Daf 17b (דַּף י״ז ע״ב)

And it was kindled to Moshe because they denied him, that they did not agree to that dispute (וַיִּחַר לְמשֶׁה עַל דְּאַכְּחִישׁוּ לֵיהּ דְּלָא אַסְכִּים הַהוּא מַחְלוֹקֶת). Very much, because they denied the Work of Bereshit (מְאֹד עַל דְּאַכְּחִישׁוּ עוֹבָדָא דִבְרֵאשִׁית). And in everything Korach denied, above and below (וּבְכֹלָּא אַכְּחִישׁ קֹרַח בְּעֵילָא וּבְתַתָּא). As it is written: “When they strove against Hashem” (Numbers 26) (דִּכְתִיב בְּהַצֹּתָם עַל יְיָ), behold, below and above (הָא תַּתָּא וְעֵילָא). And because of this he was joined as was fitting for him (וְעַל דָּא אִתְדָּבָּק כְּמָה דְאִתְחֲזֵי לֵיהּ). A dispute that was arranged in the likeness of above, and it rose and did not descend, and was established in the path of righteousness, this is the dispute of Shammai and Hillel (מַחְלוֹקֶת דְּאִתְתָּקַּן כְּגַוְונָא דִלְעֵילָא וְסָלִיק וְלָא נָחִית וְאִתְקְיַּים בְּאֹרַח מֵישָׁר, דָּא מַחְלוֹקֶת דְּשַׁמַּאי וְהִלֵּל). And Kudsha Berikh Hu separated between them and made them agreed (וְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא אַפְרִישׁ בֵּינַיְיהוּ וְאַסְכִּים לוֹן). And this was a dispute for the sake of Heaven (וְדָא הֲוָה מַחְלוֹקֶת לְשֵׁם שָׁמַיִם). And the heavens separated the dispute, and because of this the world was established (וְשָׁמַיִם אַפְרִישׁ מַחְלוֹקֶת. וְעַל דָּא אִתְקְיַּים עָלְמָא). And this was in likeness of the Work of Bereshit (וְדָא הֲוָה כְּגַוְונָא דְּעוֹבָדָא דִבְרֵאשִׁית). And Korach, in the Work of Bereshit, denied in everything (וְקֹרַח בְּעוֹבָדָא דִבְרֵאשִׁית אַכְּחִישׁ בְּכֹלָּא). And it was a dispute of heaven, and he sought to deny matters of Orayta (וּפְלוּגְתָּא דְּשָׁמַיִם הֲוָה. וּבְעָא לְאַכְּחָשָׁא מִלֵּי דְאוֹרַיְתָא). Surely it was in the adhesion of Gehinnom (וַדַּאי בְּאִתְדַּבְּקוּתָא דְּגִיהִנֹּם הֲוָה). And because of this he was joined with it (וְעַל דָּא אִתְדָּבַּק בַּהֲדֵיהּ). And this mystery is in the Book of Adam (וְרָזָא דָא בְּסִפְרָא דְאָדָם). Darkness, when it was aroused, was aroused in its power and created within itself Gehinnom, and was joined in it in that dispute (חֲשׁוֹךְ כַּד אִתְעַר אִתְעַר בְּתוּקְפֵּיהּ וּבְרָא בֵּיהּ גֵּיהִנֹּם וְאִתְדָּבַּק בַּהֲדֵיהּ בְּהַהוּא מַחְלוֹקֶת). When the wrath and power subsided, another kind of dispute was aroused, a dispute of love (כֵּיוָן דְּשָׁכִיךְ רוּגְזָא וְתוּקְפָּא, אִתְעַר מַחְלוֹקֶת כְּגַוְונָא אָחֳרָא, מַחְלוֹקֶת דִּרְחִימוּ). And there were two disputes, one of beginning and one of end (וּתְרֵין מַחְלוֹקֶת הֲווּ, חַד שֵׁירוּתָא וְחַד סִיּוּמָא). And this is the path of the Righteous: their beginning is in hardship and their end is in ease (וְדָא אִיהוּ אָרְחֵהוֹן דְּצַדִּיקַיָּיא, שֵׁירוּתָא דִלְהוֹן בְּקַשְׁיוּ וְסוֹפָא דִלְהוֹן בִּנְיָיחָא). Korach was the beginning of dispute, according to wrath and power, and he was joined with Gehinnom (קֹרַח הֲוָה שֵׁירוּתָא דְמַחְלוֹקֶת כְּפוּם רוּגְזָא וְתוּקְפָּא וְאִתְדָּבַּק בַּגֵּיהִנֹּם). Shammai was the end of dispute, when wrath was subdued in calmness, and there was need to arouse the dispute of love and to make agreement by the hand of Heaven (שַׁמַּאי סוֹפָא דְמַחְלוֹקֶת כַּד רוּגְזָא בִּנְיָיחָא, אִצְטְרִיךְ לְאַתְעָרָא מַחְלוֹקֶת דִּרְחִימוּ וּלְאַסְכָּמָא עַל יְדָא דְשָׁמַיִם). And this is the mystery: “Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide” (וְרָזָא דָא יְהִי רָקִיעַ בְּתוֹךְ הַמָּיִם וִיהִי מַבְדִּיל) (Bereshit 1). This is the first dispute: wrath and power were aroused, sought separation, and Gehinnom was aroused until wrath and power cooled (דָּא מַחְלוֹקֶת קַדְמָאָה, אִתְעָרוּ דְּרוּגְזָא וְתוּקְפָּא, בָּעָא לְאַפְרָשָׁא, וְאִתְעַר גֵּיהִנֹּם עַד דְּרוּגְזָא וְתוּקְפָּא אִצְטַנָּן). And then “Elohim made the firmament,” etc. (וַיַּעַשׂ אֱלֹהִים אֶת הָרָקִיעַ וְגו׳) (Bereshit 1). A dispute of love and affection was aroused, the establishment of the world (אִתְעַר מַחְלוֹקֶת דִּרְחִימוּ וְחֲבִיבוּ וְקִיּוּמָא דְּעָלְמָא). And in this mystery is the dispute of Shammai and Hillel, for the Oral Torah entered with love to the Written Torah, and they were in complete establishment (וּבְרָזָא דָא מַחְלוֹקֶת שַׁמַּאי וְהִלֵּל, דְּתוֹרָה שֶׁבַּעַל פֶּה עָאלַת בִּרְחִימוּ גַּבֵּי תּוֹרָה שֶׁבִּכְתַב, וְהֲווּ בְּקִיּוּמָא שְׁלִים).

Havdalah is certainly on the left (הַבְדָּלָה אִיהוּ וַדַּאי בִּשְׂמָאלָא). It is written here: Havdalah (כְּתִיב הָכָא הַבְדָּלָה), and “and it shall be performing Havdalah” (וִיהִי מַבְדִּיל), and it is written: “and He performed Havdalah” (וַיַּבְדֵּל), and it is written there (Numbers 16): “Is it a small thing from you that He performed Havdalah…” (וּכְתִיב הָתָם הַמְעַט מִכֶּם כִּי הִבְדִּיל וְגוֹ׳), and it is written (Deuteronomy 10): “At that time Hashem performed Havdalah for the tribe of Levi” (וּכְתִיב בָּעֵת הַהִיא הִבְדִּיל יְיָ אֶת שֵׁבֶט הַלֵּוִי). For certainly, there is no Havdalah except on the second, in the place of the left (דְּהָא וַדַּאי לֵית הַבְדָּלָה אֶלָּא בַּשֵּׁנִי בְּאֲתַר שְׂמָאלָא). And if you say that Havdalah is on the second, certainly—why Havdalah with Levi, who is the third? (וְאִי תֵימָא הַבְדָּלָה בַּשֵּׁנִי אִיהוּ וַדַּאי, אַמַּאי הַבְדָּלָה בְּלֵוִי דְּאִיהוּ תְּלִיתָאָה). Havdalah should be in Shim‘on, who is second (הַבְדָּלָה בְּשִׁמְעוֹן אִצְטְרִיךְ דְּאִיהוּ שֵׁנִי). Rather, even though Levi is third, according to the view of Ya‘akov, he was second (אֶלָּא אַף עַל גַּב דְּלֵוִי אִיהוּ תְּלִיתָאָה, לְדַעְתָּא דְיַעֲקֹב שֵׁנִי הֲוָה). And forever he was in the second, and all is in a straight path, a whole path, as is fitting (וּלְעוֹלָם בַּשֵּׁנִי הֲוָה, וְכֹלָּא בְּאֹרַח מֵישָׁר בְּאֹרַח שְׁלִים כְּדְקָא יְאוּת).

Havdalah on Motza’ei Shabbat is between those who rule on the weekday and Shabbat (הַבְדָּלָה בְּמוֹצָאֵי שַׁבָּת בֵּין אִנּוּן דְּשַׁלִּיטִין בְּיוֹמֵי חוֹל לְשַׁבָּת). And when Shabbat departs, one side ascends from Gehinnom, from the evil eye (וְכַד נָפִיק שַׁבָּת סָלְקָא מִגֵּיהִנֹּם חַד סִטְרָא מֵעֵינָא בִּישָׁא), some say: a lowly evil force (ס״א טְסִירָא מְמַנָּא בִּישָׁא), that seeks to rule at the time when Yisrael says (Psalms 90): “And the work of our hands, establish it upon us” (דְּבָעָא לְשַׁלְטָאָה בִּשְׁעַתָּא דְּאָמְרִין יִשְׂרָאֵל וּמַעֲשֵׂה יָדֵינוּ כּוֹנְנָה עָלֵינוּ), and it emerges from that level called the left (וְנָפִיק מֵהַהוּא דַּרְגָּא דְּאִקְרֵי שְׂמָאלָא), some say: She’ol (נ״א שְׁאוֹלָה), and it seeks to mingle with the seed of Yisrael and to rule over them Yisrael (וּבָעֵי לְאִתְעַרְבָּא בִּזְרַעָא דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל וּלְשַׁלְטָאָה עֲלַיְיהוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל). And Yisrael perform the act with myrtle and with wine and say Havdalah (וְיִשְׂרָאֵל עֲבְדֵי עוֹבָדָא בְּהֲדַס וּבְיַיִן וְאָמְרֵי הַבְדָּלָה), and it is separated from them (וְאִתְפְּרַשׁ מִנַּיְיהוּ), and that side weakens and returns to its place, to She’ol, the place of Korach and his assembly, there (וּמָאִיךְ הַהוּא סִטְרָא וְעָאל לְדוּכְתֵּיהּ בַּשְּׁאוֹל אֲתַר דְּקֹרַח וְסִיעָתֵיהּ), as it is written (Numbers 16): “And they went down, they and all that belonged to them, alive to She’ol” (דִּכְתִּיב וַיֵּרְדוּ הֵם וְכָל אֲשֶׁר לָהֶם חַיִּים שְׁאוֹלָה). And they do not descend there until Yisrael performs Havdalah from them, as it is written (Numbers 16): “Separate from among this assembly…” (וְאִנּוּן לָא נָחְתֵי תַּמָּן עַד דְּעָבְדֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל הַבְדָּלָה מִנְּהוֹן דִּכְתִּיב הִבָּדְלוּ מִתּוֹךְ הָעֵדָה וְגוֹ׳). And forever, Havdalah is on the second, which is the left, in harshness and force and wrath (וּלְעוֹלָם הַבְדָּלָה בַּשֵּׁנִי דְּאִיהוּ שְׂמָאלָא בְּשֵׁירוּתָא וּתְקוּפָּא וְרוּגְזָא), for the left is aroused in conflict until it is pacified and Gehinnom is broken in it (דְּאִתְעַר שְׂמָאלָא בְּמַחְלוֹקֶת עַד לָא שָׁכִיךְ בִּנְיָיחָא וְאִתְבְּרֵי בֵּיהּ גֵּיהִנֹּם). (Isaiah 18): Then are broken all those angels who prosecute their masters above, and fire consumes them and they are burned (כְּדֵין אִתְבְּרִיאוּ כָּל אִנּוּן מַלְאָכִים דְּקַטְרְגֵי לְמָארֵיהוֹן לְעֵילָא וְאָכִיל לוֹן נוּרָא וְאִתּוֹקְדוּ). And so too, all the rest of those who are nullified and have no existence, and they are consumed in fire (וְכֵן כָּל שְׁאָר אִנּוּן דְּמִתְבַּטְּלֵי וְלֵית לוֹן קִיּוּמָא וְאִתְאֲכָלוּ בְּנוּרָא). In this manner was Korach below (כְּגַוְונָא דָּא קֹרַח לְתַתָּא), and all is in this manner (וְכֹלָא כְּגַוְונָא דָּא).

“Let there be a firmament” was an extension, this stripped from that (יְהִי רָקִיעַ אִתְפַּשַּׁט פְּשִׁיטוּ דָּא מִן דָּא). “El” of the right shoulder (א״ל קִטְפָא יָמִינָא), “El the Great” stripped forth from within the waters, to perfect the Name “El” (אֵ״ל גָּדוֹל אִתְפְּשַׁט פְּשִׁיטוּ מִן גּוֹ מַיָּא לְאִשְׁתַּלָּמָא שְׁמָא דָּא אֵ״ל), and to be included in that extension, this with that (וּלְאִתְכַּלָּלָא בְּהַהוּא פְּשִׁיטוּ דָּא בְּדָא). And it extended from “Elohim” the seas (וְאִתְפַּשַּׁט מֵאֵל אֱלֹהִים הַיָּם), these were extended and transformed to become lower waters, “Yam” (אִלֵּין אִתְפַּשָּׁטוּ וְאִתְהַפָּכוּ לְמֶהֱוֵי מַיִין תַּתָּאִין יַם). That extension that extended on the second, upper waters (הַהוּא פְּשִׁיטוּ דְּאִתְפַּשַּׁט בַּשֵּׁנִי מַיִין עִלָּאִין). “This great sea” (זֶה הַיָּם הַגָּדוֹל), “Yam” is upper waters (הַיָּם מַיִין עִלָּאִין), the inverse of these letters “Yam” is lower waters (הִפּוּכָא דְּאִלֵּין אַתְוָון יַם מַיִין תַּתָּאִין). Once they are rectified, all is made one inclusive unity (כֵּיוָן דְּאִתְתַּקְּנוּ אִתְעֲבִידוּ כֹּלָּא כְּלָלָא חַדָּא), and this Name was extended into many places (וְאִתְפַּשַּׁט שְׁמָא דָּא בְּכַמָּה דוּכְתֵּי).