Daf 84b (דַּף פ״ד ע״ב)

Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי), it is forbidden for a man to gaze (אָסִיר לֵיהּ לְבַר נָשׁ לְאִסְתַּכְּלָא) at a place that Kudsha Berikh Hu despises (בַּאֲתַר דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא מָאִיס בֵּיהּ), and in which His soul is distanced (וּרְחִיקָא בֵּיהּ נַפְשֵׁיהּ). And that which Kudsha Berikh Hu loves (וּמַה בְּמַה דְּרָחִים קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא), it is forbidden to gaze upon it (אָסִיר לְאִסְתַּכְּלָא בֵּיהּ); how much more so with what He despises! (בְּמַה דְּרָחִיק עַל אַחַת כַּמָּה וְכַמָּה). Come and see (דְּתָּא חֲזֵי), it is forbidden for a man to gaze at the rainbow (אָסִיר לֵיהּ לְבַר נָשׁ לְאִסְתַּכְּלָא בַּקֶּשֶׁת), for it is a vision of the supernal likeness (בְּגִין דְּאִיהוּ חֵיזוֹ דְּדִיּוּקְנָא עִלָּאָה). It is forbidden for a man to gaze upon his own circumcision mark (אָסִיר לֵיהּ לְבַר נָשׁ לְאִסְתַּכְּלָא בְּאָת קַיָּימָא דִּילֵיהּ), for it hints to the Tzaddik of the world (בְּגִין דְּהוּא רָמִיז לְצַדִּיקָא דְּעָלְמָא). It is forbidden for a man to gaze at the fingers of the Kohanim (אָסִיר לֵיהּ לְבַר נָשׁ לְאִסְתַּכְּלָא, בְּאֶצְבְּעָן דְּכַהֲנֵי), at the time they spread out their hands (בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְּפַרְסֵי יְדַיְיהוּ), for there dwells the glory of the supernal King (בְּגִין דְּתַמָּן שַׁרְיָא יְקָרָא דְּמַלְכָּא עִלָּאָה). And if it is forbidden to gaze upon a supernal holy place (וּמַה בַּאֲתַר קַדִּישָׁא עִלָּאָה אָסִיר לְאִסְתַּכְּלָא), then how much more so a defiled place, which is distant! (בַּאֲתַר מִסְאֲבָא רְחִיקָא לָא כָּל שֶׁכֵּן). Because of this, “Do not turn to the idols” (בְּגִינֵי כַּךְ, אַל תִּפְנוּ אֶל הָאֱלִילִים) (Leviticus 19).

Rabbi Yitzchak said (רִבִּי יִצְחָק אָמַר), and if it is forbidden to even gaze upon them (וּמַה לְאִסְתַּכְּלָא בְּהוּ אָסִיר), then to worship them, or to make them-how much more so! (לְמִפְלַח לְהוּ, אוֹ לְמֶעְבַּד לְהוּ, עַל אַחַת כַּמָה וְכַמָּה). And because of this, “Do not turn to the idols” (וּבְגִּינֵי כַּךְ, אַל תִּפְנוּ אֶל הָאֱלִילִים) (Leviticus 19). Here it comes to warn Yisrael as at first (הָכָא אָתָא לְאַזְהָרָא לְהוּ לְיִשְׂרָאֵל כְּקַדְמֵיתָא), corresponding to: “You shall have no other gods before Me” (לָקֳבֵיל לֹא יִהְיֶה לְךָ אֱלֹהִים אֲחֵרִים עַל פָּנָי) (Exodus 20). And “Molten gods you shall not make for yourselves” (וִאלֹהֵי מַסֵּכָה לֹא תַעֲשׂוּ לָכֶם), corresponding to: “You shall not make for yourself a graven image” (לָקֳבֵיל לֹא תַעֲשֶׂה לְךָ פֶסֶל) (Exodus 20). “I am Hashem your God” (אֲנִי יְיָ' אֱלֹהֵיכֶם), corresponding to: “I am Hashem your God” (לָקֳבֵיל אָנֹכִי יְיָ' אֱלֹהֶיךָ) (Exodus 20). “Each man shall revere his mother and father” (אִישׁ אִמּוֹ וְאָבִיו תִּירָאוּ), corresponding to: “Honor your father and your mother” (לָקֳבֵל כַּבֵּד אֶת אָבִיךָ וְאֶת אִמֶּךָ) (Exodus 20). “And My Sabbaths you shall guard” (וְאֶת שַׁבְּתוֹתַי תִּשְׁמוֹרוּ), “Remember the Sabbath day to sanctify it” (זָכוֹר אֶת יוֹם הַשַּׁבָּת לְקַדְּשׁוֹ) (Exodus 20). “Do not swear falsely in My Name” (לֹא תִּשָּׁבְעוּ בִשְׁמִי לַשָּׁקֶר), “You shall not bear the name of Hashem your God in vain” (לֹא תִשָּׂא אֶת שֵׁם יְיָ' אֱלֹהֶיךָ לַשָּׁוְא) (Exodus 20). “Do not steal” (לֹא תִּגְנוֹבוּ), “Do not steal” (לֹא תִגְנוֹב) (Exodus 20). “Do not deny,” “and do not lie one man to his fellow” (וְלֹא תְכַחֲשׁוּ, וְלֹא תְשַׁקְּרוּ אִישׁ בַּעֲמִיתוֹ) (Leviticus 19). “Do not bear false witness against your neighbor” (לֹא תַעֲנֶה בְרֵעֲךָ עֵד שָׁקֶר) (Exodus 20). “The adulterer and adulteress shall surely be put to death” (מוֹת יוּמַת הַנּוֹאֵף וְהַנּוֹאָפֶת), “Do not commit adultery” (לֹא תִנְאָף) (Exodus 20). “Do not stand over the blood of your fellow” (לֹא תַעֲמוֹד עַל דַּם רֵעֶךָ), “Do not murder” (לֹא תִּרְצַח) (Exodus 20). And this has been established (וְהָא אוּקְמוּהָ), and concerning this is the entirety of the Orayta included in this section (וְעַל דָּא כְּלָלָא דְּאוֹרַיְיתָא, בְּפַרְשְׁתָּא דָּא).

Rabbi Ḥiyya said (אָמַר רִבִּי חִיָיא), at the beginning: “I am Hashem your God” (בְּקַדְמִיתָא, אָנֹכִי יְיָ' אֱלֹהֶיךָ), “Remember the Sabbath day” (זָכוֹר אֶת יוֹם הַשַּׁבָּת), “You shall not bear” (לֹא תִשָּׂא), “You shall not murder” (לֹא תִרְצַח), “You shall not commit adultery” (לֹא תִנְאָף), “You shall not steal” (לֹא תִגְנוֹב), in the singular form (בְּלִישָׁנָא יְחִידָאי). And here: “I am Hashem your God” (וְהָכָא, אֲנִי יְיָ' אֱלֹהֵיכֶם), “A man, his mother and father shall you fear” (אִישׁ אִמּוֹ וְאָבִיו תִּירָאוּ), “And My Sabbaths you shall guard” (וְאֶת שַׁבְּתוֹתַי תִּשְׁמֹרוּ), “Do not turn to the idols” (אַל תִּפְנוּ אֶל הָאֱלִילִים), in the plural form (בְּלִישָׁנָא דְּסַגִּיאִין).

Rather, come and see (אֶלָּא תָּא חֲזֵי), from the day that Yisrael existed in the world (מִיּוֹמָא דַּהֲווֹ יִשְׂרָאֵל שְׁכִיחִין בְּעָלְמָא), they were never found before Kudsha Berikh Hu (לָא אִשְׁתְּכָחוּ קָמֵי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא), with one heart and one will (בְּלִבָּא חַד, וּבִרְעוּתָא חֲדָא), like on that day when they stood at Mount Sinai (כְּמָה בְּהַהוּא יוֹמָא דְּקַיְימוּ בְּטוּרָא דְּסִינַי). And for this reason, all was stated in the singular form (וְעַל דָּא כֹּלָּא אִתְּמַר בְּלָשׁוֹן יְחִידָאי). Afterward, in the plural form (לְבָתַר בְּלִישָׁנָא דְּסַגִּיאִין), for they were not found in that same will (דְּהָא לָא אִשְׁתְּכָחוּ כָּל כַּךְ בְּהַהוּא רְעוּתָא).

Rabbi El'azar was going to visit Rabbi Yosei son of Rabbi Shim’on ben Laqunya his father-in-law (רִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר הֲוָה אָזִיל לְמֵחֱמֵי לְרִבִּי יוֹסֵי בְּרַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן לָקוּנְיָא חָמוּי), and with him were Rabbi Ḥiyya and Rabbi Yosei (וַהֲווּ עִמֵּיהּ רִבִּי חִיָּיא וְרִבִּי יוֹסֵי). When they came to a certain field (כַד מָטוּ חַד בֵּי חֲקַל), they sat beneath one tree (יָתְבוּ תְּחוֹת אִילָנָא חֲדָא). Rabbi El'azar said (אָמַר רִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר), let each one say a word of Orayta (כָּל חַד לֵימָא מִלָּה דְּאוֹרַיְיתָא).

Rabbi El'azar opened and said (פָּתַח רִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר וְאָמַר), “And I am Hashem your God from the land of Egypt, and you shall know no god but Me” (וְאָנֹכִי יְיָ' אֱלֹהֶיךָ מֵאֶרֶץ מִצְרָיִם וִאלֹהִים זוּלָתִי לֹא תֵּדָע) (Hosea 13). It does not say: “Who brought you up from the land of Egypt” (לָא כְּתִיב אֲשֶׁר הוֹצֵאתִיךָ מֵאֶרֶץ מִצְרָיִם), rather: “I am Hashem your God from the land of Egypt” (אֶלָּא אָנֹכִי יְיָ' אֱלֹהֶיךָ מֵאֶרֶץ מִצְרָיִם). And was He their King from Egypt? (וְכִי מֵאֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם הֲוָה לְהוּ מַלְכָּא), and not from before that? (וְלָא מִקַּדְמַת דְּנָא)?

But behold, it is written: “And Ya'akov said to his sons: Remove the foreign gods that are among you” (וְהָא כְּתִיב וַיֹּאמֶר יַעֲקֹב אֶל בָּנָיו הָסִירוּ אֶת אֱלֹהֵי הַנֵּכָר אֲשֶׁר בְּתוֹכְכֶם) (Bereshit 35). And it is written: “Let us arise and go up to Beit El” (וּכְתִיב וְנָקוּמָה וְנַעֲלֶה בֵּית אֵל) (Bereshit 35). And yet you say: “From the land of Egypt”? (וְאַתְּ אַמְרַת מֵאֶרֶץ מִצְרָיִם)? Rather, from the day that Yisrael were in the world (אֶלָּא, מִן יוֹמָא דַּהֲווֹ יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּעָלְמָא), the glory of Kudsha Berikh Hu was not made known (לָא אִשְׁתְּמוֹדָעוּ יְקָרָא דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא), except in the land of Egypt (בַּר בְּאַרְעָא דְּמִצְרַיִם), where they were in that harsh servitude (דַּהֲווּ בְּהַהוּא פּוּלְחָנָא קַשְׁיָא), and they cried out before Him (וְצָוְוחוּ לָקֳבְלֵיהּ), and they did not change from their customs forever (וְלָא אִשְׁתָּנּוּ מִנִּימוּסָא דִּלְהוֹן לְעָלְמִין). And there our fathers were tested (וְתַמָּן אִתְבְּחִינוּ אֲבְהֲתָנָא), like gold from a crucible (כִּדַהֲבָא מִגּוֹ שָׁפְכָה). Some say: like a golden lamp from a mold (ס״א כפתורא דדהבא מגו טפסא).

And further (וְעוֹד), they would see every day (דַּהֲווֹ חָמָאן בְּכָל יוֹמָא), how many sorceries, how many evil species (כַמָה חַרְשִׁין, כַּמָה זִינִין בִּישִׁין), to mislead the sons of men (לְאַטְעָאָה לוֹן לִבְנֵי נָשָׁא), yet they did not swerve from the path to the right or to the left (וְלָא סָטוּ מֵאָרְחָא לִימִינָא וְלִשְׂמָאלָא). And even though they did not yet know so much of the glory of Kudsha Berikh Hu (וְאַף עַל גַּב דְּלָא הֲווֹ יַדְעֵי כָּל כַּךְ בִּיקָרָא דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא), still they walked in the customs of their fathers (אֶלָּא הֲווֹ אַזְלִין בָּתַר נִימוּסֵי אֲבָהַתְהוֹן). And afterward (וּלְבָתַר), they saw how many miracles and how many mighty deeds (חָמוּ כַּמָה נִסִּין, וְכַמָּה גְּבוּרָאן), and Kudsha Berikh Hu took them to His service (וְנָטַל לוֹן קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לְפוּלְחָנֵיהּ). And because all of them saw how many miracles and signs before their eyes (וּבְגִין דְּכֻלְּהוּ חָמוּ כַּמָה נִסִּין וְאָתִין בְּעֵינֵיהוֹן), and all those signs and mighty deeds (וְכָל אִינּוּן אָתִין וּגְבוּרָן), He said: “And I am Hashem your God from the land of Egypt” (אָמַר וְאָנֹכִי יְיָ' אֱלֹהֶיךָ מֵאֶרֶץ מִצְרָיִם) (Hosea 13). For there His glory was revealed (דְּתַמָּן הֲוָה בְּאִתְגַּלְיָיא יְקָרָא דִּילֵיהּ). And He was revealed to them at the sea (וְאִתְגְּלֵי עָלַיְיהוּ עַל יַמָּא), and they saw the radiance of His supernal glory face to face (וְחָמוּ זִיו יְקָרָא עִלָּאָה דִּילֵיהּ אַפִּין בְּאַפִּין).

That you should not say: another god was it who spoke with us (דְּלָא תֵּימְרוּן אֱלָהָא אָחֳרָא הוּא דְּמַלִּיל עִמָּנָא), but rather: it is I whom you saw in the land of Egypt (אֶלָּא אֲנָא הוּא דַּחֲמִיתוּן בְּאַרְעָא דְּמִצְרָיִם). It is I who killed your enemies in the land of Egypt (אֲנָא הוּא דְּקָטַלְנָא סָנְאֵיכוֹן בְּאַרְעָא דְּמִצְרָיִם). It is I who performed all those ten plagues in the land of Egypt (אֲנָא הוּא דְּעָבֵדְנָא כָּל אִינּוּן עֶשֶׂר מְחָאָן בְּאַרְעָא דְּמִצְרָיִם). And because of this: “And gods besides Me you shall not know” (וּבְגִּינֵי כַּךְ, וִאלֹהִים זוּלָתִי לֹא תֵדָע) (Hosea 13), that you should not say it was another, but I am He, all of it (דְּלָא תֵּימָא דְּאָחֳרָא הֲוָא, אֶלָּא אֲנָא הוּא כֹּלָּא).