Daf 62b (דַּף ס״ב ע״ב)

As it was taught (דְּתַנְיָא), what is the meaning of what is written? (מַאִי דִּכְתִּיב). “Yisrael, in whom I am glorified” (יִשְׂרָאֵל אֲשֶׁר בְּךָ אֶתְפָּאָר) (Yeshayahu 49:3). “I am glorified,” indeed (אֶתְפָּאָר וּדַאי). What does it imply? (מַאי מַשְׁמַע). That for the sake of Yisrael below (דִּבְגִין יִשְׂרָאֵל לְתַתָּא), Kudsha Berikh Hu is glorified above (קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא מִתְפָּאַר לְעֵילָּא). And what is His glory? (וּמַאי פְּאֵרָא דִילֵיהּ). That He adorns Himself with Tefillin (דְּאִתְחַבָּשׁ בִּתְפִילִין), wherein Gavvanin [Colors] are joined for glory (דְּמִתְחַבְּרָא גַּוְונִי לְאִתְפָּאַרָא).

It was taught (תָּאנָא): “Hashem desires those who fear Him” (רוֹצֶה יְיָ אֶת יְרֵאָיו) (Tehillim 147:11). It ought to have said, “Hashem desires in those who fear Him” (רוֹצֶה יְיָ בִּירֵאָיו מִבָּעֵי לֵיהּ). What is the meaning of “Hashem desires those who fear Him”? (מַאי רוֹצֶה יְיָ אֶת יְרֵאָיו). Rather (אֶלָּא), “Hashem desires those who fear Him” (רוֹצֶה יְיָ אֶת יְרֵאָיו), meaning (כְּלוֹמַר), He brings forth this Ratzon [Desire] (אַפִּיק הַאי רָצוֹן), and He is revealed through them, Some say: and Kudsha Berikh Hu is made known through them (וּמִתְרָעֵי נ״א: וְאִתְיְדַּע בְּהוּ קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא), to those who fear Him (לִירֵאָיו דְּדָחֲלִין לֵיהּ). And who are His fearers, through whom this Ratzon [Desire] is brought forth? (וּמַאן אִינּוּן יְרֵאָיו דְּאַפִּיק לוֹן הַאי רָצוֹן). He returned and said (הָדַר וְאָמַר): “Those who hope for His Chesed” (אֶת הַמְיַחֲלִים לְחַסְדּוֹ) (Tehillim 147:11). These are those who look forward and hope each and every day (אִינּוּן דִּמְצַפָּאן וּמְחַכָּאן בְּכָל יוֹמָא וְיוֹמָא), to request their sustenance from Kudsha Berikh Hu (לְמִבָּעֵי מְזוֹנַיְיהוּ מִן קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא). It is implied by what is written (מַשְׁמַע דִּכְתִּיב): “Those who hope for His Chesed” (אֶת הַמְיַחֲלִים לְחַסְדּוֹ) (Tehillim 147:11).

Rabbi Yisa Sava (רִבִּי יֵיסָא סָבָא) would not prepare a meal on any day (לָא אַתְקִין סְעוּדָתָא בְּכָל יוֹמָא), until he asked his request before Kudsha Berikh Hu concerning sustenance (עַד דְּבָעָא בָּעוּתֵיהּ קָמֵי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא עַל מְזוֹנֵי). He said (אָמַר): “Let us not prepare the meal until it is given from the house of the King” (לָא נַתְקִין סְעוּדָתָא, עַד דְּתִתְיְהִיב מִבֵּי מַלְכָּא). After he made his request before Kudsha Berikh Hu (לְבָתַר דְּבָעֵי בָּעוּתֵיהּ קָמֵי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא), he would wait one hour (הֲוָה מְחַכֶּה שַׁעֲתָא חֲדָא), and say (אָמַר): “Now is the time that it has been given from the house of the King” (הָא עִידָן דְּתִתְיְהִיב מִבֵּי מַלְכָּא). From then onward, prepare the meal (מִכָּאן וּלְהָלְאָה אַתְּקִינוּ סְעוּדָתָא). And this is the way (וְדָא הוּא אָרְחָא), of those who fear Kudsha Berikh Hu (דְּאִינּוּן דַּחֲלֵי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא), those who fear sin (דַּחֲלֵי חַטָּאָה). Those guilty ones who walk crookedly in the paths of Orayta (אִינּוּן חַיָּיבַיָּא דְּאַזְלִין עֲקִימִין בְּאָרְחֵי אוֹרַיְּיתָא), what is written concerning them? (מַה כְּתִיב בְּהוּ). “Woe to those who rise early in the morning, who pursue strong drink” (הוֹי מַשְׁכִּימֵי בַבֹּקֶר שֵׁכָר יִרְדֹּפוּ) (Yeshayahu 5:11). And because of this (וְעַל דָּא): “Hashem desires those who fear Him, those who hope for His Chesed” (רוֹצֶה יְיָ אֶת יְרֵאָיו אֶת הַמְיַחֲלִים לְחַסְדּוֹ) (Tehillim 147:11). “For His Chesed,” precisely (לְחַסְדּוֹ דַּיְיקָא). Some say: and in this (נ״א: וּבְהָא), the children of faith are made known each and every day (אִשְׁתְּמוֹדְעָן אִינּוּן בְּנֵי מְהֵימָנוּתָא בְּכָל יוֹמָא וְיוֹמָא). This is what is written (הֲדָא הוּא דִּכְתִּיב): “And the people shall go out and gather the matter of the day on its day” (וְיָצָא הָעָם וְלָקְטוּ דְּבַר יוֹם בְּיוֹמוֹ) (Shemot 16:4). “On its day,” it says (יוֹם בְּיוֹמוֹ קָאָמַר), and not the matter of one day for another day (וְלֹא דְּבַר יוֹם לְיוֹם אַחֵר). And why all this? (וְכָל כָּךְ לָמָּה). “So that I may test them, whether they will walk in My Orayta or not” (לְמַעַן אֲנַסֶּנּוּ הֲיֵלֵךְ בְּתוֹרָתִי אִם לֹא) (Shemot 16:4). Here the children of faith are made known (בְּכָאן אִשְׁתְּמוֹדְעָן אִינּוּן בְּנֵי מְהֵימָנוּתָא), for each and every day they walk in the upright path in Orayta (דְּכָל יוֹמָא וְיוֹמָא אִינּוּן אַזְלֵי בְּאֹרַח מֵישָׁר בְּאוֹרַיְּיתָא). Rabbi Yitzchak said from here (רִבִּי יִצְחָק אָמַר מֵהָכָא): “A Tzaddik eats to the satisfaction of his Nefesh [Soul]” (צַדִּיק אוֹכֵל לְשֹׂבַע נַפְשׁוֹ) (Mishlei 13:25), after his Nefesh [Soul] is satisfied from prayer and from reading in Orayta (בָּתַר דְּשָׂבַע נַפְשֵׁיהּ מִלְּצַלֵּי וּלְמִקְרֵי בְּאוֹרַיְּיתָא).

Rabbi Shim'on said (רִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן אָמַר), come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי), before Kudsha Berikh Hu gave the Orayta to Yisrael (עַד לָא יָהַב קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא אוֹרַיְּיתָא לְיִשְׂרָאֵל), He distinguished between those Bnei Meheimanuta [Sons of Faith] and those guilty ones who are not Bnei Meheimanuta [Sons of Faith] (אַבְחִין בֵּין אִינּוּן בְּנֵי מְהֵימָנוּתָא וּבֵין אִינּוּן חַיָּיבַיָּא דְּלָאו אִינּוּן בְּנֵי מְהֵימָנוּתָא), and who do not stand in the Orayta (וְלָא קַיְּימִין בְּאוֹרַיְּיתָא). And how did He distinguish them? (וּבַמֶּה אַבְחִין לוֹן). By the Man [Manna] (בַּמָּן), as has been said (כְּמָה דְּאִתְּמַר): “That I may test them” (אֲנַסֶּנּוּ) (Shemot 16:4). And all those who were found to be of the Bnei Meheimanuta [Sons of Faith] (וְכָל אִינּוּן דְּאִשְׁתְּכָחוּ דְּאִינּוּן בְּנֵי מְהֵימָנוּתָא), Kudsha Berikh Hu marked them with the Reshimu [Imprint] of the Keter of Chesed (רָשִׁים לֵיהּ קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא בִּרְשִׁימוּ דְּכִתְרָא דְּחֶסֶד), as you say (כְּמָה דְּאַתְּ אָמֵר): “Those who hope for His Chesed” (הַמְיַחֲלִים לְחַסְדּוֹ) (Tehillim 147:11). And concerning this it is written (וְעַל דָּא): “That I may test them” (לְמַעַן אֲנַסֶּנּוּ) (Shemot 16:4). And all those who were not found to be Bnei Meheimanuta [Sons of Faith] (וְכָל אִינּוּן דְּלָא מִשְׁתַּכְּחֵי בְּנֵי מְהֵימָנוּתָא), He removed from them this supernal Keter (אַעְדֵּי מִנַּיְיהוּ כִּתְרָא עִלָּאָה דָּא). And what is proclaimed and said? (וּמָנָא אַכְרִיז וְאָמַר). “But the belly of the wicked shall lack” (וּבֶטֶן רְשָׁעִים תֶּחְסָר) (Mishlei 13:25). And with all this (וְעִם כָּל דָּא), “the one who gathered much did not have more, and the one who gathered little did not lack” (לֹא הֶעְדִּיף הַמַּרְבֶּה וְהַמַּמְעִיט לֹא הֶחְסִיר) (Shemot 16:18).

It was taught (תָּאַנָא), at that hour Yisrael were completed below (בְּהַהוּא שָׁעֲתָא אִשְׁתְּלִימוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל לְתַתָּא), in the likeness of that which is above (כְּגַוְנָא דִּלְעֵילָּא), as we have established (כְּמָה דְּאוֹקִימְנָא), as it is written (דִּכְתִּיב): “And they came to Elim, and there were twelve springs of water and seventy date-palms...” (וַיָּבֹאוּ אֵילִימָה וְשָׁם שְׁתֵּים עֶשְׂרֵה עֵינוֹת מַיִם וְשִׁבְעִים תְּמָרִים וְגוֹ׳) (Shemot 15:27). And the holy Ilan [Tree] was strengthened (וְאִתְתַּקַּף אִילָנָא קַדִּישָׁא), in twelve boundaries (בְּתְרֵיסַר תְּחוּמִין), in the four directions of the world (בְּאַרְבַּע סִטְרֵי עָלְמָא). And it was strengthened with seventy branches (וְאִתְתַּקַּף בְּשִׁבְעִין עַנְפִין), and all in the likeness of that which is above (וְכֹּלָּא כְּגַוְנָא דִּלְעֵילָּא). At that hour (בְּהַהִיא שַׁעֲתָא), a holy dew dripped (נָטִיף טַלָּא קַדִּישָׁא), from Atika Setima'ah [Concealed Ancient One] (מֵעַתִּיקָא סְתִּימָאָה), and filled the head of Ze'ir Anpin (וּמַלְיָא לְרֵישֵׁיהּ דִּזְעֵיר אַנְפִּין), the place called “heaven” (אֲתַר דְּאִקְרֵי שָׁמַיִם). And from that dew of supernal holy Nehira [Radiance] (וּמֵהַהוּא טַלָּא דִּנְהוֹרָא עִלָּאָה קַדִּישָׁא), the Man [Manna] would flow and descend below (הֲוָה נָגִיד וְנָחִית מָנָא לְתַתָּא). And when it descended (וְכַד הֲוָה נָחִית), it would separate into flakes upon flakes (הֲוָה מִתְפְּרַשׁ גְּלִידִין גְּלִידִין), and solidify below (וְאַקְרִישׁ לְתַתָּא). This is what is written (הֲדָא הוּא דִּכְתִּיב): “Fine as frost upon the earth” (דַּק כַּכְּפוֹר עַל הָאָרֶץ) (Shemot 16:14). All those Bnei Meheimanuta [Sons of Faith] (כָּל אִינּוּן בְּנֵי מְהֵימָנוּתָא), would go out and gather (נַפְקֵי וְלַקְטֵי), and bless the holy Name over it (וּמְבָרְכָאן שְׁמָא קַדִּישָׁא עָלֵיהּ). And that Man [Manna] (וְהַהוּא מָנָא), would rise with aromas of all the spices of the Garden of Eden (הֲוָה סָלִיק רֵיחִין דְּכָל בּוּסְמִין דְּגִנְתָּא דְעֵדֶן), for through it they were drawn and descended below (דְּהָא בֵּיהּ אִתְמְשַׁךְ וְנָחִית לְתַתָּא). He would place it before him (שַׁוְיֵהּ לְקַמֵּיהּ), and whatever flavor he desired, so it would taste to him (בְּכָל טַעֲמָא דְּאִיהוּ בָּעֵי, הָכִי טָעִים לֵיהּ), and he would bless the supernal Holy King (וּמְבָרֵךְ לְמַלְכָּא קַדִּישָׁא עִלָּאָה). And then he would be blessed in his innards (וּכְדֵין מִתְבָּרֵךְ בְּמֵעוֹי), and he would gaze and know above (וַהֲוָה מִסְתַּכֵּל וְיָדַע לְעֵילָּא), and gaze into Chokhmah Ila'ah [Supernal Chokhmah] (וְאִסְתָּכֵי בְּחָכְמָה עִלָּאָה). And because of this they are called the “Dor De'ah [Generation of Knowledge]” (וְעַל דָּא אִקְרוּן דּוֹר דֵּעָה). And these were the Bnei Meheimanuta [Sons of Faith] (וְאִלֵּין הֲווֹ בְּנֵי מְהֵימָנוּתָא), and to them the Orayta was given (וּלְהוֹן אִתְיְהִיבַת אוֹרַיְּיתָא), to gaze into it (לְאִסְתַּכְּלָא בָּהּ), and to know its path (וּלְמִנְדַּע אָרְחָהָא).