19b (י״ט:ב׳)

That we are attached to corporeal matters (שֶׁאָנוּ דְּבוּקִים בְּדְבָרִים גוּפָנִיִּים), and he is attached to Divine matters (וְהוּא דָּבֵק בְּדְבָרִים אֱלֹהִיִּים). “And no majesty” (וְלֹא הָדָר), that is to say (יִרְצֶה): and also do not think (וְגַם אַל תַּחְשֹׁב) that he is like Mashiach ben Ephraim (שֶׁהוּא כְּמוֹ מָשִׁיחַ בֶּן אֶפְרַיִם), about whom it is said: “The firstborn of his ox, majesty is his” (שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר עָלָיו ״בְּכוֹר שוֹרוֹ הָדָר לוֹ) (Devarim 33:17). For although this Mashiach ben Ephraim has an advantage over other men (שֶׁאַף עַל פִּי שֶׁזֶּה מָשִׁיחַ בֶּן אֶפְרַיִם יֵשׁ לוֹ מַעֲלָה עַל שְׁאָר הָאֲנָשִׁים), he is not equal to Mashiach ben David (אֵינוֹ שָׁוֶה לְמָשִׁיחַ בֶּן דָּוִד), and we are not able to compare one with the other (וְאֵין אָנוּ יְכוֹלִים לְהַעֲרִיךְ זֶה בָּזֶה).

And the reason is this (וְהַסִּבָּה הִיא זֹאת): that the one about whom it is said: “Majestic, and we saw him-but not of appearance…” (שֶׁאוֹתוֹ שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר עָלָיו "הָדָר וְנִרְאֵהוּ וְלֹא מַרְאֶה)-this means (יִרְצֶה): at first we shall see him (בַּתְּחִלָּה נִרְאֶה אוֹתוֹ), but there will not be complete sight (וְלֹא תִּהְיֶה רְאִיָּה שְׁלֵמָה), and this is: “And not of appearance” (וְזֶהוּ "וְלֹא מַרְאֶה). And this is because death shall rule over him (וְזֶה לְפִי שֶׁיִּמְשֹׁל עָלָיו הַמָּוֶת). And for this reason you will notice that in the word ve-lo mar’eh [and no appearance] there is a Terḥa [cantillation accent] (וְלָזֶה תִּרְאֶה שֶׁבְּתֵיבַת ״וְלֹא מַרְאֶה״ יֵשׁ טֶרְחָא).

He further said: “And we desired him” (אָמַר עוֹד ״וְנֶחְמְדֵהוּ), that is to say (יִרְצֶה): even though we knew that this salvation would not be a complete salvation (אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁהָיִינוּ יוֹדְעִים שֶׁאוֹתָהּ יְשׁוּעָה לֹא תִּהְיֶה יְשׁוּעָה שְׁלֵמָה), still (עִם כָּל זֶה), the degradation we had suffered was so great (הַשְּׁפֵלוּת שֶׁהָיָה לָנוּ הָיָה כָּל כָּךְ גָּדוֹל), that even this we would desire (שֶׁאֲפִלּוּ זֶה הָיִינוּ חוֹמְדִים), though he would not possess the power that Mashiach ben David will have (אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁלֹּא יִהְיֶה לוֹ הַכֹּחַ שֶׁיִּהְיֶה לְבֶן דָּוִד). “Despised and shunned of men” (נִבְזֶה וַחֲדַל אִישִׁים), that is to say (יִרְצֶה): even though he was despised in our eyes (אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁהָיָה נִבְזֶה בְּעֵינֵינוּ), “and shunned of men” (וַחֲדַל אִישִׁים), meaning (יִרְצֶה): that he is separated from other men (שֶׁהוּא נִבְדָּל מִשְּׁאָר הָאֲנָשִׁים), still we cannot compare him to ben David (עִם כָּל זֶה אֵין אָנוּ יְכוֹלִים לְהַעֲרִיכוֹ עִם בֶּן דָּוִד), because he is “a man of sorrows, and one knowing illness” (לְפִי שֶׁהוּא ״אִישׁ מַכְאֹבוֹת וִידוּעַ חֹלִי), which is not so with ben David (מַה שֶּׁאֵין כֵּן בְּבֶן דָּוִד). “And as one hiding faces from us, he was despised, and we did not esteem him” (וּכְמַסְתֵּר פָּנִים מִמֶּנּוּ נִבְזֶה וְלֹא חֲשַׁבְנֻהוּ), meaning (יִרְצֶה): that in his hiding his face from us (שֶׁבְּהַסְתִּירוֹ פָּנָיו מִמֶּנּוּ), immediately we would mock him (מִיָּד הָיִינוּ מַלְעִיגִים עָלָיו). And if you say: Since he has these deficiencies (וְאִם תֹּאמַר: כֵּיוָן שֶׁיֵּשׁ בּוֹ אֵלּוּ הַחֶסְרוֹנוֹת), why has ben David not come immediately? (לָמָּה לֹא בָּא בֶּן דָּוִד מִיָּד)

The answer to this is (תְּשׁוּבָה לָזֶה): our transgressions have caused it (שֶׁעֲוֹנוֹתֵינוּ גָּרְמוּ זֶה), that it was necessary for Mashiach ben Ephraim to come and die (שֶׁהוּצְרַךְ שֶׁיָּבוֹא מָשִׁיחַ בֶּן אֶפְרַיִם וְיָמוּת), so that the wicked might take rebuke (כְּדֵי שֶׁיִּקְחוּ הָרְשָׁעִים מוּסָר), for in their days the kingdom of David will not be established (שֶׁבִּימֵיהֶם לֹא תִּכּוֹן מַלְכוּת דָּוִד).

And even though it says: “Surely our illnesses he bore” etc (וְאַף עַל פִּי שֶׁאָמַר ״אָכֵן חֳלָיֵנוּ הוּא נָשָׂא״ וְגוֹ), do not think that the wicked will remain in the world (אַל תַּחְשֹׁב שֶׁהָרְשָׁעִים יִשָּׁאֲרוּ בָּעוֹלָם), and that he will bear their iniquities and die for them (וְשֶׁהוּא יִשָּׂא עֲוֹנוֹתֵיהֶם וְיָמוּת בַּעֲבוּרָם), for “every man shall die for his own iniquity” (כִּי אִישׁ בַּעֲוֹנוֹ יָמוּת). And his coming into the world (וּבִיאַתוֹ לָעוֹלָם) is only for stumbling and destruction to the wicked (אֵינָהּ אֶלָּא לְמִכְשׁוֹל וְלְאַבְדָן לָרְשָׁעִים), and for healing to the righteous (וּמִרְפֵּא לַצַּדִּיקִים). And it says: “And he was profaned for our transgressions, crushed for our iniquities” etc (וְאוֹמֵר ״וְהוּא מְחֹלָל מִפְּשָׁעֵנוּ מְדֻכָּא מֵעֲוֹנֹתֵינוּ״ וְגוֹ), “All of us like sheep have gone astray” etc (כֻּלָּנוּ כַּצֹּאן תָּעִינוּ״ וְגוֹ), “And Hashem caused to encounter him the iniquity of us all; he was oppressed and afflicted” etc (וְה׳ הִפְגִּיעַ בּוֹ אֵת עֲוֹן כֻּלָּנוּ, נִגַּשׂ וְהוּא נַעֲנָה" וְגוֹ').

That is to say (יִרְצֶה): know what our iniquities caused by the coming of this one (תֵּדַע לָמָּה גָּרְמוּ עֲוֹנוֹתֵינוּ בִּיאַתּוֹ שֶׁל זֶה), for Mashiach ben David will have no suffering or distress (שֶׁמָּשִׁיחַ בֶּן דָּוִד לֹא יִהְיֶה לוֹ שׁוּם צָרָה וְצוּקָה), nor will his generation (וְלֹא לִבְנֵי דּוֹרוֹ), for to all his enemies and adversaries he will open his mouth and slay them (שֶׁלְּכָל צָרָיו וְאוֹיְבָיו יִפְתַּח פִּיו וְיַמִּית אוֹתָם), as it is written: “And with the breath of his lips he shall slay the wicked” (כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב ״וּבְרוּחַ שְׂפָתָיו יָמִית רָשָׁע) (Isaiah 11:4). But this power is not given to Mashiach ben Ephraim (וְזֶה הַכֹּחַ אֵינוֹ נִתָּן לְמָשִׁיחַ בֶּן אֶפְרַיִם), as it is said of him: “He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth” (שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר עָלָיו ״נִגַּשׂ וְהוּא נַעֲנָה וְלֹא יִפְתַּח פִּיו), because he does not have this ability (לְפִי שֶׁאֵין לוֹ זֶה הַיְּכוֹלֶת).

The reason is (הַסִּבָּה הִיא): “From imprisonment and from judgment he was taken” (שֶׁ"מֵעֹצֶר וּמִמִּשְׁפָּט לֻקָּח), meaning (יִרְצֶה): from the restraint with which Yisrael restrained him (מֵהָעֹצֶר שֶׁעֲצָרוּהוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל), from doing Teshuvah (מִלַּעֲשׂוֹת תְּשׁוּבָה), and from the judgment to which the wicked are liable (וּמִמִּשְׁפָּט אֲשֶׁר אֵלָיו חַיָּבִים הָרְשָׁעִים)-for this he is taken (בִּשְׁבִיל זֶה לוּקָּח), to cause them to be astonished in his generation (לְשַׁיְּתַּמּוּ בְּדוֹרוֹ). And this is what is written: “And his generation-who shall tell of it?” (וְזֶהוּ שֶׁכָּתוּב ״וְאֶת דּוֹרוֹ מִי יְשׂוֹחֵחַ), that the lips of the wicked shall be silenced (שֶׁתֵּאָלַמְנָה שִׂפְתֵי הָרְשָׁעִים), and their strength and might shall be annulled (וְיִתְבַּטֵּל כֹּחָם וּגְבוּרָתָם), and they shall be cut off from this world (וְיִכָּרְתוּ מִן הָעוֹלָם הַזֶּה).

And Mashiach ben Ephraim will not remain dead (וּמָשִׁיחַ בֶּן אֶפְרַיִם לֹא יָמוּת), “for he was cut off from the land of the living” (כִּי נִגְזַר מֵאֶרֶץ חַיִּים), that is to say (יִרְצֶה): for it was decreed upon him that he shall be from the land of the living (כִּי גְּזֵרָה נִגְזְרָה עָלָיו שֶׁיְּהִיֶה מֵאֶרֶץ חַיִּים) and that he shall not die (וְשֶׁלֹּא יָמוּת). And if you say: How does it say above “He was profaned for our transgressions”? (וְאִם תֹּאמַר, אֵיךְ אָמַר לְמַעְלָה ״וְהוּא מְחֹלָל מִפְּשָׁעֵנוּ), Scripture replies: “For the transgression of My people, the plague befell them” (מְשִׁיב הַכָּתוּב ״מִפֶּשַׁע עַמִּי נֶגַע לָמוֹ), that is to say (יִרְצֶה): because of the transgression that My people committed (בִּשְׁבִיל הַפֶּשַׁע שֶׁעָשׂוּ עַמִּי), the plague shall be for them (הַנֶּגַע יִהְיֶה לָהֶם)-for every man shall die for his own iniquity (שֶׁאִישׁ בַּעֲוֹנוֹ יָמוּת).

And Mashiach ben Ephraim, even though he will die (וּמָשִׁיחַ בֶּן אֶפְרַיִם אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁיָּמוּת), it will not be that he remain dead (לֹא יִהְיֶה לְשֶׁיִּשָּׁאֵר מֵת), but rather that he shall return and live immediately (אֶלָּא לַחֲזוֹר וְלִחְיוֹת מִיָּד). And during the days that he shall be dead (וּמִצַּד הַיָּמִים שֶׁיִּהְיֶה מֵת), the wicked shall perish (יֹאבְדוּ הָרְשָׁעִים). And this is what is written: “And he gave the wicked his grave” (וְזֶהוּ שֶׁכָּתוּב "וַיִּתֵּן אֶת רְשָׁעִים קִבְרוֹ). “Kivram”(their grave) - it should have said (קִבְרָם" הָיָה לוֹ לוֹמַר), since it is speaking of wicked ones, which is plural form (כֵּיוָן שֶׁמְּדַבֵּר עַל רְשָׁעִים שֶׁהוּא לָשׁוֹן רַבִּים), so why does it say “kivro”(His grave)? (וְלָמָּה אָמַר "קִבְרוֹ)

The meaning is (יִרְצֶה): that the grave which he would have needed if his death were a true death (שֶׁהַקֶּבֶר שֶׁהָיְתָה צְרִיכָה לוֹ אִם הָיְתָה מִיתָתוֹ מִיתָה אֲמִיתִּית), that grave Hashem, may He be blessed, will give to the wicked (אוֹתוֹ הַקֶּבֶר יִתֵּן ה׳ יִתְבָּרַךְ לָרְשָׁעִים). “And with the rich in his deaths” (וְאֶת עָשִׁיר בְּמֹתָיו), meaning (רוֹצֶה לוֹמַר): in the deaths of the wicked (בְּמוֹתוֹתֵיהֶם שֶׁל רְשָׁעִים) and of the rich man (וְשֶׁל עָשִׁיר) who “makes wealth but not with justice” (שֶׁ"עוֹשֶׂה עֹשֶׁר וְלֹא בְּמִשְׁפָּט). And through the death of these (וּבְמִיתָתָן שֶׁל אֵלּוּ), the grave of that righteous one shall be given (יִנָּתֵן הַקֶּבֶר שֶׁל אוֹתוֹ צַדִּיק).

For The Holy One Blessed Be He (שֶׁאֵין הקב״ה) does not desire that the wicked and those who make wealth unjustly (חָפֵץ שֶׁהָרְשָׁעִים וְאוֹתָם שֶׁעוֹשִׂים עֹשֶׁר וְלֹא בְּמִשְׁפָּט) should behold His salvation (שֶׁיִּרְאוּ יְשׁוּעָתוֹ), but rather the poor and the destitute (אֶלָּא הָעֲנִיִּים וְהָאֶבְיוֹנִים), as the verse says: “He shall judge the poor of the people, He shall save the children of the needy” (כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמַר הַכָּתוּב ״יִשְׁפֹּט עַנִּיֵּי עָם יוֹשִׁיעַ לִבְנֵי אֶבְיוֹן) (Psalms 72:4).