Daf 198b (דַּף קצ״ח ע״ב)

For he is too mighty for me (כִּי עָצוּם הוּא מִמֶּנִּי). And until that moment, they had not waged war against him and prevailed over him (וְכִי עַד הַהוּא שַׁעֲתָא לָא אַגָּחוּ בֵיהּ קְרָבָא וְנָצְחוּ לֵיהּ). In that place, they stirred with their swords (בְּאָן אֲתָר אַעֲרוּ בְּחַרְבָּא דִּלְהוֹן), and they were men like warriors, to show their might (וַהֲווּ גַּבְרִין כְּגִבָּרִין לְאַחֲזָאָה גְּבוּרְתָּא דִּלְהוֹן). What is “For he is too mighty for me”? (מַאי כִּי עָצוּם הוּא מִמֶּנִּי).

Rather, that wicked one was wise (אֶלָּא הַהוּא רָשָׁע חַכִּים הֲוָה), and could see far off (וְחָמֵי לְמֵרָחִיק). He saw King David (חָמָא לְדָוִד מַלְכָּא), who came from Ruth the Moavite (דְּאָתֵי מֵרוּת הַמּוֹאָבִיָּה), a mighty warrior like a lion (גִּבָּר תַּקִּיף כְּאַרְיֵה), one who made mighty battles (וְעָבִיד קְרָבִין תַּקִּיפִין), and defeated Moav (וְנָצַח לְמוֹאָב), and placed them beneath his feet (וְשַׁוִּי לוֹן תְּחוֹת רַגְלוֹי). He said: “Mighty is he!” (אָמַר עָצוּם הוּא). That one who will inherit that might, one of their kings, will come from us to bring destruction to Moav (הַהוּא דְּיָרְתָא הַהוּא גְּבוּרְתָּא, חַד מַלְכָּא דִּלְהוֹן, מִינָן יִפּוּק לְשֵׁיצָאָה לְמוֹאָב). Perhaps I will be able to strike him (אוּלַי אוּכַל נַכֶּה בּוֹ). This verse ought to have said: “Perhaps I will be able to smite him” (הַאי קְרָא הָכִי הֲוָה לֵיהּ לְמֵימַר: אוּלַי אוּכַל אַכֶּה בּוֹ), or: “Perhaps we will be able to strike him” (אוֹ אוּלַי נוּכַל נַכֶּה בּוֹ).

Rather, that wicked one was wise (אֶלָּא הַהוּא רָשָׁע הֲוָה חַכִּים). He said: “I see one hand (אָמַר: חֲמֵינָא יְדָא חֲדָא), that of one powerful lion (דְּחַד אַרְיָא תַּקִּיפָא), stretched out” (פָּרִישׂ רַגְלָא [ידָא]). “If it is possible with you (אִי אִיכוּל עִמָּךְ), let the two of us unite (דְּנִתְחַבָּר תַּרְוַיְיהוּ),” Some say: and let the two of us unite (נ״א: תַּרוַונָא וְנִתְחַבֵּר), “and let us tear away from that lion this hand” (וְנִגְרַע מֵהַהוּא אַרְיֵה יְדָא דָּא), “before that king comes into the world (עַד לָא יֵיתֵי הַהוּא מַלְכָּא לְעָלְמָא), and Moav will not be uprooted from its place” (וְלָא יִתְּרַךְ יַת מוֹאָב מֵאַתְרֵיהּ).

“Curse for me” — what is “Curse for me”? (אָרָה לִּי, מַאי אָרָה לִּי). Rabbi Abba said (אָמַר רִבִּי אַבָּא): That wicked one spoke with two tongues to Bil‘am (הַהוּא רָשָׁע בִּתְרֵי לִישָׁנֵי קָאָמַר לְבִלְעָם). In one place he said: “Curse for me” (חַד אָמַר: אָרָה לִּי), and in another: “Curse them utterly for me” (וְחַד אָמַר: קָבָה לִּי). What is the difference between this and that? (מַה בֵּין הַאי לְהַאי).

Rather, he said to him: “Curse for me with herbs and sorceries from the heads of serpents (אֶלָּא אָמַר לֵיהּ: אָרָה לִּי עַשְׂבִּין וְחַרְשִׁין דְּרֵישֵׁי דְּחִוְיָין), and set them in the cauldron of sorcerers” (וְשַׁוִּי לוֹן בַּקְּדֵרָה דְּחַרְשַׁיָּא). But once he saw that his power was stronger in the mouth (כֵּיוָן דְּחָמָא דְּחֵילֵיהּ יַתִּיר בְּפוּמָא), he returned and said: “And now, please curse them utterly for me” (תָּב וְאָמַר: וּלְכָה נָא קָבָה לִּי).

And even so, that wicked one, Balak (וַאֲפִילּוּ הָכִי, הַהוּא רָשָׁע דְּבָלָק), did not abandon his sorceries (לָא שָׁבַק חֲרָשׁוֹי), but gathered all kinds of herbs (אֶלָּא לָקִיט כָּל זִינֵי עִשְׂבִין), and sorceries of serpent heads (חַרְשֵׁי דְּרֵישֵׁי דְּחִוְיָין), and took a sorcerer’s cauldron (וְנָטִיל קְדֵרָה דְּחָרְשִׁין), and thrust it beneath the earth one thousand and five hundred cubits deep (וְנָעִיץ לָהּ תְּחוֹת אַרְעָא אֶלֶף וַחֲמֵשׁ מְאָה אַמִּין), and hid it away for the end of days (וְגָנִיז לָהּ לְסוֹף יוֹמִין).

When David came (כֵּיוָן דְּאָתָא דָּוִד), he dug into the deep (כָּרָא בִּתְהוֹמָא), one thousand and five hundred cubits (אֶלֶף וַחֲמֵשׁ מְאָה אַמִּין), and drew water from the deep (וְאַפִּיק מַיָּא מִן תְּהוֹמָא), and poured it upon the altar (וְנָסִיךְ עַל מַדְבְּחָא). In that moment, he said (בְּהַהוּא שַׁעֲתָּא אָמַר): I will empty out that cauldron (אֲנָא אַסְחֵי הַהִיא קְדֵרָה), as it is written (כְּדִכְתִּיב) (Psalms 60): “Moav is my washpot” (מוֹאָב סִיר רַחְצִי). “My washpot” indeed (סִיר רַחְצִי וַדַּאי). “Upon Edom I cast my shoe” (עַל אֱדוֹם אַשְׁלִיךְ נַעֲלִי). What is “I cast my shoe”? (מַאי אַשְׁלִיךְ נַעֲלִי). Rather, this too was seen from afar (אֶלָּא דָּא אוּף הָכִי לְמֵרָחִיק הֲוָה), as it is written (כְּדִכְתִּיב) (Bereshit 25): “And Esav said to Ya’akov, ‘Pour into me now some of that red red stuff, for I am weary’” (וַיֹּאמֶר עֵשָׂו אֶל יַעֲקֹב: הַלְעִיטֵנִי נָא מִן הָאָדוֹם הָאָדוֹם הַזֶּה, כִּי עָיֵף אָנֹכִי). “Hal‘itayni”—that is truly force-feeding (הַלְעִיטֵנִי: הַלְעָטָה מַמָּשׁ), the opening of mouth and throat to swallow (פְּתִיחוּ דְּפוּמָא וּגְרוֹנָא לְמִבְלַע). David said to that devourer (אָמַר דָּוִד לְהַהוּא בַּלְעָן): “You who devours by devouring, I will cast my shoe upon you” (מְלָעֵט הַלְעַטִּין, אֲנָא אַרְמִי עָלֵיהּ נַעֲלִי), to block his throat (לְמִסְתַּם גְּרוֹנֵיהּ). “Over Peleshet I will shout aloud” (עֲלֵי פְלֶשֶׁת אֶתְרוֹעָע). This too David saw from afar (אוּף הָכִי דָּא לְמֵרָחִיק אִסְתָּכֵי דָּוִד). He said: Kena‘an is the evil side from the Sitra achra (אָמַר: כְּנַעַן סִטְרָא בִּישָׁא דְּסִטְרָא אַחֲרָא אִיהוּ), and the Pelishtim are from there (וּפְלִשְׁתִּים מִתַּמָּן אִינּוּן). From the Sitra achra, what is required? (לְסִטְרָא אַחֲרָא מָה אִצְטְרִיךְ).

Teru‘ah (תְּרוּעָה). As it is written (כְּדִכְתִּיב) (Numbers 10): “And when you go out to war in your land… you shall sound the teru‘ah, etc.” (וְכִי תָבֹאוּ מִלְחָמָה בְּאַרְצְכֶם וַהֲרֵעוֹתֶם וְגוֹ׳), to break his army and his strength (לְתַּבְרָא חֵילֵיהּ וְתוּקְפֵּיהּ). And because of this: “Over Peleshet I will shout aloud” (וּבְגִין כָּךְ עֲלֵי פְּלֶשֶׁת אֶתְרוֹעָע), and so it appeared to them (וְהָכִי אִתְחֲזֵי לוֹן). “And now, come please, curse for me this people, for they are too mighty for me” (וְעַתָּה לְכָה נָא אָרָה לִּי אֶת הָעָם הַזֶּה, כִּי עָצוּם הוּא מִמֶּנִּי).

Rabbi Chizkiyah opened (רִבִּי חִזְקִיָּה פָּתַח): as it is written (כְּדִכְתִּיב) (Isaiah 11): “And righteousness shall be the girdle of his loins, and faith the girdle of his reins” (וְהָיָה צֶדֶק אֵזוֹר מָתְנָיו, וְהָאֱמוּנָה אֵזוֹר חֲלָצָיו). This entire verse is one (הַאי קְרָא כֹּלָּא אִיהוּ חַד). What new teaching does it come to make heard? (מַאי חִדּוּשָׁא אָתָא לְאַשְׁמוֹעִינָן). For righteousness is faith, and faith is righteousness (דְּהָא צֶדֶק הַיְינוּ אֱמוּנָה, וְאֱמוּנָה הַיְינוּ צֶדֶק). “Girdle of his loins” is the same as “girdle of his reins” (אֵזוֹר מָתְנָיו, הַיְינוּ אֵזוֹר חֲלָצָיו). We do not find another verse like this (לָא אַשְׁכְּחָן קְרָא כְּהַאי גַּוְונָא). But righteousness is not the same as faith (אֶלָּא לָאו צֶדֶק כֶּאֱמוּנָה), even though all is one and a single level (וְאַף עַל גַּב דְּכֹלָּא חַד, וְחַד דַּרְגָּא אִיהוּ). However, at the time when it stands in harsh judgment (אֲבָל בְּזִמְנָא דְּקַיְּימָא בְּדִינָא קַשְׁיָא), and it receives from the left side (וּמְקַבְּלָא מִסְּטַר שְׂמָאלָא), then it is called righteousness—literal judgment (כְּדֵין אִקְרֵי צֶדֶק, דִּינָא מַמָּשׁ). As it is written (כְּדִכְתִּיב) (Isaiah 26): “For when Your judgments are on the earth, the inhabitants of the world learn righteousness” (כִּי כַּאֲשֶׁר מִשְׁפָּטֶיךָ לָאָרֶץ, צֶדֶק לָמְדוּ יוֹשְׁבֵי תֵבֵל). For this level of mishpat is mercy (דְּהַאי דַּרְגָּא דְּמִשְׁפָּט, רַחֲמֵי אִיהוּ), and when judgment is drawn near through righteousness (וְכַד אִתְקְרִיב מִשְׁפָּט בְּצֶדֶק), then all is sweetened (כְּדֵין אִתְבְּסָם), and the people of the world are able to bear the judgment of righteousness (וְיַכְלִין בְּנֵי עָלְמָא לְמִסְבַּל דִּינָא דְּצֶדֶק). And because of this: righteousness is not identical with faith (וְעַל דָּא צֶדֶק לָאו אִיהוּ כֶּאֱמוּנָה).

Faith, when it becomes joined with it (אֱמוּנָה, בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְּאִתְחַבָּר בָּהּ), then it is truth, for joy (כְּדֵין אִיהוּ אֱמֶת לְחֶדְוָה). And all faces shine (וְכָל אַנְפִּין נְהִירִין), then it is called faith (כְּדֵין אִקְרֵי אֱמוּנָה). And there is tolerance for all (וְאִית וַותְּרָנוּתָא לְכֹלָּא), and all souls that ascend (וְכָל נִשְׁמָתִין סַלְּקִין), although liable for many severe obligations (מִתְחַיְּיבֵי בְּכַמָּה חִיּוּבִין דְּחַיָּיבִין בִּישִׁין), and since they ascend as a deposit (וְכֵיוָן דִּבְפִקָּדוֹן סַלְּקִין), He returns them in mercy (אַהְדָּר לוֹן בְּרַחֲמֵי), and has compassion upon them (וְחָס עָלַיְיהוּ).

And then it is called faith (וּכְדֵין אִקְרֵי אֱמוּנָה), and there is no faith without truth (וְלֵית אֱמוּנָה בְּלָא אֱמֶת). Now, “the belt of his loins, and the belt of his hips” (הַשְׁתָּא אֵזוֹר מָתְנָיו, וְאֵזוֹר חֲלָצָיו). What are these two belts here? (מַהוּ תְּרֵין אֵזוֹרִין הָכָא). And loins and hips, even though they are one (וּמָתְנַיִם וַחֲלָצַיִן אַף עַל גַּב דְּחַד אִינּוּן), are two levels—one above, and one below (תְּרֵין דַּרְגִּין אִינּוּן, חַד לְעֵילָּא, וְחַד לְתַתָּא). Above in the beginning, it is called loins (לְעֵילָּא בְּשֵׁירוּתָא, אִקְרֵי מָתְנַיִם). Below, at the end, it is called hips (לְתַתָּא בְּסוֹפָא, אִקְרֵי חֲלָצַיִן), as you say (כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר) (Isaiah 32): “And a belt on the hips” (וַחֲגוֹרָה עַל חֲלָצָיִם), at the end—on the beginning of the thighs (בְּסוֹפָא, עַל רֵישׁ יְרֵכַיִם). When a woman is in pain (כַּד אִתְּתָא בְּצַעֲרָא), she draws up those hips from the top of the thighs (מְנַתְּקָן אִינּוּן חַלָצַיִם מֵרֵישׁ יְרֵכַיִן), and she places her hands in pain upon them (וְשַׁוִיאַת יְדָהָא בִּכְאִיבָא עָלַיְיהוּ).