Daf 184b (דַּף קפ״ד ע״ב)

Immediately Kudsha Berikh Hu said (מִיָּד אָמַר קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא): “Do not fear him” (אַל תִּירָא אוֹתוֹ), do not be afraid of that ot of his (לָא תִּדְּחַל לְהַהוּא אֹת דִּילֵיהּ). And even the right hand is not needed (וַאֲפִילּוּ לִימִינָא לָא אִצְטְרִיךְ). “For into your hand I have given ” (כִּי בְיָדְךָ נָתַתִּי). Your left hand will uproot him from the world (שְׂמָאלָא דִּילָךְ יַעְקָר לֵיהּ מֵעָלְמָא), for he has blemished his own reshima (דְּהָא הוּא פָּגִים רְשִׁימָא דִּילֵיהּ). And whoever blemishes this ot is seen fit to be uprooted from the world (וּמַאן דְּפָגִים לְהַאי אָת, אִתְחֲזֵי לְאִתְעַקְּרָא מֵעָלְמָא). All the more so your left hand, which is your hand, shall uproot him from the world (כָּל שֶׁכֵּן שְׂמָאלָא דִּילָךְ, דְּאִיהוּ יְדָךְ, יֶעְקָר לֵיהּ מֵעָלְמָא).

And therefore he was uprooted from the world (בְּגִין כַּךְ אִתְּעֲקָר מֵעָלְמָא). And even though he was mighty among men (וַאֲפִילּוּ דְּאִיהוּ תַּקִּיפָא מִבְּנֵי גַּבְרַיָּיא), and sought to destroy Yisrael (וּבָעָא לְשֵׁיצָאָה לְהוּ לְיִשְׂרָאֵל), he fell into the hand of Moshe and was annihilated (נָפַל בִּידֵיהּ דְּמֹשֶׁה וְאִשְׁתְּצֵי). Therefore all his seed Yisrael destroyed - his sons and his people and all that was his (בְּגִין כַּךְ כֹּלָּא שֵׁצִיאוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּנוֹי וְכָל עַמֵּיהּ, וְכָל דִּילֵיהּ). As it is written (כְּמָה דִכְתִיב), “And they struck him and his sons and all his people” (וַיַּכּוּ אוֹתוֹ וְאֶת בָּנָיו וְאֶת כָּל עַמּוֹ) (Numbers 21). And it is written, “And we struck him and his sons” (וְכְתִיב, וַנַּךְ אוֹתוֹ וְאֶת בָּנָו) (Deuteronomy 2). “His son” is written without a Yod (בְּנוֹ כְּתִיב חָסֵר יו״ד), but we read it “his sons” (וְקָרֵינָן בָּנָיו). And this my friends have already established (וְהָא אוּקְמוּהָ חַבְרַיָּיא).

Fortunate are Yisrael (זַכָּאִין אִינּוּן יִשְׂרָאֵל), that Moshe the prophet was among them (דְּמֹשֶׁה נְבִיאָה הֲוָה בֵּינַיְיהוּ). For on his account Kudsha Berikh Hu performed for them all these signs (דִּבְגִינֵיהּ עָבִיד לוֹן קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא כָּל הָנֵי אַתְוָון), and this has already been established (וְאוֹקְמוּהָ). And Kudsha Berikh Hu did not decree that His covenant be bound with the other nations (וְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לָא גָּזַר קַיָּימֵיהּ עִם שְׁאַר עַמִּין לְאִתְקַשְּׁרָא בֵּיהּ), but only with Yisrael (אֶלָּא עִם יִשְׂרָאֵל), who are the children of Avraham (דְּאִינּוּן בְּנוֹי דְּאַבְרָהָם). As it is written concerning him (דִּכְתִיב בּוֹ), “And between your seed after you, for their generations, an eternal covenant” (וּבֵין זַרְעֲךָ אַחֲרֶיךָ לְדֹרֹתָם בְּרִית עוֹלָם) (Bereshit 17). And it is written (וּכְתִיב), “And as for Me, this is My covenant with them, says Hashem: My Spirit that is upon you… shall not depart from your mouth…” (וַאֲנִי זֹאת בְּרִיתִי אוֹתָם אָמַר יְיָ רוּחִי אֲשֶׁר עָלֶיךָ וְגוֹ'. לֹא יָמוּשׁוּ מִפִּיךָ וְגוֹ') (Isaiah 59).

Blessed is Hashem forever, Amen and Amen בָּרוּךְ יְיָ לְעוֹלָם אָמֵן וְאָמֵן

Parashat Balak

nd Balak son of Tzippor saw” (וַיַּרְא בָּלָק בֶּן צִפּוֹר), and so on (וְגוֹ'). Rabbi Shim‘on said (רִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן אָמַר), “And he saw” (וַיַּרְא), what vision did he see? (מַאי רְאִיָּה חָמָא). A vision indeed, truly he saw (רְאִיָּה וַדַּאי מַמָּשׁ חָמָא), through the lintel of Chokhmah (בְּמַשְׁקוּפָא דְּחָכְמְתָא), and he saw with his eyes (וְחָמָא בְּעֵינוֹי). He saw through the gaze of Chokhmah (חָמָא בְּמַשְׁקוּפָא דְּחָכְמְתָא), as it is written (כְּמָה דִּכְתִּיב), And Avimelekh king of the Philistines looked through the window (וַיַּשְׁקֵף אֲבִימֶלֶךְ מֶלֶךְ פְּלִשְׁתִּים בְּעַד הַחַלּוֹן) (Bereshit 26). What is “through the window”? (מַאי בְּעַד הַחַלּוֹן). As you say (כְּמָה דְּאַתְּ אָמֵר), Through the window she looked out and bewailed - the mother of Sisera (בְּעַד הַחַלּוֹן נִשְׁקְפָה וַתְּיַבֵּב אֵם סִיסְרָא) (Judges 5).

Rather (אֶלָּא) some say: indeed (נ״א: וַדַּאי) a window of Chokhmah (חַלּוֹן דְּחָכְמְתָא), from the tails of the hems of the stars (דִּזְנָבֵי שׁוּלֵיהוֹן דְּכֹכְבַיָּא), and these are the windows of Chokhmah (וְאִינּוּן חַלּוֹנֵי דְּחָכְמְתָא). And there is one window in which all Chokhmah resides (וְחַד חַלּוֹן אִית דְּכָל חָכְמְתָא בֵּיהּ שַׁרְיָא), and through it one sees, whoever sees, in the root of Chokhmah (וּבָהּ חָמֵי מַאן דְּחָמֵי בְּעִקָּרָא דְּחָכְמְתָא). So too here, And Balak saw (אוּף הָכָא וַיַּרְא בָּלָק), through his own Chokhmah (בְּחָכְמְתָא דִּילֵיהּ).

“Son of Tzippor” (בֶּן צִפּוֹר), as they have said (כְּמָה דְּאָמְרוּ). But truly, son of a bird (אֲבָל בֶּן צִפּוֹר מַמָּשׁ), for his sorceries were with many kinds of that bird (דְּהָא חֲרָשׁוֹי הֲווֹ בְּכַמָּה זִינִין דְּהַהוּא צִפּוֹר). He would take a bird (נָטִיל צִפּוֹר), rattle it among grass (מְכַשְׁכֵּשׁ בְּעִשְׂבָּא), it would fly in the air (מִפְרַח בַּאֲוִירָא). He would perform actions and whisper enchantments (עָבִיד עוֹבָדִין וְלָחִישׁ לְחִישֵׁי), and that bird would come (וְהַהוּא צִפּוֹר הֲוָה אָתֵי), and that grass was in its mouth (וְהַהוּא עִשְׂבָּא בְּפוּמֵיהּ) some say: it flew in the air (נ״א: מִפְרַח בַּאֲוִירָא) chirping before him (מְצַפְצְפָא קַמֵּיהּ). And he would bring it into a certain cage (וְאָעִיל לֵיהּ בִּכְלוּב חַד), and burn incense before it (מְקַטֵּר קְטַרְתִּין קַמֵּיהּ), and it would inform him of many things (וְאִיהוּ אוֹדַע לֵיהּ כַּמָּה מִלִּין). He would perform his sorceries (עָבִיד חֲרָשׁוֹי), and the bird would chirp (וּמְצַפְצְפָא עוֹפָא), and fly and soar to one with open vision (וּפָרַח וְטָס לְגַבֵּי גְּלוּי עֵינַיִם), and it would inform him (וְאוֹדַע לֵיהּ). And he would come (וְאִיהוּ אָתֵי), and all his words were through that bird (וְכָל מִלּוֹי בְּהַהוּא צִפּוֹר הֲווֹ).

One day he performed his works (יוֹמָא חַד עֲבַד עוֹבָדוֹי), and he took that bird (וְנָטִיל הַהוּא צִפּוֹר), and it flew and went and was delayed (וּפָרַח וְאָזִיל וְאִתְעַכָּב), and did not return (וְלָא אָתָא). He was pained in himself (הֲוָה מִצְטַעֵר בְּנַפְשֵׁיהּ), until it came (עַד דְּאָתָא). He saw a flame of fire that flew after it (חָמָא חַד שַׁלְהוֹבָא דְּאֶשָּׁא דְּטָס אֲבַתְרֵיהּ), and it burned its wings (וְאוֹקִיד גַּדְפּוֹי). Then he saw what he saw (כְּדֵין חָמָא מַה דְּחָמָא), and he feared before Yisrael (וְדָחִיל מִקַּמַּיְיהוּ דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל). What is the name of that bird? (מַה שְׁמֵיהּ דְּהַהוּא צִפּוֹר) Yadua (יָדוּ״עַ). And all those who serve and know how to serve with that bird (וְכָל אִינּוּן דִּמְשַׁמְשֵׁי וְיַדְעֵי לְשַׁמְשָׁא בְּהַהוּא צִפּוֹר), did not know the sorcery (לָא יַדְעִין חֲרָשׁוֹי), as Balak knew (כְּמָה דְּהֲוָה יָדַע בָּלָק).

And all the wisdom that he knew (וְכָל חָכְמְתָא דְּהֲוָה יָדַע), he knew through that bird (בְּהַהוּא צִפּוֹר הֲוָה יָדַע). And thus he would do (וְהָכִי הֲוָה עָבִיד): he would bow before it (גָּחִין קַמֵּיהּ), and offer incense covering its head (וְקָטִיר קְטַרְתָּא חָפֵי רֵישֵׁיהּ), and bow and say (וְגָחִין וְאָמַר). He said “the people” (אִיהוּ אָמַר הָעָם), and the bird answered “Yisrael” (וְצִפָּרָא אָתִיב יִשְׂרָאֵל). He said “very” (אִיהוּ אָמַר מְאֹד), and the bird answered “great” (וְצִפָּרָא אָתִיב רַב), because of the Supernal Great One who goes with them (עַל שׁוּם רַב עִלָּאָה דְּאָזִיל בְּהוּ). Seventy times this and that chirped (שִׁבְעִין זִמְנִין צִפְצְפוּ דָּא וְדָא). He said “small” (אִיהוּ אָמַר דַּל), and the bird said “great” (וְצִפָּרָא אָמַר רַב). Then he feared (כְּדֵין דָּחִיל), as it is written: And Moav was very afraid of the people, for they were great (דִּכְתִיב וַיָּגָר מוֹאָב מִפְּנֵי הָעָם מְאֹד כִּי רַב הוּא) - great they were, indeed (רַב הוּא וַדַּאי). And with the sorcery implements of Kasdiel (וּבְזִינֵי חַרְשִׁין דְּקַסְדִּיאֵ״ל)p1-33 - some say: of Kesari’el (נ״א: דְּקֵסַרְיָ״אל) Kadma’ah (קַדְמָאָה), we found (אַשְׁכְּחָן), that this bird (דְּצִפָּרָא דָּא) would be made at known times (הֲווֹ עַבְדִּין לֵיהּ בְּזִמְנִין יְדִיעָן), from silver mixed with gold (מִכֶּסֶף מְעֻרָב בְּדַהֲבָא), a head of gold (רֵישָׁא דְּדַהֲבָא), a mouth of silver (פּוּמָא דְּכֶסֶף), wings of refined copper mixed with silver (גַּדְפּוֹי מִנְּחֹשֶׁת קָלָל מְעֻרָב בְּכַסְפָּא), a body of gold (גּוּפָא דְּדַהֲבָא), dotted with feathers of silver (נְקוּדִין דְּנוֹצֵי בְּכֶסֶף), legs of gold (רַגְלִין דְּדַהֲבָא), and they would place in its mouth the tongue of that bird Yadua (וְשַׁוְיָין בְּפוּמָא לִישָׁן דְּהַהוּא צִפּוֹר יָדוּ״עַ).