Daf 37a (דַּף ל״ז ע״א)

What door? - This is the supernal door from which judgments emerge upon the evil deeds of the world (מַאי לַפֶּתַח דָּא פִּתְחָא דִּלְעֵילָא - דְּמִנֵּיהּ נָפְקִין דִּינִין עַל עוֹבָדִין בִּישִׁין דְּעָלְמָא). Of this opening, it is said: Open for me the gates of righteousness (פֶּתַח - כְּמָה דְּאַתְּ אָמֵר: פִּתְחוּ לִי שַׁעֲרֵי צֶדֶק). And at that very gate, sin crouches - this is the Angel of Death (וּלְהַהוּא פֶּתַח: חַטָּאת רֹבֵץ - דָּא מַלְאַךְ הַמָּוֶת). And he is ready to exact punishment from you (וְהוּא זַמִּין לְאִתְפְּרָעָא מִינָךְ).

Come and see: on Rosh haShanah Adam was born (תָּא חֲזֵי: בְּרֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה אִתְיְלִיד אָדָם). On Rosh haShanah - indeed - it is a secret above and below (בְּרֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה - וַדַּאי: רָזָא לְעֵילָא וְתַתָּא). Rosh haShanah above, Rosh haShanah below (רֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה לְעֵילָא, רֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה לְתַתָּא). As it is written: On Rosh haShanah the barren are remembered (סוֹף כִּי תֵצֵא: בְּרֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה עֲקָרוֹת נִפְקָדוֹת). From where do we know that it was Rosh haShanah? As it is written: And Hashem visited Sarah - specifically Hashem, this is Rosh haShanah (מְנָלָן דִּבְרֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה הֲוָה דִּכְתִיב: וַיי פָּקַד אֶת שָׂרָה וַיי דַּיְיקָא: דָּא רֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה). And because Adam emerged from Rosh haShanah - he emerged into judgment, and the world stands in judgment (וּבְגִין דְּנָפִיק אָדָם מֵרֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה - נָפִיק בְּדִינָא, וְעָלְמָא קַיֵּימָא בְּדִינָא). And because of this: At the opening, surely - crouching sin, to exact punishment from you (וּבְגִינֵי כָךְ: לַפֶּתַח וַדַּאי - חַטָּאת רֹבֵץ בְּגִין לְאִתְפְּרָעָא מִינָךְ). And unto you is its desire - until you overcome it (וְאֵלֶיךָ תְּשׁוּקָתוֹ - עַד דְּתִשְׁתְּצֵי). But you shall rule over it - this is the secret of what is written: And You give life to all of them (וְאַתָּה תִּמְשֹׁל בּוֹ - רָזָא הוּא דִּכְתִיב: וְאַתָּה מְחַיֶּה אֶת כֻּלָּם) (Neḥemiah 9:6). From here we learn: Kudsha Berikh Hu does not exercise dominion until the guilty of the world stir (מִכָּאן אָמְרוּ: לָא שַׁלִּיט קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא - אֶלָּא בְּזִמְנָא דְּיִשְׁתֵּצוּן חַיָּיבֵי עָלְמָא). And because the Angel 0f Death stirs against them - then Kudsha Berikh Hu dominates over him, so that he not destroy the world (וְעַל דָּא: כֵּיוָן דְּמַלְאַךְ הַמָּוֶת יְשֵׁצֵי לוֹן - כְּדֵין קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא שַׁלִּיט עֲלוֹי, דְּלָא יִפּוּק לְאַבְּאָשָׁא עָלְמָא). As it is written: And you shall rule over it - and You, precisely (דִּכְתִיב: וְאַתָּה תִּמְשֹׁל בּוֹ - בְּתֵשׁוּבְתָא. וְאַתָּה - דַּיְיקָא).

Rabbi Yitzḥak said, in the smoke of the furnace, confusion is found (אָמַר רַבִּי יִצְחָק, בְּקוּטְרָא דְּפַלְגָא קַפְסִירָא [קַסְטִירָא] שְׁכִיחַ). Rabbi Yehudah said, and you shall rule over it through Teshuvah (רַבִּי יְהוּדָה אָמַר, וְאַתָּה תִּמְשֹׁל בּוֹ בִּתְּיוּבְתָּא). Rabbi Yose said, when the generations of Kayin went about in the world, they would rip apart the earth and resembled those above and below (רַבִּי יוֹסֵי אָמַר, כַּד הֲווּ אִנּוּן דָּרִין דְּקַיִן אָזְלִין בְּעָלְמָא, הֲווּ מְטַרְטְשֵׁי אַרְעָא, וְהֲווּ דַּמְיָין לְעִלָּאֵי וְתַתָּאֵי). Rabbi Yitzḥak said, Azza and Aza’el, when they fell from their sanctity above, beheld the daughters of men and sinned and bore children, and these were the Nephilim, as it is written: The Nephilim were on the earth (אָמַר רַבִּי יִצְחָק, עֲזָ״א וַעֲזָאֵ״ל כַּד נָפְלוּ מֵאֲתַר קְדוּשָׁתַיְיהוּ מִלְּעֵילָא, חָמוּ בְּנַת בְּנֵי נְשָׁא, וְחָטְאוּ, וְאוֹלִידוּ בְּנִין, וְאִלֵּין הֲווּ נְפִילִים, דִּכְתִיב: הַנְּפִילִים הָיוּ בָּאָרֶץ).

Rabbi Ḥiyya said, the sons of Kayin were the sons of Elohim (רַבִּי חִיָּיא אָמַר, בְּנוֹי דְקַיִן הֲווּ בְּנֵי אֱלֹהִים). For when Sama’el came upon Chavah, he cast into her impurity and she conceived and bore Kayin (דְּהָא כַּד אֲתָא סַמָּא״ל עַל חַוָּה, אַטִיל בָּהּ זוּהֲמָא, וְאִתְעַבְּרַת, וְאוֹלִידַת לְקַיִן). And his appearance was not like the rest of the children of men (וְחֵיזוּ דִילֵיהּ לָא הֲוַת דָּמֵי לִשְׁאָר בְּנֵי נְשָׁא). And all those who came from his side were called only the sons of the Elohim (וְכָל אִנּוּן דְּאַתְיָין מִסִּטְרָא דִילֵיהּ לָא הֲווּ אִקְרוּן אֶלָּא בְּנֵי הָאֱלֹהִים).

Rabbi Yehudah said, even those Nephilim were called this (רַבִּי יְהוּדָה אָמַר, וְאֲפִילּוּ אִנּוּן נְפִילִים הָכִי אִקְרוּן). They were the mighty ones - sixty were in the world corresponding to the supernal count (הֵמָּה הַגִּבּוֹרִים, שִׁתִּין הֲוָה בְּאַרְעָא כְּחוּשְׁבַּן דִּלְעֵילָא). As it is written here: They were the mighty ones who were from of old (כְּתִיב הָכָא: הֵמָה הַגִּבּוֹרִים אֲשֶׁר מֵעוֹלָם) (Bereshit 6:4), and it is written there: Sixty mighty men surround her (וּכְתִיב הָתָם: שִׁשִּׁים גִּבּוֹרִים סָבִיב לָהּ) (Shir haShirim 3:7).

Rabbi Yose said, they were the mighty ones from of old - truly (רַבִּי יוֹסֵי אוֹמֵר, הֵמָה הַגִּבּוֹרִים אֲשֶׁר מֵעוֹלָם מַמָּשׁ). From of old - precisely (מֵעוֹלָם דַּיְיקָא). Men of the Name - what is Name? This is the world of which we spoke (אַנְשֵׁי הַשֵּׁם, מַאי שֵׁם דָּא הוּא עוֹלָם דְּקָאֲמָרָן). Men of the Name - precisely (אַנְשֵׁי הַשֵּׁם דַּיְיקָא). For it is written here: Men of the Name (כְּתִיב הָכָא: אַנְשֵׁי הַשֵּׁם) (Bereshit 6:4), and it is written there: He pronounced the Name (וּכְתִיב הָתָם: בְּנָקְבוֹ שֵׁם) (Vayikra 24), and it is written: And the son of the Yisraelite woman pronounced the Name (וּכְתִיב: וַיִּקּוֹב בֶּן הָאִשָּׁה הַיִּשְׂרְאֵלִית אֶת (הַשֵּׁם).

Rabbi Ḥiyya said, from of old they were (רַבִּי חִיָּיא אָמַר מֵעוֹלָם דָא הֲווּ), and they were mighty men from the side of evil (וְגוּבְרִין גִּבָּרִין דְּסִטְרָא בִּישָׁא הֲווּ), as it is written: Men of the Name (דִּכְתִיב אַנְשֵׁי הַשֵּׁם). Men of a name is not written (אַנְשֵׁי שֵׁם לָא כְּתִיב), but Men of the Name (אֶלָּא אַנְשֵׁי הַשֵּׁם). In this manner it is written (כְּגוֹוָנָא דָא כְּתִיב), Remember Your mercies, Hashem, and Your kindnesses, for they are from of old (זְכוֹר רַחֲמֶיךָ יְיָ וַחֲסָדֶיךָ כִּי מֵעוֹלָם הֵמָּה׳) (Tehillim 25:6). From of old, certainly (מֵעוֹלָם וַדָּאי), Kudsha Berikh Hu took them (נָטַל לוֹן קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא), and they were the ancient patriarchs to become a holy chariot above (וְאִינוּן אֲבָהָן קַדְמָאֵי לְמֶהֱוֵי רְתִיכָא קַדִּישָׁא לְעֵילָא). Rabbi Yitzḥak said, from of old - this is the bed of Shlomo, as it is written, etc. (אָמַר רַבִּי יִצְחָק מֵעוֹלָם דָא אִיהוּ מִטָּתוֹ שֶׁלִּשְׁלֹמֹה דִּכְתִיב וְכוּ׳).

Rabbi Ḥiyya said, from of old - truly they were (רַבִּי חִיָּיא אָמַר מֵעוֹלָם מַמָּשׁ הֲווּ), and from the lower world Kudsha Berikh Hu took them (וּמֵעוֹלָם דִּלְתַתָּא נָטַל לוֹן קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא), as you say (כְּמָא דְאַתְּ אָמֵר), they were mighty men from the side of evil (דָּא הֲווּ וְגוּבְרִין גִּבָּרִין דְּסִטְרָא בִּישָׁא הֲווּ), as it is written: Men of the Name (דִּכְתִיב אַנְשֵׁי הַשֵּׁם). Men of a name is not written (אַנְשֵׁי שֵׁם לֹא כְּתִיב), but Men of the Name, as in this manner it is written (אֶלָּא אַנְשֵׁי הַשֵּׁם, כְּגוֹוָנָא דָא כְּתִיב), Remember Your mercies, Hashem, and Your kindnesses, for they are from of old (זְכוֹר רַחֲמֶיךָ יְיָ וַחֲסָדֶיךָ כִּי מֵעוֹלָם הֵמָּה) (Tehillim 25:6). From of old, certainly (מֵעוֹלָם וַדַּאי), and from the lower world Kudsha Berikh Hu took them (וּמֵעוֹלָם דִּלְתַתָּא נָטִיל לוֹן קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא), and they were the ancient patriarchs to become a holy chariot above (וְאִנּוּן אֲבָהָן קַדְמָאֵי לְמֶהֱוֵי רְתִיכָא קַדִּישָׁא לְעֵילָא). Likewise here, these were the mighty ones who were from of old (אוּף הָכָא הֵמָּה הַגִּבּוֹרִים אֲשֶׁר מֵעוֹלָם) (Bereshit 6:4). From of old, certainly Kudsha Berikh Hu took them (מֵעוֹלָם וַדַּאי נָטִיל לוֹן קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא). Rabbi Yitzḥak said, from of old - and what is it? (רַבִּי יִצְחָק אָמַר, מֵעוֹלָם, וּמַאי הוּא), this is the bed of Shlomo, as it is written (דָּא מִטָּתוֹ שֶׁלִּשְׁלֹמֹה דִּכְתִיב), Sixty mighty men surround her (שִׁשִּׁים גִּבּוֹרִים סָבִיב לָהּ) (Shir haShirim 3:7). Rabbi Aḥa said, they are all called the sons of the Elohim (רַבִּי אַחָא אָמַר, כֻּלְהוּ בְּנֵי הָאֱלֹהִים אִקְרוּן). Some say: for this was before it was sweetened (דֵּאֲחֵר ל״ג, דְּהָא עַד לָא אִתְבַּסַּמְתְּ). (Something is missing here) (חָסֵר כָּאן, עֲיֵין סוֹף הַסֵּפֶר).