Daf 90b (דַּף צ׳ ע״ב)

Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי), Kudsha Berikh Hu is served by the hand of the Kohen (קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא יִשְׁתַּמֵּשׁ עַל יְדֵי דְּכַהֲנָא), and He is found holy when He comes to be served (וְיִשְׁתְּכַח קַדִּישָׁא כַּד אָתֵי לְשַׁמְּשָׁא). And because Kudsha Berikh Hu is served by the hand of the Kohen who is holy (וּבְגִין דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא יִשְׁתַּמֵּשׁ עַל יְדָא דְּכַהֲנָא דְּאִיהוּ קַדִּישָׁא), the Kohen must be served by the hand of one who is pure (כַּהֲנָא יִשְׁתַּמֵּשׁ עַל יְדֵי דְּדַכְיָא), who is sanctified through his purity (דְּאִתְקַּדָּשׁ בְּדַכְיוּתֵיהּ). And what is that? Levi (וּמַאי אִיהוּ. לֵיוָאֵי). Another man, a different Kohen (בַּר נָשׁ [כַּהֲנָא] אָחֳרָא), shall be served by the hand of another who is holy (יִשְׁתַּמֵּשׁ עַל יְדֵי דְּקַדִּישָׁא אָחֳרָא), so that all shall be found in holiness (בְּגִין דְּיִשְׁתַּכְחוּן כֹּלָּא בִּקְדוּשָּׁא), to serve Kudsha Berikh Hu (לְשַׁמְּשָׁא לְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא).

Fortunate are Yisrael in this world and in the world to come (זַכָּאִין אִינּוּן יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּעָלְמָא דֵּין וּבְעָלְמָא דְּאָתֵי), for regarding them it is written (דְּעָלַיְיהוּ כְּתִיב): And I separated you from the nations to be Mine (וָאַבְדִּיל אֶתְכֶם מִן הָעַמִּים לִהְיוֹת לִי) (Vayikra 20). How separate are Yisrael from all others (כַּמָּה פְּרִישָׁן יִשְׂרָאֵל מִכֹּלָּא), in holiness (בִּקְדוּשָּׁה), to serve Kudsha Berikh Hu (לְשַׁמְּשָּׁא לְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא). This is what is written (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב): Sanctify yourselves and you shall be holy, for I am Hashem your God (וְהִתְקַדִּשְׁתֶּם וִהְיִיתֶם קְדוֹשִׁים כִּי אֲנִי יְיָ אֱלֹהֵיכֶם) (Vayikra 20).

Again he opened and said (תּוּ פָּתַח וְאָמַר): Salvation is Hashem’s; upon Your people is Your blessing, Selah (לַיְיָ הַיְשׁוּעָה עַל עַמְּךָ בִרְכָתֶךָ סֶּלָה) (Tehillim 3). Salvation is Hashem’s (לַיְיָ הַיְשׁוּעָה): So we have learned (הָכִי תָּנֵינָן), fortunate are Yisrael (זַכָּאִין אִינּוּן יִשְׂרָאֵל), for in every place they are exiled (דִּבְכָל אֲתַר דְּאִתְגָּלוּ), the Shekhinta is revealed with them (שְׁכִינְתָּא אִתְגַּלְיָיא בַּהֲדַיְיהוּ). When Yisrael go out from exile (כַּד יִפְּקוּן יִשְׂרָאֵל מִגָּלוּתָא), to whom is the redemption-for Yisrael or for Kudsha Berikh Hu (פּוּרְקָנָא לְמַאן, לְיִשְׂרָאֵל אוֹ לְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא).

Rather (אֶלָּא), this has already been established through many verses (הָא אוּקְמוּהָ בְּכַמָּה קְרָאֵי), and here too (וְהָכָא): Salvation is Hashem’s - indeed (לַיְיָ הַיְשׁוּעָה וַדַּאי). When is this? (אֵימָתַי) Upon Your people is Your blessing, Selah (עַל עַמְּךָ בִרְכָתֶךָ סֶּלָה): at the time when Kudsha Berikh Hu bestows blessing upon Yisrael (בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא יַשְׁגַּח בְּבִרְכָאן עָלַיְיהוּ דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל), to bring them out from exile and to do good for them (לְאַפָּקָא לוֹן מִן גָּלוּתָא וּלְאוֹטָבָא לְהוּ), then: Salvation is Hashem’s - indeed (כְּדֵין לַיְיָ הַיְשׁוּעָה וַדַּאי). And on this we have learned (וְעַל דָּא תָּנֵינָן), that Kudsha Berikh Hu will return with Yisrael from exile (דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא יֵיתוּב עִמְּהוֹן דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל מִן גָּלוּתָא), as it is written (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב): Then Hashem your God will return your captivity and have compassion on you (וְשָׁב יְיָ אֱלֹהֶיךָ אֶת שְׁבוּתְךָ וְרִחֲמֶךָ) (Devarim 30).

A man of your seed throughout their generations who has a blemish (אִישׁ מִזַּרְעֲךָ לְדוֹרוֹתָם אֲשֶׁר יִהְיֶה בּוֹ מוּם) (Vayikra 21). Rabbi Yitzḥak said (רִבִּי יִצְחָק אָמַר): Because he is blemished (בְּגִין דְּאִיהוּ פָּגִים), and one who is blemished (וּמַאן דְּאִיהוּ פָּגִים), is not fitting to serve in holiness (לָא אִתְחֲזֵי לְשַׁמְּשָׁא בְּקוּדְשָׁא). And it has been established (וְהָא אוּקְמוּהָ): a man who is found blemished (דְּבַר נָשׁ דְּאִשְׁתְּכַח פָּגִים), has no trustworthiness in him (לֵית בֵּיהּ מְהֵימְנוּתָא), and that blemish testifies against him (וְהַהוּא פְּגִימוּ אַסְהִיד עָלֵיהּ). How much more so a Kohen (כָּל שֶׁכֵּן כַּהֲנָא), who must be found whole (דְּבַעְיָא לְאִשְׁתַּכְּחָא שְׁלִים), the master of trust (מָארֵיהּ דִּמְהֵימְנוּתָא), more than all (יַתִיר מִכֹּלָּא), and this has already been established (וְהָא אוּקְמוּהָ).

Rabbi El'azar was sitting in Kistera of Beit Ḥamui (רִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר הֲוָה יָתִיב בְּקִסְטְרָא דְּבֵי חָמוּי), and he said (וְהוּא הֲוָה אָמַר): “A dreg of Kistera is commonly found in the pot” (זִילְגָא דִּבְקִסְטִירָא בְּעֵיטָא שְׁכִיחַ). Meanwhile (אַדְהָכִי), a certain man passed by (אַעְבָר חַד בַּר נָשׁ), one of his eyes was blemished (פָּגִים מְעֵינֵיהּ חַד). His father-in-law said (אָמַר חָמוּי): “Let us ask this one” (נִשְׁאַל לְהַאי). He said (אָמַר): “He is blemished, and not trustworthy” (פָּגִים הוּא, וְלָאו מְהֵימָנָא). He said (אָמַר): “Let us ask with him” (נִשְׁאַל בַּהֲדֵיהּ). They went and asked him (אָתוּ שְׁאִילוּ לֵיהּ). He said to him (אָמַר לֵיהּ): “Who is the ‘Model’ in the world?” (טוּפְקָא מַאן הוּא בְּעָלְמָא). He said: “The wealthy, but if he is stripped, I am better than all of them” (עֲתִירָא, אֲבָל דְּיַשְׁלִיף, בַּהֲדֵיהּ אֲנָא מִכֻּלְּהוּ). Some say: The wealthy, but if he is stripped - woe for this! - with him, I finish them all (ס״א: עֲתִירָא, אֲבָל דְּיַשְׁלִיף, וַוֵי עַל דָּא, בַּהֲדֵיהּ אֲנָא מִכַּלְּהוּ). Rabbi El'azar said (אָמַר רִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר): “By his words it is heard that trustworthiness is not with him, and he is not a man of trust” (בְּמִלּוֹי אִשְׁתְּמַע, דְּלָאו מְהֵימְנוּתָא גַּבֵּיהּ, וְלָאו בַּר מְהֵימָנָא הוּא). Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי): Kudsha Berikh Hu said, Any man who has a blemish shall not come near (קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא אָמַר: כָּל אִישׁ אֲשֶׁר בּוֹ מוּם לֹא יִקְרָב) (Vayikra 21), for the holiness above does not rest in a place of blemish (דְּהָא קְדוּשָּׁא דִּלְעֵילָּא לָא שַׁרְיָא בַּאֲתַר פָּגִים).

He opened and said (פָּתַח וְאָמַר): To the Torah and to the testimony - if they do not speak according to this word (לְתוֹרָה וְלִתְעוּדָה אִם לֹא יֹאמְרוּ כַּדָּבָר הַזֶּה) (Yeshayahu 8). To the Torah and to the testimony (לְתוֹרָה וְלִתְעוּדָה) - who is Torah and who is testimony? (מַאן הוּא תּוֹרָה, וּמַאן הוּא תְּעוּדָה). Rather, Torah is the Written Torah (אֶלָּא: תּוֹרָה, דָּא תּוֹרָה שֶׁבִּכְתָב); testimony is the Oral Torah (תְּעוּדָה, דָּא תּוֹרָה שֶׁבְּעַל פֶּה). The Oral Torah does not rest in a place of blemish (תּוֹרָה שֶׁבְּעַל פֶּה לָא שַׁרְיָא בַּאֲתַר פָּגִים), for it is built from the Written Torah (דְּהָא מִתּוֹרָה שֶׁבִּכְתָב אִתְבְּנֵי). It is written: Bind up the testimony, seal the Torah among My disciples (כְּתִיב: צוֹר תְּעוּדָה חֲתוֹם תּוֹרָה בְּלִמּוּדָי) (Yeshayahu 8). Bind up the testimony - this is the Oral Torah (צוֹר תְּעוּדָה, דָּא תּוֹרָה שֶׁבְּעַל פֶּה), because there is bound there the bundle of life (בְּגִין דְּתַמָּן אִתְצַר צְרוֹרָא דְּחַיֵּי), and in the testimony is tied the bond of supernal life (וּבִתְעוּדָה אִתְקְשַׁר קִשְׁרָא דְּחַיֵּי דִּלְעֵילָּא) - some say: the bond of faith (נ״א: קִשְׁרָא דְּמְהֵימְנוּתָא) - so that all be one (לְמֶהֱוֵי כֹּלָּא חַד). And from there downward the paths and trails are separated (וּמִתַּמָּן לְתַתָּא אִתְפָּרְשָׁן אוֹרְחִין וּשְׁבִילִין), and from there spread all the paths into all the worlds (וּמִתַּמָּן מִתְפָּרְשִׁין אוֹרְחִין בְּעָלְמִין כֻּלְּהוּ). This is what is written (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב): And from there it was parted and became four heads (וּמִשָּׁם יִפָּרֵד וְהָיָה לְאַרְבָּעָה רָאשִׁים) (Bereshit 2).

Seal the Torah (חֲתוֹם תּוֹרָה), the seal of the Orayta (חֲתִימָה דְּאוֹרַיְיתָא), which is the Written Torah in this place (דְּאִיהִי תּוֹרָה שֶׁבִּכְתָּב בְּאָן אֲתַר). Among My disciples (בְּלִמּוּדָי), these are the Nevi’im (אִלֵּין נְבִיאֵי), as you say (כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר): And he set up the right pillar and called its name Yachin, and he set up the left pillar and called its name Boaz (וַיָּקֶם אֶת הָעַמּוּד הַיְמָנִי וַיִּקְרָא שְׁמוֹ יָכִין וַיָּקֶם אֶת הָעַמּוּד הַשְּׂמָאלִי וַיִקְרָא שְׁמוֹ בּוֹעַז) (I Melakhim 7). And from there branch out the paths to the faithful Nevi’im (וּמִתַּמָּן אִתְפָּרְשָׁן אוֹרְחִין לִנְבִיאֵי מְהֵימְנֵי), and these stand in existence for the body (וְקַיְימֵי אִלֵּין בְּקִיּוּמָא לְגוּפָא), to the six pure ones (לְשִׁית טְהִירִין). This is what is written (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב): His thighs are pillars of marble (שׁוֹקָיו עַמּוּדֵי שֵׁשׁ) (Shir haShirim 5). And all of it does not endure except in completeness (וְכֹלָּא לָא קַיְּימָא אֶלָּא בִּשְׁלִימוּ), and the Kedushah of all does not dwell except in wholeness (וְלָא שַׁרְיָא קְדוּשָּׁה דְּכֹלָּא אֶלָּא בִּשְׁלִימוּ), when this is joined with that (כַּד מִתְחַבְּרָאן דָּא בְּדָא), all is complete (כֹּלָּא הוּא שְׁלִים), all is one (כֹּלָּא הוּא חַד), and no place is blemished (לָא אִתְפְּגִים אֲתַר). And for this reason Knesset Yisrael is called Shalem (וְעַל דָּא אִקְרֵי כְּנֶסֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל שָׁלֵם), as you say (כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר): And Malki-Tzedek, King of Shalem (וּמַלְכִּי צֶדֶק מֶלֶךְ שָׁלֵם) (Bereshit 14), and in Shalem is His sukkah (וַיְהִי בְשָׁלֵם סֻכּוֹ) (Tehillim 76).