Daf 59a (דַּף נ״ט ע״א)

And one who does not have faith in his Master (וּמָאן דְּאִיהוּ לָא מְהֵימְנָא בְּמָרֵיהּ), what is written about him? (מַה כְּתִיב בֵּיהּ) “Even on the road, when the fool walks, his heart is lacking” (וְגַם בַּדֶּרֶךְ כְּשֶׁהַסָּכָל הוֹלֵךְ לִבּוֹ חָסֵר) - as it is written (Kohelet 10) (כְּתִיב). Who is “his heart”? (מַאן לִבּוֹ) This refers to Kudsha Berikh Hu (דָּא קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא), who does not go with him on the way (דְּלָא יְהַךְ עִמֵּיהּ בְּאָרְחָא) and who is removed from supporting him in his journey (וְגָרַע מִן סִיַּיעְתֵּיהּ בְּאָרְחֵיהּ). For that person who has no faith in his Master (בְּגִין דְּהַהוּא בַּר נָשׁ דְּלָא מְהֵימָן בֵּיהּ בְּמָארֵיהּ), before he even sets out on the road (עַד לָא יִפּוּק בְּאָרְחָא), he does not seek the help of his Master (לָא בָּעֵי סִיַּעְתָּא דְמָארֵיהּ). And even on the way, as he goes (וְאַפִלּוּ בְּאָרְחָא כַּד אִיהוּ אָזִיל), he does not engage in matters of Orayta (לָא אִשְׁתַּדַּל בְּמִלֵּי דְאוֹרַיְיתָא). And therefore his heart is lacking (וּבְגִינֵי כָךְ לִבּוֹ חָסֵר), for he does not go with his Master (דְּלָא אָזִיל בַּהֲדֵיהּ דְמָרֵיהּ), and is not found on his path (וְלָא אִשְׁתְּכַח בְּאָרְחֵיהּ). And he says to all that he is a fool (וְאֹמֵר לַכֹּל סָכָל הוּא). Even when he hears a word of faith regarding his Master (אֲפִילּוּ כַּד שְׁמַע מִלָּה דִמְהֵימְנוּתָא דְמָארֵיהּ), he says that it is foolishness to engage in it (הוּא אָמַר דְּטִפְּשׁוּתָא הוּא לְאִשְׁתַּדָּלָא בֵּיהּ). Like the one who was asked (כְּהַאי דְּשָׁאִילוּ לְבַר נָשׁ [חַד]) about the sign of the covenant inscribed in the flesh of a man (עַל אוֹת קְיָימָא דִּרְשִׁימוּ בִּבְשָׂרֵיהּ דְּבַר נָשׁ), and he said: “It is not [a matter of] faith” (וְאָמַר לָאו אִיהוּ מְהֵימְנוּתָא).

Rav Yiva Sava heard and looked at him (שָׁמַע רַב יֵיבָא סָבָא וְאִסְתַּכַּל בֵּיהּ), and he became a heap of bones (וְאִתְעֲבִיד תִּלָּא דְּגַרְמֵי). But we, on this path (וְאֲנַן בְּהַאי אוֹרְחָא), with the assistance of Kudsha Berikh Hu (בְּסִיַּיעְתָּא דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא), desire to speak words of Orayta (בָּעִינָן לְמֵימַר מִלֵּי דְאוֹרַיְיתָא).

He opened and said (פָּתַח וְאָמַר): as it is written (Tehillim 86) (כְּתִיב) “Teach me, Hashem, Your way; I shall walk in Your truth; unite my heart to fear Your Name” (הוֹרֵנִי יְיָ דַּרְכֶּךָ אֲהַלֵּךְ בַּאֲמִתֶּךָ יַחֵד לְבָבִי לְיִרְאָה שְׁמֶךָ). This verse is difficult (הַאי קְרָא קַשְׁיָא), for we have learned: everything is in the hand of Kudsha Berikh Hu (דְּהָא תָּנִינָן: כֹּלָא הִיא בִּידָא דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא), except to be meritorious or guilty (בַּר לְמֶהֱוֵי זַכָּאָה אוֹ חַיָּיבָא). So how could David demand this of Kudsha Berikh Hu? (וְדָוִד הֵיךְ תָּבַע דָּא מֵעִם קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא) Rather, David said so (אֶלָּא דָּוִד הָכִי קָאָמַר): “Teach me, Hashem, Your way” (הוֹרֵנִי יְיָ דַּרְכֶּךָ) - that is, the path of uprightness (הַהוּא אוֹרַח מִישׁוֹר), and prepare it (וּמְתַקְנָא) to reveal my eyes (לְגַלָּאָה עֵינַי), so that I may know it (וּלְמִנְדַּע לֵיהּ), and afterward I shall walk in Your truth (וּלְבָתַר אֲהַלֵּךְ בַּאֲמִתֶּךָ) - that I may go in the straight path (אֵיהַךְ בְּאוֹרַח קְשׁוֹט), and not deviate to the right or to the left (וְלָא אַסְטֵי לִיָּמִינָא וְלִשְׂמָאלָא). “Unite my heart” - who is “my heart”? (יַחֵד לְבָבִי, מַאן לְבָבִי) As it is said (Tehillim 73) (כְּמָה דְּאַתְּ אָמֵר) “Rock of my heart and my portion” (צוּר לְבָבִי וְחֶלְקִי). And all this I request (וְכָל דָּא אֲנָא תָּבַע), to fear Your Name (לְיִרְאָה אֶת שְׁמֶךָ), to cleave in awe to You (לְאִתְדַּבְּקָא בְּדַחַלְתָּךְ), to guard my path as is proper (לְאִסְתַּמָּרָא אוֹרְחֵי כְּדְקָא יָאוֹת). “To fear Your Name” - this is the place of my portion (לְיִרְאָה שְׁמֶךָ, אֲתַר חוּלְקִי), in which awe rests, to be in awe (דְּבֵיהּ שַׁרְיָא דַּחַלְתָּא לְמִדְחַל).

Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי), every person who fears Kudsha Berikh Hu (כָּל בַּר נָשׁ דְּדָחִיל לֵיהּ לְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא), faith dwells with him as is fitting (שַׁרְיָא עִמֵּיהּ מְהֵימְנוּתָא כְּדְקָא יְאוּת), for that person is complete in the service of his Master (דְּהָא הַהוּא בַּר נָשׁ שְׁלִים בְּפוּלְחָנָא דְּמָרֵיהּ). And one in whom the fear of his Master does not dwell (וּמָאן דְּלָא שָׁרְיָא בֵּיהּ דַּחֲלָא דְּמָרֵיהּ), faith does not dwell with him (לָא שָׁרְיָיא עִמֵּיהּ מְהֵימְנוּתָא), and he is not worthy to have a portion in the World to Come (וְלָאו אִיהוּ כְּדַאי לְמֶהֱוֵי לֵיהּ חוּלָקָא בְּעָלְמָא דְאָתֵי). Again he opened and said (תּוּ פָּתַח וְאָמַר): as it is written (Mishlei 4) (כְּתִיב) “And the path of the righteous is as the light of dawn, shining more and more unto the perfect day” (וְאֹרַח צַדִּיקִים כְּאוֹר נֹגַהּ הוֹלֵךְ וְאוֹר עַד נְכוֹן הַיּוֹם). Blessed are the Righteous in this world and in the World to Come (זַכָּאִין אִנּוּן צַדִּיקַיָּא בְּעָלְמָא דֵּין וּבְעָלְמָא דְאָתֵי), for Kudsha Berikh Hu desires their honor (דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא בָּעֵי בִּיקָרֵיהוֹן).

Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי), what is written? “And the path of the righteous is as the light of dawn” (מַה כְּתִיב וְאֹרַח צַדִּיקִים כְּאוֹר נֹגַהּ). What is “as the light of dawn”? (מַאי כְּאוֹר נֹגַהּ) It is like that light which shines that Kudsha Berikh Hu created in the work of Bereshit (כְּהַהוּא נְהוֹרָא דְּנָהִיר דְּבָרָא קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא בְּעוֹבָדָא דִּבְרֵאשִׁית) - that is the light He concealed for the Righteous for the World to Come (דָּא הוּא דְּגָנִיז לוֹן לְצַדִּיקַיָּא לְעָלְמָא דְאָתֵי). “Shining more and more” - this refers to a light that continually rises in its radiance and is never diminished (הוֹלֵךְ וְאוֹר דְּאִיהוּ סָלִיק בִּנְהוֹרֵיהּ תָּדִיר וְלָא גָרַע מִנֵּיהּ). But regarding the wicked, what is written? (אֲבָל בְּחַיָּיבַיָּא מַה כְּתִיב) “The way of the wicked is as darkness” (כְּתִיב דֶּרֶךְ רְשָׁעִים כָּאֲפֵלָה), “they know not at what they stumble” (לֹא יָדְעוּ בַּמֶּה יִכָּשֵׁלוּ). “They know not” - do they really not know? (לֹא יָדְעוּ, וְכִי לָא יָדְעִין) Rather, the wicked walk in crookedness of path in this world (אֶלָּא חַיָּיבַיָּא אָזְלֵי בְּעֲקִימוּ דְּאָרְחָא בְּהַאי עָלְמָא), and they do not wish to contemplate that Kudsha Berikh Hu is destined to judge them in that world (וְלָא בָּעָאן לְאִסְתַּכְּלָא דְּזַמִּין קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לְמֵידַן לְהוּ בְּהַהוּא עָלְמָא), and to raise them up in the judgment of Gehinnom (וּלְאַעָלָאָה לוֹן בְּדִינָא דְּגֵיהִנֹּם). And they cry and say (וְאִנּוּן צוָוחִין וְאָמְרִין): “Woe to us that we did not incline our ears and did not heed in that world!” (וַוי לָן דְּלָא אוֹרִיכְנָא אוּדְנִין וְלָא אֲצִיתְנָא בְּהַהוּא עָלְמָא). And every day they say: “Woe is this!” (וּבְכָל יוֹמָא אָמְרֵי וַוי דָּא).

Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי): Kudsha Berikh Hu is destined to shine for the Righteous in the World to Come (זַמִּין קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לְאַנְהָרָא לוֹן לְצַדִּיקַיָּא לְעָלְמָא דְאָתֵי), and to give them reward for their portion (וּלְמֵיהַב לוֹן אֲגַר חוּלַקְהוֹן), in a place where no eye has power to gaze (אֲתַר דְּעֵינָא לָא שָׁלְטָא לְמֵיקַם עֲלֵיהּ), as you say (כְּמָא דְּאַתְּ אָמֵר): “Eye has not seen, O Elohim, except You - what He shall do for the one who waits for Him” (עַיִן לֹא רָאָתָה אֱלֹהִים זוּלָתֶךָ יַעֲשֶׂה לִמְחַכֵּה לוֹ). And it is written (Yeshayahu 66 (וּכְתִיב): “And they shall go out and see the corpses of the men who rebelled against Me” (וְיָצְאוּ וְרָאוּ בִּפְגְרֵי הָאֲנָשִׁים הַפּוֹשְׁעִים בִּי). And it is written (Malachi 3 (וּכְתִיב): “And you shall trample the wicked, for they shall be ashes beneath the soles of your feet” (וְעַסּוֹתֶם רְשָׁעִים כִּי יִהְיוּ אֵפֶר תַּחַת כַּפּוֹת רַגְלֵיכֶם). Blessed are the Righteous in this world and in the World to Come (זַכָּאִין אִנּוּן צַדִּיקַיָּא בְּעָלְמָא דֵּין וּבְעָלְמָא דְאָתֵי). Of them it is written (Yeshayahu 60 (עֲלַיְיהוּ כְּתִיב): “The righteous shall inherit the land forever” (צַדִּיקִים לְעוֹלָם יִירְשׁוּ אָרֶץ). And it is written (Tehillim 140) (וּכְתִיב): “Surely the righteous shall give thanks to Your Name; the upright shall dwell in Your presence” (אַךְ צַדִּיקִים יוֹדוּ לִשְׁמֶךָ, יֵשְׁבוּ יְשָׁרִים אֶת פָּנֶיךָ).

Blessed is Hashem forever; Amen and Amen (בָּרוּךְ יי לְעוֹלָם, אָמֵן וְאָמֵן).

(Missing ending) (חָסֵר).