AND JACOB CALLED TO HIS SONS AND SAID: GATHER YOURSELVES TOGETHER, ETC. R. Abba discoursed on the verse: He turned to the prayer of the lonely one and did not despise their prayer (Ps. CII, I8). He said: ‘The use of the word “turned” here, instead of “hearkened” or “listened”, is significant.
The prayer of an individual man only enters before the Holy King with great difficulty, because before it can be crowned in its place God examines it closely and weighs the merits and defects of that individual. He does not so with the prayer of a congregation; for congregational prayers are offered by many who are not virtuous, and yet they all come before God and He does not regard their sins.
Therefore it says, “God turns to the prayer of the solitary one” and weighs and considers it, and examines in what spirit it is offered and who is the man that offers it, and what is his conduct. Hence a man should pray with the congregation because “God does not despise their prayer”, even though they do not all pray with devotion.
According to another explanation, the word “solitary” here refers to an individual who is united with numbers, to wit, Jacob, who was united with two sides, and who called his sons and prayed for them that they might be acceptable above and not be destroyed in the captivity.
When Jacob called his sons, Abraham and Isaac were there and the Shekinah with them, rejoicing in Jacob, and in the prospect of joining the patriarchs and forming with them a chariot.
When Jacob said to his sons, “I will tell you what will befall you in the latter end of days”, a kind of sadness came over him and the Shekinah departed. His sons, however, raised their voices and said, “Hear, O Israel, etc.”, and Jacob answered, “Blessed be the name of his glorious kingdom for ever and ever”, and on this proclamation of the unity the Shekinah returned to its place. AND JACOB CALLED. The word ‘called’ signifies that he established them in their place above and below.
Similarly, Moses “called Hosea son of Nun, Joshua” (Num. 13, 16) to establish him in his proper place. There is a similar significance in the expressions “And he called his name Jacob” (Gen. 25, 26) and “the God of Israel called him El” (Gen. 33, 20).
So, too, “I called from my sorrow unto the Lord” (Jonah, 3, 7), signifying that one who praises his Master and addresses supplications to Him establishes his Master more firmly, by showing that all depends upon Him and not upon any other power.
AND HE SAID. It has been laid down that “saying” means “thinking”, as in the expression “And thou shalt say in thy heart” (Deut. 7, 17). ASSEMBLE YOURSELVES ; that is, in complete harmony. AND I SHALL TELL YOU. The word “tell” (agidah) contains an allusion to the esoteric wisdom.
It may be asked, seeing that he did not reveal what he sought to reveal, why are his words, which were afterwards belied, recorded in the Scripture? The truth is that all that was needful to be revealed is completely stated, and there is a hidden meaning within, and so nothing in the Scripture is belied.
In fact, everything is included in the Scripture, and there is no word or letter short in it. Jacob said all that was needful for him to say, but not all openly, and not a letter was short of what was required.
R. Judah and R. Jose were one day sitting at the gate of Lydda. Said the latter: ‘We are told that Jacob blessed his sons, but what are the blessings?’ R. Judah answered: ‘He did indeed bless them, as, for instance, “Judah, thee shall thy brethren praise”, “Dan shall judge his people”, “Out of Asher his bread shall be fat”, and so forth;
but what he sought to reveal to them he did not reveal, namely, the end. We have laid down that there is an end to the right and an end to the left, and he sought to reveal to them the end (of the left) in order that they might keep themselves pure from uncleanness. What he revealed to them referred only to the time when they were in the Holy Land; later things were not stated openly, but are only hinted at in this section and in these blessings.’
וַיִּקְרָא יַעֲקֹב אֶל בָּנָיו וַיֹּאמֶר הֵאָסְפוּ וְגו', רִבִּי אַבָּא פָּתַח וְאָמַר, (תהילים ק״ב:י״ח) פָּנָה אֶל תְּפִלַּת הָעַרְעָר וְלֹא בָּזָה אֶת תְּפִלָּתָם. הַאי קְרָא אוּקְמוּהָ, וְאַקְשׁוּ בֵּיהּ חַבְרַיָיא. (אלא תו אית ביה סטר קורדיטא) פָּנָה, הִקְשִׁיב מִבָּעֵי לֵיהּ, אוֹ שָׁמַע, מַאי פָּנָה.
AND JACOB CALLED TO HIS SONS AND SAID: GATHER YOURSELVES TOGETHER, ETC. R. Abba discoursed on the verse: He turned to the prayer of the lonely one and did not despise their prayer (Ps. CII, I8). He said: ‘The use of the word “turned” here, instead of “hearkened” or “listened”, is significant.
אֶלָּא כָּל צְלוֹתִין דְּעַלְמָא צְלוֹתִין. וּצְלוֹתָא דְיָחִיד, לָא עָאל קַמֵּי מַלְכָּא קַדִּישָׁא, אֶלָּא בְּחֵילָא תַּקִּיפָא. דְּעַד לָא עָאֳלַת הַהִיא צְלוֹתָא לְאִתְעַטְּרָא בְּדוּכְתָּהּ, אַשְׁגַּח בָּהּ קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, וְאִסְתְּכֵי בָּהּ, וְאִסְתְּכֵי בְּחוֹבוֹי וּבִזְכוּתֵיהּ דְּהַהוּא בַּר נָשׁ, מַה דְּלָא עָבִיד כֵּן בִּצְלוֹתָא דְסַגִּיאִין. דִּצְלוֹתָא דְּסַגִּיאִין כַּמָּה אִינוּן צְלוֹתִין דְּלָא (מבני) מִן זַכָּאִין אִינוּן, וְעָאלִין כֻּלְּהוּ קַמֵּי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, וְלָא אַשְׁגַּח בְּחוֹבַיְיהוּ.
The prayer of an individual man only enters before the Holy King with great difficulty, because before it can be crowned in its place God examines it closely and weighs the merits and defects of that individual. He does not so with the prayer of a congregation; for congregational prayers are offered by many who are not virtuous, and yet they all come before God and He does not regard their sins.
בְגִין כָּךְ, פָּנָה אֶל תְּפִלַּת הָעַרְעָר, מְהַפֵּךְ (בזכותיה) וְאִסְתְּכֵי בָהּ, וְאִסְתְּכֵי בָּהּ בְּמָּה רְעוּתָא אִתְעֲבִיד, וּמַאן הַהוּא בַּר נָשׁ דְּצַלֵּי צְלוֹתָא דָא, וּמַאן אִינוּן עוֹבָדוֹי. בְגִין כָּךְ, לִיבָּעֵי לֵיהּ לְבַּר נָשׁ, דִּלְצַלֵּי צְלוֹתָא בְּצִבּוּרָא. מַאי טַעְמָא, בְּגִין דְּלָא בָזָה אֶת תְּפִלָּתָם, אַף עַל גַּב דְּלָאו כֻּלְּהוּ בְּכַוָּונָה וּרְעוּתָא דְּלִבָּא.
Therefore it says, “God turns to the prayer of the solitary one” and weighs and considers it, and examines in what spirit it is offered and who is the man that offers it, and what is his conduct. Hence a man should pray with the congregation because “God does not despise their prayer”, even though they do not all pray with devotion.
דָּבָר אַחֵר פָּנָה אֶל תְּפִלַּת הָעַרְעָר, דָּא יְחִידָאי דְּאִתְכְּלִיל בְּסַגִּיאִין. וּמַאן הוּא יְחִידָאי דְּאִתְכְּלִיל בְּסַגִּיאִין, הֱוֵי אֵימָא דָא יַעֲקֹב, דְּאִיהוּ כָּלִיל בִּתְרֵין סִטְרִין, וּקְרָא לִבְנוֹי, וְצַלֵּי צְלוֹתֵיהּ עֲלַיְיהוּ. מַאן צְלוֹתָא דְּיִתְקַבְּלוּן בִּשְׁלִימוּ לְעֵילָא, צְלוֹתָא דְלָא יִשְׁתֵּצוּן בְּגָלוּתָא.
According to another explanation, the word “solitary” here refers to an individual who is united with numbers, to wit, Jacob, who was united with two sides, and who called his sons and prayed for them that they might be acceptable above and not be destroyed in the captivity.
בְּהַאי שַׁעְתָּא דְּיַעֲקֹב קָרָא לוֹן, אִסְתַּלַּק מִנֵּיהּ שְׁכִינְתָּא, וְהָא אוּקְמוּהָ. וְתָּא חֲזֵי, בְּשַׁעְתָּא דְּיַעֲקֹב הֲוָה קָארֵי לִבְנוֹי, אִזְדַּמְּנוּ אַבְרָהָם וְיִצְחָק תַּמָּן, וּשְׁכִינְתָּא עַל גַּבַּיְיהוּ. וּשְׁכִינְתָּא הֲוָה חָדֵי בֵּיהּ בְּיַעֲקֹב, לְאִתְחַבְּרָא בַּאֲבָהָן, לְאִתְקַשְּׁרָא עִם נַפְשַׁיְיהוּ כְּחַד, לְמֶהוֵי רְתִיכָא.
When Jacob called his sons, Abraham and Isaac were there and the Shekinah with them, rejoicing in Jacob, and in the prospect of joining the patriarchs and forming with them a chariot.
בְּשַׁעְתָּא דְּפָתַח יַעֲקֹב, וְאָמַר הֵאָסְפוּ וְאַגִּידָה לָכֶם אֵת אֲשֶׁר יִקְרָא אֶתְכֶם בְּאַחֲרִית הַיָּמִים. בְּאַחֲרִית, דָּא שְׁכִינְתָּא, כִּבְיָכוֹל יָהַב עֲצִיבוּ בֵּיהּ, וְאִסְתַּלַּק. וּלְבָתַר אַהֲדָרוּ לָהּ בְּנוֹי, בְּיִחוּדֵי דְמִילַיְיהוּ, וּפָתְחוּ וְאָמְרוּ, (דברים ו) שְׁמַע יִשְׂרָאֵל וְגו'. בְּהַהִיא שַׁעְתָּא קָאִים לָהּ יַעֲקֹב, וְאָמַר בָּרוּךְ שֵׁם כְּבוֹד מַלְכוּתוֹ לְעוֹלָם וָעֶד, וְאִתְיַישְׁבַת שְׁכִינְתָּא בְּדוּכְתָּהּ. וַיִּקְרָא יַעֲקֹב, מַאי קְרִיאָה הָכָא. אֶלָּא קְרִיאָה, לְקַיְימָא דוּכְתַּיְיהוּ, לְקַיְימָא לוֹן לְעֵילָא וְתַתָּא.
When Jacob said to his sons, “I will tell you what will befall you in the latter end of days”, a kind of sadness came over him and the Shekinah departed. His sons, however, raised their voices and said, “Hear, O Israel, etc.”, and Jacob answered, “Blessed be the name of his glorious kingdom for ever and ever”, and on this proclamation of the unity the Shekinah returned to its place. AND JACOB CALLED. The word ‘called’ signifies that he established them in their place above and below.
תָּא חֲזֵי, בְּכָל אֲתַר קְרִיאָה בְּהַאי גַוְונָא, דִּכְתִיב, (במדבר י״ג:ט״ז) וַיִּקְרָא משֶׁה לְהוֹשֵׁעַ בִּן נוּן יְהוֹשֻׁעַ, לְקַיְימָא דּוּכְתֵּיהּ, בְּאֲתַר דְּאִצְטְרִיךְ, וּלְקָשְׁרָא לֵיהּ. וְכֵן (בראשית כ״ה:כ״ו) וַיִּקְרָא שְׁמוֹ יַעֲקֹב. וּכְתִיב, (בראשית ל״ג:כ׳) וַיִּקְרָא לוֹ אֵל אֱלֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל, קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא קִיֵּים לֵיהּ לְאֲתַר דָּא בִּשְׁמָא דָא. קְרִיאָה לְקִיּוּמָא קָא אַתְיָא.
Similarly, Moses “called Hosea son of Nun, Joshua” (Num. 13, 16) to establish him in his proper place. There is a similar significance in the expressions “And he called his name Jacob” (Gen. 25, 26) and “the God of Israel called him El” (Gen. 33, 20).
אִי תֵימָא (יונה ג׳:ח׳) וְיִקְרְאוּ אֶל אֱלהִים, (יונה ב׳:ג׳) קָרָאתִי מִצָּרָה לִי אֶל ה', הָכִי הוּא וַדַּאי, לְקָשְׁרָא וּלְקָיְימָא קִיּוּמָא לְעֵילָא. וּמַאן אִיהוּ, סִדּוּרָא דְשִׁבְחָא דְמָארֵיהּ. וְכָל אִינוּן מִלִּין דְּבָעָאן קַמֵּי מָארֵיהּ, קִיּוּמָא יָהִיב לֵיהּ לְמָארֵיהּ, דְּאַחֲזֵי דְּבֵיהּ תַּלְיָא כֹּלָּא, וְלָא בְּאֲתַר אָחֳרָא, הָא כֹּלָּא קַיַּים קִיּוּמָא. כְּהַאי גַּוְונָא וַיִּקְרָא יַעֲקֹב אֶל בָּנָיו, קִיֵּים לוֹן בְּקִיּוּמָא שְׁלִים. כְּגַוְונָא דָא וַיִּקְרָא אֶל משֶׁה, אִתְקְיַּים בְּקִיּוּמֵיהּ.
So, too, “I called from my sorrow unto the Lord” (Jonah, 3, 7), signifying that one who praises his Master and addresses supplications to Him establishes his Master more firmly, by showing that all depends upon Him and not upon any other power.
אָמַר רִבִּי יִצְחָק, א' דְוַיִּקְרָא, אַמַּאי הִיא זְעֵירָא. אָמַר לֵיהּ, אִתְקְיַּים משֶׁה בִּשְׁלִימוּ, וְלָא בְּכֹלָּא, דְּהָא אִסְתַּלַּק מֵאִתְּתֵיהּ. בְּסִפְרֵי קַדְמָאֵי אָמְרֵי לְשִׁבְחָא, וְאֲנַן הָכִי תָּנִינָן, מַאי דְאִסְתַּלַּק לְעֵילָא, יִתְקַשַּׁר לְעֵילָא וּלְתַתָּא, וּכְדֵין, אִיהוּ שְׁלִים. תוּ, אָלֶ"ף זְעֵירָא מֵאֲתַר זְעֵירָא הֲוָה, זְעֵירָא דְּאִיהוּ רַב בְּאִתְחַבְּרוּתֵיהּ לְעֵילָא. (נ"א לעילא ותתא וכדין שלים).
וַיֹּאמֶר, מַאי וַיֹּאמֶר. הָא אוּקְמוּהָ, (כמא דאת אמר, ויאמר בלבו) (ישעיהו מ״ט:כ״א) וְאָמַרְתָּ בִלְבָבֶךָ, אֲמִירָה בַּחֲשַׁאי. הֵאָסְפוּ, אִסְפוּ מִבָּעֵי לֵיהּ, כְּמָא דְאַתְּ אָמֵר, (תהילים נ׳:ה׳) אִסְפוּ לִי חֲסִידָי. אֶלָּא (ס"א קיים לון) קִים לָן הֵאָסְפוּ מֵאֲתַר דִּלְּעֵילָא הוּא. הֵאָסְפוּ בְּקִשּׁוּרָא שְׁלִים בְּיִחוּדָא חַד. וְאַגִּידָה לָכֶם, מַאי וְאַגִּידָה, רָזָא דְחָכְמְתָא אִיהוּ.
AND HE SAID. It has been laid down that “saying” means “thinking”, as in the expression “And thou shalt say in thy heart” (Deut. 7, 17). ASSEMBLE YOURSELVES ; that is, in complete harmony. AND I SHALL TELL YOU. The word “tell” (agidah) contains an allusion to the esoteric wisdom.
רִבִּי יוֹסֵי שָׁאִיל לְרִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן, אָמַר לֵיהּ, וְאַגִּידָה, אוֹ וְיַגֵּד, אוֹ וְיַגִּידוּ, וְכֵן כֻּלְּהוּ, דְּתָנִינָן דְּרָזָא דְחָכְמָתָא אִיהִי, אַמַּאי בְּמִלָּה דָא (בכלהו) אִיהוּ רָזָא דְחָכְמְתָא. אָמַר לֵיהּ, בְּגִין דְּאִיהוּ מִלָּה דְאַתְיָא בְּגִימֶ"ל דָלֶ"ת בְּלָא פִּירוּדָא, וְהַאי אִיהוּ רָזָא דְחָכְמָתָא. מִלָּה דְאַתְיָא בִּשְׁלִימוּ בְּרָזָא דְאַתְוָון, הָכִי הוּא, כַּד אִינוּן בְּחָכְמְתָא. אֲבָל דָלֶ"ת בְּלָא גִימֶ"ל, לָאו הוּא שְׁלִימוּ, וְכֵן גִימֶ"ל בְּלָא דָלֶ"ת. דְּהָא דָא בְּדָא אִתְקַשְּׁרוּ בְּלָא פִּירוּדָא, וּמַאן דְּאַפְרִישׁ לוֹן, גָּרִים לְגַרְמֵיהּ מוֹתָא, וְרָזָא דָא חוֹבָא דְּאָדָם.
He sought to reveal to them their final destiny.
בְגִין כָּךְ, הוּא מִלָּה דְרָזָא דְחָכְמְתָא, וְאַף עַל גַּב דְּאִית יו"ד לְזִמְנִין בֵּין גִימֶ"ל לְדָלֶ"ת, לָאו הֲוֵי פִּירוּדָא, וְכֹלָּא קִשּׁוּרָא חָדָא, וְעַל דָּא מִלָּה דָא, הָכִי הוּא וַדַּאי. וְאַגִּידָה לָכֶם, רָזָא דְחָכְמְתָא, בָּעָא לְגַלָּאָה סוֹפָא דְכָל עוֹבָדֵיהוֹן דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל.
וְאִי תֵימָא, דְּלָא גָלֵי מַאי דְבָעָא לְגַלָּאָה, אִי הָכִי, אַמַּאי כְּתִיב בְּאוֹרַיְיתָא מִלָּה דְיַעֲקֹב שְׁלֵימָא, וְאִתְפְּגִים לְבָתַר, וְלָא אִשְׁתְּלִים מִלָּה. אֶלָּא וַדַּאי אִשְׁתְּלִים, כָּל מַה דְּאִצְטְרִיךְ לְגַלָּאָה גַּלֵּי וְסָתִים, אָמַר מִלָּה וְגַלֵּי לְבַר וְסָתִים לְגוֹ. וּמִלָּה דְאוֹרַיְיתָא לָא אִתְפְּגִים לְעָלְמִין.
It may be asked, seeing that he did not reveal what he sought to reveal, why are his words, which were afterwards belied, recorded in the Scripture? The truth is that all that was needful to be revealed is completely stated, and there is a hidden meaning within, and so nothing in the Scripture is belied.
וְכֹלָּא הוּא סָתִים בֵּיהּ בְּאוֹרַיְיתָא, בְּגִין דְּאוֹרַיְיתָא הוּא שְׁלִימוּ דְּכֹלָּא, שְׁלִימוּ דִּלְעֵילָא וְתַתָּא, וְלָא אִית מִלָּה אוֹ אָת בְּאוֹרַיְיתָא פְּגִימוּ. וְיַעֲקֹב כָּל מַה דְּאִצְטְרִיךְ לֵיהּ לְמֵימַר אָמַר, אֲבָל גַּלֵּי וְסָתִים, וְלָא פָּגִים מִכָּל מַה דְּבָעָא אֲפִילּוּ אוֹת אַחַת.
In fact, everything is included in the Scripture, and there is no word or letter short in it. Jacob said all that was needful for him to say, but not all openly, and not a letter was short of what was required.
רִבִּי יְהוּדָה וְרִבִּי יוֹסֵי הֲווּ יַתְבֵי יוֹמָא חַד אֲפִתְחָא דְלוֹד. אָמַר רִבִּי יוֹסֵי לְרִבִּי יְהוּדָה, הָא דְחָמִינָן דְּיַעֲקֹב בָּרִיךְ לִבְנוֹי, חָמִינָן מִמַּה דִּכְתִיב, וַיְבָרֶךְ אוֹתָם, אֲבָל אָן בִּרְכָתָא דִלְהוֹן. אָמַר לֵיהּ, כֹּלָּא בִּרְכָאן אִינוּן דְּבָרִיךְ לְהוּ. כְּגוֹן, יְהוּדָה אַתָּה יוֹדוּךָ אַחֶיךָ. דָּן יָדִין עַמּוֹ. מֵאָשֵׁר שְׁמֵנָה לַחְמוֹ. וְכֵן כֻּלְּהוּ.
R. Judah and R. Jose were one day sitting at the gate of Lydda. Said the latter: ‘We are told that Jacob blessed his sons, but what are the blessings?’ R. Judah answered: ‘He did indeed bless them, as, for instance, “Judah, thee shall thy brethren praise”, “Dan shall judge his people”, “Out of Asher his bread shall be fat”, and so forth;
אֲבָל מַה דְּבָעֵי לְגַלֵּי לוֹן לָא גַּלֵּי, דְּבָעָא לְגַלָּאָה לְהוּ אֶת הַקֵּץ. וְהָא אוּקְמוּהָ, דְּאִית קֵץ לִימִינָא, וְאִית קֵץ לִשְׂמָאלָא, וּבָעָא לְגַלָּאָה לוֹן אֶת הַקֵּץ, בְּגִין לְאִסְתַּמְּרָא וּלְאִתְדַּכְּאָה מֵעָרְלָה. ומַאן דְּגַלֵּי לוֹן אִתְיְדַע וְאִתְגַּלֵּי, עַד דְּעָאלוּ לְאַרְעָא קַדִּישָׁא. אֲבָל מִלִּין אָחֳרָנִין לָאו אִינוּן בְּאִתְגַּלְּיָיא, וּסְתִימִין אִינוּן בְּאוֹרַיְיתָא, בְּהַאי פָּרְשָׁתָא דְיַעֲקֹב, וּבְאִינוּן בִּרְכָאן.
but what he sought to reveal to them he did not reveal, namely, the end. We have laid down that there is an end to the right and an end to the left, and he sought to reveal to them the end (of the left) in order that they might keep themselves pure from uncleanness. What he revealed to them referred only to the time when they were in the Holy Land; later things were not stated openly, but are only hinted at in this section and in these blessings.’