Daf 208b (דַּף ר״ח ע״ב)

“He who sees the vision of Shaddai” (אֲשֶׁר מַחֲזֵה שַׁדַּי יֶחֱזֶה), who is “the vision of Shaddai”? (מַאן מַחֲזֵה שַׁדַּי). These are “falling and open-eyed” ones (אִלֵּין אִינּוּן נֹפֵל וּגְלוּי עֵינַיִם). And these are ‘Azz’a and ‘Azzā’el p1-51(וְאִלֵּין אִינּוּן עֲזָ״א וְעַזָּאֵ״ל). “Falling” refers to ‘Azz’a (נֹפֵל: דָּא עֲזָ״א), whom Kudsha Berikh Hu cast into the depth of darkness (דְּאָעְמִיק לֵיהּ קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא בְּעוּמְקָא חֲשׁוֹכָא), and he sits in the depth until his diminishment, as we have said (וְיָתִיב בְּעוּמְקָא עַד קְדָלֵיהּ כִּדְקָאַמְרָן), and darkness was hurled upon his face (וַחֲשׁוֹכָא אִזְדְּרַק בְּאַנְפּוֹי). And for this reason he is called “falling” (וְעַל דָּא אִקְרֵי נֹפֵל). He fell once from the heavens, and again afterward into the depth of darkness (נָפַל זִמְנָא חֲדָא מִן שְׁמַיָּא וְנָפַל זִמְנָא אַחֲרָא לְבָתַר בְּעוּמְקָא דַּחֲשׁוֹכָא). ‘Azzā’el is “open-eyed” (עֲזָאֵ״ל: הוּא גְלוּי עֵינַיִם), for darkness was not hurled upon him (דְּהָא לָא אִזְדְּרַק חֲשׁוֹכָא עָלֵיהּ), for he did not become fierce and did not agitate himself like the one above (דְּלָא אִתְתַּקַּף וְלָא אַרְגִּיז כְּהַהוּא דִּלְעֵילָּא). And Bil‘am called them “vision of Shaddai” (וּבִלְעָם קָרֵי לוֹן מַחֲזֵה שַׁדַּי), those who are “falling and open-eyed” (דְּאִינּוּן נֹפֵל וּגְלוּי עֵינַיִם). And at that time, there was no one else in the world who was found among them, but only he (וּבְהַהוּא זִמְנָא לָא אִשְׁתְּאַר בְּעָלְמָא דְּיִשְׁתְּכַּח גַּבַּיְיהוּ בַּר אִיהוּ). And every day, he would conceal himself among those mountains with them (וּבְכָל יוֹמָא הֲוָה אַסְתִּים בְּאִינּוּן טוּרֵי עִמְּהוֹן). This is what is written: “Balak led me, king of Moav, from the mountains of the east” (הֲדָא הוּא דִּכְתִיב יַנְחֵנִי בָּלָק מֶלֶךְ מוֹאָב מֵהַרְרֵי קֶדֶם) (Numbers 23). From the mountains of the east—indeed (מֵהַרְרֵי קֶדֶם וַדַּאי), and not from the land of the children of the east (וְלָא מֵאֶרֶץ בְּנֵי קֶדֶם).

Rabbi Shim‘on said: How many times have I said this word (אָמַר רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן כַּמָּה זִמְנִין אֲמֵינָא מִלָּה דָּא), and my friends did not look into it (וְלָא מִסְתַּכְּלֵי חַבְרַיָּיא), for Kudsha Berikh Hu does not cause the Shekhinta to dwell except in a holy place (דְּהָא קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לָא שַׁרְיָא שְׁכִינְתָּא אֶלָּא בַּאֲתַר קַדִּישָׁא), in a place fit for Her to dwell (בַּאֲתַר דְּאִתְחֲזֵי לְשַׁרְיָא עֲלוֹי). And so Kudsha Berikh Hu proclaims and says: “There shall not be found among you one who passes his son…” (וְכֵן קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא מַכְרִיז וְאָמַר לֹא יִמָּצֵא בְךָ מַעֲבִיר בְּנוֹ וְגוֹ׳) (Deuteronomy 18). And he came (וְהוּא דְּאָתֵי), Some say: comes (ס״א: אֲתִי), to mingle with them (לְאִתְעָרְבָּא בַּהֲדַיְיהוּ). But fortunate is the portion of Yisrael (אֶלָּא זַכָּאָה חוּלָקֵיהוֹן דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל), for Kudsha Berikh Hu sanctified them for His presence to dwell among them (דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא קַדִּישׁ לוֹן לְשַׁרְיָא בֵּינַיְיהוּ). And this is what is written: “For Hashem your God walks in the midst of your camp…” (וְהַיְינוּ דִּכְתִּיב כִּי יְיָ אֱלֹהֶיךָ מִתְהַלֵּךְ בְּקֶרֶב מַחֲנֶךָ וְגוֹ׳) (Deuteronomy 23). And because He walks in the midst of your camp, it is written: “And your camp shall be holy…” (וּבְגִין דְּהוּא מִתְהַלֵּךְ בְּקֶרֶב מַחֲנֶךָ כְּתִיב וְהָיָה מַחֲנֶךָ קָדוֹשׁ וְגוֹ׳). And it is written: “You shall be holy…” (וּכְתִיב וִהְיִיתֶם קְדוֹשִׁים וְגוֹ׳) (Leviticus 20). And it is written: “Do not defile yourselves with any of these…” (וּכְתִיב אַל תִּטַּמְּאוּ בְּכָל אֵלֶּה וְגוֹ׳) (Leviticus 18). And it is written: “And I became disgusted with them…” (וּכְתִיב וָאָקֻץ בָּם וְגוֹ׳) (Leviticus 20). That I could not draw near to them, and I dwelled outside (דְּלָא יָכִילְנָא לְקָרְבָּא גַּבַּיְיהוּ וְשָׁרוּ לִי לְבַר). Fortunate is the portion of Yisrael (זַכָּאָה חוּלָקֵיהוֹן דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל), and fortunate is the portion of the holy faithful prophets (וְזַכָּאָה חוּלָקֵיהוֹן דִּנְבִיאֵי מְהֵימְנֵי קַדִּישֵׁי), for they are holy and have a share in being used by the supernal holiness (דְּאִינּוּן קַדִּישִׁין וְאִית לוֹן חוּלָקָא לְאִשְׁתַּמְּשָׁא בִּקְדוּשָּׁה עִלָּאָה). “And the she-ass saw the angel of Hashem standing in the road, and his sword drawn in his hand” (בְּמִדְבָּר כ״ב: וַתֵּרֶא הָאָתוֹן אֶת מַלְאַךְ יְיָ נִצָּב בַּדֶּרֶךְ וְחַרְבּוֹ שְׁלוּפָה בְּיָדוֹ), Some say: in the road (ס״א: בַּדֶּרֶךְ). On that path in which he was entangled (בְּהַהוּא אָרְחָא דְּהֲוָה אִשְׁתְּקַע), Some say: was found (ס״א: אִשְׁתַּכַּח). “And his sword was drawn in his hand” (וְחַרְבּוֹ שְׁלוּפָה בְּיָדוֹ). But if he came only to oppose the she-ass, why would he need a sword? (וְכִי אִי אִיהוּ נָפִיק לָקֳבֵיל הַאי אָתוֹן מַאי בָּעֵי חַרְבָּא). And if he came against Bil‘am, why did the she-ass see and he himself did not see? (וְאִי אִיהוּ נָפִיק לָקֳבְלֵיהּ דְּבִלְעָם אֲמַאי חָמָאת אֲתָנֵיהּ וְאִיהוּ לָא חָמָא). Rather, everything was arranged (אֶלָּא כֹּלָּא אִזְדְּמַן). That angel was appointed to stand before the she-ass (הַהוּא מַלְאָכָא מִזְדְּמַן לָקֳבְלֵיהּ דְּאָתוֹן), to turn her away from that path into which she had strayed (לְאַפָּקָא לָהּ מִן הַהוּא אָרְחָא דְּאִתְטְעַן בָּהּ). And with what? With mercy (וּבְמָה בְּרַחֲמֵי). And he was appointed to oppose Bil‘am to punish him (וְאִזְדְּמַן לָקֳבְלֵיהּ דְּבִלְעָם לְאַעְנְשָׁא לֵיהּ), because he wished to go in his own domain (עַל דְּאִיהוּ הֲוָה בָּעֵי לְמֵיהַךְ בִּרְשׁוּתֵיהּ), and not with the other domain (וְלָא בִּרְשׁוּתָא אַחֲרָא), Some say: the domain above (ס״א: דְּלְעֵילָּא).

Rabbi Yose said: Now it is fitting to ask (אָמַר רִבִּי יוֹסֵי הַשְׁתָּא אִית לְשָׁאֲלָא), if these words came from the side of the lower crowns, and not from another place (אִי מִלּוֹי הֲווֹ אַתְיָין מִסִּטְרָא דְּכִתְרִין תַּתָּאִין וְלָא מֵאֲתַר אַחֲרָא), why is it written: “And Elohim came to Bil‘am…” and “But the word…”? (אֲמַאי כְּתִיב וַיָּבֹא אֱלֹהִים אֶל בִּלְעָם וְגוֹ׳ וְאַךְ אֶת הַדָּבָר וְגוֹ׳). Rabbi Yitzchak said: Because of Yisrael, the angel returned to speak with him (אָמַר רִבִּי יִצְחָק בְּגִינֵיהוֹן דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל אֲתַהֲדַּר מַלְאָכָא לְמַלְּלָא עִמֵּיהּ). For if you say that Kudsha Berikh Hu Himself spoke with him, and it is He who said “But the word…” (דְּאִי תֵימָא דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא מַלֵּיל עִמֵּיהּ וְהוּא אָמַר אַךְ אֶת הַדָּבָר וְגוֹ׳), Heaven forbid (חַס וְשָׁלוֹם). For it was that angel who said to him: “Only the word…” (דְּהָא הַהוּא מַלְאָכָא אָמַר לֵיהּ וְאַךְ אֶת הַדָּבָר וְגוֹ׳). For if you say: “And God said to Bil‘am…” (דְּאִי תֵימָא וַיֹּאמֶר אֱלֹהִים אֶל בִּלְעָם וְגוֹ׳), thus we have learned (הָכִי אוֹלִיפְנָא), that this “Elohim” here was all the angel (דְּהַאי אֱלֹהִים דְּהָכָא כֻּלְּהוּ מַלְאָכָא הֲוָה). And this is a place that comes from the side of harsh judgment (וְהַהוּא אִיהוּ אֲתַר דְּאָתֵי מִסִּטְרָא דְּדִינָא קַשְׁיָא), in which are held the power and strength of those lower crowns (דְּבֵיהּ אֲחִידָן חֵילָא וְתוּקְפָּא דְּאִינּוּן כִּתְרִין תַּתָּאִין), which Bil‘am made use of (דְּהֲוָה מִשְׁתַּמֵּשׁ בְּהוּ בִּלְעָם). And for this reason, “And Elohim came to Bil‘am,” and “And Elohim said to Bil‘am” (וּבְגִין כָּךְ וַיָּבֹא אֱלֹהִים אֶל בִּלְעָם וַיֹּאמֶר אֱלֹהִים אֶל בִּלְעָם). For sometimes a messenger is called by the Supernal Name (דִּלְזִמְנִין אִתְקְרֵי מַלְאָכָא בִּשְׁמָא עִלָּאָה).

“And the she-ass turned aside from the way” (וַתֵּט הָאָתוֹן מִן הַדֶּרֶךְ), she turned aside from that path (סָטָאָת מִן הַהוּא אָרְחָא), for she was bearing from the side of harsh judgment, to oppose Yisrael (דַּהֲוַת טְעִינָא מִסִּטְרָא דְּדִינָא קַשְׁיָא לָקֳבְלֵיהוֹן דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל). And how did Bil‘am see that she turned aside from that path? (וּבְמָה חָמָא בִּלְעָם דְּהִיא סָטָאָת מֵהַהוּא אָרְחָא). Rather, thus said Rabbi Shim‘on: Even on the path he sought to harm Yisrael through the power of his she-ass (אֶלָּא הָכִי אָמַר רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן דַּאֲפִילּוּ בְּאָרְחָא בָּעָא לְאַבְּאָשָׁא לְהוֹן לְיִשְׂרָאֵל בְּחֵילָא דַּאֲתָנֵיהּ). And since it did not succeed in his hand, what is written? “And he struck the she-ass with the staff” (וְכֵיוָן דְּלָא סָלִיק בִּידוֹי מַה כְּתִיב וַיַּךְ אֶת הָאָתוֹן בַּמַּקֵּל). He loaded her and clothed her in the intensification of fierce and harsh judgment (אַטְעָן לָהּ וְאַלְבָּשׁ לָהּ בְּזִרוּזִי דִּינָא קַשְׁיָא תַּקִּיפָא). This is what is written: “with the staff” (הֲדָא הוּא דִּכְתִיב בַּמַּקֵּל). “With the staff” precisely (בַּמַּקֵּל דַּיְיקָא), for it is the harsh, fierce judgment (דְּאִיהוּ דִּינָא קַשְׁיָא תַּקִּיפָא). It is not written “with his staff,” but “with the staff” (בְּמַקְלוֹ לָא כְּתִיב אֶלָּא בַּמַּקֵּל).

Go out and see how fierce was the wisdom of that wicked one (פּוּק חֲמֵי כַּמָּה תַּקִּיפָא חָכְמְתָא דְּהַהוּא רָשָׁע), and how deep was his desire to harm Yisrael (וְתִיאוּבְתָּא דִּילֵיהּ לְאַבְּאָשָׁא לְהוֹן לְיִשְׂרָאֵל), for he sought to depart from the domain above (דְּאִיהוּ אַשְׁגַּח לְנָפְקָא מֵרְשׁוּתָא דִּלְעֵילָּא), because of his craving for honor and to harm Yisrael (בְּגִין דְּתִיאוּבְתֵיהּ לְאִתְיַיקְּרָא וּלְאַבְּאָשָׁא לְהוֹן לְיִשְׂרָאֵל). “And the angel of Hashem stood in the narrow path of the vineyards…” (וַיַּעֲמוֹד מַלְאַךְ יְיָ בְּמִשְׁעוֹל הַכְּרָמִים וְגוֹ׳) (Numbers 22). What is written above? At first it is written: “And the she-ass turned from the way and went into the field” (מַה כְּתִיב לְעֵילָּא בְּקַדְמִיתָא כְּתִיב וַתֵּט הָאָתוֹן מִן הַדֶּרֶךְ וַתֵּלֶךְ בַּשָּׂדֶה), and then: “she walked in a straight path” (וַתֵּלֶךְ בְּאֹרַח מֵישָׁר), from the side of the field (מִסִּטְרָא דְּשָׂדֶה), she turned aside from what she had been upon (וְאִרְכִּינַת מִמַּה דְּהֲוָה בָּהּ). “And Bil‘am struck the she-ass to turn her back to the way” (וַיַּךְ בִּלְעָם אֶת הָאָתוֹן לְהַטּוֹתָהּ הַדֶּרֶךְ), to divert her from that path of the field (לְאַסְטָאָה לָהּ מֵהַהוּא אָרְחָא דְּשָׂדֶה). Rabbi Yose said: Between the angel and between Bil‘am was the she-ass pressed (אָמַר רִבִּי יוֹסֵי בֵּין מַלְאָכָא וּבֵין בִּלְעָם הֲוָת אֲתָנָא בְּעָקוּ). Later, when Bil‘am saw that he could not, then: “And Bil‘am struck the she-ass with the staff” (לְבָתַר כַּד חָמָא בִּלְעָם דְּלָא הֲוָה יָכִיל כְּדֵין וַיַּךְ אֶת הָאָתוֹן בַּמַּקֵּל), as it is said (כְּמָה דְּאִתְּמַר).