Daf 168b (דַּף קס״ח ע״ב)

O Rabbi, O Rabbi (אִי רִבִּי, אִי רִבִּי), how many new words from the Head of the Academy (כַּמָה חַדְתִּין מִלִּין מִגּוֹ רַב מְתִיבְתָּא). Meritorious is he who makes himself small in this world (זַכָּאָה אִיהוּ מַאן דְּאַזְעַר גַּרְמֵיהּ בְּהַאי עָלְמָא), how great and exalted is he in that world (כַּמָה אִיהוּ רַב וְעִלָּאָה בְּהַהוּא עָלְמָא). Thus opened the Head of the Academy (וְהָכִי פָּתַח רַב מְתִיבְתָּא): He who is small is great (מַאן דְּאִיהוּ זְעֵיר, אִיהוּ רַב). And he who is great is small (וּמַאן דְּאִיהוּ רַב, אִיהוּ זְעֵיר). As it is written (Bereshit 23) (דִּכְתִּיב, וַיִּהְיוּ חַיֵּי שָׂרָה מֵאָה שָׁנָה וְעֶשְׂרִים שָׁנָה וְשֶׁבַע שָׁנִים). A hundred, which is a great number, it is written “year,” in smallness of years, one diminished it (מֵאָה דְּאִיהוּ חֶשְׁבּוֹן רַב, כְּתִיב בֵּיהּ שָׁנָה, זְעִירוּ דְּשָׁנִין, חַד אַזְעִיר לֵיהּ). Seven, which is a small number, He increased it and made it great, as it is written “seven years” (שֶׁבַע, דְּאִיהוּ חֶשְׁבּוֹן זְעֵיר, אַסְגֵּי לֵיהּ, וְרַבֵּי לֵיהּ דִּכְתִיב שֶׁבַע שָׁנִים).

Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי): Kudsha Berikh Hu does not magnify except one who makes himself small (דְּלָא רַבֵּי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, אֶלָּא לִדְאַזְעִיר). And does not make small except to magnify (לָא אַזְעִיר אֶלָּא לִדְרַבֵּי). Meritorious is he who makes himself small in this world (זַכָּאָה אִיהוּ מַאן דְּאַזְעִיר גַּרְמֵיהּ בְּהַאי עָלְמָא), how great is he in exaltation in that world (כַּמָה אִיהוּ רַב בְּעִלּוּיָא בְּהַהוּא עָלְמָא). Meanwhile they heard the Song of the Sea (אַדְּהָכִי שַׁמְעוּ שִׁירָתָא דְּיַמָּא), in a pleasant voice such as had not been heard since the day they were created (בְּקָל נְעִימוּ דְּלָא שָׁמְעוּ מִיּוֹמָא דְּאִתְבְּרִיאוּ). A pleasant voice of song, like that pleasantness they had spoken (קָל נְעִימוּ דְּשִׁירָתָא, כְּהַהוּא נְעִימוּ דַּהֲווֹ אַמְרֵי). And when they finished, “Hashem shall reign forever and ever” (Exodus 15) (וְכַד סִיְּימוּ, יְיָ יִמְלוֹךְ לְעוֹלָם וָעֶד).

They saw four images in the firmament (חָמוּ ד׳ דִּיוּקְנִין בִּרְקִיעַ). And one of them was greater and more exalted than all (וְחַד מִנַּיְיהוּ רַב וְעִלָּאָה מְכֻּלְּהוּ). And that great and exalted one among them, a voice aroused and said (וְהַהוּא רַב וְעִלָּאָה מִנַּיְיהוּ, אִתְּעַר קָלָא וְאָמַר): “Thus says Hashem: I remember for you the kindness of your youth, the love of your espousals, etc.” (Jeremiah 2) (כֹּה אָמַר יְיָ זָכַרְתִּי לָךְ חֶסֶד נְעוּרַיִךְ אַהֲבַת כְּלוּלוֹתָיִךְ וְגוֹ׳).

It flew in the firmament and was hidden (שָׁאט בִּרְקִיעָא וְאַגְנִיז). Another arose after it and said (קָם אַחֲרָא אֲבַתְרֵיהּ וְאָמַר): “And I will lead the blind in a way they knew not, in paths they have not known, etc.” (Isaiah 42) (וְהוֹלַכְתִּי עִוְרִים בְּדֶּרֶךְ לֹא יָדָעוּ בִּנְתִיבוֹת לֹא יָדְעוּ וְגוֹ׳). It finished, flew in the firmament, and was hidden (סִיֵּים וְשָׁאט בִּרְקִיעָא וְאַגְנִיז).

Opened another and said (פָּתַח אִידָךְ וְאָמַר): “The wilderness and the dry land shall be glad, and the desert shall rejoice, and blossom as the rose” (Isaiah 35) (יְשׂוּשׂוּם מִדְבָּר וְצִיָּה וְתָגֵל עֲרָבָה וְתִפְרַח כַּחֲבַצָּלֶת). And it flew in the firmament and was hidden (וְשָׁאט בִּרְקִיעָא, וְאַגְנִיז). Opened another and said (פָּתַח אִידָךְ וְאָמַר): “Thus says Hashem who created you, O Ya‘akov…” (Isaiah 43) (כֹּה אָמַר יְיָ בּוֹרַאֲךָ יַעֲקֹב וְגוֹ׳). “Thus says Hashem, who makes a way in the sea and a path in the mighty waters…” (Isaiah 43) (כֹּה אָמַר יְיָ הַנּוֹתֵן בַּיָּם דָּרֶךְ וּבְמַיִם עַזִּים נְתִיבָה וְגוֹ׳). “The beast of the field shall honor Me, jackals and the daughters of the ostrich, etc.” (Isaiah 43) (תְּכַבְּדֵנִי חַיַּת הַשָּׂדֶה תַּנִּים וּבְנוֹת יַעֲנָה וְגוֹ׳). It finished, flew in the firmament, and was hidden (סִיֵּים וְשָׁאט בִּרְקִיעָא, וְאַגְנִיז). Then great dread and trembling fell upon them (כְּדֵין דְּחִילוּ סַגִּיא וְאֶמְתָּנִי נָפַל עָלַיְיהוּ).

When the day shone (כַּד הֲוָה נָהִיר יְמָמָא), a voice was aroused as before (קָלָא אִתְּעַר כְּמִלְּקַדְּמִין), and said (וְאָמַר): A people mighty as a lion, strong as leopards, give honor to your Master (עַמָּא תַּקִּיפָא כְּאַרְיֵה, גִּבָּרִין כִּנְמָרִין, הָבוּ יְקָר לְמָארֵיכוֹן). As it is written: “Therefore shall a strong people honor You” (Isaiah 25) (דִּכְתִיב, עַל כֵּן יְכַבְּדוּךָ עַם עָז וְגוֹ׳). They heard the voice (שָׁמְעוּ קָל). Hosts and legions said (חֵילִין וּמַשִׁרְיָין דַּהֲווֹ אַמְרֵי): “Yours, Hashem, is the greatness, the power, the beauty, the eternity, and the majesty…” (1 Chronicles 29) (לְךָ יְיָ הַגְּדוּלָה וְהַגְּבוּרָה וְהַתִּפְאֶרֶת וְהַנֵּצַח וְהַהוֹד וְגוֹ׳), “and You are exalted above all blessing and praise” (עַד וּמְרוֹמַם עַל כָּל בְּרָכָה וּתְהִלָּה). They longed and went (תַּוְוהוּ וְאַזְלוּ). Meanwhile the day shone (אַדְּהָכִי נָהַר יְמָמָא), they lifted their heads (אַהְדְּרוּ רֵישָׁא), and saw all the wilderness covered with clouds of glory (וְחָמוּ כָּל מַדְבְּרָא חָפֵּי בַּעֲנָנֵי יְקָר), radiant, sparkling, in many colors (מְנַהֲרָן, מְנַצְּצָן, בִּגְוָונִין סַגִּיאִין).

They said one to another (אָמְרוּ דָּא לְדָא): Surely Kudsha Berikh Hu desires to be praised with the praise of the generation of the wilderness (וַדַּאי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא בָּעֵי לְאִשְׁתַּבְּחָא בְּתוּשְׁבַּחְתָּא דְּדָרָא דְּמַדְבְּרָא), for there was never in the world a generation above like this generation (דְּלָא הֲוָה בְּעָלְמָא, דָּרָא עִלָּאָה, כְּדָרָא דָּא). And it will not be [like that generation] until the King Mashiach comes (וְלָא יְהֵא עַד דְּיֵיתֵי מַלְכָּא מְשִׁיחָא).

Surely, all that Kudsha Berikh Hu has shown us was only to make known to us the love of their Master upon them (וַדַּאי כָּל מַה דְּאַחְמֵי לָן קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, לָא הֲוָה, אֶלָּא בְּגִין לְאוֹדָעָא לָן חֲבִיבוּ דְּמָארֵיהוֹן עָלַיְיהוּ). To make known that they have a good portion (לְאוֹדָעָא דְּאִית לוֹן חוּלָקָא טָבָא), and they are the sons of the world to come (וְאִינּוּן בָּנֵי עָלְמָא דְּאָתֵי). And at the time to come, when Kudsha Berikh Hu raises the dead, these are destined to be revived first (וּלְזִמְנָא דְּאָתֵי כַּד יוֹקִים קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא מֵתַיָּיא, זְמִינִין אִלֵּין לְאַחֲיָיא בְּקַדְמִיתָא). As it is said (Isaiah 26) (כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר, יִחְיוּ מֵתֶיךָ), and these are the generation of the wilderness (וְאִלֵּין אִינּוּן דָּרָא דְּמַדְבְּרָא).

He said to him (אָמַר לֵיהּ): If you know a new word (אִי מִלָּה חַדְתָּא יַדְעַת), I am confused in it (דַּאֲנָא עַרְטִירָא בָּהּ). He said to him: Speak (אָמַר לֵיהּ אֵימָא). He said: The echo I wish to know (אָמַר קָלָא דְּהַדְרָא בָּעֵינָא לְמִנְדַּע). A man gives a voice in a field or in another place (בַּר נָשׁ יָהִיב קָלָא בְּחַקְלָא, אוֹ בַּאֲתָר אַחֲרָא), and another voice echoes (וְהַדְרָא קָלָא אַחֲרָא), and it is not known (וְלָא יְדִיעַ).

He said to him (אָמַר לֵיהּ): O holy pious one (אִי חֲסִידָא קַדִּישָׁא), on this matter (עַל מִלָּה דָּא), how many voices were aroused (כַּמָה קָלִין אִתְּעֲרוּ), and how many precisions were before the Head of the Academy (וְכַמָּה דִּקְדוּקִין הֲווֹ קָמֵי רַב מְתִיבְתָּא). And when the Head of the Academy descended (וְכַד נָחִת רַב מְתִיבְתָּא), he said: Thus was the word established in the Academy of the firmament (אָמַר, הָכִי אוּקְמוּהָ מִלָּה בִּמְתִיבְתָּא דִּרְקִיעָא), and it is a precious secret (וְרָזָא יַקִּירָא אִיהִי).

Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי): Three voices there are that are never lost (תְּלַת קָלִין אִינּוּן, דְּלָא אִתְאֲבִידוּ לְעָלְמִין), besides the voices of Orayta and prayer (בַּר קָלִין דְּאוֹרַיְיתָא וּצְלוֹתָא), which ascend above and pierce the firmaments (דְּאִלֵּין סַלְּקִין לְעֵילָּא, וּבָקְעִין רְקִיעִין). But other voices are those which do not ascend, yet are not lost (אֲבָל קָלִין אַחֲרָנִין אִינּוּן דְּלָא סַלְּקִין, וְלָא אִתְאֲבִידוּ). And these three are (וְאִינּוּן תְּלַת): The voice of an animal when it is on the slaughter block (קוֹל חַיָּה בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְּאִיהִי עַל קַלְבִּיטָא), that voice travels and goes in the air from one end of the world to the other (הַהוּא קָלָא מְשַׁטְּטָא וְאָזְלָא בַּאֲוִירָא, מִסַּיְיפֵי עָלְמָא עַד סַיְיפֵי עָלְמָא). The voice of a man at the moment his soul departs from his body (קוֹל דְּבַר נָשׁ, בְּשַׁעֲתָא, דְּנָפִיק נִשְׁמָתֵיהּ מִגוּפֵיהּ), that voice travels and goes in the air from one end of the world to the other (הַהוּא קָלָא מְשַׁטְּטָא וְאָזְלָא בַּאֲוִירָא, מִסַּיְיפֵי עָלְמָא עַד סַיְיפֵי עָלְמָא). The voice of a serpent when it sheds its skin (קוֹל נַחַשׁ, בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְּפָשִׁיט מַשְׁכֵּיהּ), that voice travels in the air and goes from one end of the world to the other (הַהוּא קָלָא מְשַׁטְּטָא בַּאֲוִירָא, וְאָזְלָא מִסַּיְיפֵי עָלְמָא עַד סַיְיפֵי עָלְמָא).