AND JOSEPH MADE READY HIS CHARIOT. R. Isaac began a discourse on the verse: And over the heads of the living creatures (hayoth) there was the likeness of a firmament, like the colour of the terrible ice, stretched forth over their heads above (Ezek. 1, 22). ‘This verse’, he said, ‘has been explained as follows. There is a series of hayoth, one group higher than the other, and there is one above all which sets all the others in motion
and causes them to transmit their light to one another. This supreme Hayah has various faces which radiate to all the cardinal points, three on each side.
So Scripture says: “And under the firmament were their wings conformable the one to the other, etc.” (Ibid. 23), as they all rule over what has been committed to their charge.
There being nine hayoth on each of the four sides of the universe, the total number is thirty-six. When they are all joined together, they form one impression symbolizing the one Name in an absolute unity.
And when they are all ranged round the heavenly throne, then is realized the description given by the prophet: “And above the firmament that was over their heads was the likeness of a throne, as the appearance of a sapphire stone; and upon the likeness of the throne was a likeness as the appearance of a man above it” (Ibid. 26).
Now the figures on that chariot culminate in that of man; and when the other figures are subordinared to this one so as to form a homogeneous chariot, then it may be said: “And Joseph made ready his chariot”, Joseph representing the Zaddik; further, “and went up to meet Israel his father, to Goshen”, Israel typifying the supernal Adam, and Goshen (lit. approaching) the coalescence of the two.
The text continues: “and he presented himself unto him”, symbolizing the reflection of the light of the sun on to the moon, whereby the moon is lit up and floods with its light all the dwellers of the lower world. Correspondingly, as long as the supernal sanctity rested on the lower Temple, that Temple was filled with an effulgence of light, and thus remained in its completeness, but subsequently the supernal sanctity was withdrawn and the Temple was destroyed, regarding which it is written: “and he wept on his neck a long while”; “he wept”, on account of the Temple that was to be destroyed, and “a long while”, on account of the last exile.
When Jacob thus saw that all below was complete after the supernal pattern, he said: “Now let me die… that thou art yet alive”, that is to say: since thou hast retained the holy covenant of Him who is called the Living One of all eternity. The same is implied in Jacob’s previous utterance: “It is enough; Joseph my son is yet alive.”
AND JACOB BLESSED PHARAOH. R. Jose cited in connection with this the verse: I have compared thee, O my love, to a steed in Pharaoh’s chariot (S. S. 1, 9).
Observe’, he said, ‘that there are chariots of the left that belong to the other side, and there are chariots of the right that are under the aegis of supernal holiness; the latter are of grace, the former of severity.
When the Holy One, blessed be He, executed justice on the Egyptians, every form of punishment which He inflicted on them was after the very pattern of those chariots, and after the very pattern of that other side: as that side slays and takes men’s souls, so did the Holy One, blessed be He, as it says: “and the Lord slew all the first-born in the land of Egypt” (Ex. 13, 15), and so with all the other punishments executed on the Egyptians. This is the implication of the words, “I compared thee, O my beloved, etc.”, to wit, “I made thee equal to the other side in the power to slay.” And what does Scripture say in regard to the future? “Who is this that cometh from Edom, with crimson garments from Bozrah? etc. (Is. 63, 1).
AND ISRAEL DWELT IN THE LAND OF EGYPT, IN THE LAND OF GOSHEN; AND THEY GOT THEM POSSESSION THEREIN, AND WERE FRUITFUL, AND MULTIPLIED EXCEEDINGLY , and they got them possession, to wit, as a permanent possession, inasmuch as it belonged to them; and they were fruitful, and multiplied, assuredly so, seeing that they were relieved of all vexation and they enjoyed all the luxuries of the world. Blessed be the Lord for evermore. Amen and Amen!1The first four and a half pages of this section (211b-216a) are declared by all the commentators to be an interpolation, containing much erroneous doctrine.
וַיֶּאֱסוֹר יוֹסֵף מֶרְכַּבְתּוֹ, רִבִּי יִצְחָק פָּתַח וְאָמַר, (יחזקאל א׳:כ״ב) וּדְמוּת עַל רָאשֵׁי הַחַיָּה רָקִיעַ כְּעֵין הַקֶּרַח הַנּוֹרָא נָטוּי עַל רָאשֵׁיהֶם מִלְּמַעְלָה, הַאי קְרָא אוּקְמוּהָ. אֲבָל תָּא חֲזֵי, אִית חַיָּה לְעֵיל מִן חַיָּה, וְאִית חַיָּה קַדִּישָׁא דְּקָיְימָא עַל רִישׁ חֵיוָתָא.
AND JOSEPH MADE READY HIS CHARIOT. R. Isaac began a discourse on the verse: And over the heads of the living creatures (hayoth) there was the likeness of a firmament, like the colour of the terrible ice, stretched forth over their heads above (Ezek. 1, 22). ‘This verse’, he said, ‘has been explained as follows. There is a series of hayoth, one group higher than the other, and there is one above all which sets all the others in motion
וְאִית חַיָּה עִלָּאָה, לְעֵילָא עַל כָּל שְׁאָר חֵיוָתָא, וְהַאי (נ"א ואית) חַיָּה שָׁלְטָא עַל כֻּלְּהוּ. בְּגִין דְּכַד הַאי חֵיוָתָא יָהֲבָא וְנָהֲרָא לְכֻלְּהוּ, כְּדֵין כֻּלְּהוּ נָטְלִין לְמַטְלָנוֹי, וִיהִיבַת דָּא לְדָא, וְשָׁלְטָא דָּא עַל דָּא.
and causes them to transmit their light to one another. This supreme Hayah has various faces which radiate to all the cardinal points, three on each side.
וְאִית חֵיוָתָא לְעֵילָא עַל תַּתָּאֵי, עַל שְׁאָר חֵיוָתָא לְתַתָּא, וְכֻלְּהוּ אִתְּזָנוּ מִינָהּ, וְד' סִטְרֵי דְעַלְמָא רְשִׁימִין בָּהּ. אַנְפִּין נְהִירִין יְדִיעָן (דינין) לְכָל סְטַר, וְאִיהִי שָׁלְטָא עַל ד' סִטְרֵי. וְהָא אוּקְמוּהָ, דְּאִינוּן ג' לִסְטַר דָּא, וְג' לִסְטַר דָּא, וְכֵן לְד' סִטְרִין דְּעַלְמָא.
There is besides a series of firmaments, one above the other, the highest one dominating all the others, which all turn their gaze towards it.
(שמות ריב ע"א) וְאִית רָקִיעַ לְעֵיל מִן רָקִיעַ, וְהַאי רָקִיעַ דְּשָׁלְטָא עֲלַיְיהוּ, כֻּלְּהוּ מִסְתַּכְּלָן לְגַבֵּיהּ. מַה כְּתִיב, (יחזקאל א׳:כ״ג) וְתַחַת הָרָקִיעַ כַּנְפֵיהֶם יְשָׁרוֹת אִשָּׁה אֶל אֲחוֹתָהּ וְגו'. בְּגִין דְּכֻלְּהוּ שָׁלְטִין עַל מַה דְּאִתְפָּקְדוּ, וּשְׁלִיחוּ דְּקוּסְטָא דְּקוּפְטְרָא בְּהוּ.
So Scripture says: “And under the firmament were their wings conformable the one to the other, etc.” (Ibid. 23), as they all rule over what has been committed to their charge.
וְאִינוּן לְכָל סְטַר תִּשְׁעָה, (ט') לְד' סִטְרִין דְּעַלְמָא, וְאִינוּן ל"ו בְּחוּשְׁבְּנָא. וְכַד מִתְחַבְּרָן כֻּלְּהוּ, אִתְעֲבִידוּ רְשִׁימָא חָדָא בְּרָזָא דִשְׁמָא חָדָא, בְּיִחוּדָא שְׁלִים כִּדְקָחָזֵי.
There being nine hayoth on each of the four sides of the universe, the total number is thirty-six. When they are all joined together, they form one impression symbolizing the one Name in an absolute unity.
וְכַד מִתְתַּקְנֵי לְגַבֵּי כָּרְסְיָא, מַה כְּתִיב. וּמִמַּעַל לָרָקִיעַ אֲשֶׁר עַל רֹאשָׁם כְּמַרְאֵה אֶבֶן סַפִּיר דְּמוּת כִּסֵּא וְעַל דְּמוּת הַכִּסֵּא דְּמוּת כְּמַרְאֶה אָדָם עָלָיו מִלְּמָעְלָה, וְהָא אוֹקִימְנָא (נ"א דיוקנא) דְּהַאי אֶבֶן טָבָא בְּכָרְסְיָא דְּקָיְימָא עַל ד' קָיְימִין, וְעַל הַהוּא כָּרְסְיָא דִּיוּקְנָא דְאָדָם, לְאִתְחַבְּרָא בֵּיהּ כְּחֲדָא, וּלְאִתְבָּרְכָא כְּדְקָא יְאוּת.
And when they are all ranged round the heavenly throne, then is realized the description given by the prophet: “And above the firmament that was over their heads was the likeness of a throne, as the appearance of a sapphire stone; and upon the likeness of the throne was a likeness as the appearance of a man above it” (Ibid. 26).
וְכַד אִיהִי מִתְתַּקְנָא לְגַבֵּיהּ דְּאָדָם, לְמֶהֱוֵי כֹּלָּא רְתִיכָא (נ"א קדישא, וכהן כלא רתיכא) חָדָא, לְהַאי אָדָם. כְּדֵין כְּתִיב, וַיֶּאֱסוֹר יוֹסֵף מֶרְכַּבְתּוֹ דָּא צַדִּיק. וַיַּעַל לִקְרַאת יִשְׂרָאֵל אָבִיו גּשְׁנָה. לִקְרַאת יִשְׂרָאֵל, דָּא רָזָא דְּאָדָם. גּשְׁנָה, תִּקְרוּבְתָּא חָדָא, לְאִתְקְרָבָא כְּחֲדָא, בְּקָרְבָּנָא חָדָא וְיִחוּדָא חָדָא.
Now the figures on that chariot culminate in that of man; and when the other figures are subordinared to this one so as to form a homogeneous chariot, then it may be said: “And Joseph made ready his chariot”, Joseph representing the Zaddik; further, “and went up to meet Israel his father, to Goshen”, Israel typifying the supernal Adam, and Goshen (lit. approaching) the coalescence of the two.
וַיֵּרָא אֵלָיו, דְּכַד אִתְחֲזֵי שִׁמְשָׁא בְּסִיהֲרָא, כְּדֵין נָהִיר סִיהֲרָא וְאַנְהִיר לְכֻלְּהוּ דִלְתַתָּא. וְכֵן כְּגַוְונָא דָא, כָּל זִמְנָא דִּקְדּוּשָּׁה דִלְעֵילָא שָׁרָא עַל מַקְדְּשָׁא דִלְתַתָּא, אִתְנְהִיר בֵּי מַקְדְּשָׁא וְקָיְימָא בִּשְׁלִימוּתֵיהּ. וְכַד אִסְתַּלַּק מִנֵּיהּ וְאִתְחָרִיב בֵּי מַקְדְּשָׁא, כְּדֵין, וַיֵּבְךִ עַל צַוָּארָיו עוֹד. דְּבָכוּן כֹּלָּא עַל מַקְדְּשָׁא דְּאִתְחָרִיב. עוֹד, מַאי עוֹד. דָּא גָלוּתָא בַּתְרָאָה.
The text continues: “and he presented himself unto him”, symbolizing the reflection of the light of the sun on to the moon, whereby the moon is lit up and floods with its light all the dwellers of the lower world. Correspondingly, as long as the supernal sanctity rested on the lower Temple, that Temple was filled with an effulgence of light, and thus remained in its completeness, but subsequently the supernal sanctity was withdrawn and the Temple was destroyed, regarding which it is written: “and he wept on his neck a long while”; “he wept”, on account of the Temple that was to be destroyed, and “a long while”, on account of the last exile.
כְּדֵין כֵּיוָן דְּחָמָא יַעֲקֹב וְאִסְתַּכַּל דְּהָא תִּקּוּנָא דִלְתַתָּא אִשְׁתַּכְלַל כְּגַוְונָא דִלְעֵילָא, כְּדֵין אָמַר אָמוּתָה הַפָּעַם וְגו'. כִּי עוֹדְךָ חַי, דְּאִתְקָיְימַת בְּרָזָא דִּבְרִית קַדִּישָׁא, דְּאִקְרֵי חַי הָעוֹלָמִים, וּבְגִין כָּךְ כִּי עוֹדְךָ חָי. וְעַל דָּא בְּקַדְמִיתָא אָמַר, רַב עוֹד יוֹסֵף בְּנִי חָי, דְּאִצְטְרִיךְ לְמֵיקַם בְּרָזָא דְחַי, וְהָא אִתְּמָר.
When Jacob thus saw that all below was complete after the supernal pattern, he said: “Now let me die… that thou art yet alive”, that is to say: since thou hast retained the holy covenant of Him who is called the Living One of all eternity. The same is implied in Jacob’s previous utterance: “It is enough; Joseph my son is yet alive.”
תָּא חֲזֵי, מַה כְּתִיב, וַיְבָרֶךְ יַעֲקֹב אֶת פַּרְעֹה, אָמַר רִבִּי יוֹסֵי, פַּרְעֹה אַף עַל גַּב דְּאוּקְמוּהָ בְּרָזָא אוֹחֲרָא, סֶמֶךְ דְּקָא סַמְכִינָן בְּעַלְמָא.
AND JACOB BLESSED PHARAOH. R. Jose cited in connection with this the verse: I have compared thee, O my love, to a steed in Pharaoh’s chariot (S. S. 1, 9).
אֲבָל תָּא חֲזֵי, (שיר השירים א׳:ט׳) לְסוּסָתִי בְּרִכְבֵי פַרְעֹה דִּמִּיתִיךְ רַעֲיָתִי, תָּא חֲזֵי, אִית רְתִיכִין לִשְׂמָאלָא בְּרָזָא דְסִטְרָא אָחֳרָא, וְאִית רְתִיכִין לִימִינָא בְּרָזָא דִלְעֵילָא דִקְדּוּשָּׁה, וְאִלֵּין לָקֳבֵל אִלֵּין. אִלֵּין דְּרַחֲמֵי וְאִלֵּין דְּדִינָא.
Observe’, he said, ‘that there are chariots of the left that belong to the other side, and there are chariots of the right that are under the aegis of supernal holiness; the latter are of grace, the former of severity.
וְכַד קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא עָבַד דִּינָא בְּמִצְרָאֵי, כָּל דִּינָא דְּעָבִיד, כְּהַהוּא גַוְונָא דְּאִינוּן רְתִיכִין מַמָּשׁ, וּכְגַוְונָא דִילֵיהּ דְּהַהוּא סִטְרָא מַמָּשׁ. מַה הַהוּא סִטְרָא (ממש) קָטִיל וְאַפִּיק נִשְׁמָתִין, אוּף קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא עָבִיד בְּהַהוּא גַוְונָא מַמָּשׁ. דִּכְתִיב, (שמות י״ג:ט״ו) וַיַּהֲרֹג ה' כָּל בְּכוֹר, וְכֵן כֹּלָּא בְּמִצְרַיִם, בְּהַהוּא גַוְונָא מַמָּשׁ. וּבְגִין כָּךְ דִּמִיתִיךְ רַעֲיָתִי, כְּגַוְונָא דִילָהּ מַמָּשׁ לְקָטְלָא. דִּכְתִיב, כִּי אֲנִי ה' אֲנִי הוּא וְלא אַחֵר. וּלְזִמְנָא דְאָתֵי מַה כְּתִיב, (ישעיהו ס״ג:א׳) מִי זֶה בָּא מֵאֱדוֹם חֲמוּץ בְּגָדִים מִבָּצְרָה וְגו'.
When the Holy One, blessed be He, executed justice on the Egyptians, every form of punishment which He inflicted on them was after the very pattern of those chariots, and after the very pattern of that other side: as that side slays and takes men’s souls, so did the Holy One, blessed be He, as it says: “and the Lord slew all the first-born in the land of Egypt” (Ex. 13, 15), and so with all the other punishments executed on the Egyptians. This is the implication of the words, “I compared thee, O my beloved, etc.”, to wit, “I made thee equal to the other side in the power to slay.” And what does Scripture say in regard to the future? “Who is this that cometh from Edom, with crimson garments from Bozrah? etc. (Is. 63, 1).
תָּא חֲזֵי, מַה כְּתִיב, וַיֵּשֶׁב יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּאֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם בְּאֶרֶץ גּוֹשֶׁן וַיֵּאָחֲזוּ בָהּ וַיִּפְרוּ וַיִּרְבּוּ מְאֹד. וַיֵּאָחֲזוּ בָהּ, אַחְסָנַת עָלְמִין. וְיֵּאָחֲזוּ בָּהּ, דְּהָא לְהוֹן אִתְחֲזֵי, כְּמָה דְאוּקְמוּהָ. (ד"א ל"ג אמר רבי יוסי) וַיִּפְרוּ וַיִּרְבּוּ מְאֹד, ודַּאי, דְּהָא צַעֲרָא לָא שָׁרַאת בְּהוּ, וְקָיְימֵי בְּתַפְנוּקֵי עַלְמָא, וּבְגִין כָּךְ וַיִּפְרוּ וַיִּרְבּוּ מְאֹד. בָּרוּךְ יְיָ לְעוֹלָם אָמֵן וְאָמֵן:
AND ISRAEL DWELT IN THE LAND OF EGYPT, IN THE LAND OF GOSHEN; AND THEY GOT THEM POSSESSION THEREIN, AND WERE FRUITFUL, AND MULTIPLIED EXCEEDINGLY , and they got them possession, to wit, as a permanent possession, inasmuch as it belonged to them; and they were fruitful, and multiplied, assuredly so, seeing that they were relieved of all vexation and they enjoyed all the luxuries of the world. Blessed be the Lord for evermore. Amen and Amen!1The first four and a half pages of this section (211b-216a) are declared by all the commentators to be an interpolation, containing much erroneous doctrine.