Torah Or
תּוֹרָה אוֹר
דִּבּוּר הַמַּתְחִיל
וַיֵּצֵא יִצְחָק לָשׂוּחַ בַּשָּׂדֶה¹
פָּרָשַׁת חַיֵּי שָׂרָה דַּף יז, א – יז, ב
“Grasping the Torah with its Details”
In Parshas Chayei Sara, the Torah describes the marriage of Yitzchok and Rivka. While Avraham’s servant Eliezer was bringing Rivka to meet Yitzchok, Yitzchok went out to the field to talk to Hashem (in prayer) in the evening, before sunset. The Gemara (Brachos 26b) teaches that this verse indicates that Yitzchok established the custom to pray in the afternoon (what we call Mincha).
Another interpretation of the fact that Yitzchok went out to the field to “talk” is that he went to say words of Torah.
In this maamar, the Alter Rebbe will explain, on a mystical level, the significance of the fact that Yitzchok went out specifically to the “field” to pray (or to learn), and did not do so in a house within the city. The maamar also explains the lesson that we can derive from the fact that he went out “before sunset.”
In order to explain this, the Alter Rebbe will explain the idea of “a field,” in contrast to the concept of “a house in the city” as a metaphor for two different types of Torah study, known as “Mishna” and “Beraisa:”
(א) Part 1
"וַיֵּצֵא יִצְחָק לָשׂוּחַ בַּשָּׂדֶה לִפְנוֹת עָרֶב וַיִּשָּׂא עֵינָיו וַיַּרְא וְהִנֵּה גְמַלִּים בָּאִים: כוּ'" (פָּרָשָׁתֵנוּ כד, סג):
“And Yitzchok went out to talk in the field before sunset, and he lifted up his eyes and he saw that there were camels coming [and Eliezer and Rivka were on those camels].” (Bereishis 24:63)
לְבָאֵר זֶה, דְּהִנֵּה יֵשׁ מִשְׁנָה וּבָרַיְיתָא.
To explain this, we need to first explain the difference between a “Mishna” and a “Beraisa:”²
וּבָרַיְיתָא – פֵּירוּשׁ הַמִּשְׁנָה, כִּי הַמִּשְׁנָה הוּא הַכְּלָל, וּבָרַיְיתָא הִיא הַפְּרָט שֶׁל הַמִּשְׁנָה, וְ"אֵין בִּכְלָל אֶלָּא מַה שֶּׁבִּפְרָט".
The Beraisa is the explanation of the Mishna, since the Mishna is a general teaching that could be understood in different ways and could be applied in many ways, and the Beraisa is a detail explaining the reasoning or application of the Mishna, and there is a rule that, “the information of a general teaching comprises no more than the sum of all its details.”
וְלִכְאוֹרָה הַבָּרַיְיתָא הִיא לְמַטָּה מִן הַמִּשְׁנָה, שֶׁנִּשְׁתַּלְשְׁלָה יוֹתֵר לְמַטָּה.
It would seem, superficially, that the Beraisa is lower than the Mishna, since it comes down lower to explain specific details, as opposed to a more general teaching.
אֲבָל הָאֱמֶת הוּא, שֶׁהַבַּרְיְיתָא גָּבוֹהַּ יוֹתֵר, דְּ"סוֹף מַעֲשֶׂה בְּמַחֲשָׁבָה תְּחִלָּה".
However, the truth is just the opposite; the Beraisa is higher, since “the actual deed [of the Mitzvos] was [Hashem’s] original intention [for creation].” (Shabbos Prayers, Lecha Dodi)
Since only through the knowledge of the details of the Mitzvos explained in the Beraisa are we able to actual fulfill mitzvos, there is an advantage in the Beraisa (which teaches the exact details of the mitzvos) over the Mishna (which relates general teachings).
דְּהִנֵּה הַתּוֹרָה נִשְׁתַּלְשְׁלָה לְמַטָּה אֲפִילּוּ בִּדְבַר שֶׁקֶר.
We see that the Torah descended to deal with lowly things of our world, even dealing with people who say lies.
כְּגוֹן³: "זֶה אוֹמֵר אֲנִי מְצָאתִיהָ כוּ'".
For example: The Torah deals with a case where two people find a garment at the same time and are both holding onto it, and while holding onto it, they go to the Beis Din (Jewish court) and present their claims: This one says, ‘I found it and I should keep the entire thing,’ and the other one says, ‘I found it and I should keep the entire thing.’
The law is that each one swears that he doesn’t own less than half of the garment, and they sell the garment and each one keeps half of the value of the garment.” (Baba Metzia 2a)
In this case, one of them is definitely lying, since each one claims to be the only one to have found it and therefore should have the right to keep the entire thing. Even in a case where the claimants are lying, the Torah describes what we should do.
וּלְפִי הַנִּרְאֶה הִיא יְרִידָה לְמַטָּה מְאֹד.
This appears to be a very great descent, for the Torah to have address the laws of (partially) false claims.
וּמִכָּל מָקוֹם הִיא גָּבוֹהַּ, כִּי "סוֹף מַעֲשֶׂה כוּ'⁴".
Nonetheless, this ability to present a correct solution in a situation where people are lying comes from a higher level of Hashem’s Wisdom than just dealing with things that are naturally true and correct, since “the actual deed was the original intention [of Hashem].”
In other words, the original intention of Hashem is that we should serve Him in this physical world, where the possibility for the opposite of truth exists. Thus, some people lie and act in a dishonest fashion. But Hashem’s original intention was to show us how to live even under such circumstances. Thus, the ability to descend to show us what to do in these situations comes from a higher level of Hashem’s Wisdom than the abstract knowledge of Kabbalah that describes spiritual worlds that are naturally and automatically holy.
וּכְמִשַׁל הַשְּׁפוֹפֶרֶת – הַנִּכְנָס רִאשׁוֹן יוֹצֵא אַחֲרוֹן.
An analogy for this: If there is a tube that is sealed on one end, and someone puts objects (that take up the width of the tube) into that tube, then whatever was put into the tube first will leave the tube last.
In this picture, the ball inserted first, ball A, will be the third ball to exit the tube, after balls C and B.
וּכְמוֹ הָאָדָם, שֶׁהוּא סוֹף כָּל הַנִּבְרָאִים – וְהוּא בְּמַעֲלָה עַל כּוּלָּם, וְהַכֹּל נִבְרָא בַּעֲבוּרוֹ.
So too regarding a person, the fact that he was the last of all the creations⁵ is because he is higher than all of them, and all of them were created for him.
Just like the first ball in comes out last, so too, the fact that man came out last in creation is because he was the first thing in Hashem’s original plan and intention for creation.
וְלָכֵן נִמְצָא הָעוֹלָם כּוּלּוֹ בְּאָדָם אֶחָד, לְהוֹרוֹת שֶׁהַכֹּל נִבְרָא בַּעֲבוּרוֹ – כִּי זֶה כָּל הָאָדָם⁶.
Therefore, we find aspects of the entire world in every single person, to show that the entire world was created just for him, since “This was the entire purpose of creation- for man.” (Koheles 12:13).⁷
וְזֶהוּ מַאֲמַר רַזַ"ל: "יָפָה שָׁעָה אַחַת כוּ'⁸".
This is the meaning of the saying of our Sages, “One minute of Teshuva and good deeds in this world is better than all of the life of the World to Come.” (Pirkei Avos 4:17)
דְּהִנֵּה בְּעוֹלָם־הַבָּא "צַדִּיקִים יוֹשְׁבִים כוּ'⁹",
The idea behind this is that in the spiritual World to Come, “the righteous [all Jewish People] dwell and enjoy the radiance of the Shechina [Divine Presence].” (Brachos 17a)
וְהוּא רַק בְּחִינַת אֲחוֹרַיִּים, כְּמַאֲמָר (תִּשָּׂא לג, כג): "וְרָאִיתָ אֶת אֲחוֹרָי כוּ'",
This revelation of “the radiance of the Shechina” is only an external aspect of Hashem’s revelation that is limited to the understanding of the created beings, as it says, (Shemos 33:23) “And [Hashem said to Moshe,] ‘You will be able to perceive an external aspect of My revelation, however the innermost aspect of My revelation will not be revealed’”.¹⁰
הַתַּעֲנוּג שֶׁמַּשִּׂיג הָאָדָם בַּעֲבוֹדָתוֹ הוּא בְּחִינַת אֲחוֹרַיִּים,
This means that the enjoyment that a person has in his understanding of his service of Hashem is only an external aspect of connection to Hashem.
"וּפָנַי" אֵינוֹ בְּאֶפְשָׁרִי לְהַשִּׂיג, כִּי "לֹא יִרְאַנִי הָאָדָם וָחָי" (תִּשָּׂא לג, כ);
The “innermost aspect” of Hashem’s revelation cannot be grasped by created beings, since “[Hashem says,] ‘No man can see Me and live.’” (Shemos 33:20)
וְעַל דֶּרֶךְ זֶה גַּם הַגִּילּוּי בְּגַן־עֵדֶן הוּא רַק בְּחִינַת זִיו וְהֶאָרָה לְבַד.
Similarly, the revelation of Hashem in Gan Eden (the spiritual ‘World to Come’), is only like a “ray of light” of Hashem’s True Revelation, an external expression of the Infinite Truth of Hashem.
וְלָכֵן "יָפָה שָׁעָה אַחַת כוּ'" – שֶׁהוּא הַמַּעֲשֶׂה עַצְמָהּ בְּלִי תַעֲנוּג וּבְלִי שֵׂכֶל – "מִכָּל חַיֵּי הָעוֹלָם־הַבָּא" – דְּ"סוֹף מַעֲשֶׂה בְּמַחֲשָׁבָה תְּחִלָּה".
Therefore, “one minute of Teshuva and good deeds in this world is better,” meaning the actual performance of the mitzvah itself, even without any enjoyment or understanding, is “better than all of the Life of the World to Come,” since “the actual deed [of the Mitzvos] was the original intention [of Hashem].”
In Gan Eden there is only a “radiance” of the Divine Presence, which is only an external aspect of Hashem’s revelation (that is limited to what the created beings can understand), but through Mitzvos in this world we connect to Hashem’s Innermost aspect (that cannot be understood or grasped by any created being).
וְזֶהוּ גַּם כֵּן עִנְיָן מִשְׁנָה וּבָרַיְיתָא: שֶׁהַמִּשְׁנָה הוּא כְּלָל. כְּמוֹ: "ד' צִיצִית מְעַכְּבוֹת"¹¹;
This is also the difference between the Mishna and the Beraisa: The Mishna is like a general teaching, for example, the laws of Tzitzis are only mentioned as follows: “The Tzitzis on each of the four corners of the garment invalidate each other if one of them is missing, since the Tzitzis on all four corners are all part of one mitzvah.”
In the Mishna, the laws of Tzitzis are not explained in detail; there are only two Mishnayos (plural of Mishna) that directly discuss Tzitizis: the last Mishna of chapter 3 of Menachos, and the first Mishna of chapter 4 of Menachos (where the obligation of putting Techeiles¹² color on the Tzitzis is mentioned). However, in the Gemara of Menachos, there are 6 folios explaining the laws of Tzitzis (38a-44a). In these 6 folios of the Gemara, numerous Beraisos (plural of Beraisa) are brought to explain the detailed laws of Tzitzis. We see clearly in regards to Tzitzis that the Mishna’s teachings are only general, whereas (almost) all of the details are only explained in the Beraisa (which is quoted and further specified in the Gemara).
וְכֵן "סוּכָּה שֶׁהִיא גָּבוֹהַּ כוּ'"¹³.
So too, the Mishna says regarding a Sukka, “A Sukka that its Sechach (covering)¹⁴ is higher than 20 amos¹⁵ is invalid.”
The Mishna doesn’t give any reason for this statement; in the Gemara, the Sages analyze this statement and give various possible reasons. Based on the different explanations of the reasoning from the Sages of the Gemara, there are different opinions of which cases the Mishna refers to when it states that a Sukka will be invalid if its Sechach is higher than 20 amos.¹⁶ Thus, we see that this is a general statement that includes various interpretations and details.
וְיֵשׁ לִמְצוֹא טַעַם לָזֶה, כְּעִנְיָן "תְּכֵלֶת דּוֹמֶה לַיָּם כוּ'¹⁷";
Now, regarding these general statements of the Mishna, it is possible to find a reason to explain them. For example, when the Mishna mentions the obligation to put Techeiles color on the Tzitizis, there is a general explanation: “The color of Techeiles is similar to the color of the sea, and the color of the sea is similar to the color of the sky, and the sky reminds us of the Throne of Glory [that Hashem’s presence ‘sits’ on].” (Menachos 43b)
וְגַבֵּי סוּכָּה יֵשׁ טַעַם¹⁸ – "לְמַעַן יֵדְעוּ דוֹרוֹתֵיכֶם" – "עַד כ' אַמָּה כוּ'".
So too regarding the case of Sukka (mentioned above), there is a reason: The Torah (Vayikra 23:42-43) says, “You shall dwell in Sukkos for seven days…in order that your future generations will know that I [Hashem] caused the Children of Israel to dwell in ‘Sukkos’ when I took them out of Egypt.” Now, only when the Sechach is less than 20 amos high does a person know that he is in a Sukka, i.e., notice the Sechach.
אֲבָל הַבָּרַיְיתָא הוּא פְּרָט לְבָאֵר הַמִּשְׁנָה בְּכָל דִּקְדּוּקִים וּפְרָטִים.
However, the Beraisa contains the details to explain the Mishna in all of its details and intricacies.
כְּמוֹ סוּכַּת גנב''ך וְרקב''ש¹⁹ שֶׁאֵין טַעַם לַדָּבָר, וְנִרְאֶה בְּחוּשׁ שֶׁהוּא לְמַעְלָה מֵהַשֵּׂכֶל וְהַטַּעַם²⁰.
For example, the cases of the Sukkos known as גנב''ך-Ganba”ch and רקב''ש-Rabka”sh,²¹ in these detailed cases there is no revealed explanation as to why these Sukkos are permitted to be used, and we can clearly see that these laws of the Torah are higher than any logical explanation known to man. Rather, they are just the Divine Will and Wisdom.
Even though the Gemara gives explanations for the reason of the Mishna’s statement (that a Sukka which is higher than 20 amos is invalid), the Gemara does not offer an explanation as to why a Sukka is valid even though it was not made for the purpose of the mitzvah at all, and was instead made for protection from the sun, as in the cases of Ganba”ch Rabka”sh, where the sukka was built to be used during the year for shade and not for the mitzvah on the Festival of Sukkos. We see that even though we find general explanations for the reasons of mitzvos, when it comes to the details, we have no such explanations.
(Another prime example of this is the mitzva of Tefillin: Even though we have a general explanation for why we put on Tefillin, (to place the Unity of Hashem, written in the Shema, on our minds and near our hearts and thus to dedicate ourselves to Hashem), when it comes to the details of the mitzvah, (that they must be perfectly square and the straps must be black etc.), we have no logical explanation).
We see from these details of the mitzvas that we cannot explain the reason for the mitzvos. They are Hashem’s Will and Wisdom, which is beyond human understanding.
וְזֶהוּ "אֵין בִּכְלָל אֶלָּא מַה שֶּׁבִּפְרָט":
This is the meaning of the principle stated above, ““The information of a general teaching comprises no more than the sum of all its details.”
שֶׁאֵין בַּמִּשְׁנָה – בַּכְּלָל, יוֹתֵר מִבַּפְּרָט – הַבָּרַיְיתָא.
This means that there is nothing contained in the Mishna - which is a general teaching - more than what is contained in its details -referring to the Beraisos.
וּמַה שֶּׁלֹּא נִתְגַּלָּה טַעְמָהּ הוּא יוֹתֵר גָּבוֹהַּ.
The fact that the reasons for these details have not been revealed to us is because they come from a higher place in Hashem’s Wisdom than the Mishna, and therefore, it is beyond our ability to understand them.
כִּי טַעֲמֵי הַמִּצְוֹת לֹא נִתְגַּלּוּ²², וּלְעָתִיד־לָבוֹא, אִם יִרְצֶה הַשֵּׁם, יִתְגַּלּוּ.
Like our Sages say, “The reasons for the Mitzvos were never revealed [by Hashem].”²² However, in the Future Era [after Moshiach comes], when Hashem desires to reveal them, then they will be revealed.
וְזֶהוּ "רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן דָּרֵישׁ טַעֲמֵי דִּקְרָאֵי"²³:
This is the meaning of the statement, “Rabbi Shimon [Ben Yochai] would explain the reasoning of the verses.” (Baba Metzia 115a)
שֶׁדָּרַשׁ, שֶׁמַּה שֶּׁנֶּאֱמַר בְּפָסוּק טַעַם שֶׁל דָּבָר, לֹא זֶהוּ עִיקָּר, רַק שֶׁיֵּשׁ טַעַם בָּזֶה גָּבוֹהַּ יוֹתֵר לְמַעְלָה מֵהַטַּעַם.
He would explain that the reason for mitzvos mentioned in the verse is not really the main reason for it, rather, there is a higher [deeper] reason for them that is beyond our understanding.
For example, with regard to a Jewish king, the Torah says that he may not marry more than 18 wives. The reason given (in Devarim 17:17) is that “he should not increase for himself wives in order that his heart not be turned away [from serving Hashem].”
The Gemara explains that according to Rabbi Shimon, the king cannot marry even one wife who will turn his heart from Hashem. Even though the reason mentioned in the verse is an explanation for why he cannot marry many wives, and not why he cannot have even one wife who is improper, nonetheless, Rabbi Shimon explains that the reason for the mitzvah of not having too many wives is avoid any negative effect on the king. Therefore, even one improper wife is forbidden. The fact that the verse mentions that he should not have too many wives is a separate prohibition - that he should not have more than 18 wives, even if they are all righteous and he wishes to add another righteous wife.
We see from Rabbi Shimon’s approach that even where the verse itself gives a reason for a mitzvah, there is more to the reasoning of the mitzvah than what the verse says, since he interprets the verse’s reason of “in order that his heart not be turned away,” as an additional prohibition against marrying even one improper wife, rather than as an explanation for why he cannot marry more than 18 wives.
We see from this that (according to Rabbi Shimon) whenever the Torah gives a “reason” for a mitzvah, it is actually providing additional details to the mitzvah, since the ultimate reasons for the mitzvos are completely beyond human understanding and were never revealed.
נִמְצָא, שֶׁבְּמִצְוָה שֶׁאֵין מַשִּׂיג בָּהּ טַעַם, הוּא יוֹתֵר גָּבוֹהַּ.
Resultantly, a mitzvah where the person does not grasp any logical explanation for it is higher [in a certain aspect] than if he would have some understanding of the mitzvah.
This simple fulfillment of the mitzvah, out of pure dedication to Hashem, without one’s own intellect being mixed in, expresses the real truth of the mitzvah: That it is completely beyond human understanding, and any understanding is limiting the mitzvah, [in a certain sense].
וּמַה שֶּׁמַּשִּׂיג טַעַם וְתַעֲנוּג הוּא רַק בְּחִינַת אֲחוֹרַיִּים.
Any understanding and enjoyment that a person perceives in fulfilling the mitzvah is only an “external” aspect of Hashem’s revelation that is able to become limited to a level that we can understand and enjoy.
וְלֹא כְּמוֹ שֶׁסּוֹבְרִים הָעוֹלָם שֶׁהָעִיקָּר הוּא הַלֵּב, שֶׁמַּשִּׂיג תַּעֲנוּג וְעוֹבֵד בְּהִתְלַהֲבוּת, וְאֵינוֹ כֵּן הָאֱמֶת.
This approach is not like the general approach that many people have, that the main service of Hashem depends on what we feel in our hearts, and that we should have enjoyment and excitement in our service of Hashem. But this is not the truth.
רַק עִיקָּר הוּא הַמַּעֲשֶׂה בְּלִי תַעֲנוּג, וְהַלֵּב אֵינוֹ כִּי אִם סִיוּעַ בִּבְחִינַת "גַּדְפִין".
Rather, [the truth is that] the main service of Hashem is just the actual performance of the mitzvos, even without personal enjoyment, and the purpose of the excitement of the heart is only to help the mitzvos by being “wings” to make them fly up to holiness.²⁴ The actual service of Hashem is the act of doing what He wants, regardless of one’s feelings.
We see from all of this that there is an advantage in knowing the details of how to fulfill the mitzvos (as explained in the Beraisa and Gemara) even over the knowledge of the Mishna, which contains all of the Oral Torah in a general manner. This is because the main thing is the actual performance of the mitzvos, even if we don’t understand the reasoning for these details. Not only that, but the fact that we can’t understand the reasons for the details is because they are rooted in Hashem’s Wisdom, which is far deeper than any human understanding can relate to or grasp.
Thus, the main way that we can establish our connection to Hashem is not based on what we can understand and feel, which is inherently limited, but on the performance of His mitzvos, which, being His Will and His Wisdom, contain infinite depth, beyond what any created being could ever fathom.
¹ (הַמַּאֲמָר מִתְּקוּפַת לִיאָזְנִי).
² The word מִשְׁנָה-Mishna comes from the word שינון-learning, especially teaching orally to a student, as in the phrase from the Krias Shema “וְשִׁנַּנְתָּם לְבָנֶיךָ-and you should teach these [words of Torah] to your children”. The Mishna is the main compilation of the laws of the Torah as they were passed down orally (the Oral Torah) from generation to generation. The Mishna was compiled by Rabbi Yehuda Hanasi with his contemporaries and students towards the end of the time of the Seond Beis Hamikdash. Since one of the goals of the Mishna was to be memorized and recited by heart, only the most essential teachings of the laws of the Torah were compiled in the text of the Mishna. Many of the details pertaining to these laws and their reasonings were left out of the text of the Mishna and taught separately under the name בָּרַיְיתָא-Beraisa which comes from the word בַּר-outside, since these teachings were left “outside” of the carefully chosen text of the Mishna.
³ (בָּבָא מְצִיעָא ב, א: "שְׁנַיִם אוֹחֲזִין בְּטַלִּית, זֶה אוֹמֵר אֲנִי מְצָאתִיהָ וְזֶה אוֹמֵר אֲנִי מְצָאתִיהָ").
⁴ (בְּמַחֲשָׁבָה תְּחִלָּה).
⁵ Man was created on the sixth day of creation, after everything else was created.
⁶ (כִּי זֶה כָּל הָאָדָם: קֹהֶלֶת יב, יג).
⁷ In this maamar it doesn’t elaborate on this concept, but in other places it explains how the various parts of the body and of the soul correspond to all the different aspects of the physical and spiritual worlds, to show how each person is of fundamental importance to the purpose of the entire world.
⁸ ("בִּתְשׁוּבָה וּמַעֲשִׂים טוֹבִים בָּעוֹלָם־הַזֶּה מִכָּל חַיֵּי הָעוֹלָם־הַבָּא". אבות ד, יז).
⁹ ("וְנֶהֱנִין מִזִּיו הַשְּׁכִינָה". בְּרָכוֹת יז, א).
¹⁰ The verses (Shemos 23:18-23) read in full:
וַיֹּאמַר הַרְאֵנִי נָא אֶת כְּבֹדֶךָ: וַיֹּאמֶר אֲנִי אַעֲבִיר כָל טוּבִי עַל פָּנֶיךָ וְקָרָאתִי בְשֵׁם ה' לְפָנֶיךָ וְחַנֹּתִי אֶת אֲשֶׁר אָחֹן וְרִחַמְתִּי אֶת אֲשֶׁר אֲרַחֵם: וַיֹּאמֶר לֹא תוּכַל לִרְאֹת אֶת פָּנָי כִּי לֹא יִרְאַנִי הָאָדָם וָחָי: וַיֹּאמֶר ה' הִנֵּה מָקוֹם אִתִּי וְנִצַּבְתָּ עַל הַצּוּר: וְהָיָה בַּעֲבֹר כְּבֹדִי וְשַׂמְתִּיךָ בְּנִקְרַת הַצּוּר וְשַׂכֹּתִי כַפִּי עָלֶיךָ עַד עָבְרִי. וַהֲסִרֹתִי אֶת כַּפִּי וְרָאִיתָ אֶת אֲחֹרָי וּפָנַי לֹא יֵרָאוּ:
And [Moshe] said [to Hashem]: “Please show me Your Glory”. And [Hashem] said: “I will cause My ‘Goodness’ to pass before you and I will call out the name of Hashem before you, and I will be gracious and merciful to those that I choose.” And [Hashem] further said: “You will not be able to see My innermost aspect, for no man can see me and live.” Hashem said [to Moshe]: “See, there is a place with Me that you can stand near a rock. When My Glory will pass, I will place you in a hole in that rock and I will cover you with my ‘Hand’ until my Glory passes. After I remove My ‘Hand’ you will see my external aspect, however my innermost aspect shall not be seen.”
¹¹ (מְנָחוֹת כח, א בַּמִּשְׁנָה: "ד' צִיצִיּוֹת מְעַכְּבוֹת זוֹ אֶת זוֹ – שֶׁאַרְבַּעְתָּן מִצְוָה אַחַת").
¹² Techeiles is a turquoise/dark blue color that is derived from a certain creature called the Chilazon, whose identity is now unknown (according to most opinions). The Torah says that we must dye one of the strings of each corner in the Techeiles color and wrap it around the remaining strings of that corner.
¹³ (סוּכָּה ב, א בַּמִּשְׁנָה: "סוּכָּה שֶׁהִיא גְבוֹהָה לְמַעְלָה מֵעֶשְׂרִים אַמָּה פְּסוּלָה").
¹⁴ Sechach is the cover of the Sukka that must be made of plants detached from the ground, like tree branches or raw wooden boards etc.
¹⁵ An amah (plural amos) is a measurement of distance of around 19 inches, thus 20 amos is around 32 feet.
¹⁶ In the Gemara there are three explanations of why a Sukka is invalid if its Sechach is higher than 20 amos: 1- Rabba: until 20 amos we “know” we are in a Sukka, higher than that we don’t notice the Sechach and we don’t “know” we are in Sukka; 2- Rabbi Zeira: until 20 amos we are protected by the shade of the Sechach, higher than 20 amos we are protected by the shade of the walls; 3- Rava: until 20 amos it is considered a temporary dwelling, higher than 20 amos it is considered a permanent dwelling.
¹⁷ (מְנָחוֹת מג, ב (וְרַשִׁ"י): "תַּנְיָא הָיָה רַבִּי מֵאִיר אוֹמֵר: מַה נִּשְׁתַּנָּה תְּכֵלֶת (שֶׁיִּחֲדוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְמִצְוָה זוֹ) מִכָּל מִינֵי צִבְעוֹנִין? מִפְּנֵי שֶׁהַתְּכֵלֶת דּוֹמֶה לְיָם, וְיָם דּוֹמֶה לָרָקִיעַ, וְרָקִיעַ לְכִסֵּא הַכָּבוֹד". זֹהַר חֵלֶק א קכא, א.
¹⁸ (סוּכָּה שָׁם בַּגְּמָרָא: "מְנָא הָנֵי מִילֵּי? אָמַר רַבָּה דְּאָמַר קְרָא (אֱמוֹר כג, מג): "לְמַעַן יֵדְעוּ דֹרֹתֵיכֶם כִּי בַסֻּכּוֹת הוֹשַׁבְתִּי אֶת בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל", עַד עֶשְׂרִים אַמָּה – אָדָם יוֹדֵעַ שֶׁהוּא דָּר בְּסוּכָּה, לְמַעְלָה מֵעֶשְׂרִים אַמָּה – אֵין אָדָם יוֹדֵעַ שֶׁדָּר בְּסוּכָּה, מִשּׁוּם דְּלָא שָׁלְטָא בָּהּ עֵינָא").
¹⁹ (סוּכָּה ח, ב: "תָּנוּ רַבָּנָן: גנב''ך – סוּכּוֹת גּוֹיִם, סוּכַּת נָשִׁים, סוּכַּת בְּהֵמָה, סוּכַּת כּוּתִים . . סוּכַּת רקב''ש – סוּכַּת רוֹעִים, סוּכַּת קַיָּיצִים, סוּכַּת בּוּרְגָּנִין, סוּכַּת שׁוֹמְרֵי פֵּירוֹת . . כְּשֵׁרָה, וּבִלְבַד שֶׁתְּהֵא מְסוּכֶּכֶת כְּהִלְכָּתָהּ. מַאי 'כְּהִלְכָּתָהּ'? אָמַר רַב חִסְדָּא: וְהוּא שֶׁעֲשָׂאָהּ לְצֵל סוּכָּה").
²⁰ (רְאֵה גַּם לִקּוּטֵי תּוֹרָה שִׁיר הַשִּׁירִים מא, ב).
²¹ These two words are acronyms for Hebrew words of cases of sukkos that were not originally made to be used for the mitzvah of sukka by those who are obligated in the mitzvah, but nonetheless are valid to be used for the mitzvah as long as they were made to provide shade from the sun. They stand for:
גנב''ך- גּוֹיִם-sukka of gentiles, נָשִׁים-sukka of women (who are exempt from the mitzvah of sukka), בְּהֵמָה-sukka made as a shelter for animals, כּוּתִים-Kutim (people who pretended to convert to Judaism but really didn’t)
רקב''ש- רוֹעִים-sukka of sheperds while on the job (during the rest of the year), קַיָּיצִים-sukka used by people drying fruit in the field during the summer, בּוּרְגָּנִין-sukka of shopkeepers (during the year), שׁוֹמְרֵי פֵּירוֹת-sukka of people who guard the fields (during the year)
²² (רְאֵה סַנְהֶדְרִין כא, ב).
²³ (בָּבָא מְצִיעָא קטו, א. וְשָׁם נִסְמָן).
²⁴ In Tanya chapters 39 and 40 the Alter Rebbe describes how the love and fear of Hashem are the two “wings” that cause our Torah and Mitzvos to “fly up” to Hashem, i.e. to became spiritually elevated to a level where their holiness can be revealed.
(ב) Part 2
וְהִנֵּה, מִשְׁנָה נִקְרָא "עִיר", וּבָרַיְיתָא – בְּחִינַת "שָׂדֶה", לְשׁוֹן "בַּר" – חוּץ לָעִיר²⁵. וְלִכְאוֹרָה הָעִיר הוּא עִיקָר – שֶׁדָּרִים בָּהּ בְּנֵי אָדָם.
Now, the Mishna is compared to a “city” and the בָּרַיְיתָא-Beraisa is compared to a “field,” since the root of the word בָּרַיְיתָא is “בַּר-outside,” meaning outside of the city.
Seemingly, the city is on a much higher level than the field, since people live specifically in the city and not in the field. So too, it would seem that the Mishna is much higher than the Beraisa.
אַךְ נִרְאֶה מִי הוּא מְחַיֶּה אוֹתָם? הַשָּׂדֶה שֶׁחוּץ לָעִיר שֶׁמְּבִיאִים מִשָּׁם הַתְּבוּאָה!
However, let’s look at the following: Which of these [two, the field or the city], is providing sustenance for people? It is the field (that is outside of the city) from which grain is brought [to provide bread for people]!
כָּךְ הוּא הַבָּרַיְיתָא מְחַיָּה הַמִּשְׁנָה, וּמְבָאֶרֶת הַהֲלָכָה יוֹתֵר בִּפְרָט הֵיאַךְ לַעֲשׂוֹת.
So too, it is the Beraisa that “gives life” to the Mishna, and explains the halacha [Torah laws] in detail how the mitzvos should actually be fulfilled.
כִּי הַתַּנָּאִים – "מְבַלֵּי עוֹלָם"²⁶ – שֶׁמּוֹרִים מִתּוֹךְ הַמִּשְׁנָה.
Like our Sages say, (Sota 22a) “Those who only teach Mishanyos destroy the world,” since they render decisions of halacha based on a superficial reading of the Mishna itself, without the commentary of the Beraisa (or Gemara).
The Alter Rebbe has explained the difference between the Mishna and the Beraisa, and the advantage that the Beraisa, the “field,” has in ‘sustaining’ us with detailed Torah laws, (ie. that the physical field gives grain, which is used to make bread, which, in turn, sustains one’s very life).
Now he will return to explain the verse quoted at the beginning of the maamar, describing how Yitzchok went out to ‘talk’ in the ‘field’ before evening:
וְזֶהוּ "וַיֵּצֵא יִצְחָק לָשׂוּחַ בַּשָּׂדֶה"²⁷ – הוּא לְשׁוֹן דִּבּוּר וְשִׂיחָה, וּלְשׁוֹן שְׁחִיָּיה לְמַטָּה, מִלְּשׁוֹן "וְשַׁח רוּם אֲנָשִׁים" (יְשַׁעְיָה ב, יא). וְכֵן "כַּאֲשֶׁר יְפָרֵשׂ הַשּׂוֹחֶה לִשְׂחוֹת" (בִּישַׁעְיָה כ"ה, יא)²⁸.
This is the meaning of the verse, (Bereishis 24:63) “And Yitzchok went out ‘לָשׂוּחַ-to talk’ in the field.” This word, ‘לָשׂוּחַ,’ is an expression of speech and ‘וְשִׂיחָה-talking,’ but it is also an expression of ‘שְׁחִיָּיה-bending over’ downwards, as in the phrase, (Yeshaya 2:11) “‘וְשַׁח-and He will bend down’ the arrogance of man,” and in the phrase, (ibid. 25:11) “Just as the ‘שׂוֹחֶה-swimmer’ spreads out his hands to swim,” a swimmer is bent over on his stomach in order to swim.
We see from this that the word ‘לָשׂוּחַ-to talk,’ mentioned regarding Yitzchok, can mean either, 1- to talk, or 2- to bend down.
"בַּשָּׂדֶה" הוּא בַּר.
Our verse continues, “He went out לָשׂוּחַ in the field,” which is outside of the city.
This is similar to the Beraisa, which is outside of the Mishna, like the field is outside of the city.
וְ"לִפְנוֹת עֶרֶב" – לְפַנּוֹת הָעֶרֶב וְהַחֹשֶׁךְ:
The verse continues, “לִפְנוֹת עֶרֶב-before night,” meaning that Yitzchok bent down to a level ‘outside’ of holiness in order ‘לְפַנּוֹת-to clear out’ the spiritual night and darkness.
The word ‘לִפְנוֹת-before’ is the same letters as ‘לְפַנּוֹת-to clear out’ or remove.
Based on the above, we can translate the verse as follows:
וַיֵּצֵא יִצְחָק-and Yitzchok went out
לָשׂוּחַ- to bend himself down to the level of
בַּשָּׂדֶה-in the ‘field,’ a place outside of the city where people live, (referring even to dealing with people or things in an unholy situation)
לִפְנוֹת עֶרֶב-in order to clear out and remove the spiritual darkness from that place.
The Alter Rebbe will elaborate on this process as it applies to Torah study:
דְּהִנֵּה הַתּוֹרָה נִשְׁתַּלְשְׁלָה בַּחֹשֶׁךְ, כְּמַאַמָר²⁹: "בְּמַחֲשַׁכִּים הוֹשִׁיבַנִי" (אֵיכָה ג, ו) "זֶה תַּלְמוּד בַּבְלִי", שֶׁנִּשְׁתַּלְשֵׁל לְמַטָּה אֲפִילוּ בְּשֶׁקֶר.
The idea behind this is that the Torah descends to address spiritual darkness, like the saying of our Sages, (Sanhedrin 24a) “What is the verse referring to when it says, (Eicha 3:6) ‘He [Hashem] caused me [the Jewish People] to dwell in darkness?’ This is a reference to the Talmud Bavli [Babylonian Talmud],” in which the Torah descends to deal even with false claims.
We mentioned earlier in the maamar that the Torah addresses how to deal with situations where two people are arguing and one of them is definitely lying. For example, two people claim full ownership of the same object. The fact that the Torah deals with such lowly matters is a great descent from its lofty source in Hashem’s Wisdom.
וְלָמָּה הוּא כָּךְ? כְּדֵי לְפַנּוֹת הָעֶרֶב וְהַחֹשֶׁךְ – "וַיְהִי אוֹר", כְּמַאַמָר (זְכַרְיָה יד, ז): "לְעֵת עֶרֶב יִהְיֶה אוֹר".
Why is this so [that it must descend so far down]? In order to clear out the spiritual ‘night’ and darkness so that it should become transformed into light, like it says, (Zecharya 14:7) “At the time of night, it should become light.”
כִּמְשַׁל מִי שֶׁרוֹצֶה לְפַנּוֹת אֵיזֶה דָּבָר, צָרִיךְ הוּא לִכְנוֹס בְּתוֹכָהּ כְּדֵי לְפַנּוֹתָהּ, אֲבָל לֹא שֶׁיִּשָּׁאֵר בְּתוֹכָהּ.
An analogy for this: If someone wants to clean out a place, he first needs to go into that place in order to clean it out. However, the intention is not that he should remain in that empty, cleaned out place. Rather, after he cleans it out, he fills it up with whatever should actually be there.
גַּם מַה³⁰ שֶׁנִּשְׁתַּלְשְׁלָה הַתּוֹרָה וְנִתְלַבְּשָׁה בַּחֹשֶׁךְ – טְעָנוֹת שֶׁקֶר, הוּא כְּדֵי לְפַנּוֹת הַחֹשֶׁךְ "לְאִתְהַפְּכָא חֲשׁוֹכָא לִנְהוֹרָא"³¹.
So too, the fact that the Torah descended to become invested in a place of spiritual darkness, into false claims or the like, is in order to clear out that spiritual darkness, and to ‘transform the darkness into light.’
וְכֵן הָעֵסֶק בַּתּוֹרָה – לִדְחוֹת הַחֹשֶׁךְ וְהַקּוּשְׁיוֹת הַמַּסְתִּיר עַל הַשְׂכָּלַת הַדִּין הָאֱמֶת לַאֲמִתּוֹ, וְלִמְצֹא הָאֱמֶת – גִּילוּי רָצוֹן־עֶלְיוֹן בָּרוּךְ־הוּא³²:
So too, regarding the involvement in Torah study, the intention [of the study of the Talmud Bavli, which includes Beraisos or similar styles of learning], is to push away the spiritual darkness of the questions that conceal our understanding of the Torah laws according to their ultimate, true meaning, and to find the truth, to reveal the True Will of Hashem.
וְזֶהוּ "וַיֵּצֵא יִצְחָק לָשׂוּחַ": כִּי כְּדֵי לְפַנּוֹת הָעֶרֶב וְהַחֹשֶׁךְ וּלְתַקְּנוֹ, הוּא עַל יְדֵי יִצְחָק, שֶׁהוּא בְּחִינַת פַּחַד³³ וְיִרְאַת ה'.
This is the meaning of, “And Yitzchok went out to bend down to the level of the field…:” The clearing out of the spiritual ‘night’ and darkness, and its transformation, is through the aspect of “Yitzchok,” which refers to awe and fear of Hashem.
וּכְמַאַמָר³⁴: "אִם אֵין יִרְאָה אֵין חָכְמָה כוּ'"³⁵.
Like it says, (Pirkei Avos 3:17) “If there is no fear [of Hashem] then there is no wisdom.”
Only someone who is truly dedicated to doing what Hashem wants will be able to really grasp the ultimate Will of Hashem, as it exists in the Torah laws.
וְזֶהוּ "הָאוֹמֵר אֵין לִי אֶלָּא תּוֹרָה אֲפִילוּ תּוֹרָה אֵין לוֹ"³⁶ וְנִשְׁאָר בַּחֹשֶׁךְ.
This is the meaning of the statement of our Sages, (Yevamos 109b) Whoever says that he only has Torah knowledge without true fear of Hashem, then even Torah knowledge he does not have,” and he remains in spiritual darkness despite his learning.
Since he lacks fear of Hashem, his knowledge of the Torah’s laws is only superficial and not their true intention, since only one who actually really cares about doing what Hashem wants will understand what Hashem wants.
אֲבָל בֶּאֱמֶת כְּתִיב (תְּהִלִּים יח, יב): "יָשֶׁת חֹשֶׁךְ סִתְרוֹ", שֶׁאַף שֶׁהוּא חֹשֶׁךְ, מִכָּל מָקוֹם הוּא "סִתְרוֹ".
But the truth is that in the seeming darkness of the Beraisos and in the Talmud Bavli, he reaches a deeper connection to Hashem, as it is written, (Tehillim 18:12) “He [Hashem] makes ‘darkness’ His hiding place,” meaning that even though this type of Torah study is ‘dark,’ nonetheless it is “His hiding place.”
Even though it requires more effort to see Hashem in this type of Torah study, since one has to deal with finding the halacha in situations involving unholiness, and in resolving many questions and contradictions in the Gemara, until he arrives at the correct conclusion, it is specifically in discovering the halacha in this ‘darkness’ that one connects to Hashem more deeply than if the halacha were obvious and dealt only with holy things. This is why it is called “Hashem’s hiding place.”
וְזֶהוּ לְפַנּוֹת הָעֶרֶב וְהַחֹשֶׁךְ, וּ"לְעֵת עֶרֶב יִהְיֶה אוֹר",
This is the meaning of ‘לִפְנוֹת עֶרֶב-before night:’ to clear out the ‘night’ and darkness, so that “at the time of night there should be light.”
וְהַיְינוּ "לִיבּוּן הִלְכְתָא"³⁷.
For this reason, this type of learning is referred to as “לִיבּוּן-whitening [clarifying] the halacha,” since the intention is to take the spiritual ‘darkness’ and make it ‘white,’ representing light and revelation.
Through a person attaining a true fear of Hashem, he will come to care about what Hashem wants, and he will be able to reveal Hashem in the seemingly ‘dark’ learning of Gemara, which discusses physical matters and unholy situations.
וְגַם זֶה פֵּירוּשׁ "בֵּרְכוּ בַּתּוֹרָה"³⁸:
This is also the meaning of “making a bracha (blessing) on the Torah before learning.”
It says in the verse, (Yirmiya 9:11-12) “[Hashem says:] ‘Why was the Land [of Israel] lost? Because they [the Jewish People] abandoned my Torah.’”
Our Sages comment, (Nedarim 81b) “What is the meaning of this verse, that the Land was lost because they abandoned the Torah? We find that they learned Torah diligently and did not abandon it? The answer is that they didn’t make a bracha on the Torah before they learned it.”
Chassidus explains that making a bracha on the Torah doesn’t just mean saying the words of the bracha printed in the siddur. It really means that prior to learning Torah, one must come to appreciate the holiness of the Torah and how it connects us to Hashem. This comes from the morning prayers prior to Torah study, when a Jew awakens a love and fear for Hashem and recognizes that the yearning to connect to Hashem (that he awakens during prayer) can only be fulfilled by learning Torah.
The phrase “בֵּרְכוּ בַּתּוֹרָה-they made a blessing on the Torah” can also be translated as “בֵּרְכוּ בַּתּוֹרָה-they drew down into the Torah,” since ברוך can mean ‘to bless’ or ‘to draw down (bend down)’. This means that through the prayer before Torah study, we draw down Hashem’s Light into the Torah that we learn, revealing how Hashem is really “hiding Himself” in the Torah, and we connect to Him specifically there.
This completes the idea mentioned in the maamar, that when a Jew fears Hashem- the aspect of Yitzchok, then he ‘bends down’ into the ‘field,’ meaning he reveals how Hashem is ‘hiding’ in the darkness of the Gemara and Beraisa, which causes that the ‘night’ should be ‘cleared out’ and replaced with Light.
Summary
- The verse says, (Bereishis 24:63) "וַיֵּצֵא יִצְחָק לָשׂוּחַ בַּשָּׂדֶה לִפְנוֹת עָרֶב וַיִּשָּׂא עֵינָיו וַיַּרְא וְהִנֵּה גְמַלִּים בָּאִים. And Yitzchok went out to talk in the field before night, and he lifted up his eyes and he saw that there were camels coming [and Eliezer and Rivka were coming on them]." The simple meaning of the verse is that Yitzchok went out before nightfall to pray Mincha, or to learn Torah, and while he was in the field, he saw Eliezer and Rivka coming.
- The Alter Rebbe explains the deeper meaning of the verse by first explaining the significance represented by the “field,” as opposed to the “city.” The field is where grain grows, which is then used to provide sustenance for the people; but people don’t live in the field, they only live in the city. Similarly, there are two aspects of learning the Oral Torah (Torah SheBaal Peh): Mishna and Beraisa. The Mishna teaches the most essential teachings of the Torah laws (the Halacha), and the Beraisa explains the details of the application of those laws. In the Mishna, where the laws are presented in a general form, we are able to understand and explain much of the reasoning. However, in the Beraisos, where the details and possible applications are presented, we find that we are not able to explain their reasoning. Rather, they are just the essential Will of Hashem.
- Even though it would seem that the Beraisa and Gemara are on a lower level than the Mishna, the truth is that they have a great advantage, since only through them can we know the actual application of how to fulfill the Mitzvos in all of their details. This advantage of the Beraisa (and Gemara) over the Mishna is similar to the advantage of the field over the city: Even though the field is not where people live, all the sustenance comes from the field, and the city (where people do live) cannot be sustained without the grain derived from the field. So too, even though our minds grasp the Mishna and it’s reasoning more easily than the Beraisa, nonetheless, our main spiritual sustenance is from the Beraisa, where the details are specified, since only with the details can we fulfill Mitzvos.
- Now, we can give a mystical interpretation of the verse as follows: “וַיֵּצֵא יִצְחָק- and Yitzchok went out.” His attribute is fear of Hashem, meaning that when a G-d fearing Jew goes out “לָשׂוּחַ-to talk/to bend down” from learning the Mishna into a seemingly lower level of “בַּשָּׂדֶה-in the field” a reference to the Beraisa and Gemara “לִפְנוֹת עֶרֶב-before night,” the intention of this is “לְפַנּוֹת-to clear out” the spiritual “עֶרֶב -darkness” of this world by revealing the details of the Torah laws as they apply within our physical world. Even though in our world there are ‘dark’ situations of unholiness, like dealing with people who are lying, the Torah shows us how to reveal Hashem in those situations. Only through defining the details of the halacha in the Beraisa and Gemara are we able to deal with and refine the darkness of the physical world.
- The Alter Rebbe adds another explanation of the verse: “וַיֵּצֵא יִצְחָק- and Yitzchok went out,” when a Jew goes out of his own limitations to really fear Hashem, which is accomplished through the morning prayers with an awareness of Hashem, ie. “לָשׂוּחַ-to talk/to bend down,” then, through this talking to Hashem in prayer he is able to ‘bend down,’ to draw down Hashem’s Infinite Light “בַּשָּׂדֶה-into the field,” a reference to the Beraisa and Gemara, meaning into the Torah that he studies afterwards, “לִפְנוֹת עֶרֶב-before night,” thereby causing “לְפַנּוֹת-to clear out” the superficial “עֶרֶב -darkness” of the Beraisa and Gemara, which discuss physical matters and unholy situations, by revealing how Hashem Himself is actually ‘hiding’ in the Gemara. By learning Gemara with the proper intention, a Jew is connecting to Hashem much more deeply than if he had only learnt parts of the Torah that are more obviously “lit up” and reveal Hashem.
²⁵ (רְאֵה מְאוֹרֵי אוֹר ב, נג).
²⁶ (סוֹטָה כב, א: "תָּנָא: הַתַּנָּאִים מְבַלֵּי עוֹלָם. מְבַלֵּי עוֹלָם סָלְקָא דַעְתָּךְ? אָמַר רָבִינָא: שֶׁמּוֹרִין הֲלָכָה מִתּוֹךְ מִשְׁנָתָן").
²⁷ (פָּרָשָׁתֵנוּ כד, סג: "וַיֵּצֵא יִצְחָק לָשׂוּחַ בַּשָּׂדֶה לִפְנוֹת עֶרֶב, וַיִּשָּׂא עֵינָיו וַיַּרְא וְהִנֵּה גְמַלִּים בָּאִים").
²⁸ (וְעַיֵּין מַה שֶׁנִּתְבָּאֵר בָּזֶה עַל פָּסוּק "תִּבָּנֶה וְתִכּוֹנֵן עִיר סִיחוֹן כו'" עַיֵּין שָׁם (לִקּוּטֵי תּוֹרָה חֻקַּת סו, א)).
²⁹ (סַנְהֶדְרִין כד, א).
³⁰ [גַּם מַה: נִרְאֶה לִי בְּדֶרֶךְ אֶפְשָׁר שֶׁצָּרִיךְ לִהְיוֹת: כָּךְ מַה – הֶעָרַת כְּבוֹד קְדוּשַׁת אַדְמוּ"ר].
³¹ (רְאֵה זֹהַר בַּהַקְדָּמָה ד, א).
³² וּכְמוֹ שֶׁנִּתְבָּאֵר עַל פָּסוּק "וְהַמַּשְׂכִּילִים יַזְהִירוּ וְגוֹ'" עַיֵּין שָׁם (תַּנְיָא, אִגֶּרֶת הַקֹּדֶשׁ סִימָן כו).
³³ ("וּפַחַד יִצְחָק". – וַיֵּצֵא לא, מב).
³⁴ (אָבוֹת ג, יז).
³⁵ (וְעַיֵּין בַּזּוֹהַר בְּרֵאשִׁית, ד' כ"א, סוֹף עַמּוּד א'): [וְשָׁם: "תִּנְיָנָא נְהִירוּ דְּאָזִיל לְאִתְחַשְׁכָא לְעֵת פְּנוֹת עֶרֶב, רָזָא דִצְלוֹתָא דְיִצְחָק – לְאַתְקָנָא הַאי דַרְגָּא. דִּכְתִיב: 'וַיֵּצֵא יִצְחָק לָשׂוּחַ בַּשָּׂדֶה לִפְנוֹת עֶרֶב', אִסְתַּכְּלוּתָא דְּ'עֶרֶב' וַחֲשׁוֹכָן כֻּלְּהוּ לְגַבֵּיהּ. בְּהַאי 'פְּנוֹת עֶרֶב'"].
³⁶ (יְבָמוֹת קט, ב).
³⁷ (רָאָה זֹהַר חֵלֶק ג בְּרַעֲיָא מְהֵימְנָא בְּהַעֲלוֹתְךָ קנג א. פִּינְחָס רמח, ב).
³⁸ (וְעַיֵּין מַה שֶׁנִּתְבָּאֵר עַל פָּסוּק "קוֹל דּוֹדִי" (לקמן נא, ג). וְעַל פָּסוּק "שִׁשִּׁים הֵמָּה מְלָכוֹת" (לִקּוּטֵי תּוֹרָה שִׁיר הַשִּׁירִים מא, ב)).