Daf 196a (דַּף קצ״ו ע״א)

It is taught (תְּנָן), at that time when a man arranges all these four arrangements with the will of the heart (בְּהַהִיא שַׁעֲתָא דְּסִדֵּר בַּר נָשׁ כָּל הָנֵי סִדּוּרִין אַרְבַּע, בִּרְעוּ דְּלִבָּא), Kudsha Berikh Hu is pleased before him (קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא נִיחָא קַמֵּיהּ), and spreads His right hand over him, upon that third servant (וּפָרִישׂ יְמִינֵיהּ עָלֵיהּ, בְּהַהוּא עֶבֶד תְּלִיתָאָה), and calls upon him and says to him: You are My servant (וְקָרָא עָלֵיהּ וְאָמַר לֵיהּ, עַבְדִּי אַתָּה), as it is written: “And He said to me, You are My servant, Yisrael, in whom I will be glorified” (דִּכְתִּיב וַיֹּאמֶר לִי עַבְדִּי אָתָּה יִשְׂרָאֵל אֲשֶׁר בְּךָ אֶתְפָּאָר) (Isaiah 49). Surely the prayer of this man is never returned empty (וַדַּאי צְלוֹתָא דְּהַאי בַּר נָשׁ, לָא תֶּהְדַּר בְּרֵיקָנַיָּא לְעָלְמִין). Rabbi Abba came and kissed him (אָתָא רִבִּי אַבָּא וּנְשָׁקֵיהּ).

Rabbi El'azar said (אָמַר רִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר): Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי), two servants of those three are those that include all these (תְּרֵי עֶבֶד מֵאִינּוּן תְּלָתָא, אִינּוּן דְּכָלְלֵי כָּל הָנֵי). For the third exists to be sealed with the seal above, to be made with the right hand of the King, and to be glorified in him (דְּהָא תְּלִיתָאָה קַיְּימָא לְחַתְמָא בֵּיהּ חוֹתָמָא לְעֵילָּא, לְשַׁוָּאָה בֵּיהּ יְדָא מִימִינָא דְּמַלְכָּא, וּלְאִשְׁתַּבְּחָא בֵּיהּ). But these two, the first and the second, they are the inclusion of all (אֲבָל הָנֵי תְּרֵין, קַדְמָאָה וְתִנְיָינָא, אִינּוּן כְּלָלָא דְּכֹלָּא). And David praised himself in them, as it is written: “I beseech You, Hashem, for I am Your servant, I am Your servant…” (וְדָוִד שַׁבַּח גַּרְמֵיהּ בְּהוּ, דִּכְתִּיב אָנָּא יְיָ כִּי אֲנִי עַבְדֶּךָ אֲנִי עַבְדְּךָ וְגוֹ׳) (Psalms 116).

For these are the inclusion of all the others (דְּאִלֵּין כְּלָלֵי דְּכָל שְׁאַר). The third in you exists to redeem me, as it is written: “Save Your servant, You are my God” (תְּלִיתָאָה בַּךְ קַיְּימָא לְמִפְרַק לִי, דִּכְתִּיב הוֹשַׁע עַבְדְּךָ אַתָּה אֱלֹהַי) (Psalms 86). Whoever arranges this should know that Kudsha Berikh Hu is glorified in him, and calls upon him: You are My servant, Yisrael, in whom I will be glorified (מַאן דִּמְסַדֵּר דָּא, יְדִיעַ לִיהֲוִי לֵיהּ דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא מִשְׁתְּבַּח בֵּיהּ, וְקָרָא עָלֵיהּ עַבְדִי אָתָּה יִשְׂרָאֵל אֲשֶׁר בְּךָ אֶתְפָּאָר). Rabbi Abba came and kissed him (אָתָא רִבִּי אַבָּא וּנְשָׁקֵיהּ).

Rabbi Abba said (אָמַר רִבִּי אַבָּא): On this we read: “More desirable than gold and than much fine gold…” (עַל דָּא קָרֵינָן, הַנֶּחֱמָדִים מִזָּהָב וּמִפָּז רָב וְגוֹ׳) (Psalms 19). How sweet are the ancient words arranged by the ancients (כַמָה מְתִיקִין מִלִּין עַתִּיקִין דְּסִדְּרוּ קַדְמָאֵי), and when we taste them, we are not able to consume them (וַאֲנָן כַּד טַעֲמִין לוֹן, לָא יַכְלִין לְמֵיכַל). Surely thus it is (וַדַּאי הָכִי הוּא), and the verse proves concerning three servants, and they are one, and in one place (וְהָא קְרָא אוֹכַח עַל תְּלָתָא עַבְדִּין, וְאִינּוּן חַד, וּבַאֲתָר חַד). And two, as you have said (וּתְרֵין כִּדְקָאָמַרְת), and one that Kudsha Berikh Hu is to be crowned in him (וְחַד דְּאִיהוּ לְאִתְעַטְּרָא בֵּיהּ קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא), as it is written (דִּכְתִּיב): “For the children of Yisrael are servants to Me, they are My servants…” (דִּכְתִּיב כִּי לִי בְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל עֲבָדִים עֲבָדַי הֵם וְגוֹ׳) (Leviticus 25). They shall not be sold as the sale of a slave (לֹא יִמָּכְרוּ מִמְכֶּרֶת עָבֶד). (Bereshit 131b). For Kudsha Berikh Hu needs to be crowned in this third (בְּגִין דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא אִצְטְרִיךְ לְאִתְעַטְּרָא בְּהַאי תְּלִיתָאָה). And on this they shall not be sold under the name of servant, for it is that of Kudsha Berikh Hu (וְעַל דָּא לֹא יִמָּכְרוּ לִשְׁמָא דְּעָבֶד, דְּהָא דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא הֲוִי).

Rabbi El'azar opened and said (פָּתַח רִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר וְאָמַר): “Who among you fears Hashem…” (מִי בָכֶם יְרֵא יְיָ וְגוֹ׳) (Isaiah 50). What is “hearing the voice of His servant”? (מַאי שׁוֹמֵעַ בְּקוֹל עַבְדּוֹ). This verse my friends established in reference to prayer, and so it is (הַאי קְרָא אוּקְמוּהָ חַבְרַיָּיא בִּצְלוֹתָא, וְהָכִי הוּא). Whoever is accustomed to come to the synagogue to pray, and one day does not come (מַאן דְּרָגִיל לְמֵיתֵי לְבֵי כְּנִשְׁתָּא לְצַלָּאָה, וְיוֹמָא חֲדָא לָא אָתֵי), Kudsha Berikh Hu asks about him and says (קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא שָׁאִיל עָלֵיהּ וְאָמַר): “Who among you fears Hashem, hearing the voice of His servant, who walks in darkness and has no light?” (מִי בָכֶם יְרֵא יְיָ שׁוֹמֵעַ בְּקוֹל עַבְדּוֹ אֲשֶׁר הָלַךְ חֲשֵׁכִים וְאֵין נֹגַהּ לוֹ). What is “hearing the voice of His servant”? In whom? (מַאי שׁוֹמֵעַ בְּקוֹל עַבְדּוֹ. בְּמַאן).

If you say in a prophet, or another man (אִי תֵּימָא בִּנְבִיאָה, אוֹ גְּבַר אַחֲרָא), who gives a prophet or another man for prayer? (מַאן יָהַב נְבִיאָה, אוֹ גְּבַר אַחֲרָא לִצְלוֹתָא). Because he prays his prayer, should he hear the voice of a prophet, or of a man in the world? (דִּבְגִין דְּצַלֵּי צְלוֹתֵיהּ שׁוֹמֵעַ בְּקוֹל נְבִיאָה, אוֹ דִּגְבַר בְּעָלְמָא). Rather, it is he who prays prayers every day (אֶלָּא הַהוּא דְּצַלֵּי צְלוֹתִין בְּכָל יוֹמָא). He hears in that voice which Kudsha Berikh Hu calls him by, and praises him, and says that he is His servant truly (אִיהוּ שׁוֹמֵעַ בְּהַהוּא קוֹל, דְּקָרֵי לֵיהּ קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, וּמִשְׁתְּבַּח בֵּיהּ, וְאָמַר דְּאִיהוּ עַבְדּוֹ וַדַּאי). “Hearing the voice”-what voice? (שׁוֹמֵעַ בְּקוֹל, בְּמַאי קוֹל). In that which is called His servant (בְּהַהוּא דְּאִקְרֵי עַבְדּוֹ). A supernal praise it is, that the voice goes forth over him that he is His servant (שְׁבָחָא עִלָּאָה אִיהוּ דְּנָפִיק עָלֵיהּ קוֹל דְּאִיהוּ עַבְדּוֹ). Furthermore, the voice is heard in all those firmaments, that he is the servant of the Holy King, and this is “hearing the voice of His servant” (וְתוּ, דְּקָלָא אִשְׁתְּמַע בְּכָל אִינּוּן רְקִיעִין, דְּאִיהוּ עַבְדָּא דְּמַלְכָּא קַדִּישָׁא, וְדָא הוּא שׁוֹמֵעַ בְּקוֹל עַבְדּוֹ). “Who walks in darkness and has no light” (אֲשֶׁר הָלַךְ חֲשֵׁכִים וְאֵין נֹגַהּ לוֹ)-is it because he did not come to pray that he walked in darkness? (וְכִי בְּגִין דְּלָא אָתָא לְצַלוּיֵי הָלַךְ חֲשֵׁכִים).

Rather, it has been established (אֶלָּא אוֹקְמוּהָ): until Yisrael gather in synagogues to pray, the Sitra achra stands and closes all the supernal lights, so that they will not spread and go forth upon the worlds (אֲבָל עַד לָא יִתְכַּנְּשׁוּן יִשְׂרָאֵל לְבָתֵּי כְּנֵסִיּוֹת לְצַלָּאָה, סִטְרָא אַחֲרָא קַיְּימָא וְסָגִיר כָּל נְהוֹרִין עִלָּאִין, דְּלָא יִתְפַּשְּׁטוּן וְיִפְּקוּן עַל עָלְמִין). And three times a day the Sitra achra, male and female, go and roam in the world (וּתְלַת זִמְנִין בְּיוֹמָא אַזְלֵי סְטָר אַחֲרָא, דְּכַר וְנוּקְבָּא, וּמְשַׁטְטִין בְּעָלְמָא). And at that time it is established for prayer, so that no accusation be there at all (וְהַהוּא עִידָּן אַתְקָן לִצְלוֹתָא, בְּגִין דְּלָא הֲוִי תַּמָּן קִטְרוּגָא כְּלָל). And then it is the time for prayer (וּכְדֵין אִיהוּ עִידָּן לִצְלוֹתָא), because that they go to wander in the dark mountains and the desolate mountain (בְּגִין דְּאִינּוּן אָזְלֵי לִמְשַׁטְּטָא, בְּטוּרֵי חָשׁוּךְ, וְהַר נִשְׁפֶּה).

Then the firmaments of supernal lights are opened, and they go forth and rest upon the synagogues (כְּדֵין פְּתִיחִין כַּוִּי נְהוֹרִין עִלָּאִין, וְנַפְקֵי וְשָׁרִיאָן עַל בָּתֵּי כְּנֵסִיּוֹת), upon the heads of those who pray prayers, and lights are divided upon their heads (בְּרֵישֵׁיהוֹן דְּאִינּוּן דְּצַלָּאן צְלוֹתִין, וּמִתְפַּלְּגָן נְהוֹרִין עַל רֵישַׁיְיהוּ). And Kudsha Berikh Hu asks about the one who is not found there (וְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא שָׁאִיל, עַל הַהוּא דְּלָא אִשְׁתְּכַח תַּמָּן), and says: Woe for so-and-so who was accustomed to be here, and now that he has walked in darkness and has passed from before the lights, he went to wander in the mountains of the world, and has gone out from that shining light, and has no portion in it (וְאָמַר חֲבָל עַל פְּלַנְיָא, דְּהֲוָה רָגִיל הָכָא, וְהַשְׁתָּא דְּהָלַךְ חֲשֵׁכִים וְאִתְעֲבָר מִקַּמֵּי נְהוֹרִין, וְהָלַךְ לְשַׁטְּטָא בְּטוּרַיָּא בְּעָלְמָא, וְנָפַק מֵהַהוּא נֹגַהּ נְהוֹרָא דְּנָהִיר, וְלֵית בֵּיהּ חוּלָקָא, אֵין נֹגַהּ לוֹ). As it spread forth and rested upon the others who were there, so much goodness was lost to him (כְּמָה דְּאִתְפְּלִיג וְשַׁרְיָא עַל אַחֲרָנִין דְּתַמָּן, כַּמָה טָבִין אִתְאֲבִידוּ מִנֵּיהּ). Now that he walked in darkness and has no light (אֵין נֹגַהּ לוֹ הַשְׁתָּא דְּהָלַךְ חֲשֵׁכִים). But if he had been there, he would trust in the Name of Hashem, in the mystery of the first servant (וְאִלּוּ הֲוָה תַּמָּן, יִבְטַח בְּשֵׁם יְיָ, בִּכְלָלָא דְּעֶבֶד קַדְמָאָה). And he would rely upon his Elohim, in the secret of the second servant (וְיִשָּׁעֵן בֵּאלֹהָיו בְּרָזָא דְּעֶבֶד תִּנְיָינָא).

Rabbi Shimon said (אָמַר רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן): El'azar, my son, surely the spirit of prophecy rests upon you (אֶלְעָזָר בְּרִי, וַדַּאי רוּחַ נְבוּאָה שַׁרְיָא עֲלָךְ). Rabbi Abba said (אָמַר רִבִּי אַבָּא): A lion, son of a lion-who shall stand before them, when they roar to seize prey? (אַרְיָא בַּר אַרְיָא, מַאן יְקוּם קַמַּיְיהוּ, כַּד שָׁאֲגֵי לְמִטְרַף טַרְפָּא). All the lions of the world are mighty, but these are mightier than all of them (כָּל אַרְיָין דְּעָלְמָא תַּקִּיפִין, וְאִלֵּין יַתִּיר מְכֻּלְּהוּ). All the lions of the world find it hard to release prey from their mouths, but these easily release prey from their mouths (כָּל אַרְיָין דְּעָלְמָא, קַשְׁיָין לְאַפָּקָא טַרְפָּא מִפּוּמַיְיהוּ, וְאִלֵּין נוֹחִין לְאַפָּקָא מִפּוּמַיְיהוּ טַרְפָּא). They are the prey of prey, and they give to all (אִינּוּן טַרְפֵּי טַרְפָּא, וְיָהֲבֵי לְכֹלָּא).