Daf 203a (דַּף ר״ג ע״א)

He lifted his eyes and saw Yisrael (זָקִיף וְחָמֵי לוֹן לְיִשְׂרָאֵל), all of them afflicted in fasting (כֻּלְּהוּ מִתְעַנָן בְּתַעֲנִיתָא), barefoot (יְחֵפֵי רַגְלִין). He saw the women (חָמֵי נָשִׁין), he saw the children (חָמֵי יַנּוּקִין), all of them in fasting (כֻּלְּהוּ בְּתַעֲנִיתָא), all pure in purity (כֻּלְּהוּ נְקִיִּים בְּנַקְיוּ). “And he said: Who are these with you?” (וַיֹּאמֶר מִי אֵלֶּה לָךְ). A holy Name for you (שְׁמָא קַדִּישָׁא לָךְ). “Who are these with you?” (מִי אֵלֶּה לָךְ). He asked about the children (שָׁאִיל עַל יַנּוּקֵי), and said, “The children whom Elohim has graciously given your servant” (וְאָמַר הַיְלָדִים אֲשֶׁר חָנַן אֱלֹהִים אֶת עַבְדֶּךָ). And why was it necessary to answer him at all (וְכִי אֲמַאי אִצְטְרִיךְ לְאָתָבָא לֵיהּ כְּלוּם). Rather, since that bribe was received (אֶלָּא כֵּיוָן דִּמְקַבֵּל הַהוּא שׁוֹחַד), he was turned for them into a defender (אִתְהַפָּךְ לְהוּ סַנֵיגוֹר). He lifted his eyes and saw Yisrael in this manner (זָקִיף עֵינוֹי, וְחָמֵי לוֹן לְיִשְׂרָאֵל כְּגַוְונָא דָּא), he thought that it was because of his fear that they were standing thus (חָשִׁיב דִּבְגִין דְּחִילוּ דִּילֵיהּ אִינּוּן קַיְימִין כַּךְ).

He asked about the children (שָׁאִיל עַל יַנּוּקֵי), and said: “Who are these with you?” (וְאָמַר מִי אֵלֶּה לָךְ). And he said secretly: “The children” (ואמר באורח סתים הילדים). What is “Who are these with you?” (מַהוּ מִי אֵלֶּה לָךְ). Rather he said: It is enough that you have sinned before the King (אֶלָּא אָמַר, תִּינַח אַתּוּן דְּחַבְתּוּן קַמֵּי מַלְכָּא). But these children, why are they standing so (אֲבָל אִלֵּין יַנּוּקֵי, אֲמַאי קַיְימִין הָכִי). “Who are these with you?” (מִי אֵלֶּה לָךְ). And he said: “The children” (וַיֹּאמַר הַיְלָדִים), The Holy Spirit said (רוּחַ קֻדְשָׁא אָמַר). And therefore the accent is placed there (וְעַל דָּא זָקִיף טַעֲמָא). “And he said: The children” (וַיֹּאמַר הַיְלָדִים). Secretly: “Whom Elohim has graciously given your servant” (בְּאֹרַח סָתִים אֲשֶׁר חָנַן אֱלֹהִים אֶת עַבְדֶּךָ). And did The Holy Spirit say “your servant” (וְכִי רוּחַ הַקֹּדֶשׁ אָמַר אֶת עַבְדֶּךָ). Rather, The Holy Spirit said (אֶלָּא רוּחַ קֻדְשָׁא אָמַר), these are the children who did not sin (אִלֵּין אִינּוּן יַנּוּקֵי דְּלָא חָאבוּ), and did not taste the taste of sin (וְלָא טָעִימוּ טַעֲמָא דְּחֶטְאָה). And Kudsha Berikh Hu delivered them into the hand of that appointed one of yours (וּמָסַר לוֹן קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, בִּידָא דְּהַהוּא מְמָנָא דִּילָךְ), and he killed them without sin (וְקָטִיל לוֹן בְּלָא חוֹבָא), as you say: “And on the side of their oppressors there was power” (כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר וּמִיַּד עוֹשְׁקֵיהֶם כֹּחַ) (Kohelet 4). And this is “your servant” (וְדָא הוּא אֶת עַבְדֶּךָ).

When he heard from those children (כֵּיוָן דְּשָׁמַע מֵאִינּוּן יַנּוּקֵי), immediately he ascended before Kudsha Berikh Hu (מִיַּד סָלִיק לְגַבֵּי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא), and said: Master of the world (וְאָמַר, מָארֵיהּ דְּעָלְמָא), all Your ways are in true judgment (כָּל אָרְחָךְ בְּדִינָא דִּקְשׁוֹט). And if judgment rests upon Yisrael because of their sins (וְאִי דִּינָא שַׁרְיָא עַל יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּגִין חוֹבֵיהוֹן אִיהוּ), their children, who have not sinned before You (יַנּוּקִין דִּלְהוֹן דְּלָא חָאבוּ לְקָמָךְ), why do You deliver them to be killed without sin (אֲמַאי מַסְרַת לוֹן לְקָטְלָא לוֹן בְּלָא חוֹבָא). And Kudsha Berikh Hu received his words thus (וְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא נָטִיל מִלּוֹי בְּכַךְ), and had compassion upon them (וְחָס עָלַיְיהוּ). And at that time there was no plague of Askara among the children (וְהַהִיא שַׁעֲתָא, לָא הֲוִי אַסְכָּרָא בַּתִּינוֹקוֹת). And that accuser took jealousy from that appointed one under his hand (וְהַהוּא מְקַטְרְגָא נָטִיל קִנְאָה מֵהַהוּא מְמָנָא דִּתְחוֹת יְדֵיהּ).

He said (אָמַר), And is it to me that Kudsha Berikh Hu gives those who are clothed in sins and transgressions (וְכִי לִי יָהִיב קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא אִינּוּן דְּמִתְלַבְּשָׁן בְּחֶטְאִין וְחוֹבִין), and to that appointed one of his He delivered the children without sin (וּלְהַהוּא מְמָנָא דִּילִי מָסַר יַנּוּקִין בְּלָא חוֹבָא), who did not taste the taste of sin (דְּלָא טַעֲמוּן טַעֲמָא דְּחוֹבָה). Immediately he went to take them out from under his hand (מִיַּד אָזַל לְאַפָּקָא לוֹן מִתְּחוֹת יְדֵיהּ), so that he should not rule over them (וְלָא יִשְׁלוֹט בְּהוּ). And therefore he preceded him and said to him (וְעַל דָּא אַקְדִּים לֵיהּ וְאָמַר לֵיהּ), “The children whom Elohim has graciously given your servant” (הַיְלָדִים אֲשֶׁר חָנַן אֱלֹהִים אֶת עַבְדֶּךָ). To that servant, without sin and without transgression (לְהַהוּא עַבְדֶּךָ, בְּלָא חוֹבָא וּבְלָא חַטָּאָה). And so that there should not be greater praise to his appointed one than to himself (וּבְגִין דְּלָא יְהֵא שְׁבָחָא לַמְּמָנָא דִּילֵיהּ יַתִּיר מִנֵּיהּ), he sought to take them out from his hand (בָּעָא לְאַפָּקָא לוֹן מִן יְדוֹי).

When the prayers of Yisrael ascend on this day before Kudsha Berikh Hu (כַּד סַלְּקִין צְלוֹתִין דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל בְּיוֹמָא דָּא קַמֵּי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא), what is written: “And he himself passed before them” (מַה כְּתִיב וְהוּא עָבַר לִפְנֵיהֶם) (Bereshit 33). Behold, The Holy Spirit passed before them (הָא רוּחַ קוּדְשָׁא אַעְבָּר לְקָמַיְיהוּ), as you say, “And their King passed before them” (כּמה דאת אמר ויעבור מלכם לפניהם) (Micah 2). And He indeed passed before them (וְהוּא וַדַּאי עָבַר לִפְנֵיהֶם).

“And he bowed to the ground seven times” (וַיִשְׁתַּחוּ אַרְצָה שֶׁבַע פְּעָמִים). The Holy Spirit diminished itself toward Above seven times (רוּחַ קוּדְשָׁא, אַזְעַר גַּרְמֵיהּ לְגַבֵּי עֵילָּא ז׳ זִמְנִין), toward the seven supernal levels above it (לְגַבֵּי ז׳ דַּרְגִּין עִלָּאִין דְּעָלֵיהּ), and made itself small (וְאַקְטִין גַּרְמֵיהּ), to include them with it, each one (לְאַכְלְלָא לוֹן עִמֵּיהּ כָּל חַד וְחָד). “Until he drew near to his brother” (עַד גִּשְׁתּוֹ עַד אָחִיו), to that level of mercy (לְהַהוּא דַּרְגָּא דְּרַחֲמֵי), for behold “a son and a daughter they are” (דְּהָא בֵּן וּבַת אִינּוּן). “Son”: “My firstborn son Yisrael” (בֵּן, בְּנִי בְכוֹרִי יִשְׂרָאֵל) (Exodus 4). “Daughter”: Knesset Yisrael (בַּת, כְּנֶסֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל). The Holy Spirit made itself small until he drew near (רוּחַ קוּדְשָׁא עָבִיד אַזְעִירוּ דְּגַרְמֵיהּ, עַד גִּשְׁתּוֹ).

When he reached him (כֵּיוָן דְּמָטָא לְגַבֵּיהּ), he demanded from him and made known to him the suffering of His children below (תָּבַע מִינֵיהּ, וְאוֹדַע לֵיהּ צַעֲרָא דִּבְנַיְיהוּ לְתַתָּא). And both of them ascended to the hidden, concealed chamber of Yom Kippur (וְתַרְוַויְיהוּ עָאלִין לְהֵיכָלָא טְמִירָא גְּנִיזָא דְּיוֹם הַכִּפּוּרִים), their mother (אִימָּא דִּלְהוֹן), and they pleaded for Yisrael to atone for them (וְתַבְעִין עַל יִשְׂרָאֵל לְכַפְּרָא לוֹן). Then it is written, “For on this day he shall atone for you, to purify you…” (כְּדֵין כְּתִיב כִּי בַיוֹם הַזֶּה יְכַפֵּר עֲלֵיכֶם לְטַהֵר אֶתְכֶם וְגוֹ׳) (Leviticus 16). “I will atone for you” is not written (אֲכַפֵּר עֲלֵיכֶם לָא כְּתִיב), but rather “He shall atone for you” (אֶלָּא יְכַפֵּר עֲלֵיכֶם). And now, the children—these sages who are here (וְהַשְׁתָּא הַיְלָדִים, אִלֵּין חַכִּימִין דְּהָכָא)—Kudsha Berikh Hu gives them the secrets of Orayta (קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא יָהַב לוֹן רָזִין דְּאוֹרַיְיתָא), to be crowned with them (לְאִתְעַטְּרָא בְּהוּ), and to be completed in them (וּלְאִשְׁתַּכְלְּלָא בְּהוּ; נ״א: וְלֹאִשְׁתַּדְּלָא בְּהוּ).

The evil eye does not rule over them (עֵינָא בִּישָׁא לָא שַׁלְטָא עָלַיְיהוּ), because of the good eye, the The Holy Spirit of Rabbi Pinchas that rests upon them (בְּגִין עֵינָא טָבָא, רוּחַ קוּדְשָׁא דְּרִבִּי פִּנְחָס, דְּשַׁרְיָא עָלַיְיהוּ). Rabbi Pinchas came and kissed him (אָתָא רִבִּי פִּנְחָס וּנְשָׁקֵיהּ). He said (אָמַר), If I had not come on this journey except to hear these words, it would be enough for me (אִלְמָלֵא לָא אֲתֵינָא אָרְחָא דָּא, אֶלָּא לְמִשְׁמַע מִלִּין אִלֵּין, דַּי לִי).

Fortunate is this path that I have come to you (זַכָּאָה אָרְחָא דָּא דְּאָתֵינָא לְגַבָּךְ). And Kudsha Berikh Hu is here, who has agreed to be with us (וְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא הָכָא, דְּאִסְתָּכַּם עִמָּנָא). And not only one tree, but three (וְלָא דַּי אִילָנָא חַד, אֶלָּא תְּלַת). But this spring is a supernal image (אֲבָל מַעְיָינָא דָּא, דִּיּוּקְנָא עִלָּאָה הוּא), corresponding to that spring that is hidden and concealed (לְגַבֵּי הַהוּא מַעְיָינָא דְּטָמִיר וְגָנִיז). These three trees are three cedars (תְּלַת אִילָנִין אִלֵּין, תְּלַת אֲרָזִין אִינּוּן), that are called cedars of Lebanon (דְּאִקְרוּן אַרְזֵי לְבָנוֹן). And they are the image of three great trees, the mystery of the Patriarchs (וְאִינּוּן דִּיּוּקְנָא דִּתְלַת אִילָנִין רַבְרְבִין, רָזָא דַּאֲבָהָן). (Some say: who agreed with us; this spring is the image of that supernal spring, the supernal eye, hidden and concealed; these three trees are the image of the three great trees, the mystery of the Patriarchs (נ״א: דאסתכם עמנא. מַעְיָינָא דָא, דִּיּוּקְנָא דְּהַהוּא מַעְיָינָא, עֵינָא עִלָּאָה דְּטָמִיר וְגָנִיז. תְּלַת אִילָנִין אִלֵּין, אִינּוּן דִּיּוּקְנָא דִּתְלַת אִילָנִין רַבְרְבִין, רָזָא דַּאֲבָהָן). Fortunate is our portion in that hour (זַכָּאָה חוּלָקָנָא בְּהַהִיא שַׁעֲתָא).