AND IT CAME TO PASS AT THE END. R. Hiya expounded the word “end” from the text: He setteth an end for darkness, and he searcheth out to the furthest bound; a stone of thick darkness and the shadow of death (Job 28, 3). ‘The end here mentioned is’, he said, ‘an allusion to the “end of the left”, which, after roaming to and fro in the world, finally ascends and presents itself before the Holy One, blessed be He, to bring accusations against mankind. He “searcheth out to the furthest bound” (takhlith— destruction), inasmuch as all his works are never for good, but always for destruction and for the utter annihilation of the world.
He is “a stone of stumbling” on which the wicked come to grief and which is found in “a land of thick darkness, as darkness itself’ (Ibid. 10, 22). For there is a “land of the living” on high, which is the Land of Israel, and a land below called “land of darkness’,. The darkness and the shadow of death here mentioned are identical with the end that emerges from the side of darkness, which is also the “dross of gold”.
As we have laid down, it behoves the sons of men to take due thought of divine worship and to labour in the Torah day and night, so as to know how to serve the Holy One, blessed be He. The Torah herself summons man daily, saying: “Whoso is thoughtless, let him turn in hither, etc.” (Prov. 9, 4-6).
And whoever labours in the Torah and cleaves unto her is privileged to take hold of the tree of life, as it is written: “She is a tree of life to them that lay hold upon her” (Ibid. 3, 18). And whoso takes hold upon the tree of life in this world will also keep hold on it in the world to come, since the grades assigned to souls in the next world correspond to their state on departing from this world.
Now the tree of life ramifies into various degrees, all differing from one another, although forming a unity, in the shape of branches, leaves, bark, stock, and roots. All the faithful ones of Israel lay hold upon the tree of life, some grasping the stock, some the branches, some the leaves, and others, again, the roots.
AND IT CAME TO PASS AT THE END. What does the term “end” signify? Said R’ Simeon: ‘It signifies the region wherein there is no remembering, which is identical with the end of the left. Why did it emerge at that moment? Because Joseph said: “But have me in thy remembrance when it shall be well with thee” (Gen. 40, 14). It was hardly becoming for Joseph the righteous to beg to be remembered by the chief butler; but he was led to do so by his dream, which he thought betokened remembrance. In this, however, he was mistaken, since all depended on God,
and therefore the region of forgetfulness placed itself before him. Hence the Scripture, after saying, “Yet did not the chief butler remember Joseph” (Ibid. 23), adds the words “but forgot him”, alluding to the region of forgetfulness, which is identical with the end of the side of darkness.’ AT THE END OF TWO FULL YEARS. The two years were symbolic of the two grades, the grade of forgetfulness and the grade of remembrance to which it gave place
THAT PHARAOH DREAMED. AND, BEHOLD, HE STOOD BY THE RIVER. This dream was one that concerned Joseph himself, since the idea of river is closely connected with Joseph the righteous; and according to the lore of dreams a river seen in a dream is a presage of peace, for so it is written: “Behold, I will extend peace to her like a river” (Is. 66, 12).
וַיְהִי מִקֵּץ, רִבִּי חִיָּיא פָּתַח וְאֲמַר, (איוב כ״ח:ג׳) קֵץ שָׂם לַחשֶׁךְ וּלְכָל תַּכְלִית הוּא חוֹקֵר אֶבֶן אֹפֶל וְצַלְמָוְת, הַאי קְרָא אִתְּמָר. קֵץ שָׂם לַחשֶׁךְ, דָּא אִיהוּ קֵץ דִּשְׂמָאלָא, דְּאִיהוּ שָׁאט בְּעַלְמָא, וְשָׁאט לְעֵילָא, וְקָיְימָא קַמֵּי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, וְאַסְטֵי, וְקַטְרִיג עַל עַלְמָא, וְהָא אִתְּמָר. וּלְכָל תַּכְלִית הוּא חוֹקֵר, דְּהָא כָּל עוֹבָדוֹי לָאו אִינוּן לְטַב, אֶלָּא לְשֵׁיצָאָה תָּדִיר וּלְמֶעְבַּד כְּלָיָה בְּעָלְמָא.
AND IT CAME TO PASS AT THE END. R. Hiya expounded the word “end” from the text: He setteth an end for darkness, and he searcheth out to the furthest bound; a stone of thick darkness and the shadow of death (Job 28, 3). ‘The end here mentioned is’, he said, ‘an allusion to the “end of the left”, which, after roaming to and fro in the world, finally ascends and presents itself before the Holy One, blessed be He, to bring accusations against mankind. He “searcheth out to the furthest bound” (takhlith— destruction), inasmuch as all his works are never for good, but always for destruction and for the utter annihilation of the world.
אֶבֶן אֹפֶל וְצַלְמָוֶת, דָּא אֶבֶן נֶגֶף, דְּבָהּ כָּשְׁלִין חַיָּיבִין, וְקָיְימָא בְּהַאי דְאִקְרֵי, (איוב י׳:כ״ב) אֶרֶץ עֵפָתָהּ כְּמוֹ אֹפֶל. תָּא חֲזֵי, אִית אֶרֶץ חַיִּים לְעֵילָא, וְהַאי אִיהוּ אֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל. (ד"א ואית ארץ לתתא ונקרא) אֹפֶל וְצַלְמָוֶת, אֹפֶל דְּנַפְקָא מֵאֶרֶץ עֵפָתָה. מַאי (ס"א ארץ) אֶבֶן אֹפֶל וְצַלְמָוֶת, דָּא הוּא קֵץ דְּאִיהוּ מִסִּטְרָא דְחשֶׁךְ, זוּהֲמָא דְּדַהֲבָא, וְהָא אִתְּמָר.
He is “a stone of stumbling” on which the wicked come to grief and which is found in “a land of thick darkness, as darkness itself’ (Ibid. 10, 22). For there is a “land of the living” on high, which is the Land of Israel, and a land below called “land of darkness’,. The darkness and the shadow of death here mentioned are identical with the end that emerges from the side of darkness, which is also the “dross of gold”.
תָּא חֲזֵי, כַּמָּה אִית לוֹן לִבְנֵי נָשָׁא לְאִסְתַּכָּלָא בְּפוּלְחָנָא דְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, וּלְאִשְׁתַּדְּלָא בְּאוֹרַיְיתָא יְמָמָא וְלֵילֵי. בְּגִין דְּיִנְדְּעוּן וְיִסְתַּכְּלוּן בְּפוּלְחָנֵיהּ. דְּהָא אוֹרַיְיתָא אִיהִי מַכְרְזָא בְּכָל יוֹמָא קַמֵּיהּ דְּבַר נָשׁ וְאָמְרָה, (משלי ט׳:ט״ז) מִי פֶּתִי יָסוּר הֵנָּה חֲסַר לֵב וְאָמְרָה לוֹ, וְהָא אוֹקִימְנָא מִלֵּי.
As we have laid down, it behoves the sons of men to take due thought of divine worship and to labour in the Torah day and night, so as to know how to serve the Holy One, blessed be He. The Torah herself summons man daily, saying: “Whoso is thoughtless, let him turn in hither, etc.” (Prov. 9, 4-6).
וְכַד בַּר נָשׁ אִשְׁתַּדַּל בְּאוֹרַיְיתָא, וְאִתְדָּבַּק בָּהּ, זָכֵי לְאִתְתַּקְפָא בְּאִילָנָא דְחַיֵּי, דִּכְתִיב, (משלי ג׳:י״ח) עֵץ חַיִּים וְגו'. וְתָּא חֲזֵי, כַּד בַּר נָשׁ אִתְתַּקַּף בְּאִילָנָא דְחַיֵּי בְּהַאי עַלְמָא, אִתְתַּקַּף בֵּיהּ לְעַלְמָא דְאָתֵי. דְּהָא כַּד נִשְׁמָתִין נָפְקִין מֵהַאי עַלְמָא, הָכִי אִתְתַּקְּנָן לְהוּ דַּרְגִּין לְעַלְמָא דְאָתֵי.
And whoever labours in the Torah and cleaves unto her is privileged to take hold of the tree of life, as it is written: “She is a tree of life to them that lay hold upon her” (Ibid. 3, 18). And whoso takes hold upon the tree of life in this world will also keep hold on it in the world to come, since the grades assigned to souls in the next world correspond to their state on departing from this world.
תָּא חֲזֵי, אִילָנָא דְחַיֵּי, אִיהוּ בְּכַמָּה דַרְגִּין מִתְפָּרְשָׁן דָּא מִן דָּא, וְכֻלְּהוּ חַד. דְּהָא בְּאִילָנָא דְחַיֵּי אִית דַּרְגִּין אִלֵּין עַל אִלֵּין. עַנְפִין, וְעָלִין, קְלִיפִין, (ס"א נופא) גּוּפָא דְאִילָנָא, שָׁרָשִׁין. וְכֹלָּא הוּא אִילָנָא. כְּגַוְונָא דָא, כָּל מַאן דְּאִשְׁתַּדַּל בְּאוֹרַיְיתָא, אִיהוּ אִתְתַּקַּן וְאִתְתַּקַּף בְּאִילָנָא דְחַיֵּי.
Now the tree of life ramifies into various degrees, all differing from one another, although forming a unity, in the shape of branches, leaves, bark, stock, and roots. All the faithful ones of Israel lay hold upon the tree of life, some grasping the stock, some the branches, some the leaves, and others, again, the roots.
וְכָל בְּנֵי דִּמְהֵימְנוּתָא יִשְׂרָאֵל, כֻּלְּהוֹן מִתְתַּקְּפִין בְּאִילָנָא דְחַיֵּי, כֻּלְּהוּ אֲחִידִין בְּאִילָנָא מַמָּשׁ. מִנְּהוֹן בְּהַהוּא (ס"א נופא) גוּפָא דְּבֵיהּ, מִנְּהוֹן אֲחִידָן בְּעַנְפִין, מִנְּהוֹן בְּעָלִין, מִנְּהוֹן בְּשָׁרָשִׁין. אִשְׁתַּכָּחוּ דְּכֻלְּהוּ אֲחִידָן בְּאִילָנָא דְחַיֵּי. וְאִינוּן דְּמִשְׁתַּדְּלִין בְּאוֹרַיְיתָא כֻּלְּהוּ אֲחִידָן בְּגוּפָא דְאִילָנָא. וּבְּגִין כָּךְ מַאן דְּאִשְׁתַּדַּל בְּאוֹרַיְיתָא, אִיהוּ אָחִיד בְּכֹלָּא, וְהָא אוּקְמוּהָ וְאִתְּמָר.
But those who exert themselves in the study of the Torah grasp the very trunk of the tree, and so lay hold upon all; and so we affirm.’
וַיְהִי מִקֵּץ, מַאי מִקֵּץ. רִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן אָמַר, אֲתַר דְּלֵית בָּהּ זְכִירָה, וְדָא הוּא קֵץ דִּשְׂמָאלָא. מַאי טַעְמָא, בְּגִין דִּכְתִיב, (בראשית מ׳:י״ד) כִּי אִם זְכַרְתַּנִי אִתְּךָ כַּאֲשֶׁר יִיטַב לָךְ. וְכִי הָכִי אִתְחֲזֵי לֵיהּ לְיוֹסֵף צַדִּיקָא, דְּאִיהוּ אָמַר כִּי אִם זְכַרְתַּנִי אִתְּךָ. אֶלָּא כֵּיוָן דְּאִסְתַּכַּל יוֹסֵף בְּחֶלְמֵיהּ. אָמַר, וַדַּאי חֶלְמָא דִזְכִירָה אִיהוּ. וְאִיהוּ טָעָה בְּהַאי, דְּהָא בֵּיהּ בְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא הֲוֵי כֹלָּא.
AND IT CAME TO PASS AT THE END. What does the term “end” signify? Said R’ Simeon: ‘It signifies the region wherein there is no remembering, which is identical with the end of the left. Why did it emerge at that moment? Because Joseph said: “But have me in thy remembrance when it shall be well with thee” (Gen. 40, 14). It was hardly becoming for Joseph the righteous to beg to be remembered by the chief butler; but he was led to do so by his dream, which he thought betokened remembrance. In this, however, he was mistaken, since all depended on God,
וְעַל דָּא אֲתַר דְּהֲוָה בֵּיהּ נַשְׁיוּ קָם קַמֵּיהּ, מַה כְּתִיב וְלֹא זָכַר שַׂר הַמַּשְׁקִים אֶת יוֹסֵף וַיִּשְׁכָּחֵהוּ. כֵּיוָן דְּאָמַר וְלֹא זָכַר שַׂר הַמַּשְׁקִים, מַהוּ וַיִּשְׁכָּחֵהוּ. אֶלָּא וַיִּשְׁכָּחֵהוּ אֲתַר דְּאִית בֵּיהּ שִׁכְחָה, וְדָא הוּא קֵץ דְּסִטְרָא דְּחשֶׁךְ. שְׁנָתַיִם יָמִים, מַאי שְׁנָתַיִם. דְּתָב דַּרְגָּא, לְדַרְגָּא דְּאִית בֵּיהּ זְכִירָה.
and therefore the region of forgetfulness placed itself before him. Hence the Scripture, after saying, “Yet did not the chief butler remember Joseph” (Ibid. 23), adds the words “but forgot him”, alluding to the region of forgetfulness, which is identical with the end of the side of darkness.’ AT THE END OF TWO FULL YEARS. The two years were symbolic of the two grades, the grade of forgetfulness and the grade of remembrance to which it gave place
וּפַרְעֹה חוֹלֵם וְהִנֵּה עוֹמֵד עַל הַיְאֹר, דָּא חֶלְמָא דְיוֹסֵף הֲוָה. בְּגִין דְּכָל נָהָר, דְּיוֹסֵף הַצַּדִּיק אִיהוּ. וְרָזָא דָּא הֲוֵי, הַאי מַאן דְּחָמֵי נָהָר בַּחֲלוֹם, חָמֵי שָׁלוֹם. דִּכְתִיב, (ישעיהו ס״ו:י״ב) הִנְנִי נוֹטֶה אֵלֶיהָ כְּנָהָר שָׁלוֹם:
THAT PHARAOH DREAMED. AND, BEHOLD, HE STOOD BY THE RIVER. This dream was one that concerned Joseph himself, since the idea of river is closely connected with Joseph the righteous; and according to the lore of dreams a river seen in a dream is a presage of peace, for so it is written: “Behold, I will extend peace to her like a river” (Is. 66, 12).