Daf 176a (דַּף קע״ו ע״א)

Rabbi Yehudah said (אָמַר רִבִּי יְהוּדָה) Kudsha Berikh Hu said (אָמַר קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא) whoever desires to follow My fear (מַאן דְּבָעֵי לְמֵהַךְ בָּתַר דָּחַלְתִּי) let him follow this heart (יְהַךְ בָּתַר לִבָּא דָּא) and the eyes that are fixed upon her (וּבָתַר עַיְינִין דְּקַיְימִין עָלָהּ). Who are the eyes (מַאן אִינּוּן עַיְינִין). As it is said (כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר) (Psalms 31) "The eyes of Hashem are upon the righteous" (תהלים לא עֵינֵי יְיָ אֶל צַדִּיקִים). But you shall not stray after your heart and after your eyes (אֲבָל אַתֶּם לֹא תָתוּרוּ אַחֲרֵי לְבַבְכֶם וְאַחֲרֵי עֵינֵיכֶם). What is the reason (מַאי טַעְמָא). Because you go astray after them (בְּגִין דְּאַתֶּם זוֹנִים אַחֲרֵיהֶם).

Rabbi Ḥiyya said (אָמַר רִבִּי חִיָיא) why is the Exodus from Egypt mentioned here (מַאי טַעֲמָא הָכָא יְצִיאַת מִצְרַיִם) as it is written: "Who brought you out from the land of Egypt" (דִּכְתִּיב אֲשֶׁר הוֹצֵאתִי אֶתְכֶם מֵאֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם). Rather (אֶלָּא) because when they went out from Egypt (בְּגִין דְּכַד נַפְקוּ מִמִּצְרָיִם) it was through this portion that they entered (בְּהַאי חוּלָקָא עָאל) and through this Kudsha Berikh Hu struck the blow to Egypt (וּבְהַאי קָטִיל קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא קָטוּלָא דְּמִצְרַיִם). And for this reason in that place it is recalled (וְעַל דָּא בְּאַתְרֵיהּ אִתְדְּכַר) and in that place they are warned concerning it (וּבְאַתְרֵיהּ אִזְדְּהַר לְהוּ בְּדָא). What is "in that place"? (מַאי בְּאַתְרֵיהּ) Because this commandment is her place (בְּגִין דְּהַאי מִצְוָה הִיא אֲתָר דִּילָהּ).

Rabbi Yissa taught (תָּאנֵי רִבִּי יֵיסָא) it is written (Micah 7) "As in the days when you went forth from the land of Egypt I will show him wonders" (כְּתִיב כִּימֵי צֵאתְךָ מֵאֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם אַרְאֶנּוּ נִפְלָאוֹת). "As in the days" (כִּימֵי) it should have said "as the day" (כַּיּוֹם מִבָּעֵי לֵיהּ) for they went out in one moment and were not delayed (דְּהָא בְּחַד זִמְנָא נַפְקוּ וְלָא אִתְעַכְּבוּ). Rather, it means like those supernal days (אֶלָּא כְּאִינּוּן יוֹמִין עִלָּאִין) in which Knesset Yisrael was blessed (דְּאִתְבָּרְכָא בְּהוּ כְּנֶסֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל). So is Kudsha Berikh Hu destined to bring Yisrael out of exile (כַּךְ זַמִּין קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לְאַפָּקָא לְהוּ לְיִשְׂרָאֵל מִן גָּלוּתָא) and then it is written (Isaiah 12) "And you shall say on that day, Give thanks to Hashem, proclaim His Name, etc." (וּכְדֵין כְּתִיב וַאֲמַרְתֶּם בַּיוֹם הַהוּא הוֹדוּ לַיְיָ קִרְאוּ וְגוֹ') "Sing to Hashem for He has done exaltedly, make this known in all the earth" (זַמְּרוּ יְיָ כִּי גֵּאוּת עָשָׂה מוּדַעַת זֹאת בְּכָל הָאָרֶץ). What is "make this known"? (מַאי מוּדַעַת זֹאת) Because now it is made known through the wrapping of the commandment (בְּגִין דְּהַשְׁתָּא אִשְׁתְּמוֹדְעָא זֹאת בְּעִטּוּפָא דְּמִצְוָה) in that time this will be made known (בְּהַהוּא זִמְנָא אִשְׁתְּמוֹדְעָא זֹאת) through her many forms (בְּכַמָּה נִמוּסִין דִּילָהּ) that Kudsha Berikh Hu will perform signs and wonders in the world (דְּיַעֲבֵיד קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא אָתִין וְנִסִּין בְּעָלְמָא). Then it is written (Zechariah 14) "On that day Hashem will be One and His Name One" (כְּדֵין כְּתִיב בַּיוֹם הַהוּא יִהְיֶה יְיָ אֶחָד וּשְׁמוֹ אֶחָד). Blessed is Hashem forever, amen and amen (בָּרוּךְ יְיָ לְעוֹלָם אָמֵן וְאָמֵן). May Hashem reign forever, amen and amen (יִמְלוֹךְ יְיָ לְעוֹלָם אָמֵן וְאָמֵן).

Parashat Korach

orach son of Yitzhar son of Kehat son of Levi took, etc. (וַיִּקַּח קֹרַח בֶּן יִצְהָר בֶּן קְהָת בֶּן לֵוִי וְגוֹ'). Rabbi Abba opened: (רִבִּי אַבָּא פָּתַח) (Psalms 19) "More desirable than gold and much fine gold, and sweeter than honey and drippings of the comb." (הַנֶּחֱמָדִים מִזָּהָב וּמִפָּז רַב וּמְתוּקִים מִדְּבַשׁ וְנוֹפֶת צוּפִים) How exalted are the sayings of Orayta (כַּמָּה עִלָּאִין פִּתְגָּמֵי אוֹרַיְּיתָא), how precious they are (כַּמָּה יַקִּירִין אִינּוּן), they are desired above (תְּאִיבִין אִינּוּן לְעֵילָּא), they are desired by all (תְּאִיבִין אִינּוּן לְכֹלָּא), because they are the Holy Name (בְּגִין דְּאִינּוּן שְׁמָא קַדִּישָׁא). And whoever labors in Orayta (וְכָל מַאן דְּאִשְׁתְּדַל בְּאוֹרַיְּיתָא), labors in the Holy Name (אִשְׁתְּדַל בִּשְׁמָא קַדִּישָׁא), and is delivered from all (וְאִשְׁתְּזִיב מִכֹּלָּא), is delivered in this world (אִשְׁתְּזִיב בְּעָלְמָא דֵּין), and is delivered in the World to Come (וְאִשְׁתְּזִיב בְּעָלְמָא דְּאָתֵי).

Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי), whoever labors in Orayta (כָּל מַאן דְּאִשְׁתְּדַּל בְּאוֹרַיְּיתָא), holds fast to the Tree of Life (אָחִיד בְּאִילָנָא דְּחַיֵּי). Once he holds fast to it (כֵּיוָן דְּאָחִיד בֵּיהּ), he holds fast to all (בְּכֹלָּא אָחִיד), as it is written (דִּכְתִּיב) (Proverbs 3) "She is a tree of life to those who grasp her, etc." (עֵץ חַיִּים הִיא לַמַּחֲזִיקִים בָּהּ וְגוֹ').

Rabbi Yitzchak said (רִבִּי יִצְחָק אָמַר), whoever labors in Orayta (כָּל מַאן דְּיִשְׁתְּדַּל בְּאוֹרַיְּיתָא), has freedom from all (חֵירוּ אִית לֵיהּ מִכֹּלָּא), freedom from death (חֵירוּ מִמִּיתָה), as we have said (כְּמָה דְּאַמָרָן), because freedom rests upon him (בְּגִין דְּחֵירוּ עָלֵיהּ שַׁרְיָא), and he holds to it (וְאָחִיד בֵּיהּ). If Yisrael were crowned with Orayta (אִילּוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל מִתְעַטְּרִין בְּאוֹרַיְּיתָא), they would be delivered from all (יִשְׁתְּזִיבוּ מִכֹּלָּא), and they would not be found in exile (וְלָא יִשְׁתְּכָחוּ בְּגָלוּתָא), and this is what is written (וְדָא הוּא דִּכְתִּיב) some say: if Yisrael kept Orayta, they would be delivered from all and would not be found in exile (ס״א: אִילּוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל מְנַטְּרִין אוֹרַיְּיתָא, אִשְׁתְּזִיבוּ מִכֹּלָּא, וְלָא אִשְׁתְּכָחוּ בְּגָלוּתָא כְּתִיב) (Exodus 32) "Engraved upon the tablets" (חָרוּת עַל הַלֻּחוֹת).

Do not read: charut [engraved], but cheirut [freedom] (אַל תִּקְרֵי חָרוּת אֶלָּא חֵירוּת). And this cheirut (וְחֵירוּת דָּא), as has been established (אוּקְמוּה), is found in Orayta (בְּאוֹרַיְּיתָא אִשְׁתְּכַח). Orayta is the power of the right side (אוֹרַיְּיתָא אִיהִי חֵילָא דִּימִינָא), as it is said (כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר) (Deuteronomy 33) "From His right hand a fiery law for them" (מִימִינוֹ אֵשׁ דָּת לָמוֹ), and the left is included in the right (וּשְׂמָאלָא אִתְכְּלִיל בִּימִינָא). Whoever makes the right into the left, and the left into the right (מַאן דְּעָבִיד יְמִינָא שְׂמָאלָא, וּשְׂמָאלָא יְמִינָא), behold, it is as though he destroys the world (הָא אִיהוּ כְּאִילּוּ חָרִיב עָלְמָא).

Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי), Aharon is the right side (אַהֲרֹן יְמִינָא). Levi is the left side (לֵיוָאֵי שְׂמָאלָא). Korach sought to turn the right into the left (קֹרַח בָּעֵי לְמֶעְבַּד חִלּוּפָא דִּימִינָא לִשְׂמָאלָא), therefore he was punished (בְּגִין כָּךְ אִתְעַנָּשׁ). And not only that, but an evil tongue was found in him (וְלָא עוֹד אֶלָּא דְּאִשְׁתְּכַח בֵּיהּ לִישָׁנָא בִּישָׁא), and he was punished in all (וְאִתְעֲנָשׁ בְּכֹלָּא).

Rabbi Yehudah said (רִבִּי יְהוּדָה אָמַר), the left is always included in the right (שְׂמָאלָא אִתְכְּלִיל תָּדִיר בִּימִינָא). Korach wanted to overturn the Tikkun above and below (קֹרַח בָּעָא לְאַחְלְפָא תִּקּוּנָא דִּלְעֵילָּא וְתַתָּא), and therefore he was lost from above and from below (בְּגִין כָּךְ אִתְאֲבִיד מֵעֵילָּא וְתַתָּא).

“And Korach took” – what is “and he took”? (וַיִּקַּח קֹרַח, מַאי וַיִּקַּח). He took evil counsel for himself (נָסִיב עֵיטָא בִּישָׁא לְגַרְמֵיהּ). Whoever chases after what is not his, it flees from him (כָּל דְּרָדַף בָּתַר דְּלָאו דִּילֵיהּ, אִיהוּ עָרִיק מִקַּמֵּיהּ). And not only that, but that which he has is taken from him (וְלֹא עוֹד, אֶלָּא מַה דְּאִית בֵּיהּ אִתְאֲבִיד מִנֵּיהּ). Korach pursued what was not his (קֹרַח רָדִיף בָּתַר דְּלָאו דִּילֵיהּ), and what was his was lost (דִּילֵיהּ אָבִיד), and the other he did not attain (וְאַחֲרָא לָא רָוַח).