Daf 284b (דַּף רפ״ד ע״ב)

And when is this (וְאֵימָתַי)? From midnight and onward (מִפַּלְגּוּת לֵילְיָא וְאֵילָךְ). And then “we have heard songs” at night (וּכְדֵין זְמִירוֹת שָׁמַעְנוּ [בַּלַּיְלָא]), praises (תּוּשְׁבְּחָן). And “songs” - as you say, “You shall not prune” (Leviticus 25) (וּזְמִירוֹת, כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר, לֹא תִזְמוֹר). And it is written, “The song of the ruthless shall cease” (Isaiah 28) (וּכְתִיב, זְמִיר עָרִיצִים יַעֲנֶה). Uprooting from their places all those mighty ones (אַעְקְרוּתָא מֵאַתְרַיְיהוּ כָּל אִינּוּן תַּקִּיפִין).

For when the night enters (דְּהָא כַּד עָיִּיל לֵילְיָא), how many ruthless ones, destroyers of law, are found in the world (כַּמָה עֲרִיצִים גַּרְדִּינֵי נִימוּסִין שְׁכִיחִין בְּעָלְמָא), they go and roam in the world to accuse (אָזְלִין וְשַׁיְיטָן בְּעָלְמָא לְקַטְרְגָא). From midnight and onward (מִפַּלְגּוּת לֵילְיָא וְאֵילָךְ), one spirit is aroused (אִתְּעַר רוּחָא חֲדָא), and uproots them all from their places (וְאַעְקַר לְכֻלְּהוּ מֵאַתְרַיְיהוּ), and removes them so they do not rule (וְאַעְבַּר לוֹן דְּלָא יִשְׁלְטוּן). “We have heard songs” (זְמִירוֹת שָׁמַעְנוּ), the praises of Knesset Yisrael at night (תּוּשְׁבְּחָן דִּכְנֶסֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּלֵילְיָא). And why all this (וְכָל דָּא לָמָּה)? “Glory to the righteous” (Isaiah 24) (צְבִי לַצַּדִּיק): to be joined in one Zivug with Kudsha Berikh Hu (לְאִזְדַּוְּוגָא בְּזִוּוּגָא חֲדָא דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא), and to be sanctified in one holiness (וּלְאִתְקַדְּשָׁא בִּקְדוּשָּׁה חֲדָא). “And he said, My secret is Mine, My secret is Mine” (Isaiah 24) (וְאוֹמֵר רָזִי לִי רָזִי לִי), this is the supernal mystery (דָּא הוּא רָזָא עִלָּאָה).

This is the Holy Spirit (דָּא הוּא רוּחַ קַדִּישָׁא). But “Woe is me for the generation and for the world” (Isaiah 24) (אֲבָל אוֹי לִי עַל דָּרָא, וְעַל עָלְמָא). “The traitors have betrayed” (Isaiah 24) (בּוֹגְדִים בָּגָדוּ), for all are liars in it (דְּכֻלְּהוּ מְשַׁקְּרָן בֵּיהּ). They lie within themselves (מְשַׁקְּרָן בְּהוּ בְּגַרְמַיְיהוּ). And it is not enough that they lie within themselves (וְלָא דַּי דִּמְשַׁקְּרָן בְּגַרְמַיְיהוּ), but their children whom they have begotten are deceived in their lie (אֶלָּא אִינּוּן בְּנִין דְּאוֹלִידוּ מִתְשַׁקְּרָן בְּהַהוּא שִׁקְרָא דִּלְהוֹן), and are found blemished above and below (וְאִשְׁתְּכָחוּ פְּגִימִין לְעֵילָּא וְתַתָּא). When Yeshayahu looked at this (כֵּיוָן דְּאִסְתָּכַּל יְשַׁעְיָהוּ בְּהַאי), he gathered those who feared sin (כָּנִישׁ לְאִינּוּן דַּחֲלִין חַטָּאָה), and taught them the holy path to be sanctified in the holiness of the King (וְאוֹלִיף לוֹן אֹרַח קַדִּישָׁא לְאִתְקַדְּשָׁא בִּקְדוּשָּׁה דְּמַלְכָּא), and to be found among them as holy children (וּלְאִשְׁתַּכְּחָא בְּנַיְיהוּ קַדִּישִׁין).

When these were sanctified (כֵּיוָן דְּאִתְקְדָּשׁוּ אִלֵּין), the children whom they begot were called by His name (אִינּוּן בְּנִין דְּאוֹלִידוּ אִקְרוּן עַל שְׁמֵיהּ). This is what is written, “Behold, I and the children whom Hashem has given me are for signs and for wonders in Yisrael” (Isaiah 8) (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב, הִנֵּה אָנֹכִי וְהַיְלָדִים אֲשֶׁר נָתַן לִי יְיָ לְאוֹתוֹת וּלְמוֹפְתִים בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל), separated from the other nations (דִּפְרִישָׁן מִשְּׁאַר עַמִּין).

Another matter: “From the uttermost part of the earth we have heard songs” (Isaiah 24) (דָּבָר אַחֵר מִכְּנַף הָאָרֶץ זְמִירוֹת שָׁמַעְנוּ), at the time when Yisrael entered the land (בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְּעָאלוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל לְאַרְעָא), and the Holy Ark stood before them (וַאֲרוֹן קַיְּימָא קַדִּישָׁא קַמַּיְיהוּ). Yisrael heard from one side of the land (שָׁמְעוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל דְּמִסְטְרָא חַד דְּאַרְעָא) praises, joy, and the voice of supernal singers (תּוּשְׁבְּחָן וְחֵדוּ וְקַל מְזַמְּרֵי עִלָּאֵי) who sing in the land (דִּמְזַמְּרֵי בְּאַרְעָא). Then, “Glory to the righteous” (Isaiah 24) (כְּדֵין צְבִי לַצַּדִּיק), the praise of Moshe was at that time (תּוּשְׁבְּחָא דְּמֹשֶׁה הֲוָה בְּהַהִיא שַׁעֲתָא).

For in every place that the Ark rested in the land (דִּבְכָל אֲתָר דְּאָרוֹן הֲוָה שָׁארֵי בְּאַרְעָא), they would hear a voice saying (הֲווֹ שַׁמְעֵי קָלָא דְּאַמְרֵי), “And this is the Torah that Moshe set before the children of Yisrael” (Deuteronomy 4) (וְזֹאת הַתּוֹרָה אֲשֶׁר שָׂם מֹשֶׁה לִפְנֵי בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל). But, woe to me, “The traitors have betrayed” (Isaiah 24) (אֲבָל אוֹי לִי דְּבוֹגְדִים בָּגָדוּ), that Yisrael are destined to betray Kudsha Berikh Hu (דִּזְמִינִין יִשְׂרָאֵל לְשַׁקְּרָא בְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא), and to be uprooted from the land one time (וּלְאִתְעַקְּרָא מֵאַרְעָא זִמְנָא חֲדָא). And because they united among themselves in their lie (וּבְגִין דְּאִתְאֲחָדוּ בֵּינַיְיהוּ שִׁקְרָא דִּלְהוֹן), they shall be uprooted a second time (יִתְעַקְּרוּן זִמְנָא תִּנְיָינָא), until their sins are completed in another land (עַד דְּיִשְׁתְּלִים חוֹבַיְיהוּ בְּאַרְעָא אַחֲרָא). “Take this book of the Torah…” (Deuteronomy 31) (לָקוֹחַ אֵת סֵפֶר הַתּוֹרָה הַזֶּה וְגוֹ׳).

Behold, we have established the words (הָא אוֹקִימְנָא מִלֵּי): “Your God” (אֱלֹהֵיכֶם), “Your God” (אֱלֹהֶיךָ), “El” (אֵל), “Our God” (אֱלֹהֵינוּ). Rabbi Abba said, Rabbi Yehudah said (דְּאָמַר רִבִּי אַבָּא אָמַר רִבִּי יְהוּדָה): What is that which is written, “For the place upon which you stand is holy ground” (Exodus 3) (מַאי דִּכְתִיב, כִּי הַמָּקוֹם אֲשֶׁר אַתָּה עוֹמֵד עָלָיו אַדְמַת קֹדֶשׁ הוּא)? Holy ground indeed (אַדְמַת קֹדֶשׁ וַדַּאי), that is the Land of the Living (דְּהַיְינוּ אֶרֶץ הַחַיִּים). “Upon which you stand” (Exodus 3) (אֲשֶׁר אַתָּה עוֹמֵד עָלָיו), “upon it” indeed (עָלָיו וַדַּאי): this means at the beginning (הַיְינוּ בְּקַדְמִיתָא), and certainly afterward (וְכָל שֶׁכֵּן לְבָתַר).

It was taught, Rabbi Yose said (תָּאנָא, אָמַר רִבִּי יוֹסֵי): It is written, “And it shall be there in you for a witness” (Deuteronomy 31) (כְּתִיב וְהָיָה שָׁם בְּךָ לְעֵד), indeed as a witness that shall testify (לְעֵד וַדַּאי דְּיַסְהִיד סַהֲדוּתָא). Three there are that stood as testimony to bear witness (תְּלָתָא אִינּוּן דְּקַיְימוּ בְּסַהֲדוּתָא לְאַסְהֲדָא), and these are they (וְאִלֵּין אִינּוּן): the well of Yitzchak (בְּאֵר דְּיִצְחָק), the lot (גּוֹרָל), and the stone that Yehoshua set (וְאַבְנָא דְּשַׁוֵּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ). And this song is testimony more than all (וְדָא שִׁירָתָא, סַהֲדוּתָא יַתִּיר מִכֹּלָּא). Rabbi Yitzchak said (אָמַר רִבִּי יִצְחָק): If so, they are four (אִי הָכִי אַרְבַּע אִינּוּן). He said to him (אָמַר לֵיהּ): Indeed, but the lot is not written as testimony (וַדַּאי, אֲבָל גּוֹרָל לָא כְּתִיב בֵּיהּ סַהֲדוּתָא).

The well of Yitzchak, from where do we know this (בְּאֵר דְּיִצְחָק מְנָלָן)? As it is written, “Therefore he called that place Be’er Shava, because there they swore both of them. Therefore it shall be a witness…” (Bereshit 21) (דִּכְתִּיב, בַּעֲבוּר תִּהְיֶה לִּי לְעֵדָה וְגוֹ׳). The lot, as it is written, “By lot shall his inheritance be divided” (Numbers 26) (גּוֹרָל, דִּכְתִּיב, עַל פִּי הַגּוֹרָל תֵּחָלֵק נַחֲלָתוֹ), for it would say: this is for Yehudah, and this is for Binyamin, and so for all of them (דְּהֲוָה אָמַר, דָּא לִיהוּדָה, וְדָא לְבִנְיָמִין, וְכֵן לְכֻלְּהוּ). The stone of Yehoshua, as it is written, “Behold, this stone shall be a witness unto us” (Joshua 24) (אַבְנָא דִּיהוֹשֻׁעַ, דִּכְתִּיב, הִנֵּה הָאֶבֶן הַזֹּאת תִּהְיֶה בָּנוּ לְעֵדָה).

And here, “And it shall be there in you for a witness” (Deuteronomy 31) (וְהָכָא, וְהָיָה שָׁם בְּךָ לְעֵד). And it is written, “And this song shall testify before them as a witness” (Deuteronomy 31) (וּכְתִיב, וְעָנְתָה הַשִּׁירָה הַזֹּאת לְפָנָיו לְעֵד), she indeed testifies in them, in Yisrael (הִיא וַדַּאי אַסְהִידַת בְּהוּ בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל).

It was taught, Rabbi El'azar said (תָּאנָא, אָמַר רִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר): What is that which is written, “And Moshe spoke… the words of this song, until their completion” (Deuteronomy 31) (מַאי דִּכְתִּיב, וַיְדַבֵּר מֹשֶׁה וְגוֹ׳, אֶת דִּבְרֵי הַשִּׁירָה הַזֹּאת עַד תּוּמָּם)? Here we must consider: what is “the words of” (הָכָא אִית לְאִסְתַּכְּלָא, מַהוּ אֶת דִּבְרֵי)? It ought to say, “this song” (אֶת הַשִּׁירָה הַזֹּאת מִבָּעֵי לֵיהּ). And what is “until their completion” (וּמַהוּ עַד תּוּמָּם)? Rather, thus it was taught in the mystery of the Mishnah (אֶלָּא הָכִי תָּאנָא בְּרָזָא דְּמַתְנִיתִין): all those words which Moshe spoke (כָּל אִינּוּן מִלֵּי דְּאָמַר מֹשֶׁה), all of them were engraved in the Name of Kudsha Berikh Hu (כֻלְּהוּ מִתְגַּלְּפֵי בִּשְׁמָא דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא). And all those words would come and ascend and descend, and be engraved there (וְכָל אִינּוּן מִלִּין הֲווֹ אַתְיָין, וְסַלְּקִין וְנַחְתִּין, וּמִתְגַּלְּפִין תַּמָּן). And every word would come before Moshe to be engraved by his hand, and would stand before him (וְכָל מִלָּה וּמִלָּה הֲוָה אַתְיָיא קַמֵּי מֹשֶׁה לְאִתְגַּלְּפָא עַל יְדוֹי וְקַיְּימָא קַמֵּיהּ). And this is what is written, “until their completion” (Deuteronomy 31) (וְהַיְינוּ דִּכְתִּיב, עַד תּוּמָּם).

Rabbi Abba said (רִבִּי אַבָּא אָמַר): “The words of this song” - it should have said “this song” (אֶת דִּבְרֵי הַשִּׁירָה הַזֹּאת, שִׁירָה הַזֹּאת מִבָּעֵי לֵיהּ). What does it hint at (מַאי קָא רְמִיזָא)? Rather, the song - Kudsha Berikh Hu spoke it (אֶלָּא שִׁירָתָא דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא אָמַר), as you say, “The Song of Songs which is for Shlomo” (Song of Songs 1) (כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר, שִׁיר הַשִּׁירִים אֲשֶׁר לִשְׁלֹמֹה) - the King to whom peace belongs, all is His (מַלְכָּא דִּשְׁלָמָא כֹּלָּא דִּילֵיהּ).

And behold, we have established the words (וְהָא אוֹקִימְנָא מִלֵי). As it is taught and as it is written, “A psalm, a song for the Sabbath day” (Psalms 92) (דְּתַנְיָא כְּתִיב, מִזְמוֹר שִׁיר לְיוֹם הַשַּׁבָּת) - for the Sabbath day indeed (לְיוֹם הַשַּׁבָּת מַמָּשׁ). A song that Kudsha Berikh Hu spoke (שִׁיר דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא אָמַר). “The Song of Songs which is for Shlomo” - a song that Kudsha Berikh Hu spoke (שִׁיר הַשִּׁירִים אֲשֶׁר לִשְׁלֹמֹה, שִׁיר דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא אָמַר). And here too, “The words of this song” - a song that Kudsha Berikh Hu spoke (וְהָכָא אֶת דִּבְרֵי הַשִּׁירָה הַזֹּאת, שִׁירָה דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא אָמַר).