Daf 192a (דַּף קצ״ב ע״א)

Rabbi Abba said (אָמַר רִבִּי אַבָּא): but we have seen children who say supernal words, and they stand after the heads of the world (וְהָא חֲמֵינָן יַנּוּקֵי דְּאַמְרִין מִלִּין עִלָּאִין, וְקַיְימִין לְבָתַר רֵישִׁין דְּעָלְמָא). He said to him (אָמַר לֵיהּ): a child who says one word or two for a moment, without their intention, a man is assured in this, that he will merit to study Orayta in Yisrael (יַנּוּקָא דְּאָמַר מִלָּה חֲדָא, אוֹ תְּרֵין, לְפוּם שַׁעֲתָא, בְּלָא כַּוָונָה דִּלְהוֹן, מוּבְטַח בַּר נָשׁ בְּדָא, דְּיִזְכֵּי לְמֵילַף אוֹרַיְיתָא בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל). But this one, whose light remains established in its place with complete da‘at, is not so (אֲבָל דָּא, דִּנְהוֹרָא דִּילֵיהּ קַיְּימָא עַל קִיּוּמֵיהּ בְּדַעְתָּא שְׁלִים, לָאו הָכִי). And further, since Kudsha Berikh Hu and His desire is to walk in this orchard, fortunate is his portion (וְתוּ, דְּהָא קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא וְתִיאוּבְתֵּיהּ דִּילֵיהּ, לְאַרְחָא בְּתַפּוּחָא דָּא, זַכָּאָה חוּלָקֵיהּ).

Fortunate are you, Righteous, of whom it is written (זַכָּאִין אַתּוּן צַדִּיקַיָּיא, דִּכְתִיב בְּכוּ): “And the remnant that has escaped of the house of Yehudah shall again take root downward, and bear fruit upward” (2 Kings 19) (וְיָסְפָה פְּלֵיטַת בֵּית יְהוּדָה הַנִּשְׁאָרָה שֹׁרֶשׁ לְמָטָה וְעָשָׂה פְּרִי לְמָעְלָה). “Root downward” - like my fathers who departed from this world, and they are root below, in the Academy of the firmament (שֹׁרֶשׁ לְמַטָּה, כְּגוֹן אֲבוֹי, דְּאִסְתַּלָּק מֵעָלְמָא, וְאִיהוּ שֹׁרֶשׁ לְמַטָּה, בִּמְתִיבְתָּא דִּרְקִיעָא). “And bear fruit upward” - in the supernal Academy (וְעָשָׂה פְּרִי לְמָעְלָה, בִּמְתִיבְתָּא עִלָּאָה). How good is the root and the offspring (כַּמָה טָבָא שָׁרְשָׁא וְאִיבָּא). And if I were not an accuser before Kudsha Berikh Hu, since His desire is to walk there, no one would be able to rule there (וְאִי לָאו דְּלָא אֱהֵא מְקַטְרְגָא לְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, הוֹאִיל וְתִיאוּבְתֵיהּ לְאַרְחָא בֵּיהּ, לָא הֲוָה מַאן דְּיֵיכוּל לְשַׁלְּטָאָה בֵּיהּ). But may it be His will, that his mother not see sorrow upon him, and so it was (אֲבָל יְהֵא רַעֲוָא, דְּאִמֵּיהּ לָא תֶּחמֵי צַעֲרָא עָלֵיהּ, וְכֵן הֲוָה). “And he sent messengers to Bil‘am the son of Be‘or…” (Numbers 22) (וַיִשְׁלַח מַלְאָכִים אֶל בִּלְעָם בֶּן בְּעוֹר וְגוֹ׳). “Behold, a people has come out of Egypt…” (הִנֵּה עַם יָצָא מִמִּצְרַיִם וְגוֹ׳).

Here are twenty-eight words, corresponding to the twenty-eight degrees of sorcery of the magicians of Tzippor (הָכָא אִית עֶשְׂרִין וּתְמַנְיָא תֵּיבִין, לָקֳבֵל כ״ח דַּרְגִין דְּחַרְשֵׁי קוּסְמִין דְּצִפּוֹר). And one must consider (וְאִית לְאִסְתַּכְּלָא), one who wishes to speak with Bil‘am and to connect with him (מַאן דְּבָעָא לְמַלְּלָא בֵּיהּ בְּבִלְעָם וּלְאִתְחַבְּרָא בַּהֲדֵיהּ), why did he send to him immediately, before he came to him, words in explicit explanation (אֲמַאי שָׁדַר לֵיהּ מִיַּד עַד לָא יֵיתֵי לְגַבֵּיהּ מִלִּין בְּפֵירוּשָׁא), that he said: behold, a people has come out of Egypt, and now come, curse for me (דְּקָאָמַר הִנֵּה עַם יָצָא מִמִּצְרַיִם וְעַתָּה לְכָה אָרָה לִי). He should have joined with him at first, to appease him and bribe him, and afterward tell him the words (הֲוָה לֵיהּ לְאִתְחַבְּרָא בַּהֲדֵיהּ בְּקַדְמִיתָא, וּלְפַיְּיסָא וּלְשׁוֹחֲדָא לֵיהּ, וּלְבָתַר לְאוֹדָעָא לֵיהּ מִלּוֹי).

Rather, Rabbi Yosi said (אֶלָּא אָמַר רִבִּי יוֹסֵי): from here it is known (מֵהָכָא אִשְׁתְּמוֹדַע), that Balak knew the desire of that wicked one (דְּהָא יָדַע בָּלָק רְעוּתֵיהּ דְּהַהוּא רָשָׁע), who always wished to be honored with grand words (דְּבָעָא לְאִתְיַקְּרָא תָּדִיר בְּמִלִּין רַבְרְבִין), and had no desire except when doing evil (וְלֵית לֵיהּ תִּיאוּבְתָא, אֶלָּא כַּד עָבִיד בִּישִׁין).

Balak divined divinations, performed sorceries, and prepared the bird (בָּלָק קָסָם קְסָמִין וְעָבִיד חַרְשִׁין וְאַתְקִין צִפָּרָא). And he knew that the levels of Moshe were exalted and precious (וְיָדַע דְּדַרְגִּין דְּמֹשֶׁה עִלָּאִין וְיַקִּירִין). And he enchanted with his enchantments and divined with his divinations (וְחָרָשׁ בְּחַרְשׁוֹי וְקָסָם בְּקִסְמוֹי). And he knew that the levels of Bil‘am were corresponding to them (וְיָדַע דְּדַרְגִּין דְּבִלְעָם הֲווֹ לָקֳּבֵלַיְיהוּ). Immediately: “And he sent messengers to Bil‘am son of Be‘or” (Numbers 22) (מִיַּד וַיִשְׁלַח מַלְאָכִים אֶל בִּלְעָם בֶּן בְּעוֹר).

Pethorah was the name of the place (פְּתוֹרָה: שְׁמָא דְּאַתְרָא הֲוָה). As it is said: “From Pethor of Aram Naharaim, to curse you” (Deuteronomy 23) (כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר, מִפְּתוֹר אֲרַם נַהֲרַיִם לְקַלְלֶךָּ). Why was it called so? (אֲמַאי אִקְרֵי הָכִי). Because it is written: “Those who prepare a table for Gad” (Isaiah 65) (בְּגִין דִּכְתִּיב, הָעֹרְכִים לַגַּד שֻׁלְחָן). And Pethora arranged there every day (וּפָתוֹרָא הֲוָה מְסַדֵּר תַּמָּן כָּל יוֹמָא). For so is the arrangement of the powers of evil: they arrange before them a table with food and drink, perform enchantments, and offer incense before the table (דְּהָכִי הוּא תִּקּוּנָא דְּסִטְרִין בִּישִׁין, מְסַדְּרִין קַמַּיְיהוּ פְּתוֹרָא בְּמֵיכְלָא וּבְמִשְׁתְּיָיא, וְעַבְדִּין חַרְשִׁין, וּמְקַטְרִין לְקַמֵּי פְּתוֹרָא). And all impure spirits gather there and reveal to them what they desire (וּמִתְכַּנְשִׁין תַּמָּן כָּל רוּחִין מִסְאֲבִין, וְאוֹדְעִין לוֹן מַה דְּאִינּוּן בָּעָאן). And all the sorceries and divinations of the world were upon that table (וְכָל חַרְשִׁין וְקוֹסְמִין דְּעָלְמָא עַל הַהוּא פְּתוֹרָא הֲווֹ). And therefore the name of the place was called Pethora (וּבְגִין כָּךְ אִקְרֵי שְׁמָא דְּאַתְרָא הַהוּא פְּתוֹרָא). For thus they call a table in Aram Naharaim, “Pethora” (דְּהָכִי קוֹרִין בְּאֲרַם נַהֲרַיִם לַשֻׁלְחָן פְּתוֹרָא). He opened and said (פָּתַח וְאָמַר): “And you shall make a table of acacia wood…” (Exodus 25) (וְעָשִׂיתָ שֻׁלְחָן עֲצֵי שִׁטִּים וְגוֹ׳). And it is written: “And you shall place upon the table showbread…” (Exodus 25) (וּכְתִיב, וְנָתַתָּ עַל הַשֻּׁלְחָן לֶחֶם פָּנִים וְגוֹ׳). All those vessels of holiness, Kudsha Berikh Hu desired to make before Him, to draw down the holy spirit from above to below (כָּל אִינּוּן מָאנֵי קוּדְשָׁא, בָּעָא קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לְמֶעְבַּד קַמֵּיהּ, לְאַמְשָׁכָא רוּחָא קַדִישָׁא מֵעֵילָּא לְתַתָּא). That wicked Bil‘am arranged so for the Sitra achra (הַהוּא רָשָׁע דְּבִלְעָם, הֲוָה מְסַדֵּר הָכִי לְסִטְרָא אַחֲרָא). He arranged a table and bread called polluted bread, as it is said (וַהֲוָה מְסַדֵּר שֻׁלְחָן, וְנָהֲמָא דְּאִקְרֵי לֶחֶם מְגוֹאָל, כְּמָה דְּאִתְּמַר). For so the Sitra achra always follows after holiness, like a monkey after man (דְּהָכִי אָזִיל סְטָר אַחֲרָא בָּתַר קְדוּשָׁה, כְּקוֹף בָּתַר בְּנֵי נָשָׁא). And Shlomo the king cried and said (וּשְׁלֹמֹה מַלְכָּא צָוַוח וְאָמַר): “For what has man of all his labor, which he does after the king? Already they have done it” (Ecclesiastes 2) (כִּי מֶה הָאָדָם שֶׁיָּבוֹא אַחֲרֵי הַמֶּלֶךְ אֵת אֲשֶׁר כְּבָר עָשׂוּהוּ). And this verse has already been explained (וְהָא אִתְּמַר קְרָא דָּא).

Come and see p1-37(תָּא חֲזֵי), it is written: “Hashem, when You went out from Se‘ir, when You marched out of the field of Edom, the earth trembled…” (Judges 5) (כְּתִיב יְיָ בְּצֵאתְךָ מִשֵּׂעִיר בְּצַעְדְּךָ מִשְּׂדֵה אֱדוֹם אֶרֶץ רָעָשָׁה וְגוֹ׳). At the time when Kudsha Berikh Hu wished to give the Orayta to Yisrael (בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְּבָעָא קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לְמֵיהַב אוֹרַיְיתָא לְיִשְׂרָאֵל), He went and invited the children of Esav, but they did not accept it (אָזַל וְזַמִּין לְהוּ לִבְנֵי עֵשָׂו, וְלָא קִבְּלוּהָ). As it is said: “Hashem came from Sinai, and shone forth from Se‘ir to them” (Deuteronomy 33) (כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר יְיָ מִסִּינַי בָּא וְזָרַח מִשֵּׂעִיר לָמוֹ), and they did not wish to receive it (וְלָא בָּעוּ לְקַבְּלָהּ). He went to the children of Yishma‘el, and they did not wish to receive it, as it is written: “He appeared from Mount Paran” (Deuteronomy 33) (אָזַל לִבְנֵי יִשְׁמָעֵאל, וְלָא בָּעוּ לְקַבְּלָהּ, דִּכְתִיב הוֹפִיעַ מֵהַר פָּארָן). When they did not wish, He returned it to Yisrael (כֵּיוָן דְּלָא בָּעוּ, אַהְדָּר לוֹן לְיִשְׂרָאֵל), thus we have learned (הָכִי תָּנֵינָן).

Now there is room to ask p1-38(הַשְׁתָּא אִית לְשָׁאֲלָא). For we have learned that there is no sin when a man examines the details of the Orayta, and raises questions to clarify its words (וְהָא תָּנֵינָן דְּלֵית חַטָּאָה כַּד בַּר נָשׁ מְדַקְדֵּק דִּיּוּקִין דְּאוֹרַיְיתָא, וַיִשְׁאַל שְׁאֶלְתּוֹי לְאַנְהָרָא מִלּוֹי). This verse is not settled, and requires asking (הַאי קְרָא לָא אִתְיַישְּׁבָא, וְאִית לְשָׁאֲלָא). When Kudsha Berikh Hu went to Se‘ir, to which of their prophets did He appear? (קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא כַּד אָזַל לְשֵׂעִיר, לְמַאן נְבִיאָה דִּלְהוֹן אִתְגְּלֵי). And when He went to Paran, to which of their prophets did He appear? (וְכַד אָזַל לְפָארָן, לְמַאן נְבִיאָה דִּלְהוֹן אִתְגְּלֵי). If you say He appeared to all of them, we do not find this ever (אִי תֵּימָא דְּאִתְגְּלֵי לְכֻלְּהוּ, לָא אַשְׁכְּחָן דָּא לְעָלְמִין) - except to Yisrael alone, and by the hand of Moshe (בַּר לְיִשְׂרָאֵל בִּלְחוֹדַיְיהוּ, וְעַל יְדֵי דְּמֹשֶׁה). And behold it has been said, that thus the verse should have stated: “Hashem came to Sinai, and shone to Se‘ir to them, appeared to Mount Paran” (וְהָא אִתְּמַר דְּהָכִי מִבָּעֵי קְרָא לְמֵימַר, יְיָ לְסִינַי בָּא, וְזָרַח לְשֵׂעִיר לָמוֹ, הוֹפִיעַ לְהַר פָּארָן). What is “from Se‘ir to them”? And what is “from Mount Paran”? (מַהוּ מִשֵּׂעִיר לָמוֹ, וּמַהוּ מֵהַר פָּארָן). All this must be known and contemplated (כֹּלָּא אִית לְמִנְדַּע וּלְאִסְתַּכְּלָא). And behold, I asked, and I did not hear, and I do not know (וְהָא שָׁאִילְנָא, וְלָא שְׁמַעְנָא, וְלָא יְדַעְנָא).