Daf 68a (דַּף ס״ח ע״א)

At the time when the other nations are subdued (בְּשַׁעֲתָא דִּשְׁאָר עַמִּין אִתְכַּפְיָין), they come and give praise to Kudsha Berikh Hu (אַתְיָין וְאוֹדָאן לֵיהּ לְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא). Once they are subdued and give praise to Him (כֵּיוָן דְּאִינּוּן אִתְכַּפְיָין וְאוֹדָאן לֵיהּ), then the glory of Kudsha Berikh Hu is completed above and below (כְּדֵין אִשְׁתְּלִים יְקָרָא דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא עֵילָּא וְתַתָּא). At the time when Moshe came to Pharaoh and said to him: Hashem, the God of the Hebrews, has called upon us, etc. (בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְּאָתָא מֹשֶׁה לְפַרְעֹה וְאָמַר לֵיהּ יְיָ אֱלֹהֵי הָעִבְרִים נִקְרָא עָלֵינוּ וְגו׳), he opened and said: I do not know Hashem (פָּתַח אִיהוּ וְאָמַר לֹא יָדַעְתִּי אֶת יְיָ). And Kudsha Berikh Hu desired that His Name be glorified on earth (וּבָעָא קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא דְּיִתְיָיקַּר שְׁמֵיהּ בְּאַרְעָא), as He is glorified above (כְּמָה דְּאִיהוּ יַקִּירָא לְעֵילָּא). Once He struck him and his people (כֵּיוָן דְּאַלְקֵי לֵיהּ וּלְעַמֵּיהּ), he came and gave praise to Kudsha Berikh Hu (אָתָא וְאוֹדֵי לֵיהּ לְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא), as it is written: Hashem is the Righteous One (דִּכְתִּיב: יְיָ הַצַּדִּיק) (Exodus 9). He was the chief king over the whole world (אִיהוּ דְּהֲוָה מַלְכָּא קְרוֹפִינוֹס דְּכָל עָלְמָא), and once he gave praise (כֵּיוָן דְּאִיהוּ אוֹדֵי), all the other kings gave praise (כָּל שְׁאַר מַלְכִין אוֹדוּן), as it is written: Then the chiefs of Edom were astonished (דִּכְתִּיב: אָז נִבְהֲלוּ אַלּוּפֵי אֱדוֹם) (Exodus 15).

Yitro came (אָתָא יִתְרוֹ), a supernal and great priest (כּוֹמָרָא עִלָּאָה וְרַבְרְבָא), master of all the appointed ministers of other idolatries (רַב מְמָנָא דְּכָל טַעֲוָון אַחֲרָנִין), and gave praise to Kudsha Berikh Hu (וְאוֹדֵי לֵיהּ לְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא), and said: Now I know that Hashem is greater than all the gods (וְאָמַר: עַתָּה יָדַעְתִּי כִּי גָדוֹל יְיָ מִכָּל הָאֱלֹהִים) (Exodus 18), then Kudsha Berikh Hu was elevated and glorified in His glory above and below (כְּדֵין אִסְתַּלָּק וְאִתְיְיקָר קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא בִּיקָרֵיהּ עֵילָּא וְתַתָּא), and afterward the Orayta was given in perfection (וּלְבָתַר יָהַב אוֹרַיְיתָא בִּשְׁלִימוּ), with dominion over all (דְּשֻׁלְטָנוּ עַל כֹּלָּא).

Rabbi Shim‘on said to Rabbi El'azar his son (אָמַר רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן לְרַ׳ אֶלְעָזָר בְּרֵיהּ): Concerning this it is written (עַל דָּא כְּתִיב): The peoples shall thank You, Elohim; the peoples, all of them shall thank You (יוֹדוּךָ עַמִּים אֱלֹהִים, יוֹדוּךָ עַמִּים כֻּלָּם) (Psalms 67). Rabbi El'azar came and kissed his hands (אָתָא ר׳ אֶלְעָזָר וְנָשִׁיק יְדוֹי). Rabbi Abba wept and said (בָּכָה ר׳ אַבָּא וְאָמַר): As a father has compassion upon his children (כְּרַחֵם אָב עַל בָּנִים) (Psalms 103). Who will have compassion on Rabbi El'azar (מַאן יְרַחֵם עַל ר׳ אֶלְעָזָר), and complete his words (וּלְאַשְׁלְמָא מִלּוֹי), the beloved son of the Master (בַּר רְחִימוּ דְּמוֹר), fortunate is our portion (זַכָּאָה חוּלָקָנָא), that we merited to hear these words from before him (דְּזָכֵינָא לְמִשְׁמַע מִלִּין אִלֵּין קָמֵיהּ), which are not to be longed for in the World to Come alone (דְּלָא נִכְסוֹף בְּהוּ לְעָלְמָא דְּאָתֵי).

Rabbi Abba said (אָמַר רַבִּי אַבָּא), it is not written Kohen of On regarding Yitro (הָא כֹּהֵן אוֹן לָא כְּתִיב בְּיִתְרוֹ); Kohen of Midyan is what is written (כֹּהֵן מִדְיָן כְּתִיב). He said to him: it is all one (אֲמַר לֵיהּ, כֹּלָּא אִיהוּ חַד). At first, the father-in-law of Yosef was called Kohen of On (בְּקַדְמִיתָא חָמוּי דְּיוֹסֵף, כֹּהֵן אוֹן אִקְרֵי), and afterwards, the father-in-law of Moshe was called Kohen of Midyan (וּלְבָתַר חָמוּי דְּמֹשֶׁה, כֹּהֵן מִדְיָן). And all is one secret (וְכֹלָּא רָזָא חֲדָא), for these two, Moshe and Yosef (דְּהָא אִלֵּין תְּרֵין מֹשֶׁה וְיוֹסֵף), stand in the same mystical rung (בְּדַרְגָּא דְּרָזָא חֲדָא קַיְימִין), in the secret of the letter Vav (בְּרָזָא דְּאָת וָ״ו), when spelled with two Vavs as one (תְּרֵין וָוִין כַּחֲדָא). And that which is said Kohen of Midyan (וּמַה דְּאִתְּמַר כֹּהֵן מִדְיָן), this is the secret of a woman of the Midianites (רָזָא דָּא אֵשֶׁת מִדְיָנִים). Moshe and Yosef stand in one secret, the secret of Vav spelled with two as one (מֹשֶׁה וְיוֹסֵף בְּרָזָא חֲדָא קַיְימִי, רָזָא דָּא ו״ו תְּרֵין כַּחֲדָא).

He raised his hands over the head of Rabbi Abba and wept (אָרִים יְדוֹי עַל רֵישֵׁיהּ רַבִּי אַבָּא וּבָכָה), saying: the radiance of the Orayta has now ascended to the height of the firmament of the supernal Throne (אָמַר, נְהִירוּ דְּאוֹרַיְיתָא סַלְּקָא הַשְׁתָּא עַד רוּם רְקִיעָא דְּכֻרְסְיָיא עִלָּאָה); after the Master departs from the world (לְבָתַר דְּיִסְתַּלַּק מֹר מֵעָלְמָא), who will illuminate the radiance of the Orayta? (מַאן יַנְהִיר נְהִירוּ דְּאוֹרַיְיתָא).

Woe to the world that shall remain orphaned from you (וַוי לְעָלְמָא דְּיִשְׁתְּאַר יָתוֹם מִינָךְ). But the words of the Master shall shine in the world (אֲבָל מִלִּין דְּמֹר יִתְנְהִירוּ בְּעָלְמָא), until the King Mashiach comes (עַד דְּיֵיתֵי מַלְכָּא מְשִׁיחָא), and then it is written (וּכְדֵין כְּתִיב): And the earth shall be filled with knowledge of Hashem, etc. (וּמָלְאָה הָאָרֶץ דֵּעָה אֶת יְיָ וְגוֹ׳) (Isaiah 11). And Yitro, the Kohen, heard… etc. (וַיִּשְׁמַע יִתְרוֹ כֹּהֵן וְגוֹ׳).

Rabbi Ḥiyya said (רַבִּי חִיָּיא אָמַר): this verse must be contemplated (הַאי קְרָא אִית לְאִסְתַּכְּלָא בֵּיהּ). At first it is written (בְּקַדְמִיתָא כְּתִיב): all that Elohim had done for Moshe (אֵת כָּל אֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה אֱלֹהִים לְמֹשֶׁה), and afterwards it is written: for Hashem had brought them out (וּלְבָתַר כְּתִיב: כִּי הוֹצִיא יְיָ). Rather, this is the secret (אֶלָּא רָזָא דָּא): all that Elohim had done (אֵת כָּל אֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה אֱלֹהִים) this is the Name that grieved over Moshe and over Yisrael (דָּא שְׁמָא דְּאָגִין עַל מֹשֶׁה וְעַל יִשְׂרָאֵל), and did not depart from them in the exile (וְלָא אִתְעָדֵי מִנַּיְיהוּ בְּגָלוּתָא). And afterward, the Supernal Name brought them out from Egypt (וּלְבָתַר, שְׁמָא עִלָּאָה אַפִּיק לוֹן מִמִּצְרַיִם). For the Holy Name that brought them out (דְּהָא שְׁמָא קַדִּישָׁא דְּאַפִּיק לוֹן), was in the secret of the Yovel (בְּרָזָא דְּיוֹבְלָא הֲוָה).

Another matter: all that Elohim had done for Moshe (דָּבָר אַחֵר: אֵת כָּל אֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה אֱלֹהִים לְמֹשֶׁה) when he was cast into the river (כַּד אִתְרְמֵי לְנָהֲרָא), and when He saved him from the sword of Pharaoh (וְכַד שֵׁזִיב לֵיהּ מֵחַרְבָּא דְּפַרְעֹה), and for Yisrael His people (וּלְיִשְׂרָאֵל עַמּוֹ), as it is written: And Elohim heard their groaning (דִּכְתִּיב: וַיִּשְׁמַע אֱלֹהִים אֶת נַאֲקָתָם) (Exodus 2), and it is written: And the more they afflicted them, the more they multiplied and spread out (וּכְתִיב: וְכַאֲשֶׁר יְעַנּוּ אוֹתוֹ, כֵּן יִרְבֶּה וְכֵן יִפְרוֹץ) (Exodus 1). And Yitro, the Kohen of Midyan, heard… (וַיִּשְׁמַע יִתְרוֹ כֹּהֵן מִדְיָן).

Rabbi Yosi opened (רַבִּי יוֹסִי פָּתַח): He sent redemption to His people; He commanded His covenant forever; Holy and awesome is His Name (פְּדוּת שָׁלַח לְעַמּוֹ צִוָּה לְעוֹלָם בְּרִיתוֹ קָדוֹשׁ וְנוֹרָא שְׁמוֹ) (Psalms 111). Why is this different from all other verses (מַאי שְׁנָא, בְּכָל שְׁאַר קְרָאֵי), in which every phrase consists of two words from the alef-bet (דִּבְכֻלְּהוּ, תְּרֵין תֵּיבִין מֵאַלְפָא בֵיתָא), whereas in this verse and the one following, there are three and three (וּבְהַאי קְרָא, וּבִקְרָא דַּאֲבַתְרֵיהּ, תְּלַת תְּלַת)?

Rather, it is to complete the six directions (אֶלָּא: בְּגִין לְאַשְׁלְמָא שִׁית סִטְרִין), in this alef-bet (בְּהַאי אַלְפָא בֵיתָא) this is in correspondence to the three redemptions of Yisrael (הַאי לָקוּבֵל תְּלַת פּוּרְקָנִין דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל), aside from the first redemption (בַּר פּוּרְקָנָא קַדְמָאָה). Another verse corresponds to Torah, Nevi’im, and Ketuvim (קְרָא אַחֲרָא, לָקוּבֵל תּוֹרָה נְבִיאִים וּכְתוּבִים), and all is dependent on this Chokhmah (וְכֹלָּא תַּלְיָא בְּהַאי חָכְמָה). He sent redemption to His people (פְּדוּת שָׁלַח לְעַמּוֹ) when Kudsha Berikh Hu redeemed Yisrael from the exile of Egypt (כַּד פָּרִיק קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לְיִשְׂרָאֵל מִגָּלוּתָא דְּמִצְרַיִם), and performed miracles and mighty deeds for them (וְעָבִיד לוֹן נִסִּין וּגְבוּרָן). He commanded His covenant forever (צִוָּה לְעוֹלָם בְּרִיתוֹ) when Yitro came and Kudsha Berikh Hu received him (כַּד אָתָא יִתְרוֹ, וְקָבִּיל לֵיהּ קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא), and drew him close to His service (וְקָרִיב לֵיהּ לְפוּלְחָנֵיהּ). And from that point on, all converts were brought near (וּמִתַּמָּן אִתְקְרִיבוּ כָּל אִינּוּן גִּיּוֹרִין), beneath the wings of the Shekhinta (תְּחוֹת גַּדְפּוֹי דִּשְׁכִינְתָּא); from there and onward: Holy and awesome is His Name (מִתַּמָּן וּלְהָלְאָה קָדוֹשׁ וְנוֹרָא שְׁמוֹ). For then the Name of Kudsha Berikh Hu was sanctified (דְּהָא כְּדֵין אִתְקַדָּשׁ שְׁמֵיהּ דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא), for then the Holy Name is sanctified (דְּהָא יִתְקַדָּשׁ שְׁמָא קַדִּישָׁא), when the Sitra Achra is broken and subdued (כַּד אִתְבַּר וְאִתְכַּפְיָא סִטְרָא אַחֲרָא), as it was with Yitro (כְּמָה דְּהֲוָה בְּיִתְרוֹ).