Daf 177a (דַּף קע״ז ע״א)

Rabbi Yehudah opened (רִבִּי יְהוּדָה פָּתַח), (Job 34) “Hear, you wise men, my words, and you who know, give ear to me.” (שִׁמְעוּ חֲכָמִים מִלָּי וְיוֹדְעִים הַאֲזִינוּ לִי). This verse was spoken by Elihu (הַאי קְרָא אֱלִיהוּא אַמָרוֹ). Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי), what is written (מַה כְּתִיב): (Job 32) “And his anger was kindled against his three friends, because they found no answer...” ( וּבִשְׁלֹשֶׁת רֵעָיו חָרָה אַפּוֹ עַל אֲשֶׁר לֹא מָצְאוּ מַעֲנֶה וְגוֹ'). For they had spoken words (דְּהָא אִינּוּן הֲוִו אַמְרִין מִלִּין), and Job was not consoled by them (וְאִיּוֹב לָא הֲוָה אִתְנְחִים עָלַיְיהוּ).

From here we learn (מֵהָכָא אוֹלִיפְנָא), one who enters to comfort a mourner (מַאן דְּעָאל לְנַחֲמָא לְאָבֵל), must first establish words (בָּעֵי לְיַסְּדָא מִלִּין בְּקַדְמִיתָא), for the friends of Job had spoken words of truth (דְּהָא חַבְרַיָּיא דְּאִיּוֹב הֲווֹ אַמְרֵי מִלֵּי קְשׁוֹט), but to comfort him, they could not (אֲבָל לְנַחֲמָא לֵיהּ לָאו), because he sought words which he would acknowledge upon himself (בְּגִין דְּבָעֵי מִלִּין דְּאִיהוּ יוֹדֵי עָלַיְיהוּ), in the path of truth (בְּאוֹרַח קְשׁוֹט), and then he would accept the judgment upon himself (וּכְדֵין יְקַבֵּל עָלֵיהּ דִּינָא), and acknowledge the Holy King over him (וְיוֹדֵי לְמַלְכָּא קַדִּישָׁא עָלֵיהּ). What is written (מַה כְּתִיב): (Job 32) “And Elihu had waited for Job with words, etc.” (אִיּוֹב ל״ב וְאֵלִיהוּ חִכָּה אֶת אִיּוֹב בִּדְבָרִים וְגוֹ'). For afterward he acknowledged before Kudsha Berikh Hu (דְּאוֹדֵי לְבָתַר לְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא), and accepted upon himself the judgment of heaven (וְקַבִּיל עָלֵיהּ דִּינָא דִּשְׁמַיָּא).

Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי), it is written (Job 34) “Therefore, men of heart, listen to me: far be it from El to do evil, and from Shaddai, injustice.” (כְּתִיב לָכֵן אַנְשֵׁי לֵבָב שִׁמְעוּ לִי חָלִילָה לָאֵל מֵרֶשַׁע וְשַׁדַּי מֵעָוֶל). “Men of heart, listen to me” - whole in all things, to discern words (לָכֵן אַנְשֵׁי לֵבָב שִׁמְעוּ לִי, שְׁלֵימִין בְּכֹלָּא, לְאַבְחֲנָא מִלִּין). “Far be it from El to do evil” - this is what is written (חָלִילָה לָאֵל מֵרֶשַׁע, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב): (Psalms 7) “And El is angry every day” (וְאֵל זוֹעֵם בְּכָל יוֹם). “And from Shaddai, injustice” - this is juxtaposed to that (וְשַׁדַּי מֵעָוֶל, דָּא סָמִיךְ לָקֳבְלָא דָּא), and this has already been established (וְהָא אוּקְמוּה), El Shaddai (אֵל שַׁדָּי). (Job 34) “For the work of man He will repay to him” (כִּי פוֹעַל אָדָם יְשַׁלֶּם לוֹ). A human being walks in this world (הָא בַּר נָשׁ אָזִיל בְּהַאי עָלְמָא), and does his deeds and sins before his Master (וְעָבִיד עֲבִידְתּוֹי וְחָטֵי קַמֵּי מָארֵיהּ), that deed clings to him (הַהוּא עוֹבָדָא תַּלְיָא עָלֵיהּ), to pay him the judgment (לְשַׁלָּמָא לֵיהּ דִּינָא).

This is what is written, “For the work of man He will repay to him” (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב כִּי פוֹעַל אָדָם יְשַׁלֶּם לוֹ), that deed shall be repaid to him (הַהוּא עוֹבָדָא יְשַׁלֶּם לוֹ). And with all this, if he places his heart toward Him (וְעִם כָּל דָּא, אִם יָשִׁים אֵלָיו לִבּוֹ), once a human being sets his heart and desire to return before his Master (כֵּיוָן דְּבַר נָשׁ שַׁוִּי לִבֵּיהּ וּרְעוּתֵיהּ לְאָתָבָא קַמֵּי מָארֵיהּ), then El, God of the spirits (כְּדֵין אֵל אֱלֹהֵי הָרוּחוֹת), his spirit and his Neshama He will gather to Himself (רוּחוֹ וְנִשְׁמָתוֹ אֵלָיו יְאֱסוֹף), to be bound in the bundle of life (לְאִתְצַרְרָא בִּצְרוֹרָא דְּחַיֵּי), and He will not leave his soul outside (וְלָא שָׁבִיק לְנַפְשֵׁיהּ לְבַר), to be judged by another judgment (לְאִתְּדְּנָא בְּדִינָא אַחֲרָא).

Rabbi Yose said (רִבִּי יוֹסֵי אָמַר), this matter is a secret deep and hidden (הַאי מִלָּה רָזָא אַחֲרָא הוּא), in the concealed judgments of Kudsha Berikh Hu (בְּדִינִין טְמִירִין דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא). “For the work of man He will repay to him” (כִּי פּוֹעַל אָדָם יְשַׁלֶּם לוֹ), to be judged by his judgment (לְאִתְּדְּנָא בְּדִינֵיה), and through the deeds that a person does in this world (וּבְאִינוּן עוֹבְדִין דְּבַר נָשׁ עַבִיד בְּהַאי עָלְמָא), it ascends to be judged according to his deeds (וְסַלִיק לֵיהּ לְאִתְדַּנָא כְּעוֹבָדוֹי), and he is removed from the world (וְיִתְאֲבִיד מֵעָלְמָא). What is written afterward (מַה כְּתִיב בַּתְרֵיהּ), “Who appointed him over the earth, and who established the whole world?” (מִי פָקַד עָלָיו אָרְצָה וּמִי שָׂם תֵּבֵל כֻּלָּהּ).

“Who appointed him over the earth” (מִי פָקַד עָלָיו אָרְצָה), this is his brother who redeems him (דָּא הוּא אָחוּהָּ דְּפָרִיק לֵיהּ). “And who established the whole world” (וּמִי שָׂם תֵּבֵל כֻּלָּהּ), these are the builders of the house, and those who construct the structure of the world, and its arrangement and habitation (דְּבָאנֵי בֵּיתָא, וּבָנֵי בִּנְיָין עָלְמָא, וְתִקּוּנָא וְיִשּׁוּבָא). What is written after that (מַה כְּתִיב בַּתְרֵיהּ), “If He sets His heart upon him” (אִם יָשִׁים אֵלָיו לִבּוֹ). This human being (הַאי בַּר נָשׁ), who is appointed to build the structure (דְּפָקִיד עָלֵיהּ לְמִבְנֵי בִּנְיָינָא), must direct his heart and desire toward that union (בָּעֵי לְכַוְּונָא לִבָּא וּרְעוּתָא לְגַבֵּי דְּהַהוּא מִיתָא).

From here we learn (מִכָּאן), a man who comes to that woman (בַּר נָשׁ דְּאָתֵי עַל הַהִיא אִתְּתָא), for the sake of her beauty and desire (בְּגִין שְׁפִּירוּ וְתִיאוּבְתָּא דִּילָהּ), behold, the structure of the world is not built (הָא בִּנְיָין עָלְמָא לָא אִתְבְּנֵי), for the desire and the heart were not directed toward the union (דְּהָא רְעוּתָא וְלִבָּא לָא אִתְכְּוָּון לְגַבֵּי מִיתָא). And because of this it is written, “If He sets His heart upon him” (וּבְגִין כַּךְ כְּתִיב, אִם יָשִׁים אֵלָיו לִבּוֹ), with the desire of the heart directed toward Him (בִּרְעוּתָא דְּלִבָּא דִּיכַוִּין לְגַבֵּיהּ), then his spirit and his Neshama He will gather to Himself (כְּדֵין רוּחוֹ וְנִשְׁמָתוֹ אֵלָיו יֶאֱסוֹף), and He is drawn toward him (וְאִתְמְשַׁךְ גַּבֵּיהּ), to be built in this world (לְאִתְבָּנָאָה בְּהַאי עָלְמָא). What is written after that (מַה כְּתִיב בַּתְרֵיהּ), “All flesh shall perish together, and man shall return to the dust” (יִגְוַע כָּל בָּשָׂר יָחַד וְאָדָם עַל עָפָר יָשׁוּב). “All flesh shall perish together” - that body shall decompose in the dust (יִגְוַע כָּל בָּשָׂר יָחַד, הַהוּא גּוּפָא יִתְבְּלֵי בְּעַפְרָא), and all that flesh (וְכָל הַהוּא בִּשְׂרָא).

And now, “man shall return to the dust” - behold, the renewal of the structure as it was originally (וְהַשְׁתָּא, אָדָם עַל עָפָר יָשׁוּב, הָא חַדְתּוּתִין דְּבִנְיָנָא כְּמִלְּקַדְּמִין), and he shall return upon the dust of the structure of another body (וְיֵתוּב עַל עַפְרָא דְּבִנְיָינָא דְּגוּפָא אַחֲרָא), as it was in the beginning (כְּמָה דְּהֲוָה בְּקַדְמִיתָא). And for this, the Ruach and the Neshama are in the hand of Kudsha Berikh Hu (וְעַל דָּא, רוּחָא וְנִשְׁמְתָא בִּידוֹי דְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא), and He has mercy upon them - upon the sons of men (וְחָיֵיס עָלַיְיהוּ דִּבְנֵי נָשָׁא), that they not be lost from this world nor from the World to Come (דְּלָא יִתְאֲבִידוּ מֵהַאי עָלְמָא, וּמֵעָלְמָא אַחֲרָא). Because of this, “El, God of the spirits of all flesh” (בְּגִין כַּךְ אֵל אֱלֹהֵי הָרוּחוֹת לְכָל בָּשָׂר).

(Numbers 17) “And Moshe said to Aharon, Take the firepan, etc.” (וַיֹּאמֶר מֹשֶׁה אֶל אַהֲרֹן קַח אֶת הַמַּחְתָּה וְגוֹ'). Rabbi Ḥiyya opened (רִבִּי חִיָּיא פָּתַח): (Proverbs 16) “The wrath of a king is messengers of death, but a wise man will atone for it” (חֲמַת מֶלֶךְ מַלְאֲכֵי מָוֶת וְאִישׁ חָכָם יְכַפְּרֶנָּה).

How much people must guard themselves from their sins (כַּמָּה אִית לְהוּ לִבְנֵי נָשָׁא לְאִסְתַּמְּרָא מֵחוֹבַיְיהוּ), and protect their deeds (וּלְנַטְרָא עוֹבָדַיְיהוּ), for many times the world is judged (דְּהָא בְּכַמָּה זִמְנִין עָלְמָא אִתְּדָּן), and each and every day the deeds rise in the balance (וּבְכָל יוֹמָא וְיוֹמָא עוֹבָדִין בְּמַתְקְלָא סַלְּקִין), and they are observed from above (וּמַשְׁגִּיחִין עָלַיְיהוּ לְעֵילָּא), and they are recorded before Him (וְאַכְתִּיבוּ קַמֵּיהּ). And when the deeds of men are not found worthy before the King (וְכַד עוֹבָדַיְיהוּ דִּבְנֵי נָשָׁא לָא מִתְכַּשְּׁרָן קַמֵּי מַלְכָּא), wrath rises (סָלִיק רוּגְזָא), and judgment is aroused (וְדִינָא אִתְּעַר).

This is what is written, “The wrath of a king is messengers of death” (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב חֲמַת מֶלֶךְ מַלְאֲכֵי מָוֶת). And because of this, each and every day a person must beware of his sins (וְעַל דָּא בְּכָל יוֹמָא וְיוֹמָא בָּעֵי בַּר נָשׁ לְאִזְדַּהֲרָא מֵחוֹבוֹי). “And a wise man will atone for it” (וְאִישׁ חָכָם יְכַפְּרֶנָּה), at the time when the Masters of judgment stand over the world (בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְּמָארֵיהוֹן דְּדִינִין קַיְימִין עַל עָלְמָא), and wrath is suspended (וְרוּגְזָא תָּלֵי), if there is found in the generation a meritorious one who arouses above (אִי אִשְׁתְּכַח בְּדָרָא זַכָּאָה דְּרָשִׁים לְעֵילָּא), Kudsha Berikh Hu gazes upon him (קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא אַשְׁגַּח בֵּיהּ), and the wrath is removed (וְאִשְׁתְּכַךְ רוּגְזָא). Like a king who becomes angry at his servant (לְמַלְכָּא דְּאִתְרְגַז עַל עַבְדּוֹי), and had summoned the officer to execute judgment (וַהֲוָה תָּבַע עַל סַנְטִירָא לְמֶעְבַּד דִּינָא). Meanwhile, the king’s beloved entered and stood before him (אַדְּהָכִי עָאל רְחִימָא דְּמַלְכָּא, וְקָם קַמֵּיהּ). As soon as the king saw him (כֵּיוָן דְּחָמָא לֵיהּ מַלְכָּא), his face brightened (אִתְנְהִירוּ אַנְפּוֹי).

The beloved of the king began to speak with him (שָׁארֵי הַהוּא רְחִימָא דְּמַלְכָּא לְאִשְׁתָּעֵי בַּהֲדֵיהּ), and the king rejoiced (וּמַלְכָּא חַדֵּי). Afterwards, when the officer came (לְבָתַר כַּד אָתָא סַנְטִירָא), he saw the face of the king was joyful (חָזָא אַנְפּוֹי דְּמַלְכָּא חַדָּאן), so he departed and went his way (אִסְתַּלָּק וְאָזִיל לֵיהּ), and he did not execute judgment (וְלָא עָבִיד דִּינָא). Then the beloved asked the king concerning his servants (וּכְדֵין, הַהוּא רְחִימָא בָּעֵי לְמַלְכָּא עַל עֲבָדוֹי), and atoned for them (וּמְכַפֵּר לְהוּ). And because of this, “and a wise man will atone for it” (וּבְגִין כָּךְ, וְאִישׁ חָכָם יְכַפְּרֶנָּה).