Daf 198b (דַּף קצ״ח ע״ב)

His hope is upon Hashem his God (שִׂבְרוֹ עַל יְיָ' אֱלֹהָיו). “His hope” — and it does not say “his expectation,” nor “his trust,” but “his hope” (שִׂבְרוֹ, וְלָא אָמַר תִּקְוָתוֹ, וְלָא בִּטְחוֹנוֹ, אֶלָּא שִׂבְרוֹ). Do not read “his hope” (אַל תִּקְרֵי שִׂבְרוֹ), but “his breaking” (אֶלָּא שִׁבְרוֹ) — for it is pleasing to the Righteous to break themselves (דְּנִיחָא לְהוּ לְצַדִּיקַיָּיא לְתַּבְרָא גַּרְמַיְיהוּ), and to be broken piece by piece (וּלְאִתְבְּרָא תְּבִירוּ עַל תְּבִירוּ), and all upon Hashem their God (וְכֹלָּא עַל יְיָ' אֱלֹהָיו). As it is said: “For Your sake we are killed all the day” (כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר כִּי עָלֶיךָ הוֹרַגְנוּ כָל הַיּוֹם), “For Your sake we have borne disgrace” (כִּי עָלֶיךָ נָשָׂאנוּ חֶרְפָּה).

Like Ya'akov, as it is written: “And Ya'akov saw that there was grain in Egypt” (כְּגַוְונָא דְּיַעֲקֹב, דִּכְתִיב וַיַּרְא יַעֲקֹב כִּי יֵשׁ שֶׁבֶר בְּמִצְרָיִם). For the breaking of exile he saw was there in Egypt (דְּהָא תְּבִירוּ דְּגָלוּתָא חָמָא דְּהֲוָה לֵיהּ בְּמִצְרָיִם), and he placed his strength in Kudsha Berikh Hu (וְשַׁוֵּי תּוּקְפֵּיהּ בְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא). And the sons of Ya'akov bore the breaking of exile (וּבְנוֹי דְּיַעֲקֹב סַבְלוּ תְּבִירוּ דְּגָלוּתָא), and did not change from the secret of the Faith of their fathers (וְלָא אִשְׁתָּנּוּ מִגּוֹ רָזָא דִּמְהֵימְנוּתָא דְּאַבָהָתְהוֹן), and the Name of Kudsha Berikh Hu was common in their mouths in exile (וּשְׁמָא דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא הֲוָה בְּגָלוּתָא רְגִילָא בְּפוּמַיְיהוּ).

And for this it is written regarding Moshe: “And they will say to me, ‘What is His Name?’ What shall I say to them?” (וְעַל דָּא כְּתִיב בְּמֹשֶׁה וְאָמְרוּ לִי מַה שְּׁמוֹ מַה). Because they already knew it (בְּגִין דַּהֲווֹ יַדְעֵי לֵיהּ), and they never forgot Him (וְלָא אַנְשׁוּ לֵיהּ לְעָלְמִין), and they bore the breaking of exile for Kudsha Berikh Hu (וְסַבְלוּ תְּבִירוּ דְּגָלוּתָא עַל קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא), and because of this they merited redemption and miracles and many signs (וּבְגִין כַּךְ זָכֵי לְפוּרְקָנִין וּלְנִסִין וּלְאַתְוָּון סַגִּיאִין). And you, holy supernal ones, who bear the breaking of the body from place to place for Kudsha Berikh Hu (וְאַתּוּן קַדִּישִׁין עֶלְיוֹנִין, דְּסָבְלִּין תְּבִירוּ דְּגוּפָא מֵאֲתָר לְאֲתָר עַל קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא), how much more so are you worthy to be granted miracles and redemption, and to merit life in the World to Come (עַל אַחַת כַּמָּה וְכַמָּה דְּזַכָּאִין אַתּוּן לְמֶעְבַּד לְכוּ נִסִּין וּפוּרְקָנִין, וְתִזְכּוּן לְחַיֵּי עָלְמָא דְּאָתֵי). They all walked on together (אָזְלוּ כֻּלְּהוּ כַּחֲדָא). He opened and said, “Take from among you a contribution for Hashem, everyone whose heart is willing shall bring it...” (פָּתַח וְאָמַר קְחוּ מֵאִתְּכֶם תְּרוּמָה לַיְיָ' כֹּל נְדִיב לִבּוֹ יְבִיאֶהָ וְגוֹ').

Come and see: At the moment when a person sets his will toward the service of his Master (תָּא חֲזֵי, בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְּבַר נָשׁ שַׁוֵּי רְעוּתֵיהּ לְגַבֵּי פּוּלְחָנָא דְּמָארֵיהּ), that will first rises upon the heart (הַהוּא רְעוּתָא סָלִיק בְּקַדְמִיתָא עַל לִבָּא), which is the sustainer and foundation of the whole body (דְּאִיהוּ קִיוּמָא וִיסוֹדָא דְּכָל גּוּפָא). Then that good will rises through all the limbs of the body (לְבָתַר סָלִיק הַהוּא רְעוּתָא טָבָא עַל כָּל שַׁיְיפֵי גּוּפָא), and the will of all the limbs and the will of the heart become united as one (וּרְעוּתָא דְּכָל שַׁיְיפֵי גּוּפָא וּרְעוּתָא דְּלִבָּא מִתְחַבְּרָאן כַּחֲדָא), and upon them the radiance of the Shekhinta rests to dwell with them (וְאִינּוּן מַשְׁכִין עָלַיְיהוּ זִיהֲרָא דִּשְׁכִינְתָּא לְדַיְּירָא עִמְּהוֹן), and that person becomes a portion of Kudsha Berikh Hu (וְהַהוּא בַּר נָשׁ אִיהוּ חוּלָקָא דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא הֱוֵי) — this is what is written: “Take from yourselves a contribution” (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב קְחוּ מֵאִתְּכֶם תְּרוּמָה). “From yourselves” — that is the drawing forth (מֵאִתְּכֶם הֲוָה אַמְשְׁכוּתָא), to accept upon yourselves that contribution, to be a portion for Hashem (לְקַבְּלָא עָלַיְיכוּ הַהִיא תְּרוּמָה, לְמֶהֱוֵי חוּלָקָא לַיְיָ').

And if you say that the matter is not in the power of a person (וְאִי תֵּימָא דְּלָאו בִּרְשׁוּתֵיהּ דְּבַּר נָשׁ קַיָּימָא מִלָּה), come and see: what is written? “Every one whose heart makes him willing shall bring it, the offering of Hashem” (תָּא חֲזֵי, מַה כְּתִיב כֹּל נְדִיב לִבּוֹ יְבִיאֶהָ אֵת תְּרוּמַת יְיָ'). “Every one whose heart makes him willing” — indeed (כֹּל נְדִיב לִבּוֹ וַדַּאי), one whose heart is aroused, draws the Shekhinta toward himself (מַאן דְּיִתְרְעֵי לִבֵּיהּ, יַמְשִׁיךְ לָהּ לִשְׁכִינְתָּא לְגַבֵּיהּ). This is what is written: “he shall bring it” (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב יְבִיאֶהָ) — even though She is in a state of elevation above (אַף עַל גַּב דְּאִיהִי בְּאִסְתַּלְּקוּתָא לְעֵילָּא), he shall bring Her from the supernal place to draw Her to dwell with him (יְבִיאֶהָ מֵאֲתָר עִלָּאָה, לְאַמְשָׁכָא לְדַיְּירָא עִמֵּיהּ).

And when She comes to dwell with him (וְכַד תֵּיתֵי לְאַשְׁרָאָה עִמֵּיהּ), how many blessings and how much abundance comes with Her (כַמָה בִּרְכָּאן וְכַמָּה עֻתְרָא תֵּיתֵי עִמֵּהּ). This is what is written: “gold and silver and brass” (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב זָהָב וָכֶסֶף וּנְחֹשֶׁת). Nothing of the wealth of the world will be lacking to him (לָא יֶחְסַר לֵיהּ כָּל עֻתְרָא דְּעָלְמָא). This applies to other people in the world (דָּא לִשְׁאַר בְּנֵי עָלְמָא), but you, supernal holy ones (אֲבָל אַתּוּן קַדִּישִׁין עֶלְיוֹנִין), “take from yourselves a contribution for Hashem” (קְחוּ מֵאִתְּכֶם תְּרוּמָה לַיְיָ').

Rabbi Ḥiyya said: whoever begins to raise, he is the one who elevates (אָמַר רִבִּי חִיָּיא, מַאן דְּשָׁרֵי לְאָרָמָא, הוּא יָרִים). Rabbi Abba opened and said: “And Hashem spoke to the fish” (פָּתַח רִבִּי אַבָּא וְאָמַר וַיֹּאמֶר יְיָ' לַדָּג וְגוֹ'). And where did He speak to it? (וְכִי בְּאָן אֲתָר אָמַר לֵיהּ). Rather, at the time that Kudsha Berikh Hu created the world in the work of Bereshit (אֶלָּא בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְּבָרָא קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא עָלְמָא בְּעוֹבָדָא דִּבְרֵאשִׁית), on the fifth day He created the fish of the sea (בְּיוֹמָא חֲמִישָׁאָה בָּרָא נוּנֵי יַמָּא).

Then He appointed and said (כְּדֵין פָּקִיד וְאָמַר), that one specific fish shall be prepared to swallow Yonah (דִּיְּהֵא זַמִין חַד נוּנָא לְמִבְלַע לְיוֹנָה), and it shall hold him in its belly three days and three nights (וִיֵּהֵא בְּמֵעוֹי תְּלָתָא יוֹמִין וּתְלַת לֵילָוָון), and afterwards it shall vomit him out (וּלְבָתַר דְּיִּרְמֵי לֵיהּ לְבַר). And not this alone (וְלָא דָּא בִּלְחוֹדוֹי), but everything that Kudsha Berikh Hu made in the act of Bereshit (אֶלָּא כָּל מַה דְּעַבַד קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא בְּעוֹבָדָא דִּבְרֵאשִׁית), He made a condition with it (בְּכֹלָּא אַתְנֵי עִמֵּיהּ). On the first day He created the heavens (בְּיוֹמָא קַדְמָאָה בָּרָא שְׁמַיָא), He made a condition with them that Eliyahu would ascend to heaven in a storm (אַתְנֵי עִמְּהוֹן דִּיְסַלִיק לְאֵלִיָּהוּ הַשָּׁמַיְמָה בְּגוֹ סְעָרָה), and so it was, as it is written (וְכֵן הֲוָה, דִּכְתִּיב): "And Eliyahu went up by a storm into the heavens" (2 Kings 2) (וַיַּעַל אֵלִיָּהוּ בַּסֳּעָרָה הַשָּׁמָיִם).

On that day He created light (בְּהַהוּא יוֹמָא בָּרָא נְהוֹרָא), and He made a condition with it that it would darken for the sun in Egypt for three days (וְאַתְנִי עִמֵּיהּ דְּיַחְשִׁיךְ לְשִׁמְּשָׁא בְּמִצְרַיִם תְּלָתָא יוֹמִין), as it is written (דִּכְתִּיב): "And there was darkness over all the land of Egypt for three days" (Exodus 10) (וַיְהִי חֹשֶׁךְ אֲפֵלָה בְּכָל אֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם שְׁלשֶׁת יָמִים).

On the second day He created the firmament (בְּיוֹמָא תִּנְיָינָא בָּרָא רְקִיעָא), to separate between waters and waters (דִּיהֵא מַפְרִישׁ בֵּין מַיָּא לְמַיָּא), as it is written (כְּדִכְתִיב): "And God said, Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide between the waters" (Bereshit 1) (וַיֹּאמֶר אֱלֹהִים יְהִי רָקִיעַ בְּתוֹךְ הַמָּיִם וַיְהִי מַבְדִּיל בֵּין מַיִם לָמָיִם). And Kudsha Berikh Hu made a condition with them (וְאַתְנִי עִמְּהוֹן קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא), that the waters would separate Yisrael between impurity and purity (דְּמַיָּא יְהוֹן מַפְרִישִׁין לְיִשְׂרָאֵל בֵּין טוּמְאָה לְטָהֳרָה), to purify through them (לְאִתְדַכְּאָה בְּהוּ), and so it was (וְכַךְ הֲוָה).

On the third day the earth emerged from the water (בְּיוֹמָא תְּלִיתָאָה אַפִּיק אַרְעָא מִגּוֹ מַיָּא), and gathered the waters (וְאַכְנִּישׁ לְמַיָּא), and from that gathering that was gathered to one place He made the sea (וַעֲבַד מֵהַהוּא כְּנִישׁוּ דְּאִתְכְּנָשׁוּ לְאֲתָר חַד, יַמָּא). And He made a condition with the sea to let Yisrael pass through it on dry land (וְאַתְנֵי בְּיַמָּא לְמֶעְבַּר לְיִשְׂרָאֵל בְּגַוֵּיהּ בְּיַבֶּשְׁתָּא), and to drown the Egyptians (וּלְמִטְבַּע לְמִצְרָאֵי), and so it was (וְכַךְ הֲוָה), as it is written (דִּכְתִּיב): "And the sea returned to its strength at the turning of the morning" (Exodus 14) (וַיָּשָׁב הַיָּם לִפְנוֹת בֹּקֶר לְאֵיתָנוֹ). Do not read: "to its strength" (אַל תִּקְרֵי לְאֵיתָנוֹ), but rather "to its condition" (אֶלָּא לִתְנָאוֹ), to what Kudsha Berikh Hu had made a condition with it in the act of Bereshit (לְמַּה דְּאַתְנִי עִמֵּיהּ קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, בְּעוֹבָדָא דִּבְרֵאשִׁית). Furthermore, He made a condition with the earth (תּוּ אַתְנֵי בְּאַרְעָא), that it would open its mouth in the rebellion of Korach (דְּתִפְתַּח יַת פּוּמָהָא בְּמַחְלְקוֹתָא דְּקֹרַח), and would swallow Korach and all his assembly (וְתִבְלַע לְקֹרַח וּלְכָל כְּנִישָׁתֵיהּ), and so it was (וְכַךְ הֲוָה), as it is written (דִּכְתִּיב): "And the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them and Korach" (Numbers 16) (וַתִּפְתַּח הָאָרֶץ אֶת פִיהָ וְתִבְלַע אוֹתָם וְאֶת קֹרַח).