Daf 94b (דַּף צ״ד ע״ב)

Like a son who enters the house of his father and his mother, and eats and drinks whenever he desires (לִבְרָא דְּעָאל לְבֵיתָא דַאֲבוֹי וְאִמֵּיהּ, וְאָכַל וְשָׁתֵי, בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְּהוּא בָּעֵי). To a King who had an only son, beloved of his soul (לְמַלְכָּא דְּהֲוָה לֵיהּ בְּרָא יְחִידָאי, חֲבִיבָא דְּנַפְשֵׁיהּ), He gave him friends to guard him and to be joined with them (יָהַב לֵיהּ שׁוּשְׁבִינָא לְנַטְרָא לֵיהּ, וּלְאִתְחַבְּרָא בְּהוּ).

The King said: It is proper to invite these friends of My son, and to show My honor and My affection in them (אָמַר מַלְכָּא, יָאוּת הוּא לְזַמְּנָא לְאִלֵּין שׁוּשְׁבִינִין דִּבְרִי, וּלְאַחֲזָאָה יְקָרָא וַחֲבִיבוּתָא דִּילִי בְּהוּ). He invited those friends (זַמִּין לוֹן לְהָנֵי שׁוּשְׁבִינִין). But the son - it is not fitting to invite him (בְּרָא לָא אִתְחֲזֵי לְזַמְּנָא), only to enter and to eat and to drink in the house of his father whenever he desires (אֶלָּא לְמֵיעַל וּלְמֵיכַל וּלְמִשְׁתֵּי בְּבֵיתָא דַּאֲבוֹי, בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְּאִיהוּ בָּעֵי). This is what is written (הֲדָא הוּא דִּכְתִּיב): “Who is like You among the mighty, Hashem? Who is like You, glorious in holiness” (מִי כָמוֹכָה בָּאֵלִים יְיָ׳ מִי כָּמוֹכָה נֶאְדָּר בַּקֹּדֶשׁ) (Exodus 15). Glorious in holiness indeed (נֶאְדָּר בַּקֹּדֶשׁ וַדַּאי), for it has already been established-some say: strengthened-in the father (כְּבַר דְּאִתְתְּקַן, ס״א דְּאִתְתְּקַף, בַּאֲבוֹי). Glorious in holiness (נֶאְדָּר בַּקֹּדֶשׁ), and not invited from holiness (וְלָאו זַמִּין מִקֹּדֶשׁ).

“Six days shall work be done” (שֵׁשֶׁת יָמִים תֵּעָשֶׂה מְלָאכָה). Six days - what is their work? (שֵׁשֶׁת יָמִים מַאי עֲבִידְתַיְיהוּ). Rabbi Yose said: It is written: “For six days Hashem made the heavens and the earth” (כְּתִיב כִּי שֵׁשֶׁת יָמִים עָשָׂה יְיָ׳ אֶת הַשָּׁמַיִם וְאֶת הָאָרֶץ), and it is not written “in six” (וְלָא כְּתִיב בְּשֵׁשֶׁת). And behold, it has already been established (וְהָא אוּקְמוּהָ): every single day performed its work (וְכָל יוֹמָא וְיוֹמָא עָבִיד עֲבִידְתֵיהּ), and they are called days of work (וְאִקְרוּן יוֹמֵי מְלָאכָה).

Rabbi Yitzḥak said (אָמַר רִבִּי יִצְחָק): If so, why are they called six weekdays? (אִי הָכִי אֲמַאי אִקְרוּן שֵׁשֶׁת יְמֵי חוֹל). Why are they called weekday (אֲמַאי חוֹל)? Rabbi Yose said (אָמַר רִבִּי יוֹסֵי): Now the world is conducted by the agency of His emissaries-248, according to tradition (הַשְׁתָּא אִתְנְהִיג עָלְמָא רמ״ח עַל יְדָא דִּשְׁלוּחַיְיהוּ), therefore they are called weekdays (בְּגִין כָּךְ יוֹמֵי חוֹל אִקְרוּן).

Rabbi Ḥiyya said (רִבִּי חִיָּיא אָמַר): Because it is permitted to do work on them (בְּגִין דְּשָׁרֵי לְמֶעְבַּד בְּהוֹן עֲבִידְתָא), and because of this they are not called holiness (וּבְגִין דָּא לָא אִקְרוּן קֹדֶשׁ). And those that are not called holiness, they are called weekday (וּמַאן דְּלָאו אִקְרוּן קֹדֶשׁ, חוֹל אִקְרוּן). And for this reason the friends established in Havdalah (וְעַל דָּא אַתְקִינוּ חַבְרַיָּיא בְּהַבְדָּלָה), “between holiness and weekday” (בֵּין קֹדֶשׁ לְחוֹל). What is Havdalah here? (מַאי הַבְדָּלָה הָכָא). Rather, holiness is the essential word itself (אֶלָּא קֹדֶשׁ מִלָּה בְּגַרְמֵיהּ הוּא), and the others come from it (וְשַׁארָא מִנֵּיהּ אַתְיָין). And for this reason, these are for labor (וְעַל דָּא אִלֵּין לְעוֹבָדָא), and these for guarding (וְאִלֵּין לְנַטְרָא). And when is guarding found in them? (וְאֵימָתַי אִשְׁתְּכַח נְטִירוּ בְּהוּ). When they are invited from holiness (כַּד זְמִינִין מִקֹּדֶשׁ).

Rabbi Yehudah said (אָמַר רִבִּי יְהוּדָה): The joy and guarding of the day of Shabbat surpasses all (חֶדְוָותָא וּנְטִירוּתָא דְּיוֹמָא דְּשַׁבְּתָא עַל כֹּלָּא הוּא). For this day is crowned with Abba and Imma (וּבְגִין דְּהָא יוֹמָא אִתְעֲטָּר בְּאַבָּא וְאִמָּא), and an added holiness is upon its holiness (וְאִתוֹסַף קְדוּשָּׁה עַל קְדוּשָּׁתֵיהּ), such as is not found in the other days (מַה דְּלָא אִשְׁתְּכַח הָכִי בִּשְׁאָר יוֹמֵי). For it is holiness (דְּהָא הוּא קֹדֶשׁ), and is crowned with holiness (וְאִתְעַטָּר בַּקֹּדֶשׁ), and adds holiness upon its holiness (וְאוֹסִיף קְדוּשָּׁה עַל קְדוּשָּׁתֵיהּ). Therefore this day is the joy of the supernal and the lower ones, all rejoice in it (בְּגִין כַּךְ הַאי יוֹמָא חֶדְוָותָא דְּעִלָּאֵי וְתַתָּאֵי, כֹּלָּא חֲדָאן בֵּיהּ). It is full of blessing in all the worlds (מָלֵי בִּרְכָאן בְּכֻלְּהוּ עָלְמִין). All are sustained from it-some say: all are nourished from it (כֻּלְּהוּ מִנֵּיהּ אִתְקָנוּ, נ״א אִתְזָנוּ). On this day there is rest for the supernal and the lower ones (בְּהַאי יוֹמָא נַיְיחָא דְּעִלָאֵי וְתַתָּאֵי). On this day there is rest for the guilty in Gehinnom (בְּהַאי יוֹמָא נַיְיחָא דְּחַיָּיבַיָּא דְּגֵיהִנָם).

To a king who made a celebration for his only son (לְמַלְכָּא דְּעָבַד הִלוּלָא לִבְרֵיהּ יְחִידָאִי), he crowned him with a supernal crown (אַעְטָּר לֵיהּ בְּעִטְרָא עִלָּאָה), and appointed him king over all (מָנֵי לֵיהּ מַלְכָּא עַל כֹּלָּא). On this day there is joy for all (בְּהַאי יוֹמָא חֶדְוָותָא לְכֹלָּא). One officer who was appointed over judgment of men (חַד סַנְטִירָא דְּאִתְפְּקַד עַל דִּינָא דִּבְנֵי נָשָׁא) had in his hand men who required killing (הֲווֹ בִּידֵיהּ גּוּבְרִין דְּבַעְיָין קָטּוּלָא), men who required striking (גּוּבְרִין דְּבַעְיָין לְאַלְקָאָה). But because of the honor of this day of the joy of the king (בְּגִין יְקָרָא דְּהַאי יוֹמָא דְּחֶדְוָותָא דְּמַלְכָּא), he sets aside judgment (שָׁבִיק דִּינוֹי), and attends to the joy of the king (וְנָטַר לְחֶדְוָותָא דְּמַלְכָּא).

So it is with that day: it is the celebration of the King with the Matronita (כַּךְ הַהוּא יוֹמָא, הִלוּלָא דְּמַלְכָּא בְּמַטְרוֹנִיתָא), the joy of Abba and Imma upon it (חֶדְוָותָא דְּאַבָּא וְאִימָּא עָלֵיהּ), the joy of the supernal ones and the lower ones (חֶדְוָותָא דְּעִלָּאִין וְתַתָּאִין). In the joy of the King, all rejoice (בְּחֶדְוָותָא דְּמַלְכָּא, כֻּלְּהוּ חַדָּאן), and none suffer in it (וְלָא יִצְטַעֲרוּן בֵּיהּ). Concerning this it is written (עַל דָּא כְּתִיב): “And you shall call the Shabbat a delight” (וְקָרָאתָ לַשַּׁבָּת עֹנֶג) (Isaiah 58). What is delight? (מַאי עֹנֶג). Delight is not found except above, in the place where supernal holiness rests (עֹנֶג לָא אִשְׁתְּכַח אֶלָּא לְעֵילָּא בַּאֲתַר דְּקֹדֶשׁ עִלָּאָה שָׁארֵי). As you say (כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר): “Then you shall delight yourself in Hashem” (אָז תִּתְעַנַּג עַל יְיָ׳) (Isaiah 58). For this delight is upon Hashem (דְּהַאי עֹנֶג עַל יְיָ׳ הוּא). And this day, which is the celebration of the King (וְהַאי יוֹמָא דְּהוּא הִלוּלָא דְּמַלְכָּא), is crowned with that crown of delight (אִתְעֲטָּר בְּהַהוּא עִטְרָא דְּעֹנֶג). This is what is written: “And you shall call the Shabbat a delight” (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב וְקָרָאתָ לַשַּׁבָּת עֹנֶג). Such is not found on the other days (מַה דְּלָא אִשְׁתְּכַח הָכִי בִּשְׁאָר יוֹמִין).

On this day, three meals must the children of the King prepare and arrange tables (בְּהַאי יוֹמָא, תְּלַת סְעוּדָתָאן בַּעְיָין בְּנֵי מַלְכָּא, לְזַמְּנָא, וּלְסַדְּרָא פָּתוֹרֵי), for the honor of the King, as we have established (בְּגִין יְקָרָא דְּמַלְכָּא, כְּמָה דְּאוֹקִימְנָא). And when a festival or a season occurs in it (וְכַד אִזְדְּמַן בֵּיהּ חַגָּא, אוֹ זְמָנָא), a man must not set two tables in each meal, one for Shabbat and one for the guest (לָא יְסַדֵּר בַּר נָשׁ תְּרֵי פָּתוֹרֵי בְּכָל סְעוּדָתָא, חַד לְשַׁבָּת, וְחַד לְאוּשְׁפִּיזָא), because it is written (בְּגִין דִּכְתִּיב): “At the table of the King he shall always eat” (עַל שֻׁלְחַן הַמֶּלֶךְ תָּמִיד הוּא אוֹכֵל) (II Samuel 9). It is sufficient in the table of the King for that guest who comes to Him (סִפּוּקָא הוּא בְּפָתוֹרָא דְּמַלְכָּא, לְהַהוּא אוּשְׁפִּיזָא דְּאַתְיָא לֵיהּ). And therefore a man must arrange a complete table for the King, and He gives from it to the guest (וְעַל דָּא בָּעֵי בַּר נָשׁ לְסַדּוּרֵי פָּתוֹרָא שְׁלֵימָא לְמַלְכָּא, וְהוּא יָהִיב מִינֵּיהּ לְאוּשְׁפִּיזָא).

Rabbi El‘azar said (אָמַר רִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר): The third meal of Shabbat-when a guest intrudes upon it (סְעוּדָתָא תְּלִיתָאָה דְּשַׁבָּת, כַּד אִעְרַע בֵּיהּ אוֹשְׁפִּיזָא)-do they leave him, or do they not leave him? (שַׁבְקִין לֵיהּ אוֹ לָא שַׁבְקִין לֵיהּ). If they do not leave him, it turns out the guest of life is excluded from the table of the King (אִי לָא שַׁבְקִין לֵיהּ, אִשְׁתְּכַח אוּשְׁפִּיזָא דְּחַיָּיא מִפָּתוֹרָא דְּמַלְכָּא). If they do leave him, it turns out there is a defect in the banquet of the King (אִי שַׁבְקִין לֵיהּ, אִשְׁתְּכַח פְּגִימוּ בִּסְעוּדָתָא דְּמַלְכָּא).

Rabbi Shim‘on, his father, said to him (אָמַר לֵיהּ רִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן אֲבוֹי): It is like a King upon whom a guest intruded (לְמַלְכָּא דְּאִיעְרַע בֵּיהּ אוּשְׁפִּיזָא), and he took food from before Him (וְנָטִיל מֵיכְלָא מִקַּמֵּיהּ), and brought it up to his guest (וְסַלְּקָא לְאוּשְׁפִּיזֵיהּ). It turns out that even though the King did not eat with him (אִשְׁתְּכַח אַף עַל גַּב דְּמַלְכָּא לָא אָכַל עִמֵּיהּ), from the food of the King he ate (מִמֵּיכְלָא דְּמַלְכָּא קָא אָכִיל), and the King gave him to eat (וּמַלְכָּא יָהִיב לֵיהּ לְמֵיכַל). And all this is because he is the guest of the King (וְכָל דָּא, בְּגִין דְּהוּא אוּשְׁפִּיזֵיהּ דְּמַלְכָּא). And in the house of Rav Hamnuna Sava, they did not concern themselves with the guest at that time (וּבְבֵי רַב הַמְנוּנָא סָבָא, לָא חַיְישֵׁי לְאוּשְׁפִּיזָא בְּשַׁעֲתָא דָּא), and afterwards they arranged the table for the guest (וּלְבָתַר מְסַדְּרֵי פָּתוֹרָא לְאוֹשְׁפִּיזָא).

On this day, conversation is forbidden (בְּהַאי יוֹמָא מִלּוּלָא אָסִיר). This is what is written (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב): “From pursuing your own pleasure and speaking words” (מִמְּצוֹא חֶפְצְךָ וְדַבֵּר דָּבָר) (Isaiah 58). And we learned: it is written “your own pleasure” (וּתְנָן חֶפְצְךָ כְּתִיב). For on this day all faith is bound in it (בְּגִין דְּהַאי יוֹמָא כָּל מְהֵימְנוּתָא אִתְקְשַׁר בֵּיהּ).

Rabbi El‘azar said to him (אָמַר לֵיהּ רִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר): And how shall we act, that we not arrange-some say: not remove-the banquet of the King for the guest (וְהֵיךְ עֲבִידְנָא דְּלָא לְסַדְּרָא, ס״א לְסַלְּקָא, סְעוּדָתָא דְּמַלְכָּא לְאוּשְׁפִּיזָא)? For behold, the fourteenth that falls on Shabbat (דְּהָא אַרְבֵּיסָר דְּחַל לִהְיוֹת בְּשַׁבָּת), the banquet of the King goes up to Pesach (סַלְּקָא סְעוּדָתָא דְּמַלְכָּא לְפִסְחָא), even though it is not His guest (אַף עַל גַּב דְּלָאו אִיהוּ אוּשְׁפִּיזֵיהּ).