Daf 79b (דַּף ע״ט ע״ב)

He awoke (אִתְּעַר), went to Rabbi Shimon (אָזִיל לְגַבֵּיהּ דְּרַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן), kissed his hands (נָשַׁק יְדוֹי), and said (אָמַר): So I saw in the dream (הָכִי חֲמֵינָא בְּחֶלְמָא). Another time I saw in a dream (זִמְנָא אַחֲרָא חֲמֵינָא בְּחֶלְמָא), a certain book of Aggadta that they showed the ancients (חַד סִפְרָא דְּאַגַּדְתָּא דְּאַחְזִיוּ קַמָּאי), and it was written in it (וַהֲוָה כְּתִיב בֵּיהּ): Chokhmah and Tiferet in His Mikdash (חָכְמָה וְתִפְאֶרֶת בְּמִקְדָּשׁוֹ), Chokhmah above (חָכְמָה לְעֵילָּא), Tiferet below (תִּפְאֶרֶת לְתַתָּא), in His Mikdash toward them (בְּמִקְדָּשׁוֹ לְגַבַּיְיהוּ). And so I saw in a dream one time (וְהָכִי חֲמֵינָא בְּחֶלְמָא זִמְנָא חֲדָא), and thus I found upon their lips (וְהָכִי אַשְׁכַּחְנָא בְּפוּמַאִי).

Rabbi Shimon said to him (אָמַר לֵיהּ ר' שִׁמְעוֹן): Until now, you have grown to enter among the reapers of the field (עַד כְּעַן רַבְיָא אַנְתְּ לְמֵיעַל בֵּין מְחַצְּדֵי חַקְלָא), and behold, all of it they have shown you (וְהָא כֹּלָּא אַחְזִיאוּ לָךְ). And this is that which is written (וְדָא הוּא דִּכְתִּיב): What is His Name and what is His son’s Name, if you know? (מַה שְּׁמוֹ וּמַה שֵּׁם בְּנוֹ כִּי תֵדָע). Chokhmah is His Name (חָכְמָה שְׁמוֹ), Tiferet is His son (תִּפְאֶרֶת בְּנוֹ).

It was taught (תַּנְיָא): (Shemot 19) And Moshe ascended to the Elohim (וּמֹשֶׁה עָלָה אֶל הָאֱלֹהִים), fortunate is the portion of Moshe (זַכָּאָה חוּלָקֵיהּ דְּמֹשֶׁה), who merited to this honor (דְּזָכֵי לִיקָרָא דָא), for the Orayta testified on his behalf thus (דְּאוֹרַיְּיתָא אַסְהִיד בְּגִינֵיהּ כַּךְ). It was taught by Rabbi Yehuda (תָּנֵי ר' יְהוּדָה): Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי), what is the difference between Moshe and the rest of the children of the world (מַה בֵּין מֹשֶׁה לִשְׁאַר בְּנֵי עָלְמָא)? The rest of the children of the world-when they ascend, they ascend for wealth, they ascend for greatness, they ascend for Molcho (שְׁאַר בְּנֵי עָלְמָא כַּד סַלְּקִין סַלְּקִין לְעוּתְרָא סַלְּקִין לִרְבוּ סַלְּקִין לְמַלְכוּ), but Moshe-when he ascended, what is written of him? (אֲבָל מֹשֶׁה כַּד סָלִיק מַה כְּתִיב בֵּיהּ), “And Moshe ascended to the Elohim” (וּמֹשֶׁה עָלָה אֶל הָאֱלֹהִים). Fortunate is his portion (זַכָּאָה חוּלָקֵיהּ).

Rabbi Yosi said (ר' יוֹסִי אָמַר): From here our Friends said (מִכָּאן אָמְרוּ חַבְרַיָּא): One who comes to purify-they help him (הַבָּא לִיטָהֵר מְסַיְּעִין אוֹתוֹ), for it is written (דִּכְתִּיב): And Moshe ascended to the Elohim (וּמֹשֶׁה עָלָה אֶל הָאֱלֹהִים). What is written immediately after it? (מַה כְּתִיב בַּתְרֵיהּ): “And Hashem called to him” (וַיִּקְרָא אֵלָיו יְיָ'). For one who desires to draw near-they bring him near (דְּמַאן דְּבָעֵי לְאִתְקָרְבָא מְקָרְבִין לֵיהּ). And Hashem called to him from the mountain, saying, “Thus you shall say to the House of Ya'akov,” etc. (וַיִּקְרָא אֵלָיו יְיָ' מִן הָהָר לֵאמֹר כֹּה תֹאמַר לְבֵית יַעֲקֹב וְגוֹ'). Rabbi Yitzchak opened (ר' יִצְחָק פָּתַח): (Tehillim 65) Happy is the one You choose and draw near; he shall dwell in Your courts (אַשְׁרֵי תִבְחַר וּתְקָרֵב יִשְׁכֹּן חֲצֵרֶיךָ), fortunate is the portion of that man (זַכָּאָה חוּלָקֵיהּ דְּהַהוּא בַּר נָשׁ), whom Kudsha Berikh Hu has favored (דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא אִתְרְעֵי בֵיהּ), and drawn him near (וְקָרִיב לֵיהּ), to dwell in the Holy palace (לְמִשְׁרֵי בְּגוֹ הֵיכָלָא קַדִּישָׁא). For anyone in whom He is pleased for His service (דְּכָל מַאן דְּאִיהוּ אִתְרְעֵי בֵיהּ לְפוּלְחָנֵיהּ), is inscribed among the supernal inscriptions (רָשִׁים הוּא מֵרְשִׁימִין דִּלְעֵילָּא), to know that he was chosen before the King, the supernal Holy One (לְמִנְדַּע דְּהָא הוּא אִתְבָּחַר מִקַּמֵיהּ דְּמַלְכָּא קַדִּישָׁא עִלָּאָה), to dwell in His dwelling places (לְמִשְׁרֵי בִּמְדוֹרוֹי). And whoever possesses that inscription within himself (וְכָל מַאן דְּאִשְׁתְּכַח בֵּיהּ הַהוּא רְשִׁימָא), passes through all the gates above (אַעְבַּר בְּכָל תַּרְעִין דִּלְעֵילָּא), and there is none who can prevent him (וְלֵית דְּיִמְחֵי בִּידוֹי).

Rabbi Yehuda said (ר' יְהוּדָה אָמַר): Fortunate is the portion of Moshe (זַכָּאָה חוּלָקֵיהּ דְּמֹשֶׁה), for concerning him it is written (דְּעָלֵיהּ כְּתִיב): “Happy is the one You choose and bring near” (אַשְׁרֵי תִבְחַר וּתְקָרֵב), and it is written concerning him (וּכְתִיב בֵּיהּ): (Shemot 24) “And Moshe approached the cloud” (וּמֹשֶׁה נִגַּשׁ אֶל הָעֲרָפֶל), and Moshe alone shall draw near to Hashem, but they shall not approach (וְנִגַּשׁ מֹשֶׁה לְבַדּוֹ אֶל יְיָ' וְהֵם לֹא יִגָּשׁוּ). “So shall you say to the House of Ya'akov” (כֹּה תֹאמַר לְבֵית יַעֲקֹב): these are the females (אִלֵּין נוּקְבֵי), “and tell the Children of Yisrael” (וְתַגֵּיד לִבְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל): these are the males (אִלֵּין דּוּכְרִין).

Rabbi Shimon said (ר' שִׁמְעוֹן אָמַר): “So shall you say” (כֹּה תֹאמַר), as you say (כְּמָה דְּאַתְּ אָמֵר): (Bamidbar 6) “So shall you bless” (כֹּה תְּבָרְכוּ). And it is written (וּכְתִיב): (Tehillim 145) “And Your pious ones shall bless You” (וַחֲסִידֶיךָ יְבָרְכוּכָה), that is to say: they shall bless with “Koh” (כְּלוֹמַר יְבָרְכוּ כֹּה). “So shall you say to the House of Ya'akov” (כֹּה תֹאמַר לְבֵית יַעֲקֹב): this is with gentle speech (בַּאֲמִירָה), and this is from the side of judgment (וְהַיְינוּ מִסִּטְרָא דְּדִינָא). “And tell the Children of Yisrael” (וְתַגֵּיד לִבְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל): as you say (כְּמָה דְּאַתְּ אָמֵר), (Devarim 4) “And He told you His covenant” (וַיַּגֵּד לָכֶם אֶת בְּרִיתוֹ). And it is written (וּכְתִיב): (Devarim 26) “I have declared today to Hashem your Elohim” (הִגַּדְתִּי הַיּוֹם לַיְיָ אֱלֹהֶיךָ). “To the Children of Yisrael” (לִבְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל): the male (דּוּכְרִין), who come from the side of mercy (דְּאָתוּ מִסִּטְרָא דְּרַחֲמֵי).

Rabbi Yitzchak said (אָמַר רִבִּי יִצְחָק) Some say: Rabbi Yosi (ס״א: יוֹסִי): Since we have come to this matter (הוֹאִיל וַאֲתֵינָא לְהַאי), what is “I have declared today to Hashem your Elohim” (מַה הוּא הִגַּדְתִּי הַיּוֹם לַיְיָ אֱלֹהֶיךָ)? It should have said: “to Hashem our Elohim” (לַיְיָ אֱלֹהֵינוּ מִבָּעֵי לֵיהּ). Rabbi Shimon said to him (אָמַר לֵיהּ ר' שִׁמְעוֹן): Is it only this verse? (וְכִי הַאי בִּלְחוֹדוֹי הוּא), for behold it is written (וְהָא כְּתִיב): (Devarim 8) “For Hashem your Elohim brings you into a good land” etc. (כִּי יְיָ אֱלֹהֶיךָ מְבִיאֲךָ אֶל אֶרֶץ טוֹבָה וְגוֹ'), (Devarim 7) “Which Hashem your Elohim gives you” (אֲשֶׁר יְיָ אֱלֹהֶיךָ נוֹתֵן לָךְ), (Devarim 4) “For Hashem your Elohim is a consuming fire” (כִּי יְיָ אֱלֹהֶיךָ אֵשׁ אֹכְלָה הוּא), and all of them are like this (וְכֻלְּהוּ הָכִי).

Rather, thus we have learned (אֶלָּא הָכִי תָּנֵינָן): Whoever dwells in the Land of Yisrael is like one who has a God (כָּל הַדָּר בְּאֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל דּוֹמֶה כְּמִי שֶׁיֵּשׁ לוֹ אֱלוֹהַּ), and whoever dwells outside the Land is like one who has no God (וְכָל הַדָּר בְּחוּצָה לָאָרֶץ דּוֹמֶה כְּמִי שֶׁאֵין לוֹ אֱלוֹהַּ). What is the reason? (מַאי טַעֲמָא) Because the holy seed ascends to the holy land (מִשּׁוּם דְּזַרְעָא קַדִּישָׁא לְאַרְעָא קַדִּישָׁא סַלְּקָא), and the Shekhinta dwells in that place (וּשְׁכִינְתָּא בְּאַתְרָה יָתְבָא), and this depends upon that (וְהַאי בְּהַאי תַּלְיָא). And Moshe did not say “your God” (וּמֹשֶׁה לָא קָאָמַר אֱלֹהֶיךָ) except to those who were destined to enter the holy land (אֶלָּא לְאִינוּן דַּהֲווֹ זְמִינִין לְמֵעַל לְאַרְעָא קַדִּישָׁא), and to receive the face of the Shekhinta (וּלְקַבְּלָא אַפֵּי שְׁכִינְתָּא). And that he did not say “our God” (וּמַה דְּלָא אָמַר אֱלֹהֵינוּ), it is because Moshe did not merit to enter the land (מִשּׁוּם דְּהָא מֹשֶׁה לָא זָכָה לְמֵעַל לְאַרְעָא), and for that reason (וּבְגִינִי כַּךְ), your God in truth (אֱלֹהֶיךָ וַדַּאי), in every place (בְּכָל אֲתָר), because they were destined to go up there (מִשּׁוּם דְּאִינוּן הֲווֹ זְמִינִין לְמֵעַל תַּמָּן).

He said to him (אָמַר לֵיהּ): Indeed, so it is (וּדַּאי הָכִי הוּא). But here it is written (אֲבָל הָכָא כְּתִיב): (Devarim 26) “And you shall come to the Kohen who will be in those days and you shall say to him, ‘I declare today to Hashem your God’” (וּבָאתָ אֶל הַכֹּהֵן אֲשֶׁר יִהְיֶה בַּיָּמִים הָהֵם וְאָמַרְתָּ אֵלָיו הִגַּדְתִּי הַיּוֹם לַיְיָ אֱלֹהֶיךָ). But they are dwelling in the Land (וְהָא אִינוּן בְּאַרְעָא שַׁרְיָין) why “your God” and not “our God”? (מַאי טַעֲמָא אֱלֹהֶיךָ וְלֹא אֱלֹהֵינוּ)? Rather, they need to show and declare (אֶלָּא אִינוּן בַּעְיָין לְאַחֲזָאָה וּלְאוֹדָאָה), that because of supernal Chesed (דִּבְגִינֵי דְּחֶסֶד עִלָּאָה), they merited all of this (זָכָאן לְכָל הַאי), and are dwelling in the Land (וְשַׁרְיָין בְּאַרְעָא), and entered that Land (וְעָאֲלָן לְהַהִיא אַרְעָא), and He performed for them all those good things (וְעָבִיד עִמְּהוֹן כָּל אִינוּן טָבָאן).

And for this reason (וּבְגִינֵי כַּךְ), they were to say these words to the Kohen (הֲווֹ אַמְרִי מִלִּין אִלֵּין לַכֹּהֵן) and not to another person (וְלֹא לְבַר נָשׁ אַחֲרָא) as it is written (דִּכְתִּיב): “I have declared today to Hashem your God” (הִגַּדְתִּי הַיּוֹם לַיְיָ אֱלֹהֶיךָ). And so it is indeed (וְהֲכִי הוּא וַדַּאי), for it comes from the side of Chesed (מִשּׁוּם דְּאָתֵי מִסִּטְרָא דְּחֶסֶד).