Daf 201a (דַּף ר״א ע״א)

He said to the friends (אָמַר לְחַבְרַיָּיא), friends, what I asked of these Arabs (חַבְרַיָּיא, מַה דְּשָׁאִילְנָא לְהָנֵי עַרְבָאֵי), who are always found in the fields (דְּמִשְׁתַּכְּחֵי תָּדִיר בְּחַקְלֵי)—perhaps they heard the voice of the friends, those engaged in the Orayta (אִי קָלָא דְּחַבְרַיָּיא, דְּאִינּוּן מִשְׁתַּדְּלֵי בְּאוֹרַיְיתָא שָׁמְעוּ). For Rabbi Shimon and Rabbi El‘azar his son, and the other friends, are going before us, and we did not know (דְּהָא רִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן וְרִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר בְּרֵיהּ, וּשְׁאַר חַבְרַיָּיא, אַזְלִין לְקַמָּן, וְלָא יַדְעִין מִנָן). So I asked these Arabs about them (וְשָׁאִילְנָא לְהָנֵי עַרְבָאֵי עָלַיְיהוּ). For I know that the voice of Rabbi Shimon shakes fields and mountains (דְּיָדַעְנָא דְּקַלֵיהּ דְּרַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן יַרְגִּיז חַקְלִין וְטוּרִין), and they revealed to me what I did not know (וְאִינּוּן גָּלוּ לִי מַה דְּלָא יְדַעְנָא).

While they were going, those Arabs returned to him (עַד דַּהֲווֹ אָזְלִין, אִינּוּן עַרְבָאֵי אָהַדְרוּ לְגַבֵּיהּ). They said: Old man, old man, you asked us from days of the world, but you did not ask about this day (אָמְרוּ לֵיהּ, סָבָא סָבָא, אַנְתְּ שָׁאִילְתָּא לָן מִן יוֹמִין דְּעָלְמָא, וְלָא שָׁאִילְתָּא עַל יוֹמָא דָּא). We saw wonder upon wonder: we saw five men sitting, and one old man with them (דַּחֲמֵינָא תַּוְּוהָא עַל תַּוְּוהָא, חֲמֵינָא חַמְשָׁא בְּנֵי נָשָׁא יַתְבִין, וְחַד סָבָא בַּהֲדַיְיהוּ). We saw birds gather, spreading wings over their heads—some going, some coming—and the shadow did not move from above their heads (וַחֲמֵינָא עוֹפֵי מִתְכַּנְּפֵי וְקָא פַּרְשִׂין גַּדְפִּין עַל רֵישַׁיְיהוּ, אִלֵּין אַזְלִין וְאִלֵּין תָּבִין, וְטוּלָא לָא אִתְעֲבָר מֵעַל רֵישַׁיְיהוּ). That old man raised his voice over them, and they listened (וְהַהוּא סָבָא אָרִים קַלֵיהּ עָלַיְיהוּ, וְאִינּוּן שַׁמְעִין).

He said: For this I asked (אָמַר: עַל דָּא שָׁאִילְנָא). Arabs, Arabs, be strengthened, and this road shall be prepared before you in all that you seek (עַרְבָאֵי עַרְבָאֵי, תֶּהכוּן, וְאָרְחָא דָּא תְּהֵא מְתֻקָּנָא קַמַּיְיכוּ, בְּכָל מַה דְּתִבְעוּן). Two words you told me, that I rejoiced in (תְּרֵין מִלִּין אֲמַרְתּוּן לִי, דַּחֲדֵינָא בְּהוּ). They went on (אַזְלוּ). The friends said: That place where Rabbi Shimon dwells—how shall we know it? (אָמְרוּ לוֹ חַבְרַיָּיא, הַהוּא אֲתָר דְּרַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן שָׁארֵי בֵּיהּ, הֵיךְ אֲנָן יַדְעִין). He said: Leave it to the Master of the steps of the beasts, for He will guide its steps there (אָמַר לוֹן, שְׁבוֹקוּ לְמָארֵי פְּסִיעָן דִּבְעִירֵי, דְּהוּא יַדְרִיךְ פְּסִיעוֹי לְתַמָן). The donkey was not driven, but swerved from the road two miles and went there (לָא הֲוִי טָעִין חֲמָרֵיהּ, וַחֲמָרֵיהּ סָאטֵי מֵאָרְחָא תְּרֵין מִלִּין, וְאָזַל לְתַמָן).

He began braying three times (שָׁארֵי נָהִיק תְּלַת זִמְנֵין). Rabbi Pinchas descended and said to the friends (נָחַת רִבִּי פִּנְחָס, אָמַר לְחַבְרַיָּיא): Let us prepare to receive the countenance of the days, for now great and small faces will come toward us (נִתְתָּקַן לְקַבְּלָא סְבַר אַפֵּי יוֹמִין, דְּהַשְׁתָּא יִפְּקוּן לְגַבָּן אַנְפֵּי רַבְרְבֵי וְאַנְפֵּי זוּטְרֵי). Rabbi Shimon heard the braying of the donkey (שָׁמַע רִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן נָהִיקוּ דַּחֲמָרָא), and said to the friends: Let us rise, for behold, the voice—the joy—of the donkey of the pious elder has been aroused toward us (אָמַר לְחַבְרַיָּיא, נֵיקוּם דְּהָא קָלָא – דְּחַדְוָה – דְּחַמְרָא דְּסָבָא חֲסִידָא אִתְּעַר לְגַבָּן). Rabbi Shimon rose, and the friends rose with him (קָם רִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן, וְקָמוּ חַבְרַיָּיא).

Rabbi Shimon opened and said (פָּתַח רִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן וְאָמַר): “A psalm, sing to Hashem a new song, for He has done wonders…” (Psalms 98) (מִזְמוֹר, שִׁירוּ לַיְיָ שִׁיר חָדָשׁ כִּי נִפְלָאוֹת עָשָׂה וְגוֹ׳). “Mizmor”—with the accent above (מִזְמוֹר, זָקִיף טַעֲמָא לְעֵילָּא). We call this an orphan song (שִׁירָה יְתֵימָא קָרִינַן לְהַאי). Why? (אֲמַאי). Because it begins with a great accent, for this psalm is crowned above with a supernal crown, and comes uplifted (אֶלָּא רָשִׁים טַעֲמָא רַבָּא, דְּהָא אָתֵי הַהוּא מִזְמוֹר, מִתְעַטְּרָא בְּעִטְרָא עִלָּאָה לְעֵילָּא עַל רֵישֵׁיהּ, וְאָתֵי זָקִיף).

Who said this Shirah [song]? (מַאן הֲוָה אָמַר שִׁירָה דָּא). The cows (אִינּוּן פָּרוֹת), with the lowing that they lowed (בְּאִינּוּן גּוֹעִין דַּהֲווֹ גָּעָאן). “Sing to Hashem a new Shir [song]” (שִׁירוּ לַיְיָ שִׁיר חָדָשׁ). To whom were they saying, “Sing”? (לְמַאן הֲווֹ אַמְרִין שִׁירוּ). To the many chariots (לְכַמָּה רְתִיכִין), the many appointed ones (לְכַמָּה מְמָנָן), and the many levels (לְכַמָּה דַּרְגִּין), who came there and went out to meet the Ark [simply] (דַּהֲווֹ אָתָאן תַּמָּן וְנַפְקוּ לְקַבְּלָא לֵיהּ לַאֲרוֹנָא [סְתָם]), and to them they were speaking (וּלְהוֹן הֲווֹ אַמְרֵי). “Sing to Hashem a new Shir [song]”—masculine (שִׁירוּ לַיְיָ שִׁיר חָדָשׁ, דְּכַר). Why here is it Shir [song], while Moshe said Shirah [song], feminine? (מַאי טַעְמָא הָכָא שִׁיר, וּמֹשֶׁה אָמַר שִׁירָה, נוּקְבָּא). Rather, there with Moshe (אֶלָּא הָתָם בְּמֹשֶׁה), the Ark alone (אֲרוֹנָא חֲדָא), [some say: by itself] (נ״א לְחוּדָא), Zot [This] went forth from exile (זֹאת, נַפְקַת מִן גָּלוּתָא), she and her hosts, and no more (הִיא וְאוּכְלוּסָהָא, וְלָא יַתִּיר).

Because of this it is written (וּבְגִין כָּךְ): “This Shirah [song]”—feminine (אֶת הַשִּׁירָה הַזֹּאת, נוּקְבָּא) (Exodus 15). But here (אֲבָל הָכָא), the Ark and what was hidden within it went forth (אֲרוֹנָא, וּמַה דְּהֲוָה גָּנִיז בְּגַוִּיהּ נָפִיק), and because of that which was hidden within it (וּבְגִין הַהוּא דְּהֲוָה גָּנִיז בְּגַוִּיהּ), it is said: “a new Shir [song]”—masculine (אִתְּמַר שִׁיר חָדָשׁ, דְּכַר). “For He has done wonders” (כִּי נִפְלָאוֹת עָשָׂה): what He did to the Philistines (מַה דְּעֲבַד בַּפְּלִשְׁתִּים), and what He did to their error (וּמַה דְּעֲבַד בְּטַעֲוַותְהוֹן). “His right hand saved Him” (הוֹשִׁיעָה לּוֹ יְמִינוֹ): for whom? For Himself (לְמַאן לְעַצְמוֹ). Who is “Himself”? (מַאן עַצְמוֹ). That psalm itself (הַהוּא מִזְמוֹר עַצְמוֹ), and the supernal holy spirit hidden within it (וְרוּחָא עִלָּאָה קַדִּישָׁא גָּנִיז בֵּיהּ). “His right hand” (יְמִינוֹ): that which Saba [the Elder] inherited (הַהוּא דְּיָרִית סָבָא). And this right hand was strengthened in that psalm (וְדָא יְמִינוֹ, אַתְקִיף בְּהַהוּא מִזְמוֹר), and did not leave it in the hand of another (וְלָא שָׁבִיק לֵיהּ בִּידָא דְּאַחֲרָא).

Here there is one matter to reveal (הָכָא אִית לְגַלָּאָה מִלָּה חֲדָא): whenever that right hand was to perform a miracle (כָּל זִמְנָא דְּהַהוּא יְמִינָא, הֲוָה לְאַרְחָשָׁא נִיסָא), it would be strengthened in that psalm (הֲוָה אַתְקִיף בְּהַאי מִזְמוֹר), and set it before Him, to be strengthened through it (וְשַׁוִּי לֵיהּ לְקַמֵּיהּ, לְאַתְקְפָא בֵּיהּ). Like a father who strengthens his right hand in the joy of his son before him (כְּאַבָּא דְּאַתְקִיף יְמִינֵיהּ בְּחַדּוֹי דִּבְרֵיהּ לְקַמֵּיהּ), and says (וְאָמַר): who is it that may come near to my son? (מַאן הוּא דְּיִקְרַב לְגַבֵּי בְּרִי). When the son sins against his father (כֵּיוָן דְּסָרַח לְגַבֵּי אֲבוֹי), his father places his hand upon his shoulder behind him (שַׁוִּי אֲבוֹי יְדוֹי עַל כַּתְפוֹי לַאֲחוֹרָא), and casts him into the hand of his enemy (וְשַׁדְיֵיהּ בִּידָא דְּשַׂנְאוֹי). As it were, at first it is written (כַּבְיָכוֹל, בְּקַדְמִיתָא כְּתִיב): “Your right hand, Hashem, glorious in power” (יְמִינְךָ יְיָ נֶאְדָּרִי בַּכֹּחַ) (Exodus 15). “In power” (בַּכֹּחַ)—what is that which is made known? (מַאן הַהוּא דְּאִשְׁתְּמוֹדְעָא).

In Arabia, they call the joy of a person koach [power] (בְּעָרַבְיָא קוֹרִין לְחַדוֹי דְּבַר נָשׁ כֹּחַ). That right hand is glorious and strengthened in koach [power] (הַהוּא יְמִינָא נֶאְדָּרִי וְאַתְקִיף בְּכֹחַ). Who is it that may come near to my son? (מַאן הוּא דְּיִקְרַב לְגַבֵּי בְּרִי). Afterward, what is written? (לְבָתַר מַה כְּתִיב). “He turned back His right hand from before the enemy” (הֵשִׁיב אָחוֹר יְמִינוֹ מִפְּנֵי אוֹיֵב) (Lamentations 2). He placed His right hand upon his shoulder (שַׁוִּי יְמִינֵיהּ עַל כִּתְפֵיהּ), and pushed him into the hand of his enemy (וְדָחֵי לֵיהּ בִּידָא דְּשַׂנְאוֹי). At first, His right hand was before Him in joy, to be strengthened through it (בְּקַדְמִיתָא יְמִינֵיהּ לְקַמֵּיהּ בְּחַדּוֹי, לְאַתְקְפָא בֵּיהּ). Afterward, it was behind him, upon his shoulder, to push him away (וּלְבָתַר לַאֲחוֹרָא עַל כַּתְפוֹי, לְדַחְיָיא לֵיהּ). But here (וְהָכָא): “His right hand and His holy arm saved Him” (הוֹשִׁיעָה לּוֹ יְמִינוֹ וּזְרוֹעַ קָדְשׁוֹ)—two arms to be strengthened through it (תְּרֵין דְּרוֹעִין לְאַתְקְפָא בֵּיהּ).