְעַמֹּתָיו). “Do not struggle for the bread of one with an evil eye” (אַל תִּלְחַם אֶת לֶחֶם רַע עָיִן), because the bread or enjoyment of that person who possesses an evil eye is not worthy to be eaten or benefited from (בְּגִין דְּנַהֲמָא אוֹ הֲנָאָה דְּהַהוּא בַּר נָשׁ דְּהַוֵי רַע עָיִן, לָאו אִיהוּ כְּדַאי לְמֵיכַל וּלְאִתְהֲנִי מִנֵּיהּ). For if, when Yisrael descended to Egypt, they had not tasted the bread of the Egyptians, they would not have remained in exile, and the Egyptians would not have afflicted them (דְּאִי כַּד נַחֲתוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל לְמִצְרַיִם, לָא יִטְעֲמוּן נַהֲמָא דְּמִצְרָאֵי, לָא אִשְׁתְּבָקוּ בְּגָלוּתָא, וְלָא יְעִיקוּן לוֹן מִצְרָאֵי).

Rabbi Yitzḥak said to him (אָמַר לֵיהּ רִבִּי יִצְחָק): But the decree was already decreed! (וְהָא גְּזֵרָא אִתְגְּזַר). He said to him (אֲמַר לֵיהּ): All of it is exactly as it should be (כֹּלָּא אִיהוּ כְּדְקָא יָאוּת), for the decree was not specifically decreed upon Egypt (דְּהָא לָא אִתְגְּזַר בְּמִצְרַיִם דַּוְוקָא), For behold, it is not written (דְּהָא לָא כְּתִיב) (Bereishit 15): “For your seed shall be a strangers in the land of Egypt” (כִּי גֵר יִהְיֶה זַרְעֲךָ בְּאֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם), but rather: “in a land that is not theirs” (אֶלָּא בְּאֶרֶץ לֹא לָהֶם), even in another land (וַאֲפִלּוּ בְּאַרְעָא אֲחֲרָא).

Rabbi Yitzḥak said (אָמַר ר׳ יִצְחָק): One who is a master of soul (מַאן דְּאִיהוּ בַּעַל נֶפֶשׁ), some say: he may not eat with another person (ס״א: לָא יֵיכַל עִם בַּר נָשׁ), who eats more than other men (דְּמֵיכְלֵיהּ יַתִּיר מִשְּׁאָר בְּנֵי נָשָׁא), or one who follows his desire (אוֹ מַאן דְּהוּא אָזִיל בָּתַר מֵעוֹי), if he encounters that evil-eyed person (אִי אִעְרַע בְּהַהוּא רַע עָיִן), let him hold himself back and not eat from his bread (יְכוּס גַּרְמֵיהּ וְלָא יֵיכוּל מִנַּהֲמָא דִּילֵיהּ), for there is no bread more wicked in the world than that bread of the evil eye (דְּלֵית נַהֲמָא בִּישָׁא בְּעָלְמָא, בַּר מֵהַהוּא לֶחֶם רַע עָיִן). What is written? (מַה כְּתִיב): “For the Egyptians could not eat bread with the Hebrews, for it was an abomination to the Egyptians” (Bereishit 43) (כִּי לֹא יוּכְלוּן הַמִּצְרִים לֶאֱכֹל אֶת הָעִבְרִים לֶחֶם כִּי תוֹעֵבָה הִיא לְמִצְרָיִם) behold for you the bread of the evil eye (הָא לָךְ לֶחֶם רַע עָיִן).