Daf 200b (דַּף ר״ש ע״ב)

A Samaritan asked Rabbi El‘azar (חַד כּוּתִי שָׁאִיל לְרִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר), saying to him: I see strong power in Bil‘am, more than in Moshe (אָמַר לֵיהּ: חֵילָא תַּקִּיפָא חֲמֵינָא בֵּיהּ בְּבִלְעָם, יַתִּיר מִמֹּשֶׁה). For in Moshe it is written: “And He called to Moshe” (דְּאִילּוּ בְּמֹשֶׁה כְּתִיב: וַיִּקְרָא אֶל מֹשֶׁה), but in Bil‘am it is written: “And Elohim happened upon Bil‘am,” and it is written: “And Elohim came to Bil‘am” (וּבְבִלְעָם כְּתִיב: וַיִּקָּר אֱלֹהִים אֶל בִּלְעָם, וּכְתִיב: וַיָּבֹא אֱלֹהִים אֶל בִּלְעָם). He said to him (אָמַר לֵיהּ): To a king who sits in his palace upon his throne, one leper comes and calls at the gate (לְמַלְכָּא דְּיָתִיב בְּהֵיכָלֵיהּ עַל כֻּרְסְיָיא, חַד סְגִיר קָרָא לְתַרְעָא). He said: Who is it that knocks at the gate? (אָמַר: מַאן הוּא דְּבָטַשׁ לְתַרְעָא).

They said: A leper, so-and-so (אָמְרוּ: סְגִיר פְּלָן). He said: Let him not enter here, and not defile the palace (אָמַר: לָא יֵיעוּל הָכָא, וְלָא יְטַנֵּף הֵיכָלָא). I know that if I send a servant to say to him, he will not fear (יְדַעְנָא דְּאִי בִּשְׁלִיחָא אֵימָא לֵיהּ, לָא חָיִישׁ). Let my son go, and he will be sullied and approach him (וְיֵיזִיל בְּרִי, וְיִסְתְּאַב וְיִקְרַב בַּהֲדֵיהּ). But I shall go, and I will rebuke him, so that he turn away from the dwelling of My son and not defile him (אֲבָל אֲנָא אֵיזִיל, וְאַגְזִים בֵּיהּ, דְּיִרְחַק אָרְחֵיהּ מִמוֹתָבָא דִּבְרִי, וְלָא יִסְאַב לֵיהּ). The king himself rose and came to him and rebuked him (אַקְדִים מַלְכָּא, וְאָתָא לְגַבֵּיהּ, וְאַגְזִים). And said to him: Leper, leper, restrain your feet from the path of My son who dwells there; if not, I say that the children of My maidservants will cut your body to pieces (וְאָמַר לֵיהּ: סְגִיר סְגִיר, מְנַע רַגְלָךְ מֵאָרְחָא דִּבְרִי שָׁארֵי תַּמָּן, וְאִי לָאו, אוֹמֵינָא דְּחֲתִיכִין יַעַבְדוּן גוּפָךְ בְּנֵי שִׁפְחוֹתַי). But when the beloved of the king calls at the gate (רְחִימָא דְּמַלְכָּא קָרֵי לְדָשָׁא), the king said: Who is it? (אָמַר מַלְכָּא: מַאן הוּא). They said: Your beloved, so-and-so (אָמְרוּ: רְחִימָךְ פְּלַנְיָא). He said: Beloved, dear to My soul, let no other voice call to him but I Myself (אָמַר: רְחִימָא חֲבִיבָא דְּנַפְשָׁאי, לָא יִקְרֵי לֵיהּ קָלָא אַחֲרָא, אֶלָּא אֲנָא).

The king raised his voice and said: So-and-so, so-and-so, enter, dear to My soul, My beloved. Prepare the palaces to speak with him (צָוַוח מַלְכָּא וְאָמַר: פְּלַנְיָא פְּלַנְיָא עוּל, חֲבִיבָא דְּנַפְשָׁאי, רְחִימָא דִּילִי, אַתְקִינוּ הֵיכָלִין לְמַלְּלָא עִמֵּיהּ). Thus Bil‘am is a leper, distant from mankind (כַּךְ בִּלְעָם אִיהוּ סְגִיר, רְחִיקָא מִבְּנֵי נָשָׁא). He called at the gate of the King (קָרָא לְתַרְעָא דְּמַלְכָּא). The King heard and said: The leper, defiled one, let him not enter and defile My palace (שְׁמַע מַלְכָּא, אָמַר: סְגִיר מִסְאֲבָא לָא יֵיעוּל, וְלָא יְטַנֵּף הֵיכָלָא דִּילִי). I must go to rebuke him, that he not approach the gate of My son and defile him (אֲנָא אִצְטְרִיךְ לְמֵיזָל לְאַגְזְמָא לֵיהּ, דְּלָא יִקְרַב לְגַבֵּי תַּרְעָא דִּבְרִי, וְלָא יִסְאַב לֵיהּ). And concerning this it is written: “And Elohim came to Bil‘am…” (וְעַל דָּא וַיָּבֹא אֱלֹהִים אֶל בִּלְעָם וְגוֹ׳). He said to him: Leper, leper, do not go with them; do not curse the people, for they are blessed. Do not approach the matter of My son; whether for good or for evil, you are defiled in all (אָמַר לֵיהּ: סְגִיר סְגִיר, לֹא תֵלֵךְ עִמָּהֶם, לֹא תָּאוֹר אֶת הָעָם כִּי בָרוּךְ הוּא. לָא תִּקְרַב לְגַבֵּי דִּבְרִי, הֵן לְטָב הֵן לְבִישׁ, מְסָאָב אַנְתְּ בְּכֹלָּא). But with Moshe it is written: “And He called to Moshe” (אֲבָל בְּמֹשֶׁה כְּתִיב: וַיִּקְרָא אֶל מֹשֶׁה)—the voice of the King, and not through any other messenger (קָלָא דְּמַלְכָּא, וְלָא עַל יְדֵי שְׁלִיחָא אַחֲרָא). From the Tent of Meeting, from the holy palace, from the prepared palace, from the precious palace, where the supernal and lower ones yearn toward him, and are not able to approach him (מֵאֹהֶל מוֹעֵד מֵהֵיכָלָא קַדִּישָׁא, מֵהֵיכָלָא מְתֻקְּנָא, מֵהֵיכָלָא יַקִּירָא, דְּעִלָּאִין וְתַתָּאִין תְּאִיבִין לְגַבֵּיהּ, וְלָא יַכְלִין לְמִקְרַב לְגַבֵּיהּ). “And Bil‘am said to Elohim: Balak son of Tzippor” (וַיֹּאמֶר בִּלְעָם אֶל הָאֱלֹהִים: בָּלָק בֶּן צִפּוֹר). And he said: “The king of Moav, an honored king, sent to me” (וְהוּא אָמַר: מֶלֶךְ מוֹאָב, מַלְכָּא חֲשִׁיבָא, שָׁלַח אֵלַי). “The king of Moav.” Behold the arrogance of that wicked one (מֶלֶךְ מוֹאָב. חָמוּ גָּאוּתָא דְּהַהוּא רָשָׁע). Some say: even Balak himself he did not consider as anything (נ״א: דַּאֲפִילוּ לֵיהּ לְבָלָק לָא חֲשִׁיב כְּלוּם). For it is written: “The king of Moav,” and he did not say, “To Moav” (דִּכְתִיב מֶלֶךְ מוֹאָב, וְלָא אָמַר לְמוֹאָב), meaning: a man not fitting for kingship, and yet he was made king over Moav (מִכְלָל: גַּבְרָא דְּלָא אִתְחֲזֵי לְמַלְכָּא, וְהָא אִתְעֲבִיד מַלְכָּא לְמוֹאָב).

Previously, what is written about it? (קַדְמָאָה, מַה כְּתִיב בֵּיהּ). As it is written (כְּדִכְתִּיב) (Numbers 21): “And he fought against the first king of Moav” (וְהוּא נִלְחַם בַּמֶּלֶךְ מוֹאָב הָרִאשׁוֹן)—a king, the son of a king, honored, the son of honored (מַלְכָּא בַּר מַלְכָּא, חֲשִׁיבָא בַּר חֲשִׁיבָא). But here it is written: “A king for Moav” (אֲבָל דָּא מֶלֶךְ לְמוֹאָב כְּתִיב). The verse testifies: “A king for Moav” (קְרָא אַסְהִיד: מֶלֶךְ לְמוֹאָב). And behold, we have aroused, that he directed himself toward great arrogance of heart (וְהָא אִתְּעַרְנָא, דְּאִתְכָּוַּון הוּא לְגָאוּתָא לִבָּא רַב). For all kings of the world send their messengers to me (כָּל מַלְכִין דְּעָלְמָא, שַׁלְחִין לְגַבָּאי שְׁלוּחֵיהוֹן). (Some say: “And Bil‘am said to Elohim: Balak son of Tzippor, king of Moav, sent to me” (נ״א: וַיֹּאמֶר בִּלְעָם אֶל הָאֱלֹהִים בָּלָק בֶּן צִפּוֹר מֶלֶךְ מוֹאָב שָׁלַח אֵלַי). Behold the arrogance of that wicked one, for he said: “King of Moav,” and he did not say: “To Moav, the king of Moav” (חֲמוּ גָּאוּתָא דְּהַהוּא רָשָׁע, דַּאֲמַר מֶלֶךְ מוֹאָב, וְלָא אָמַר לְמוֹאָב, בְּמַלְכָּא דְּמוֹאָב).

Previously, what is written about it? (קַדְמָאָה, מַה כְּתִיב בֵּיהּ). As it is written (כְּדִכְתִּיב) (Numbers 21): “And he fought against the first king of Moav” (וְהוּא נִלְחַם בַּמֶּלֶךְ מוֹאָב הָרִאשׁוֹן)—a king, the son of a king; an honored one, the son of an honored one (מַלְכָּא בַּר מַלְכָּא, חֲשִׁיבָא בַּר חֲשִׁיבָא). But here it is written: “A king for Moav” (אֲבָל דָּא מֶלֶךְ לְמוֹאָב כְּתִיב). And the verse testifies against him: “A king for Moav” (וּקְרָא אַסְהִיד עֲלֵיהּ: מֶלֶךְ לְמוֹאָב). At that time he was a man not fitting for kingship, and yet he was made king (בָּעֵת הַהִיא גַּבְרָא דְּלָא אִתְחֲזֵי לְמַלְכָּא, וְהָא אִתְעֲבִיד מַלְכָּא). And behold, we have aroused, that he intended toward the arrogance of a proud heart, for all kings of the world send their messengers to me (וְהָא אִתְעַרְנָא, דְּמִתְכַּוֵּן לְגָאוּתָא דְּלִבָּא רַב, דְּכָל מַלְכִין דְּעָלְמָא, שַׁלְחִין לְגַבָּאי שְׁלוּחֵיהוֹן). And we consider him in this regard… (וְחֲשִׁיבְנָא לְגַבֵּי).

Rabbi Pinchas went to see his daughter (רִבִּי פִּנְחָס הֲוָה אָזִיל לְמֵחֱמֵי בְּרָתֵּיהּ), the wife of Rabbi Shimon, who was in the pasture (אִנְתּוּ דְּרִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן, דַּהֲוַת בְּמַרְעָא). His friends went with him (וַהֲווּ אָזְלֵי עִמֵּיהּ חַבְרַיָּיא), and he was riding his donkey (וְהוּא הֲוָה רָכִיב בְּחַמְרֵיהּ). On the road, he met two Arabs (עַד דְּהֲוָה אָזִיל בְּאָרְחָא, פָּגַע בִּתְרֵין עַרְבָאֵי). He said: In this field, a voice was aroused from ancient days (אָמַר לוֹן, בַּחֲקָל דָּא אִתְּעַר קָלָא מִיּוֹמִין דְּעָלְמָא). They said: From ancient days we do not know, but from our days we know (אָמְרוּ לֵיהּ, מִיּוֹמִין דְּעָלְמָא לֵית אֲנָן יַדְעִין. מִיּוֹמִין דִּילָן אֲנָן יַדְעִין).

One day, bandits attacked travelers in that field (דְּהָא יוֹמָא חַד, הֲווֹ אִינּוּן לִסְטִין מְקַפְּחֵי אָרְחִין דְּגוּבְרִין בְּהַהוּא חַקְלָא). They met some Jews to strike them (וּפַגְעוּ בְּאִינּוּן יוּדָאֵי, וְאָתוּ לְקַפְּחָא לוֹן). Then from far in this field, the donkey’s voice brayed twice (וְאִשְׁתְּמַע מֵרָחִיק בְּהַאי חֲקַל, קַל דַּחֲמָרָא דָּא, דְּנָהַק תְּרֵי זִמְנֵי). A flame of fire came with that voice and burned them (וְאָתָא שַׁלְהוֹבָא דְּאֶשָּׁא בְּהַהוּא קָלָא, וְאוֹקִיד לוֹן), and the Jews were saved (וְאִשְׁתְּזִיבוּ אִינּוּן יוּדָאֵי). He said: Arabs, Arabs, for this word you told me, you shall be saved today from other bandits waiting on the road (אָמַר לֵיהּ, עַרְבָאֵי, עַרְבָאֵי, בְּמִלָּה דָּא דְּקָא אֲמַרְתּוּן לִי, תִּשְׁתֵּזְבוּן יוֹמָא דָּא מִלִּסְטִין אַחֲרָנִין, דְּקָא מְחַכָּן לְכוּ בְּאָרְחָא).

Rabbi Pinchas wept (בָּכָה רִבִּי פִּנְחָס), and said: Master of the world, this miracle You did for me, and those Jews were saved, and I did not know (אָמַר, מָארֵיהּ דְּעָלְמָא, רַחֲשָׁא דְּנִיסָא דָּא עַבְדַת בְּגִינֵי, וְאִשְׁתֵּזְבוּן אִינּוּן יוּדָאֵי, וְלָא יְדַעְנָא). He opened and said (פָּתַח וְאָמַר) (Psalms 136): “To Him who does great wonders alone, for His mercy endures forever” (לְעוֹשֵׂה נִפְלָאוֹת גְּדוֹלוֹת לְבַדּוֹ, כִּי לְעוֹלָם חַסְדּוֹ). How much good Kudsha Berikh Hu does with men (כַּמָה טִיבוּ עָבִיד קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא עִם בְּנֵי נָשָׁא), how many miracles He makes whisper for them every day (וְכַמָּה נִסִּין אַרְחִישׁ לוֹן בְּכָל יוֹמָא), and none knows but He alone (וְלָא יָדַע אֶלָּא אִיהוּ בִּלְחוֹדוֹי).

A man rises in the morning, a serpent comes to kill him (בַּר נָשׁ קָם בְּצַפְרָא, וְחִוְיָא אָתֵי לְקָטְלָא לֵיהּ). The man steps on its head and kills it, and does not know (וּבַּר נָשׁ שַׁוִּי רַגְלֵיהּ עַל רֵישֵׁיהּ, וְקָטִיל לֵיהּ, וְלָא יָדַע בֵּיהּ). But Kudsha Berikh Hu alone did it (בַּר קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא בִּלְחוֹדוֹי, הֲוִי). “To Him who does great wonders alone” (לְעוֹשֵׂה נִפְלָאוֹת גְּדוֹלוֹת לְבַדּוֹ). A man goes on the road, bandits wait to kill him (בַּר נָשׁ אָזִיל בְּאָרְחָא, וְלִסְטִין מְחַכָּאן לְמִקְטְלֵיהּ). Another comes, ransom is given instead of him, and he is saved (אָתָא אַחֲרָא, וְאִתְיְיהִב כּוּפְרָא תַּחְתֵּיהּ, וְהוּא אִשְׁתְּזִיב). He does not know the good done to him, nor the miracle made for him (לָא יָדַע טִיבוּ דְּעָבַד לֵיהּ קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, וְנִסָא דְּאַרְחִישׁ לֵיהּ). But He alone does and knows (בַּר אִיהוּ בִּלְחוֹדוֹי, הֲוִי, לְעוֹשֶׂה נִפְלָאוֹת גְּדוֹלוֹת לְבַדּוֹ). He alone does and knows; another does not know (לְבַדּוֹ עָבִיד וְיָדַע, וְאַחֲרָא לָא יָדַע).