Daf 158a (דַּף קנ״ח ע״א)

“And the spirit of the beast, that descends below to the earth” (וְרוּחַ הַבְּהֵמָה הַיּוֹרֶדֶת הִיא לְמַטָּה לָאָרֶץ), and not to that place which was meant for the human being, of whom it is written: “In the image of Elohim He made man” (וְלַאו לְהַהוּא אֲתָר דְּהַוָה כָּל בַּר נָשׁ, דִּכְתִּיב בְּצֶלֶם אֱלֹהִים עָשָׂה אֶת הָאָדָם) (Bereshit 9), and it is written: “The lamp of Hashem is the soul of man” (וּכְתִיב נֵר יְיָ נִשְׁמַת אָדָם) (Proverbs 20). How can those fools say, who are not of the people of faith (הֵיךְ אַמְרֵי אִינּוּן טִפְּשָׁאֵי דְּלָאו מִבְּנֵי מְהֵימְנוּתָא), “One spirit is for all”? (וְרוּחַ אֶחָד לַכֹּל).

May their spirit be blown away! (תִּיפַּח רוּחֵיהוֹן). Concerning them it is written: “Let them be as chaff before the wind, and may the angel of Hashem thrust them away” (עָלַיְיהוּ כְּתִיב יִהְיוּ כְּמוֹץ לִפְנֵי רוּחַ וּמַלְאַךְ יְיָ דּוֹחֶה) (Psalms 35). These will remain in Gehinnom (אִלֵּין יִשְׁתַּאֲרוּן בַּגֵיהִנָּם), in those lowest levels (לְאִינּוּן דַּרְגִּין תַּתָּאִין), and they will not ascend for all generations (וְלָא יִסְתַּלְּקוּן לְדָרֵי דָּרִין). Concerning them it is written: “May the sinners be consumed from the earth, and the wicked be no more-bless Hashem, O my soul! HalleluYah!” (עָלַיְיהוּ כְּתִיב יִתַּמּוּ חַטָּאִים מִן הָאָרֶץ וּרְשָׁעִים עוֹד אֵינָם בָּרַכִי נַפְשִׁי אֶת יְיָ הַלְלוּיָהּ) (Psalms 104).

Rabbi Ḥizkiyah and Rabbi Yissa came forward and kissed his head (אָתוּ רִבִּי חִזְקִיָּה וְרִבִּי יֵיסָא, וְנַשְׁקוּ רֵישֵׁיהּ), and said: And all this was with you, and we did not know? (אָמְרוּ וּמַה כָּל כַּךְ הֲוָה עִמָּךְ וְלָא יְדַעְנָא). Fortunate is the moment that we happened upon you (זַכָּאָה הַאי שַׁעֲתָא דְּאַעְרַעְנָא בָּךְ).

He continued and said (תּוּ אָמַר): And is it only on this point that Shlomo bemoaned? (וְכִי עַל דָּא בִּלְחוֹדוֹי תָּוָּה שְׁלֹמֹה). But behold, elsewhere he said the same thing (וְהָא בַּאֲתָר אַחֲרָא אָמַר כְּגַוְונָא דָּא). He opened and said: “This is an evil among all that is done under the sun” (פָּתַח וְאָמַר: זֶה רָע בְּכֹל אֲשֶׁר נַעֲשָׂה תַּחַת הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ) (Ecclesiastes 9). “This is an evil”-indeed! (זֶה רָע וַדַּאי). What is “this is an evil”? (מַאי זֶה רָע). This is one who spills seed in vain (דָּא הוּא מַאן דְּאוֹשִׁיד זַרְעָא בְּרֵיקָנַיָּא), and corrupts his ways (וְחָבִיל אוֹרְחוֹי), because such a person is not of the domain of Kudsha Berikh Hu (בְּגִין דְּהַאי לָאו מָדוֹרֵיהּ בְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא), and he will have no portion in the World to Come (וְלָא יְהֵא לֵיהּ חוּלָקָא בְּעָלְמָא דְּאָתֵי). This is what is written: “For You are not a god who desires wickedness; evil will not dwell with You” (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב: כִּי לֹא אֵל חָפֵץ רֶשַׁע אָתָּה לֹא יְגוּרְךָ רָע) (Psalms 5). On this it is said: “This is an evil”-he shall have no dwelling above (עַל דָּא אָמַר: זֶה רָע, דְּלָא יְהֵא לֵיהּ מָדוֹרָא לְעֵילָּא).

“For one fate is to all, and also the heart of the children of man is full of evil…” (כִּי מִקְרֶה אֶחָד לַכֹּל וְגַם לֵב בְּנֵי הָאָדָם מָלֵא רָע) (Ecclesiastes 9). Because of this (בְּגִין דָּא), “and madness is in their hearts” (וְהוֹלֵלוֹת בִּלְבָבָם). In their lifetime, folly is fixed in their hearts (בְּחַיֵּיהֶם שְׁטוּתָא תָּקִיעַ בְּלִבַּיְיהוּ), and they are without faith (וְאִינּוּן מְחוּסְרֵי מְהֵימְנוּתָא), and they have no portion in Kudsha Berikh Hu (וְלֵית לוֹן חוּלָקָא בְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא). And among those people of faith (וּבְאִינּוּן בְּנֵי מְהֵימְנוּתָא), they shall not be-neither in this world nor in the World to Come (לָאו בְּעָלְמָא דֵּין, וְלָא בְּעָלְמָא דְּאָתֵי). This is what is written: “And after that, they go to the dead” (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב: וְאַחֲרָיו אֶל הַמֵּתִים) (Ecclesiastes 9).

Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי): Kudsha Berikh Hu, warned the people of the world and said (קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא אַזְהַר לִבְנֵי עָלְמָא וְאָמַר): “And you shall choose life, so that you may live” (וּבָחַרְתָּ בַּחַיִּים לְמַעַן תִּחְיֶה) (Deuteronomy 30)-in this world and in the World to Come (בְּהַאי עָלְמָא, וּבְעָלְמָא דָּאֲתֵי). And the life of that world is what is meant (וְחַיִּין דְּהַהוּא עָלְמָא נִינְהוּ). But those guilty ones who lack faith, what do they say? (אִינּוּן חַיָּיבִין מְחוּסְרֵי מְהֵימְנוּתָא מַאי קָא אַמְרֵי): “For who knows who will choose…” (כִּי מִי אֲשֶׁר יִבְחַר וְגוֹ׳) (Ecclesiastes 9). Even if a person chooses in this world (some say: in that world) (אַף עַל גַּב דְּיִבְחַר בַּר נָשׁ בְּהַאי עָלְמָא, ס״א בְּהַהוּא עָלְמָא), as it is said, it is nothing, for this matter is given over into our hands (כְּמָה דְּאָמַר, לָאו הוּא כְּלוּם, דְּהָא מְסִירָא דָּא בִּידָנָא). “For to all the living there is hope” (אֶל כָּל הַחַיִּים יֵשׁ בִּטָּחוֹן) (Ecclesiastes 9)-this matter is given into their hands (וּמְסִירָא דָּא בִּידַיְיהוּ), “for a living dog is better than a dead lion” (כִּי לְכֶלֶב חַי הוּא טוֹב מִן הָאַרְיֵה הַמֵּת) (Ecclesiastes 9).

How shall we have life in that world? (הֵיךְ יְהֵא לָן חַיִּין בְּהַהוּא עָלְמָא). And for this reason: “This is certainly evil,” that they will not dwell with the supernal King (וְעַל דָּא זֶה רָע וַדַּאי, דְּלָא יְדוּרוּן בְּמַלְכָּא עִלָּאָה), and they will have no portion in Him (וְלָא יְהֵא לוֹן חוּלָקָא בֵּיהּ). And even though all these verses are found adjacent to other teachings of the friends (וְאַף עַל גַּב דְּכָל הָנֵי קְרָאֵי תִּשְׁכַּח סְמִיכִין לְחַבְרַיָּיא בְּמִלִּין אַחֲרָנִין), nevertheless Shlomo certainly came to reveal concerning those guilty ones who lack faith (אֲבָל וַדַּאי שְׁלֹמֹה קָא אָתָא לְגַלָּאָה עַל אִינּוּן חַיָּיבִין מְחוּסְרֵי מְהֵימְנוּתָא), that they have no portion in Kudsha Berikh Hu, neither in this world nor in the World to Come (דְּלֵית לוֹן חוּלָקָא בְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא בְּעָלְמָא דֵּין וּבְעָלְמָא דְּאָתֵי).

He said to them (אָמַר לֵיהּ): Do you wish me to join with you and walk together? (תִּבְעֵי דְּנִתְחַבָּר בַּהֲדָךְ וְתֵזִיל בַּהֲדָן). He said to them (אָמַר לְהוּ): If I do this, the Orayta will call me a fool (אִי עֲבִידְנָא הָכִי, אוֹרַיְיתָא יִקְרֵי עָלַי כְּסִיל), and not only that, but I will be liable with my soul (וְלֹא עוֹד אֶלָּא דְּאִתְחָיַיבְנָא בְּנַפְשָׁאי). They said to him: Why? (אָמְרוּ לֵיהּ: לָמָּה). He said to them: Because I am a messenger (אָמַר לוֹן: דְּהָא שְׁלִיחָא אֲנָא), and I was sent on a mission (וְשַׁדְרוּ לִי בִּשְׁלִיחוּתָא), and Shlomo the king said: “He who cuts off his feet drinks violence; so is he who sends words by the hand of a fool” (וּשְׁלֹמֹה מַלְכָּא אָמַר: מְקַצֶּה רַגְלַיִם חָמָס שׁוֹתֶה שׁוֹלֵחַ דְּבָרִים בְּיַד כְּסִיל) (Proverbs 26).

Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי): the spies-because they were not people of faith, nor faithful messengers (מְרַגְּלִים עַל דְּלָא אִשְׁתְּכָחוּ בְּנֵי מְהֵימְנוּתָא וּשְׁלוּחֵי מְהֵימְנוּתָא)-were liable with their lives in this world and in the World to Come (אִתְחָיָיבוּ בְּנַפְשַׁיְיהוּ בְּעָלְמָא דֵּין וּבְעָלְמָא דְּאָתֵי). He kissed them and went on his way (נָשַׁק לוֹן, וְאָזַל לֵיהּ).

Rabbi Ḥizkiyah and Rabbi Yissa went along (אַזְלוּ רִבִּי חִזְקִיָּה וְרִבִּי יֵיסָא), and as they walked (עַד דַּהֲווֹ אָזְלוּ), they encountered certain people (פָּגְעוּ בְּאִינּוּן בְּנֵי נָשָׁא). Rabbi Ḥizkiyah and Rabbi Yissa asked about him (שָׁאִילוּ רִבִּי חִזְקִיָּה וְרִבִּי יֵיסָא עָלֵיהּ): They said, what is the name of that man? (אָמְרוּ מַה שְׁמֵיהּ דְּהַהוּא בַּר נָשׁ). They said: He is Rabbi Ḥaggai (אָמְרוּ, רִבִּי חַגַּי הוּא), and he is a companion among the friends (וְחַבְרָא דְּבֵין חַבְרַיָּיא הוּא), and the friends of Bavel sent him (וְשַׁדְרוּ לֵיהּ חַבְרַיָּיא דְּבָבֶל) to learn teachings from Rabbi Shimon ben Yochai and the other friends (לְמִנְדַּע מִלִּין מֵרִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן יוֹחָאי וּשְׁאַר חַבְרַיָּיא).

Rabbi Yissa said (אָמַר רִבִּי יֵיסָא): Surely this is Rabbi Ḥaggai (וְדַאי דָּא הוּא רִבִּי חַגַּי), who all his days never wanted to display himself in what he knew (דְּכָל יוֹמוֹי לָא בָּעָא לְאַחֲזָאָה גַּרְמֵיהּ בְּמַה דְּיָדַע), and for this reason he told us that his son merited in Orayta (וְעַל דָּא אָמַר לָן דְּהָא בְּרֵיהּ זָכָה לֵיהּ בְּאוֹרַיְיתָא), because he said the verse: “Do you see a man wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him” (בְּגִין דְּאָמַר קְרָא: רָאִיתָ אִישׁ חָכָם בְּעֵינָיו תִּקְּוָה לִכְסִיל מִמֶּנּוּ) (Proverbs 26). Surely he is a faithful messenger (וַדַּאי שְׁלִיחָא מְהֵימָנָא אִיהוּ), and blessed is he who sends words through the hand of a faithful messenger (וְזַכָּאָה אִיהוּ מַאן דְּשָׁדַר מִלּוֹי בִּידָא דִּשְׁלִיחָא מְהֵימָנָא).

Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי): Eliezer, the servant of Avraham, was from the children of Kena‘an (אֱלִיעֶזֶר עֶבֶד אַבְרָהָם מִבְּנֵי כְּנַעַן הֲוָה), as you say: “Kena‘an, in his hand are deceptive balances” (כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר: כְּנַעַן בְּיָדוֹ מֹאזְנֵי מִרְמָה) (Hosea 12). And Kena‘an is written about: “Cursed is Kena‘an; a servant of servants shall he be to his brothers” (וּכְנַעַן כְּתִיב עָלֵיהּ: אָרוּר כְּנַעַן עֶבֶד עֲבָדִים יִהְיֶה לְאֶחָיו) (Bereshit 9). But because he was a faithful messenger (וּבְגִין דְּהֲוָה שְׁלִיחָא מְהֵימָנָא), what is written of him? “Come, blessed of Hashem!” (מַה כְּתִיב בֵּיהּ: בֹּא בְּרוּךְ יְיָ) (Bereshit 24). Blessed of Hashem-literally (בְּרוּךְ יְיָ מַמָּשׁ). And because of this it is written thus in the Orayta (וְעַל דָּא אַכְתִּיב הָכִי בְּאוֹרַיְיתָא), so that he would depart from that curse and be blessed (בְּגִין דְּנָפַק מֵהַהִיא קְלָלָה, וְאִתְבְּרַךְ). And not only did he escape it (וְלָא דַּי לֵיהּ דְּנָפִיק מִנָּהּ), but he was blessed with the name of the Holy One, blessed be He (אֶלָּא דְּאִתְבְּרַך בִּשְׁמֵיהּ דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא). And we learn that an angel came and placed this word into the mouth of Lavan (וְאוֹלִיפְנָא דְּאָתָא מַלְאָךְ, וְאָעִיל מִלָּה דָּא בְּפוּמֵיהּ דְּלָבָן).