REUBEN, THOU ART MY FIRSTBORN, MY MIGHT AND THE BEGINNING OF MY STRENGTH. Why did Jacob begin with Reuben and not rather with Judah, who was the leader of the camps and also king? Further we see that he did not bless him, nay, that he removed blessings from him till Moses came and prayed for him, as it is written: “Let Reuben live and not die” (Deut. 33, 6).
The fact is, however, that he did bless him, but kept the blessing for its proper place. He was like a man who had a son, and when he was about to die was visited by the king, whereupon he said: “Let all my money remain in the king’s hands on behalf of my son, and when the king sees that my son is worthy he will give it to him.”
So Jacob said: “Reuben, thou art my firstborn, the beloved of my soul; but thy blessings shall remain in the hand of the Holy King until He shall see that thou art worthy of them, because ‘thou didst go after the sight of thine eyes, etc.’” (according to Chaldaic paraphrase of this passage). R. Eleazar here discoursed on the verse: And he said to me: Prophesy unto the wind, etc. (Ezek. 37, 9). ‘There is a difficulty here,’ he said, ‘because the text continues: “Prophesy, son of man, and say to the wind”, which seems a repetition.
The truth is, however, that there is here an esoteric lesson. There are two adjurations here. One is to give the impulse from below, since if there is no impulse from below there is no stirring above. Hence the words “Prophesy unto the wind” indicate the impulse from below, and the words “Prophesy, son of man, and say” to the impulse from above;
for even after the impulse is given from below, that which is above receives from that which is higher still, wherefore the verse continues “Thus saith the Lord.” The text then goes on: “Come from the four winds, O breath.” The four winds are south, east, north, and west, and the breath comes from the west through its conjunction with the others,
and from this source issue spirits and souls to take shape in human form. The next word, “breathe”, indicates taking from one side and giving to another, in the same way as the sea takes and gives, and therefore “is not full” (Eccl. 1, 7).’
R. Eleazar put the following question to R. Simeon. ‘Since it is known to God that men will die, why does He send souls down into the world?’ He answered: ‘This question has been discussed many times by the teachers, and they have answered it thus. God sends souls down to this world to declare His glory and takes them back afterwards.
This mystery can be explained from the verse: “Drink water from thy cistern and flowing streams from the midst of thy well” (Prov. 5, 15). As we have laid down, the term “cistern” designates the place from which the waters do not naturally flow. But they do flow when the soul is perfected in this world and ascends to the place to which it is attached, for then it is complete on all sides, above and below.
When the soul ascends, the desire of the female is stirred towards the male, and then water flows from below upwards, and the cistern becomes a well of flowing waters, and then there is union-and foundation and desire and friendship and harmony, since through the soul of the righteous that place has been completed, and the supernal love and affection has been stirred to form a union.’
Observe that Reuben and all the rest of the twelve tribes were linked with the Shekinah, and when Jacob saw the Shekinah by him, he called to his twelve sons to join it.
From the beginning of the world there was never so perfect a couch as that of Jacob when he was about to depart from the world. Abraham was on his right, Isaac on his left, and he was lying between them with the Shekinah in front of him. When Jacob saw this, he called his sons and placed them round the Shekinah and arranged them in perfect order,
so that the gathering was complete and many supernal chariots encompassed them. They then exclaimed: “Thine, O Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory, etc.” (I Chron. 29, 11), whereupon the sun joined the moon and the east drew near to the west, and the moon was illumined and attained fullness, and so, as tradition tells us, “Jacob our father did not die.” When Jacob saw such perfection as had never been vouchsafed to any other man, he rejoiced and praised God and blessed each of his sons with the appropriate blessing.
פָּתַח וְאָמַר. רְאוּבֵן בְּכֹרִי אַתָּה כֹּחִי וְרֵאשִׁית אוֹנִי. מַאי קָא חָמָא יַעֲקֹב לְמִפְתַּח בִּרְאוּבֵן, לִיפְתַּח בִּיהוּדָה, דְּאִיהוּ קַדְמָאָה לְכָל מַשִּׁרְיָין, וְאִיהוּ מַלְכָּא, וְחָמִינָן דְּלָא בָּרְכֵיהּ וְסָלִיק בִּרְכָאן מִנֵּיהּ, עַד דְּאָתָא משֶׁה וְצַלֵּי צְלוֹתָא עֲלֵיהּ. כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר, (דברים ל״ג:ו׳) יְחִי רְאוּבֵן וְאַל יָמוֹת.
REUBEN, THOU ART MY FIRSTBORN, MY MIGHT AND THE BEGINNING OF MY STRENGTH. Why did Jacob begin with Reuben and not rather with Judah, who was the leader of the camps and also king? Further we see that he did not bless him, nay, that he removed blessings from him till Moses came and prayed for him, as it is written: “Let Reuben live and not die” (Deut. 33, 6).
אֲבָל וַדַּאי בָּרְכֵיהּ, וְסָלְקָא הַהוּא בִּרְכְתָא לְאַתְרֵיהּ. לְבַר נָשׁ דְּהֲוָה לֵיהּ בַּר, כַּד מָטָא זִמְנֵיהּ לְאִסְתַּלְּקָא מֵעַלְמָא, אֲתָא מַלְכָּא עֲלֵיהּ, אָמַר, הָא כָּל מָמוֹנָא דִילִי, לֶיהוֵי בִּידָא דְמַלְכָּא נָטִיר לִבְרָאי. כַּד חָמֵי מַלְכָּא דִּבְרִי אִתְחֲזֵי, יָהִיב לֵיהּ. כָּךְ יַעֲקֹב אָמַר. רְאוּבֵן בְּכֹרִי אַתָּה, רְחִימָא דְּמֵעַיי אַנְתְּ, אֲבָל בִּרְכָאן דִּילָךְ יִסְתַּלְּקוּן בִּידָא דְּמַלְכָּא קַדִּישָׁא, עַד דְּיֶחמֵי בָךְ, בְּגִין דְּאֲזַלְתְּ לָקֳבֵל אַפָּךְ וְגו', כְּתַרְגּוּמוֹ:
The fact is, however, that he did bless him, but kept the blessing for its proper place. He was like a man who had a son, and when he was about to die was visited by the king, whereupon he said: “Let all my money remain in the king’s hands on behalf of my son, and when the king sees that my son is worthy he will give it to him.”
רְאוּבֵן בְּכוֹרִי אַתָּה וְגו'. רִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר פָּתַח וְאָמַר, (יחזקאל ל״ז:ט׳) וַיֹּאמֶר אֵלַי הִנָּבֵא אֶל הָרוּחַ וְגו'. כַּמָּה אֲטִימִין אִינוּן בְּנֵי נָשָׁא, דְּלָא יָדְעִין וְלָא מַשְׁגִּיחִין בִּיקָרָא דְמַלְכָּא, דְּהָא אוֹרַיְיתָא אַכְרִיז עֲלַיְיהוּ בְּכָל יוֹמָא, וְלֵית מַאן דְּצַיִּית אוּדְנֵיהּ לְקֳבְלֵיהּ. הַאי קְרָא קַשְׁיָא, כֵּיוָן דִּכְתִיב הִנָּבֵא אֶל הָרוּחַ, אַמַּאי זִמְנָא אָחֳרָא הִנָּבֵא בֶּן אָדָם וְאָמַרְתָּ אֶל הָרוּחַ.
So Jacob said: “Reuben, thou art my firstborn, the beloved of my soul; but thy blessings shall remain in the hand of the Holy King until He shall see that thou art worthy of them, because ‘thou didst go after the sight of thine eyes, etc.’” (according to Chaldaic paraphrase of this passage). R. Eleazar here discoursed on the verse: And he said to me: Prophesy unto the wind, etc. (Ezek. 37, 9). ‘There is a difficulty here,’ he said, ‘because the text continues: “Prophesy, son of man, and say to the wind”, which seems a repetition.
אֶלָּא מִכָּאן אוֹלִיפְנָא רָזָא דְחָכְמְתָא, תְּרֵין קָיְימִין הָכָא, חַד לְאִתְעָרָא מִתַּתָּא לְעֵילָא. דְּאִי לָא מִתְעָרִין לְתַתָּא, לָא מִתְעָרִין לְעֵילָא, וּבְאִתְעֲרוּתָא דִלְתַתָּא אִתְעַר לְעֵילָא. הִנָּבֵא אֶל הָרוּחַ מִתַּתָּא לְעֵילָא. הִנָּבֵא בֶּן אָדָם וְאָמַרְתָּ אֶל הָרוּחַ, מֵעֵילָא לְתַתָּא.
The truth is, however, that there is here an esoteric lesson. There are two adjurations here. One is to give the impulse from below, since if there is no impulse from below there is no stirring above. Hence the words “Prophesy unto the wind” indicate the impulse from below, and the words “Prophesy, son of man, and say” to the impulse from above;
דְּהָא אֲפִילּוּ לְעֵילָא, בְּאִתְעֲרוּתָא דִלְתַתָּא, נָקִיט הַהוּא עִלָּאָה מֵעִלָּאָה מִנֵּיהּ. כְּגוֹן הַאי קְרָא, (יחזקאל ל״ז:ט׳) כֹּה אָמַר ה' מֵאַרְבַּע רוּחוֹת בֹּאִי הָרוּחַ, מֵאַרְבַּע רוּחוֹת, דָּא דָרוֹם וּמִזְרָח וְצָפוֹן וּמַעֲרָב, וְרוּחַ אַתְיָא מִמַּעֲרָב, בְּאִתְחַבְּרוּתָא דְאִלֵּין אָחֳרָנִין. כְּמָא דְאַתְּ אָמֵר, (במדבר כ״א:י״ח) כָּרוּהָ נְדִיבֵי הָעָם וְגו'.
for even after the impulse is given from below, that which is above receives from that which is higher still, wherefore the verse continues “Thus saith the Lord.” The text then goes on: “Come from the four winds, O breath.” The four winds are south, east, north, and west, and the breath comes from the west through its conjunction with the others,
וּמֵהָכָא נָפְקִין רוּחִין וְנִשְׁמָתִין לִבְנֵי עַלְמָא לְאִצְטַיְירָא בְּהוּ. וּפַחֵי, כְּמָא דְאַתְּ אָמֵר, (בראשית ב׳:ז׳) וַיִּפַּח בְּאַפָּיו נִשְׁמַת חַיִּים. תָּא חֲזֵי, נָקִיט מֵהַאי גִיסָא, וְיָהִיב בְּגִיסָא אָחֳרָא, וְעַל דָּא (קהלת א׳:ז׳) כָּל הַנְּחָלִים הוֹלְכִים אֶל הַיָּם וְהַיָּם אֵינְנּוּ מָלֵא. אַמַּאי אֵינֶנּוּ מָלֵא, בְּגִין דְּנָקִיט וְיָהִיב, אָעִיל וְאַפִּיק.
and from this source issue spirits and souls to take shape in human form. The next word, “breathe”, indicates taking from one side and giving to another, in the same way as the sea takes and gives, and therefore “is not full” (Eccl. 1, 7).’
רִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר שָׁאִיל שְׁאֵלְתָּא לְרִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן. אָמַר, הוֹאִיל וְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא גָלֵי קַמֵּיהּ דִּבְנֵי נָשָׁא יְמוּתוּן, אַמַּאי נָחִית נִשְׁמָתִין לְעַלְמָא, וְאַמַּאי אִצְטְרִיךְ לֵיהּ. אָמַר לֵיהּ, שְׁאֵילְתָּא דָא קַמַּיְיהוּ דְרַבָּנָן שְׁאִילוּ כַמָּה וְכַמָּה, וְאוּקְמוּהָ. אֲבָל קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא יָהִיב נִשְׁמָתִין דְּנָחֲתִין לְהַאי עַלְמָא, לְאִשְׁתְּמוֹדְעָא יְקָרֵיהּ, וְנָקִיט לוֹן לְבָתַר, אִי הָכִי אַמַּאי נָחֲתוּ.
R. Eleazar put the following question to R. Simeon. ‘Since it is known to God that men will die, why does He send souls down into the world?’ He answered: ‘This question has been discussed many times by the teachers, and they have answered it thus. God sends souls down to this world to declare His glory and takes them back afterwards.
אֶלָּא, רָזָא דָא, הָכִי הוּא. פָּתַח וְאָמַר, (משלי ה׳:ט״ו) שְׁתֵה מַיִם מִבּוֹרֶךָ וְנוֹזְלִים מִתּוֹךְ בְּאֵרֶךָ, הָא (ס' ע"א) אוֹקִימְנָא. בּוֹר, אֲתַר דְּלָא נְבִיעַ מִגַּרְמֵיהּ, וְאֵימָתַי נָבְעִין הַנֵּי מַיָא, בְּשַׁעְתָּא דְּאִשְׁתְּלִים נִשְׁמָתָא בְּהַאי עַלְמָא, כַּד סָלְקָא לְהַהוּא אֲתַר דְּאִתְקַשַּׁר בֵּיהּ, כְּדֵין הוּא שְׁלִים, מִכָּל סִטְרִין מִתַּתָּא וּמֵעֵילָא. (ס"א ומכל סטרין).
This mystery can be explained from the verse: “Drink water from thy cistern and flowing streams from the midst of thy well” (Prov. 5, 15). As we have laid down, the term “cistern” designates the place from which the waters do not naturally flow. But they do flow when the soul is perfected in this world and ascends to the place to which it is attached, for then it is complete on all sides, above and below.
וְכַד נִשְׁמָתָא סָלְקָא, כְּדֵין אִתְעַר תִּיאוּבְתָּא דְנוּקְבָא לְגַבֵּי דְּכוּרָא, וּכְדֵין נָבְעִין מַיָא מִתַּתָּא לְעֵילָא. וּבוֹר, אִתְעֲבִיד בְּאֵר, מַיִין נְבִיעָאן. וּכְדֵין אִתְחַבְּרוּתָא וְיִחוּדָא (נ"א ויסודא) וְתִיאוּבְתָּא וְרַעֲוָא אִשְׁתַּכַּח. (להא) דְּהָא בְּנִשְׁמָתָא דְּצַדִּיקָא אִשְׁתְּלִים הַהוּא אֲתַר, וְאִתְעַר חֲבִיבוּתָא וּרְעוּתָא לְעֵילָא, וְאִתְחַבַּר כְּחַד.
When the soul ascends, the desire of the female is stirred towards the male, and then water flows from below upwards, and the cistern becomes a well of flowing waters, and then there is union-and foundation and desire and friendship and harmony, since through the soul of the righteous that place has been completed, and the supernal love and affection has been stirred to form a union.’
רְאוּבֵן בְּכֹרִי אַתָּה, הָכִי הוּא וַדַּאי, טִפָּה קַדְמָאָה דְיַעֲקֹב הֲוָה, וּרְעוּתֵיהּ בְּאֲתַר אָחֳרָא הֲוָה כְּמָה דְאִתְּמָר. תָּא חֲזֵי, רְאוּבֵן וְכֻלְּהוּ שִׁבְטִין תְּרֵיסַר, כֻּלְּהוּ אִתְאַחֲדָן בִּשְׁכִינְתָּא, וְכַד חָמָא יַעֲקֹב לִשְׁכִינְתָּא עַל גַּבֵּיהּ, קָרָא לִבְנוֹי תְּרֵיסַר לְאִתְחַבְּרָא בָּהּ.
Observe that Reuben and all the rest of the twelve tribes were linked with the Shekinah, and when Jacob saw the Shekinah by him, he called to his twelve sons to join it.
וְתָא חֲזֵי, עַרְסָא שְׁלֵימָתָא לָא אִשְׁתַּכַּח מִן יוֹמָא דְאִתְבְּרֵי עַלְמָא, כְּהַהִיא שַׁעְתָּא דְבָעָא יַעֲקֹב לְאִסְתַּלְּקָא מֵעַלְמָא, אַבְרָהָם מִימִינֵיהּ, יִצְחָק מִשְׂמָאלֵיהּ, יַעֲקֹב הֲוָה שָׁכִיב בֵּינַיְיהוּ, שְׁכִינְתָּא קַמֵּיהּ. כֵּיוָן דְּחָמָא יַעֲקֹב כָךְ, קָרָא לִבְנוֹי, וְאָחִיד לוֹן סַחֲרָנֵיהּ דִּשְׁכִינְתָּא, וְסִדֵּר לוֹן בְּסִדּוּרָא שְׁלִים.
From the beginning of the world there was never so perfect a couch as that of Jacob when he was about to depart from the world. Abraham was on his right, Isaac on his left, and he was lying between them with the Shekinah in front of him. When Jacob saw this, he called his sons and placed them round the Shekinah and arranged them in perfect order,
מְנָא לָן דְּסִדֵּר לוֹן סַחֲרָנֵיהּ דִּשְׁכִינְתָּא, דִּכְתִיב הֵאָסְפוּ, וּכְדֵין אִשְׁתַּכַּח תַּמָּן שְׁלִימוּ דְּכֹלָּא, וְכַמָּה רְתִיכִין עִלָּאִין סַחֲרָנַיְיהוּ. פָּתְחֵי וְאָמְרֵי, (דברי הימים א כ״ט:י״א) לְךָ ה' הַגְּדוּלָּה וְהַגְּבוּרָה וְגו', כְּדֵין אִתְכְּנִישׁ שִׁמְּשָׁא לְגַבֵּיהּ דְסִיהֲרָא, וְאִתְקְרִיב מִזְרָח בְּמַעֲרָב. הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב וַיֶּאֱסוֹף רַגְלָיו אֶל הַמִּטָּה, וְאִתְנְהִיר סִיהֲרָא, וְאִשְׁתַּכַּח בִּשְׁלִימוּ. וּכְדֵין וַדַּאי תָּנִינָן, יַעֲקֹב אָבִינוּ לָא מִית. כֵּיוָן דְּחָמָא יַעֲקֹב (ס"א סדורא) סִטְרָא שְׁלִים, מַה דְּלָא אִשְׁתַּכַּח הָכִי לְבַר נָשׁ אָחֳרָא, חָדֵי, וְשַׁבַּח לֵיהּ לְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, וּפָתַח וּבָרִיךְ לִבְנוֹי, כָּל חַד וְחַד כְּדְקָא יְאוּת לֵיהּ.
so that the gathering was complete and many supernal chariots encompassed them. They then exclaimed: “Thine, O Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory, etc.” (I Chron. 29, 11), whereupon the sun joined the moon and the east drew near to the west, and the moon was illumined and attained fullness, and so, as tradition tells us, “Jacob our father did not die.” When Jacob saw such perfection as had never been vouchsafed to any other man, he rejoiced and praised God and blessed each of his sons with the appropriate blessing.