Daf 183b (דַּף קפ״ג ע״ב)

Rabbi Yitzchak opened (רִבִּי יִצְחָק פָּתַח), “And it came to pass on the third day, Esther clothed herself in kingship, etc.” (וַיְהִי בַּיוֹם הַשְּׁלִישִׁי וַתִּלְבַּשׁ אֶסְתֵּר מַלְכוּת וְגוֹ') (Esther 5). The Scroll of Esther was spoken with the The Holy Spirit (מְגִּלַת אֶסְתֵּר בְּרוּחַ הַקֹּדֶשׁ נֶאֶמְרָה), and for this reason it was written among the Writings (וּבְגִין כַּךְ כְּתוּבָה בֵּין הַכְּתוּבִים). “And it came to pass on the third day” (וַיְהִי בַּיוֹם הַשְּׁלִישִׁי), when the strength of the body had weakened (דְּאִתְחֲלָשׁ חֵילָא דְּגוּפָא), and she stood in spirit without body (וְהָא קַיְּימָא בְּרוּחָא בְּלָא גּוּפָא). Then, “Esther clothed herself in kingship” (כְּדֵין וַתִּלְבַּשׁ אֶסְתֵּר מַלְכוּת). What is “kingship”? (מַאי מַלְכוּת). If you say in garments of glory and purple (אִי תֵּימָא בִּלְבוּשֵׁי יְקָר וְאַרְגְּוָונָא), behold it is not called so (הָא לָאו הָכִי אִקְרֵי).

Rather, “Esther clothed herself in kingship” - she clothed herself in the supernal holy Malkhut (אֶלָּא וַתִּלְבַּשׁ אֶסְתֵּר מַלְכוּת, דְּאִתְלַבְּשַׁת בְּמַלְכוּת עִלָּאָה קַדִּישָׁא). Surely, she clothed herself with The Holy Spirit (וַדַּאי לָבְשָׁה רוּחַ הַקֹּדֶשׁ). What was the reason she merited this place? (מַאי טַעֲמָא זָכְתָה לְהַאי אֲתָר). Because she guarded her mouth not to reveal anything (בְּגִין דְּנַטְרָא פּוּמָה דְּלָא לְחַוָואָה מִדִּי). This is that which is written (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב), “Esther did not reveal her kindred” (אֵין אֶסְתֵּר מַגֶּדֶת מוֹלַדְתָּה) (Esther 2). And we have learned: whoever guards his mouth and his tongue, merits to be clothed in the The Holy Spirit (וְאוֹלִיפְנָא כָּל מַאן דְּנָטִיר פּוּמֵיהּ וְלִישָׁנֵיהּ, זָכֵי לְאִתְלַבְּשָׁא בְּרוּחַ דְּקוּדְשָׁא). But whoever turns his mouth to an evil word (וְכָל מַאן דְּסָטֵי פּוּמֵיהּ לְמִלָּה בִּישָׁא), behold surely that evil word rules over him (הָא וַדַּאי הַהוּא מִלָּה בִּישָׁא עָלֵיהּ). Some say: and if not (ס״א: וְאִי לָאו). And if you say: behold the plagues or leprosy, that burn upon him like serpents (וְאִי תֵּימָא הָא נְגָעִים אוֹ צָרַעַת, דְּמוֹקְדָן כְּחִוְיָא עָלֵיהּ) - behold, this has already been established (וְהָא אוּקְמוּהָ).

“And the people spoke against Elohim and against Moshe” (וַיְדַבֵּר הָעָם בֵּאלֹהִים וּבְמֹשֶׁה) (Numbers 21). For they spoke an evil word against Kudsha Berikh Hu (דְּאָמְרוּ מִלָּה בִּישָׁא בְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא), as the Targum renders (וּכְתַרְגּוּמוֹ). And with Moshe they contended, saying, “Why have you brought us up?” (וְעִם מֹשֶׁה נָצוּ. לָמָּה הֶעֱלִיתוּנוּ). They made equal all sides in complaint (שַׁווּ כָּל אַפַּיָיא שַׁוְּויָן). Therefore serpents were sent against them, that burn them like fire (בְּגִין כָּךְ אִזְדְּמַן לְגַבַּיְיהוּ חִוְויָין, דְּמוֹקְדָן לוֹן כְּאֶשָּׁא). And fire entered their innards, and they fell dead (וְעַיִּיל אֶשָּׁא לְמֵעַיְיהוּ וְנַפְלִין מֵתִין). As it is said (כְּמָה דְּאַתְּ אָמֵר), “And Hashem sent against the people the fiery serpents” (וַיְשַׁלַח יְיָ בָּעָם אֵת הַנְּחָשִׁים הַשְּׂרָפִים) (Numbers 21).

Rabbi Chiyya said (רִבִּי חִיָּיא אָמַר): Serpents were coming (חִוְויָן הֲווֹ אַתְיָין), whispering with their mouths (מְלַחֲשָׁן בְּפוּמַיְיהוּ), and they would bite and they would die (וְנַשְׁכִין וּמֵתִין). What does “whispering” mean? (מַאי מְלַחֲשָׁן). As it is said (כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר), “If the serpent bites without whispering” (אִם יִשּׁוֹךְ הַנָּחָשׁ בְּלֹא לָחַשׁ) (Ecclesiastes 10). Fire they were flaming in their mouths (אֶשָּׁא הֲווֹ מְלַהֲטָן בְּפוּמַיְיהוּ), and they would bite (וְנַשְׁכִין), and they would cast fire into them (וְשַׁדְיָין אֶשָּׁא בְּהוּ), and their insides were burned and they died (וְאִתּוֹקְדָאן מֵעַיְיהוּ וּמֵתִין). And behold, these words ascend to another place (וְהָא מִלִּין אִלֵּין אִסְתְּלָקוּ לַאֲתָר אַחֲרָא).

“And from there to Be’erah, that is the well” (וּמִשָׁם בְּאֵרָה הִוא הַבְּאֵר) (Numbers 21). Why here “Be’erah,” and later just “Be’er”? (מַאי שְׁנָא דְּהָכָא בְּאֵרָה, וּלְבָתַר בְּאֵר). Rather, “Be’erah” when the waters are gathered into the sea and descend below (אֶלָּא בְּאֵרָה, לְבָתַר דְּמִתְכַּנְשֵׁי מַיָּיא לְגוֹ יַמָּא, וְנַחְתֵּי לְתַתָּא). “Be’er” is at the time that Yitzchak fills it (בְּאֵר, בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְּיִצְחָק מַלְּיָיא לֵיהּ). “She is the well” (הִיא הַבְּאֵר) - so it is written (הוּא כְּתִיב), and this is the secret, as it is written, “And the Levite shall serve, he” (וְרָזָא דָּא, כְּמָה דִכְתִיב, וְעָבַד הַלֵּוִי הוּא) (Numbers 18).

Rabbi Abba said (רִבִּי אַבָּא אָמַר): In every place it is “he,” but we read “she” (בְּכָל אֲתָר הוּא, וְקָרֵינָן הִיא), male and female together (דְּכַר וְנוּקְבָּא כַּחֲדָא). And the supernal unity: the letter Heh female, and Vav male, and Aleph the totality of all (וּכְלָלָא עִלָּאָה, ה׳ נוּקְבָּא, ו׳ דְּכַר, א׳ כְּלָלָא דְּכֹלָּא). For the Aleph in completeness dwells (דְּהָא א׳ בִּשְׁלִימוּ שַׁרְיָא). Fortunate are Yisrael, for even though they are below (זַכָּאִין אִינּוּן יִשְׂרָאֵל, אַף עַל גַּב דְּאִינּוּן לְתַתָּא), they are held in the supernal totality of all (אִינּוּן אֲחִידָן בִּכְלָלָא עִלָּאָה דְּכֹלָּא). And because of this it is written (וּבְגִין כָּךְ כְּתִיב), “He made us, and not we ourselves” (הוּא עָשָׂנוּ וְלֹא אֲנָחְנוּ) (Psalms 100), with an aleph׳ it is written (בְּאָלֶף כְּתִיב). The totality of Vav and Heh׳ and Aleph that includes all (כְּלָלָא דְּו׳ וְה׳ וְא׳ דְּכָלִיל כֹּלָּא).

Rabbi Shimon said (רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן אָמַר): The spirit of the waters - this is the The Holy Spirit (רוּחַ דְּמַיָּא, דָּא הוּא רוּחַ הַקֹּדֶשׁ), that blew at the beginning (דְּנָשַׁב בְּקַדְמִיתָא). As it is said (כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר), “Blow upon my garden” (הָפִיחִי גַנִּי) (Song of Songs 4). Afterward, the waters flow to fill her (לְבָתַר נַזְלִין מַיָּיא לְמַלְיָּא לָהּ). This is that which is written (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב), “He makes His wind blow, the waters flow” (יַשֵּׁב רוּחוֹ יִזְּלוּ מָיִם) (Psalms 147). He makes His wind blow at first (יַשֵּׁב רוּחוֹ בְּקַדְמִיתָא), and afterward the waters flow (וּלְבָתַר יִזְּלוּ מָיִם). And until this spirit blows, the waters do not flow (וְעַד לָא נָשִׁיב הַאי רוּחָא, לָא נַזְלִין מַיָּיא). What does this teach us? (מַאי קָא מַשְׁמַע לָן). It teaches that in everything, a stirring is required, whether in deed or in word, or to be seen in vision of a deed (מַשְׁמַע דְּבָעֵי בְּכֹלָּא לְאַתְּעָרָא מִלָּה, בְּעוֹבָדָא אוֹ בְּמִלָּה, אוֹ לְאִתְחֲזָאָה כְּחֵיזוּ דְּעוֹבָדָא). And here, until the spirit blows, the waters do not flow toward that spirit (וְהָכָא, עַד דְּרוּחָא לָא נָשִׁיב, לָא נַזְלִין מַיָּיא לְגַבֵּיהּ דְּהַהוּא רוּחַ).

“He is the well, she is the well we read” (הוּא הַבְּאֵר, הִיא הַבְּאֵר קָרֵינָן). What is the difference that at first it is called Be’erah, and now Be’er? (מַאי שְׁנָא בְּקַדְמִיתָא בְּאֵרָה, וְהַשְׁתָּא בְּאֵר). Rather, at first, female alone (אֶלָּא בְּקַדְמִיתָא נוּקְבָּא בִּלְחוֹדָהָא). And now that it says “he” (וְהַשְׁתָּא דְּקָאָמַר הוּא), it is the union of male and female, called Be’er (כְּלָלָא דִּדְכַר וְנוּקְבָּא, אִקְרֵי בְּאֵר). And in the place where male is found, even with one hundred females, everything is called male (וּבַאֲתָר דְּאִשְׁתְּכַח דְּכַר, אֲפִילּוּ מְאָה נוּקְבָּא, דְּכַר קָרֵינָן לְכֹלָּא). “As Hashem said to Moshe: Gather the people” (אֲשֶׁר אָמַר יְיָ לְמֹשֶׁה אֱסוֹף אֶת הָעָם) (Numbers 21), because this well was not stripped away from them (בְּגִין דְּהַאי בְּאֵר לָא אַעְדֵּי מִנַּיְיהוּ). And if you would say, how could they all draw from it? (וְאִי תֵּימָא, הֵיךְ יַכְלִין לְשָׁאֲבָא מִנֵּיהּ כֹּלָּא).

Rather, it went forth into thirteen streams (אֶלָּא אִיהוּ נָפִיק לִתְלֵיסַר נַחֲלִין), and the fountain filled and flowed to every side (וּנְבִיעַ אִתְמְלֵּי וְנָפִיק לְכָל סִטְרִין). Then Yisrael, when they camped and desired water, they would stand over it and sing a song (וּכְדֵין הֲווֹ יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְּשָׁארָן וּבַעְיָין מַיָּיא, קַיְימִין עָלֵיהּ, וְאַמְרֵי שִׁירָתָא). And what would they say? “Rise up, O well” (וּמַה אַמְרֵי, עֲלִי בְאֵר).

Rise, your waters, to bring forth water for all, and to be drunk from you (סַלְקִי מֵימַיִךְ, לְאַנְפָּקָא מַיִין לְכֹלָּא, וּלְאִתְשָׁקָאָה מִנָךְ). And thus they said praise of this well, “The well, which the princes dug, etc.” (וְכֵן אַמְרֵי תּוּשְׁבַּחְתָּא דְּהַאי בְּאֵר, בְּאֵר חֲפָרוּהָ שָׂרִים וְגוֹ') (Numbers 21). Surely, they spoke true words (מִלָּה קְשׁוֹט הֲווֹ אַמְרֵי), and so it is (וְכַךְ הוּא). From here we learn (מֵהָכָא אוֹלִיפְנָא [נ״א: תָּא חֲזֵי]): whoever desires to arouse matters above, whether by deed or by word (כָּל מַאן דְּבָעֵי לְאַתְּעָרָא מִלִּין דִּלְעֵילָּא, בֵּין בְּעוֹבָדָא בֵּין בְּמִלָּה).

If that deed or that word is not done properly, nothing is aroused (אִי הַהוּא עוֹבָדָא, אוֹ הַהוּא מִלָּה, לָא אִתְעֲבִיד כַּדְּקָא יָאוּת, לָא אִתְּעַר מִדִי). All the people of the world go to the synagogue to arouse a word above (כָּל בְּנֵי עָלְמָא אַזְלִין לְבֵי כְּנִישְׁתָּא לְאַתְּעָרָא מִלָּה דִּלְעֵילָּא), but few are they who know how to arouse (אֲבָל זְעִירִין אִינּוּן דְּיַדְעִין לְאַתְּעָרָא). And Kudsha Berikh Hu is near to all who know to call to Him and to arouse a word properly (וְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא קָרִיב לְכֹלָּא דְּיַדְעֵי לְמִקְרֵי לֵיהּ וּלְאַתְעֲרָא מִלָּה כַּדְּקָא יָאוּת). But if they do not know to call to Him, He is not near (אֲבָל אִי לָא יַדְעֵי לְמִקְרֵי לֵיהּ, לָאו אִיהוּ קָרִיב). As it is written (דִּכְתִיב), “Hashem is near to all who call upon Him, etc.” (קָרוֹב יְיָ לְכָל קוֹרְאָיו וְגוֹ') (Psalms 145). What is “in truth”? (מַאי בֶאֱמֶת). Those who know how to arouse a word of truth properly (דְּיַדְעֵי לְאַתְּעָרָא מִלָּה דִּקְשׁוֹט כַּדְּקָא יָאוּת). And so it is in all (וְכֵן בְּכֹלָּא).