Daf 261a (דַּף רס״א ע״א)

Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי), all the other nations of the world, Kudsha Berikh Hu gave them to great rulers who rule over them (כָּל שְׁאַר עַמִּין דְּעָלְמָא, יָהַב לוֹן קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לְרַבְרְבֵי מְמָנָן, דְּשַׁלְטִין עָלַיְיהוּ). But Yisrael, Kudsha Berikh Hu took them for Himself, to His portion, to be truly united with Him (וְיִשְׂרָאֵל אָחִיד לוֹן קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לְעַדְבֵיהּ, לְחוּלָקֵיהּ, לְאִתְאַחֲדָא בֵּיהּ מַמָּשׁ). And He gave them the holy Orayta, in order to be united in His Name (וְיָהִיב לוֹן אוֹרַיְיתָא קַדִּישָׁא, בְּגִין לְאִתְאַחֲדָא בִּשְׁמֵיהּ). And therefore: “But you who cleave to Hashem” (Deuteronomy 4) (וְעַל דָּא, וְאַתֶּם הַדְּבֵקִים בַּיְיָ), and not to another ruler like the other nations (וְלָא בִּמְמָנָא אַחֲרָא כִּשְׁאַר עַמִּין). And behold, this has been established in many places (וְהָא אוֹקְמוּהָ בְּכַמָּה אֲתָר).

“And Hashem spoke to you out of the midst of the fire; you heard the voice of words…” (Deuteronomy 4) (וַיְדַבֵּר יְיָ אֲלֵיכֶם מִתּוֹךְ הָאֵשׁ קוֹל דְּבָרִים אַתֶּם שׁוֹמְעִים וְגוֹ׳). Rabbi El'azar said (אָמַר רִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר): This verse must be contemplated (הַאי קְרָא אִית לְאִסְתַּכְּלָא בֵּיהּ): “The voice of words”-what is “the voice of words” (קוֹל דְּבָרִים, מַאי קוֹל דְּבָרִים)? Rather, it is the voice that is called “speech,” for every speech depends on it (אֶלָּא קוֹל דְּאִקְרֵי דִּבּוּר, דְּכָל דִּבּוּרָא בֵּיהּ תַּלְיָא). And therefore it is written: “And Hashem spoke to you” (Deuteronomy 4) (וְעַל דָּא כְּתִיב, וַיְדַבֵּר יְיָ אֲלֵיכֶם), for speech depends on this place; therefore it is called “the voice of words” (דְּהָא דִּבּוּר בַּאֲתָר דָּא תַּלְיָא, לְהַאי אִקְרֵי קוֹל דְּבָרִים).

“You heard” (אַתֶּם שׁוֹמְעִים)-for hearing depends only on this (דִּשְׁמִיעָה לָא תַּלְיָא אֶלָּא בְּהַאי). Because hearing depends on speech (בְּגִין דִּשְׁמִיעָה בְּדִבּוּר תַּלְיָא). And therefore: “You heard” (וּבְגִין כָּךְ אַתֶּם שׁוֹמְעִים). Some say: “You heard, and hearing depends on speech” (ס״א: אַתֶּם שׁוֹמְעִים, וְשְׁמִיעָה בְּדִבּוּר תַּלְיָא). And behold, it has been established (וְהָא אוֹקְמוּהָ): “And his master shall bore his ear with an awl” (Exodus 21) (וְרָצַע אֲדוֹנָיו אֶת אָזְנוֹ בַּמַּרְצֵעַ), because he has damaged the place called “hearing,” which is speech and which is hearing (בְּגִין דְּפָגִים אַתְרָא דְּאִקְרֵי שְׁמִיעָה, וְהוּא דִּבּוּר וְהוּא שְׁמִיעָה).

“The voice of words you heard, but you saw no form” (Deuteronomy 4) (קוֹל דְּבָרִים אַתֶּם שׁוֹמְעִים, וּתְמוּנָה אֵינְכֶם רוֹאִים). What is “form” (מַאי וּתְמוּנָה)? As it is said: “And the form of Hashem he beholds” (Numbers 12) (כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר, וּתְמוּנַת יְיָ יַבִּיט). Another explanation: “Form” is the inner voice, which is never seen at all (דָּבָר אַחֵר, וּתְמוּנָה, דָּא קוֹל פְּנִימָאָה, דְּלָא הֲוָה מִתְחֲזֵי כְּלָל). Except for the voice-this is another voice, as we said (זוּלָתִי קוֹל, דָּא קוֹל אַחֲרָא דְּקָאַמְרָן). And why is it called “form” (וּתְמוּנָה, אֲמַאי אִקְרֵי הָכִי)? Because all the structure of the body issues from it (בְּגִין דְּכָל תִּקּוּנָא דְּגוּפָא מִינֵּיהּ נָפְקָא). And if you say: Another is also called so (וְאִי תֵּימָא אַחֲרָא אִקְרֵי הָכִי נָמֵי). Yes (אִין). For this “other” - the structure below issues from it (דְּהַאי אַחֲרָא תִּקּוּנָא דִּלְתַתָּא מִינֵּיהּ נָפְקָא). And therefore: the upper Heh, the lower Heh (וּבְּגִין כָּךְ, ה׳ עִלָּאָה ה׳ תַּתָּאָה), the upper Heh-“a great voice and it added no more” (Deuteronomy 5) (ה׳ עִלָּאָה, קוֹל גָּדוֹל וְלֹא יָסָף), meaning the fountains never cease forever (דְּלָא פַּסְקֵי מַבּוּעֵי לְעָלְמִין). And all those voices were found there when the Orayta was given to Yisrael (וְכָל אִינּוּן קוֹלוֹת תַּמָּן אִשְׁתְּכָחוּ כַּד אִתְיְיהִיבַת אוֹרַיְיתָא לְיִשְׂרָאֵל). And all goes forth from that inner voice of all (וְכֹלָּא נָפְקָא מֵהַהוּא קוֹל פְּנִימָאָה דְּכֹלָּא), for upon it the matter depends (בְּגִין דְּבֵיהּ תַּלְיָא מִלְּתָא).

This that is called Mishneh Torah, Moshe said from his own mouth (הַאי דְּאִקְרֵי מִשְׁנֵה תּוֹרָה, מֹשֶׁה מִפִּי עַצְמוֹ אַמָרָן). And behold, we have already established the matter (וְהָא אוֹקִימְנָא מִלָּה). Why is it so (אֲמַאי הָכִי)? Rather, the supernal Chokhmah, the generality of the Orayta, is called so (אֶלָּא חָכְמָה עִלָּאָה, כְּלָלָא דְּאוֹרַיְיתָא אִתְקְרֵי). And from it all issues, through that inner voice (וּמִנָהּ נָפְקָא כֹּלָּא, בְּהַהוּא קוֹל פְּנִימָאָה).

Afterwards everything is settled and united in the place that is called the Tree of Life (לְבָתַר מִתְיַשְּׁבָא כֹּלָּא וְאִתְאֲחָד, בַּאֲתָר דְּאִקְרֵי עֵץ הַחַיִּים). And in it depends the general and the particular: the Written Torah and the Oral Torah (וּבֵיהּ תַּלְיָא כְּלַל וּפְרָט, תּוֹרָה שֶׁבִּכְתָּב וְשֶׁבְּעַל פֶּה). And it is called Torah and Mishneh Torah (וְהוּא אִקְרֵי תּוֹרָה וּמִשְׁנֵה תּוֹרָה). At first, it was Gevurah that does not cease (בְּקַדְמִיתָא גְּבוּרָה דְּלָא פָּסִק), and now all is one (וְהַשְׁתָּא כֹּלָּא כַּחֲדָא). Therefore here, in these Ten Commandments, all is inscribed with Vav (בְּגִין כָּךְ הָכָא בְּאִלֵּין י׳ הַדִּבְּרוֹת, כֹּלָּא רָשִׁים בְּוָא״ו): “And you shall not commit adultery, and you shall not steal, and you shall not bear false witness, and you shall not covet, and you shall not desire” (Deuteronomy 5) (וְלֹא תִּנְאָף, וְלֹא תִּגְנוֹב, וְלֹא תַעֲנֶה, וְלֹא תַחְמוֹד, וְלֹא תִתְאַוֶּה). And behold, this has been established (וְהָא אוֹקְמוּהָ).

Rabbi Yosei said (אָמַר רִבִּי יוֹסֵי): What is “And you shall not desire,” since it is written “And you shall not covet” (Deuteronomy 5) (מַאי וְלֹא תִתְאַוֶּה, כֵּיוָן דִּכְתִּיב וְלֹא תַחְמוֹד)? For this is sufficient (דְּהָא בְּהַאי סַגֵּי). He said to him (אָמַר לֵיהּ): Fortunate are those masters of truth (זַכָּאִין אִינּוּן מָארֵי קְשׁוֹט). Coveting is one degree, desiring is another degree (חֲמִידָה חַד דַּרְגָּא. תַּאֲוָה דַּרְגָּא אַחֲרָא). Coveting: when he is able, he goes to take it for himself; because of that coveting he seized, he goes to act (חֲמִידָה, דְּאִי יָכִיל, אָזִיל לְמֵיסַב דִּילֵיהּ. בְּגִין הַהִיא חֲמִידָה דְּנָקַט, אָזִיל לְמֶעְבַּד עוֹבָדָא). Desire is not so (תַּאֲוָה, לָאו הָכִי). For even if he does not take the path to pursue it, still he desires (דְּהָא אֲפִילּוּ דְּלָא יִנְקוּט אוֹרְחָא לְמֵהַךְ אֲבַּתְרֵיהּ). And behold, the friends have already established this (וְהָא אוֹקְמוּהָ חַבְרַיָּיא).

Rabbi Yosei said to him (אָמַר לֵיהּ רִבִּי יוֹסֵי): Why is it not written “And you shall not murder” like the others (אֲמַאי לָא כְּתִיב וְלֹא תִרְצַח, כְּהָנֵי אַחֲרִינֵי)? He said to him (אָמַר לֵיהּ): Because the degree of judgment depends on Gevurah, and not in the place of mercy (בְּגִין דְּדַרְגָּא דְּדִינָא בִּגְבוּרָה תַּלְיָא, וְלָא בַּאֲתָר דְּרַחֲמֵי). Therefore “You shall not murder” is not written with a Vav (בְּגִין כָּךְ לֹא תִרְצַח לָא כְּתִיב בֵּיהּ וָא״ו). And because five Vavs were needed, a Vav was added in “And you shall not desire” (וּבְגִין דְּבַעְיָין ה׳ וָוִין, אִתּוֹסָף וָא״ו וְלֹא תִתְאַוֶּה). For in “You shall not murder” there should not be a Vav, so it was added here (דְּהָא בְּלֹא תִרְצַח לָא בָּעֵי לְמִשְׁרֵי וָא״ו, וְאִתּוֹסַף הָכָא).

Rabbi Pinchas, who was sitting after him, heard and kissed him (שָׁמַע רִבִּי פִּנְחָס דְּיָתִיב אֲבַּתְרֵיהּ, וּנְשָׁקֵיהּ). He wept and laughed (בָּכָה וְחָיִיךְ). He said: Lion cub, there is no one who stands before them (אָמַר: גּוּר אַרְיֵה, לֵית מַאן דְּקָאִים קַמַּיְיהוּ). Who is able to stand before him and his father in the world (מַאן יָכִיל לְקַיְּימָא קַמֵּיהּ וַאֲבוּהָּ בְּעָלְמָא)? Blessed is the portion of the Righteous (זַכָּאָה חוּלָקֵיהוֹן דְּצַדִּיקַיָּיא), and blessed is my portion in this world and in the World to Come, that I merited this (וְזַכָּאָה חוּלָקִי בְּהַאי עָלְמָא, וּבְעָלְמָא דְּאָתֵי, דְּזָכֵינָא לְהַאי). On this it is written: “The righteous shall see and be glad” (Job 22) (עַל דָּא כְּתִיב, יִרְאוּ צַדִּיקִים וְיִשְׂמָחוּ).

Rabbi El'azar opened and said (רִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר פָּתַח וְאָמַר): “You, draw near and hear…” (Deuteronomy 5) (קְרַב אַתָּה וּשֲׁמָע וְגוֹ׳). Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי): At the time when the Orayta was given to Yisrael (בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְּאִתְיְיהִיבַת אוֹרַיְיתָא לְיִשְׂרָאֵל), all the voices were found (כֻּלְּהוֹן קוֹלוֹת אִשְׁתְּכָחוּ). And Kudsha Berikh Hu sat upon the throne (וְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא יָתִיב עַל כּוּרְסְיָּיא). This one appeared from within that one, and speech went forth from the supernal depth above it (וְדָא מִגּוֹ דְּדָא אִתְחֲזֵי, וּמִלּוּלָא דְּדָא נָפִיק מִגּוֹ עִלָּאָה דְּעָלֵיהּ). And this is the secret of what is written: “Face to face Hashem spoke with you on the mountain from the midst of the fire” (Deuteronomy 5) (וְדָא הוּא רָזָא דִּכְתִיב, פָּנִים בְּפָנִים דִּבֶּר יְיָ עִמָּכֶם בָּהָר מִתּוֹךְ הָאֵשׁ).

For speech went forth, and it spoke from within fire and flame (דְּמִלּוּלָא נָפְקָא, וּמַלִּיל מִגּוֹ אֶשָּׁא וְשַׁלְהוֹבָא). This repelled outward through the striking of wind and water, which gave strength (דְּדָחֵי לֵיהּ לְבַר, בִּדְפִיקוּ דְּרוּחָא וּמַיָּיא, דְּיָהֲבִין חֵילָא). For fire and wind and water emerged from the Shofar, which includes all of them (דְּאֶשָּׁא וְרוּחָא וּמַיָּיא, מִגּוֹ שׁוֹפָר, דְּאִיהוּ כָּלִיל לְכֻלְּהוּ נָפִיק). And Yisrael drew back in fear of this (וְיִשְׂרָאֵל אִתְרַחִיקוּ מִדְּחִילוּ דָּא).