Daf 84a (דַּף פ״ד ע״א)

And we have learned (וְתָנֵינָן), it is forbidden for a man to gaze upon the beauty of a woman (אָסִיר לֵיהּ לְבַר נָשׁ לְאִסְתַּכְּלָא בִּשְׁפִּירוּ דְּאִנְתְּתָא), in order that he not come to an evil thought (בְּגִין דְּלָא יֵיתֵי בְּהִרְהוּרָא בִּישָׁא), and be diverted to another matter (וְיִתְעַקַּר לְמִלָּה אָחֳרָא). And thus Rabbi Shim‘on would act (וְכַךְ הֲוָה רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן עָבִיד), when he would go through a town (כַּד הֲוָה אָזִיל בְּמָתָא), and the Friends would follow after him (וַהֲווּ חַבְרַיָּיא אַזְלִין אֲבַתְרֵיהּ), and he would see beautiful women (וְחָמָא לְאִינְתּוּ שְׁפִירָאן), he would lower his eyes (מָאִיךְ עֵינֵיהּ), and would say to the Friends, do not turn [your gaze] (וַהֲוָה אָמַר לְחַבְרַיָּיא אַל תִּפְנוּ). And anyone who gazes upon the beauty of a woman by day (וְכָל מַאן דְּיִסְתַּכַּל בִּשְׁפִּירוּ דְּאִנְתְּתָא בִּימָמָא), will come to think upon her by night (אָתֵי לְהַרְהוּרֵי בְּלֵילְיָא). And if that evil thought ascends upon him (וְאִי סָלִיק הַהוּא הִרְהוּרָא בִּישָׁא עִלָּוֵיהּ), he transgresses the commandment: “And molten gods you shall not make for yourselves” (עָבַר מִשּׁוּם וֵאלֹהֵי מַסֵּכָה לֹא תַעֲשׂוּ לָכֶם) (Exodus 34). Furthermore (תוּ), if he has intercourse with his wife at the time when that evil thought is upon him (אִי שִׁמֵּשׁ בְּאִנְתְּתֵיהּ בְּזִמְנָא דְּסָלִיק בֵּיהּ הַהוּא הִרְהוּרָא בִּישָׁא), those children that are born (אִינּוּן בְּנִין דְּאוֹלִידוּ) are called “molten gods” (אֱלֹהֵי מַסֵּכָה אִקְרוּן). And concerning this it is written (וְעַל דָּא כְּתִיב), “Do not turn to the idols and molten gods do not make for yourselves” (אַל תִּפְנוּ אֶל הָאֱלִילִים וֵאלֹהֵי מַסֵּכָה לֹא תַעֲשׂוּ לָכֶם) (Leviticus 19).

Rabbi Abba said (רִבִּי אַבָּא אָמַר), it is forbidden for a man to gaze upon the idols of idolatry (אָסִיר לֵיהּ לְבַר נָשׁ לְאִסְתַּכְּלָא בֶּאֱלִילֵי עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה), and upon women of the nations (וּבְנָשֵׁי דְּעַמִּין), and not to derive pleasure from them (וְלָא לְאִתְהַנְיָיא מִנַּיְיהוּ), and not to be healed through them (וְלָא לְאִתְרַפְּאָה בְּהוּ), for it is forbidden for a man to gaze at a place where it is not required (דְּאָסִיר לֵיהּ לְבַר נָשׁ לְאִסְתַּכְּלָא בַּאֲתַר דְּלָא אִצְטְרִיךְ).

Rabbi Abba opened (רִבִּי אַבָּא פָּתַח), “Turn to me and be gracious to me, give Your strength to Your servant” (פְּנֵה אֵלַי וְחָנֵּנִי תְּנָה עֻזְּךָ לְעַבְדֶּךָ) (Psalms 86). “Turn to me and be gracious to me” (פְּנֵה אֵלַי וְחָנֵּנִי), and was there no one more beautiful in the world than David (וְכִי לָא הֲוָה לֵיהּ לְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא בְּעָלְמָא שַׁפִּירָא כְּדָוִד), that he should say, “Turn to me and be gracious to me”? (דְּאִיהוּ אָמַר פְּנֵה אֵלַי וְחָנֵּנִי). Rather, thus we have learned (אֶלָּא הָכִי תָּנֵינָן), that Kudsha Berikh Hu has another David (דָּוִד אָחֳרָא אִית לֵיהּ לְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא), and he is appointed over many supernal hosts and camps (וְהוּא מְמָנָא עַל כַּמָּה אוּכְלוּסִין עִלָּאִין וּמַשִּׁרְיָין). And when Kudsha Berikh Hu seeks to have compassion on the world (וְכַד בָּעֵי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לְרַחֲמָא עַל עָלְמָא), He gazes upon this David (אִסְתַּכַּל בְּהַאי דָּוִד), and His Face shines toward him (וְנָהִיר לֵיהּ אַנְפִּין), and he shines to the worlds (וְהוּא נָהִיר לְעָלְמִין), and the world is shown compassion (וְחָיֵיס עָלְמָא). And the beauty of this David (וּשְׁפִּירוּ דְּהַאי דָּוִד), illuminates all the worlds (נָהִיר לְעָלְמִין כֻּלְּהוּ), his head is a skull of gold (רֵישֵׁיהּ גּוּלְגַלְתָּא דְּדַהֲבָא), engraved with seven golden weapons of adornment (אִתְרְקִימַת בְּשִׁבְעָה תַּכְשִׁיטֵי זִינִין דְּדַהֲבָא). And behold, this was already established (וְהָא אוּקְמוּהָ), And the affection of Kudsha Berikh Hu toward him (וַחֲבִיבוּתָא דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לָקֳבְלֵיהּ), and the intensity of His love for him (וּמִסְּגִיאוּת רְחִימוּתָא דִּילֵיהּ גַּבֵּיהּ), Kudsha Berikh Hu said to him (אָמַר לֵיהּ לְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא), that he should turn his eyes toward Him (דְּיֶהְדַּר עֵינוֹי לָקֳבְלֵיהּ), and look upon Him (וְיִסְתַּכַּל בֵּיהּ). Because they are wholly beautiful (בְּגִין דְּאִינּוּן שְׁפִירָן בְּכֹלָּא), as it is said (כְּמָה דְּאַתְּ אָמֵר), “Turn your eyes away from me, for they overwhelm me” (Song of Songs 6) (הָסֵבִּי עֵינַיִךְ מִנֶּגְדִּי וְגוֹ').

“Turn your eyes away from me” (הָסֵבִּי עֵינַיִךְ מִנֶּגְדִּי), for at the time when those eyes gaze upon Kudsha Berikh Hu (דִּבְשַׁעֲתָא דְּאִלֵּין עַיְינִין מִסְתַּכְּלִין בֵּיהּ בְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא), then are awakened within His heart chambers of secret sides (כְּדֵין מִתְעָרִין בְּלִבֵּיהּ קִסְטִין דִּבְלִסְטְרָאֵי), in supernal love (בִּרְחִימוּתָא עִלָּאָה), and in the intensity of the flame of supernal love toward him (וּבִסְגִּיאוּת שַׁלְהוֹבִיתָא דִּרְחִימוּ עִלָּאָה לְגַבֵּיהּ). He said, “Turn your eyes away from me” (אָמַר הָסֵבִּי עֵינַיִךְ מִנֶּגְדִּי), divert your eyes to the Sitra achra from Me (אַסְחַר עֵינֵיךְ לִסְטַר אָחֳרָא מִנִּי), for they ignite Me with flames of love (דְּאִינּוּן מוֹקְדִין לִי בְּשַׁלְהוֹבֵי רְחִימוּתָא). And concerning this, it is written about David (וְעַל דָּא כְּתִיב בֵּיהּ בְּדָוִד), “And he was ruddy, with beautiful eyes and good appearance” (1 Samuel 16) (וְהוּא אַדְמוֹנִי עִם יְפֵה עֵינַיִם וְטוֹב רֹאִי). And because of that supernal David who is beautiful (וּבְגִין הַהוּא דָּוִד עִלָּאָה שַׁפִּירָא), the mercies and desire of Kudsha Berikh Hu cleave to him (רְחִימְנָא וְתִיאוּבְתָּא דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לְאַדְבְּקָא בֵּיהּ). David said: “Turn to me and be gracious to me” (אָמַר דָּוִד פְּנֵה אֵלַי וְחָנֵּנִי).

In this manner (כְּגַוְונָא דָּא), “And he said, See, the scent of my son is as the scent of a field that Hashem has blessed” (Bereshit 27) (וַיֹּאמֶר רְאֵה רֵיחַ בְּנִי כְּרֵיחַ שָׂדֶה אֲשֶׁר בֵּרֲכוֹ יי׳). It implies that with Jacob entered the Garden of Eden (מַשְׁמַע דְּעָאל עִמֵּיהּ עִם יַעֲקֹב גִּנְתָּא דְּעֵדֶן), which is the Field of Holy Apples (דְּאִיהוּ שָׂדֶה דְּתַפּוּחִין קַדִּישִׁין). And how could the Garden of Eden ascend with him (וְכִי הֵיךְ יָכִיל גִּנְתָּא דְּעֵדֶן לְאַעֲלָא עִמֵּיהּ), for the Garden of Eden is vast in width and in length (דְּהָא גִּנְתָּא דְּעֵדֶן כַּמָּה רַב הוּא בְּפוּתְיָא וּבְאַרְכָּא), with many grades of supernal holy abodes (כַּמָּה זִינִין דְּבָיְיתִין עִלָּאִין קַדִּישִׁין), levels upon levels (דַּרְגִּין עַל דַּרְגִּין), dwellings upon dwellings are there (מָדוֹרִין עַל מָדוֹרִין אִית תַּמָּן). Rather, there is another supernal holy Garden that Kudsha Berikh Hu possesses (אֶלָּא גִּנְתָּא אָחֳרָא עִלָּאָה קַדִּישָׁא אִית לֵיהּ לְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא) (Exodus 210b), and that Garden is His love (וְהַהוּא גִּנְתָּא רְחִימוּתָא דִּילֵיהּ), and He is attached to it (וְאִתְדְּבַק בֵּיהּ), and it is guarded only for Kudsha Berikh Hu alone (וְלָא אִתְנְטִיר אֶלָּא לְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא בִּלְחוֹדוֹי), for He alone enters it (דְּהוּא עָיֵיל בֵּיהּ). And this Kudsha Berikh Hu has hidden (וְדָא אַחֲסִין קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא), to be constantly found with the Righteous (לְאִשְׁתַּכְּחָא תָּדִיר עִמְּהוֹן דְּצַדִּיקַיָּיא). And all the more so to be found in Ya’akov (וְכָּל שֶׁכֵּן לְאִשְׁתַּכְּחָא בֵּיהּ בְּיַעֲקֹב), and this Kudsha Berikh Hu is prepared to elevate with him to assist him (וְדָא זַמִּין לֵיהּ קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לְאַעְלָאָה עִמֵּיהּ לְסַיְּיעָא לֵיהּ).

In this manner (כְּגַוְונָא דָּא), “I am Hashem, the God of Avraham your father and the God of Yitzchak-the land…” (אֲנִי יְיָ' אֱלֹהֵי אַבְרָהָם אָבִיךָ וִאלֹהֵי יִצְחָק הָאָרֶץ וְגוֹ') (Bereshit 28). It is taught (תְּנָן), this teaches that the Land of Israel was folded beneath him (מְלַמֵּד שְׁנִתְקַפְּלָה לוֹ אֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל). And the Land of Israel, which is four hundred parsa by four hundred parsa (וְכִי אֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל, דְּאִיהִי ד' מֵאוֹת פַּרְסָה עַל ד' מֵאוֹת פַּרְסָה), how was it uprooted from its place (הֵיךְ אִתְעַקָרַת מֵאַתְרָהּ), and positioned beneath him? (וְיָתְבָא תְּחוֹתוֹי). Rather, there is another supernal holy Land that Kudsha Berikh Hu possesses (אֶלָּא אֶרֶץ אָחֳרָא עִלָּאָה קַדִּישָׁא אִית לְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא), and it is called the Land of Israel (וְאֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל אִקְרֵי). And it is beneath the level of Ya'akov, who stands upon it (וְהִיא תְּחוֹת דַּרְגָּא דְּיַעֲקֹב דְּקָאִים עָלָהּ). And Kudsha Berikh Hu reserved it for Yisrael (וְאַחֲסִין לָהּ קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לְיִשְׂרָאֵל), because of His love for them (בְּגִין רְחִימוּתָא דִּלְהוֹן), to dwell among them (לְדַיְּירָא עִמְּהוֹן), and to speak with them (וּלְדַבְּרָא לְהוֹן), and to protect them from all (וּלְאַגָּנָא לְהוֹן מִכֹּלָא), and it is called the Land of Life (וְאִקְרֵי אֶרֶץ חַיִּים).