The companions have remarked that there exist a variety of grades and sides on high, each one different from the other, serpents of all sorts, one kind endeavouring to gain dominion over the other and to devour prey, each according to its kind.
From the side of the unclean spirit ever so many grades branch out, and all of them lie in wait to bring accusations against each other. Hence it is written: “Thou shalt not plow with an ox and an ass together” (Deut. 22, 10), inasmuch as when these are joined together they bring accusations against mankind.
Observe further that the great desire of the unclean grades is to find matter of charge against the holy sides. Thus, since Jacob was a holy man, they all lay in wait for him and contended with him. First the serpent bit him when he touched the hollow of his thigh, and now the ass bit him.
Then it was Jacob himself who opposed the serpent, now it was Simeon and Levi, who belonged to the side of stern judgement, who stood up against the ass and prevailed over him and completely subdued him, as we read: “And they slew Hamor (lit. ass) and Shechem his son with the edge of the sword.” Now Simeon, who was under the zodiacal sign of ox (Taurus), set upon the ass so as to prevent the two from joining, as then the latter would have set upon him.
All came to contend with Jacob, who, however, was delivered from them and afterwards obtained dominion over them. Then came the one who is designated ox, and made himself perfect among the asses, that is, among those who were of the side of the ass. For Joseph was designated ox, and of the Egyptian the Scripture says: “whose flesh is as the flesh of asses” (Ez. 23, 20).
It was for this reason that the sons of Jacob later on fell among those asses, inasmuch as the ox was joined with them; and they bit them to the bone until Levi arose as on the former occasion, and scattered and subdued them, and utterly broke their force. He also removed the ox from them, as it is written: “And Moses took the bones of Joseph with him” (Ex. 13, 19).
Observe that when Simeon assailed the ass (Hamor) on the first occasion he first made them see blood -the blood of circumcision-and after that “they slew all the males”. God dealt in the same way through the hand of the Levite, Moses, with those other asses, the Egyptians. He first showed them blood and afterwards “the Lord slew all the firstborn in the land of Egypt” (Ibid. 12, 29). In connection with Hamor it is writter: “They took their flocks and their herds and their asses, etc.”; in connection with those other asses it is written: “jewels of silver and jewels of gold, and raiment” (Ibid. 35), also: “And a mixed multitude went up also with them; and flocks and herds, even very much cattle” (Ibid. 38).
In the same way, too, as Simeon withstood this one ass, Levi withstood that company of asses. They all conspired against Jacob the holy man and essayed to bite him, but he together with his sons stood up against them and subdued them.
But now that Esau is biting him and his children, who will stand up against him? Jacob and Joseph, one on one side and the other on the other side. So Scripture says: “And the house of Jacob shall be a fire, and the house of Joseph a flame, and the house of Esau for stubble, etc.” (Oba. 1, 18).
AND THEY JOURNEYED; AND A TERROR OF GOD WAS UPON THE CITIES THAT WERE ROUND ABOUT THEM, AND THEY DID NOT PURSUE AFTER THE SONS OF JACOB. R. Jose said: ‘They all came together, but when they commenced to gird on their arms a terror seized them and they left them alone. Hence “they did not pursue after the sons of Jacob”.’
תָּא חֲזֵי, כַּמָּה דַרְגִין וְסִטְרִין מִתְפָּרְשָׁן לְעֵילָא וְכֻלְּהוּ מְשַׁנְיָין דָּא מִן דָּא. חֵיוָון מְשַׁנְיָין אִלֵּין מֵאִלֵּין, אִלֵּין מְקַטְרְגִין לְשַׁלְּטָאָה עַל אִלֵּין וּלְמִטְרַף טַרְפִין כָּל חַד וְחַד לְזִינֵיהּ.
The companions have remarked that there exist a variety of grades and sides on high, each one different from the other, serpents of all sorts, one kind endeavouring to gain dominion over the other and to devour prey, each according to its kind.
מִסִּטְרָא דְרוּחָא מְסָאֲבָא כַּמָּה דַרְגִּין מִתְפָּרְשִׁין, וְכֻלְּהוּ כָּמַן לְקַטְרְגָא אִלֵּין לָקֳבֵיל אִלֵּין, דְּהָא כְּתִיב (דברים כ״ב:י׳) לֹא תַחֲרשׁ בְּשׁוֹר וּבַחֲמֹר יַחְדָּו, דְּכַד קָא מִתְחַבְּרָן מְקַטְרְגֵי עַלְמָא.
From the side of the unclean spirit ever so many grades branch out, and all of them lie in wait to bring accusations against each other. Hence it is written: “Thou shalt not plow with an ox and an ass together” (Deut. 22, 10), inasmuch as when these are joined together they bring accusations against mankind.
וְתָּא חֲזֵי, תִּיאוּבְתָּא דְדַרְגִין מְסָאֲבִין לָאו אִיהוּ אֶלָּא לְקַטְרְגָא בְּסִטְרִין קַדִּישִׁין. יַעֲקֹב דְּאִיהוּ קַדִּישָׁא, כֻּלְּהוּ כָּמַן לֵיהּ וְקִטְרְגוּ בַּהֲדֵיהּ. בְּקַדְמִיתָא נָשְׁכֵיהּ חִוְיָא, כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר וַיִּגַּע בְּכַף יֻרִכוֹ, הַשְׁתָּא נָשְׁכֵיהּ חֲמוֹר.
Observe further that the great desire of the unclean grades is to find matter of charge against the holy sides. Thus, since Jacob was a holy man, they all lay in wait for him and contended with him. First the serpent bit him when he touched the hollow of his thigh, and now the ass bit him.
תַּמָּן אִיהוּ קָאִים לְגַבֵּי חִוְיָא, הַשְׁתָּא שִׁמְעוֹן וְלֵוִי דְאָתוּ מִסִּטְרָא דְּדִינָא קַשְׁיָא קָיְימוּ לְגַבֵּיהּ דְּחֲמוֹר וְשַׁלִּיטוּ עֲלוֹי בְּכָל סִטְרִין וְאִתְכַּפְיָא קַמַּיְיהוּ. כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר וְאֶת חֲמוֹר וְאֶת שְׁכֶם בְּנוֹ הָרְגוּ לְפִי חָרֶב. וְשִׁמְעוֹן דְּהֲוָה (שור) מַזָּלֵיהּ (איהו) שׁוֹר, אֲתָא עַל חֲמוֹר וְקִטְרֵג בֵּיהּ, בְּגִין דְּלָא יִתְחַבְּרוּן כְּחֲדָא, וְאִשְׁתַּכַּח אִיהוּ מְקַטְרְגָא דִילֵיהּ.
Then it was Jacob himself who opposed the serpent, now it was Simeon and Levi, who belonged to the side of stern judgement, who stood up against the ass and prevailed over him and completely subdued him, as we read: “And they slew Hamor (lit. ass) and Shechem his son with the edge of the sword.” Now Simeon, who was under the zodiacal sign of ox (Taurus), set upon the ass so as to prevent the two from joining, as then the latter would have set upon him.
וְכֻלְּהוּ אָתֵי לְקַטְרְגָא לֵיהּ לְיַעֲקֹב וְאִשְׁתְּזִיב, וּלְבָתַר אִיהוּ שַׁלִּיט עֲלַיְיהוּ. לְבָתַר אֲתָא שׁוֹר וְאִשְׁתַּלִים בַּחֲמוֹרִים דְּכֻלְּהוּ מִסִּטְרָא דְּחֲמוֹר. יוֹסֵף דְּאִיהוּ שׁוֹר, וּמִצְרַיִם דְּאִינוּן חֲמוֹרִים דִּכְתִיב בְּהוּ (יחזקאל כ״ג:כ׳) אֲשֶׁר בְּשַׂר חֲמוֹרִים בְּשָׂרָם.
All came to contend with Jacob, who, however, was delivered from them and afterwards obtained dominion over them. Then came the one who is designated ox, and made himself perfect among the asses, that is, among those who were of the side of the ass. For Joseph was designated ox, and of the Egyptian the Scripture says: “whose flesh is as the flesh of asses” (Ez. 23, 20).
וְעַל דָּא לְבָתַר בְּנֵי יַעֲקֹב נָפְלוּ בֵּין אִינוּן חֲמוֹרִים, בְּגִין דְּאִזְדַּוַּוג שׁוֹר בַּהֲדַיְיהוּ, וְנָשְׁכוּ לוֹן גַּרְמַיָיא וּבִשְׂרָא. עַד דְּאִתְעַר לֵוִי כְּמִלְקַדְּמִין וּבַדַּר לְאִינוּן חֲמוֹרִים (ס"א דאזדווגו) לְכַפְיָא לוֹן וְתָבַר תּוּקְפֵהוֹן מֵעַלְמָא, וְאַפִּיק לְשׁוֹר מִתַּמָּן. הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב, (שמות י״ג:י״ט) וַיִּקַּח משֶׁה אֶת עַצְמוֹת יוֹסֵף עִמּוֹ.
It was for this reason that the sons of Jacob later on fell among those asses, inasmuch as the ox was joined with them; and they bit them to the bone until Levi arose as on the former occasion, and scattered and subdued them, and utterly broke their force. He also removed the ox from them, as it is written: “And Moses took the bones of Joseph with him” (Ex. 13, 19).
תָּא חֲזֵי, כַּד אֲתָא שִׁמְעוֹן בְּקַדְמִיתָא עַל הַהוּא חֲמוֹר, אִתְעַר עֲלֵיהוֹן דַּם דְּאִתְגַּזָּרוּ, וּלְבָתַר וַיַּהַרְגוּ כָּל זָכָר. כְּגַוְונָא דָא עֲבַד קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא עַל יְדָא דְּלֵוִי, דָּא משֶׁה. בְּאִינוּן חֲמוֹרִים בְּמִצְרַיִם. בְּקַדְמִיתָא דַּם, וּלְבָתַר (שמות י״ג:ט״ו) וַיַּהֲרֹג יְיָ כָּל בְּכוֹר בְּאֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם וְגו'. הָכָא בְּהַאי חֲמוֹר כְּתִיב, וְאֶת כָּל חֵילָם וְאֶת כָּל טַפָּם וְאֶת כָּל בְּהֶמְתָּם וְגו'. הָתָם בְּאִינוּן חֲמוֹרִים כְּתִיב, (שמות י״ב:ל״ה) כְּלֵי כֶסֶף וּכְלֵי זָהָב וּשְׂמָלוֹת, וּכְתִיב, (שמות י״ב:ל״ח) וְגַם עֵרֶב רַב עָלָה אִתָּם וְצֹאן וּבָקָר וְגו'.
Observe that when Simeon assailed the ass (Hamor) on the first occasion he first made them see blood -the blood of circumcision-and after that “they slew all the males”. God dealt in the same way through the hand of the Levite, Moses, with those other asses, the Egyptians. He first showed them blood and afterwards “the Lord slew all the firstborn in the land of Egypt” (Ibid. 12, 29). In connection with Hamor it is writter: “They took their flocks and their herds and their asses, etc.”; in connection with those other asses it is written: “jewels of silver and jewels of gold, and raiment” (Ibid. 35), also: “And a mixed multitude went up also with them; and flocks and herds, even very much cattle” (Ibid. 38).
וְשִׁמְעוֹן וְלֵוִי, דָּא קָאִים לְגַבֵּי הַאי חֲמוֹר, וְדָא קָאִים לְגַבֵּי כָּל אִינוּן חֲמוֹרִים, כֻּלְּהוּ בָּעוּ לְאִשְׁתַּתְּפָא בַּהֲדֵיהּ דְּיַעֲקֹב קַדִּישָׁא וְאִתְתַּקְּנוּ לְנַשְׁכָא לֵיהּ, וְאִיהוּ בִּבְנוֹי קָאִים לְגַבַּיְיהוּ וְכַיִּיף לוֹן תְּחוֹתֵיהּ.
In the same way, too, as Simeon withstood this one ass, Levi withstood that company of asses. They all conspired against Jacob the holy man and essayed to bite him, but he together with his sons stood up against them and subdued them.
הַשְׁתָּא דְעֵשָׂו נָשִׁיךְ לֵיהּ וְלִבְנוֹי, מַאן יָקוּם לְגַבֵּיהּ, יַעֲקֹב וְיוֹסֵף. דָּא מִסִּטְרָא דָא וְדָא מִסִּטְרָא דָא. דִּכְתִיב, (עובדיה א׳:י״ח) וְהָיָה בֵּית יַעֲקֹב אֵשׁ וּבֵית יוֹסֵף לֶהָבָה וּבֵית עֵשָׂו לְקַשׁ וְגו':
But now that Esau is biting him and his children, who will stand up against him? Jacob and Joseph, one on one side and the other on the other side. So Scripture says: “And the house of Jacob shall be a fire, and the house of Joseph a flame, and the house of Esau for stubble, etc.” (Oba. 1, 18).
וַיִּסָּעוּ וַיְהִי חִתַּת אֱלהִים עַל הֶעָרִים אֲשֶׁר סְבִיבוֹתֵיהֶם וְלֹא רָדְפוּ אַחֲרֵי בְּנֵי יַעֲקֹב. אָמַר רִבִּי יוֹסֵי כֻּלְּהוּ הֲווּ מִתְכַּנְּשֵׁי, וְכַד הֲווּ חַגְרֵי זַיְינֵי קְרָבָא הֲווּ מְרַתְּתֵי וְשַׁבְקִין לוֹן, וּבְגִין כָּךְ וְלא רָדְפוּ אַחֲרִי בְּנֵי יַעֲקֹב:
AND THEY JOURNEYED; AND A TERROR OF GOD WAS UPON THE CITIES THAT WERE ROUND ABOUT THEM, AND THEY DID NOT PURSUE AFTER THE SONS OF JACOB. R. Jose said: ‘They all came together, but when they commenced to gird on their arms a terror seized them and they left them alone. Hence “they did not pursue after the sons of Jacob”.’