Daf 88a (דַּף פ״ח ע״א)

He opened and said (פָּתַח וְאָמַר): “For Hashem knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked shall perish” (כִּי יוֹדֵעַ יְיָ' דֶּרֶךְ צַדִּיקִים וְדֶרֶךְ רְשָׁעִים תֹּאבֵד) (Tehillim 1:6). What is meant by “For Hashem knows”? (מַאי כִּי יוֹדֵעַ יְיָ'). Rather, Kudsha Berikh Hu knows and watches over the way of the Tzaddikaya [Righteous] (אֶלָּא, קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא יוֹדֵעַ וְאַשְׁגַּח בְּאָרְחָא דְּצַדִּיקַיָּיא), to do good for them (לְאוֹטָבָא לְהוּ), to protect them (וּלְאַגָּנָא לְהוּ), and He goes before them to guard them (וְהוּא אָזִיל קַמַּיְיהוּ לְנַטְרָא לְהוּ).

And because of this (וּבְגִין כָּךְ), whoever goes out on the road must make that road the road of Kudsha Berikh Hu (מַאן דְּנָפִיק לְאָרְחָא בָּעֵי דְּלִהֱוִי הַהִיא אָרְחָא דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא), and associate Him with them (וְיִשְׁתַּתַּף לֵיהּ בַּהֲדַיְיהוּ). And because of this it is written (וּבְגִין כָּךְ כְּתִיב): “For Hashem knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked shall perish” (כִּי יוֹדֵעַ יְיָ' דֶּרֶךְ צַדִּיקִים וְדֶרֶךְ רְשָׁעִים תֹּאבֵד) (Tehillim 1:6). It perishes of itself (הִיא מִגַּרְמָהּ), because Kudsha Berikh Hu does not recognize that way of theirs (בְּגִין דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לָא אִשְׁתְּמוֹדַע לֵיהּ לְהַהוּא אָרְחָא דִּלְהוֹן), and does not go with them (וְלָא אָזִיל בַּהֲדַיְיהוּ). It is written “Derekh [way]” (כְּתִיב דֶּרֶךְ), and it is written “Orakh [path]” (וּכְתִיב אֹרַח). What is the difference between this and that? (מַה בֵּין הַאי לְהַאי).

Rather, Derekh [way] is where the feet of people generally walk (אֶלָּא, דֶּרֶךְ: דִשְׁאָר קַרְסוּלֵי בְּנֵי נָשָׁא אָזְלוּ בָּהּ). Orakh [path] is that which was opened within a short time (אֹרַח: דְּאִיהוּ אִתְפְּתַח מִן זִמְנָא זְעֵירָא). This is Orakh [path], as you say (דָּא אָרַח, כְּמָה דְּאַתְּ אָמַר): “And he walks in company with workers of iniquity” (וְאָרַח לַחֲבָרָה עִם פֹּעֲלֵי אָוֶן) (Iyov 34:8). And concerning this Orakh [path] it is written (וְעַל אָרְחָא דָּא כְּתִיב): “But the path of the righteous is as the shining light, that shines more and more unto the perfect day” (וְאֹרַח צַדִּיקִים כְּאוֹר נֹגַהּ הוֹלֵךְ וָאוֹר עַד נְכוֹן הַיּוֹם) (Mishlei 4:18). Amen; so may it be His will (אָמֵן כֵּן יְהִי רָצוֹן).

Blessed is Hashem forever, Amen and Amen בָּרוּךְ יְיָ׳ לְעוֹלָם אָמֵן וְאָמֵן

Hashem shall reign forever, Amen and Amen יִמְלוֹךְ יְיָ׳ לְעוֹלָם אָמֵן וְאָמֵן

Parashat Emor

nd Hashem said to Moshe: Speak to the Kohanim, the sons of Aharon, and you shall say to them: To a soul he shall not become impure among his people” (Leviticus 21) (וַיֹּאמֶר יְיָ' אֶל מֹשֶׁה אֱמוֹר אֶל הַכֹּהֲנִים בְּנֵי אַהֲרֹן וְאָמַרְתָּ אֲלֵיהֶם לְנֶפֶשׁ לֹא יִטַּמָּא בְּעַמָּיו). Rabbi Yosi said (אָמַר רִבִּי יוֹסֵי), what is the reason this is juxtaposed to that (מַאי טַעְמָא דָּא לָקֳבֵל דָּא)? For it is written above (דִּכְתִּיב לְעֵילָּא), “And a man or a woman in whom there shall be a necromancer or a sorcerer shall surely be put to death” (Leviticus 20) (וְאִישׁ אוֹ אִשָּׁה כִּי יִהְיֶה בָהֶם אוֹב אוֹ יִדְּעוֹנִי מוֹת יוּמָתוּ), and it is placed next to it: “Speak to the Kohanim” (וְסָמִיךְ לֵיהּ אֱמוֹר אֶל הַכֹּהֲנִים). Rather (אֶלָּא), since He warned Israel to sanctify them in all things (כֵּיוָן דְּאַזְהַר לְהוּ לְיִשְׂרָאֵל לְקַדְּשָׁא לְהוּ בְּכֹלָּא), He warned also the Kohanim to sanctify them (אַזְהַר לְהוּ לְכַהֲנֵי לְקַדְּשָׁא לוֹן), and likewise the Levi’im (וְכֵן לַלְוִיִּם). From where [do we learn] for the Kohanim? (לְכַהֲנֵי מִנַּיִן). For it is written: “Speak to the Kohanim” (Leviticus 21) (דִּכְתִּיב אֱמוֹר אֶל הַכֹּהֲנִים). From where for the Levi’im? (לְלֵוָאֵי מִנַּיִן). For it is written: “And to the Levi’im you shall speak and you shall say to them” (Numbers 18) (דִּכְתִּיב, וְאֶל הַלְוִיִּם תְּדַבֵּר וְאָמַרְתָּ אֲלֵיהֶם). So that they should all be found meritorious, holy, and pure (בְּגִין דְּיִשְׁתַּכְּחוּן כֻּלְּהוּ זַכָּאִין קַדִּישִׁין דַּכְיָין).

“Speak to the Kohanim, the sons of Aharon” (אֱמוֹר אֶל הַכֹּהֲנִים בְּנֵי אַהֲרֹן) - what is the reason here that it says “the sons of Aharon” (מַאי טַעְמָא הָכָא בְּנֵי אַהֲרֹן)? Do I not know that they are the sons of Aharon (וְכִי לָא יְדַעְנָא דִּבְנֵי אַהֲרֹן נִינְהוּ)? Rather: [it means] the sons of Aharon and not the sons of Levi (אֶלָּא בְּנֵי אַהֲרֹן, וְלָא בְּנֵי לֵוִי). For Aharon is the service of all the Kohanim of the world (דְּאַהֲרֹן דְּהוּא שֵׁירוּתָא דְּכָל כַּהֲנֵי דְּעָלְמָא), in whom Kudsha Berikh Hu was more pleased than all (דְּבֵיהּ אִתְרְעֵי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא מִכֹּלָּא), in order to make peace in the world (בְּגִין לְמֶעְבַּד שְׁלָמָא בְּעָלְמָא). And because the ways of Aharon merited him to this (וּבְגִין דְּאַהֲרֹן אָרְחוֹי סַלִיקוּ לֵיהּ לְהַאי), for all the days of Aharon he was striving to increase peace in the world (דְּכָל יוֹמוֹי דְּאַהֲרֹן הֲוָה מִשְׁתָּדַּל לְאַסְגָּאָה שְׁלָמָא בְּעָלְמָא). And because his ways were such (וּבְגִין דְּאוֹרְחוֹי כַּךְ), Kudsha Berikh Hu raised him to this (סָלִיק לֵיהּ קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לְהַאי), to bring peace into the supernal hosts (לְמֵיעַל שְׁלָמָא בְּפָמַלְיָא דִּלְעֵילָּא). And because of this: “Speak to the Kohanim, the sons of Aharon” (וּבְגִין כַּךְ אֱמוֹר אֶל הַכֹּהֲנִים בְּנֵי אַהֲרֹן).

“Speak to the Kohanim, the sons of Aharon, and you shall say to them” (אֱמוֹר אֶל הַכֹּהֲנִים בְּנֵי אַהֲרֹן וְאָמַרְתָּ אֲלֵיהֶם). Rabbi Yehuda opened and said (רִבִּי יְהוּדָה פָּתַח וְאָמַר), “How abundant is Your goodness which You have hidden for those who fear You, and so on” (Psalms 31) (מָה רַב טוּבְךָ אֲשֶׁר צָפַנְתָּ לִּירֵאֶיךָ וְגוֹ'). “How abundant is Your goodness” (מַה רַב טוּבְךָ) - how exalted and precious is that supernal light that is called ‘good’ (כַמָה עִלָּאָה וְיַקִּירָא, הַהוּא נְהוֹרָא עִלָּאָה דְּאִקְרֵי טוֹב), as it is written: “And Elohim saw the light, that it was good” (Bereshit 1) (דִּכְתִּיב וַיַּרְא אֱלֹהִים אֶת הָאוֹר כִּי טוֹב). And this is the hidden light (וְדָא הוּא אוֹר הַגָּנוּז), with which Kudsha Berikh Hu made good for the world (דְּבֵיהּ עָבִיד קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא טַב בְּעָלְמָא), and He did not withhold it every day (וְלָא מָנַע לֵיהּ בְּכָל יוֹמָא), because through it the world is sustained (בְּגִין דְּבֵיהּ מִתְקַיֵּים עָלְמָא), and stands upon it (וְקָאִים עָלֵיהּ). “Which You have hidden for those who fear You” (אֲשֶׁר צָפַנְתָּ לִירֵאֶיךָ) - as it was taught (דִּתְנָן), the supernal light Kudsha Berikh Hu made when He created the world (נְהוֹרָא עִלָּאָה עָבֵד קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא כַּד בָּרָא עָלְמָא), and He hid it for the Righteous for the time to come (וְגָנִיז לֵיהּ לְצַדִּיקַיָּיא לְזִמְנָא דְּאָתֵי). This is what is written: “Which You have hidden for those who fear You” (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב, אֲשֶׁר צָפַנְתָּ לִירֵאֶיךָ).

“You have worked for those who take refuge in You” (פָּעַלְתָּ לַחוֹסִים בָּךְ). “You have worked” (פָּעַלְתָּ) - at the time when the world was created (בְּזִמְנָא דְּאִתְבְּרֵי עָלְמָא), that light was standing and shining from one end of the world to the other (הַהוּא נְהוֹרָא הֲוָה קָאִים וְנָהִיר מֵרֵישָׁא דְּעָלְמָא לְסַיְיפֵי דְּעָלְמָא). When Kudsha Berikh Hu looked at the guilty ones who were destined to arise in the world (כַּד אִסְתָּכַּל קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, לְאִינּוּן חַיָּיבִין דִּזְמִינִין לְקַיְּימָא בְּעָלְמָא), He hid away that light (גָּנִיז לֵיהּ לְהַהוּא נְהוֹרָא), as it is written: “And their light shall be withheld from the wicked” (Job 38) (דִּכְתִּיב וְיִמָּנַע מֵרְשָׁעִים אוֹרָם). And it is prepared to shine for the Righteous in the world to come (וְזַמִּין לְאַנְהָרָא לְצַדִּיקַיָּיא לְעָלְמָא דְּאָתֵי). And this is [the meaning of] “Which You have hidden for those who fear You” (וְדָא הוּא אֲשֶׁר צָפַנְתָּ לִּירֵאֶיךָ). And it is written: “And to you who fear My Name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in its wings” (Malachi 3) (וּכְתִיב וְזָרְחָה לָכֶם יִרְאֵי שְׁמִי שֶׁמֶשׁ צְדָקָה וּמַרְפֵּא בִּכְנָפֶיהָ).

Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי): At the time when a person is ready to depart to that world (בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְּבַר נָשׁ קָאִים לְמֵיהַךְ לְהַהוּא עָלְמָא), and he is still in his Master’s house (וְהוּא בְּבֵי מַרְעֵיהּ), three messengers come upon him (אַתְיָין עָלֵיהּ ג' שְׁלוּחִין), and he sees there what a person cannot see while he is in this world (וְחָמֵי תַּמָּן, מַה דְּלָא יָכִיל בַּר נָשׁ לְמֵחֱמֵי כַּד אִיהוּ בְּהַאי עָלְמָא). And that day is the day of supernal judgment (וְהַהוּא יוֹמָא, יוֹמָא דְּדִינָא עִלָּאָה הוּא), for the King seeks His deposit (דְּמַלְכָּא בָּעֵי פִּקְדוֹנָא דִּילֵיהּ). Fortunate is that person whose deposit he returns to the King just as it was given to him within him (זַכָּאָה הַהוּא בַּר נָשׁ, דְּפִקְדוֹנֵיהּ אָתִיב לְמַלְכָּא כְּמָה דְּאִתְיְיהִיב לֵיהּ בְּגַוִיהּ). But if that deposit has been soiled with the filth of the body (אִי הַהוּא פִּקְדוֹנָא אִתְטְנָּף בְּטִנּוּפֵי גּוּפָא), what shall he say to the Master of the deposit? (מַה יֵימָּא לְמָארֵי פִּקְדוֹנָא).