Daf 5a (דַּף ה׳ ע״א)

Rabbi Yehudah said (אָמַר רִבִּי יְהוּדָה), some say: Rabbi Yitzchak (נ״א: רַבִּי יִצְחָק), some say: Rabbi Yosi (נ״א: רַבִּי יוֹסֵי): An inference from minor to major (קַל וָחוֹמֶר). And if when Ya'akov was saved from Lavan (וּמַה כַּד אִשְׁתְּזִיב יַעֲקֹב מִלָּבָן), it is written (Bereshit 32) (כְּתִיב): “And Ya'akov went on his way and angels of God met him” (וַיַּעֲקֹב הָלַךְ לְדַרְכּוֹ וַיִּפְגְעוּ בוֹ מַלְאֲכֵי אֱלֹהִים). When he descended into the exile (כַּד נָחַת בְּגָלוּתָא), the Kudsha Berikh Hu said (וּקֻדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא אָמַר): “I shall descend with you to Egypt” (Bereshit 46) (אָנֹכִי אֵרֵד עִמְּךָ מִצְרַיְמָה). Is it not proper judgment (לָאו דִּינָא), that since the Patron descends, His attendants should accompany Him (הוֹאִיל וּפַטְרוֹנָא נַחְתָּא, דְּיְיִחְתוּן שַׁמָּשׁוֹי עִמֵּיהּ)? This is what is written: “Who came to Egypt with Ya'akov” (Bereshit 46) (הַבָּאִים מִצְרַיְמָה אֵת יַעֲקֹב). Rabbi Ya'akov of Kefar Ḥanan said in the name of Rabbi Abba (רִבִּי יַעֲקֹב דִּכְפַר חָנָן אָמַר מִשְּׁמֵיהּ דְּרַבִּי אַבָּא): Who are these “children of Yisrael” mentioned here? (מַאן אִינּוּן בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל דְּהָכָא) They are those who are truly called “children of Yisrael” (אִינּוּן דְּאִתְקְרוּן בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל מַמָּשׁ).

Rabbi Abba opened and said (רַבִּי אַבָּא פָּתַח וְאָמַר): “Come and see the works of Hashem, who has set desolations on the earth” (Psalms 46) (לְכוּ חֲזוּ מִפְעֲלוֹת יְיָ אֲשֶׁר שָׂם שַׁמוֹת בָּאָרֶץ). Do not read desolations, but names (אַל תִּקְרֵי שַׁמוֹת, אֶלָּא שֵׁמוֹת). And this follows what Rabbi Ḥiyya said (וְאַזְלָא הָא כְּהָא דְּאָמַר רַבִּי חִיָּיא): In the manner of the firmament (כְּגַוְונָא דִּרְקִיעָא), Kudsha Berikh Hu made upon the earth (עָבַד קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא בְּאַרְעָא): in the firmament there are holy names (בִּרְקִיעָא אִית שְׁמָהָן קַדִּישִׁין), so too upon the earth there are holy names (בְּאַרְעָא אִית שְׁמָהָן קַדִּישִׁין).

Rabbi Yehudah said (אָמַר רִבִּי יְהוּדָה), some say: Rabbi Yosi (נ״א: רַבִּי יוֹסֵי): On that day when Ya'akov descended to Egypt (בְּהַהוּא יוֹמָא דְּנָחַת יַעֲקֹב לְמִצְרָיִם), Six hundred thousand supernal angels descended with him (נָחְתוּ עִמֵּיהּ שִׁתִּין רִבּוֹא דְּמַלְאֲכֵי עִלָּאֵי).

Rabbi Yehudah opened (רִבִּי יְהוּדָה פָּתַח): “Behold the bed of Shlomo—sixty mighty ones surround it…” (Song of Songs 3) (הִנֵּה מִטָּתוֹ שֶׁלִּשְׁלֹמֹה שִׁשִּׁים גִּבּוֹרִים סָבִיב לָהּ וגו׳). Ornaments that are engraved in brilliance (קוּזְמִיטִין דִּגְלִיפִין בְּקַנְדִיטָא), some say: in brightness (נ״א: בְּקַלְדִּיטָא), they are arranged in their places (סָחֲרָן בְּדוּכְתֵּיהּ), Ornaments in the seventh (קוּזְמִיטִין בִּשְׁבִיעָאָה), engraved in the sixth (גְּלִיפִין בִּשְׁתִּיתָאָה). This is that which is written: “Sixty mighty ones surround it” (הֲדָא הוּא דִּכְתִּיב: שִׁשִּׁים גִּבּוֹרִים סָבִיב לָהּ). “Behold his bed” (הִנֵּה מִטָּתוֹ): this is the Shekhinta (דָּא אִיהִי שְׁכִינְתָּא). “Of Shlomo” (שֶׁלִּשְׁלֹמֹה): the King whose peace is His (מַלְכָּא דִּשְׁלָמָא דִּילֵיהּ). “Sixty mighty ones surround it” (שִׁשִּׁים גִּבּוֹרִים סָבִיב לָהּ): these are the 600,000 supernal angels (אִלֵּין אִינּוּן שִׁתִּין רִבּוֹא דְּמַלְאֲכֵי עִלָּאֵי), who are from the forces of the Shekhinta (דְּאִינּוּן מֵחֵילָא דְּשְׁכִינְתָּא), who descended with Ya'akov to Egypt (דְּנַחְתָּת עִם יַעֲקֹב לְמִצְרָיִם). “From the mighty ones of Yisrael” (מִגִּבּוֹרֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל): [meaning] Yisrael above (יִשְׂרָאֵל דִּלְעֵילָּא). This is what is written: “And these are the names of the children of Yisrael…” (Exodus 1) (וְאֵלֶּה שְׁמוֹת בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וגו׳). “A man and his household came” (אִישׁ וּבֵיתוֹ בָּאוּ): these are they and their orders (אִינּוּן וְנִימוּסֵיהוֹן).

Rabbi Ḥiyya was going from Usha to Lod (רַבִּי חִיָּיא הֲוָה אָזִיל מֵאוּשָׁא לְלוּד), and he was riding on a donkey (וַהֲוָה רָכִיב עַל חֲמָרָא), and Rabbi Yose was with him (וַהֲוָה רַבִּי יוֹסֵי עִמֵּיהּ). Rabbi Ḥiyya dismounted (נָחִית רַבִּי חִיָּיא), and took Rabbi Yose by the hand (וְשַׁקְלֵיהּ בִּידוֹי לְרַבִּי יוֹסֵי), and said to him (אֲמַר לֵיהּ): If the people of the world knew the immense honor of Ya‘akov (אִי בְּנֵי עָלְמָא יָדְעִין יְקָרָא סַגִּיאָה דְּיַעֲקֹב), at the time Kudsha Berikh Hu said to him (בְּשַׁעְתָּא דְּאָמַר לֵיהּ קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא): “I shall go down with you to Egypt” (אָנֹכִי אֵרֵד עִמְּךָ מִצְרַיְמָה), they would lick the dust (הָווּ מְלַחֲכֵי עַפְרָא), three parasangs near his grave (תְּלַת פַּרְסֵי קָרִיב לְקִבְרֵיהּ).

For thus our great Masters of the world explained (דְּהָכִי מְפַרְשֵׁי מָרָנָא רַבְרְבֵי עָלְמָא), the Masters of the Mishnah (מָארֵיהוֹן דְּמַתְנִיתָא): it is written (Exodus 18) “And Moshe went out to meet his father-in-law” (כְּתִיב: וַיֵּצֵא מֹשֶׁה לִקְרַאת חֹתְנוֹ). Aharon saw Moshe go out (אַהֲרוֹן חָמָא לְמֹשֶׁה דְּנָפַק), and went out with him (וְנָפַק עִמֵּיהּ), and El‘azar and the princes and elders went out with him (וְאֶלְעָזָר וּנְשִׂיאֵי וְסָבֵי נַפְקוּ עִמֵּיהּ), the heads of the fathers and the leaders of the assembly (רָאשֵׁי אֲבָהָן, וּמְעַרְעֵי כְּנִשְׁתָּא), and all Yisrael went out with them (וְכָל יִשְׂרָאֵל נַפְקוּ עִמְּהוֹן).

It was found that all of Yisrael, all of them, went out to receive Yitro (אִשְׁתַּכְּחוּ דְּכָל יִשְׂרָאֵל כֻּלְּהוּ נָפְקוּ לְקָבְלֵיהּ דְּיִתְרוֹ). Who would see Moshe going out and not go out? (מַאן חָמָא לְמֹשֶׁה דְּנָפִיק וְלָא יִפּוּק) Or Aharon and the great ones who went out, and not go out? (לְאַהֲרוֹן וּלְרַבְרְבֵי דְּנַפְקֵי, וְלָא יִפּוּק) It is found (אִשְׁתְּכַח), that because of Moshe all of them went out (דִּבְגִין מֹשֶׁה נָפְקוּ כֻּלְהוֹן). And if so for Moshe, then for Kudsha Berikh Hu (וּמָה, אִי בְּגִין מֹשֶׁה כָּךְ, בְּגִין קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא), when He said: “I shall go down with you to Egypt” (כַּד אָמַר אָנֹכִי אֵרֵד עִמְּךָ מִצְרַיְמָה), how much more so (עַל אַחַת כַּמָּה וְכַמָּה). While they were going (עַד דַּהֲווּ אַזְלֵי), they encountered Rabbi Abba (פָּגַע בְּהוּ רַבִּי אַבָּא).

Rabbi Yose said (אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹסֵי): Behold, the Shekhinta is here (הָא שְׁכִינְתָּא הָכָא), for one of the masters of the Mishnah is with us (דְּחַד מִמָּארֵיהוֹן דְּמַתְנִיתִין עִמָּנָא). Rabbi Abba said (אָמַר רַבִּי אַבָּא): What are you engaged in? (בְּמָאי עַסְקִיתּוּ) Rabbi Yose said (אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹסֵי): In this verse (בְּהַאי קְרָא): “I shall go down with you to Egypt” etc. (אָנֹכִי אֵרֵד עִמְּךָ מִצְרַיְמָה וְגו׳). When Ya‘akov descended to Egypt (כַּד נָחַת יַעֲקֹב לְמִצְרַיִם), as it is written: “And these are the names of the children of Yisrael who came to Egypt” (וְאֵלֶּה שְׁמוֹת בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל הַבָּאִים מִצְרַיְמָה), you may learn from this that they all descended with Ya‘akov to Egypt (אַתְּ אוֹלִיף, דְּכֻלְּהוּ נָחֲתוּ עִם יַעֲקֹב לְמִצְרַיִם).

Rabbi Abba said to him (אֲמַר לֵיהּ רַבִּי אַבָּא): And was this alone? (וְדָא לְחוּד הֲוַת) He opened and said (פָּתַח וְאָמַר): “The word of Hashem was indeed upon Yeḥezqel son of Buzi the priest in the land of the Chaldeans by the river Kevar” (Ezekiel 1) (הָיֹה הָיָה דְּבַר יְיָ אֶל יְחֶזְקֵאל בֶּן בּוּזִי הַכֹּהֵן בְּאֶרֶץ כַּשְׂדִּים עַל נְהַר כְּבָר). There are three difficulties here (תְּלַת פְּלוּגְתָּן הָכָא): First, that we learned: the Shekhinta does not dwell outside of the Land (חֲדָא, דְּתָנֵינָן: אֵין שְׁכִינָה שׁוֹרָה בְּחוּצָה לָאָרֶץ); second, that he was not as trusted as Moshe (וַחֲדָא, דְּלָא הֲוָה מְהֵימָן כְּמֹשֶׁה), for it is written of him (דִּכְתִּיב בֵּיהּ) (Numbers 12): “In all My house he is faithful” (בְּכָל בֵּיתִי נֶאֱמָן הוּא); and he revealed and publicized all the treasuries of the King (וְהוּא גַּלֵּי וּפַרְסֵם כָּל גִּנְזַיָּיא דְּמַלְכָּא); and third, he appeared as one whose mind was not settled (וַחֲדָא, דְּאִתְחָזֵי כְּמַאן דְּלָא שְׁלִים בְּדַעְתֵּיהּ).

But thus we conclude in our Mishnah (אֶלָּא הָכִי אַסִּיקְנָא בְּמַתְנִיתָא דִּילָן): Heaven forbid, for Yeḥezqel was a complete prophet (חַס וְשָׁלוֹם, דְּהָא יְחֶזְקֵאל נְבִיאָה שְׁלֵימָא הֲוָה), and with permission of Kudsha Berikh Hu he revealed all that he revealed (וּבִרְשׁוּתָא דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא גַּלֵּי כָּל מַה דְּגַלֵּי), and all of it needed to be revealed and publicized (וְכֻלְּהוּ אִצְטְרִיךְ דִּיגַלֵּי וִיפַרְסֵם), because two out of every one of what he revealed (עַל חַד תְּרֵין מִמַּה דְּגַלֵּי), as we have learned (דְּהָכִי תְּנַן):

Whoever is accustomed to endure suffering etc. (מַאן דְּרָגִיל לְמִסְבַּל צַעֲרָא כו׳) And all was needed (וְכֹּלָּא אִצְטְרִיךְ), and Kudsha Berikh Hu never abandons Yisrael in exile (וּמֵעָלְמִין לָא שָׁבִיק קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לְיִשְׂרָאֵל בְּגָלוּתָא), until He comes to dwell His presence among them (עַד דְּהֲוָה אָתֵי לְמֵידַר דִּיוֹרֵיהּ עִמְּהוֹן), how much more so with Ya‘akov (כָּל שֶׁכֵּן בְּיַעֲקֹב), who descended in exile (דְּהֲוָה נָחִית בְּגָלוּתָא), and Kudsha Berikh Hu and His Shekhinta (וּקֻדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא וּשְׁכִינְתֵּיהּ), and supernal holy ones (וְקַדִּישִׁין עִלָּאִין), and lower ones (וּתַּתָּאִין), and chariots (וּרְתִיכִין), all of them descended with Ya‘akov (דְּנָחֲתוּ כֻּלְּהוּ עִם יַעֲקֹב). This is what is written (הֲדָא הוּא דִּכְתִּיב): “who came to Egypt with Ya‘akov” (הַבָּאִים מִצְרַיְמָה אֵת יַעֲקֹב).