Daf 218b (דַּף רי״ח ע״ב)

And never is a Tzaddik struck (וּלְעוֹלָם לָא אַלְקֵי צַדִּיקָא), except to give healing to the generation and to atone for them (אֶלָּא לְמֵיהַב אַסְוָותָא לְדָרָא, וּלְכַפְּרָא עָלַיְיהוּ). And this is the mystery of “a Tzaddik who suffers evil” (וְרָזָא דָּא צַדִּיק וְרַע לוֹ). For it is pleasing to the Sitra achra that judgment rules-Some say: to rule (דְּהָא נִיחָא לְסִטְרָא אַחֲרָא דְּדִינָא שַׁלְטָא [נ״א: לְשַׁלְטָאָה])-over the innocent more than over all (עַל זַכָּאָה יַתִּיר מִכֹּלָּא). For then he does not fear the whole world (דְּלָא חָיִישׁ כְּדֵין לְכָל עָלְמָא), and does not look upon them, from the joy that he rules over him (וְלָא אַשְׁגַּח בְּהוּ, מֵחֶדְוָה דְּשַׁלִּיט עָלֵיהּ). And that innocent one merits supernal dominion (וְהַהוּא זַכָּאָה זָכֵי לְשׁוּלְטָנָא עִלָּאָה), in this world and in the world to come (בְּהַאי עָלְמָא, וּבְעָלְמָא דְּאָתֵי). A “Tzaddik who prospers,” this is he for whom Kudsha Berikh Hu does not desire to atone for the world (צַדִּיק וְטוֹב לוֹ, דְּלָא חָיִישׁ קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לְכַפְּרָא עַל עָלְמָא).

I said to him (אֲמֵינָא לֵיהּ): If they were not at one time, it would be fitting (אִלּוּ לָא הֲווֹ בְּחַד זִמְנָא, יָאוּת). But there is a Tzaddik here and a Tzaddik here (אֲבָל אִית צַדִּיק הָכָא, וְאִית צַדִּיק הָכָא): to this one there are afflictions and crushings (לְדָא אִית מַרְעִין וּמַכְתְּשִׁין), and to this one there is all the goodness of the world (וּלְדָא אִית כָּל טִיבוּ דְּעָלְמָא). He said to me (אָמַר לִי): In one of them, or two, it is enough (בְּחַד מִנַּיְיהוּ אוֹ תְּרֵין סַגֵּי), for Kudsha Berikh Hu does not desire to smite all (דְּלָא בָּעָא קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לְאַלְקָאָה כֹּלָּא). Some say: all his blood (נ״א: כָּל דָּמֵהּ). Just as only one arm is needed to be struck and bled, to give healing to all the limbs (כְּמָה דְּלָא אִצְטְרִיךְ אֶלָּא דְּרוֹעָא חֲדָא, לְאַלְקָאָה וּלְאָקָזָאָה לְמֵיהַב אַסְוָותָא לְכָל שַׁיְיפִין).

Even so, in one Tzaddik it is enough (אוּף הָכָא, בְּחַד צַדִּיקָא סַגֵּי). And if the sickness grows strong-Some say: grows heavy-in him upon all the limbs (וְאִי אִתְּקַף [נ״א: אִתְיֵיקַר] בֵּיהּ מְרָע, עַל כָּל שַׁיְיפִין), then two arms are required for bleeding (כְּדֵין אִצְטְרִיךְ תְּרֵין דְּרוֹעִין לְאָקָזָאָה). Even so, if sins increase greatly upon the world (אוּף הָכִי, אִי אַסְגִּיאוּ חוֹבִין יַקִּירִין עַל עָלְמָא), then all the innocent are struck (כְּדֵין כָּל זַכָּאִין אַלְקוּן), to give healing upon the whole generation (לְמֵיהַב אַסְוָותָא עַל כָּל דָּרָא). But at a time when they have not increased so much (אֲבָל בִּזְמַן דְּלָא אַסְגִּיאוּ כָּל כַּךְ), then one innocent is struck (כְּדֵין חַד זַכָּאָה אַלְקֵי), and the rest of the Righteous are in peace (וּשְׁאַר צַדִּיקַיָּא בִּשְׁלָם).

For behold, the world does not need them all to be smitten (דְּהָא לָא אִצְטְרִיךְ עָלְמָא דְּיִלְקוּן כֻּלְּהוּ). The people are healed (אִתְסִיאוּ עַמָּא). The Righteous are healed (אִתְסִיאוּ צַדִּיקַיָּיא). And at times, when all their days they stand in afflictions to shield the generation (וּלְזִמְנִין דְּכָל יוֹמֵיהוֹן קַיְימִין בְּמַרְעִין, לְאַגָּנָא עַל דָּרָא), they die (מִיתוּ), and behold, all is healed and atoned (הָא אַתְּסֵי כֹּלָּא, וְאִתְכְּפַּר). At times, the sins are more grievous than all (לְזִמְנִין דְּחוֹבִין אִינּוּן יַקִּירִין יַתִּיר).

We arose and went (קַמְנָא וְאָזַלְנָא). And the strength of the sun was great (וְתוּקְפָּא דְּשִׁמְשָׁא הֲוָה יַתִּיר), and pressed us on the way (וְדָחִיק לָן בְּאוֹרְחָא). We saw trees in the wilderness, and water beneath them (חֲמֵינָן אִילָנִין בְּמַדְבְּרָא, וּמַיִין תְּחוֹתַיְיהוּ). We sat under the shade of a certain tree of the wilderness (יָתִיבְנָא תְּחוֹת חַד טוּלָא דְּאִילָנָא דְּמַדְבְּרָא). I asked him (שָׁאִילְנָא לֵיהּ): What is this, that all the nations of the world do not make any swaying (מַאי הַאי דְּכָל עַמִּין דְּעָלְמָא לָא עַבְדִּין נִעְנוּעָא), except Yisrael alone (אֶלָּא יִשְׂרָאֵל בִּלְחוֹדַיְיהוּ), that when they engage in Orayta (דְּכַד לָעָאן בְּאוֹרַיְיתָא), they sway here and there (מִתְנַעְנְעָן הָכָא וְהָכָא), not as the learning of any man in the world (בְּלָא לִמּוּדָא דְּבַר נָשׁ בְּעָלְמָא), and they cannot stand still in their existence (וְלָא יַכְלִין לְמֵיקָם בְּקִיּוּמַיְיהוּ).