[ואל שדי יתן לכם רחמים]. זש"ה על זאת יתפלל כל חסיד אליך לעת מצא וגו' (תהלים לב ו). זבדי בן לוי ור' יוסי בן פיטרס ור' יהושע בן לוי אחד קרא מה רב טובך אשר צפנת ליראיך (שם לא כ), ואחד קרא וישמחו כל חוסי בך לעולם ירננו ותסך עלימו (תהלים ה יב), ואחד קרא על זאת יתפלל כל חסיד אליך. [לעת מצא] (שם לב ו), מהו לעת מצא, לעת מיצוי היום.
[(Gen. 43:14:) AND MAY GOD ALMIGHTY GRANT YOU MERCY.] This text is related (to Ps. 32:6): THEREFORE LET EVERY SAINT PRAY UNTO YOU IN ANTICIPATION OF THE TIME OF DISCOVERY…. Zavday ben Levi, R. Jose ben Petros, and R. Joshua ben Levi < differed >.63They differed over what verses they cited when they were dying. See yAZ 3:1 (42c). For variations in the verses cited, see Gen. R. 62:2; 92:2; Exod. R. 52:3; M. Pss. 5:11; cf. also Lev. R. 7:2; PRK 24:5. One cited (from Ps. 31:20 [19]): HOW ABUNDANT IS THE GOOD WHICH YOU HAVE LAID UP FOR THOSE WHO FEAR YOU; one cited (from Ps. 5:12 [11]): BUT LET ALL WHO TAKE REFUGE IN YOU REJOICE, LET THEM EVER SING FOR JOY, AND YOU SHALL SHELTER THEM; and one cited (from Ps. 32:6): THEREFORE LET EVERY SAINT PRAY UNTO YOU [IN ANTICIPATION OF THE TIME OF DISCOVERY]. What is the meaning of IN ANTICIPATION OF THE TIME OF DISCOVERY (MTs')? In anticipation of the time of the exhaustion (rt.: MTsH) of the day (i.e., in anticipation of the sunset of one's life, at death).
2
ד"א לעת מצא, לעת מיצוי הנפש. אמר (ר' יהושע) [ר' ישמעאל] צריך אדם שיהא מתפלל על יציאת הנפש, שאין לך דבר קשה מימיאת נפש. היאך היא יוצאה, ר' יוחנן אמר כפיטורי היוצאת בפי ושט (פי' החבל בשעה שמושכין אותו בנקב של ספינה לקשרה בו), כך הנפש בשעה שהיא יוצאה מן האדם, שאין אדם צריך להאמין בעצמו עד יום מותו, וכך שנו רבותינו, אל תאמין [בעצמך] עד יום מותך, מעשה באדם אחד מין שהיה רבו שונה ואומר אל תאמין בעצמך עד יום מותך, והיה חולק על דברי רבו, אמר הקב"ה זה בא לחלוק על התורה, מה עשה לו, ניסה אותו, ויצא יום הכפורים לתוך גינה אחת וראה ריבה אחת מקושטת נאה ומשובחת, ועמדה לו כנדו, ובקש להזקק לה, השיח עמה, אמרה לו אשת איש אני, אמר לה מקובל, אמרה לו כהנת אני, אמר לה מקובל, אמרה לו נדה אני, אמר לה מקובל, ולא זז עד שנזקק לה, הלך וישב לו לביתו אלופסין (פי' צעור) לומר מה עבר עליו, והיו רבותיו עולים ומבקרים אותו, ומוצאים אותו כחולה חודש אחר חודש, לומר מה עשיתי, והוא לא היה חולה, מה עשה הקב"ה, אמר עד מתי הוא מצטער, רמז הקב"ה לאותה שידה, והלכה ועמדה לפניו, אמרה לו עד מתי אתה מצטער, אני אותה האשה שנזקקתי עמי, רוח אני, אלא בשביל שהייתה חולק על דברי חכמים, שאמרו אל תאמין בעצמך עד יום מותך. אף דוד הסכים לומר צריך אדם להתפלל על יציאת נפשו, לכך אמר לעת מצוא.
Another interpretation (of Ps. 32:6): IN ANTICIPATION OF THE TIME OF DISCOVERY (MTs'). In anticipation of the departure (rt.: MTsH) of the soul. {R. Joshua} [R. Ishmael] said: One should pray in anticipation of the departure of the soul, for there is nothing harder than the departure of the soul.64Tanh., Gen. 10:10. How does it pass away? R. Johanan said: It is like the pittore which passes out through the opening of a weshet {i.e., the rope when one is drawing it through a < hawse > hole in a ship to tie it up with it}.65This scribal addition in Buber’s MS is essentially the interpretation of Rashi on Ber. 8a and of the pseudo-Rashi on MQ 28b-29a; but cf. Jastrow, p. 1161, s.v. pittore for an alternative interpretation. See also Eccl. R. 6:6:1; Lev. R. 4:2. So is the soul when it leaves (yots'ah) a person. Thus a person must not trust in himself until the day of his death; and so have our masters taught (in Avot 2:4): DO NOT TRUST [IN YOURSELF] UNTIL THE DAY OF YOUR DEATH.66Cf. a shorter version of the following story in yShab. 1:3 (3b); above, 1:27. Once upon a time there was a certain man, a sectarian (min) whose master would teach him and say: DO NOT TRUST IN YOURSELF UNTIL THE DAY OF YOUR DEATH. But he took issue with the words of his master. The Holy One said: This one has come to take issue with the Torah. What did he do to him? He tempted him. Now he went out on the Day of Atonement into a certain garden and saw a certain young woman, who was beautifully and tastefully adorned. There she stood before him, and he wanted to have sexual intercourse with her. He talked with her. She said to him: I am someone's wife. He said to her: That's all right. She said to him: I am the wife of a priest. He said to her: That's all right. She said to him: I am menstruating. He said to her: That's all right. And he did not move until he had had sexual intercourse with her. He went home and sat olophyzon67A variant of the Greek olophyromenos, which means “lamenting.” {i.e., distressed}, thinking about what had come over him. Then his masters came up to visit him, and month after month they found him like someone who was sick, saying: What have I done? Yet he was not sick. What did the Holy One do? He said: How long will he grieve? The Holy One nodded to the same female demon (shedah). So she came and stood before him. She said to him: How long will you grieve? I am that woman with whom you had sexual intercourse. I am a spirit. < It happened > simply because you differed with the words of the sages who have said (in Avot 2:4): DO NOT TRUST IN YOURSELF UNTIL THE DAY OF YOUR DEATH. David also has agreed, saying: One must pray concerning the departure of his soul. He therefore said (in Ps. 32:6): < THEREFORE LET EVERY SAINT PRAY UNTO YOU > IN ANTICIPATION OF THE TIME OF DISCOVERY (i.e., in anticipation of the time of departure).
3
[ד"א לעת מצוא], שאדם צריך להיות מקוה לדבר שידע סופו, מי היה זה, זה יעקב, אעפ"י שאמר טרוף טורף יוסף מחכה היה להקב"ה, בסוף הודיעו שיוסף חי, ולא עוד אלא שבישרו שהוא חי, ואל שדי יתן לכם רחמים.
[Another interpretation: IN ANTICIPATION OF THE TIME OF DISCOVERY.] < It means > that someone had to be hoping for something until he knew his end. Who was this? This was Jacob. Although he said (in Gen. 37:33 // 44:28): HE HAS BEEN TORN TO BITS, he was waiting for the Holy One. In the end he informed him that Joseph was alive. And not only that, but he < himself > brought him the good news that he was alive. (Gen. 43:14, cont.:) AND MAY GOD ALMIGHTY GRANT YOU MERCY.68Cf. Codex Vaticanus Ebr. 34: “And not only that, but his mouth proclaimed the good news that he was alive. Where is it shown? Where it says (in Gen. 43:14, cont.): AND MAY GOD ALMIGHTY GRANT YOU MERCY BEFORE THE MAN THAT HE MAY RELEASE TO YOU YOUR BROTHER, i.e.. Simeon. THE OTHER ONE, i e., Joseph. AND BENJAMIN, i.e., Benjamin.”
[ואל שדי יתן לכם רחמים]. זש"ה על זאת יתפלל כל חסיד אליך לעת מצא וגו' (תהלים לב ו). זבדי בן לוי ור' יוסי בן פיטרס ור' יהושע בן לוי אחד קרא מה רב טובך אשר צפנת ליראיך (שם לא כ), ואחד קרא וישמחו כל חוסי בך לעולם ירננו ותסך עלימו (תהלים ה יב), ואחד קרא על זאת יתפלל כל חסיד אליך. [לעת מצא] (שם לב ו), מהו לעת מצא, לעת מיצוי היום.
[(Gen. 43:14:) AND MAY GOD ALMIGHTY GRANT YOU MERCY.] This text is related (to Ps. 32:6): THEREFORE LET EVERY SAINT PRAY UNTO YOU IN ANTICIPATION OF THE TIME OF DISCOVERY…. Zavday ben Levi, R. Jose ben Petros, and R. Joshua ben Levi < differed >.63They differed over what verses they cited when they were dying. See yAZ 3:1 (42c). For variations in the verses cited, see Gen. R. 62:2; 92:2; Exod. R. 52:3; M. Pss. 5:11; cf. also Lev. R. 7:2; PRK 24:5. One cited (from Ps. 31:20 [19]): HOW ABUNDANT IS THE GOOD WHICH YOU HAVE LAID UP FOR THOSE WHO FEAR YOU; one cited (from Ps. 5:12 [11]): BUT LET ALL WHO TAKE REFUGE IN YOU REJOICE, LET THEM EVER SING FOR JOY, AND YOU SHALL SHELTER THEM; and one cited (from Ps. 32:6): THEREFORE LET EVERY SAINT PRAY UNTO YOU [IN ANTICIPATION OF THE TIME OF DISCOVERY]. What is the meaning of IN ANTICIPATION OF THE TIME OF DISCOVERY (MTs')? In anticipation of the time of the exhaustion (rt.: MTsH) of the day (i.e., in anticipation of the sunset of one's life, at death).
ד"א לעת מצא, לעת מיצוי הנפש. אמר (ר' יהושע) [ר' ישמעאל] צריך אדם שיהא מתפלל על יציאת הנפש, שאין לך דבר קשה מימיאת נפש. היאך היא יוצאה, ר' יוחנן אמר כפיטורי היוצאת בפי ושט (פי' החבל בשעה שמושכין אותו בנקב של ספינה לקשרה בו), כך הנפש בשעה שהיא יוצאה מן האדם, שאין אדם צריך להאמין בעצמו עד יום מותו, וכך שנו רבותינו, אל תאמין [בעצמך] עד יום מותך, מעשה באדם אחד מין שהיה רבו שונה ואומר אל תאמין בעצמך עד יום מותך, והיה חולק על דברי רבו, אמר הקב"ה זה בא לחלוק על התורה, מה עשה לו, ניסה אותו, ויצא יום הכפורים לתוך גינה אחת וראה ריבה אחת מקושטת נאה ומשובחת, ועמדה לו כנדו, ובקש להזקק לה, השיח עמה, אמרה לו אשת איש אני, אמר לה מקובל, אמרה לו כהנת אני, אמר לה מקובל, אמרה לו נדה אני, אמר לה מקובל, ולא זז עד שנזקק לה, הלך וישב לו לביתו אלופסין (פי' צעור) לומר מה עבר עליו, והיו רבותיו עולים ומבקרים אותו, ומוצאים אותו כחולה חודש אחר חודש, לומר מה עשיתי, והוא לא היה חולה, מה עשה הקב"ה, אמר עד מתי הוא מצטער, רמז הקב"ה לאותה שידה, והלכה ועמדה לפניו, אמרה לו עד מתי אתה מצטער, אני אותה האשה שנזקקתי עמי, רוח אני, אלא בשביל שהייתה חולק על דברי חכמים, שאמרו אל תאמין בעצמך עד יום מותך. אף דוד הסכים לומר צריך אדם להתפלל על יציאת נפשו, לכך אמר לעת מצוא.
Another interpretation (of Ps. 32:6): IN ANTICIPATION OF THE TIME OF DISCOVERY (MTs'). In anticipation of the departure (rt.: MTsH) of the soul. {R. Joshua} [R. Ishmael] said: One should pray in anticipation of the departure of the soul, for there is nothing harder than the departure of the soul.64Tanh., Gen. 10:10. How does it pass away? R. Johanan said: It is like the pittore which passes out through the opening of a weshet {i.e., the rope when one is drawing it through a < hawse > hole in a ship to tie it up with it}.65This scribal addition in Buber’s MS is essentially the interpretation of Rashi on Ber. 8a and of the pseudo-Rashi on MQ 28b-29a; but cf. Jastrow, p. 1161, s.v. pittore for an alternative interpretation. See also Eccl. R. 6:6:1; Lev. R. 4:2. So is the soul when it leaves (yots'ah) a person. Thus a person must not trust in himself until the day of his death; and so have our masters taught (in Avot 2:4): DO NOT TRUST [IN YOURSELF] UNTIL THE DAY OF YOUR DEATH.66Cf. a shorter version of the following story in yShab. 1:3 (3b); above, 1:27. Once upon a time there was a certain man, a sectarian (min) whose master would teach him and say: DO NOT TRUST IN YOURSELF UNTIL THE DAY OF YOUR DEATH. But he took issue with the words of his master. The Holy One said: This one has come to take issue with the Torah. What did he do to him? He tempted him. Now he went out on the Day of Atonement into a certain garden and saw a certain young woman, who was beautifully and tastefully adorned. There she stood before him, and he wanted to have sexual intercourse with her. He talked with her. She said to him: I am someone's wife. He said to her: That's all right. She said to him: I am the wife of a priest. He said to her: That's all right. She said to him: I am menstruating. He said to her: That's all right. And he did not move until he had had sexual intercourse with her. He went home and sat olophyzon67A variant of the Greek olophyromenos, which means “lamenting.” {i.e., distressed}, thinking about what had come over him. Then his masters came up to visit him, and month after month they found him like someone who was sick, saying: What have I done? Yet he was not sick. What did the Holy One do? He said: How long will he grieve? The Holy One nodded to the same female demon (shedah). So she came and stood before him. She said to him: How long will you grieve? I am that woman with whom you had sexual intercourse. I am a spirit. < It happened > simply because you differed with the words of the sages who have said (in Avot 2:4): DO NOT TRUST IN YOURSELF UNTIL THE DAY OF YOUR DEATH. David also has agreed, saying: One must pray concerning the departure of his soul. He therefore said (in Ps. 32:6): < THEREFORE LET EVERY SAINT PRAY UNTO YOU > IN ANTICIPATION OF THE TIME OF DISCOVERY (i.e., in anticipation of the time of departure).
[ד"א לעת מצוא], שאדם צריך להיות מקוה לדבר שידע סופו, מי היה זה, זה יעקב, אעפ"י שאמר טרוף טורף יוסף מחכה היה להקב"ה, בסוף הודיעו שיוסף חי, ולא עוד אלא שבישרו שהוא חי, ואל שדי יתן לכם רחמים.
[Another interpretation: IN ANTICIPATION OF THE TIME OF DISCOVERY.] < It means > that someone had to be hoping for something until he knew his end. Who was this? This was Jacob. Although he said (in Gen. 37:33 // 44:28): HE HAS BEEN TORN TO BITS, he was waiting for the Holy One. In the end he informed him that Joseph was alive. And not only that, but he < himself > brought him the good news that he was alive. (Gen. 43:14, cont.:) AND MAY GOD ALMIGHTY GRANT YOU MERCY.68Cf. Codex Vaticanus Ebr. 34: “And not only that, but his mouth proclaimed the good news that he was alive. Where is it shown? Where it says (in Gen. 43:14, cont.): AND MAY GOD ALMIGHTY GRANT YOU MERCY BEFORE THE MAN THAT HE MAY RELEASE TO YOU YOUR BROTHER, i.e.. Simeon. THE OTHER ONE, i e., Joseph. AND BENJAMIN, i.e., Benjamin.”