Daf 294b (דַּף רצ״ד ע״ב)

Rather, certainly, all that a man thinks (אֶלָּא וַדַּאי כָּל מַה דְּחָשִׁיב בַּר נָשׁ), and all that he contemplates in his heart (וְכָל מַה דְּיִסְתְּכַּל בְּלִבּוֹי), he does not perform a word until he brings it forth with his lips (לָא עָבִיד מִלָּה עַד דְּאַפִּיק לֵיהּ בְּשִׂפְוָותֵיהּ), even if he did not intend it (וְהוּא לָא אִתְכְּוָּון בֵּיהּ). And that word which he brings forth (וְהַהִיא מִלָּה דְּאַפִּיק), splits the air (מִתְבְּקַעָא בַּאֲוִירָא), and goes and ascends and flies in the world (וְאַזְלָא וְסַלְּקָא וְטָסָא בְּעָלְמָא), and from it is made a voice (וְאִתְעָבִיד מִנֵּיהּ קָלָא). And that voice the masters of wings take (וְהַהוּא קָלָא נַטְלִין לֵיהּ מָארֵי דְּגַדְפִין), and raise it up to the King (וְסַלְּקִין לֵיהּ לְמַלְכָּא), and it enters into His ear (וְעָיִּיל בְּאוּדְנוֹי). This is what is written (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב), And Hashem heard the voice of your words (וַיִּשְׁמַע יְיָ אֶת קוֹל דִּבְרֵיכֶם) (Deuteronomy 5). And it is written (וְיִּשְׁמַע יְיָ וַיִּחַר אַפּוֹ) (Numbers 11).

And because of this (וּבְגִין כָּךְ), every prayer and supplication that a man desires before Kudsha Berikh Hu (כָל צְלוֹתָא וּבָעוּתָא דְּבָעֵי בַּר נָשׁ מִקַּמֵּי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא), he must bring forth words with his lips (בָּעֵי לְאַפָּקָא מִלִּין בְּשִׂפְוָותֵיהּ). For if he does not bring them forth (דְּאִי לָא אַפִּיק לוֹן), his prayer is not prayer, and his supplication is not supplication (לָאו צְלוֹתֵיהּ צְלוֹתָא וְלָאו בָּעוּתֵיהּ בָּעוּתָא). And once the words go forth (וְכֵיוָן דְּמִלִּין נָפְקִין), they split the air (מִתְבַּקְּעִין בַּאֲוִירָא), ascend and fly and become a voice (סַלְּקִין וְטָסִין וְאִתְעָבִידוּ קָלָא). And one who is appointed takes them (וְנָטִיל לוֹן מַאן דְּנָטִיל), and brings them to the holy place, to the head of the King (וְאָחִיד לוֹן לְאַתְרָא קַדִישָׁא בְּרֵישָׁא דְּמַלְכָּא). From the three cavities of the Mochin [brains] (מִתְּלַת חַלָלֵי דְּמוֹחֵי), a drop flows toward the ears (נָטִיף נְטִיפָא לְאוּדְנִין), and it is called Nahal Kerit [the Brook of Kerit] (וְהַהוּא אִקְרֵי נַחַל כְּרִית). As you say (כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר): “the Brook of Kerit” (נַחַל כְּרִית) (I Kings 17), meaning the severance of the ears (כְּלוֹמַר כְּרוּתָא דְּאוּדְנִין). And the voice enters into that curved passage (וְקָלָא עַיִּיל בְּהַהוּא עֲקִימָא), and is absorbed into that stream of the drop (וְאִשְׁתְּאַב בְּהַהוּא נַהֲרָא דְּהַהוּא נְטִיפָא). And then it is delayed there (וּכְדֵין אִתְעַכָּב תַּמָּן), and is discerned between good and evil (וְאִתְבְּחִין בֵּין טַב לְבִישׁ). This is what is written (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב), For the ear tests words (כִּי אֹזֶן מִלִּין תִּבְחָן) (Job 34). And why does the ear test words (וּמַאי טַעְמָא אֹזֶן מִלִּין תִּבְחָן). Because the voice is delayed in that stream of the drop, in the crookedness of the ears (מִשּׁוּם דְּאִתְעַכָּב קָלָא בְּהַהוּא נַהֲרָא דִּנְטִיפָא בַּעֲקִימוּתָא דְּאוּדְנִין), and it does not enter in haste (וְלָא עַיִּיל בִּבְהִילוּ). And because of this it is discerned between good and evil (וּבְגִין כָּךְ אִתְבְּחִין בֵּין טַב לְבִישׁ). As it is written (דִּכְתִיב), and the palate tastes to eat (וְחֵיךְ יִטְעַם לֶאֱכוֹל) (Job 34). And why does the palate taste to eat (מַאי טַעְמָא חֵיךְ יִטְעַם לֶאֱכוֹל). Because it is delayed there, and does not enter in haste into the body (בְּגִין דְּיִתְעַכָּב תַּמָּן וְלָא עַיִּיל בִּבְהִילוּ בְּגוּפָא). And because of this it tastes and discerns between sweetness and bitterness (וְעַל דָּא יִטְעַם וְיִתְבְּחָן בֵּין מְתִיקָא לִמְרִירוּ).

In this opening of the ears (בְּהַאי נוּקְבָּא דְּאוּדְנִין), depend other openings (תַּלְיָין נוּקְבִין אוֹחֲרָנִין), the opening of the eyes (נוּקְבָּא דְּעַיְינִין), the opening of the mouth (נוּקְבָּא דְּפוּמָא), the opening of the nose (נוּקְבָּא דְּחוֹטָמָא). From that voice which enters the opening of the ears (מֵהַהוּא קָלָא דְּעַיִּיל בְּנוּקְבָּא דְּאוּדְנִין), if it is necessary, it enters the openings of the eyes (אִי אִצְטְרִיךְ עַיִּיל לְנוּקְבֵי דְּעַיְינִין), and tears flow (וְנַבְעִין דִּמְעִין). From that voice, if it is necessary (מֵהַהוּא קָלָא אִי אִצְטְרִיךְ), it enters the opening of the nose of the nostrils (עַיִּיל לְנוּקְבָּא דְּחוֹטָמָא דְּפַרְדַּשְׁקָא), and brings forth smoke and fire from that voice (וּמַפְּקֵי תְּנָנָא וְאֶשָּׁא מֵהַהוּא קָלָא). This is what is written (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב), And Hashem heard and His anger was kindled, and the fire of Hashem burned among them (וְיִּשְׁמַע יְיָ וַיִּחַר אַפּוֹ וַתִּבְעַר בָּם אֵשׁ יְיָ) (Numbers 11). And if it is necessary, that voice enters the opening of the mouth (וְאִי אִצְטְרִיךְ עַיִּיל הַהוּא קָלָא לְנוּקְבָּא דְּפוּמָא), and it speaks and decrees words from that voice (וּמַלִּיל וְגָזַר מִלִּין מֵהַהוּא קָלָא). All of it is from that voice of the ears (כֹּלָּא מֵהַהוּא קָלָא דְּאוּדְנִין). It enters into the whole body and everything is aroused from it (עַיִּיל בְּכָל גּוּפָא וְאִתְרְגִּישׁ מִנֵּיהּ כֹּלָּא). Everything depends upon this ear (וְכֹלָּא תַּלְיָיא בְּהַאי אוּדְנָא). Happy is he who guards his words (זַכָּאָה מַאן דְּנָטִיר מִלּוֹי). Concerning this it is written (עַל דָּא כְּתִיב), Guard your tongue from evil, and your lips from speaking deceit (נְצוֹר לְשׁוֹנְךָ מֵרָע וּשְׂפָתֶיךָ מִדַּבֵּר מִרְמָה) (Psalms 34).

This ear is called hearing (הַאי אוּדְנָא קָרֵי בֵּיהּ שְׁמִיעָה). And in hearing the mochin are included (וּבִשְׁמִיעָה אִתְכְּלִילָן אִינּוּן מוֹחֵי). Chokhmah is included in it (חָכְמָה אִתְכְּלִיל בֵּיהּ), as it is written (דִּכְתִיב), And You shall give Your servant a hearing heart (וְנָתַתָּ לְעַבְדְּךָ לֵב שׁוֹמֵעַ) (I Kings 3). Binah, as it is said (בִּינָה כְּמָה דְּאַתְּ אָמֵר), Speak, for Your servant is listening (דַּבֵּר כִּי שׁוֹמֵעַ עַבְדֶּךָ) (I Samuel 3). And it is written, For we are listening (כִּי שׁוֹמְעִים אֲנָחְנוּ) (II Kings 18). And Da’at, as it is said (וּדְעַת כְּמָה דְּאַתְּ אָמֵר), Hear, my son, and receive my sayings (שְׁמַע בְּנִי וְקַח אֲמָרָי) (Proverbs 4), and store up my commandments within you (וּמִצְוֹתַי תִּצְפּוֹן אִתָּךְ) (Proverbs 2). Behold, all depends upon the ears (הָא כֹּלָּא תַּלְיָין בְּאוּדְנִין). In this ear depend the prayers, supplications, and the opening of the eyes (בְּהַאי אוּדְנָא תַּלְיָין צְלוֹתִין וּבָעוּתִין וּפְקִיחָא דְּעַיְינִין). This is what is written (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב), Incline Your ear, Hashem, and hear; open Your eyes and see (הַטֵּה יְיָ אָזְנְךָ וּשֲׁמָע פְּקַח עֵינֶיךָ וּרְאֵה) (II Kings 19). Behold, all depends upon it (הָא כֹּלָּא בֵּיהּ תַּלְיָיא).

In this ear depend supernal secrets (בְּהַאי אוּדְנָא תַּלְיָין רָזִין עִלָּאִין), which do not go forth outside (דְּלָא נָפְקִין לְבַר), because of this it is curved inward (בְּגִין כָּךְ הִיא עֲקִימָא לְגוֹ). And the secret of secrets is hidden within it (וְרָזָא דְּרָזִין סְתִימִין בֵּיהּ). Woe to him who reveals secrets (וַוי לְהַהוּא מְגַלֶּה רָזִין). And because this ear gathers secrets (וּבְגִין דְּהַאי אוּדְנָא כָּנִישׁ רָזִין), and its inner crookedness takes them (וַעֲקִימוּתָא דִּלְגוֹ נָטִיל לוֹן), it does not reveal secrets to those who are crooked in their ways (לָא גַּלֵּי רָזִין לְאִינּוּן דַּעֲקִימִין בְּאָרְחַיְיהוּ), but only to those who are not crooked (אֶלָּא לְאִינּוּן דְּלָא עַקִימִין). This is what is written (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב), The secret of Hashem is with those who fear Him, and His covenant to make them know it (סוֹד יְיָ לִירֵאָיו וּבְרִיתוֹ לְהוֹדִיעָם) (Psalms 25), those who guard His paths and guard His words (דְּנַטְלֵי אָרְחוֹי וְנַטְלֵי מִלִּין). And those who are crooked in their ways (וְאִינּוּן דַּעֲקִימִין בְּאָרְחַיְיהוּ), take words and bring them forth in haste (נַטְלֵי מִלִּין וְעַיְילִין לוֹן בִּבְהִילוּ), and in them there is no place for delay (וְלֵית בְּהוּ אֲתָר לְאִתְעַכְּבָא). And all the other openings are opened in them (וְכָל נוּקְבִין אַחֲרָנִין מִתְפַּתְּחִין בֵּיהּ), until the words come out through the opening of the mouth (עַד דְּנָפְקִין מִלִּין בְּנוּקְבָּא דְּפוּמָא). And these are called the guilty of the generation, hated of Kudsha Berikh Hu (וְאִלֵּין אִקְרוּ חַיָּיבֵי דָּרָא שְׂנוּאֵי דְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא). In our Mishnah we have learned (בְּמַתְנִיתָא דִּילָן תְּנָן), that it is as though he kills men, and as though he worships idolatry (כְּאִילּוּ קָטִיל גּוּבְרִין וּכְאִלּוּ פָּלַח לְעֲבוֹדָה זָרָה). And all is in one verse (וְכֹלָּא בְּחַד קְרָא), as it is written (דִּכְתִיב), You shall not go as a talebearer among your people, you shall not stand against the blood of your fellow, I am Hashem (לֹא תֵלֵךְ רָכִיל בְּעַמֶּךָ לֹא תַעֲמוֹד עַל דַּם רֵעֶךָ אֲנִי יְיָ) (Leviticus 19). Whoever transgresses the beginning of this verse (מַאן דְּעָבַר עַל הַאי רֵישָׁא דִּקְרָא), it is as though he has transgressed all of it (כְּאִילּוּ עָבַר עַל כֹּלָּא).