Daf 12b (דַּף י״ב ע״ב)

It is written: “Dominion and fear are with Him; He makes peace in His heights” (Job 25) (כְּתִיב: הַמְשֵׁל וָפַחַד עִמּוֹ עוֹשֶׂה שָׁלוֹם בִּמְרוֹמָיו). This verse the Friends have already established (הַאי קְרָא אוּקְמוּהָ חַבְרַיָּיא). But “ha-moshel” (dominion) — this is Avraham (אֲבָל הַמְשֵׁל, דָּא אַבְרָהָם), as it is written concerning him: “A prince of God are you among us” (Bereshit 23) (דִּכְתִּיב בֵּיהּ: נְשִׂיא אֱלֹהִים אַתָּה בְּתוֹכֵנוּ), and it is written: “And I will bless you and make your name great” (Bereshit 12) (וּכְתִיב: וַאֲבָרֶכְךָ וַאֲגַדְּלָה שְׁמֶךָ). “Vafachad” (and fear) — this is Yitzchak (וָפַחַד, דָּא יִצְחָק), as it is written: “The Fear of Yitzchak was with me” (Bereshit 31) (דִּכְתִּיב: וּפַחַד יִצְחָק הָיָה לִי). “He makes peace in His heights” — this is Yaakov (עוֹשֶׂה שָׁלוֹם בִּמְרוֹמָיו, דָּא יַעֲקֹב), as it is written: “You will give truth to Yaakov” (Micah 7) (דִּכְתִּיב: תִּתֵּן אֱמֶת לְיַעֲקֹב), and it is written: “Truth and peace you shall love” (Zechariah 8) (וּכְתִיב: וְהָאֱמֶת וְהַשָׁלוֹם אֱהָבוּ).

For truth and peace are bound together (דֶּאֱמֶת וְשָׁלוֹם קָשִׁיר דָּא בְּדָא), and because of this, it is the perfection of all (וְעַל דָּא הוּא שְׁלֵימוּתָא דְּכֹלָּא). And peace-offerings are wholeness, and peace of all (וּשְׁלָמִים שְׁלֵימוּתָא הוּא, וּשְׁלָמָא דְּכֹלָּא). And whoever offers peace-offerings increases peace in the world (וּמַאן דְּאַקְרִיב שְׁלָמִים אַסְגֵּי שְׁלָמָא בְּעָלְמָא). Yaakov is he who makes peace, as we have said (יַעֲקֹב אִיהוּ עָבִיד שָׁלוֹם, כְּמָה דְּאַמָרָן), because he grasps this side and that side (בְּגִין דְּאָחִיד לְהַאי וּלְהַאי). And peace-offerings grasp both positive commandments and negative commandments (וּשְׁלָמִים אֲחִידָן בְּמִצְוֹת עֲשֵׂה, וּבְמִצְוֹת לֹא תַּעֲשֶׂה), this side and that side (בְּהַאי סִטְרָא, וּבְהַאי סִטְרָא). And because of this, they are called peace-offerings (וְעַל דָּא אִקְרֵי שְׁלָמִים). The secret of the matter: it is written, “And Yaakov was a simple man” (Bereshit 25) (וְרָזָא דְּמִלָּה, דִּכְתִּיב: וְיַעֲקֹב אִישׁ תָּם), meaning a man complete — complete above and complete below (גְּבַר שְׁלִים. שְׁלִים לְעֵילָּא, וּשְׁלִים לְתַתָּא).

Another matter: “ha-moshel” (dominion) — this is Michael (דָּבָר אַחֵר: הַמְשֵׁל דָּא מִיכָאֵל). “Vafachad”(and fear) — this is Gabriel (וָפַחַד דָּא גַּבְרִיאֵל). This one’s foundation is from water, and this one’s foundation is from fire (דָּא יְסוֹדָא דִּילֵיהּ מִמַּיָּא, וְדָא יְסוֹדָא דִּילֵיהּ מֵאֶשָּׁא). And Kudsha Berikh Hu makes peace between them, as it is written: “He makes peace in His heights” (Job 25) (וְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא עָבִיד שָׁלוֹם בֵּינַיְיהוּ, דִּכְתִיב: עוֹשֶׂה שָׁלוֹם בִּמְרוֹמָיו).

Rabbi Acha said (רִבִּי אֲחָא אָמַר): It is written: “If he offers it for a thanksgiving, then he shall offer with the sacrifice of thanksgiving…” (Leviticus 7) (כְּתִיב: אִם עַל תּוֹדָה יַקְרִיבֶנּוּ וְהִקְרִיב עַל זֶבַח הַתּוֹדָה וְגוֹ׳). What does this mean? (מַאי קָא מַיְירֵי). As it is said: “And he shall confess that he has sinned upon it” (Leviticus 5) (כְּמָה דְּאַתְּ אָמֵר: וְהִתְודָּה אֲשֶׁר חָטָא עָלֶיהָ) — upon it, precisely (עָלֶיהָ דַּיְיקָא). And because of this: loaves of unleavened bread, etc. (וְעַל דָּא חַלַּת מַצּוֹת וְגוֹ׳). And “loaves of unleavened bread” — this we have already established (וְחַלֹּת מַצּוֹת, הָא אוּקְמוּהָ). And why does it come? (וְעַל מַה אַתְיָא). Matzot and chalot are written defectively (מַצֹּת וְחַלֹּת כְּתִיב חָסֵר), because sin rests upon it (בְּגִין דְּחָטָא עָלֶיהָ).

Rabbi Ḥiyya taught (תָּאנֵי רִבִּי חִיָּיא): It is written, “On the sacrifice of his thanksgiving peace-offering” (Leviticus 7) (כְּתִיב עַל זֶבַח תּוֹדַת שְׁלָמָיו), this is the wholeness of all (דָּא שְׁלִימוּ דְּכֹלָּא). “His peace-offering” — two (שְׁלָמָיו: תְּרֵי). Thanksgiving is known (תּוֹדָה, אִתְיְידַע). Rabbi Yehudah said to him (אָמַר לֵיהּ רִבִּי יְהוּדָה): Thanksgiving is known, but what are the two of “his peace-offering”? (תּוֹדָה יְדִיעַ, שְׁלָמָיו מַהוּ תְּרֵי). He said to him: Two Vavs (אָמַר לֵיהּ, תְּרֵין וָוִין), the Vav — that is “his peace-offering,” the peace of all (וָ״ו דְּהַיְינוּ שְׁלָמָיו, שְׁלָמָא דְּכֹלָּא).

Rabbi Yitzḥak said (אָמַר רִבִּי יִצְחָק): “His thanksgiving peace offering” — that peace is cast into all (תּוֹדַת שְׁלָמָיו, דְּאָטִיל שְׁלָמָא בְּכֹלָּא), and mercy is aroused in all worlds (וְאִתְּעַר רַחֲמֵי בְּכֻלְּהוּ עָלְמִין). “His thanksgiving peace-offering” — Rabbi Yose said (תּוֹדַת שְׁלָמָיו, רִבִּי יוֹסֵי אָמַר): What Rabbi Ḥiyya said is good (הָא דְּאָמַר רִבִּי חִיָּיא שַׁפִּיר), for Knesset Yisrael is blessed from those two, who are the peace of all (דְּכְּנֶסֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל אִתְבָּרְכָא מֵאִינּוּן תְּרֵי, דְּאִינּוּן שְׁלָמָא דְּכֹלָּא). Rabbi Yose said (רִבִּי יוֹסֵי אָמַר): The leavened bread — this is known (לֶחֶם חָמֵץ הָא יְדִיעַ), and it has been said that just as the sin was, so too the offering must be brought in that same likeness (וְהָא אִתְּמַר כְּמָה דְּהֲוָה חַטָּאָה, כַּךְ הֲוָה מְקָרֵב בְּהַהוּא גְּוָנָא מַמָּשׁ).

Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי): “Cakes of unleavened bread” is written defectively (חַלֹּת מַצּוֹת חָסֵר), as it is said: “Mixed with oil, and wafers of unleavened bread anointed with oil” (Leviticus 7) (כְּמָה דְּאִתְּמַר: בְּלוּלוֹת בַּשֶּׁמֶן וּרְקִיקֵי מַצּוֹת מְשׁוּחִים בַּשָּׁמֶן). To what does this hint? (לְמַאי קָא רְמִיזָא).

Rabbi Shimon said (אָמַר רִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן): These are “the flaming sword that turns every way” (Bereshit 3) (הָנֵי אִינּוּן: לַהַט הַחֶרֶב הַמִּתְהַפֶּכֶת וְגוֹ׳), because they were all appointed over the paths of men (בְּגִין דְּכֻלְּהוּ אִתְמָנָן עַל אָרְחַיְיהוּ דִּבְנֵי נָשָׁא), over those who transgress the commandments of the Orayta (עַל אִינּוּן דְּעַבְרִין עַל פִּקּוּדֵי אוֹרַיְיתָא). And because of this, all is “fine flour mixed with oil” (וְעַל דָּא כֹּלָּא סֹלֶת בְּלוּלָה בַשֶּׁמֶן), to draw down the anointing of greatness from the supernal place to below (לְאַמְשָׁכָא מְשַׁח רְבוּת מֵאֲתַר עִלָּאָה לְתַתָּא), and all are blessed together from that anointing of supernal holiness (וְיִתְבָּרְכוּן כֻּלְּהוּ כַּחֲדָא, מֵהַהוּא מְשַׁח רְבוּת קוּדְשָׁא).

And this is wine for the libation (ודָא הוּא יַיִן לַנְּסֶךְ), and we have already established: a quarter of a hin (Numbers 28) (וְהָא אוֹקִימְנָא רְבִיעִית הַהִין). And one place [Some say: hanging] is filled with wine and oil and water for libation (וַאֲתַר חַד [ס״א תְּלִי] מָלֵּי יַיִן וְשֶׁמֶן וּמַיִם לְנִסּוּךְ). And we have already established these matters: water is for watering the garden and all those plants (וְהָא אוֹקִימְנָא מִלֵּי: מַיִם לְאַשְׁקָאָה גִּנְתָּא, וְכָל אִינּוּן נְטִיעָן). And because of this, there are waters and waters (וְעַל דָּא, אִית מַיִם וְאִית מַיִם). Wine — there is a place where it is good, and there is a place where it is for punishment, which is judgment (יַיִן: אִית אֲתַר דְּאִיהוּ טוֹב, וְאִית אֲתַר דְּאִיהוּ לְאַעְנְשָׁא דְּאִיהוּ דִּינָא). Therefore, one who sees wine in his dream — for some it is good, and for some it is judgment (עַל דָּא, מַאן דְּחָמֵי יַיִן בְּחֶלְמֵיהּ, אִית לְמַאן דְּאִיהוּ טַב, וְאִית לְמַאן דְּאִיהוּ דִּינָא).

If he is a Torah scholar, it is written: “And wine gladdens the heart of man” (Psalms 104) (אִי תַּלְמִיד חָכָם הוּא, כְּתִיב: וְיַיִן יְשַׂמַּח לֵבָב אֱנוֹשׁ). And it is written: “For your love is better than wine” (Song of Songs 1) (וּכְתִיב: כִּי טוֹבִים דּוֹדֶיךָ מִיָּיִן). And this is the wine preserved, that rejoices all (וְדָא הוּא יַיִן דְּמִנְטְרֵי, דְּחַדֵּי לְכֹלָּא). And if not, it is written: “Give strong drink to him that is ready to perish, and wine to those bitter of soul” (Proverbs 31) (וְאִי לָא, תְּנוּ שֵׁכָר לְאוֹבֵד וְיַיִן לְמָרֵי נָפֶשׁ). There is another wine, which is judgment (אִית יַיִן אָחֳרָא דְּאִיהוּ דִּינָא).

And because of this, it is fitting that these matters be offered with his Korban (וְעַל דָּא, יֵאוֹת לְקָרְבָא אִלֵּין מִלִּין בְּקָרְבָּנֵיהּ), in order that judgment be removed and mercy be aroused (בְּגִין דְּיִתְעַבָּר דִּינָא, וְיִתְּעַר רַחֲמֵי). Remove wine, and bring wine; so too in all things (אַעְבָּר יַיִן, וְאַיְיתֵי יַיִן, וְכֵן בְּכֹלָּא). But oil is never set aside from the Korban forever (וְשֶׁמֶן לָא אַעְדֵּי מִקָרְבָּנֵיה לְעָלְמִין), except from the Minḥat Kenaot (בַּר מִמִּנְחַת קְנָאוֹת), as it is written: “He shall pour no oil upon it…” (Numbers 5) (דִּכְתִּיב: לֹא יִצּוֹק עָלָיו שֶׁמֶן וְגוֹ׳). For here mercy is not needed (דְּהָא הָכָא לָא בַּעְיָא רַחֲמֵי), for it is entirely judgment (דְּהָא כֹּלָּא דִּינָא), as it is written: “Her belly shall swell, and her thigh shall fall” (Numbers 5) (דִּכְתִּיב: וְצָבְתָה בִטְנָהּ וְנָפְלָה יְרֵכָהּ). And it is written: “And Hashem shall make [her]…” (Numbers 5) (וּכְתִיב: יִתֵּן ייָ׳ וְגוֹ׳). And because of this it is written: “And this is the law of the sacrifice of the peace-offerings: if he offer it for thanksgiving…” (Leviticus 7) (וְעַל דָּא: וְזֹאת תּוֹרַת זֶבַח הַשְּׁלָמִים אִם עַל תּוֹדָה יַקְרִיבֶנּוּ).