Daf 57b (דַּף נ״ז ע״ב)

Rabbi Ḥiyya said (רַבִּי חִיָּיא אָמַר), “And Hashem regretted that He had made man on the earth” (Bereshit 6:6) (וַיִּנָּחֶם יְיָ כִּי עָשָׂה אֶת הָאָדָם בָּאָרֶץ). He took consolation and joy (נָטַל תַּנְחוּמִין וְחֶדְוָה), when Kudsha Berikh Hu created man on the earth (כַּד עֲבַד קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לָאָדָם בְּאַרְעָא), who was in the likeness of above (דְּאִיהוּ כְּגַוְונָא עִלָּאָה), and all the supernal angels praised Kudsha Berikh Hu (וְכָל מַלְאֲכֵי עִלָּאֵי מְשַׁבְּחָן לֵיהּ לְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא), when they saw him in the supernal image (כַּד חָמוּ לֵיהּ בְּדִיוּקְנָא עִלָּאָה), and they said (וְאָמָרוּ), “You have made him little less than Elohim, and crowned him with glory and splendor” (Tehillim 8:6) (וַתְּחַסְּרֵהוּ מְעַט מֵאֱלֹהִים וְכָבוֹד וְהָדָר תְּעַטְּרֵהוּ). But afterward, when Adam sinned (לְבָתַר כַּד חָטָא אָדָם), Kudsha Berikh Hu was saddened because he sinned (אִתְעַצֵּב קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא עַל דְּחָטָא), for He had given an opening of the mouth to the ministering angels, who said before Him originally when He wished to create him (דְּיָהַב פִּתְחוֹן פֶּה לְמַלְאֲכֵי הַשָּׁרֵת דְּאָמְרוּ קַמֵּיהּ בְּקַדְמִיתָא כַּד בָּעָא לְמִבְרֵי לֵיהּ), “What is man that You are mindful of him, and the son of man that You visit him?” (Tehillim 8:5) (מָה אֱנוֹשׁ כִּי תִזְכְּרֶנּוּ וּבֶן אָדָם כִּי תִפְקְדֶנּוּ).

Rabbi Yehudah said (אָמַר רַבִּי יְהוּדָה), “And He was saddened to His heart” - because He wished to execute judgment upon them (וַיִּתְעַצֵּב אֶל לִבּוֹ בְּגִין דְּבָעֵי לְמֶעְבַּד בְּהוּ דִּינָא), as it is said (שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר), “When the vanguard came out, and they said: Give thanks to Hashem, for His mercy is eternal” (Divrei HaYamim II 20:21) (בְּצֵאת לִפְנֵי הֶחָלוּץ וְאוֹמְרִים הוֹדוּ לַיְיָ כִּי לְעוֹלָם חַסְדּוֹ). Rabbi Yitzḥak said (וְאָמַר רַבִּי יִצְחָק), why is it not written here “for He is good”? (אַמַּאי לָא כְּתִיב הָכָא כִּי טוֹב). Rather, because He destroys the work of His hands before the eyes of Yisrael (אֶלָּא בְּגִין דְּאוֹבִיד עוֹבְדֵי יְדוֹי קַמַּיְיהוּ דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל).

In this manner, when Yisrael were crossing the sea (כְּגַוְונָא דָא כַּד הֲווּ יִשְׂרָאֵל עָבְרִין יַמָּא), the supernal angels came to sing before Kudsha Berikh Hu that night (אָתוּ מַלְאֲכֵי עִלָּאֵי לְמֵימַר שִׁירָה קַמֵּיהּ קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא בְּהַהוּא לֵילְיָא). Kudsha Berikh Hu said to them (אָמַר לֵיהּ קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא), “The works of My hands are drowning in the sea, and you are singing before Me?” (וּמַה עוֹבָדֵי יַדָי טָבְעִין בְּיַמָּא וְאַתּוּן אָמְרִין שִׁירָה). Then (כְּדֵין), “And they did not approach one another all the night” (Shemot 14:20) (וְלֹא קָרַב זֶה אֶל זֶה כָּל הַלַּיְלָה). Likewise (אוּף הָכָא), in every instance of the destruction of the wicked from the world (בְּכָל זִמְנִין דְּאִיבּוּד רַשִּׁיעַיָא מֵעָלְמָא), then sadness is found upon them (כְּדֵין עֲצִיבוּ אִשְׁתְּכַח עֲלַיְיהוּ).

Rabbi Abba said (רַבִּי אַבָּא אָמַר), at the time when Adam sinned before Kudsha Berikh Hu and transgressed His command (בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְּחָב קַמֵּי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא אָדָם וְעָבַר עַל פִּקּוּדוֹי), then sadness was found before Him (כְּדֵין אִשְׁתְּכַח עֲצִיבוּ קַמֵּיהּ). Kudsha Berikh Hu said (אָמַר לֵיהּ קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא), “Adam, woe that you have weakened the supernal force!” (אָדָם וַוֵי דְּחָלְשַׁת חֵילָא עִלָּאָה). At that moment, one light was darkened (בְּהַאי שַׁעֲתָא אִתְחַשְׁכַת נְהוֹרָא חַד), and immediately He drove him out from the Garden of Eden (מִיָּד תָּרִיךְ לֵיהּ מִגִּנְתָּא דְעֵדֶן).

He said to him (אָמַר לֵיהּ), “I brought you up to the Garden of Eden to offer a sacrifice” (אֲנָא אַעֲלִית לָךְ לְגִנְתָּא דְעֵדֶן לְקָרְבָּא קָרְבָּנָא), and you damaged the altar, so that no sacrifice could be offered there (וְאַתְּ פְּגִימַת מַדְבְּחָא דְּלָא אִתְקְרַב קָרְבָּנָא). From now on and onward, to work the ground (מִכָּאן וּלְהָלְאָה לַעֲבוֹד אֶת הָאֲדָמָה). And He decreed death upon him (וְגָזַר עֲלֵיהּ מִיתָה), but Kudsha Berikh Hu had compassion upon him and concealed him at the hour of death near the Garden (וְחַס עֲלֵיהּ קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא וְגָנִיז לֵיהּ בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְּמִית סָמִיךְ לְגִנְתָּא). What did Adam do? He made a single cave and hid himself in it with his wife (מַה עֲבַד אָדָם, עֲבַד מְעָרְתָּא חֲדָא וְאִתְטַמַּר בָּהּ הוּא וְאִתְּתֵיהּ). How do we know this? (מְנָא יָדַע), but he saw a thin ray of light enter that place from which the Garden of Eden emerges (אֶלָּא חָמָא חַד נְהוֹרָא דַּקִּיק עָיִיל בְּהַהוּא אֲתַּר דְּנָפִיק מִגִּנְתָּא דְעֵדֶן), and his desire longed for his grave (וְתָאַב תֵּאוּבְתֵּיהּ לְקִבְרֵיהּ). And there is that place, adjacent to the gate of the Garden of Eden (וְתַמָּן הוּא אֲתַּר סָמוּךְ לִתְרַע דְּגִנְתָּא דְעֵדֶן).

Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי): no man departs from the world until he sees Adam HaRishon (לָא אִסְתַּלַּק בַּר נָשׁ מֵעָלְמָא עַד דְּחָמֵי לֵיהּ לְאָדָם הָרִאשׁוֹן). He asks him, “Why do you leave the world, and how do you depart?” (שָׁאִיל לֵיהּ: עַל מָה אָזִיל מֵעָלְמָא וְהֵיךְ נָפִיק). And he says to him, “Woe, because of you I am leaving the world” (הוּא אָמַר לֵיהּ: וַוֵי דִּבְגִינָךְ נְפַקְנָא מֵעָלְמָא). And he answers him (וְהוּא אָתִיב לֵיהּ), “My son, I transgressed one command and was punished because of it” (בְּרִי, אֲנָא עֲבָרִית עַל פִּקּוּדָא חֲדָא וְאִתְעֲנָּשְׁתִּי בְּגִינָהּ). “See how many sins and how many commands of your Master you have transgressed” (חֲמֵי אַתְּ כַּמָּה חוֹבִין וְכַמָּה פִּקּוּדִין דְּמָארָךְ עֲבַרְתְּ).

Rabbi Ḥiyya said (אָמַר רַבִּי חִיָּיא), until this very day Adam HaRishon stands and is seen by the ancestors twice a day, and he confesses his sin (עַד כְּדוֹ יוֹמָא קָאֵים אָדָם הָרִאשׁוֹן וְחָזֵי בַּאֲבָהָן תְּרֵין זִמְנִין בְּיוֹמָא וְאוֹדֵי עַל חוֹבוֹי). And he shows them that place where the supernal glory dwelled (וְאַחְמֵי לוֹן הַהוּא אֲתַּר דְּהֲוָה בֵּיהּ בִּיקָרָא עִלָּאָה), and he goes and sees all those Righteous and Pious who came forth from him (וְאָזִיל וְחָמֵי כָּל אִנּוּן צַדִּיקַיָּיא וַחֲסִידֵי דְּנָפְקוּ מִנֵּיהּ), and inherited that supernal glory in the Garden of Eden (וְיָרְתוּ לְהַהוּא יְקָרָא עִלָּאָה דִּבְגִנְתָּא דְעֵדֶן). And all the ancestors give thanks and say (וְאֲבָהָן כֻּלְּהוֹן אוֹדָן וְאָמְרִין), “How precious is Your kindness, Elohim, and the sons of man shall take refuge in the shadow of Your wings” (Tehillim 36:8) (מַה יְּקָר חַסְדְּךָ אֱלֹהִים וּבְנֵי אָדָם בְּצֵל כְּנָפֶיךָ יֶחְסָיוּן).

Rabbi Yissa said (רַבִּי יֵיסָא אָמַר), all the people of the world see Adam HaRishon (כֻּלְהוּ בְּנֵי עָלְמָא חָמָאן לֵיהּ לְאָדָם הָרִאשׁוֹן), at the time they are departing from the world (בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְּמִסְתַּלְּקֵי מִן עָלְמָא), to bear testimony (לְאַחֲזָאָה סַהֲדוּתָא) that because of the sin of man he is removed from the world (דִּבְגִין חוֹבוֹי דְּבַר נָשׁ אִיהוּ אִסְתַּלַּק מֵעָלְמָא), and not because of Adam (וְלָא בְגִינֵיהּ דְּאָדָם). As we have learned (כְּמָה דִּתְנִינָן): “There is no death without sin” (אֵין מִיתָה בְּלֹא חֵטְא). Except for those three who died only because of the advice of the primordial serpent (בַּר אִנּוּן תְּלָתָא דְּאִסְתַּלָּקוּ בְּגִין הַהוּא עֵיטָא דְּנָחָשׁ הַקַּדְמוֹנִי). And these are: Amram, Levi, and Binyamin (וְאִלֵּין אִנּוּן: עַמְרָם, לֵוִי וּבִנְיָמִין). And some say: also Yishai (וְאִית דְּאָמְרֵי: אוּף נָמֵי יִשַּׁי), who did not sin, and in whom no guilt was found (דְּלָא חָבוּ וְלָא אִשְׁתְּכַח עֲלַיְיהוּ חוֹבָא), except that the poison of the serpent was recalled upon them, as we said (דִּימוּתוּן בֵּיהּ, בַּר דְּאַדְכַּר עֲלַיְיהוּ הַהוּא עֵיטָא דְּנָחָשׁ כִּדְאֲמָרָן).

Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי), all the generations who lived in the days of Noach (כֻּלְהוֹן דָּרִין דְּהֲווּ בְּיוֹמוֹי דְּנֹחַ), all of them cast sins upon the world (כֻּלְהוּ אַפְשִׁיטוּ חוֹבִין עַל עָלְמָא), openly before the eyes of all (בְּאִתְגַּלְיָא לְעֵינֵיהוֹן דְּכֹלָּא). Rabbi Shimon once went by the gates of Tiberias (רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן הֲוָה אָזִיל יוֹמָא חַד בְּפִילֵי דִטְבֶרְיָה), and he saw men drawing arrows tightly into their bows and shooting them at earthenware potsp1-58 (חָמָא בְּנֵי נְשָׁא דְּהֲוֵי מְקַטְרֵי בְּקִיטְרָא דְקַשְׁתָּא בְּקוּלְפָא דְקַנְסִיר). He said (אָמַר): “What sin is this that is openly provoking the Master?” (וּמַה חוֹבָא דָּא בְּאִתְגַּלְיָא לְאַרְגָּזָא לְמָרֵיהוֹן). He cast his eyes upon them, and they were cast into the sea and died (יָהִיב עֵינוֹי בְּהוּ וְאִתְרְמִיּוּ לְגוֹ יַמָּא וּמֵתוּ).

Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי), every sin that is done in public (כָּל חוֹבָא דְּאִתְעֲבִיד בְּאִתְגַּלְיָא), drives away the Shekhinta from the earth (דָּחֵי לָהּ לִשְׁכִינְתָּא מֵאַרְעָא), and removes Her dwelling from the world (וּסְלִיקַת דִּיּוּרָהּ מֵעָלְמָא). These would go about with upright bearing (אִלֵּין הֲווּ אָזְלִין בְּרִישָׁא זָקִיף), and commit their sins openly (וְעַבְדֵי חוֹבַיְיהוּ בְּאִתְגַּלְיָא), and they drove away the Shekhinta from the world (וְדָחוּ לָהּ לִשְׁכִינְתָּא מֵעָלְמָא), until Kudsha Berikh Hu banished them and removed them from before Him (עַד דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא דָּחָא לוֹן וְאַעֲבִיר לוֹן מִנֵּיהּ). And regarding this it is written (וְעַל דָּא כְּתִיב), “Remove the wicked before the king…” (Mishlei 25:4–5) (הָגוֹ רָשָׁע לִפְנֵי מֶלֶךְ וְגו׳), “Remove the dross from silver…” (הָגוֹ סִגִּים מִכֶּסֶף וְגו׳).