Vayechi: Chapter 16

Two camels

Synopsis

Rabbi Yosi starts by saying that the springs of wisdom were stopped when Rabbi Shimon died. He then explains how Rabbi Yehuda failed to fulfill the words of the verse when he came upon bundles of woolen clothes, which had fallen off two camels and were being attacked by birds. A man walks by and points out his failure to drive the birds away. Rabbi Yosi then explains Rabbi Yehuda's subsequent dream, and that when he woke up, he knew Rabbi Shimon's death caused wisdom to depart from the earth. Rabbi Aba then reveals that manna is the secret of the Torah, but they are "to be kept," which means hidden.

Relevance

When a great soul departs this physical existence, the full measure of spiritual Light revealed though his lifelong deeds, is awakened each year on the day of his passing. Rabbi Shimon's deeds included the revelation of the Zohar, the mystical secrets of the Torah, and the soul of the universe. Thus, the brightest of all Lights shines forth in this passage at the mention of Rabbi Shimon's leaving this world. This Light helps to strengthen our connection to the Zohar, Rabbi Shimon, and the hidden Light of the Torah.

Caves Heaven Mount Sinai Windows Wisdom

120. We learned that Rabbi Yosi said, Since Rabbi Shimon left the cave, nothing was concealed from the friends. They would behold supernal mysteries, which were revealed to them, as if they were given on Mount Sinai at that hour. After RABBI SHIMON died, it is written, "The fountains also of the deep and the windows of heaven were stopped" (Beresheet 8:2). TO WIT, THE SPRINGS OF WISDOM WERE STOPPED. The friends contemplated these matters but did not understand their secrets.

120. תָּנָא אֲמַר ר' יוֹסֵי, מִן יוֹמָא דְּאִסְתַּלֵּיק ר"ש מִן מְעַרְתָּא, מִלִּין לָא אִתְכַּסְיָין מִן חַבְרַיָא, וְרָזִין עִלָּאִין הֲווֹ מִסְתַּכְּלָן, וְאִתְגַּלְּיָין מִבֵּינַיְיהוּ, כְּאִלּוּ אִתְיְיהִיבוּ הַהִיא שַׁעְתָּא בְּטוּרָא דְסִינַי, בָּתַר דְּשָׁכֵיב כְּתִיב, וַיִּסָּכְרוּ מַעְיְינוֹת תְּהוֹם וַאֲרוּבּוֹת הַשָּׁמַיִם, וַהֲווֹ חַבְרַיָיא מְרַחֲשָׁן מִלֵּי, וְלָא מִתְקַיְימֵי בְּהוֹ.

Birds Camels Gates

121. For one day, Rabbi Yehuda sat at the gate of Tiberias. He saw two camels laden with BUNDLES OF expensive woolen clothes. The load fell, and birds came TO WHERE IT WOULD FALL. But the birds were torn before the clothes reached it.

121. דְּיוֹמָא חַד הֲוָה יָתֵיב ר' יְהוּדָה, אֲפִתְחָא דִטְבֶרְיָה, וְחָמָא תְּרֵי גְּמַלֵּי, דְּסָלְקֵי קַטְפִירָא מֵעֲלוֹי דְּכִתְפִין, נָפַל מָטוֹלָא דְּקַטְפִירָא, וַאֲתוֹ צִפֳּרֵי וְעַד לָא מָטוֹ עֲלַיְיהוּ, אִתְבַּקָּעוּ.

Birds Crowns Darkness Rock

122. After that, other birds came on THE TORN BIRDS. They sat upon the rock and were not torn. They shouted AT THE BIRDS, TO REMOVE THEM FROM THE TORN BIRDS, but they would not go. They heard a voice saying that the crown upon the crowns dwells in darkness, and its master is outside.

122. לְבָתַר אֲתוֹ כַּמָּה צִפֳּרִין, וַהֲווֹ אָזְלֵי עֲלַיְיהוּ, וְשָׁרוּ לוֹן בְּטַרְטִישָׁא, וְלָא מִתְבַּקְּעִין, וַהֲווֹ צָוְוחִין לוֹן, וְלָא הֲווֹ מִתְפָּרְשָׁן, שָׁמְעוּ חַד קָלָא, עִטְרָא דְעִטְרִין בְּקַדְרִין שַׁרְיָא, וּמָרֵיהּ לְבַר.

Abraham Birds Hair Head

123. While RABBI YEHUDA was sitting, a man passed by and looked AT THE BIRDS. He said, This man did not fulfill the words of the verse, "And the birds of prey came down upon the carcasses, and Abram drove them away" (Beresheet 15:11). Rabbi Yehuda said, But I tried TO MAKE THE BIRDS GO AWAY FROM THEM BY SHOUTING AT THEM, but they would not go. The man turned his head TO RABBI YEHUDA and said, He did not yet pluck the hair of his master, nor did he shear the lady. RABBI YEHUDA DID NOT UNDERSTAND WHAT HE MEANT. He ran after him three miles AND BEGGED HIM TO EXPLAIN WHAT HE SAID, but he did not. Rabbi Yehuda was grieved.

123. עַד דַּהֲוָה יָתֵיב, עָבַר חַד גַּבְרָא, אַשְׁגַּח בְּהוֹ, אֲמַר, לָא קַיַּים דָּא, הָא דִכְתִיב וַיֵּרֶד הָעַיִּט עַל הַפְּגָרִים וַיַּשֵּׁב אוֹתָם אַבְרָם. אֲמַר רִבִּי יְהוּדָה, וְהָא עֲבִידְנָא וְלָא אִתְפָּרְשָׁן, אַהֲדַר רֵישֵׁיהּ הַהוּא גַבְרָא וַאֲמַר, עַד לָא מָרֵיט דָּא, רֵישֵׁיהּ דְּמָרֵיהּ, וְעַד לָא גָּלֵישׁ לְמַטְרוֹנִיתָא. רְהַט אֲבַתְרֵיהּ תְּלַת מִלִּין, וְלָא אֲמַר לֵיהּ, חָלַשׁ דַּעְתֵּיהּ דְּרִבִּי יְהוּדָה.

Dreams Eyes Heaven Torah Tree

124. One day RABBI YEHUDA slept under a tree. In his dream he saw four wings prepared and Rabbi Shimon mounting upon them with a book of the Torah. He left no book of sublime mysteries and Agadah, but took all with him to heaven. He saw them hidden from his eyes, never to be revealed again.

124. יוֹמָא חַד, אִדְמוּךְ תְּחוֹת אִילָנָא, וְחָמָא בְּחֶלְמֵיהּ, ד' גַּדְפִין מִתְתַּקְנָן, וְסָלֵיק רִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן עֲלַיְיהוּ, וְס"ת עִמֵּיהּ, וְלָא שָׁבֵיק כָּל סִפְרֵי רָזִין עִלָּאִין וַאֲגַדְתָּא, דְּלָא סָלֵיק לוֹן בַּהֲדֵיהּ, וְסָלֵיק לְהוֹן לִרְקִיעָא, וְחָמָא דְמִתְכַּסְיָא מֵעֵינָא, וְלָא אִתְגַּלְיָא.

Earth Stone Wisdom

125. When he woke up he said, Assuredly, when Rabbi Shimon died, Wisdom departed from the earth. Woe to the generation, from which the precious stone was gone - the one they held onto, and which was the support of the upper and the lower..

125. כַּד אִתְעַר, אֲמַר, וַדַּאי מִדְּשָׁכֵיב ר' שִׁמְעוֹן, חָכְמְתָא אִסְתַּלְּקַת מֵאַרְעָא, וַוי לְדָרָא, דְּהַאי אַבְנָא טָבָא, דַהֲווֹ מִתְחֲזָן מִנֵּיהּ, וְסָמְכִין עֲלֵיהּ עִלָּאִין וְתַתָּאִין, אִתְאֲבֵיד מִנַּיְיהוּ.

Hands Head Manna Omer Ten Torah

126. He came before Rabbi Aba and told him. Rabbi Aba raised his hands to his head and wept. He said, A mill to grind good manna every day; NAMELY REVEALING THE SECRETS OF THE TORAH, CALLED MANNA. It is gathered, as it is written, "He that gathered least gathered a quantity of ten homers" (Bemidbar 11:32). Now the mill and the manna are gone, and nothing remained of it in the world, save as it is written, "Take a jar, and put an omer full of manna in it, and lay it up before Hashem, to be kept for your generations" (Shemot 16:33). It does not say 'in an open place' but "to be kept," which means to be put in a hidden place. Who could now reveal secrets? Who even knows them?

126. אָתָא לְגַבֵּיהּ דְּר' אַבָּא, סָח לֵיהּ, סָלֵיק רִבִּי אַבָּא יְדוֹי עַל רֵישֵׁיהּ, וּבְכָה וַאֲמַר, ר"ש רֵיחַיָיא דְּטַחֲנִין מִנֵּיהּ מַנָּא טָבָא כָּל יוֹמָא, וְלָקְטִין לֵיהּ, כְּמָה דִכְתִיב, הַמַּמְעִיט אָסַף עֲשָׂרָה חֳמָרִים, וְהַשְׁתָּא רֵיחַיָּיא וּמַנָּא אִסְתַּלְּקוּ וְלָא אִשְׁתָּאַר בְּעַלְמָא מִינֵיהּ, בַּר כְּמָה דִכְתִיב, קַח צִנְצֶנֶת אַחַת וְתֶן שָׁמָּה מְלֹא הָעוֹמֶר מָן וְהַנַּח אוֹתוֹ לִפְנֵי ה' לְמִשְׁמֶרֶת. וְאִלּוּ בְּאִתְגַּלְּיָיא לָא כְתִיב, אֶלָּא לְמִשְׁמֶרֶת: לְאַצְנָעוּתָא. הַשְׁתָּא מַאן יָכֵיל לְגַלָּאָה רָזִין, וּמַאן יִנְדַע לוֹן.

Elijah

127. RABBI ABA whispered to Rabbi Yehuda, saying, Surely the man you saw was Elijah. He did not agree to reveal secrets to you, so that you may realize the worth of Rabbi Shimon, who lived in your days, and the generation will weep for him. RABBI ABA said to him: We should indeed mourn him.

127. לָחֵישׁ לֵיהּ לְרִבִּי יְהוּדָה בִּלְחִישׁוּ, וַדַּאי הַהוּא גַבְרָא דְּחָמִית, אֵלִיָּהוּ הֲוָה, וְלָא בָּעָא לְגַלָּאָה רָזִין, בְּגִין דְּתִנְדַע שִׁבְחָא דְּר"ש, דַּהֲוָה בְּיוֹמוֹי, וְיִבְכּוֹן דָּרָא עֲלוֹי. א"ל, דַּי לְמִבְכֵּי בְּכִיָּה עֲלֵיהּ.

Jacob

128. Rabbi Yehuda wept for him every day, for he was with him, RABBI SHIMON, at the holy assembly of Rabbi Shimon with the other friends. He said TO RABBI ABA, Woe is me that I was not gone at the holy assembly that day with the three who were gone, RABBI YOSI THE SON OF RABBI YA'AKOV, RABBI CHIZKIYAH, AND RABBI YISA, instead of beholding this generation that is changed.

128. ר' יְהוּדָה, הֲוָה בָּכֵי כָּל יוֹמָא עֲלוֹי, דְּהָא אַעֲרַא עִמֵּיהּ בְּאִדְרָא קַדִּישָׁא דְּר"ש, וּשְׁאָר חַבְרַיָיא, א"ל וַוי דְּלָא אִסְתַּלַּקְנָא הַהוּא יוֹמָא עִם אִינוּן תְּלָתָא דְּאִסְתַּלָּקוּ, וְלָא לֶחֱמֵי דָרָא דָא, דְּהָא אִתְהַפַּךְ.

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