Daf 293b (דַּף רצ״ג ע״ב)

In this forehead depend twenty-four courts of judgment (בְּהַאי מִצְחָא תַּלְיָין כ״ד בָּתֵּי דִּינִין), for all those who are brazen in their deeds (לְכָל אִינּוּן דְּחַצִּיפִין בְּעוֹבָדֵיהוֹן). As it is written (כְּמָה דִכְתִיב), And they say, How does God know, and is there knowledge in the Most High (וְאָמְרוּ אֵיכָה יָדַע אֵל וְיֵשׁ דֵעָה בְעֶלְיוֹן) (Psalms 73). And behold there are twenty (וְהָא עֶשְׂרִים אִינּוּן), four for what reason (ד׳ לָמָּה). Corresponding to the four death penalties of the earthly court below (לָקֳבְלֵיהוֹן דְּד׳ מִיתוֹת בֵּית דִּינָא לְתַתָּא), which are suspended from above (דְּתַלְיָין מִלְּעֵילָּא). And twenty remain (וְאִשְׁתָּאָרוּ עֶשְׂרִין). And because of this the supernal court does not punish (וּבְגִין כָּךְ לָא מַעֲנִישִׁין בֵּי דִינָא עִלָּאָה), until one completes twenty years (עַד דְּיַשְׁלִים וְסַלְּקָא לְכ׳ שְׁנִין), corresponding to the twenty courts of judgment (לָקֳבְלֵיהוֹן דְּכ׳ בָּתֵּי דִּינָא). In the hidden Mishnah of ours we learned (בְּמַתְנִיתָא סְתִימָאָה דִּילָן תָּנֵינָן), corresponding to the twenty-four books which are included in the Orayta (לָקֳבְלֵיהוֹן דְּכ״ד סְפָרִים דְּאִתְכְּלִילָן בְּאוֹרַיְיתָא).

The eyes of the head (עַיְינִין דְּרֵישָׁא), these are eyes from which the guilty cannot hide themselves (אִינּוּן עַיְינִין דְּלָא מִסְתַּמְּרִין מִנַּיְיהוּ חַיָּיבַיָּא). Eyes that sleep and do not sleep (עַיְינִין דְּנַיְימִין וְלָא נַיְימִין). And because of this they are called (וּבְגִין כָּךְ אִקְרוּ), His eyes are like doves (עֵינָיו כְּיוֹנִים) (Song of Songs 5). What are doves (מַאי יוֹנִים). As you say (כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר), And you shall not wrong one another (וְלֹא תוֹנוּ אִישׁ אֶת עֲמִיתוֹ) (Leviticus 25). And concerning this it is written (וְעַל דָּא כְּתִיב), And they say, Hashem does not see (וַיֹּאמְרוּ לֹא יִרְאֶה יָ״הּ) (Psalms 94). And it is written (וּכְתִיב), He who planted the ear, shall He not hear (הֲנוֹטַע אֹזֶן הֲלֹא יִשְׁמָע) (Psalms 94).

The adornment above the eyes (תִּקּוּנָא דְּעַל עֵינָא), are the hairs measured in complete measure (שַׂעְרֵי דְּמִתְּשַׁעְרָן בְּשִׁעוּרָא שְׁלִים). From those hairs depend one thousand and seven hundred masters of providence (מֵאִינּוּן שַׂעֲרִין תַּלְיָין אֶלֶף וְז׳ מְאָה מָארֵי דְּאַשְׁגָחוּתָא), to wage battle (לְאַגָחָא קְרָבָא). And then all of them stand from their ranks and the eyes are opened (וּכְדֵין קַיְימֵי כֻּלְּהוּ מִשּׁוּלְשְׁלֵיהוֹן וּמִתְפַּקְחִין עַיְינִין).

The covering above the eyes (כְּסוּתָא דְּעַל עַיְינִין), are the eyelids that are joined with them (גְּבִינִין מִתְאַחֲדָן בְּהוּ). And one thousand and four hundred myriads of masters of shields are united with them (וְאֶלֶף וְד׳ מֵאָה רִבְּוֹאן מָארֵי תְּרִיסִין אִתְאַחֲדָן בְּהוּ). And these are called the covering of the eyes (וְאִינּוּן אִקְרוּן כְּסוּתָא דְּעַיְינִין). And all those that are called the eyes of Hashem (וְכָל אִינּוּן דְּאִקְרוּן עֵינֵי יְיָ), do not open and are not aroused (לָא פַּקְחִין וְלָא אִתְעָרוּן), except at the time when these coverings of the eyelids separate, the lower from the upper (בַּר בְּזִמְנָא דְּאִלֵּין כְּסוּתֵי דִּגְבִינִין מִתְפָּרְשִׁין אִינּוּן תַּתָּאֵי מֵעִלָּאֵי). And at the time when the lower eyelids are separated from the upper (וּבְשַׁעֲתָא דְּאִתְפָּרְשָׁן גְּבִינֵי תַּתָּאֵי מֵעִלָּאֵי), and they give place for watching (וְיָהֲבִין אֲתָר לְאַשְׁגְחָא), the eyes are opened (מִתְפַּקְחִין עַיְינִין), and appear like one who awakes from his sleep (וְאִתְחַזֵּי כְּמַאן דְּאִתְעַר מִשֵּׁינָתֵיהּ). The eyes are brightened and see with an awakened eye (אִסְתַּחֲרוּ עַיְינִין וְחָמָא לְעֵינָא פְּקִיחָא), and they shine with their whiteness (וְאִסְתָּחָן בְּחִוָּורָא דִּילֵיהּ). And when they shine (וְכַד אִסְתַּחְיָין), the masters of judgment are subdued for Yisrael (אִתְכַּפְיָין מָארֵיהוֹן דְּדִינִין לְיִשְׂרָאֵל). And because of this it is written (וּבְגִין כָּךְ כְּתִיב), Awake, why do You sleep, Hashem, arise etc. (עוּרָה לָמָּה תִישַׁן יְיָ הָקִיצָה וְגוֹ׳) (Psalms 44).

Four colors are seen in those eyes (אַרְבַּע גַּוְונִין אִתְחַזְיָין בְּאִינּוּן עַיְינִין). From them shine the four compartments of Tefillin (מֵאִינּוּן נְהִירִין ד׳ בָּתֵּי דִּתְפִילִין), which shine from the flow of the moach (דְּנַהֲרִין בִּרְהִיטֵי מוֹחָא). Seven are called the eyes of Hashem (ז׳ דְּאִקְרוּן עֵינֵי יְיָ) (Zechariah 3). And providence goes forth from the black color of the eye (וְאַשְׁגָּחוּתָא נַפְקֵי מִגְּוָון אוּכָמָא דְּעֵינָא). As we have established in the Idra (כְּמָה דְּאוֹקִימְנָא בְּאִדָרָא), as it is written (דִּכְתִיב), Upon one stone are seven eyes (עַל אֶבֶן אַחַת שִׁבְעָה עֵינָיִם) (Zechariah 3). And these colors flame from their sides (וְאִינּוּן גַּוְונִין מִתְלַהֲטִין בְּסִטְרַיְיהוּ).

From the red color go forth others (מִסּוּמָקָא נָפְקִין אוֹחֲרָנִין), masters of providence for judgment (מָארֵי דְּאַשְׁגָחוּתָא לְדִינָא). And these are called, The eyes of Hashem roam throughout all the earth (וְאִינּוּן אִקְרוּן עֵינֵי יְיָ מְשׁוֹטְטוֹת בְּכָל הָאָרֶץ) (II Chronicles 16). It is written meshottot and not meshottim (מְשׁוֹטְטוֹת וְלֹא מְשׁוֹטְטִים), because all of them are for judgment (בְּגִין דְּכֻלְּהוּ דִּינָא).

From the green color go forth others (מִירוֹקָא נָפְקִין אוֹחֲרָנִין), that stand to reveal deeds, whether good or evil (דְּקַיְימִין לְגַלָּאָה עוֹבָדִין בֵּין טַב וּבֵין בִּישׁ). As it is written (דִּכְתִיב), For His eyes are upon the ways of a man (כִּי עֵינָיו עַל דַּרְכֵי אִישׁ) (Job 34). And these are called, The eyes of Hashem roam (וְאִלֵּין אִקְרוּן עֵינֵי יְיָ מְשׁוֹטְטִים) (Zechariah 4). It is written meshottim and not meshottot (מְשׁוֹטְטִים וְלֹא מְשׁוֹטְטוֹת), because they are for both sides, for good and for evil (בְּגִין דְּאִינּוּן לִתְרֵין סִטְרִין לְטָב וּלְבִישׁ).

From the white color go forth all mercies (מֵחִוָּורָא נָפְקִין כָּל אִינּוּן רַחֲמֵי), all goodness found in the world (כָּל אִינּוּן טָבָאן דְּמִשְׁתַּכְחֵי בְּעָלְמָא), to bestow goodness upon Yisrael (לְאוֹטָבָא לְהוּ לְיִשְׂרָאֵל). And then are illuminated all these three colors with mercy upon them (וּכְדֵין אִסְתַּחְיָין כָּל אִינּוּן תְּלַת גְּוָונֵי לְרַחֲמָא עָלַיְיהוּ). These colors are mingled one with another (אִלֵּין גַּוְונִין מִתְעָרְבִין דָּא בְּדָא), and are joined one with another (וְאִתְדַּבְּקָן דָּא בְּדָא). Each one adds to its companion from its own color (כָּל חַד אוֹזִיף לְחַבְרֵיהּ מִגְּוָונֵי דִילֵיהּ), except for the white (בַּר מֵחִוָּורָא), for all are included within it when necessary (דְּכֻלְּהוּ כְּלִילָן בֵּיהּ כַּד אִצְטְרִיךְ), and it covers over all (וְהוּא חָפֵי עַל כֹּלָּא). All the colors below cannot, for all the children of the world, transform the white into black, red, or green (כָּל גַּוְונִין דִּלְתַּתָּא לָא יַכְלִין כָּל בְּנֵי עָלְמָא לְאַסְחֲרָא לוֹן חִוָּורָא לְאוּכָמָא לְסוּמָקָא וְלִירוֹקָא). And here, in providence, all are united and illuminated in the white (וְהָכָא בְּאַשְׁגָּחוּתָא חַד כֻּלְּהוּ אִתְאַחֲדָן וְאִסְתַּחְיָין בְּחִוָּורָא).

The eyelids are not found (גְּבִינוֹי לָא מִשְׁתַּכְּכִין), except when the colors of white desire to look forth (בַּר כַּד בַּעְיָין גַּוְונִין דְּחִוָּורָא לְאַשְׁגָּחָא), because the eyelids give place to look forth for all the colors (בְּגִין דִּגְבִינִין יָהֲבִין אֲתָר לְאַשְׁגָּחָא לְכֻלְּהוּ גְּוָונֵי). And if they do not give place (וְאִי אִינּוּן לָא יָהֲבִין אֲתָר), they are not able to look and to see (לָא יַכְלִין לְאַשְׁגְּחָא וּלְאִסְתַּכְּלָא). The eyelids do not stand (גְּבִינִין לָא קַיְימִין), and are not found in one perfect time (וְלָא מִשְׁתַּכְּכִין שַׁעֲתָא חֲדָא שְׁלֵימוּתָא), but they open and close, close and open (אֶלָּא פַּקְחִין וְסַתְמִין סַתְמִין וּפַקְחִין), because of the eye that is awake which stands over them (מִשּׁוּם עֵינָא פְּקִיחָא דְּקָאֵי עָלַיְיהוּ).

And concerning this it is written (וְעַל דָּא כְּתִיב), And the creatures ran and returned (וְהַחַיּוֹת רָצוֹא וָשׁוֹב) (Ezekiel 1). And we have already established this (וְהָא אוֹקִימְנָא). It is written (כְּתִיב), Your eyes shall behold Jerusalem a habitation of tranquility (עֵינֶיךָ תִּרְאֶינָה יְרוּשָׁלַם נָוֶה שַׁאֲנָן) (Isaiah 33). And it is written (וּכְתִיב), The eyes of Hashem your God are upon it continually, from the beginning of the year and onward (תָּמִיד עֵינֵי יְיָ אֱלֹהֶיךָ בָּהּ מֵרֵשִׁית הַשָּׁנָה וְגוֹ׳) (Deuteronomy 11). For Jerusalem requires so (דְּהָא יְרוּשָׁלַם בַּעְיָא כֵּן), as it is written (דִּכְתִיב), Righteousness dwells in her (צֶדֶק יָלִין בָּהּ) (Isaiah 1). And because of this, Jerusalem and not Zion (וּבְגִין כָּךְ יְרוּשָׁלַם וְלָא צִיּוֹן). As it is written (דִּכְתִיב), Zion shall be redeemed with judgment, etc. (צִיּוֹן בְּמִּשְׁפָּט תִּפָּדֶה וְגוֹ׳) (Isaiah 1), for all is mercy (דְּכֹלָּא רַחֲמֵי). Your eyes is written in the singular, your eye (עֵינֶיךָ עֵינָךְ כְּתִיב), the eye of Atika Kadisha, concealed of all (עֵינָא דְּעַתִּיקָא קַדִישָׁא סְתִימָא דְּכֹלָּא). Now, the eyes of Hashem your God are upon it, for good and for evil, as has been seen (הַשְׁתָּא עֵינֵי יְיָ אֱלֹהֶיךָ בָּהּ לְטָב וּלְבִישׁ כְּמָה דְּאִתְחֲזֵי). And because of this they do not endure in constant existence (בְּגִין כָּךְ לָא אִתְקְיָימוּ בְּקִיּוּמָא תָּדִיר). And there it is written, Your eyes shall see Jerusalem (וְהָתָם עֵינֶיךָ תִּרְאֶינָה יְרוּשָׁלַם), all for good, all with mercy (כֹּלָּא לְטָב כֹּלָּא בְּרַחֲמֵי). As it is written (דִּכְתִיב), And with great mercy will I gather you (וּבְרַחֲמִים גְּדוֹלִים אֲקַבְּצֵךְ) (Isaiah 54).