He then discoursed on the verse: “When thou shalt besiege a city a long time in making war against it to take it”, etc. (Deut. 20, 19). ‘How goodly’, he said, ‘are the ways and paths of the Torah, since it is full of good counsel for man, and every word of it radiates light in many directions. This verse can be taken literally, and it can be expounded homiletically, and it contains also a lesson of the higher wisdom. He who constantly occupies himself with the Torah is compared by the Psalmist to “a tree planted by streams of water” (Ps. 1, 3).
Just as a tree has roots, bark, sap, branches, leaves, flowers and fruit, seven kinds in all, so the Torah has the literal meaning, the homiletical meaning, the mystery of wisdom, numerical values, hidden mysteries, still deeper mysteries, and the laws of fit and unfit, forbidden and permitted, and clean and unclean. From this point branches spread out in all directions, and to one who knows it in this way it is indeed like a tree, and if not he is not truly wise.
Observe how beloved are those who study the Torah before the Holy One, blessed be He, for even when chastisement impends over the world and permission is given to the destroyer to destroy, the Holy One, blessed be He, charges him concerning them, saying: “When thou shalt besiege a city”, because of their numerous sins against Me, for which they have been adjudged guilty, “for many days”, that is to say, three successive days, so that the thing is known in the town, then I will charge thee concerning the sons of My house, “Thou shalt not destroy the tree thereof”: this is the learned man in the town, who is a tree of life, a tree that produces fruit.
Or, again, we may explain it of one who gives good counsel to the townspeople, telling them how they may escape from punishment, and teaches them the way in which they should go. Therefore “thou shalt not destroy its tree by wielding an axe against it”, that is, by inflicting punishment upon him and brandishing the flaming sword over him, which slays other men. The verse then continues, “For from it thou eatest”. Now we cannot possibly apply this to the destroyer, so we must translate, “for from it she eats”, to wit, that mighty rock from which issue all great and holy spirits, for the holy spirit has no pleasure in this world save from the Torah of that pious one, who, if one may say so, sustains her and gives her food in this world more than all sacrifices.
Since the Temple has been destroyed and the sacrifices have ceased, the Holy One, blessed be He, has only those words of the Torah which this man expounds. Therefore “it thou shalt not cut down’,: be careful not to touch him,
“for man is the tree of the field”; this one is called “man”, being known as such above and below; he is the mighty tree of that field which the Lord hath blessed. “To be besieged of thee”: these words are connected with the earlier part of the verse, “thou shalt not destroy its tree”, namely, him who gave advice to the townspeople and prepared them to withstand a siege before thee, counselling them to amend and to blow the trumpet for repentance, to avoid thee and come before God. “In siege”: this is the place to which higher and lower angels cannot enter, but where repentant sinners may enter.
If they accept this advice then I pardon them their sins and they are received into favour before Me. Happy, therefore, are those who study the Torah, for they are great in this world.
See what God has done, how He has planted these trees, not one only, but three spreading their branches on all sides. May it be the will of heaven that these trees shall never depart from this place, nor this fountain. And in truth those trees and that fountain are still there, and men call it “the plantation of R. Phineas b. Jair”.’
R. Simeon then discoursed on the verse: “And he lifted up his eyes and saw the women and the children, and said: Who are these with thee? And he said, The children which God hath graciously given thy servant” (Gen. 33, 5). ‘The wicked Esau’, he said, ‘had his eye on women, and therefore Jacob took precautions against him, putting in front the handmaids and then their children, for whom he had more regard, then Leah and her children behind her, and then Rachel, and behind her Joseph.
But when they drew near and bowed down, it says that “Joseph came near and Rachel”, putting Joseph first. This indicates that Joseph, being a good and loving son, was afraid for his mother, and so kept her behind him and covered her with his arms and his body, so that Esau should not look at her.
Now it says of Balaam that “he lifted up his eyes and saw Israel dwelling according to their tribes” (Num. 24, 2). The tribe of Joseph and the tribe of Benjamin were there: the tribe of Joseph, over whom the evil eye has no power, and the tribe of Benjamin, who also has no fear of the evil eye.
Now Balaam had said: I will cross this line which is of no account and look well at them. Rachel was there, and when she saw that his eye was sharpened to do them hurt, she went forth and spread her wings over them and covered her sons. Hence it says, “The spirit of the God came upon him” (Ibid.), to wit, upon Israel, whom He was protecting, and straightway Balaam retired.
So at first the son protected the mother and later the mother protected the sons; for so God had said at the time when he saved his mother from the eye of the wicked Esau.
תּוּ פָּתַח וְאָמַר, (דברים כ׳:י״ט) כִּי תָצוּר אֶל עִיר יָמִים רַבִּים לְהִלָּחֵם עָלֶיהָ לְתָפְשָׂה וְגוֹ', כַּמָה טָבִין אִינּוּן אָרְחִין וּשְׁבִילִין דְּאוֹרַיְיתָא, דְּהָא בְּכָל מִלָּה וּמִלָּה, אִית כַּמָּה עֵיטִין, כַּמָה טָבִין לִבְנֵי נָשָׁא, כַּמָה מַרְגְּלָאן דְּקָא מְנַהֲרָן לְכָל סְטָר, וְלֵית לָךְ מִלָּה בְּאוֹרַיְיתָא, דְּלֵית בָּהּ כַּמָה בּוּצִינִין מְנַהֲרָן לְכָל סְטָר. הַאי קְרָא אִיהוּ כְּפוּם פְּשָׁטֵיהּ. וְאִית בֵּיהּ כְּפוּם מִדְרָשֵׁיהּ. וְאִית בֵּיהּ חָכְמְתָא עִלָּאָה, לְאִזְדַּהֲרָא לְמַאן דְּאִצְטְרִיךְ. זַכָּאָה חוּלָקֵיהּ מַאן דְּאִשְׁתְּדַּל בְּאוֹרַיְיתָא תָּדִיר.
He then discoursed on the verse: “When thou shalt besiege a city a long time in making war against it to take it”, etc. (Deut. 20, 19). ‘How goodly’, he said, ‘are the ways and paths of the Torah, since it is full of good counsel for man, and every word of it radiates light in many directions. This verse can be taken literally, and it can be expounded homiletically, and it contains also a lesson of the higher wisdom. He who constantly occupies himself with the Torah is compared by the Psalmist to “a tree planted by streams of water” (Ps. 1, 3).
מַאן דְּאִשְׁתְּדַל בָּהּ, מַה כְּתִיב בֵּיהּ, (תהילים א׳:ב׳-ג׳) כִּי אִם בְּתוֹרַת יְיָ חֶפְצוֹ וּבְתוֹרָתוֹ יֶהְגֶּה יוֹמָם וָלָיְלָה, וְהָיָה כְּעֵץ. אֲמַאי דָּא סָמִיךְ לְדָא. אֶלָּא מַאן דְּאִשְׁתְּדַל בְּאוֹרַיְיתָא יוֹמָם וָלָיְלָה, לָא לִיהֱוִי כְּאָעָא יְבֵישָׁא, אֶלָּא כְּעֵץ שָׁתוּל עַל פַּלְגֵי מָיִם. מַה אִילָן אִית בֵּיהּ שָׁרָשִׁין, וְאִית בֵּיהּ קְלִיפִּין, וְאִית בֵּיהּ מוֹחָא, וְאִית בֵּיהּ עַנְפִין, וְאִית בֵּיהּ טַרְפִּין, וְאִית בֵּיהּ פַּרְחִין, וְאִית בֵּיהּ אִיבָּא. שִׁבְעַת זִינִין אִלֵּין, סַלְּקִין לְשִׁבְעָה עָשָׂר, לְשִׁבְעִין. אוּף מִלִּין דְּאוֹרַיְיתָא אִית בְּהוּ פְּשָׁטָא דִּקְרָא. דְּרָשָׁא. רֶמֶז, דְּקָא רָמִיז חָכְמְתָא. גִימַטְרִיָיאוֹת. רָזִין טְמִירִין. רָזִין סְתִימִין אִלֵּין עַל אִלֵּין. פָּסוּל וְכָשֵׁר. טָמֵא וְטָהוֹר. אִיסוּר וְהֶיתֵּר. מִכָּאן וּלְהָלְאָה, מִתְפַּשְּׁטָאָן עַנְפִין לְכָל סְטָר. וְהָיָה כְּעֵץ וַדַּאי, וְאִי לָאו, לָאו אִיהוּ חָכָם בְּחָכְמְתָא.
Just as a tree has roots, bark, sap, branches, leaves, flowers and fruit, seven kinds in all, so the Torah has the literal meaning, the homiletical meaning, the mystery of wisdom, numerical values, hidden mysteries, still deeper mysteries, and the laws of fit and unfit, forbidden and permitted, and clean and unclean. From this point branches spread out in all directions, and to one who knows it in this way it is indeed like a tree, and if not he is not truly wise.
תָּא חֲזֵי, כַּמָה חֲבִיבִין אִינּוּן דְּמִשְׁתַּדְּלֵי בְּאוֹרַיְיתָא קַמֵּי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, דְּאֲפִילּוּ בְּזִמְנָא דְּדִינָא תַּלְיָא בְּעָלְמָא, וְאִתְיְיהִיב רְשׁוּ לִמְחַבְּלָא לְחַבְּלָא, קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא פָּקִיד לֵיהּ עִלָוַויְיהוּ, עַל אִינּוּן דְּקָא מִשְׁתַּדְּלֵי בְּאוֹרַיְיתָא. וְהָכִי אָמַר לֵיהּ קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, כִּי תָצוּר אֶל עִיר, בְּגִין חוֹבֵיהוֹן סַגִּיאִין דְּחָטָּאן לְקַמָּאי, וְאִתְחַיְּיבוּ בְּדִינָא. יָמִים רַבִּים, מַאי רַבִּים. (תלתא יומא, דא בתר דא, אקרי ימים רבים, אוף הכא כי תצור על עיר, ימים רבים) תְּלָתָא יוֹמִין, דָּא בָּתַר דָּא, דְּאִשְׁתְּמוֹדְעָא דֶבֶר בְּמָתָא. מְנָלָן דְּיָמִים רַבִּים תְּלָתָא יוֹמִין אִינּוּן, דִּכְתִּיב, (ויקרא ט״ו:כ״ה) וְאִשָּׁה כִּי יָזוּב זוֹב דָּמָהּ יָמִים רַבִּים. וְכִי יָמִים רַבִּים אִינּוּן. אֶלָּא תְּלָתָא יוֹמִין דָּא בָּתַר דָּא, אִקְרֵי יָמִים רַבִּים. אוּף הָכִי כִּי תָצוּר אֶל עִיר יָמִים רַבִּים, תְּלָתָא יוֹמִין דָּא בָּתַר דָּא, דְּאִשְׁתְּמוֹדְעָא דֶּבֶר בְּמָתָא. תָּא וְאַפְקִיד לָךְ עַל (כל) בְּנֵי בֵּיתִי. לֹא תַּשְׁחִית אֶת עֵצָהּ, דָּא תַּלְמִיד חָכָם דְּאִיהוּ בְּמָתָא, דְּאִיהוּ אִילָנָא דְּחַיֵּי, אִילָנָא דְּיָהִיב אִיבִין.
Observe how beloved are those who study the Torah before the Holy One, blessed be He, for even when chastisement impends over the world and permission is given to the destroyer to destroy, the Holy One, blessed be He, charges him concerning them, saying: “When thou shalt besiege a city”, because of their numerous sins against Me, for which they have been adjudged guilty, “for many days”, that is to say, three successive days, so that the thing is known in the town, then I will charge thee concerning the sons of My house, “Thou shalt not destroy the tree thereof”: this is the learned man in the town, who is a tree of life, a tree that produces fruit.
דָּבָר אַחֵר אֶת עֵצָהּ, הַהוּא דְּיָהִיב עֵיטָא לְמָתָא, לְאִשְׁתְּזָבָא מִן דִּינָא, וְאוֹלִיף לוֹן אָרְחָא דְּיָהֲכוּן בָּהּ, וְעַל דָּא לֹא תַשְׁחִית אֶת עֵצָהּ לִנְדּוֹחַ עָלָיו גַּרְזֶן, לְנַדְחָא עָלֵיהּ דִּינָא, וְלָא לְאוֹשָטָא עָלֵיהּ חַרְבָּא מְלָהֲטָא, חַרְבָּא מְשָׁנָּנָא, הַהִיא דְּקָטְלָא לִשְׁאַר אִינְשֵׁי דְּעָלְמָא. כִּי מִמֶּנּוּ תֹאכֵל. וְכִי הַהוּא מְחַבְּלָא אָכִיל מִנֵּיהּ, לָא. אֶלָּא כִּי מִמֶּנּוּ תֹאכֵל, הַהִיא טִנְרָא תַּקִּיפָא, הַהִיא דְּכָל רוּחִין תַּקִּיפִין וְקַדִּישִׁין נָפְקִין מִנָּהּ, דְּלֵית הֲנָאָה וְתִיאוּבְתָּא לְרוּחַ קוּדְשָׁא בְּהַאי עָלְמָא, אֶלָּא אוֹרַיְיתָא דְּהַהוּא זַכָּאָה, כִּבְיָכוֹל אִיהוּ מְפַרְנֵס לָהּ, וְיָהֵיב לָהּ מְזוֹנָא בְּהַאי עָלְמָא, יַתִּיר מִכָּל קָרְבְּנִין דְּעָלְמָא.
Or, again, we may explain it of one who gives good counsel to the townspeople, telling them how they may escape from punishment, and teaches them the way in which they should go. Therefore “thou shalt not destroy its tree by wielding an axe against it”, that is, by inflicting punishment upon him and brandishing the flaming sword over him, which slays other men. The verse then continues, “For from it thou eatest”. Now we cannot possibly apply this to the destroyer, so we must translate, “for from it she eats”, to wit, that mighty rock from which issue all great and holy spirits, for the holy spirit has no pleasure in this world save from the Torah of that pious one, who, if one may say so, sustains her and gives her food in this world more than all sacrifices.
בְּקָרְבָּן מַה כְּתִיב. (שיר השירים ה׳:א׳) אָכַלְתִּי יַעְרִי עִם דִּבְשִׁי אִכְלוּ רֵעִים. וּמִיּוֹמָא דְּאִתְחָרַב בֵּי מַקְדְּשָׁא, וּבָטְלוּ קָרְבְּנִין, לֵית לֵיהּ לְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, אֶלָּא אִינּוּן מִלִּין דְּאוֹרַיְיתָא, וְאוֹרַיְיתָא דְּאִתְחַדְּשָׁא בְּפוּמֵיהּ, בְּגִין כָּךְ כִּי מִמֶּנּוּ תֹאכֵל, וְלֵית לָהּ מְזוֹנָא בְּהַאי עָלְמָא, אֶלָּא מִמֶּנּוּ, וּמֵאִינּוּן דִּכְוָותֵיהּ. וְכֵיוָן דְּמִמֶּנּוּ תֹאכֵל, וְאִיהוּ זָן לָהּ, אוֹתוֹ לֹא תִּכְרוֹת, הֲוִי (טמיר) זָהִיר בֵּיהּ, דְּלָא תִּקְרַב בֵּיהּ.
Since the Temple has been destroyed and the sacrifices have ceased, the Holy One, blessed be He, has only those words of the Torah which this man expounds. Therefore “it thou shalt not cut down’,: be careful not to touch him,
כִּי הָאָדָם עֵץ הַשָּׂדֶה, דָּא אִקְרֵי אָדָם דְּאִשְׁתְּמוֹדַע עֵילָּא וְתַתָּא. עֵץ הַשָּׂדֶה, אִילָנָא רַבְרְבָא וְתַקִּיף דְּהַהוּא (בראשית כ״ז:כ״ז) שָׂדֶה אֲשֶׁר בֵּרַכוֹ יְיָ. (דא) סָמִיךְ עָלֵיהּ, אִילָן דְּאִשְׁתְּמוֹדַע לְהַהוּא שָׂדֶה תָּדִיר. לָבֹא מִפָּנֶיךָ בַּמָּצוֹר, מִלָּה דָּא אַהְדָּר לְרֵישָׁא דִּקְרָא, דִּכְתִּיב לֹא תַשְׁחִית אֶת עֵצָהּ, הַהוּא דְּיָהִיב לוֹן עֵיטָא, וְאַתְקִין לְמָתָא, לָבֹא מִפָּנֶיךָ בַּמָּצוֹר, אִיהוּ יָהִיב לוֹן עֵיטָא, לְאִתָּקְנָא וּלְאָהַדְרָא בְּתִיּוּבְתָּא, וְאַתְקִין לֵיהּ מָאנֵי זַיְינִין, בּוּקִינָס וְשׁוֹפָרִין. לָבֹא מִפָּנֶיךָ, מַאי לָבֹא מִפָּנֶיךָ. לָבֹא לְקַמָּאי, וּלְאַעֲלָא מִפָּנֶיךָ. מִקַּמֵּי דְּחִילוּ דִּילָךְ. בַּמָּצוֹר, בַּאֲתָר דְּעִלָּאִין וְתַתָּאִין לָא יַכְלִין לְאַעֲלָא תַּמָּן. וּמַאן אִיהוּ. דַּרְגָּא דְּבַעֲלֵי תְּשׁוּבָה עָאלִין תַּמָּן, וּמַאן אִיהוּ. תְּשׁוּבָה. דָּא אִיהוּ מָצוֹר, אֲתָר תַּקִּיף, וְטִנָּרָא תַּקִּיפָא.
“for man is the tree of the field”; this one is called “man”, being known as such above and below; he is the mighty tree of that field which the Lord hath blessed. “To be besieged of thee”: these words are connected with the earlier part of the verse, “thou shalt not destroy its tree”, namely, him who gave advice to the townspeople and prepared them to withstand a siege before thee, counselling them to amend and to blow the trumpet for repentance, to avoid thee and come before God. “In siege”: this is the place to which higher and lower angels cannot enter, but where repentant sinners may enter.
וְכֵיוָן דְּעֵיטָא דָּא נַטְלִין, אֲנָא מְכַפֵּר לְחוֹבַיְיהוּ וְאִתְקַבְּלָן בְּרַעֲוָא לְקַמָּאי. וְכָל דָּא פָּקִיד קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, עַל אִינּוּן דְּמִשְׁתַּדְּלֵי בְּאוֹרַיְיתָא. בְּגִין כָּךְ זַכָּאִין אִינּוּן דְּקָא מִשְׁתַּדְּלֵי בְּאוֹרַיְיתָא, אִינּוּן דְּמִשְׁתַּדְּלֵי בְּאוֹרַיְיתָא אִינּוּן אִילָנִין רַבְרְבִין בְּהַאי עָלְמָא.
If they accept this advice then I pardon them their sins and they are received into favour before Me. Happy, therefore, are those who study the Torah, for they are great in this world.
חָמוּ, מַה עֲבַד קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא דְּנָטַע אִילֵּין אִילָנִין, זַכָּאָה אָרְחָא דָּא, וְלָא דַּי אִילָנָא חֲדָא, אֶלָּא תְּלָתָא אִילָנִין רַבְרְבִין, פְּרִיסָן עַנְפִין לְכָל סְטָר, עֲבַד לָן קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא. יְהֵא רַעֲוָא קַמֵּי שְׁמַיָא, דְּלָא יִתְעֲדוּן לְעָלְמָא אִילָנִין אִלֵּין, וְדָא מַעְיָינָא, מֵאֲתָר דָּא וְעַד יוֹמָא קַיְימִין תַּמָּן, וְהַהוּא מַעַיְינָא דְּמַיָּא. וּקְרָאן לוֹן בְּנֵי נָשָׁא, נְצִיבוּ דְּרִבִּי פִּנְחָס בֶּן יָאִיר. (ע"כ) (חסר וזהו)
See what God has done, how He has planted these trees, not one only, but three spreading their branches on all sides. May it be the will of heaven that these trees shall never depart from this place, nor this fountain. And in truth those trees and that fountain are still there, and men call it “the plantation of R. Phineas b. Jair”.’
פָּתַח רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן וְאָמַר, (בראשית ל״ג:ה׳) וַיִּשָּׂא אֶת עֵינָיו וַיַּרְא אֶת הַנָּשִׁים וְאֶת הַיְלָדִים וַיֹּאמֶר מִי אֵלֶּה לָּךְ וַיֹּאמַר הַיְלָדִים אֲשֶׁר חָנַן אֱלֹהִים אֶת עַבְדֶּךָ. תָּא חֲזֵי, הַהוּא רָשָׁע דְּעֵשָׂו, יָהִיב עֵינוֹי לְעַיְּינָא עַל נָשִׁין, וּבְגִינֵיהּ אַתְקִין תִּיקוּנוֹי. יַעֲקֹב, שַׁוִּי שְׁפָחוֹת בְּקַדְמִיתָא, וּבְנֵיהוֹן לְבָתַר, דְּחָשִׁיבוּ יַתִּיר. לֵאָה אֲבַּתְרַיְיהוּ, וּבְנָהָא לְבָתַר. לְבָתַר יוֹסֵף, וּבַתְרָה רָחֵל, וְהוּא עָבַר לִפְנֵיהֶם.
R. Simeon then discoursed on the verse: “And he lifted up his eyes and saw the women and the children, and said: Who are these with thee? And he said, The children which God hath graciously given thy servant” (Gen. 33, 5). ‘The wicked Esau’, he said, ‘had his eye on women, and therefore Jacob took precautions against him, putting in front the handmaids and then their children, for whom he had more regard, then Leah and her children behind her, and then Rachel, and behind her Joseph.
כַּד סְגִידוּ כֻּלְּהוֹן, מַה כְּתִיב. (בראשית ל״ג:ו׳) וַתִּגַּשְׁנָה הַשְּׁפָחוֹת הֵנָּה וְיַלְדֵיהֶן וַתִּשְׁתַּחֲוִיןָ. וּלְבָתַר כְּתִיב, וַתִּגַּשׁ גַּם לֵאָה וִילָדֶיהָ וְיִשְׁתַּחֲווּ וְאַחַר נִגַּשׁ יוֹסֵף וְרָחֵל וְגוֹ'. וְהָא יוֹסֵף לְבַתְרַיְיתָא הֲוָה, וְרָחֵל לְקַמֵּיהּ. אֶלָּא בְּרָא טָבָא, בְּרָא רְחִימָא, צַדִּיקָא דְּעָלְמָא, יוֹסֵף, כֵּיוָן דְּחָמָא עֵינֵיהּ דְּהַהוּא רָשָׁע מִסְתָּכַּל בְּנָשִׁין, דָּחִיל עַל אִמֵּיהּ, נָפִיק מֵאֲבַּתְרָהּ, וּפָרִישׂ דְּרוֹעוֹי וְגוּפֵיהּ, וְכַסֵּי עֲלָהּ, בְּגִין דְּלָא יִתֵּן הַהוּא רָשָׁע עֵינוֹי בְּאִמֵּיהּ. כַּמָּה אִתְסְגֵי, שִׁית אַמִּין לְכָל סְטָר, וְחָפָא עָלָהּ, וְלָא יָכִיל עֵינֵיהּ דְּהַהוּא רָשָׁע לְשַׁלְּטָאָה עָלָהּ.
But when they drew near and bowed down, it says that “Joseph came near and Rachel”, putting Joseph first. This indicates that Joseph, being a good and loving son, was afraid for his mother, and so kept her behind him and covered her with his arms and his body, so that Esau should not look at her.
כְּגַוְונָא דָּא, וַיִּשָּׂא בִּלְעָם אֶת עֵינָיו, עֵינוֹ כְּתִיב, הַהוּא עֵינָא בִּישָׁא (תרין עיינין הוי זקיף, אלא בשעתא) דְּבָּעָא לְאִסְתַּכְּלָא עָלַיְיהוּ. וַיַּרְא אֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל שׁוֹכֵן לִשְׁבָטָיו. מַהוּ שׁוֹכֵן לִשְׁבָטָיו. אֶלָּא שִׁבְטָא דְּיוֹסֵף הֲוָה תַּמָּן, וְשִׁבְטָא דְּבִנְיָמִין. שִׁבְטָא דְּיוֹסֵף, דְּלָא שַׁלְטָא בְּהוּ עֵינָא בִּישָׁא, דִּכְתִּיב, (בראשית מ״ט:כ״ב) בֵּן פּוֹרָת יוֹסֵף. מַאן בֵּן פּוֹרָת. דְּאִתְסְגֵי לְכַסָּאָה עַל אִמֵּיהּ. בֵּן פּוֹרָת עֲלֵי עָיִן, דְּלָא שַׁלְטָא בֵּיהּ עֵינָא בִּישָׁא. שִׁבְטָא דְּבִנְיָמִין, דִּכְתִּיב בֵּיהּ (דברים ל״ג:י״ב) וּבֵין כְּתֵפָיו שָׁכֵן. וּכְתִיב (דברים ל״ג:י״ב) יִשְׁכּוֹן לָבֶטַח. מַאי לָבֶטַח. דְּלָא דָּחִיל מֵעֵינָא בִּישָׁא, וְלָא דָּחִיל מִפְּגָעִין בִּישִׁין.
Now it says of Balaam that “he lifted up his eyes and saw Israel dwelling according to their tribes” (Num. 24, 2). The tribe of Joseph and the tribe of Benjamin were there: the tribe of Joseph, over whom the evil eye has no power, and the tribe of Benjamin, who also has no fear of the evil eye.
אָמַר הַהוּא רָשָׁע, אֲנָא אַעְבָּר שׁוּרָה דָּא, דְּלָא אִתְקְיָּים, וַאֲנָא אִסְתָּכַּל כַּדְּקָא יָאוּת. רָחֵל הֲוַת תַּמָּן, חָמָאת דְּעֵינָא דְּהַהוּא רָשָׁע מְשַׁנְּנָא לְאַבְאָשָׁא, מַה עַבְדַת. נַפְקַת וּפְרִישַׁת גַּדְפָהָא עָלַיְיהוּ, וְחַפָאת עַל בְּרָהָא. הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב וַיִּשָּׂא בִלְעָם אֶת עֵינָיו וַיַּרְא אֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל. כֵּיוָן דְּחָמָא רוּחַ דְּקוּדְשָׁא, עֵינָא מְשַׁנְּנָא, מִיַּד וַתְּהִי עָלָיו רוּחַ אֱלֹהִים. עַל מַאן. עַל יִשְׂרָאֵל. דְּפָרִישׂ גַּדְפּוֹי, וְחָפָּא עֲלֵיהוֹן. וּמִיַּד תָּב הַהוּא רָשָׁע לַאֲחוֹרָא.
Now Balaam had said: I will cross this line which is of no account and look well at them. Rachel was there, and when she saw that his eye was sharpened to do them hurt, she went forth and spread her wings over them and covered her sons. Hence it says, “The spirit of the God came upon him” (Ibid.), to wit, upon Israel, whom He was protecting, and straightway Balaam retired.
בְּקַדְמִיתָא בְּרָא חָפָא עַל אִמֵיהּ. וְהַשְׁתָּא אִימָּא חָפָאת עַל בְּרָא. אָמַר קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, בְּהַהִיא שַׁעֲתָא דְּחָפָא אִיהוּ עַל רָחֵל אִמֵּיהּ, דְּלָא יִשְׁלוֹט עֵינָא דְּהַהוּא רָשָׁע עָלָהּ, חַיֶּיךָ, בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְּיֵיתֵי עֵינָא בִּישָׁא אַחֲרָא לְאִסְתַּכְּלָא עַל בָּנֶךָ וְעַל בְּנַי, אִמָּךְ תֵּחָפֵּי עָלַיְיהוּ. אַתְּ חָפִּית עַל אִמָּךְ, אִמָּךְ תֵּחָפֵּי עָלַיְיהוּ. אַתְּ חָפִּית עַל אִמָּךְ, אִמָּךְ תֵּחָפֵּי עֲלָךְ.
So at first the son protected the mother and later the mother protected the sons; for so God had said at the time when he saved his mother from the eye of the wicked Esau.