Daf 61b (דַּף ס״א ע״ב)

There was a poor man (מִסְכְּנָא חַד) in the neighborhood of Rabbi Yisa (הֲוָה בִּשְׁבִיבוּתֵיהּ דְּר׳ יֵיסָא), and there was no one who paid attention to him (וְלָא הֲוָה מַאן דְּאַשְׁגַּח בֵּיהּ), and he was ashamed (וְהוּא הֲוָה אַכְסִיף), and not strong among men (וְלָא תַקִּיף בִּבְנֵי נָשָׁא). One day he became faint (יוֹמָא חַד חָלַשׁ), Rabbi Yisa came to him (עָאל עָלֵיהּ רִבִּי יֵיסָא), and he heard a voice saying (שָׁמַע חַד קָלָא דְּאָמַר): “Tilka, Tilka, behold the soul is flying to me (טִילְקָא טִילְקָא, הָא נַפְשָׁא פַּרְחָא גַבָּאי), and its time has not yet arrived” (וְלָא מָטוּ יוֹמוֹי).

Woe to the people of his city (וַוַי לִבְנֵי מָתֵיהּ), for there was not found among them even one who would give over his Nefesh [Soul] for his sake (דְּלָא אִשְׁתְּכַח בְּהוּ דְּיָתִיב נַפְשֵׁיהּ לְגַבֵּיהּ). Rabbi Yisa arose (קָם רִבִּי יֵיסָא), and placed into his mouth water of Gargarin (שַׁדֵּי בְּפוּמֵיהּ מַיָּא דְּגַרְגְּרִין), upon the mouth of a Kunta [Vessel]—Some say: a Kufta [Basket] (אַפּוּתָא דְּקוּנְטָא נ״א: דְּקוּפְתָּא). Sweat burst forth upon his face (אִתְבְּזַע זִיעָא בְּאַנְפּוֹי), and his Ruach [Spirit] returned to him (וְתָב רוּחֵיהּ לְגַבֵּיהּ). Afterwards he came and asked him (לְבָתַר אָתָא וְשָׁאִיל לֵיהּ): “By your life, Rabbi (חַיֶּיךָ רִבִּי), my Nefesh [Soul] departed from me (נַפְשָׁא נַפְקַת מִנַּאי), and it reached before the Throne of the King (וּמָטוּ לָהּ קָמֵי כּוּרְסְיָא דְּמַלְכָּא), and desired to remain there (וּבָעָת לְאִשְׁתַּאֲרָא תַּמָּן), except that Kudsha Berikh Hu desired to grant merit to you (אֶלָּא דְּבָעָא קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לְזַכָּאָה לָךְ), and they proclaimed concerning you (וְאַכְרִיזוּ עָלָךְ): ‘Rabbi Yisa is destined (זַמִּין הוּא רִבִּי יֵיסָא) to elevate the Ruach [Spirit] (לְסַלְּקָא רוּחֵיהּ), and to be bound in one holy Idra [Assembly] (וּלְאִתְקְשָּׁרָא בְּחַד אִדְרָא קַדִּישָׁא), which the companions are destined to awaken upon the earth (דִּזְמִינִין חַבְרַיָּיא לְאִתְּעָרָא בְּאַרְעָא), and behold, three thrones have been prepared (וְהָא אַתְקִינוּ תְּלַת כּוּרְסְיָאן), which stand for you and for your companion’ (דְּקַיְּימִין לָךְ וּלְחַבְרָךְ). From that day onward the people of his city paid attention to him (מֵהַהוּא יוֹמָא הֲווֹ מַשְׁגִּיחִין בֵּיהּ בְּנֵי מָתֵיהּ).

Furthermore (תּוּ), another poor man passed before Rabbi Yitzchak (מִסְכְּנָא אַחֲרָא אַעְבַּר קָמֵיהּ דְּר׳ יִצְחָק), and he had in his hand half a Maneh [Mina] of silver (וַהֲוָה בִּידֵיהּ פְּלַג מְעָה דְּכֶסֶף). He said to Rabbi Yitzchak (אָמַר לֵיהּ לְרִבִּי יִצְחָק): “Restore life to me and to my sons and daughters” (אַשְׁלִים לִי וּלִבְנַי וְלִבְנָתַי נַפְשָׁאָן). He said to him (אָמַר לֵיהּ): “How can I restore your lives (וְהֵיךְ אַשְׁלִים נַפְשַׁיְכוּ), for I possess no more than half a Maneh [Mina]?” (דְּהָא לָא אִשְׁתְּכַח גַּבַּאי בַּר פְּלַג מְעָה). He said to him (אָמַר לֵיהּ): “With this I shall complete it (בְּדָא אַשְׁלִימְנָא); from the other half that I have (בִּפְלַג אַחֲרָא דְּאִית גַּבַּאי), bring it out and give it to him” (אַפְקֵיהּ וְיָהֲבֵיהּ לֵיהּ). They showed him in his dream (אַחְזִיאוּ לֵיהּ בְּחֶלְמֵיהּ), that he was passing along the shore of the great sea (דְּהֲוָה אַעְבַּר בִּשְׂפָתָא דְּיַמָּא רַבָּא), and they sought to cast him into it (וּבָעָאן לְמִשְׁדְּיֵיהּ בְּגַוֵּיהּ). He saw Rabbi Shim'on (חָמָא לְרִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן), who stretched out his hand toward him (דְּהֲוָה אוֹשִׁיט יְדוֹי לָקֳבְלֵיהּ), and that poor man came (וְאָתֵי הַהוּא מִסְכְּנָא), drew him out (וְאַפְקֵיהּ), and delivered him into the hand of Rabbi Shim'on (וְיָהֲבֵיהּ בִּידוֹי דְּרִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן), and he was saved (וְאִשְׁתֵּזִיב). When he awoke (כַּד אִתְּעַר), this verse came to his mouth (נָפַל בְּפוּמֵיהּ הַאי קְרָא): “Happy is he who is wise toward the poor; on the day of evil Hashem will deliver him” (אַשְׁרֵי מַשְׂכִּיל אֶל דָּל בְּיוֹם רָעָה יְמַלְּטֵהוּ יְיָ) (Tehillim 41:2).

And come and see (וְתָּא חֲזֵי): every single day (כָּל יוֹמָא וְיוֹמָא), dew drips from Atika Kadisha to Ze'ir Anpin (נָטִיף טַלָּא מֵעַתִּיקָא קַדִּישָׁא לִזְעֵיר אַנְפִּין), and the entire field of the holy apples is blessed (וּמִתְבָּרְכָאן כָּל חַקַּל תַּפּוּחִין קַדִּישִׁין). From that dew it flows down to those below (וּמֵהַהוּא טַלָּא אַנְגִּיד לְאִינוּן דִּלְתַּתָּא), and the holy angels are nourished from it (וּמַלְאָכִין קַדִּישִׁין אִתְּזָנוּ מִנֵּיהּ), each one according to his portion (כָּל חַד וְחַד כְּפוּם מֵיכָלֵיהּ). This is what is written (הֲדָא הוּא דִּכְתִּיב): “Man ate the bread of the mighty” (לֶחֶם אַבִּירִים אָכַל אִישׁ) (Tehillim 78:25), and from that nourishment Yisrael ate in the wilderness (וּמֵהַהוּא מְזוֹנָא אָכְלוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּמַדְבְּרָא).

Rabbi Shim'on said (אָמַר רִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן): how many people are nourished from it at this time (כַּמָּה בְּנֵי נָשָׁא מִתְּזָנִין בְּהַאי זִמְנָא מִנֵּיהּ). And who are they? (וּמַאן אִינּוּן). These are the companions who labor in the Orayta day and night (אִלֵּין חַבְרַיָּיא דְּמִשְׁתַּדְּלֵי בְּאוֹרַיְתָא יוֹמֵי וְלֵילֵי). Do you think this is actual physical nourishment? (וְכִי סַלְּקָא דַעְתָּךְ מֵהַהוּא מְזוֹנָא מַמָּשׁ). No (לָא), rather it is like that actual nourishment (אֶלָּא כְּעֵין הַהוּא מְזוֹנָא מַמָּשׁ), which each one receives twofold (דְּשָׁקִיל עַל חַד תְּרֵין).

Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי), when Yisrael entered and cleaved to the Holy King (יִשְׂרָאֵל כַּד עָאלוּ וְאִתְּדְּבָקוּ בְּמַלְכָּא קַדִּישָׁא), through the revelation of this holy Reshima [Imprint] (בְּגִין גִּלּוּיָא דִּרְשִׁימָא קַדִּישָׁא), then they merited to eat another, higher bread (כְּדֵין זָכוּ לְמֵיכַל נַהֲמָא אַחֲרָא עִלָּאָה), greater than what they had before (יַתִּיר מִמַּה דְּהֲוָה בְּקַדְמִיתָא). At first, when Yisrael went out from Egypt (בְּקַדְמִיתָא כַּד נָפְקוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל מִמִּצְרַיִם), they entered into bread called Matzah [Unleavened Bread] (עָאלוּ בְּנָהֲמָא דְּאִקְרֵי מַצָּה), and now they merited and entered to eat another, higher bread (וְהַשְׁתָּא זָכוּ וְעָאלוּ לְמֵיכַל נַהֲמָא אַחֲרָא עִלָּאָה יַתִּיר), from a supernal place (מֵאֲתָר עִלָּאָה), as it is written (דִּכְתִּיב): “Behold, I am raining down for you bread from the heavens” (הִנְנִי מַמְטִיר לָכֶם לֶחֶם מִן הַשָּׁמַיִם) (Shemot 16:4). “From the heavens” (מִן הַשָּׁמַיִם)—literally (מַמָּשׁ). At that time (וּבְהַהוּא זִמְנָא), this was found for Yisrael (אִשְׁתְּכַח לְהוּ לְיִשְׂרָאֵל), from that place (מֵאֲתָר דָּא).

The companions who labor in the Orayta (חַבְרַיָּיא דְּמִשְׁתַּדְּלֵי בְּאוֹרַיְתָא), are nourished from another, even higher place (מֵאֲתָר אַחֲרָא עִלָּאָה יַתִּיר אִתְּזָנוּ). What is it? (מַאי הוּא). As it is written (כְּמָה דִּכְתִּיב): “Wisdom gives life to those who possess her” (הַחָכְמָה תְּחַיֶּה בְּעָלֶיהָ) (Kohelet 7:12). It is a higher place (אֲתָר עִלָּאָה יַתִּיר).

Rabbi El'azar said to him (אֲמַר לֵיהּ רִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר): if so, why are their bodies weaker than those of other people (אִי הָכִי אֲמַאי חַלְשָׁא נַפְשַׁיְיהוּ יַתִּיר מִשְּׁאָר בְּנֵי עָלְמָא), for behold, the rest of mankind appear stronger and more powerful (דְּהָא שְׁאַר בְּנֵי נָשָׁא בְּחֵילָא וּתּוּקְפָּא יַתִּיר אִתְחָזוּן לְאִשְׁתַּכְּחָא). Some say: they are greater (נ״א: אִינוּן יַתִּיר). He said to him (אָמַר לֵיהּ): rightly have you asked (יֵאוֹת שָׁאִילְתָּ).

Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי), all the sustenance of the people of the world comes from Above (כָּל מְזוֹנֵי דִּבְנֵי עָלְמָא מִלְּעֵילָּא קָא אַתְיָין). That sustenance which comes from heaven and earth (הַהוּא מְזוֹנָא דְּאָתֵי מִן שְׁמַיָּא וְאַרְעָא), is the sustenance of the whole world (דָּא מְזוֹנָא דְּכָל עָלְמָא), and it is common and coarse nourishment (וְהוּא מְזוֹנָא דְּכוֹלָא וְהוּא מְזוֹנָא גַּס וְעָב). But that sustenance which comes from a higher place above (וְהַהוּא מְזוֹנָא דְּאָתֵי יַתִּיר מֵעֵילָּא), is more refined nourishment (הוּא מְזוֹנָא יַתִּיר דָּקִיק), coming from the place where Din [Judgment] is found (קָאַתְיָא מֵאֲתָר דְּדִינָא אִשְׁתְּכַח). This is the nourishment that Yisrael ate when they went out from Egypt (וְדָא הוּא מְזוֹנָא דְּאַכְלוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל כַּד נָפְקוּ מִמִּצְרַיִם)—Some say: a more refined nourishment (נ״א: יַתִּיר דָּקִיקָא). This nourishment was found for Yisrael at that time in the wilderness (מְזוֹנָא דְּאִשְׁתְּכַח לְהוּ לְיִשְׂרָאֵל בְּהַהוּא זִמְנָא בְּמַדְבְּרָא), from a supernal place called “heavens” (מֵאֲתָר עִלָּאָה דְּאִקְרֵי שָׁמַיִם). It is more refined nourishment (הוּא מְזוֹנָא יַתִּיר דְּקִיקָא), which enters the Nefesh [Soul] more than anything else (דְּעָיִיל יַתִּיר לְנַפְשָׁא מִכֹּלָּא), and separates itself more from the body (וּמִתְפְּרַשׁ יַתִּיר מִגּוּפָא), and it is called “the bread of the mighty” (וְאִקְרֵי לֶחֶם אַבִּירִים).