Daf 39b (דַּף ל״ט ע״ב)

He said: I have heard that one who engages in Orayta (אָמַר, אֲנָא שְׁמַעְנָא, דְּמַאן דְּאִשְׁתָּדַּל בְּאוֹרַיְיתָא), and cleaves to her (וְדָבִיק בָּה), and that word of Orayta is heard from his mouth (וְהַהִיא מִלָּה דְּאוֹרַיְיתָא אִשְׁתְּמַע בְּפוּמֵיהּ), and he does not whisper it in a whisper (וְלָא לָחִישׁ לָהּ בִּלְחִישׁוּ), but rather raises his voice in it (אֶלָּא אָרִים קָלֵיהּ בָּה)—for Orayta must be proclaimed aloud (דְּאוֹרַיְיתָא הָכִי בַּעְיָא לְאַרְמָא קָלָא), as it is written: She calls at the head of the noisy places (דִּכְתִּיב: בְּרֹאשׁ הוֹמִיּוֹת תִּקְרָא) (Proverbs 1)—to proclaim the song of Orayta, and not in whisper (לְאָרָמָא רִנָּה דְּאוֹרַיְיתָא, וְלָא בִּלְחִישׁוּ).

Like the good wine (כְּיֵין הַטּוֹב)—like good wine that is never silent (כַּחֲמַר טָב דְּלָא שָׁתִיק), and is destined to raise voice when one departs this world (וְהוּא עָתִיד לְאָרָמָא קָלָא, כַּד יִפּוּק מֵהַאי עָלְמָא). Going to my beloved uprightly (הוֹלֵךְ לְדוֹדִי לְמֵישָׁרִים)—not deviating to the right or the left (דְּלָא יִסְטֵי לִימִינָא וְלִשְׂמָאלָא), without being hindered by anything in his hand (לָא יִשְׁתְּכַּח דְּיִמְחֵי בִּידוֹי). He speaks with the lips of those who sleep (דּוֹבֵב שִׂפְתֵי יְשֵׁנִים)—even in that world, his lips whisper Orayta (אֲפִילּוּ בְּהַהוּא עָלְמָא, שִׁפְוָותֵיהּ מְרַחְשָׁן אוֹרַיְיתָא).

Furthermore I have heard: And your palate is like the good wine (תּוּ שְׁמַעְנָא: וְחִכֵּךְ כְּיֵין הַטּוֹב)—this verse was said about Knesset Yisrael (הַאי קְרָא לִכְנֶסֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל אִתְּמַר), and it was said in the context of praise (וּבְתוּשְׁבַּחְתָּא אִתְּמַר). If so, who is praising her in this? (אִי הָכִי, מַאן הוּא דִּמְשַׁבַּח לָהּ בְּהַאי). If it is Kudsha Berikh Hu, what is “going to my beloved”?—it should have said “coming to me” (אִי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, מַהוּ: הוֹלֵךְ לְדוֹדִי הוֹלֵךְ אֵלַי מִבָּעֵי לֵיהּ).

Rather, indeed, it is Kudsha Berikh Hu who praises her, Knesset Yisrael (אֶלָּא וַדַּאי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא קָא מְשַׁבַּח לָהּ לִכְנֶסֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל), just as she praises Him, as it is written: His palate is sweet (כְּמָה דְּהִיא קָא מְשָׁבַּחַת לֵיהּ, דִּכְתִּיב: חִכּוֹ מַמְתַּקִּים) (Song of Songs 5). So too Kudsha Berikh Hu praises Knesset Yisrael (כַּךְ קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא מְשַׁבַּח לֵהּ לִכְנֶסֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל). As it is written: And your palate is like the good wine (וְחִכֵּךְ כְּיֵין הַטּוֹב). The good wine—this is the wine that is guarded (יֵין הַטּוֹב: דְּהוּא חַמְרָא דְּמִנְטְרָא). Going to my beloved—this is Yitzchak, who is called beloved from the womb (הוֹלֵךְ לְדוֹדִי: דָּא יִצְחָק, דְּאִקְרֵי יְדִיד מִבֶּטֶן). Uprightly—as it is said: You have established uprightness (לְמֵישָׁרִים: כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר: אַתָּה כּוֹנַנְתָּ מֵישָׁרִים) (Psalms 99)—to include the left within the right (לְאִתְכַּלְּלָא שְׂמָאלָא בִּימִינָא). And this is uprightly: that through the joy of that good wine (וְדָא הוּא מֵישָׁרִים, דִּבְגִין חֶדְוָותָא דְּהַהוּא חֲמָר טַב), the left is included in the right, and all becomes one (אִתְכְּלִיל שְׂמָאלָא בִּימִינָא, וְחַדָּאן כֹּלָּא).

He speaks with the lips of those who sleep (דּוֹבֵב שִׂפְתֵי יְשֵׁנִים): for everything is aroused through joy and blessing (דְּהָא כֹּלָּא מִתְעֲרֵי בְּחֶדְוָואן וּבִרְכָּאן), and all the worlds are found in joy (וְעָלְמִין כֻּלְּהוּ מִשְׁתַּכְּחֵי בְּחֵדוּ), and blessing is aroused toward the earth below (וּמִתְעָרֵי לְאַרְקָא בִּרְכָאן לְתַתָּא).

Rabbi Yehudah and Rabbi Yitzḥak came and kissed his head, and rejoiced with him (אָתוּ רִבִּי יְהוּדָה וְרִבִּי יִצְחָק וְנַשְּׁקוּ לֵיהּ רֵישֵׁיהּ, וְחַדּוּ עִמֵּיהּ), and they said to him: What is your name? (אָמְרוּ לֵיהּ מַה שְׁמָךְ). He said to them: Yissa (אָמַר לְּהוֹ יֵיסָא). They said: Rabbi Yissa you shall be (אָמְרוּ רִבִּי יֵיסָא תְּהֵא); may there be none more found in the world than Rabbi Yissa our companion, who has departed from among us (יַתִּיר תְּהֵא שְׁכִיחַ בְּעָלְמָא מֵרַבִּי יֵיסָא חַבְרָנָא, דְּאִסְתַּלָּק מִבֵּינָנָא). They said to him: And who is your father? (אָמְרוּ לֵיהּ וּמַאן אָבוּךְ). He said to them: He has passed from this world (אָמַר לְּהוֹ, אַפְטַר מֵעָלְמָא), and every day he taught me three matters of Orayta, and at night three matters of wisdom from Aggadata (וַהֲוָה אוֹלִיף לִי כָּל יוֹמָא ג' מִלִּין דְּאוֹרַיְיתָא, וּבְלֵילְיָא ג' מִילִּין דְּחָכְמְתָא דְּאַגַּדְתָּא). And these words I learned from my father (וְהָנֵי מִילֵי אוֹלִיפְנָא מֵאַבָּא), and now they dwell in one person, and from Orayta they rise to me (וְהַשְׁתָּא דִּיוּרִי בְּחַד בַּר נָשׁ, וְסָלִיק לִי מֵאוֹרַיְיתָא). And every day I go to my work, and each day I review those words that I learned from my father (וַאֲנָא אָזִיל כָּל יוֹמָא לַעֲבִידְתָּא, וּבְכָל יוֹמָא אַהֲדַרְנָא אִינּוּן מִלִּין דְּאוֹלִיפְנָא מֵאַבָּא).

They said to him: And did that man know Orayta? (אָמְרוּ לֵיהּ: הַהוּא בַּר נָשׁ יָדַע בְּאוֹרַיְיתָא). He said to them: No (אָמַר לוֹן: לָאו). He was an old man, and did not know to bless Kudsha Berikh Hu (סָבָא הוּא, וְלָא יָדַע לְבָרְכָא לֵיהּ לְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא), and he has sons but did not place them in the beit midrash (וְאִית לֵיהּ בְּנִין, וְלָא שַׁוִּי לוֹן בְּבֵי רַב). Rabbi Yehudah said (Some say: if not for this) if it were not so, I would have gone to that village to praise you (אָמַר רִבִּי יְהוּדָה — נ״א: אִי לָא הֲוָה הָכִי — הֲוָה אֲעִילְנָא לְגַבֵּי הַאי כְּפַר לְמַלְּלָא עֲלָךְ), but now it is forbidden for us to look upon his face (הַשְׁתָּא אָסִיר לָן לְמֵחֱזֵי אַנְפּוֹי). Pour out the wine from you, and you come with us (שְׁדֵי חֲמָרָא מִנָךְ, וְאַתְּ זִיל לְגַבָּן). They said to him: Who is your father? (אָמְרוּ לֵיהּ: מַאן הוּא אָבוּךְ). He said: Rabbi Ze‘ira from Kefar Ramin (אָמַר: רִבִּי זְעֵירָא דִּכְפַר רָאמִין).

Rabbi Yehudah heard and wept (שָׁמַע רִבִּי יְהוּדָה וּבָכָה), and he said: I used to be in his house, and I learned from him three matters regarding the kos shel berakhah (אָמַר: אֲנָא הֲוִינָא בְּבֵיתֵיהּ, וְאוֹלִיפְנָא מִנֵּיהּ ג' מִלִּין בְּכַסָּא דִּבְרָכָה), and I learned from him two matters in Ma‘aseh Bereshit (וְאוֹלִיפְנָא מִנֵּיהּ בְּמַעֲשֵׂה בְּרֵאשִׁית תְּרֵי).

Rabbi Yitzḥak said: And if from this youth, his son, I have learned—how much more so from him (אָמַר רִבִּי יִצְחָק: וּמַה מֵהַאי רַבְיָא בְּרֵיהּ אוֹלִיפְנָא, מִנֵּיהּ לָא כָּל שֶׁכֵּן). They went and took him by the hand (אַזְלוּ וְאָחִידוּ בִּידֵיהּ), and they saw a certain field and sat there (חָמוּ חַד חֲקַל וְיָתְבוּ תַּמָּן). They said to him: Say one word from those your father taught you in Ma‘aseh Bereshit (אָמְרוּ לֵיהּ: אֵימָא חַד מִלָּה, מֵאִינּוּן דְּאוֹלִיף לָךְ אָבוּךְ בְּמַעֲשֵׂה בְּרֵאשִׁית).

He opened and said: And Elohim created the great dragons, etc. (פָּתַח וְאָמַר: וַיִבְרָא אֱלֹהִים אֶת הַתַּנִּינִים הַגְּדוֹלִים וְגוֹ') (Bereshit 1). And Elohim created—in every place of judgment, He is called “Elohim” (וַיִבְרָא אֱלֹהִים, כָּל אֲתַר דְּדִינָא אֱלֹהִים אִקְרֵי). And that supernal place from which they emerge, thus He is called here (וְהַהוּא אֲתַר עִלָּאָה אֲתַר דְּנָפְקוּ מִנֵּיהּ, הָכִי קָרֵי לֵיהּ הָכָא). And even though it is Mercy, from it judgments emerge, and in it they are suspended (וְאַף עַל גַּב דְּרַחֲמֵי הוּא, מִנֵיהּ נָפְקוּ דִּינִין, וּבֵיהּ תַּלְיָין).

The Great Dragons (Ha-Tanninim Ha-Gedolim) these are the Patriarchs (אֶת הַתַּנִּינִים הַגְּדוֹלִים, אִלֵּין אֲבָהָן), who are nourished first and are rooted above all (דְּאִינּוּן מִתְשַׁקְיָין בְּקַדְמִיתָא, וּמִשְׁתָּרְשִׁין עַל כֹּלָּא). And every living soul that creeps—and every living soul—this is Nefesh (וְאֵת כָּל נֶפֶשׁ הַחַיָּה הָרוֹמֶשֶׂת, וְאֵת כָּל נֶפֶשׁ הַחַיָּה, דָּא נֶפֶשׁ), which the supernal earth brought forth from that supernal Chayah above all (דְּהַהִיא אֶרֶץ עִלָּאָה אַפִּיקַת מֵהַהִיא חַיָּה עִלָּאָה עַל כֹּלָּא), as it is written: Let the earth bring forth a living soul (דִּכְתִּיב: תּוֹצֵא הָאָרֶץ נֶפֶשׁ חַיָּה) (Bereshit 1). And this is the Nefesh of Adam Kadma’ah (וְדָא אִיהִי נֶפֶשׁ דְּאָדָם קַדְמָאָה), who draws it into himself (דְּמָשִׁיךְ בְּגַוִיהּ). That creeps—this is the Chayah that moves throughout all mountains—Some say: directions—above and below (הָרוֹמֶשֶׂת: דָּא הִיא חַיָּה דְּרַחֲשָׁא בְּכָל טוּרִין (ס״א: סְטְרִין לְעֵילָּא וְתַתָּא). Which the waters swarmed—this is that supernal river that flows and emerges from Eden (אֲשֶׁר שָׁרְצוּ הַמַּיִם: דְּהַהוּא נָהָר עִלָּאָה נָגִיד וְנָפִיק מֵעֵדֶן), and waters this tree (וְאַשְׁקֵי לְהַאי אִילָנָא), to be rooted in its roots above all (לְאִשְׁתָּרְשָׁא בְּשָׁרְשׁוֹי עַל כֹּלָּא), and that nourishment be found in it for all (וּלְאִשְׁתַּכְּחָא בֵּיהּ מְזוֹנָא לְכֹלָּא).

Another matter: the living creature that creeps—this is King David (דָּבָר אַחֵר: הַחַיָּה הָרוֹמֶשֶׂת, דָּא הוּא דָּוִד מַלְכָּא), as it is written of him: I shall not die but live, etc. (דִּכְתִּיב בֵּיהּ: לֹא אָמוּת כִּי אֶחְיֶה וְגוֹ') (Psalms 118). And every winged fowl according to its kind—these are all the holy angels (וְאֵת כָּל עוֹף כָּנָף לְמִינֵהוּ, אִלֵּין כָּל אִינּוּן מַלְאֲכִין קַדִּישִׁין), who are found to sanctify the Name of their Master each and every day (דְּמִשְׁתַּכְּחֵי לְקַדְּשָׁא שְׁמָא דְּמָארֵיהוֹן בְּכָל יוֹמָא וְיוֹמָא), as it is written of them: Six wings, six wings to each (דִּכְתִּיב בְּהוּ: שֵׁשׁ כְּנָפַיִם שֵׁשׁ כְּנָפַיִם לְאֶחָד) (Isaiah 6). And from them they fly in the world to fulfill the will of their Master, each according to its appointed role (וּמִנְּהוֹן טָאסִין בְּעָלְמָא לְמֶעְבַּד רְעוּתָא דְּמָארֵיהוֹן, כָּל חַד וְחַד כַּדְקָא חֲזֵי).

Rabbi Yehudah said (אָמַר רִבִּי יְהוּדָה): certainly, so much was not revealed to this child (וַדַּאי כָּל כַּךְ לְהַאי רַבְיָא לָא אִתְחֲזֵי), but I see in him that he is destined to ascend to a supernal place (אֲבָל אֲנָא חָמֵי בֵּיהּ דְּלַאֲתַר עִלָּאָה יִסְתְּלַק).