Daf 46b (דַּף מ״ו ע״ב)

“And Hashem went before them by day” (וַייָ׳ הֹלֵךְ לִפְנֵיהֶם יוֹמָם) (Exodus 13) Kudsha Berikh Hu, and His Beit Din (קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, וּבֵית דִּינֵיהּ). Rabbi Yitzchak said (אָמַר רִבִּי יִצְחָק): this is what we have learned-that the Shekhinta was borne through the Patriarchs (הַיְינוּ דְּתָנֵינָן: שְׁכִינְתָּא בַּאֲבָהָתָא נַטְלָא). “Went before them by day”-this is Avraham (הוֹלֵךְ לִפְנֵיהֶם יוֹמָם: דָּא אַבְרָהָם). “In a pillar of cloud”-this is Yitzchak (בְּעַמּוּד עָנָן: דָּא יִצְחָק). “To guide them on the way”-this is Ya‘akov (לַנְחוֹתָם הַדֶּרֶךְ: דָּא יַעֲקֹב), as it is written of him (דִּכְתִּיב בֵּיהּ): “And Ya‘akov went on his way” (Bereshit 32) (וְיַעֲקֹב הָלַךְ לְדַרְכּוֹ). “And by night in a pillar of fire to give them light”-this is King David (וְלַיְלָה בְּעַמּוּד אֵשׁ לְהָאִיר לָהֶם: דָּא דָּוִד מֶלֶךְ).

And all are a supernal holy chariot (וְכֻלְּהוּ רְתִיכָא עִלָּאָה קַדִּישָׁא), to lead Yisrael in wholeness of all (לְמֵהַךְ יִשְׂרָאֵל בִּשְׁלִימוּתָא דְּכֹלָּא), so that they behold the redemption of their Patriarchs (בְּגִין דְּיֶחְזוּן אֲבָהָן פּוּרְקָנָא), some say: of those among them (ס״א: דְּבֵינַיְיהוּ), as it is written (דִּכְתִּיב): “And I shall also surely bring you up again” (Bereshit 46) (וְאָנֹכִי אֲעַלְךָ גַּם עָלֹה), “with the Merkavah” (עִם הַמֶּרְכָּבָה). And it is written: “And Hashem went…” (וּכְתִיב: וַייָ׳ הֹלֵךְ וְגו׳), “to go by day and night” (לָלֶכֶת יוֹמָם וָלָיְלָה). And why did they travel by day and by night? (וְכִי אֲמַאי הֲווֹ אַזְלֵי יוֹמָם וְלַיְלָה) Let them travel by day, and not by night, as men who flee (יַהֲכוּן בִּימָמָא, וְלָא יַהֲכוּן בְּלֵילְיָא, כִּבְנֵי אֱנָשָׁא דְּעַרְקִין). Since Kudsha Berikh Hu guarded them (כֵּיוָן דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא נָטִיר לוֹן), why did they go by day and by night? (אֲמַאי אַזְלִין בִּימָמָא וּבְלֵילְיָא) Rather, so that completeness would be found in them (אֶלָּא לְאִשְׁתַּכְּחָא בְּהוּ שְׁלֵימוּתָא דְּכֹלָּא), for there is no completeness except day and night (דְּלֵית שְׁלִימוּ אֶלָּא יוֹם וְלַיְלָה).

Rabbi Abba said (אָמַר רִבִּי אַבָּא): this is how we have established it-“And Hashem went before them by day in a pillar of cloud”-this is Avraham (הָכִי אוֹקִימְנָא: וַייָ׳ הֹלֵךְ לִפְנֵיהֶם יוֹמָם בְּעַמּוּד עָנָן: דָּא אַבְרָהָם). “And by night in a pillar of fire”-this is Yitzchak (וְלַיְלָה בְּעַמּוּד אֵשׁ: דָּא יִצְחָק). And if so, where is Ya‘akov? (וְאִי הָכִי יַעֲקֹב אָנָא הוּא) Rather, he was mentioned in the earlier verse and remained there (אֶלָּא בְּמִלָּה קַדְמָאָה אִתְּמַר, וְתַמָּן שָׁאֲרִי), as it is written: “And Hashem…” (כְּמָה דִּכְתִיב: וַייָ׳). “And by night in a pillar of fire”-it shone on this side and on that (וְלַיְלָה בְּעַמּוּד אֵשׁ: הֲוָה נָהִיר בְּסִטְרָא דָּא וּבְדָא), because the Egyptians pursued after them (בְּגִין דְּיִרְדְּפוּן מִצְרָאֵי בַּתְרֵיהוֹן), so that the Name of Kudsha Berikh Hu would be glorified (לְאִתְיַיקְרָא שְׁמָא דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא) through His chariotry and cavalry (בִּרְתִּיכוֹי וּפָרָשׁוֹי).

For the purpose of going by day and night, through a mirror that shines and that does not shine (בְּגִין לְמֵיזַל יְמָמָא וּלֵילְיָא, אַסְפָּקְלַרְיָא דְּנָהֲרָא וּדְלָא נָהֲרָא). And furthermore, to confound the Egyptians so they would say it is coincidence (וְתוּ, בְּגִין לְאַטְעָאָה לְמִצְרָאֵי דְּיֵמְרוּן מִקְרֶה הוּא), as it is written (דִּכְתִּיב): “The princes of Tzo‘an have become foolish” (Isaiah 19) (נוֹאֲלוּ שָׂרֵי צֹעַן), and it is written: “He turns wise men backward” (Isaiah 45) (מֵשִׁיב חֲכָמִים אָחוֹר). And for this reason they went by day and by night (וְעַל דָּא אַזְלֵי בִּימָמָא וּבְלֵילְיָא).

Rabbi Abba said (רִבִּי אַבָּא אָמַר): Blessed is the portion of Yisrael (זַכָּאָה חוּלָקֵיהוֹן דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל), that Kudsha Berikh Hu brought them forth from Egypt (דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא אַפִּיק לוֹן מִמִּצְרַיִם), to be His portion and inheritance (לְמֶהֱוֵי חוּלָקֵיהּ וְאַחֲסַנְתֵּיהּ). Come and see (וְתָא חֲזֵי): from the side of the Jubilee was freedom found for Yisrael (בְּסִטְרָא דְּיוֹבְלָא אִשְׁתְּכַח חֵירוּ לְיִשְׂרָאֵל). And so too in the time to come, as it is written (וְכֵן לְזִמְנָא דְּאָתֵי, דִּכְתִּיב): “And it shall come to pass on that day, a great shofar shall be blown…” (Isaiah 27) (וְהָיָה בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא יִתָּקַע בְּשׁוֹפָר גָּדוֹל וְגו׳).

And because of that supernal Jubilee, they were delayed fifty days (וּבְגִין הַהוּא יוֹבְלָא עִלָּאָה אִתְעַכְּבוּ חַמְשִׁין יוֹמִין), to receive the Orayta and to draw near to Mount Sinai (לְקַבְּלָא אוֹרַיְּיתָא, וּלְמִקְרַב לְטוּרָא דְּסִינַי). And since they went by day, they went also by night (וְכֵיוָן דְּאָזְלֵי בִּימָמָא אָזְלֵי בְּלֵילְיָא), to make it all one day-both day and night-so that no separation would be found (לְמֶהֱוֵי כֹּלָּא חַד יוֹמָא, בֵּין יְמָמָא וּבֵין לֵילְיָא, וְלָא אִשְׁתְּכַח פְּרִישׁוּ). And not only this, but all of them went calmly (וְלֹא עוֹד, אֶלָּא דְּכֻלְּהוּ בְּנַיְיחָא אַזְלִין), in accordance with their will (לִרְעוּתָא דְּנַפְשַׁיְיהוּ). On the day they received the Orayta, it was fifty complete days (בְּיוֹמָא דְּקַבְּלוּ אוֹרַיְּיתָא הֲווֹ חַמְשִׁין יוֹמִין שְׁלֵמִין) days and nights in proper measure (יוֹמֵי וְלֵילֵי כְּדְקָא יֵאוֹת), for there is no day without night, and no night without day (דְּלֵית יוֹם בְּלֹא לַיְלָה, וְלֵית לַיְלָה בְּלָא יוֹם), and night and day are called one day (וְלַיְלָה וְיוֹם אִקְרֵי יוֹם אֶחָד). And once those fifty complete days had passed (וְכֵיוָן דְּאָזְלוּ חַמְשִׁין יוֹמִין שְׁלֵמִין), then [to receive the fifty of the Jubilee and…] (כְּדֵין לְקַבֵּל נ׳ דְּיוֹבְלָא וּכַמָּה), the fifty days of the Jubilee remained upon them (שָׁארוּ עֲלַיְיהוּ אִינּוּן נ׳ יוֹמִין דְּיוֹבְלָא), and from the side of the Jubilee was the Orayta given to them (וּמִסִּטְרָא דְּיוֹבְלָא אִתְיְהִיב לְהוּ אוֹרַיְּיתָא), and for this reason they traveled by day and night (וּבְגִין כָּךְ אַזְלִין יוֹמָא וּלֵילְיָא).

And Rabbi Abba said (וְאָמַר רִבִּי אַבָּא): it is written (Bereshit 27) “And it came to pass, when Yitzchak was old, that his eyes became dim” (כִּי זָקֵן יִצְחָק וַתִּכְהֶיןָ עֵינָיו) why? (אֲמַאי) We have already established (הָא אוֹקִימְנָא): one who loves the guilty-such is he (מַאן דְּרָחִים לַחַיָּיבָא הָכִי הוּא). And come and see (וְתָא חֲזֵי): in Yitzchak, night was included (בְּיִצְחָק אִתְכְּלִיל לֵילְיָא), and the night was not radiant (וְלֵילְיָא לָא בָּהִיר), and for this reason “his eyes became dim” (וְעַל דָּא וַתִּכְהֶיןָ עֵינָיו), and all is one (וְכֹלָּא חַד).

Rabbi Yitzchak opened and said (ר׳ יִצְחָק פָּתַח וְאָמַר): “And it was told to the king of Egypt that the people had fled” (Exodus 14) (וַיֻּגַּד לְמֶלֶךְ מִצְרַיִם כִּי בָרַח הָעָם). “It was told”-who told him? (וַיֻּגַּד, מַאן קָאָמַר לֵיהּ) But it has already been explained (אֶלָּא, הָא אוּקְמוּהָ): his sages and sorcerers assembled before him and informed him (אֲבָל חַכְמוֹי וְחַרְשׁוֹי אִתְכַּנְּשׁוּ לְגַבֵּיהּ, וְאוֹדְעוּהוּ כִּי בָרַח הָעָם). And why did they say this? (וַאֲמַאי קַאמְרוּ דָּא) Because they saw through their wisdom (אֶלָּא חָמוּ בְּחָכְמְתָּא דִּלְהוֹן), that they were traveling day and night (דַּהֲווֹ אַזְלֵי יְמָמָא וּלֵילְיָא), and they said: surely they have fled (אָמְרוּ: וַדַּאי עַרְקִין אִינּוּן). And not only that, but they saw that they were not traveling on a straight path (וְלֹא עוֹד אֶלָּא דְּחָמוּ דְּלָא הֲווֹ אַזְלֵי בְּאוֹרַח מֵישָׁר), as it is written: “And they turned and encamped before Pi-Hachirot “the mouth of the freedom” (Exodus 14) (כְּמָה דִּכְתִּיב: וַיָּשֻׁבוּ וַיַּחֲנוּ לִפְנֵי פִּי הַחִירֹת). “And he took six hundred…” (וַיִּקַּח שֵׁשׁ מֵאוֹת וְגו׳). Why six hundred? (שֵׁשׁ מֵאוֹת: אֲמַאי)

Rabbi Yosi said (אָמַר רִבִּי יוֹסֵי): to correspond to the number of Yisrael (לָקוּבֵל מִנְיָנָא דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל), as it is written: “about six hundred thousand on foot” (Exodus 12) (דִּכְתִּיב: כְּשֵׁשׁ מֵאוֹת אֶלֶף רַגְלִי). “Chosen”-to correspond to the men who are the essence of all Yisrael (בָּחוּר: לָקוּבֵל הַגְּבָרִים דְּאִינּוּן עִקָּרָא דְּכָל יִשְׂרָאֵל). “And all the chariots of Egypt”-the rest of the chariots, which are secondary from behind (וְכָל רֶכֶב מִצְרַיִם: שְׁאָר רְתִיכִין דְּאִינּוּן טְפָלִין לַאֲחוֹרֵי), some say: those coming behind (נ״א: לְאַחֲרָנִין), to correspond to the children, as it is written: “except for the little ones” (Exodus 10) (לָקוּבֵל הַטַּף, דִּכְתִּיב: לְבַד מִטָּף). And all was done by the counsel of his sorcerers and sages (וְכֹלָּא עָבִיד בְּעֵיטָא דְּחַרְשׁוֹי וְחַכְמוֹי). “And officers over all of them”-all was with wisdom, to correspond to supernal degrees, two and one (וְשָׁלִישִׁים עַל כֻּלּוֹ: כֹּלָּא בְּחָכְמְתָּא, לָקוּבֵל דַּרְגִּין עִלָּאִין, תְּרֵין וְחָד). Rabbi Yitzchak said: like the Targum-they were urging (ר׳ יִצְחָק אָמַר: כְּתַרְגּוּמוֹ, וּמְזָרְזִין), they were zealous in all things (זְרִיזִין הֲווֹ בְּכֹלָּא). “And he took six hundred chosen chariots” (וַיִּקַּח שֵׁשׁ מֵאוֹת רֶכֶב בָּחוּר).

Rabbi Chiyya said (ר׳ חִיָּיא אָמַר): it is written (Isaiah 24) “Hashem will punish the host of the high ones on high, and the kings of the earth upon the earth” (כְּתִיב: יִפְקֹד יְיָ׳ עַל צְבָא הַמָּרוֹם בַּמָּרוֹם וְעַל מַלְכֵי הָאֲדָמָה עַל הָאֲדָמָה). At the time when Kudsha Berikh Hu gives authority to the chiefs of the nations above (בְּזִמְנָא דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא יָהִיב שֻׁלְטָנוּתָא לְרַבְרְבֵי עַמִּין לְעֵילָּא), He gives it to their people below (יָהִיב לְהוּ לְעַמָּא דִּלְהוֹן לְתַתָּא). And when they descend from their level above (וּבְשַׁעֲתָא דְּנָחִית לוֹן מִדַּרְגֵּיהוֹן דִּלְעֵילָּא), their nation descends below (נָחִית לוֹן לְעַמָּא לְתַתָּא). “And he took six hundred chosen chariots”-this refers to their governing power (וַיִּקַּח שֵׁשׁ מֵאוֹת רֶכֶב בָּחוּר: הָא מְמָנָא דִּלְהוֹן). And it has been established (וְאוּקְמוּהָ): for they lead the chariots of the other nations (דְּדָבַר רְתִיכִין דִּשְׁאָר עַמִּין), and all of them fell in the washing away of Sisera afterward (וְכֻלְּהוּ נָפְלוּ בְּמַשְׁרִיתָא דְּסִיסְרָא לְבָתַר), and that is “chosen” (וְהַיְינוּ בָּחוּר), some say: and afterward (נ״א: וְלְבָתַר), and all the chariots of Egypt (וְכָל רֶכֶב מִצְרָיִם).