Daf 268a (דַּף רס״ח ע״א)

Rabbi Chiyya said (רִבִּי חִיָּיא אָמַר): The evil inclination, when it comes to cleave to a man (יֵצֶר הָרָע כַּד אָתֵי לְאִזְדַּוְּוגָא בֵּיהּ לְבַּר נָשׁ), is like a man who approaches a doorway and sees there is no one to push him away (דָּמֵי לְבַּר נָשׁ דְּקָרִיב לְפִתְחָא, וְחָמֵי דְּלָא אִית מַאן דְּמָחֵי בִּידֵיהּ). He enters the house and becomes a guest (עָאל לְבֵיתָא, וְאִתְעָבִיד לֵיהּ אֹרֵחַ). He sees there is no one to oppose him, and he goes to his way inside (חָמָא דְּלָא אִית מַאן דִּמְחֵי בִּידֵיהּ, וְיֵיזִיל לֵיהּ לְאָרְחֵיהּ). Once he has entered the house and there is no one to oppose him, he is appointed over it and becomes the master of the house (כֵיוָן דְּעָיִּיל לְבֵיתָא, וְלָא אִית דְּיִמְחֵי בִּידֵיהּ, אִתְמְנָא עָלֵיהּ וְאִתְעָבִיד מָארֵיהּ דְּבֵיתָא), until it is found that the whole house is under his domain (עַד דְּיִשְׁתְּכַח דְּכָל בֵּיתָא קָאִים בִּרְשׁוּתֵיהּ). From where do we learn this? (מֵאָן אוֹלִיפְנָא) From the parable of David we learn (מִפַּרְשְׁתָּא דְּדָוִד אוֹלִיפְנָא). What is written? (מַה כְּתִיב): “And there came a traveler to the rich man” (2 Samuel 12) (וַיָּבֹא הֵלֶךְ לְאִישׁ הֶעָשִׁיר). The traveler - this is the one who comes near to the doorway and does not wish to remain there, but to go on his way (הֵלֶךְ דְּקָרִיב לְפִתְחָא, וְלָא בָּעֵי לְאִתְעַכְּבָא תַּמָּן, אֶלָּא לְמֵהַךְ לְאָרְחֵיהּ). So it is with the evil inclination (כַּךְ הוּא יֵצֶר הָרָע): when it draws near to the house, it draws near to the man (כְּמָה דְּמִקְרַב לְבֵיתָא, מִתְקָרֵב גַּבֵּי דְּבַּר נָשׁ). It arouses upon him with a small sin - this is the guest who is temporary (אִתְּעַר עָלֵיהּ בְּחוֹבָא זְעֵיר, דָּא הוּא אוֹרֵחַ עֲרָאי). When he sees that no one pushes him away, what is written? (חָמֵי דְּלֵית דִּמְחֵי בִּידֵיהּ, מַה כְּתִיב): “To do for the guest that had come to him” (2 Samuel 12) (לַעֲשׂוֹת לָאוֹרֵחַ הַבָּא אֵלָיו). He becomes a guest, a lodger in the house (אִתְעָבִיד לֵיהּ אוֹרֵחַ אַכְסְנַאי בְּבֵיתָא), and arouses upon him in greater sins, one day or two days (אִתְּעַר עָלֵיהּ בְּחוֹבוֹי יַתִּיר, יוֹמָא חַד, אוֹ תְּרֵין יוֹמִין), like a guest who is permitted in the house one or two days (כְּהַאי אוֹרֵחַ דְּשָׁרָאן לֵיהּ בְּבֵיתָא, יוֹמָא חֲדָא, אוֹ ב׳ יוֹמִין), because he is a guest (בְּגִין דְּאִיהוּ אוֹרֵחַ).

Once he sees there is no one to push him away, what is written? (כֵּיוָן דְּחָמֵי דְּלֵית מַאן דִּמְחֵי בִּידֵיהּ, מַה כְּתִיב): “And he made for the man who had come to him” (2 Samuel 12) (וַיַּעַשׂ לְאִישׁ הַבָּא אֵלָיו). He became the master of the house (אִתְעָבִיד מָארֵי דְּבֵיתָא), as you say: “The man is lord of the land” (Bereshit 42) (כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר הָאִישׁ אֲדוֹנֵי הָאָרֶץ). “The husband of Naomi” (Ruth 1) (אִישׁ נָעֳמִי). So it is with the evil inclination (כַּךְ הוּא יֵצֶר הָרָע): it becomes toward the man as “man,” the master of the house (אִתְעָבִיד לָקֳבְלֵיהּ דְּבַּר נָשׁ, אִישׁ, בַּעַל הַבַּיִת). Behold, the man is bound in his service, and he does his will (הָא אִתְקְשַׁר בַּר נָשׁ בְּפוּלְחָנֵיהּ, וְהוּא עָבִיד בֵּיהּ רְעוּתֵיהּ). And therefore a man must set the words of Orayta upon him continually (וְעַל דָּא בָּעֵי בַּר נָשׁ לְשַׁוָּאָה מִלִּין דְּאוֹרַיְיתָא עָלֵיהּ תָּדִיר), so that the evil inclination will be broken through them (בְּגִין דִּיְהֵא הַהוּא יֵצֶר הָרָע תָּבִיר בְּהוּ). For the evil inclination has no accuser against it except the words of Orayta (דְּלֵית לֵיהּ מְקַטְרֵג לְיֵצֶר הָרָע, בַּר מִלֵּי דְּאוֹרַיְיתָא). And upon this it is written: “And these words… shall be upon your heart” (Deuteronomy 6) (וְעַל דָּא כְּתִיב, וְהָיוּ הַדְּבָרִים הָאֵלֶּה וְגו׳ עַל לְבָבֶךָ). Upon your heart - upon your two inclinations (עַל תְּרֵי יְצָרֶיךָ), that the good inclination be crowned through them (יֵצֶר הַטּוֹב אִתְעֲטָּר בְּהוּ), and the evil inclination be subdued through them (וְיֵצֶר הָרָע אִתְכָּנַע בְּהוּ).

Rabbi Yehudah said (אָמַר רִבִּי יְהוּדָה): The good inclination - what does it seek from the words of Orayta? (יֵצֶר הַטּוֹב, מַה בָּעֵי מִלֵּי דְּאוֹרַיְיתָא) He said to him (אָמַר לֵיהּ): The good inclination is crowned through them (יֵצֶר הַטּוֹב אִתְעֲטָּר בְּהוּ). And the evil inclination - when it sees that a man is not good, and does not wish to labor in Orayta (וְיֵצֶר הָרָע, כֵּיוָן דְּחָמֵי בַּר נָשׁ לָא טָב, וְלָא בָּעֵי לְאִשְׁתַּדְּלָא בְּאוֹרַיְיתָא), then it ascends above and adds upon him guilt (כְּדֵין הוּא סָלִיק לְעֵילָּא, וְאוֹלִיף עָלֵיהּ חוֹבָה). This is what is written: “And fools lift up disgrace” (Proverbs 3) (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב וּכְסִילִים מֵרִים קָלוֹן).

When Rabbi Shimon came (כַּד אָתָא רִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן), he said (אָמַר), “Behold, surely the section of the recitation of Shema (הָא וַדַּאי פַּרְשְׁתָּא דִּקְרִיאַת שְׁמַע), alludes to ten utterances (רְמִיזָא בֵּיהּ י' אֲמִירָן), as they have already established (כְּמָה דְּאוּקְמוּהָ), and so it surely is (וְהָכִי הוּא וַדַּאי). ‘And these words which I command you this day’ (וְהָיוּ הַדְּבָרִים הָאֵלֶּה), this is the general principle that they are ten utterances (כְּלָלָא דְּעֶשֶׂר אֲמִירָן אִינּוּן).

And therefore there are ten commandments here (וּבְגִין כָּךְ י' פִּקּוּדִין אִית הָכָא), corresponding to the ten commandments of the Orayta (לָקֳבֵל י' פִּקּוּדִין דְּאוֹרַיְּיתָא). And what are they? (וּמַאן אִינּוּן.) “And you shall teach them diligently to your children” (וְשִׁנַּנְתָּם לְבָנֶיךָ). “And you shall speak of them” (וְדִבַּרְתָּ בָּם). “When you sit in your house” (בְּשִׁבְתְּךָ בְּבֵיתֶךָ). “And when you walk on the way” (וּבְלֶכְתְּךָ בַדֶרֶךְ). “And when you lie down” (וּבְשָׁכְבְּךָ). “And when you rise up” (וּבְקוּמֶךָ). “And you shall bind them as a sign upon your hand” (וּקְשַׁרְתָּם לְאוֹת עַל יָדֶךָ). “And they shall be as frontlets between your eyes” (וְהָיוּ לְטוֹטָפוֹת בֵּין עֵינֶיךָ). “And you shall write them on the doorposts of your house” (וּכְתַבְתָּם עַל מְזוּזוֹת בֵּיתֶךָ). “And on your gates” (וּבִשְׁעָרֶיךָ). Behold, these are ten, corresponding to the ten utterances (הָא י', לָקֳבֵל י' אֲמִירָן). And because of this, these sections are a great generality in the Orayta (וְעַל דָּא פָּרְשִׁיָּין אִלֵּין כְּלַל רַב אִינּוּן בְּאוֹרַיְּיתָא). Fortunate is his portion (זַכָּאָה חוּלָקֵיהּ), who completes it every day twice (מַאן דְּאַשְׁלִים לֵיהּ בְּכָל יוֹמָא תְּרֵי זִימְנֵי), for the Holy Name is sanctified in his mouth properly (דְּהָא אִתְקַדָּשׁ בְּפוּמֵיהּ שְׁמָא קַדִּישָׁא כַּדְּקָא יָאוּת).

Rabbi Acha was standing with Rabbi El'azar (רִבִּי אֲחָא, הֲוָה קָאִים עִמֵּיהּ דְּרִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר) one night after half the night (לֵילְיָא חַד בָּתַר פַּלְגּוּת לֵילְיָא), and they were engaging in the Orayta (וַהֲווּ מִשְׁתַּדְּלֵי בְּאוֹרַיְּיתָא). Rabbi El'azar opened (פָּתַח רִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר), Some say: Rabbi Acha (נ״א רִבִּי אַחָא), and said (וְאָמַר), “‘For it is your life and the length of your days, etc.’” (Devarim 32) (דְּבָרִים ל״ב: כִּי הוּא חַיֶּיךָ וְאוֹרֶךְ יָמֶיךָ וְגוֹ׳).

Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי), regarding all the conditions (עַל כָּל תְּנָאִין), Some say: the commandments (נ״א פִּקוּדִין), that Kudsha Berikh Hu decreed (דְּגָזַר קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא), when they entered the land of Yisrael (כַּד עָאלוּ לְאַרְעָא דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל), it was a decree of the Orayta (גְּזֵרָה דְּאוֹרַיְּיתָא הֲוָה). What is the reason? (מַאי טַעֲמָא.) Because the Shekhinta does not dwell in the land (בְּגִין דִּשְׁכִינְתָא לָא מִתְיַישְּׁבָא בְּאַרְעָא), except through the Orayta (אֶלָּא בְּאוֹרַיְּיתָא). And it does not dwell Above (וְלָא מִתְיַישְּׁבָא לְעֵילָּא), except through the Orayta (אֶלָּא בְּאוֹרַיְּיתָא).

For thus said Rabbi Shimon Abba (דְּהָכִי אָמַר רִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן אַבָּא), the Torah that is Oral is not made known (תּוֹרָה שֶׁבְּעַל פֶּה לָא אִשְׁתְּמוֹדָע), except because of the Torah that is Written (אֶלָּא בְּגִין תּוֹרָה שֶׁבִּכְתָב). The Shekhinta does not dwell Above (שְׁכִינְתָּא לָא מִתְיַישְּׁבָא לְעֵילָּא), except with the Torah that is below (אֶלָּא עִם תּוֹרָה דִּלְתַּתָּא). For whenever the Orayta is found with man (דְּכָל זִמְנָא דְּאוֹרַיְּיתָא אִשְׁתְּכַח עִמֵּיהּ [דְּבַר נָשׁ]), he is able to endure in the world (יַכְלָא לְמֵיקָם בְּעָלְמָא). Some say: The Written Torah is not made known except because of the Oral Torah, and the Oral Torah is not made known except from the Written Torah; surely the general requires the particular, and the particular requires the general (נ״א תּוֹרָה שֶׁבִּכְתָב לָא אִשְׁתְּמוֹדַעָא אֶלָּא בְּגִין תּוֹרָה שֶׁבְּעַל פֶּה, וְתוֹרָה שֶׁבְּעַל פֶּה לָא אִשְׁתְּמוֹדַעָא אֶלָּא מִתּוֹרָה שֶׁבִּכְתָב, וַדַּאי כְּלָל הַצָּרִיךְ לִפְרָט, וּפְרָט הַצָּרִיךְ לִכְלָל). The Shekhinta does not dwell Above except with the Orayta that is below (שְׁכִינְתָּא לָא מִתְיַישְּׁבָא לְעֵילָּא אֶלָּא בְּאוֹרַיְּיתָא דִּלְתַּתָּא). For whenever the Orayta is found, it is able to endure in the world (דְּכָל זִמְנָא דְּאוֹרַיְּיתָא אִשְׁתְּכַחַת יָכִילָא לְמֵיקָם בְּעָלְמָא). This is what is written (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב), “For it is your life and the length of your days, to dwell upon the land” (Deuteronomy 30) (כִּי הוּא חַיֶּיךָ וְאוֹרֶךְ יָמֶיךָ לָשֶׁבֶת עַל הָאֲדָמָה). “Upon the land” - without specification (עַל הָאֲדָמָה סְתָם). And if not for the words of the Orayta being interrupted (וְאִי לָאו דְּאַפְסִיק מִלֵּי דְּאוֹרַיְּיתָא), it would not be possible to endure (לָא יַכְלָא לְמֵיקָם). As it is written (דִּכְתִיב), “On what was the land lost?” (Jeremiah 9) (עַל מַה אָבְדָה הָאָרֶץ). And it is written (וּכְתִיב), “And Hashem said: Because they have forsaken My Torah” (Jeremiah 9) (וַיֹּאמֶר יְיָ עַל עָזְבָם אֶת תּוֹרָתִי).

While they were sitting (עַד דַּהֲווֹ יַתְבֵי), Rabbi Shimon inclined his head (מָאִיךְ רִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן רֵישֵׁיהּ). He said (אָמַר), “Surely so it is (וַדַּאי הָכִי הוּא), and this is the secret that we found in the book of Rav Hamnuna Sava (וְדָא הוּא רָזָא דְּאַשְׁכַּחְנָא בְּסִפְרָא דְּרַב הַמְנוּנָא סָבָא), and he established this verse (וְאוֹקִים קְרָא דָּא), in the secret of Knesset Yisrael (בְּרָזָא דִּכְנֶסֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל), as it is written (דִּכְתִיב), ‘Her food, her clothing, and her marital duty shall he not diminish’ (Exodus 21) (שְׁאֵרָהּ כְּסוּתָהּ וְעוֹנָתָהּ לֹא יִגְרָע). And if they withhold from her (וְאִי אִתְמְנָעוּ מִנָּהּ), what is written? (מָה כְּתִיב) ‘And she shall go out free, without money’ (Exodus 21) (וְיָצְאָה חִנָּם אֵין כָּסֶף). As you say (כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר), ‘Where is the bill of divorce of your mother, whom I sent away?’ (Isaiah 50) (אֵי זֶה סֵפֶר כְּרִיתוּת אִמְּכֶם אֲשֶׁר שִׁלַּחְתִּיהָ). And it is written (וּכְתִיב), ‘For you were sold for nothing, and without money you shall be redeemed’ (Isaiah 52) (חִנָּם נִמְכַּרְתֶּם וְלֹא בְכֶסֶף תִּגָּאֵלוּ). And one who withholds the Orayta from her (וּמַאן דְּמָנַע אוֹרַיְּיתָא מִנָּהּ), is like one who takes the portion of the woman’s husband (כְּמַאן דְּנָסַב מָארֵי דְּאִתְּתָא), Some say: her food (ס״א שְׁאָרָהּ), and withholds it from her (וּמָנַע לֵיהּ מִנָּהּ). This one is left as though a widow (דָּא אִשְׁתְּאָרַת כְּאַרְמַלְתָּא), and yet not a widow (וְלָא אַרְמַלְתָּא). This is what is written (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב), ‘She has become as a widow, and not a widow’ (Lamentations 1) (הָיְתָה כְּאַלְמָנָה, וְלֹא אַלְמָנָה).