Observe that Leah bore six sons and one daughter. That was in the order of things, since six world-directions were stationed above her, and so the six sons and one daughter formed a symbol of the grades.
Rachel bore two righteous ones, and this was also in order, since the Sabbatical septennate is placed perpetually between two Righteous Ones, as it is written: “The righteous ones shall inherit the land” (Ps. 37, 29), one Righteous One on high and one below. From the one on high there is a flowing out of upper waters, and from the one below there is a reciprocal welling up of water from the female principle toward the male principle in a perfect ecstasy. There are thus a Righteous One on this side and a Righteous One on that side; and as the male principle ahove is situated between two female principles, so the female principle below is situated between two Righteous Ones.
Hence Joseph and Benjamin represent the two Righteous Ones. Joseph merited to be the (symbol of the) Righteous One on high in virtue of his having kept under guard the sign of the holy covenant. Benjamin was the Righteous One below, so that the Sabbatical septennate was crowned between Righteous Ones, to wit, Joseph the righteous and Benjamin the righteous.
It may be asked, was Benjamin indeed a righteous man? Yes, he was, in that he never in his life transgressed in regard to the sign of the holy covenant. It is true, however, that he was never exposed to a temptation like that of Joseph. If so, why was he called righteous? The reason is that during the whole time of Jacob’s mourning for the loss of Joseph he abstained from conjugal intercourse. But, it may be said, when Joseph was carried off, was not Benjamin a mere child? What, then, is the point of saying that he abstained from conjugal intercourse? The answer is that he abstained from conjugal intercourse even after he was married.
But again we may ask, how is this to be squared with the tradition that Joseph, when he came down to Egypt, asked him whether he had a wife and children, and he answered, “Yes, and they are all named in memory of my brother, to wit, Bela and Becher, and Ashbel, Gera, and Naaman, etc.” (Gen. 46, 21). How, then, can it be said that he abstained from conjugal relations?
The truth, however, is that Benjamin had no children at that time, but he had begotten them already when the brethren went (finally) to Egypt. Benjamin, then, assuredly observed conjugal abstinence all the time his father mourned for Joseph, saying: “My brother Joseph was the sign-of-the-holy-covenant of my father, that sign being the end of the bodily trunk. Now that he is lost I have to guard the place of my brother”.
One may still object that at the time when Joseph was lost Benjamin had not yet proved himself righteous, and he did not, in fact, do so until the time when he withstood temptation. But the truth is that Jacob knew that Joseph would guard that place, and the others obtained that knowledge from Jacob. It was for that reason that he prolonged his stay with Laban until his body, as it were, was made complete, the completion being constituted by the sign of the holy covenant. Hence it is written: “And it came to pass when Rachel had borne Joseph, etc.” (Ibid. 30, 25), Jacob having said to Laban in so many words, “Now that my body has been made complete I am desirous of going.” In this way Benjamin knew that his brother was righteous, and he trod in his footsteps.
And after Joseph had been found he returned home, had conjugal intercourse, and begat children. God thus declared him righteous here below and Joseph righteous above. It was thus in the order of things that Rachel bore two sons and Leah six sons and a daughter;
and the first seven years were thus veiled from Jacob as they represented the Jubilee cycle; and whilst in intention serving the Sabbatical seven years, which are of the disclosed realm, Jacob in reality served the Jubilee cycle which belongs to the undisclosed realm. So Scripture says: “And Jacob served seven years for Rachel”, the term seven years being unqualified, implying that he served for Rachel seven years of the supernal order, and he thus laid hold of both worlds. From here we learn that only through the disclosed can a man reach the undisclosed.
If it is asked, how can the first seven years correspond to the Jubilee cycle, seeing that in regard to the latter it is written, “seven times seven years” (Lev. 25, 8), and here there are no seven times, the answer is that the seven times are represented in the seven days of festivity with which Jacob celebrated his marriage with Leah. The number was thus made complete, since each day may be regarded as sevenfold, in harmony with the verse, “Seven times a day do I praise thee, because of thy righteous ordinances” (Ps. 119, 164), and the seven years were thus to be multiplied by the seven days.
But, it may be said, Jacob should have first served the Sabbatical septennate and attached himself to the grade of the Sabbatical year. The answer is that since in intention he did serve them, the effect was the same as if he had served them in reality.’ R. Abba then came up to R. Eleazar and kissed him, saying: ‘Blessed be the Merciful One for the exposition of this verse. Concerning such a privilege, it is written: “The Lord was pleased for his righteousness’ sake, to make the Torah great and glorious” (Is. 42, 21).’
תָּא חֲזֵי, לֵאָה אוֹלִידַת שִׁית בְּנִין וּבְרַתָּא חָדָא. וְהָכִי אִתְחֲזֵי, דְּהָא שִׁית סִטְרִין קָיְימִין עֲלָהּ וְאִלֵּין שִׁית, וּבְרַתָּא חָדָא, בְּרָזָא עִלָּאָה נָפְקָא.
Observe that Leah bore six sons and one daughter. That was in the order of things, since six world-directions were stationed above her, and so the six sons and one daughter formed a symbol of the grades.
רָחֵל אוֹלִידַת תְּרֵין צַדִּיקִים. וְהָכִי אִתְחֲזֵי, הָא שְׁמִטָּה, דְּבֵין תְּרֵי צַדִּיקֵי יָתְבָא לְעָלְמִין, דִּכְתִיב, (תהילים ל״ז:כ״ט) צַדִּיקִים יִירְשׁוּ אָרֶץ, צַדִּיק לְעֵילָא וְצַדִּיק לְתַתָּא. צַדִּיק לְעֵילָא, מִנֵּיהּ נָגְדָן מַיִין עִלָּאִין. צַדִּיק לְתַתָּא, מִנֵּיהּ נָבְעָא נוּקְבָא מַיָא לְגַבֵּי דְכוּרָא, בְּתִיאוּבְתָּא שְׁלִים. צַדִּיק מִסִּטְרָא דָא, וְצַדִּיק מִסִּטְרָא דָא, כְּמָא דִּדְכוּרָא לְעֵילָא יָתִיב בֵּין תְּרֵי נוּקְבֵי, הָכִי נָמֵי נוּקְבָא לְתַתָּא יָתְבָא בֵּין תְּרֵי צַדִּיקִי.
Rachel bore two righteous ones, and this was also in order, since the Sabbatical septennate is placed perpetually between two Righteous Ones, as it is written: “The righteous ones shall inherit the land” (Ps. 37, 29), one Righteous One on high and one below. From the one on high there is a flowing out of upper waters, and from the one below there is a reciprocal welling up of water from the female principle toward the male principle in a perfect ecstasy. There are thus a Righteous One on this side and a Righteous One on that side; and as the male principle ahove is situated between two female principles, so the female principle below is situated between two Righteous Ones.
וְעַל דָּא, יוֹסֵף וּבִנְיָמִין תְּרֵין צַדִּיקִין נִינְהוּ. יוֹסֵף זָכָה לְמֶהוֵי צַדִּיק לְעֵילָא, בְּגִין דְּנָטַר אָת קַיָּימָא. בִּנְיָמִין אִיהוּ צַדִּיק לְתַתָּא, לְאִתְעַטְּרָא שְׁמִטָּה בֵּין תְּרֵי צַדִּיקֵי, יוֹסֵף הַצַּדִּיק, וּבִנְיָמִין הַצַּדִּיק.
Hence Joseph and Benjamin represent the two Righteous Ones. Joseph merited to be the (symbol of the) Righteous One on high in virtue of his having kept under guard the sign of the holy covenant. Benjamin was the Righteous One below, so that the Sabbatical septennate was crowned between Righteous Ones, to wit, Joseph the righteous and Benjamin the righteous.
וְכִי בִּנְיָמִין צַדִּיק הֲוָה, אִין. דְּכָל יוֹמוֹי לָא חָטָא בְּהַאי אָת קַיָּימָא, וְאַף עַל גַּב דְּלָא אִזְדַּמַּן לֵיהּ עוֹבָדָא כְּיוֹסֵף. אִי הָכִי, אַמַּאי אִקְרֵי צַדִּיק. אֶלָּא כָּל יוֹמוֹי דְיַעֲקֹב הֲוָה בְּאֶבְלָא דְיוֹסֵף, לָא שִׁמֵּשׁ עַרְסֵיהּ. וְאִי תֵימָא דְּכַד אִתְנְטִיל יוֹסֵף מִיַּעֲקֹב, רַבְיָא הֲוָה וְלָא נְסִיב. וְאַתְּ אֲמַרְתְּ דְּלָא שִׁמֵּשׁ עַרְסֵיהּ, אֶלָּא אַף עַל גַּב דְּאִזְדַּוַּוג לְבָתַר לָא בָעָא לְשַׁמְּשָׁא עַרְסֵיהּ.
It may be asked, was Benjamin indeed a righteous man? Yes, he was, in that he never in his life transgressed in regard to the sign of the holy covenant. It is true, however, that he was never exposed to a temptation like that of Joseph. If so, why was he called righteous? The reason is that during the whole time of Jacob’s mourning for the loss of Joseph he abstained from conjugal intercourse. But, it may be said, when Joseph was carried off, was not Benjamin a mere child? What, then, is the point of saying that he abstained from conjugal intercourse? The answer is that he abstained from conjugal intercourse even after he was married.
וְאֲנַן הָכִי תְּנַן, בְּשָׁעָה דְּשָׁאִיל יוֹסֵף לְבִנְיָמִין, אָמַר לֵיהּ אִית לָךְ אִינְתּוּ. אָמַר לֵיהּ, אִין. אָמַר לֵיהּ אִית לָךְ בְּנִין, אָמַר לֵיהּ אִין. וְהֵיךְ אִקְרוּן, אָמַר לֵיהּ עַל שׁוּם אָחִי וְכוּ' (נ"א אמר ליה אית לך בנין, אמר ליה זמינין לי. ואיך יתקרון לך, אמר ליה על שום אחי וגו') גֵרָא וְנַעֲמָן וְגו' דִּכְתִיב (בראשית מ״ו:כ״א) וּבְנֵי בִנְיָמִין בֶּלַע וָבֶכֶר וְגו', וְאַתְּ אֲמַרְתְּ דְּלָא שִׁמֵּשׁ. (ס"א אלא בההיא שעתא).
But again we may ask, how is this to be squared with the tradition that Joseph, when he came down to Egypt, asked him whether he had a wife and children, and he answered, “Yes, and they are all named in memory of my brother, to wit, Bela and Becher, and Ashbel, Gera, and Naaman, etc.” (Gen. 46, 21). How, then, can it be said that he abstained from conjugal relations?
אָמַר לֵיהּ אִין, דְּהָא בְּהַהִיא שַׁעְתָּא לָא הֲווּ לֵיהּ. (ס"א לבתר דיצא מבית האסורין הוו ליה) וְאִי תֵימָא וּבְנֵי בִנְיָמִן בֶּלַע וָבֶכֶר. כַּד עָאלוּ לְמִצְרַיִם, הָכִי הוּא וַדַּאי, דְּכָל זִמְנָא דְאִתְאַבַּל יַעֲקֹב עַל יוֹסֵף לָא שִׁמֵּשׁ עַרְסֵיהּ וְאוֹלִיד בְּנִין. וְאָמַר בִּנְיָמִן, הָא יוֹסֵף אָחִי, אַתְּ קְיָימָא דְּאַבָּא הֲוָה. דְּהָא בְּרִית סִיּוּמָא דְגוּפָא אִיהוּ, כֵּיוָן דְּאִיהוּ אִתְאֲבִיד, אֲנָא אֱהֵא נָטִיר אַתְרֵיהּ דְּאָחִי.
The truth, however, is that Benjamin had no children at that time, but he had begotten them already when the brethren went (finally) to Egypt. Benjamin, then, assuredly observed conjugal abstinence all the time his father mourned for Joseph, saying: “My brother Joseph was the sign-of-the-holy-covenant of my father, that sign being the end of the bodily trunk. Now that he is lost I have to guard the place of my brother”.
וְאִי תֵימָא, הָא בְּהַהוּא זִמְנָא דְּאִתְאֲבִיד, לָא הֲוָה צַדִּיק. דְּצַדִּיק לָא הֲוָה עַד דְּאָעֲרַע עוֹבָדָא בֵּיהּ. אֶלָּא, כֻּלְּהוּ הֲווּ יָדְעֵי מִיַּעֲקֹב. דְּיַעֲקֹב הֲוָה יְדַע דְּאֲתַר דָּא יָרִית יוֹסֵף, וּבְגִינֵי כָךְ אוֹרִיךְ בְּלָבָן כָּל כָּךְ עַד דְּיִסְתַּיֵּים גּוּפָא, וּמַאן הוּא סִיּוּמָא דְגוּפָא, בְּרִית. וְעַל דָּא כְּתִיב, (בראשית ל׳:כ״ה) וַיְהִי כַּאֲשֶׁר יָלְדָה רָחֵל אֶת יוֹסֵף וְגו', דְּהָא וַדַּאי הַשְׁתָּא אִשְׁתְּלִים גּוּפָא, כֵּיוָן דְּגוּפָא אִשְׁתְּלִים, בְּעִינָא לְמֵיזַל. וּבְגִינֵי כָּךְ בִּנְיָמִן יָדַע וְנָטַר אוֹרְחֵיהּ דַּאֲחוּי.
One may still object that at the time when Joseph was lost Benjamin had not yet proved himself righteous, and he did not, in fact, do so until the time when he withstood temptation. But the truth is that Jacob knew that Joseph would guard that place, and the others obtained that knowledge from Jacob. It was for that reason that he prolonged his stay with Laban until his body, as it were, was made complete, the completion being constituted by the sign of the holy covenant. Hence it is written: “And it came to pass when Rachel had borne Joseph, etc.” (Ibid. 30, 25), Jacob having said to Laban in so many words, “Now that my body has been made complete I am desirous of going.” In this way Benjamin knew that his brother was righteous, and he trod in his footsteps.
כֵּיוָן דְּאֲתָא לְיוֹסֵף, וְאִשְׁתַּכַּח. בִּנְיָמִין הָדַר לְבֵיתֵיהּ, וְשִׁמֵּשׁ עַרְסֵיהּ (אזלי ועאלו) וְאוֹלִיד בְּנִין. וְעַל דָּא קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא עָבִיד לֵיהּ צַדִּיק לְתַתָּא, וְיוֹסֵף צַדִּיק לְעֵילָא. וּבְגִינֵי כָּךְ, רָחֵל תְּרֵין בְּנִין אוֹלִידַת, וְלֵאָה שִׁית בְּנִין וּבְרַתָּא.
And after Joseph had been found he returned home, had conjugal intercourse, and begat children. God thus declared him righteous here below and Joseph righteous above. It was thus in the order of things that Rachel bore two sons and Leah six sons and a daughter;
וְעַל דָּא, אִינוּן שֶׁבַע שְׁנִין קַדְמָאֵי אִתְכַּסְּיָין, דְּלָא יָדַע בְּהוּ יַעֲקֹב בְּגִין דְּהֲווּ דְּיוֹבְלָא, וְאִינוּן דִּשְׁמִטָּה אִתְגַּלְיָין, וּבִשְׁמִטָּה דְּאִתְגַּלְּיָא פָּלַח לְיוֹבְלָא דְּאִתְכַּסְיָא, דִּכְתִיב (בראשית כ״ט:כ׳) וַיַּעֲבֹד יַעֲקֹב בְּרָחֵל שֶׁבַע שָׁנִים. שֶׁבַע שָׁנִים סְתָם. בְּרָחֵל פָּלַח שֶׁבַע שְׁנִין עִלָּאִין, וְאִתְאֲחִיד בְּהוּ בִּתְרֵי עָלְמִין. מִכָּאן אוֹלִיפְנָא, מִגּוֹ דְּאִתְגַּלְּיָא, אָתֵי בַּר נָשׁ לִסְתִימָאָה.
and the first seven years were thus veiled from Jacob as they represented the Jubilee cycle; and whilst in intention serving the Sabbatical seven years, which are of the disclosed realm, Jacob in reality served the Jubilee cycle which belongs to the undisclosed realm. So Scripture says: “And Jacob served seven years for Rachel”, the term seven years being unqualified, implying that he served for Rachel seven years of the supernal order, and he thus laid hold of both worlds. From here we learn that only through the disclosed can a man reach the undisclosed.
וְאִי תֵימָא, אִי הָכִי דִּשְׁנִין קַדְמָאֵי מִיּוֹבְלָא אִינוּן, הָא בְּיוֹבְלָא כְּתִיב (ויקרא כ״ה:ח׳) שֶׁבַע שָׁנִים, שֶׁבַע פְּעָמִים. שֶׁבַע שָׁנִים שְׁכִיחֵי, שֶׁבַע פְּעָמִים (לא שכיחי) אָן אִינוּן. אֶלָּא, אִינוּן שִׁבְעָה יוֹמִין דְּנָטַר בְּהִלּוּלָא דְלֵאָה אַשְׁלִימוּ חוּשְׁבְּנָא, דְּהָא כָּל יוֹמָא (ס"א פעם אחת ושבע אחת) (שבע) אַחַת אִקְרֵי, דִּכְתִיב, (תהילים קי״ט:קס״ד) שֶׁבַע בַּיּוֹם הִלַּלְתִּיךָ עַל מִשְׁפְּטֵי צִדְקֶךָ. וְכָל שִׁבְעָה אִשְׁתְּלִים בְּשִׁבְעָה יוֹמִין, ז' בְּכָל יוֹמָא, דְּאִקְרֵי פַּעַם אַחַת.
If it is asked, how can the first seven years correspond to the Jubilee cycle, seeing that in regard to the latter it is written, “seven times seven years” (Lev. 25, 8), and here there are no seven times, the answer is that the seven times are represented in the seven days of festivity with which Jacob celebrated his marriage with Leah. The number was thus made complete, since each day may be regarded as sevenfold, in harmony with the verse, “Seven times a day do I praise thee, because of thy righteous ordinances” (Ps. 119, 164), and the seven years were thus to be multiplied by the seven days.
וּבְרָחֵל לָא הֲוָה כֵן, דְּלָא נָטַר ז' יוֹמִין, אֶלָּא שֶׁבַע שְׁנִין דְּפָלַח לְבָתַר. וְאִי תֵימָא, אִי הָכִי, שְׁנִין דִּשְׁמִטָּה הֲוָה לֵיהּ לְמִפְלַח קוֹדֶם, וּלְבָתַר לְאִזְדַּוְּוגָא בִּשְׁמִטָּה. אֶלָּא כֵּיוָן דְּקַבִּיל עֲלֵיהּ לְמִפְלַח, כְּאִילּוּ פָּלַח לוֹן. אֲתָא רִבִּי אַבָּא וּנְשָׁקֵיהּ. אָמַר בְּרִיךְ רַחֲמָנָא דְּזָכִינָא לְהַאי קְרָא, עַל הַהוּא אֲתַר כְּתִיב (ישעיהו מ״ב:כ״א) ה' חָפֵץ לְמַעַן צִדְקוֹ יַגְדִּיל תּוֹרָה וְיַאְדִּיר.
But, it may be said, Jacob should have first served the Sabbatical septennate and attached himself to the grade of the Sabbatical year. The answer is that since in intention he did serve them, the effect was the same as if he had served them in reality.’ R. Abba then came up to R. Eleazar and kissed him, saying: ‘Blessed be the Merciful One for the exposition of this verse. Concerning such a privilege, it is written: “The Lord was pleased for his righteousness’ sake, to make the Torah great and glorious” (Is. 42, 21).’