English translation — תולדות ב

1.

In our parshah¹

it is told,

that before our father Yaakov was blessed with the blessing "And may G-d give you etc." — Yitzchak our father said,

as an introduction,

"See, the smell of my son is like the smell of a field which the L-rd has blessed."

And our Sages said on this verse in the Sifri²

: "And when you find in Yitzchak that he saw it

(the Holy Temple)

built and saw it destroyed and saw it built and perfected in the future.

See, the smell of my son — this is built,

(whose concept is "a pleasing smell")

that they offered in the Holy Temple,

and "my son" means "built"]

like the smell of a field — this is destroyed

"a plowed field will be plowed"]

which the L-rd has blessed — this is built and perfected in the future."

And superficially it is not understood: How can it be said that <b>all </b>the three things mentioned above that Yitzchak saw are an introduction to the blessing with which he blessed Yaakov - and especially that one of them is the Beis HaMikdash in its destruction, the reason for the destruction being "because of <b>our sins </b>etc., the hand that was sent against Your Sanctuary"<b>*</b><sup>3</sup>

- And how can it be that <b>also </b>this

(whose content is the opposite of good and blessing)

should be an introduction to a blessing?

Also it must be said the reason for the matter that the destruction of the Beis HaMikdash is hinted at as one in

(the word "and")

the matter of "field"

(which is only according to what is written "plow <b>the field </b>with a plow"<sup>4</sup>)

: this that "the scent of my son" hints

to the Holy Temple in its building,

different - because the sacrifices their concept is "a pleasing aroma" as above and the sacrifices are the main thing in the Holy Temple⁵,

and when one distinguishes well this that the words "which the Lord has blessed" hint to the Holy Temple built and perfected in the future,

for its building and its perfection of the Holy Temple of the future this is the ultimate of His blessing of the Holy One Blessed be He:

But this that the Holy Temple in its destruction is hinted at in "field" is not understood.

Also its destruction of the Temple in this or that manner what difference does it make as above?

And further that "field shall be plowed" was after the destruction

(burning)

of the Holy Temple and it is a matter in itself.

2.

And it shall be 27 by prefacing our Sages, may their memory be blessed, *

(Brought in Rashi's commentary⁷)

on the verse "after the"

Introduction: "And may God give you" etc. — ,

"give and again give",

for at first glance it is difficult:

What is lacking in the first giving,

("he will give")

that he blessed him with an additional giving

("and he will again give")?

- For it is understandable when the giving is from a human being,

behold even if it is a great and abundant gift<sup>8</sup>,

nevertheless it is limited

(since the giver is limited)

and therefore it is possible to complete it and add to it with a giving after a giving<sup>9</sup>

: but not so in our matter,

when the Holy One, blessed be He, is the Giver,

behold certainly also His first giving from the kindnesses of G-d"<sup>1</sup>

is complete and without limit - like He, blessed be He, is without limit and in the ultimate perfection - and if so, what is added by "and he will again give"?

And even if you say also in the blessing above there is limitation and

(consequently)

addition,

"he will give and again give" - this is possible when the subject is a particular blessing for a particular person

(like the blessings of the tribes by Jacob our father and Moses our teacher,

about which it is said<sup>11</sup>,

"each man according to <b>his blessing </b>he blessed them"),

for from the perspective of its definition as a particular blessing for particular recipients there is room to add further matters in the blessing itself or to include in it additional recipients.

But not so in our subject, behold the recipient is Jacob our father,

who <b>includes </b>all the souls entirely

(as is known<sup>12</sup>

in the matter,

"the beauty of Jacob our father is like the beauty of Adam the first"<sup>13</sup>)

: and also the blessing is inclusive of all the good of the entire order of the chain of descent: ,

"from the dew of the heavens and from the fat of the earth": and especially that this is ,

"<b>from the dew </b>of the heavens" - the superior and most excellent of the heavens

(as is known<sup>14</sup>

the superiority of dew over rain),

and also ,

"<b>from the fat </b>of the earth",

the choicest of the earth - and if so what is this that,

"he will again give" at all<sup>15</sup>?

And also it is necessary [to understand] what he says: "And may He give you <b>Elokim</b>" — but the matter of the blessing is from the Name Havayah<sup>16</sup>,

which is the aspect of mercy,

and not the Name Elokim, whose matter is judgment and contraction<sup>17</sup>?

3.

And all this will be understood by way of a parable from the influence of the teacher to the student,

that one can distinguish in this two ways: a)

that the student is only a receiver of the teacher's intellect — meaning that even if his reception is in the most elevated manner, even to the point of absorption in his teacher's intellect<sup>18</sup>,

nevertheless, this influence does not affect the student <b>to innovate </b>thereby with his own power.

b)

that the student receives all of the intellect of the teacher and in a manner so elevated,

that it also activates in him the ability to add and innovate in this with his own power.

And as this distinction is explained in the Mishnah of Avot¹⁹,

regarding the students of Rabban Yochanan ben Zakkai,

that Rabbi Eliezer ben Hyrcanus is "a plastered cistern that loses not a drop",

the most elevated level in the modes of receiving the wisdom itself: and Rabbi Elazar ben Arach is "like a spring that grows ever stronger",

meaning that he adds and innovates with his own power.

And it is understood that in the second manner of influence there is an advantage in level over that of the first,

and as is explicit there in the Mishnah: "If all the sages of Israel were on one side of the scale, and Eliezer ben Hyrcanus with them, and Rabbi Elazar ben Arach on the second side, he outweighs them all."

And the reason is simple: Although "a cistern of a secret that does not lose"

a drop" is a very elevated level in receiving and absorbing wisdom

<b>at this level</b>,

outweighs <b>all </b>the sages of Israel,

including also Rabbi Elazar ben Arach²⁰],

nevertheless, the wisdom in the recipient is limited — no more

(though also no less)

than what he received from his teacher; but one who is "like a spring that surges forth,"

to add wisdom by his own power,

behold, he has the capacity to surge forth more and more without limit²¹.

However, also the virtue of this student that he is "like a spring that grows stronger" by his own power,

is the result and effect of the influence of the teacher,

for the function and purpose of true influence is also in this,

that the influencing teacher "stands him

(the student)

on his feet" so that he can produce and innovate by his own power — and it turns out that also these innovations of his have their foundation in the influence of the teacher

in which the praise "like a spring that grows stronger" is enumerated,

which comes in continuation and connection to that "five students were to Rabban Yochanan ben Zakkai",

that also this virtue is a result of his being a student of RYB"Z].

4.

Similarly is it also regarding the influence from above through the aforementioned blessing: besides the influence itself, there is also in it the elevation and advantage,

that it effects in the recipient "and stands him" in such a level that he can utilize the influence by his own power²².

And this is "He will give and again He will give":

The Holy One, blessed be He, will give him all the influence itself

(and this too is a complete thing, and like a cistern of secrets that does not lose a drop)

; "and he will return and give" the ability to overcome with his own strength in this influence

that it is given from the Holy One, blessed be He,

as above,

a part of the influence²³].

5.

These two levels

("a cistern of secrets that does not lose a drop" and "like a spring that overflows")

exist also in the service of man,

and they are: the service of the righteous and the service of the penitent.

The righteous goes on a straight path and serves Havaye in matters of Torah and commandments as they were given and flowed from above,

and he is a vessel fit to receive all the supernal influences that come through Torah and commandments; the service of the penitent is that he turns the intentional sins into merits²⁴,

that is, he serves Havaye in a manner of reversal,

to turn the matters so that they are not as they were given from above²⁵.

According to the orderly arrangement in the service of clarifications, it is impossible to clarify and elevate things that are from the side of the husk and impurity completely,

except to push them away in a manner of rejection<b>*</b>²⁵

- but through the service with one's own power of repentance, he clarifies and elevates even the intentional sins until they become merits²⁷.

And with all this,

also the service of the baal teshuvah,

but that it is in his own power,

also it is an influence from above; the power to awaken by himself to return in repentance,

is given from above²⁸.

And behold, as stated above,

in the parable of the teacher and student,

that there is an advantage of the level of "like a spring that overpowers" relative to the level of "a cistern of plaster that does not lose a drop",

likewise there is an advantage in the service of baalei teshuvah relative to the service of the tzaddikim.

And this is what our sages, of blessed memory, said²⁹

: "In the place where baalei teshuvah stand, completely righteous tzaddikim cannot stand there."

And it is understood,

that also the content of this advantage is likewise in the manner of the above

(in the parable of the teacher and student)

: just as "like a spring that overpowers" its advantage is in that it is in the category of without limitation

(unlike "a cistern of plaster")

so too the advantage of the baalei teshuvah is in the category of without limitation³

in their service.

And as is known, that the service of the tzaddikim is in an orderly progression,

in ascent after ascent,

unlike the service of the baal teshuvah that breaks all boundaries and limitations and his ascent is not in progression: in one moment

etc. and with great strength³¹.

6.

And even though these matters

(the influence from above; service with one's own strength)

exist <b>in general </b>also in the service of the righteous themselves,

and each and every day:

The beginning of the day's service is "I give thanks before You etc." whose content is thanksgiving for the influence from above — "that You have returned my soul to me with compassion."

And also afterwards, immediately he prays his prayer

(as our Sages of blessed memory<b>*</b>³¹

"May my prayer be near my bed"),

that is, he asks from the Holy One, blessed be He, that He bestow upon him all the blessings and influences from above; and since he recites a blessing over them with [God's] Name and Kingship,

surely the Holy One, blessed be He, fulfills his request and bestows them upon him³²

— thus, the beginning of his day's service pertains to receiving the influences from above,

and there is not yet in this his service by his own power; however, afterwards begins the service by his own power,

in the study of Torah and the fulfillment of the commandments,

which is the concept of "like a spring that grows ever stronger" —

Nevertheless,

in particular,

behold, also this service of the righteous in the study of Torah and the fulfillment of the commandments

(throughout the entire day),

since he fulfills thereby what He commanded him

(which is also an influence and giving of power from above),

this is not the true service by his own power,

which is only in the service of repentance.

And based on this, one can say that in the blessing to Yaakov "He will give and He will give again" are included not only supernal influences from above in physical and spiritual matters

(And in the two details:

(a)

Receiving

the influence itself;

(b)

that he will be able to utilize it with his own power),

but also the influence and giving of power from above for the service of G-d³³

in the two types of service mentioned above: the service of the righteous

("He will give")

and the service of the penitent

("He will give again").

7.

Based on all the above, another matter will be further explained,

And it is — that until this blessing which was through Yitzchak, we do not find that someone would bless in the formulation of "And may G-d give to you etc.": until then there was not yet the possibility and opportunity for the work of teshuvah as it is among Bnei Yisrael³⁴

: Avraham Avinu was surely a complete tzaddik,

And the people who preceded him<b>*</b>³⁴,

they are not in the category of Bnei Yisrael³⁵

; And even though Yishmael,

<b>the son</b> of <b>Avraham Avinu</b> repented³⁶

— it was not in the category of the teshuvah of the Jewish man

(whose meaning is: he who sinned,

and nevertheless at the time that he sinned "he is a Jew"³⁷,

And he is the one who returns in teshuvah)

For about him our Sages said³⁸

"Avraham <b>went out</b> from him Yishmael",

that he went out and separated from him³,

And since that is so,

in his teshuvah it is not he himself who returns,

but rather like a different existence.

Not so at the time of the blessing which Yitzchak blessed, the possibility for the matter of teshuvah had already come - <b>in his son</b>,

in Eisav,

that although regarding him too it is said "Yitzchak <b>went out</b> from him Eisav," nevertheless Chazal explained⁴

the manner of his going out, that he was "<b>a Jewish</b> apostate"⁴¹

and teshuvah certainly applies to him⁴².

And with this is also sweetened what Yitzchak wanted⁴³

to bless Eisav⁴⁴

(with this blessing of "And He will give

to you")

- because he wanted to draw upon him ⁴⁵

the power for repentance⁴⁸

(but Jacob,

who is a simple man - behold, the service of the righteous is his service).

But in truth, also this blessing belongs only to Jacob,

because even the service of repentance in its inwardness and essence is possible only in Jacob⁴⁷

and his sons⁴⁸.

8.

Based on what is explained above, it will be understood what is written in the Sifri, that Yitzchak saw the Beis HaMikdash in its building,

in its destruction,

and as it is built and perfected in the future: the Beis HaMikdash in its first building

(which the destruction did not precede)

is the matter of the service of the tzaddi-

kim⁴,

straight goes etc.; but the Beis HaMikdash in its destruction and afterwards again in its building and its perfection in the future is like the matter of the service of teshuvah after the descent and destruction⁵⁰.

And it will be understood that also the seeing of the Beis HaMikdash in its destruction comes as an introduction to this blessing,

because it corresponds with the intention of the blessing,

that the Holy One, blessed be He, "will give and will again give" the influence and the giving of strength both for the service of the tzaddikim and for the service of the baalei teshuvah.

And it is also explained why "Beis HaMikdash in its destruction" is hinted specifically in the words "like the scent of a field",

which allude to "Tziyon &lt;b&gt;field &lt;/b&gt;will be plowed",

and not in a matter closer to its content of destruction:

The general concept of repentance comes through bitterness and a broken heart,

through feeling how "evil and bitter is your forsaking of the Lord"⁵¹,

his heart is broken within him and he becomes bitter and regrets his previous deeds and is aroused to complete repentance for the past and a good acceptance for the future.

in the aspect of "and the spirit returns to God who gave it"⁵²

- for even a completely righteous person is in the aspect of "there is one who loves"⁵³,

and consequently also his work of repentance is a result of the feeling of "evil and bitter is your forsaking of the Lord"].

7.

A.

Feels how his situation,

his conduct and his deeds as they are until now,

are not proper,

and must change them,

7.

A.

To nullify his previous existence and form in order to begin a new service,

to become a new existence.

And this is the matter of "a field you shall plow": "you shall plow",

its meaning is "that breaks the ground"⁵⁴,

that is, that nullifies the existence that was before this — and this is the matter of the service of teshuvah⁵⁵.

And therefore it is hinted "the Holy Temple in its destruction",

which indicates the service of repentance,

in the matter of "a field plow",

for in this is expressed the entirety of the service of repentance.

9.

However it is understood that the purpose of the bitterness and repentance is in order that through this he will afterwards elevate in his service,

in the fulfillment of Torah and mitzvot in practice with greater care and with added vitality.

- For it is possible that he will become truly bitter about his previous conduct,

and will be aroused to true repentance,

and nevertheless he will also remain in the future in his former state regarding his service in Torah and mitzvot,

he will also afterwards be immersed in matters of business dealings etc. as before

without being felt <b>the movement </b>of repentance].

And to this he continues and adds "that he saw it

(the future Holy Temple)

built and perfected",

meaning that in his blessing is included the truth and completeness of the matter of repentance — its good and lofty outcomes in the fulfillment of Torah and mitzvos in a perfect manner and with added vitality,

that this is specifically hinted at in the third Holy Temple after the destruction.

However,

on the other hand: in order that the outcomes of repentance be as proper,

as above,

repentance must be in the elevated manner suitable for its purpose,

meaning that even in the bitterness and in his repentance there should be felt its intention and purpose in the fulfillment of Torah and mitzvos for the future⁵⁶

- and therefore also the outcomes of repentance are hinted at in the word "<b>field </b>

(you shall plow)

That is to say,

The purpose of teshuvah is not the aspect of “silence” within it

(the bitterness and nullification),

but rather the aspect of “field”,

which stands and is designated for sowing,

growth and bringing forth fruits — the fulfillment of Torah and mitzvos afterwards.

Tenth.

And according to this, it will also be understood what is said in this blessing, the name Elokim and not the name Havayah — since the main blessing for Yaakov is that he be blessed in the work of teshuvah,

which is connected to the aspect of bitterness,

which is the matter of judgment and contraction — the name Elokim⁵⁸.

However it is not the aspect of ,

"Elokim" simply,

but rather ,

"HaElokim" with the letter hei of <b>the definite article</b>,

which is the matter of knowledge and revelation that comes after concealment and contraction — which is the matter of the work of teshuvah that comes after distance,

and it is preparation for the revelation of the matters about which it is said "No eye has seen <b>Elokim</b> besides You"^(!,

which will be revealed in the future at the coming of Mashiach our righteous one.

<b>And from the sichah of Shabbos Parshas Toldos,</b>

5724)