Daf 25a (דַּף כ״ה ע״א)

And He created the heavens and the earth afterward upon Tohu (וּבְרָא שְׁמַיָא וְאַרְעָא בַּתְרֵיהּ עַל תֹּהוּ). And there was not there the foundation, which is the covenant that supports them (וְלֵית תַּמָּן יְסוֹדָא דְּאִיהוּ בְּרִית דְּסָמִיךְ לוֹן). Because Kudsha Berikh Hu wished to give the Orayta to the nations of the world, worshippers of stars and constellations (בְּגִין דָּא קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא בָּעָא לְמִיתַּן אוֹרַיְיתָא לְאוּמִין דְּעָלְמָא עוֹבְדֵי כּוֹכָבִים וּמַזָּלוֹת), which is the covenant of circumcision truly (דְּאִיהוּ בְּרִית מִילָה מַמָּשׁ). But they did not wish to receive it (וְלָא בָּעוּ לְקַבְּלָא לֵיהּ). And the earth remained desolate and dry (וְאִשְׁתְּאָרַת אַרְעָא חֲרֵבָה וִיבֵשָׁה). And this is: “Let the waters be gathered” (Bereshit 1) (וְדָא אִיהוּ יִקָּווּ הַמַּיִם). “Let the waters be gathered” — this is the Orayta (יִקָּווּ הַמַּיִם דָּא אוֹרַיְיתָא). “Into one place” — these are Yisrael (אֶל מָקוֹם אֶחָד אִלֵּין יִשְׂרָאֵל). Because their Neshamot depend on that place (בְּגִין דְּנִשְׁמָתַיְיהוּ תַּלְיָין מֵהַהוּא אֲתַר). Of which it is said: “Blessed is the glory of Hashem from His place” (Ezekiel 3) (דְּאִתְּמָר בֵּיהּ בָּרוּךְ כְּבוֹד יְיָ מִמְקוֹמוֹ). “The glory of Hashem” — the lower Shekhinta (כְּבוֹד יְיָ שְׁכִינְתָּא תַּתָּאָה). “From His place” — the upper Shekhinta (מִמְקוֹמוֹ שְׁכִינְתָּא עִלָּאָה). Since their Neshamot are from there, Hashem surely rests upon them (וְכֵיוָן דְּאִנּוּן נִשְׁמָתַיְיהוּ מִתַּמָּן, שַׁרְיָא עֲלַיְיהוּ וַדַּאי יְיָ). And it is said: “For Hashem’s portion is His people” (Deuteronomy 32) (וְאִתְּמָר בְּהוֹן כִּי חֵלֶק יְיָ עַמּוֹ). And this is “Let the waters be gathered into one place” (וְדָא אִיהוּ יִקָּווּ הַמַּיִם אֶל מָקוֹם אֶחָד). And the Orayta is the settlement of the world (וְאוֹרַיְיתָא אִיהִי יִשּׁוּבָא דְּעָלְמָא). And the nations who did not accept it remained desolate and dry (וְאוּמִין דְּעָלְמָא… דְּלָא קַבִּילוּ לָהּ אִשְׁתָּאֲרוּ חֲרִבִין וִיבֵשִׁין). And this is Kudsha Berikh Hu creating worlds and destroying them (וְדָא אִיהוּ דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא בְּרָא עָלְמִין וּמַחֲרִיבָן). These are those who did not keep the commandments of the Orayta (אִלֵּין דְּלָא נָטְרֵי פִּקּוּדֵי אוֹרַיְיתָא). For He does not despise His works, as people imagine (לָא דִּישֵׁצֵי אִיהוּ עוֹבָדוֹי כְּמָה דְּחָשְׁבִין בְּנֵי נְשָׁא). Why then did He despise them? For His children (וְלָמָּה יְשֵׁצֵי לוֹן לִבְנוֹי). Of them it is said: “In their being created, with the Heh, He created them” (Bereshit 2) (דְּאִתְּמָר בְּהוֹן בְּהִבָּרְאָם בְּה' בְּרָאָם). And these are the converts from the nations (וְאִלֵּין אִנּוּן דְּמִתְגַיְירִין מֵאוּמִין דְּעָלְמָא). For their sake the small Heh of Avraham fell into the number one thousand five hundred, which is Heh (בְּגִינַיְיהוּ נָפְלַת ה' זְעֵירָא דְאַבְרָהָם בְּאֶלֶף חֲמִישָׁאָה דְּהוּא ה'). For it is desolate and dry: desolate in the First Temple, dry in the Second Temple (דְּאִיהוּ חָרֵב וְיָבֵשׁ. חָרֵב בְּבֵית רִאשׁוֹן וְיָבֵשׁ בְּבַיִת שֵׁנִי). And Moshe, because he wished to bring converts under the wings of the Shekhinta (וּמשֶׁה בְּגִין דְּבָעָא לְאָעֳלָא גִּיּוֹרִין תְּחוֹת גַּדְפוֹי דִּשְׁכִינְתָּא), and he thought they were from those created with the Heh (וְחָשִׁיב דְּהֲווּ מֵאִלֵּין דְּאִתְבְּרִיאוּ בְּה'), and to give them the letter Heh of Avraham (וְהַב בְּהוֹן אָת ה' דְּאַבְרָהָם), they caused him descent, as it is said: “Go, descend, for your people has corrupted themselves” (Exodus 32) (גָּרְמוּ לֵיהּ יְרִידָה כְּמָא דְאַתְּ אָמֵר לֵךְ רֵד כִּי שִׁחֵת עַמְּךָ). Because they did not accept the letter Heh with the awe of Yod and the love of Heh (בְּגִין דְּלָא קַבִילוּ לְאָת ה' בִּדְחִילוּ דְּיו״ד וּבִרְחִימוּ דְּה'). She descended from her level, which is Vav (נָחִית אִיהִי מִדַּרְגֵיהּ דְּאִיהוּ ו'). And the letter Vav descended with it (וְאָת ו' נָחְתַת עִמֵּיהּ). So that it not be destroyed among them (בְּגִין דְּלָא יִתְאֲבִיד בֵּינַיְיהוּ).

For in the secret of reincarnation it is destined to mix among them (דְּעֲתִיד אִיהוּ בְּרָזָא דְגִלְגּוּלָא לְאִתְעַרְבָא בֵּינַיְיהוּ). In the exile, among the Erev rav (בְּגָלוּתָא בֵּין עֵרֶב רַב). Whose Neshamot are from the side of those of whom it is said: “For the heavens shall vanish away like smoke” (Isaiah 51) (דְּאִנּוּן נִשְׁמָתַיְיהוּ מִסִּטְרָא דְּאִלֵּין דְּאִתְּמָר בְּהוֹן כִּי שָׁמַיִם כְּעָשָׁן נִמְלָחוּ וְגו׳). And these are they for whom Noach did not seek mercy (וְאִלֵּין אִנּוּן דְּלָא בָּעָא נֹחַ רַחֲמֵי עֲלַיְיהוּ). And it is said of them: “And they were blotted out from the earth” (Bereshit 7) (וְאִתְּמָר בְּהוֹן וַיִּמָּחוּ מִן הָאָרֶץ). Because they were from those of whom it is said: “You shall blot out the remembrance of Amalek” (Deuteronomy 25) (בְּגִין דְּהֲווּ מֵאִלֵּין דְּאִתְּמָר בְּהוֹן תִּמְחֶה אֶת זֵכֶר עֲמָלֵק). And Moshe was not guarded from them (וּמשֶׁה לָא אִסְתְּמַר מִנַּיְיהוּ). And the letter Heh fell among them (וְאַפִּיל ה' בֵּינַיְיהוּ). Therefore he did not enter the land of Yisrael (וּבְגִין דָּא אִיהוּ לָא יֵעוּל לְאַרְעָא דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל). Until the Heh will return to her place (עַד דִּיתוֹב ה' לְאַתְרָהּ). And because of this he descended from his level (וּבְגִין דָּא נָחַת אִיהוּ מִדַּרְגֵיהּ). And the Vav descended into it (וְנָחִית בֵּיהּ ו'). Therefore the Heh fell, and the Vav raised her (וּבְגִין דָּא ה' נָפְלַת, ו' יוֹקִים לָהּ). This is the Vav of Moshe (ו' דְּמשֶׁה). And because the small Heh, the Heh of Avraham, which is “behibaram,” he was strengthened through her (וּבְגִין דְּה״א זְעֵירָא ה' דְאַבְרָהָם דְּאִיהִי דְּהִבָּרְאָם אִתְעַזָּר אִיהוּ בְּגִינָהּ). And it is said of him: “Who caused His glorious arm to go at the right hand of Moshe” (Isaiah 63) (וְאִתְּמָר בֵּיהּ מוֹלִיךְ לִימִין משֶׁה וְגו׳). And He brought her out from there with the power of Vav and brought her with him (וְאַפִּיק לָהּ מִתַּמָּן בְּחֵילָא דְּו' וְאַיְיתֵי לָהּ עִמֵּיהּ). Immediately Yah rested upon him and the faith was completed (מִיָּד שַׁרְיָא עֲלֵיהּ י״ה וְאִשְׁתְּלִים אוֹמָאָה). As it is said: “For the hand is on the throne of Yah, Hashem will have war with Amalek” (Exodus 17) (דאתמר כִּי יָד עַל כֵּס יָה מִלְחָמָה לַיְיָ וְגו׳). What is “from generation to generation”? (מַאי מִדֹּר דֹּר). This is Moshe, of whom it is said: “One generation goes and another comes” (Ecclesiastes 1) (דָּא משֶׁה דְּאִתְמָּר בֵּיהּ דּוֹר הוֹלֵךְ וְדוֹר בָּא). And it has been established that no generation is less than 600,000 (וְהָא אוּקְמוּהָ דְּלֵית דּוֹר פָּחוּת מִס' רִבּוֹא). And this is Moshe, of whom it is said: “One woman gave birth to 600,000 in one womb” (Numbers 11) (וְדָא משֶׁה דְּאִתְּמָר בֵּיהּ דְּאִנְתְּתָא חָדָא יָלְדָה ס' רִבּוֹא בְּכֶרֶס אַחַת). And five kinds are in the Erev rav (וְחָמֵשׁ מִינִין אִנּוּן בְּעֵרֶב רַב).

They are: Nephilim, Gibborim, Anakim, Refa’im, Amalekim (וְאִנּוּן נְ'פִילִים גִּ'בּוֹרִים עֲ'נָקִים רְ'פָאִים עֲ'מָלֵקִים). Because of them the small Heh fell from her place (וּבְגִינַיְיהוּ נָפְלַת ה' זְעֵירָא מֵאַתְרָהּ). Bil‘am and Balak were from the side of Amalek (בִּלְעָם וּבָלָק מִסִּטְרָא דְעֲמָלֵק הֲווּ). Take “Am” from Bil‘am and “Lak” from Balak, what remains is Bavel (טוֹל ע״ם מִן בִּלְעָם ל״ק מִן בָּלָק אִשְׁתָּאַר בָּבֶל). As it is said: “For there Hashem confused the language of all the earth” (Bereshit 11) (כִּי שָׁם בָּלַל ה' שְׂפַת כָּל הָאָרֶץ). And these are those that remained from those of whom it is said: “And He blotted out all existence” (Bereshit 7) (וְאִלֵּין אִנּוּן דְּאִשְׁתָּאֲרוּ מֵאִלֵּין דְּאִתְּמָר בְּהוֹן וַיִּמַּח אֶת כָּל הַיְקוּם). And from those who remained among them in the fourth exile are leaders of much endurance (וּמֵאִלֵּין דְּאִשְׁתָּאֲרוּ מִנְּהוֹן בְּגָלוּתָא רְבִיעָאָה אִנּוּן רֵישִׁין בְּקִיּוּמָא סַגִי). And they stand over Yisrael as vessels of violence (וְאִנּוּן קַיָּימִין עַל יִשְׂרָאֵל כְּלֵי חָמָס). And it is said of them: “For the earth is filled with violence from them” (Bereshit 6) (וְעֲלַיְיהוּ אִתְּמָר כִּי מָלְאָה הָאָרֶץ חָמָס מִפְּנֵיהֶם). These are Amalekim (אִלֵּין אִנּוּן עֲמָלֵקִים).

Nephilim — of them it is said: “And the sons of the Elohim saw the daughters of man that they were fair” (Bereshit 6) (נְפִילִים עֲלַיְיהוּ אִתְּמָר וַיִּרְאוּ בְּנֵי הָאֱלֹהִים אֶת בְּנוֹת הָאָדָם כִּי טוֹבוֹת הֵנָּה). And these are the second kind of those Nephilim from above (וְאִלֵּין אִנּוּן מִינָא תִּנְיָינָא מֵאִלֵּין נְפִילִים מִלְּעֵילָא). When Kudsha Berikh Hu wished to create Adam, He said: “Let us make man in our image” (Bereshit 1) (דְּכַד בָּעָא קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לְמֶעְבַּד אָדָם דְּאָמַר נַעֲשֶׂה אָדָם בְּצַלְמֵנוּ וְגו׳). He wished to make him chief over the supernal ones (בָּעָא לְמֶעְבַּד לֵיהּ רֵישָׁא עַל עִלָּאִין). That he be appointed over all of them (לְמֶהֱוֵי אִיהוּ פָּקִיד עַל כֻּלְהוּ). And that they be appointed under him (וּלְמֶהֱוֵי אִנּוּן פְּקִידִין עַל יְדוֹי). Like Yosef, of whom it is said: “And let him appoint overseers over the land” (Bereshit 41) (כְּגַוְונָא דְּיוֹסֵף דְּאִתְּמָר בֵּיהּ וְיַפְקֵד פְּקִידִים עַל הָאָרֶץ). They, however, sought to accuse him (אִנּוּן… בָּעוּ לְקַטְרְגָא לֵיהּ). And they said: “What is man, that You are mindful of him?” (Psalms 8) (וְאָמְרוּ מָה אֱנוֹשׁ כִּי תִזְכְּרֶנּוּ וְגו׳). For he is destined to sin before You (דְּעֲתִיד לְמֶחְטֵי קַמָּךְ). Kudsha Berikh Hu said to them: If you were below like him, you would sin more than he (אָמַר לוֹן קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא אִי אַתּוּן הֲוִיתוּן לְתַתָּא כַּוָּותֵיהּ, יַתִּיר הֲוִיתוּן חָבִין מִנֵּיהּ). Immediately: “And the sons of the Elohim saw the daughters of man” (Bereshit 6) (מִיָּד וַיִּרְאוּ בְּנֵי הָאֱלֹהִים אֶת בְּנוֹת הָאָדָם וְגו׳). They desired them (חָשְׁקוּ בְּהוֹן). And Kudsha Berikh Hu cast them down to below in chains (וְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא אַפִּיל לוֹן לְתַתָּא בְּשַׁלְשְׁלָאן).