Daf 56a (דַּף נ״ו ע״א)

Rabbi Yose said (אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹסֵי), these final letters that were in the Orayta (אִלֵּין אַתְּוָון בַּתְרָאִין דְּהֲווּ בְּאוֹרַיְיתָא), were only found after Adam transgressed the letters of the Orayta (אִשְׁתַּכָּחוּ בָּתַר דַּעֲבַר אָדָם עַל אַתְּוָון דְּאוֹרַיְיתָא כֻּלְּהוּ), In the reverse order of Tav–Shin–Reish–Kuf (בְּסֵדֶר תַּשְׁרַ״ק). And for this reason, he called that son who was in his likeness, in his image, “Sh״t” (Shet), for they are the letters of existence (וּבְגִין כָּךְ קָרָא לְהַהוּא בְּרָא דְּאִיהוּ כִּדְמוּתוֹ בְּצַלְמוֹ ש״ת, דְּאִנּוּן קִיּוּמָא דְּאַתְּוָון). And in his teshuvah (וּבִתְּשׁוּבְתֵּיהּ), or Some say: and in his confession (נ״א: וּבְתִיאוּבְתֵּיהּ), before his Master (לְקַמֵּי מָארֵיהּ), he held on to these two (אָחִיד בְּאִלֵּין תְּרֵין), and from then the letters returned in reverse order in the order of TSHRQ (וּמִכְּדֵין אִתְהַדְּרוּ אַתְּוָון לְמַפְרֵעַ בְּסֵדֶר תַּשְׁרַ״ק). And for this reason he called that son born to him, who was in his likeness, in his image, Shet, for those are the final letters (וּבְגִין דָּא קָרָא לְהַהוּא בְּרָא דְּאִתְּיְלִיד לֵיהּ דְּאִיהוּ בִּדְמוּתוֹ כְּצַלְמוֹ שֵׁ״ת, דְּאִנּוּן סִיּוּמָא דְּאַתְּוָון). And the letters were not fully restored until Yisrael stood at Mount Sinai (וְלֹא אִתְּתַּקָּנוּ אַתְּוָון עַד דְּקָיְּימוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל עַל טוּרָא דְּסִינַי). Then the letters returned to their original order and form (וּכְדֵין אַהֲדְּרוּ אַתְּוָון עַל תִּקּוּנַיְיהוּ), as on the day when the heavens and earth were created (כְּיוֹמָא דְּאִתְּבְּרִיאוּ שָׁמַיִם וָאָרֶץ), and the world was perfumed and stood upon its foundation (וְאִתְּבַּסַּם עָלְמָא וְקָיְּמָא עַל קִיּוּמֵיהּ).

Rabbi Abba said (רַבִּי אַבָּא אָמַר): on the day that Adam transgressed the command of his Master (יוֹמָא דְּעֲבַר אָדָם עַל פִּקּוּדָא דְּמָארֵיהּ), the heavens and the earth sought to be uprooted from their places (בָּעְיָין שָׁמַיִם וָאָרֶץ לְאִתְעַקָּרָא מֵאַתְרַיְיהוּ). Why? Because they do not stand except upon the covenant (מַאי טַעְמָא בְּגִין דְּאִינּוּן לָא קָיְּימֵי אֶלָּא עַל בְּרִית), as it is written (דִּכְתִיב), “If not for My covenant, day and night, I would not have set the ordinances of heaven and earth” (Yirmeyahu 33:25) (אִם לֹא בְּרִיתִי יוֹמָם וָלַיְלָה חֻקּוֹת שָׁמַיִם וָאָרֶץ לֹא שָׂמְתִּי). And Adam transgressed the covenant (וְאָדָם עָבַר בְּרִית), as it is said (שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר), “And they, like Adam, transgressed the covenant” (Hoshea 6:7) (וְהֵמָּה כְּאָדָם עָבְרוּ בְּרִית). And if not that it was revealed before Kudsha Berikh Hu that Yisrael were destined to stand at Mount Sinai to uphold this covenant (וְאִלְמָלֵא דְּגָלֵי קַמֵּי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא דִּזְמִינִין יִשְׂרָאֵל לְקָיְּימָא עַל טוּרָא דְּסִינַי לְקַיְּימָא הַאי בְּרִית), the world would not have endured (לָא אִתְּקַיֵּים עָלְמָא). Rabbi Ḥizkiyah said (רַבִּי חִזְקִיָּה אָמַר): whoever confesses his sins, Kudsha Berikh Hu forgives him and removes his debt (כָּל מָאן דְּאוֹדֵי עַל חֶטְאֵיהּ קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא שָׁבִיק לֵיהּ וּמָחִיל עַל חוֹבֵיהּ).

Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי), when Kudsha Berikh Hu created the world (כַּד בָּרָא קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא עָלְמָא), He made this covenant and upon it the world stands (עֲבַד הַאי בְּרִית וְקָיְימָא עֲלֵיהּ עָלְמָא). From where do we learn this? For it is written (מְנָלָן דִּכְתִיב), “He created Shet” (בָּרָא שִׁית), this is the covenant upon which the world stands (דָּא בְּרִית דְּעָלְמָא קָיְמָא עֲלֵיהּ). Six, from whom blessings flow and emerge into the world (שִׁית דְּמִנֵּיהּ נְגִידִין וְנָפְקָא בִּרְכָּאן לְעָלְמָא), and upon him the world was created (וְעֲלֵיהּ אִתְּבְּרֵי עָלְמָא). And Adam transgressed this covenant and was removed from his place (וְאָדָם עֲבַר עַל הַאי בְּרִית וְאַעֲבַר לֵיהּ מֵאַתְרֵיהּ), some say: from his essence (ס״א: מֵעִמֵּיהּ).

This covenant is hinted in the letter Yod, a small letter, the root and foundation of the world (הַאי בְּרִית אִתְרְמִיזַת בְּאוֹת יו״ד, אוֹת זְעֵירָא, עִקְּרָא וִיסוֹדָא דְּעָלְמָא). When he begot a son, he confessed his sin and called his name Shet (כַּד אוֹלִיד בַּר, אוֹדֵי עַל חֶטְאוֹ וְקָרָא שְׁמֵיהּ ש״ת). But he did not mention the Yod to make six, because he had transgressed it (וְלָא אַדְכַּר בֵּיהּ יו״ד לְמֶהֱוֵי שִׁית, בְּגִין דְּעֲבַר עֲלֵיהּ). And for this reason, Kudsha Berikh Hu from him replanted the world (וּבְגִין כָּךְ קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא מֵהָכָא מִינֵּיהּ אִשְׁתִּיל עָלְמָא), and through him were traced all the righteous generations of the world (וְאִתְיַיחֲסוּ כָל דָּרֵי זַכָּאָה דְּעָלְמָא) (מַשְׁתּ). And come and see (וְתָּא חֲזֵי), when Yisrael stood at Mount Sinai (כַּד קָיְימוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל עַל טוּרָא דְסִינַי), He entered between two letters-this is the secret of the covenant (עָאל בֵּין תְּרֵין אַתְּוָון אִלֵּין רָזָא דִּבְרִית). And who is it? The letter Beit (וּמָאן אִיהוּ בֵּי״ת). And He entered between the two letters that remained and gave them to Yisrael (וְעָאל בֵּין תְּרֵין אַתְּוָון דְּאִשְׁתְּאָרוּ וְיָהִיב לֵיהּ לְיִשְׂרָאֵל). And when the Beit, the secret of the covenant, entered between these two letters-Shin and Tav (וְכַד עָאל בֵּי״ת רָזָא דִּבְרִית בֵּין תְּרֵין אַתְּוָון אִלֵּין דְּאִנּוּן ש״י ת״ו), they formed Shab״bat (וְאִתְעֲבִידוּ שַׁבָּ״ת), as it is said (כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר), “And the children of Yisrael shall guard the Shabbat, to do the Shabbat throughout their generations as a everlasting covenant” (Shemot 31:16) (וְשָׁמְרוּ בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶת הַשַּׁבָּת לַעֲשׂוֹת אֶת הַשַּׁבָּת לְדֹרֹתָם בְּרִית עוֹלָם). Just as the world’s harmony was that all generations of the world would be traced through these two letters-Shin and Tav (כְּמָה דְהֲוָה שֵׁירוּתָא דְּעָלְמָא לְאִתְיַיחֲסוּ בְּהוּ כָּל דָּרֵי עָלְמָא מֵאִלֵּין תְּרֵין אַתְּוָון ש״ת), they were suspended until the world was completed properly (הֲווּ תַּלְיָין עַד דְּאִשְׁתַּכְלַל עָלְמָא כְּדְקָא יָאוּת), and between them entered the Holy covenant (וְעָאל בֵּינַיְיהוּ בְּרִית קַדִּישָׁא), and it was completed in wholeness and became Shab״bat (וְאִשְׁתַּכְלַל בִּשְׁלִימוּ וְאִתְעֲבִידוּ שַׁבָּ״ת).

Rabbi Yose said (אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹסֵי), these two letters were completed through the letter Beit (אִלֵּין תְּרֵין אַתְּוָון אִשְׁתַּכְלְלוּ בְּאוֹת בֵּי״ת), and when-Some say: when the letters returned in reverse from the day Shet was born (וְכַד [נ״א: אַתַּהְדַּר אַתְּוָון לְמַפְרֵעַ מִן יוֹמָא דְּאִתְּיַילִיד שֵׁת), the letters returned in every generation until Yisrael reached Mount Sinai and they were restored (אַהֲדְרוּ אַתְּוָון בְּכָל דָּרָא וְדָרָא עַד דְּמָטֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל לְטוּרָא דְּסִינַי וְאִתְּתַּקְּנוּ).

Rabbi Yehudah said (אָמַר רַבִּי יְהוּדָה), below they were restored (לְתַתָּא אִתְהַדְּרוּ), and in every generation the world was bent under the letters (וּבְכָל דָּרָא וְדָרָא הֲוָה גָּפִיף עָלְמָא בְּאַתְוָון), and they did not settle in their proper places (וְלָא מִתְיַשְׁבִין בְּדוּכְתַּיְיהוּ). When the Orayta was given to Yisrael (כַּד אִתְיַיהֲבַת אוֹרַיּיתָא לְיִשְׂרָאֵל), all was rectified (אִתְתַּקַּן כֹּלָּא). Some say: all the letters were rectified (נ״א: אַתְוָן כֻּלְהוּ אִתְתַּקַּנוּ).

Rabbi El'azar said (רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר אוֹמֵר), in the days of Enosh (בְּיוֹמֵי אֱנוֹשׁ), the sons of man were wise (הֲווּ חַכִּימִין בְּנֵי נָשָׁא), in the wisdom of incantations and sorcery (בְּחָכְמָה דְּחַרְשִׁין וְקוֹסְמִין), and with that wisdom to bind the forces of the heavens (וּבְחָכְמָתָא לְמֶעֱצַר לְחֵילֵי דִּשְׁמַיָא). And there had never been such a man from the day that Adam left the Garden of Eden (וְלָא הֲוָה בַּר נָשׁ מִיּוֹמָא דְּנָפַק אָדָם מִגִּנְתָּא דְעֵדֶן), and brought out with him the wisdom of the branches of the tree which he had engaged in (וְאַפִּיק עִמֵיהּ חָכְמְתָא דְּטַרְפֵּי אִילָנָא דְּאִשְׁתַּדַּל בָּהּ). For Adam and his wife, and those who came from him, until Enosh came, they had abandoned it (דְּהָא אָדָם וְאִתְּתֵיהּ וְאִנּוּן דְּנָפְקוּ מִנֵּיהּ עַד דְּאָתָא אֱנוֹשׁ, שְׁבִיקוּ לָהּ).

When Enosh came, he saw them and saw their wisdom, altering the supernal ones (כַּד אֲתָא אֱנוֹשׁ חָמָא לוֹן וְחָמָא חָכְמַתְהוֹן מְשַׁנְיָין). Some say: bewitching the supernal ones (נ״א: מְשַׁטְּיָין עִלָּאִין). And they labored in them and performed their deeds with them-incantations and sorcery (וְאִשְׁתַּדְּלוּ בְּהוֹן וְעָבְדִין עֲבִידְתִּין וְחַרְשִׁין וְקוֹסְמִין), and they learned from them (וְאוֹלִיפוּ מִנְהוֹן), until that wisdom spread in the generation of the flood (עַד דְּאִתְפַּשְׁטַת הַהִיא חָכְמְתָא בְּדָרָא דְּמַבּוּל). And all of them performed their deeds for destruction (וְכֻלְהוּ הֲווּ עַבְדֵי עֲבִידְתַּיְיהוּ לְאַבְאָשָׁא). And they strengthened themselves against Noach with that wisdom (וְהֲווּ מִתְתַּקְפֵי לְגַבֵּי נֹחַ בְּאִנּוּן חָכְמְתָן), and said that the judgment of the world could not rest upon them (וְאָמְרֵי דְּלָא יָכִיל דִּינָא דְעָלְמָא לְאַשְׁרָאָה עֲלַיְיהוּ), for they were doers of wisdom to annul all masters of judgment (דְּהָא אִנּוּן עָבְדֵי חָכְמְתָא לְדַחְיָיא לְכָל אִנּוּן מָארֵי דְדִינָא). And from Enosh onward, they all began to labor in these wisdoms (וּמֵאֱנוֹשׁ שָׁרִיאוּ כֻּלְהוּ לְאִשְׁתַּדְּלוּ בְּאִלֵּין חָכְמְתָן), and this is what is written: “Then it was begun to call upon the name of Hashem” (Bereshit 4:26) (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב אָז הוּחַל לִקְרֹא בְּשֵׁם יְיָ).

Rabbi Yitzḥak said (רַבִּי יִצְחָק אָמַר), all those who were righteous in that generation afterward (כָּל אִנּוּן זַכָּאִין דְּהֲווּ בְּהוּ לְבָתַר בְּהַהוּא דָּרָא), they all labored to protest against them (כֻּלְהוּ הֲווּ מִשְׁתַּדְּלֵי לְמָחָאָה בְּהוּ). Some say: because they were not punished because of them (נ״א: בְּגִין דְּלָא אִתְעַנְּשׁוּ עֲלַיְיהוּ). Like Yered, Metushelach, and Enoch (כְּמוֹ יֶרֶד מְתוּשֶׁלַח וְחֲנוֹךְ), but they could not overcome them (וְלָא יָכִילוּ), until the wicked multiplied and rebelled against their Master (עַד דְּאִתְפַּשְׁטוּ חַיָּיבִין מָרְדֵי בְּמָארֵיהוֹן), and said (וְאָמְרֵי), “What is Shaddai, that we should serve Him?” (Job 21:15) (מַה שַׁדַּי כִּי נַעַבְדֶנּוּ).