Daf 191a (דַּף קצ״א ע״א)

And because of this, for the supernal angels it is written: “Bless Hashem” (וּבְגִין כַּךְ, לְמַלְאֲכֵי עִלָּאֵי כְּתִיב בָּרַכוּ יְיָ). But we say “et Hashem,” as an addition (וַאֲנָן אֶת יְיָ לְתוֹסֶפֶת). The Yenuka (child) said (אָמַר הַהוּא יַנּוּקָא): surely I know that your weapons of war are good (וַדַּאי הָא יְדַעְנָא דְּמָאנֵי קְרָבָא דִּילָךְ טָבִין אִינּוּן). Some say: if you recall them (ס״א אִי תִּדְכַּר), remember them and do not forget them (אִתְדְּכַר מִנְּהוֹן וְלָא תִּנְשֵׁי לוֹן). Surely the might of a man who engages in battle is with spear and sword (וַדַּאי גְּבוּרָה דְּבַר נָשׁ דְּאַגָּח קְרָבָא בְּרוּמְחָא וְחַרְבָּא אִיהוּ). But what is “mighty in strength, who do His word, to hearken unto the voice of His word”? (אֲבָל מַהוּ גִּבּוֹרֵי כֹחַ עוֹשֵׂי דְבָרוֹ, לִשְׁמוֹעַ בְּקוֹל דְבָרוֹ).

Rabbi El'azar said: this I have already said (אָמַר רִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר: הָא אֲמָרִית). The Yenuka (child) said (אָמַר הַהוּא יַנּוּקָא): surely I know that the strength of your arm has weakened (הָא יְדַעְנָא דְּחֵילָא דִּדְרוֹעָא דִּילָךְ אִתְחֲלָשׁ). Now is the time not for waiting, but for striking with the sling, stone after stone (הַשְׁתָּא אִיהוּ עִדָּנָא, דְּלָא לְאַמְתְּנָא, אֶלָּא לְאַלְקָאָה בְּקִירְטָא, אַבְנָא בָּתַר אַבְנָא). As you say: “With the sling and a stone” (1 Samuel 17) (כְּמָה דְּאַתְּ אָמֵר, בַּקֶּלַע וְאֶבֶן). Quickly, one after another (בִּבְהִילוּ דָּא בָּתַר דָּא). Rabbi El'azar rejoiced (חַדֵּי רִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר), and Rabbi Abba and the friends rejoiced (וְחַדּוּ רִבִּי אַבָּא וְחַבְרַיָּא).

The Yenuka (child) opened and said (פָּתַח הַהוּא יַנּוּקָא וְאָמַר): “I am black, but comely, O daughters of Jerusalem…” (Song of Songs 1) (שְׁחוֹרָה אֲנִי וְנָאוָה בְּנוֹת יְרוּשָׁלַם וְגוֹ׳). “Look not upon me because I am swarthy…” (אַל תִּרְאוּנִי שֶׁאֲנִי שְׁחַרְחֹרֶת וְגוֹ׳). These words have already been established (מִלִּין אִלֵּין הָא אוּקְמוּהָ). But at the time when she is in great love toward her Beloved, from the pressure of love which she cannot endure, she contracts herself greatly into littleness (אֲבָל בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְּאִיהִי גּוֹ רְחִימוּ סַגִּי לְגַבֵּי רְחִימָהָא, מִגּוֹ דְּחִיקוּ רְחִימוּ, דְּלָא יַכְלָה לְמִסְבַּל, אַזְעִירַת גַּרְמָהּ בִּזְעִירוּ סַגִּי). Until nothing is seen from her except the smallness of a single point (עַד דְּלָא אִתְחֲזִיאַת מִנָּהּ, אֶלָּא זְעִירוּ דִּנְקוּדָה חֲדָא). And what is it? The letter yod (וּמַאי אִיהִי - יו״ד). Then she is concealed from all her forces and camps (כְּדֵין אִתְכַּסְיָא מִכָּל חֵילִין וּמַשִׁרְיָין דִּילָהּ). And she says: “I am black” - for in this letter there is no whiteness within it like the other letters (וְאִיהִי אַמְרַת שְׁחוֹרָה אֲנִי, דְּלֵית בְּאָת דָּא חִוָּורָא בְּגַוִּיהּ, כִּשְׁאַר אַתְוָון). And this is: “I am black,” and I have no place to bring you beneath My wings (וְדָא שְׁחוֹרָה אֲנִי, וְלֵית לִי אֲתָר לְאַעֲלָא לְכוֹן תְּחוֹת גַּדְפָּאי). “As the tents of Qedar” (Song of Songs 1) (כְּאָהֳלֵי קֵדָר) - we have learned: this is the Yod, which has no whiteness within (תָּנֵינָן, דָּא יו״ד, דְּלֵית בָּהּ חִוָּורוּ לְגוֹ). “As the curtains of Shlomo” - this is the Vav (כִּירִיעוֹת שְׁלֹמֹה, דָּא ו). And because of this: “Look not upon me” (וּבְגִין כָּךְ אַל תִּרְאוּנִי).

Do not gaze at me at all (לָא תֶּחמוּן בִּי כְּלָל), for I am a small point (דַּאֲנָא נְקוּדָה זְעֵירָא). What do mighty men, her armies, do? (מֶה עָבְדִין גֻּבְרִין תַּקִּיפִין, חַיָּילִין דִּילָהּ). They roar like mighty lions (שָׁאֲגִין כְּאַרְיָין תַּקִּיפִין), as it is written: “The young lions roar after their prey” (Psalms 104) (כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר, הַכְּפִירִים שׁוֹאֲגִים לַטָּרֶף). And from the voices and mighty roars, when the strong men of her power roar like lions (וּמִגּוֹ קָלִין וְשָׁאֲגִין תַּקִּיפִין, דְּקָא מְשָׁאֲגִין כְּאַרְיָין גּוּבְרִין תַּקִּיפִין דְּחֵילָא), the Beloved above hears (שָׁמַע רְחִימָא לְעֵילָּא), and knows that her love is with love like His (וְיָדַע דִּרְחִימָתֵיהּ הִיא בִּרְחִימוּ כְּוָותֵיהּ), from that love until her image and her beauty are not seen at all (מִגּוֹ רְחִימוֹי עַד דְּלָא אִתְחֲזִיאַת מִדִּיוּקְנָא וּשְׁפִירוּ דִּילָהּ כְּלָל). Then, from the voices and roars of her mighty warriors (וּכְדֵין, מִגּוֹ קָלִין וְשַׁאֲגִין דְּאִינּוּן גִּבָּרֵי חֵילָא דִּילָהּ), her Beloved comes forth from His palace (נָפִיק דּוֹדָהּ רְחִימְאָה מִגּוֹ הֵיכָלֵיהּ), with many gifts and treasures (בְּכַמָּה מַתְנָן, בְּכַמָּה נְבִזְבְּזָן), with scents and perfumes, and comes to her (בְּרֵיחִין וּבוּסְמִין וְאָתֵי לְגַבָּהּ). And He finds her black, small, without form or beauty at all (וְאַשְׁכַּח לָהּ שְׁחוֹרָה זְעֵירָא, בְּלָא דִּיּוּקְנָא וּשְׁפִירוּ כְּלָל). He draws near to her (קָרִיב לְגַבָּהּ), embraces her (מְחַבֵּק לָהּ), and kisses her (וּמְנַשֵּׁיק לָהּ), until she is aroused little by little from the scents and perfumes (עַד דְּאַתְעָרַת זְעֵיר זְעֵיר מִגּוֹ רֵיחִין וּבוּסְמִין). And in the joy of her Beloved with her (וּבְחֶדְוָה דִּרְחִימָהָא דְּעִמָּהּ), she is built and restored (וְאִתְבְנִיאַת), and made in her adornment, in her form, in her beauty, Hashem as before (וְאִתְעָבִידַת בְּתִקּוּנָהָא, בְּדִיוּקְנָהָא, בִּשְׁפִּירוּ דִּילָהּ, ה' כְּמִלְּקַדְּמִין). And these mighty men of power did this for her (וְדָא גִּבּוֹרֵי כֹחַ, עָשׂוּ לָהּ), and restored to her her image and her beauty (וְאַהְדָּרוּ לָהּ לְדִיוּקְנָהָא וּשְׁפִירוּ דִּילָהּ).

For their strength and might caused this (דְּתּוּקְפָּא וּגְבוּרְתָּא דִּלְהוֹן גְּרִימוּ דָּא). Because of this it is written (וְעַל דָּא כְּתִיב): “Mighty in strength, who do His word” (גִּבּוֹרֵי כֹחַ עוֹשֵׂי דְבָרוֹ) (Psalms 103). “Who do His word”—surely (עוֹשֵׂי דְבָרוֹ וַדַּאי), for they rectify this matter (דִּמְתַקְּנִין לֵיהּ לְהַאי דָּבָר), and restore it to its original form (וּמְהַדְּרִין לֵיהּ לְדִיּוּקְנָא קַדְּמָאָה). From here onward (וּמִכָּאן וּלְהָלְאָה), once she is rectified and restored in her beautiful form as before (כֵּיוָן דְּאִתַּקְנַת וְאִתְעָבִידַת בְּדִיוּקְנָהָא שַׁפִּירָא כְּמִלְּקַדְּמִין), then they and all the other hosts stand to hear what she says (כְּדֵין אִינּוּן, וְכָל שְׁאַר חֵילִין, קַיְימִין לִשְׁמוֹעַ, מַה דְּאִיהִי אַמְרַת), and she stands as a king amid his forces (וְאִיהִי קַיְּימָא כְּמַלְכָּא גּוֹ חֵילֵיהּ), and this is surely “who do His word” (וְדָא הוּא עוֹשֵׂי דְבָרוֹ וַדַּאי).

In this manner below (כְּגַוְונָא דָּא לְתַתָּא), when there are sinners in the generation (בְּזִמְנָא דְּחַיָּיבִין בְּדָרָא), she is concealed and contracts herself (אִיהִי אִתְכַּסְיָא וְאַזְעִירַת גַּרְמָהּ), until none of her form is seen except one point (עַד דְּלָא אִתְחֲזִיאַת מִכָּל דִּיּוּקְנָהָא, בַּר נְקוּדָא חֲדָא). When mighty in strength and righteous ones of truth come (וְכַד אָתָאן גִּבּוֹרֵי כֹחַ, וְזַכָּאֵי קְשׁוֹט), as it were, they make this matter (כִּבְיָכוֹל, עוֹשִׂים לְהַאי דָּבָר). And she shines little by little (וְאֲנְהִירַת זְעֵיר זְעֵיר), and is restored in her form and beauty (וְאִתְעָבִידַת בְּדִיוּקְנָהָא בִּשְׁפִּירוּ דִּילָהּ), and Hashem [is] as before (ה' כְּמִלְּקַדְּמִין).

The friends came and kissed him (אָתוּ חַבְרַיָּיא וּנְשָׁקוּה). Rabbi El‘azar said (אָמַר רִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר): had the prophet Yeḥezqel not said this (אִלְמָלֵא יְחֶזְקֵאל נְבִיאָה אָמַר דָּא), it would have been a wonder in the world (תַּוָּוהָא הֲוִי בְּעָלְמָא). Rabbi El‘azar took him (נַטְלֵיהּ רִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר), and kissed him as before (וּנְשָׁקֵיהּ כְּמִלְּקַדְּמִין). That Yenuka [child] said (אָמַר הַהוּא יַנּוּקָא): I will bless (אֲנָא אֲבָרֵךְ). They said (אָמְרוּ): you bless (אַתְּ בְּרִיךְ), and it is fitting for you to bless (וְלָךְ יָאוּת לְבָרְכָא). He said (אָמַר): how holy you are (כַמָּה אַתּוּן קַדִישִׁין), how many blessings are prepared for you (כַּמָּה בְּרָכוֹת זְמִינִין לְכוּ), from the holy Imma [Mother] (מֵאִימָא קַדִישָׁא), because you did not prevent me from blessing (בְּגִין דְּלָא מְנַעְתּוּן לִי לְבָרְכָא).

He opened and said (פָּתַח וְאָמַר): “He who withholds grain, the people will curse him; but blessing is upon the head of him who sells” (מוֹנֵעַ בָּר יִקְּבֻהוּ לְאוֹם וּבְרָכָה לְרֹאשׁ מַשְׁבִּיר) (Proverbs 11). This verse is according to its plain meaning (הַאי קְרָא כְּמַשְׁמָעוֹ). But we have learned (אֲבָל תָּנֵינָן): every person is obligated in Birkat haMazon [Grace After Meals] (כָל בַּר נָשׁ חַיָּיב בְּבִרְכַת הַמָּזוֹן). If he does not know, his wife or his sons bless for him (וְאִי לָא יָדַע, אִתְּתֵיהּ, אוֹ בְּנוֹי, מְבָרְכִין לֵיהּ), and a curse comes upon that man (וְתָבֹא מְאֵרָה לְהַהוּא גַּבְרָא), who does not know to bless (דְּלָא יָדַע לְבָרְכָא), until he must rely on his wife and his sons to bless for him (עַד דְּיִצְטְרִיךְ לְאִתְּתֵיהּ וְלִבְנוֹי דְּיִבָרְכוּן לֵיהּ).

If he knows (וְאִי הוּא יָדַע), he must train his son (אִצְטְרִיךְ לְחַנְכָא לִבְרֵיהּ), and give him the cup to bless (וּלְמֵהַב לֵיהּ כַּסָּא לְבָרְכָא). Whoever prevents him from being trained (וּמַאן דְּמָנַע לֵיהּ, דְּלָא יִתְחַנֵּךְ), “the people will curse him” (יִקְּבוּהוּ לְאוֹם). “He who withholds a son” (מוֹנֵעַ בָּר)—who prevents him from blessing Kudsha Berikh Hu and from being trained in mitzvot [commandments] (דְּלָא לְבָרְכָא לְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, וְלָא יִתְחַנֵּךְ בְּמִצְוֹת). “The people will curse him” (יִקְּבוּהוּ לְאוֹם): it should have said, “he will curse him” (יִקְּבֵהוּ מִבָּעֵי לֵיהּ), or “the peoples will curse him” (אוֹ יִקְּבוּהוּ לְאוּמִּים). For le’om [people] is singular (דְּהָא לְאֹם חַד הוּא), as you say (כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר): “One people shall be stronger than the other people” (וּלְאֹם מִלְאֹם יְאֱמָץ) (Bereshit 25). What is “the people will curse him”? (מַאי יִקְּבוּהוּ לְאֹם). Rather, le’em [to the mother] is written (אֶלָּא לְאֵם כְּתִיב), to the holy Imma [Mother] (לְאִימָא קַדִישָׁא). They will curse that man (יִקְּבוּהוּ לְהַאי בָּר נָשׁ), who prevented that son from blessing Kudsha Berikh Hu [the Holy One, blessed be He] (דְּמָנַע לְהַהוּא בַּר מִלְּבָרְכָא לְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא).