30b (ל׳:ב׳)

And when the Holy One Blessed Be He comes from there (וּכְשֶׁיָּבוֹא מִשָּׁם הקב״ה), the ministering angels are astonished (מַלְאֲכֵי הַשָּׁרֵת תְּמֵהִים), because all of His traits, may He be blessed, are to have mercy on His creations (מִצַּד שֶׁכָּל מִדּוֹתָיו יִתְבָּרֵךְ לְרַחֵם עַל בְּרִיּוֹתָיו), as it is said in Daniel: “His garment was white as snow, and the hair of His head like pure wool” (Daniel 7:9) (כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמַר בְּדָנִיֵּאל ״לִבְוֻשֵׁהּ כִּתְלַג חִוַּר וּשְׂעַר רֵישֵׁהּ כַּעֲמַר נְקֵא). And when He wants to act with the attribute of judgment (וּכְשֶׁהוּא רוֹצֶה לְהִתְנַהֵג בְּמִדַּת הַדִּין), He does not do it Himself (אֵינוֹ עוֹשֶׂה אוֹתוֹ הוּא בְּעַצְמוֹ), but gives strength to the princes (אֶלָּא נוֹתֵן כֹּחַ לַשָּׂרִים), for no evil comes from Him, may He be blessed, only good (כִּי אֵין שׁוּם רַע נִמְשָׁךְ מִמֶּנּוּ יִתְבָּרֵךְ אֶלָּא טוֹב).

And when the ministering angels see (וּכְשֶׁמַלְאֲכֵי הַשָּׁרֵת רוֹאִים), that the Holy One Blessed Be He is wearing garments of mercy (שֶׁהקב״ה לוֹבֵשׁ לְבוּשֵׁי רַחֲמִים), and with them also judgment (וְעִמָּהֶם דִּין גַּם כֵּן), as the teaching said: “My beloved is pure and ruddy” (Shir HaShirim 5:10) (כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמַר הַמַּאֲמָר ״דּוֹדִי צַח וְאָדוֹם), He is pure-that is, mercy for Israel (צַח, שֶׁהוּא רַחֲמִים לְיִשְׂרָאֵל), and ruddy-that is, judgment for the nations (וְאָדוֹם, שֶׁהוּא דִּין לָאֻמּוֹת), they are astonished by this and say: “Who is this?” (Yeshayahu 63:1) (הֵם תְּמֵהִים מִזֶּה וְאוֹמְרִים ״מִי זֶה), meaning-what is this novelty? (רוֹצֶה לוֹמַר, מַה הוּא זֶה הַחִדּוּשׁ), for it is not Your trait to wear judgment (שֶׁאֵין מִמִּדּוֹתֶיךָ לִלְבֹּשׁ דִּין), and now You clothe Yourself in the attribute of judgment (וְעַתָּה אַתָּה מִתְלַבֵּשׁ בְּמִדַּת הַדִּין).

And the Holy One Blessed Be He answers them and says (וּמֵשִׁיב לָהֶם הקב״ה וְאוֹמֵר): “Coming from Edom, with garments stained from Botzrah” (ibid) (״בָּא מֵאֱדוֹם חֲמוּץ בְּגָדִים מִבָּצְרָה), and shows them Mashiach ben Ephraim (וּמַרְאֶה לָהֶם מָשִׁיחַ בֶּן אֶפְרַיִם), and says to them: Do you wish to know why I wear these garments? (וְאוֹמֵר לָהֶם, תִּרְצוּ לָדַעַת מַה הִיא הַסִּבָּה שֶׁאֲנִי לוֹבֵשׁ אֵלּוּ הַמַּלְבּוּשִׁים), “This one adorned in his garments, striding in the greatness of his strength” (ibid) (״זֶה הָדוּר בִּלְבוּשׁוֹ צוֹעֶה בְּרֹב כֹּחוֹ). Meaning: This is he who is clothed in the attributes of Yosef the Righteous (יִרְצֶה, זֶה הוּא לָבוּשׁ בְּמִדּוֹת יוֹסֵף הַצַּדִּיק), as it is said of him: “Daughters marched upon the wall” (Bereishit 49:22) (״שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר עָלָיו ׳בָּנוֹת צָעֲדָה עֲלֵי שׁוּר׳), and “daughters” are the attributes encircling the attribute of Yosef (וּ״בָּנוֹת״ הֵן הַמִּדּוֹת הַסּוֹבְבוֹת מִדַּת יוֹסֵף), and “striding in the greatness of his strength” means (וְ״צוֹעֶה בְּרֹב כֹּחוֹ" יִרְצֶה), all the strength Yosef had in his trait and that came to him from the attributes that encircle him (כָּל הַכֹּחַ שֶׁהָיָה לְיוֹסֵף בְּמִדָּתוֹ וְהַכֹּחַ הַבָּא לוֹ מֵהַמִּדּוֹת הַסּוֹבְבוֹת אוֹתוֹ), all these give merit and strength to this one (כָּל אֵלּוּ נוֹתְנִים זְכוּת וְכֹחַ לָזֶה).

And therefore, “I speak in righteousness, mighty to save” (ibid) (וּבִשְׁבִיל זֶה ״אֲנִי דֹבֵר בִּצְדָקָה רַב לְהוֹשִׁיעַ)-meaning, the power that the Holy One Blessed Be He gives is called righteousness (הַכַּוָּנָה, שֶׁהַכֹּחַ שֶׁנוֹתֵן הקב״ה קְרוּיָה צְדָקָה). And when there are righteous in Israel and they perform righteousness (וּכְשֶׁיֵּשׁ צַדִּיקִים בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל וְעוֹשִׂים צְדָקָה), the Holy One Blessed Be He also performs righteousness with them (הקב״ה עוֹשֶׂה גַּם הוּא צְדָקָה עִמָּהֶם), and He connects His righteousness with the tzaddik (וּמְחַבֵּר צִדְקָתוֹ עִם הַצַּדִּיק), which is the attribute of Yosef (שֶׁהִיא מִדַּת יוֹסֵף), and He bestows upon Knesset Yisrael (וּמַשְׁפִּיעַ עַל כְּנֶסֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל). And when they act the opposite, the righteousness is distanced from the tzaddik and troubles come upon Israel, Heaven forbid (וּכְשֶׁהֵם עוֹשִׂים הֶפֶךְ, הַצְּדָקָה מִתְרַחֶקֶת מִן הַצַּדִּיק וְצָרוֹת בָּאוֹת עַל יִשְׂרָאֵל חַס וְשָׁלוֹם).

And this is what it says: “This one adorned in his garments… I speak in righteousness…”-meaning, His righteousness is great to save Israel (וְזֶהוּ שֶׁאָמַר ״זֶה הָדוּר בִּלְבוּשׁוֹ... אֲנִי דֹבֵר בִּצְדָקָה רַב לְהוֹשִׁיעַ״ יִרְצֶה: שֶׁגָּדְלָה צִדְקָתוֹ לְהוֹשִׁיעַ אֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל). And to hint to what we have said, you will find there is a pause between “Who is this” and “Coming from Edom,” as if one is the question and the other is the answer (וּלְרַמֵּז עַל מַה שֶּׁאָמַרְנוּ תִּמְצָא שֶׁיֵּשׁ פְּסִיק בֵּין ״מִי זֶה״ לְ״בָּא מֵאֱדוֹם״, שֶׁנִּרְאֶה שֶׁהָאֶחָד שְׁאֵלָה וְהַשֵּׁנִי תְּשׁוּבָה). And the ministering angels return and say to the Holy One Blessed Be He (וְחוֹזְרִים מַלְאֲכֵי הַשָּׁרֵת וְאוֹמְרִים לַהקב״ה), this is not a sufficient answer (אֵין זוֹ תְּשׁוּבָה מְסַפֶּקֶת), for it would have been fitting that You give those garments to Mashiach ben Yosef (שֶׁהָיָה רָאוּי שֶׁתִּתֵּן אוֹתָם הַמַּלְבּוּשִׁים לְמָשִׁיחַ בֶּן יוֹסֵף), since it is by his hand that You wish to perform this vengeance (כֵּיוָן שֶׁעַל יָדוֹ אַתָּה רוֹצֶה לַעֲשׂוֹת זוֹ הַנְּקָמָה). But You-why “are Your garments red”…? (Yeshayahu 63:2) (אֲבָל אַתָּה, מַדּוּעַ ״אָדֹם לִבְוֻשֶׁךָ״ וְגוֹ). And He answers them and says: “I have trodden the winepress alone” (ibid. 63:3) (וּמֵשִׁיב לָהֶם וְאוֹמֵר ״פ֣וּרָה דָרַכְתִּי לְבַדִּי״ וְגוֹ), meaning: it is necessary that I perform this action Myself-not an angel, not a messenger (פֵּרוּשׁ: בְּהֶכְרֵחַ הוּא שֶׁזּוֹ הַפְּעֻלָּה אֶעֱשֶׂה אֲנִי בְּעַצְמִי, וְלֹא מַלְאָךְ וְלֹא שָׁלִיחַ), just as I did in Egypt at the plague of the firstborn (כְּמוֹ שֶׁעָשִׂיתִי בְּמִצְרַיִם בְּמַכַּת בְּכוֹרוֹת), for this is a prince, and none can subdue him but I Myself (לְפִי שֶׁזֶּהוּ שַׂר וְאֵין מִי שֶׁיָּכוֹל לְשַׁדֵּד אוֹתוֹ אֶלָּא אֲנִי בְּעַצְמִי). And “winepress” (purah) is like pa’arah-meaning, their glory, that is, the prince (וּ״פ֣וּרָה״ – כְּמוֹ פָּאַרָה, רוֹצֶה לוֹמַר, הַפְּאֵר שֶׁלָּהֶם, שֶׁהוּא הַשַּׂר). And it says, “and from the peoples no man was with Me” (ibid) (וְאָמַר "וּמֵעַמִּים אֵין אִישׁ אִתִּי), meaning: of those princes who rule over the nations, I did not wish to do this through any of them (יִרְצֶה: מֵאוֹתָם הַשָּׂרִים הַשּׁוֹלְטִים עַל הָעַמִּים לֹא רָצִיתִי לַעֲשׂוֹת זֶה עַל יְדֵי אֶחָד מֵהֶם).

And this is what it said: “no man was with Me,” for they are called “man” as it says: “and the man Gabriel” (Daniel 9:21) (וְזֶהוּ שֶׁאָמַר ״אֵין אִישׁ אִתִּי״, שֶׁהֵם נִקְרָאִים בִּלְשׁוֹן ״אִישׁ״ כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמַר ״וְהָאִישׁ גַּבְרִיאֵל). And because He is doing the vengeance Himself (וּמִצַּד עֲשִׂיַּת הַנְּקָמָה הוּא בְּעַצְמוֹ), He said: “and I will trample them in My anger and tread them down in My fury” (Yeshayahu 63:3) (אָמַר ״וְאֶדְרְכֵם בְּאַפִּי וְאֲרַמְּסֵם בַּחֲמָתִי).

And because Sama’el rules over all forces of impurity (וּמִצַּד שֶׁסַּמָּאֵ״ל מוֹשֵׁל עַל כָּל כֹּחוֹת הַטּוּמְאָה), and he is the cause of blood and killing in the world (וְהוּא הַגּוֹרֵם דָּם וַהֲרִיגָה בָּעוֹלָם), and all the forces of impurity are found in the deserts (וְכָל כֹּחוֹת הַטּוּמְאָה נִמְצָאִים בַּמִּדְבָּרוֹת), and Rome is destined to become a desert (וְרוֹמִי עָתִידָה לִהְיוֹת מִדְבָּר), as it says: “And it shall be possessed by the kestrel and the hedgehog…” (Yeshayahu 34:11) (כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמַר ״וִירָשׁוּהָ קָאַת וְקִפּוֹד״ וְגוֹ'), “Only there shall Lilith find rest for herself” (ibid. 34:14) (״אַךְ שָׁם הִרְגִּיעָה לִילִית וּמָצְאָה לָהּ מָנוֹחַ)-therefore, the power of Sama’el is aligned opposite Rome (לָכֵן נָתוּן כֹּחַ סַמָּאֵ״ל מְכוּוָּן כְּנֶגֶד רוֹמִי). And that which it says: “And their blood shall spurt upon My garments, and all My raiment I have stained” (Yeshayahu 63:3) ("וַיַּז נִצְחָם עַל בְּגָדַי וְכָל מַלְבּוּשַׁי אֲגָאַלְתִּי)-the intention is, since the Holy One Blessed Be He is holy and awesome (הַכַּוָּנָה: כֵּיוָן שֶׁהקב״ה קָדוֹשׁ וְנוֹרָא), separate from all forces of Sama’el, which are forces of impurity (נִבְדָּל מִכָּל כֹּחוֹת סַמָּאֵ״ל שֶׁהֵם כֹּחוֹת הַטּוּמְאָה), and no language of impurity applies to Him (וְלֹא שַׁיָּיךְ בֵּיהּ לָשׁוֹן טֻמְאָה), yet since He did not wish to perform this vengeance through a prince, but rather did it Himself (אֲבָל מִפְּנֵי שֶׁלֹּא רָצָה לַעֲשׂוֹת הַנְּקָמָה עַל יְדֵי שַׂר אֶלָּא הוּא בְּעַצְמוֹ הָלַךְ לַעֲשׂוֹתָהּ), therefore, to inform us of this, He spoke in a language of impurity, even though it cannot truly apply to Him (כְּדֵי לְהוֹדִיעֵנוּ זֶה אָמַר בִּלְשׁוֹן טֻמְאָה, אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁבּוֹ לֹא נוּכַל לוֹמַר לָשׁוֹן טֻמְאָה).

And from the moment that the Holy One Blessed Be He removes the power of Sama’el above (וּמִשָּׁעָה שֶׁיָּסִיר הקב״ה כֹּחַ סַמָּאֵ״ל לְמַעְלָה), evil will be drawn to Edom, who are under him (יִמָּשֵׁךְ רָע לְאֱדוֹם, שֶׁהֵם תַּחְתָּיו). And this is what the verse says: “And I will bring down their strength to the earth” (Yeshayahu 63:6) (וְזֶהוּ שֶׁאָמַר הַכָּתוּב "וְאוֹרִיד לָאָרֶץ נִצְחָם)-meaning, because of the removal of the power of the constellation, I shall execute vengeance upon the earth (יִרְצֶה: בִּשְׁבִיל הֲסָרַת כֹּחַ הַמַּזָּל אֲנִי עוֹשֶׂה נְקָמָה בָּאָרֶץ), for there is no blood above, as we said (שֶׁאֵין דָּם לְמַעְלָה, כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמַרְנוּ).