Daf 53b (דַּף נ״ג ע״ב)

Rabbi El'azar said (רִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר אָמַר): “And He brought you out with His presence” refers to Ya'akov (וַיּוֹצִיאֲךָ בְּפָנָיו – דָּא יַעֲקֹב). “With His power” refers to Yitzḥak (בְּכֹחוֹ – דָּא יִצְחָק). “The great” refers to Avraham (הַגָּדוֹל – דָּא אַבְרָהָם). Rabbi Shim‘on said (אָמַר רִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן): And so, on account of the Patriarchs, redemption is always summoned for Yisrael (וְכֵן בְּגִינֵיהוֹן דַּאֲבָהָתָא אִזְדָּמַן פּוּרְקָנָא תָּדִיר לְיִשְׂרָאֵל), as it is written (דִּכְתִּיב) [Leviticus 26]: “And I will remember My covenant with Ya'akov, and also My covenant with Yitzḥak, and also My covenant with Avraham I will remember, and I will remember the land” (וְזָכַרְתִּי אֶת בְּרִיתִי יַעֲקֹב וְאַף אֶת בְּרִיתִי יִצְחָק וְאַף אֶת בְּרִיתִי אַבְרָהָם אֶזְכֹּר וְהָאָרֶץ אֶזְכֹּר). The Patriarchs are understandable, but what is meant by “and I will remember the land” (אֲבָהָתָא תִּינַח מַהוּ וְהָאָרֶץ אֶזְכֹּר). Rather, it is to include King David with them (אֶלָּא לְאַכְלְלָא עִמְּהוֹן דָּוִד מַלְכָּא), for he is a chariot within the Patriarchs (דְּאִיהוּ רְתִיכָא בַּאֲבָהָתָא), and through them redemption is constantly aroused for Yisrael (וְאִינּוּן מִתְעָרִין פּוּרְקָנָא תָּדִיר לְיִשְׂרָאֵל). “And Yisrael saw the great hand that Hashem had done in Egypt” (וַיַּרְא יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶת הַיָּד הַגְּדוֹלָה אֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה ייָ בְּמִצְרָיִם). And did He do it only now? But it had already been done previously. What is meant by “the great hand that Hashem had done” (וְכִי הַשְׁתָּא עָשָׂה וְהָא מִקַּדְמַת דְּנָא אִתְעֲבִיד מַאי אֶת הַיָּד הַגְּדוֹלָה אֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה ייָ).

Rather, “hand” is never less than five fingers (אֶלָּא יַד לָא אִקְרֵי פָּחוּת מֵחָמֵשׁ אֶצְבְּעָאן). “The great” means that five additional fingers were included in it, and only then is it called “great” (הַגְּדוֹלָה דִּכְלִילָן בָּהּ חָמֵשׁ אֶצְבְּעָאן אַחֲרָנִין וְאִתְקְרוּן כְּדֵין גְּדוֹלָה). And each and every finger ascends to a great calculation (וְכָל אֶצְבְּעָא וְאֶצְבְּעָא סָלִיק לְחוּשְׁבָּנָא רַבָּא), and Kudsha Berikh Hu performed miracles and mighty deeds through them (וּקְדֻשָּׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא עָבִיד בְּהוּ נִיסִּין וּגְבוּרָן), and by this all levels were uprooted from their foundations (וּבְהַאי אִתְעַקְּרוּ כֻּלְּהוּ דַּרְגִּין מִשִּׁלְשׁוּלֵיהוֹן).

From here we learn this (מִכָּאן אוֹלִיפְנָא דָּא): that with the first five fingers it is written, “And he hardened Pharaoh’s heart” (דִּבְחָמֵשׁ אֶצְבְּעָאן קָמָאי כְּתִיב: וַיְחַזֵּק לֵב פַּרְעֹה). Once those five were completed, no further matter remained in Pharaoh’s control (כֵּיוָן דְּאִשְׁתְּלְמוּ אִינּוּן חָמֵשׁ תּוּ לָא הֲוָה מִלָּה בִּרְשׁוּתֵיהּ דְּפַרְעֹה). Then it is written, “And Hashem hardened Pharaoh’s heart” (כְּדֵין כְּתִיב: וַיְחַזֵּק ייָ אֶת לֵב פַּרְעֹה). And regarding this it is written, “And Yisrael saw the great hand…” and “they believed in Hashem” (Exodus 14) (וְעַל דָּא: וַיַּרְא יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶת הַיָּד הַגְּדוֹלָה וְגוֹ', וַיַּאֲמִינוּ בַּייָ). And did they not already believe in Hashem until now? For it is written (Exodus 4) “And the people believed and they heard…” (וְכִי עַד הַשְׁתָּא לָא הֶאֱמִינוּ בַּייָ וְהָא כְּתִיב: וַיַּאֲמֵן הָעָם וַיִּשְׁמְעוּ וְגוֹ').

And behold, they saw all those mighty deeds that Kudsha Berikh Hu had done for them in Egypt (וְהָא חָמוּ כָּל אִינּוּן גְּבוּרָאן דְּעָבַד לְהוּ קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא בְּמִצְרַיִם). Rather, what is meant by “they believed”? It refers to the word that Moshe spoke, “Do not fear. Stand and see…” (Exodus 14) (אֶלָּא מַאי וַיַּאֲמִינוּ – הַהוּא מִלָּה דְּאָמַר: וַיֹּאמֶר מֹשֶׁה אֶל הָעָם אַל תִּירָאוּ הִתְיַצְּבוּ וּרְאוּ וְגוֹ').

Rabbi Yissa asked and said (רִבִּי יֵיסָא שָׁאִיל וְאָמַר): It is written, “And Yisrael saw Egypt dead,” and it is written, “You shall see them no more forever” (Exodus 14) (כְּתִיב: וַיַּרְא יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶת מִצְרַיִם מֵת, וּכְתִיב: לֹא תֹסִפוּ לִרְאוֹתָם עוֹד עַד עוֹלָם). Rabbi Yose said (אָמַר רִבִּי יוֹסֵי): They saw them dead (מֵתִין חָמוּ לְהוּ). He said to him: If it were written, “You shall no longer see them alive,” I would say this is the meaning (אָמַר לֵיהּ: אִי כְּתִיב לֹא תֹסִפוּ לִרְאוֹתָם חַיִּים – הֲוָה אֲמֵינָא הָכִי). Rabbi Abba said to him: You have asked well (אָמַר לֵיהּ רִבִּי אַבָּא: יֵאוֹת שָׁאִילְתָּא). Rather, come and see (אֶלָּא תָּא חֲזֵי): It is written (I Chronicles 16) “From the world to the world” (כְּתִיב: מִן הָעוֹלָם וְעַד הָעוֹלָם). And we have learned, one “world” is above, and one is below (וְתָנֵינָן: עוֹלָם לְעֵילָּא, וְעוֹלָם לְתַּתָּא).

The world above, from there comes the service of kindling lamps (עוֹלָם דִּלְעֵילָּא – מִתַּמָּן הוּא שֵׁירוּתָא לְאַדְלְקָא בּוּצִינִין). The world below, there is the conclusion, and it is included from all (עוֹלָם דִּלְתַּתָּא – תַּמָּן הוּא סִיּוּמָא, וְאִתְכְּלִיל מִכֹּלָּא), and from this world below, mighty deeds are aroused to those below (וּמֵהַאי עוֹלָם דִּלְתַּתָּא – מִתְעֲרָן גְּבוּרָן לְתַּתָּאֵי).

And in this world (וּבְהַאי עוֹלָם), Kudsha Berikh Hu performs signs for Yisrael (עָבִיד קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא אָתִין לְיִשְׂרָאֵל), And He performs for them a miracle (וְרָחִישׁ לוֹן נִיסָא). And when this world is aroused to perform miracles (וְכַד אִתְּעַר הַאי עוֹלָם לְמֶעְבַּד נִסִּין), all the Egyptians were drowned in the sea (כֻּלְּהוּ מִצְרָאֵי אִשְׁתְּקָעוּ בְּיַמָּא), through the agency of this world (עַל יְדָא דְּהַאי עוֹלָם), and a miracle was wrought for Yisrael in this world (וְאִתְרְחִישׁ לוֹן לְיִשְׂרָאֵל נִיסָא בְּהַאי עוֹלָם). And concerning this it is written: “You shall see them no more again forever” (Exodus 14) (וְעַל דָּא כְּתִיב לֹא תֹסִפוּ לִרְאוֹתָם עוֹד עַד עוֹלָם) until that world is aroused (עַד דְּיִתְּעַר הַהוּא עוֹלָם), and they will be delivered into judgment (וְיִתְמַסְּרוּן בְּדִינוֹי). And once they were delivered into it for judgment (וְכֵיוָן דְּאִתְמְסָרוּ בֵּיהּ לְמִתְּדָן), then it is written: “And Yisrael saw Egypt dead on the seashore” (Exodus 14) (כְּדֵין כְּתִיב: וַיַּרְא יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶת מִצְרַיִם מֵת עַל שְׂפַת הַיָּם). This is what is written: “From the world to the world” (I Chronicles 16) (הֲדָא הוּא דִּכְתִּיב: מִן הָעוֹלָם וְעַד הָעוֹלָם), meaning until that world precisely (עַד הָעוֹלָם דַּיְיקָא). Then it is written: “And they believed in Hashem and in Moshe His servant” (Exodus 14) (כְּדֵין כְּתִיב: וַיַּאֲמִינוּ בַּייָ וּבְמֹשֶׁה עַבְדּוֹ). (Exodus 15) “Then Moshe sang” (אָז יָשִׁיר מֹשֶׁה).

Rabbi Yehudah opened and said (Jeremiah 1) “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you” (רִבִּי יְהוּדָה פָּתַח: בְּטֶרֶם אֶצָּרְךָ בַּבֶּטֶן יְדַעְתִּיךָ וְגוֹ'). Blessed is the portion of Yisrael (זַכָּאָה חוּלָקֵיהוֹן דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל) that Kudsha Berikh Hu is more pleased with them than with all other nations (דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא אִתְרְעֵי בְּהוּ יַתִּיר מִכָּל שְׁאַר עַמִּין). And from the abundance of His love for them (וּמִסְּגִיאוּת רְחִימוּתָא דְּרָחִים לְהוּ), He appointed over them a prophet of truth (אוֹקִים עֲלַיְיהוּ נְבִיאָה דִּקְשׁוֹט), a faithful shepherd (וְרַעְיָא מְהֵימָנָא). And a holy spirit was aroused upon him more than upon all other true prophets (וְאִתְּעַר עֲלֵיהּ רוּחָא קַדִּישָׁא יַתִּיר מִכָּל שְׁאַר נְבִיאֵי מְהֵימְנֵי), and He brought him forth from His own portion (וְאַפִּיק לֵיהּ מֵחוּלָקֵיהּ מַמָּשׁ), from what Ya'akov had set apart from his sons to Kudsha Berikh Hu, the tribe of Levi (מִמַּה דְּאַפְרִישׁ יַעֲקֹב מִבְּנוֹי לְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא – שִׁבְטָא דְּלֵוִי). And since Levi was His, Kudsha Berikh Hu took him (וְכֵיוָן דְּהֲוָה לֵוִי דִּילֵיהּ נָטַל לֵיהּ קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא), and crowned him with many crowns (וְאַעְטַּר לֵיהּ בְּכַמָּה עִטְּרִין), and anointed him with the holy anointing oil of the supernal greatness (וּמָשַׁח לֵיהּ בִּמְשַׁח רְבוּת קַדִּישָׁא דִּלְעֵילָּא). Then He brought forth from his children a holy spirit to the world (וּכְדֵין אַפִּיק מִבְּנוֹי רוּחָא קַדִּישָׁא לְעָלְמָא), and quickened him with true faith (וְזָרִיז לֵיהּ בְּהֵימְנוֹיֵי קַדִּישֵׁי), a great faith (מְהֵימָנוּתָא רַבָּא).

It was taught (תָּנָא): At the moment when the time came for Moshe the faithful prophet to be brought into the world (בְּהַהִיא שַׁעֲתָא דְּמָטָא זִמְנֵיהּ דְּמֹשֶׁה נְבִיאָה מְהֵימָנָא לְאַחֲתָא לְעָלְמָא), Kudsha Berikh Hu brought forth a holy spirit from the quarry of the sapphire of a precious stone (אַפִּיק קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא רוּחָא קַדִּישָׁא מִגִּזְרָא דִּסַפִּירוּ דְּאֶבֶן טָבָא), which was hidden in two hundred and forty-eight lights (דְּהֲוָה גָּנִיז בְּמָאתַן וְאַרְבְּעִין וּתְמַנְיָא נְהוֹרִין), and it was illuminated upon him (וְאֶתְנַהֵיר עֲלֵיהּ). And He crowned him with three hundred and sixty-five crowns (וְאַעְטַּרֵיהּ בִּשְׁס״ה עִטְּרִין) that stood before Him (קַיְּימֵי קָמֵיהּ), and He entrusted to him all His own (וְאַפְקִיד לֵיהּ בְּכָל דִּילֵיהּ). Some say: His house (ס״א: בֵּיתֵיהּ).

And He gave him one hundred and seventy-three keys (וְיָהַב לֵיהּ מֵאָה וְשִׁבְעִין וּתְלַת מַפְתְּחִין). Some say: It was hidden there, and He crowned him with three hundred and sixty-five crowns, and He illuminated upon him two hundred and forty-eight lights, and they stood before Him, and He entrusted to him His entire house, and gave him two hundred and seventy-five keys (נ״א: גְּנִיז תַּמָּן וְאַעְטַּרֵיהּ בִּתְלַת מֵאָה וְשִׁתִּין וַחֲמֵשׁ עִטְּרֵי וְאַנְהִיר עֲלֵיהּ מָאתַן וְאַרְבְּעִין וּתְמַנְיָא נְהוֹרִין וְקָאֵים קָמֵיהּ וְאַפְקִיד לֵיהּ בְּכָל בֵּיתֵיהּ וְיָהַב לֵיהּ מֵאתַן וְשִׁבְעִין וְחֲמֵשׁ). And He crowned him with five crowns (וְאַעְטַּר לֵיהּ בְּחָמֵשׁ עִטְּרִין), and each and every crown ascended and illuminated in one thousand radiant worlds (וְכָל עִטְרָא וְעִטְרָא סָלִיק וְאַנְהִיר בְּאֶלֶף עָלְמִין דְּנַהֲרִין), and in torches that are hidden in the treasuries of the supernal holy King (וּבוּצִינִין דְּגְנִיזִין בְּגִנְזַיָּיא דְּמַלְכָּא קַדִּישָׁא עִלָּאָה).