THEN JOSEPH COULD NOT REFRAIN HIMSELF BEFORE ALL THEM THAT STOOD BY HIM. R. Hiya discoursed on the text: He hath scattered abroad; he hath given to the needy; his charity endureth for ever (Ps. 112, 9). ‘Observe’, he said, ‘that God created the world and set man to be king over all.
Now from the first man there have branched out different classes of men, righteous and wicked, foolish and wise, rich and poor; and among these each class can win credit for itself through the medium of the other, that is, the righteous through the wicked, the wise through the stupid, the rich through the poor. For it is by these means that a man becomes worthy of being joined to the tree of life; and what is more, the charity that he dispenses stands him for ever in good stead, as it says: “his charity endureth for ever”.’
Said R. Eleazar: ‘When God created the world, He established it on one pillar the name of which is Righteous, as it is the Righteous One that upholds the world and that waters and sustains all that exists. So Scripture says: “And a river went out of Eden to water the garden; and from thence it was parted, and became four heads” (Gen. 2, 10).
The term “it was parted” signifies that the food and drink carried by that river is received in its entirety by the garden, and thence is scattered into the four quarters of the world; and many are they that wait to receive the drink and food from thence! So it is written: “The eyes of all wait for thee, and thou givest them their food in due season” (Ps. 145, 15). “But the wicked shall see, and be vexed” (Ibid. 112, 10), namely, the idolatrous Kingdom.
Observe that the Kingdom of Heaven is the Sanctuary designed to shelter all the needy under the shadow of the Shekinah; and the Righteous One is the charity-collector who dispenses to all, as it says: “He hath scattered abroad, he hath given to the needy.” Hence, those who collect for charity receive as great a reward as those who give the charity all together.
Thus the words: “Then Joseph could not refrain himself before all them that stood by him”, refer to all those that stand and wait to receive food and drink from the Righteous One. In the sentence: “And there stood no man with him, while Joseph made himself known unto his brethren”, the term “with him” is an allusion to the Community of Israel, and “his brethren” refers to the other chariot-riders and legions referred to in the verse: “For my brethren and companions’ sake” (Ibid. 122, 8). Or again: “And there stood no man with him” is a description of the time when the Holy One, blessed be He, will be mated with the Community of Israel. “While Joseph made himself known to his brethren”: this again alludes to the time when the Holy One will join Himself to Israel, to the exclusion of the idolatrous nations.
R. Jesse expounded the verse as alluding to the time when the Holy One, blessed be He, will raise up the Community of Israel from the dust and will take vengeance on the idolatrous nations. Of that occasion it is thus written: “And of the peoples there was no man with me” (Is. 63, 3), which is analogous in phrasing to the passage “and there stood no man with him when Joseph made himself known to his brethren”, and further: “and he bare them and carried them all the days of old” (Ibid. 9).
R. Hizkiah said: ‘It is written in one Psalm: “A song of ascents. Unto thee I lift up mine eyes, O thou that art enthroned in the heavens” (Ps. 123, 1), and in another Psalm it is written: “I will lift up mine eyes unto the mountains” (Ibid. 121, 1). The difference has been expounded as follows. The latter speaks of heaven, whereas the former speaks of earth. Thus, “I will lift mine eyes unto the mountains”, to wit, to the heavens above in order to draw down blessing from on high to below, to draw down blessings from those exalted mountains toward the Community of Israel; but then: “Unto thee I lift up mine eyes”, in hoping and waiting for those blessings that descend from thence to here below.
“O thou that art enthroned in the heavens”: inasmuch as all might and strength is centred in heaven. For when the Jubilee opens the springs, all the gates of heaven are ready, and when the heaven receives all the lights that issue from the Jubilee, there flows down drink and food for the Community of Israel through the intermediary of one Righteous One.
When this one moves towards her, many are those who stand and wait to be refreshed and to participate in the blessings from above, as Scripture says: “The young lions roar after their prey, and seek their food from God” (Ps. 104, 2). But the Community of Israel rises in a recondite manner and receives dainties from her spouse in manner due. As to all those that stand round, they remain apart, as it says: “Then there was no man with him”, and as it also says before: “and he cried: Cause every man to go out from me”. Afterwards, however, when she has received dainties from her spouse, all the others are given drink and food, as it says: “They give drink to every beast of the field, the wild asses quench their thirst” (Ibid. 104, 11).’
וְלֹא יָכוֹל יוֹסֵף לְהִתְאַפֵּק לְכָל הַנִּצָּבִים עָלָיו וְגו', רִבִּי חִיָּיא פָּתַח וְאָמַר, (תהילים קי״ב:ט׳) פִּזַּר נָתַן לָאֶבְיוֹנִים צִדְקָתוֹ עוֹמֶדֶת לָעַד קַרְנוֹ תָּרוּם בְּכָבוֹד. תָּא חֲזֵי, קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא בָּרָא עַלְמָא, וְאַשְׁלִיט עֲלֵיהּ לָאָדָם, דִּיהֵא מַלְכָּא עַל כֹּלָּא.
THEN JOSEPH COULD NOT REFRAIN HIMSELF BEFORE ALL THEM THAT STOOD BY HIM. R. Hiya discoursed on the text: He hath scattered abroad; he hath given to the needy; his charity endureth for ever (Ps. 112, 9). ‘Observe’, he said, ‘that God created the world and set man to be king over all.
וְהַאי בַּר נָשׁ, מִתְפָּרְשָׁן מִנֵּיהּ בְּעַלְמָא כַּמָּה זִינִין. מִנְּהוֹן צַדִּיקַיָּא וּמִנְּהוֹן רַשִּׁיעַיָא. מִנְּהוֹן טִפְּשִׁין וּמִנְּהוֹן חַכִּימִין. וְכֻלְּהוּ אִתְקָיְימוּ בְּעַלְמָא, עֲתִירִין וּמִסְכֵּנִין. וְכֻלְּהוּ בְּגִין לְמִזְכֵּי אִלֵּין בְּאִלֵּין, לְמִזְכֵּי צַדִּיקַיָא עִם רַשִּׁיעַיָא, לְמִזְכֵּי חַכִּימִין עִם טִפְּשִׁין, לְמִזְכֵּי עֲתִירִין עִם מִסְכֵּנִין. דְּהָא בְּגִין כָּךְ, זָכֵי בַּר נָשׁ לְחַיֵּי עָלְמָא, וְאִתְקַשַּׁר בְּאִילָנָא דְחַיֵּי. וְלָא עוֹד, אֶלָּא דְּהָא צְדָקָה דְּאִיהוּ עָבִיד, קָאִים לְעָלְמִין. דִּכְתִיב וְצִדְקָתוֹ עוֹמֶדֶת לָעַד.
Now from the first man there have branched out different classes of men, righteous and wicked, foolish and wise, rich and poor; and among these each class can win credit for itself through the medium of the other, that is, the righteous through the wicked, the wise through the stupid, the rich through the poor. For it is by these means that a man becomes worthy of being joined to the tree of life; and what is more, the charity that he dispenses stands him for ever in good stead, as it says: “his charity endureth for ever”.’
פִּזַּר נָתַן לָאֶבְיוֹנִים. רִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר אָמַר, כַּד בָּרָא קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא עַלְמָא, קָאִים לֵיהּ עַל סַמְכָא חַד, וְצַדִּיק שְׁמֵיהּ, וְהַאי צַדִּיק אִיהוּ קִיּוּמָא דְעַלְמָא, וְדָא אִיהוּ דְאַשְׁקֵי, וְזָן לְכֹלָּא. דִּכְתִיב, (בראשית ב׳:י׳) וְנָהָר יוֹצֵא מֵעֵדֶן לְהַשְׁקוֹת אֶת הַגָּן וּמִשָּׁם יִפָּרֶד וְהָיָה לְאַרְבָּעָה רָאשִׁים.
Said R. Eleazar: ‘When God created the world, He established it on one pillar the name of which is Righteous, as it is the Righteous One that upholds the world and that waters and sustains all that exists. So Scripture says: “And a river went out of Eden to water the garden; and from thence it was parted, and became four heads” (Gen. 2, 10).
וּמִשָּׁם יִפָּרֶד, מַהוּ יִפָּרֶד. אֶלָּא, הַהוּא מְזוֹנָא וּמַשְׁקַיָא דְּהַהוּא נָהָר, נָטִיל גִּנְתָא כֹּלָּא, וּלְבָתַר אִתְבַּדַּר הַהוּא מַשְׁקַיָא לְד' סִטְרִין דְּעַלְמָא. וְכַמָּה אִינוּן דִּמְצַפָּאן לְאִתְשַׁקְיָיא וּלְאִתְּזְנָא מִתַּמָּן. כְּמָא דְאַתְּ אָמֵר, (תהילים קמ״ה:ט״ו) עֵינִי כֹל אֵלֶיךָ יְשַׂבֵּרוּ וְאַתָּה נוֹתֵן לָהֶם אֶת אָכְלָם בְּעִתּוֹ. וּבְגִין כָּךְ פִּזַּר נָתַן לָאֶבְיוֹנִים, דָּא צַדִּיק. צִדְקָתוֹ עוֹמֶדֶת לָעַד, דָּא כְּנֶסֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל. דִּבְגִין כָּךְ, אִיהִי קָיְימָא בְּרָזָא דִשְׁלָם, בְּקִיּוּמָא שְׁלִים. רָשָׁע יִרְאֶה וְכָעַס, דָּא מַלְכוּת עוֹבְדֵי כּוֹכָבִים וּמַזָּלוֹת.
The term “it was parted” signifies that the food and drink carried by that river is received in its entirety by the garden, and thence is scattered into the four quarters of the world; and many are they that wait to receive the drink and food from thence! So it is written: “The eyes of all wait for thee, and thou givest them their food in due season” (Ps. 145, 15). “But the wicked shall see, and be vexed” (Ibid. 112, 10), namely, the idolatrous Kingdom.
תָּא חֲזֵי, מַלְכוּת שָׁמַיִם, אִיהִי בֵּי מַקְדְּשָׁא. לְקָיְימָא כָּל מִסְכְּנֵי בְּגוֹ צִלָּא דְּשֵׁרוּתָא דִשְׁכִינְתָּא. וְצַדִּיק דָּא אִיהוּ אִקְרֵי גַּבָּאי צְדָקָה, לְמֵיחַן וּלְמֵיזַן לְכֹלָּא. דִּכְתִיב פִּזַּר נָתַן לָאֶבְיוֹנִים. בְּגִין כָּךְ, גַּבָּאֵי צְדָקָה נָטְלֵי אַגְרָא לָקֳבֵיל כֻּלְּהוּ דְּיַהֲבֵי צְדָקָה.
Observe that the Kingdom of Heaven is the Sanctuary designed to shelter all the needy under the shadow of the Shekinah; and the Righteous One is the charity-collector who dispenses to all, as it says: “He hath scattered abroad, he hath given to the needy.” Hence, those who collect for charity receive as great a reward as those who give the charity all together.
תָּא חֲזֵי, וְלֹא יָכוֹל יוֹסֵף לְהִתְאַפֵּק לְכָל הַנִּצָּבִים, אִלֵּין אִינוּן כָּל דְּקָיְימֵי לְאִתְּזָנָא וּלְאִתְשַׁקְיָיא מִנֵּיהּ. וְלֹא עָמַד אִישׁ אִתּוֹ בְּהִתְוַדַּע יוֹסֵף אֶל אֶחָיו. אִתּוֹ, דָּא כְּנֶסֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל. אֶחָיו, אִלֵּין שְׁאָר רְתִיכִין חֲיָילִין, דִּכְתִיב בְּהוּ (תהילים קכ״ב:ח׳) לְמַעַן אֲחַי וְרֵעָי. דָּבָר אַחֵר, וְלֹא עָמַד אִישׁ אִתּוֹ. בְּזִמְנָא דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא אָתֵי לְאִזְדַּוְּוגָא בִּכְּנֶסֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל. בְּהִתְוַדַּע יוֹסֵף אֶל אֶחָיו, בְּזִמְנָא דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא הֲוָה מִתְחַבֵּר בְּהוּ בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל, בְּגִין דְּאִינוּן נָטְלֵי בִּלְחוֹדַיְיהוּ, וְלָא חִבּוּרָא דְּעַמִּין עוֹבְדֵי עֲבוֹדַת כּוֹכָבִים וּמַזָּלוֹת בַּהֲדַיְיהוּ. בְּגִין כָּךְ (במדבר כ״ט:ל״ה) בַּיּוֹם הַשְּׁמִינִי עֲצֶרֶת תִּהְיֶה לָכֶם. דְּהָא בְּזִמְנָא דָא, אִיהוּ קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא בִּלְחוֹדוֹי, בְּחִבּוּרָא חָדָא עִם יִשְׂרָאֵל, דִּכְתִיב בְּהוּ אֲחַי וְרֵעָי כְּמָה דְאוּקְמוּהָ.
Thus the words: “Then Joseph could not refrain himself before all them that stood by him”, refer to all those that stand and wait to receive food and drink from the Righteous One. In the sentence: “And there stood no man with him, while Joseph made himself known unto his brethren”, the term “with him” is an allusion to the Community of Israel, and “his brethren” refers to the other chariot-riders and legions referred to in the verse: “For my brethren and companions’ sake” (Ibid. 122, 8). Or again: “And there stood no man with him” is a description of the time when the Holy One, blessed be He, will be mated with the Community of Israel. “While Joseph made himself known to his brethren”: this again alludes to the time when the Holy One will join Himself to Israel, to the exclusion of the idolatrous nations.
רִבִּי יֵיסָא פָּתַח קְרָא, בְּזִמְנָא דְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא יוֹקִים לָהּ לִכְנֶסֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל מֵעַפְרָא, וְיִבָּעֵי לְאִנָּקְמָא נִקְמָתָא מֵעַמְּמַיָא עוֹבְדֵי עֲבוֹדַת כּוֹכָבִים וּמַזָּלוֹת, כְּדֵין כְּתִיב, (ישעיהו ס״ג:ג׳) וּמֵעַמִים אֵין אִישׁ אִתִּי. וּכְתִיב הָכָא, וְלֹא עָמַד אִישׁ אִתּוֹ בְּהִתְוַדַּע יוֹסֵף אֶל אֶחָיו. כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר, (ישעיהו ס״ג:ט׳) וַיְנַטְּלֵם וַיְנַשְּׂאֵם כָּל יְמֵי עוֹלָם.
R. Jesse expounded the verse as alluding to the time when the Holy One, blessed be He, will raise up the Community of Israel from the dust and will take vengeance on the idolatrous nations. Of that occasion it is thus written: “And of the peoples there was no man with me” (Is. 63, 3), which is analogous in phrasing to the passage “and there stood no man with him when Joseph made himself known to his brethren”, and further: “and he bare them and carried them all the days of old” (Ibid. 9).
וְלֹא יָכוֹל יוֹסֵף לְהִתְאַפֵּק, רִבִּי חִזְקִיָּה פָּתַח וְאָמַר, (תהילים קכ״ג:א׳) שִׁיר הַמַּעֲלוֹת אֵלֶיךָ נָשָׂאתִי אֶת עֵינַי הַיּוֹשְׁבִי בַּשָּׁמָיִם, הַאי קְרָא אוּקְמוּהָ וְאִתְּמָר. אֲבָל תָּא חֲזֵי, אֵלֶיךָ נָשָׂאתִי אֶת עֵינַי, וּכְתִיב, (תהילים קכ״א:א׳) אֶשָּׂא עֵינַי אֶל הֶהָרִים. אֶלָּא, דָּא לְעֵילָא וְדָא לְתַתָּא. אֶשָּׂא עֵינַי אֶל הֶהָרִים, דָּא לְעֵילָא. בְּגִין לְאַמְשָׁכָא בִּרְכָאן מֵעֵילָא לְתַתָּא, מֵאִלֵּין הָרִים עִלָּאִין, לְאַמְשָׁכָא מִנַּיְיהוּ בִּרְכָאן לִכְנֶסֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל דְּאִתְבָּרְכָא מִנַּיְיהוּ. אֵלֶיךָ נָשָׂאתִי אֶת עֵינַי, לְמִצְפֵּי וּלְחַכָּאָה לְאִנּוּן בִּרְכָאן דְּנָחֲתוּ מִתַּמָּן לְתַתָּא.
R. Hizkiah said: ‘It is written in one Psalm: “A song of ascents. Unto thee I lift up mine eyes, O thou that art enthroned in the heavens” (Ps. 123, 1), and in another Psalm it is written: “I will lift up mine eyes unto the mountains” (Ibid. 121, 1). The difference has been expounded as follows. The latter speaks of heaven, whereas the former speaks of earth. Thus, “I will lift mine eyes unto the mountains”, to wit, to the heavens above in order to draw down blessing from on high to below, to draw down blessings from those exalted mountains toward the Community of Israel; but then: “Unto thee I lift up mine eyes”, in hoping and waiting for those blessings that descend from thence to here below.
הַיּוֹשְׁבִי בַּשָּׁמָיִם, דְּכָל תּוּקְפָהָא וְחֵילָאָה וְקִיּוּמָהָא, אִיהוּ בַּשָּׁמַיִם. בְּגִין דְּכַד יוֹבֵלָא אַפְתַּח מַבּוּעֵי דְּכָל אִינוּן תַּרְעִין, כֻּלְּהוּ קָיְימֵי בַּשָּׁמַיִם. וְכֵיוָן דְּשָׁמַיִם נָטִיל כָּל אִינוּן נְהוֹרִין דְּנָפְקֵי מִיּוֹבֵלָא, כְּדֵין אִיהוּ זָן וְאַשְׁקֵי לָהּ לִכְנֶסֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל עַל יְדָא דְצַדִּיק חַד.
“O thou that art enthroned in the heavens”: inasmuch as all might and strength is centred in heaven. For when the Jubilee opens the springs, all the gates of heaven are ready, and when the heaven receives all the lights that issue from the Jubilee, there flows down drink and food for the Community of Israel through the intermediary of one Righteous One.
וְכֵיוָן דְּדָא אִתְעַר לְגַבָּהּ, כַּמָּה אִינוּן דְּקָיְימָן בְּכָל סִטְרִין לְאִתְשַׁקְאָה וּלְאִתְבָּרְכָא מִתַּמָּן. כְּמָא דְאַתְּ אָמֵר, (תהילים ק״ד:כ״א) הַכְּפִירִים שׁוֹאֲגִים לַטֶּרֶף וּלְבַקֵּשׁ מֵאֵל אָכְלָם. וּכְדֵין, אִיהִי סָלְקָא בְּרָזָא דְרָזִין כְּדְקָא חָזֵי (ד"א ל"ג ליה), וּמְקַבְּלָא עִדּוּנִין מִבַעֲלָהּ כְּדְקָא יְאוּת, וְכֻלְּהוּ דְּקָיְימִין בְּכָל סִטְרִין עָמְדֵי בִּלְחוֹדַיְיהוּ. כְּמָא דְאַתְּ אָמֵר, וְלֹא עָמַד אִישׁ אִתּוֹ. דִּכְתִיב, וַיִּקְרָא הוֹצִיאוּ כָּל אִישׁ מֵעָלַי, וּלְבָתַר דְּאִיהִי מְקַבְּלָא עִדּוּנִין מִבַּעֲלָהּ, כֻּלְּהוּ אִתְשַׁקְיָין לְבָתַר וְאִתְּזָנוּ. כְּמָא דְאַתְּ אָמֵר, (תהילים ק״ד:י״א) יַשְׁקוּ כָּל חַיְתוֹ שָׂדָי יִשְׁבְּרוּ פְרָאִים צְמָאָם.
When this one moves towards her, many are those who stand and wait to be refreshed and to participate in the blessings from above, as Scripture says: “The young lions roar after their prey, and seek their food from God” (Ps. 104, 2). But the Community of Israel rises in a recondite manner and receives dainties from her spouse in manner due. As to all those that stand round, they remain apart, as it says: “Then there was no man with him”, and as it also says before: “and he cried: Cause every man to go out from me”. Afterwards, however, when she has received dainties from her spouse, all the others are given drink and food, as it says: “They give drink to every beast of the field, the wild asses quench their thirst” (Ibid. 104, 11).’