Daf 299a (דַּף רצ״ט ע״א)

And these verses are already known (וְהָנֵי קְרָאֵי יְדִיעָאן אִינּוּן). But because the Name of Kudsha Berikh Hu is inscribed in this section (אֲבָל בְּגִין דִּשְׁמָא דְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא רָשִׁים בְּהַאי פַּרְשְׁתָּא), I needed until now [to explain] (אִצְטְרִיכְנָא עַד הַשְׁתָּא). And here it is written: “If they were wise, they would understand this” (Devarim 32) (וְהָכָא הָא כְּתִיב, לוּ חָכְמוּ יַשְׂכִּילוּ זֹאת). Zot-surely this (זֹאת וַדַּאי). And in many places we have already established this (וְהָא בְּכַמָּה אֲתָר אוֹקִימְנָא הַאי), that if Yisrael knew this (דְּאִי יִשְׂרָאֵל יִנְדְּעוּן הַאי), how this “This” is bound with judgment to exact payment from the guilty (אֵיךְ זֹאת אֲחִידָא בְּדִינוֹי לְאִתְפָּרְעָא מִן חַיָּיבַיָּא), they would understand their latter end (יָבִינוּ לְאַחֲרִיתָם), and guard themselves to be in it (וְיִסְתָּמָרוּ לְמֶהֱוֵי בָּהּ). As it is written (כְּמָה דִּכְתִיב): “And the earth rises up against him” (Job 20) (וְאֶרֶץ מִתְקוֹמָמָה לוֹ).

Another matter: “If they were wise, they would understand this” (דָּבָר אַחֵר לוּ חָכְמוּ יַשְׂכִּילוּ זֹאת)-that it is bound with them, with Yisrael (דְּאִיהִי מִתְקַשְּׁרָא בְּהוּ בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל). When they guard the commandments of the Orayta (כַד נַטְרִין פִּקּוּדֵי אוֹרַיְיתָא), and sit with it in peace (וְיַתְבִין עִמָּהּ בִּשְׁלָם), they will know that the help of this “This” is with them to exact punishment from their enemies (יִנְדְּעוּן דִּסְיַּיעְתָּא דְּהַאי זֹאת עִמְּהוֹן לְאִתְפָּרְעָא מִשַּׂנְאֵיהוֹן). And Yisrael, who are few among the nations (וְיִשְׂרָאֵל דְּאִינּוּן זְעִירִין בֵּינֵי עַמְמַיָא), will know: how one can pursue a thousand, and two can cause ten thousand to flee (יִנְדְּעוּן, אֵיכָה יִרְדּוֹף אֶחָד אֶלֶף וּשְׁנַיִם יָנִיסוּ רְבָבָה). And who causes this for them? (וּמַאן גָּרִים לְהוּ). This “This,” which is with them in peace when they perform the commandments of the Orayta (הַאי זֹאת, דְּהֲוָה בְּהוּ בִּשְׁלָם כַּד עַבְדִּין פִּקּוּדֵי אוֹרַיְיתָא). And it will never depart from them (וּלְעָלְמִין לָא אִתְעָדֵי מִנַּיְיהוּ), to bring them vengeance (לְמֶעְבַּד לְהוּ נוּקְמִין). “If not that their Rock had sold them, and Hashem had delivered them up” (Devarim 32) (אִם לֹא כִּי צוּרָם מְכָרָם וַיְיָ הִסְגִּירָם). What is the reason that “their Rock sold them”? (מַאי טַעְמָא כִּי צוּרָם מְכָרָם). Because “The Rock that bore you, you weakened” (Devarim 32) (בְּגִין צוּר יְלָדְךָ תֶּשִׁי)-the Tikkunim did not rest properly in their places (דְּתִקּוּנִין לָא שָׁרָאן כַּדְּקָא יָאוּת בְּאַתְרַיְיהוּ). “If not that their Rock had sold them” (אִם לֹא כִּי צוּרָם מְכָרָם).

Rabbi Yehudah said (אָמַר רִבִּי יְהוּדָה): This is Avraham (דָּא אַבְרָהָם), as we have established (כְּמָה דְּאוֹקִימְנָא), for Avraham said: Yisrael will be liable to exile (דְּאָמַר אַבְרָהָם יִתְחַיְּיבוּן יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּגָלוּתָא), but they will not enter Gehinnom (וְלָא יֵיעֲלוּן בַּגֵיהִנָּם). For these two-exile and Gehinnom-Yisrael cannot endure both (דִּתְרֵין אִלֵּין גָּלוּתָא וְגֵיהִנָּם לָא יִסְבְּלוּן יִשְׂרָאֵל). And Kudsha Berikh Hu agreed through him (וְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא אִסְתְּכַם עַל יְדוֹי), that whenever Yisrael become guilty (דְּכָל זִמְנָא דִּי יְחוּבוּן יִשְׂרָאֵל), they will fall into exile (יִפְּלוּן בְּגָלוּתָא), and their enemies will enslave them (וְיִשְׁתַּעְבְּדוּן בְּהוּ שַׂנְאֵיהוֹן). And because of this (וּבְגִין כָּךְ), “their Rock had sold them” surely, and “Hashem delivered them up” (צוּרָם מְכָרָם וַדַּאי, וַיְיָ הִסְגִּירָם), and He agreed through him (וְאִסְתְּכַם עַל יְדוֹי).

It was taught (תַּנְיָא): Rabbi Yehudah said (אָמַר רִבִּי יְהוּדָה): What is the reason that Moshe reproved them in this song in this manner? (מַאי טַעְמָא אוֹכַח לְהוּ מֹשֶׁה בְּהַאי שִׁירָה הָכִי). Because they were destined to enter the land (בְּגִין דְּאִינְהוּ זְמִינִין לְמֵיעַל לְאַרְעָא), and to cause the Shekhinta to dwell among them (וּלְאַשָׁרֵי בֵּינַיְיהוּ שְׁכִינְתָּא). And therefore he reproved them about this (וּבְגִין כָּךְ אוֹכַח לְהוּ עַל הַאי).

Rabbi Yitzchak said (רִבִּי יִצְחָק אָמַר): In two places Kudsha Berikh Hu is destined to reprove Yisrael, and the nations of the world rejoice (בִּתְרֵי אַתְרֵי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא זַמִּין לְאוֹכָחָא לְהוּ לְיִשְׂרָאֵל, וְחָדָאן אוּמוֹת הָעוֹלָם). One, as it is written (חַד דִּכְתִּיב): “Hashem has a controversy with Yehudah, and will punish Ya’akov according to his ways…” (Hoshea 12) (וְרִיב לַיְיָ עִם יְהוּדָה וְלִפְקוֹד עַל יַעֲקֹב כִּדְרָכָיו וְגוֹ'). The nations of the world hear and rejoice (שַׁמְעִין אוּמוֹת הָעוֹלָם חָדָאן), saying (אַמְרֵי): Now they will be destroyed from the world (הַשְׁתָּא יִשְׁתֵּצוּן מֵעָלְמָא). But when Kudsha Berikh Hu sees that they rejoice (כַּד חָמֵי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא דְּאִינּוּן חַדָאן), what is written after it? (מַה כְּתִיב בַּתְרֵיהּ). “In the womb he took his brother by the heel…” (Hoshea 12) (בַּבֶּטֶן עָקַב אֶת אָחִיו וְגוֹ'). When they hear, they say: This is Teshuvah (כַּד שַׁמְעִין, אַמְרִין, דָּא הוּא תְּשׁוּבָה).

Like a woman who had a dispute with her son (לְאִתְּתָא דְּהֲוָה לָהּ קְטָטָה בִּבְרָהּ), she went to demand judgment against him (אַזְלַת לְמַקְבִּיל עָלֵיהּ דִּינָא). She saw that the judge who judges souls (חָמָאת לְדַיָּינָא דָּאִין נַפְשִׁין). Some he sentenced to hanging, some to crucifixion, some to burning (מִנַּיְיהוּ לְאַלְקָאָה, לְצַלְבָא, לְאוֹקְדָא). She said: Oy, what shall I do about my son? (אָמְרָה, וַיי מַה אַעְבִּיד מִן בְּרָא). When the judge finished the trial (כַּד סִיֵּים דִּינָא), the judge said to that woman (אָמַר לְהַהִיא אִינְתּוּ): Mother, what shall I do for you, blessed one? [tell me what your son did] (אִימָּא, מַה אַעֲבִיד לָךְ בְּרִיךְ). She said: 'My complaint'... (אָמְרָה, קוֹבְלַנִי, עכ״מ). (END IS MISSING)...

“He found him in a desert land, and in the wasteland of howling wilderness” (Devarim 32) (יִמְצָאֵהוּ בְּאֶרֶץ מִדְבָּר וּבְתֹהוּ). Surely afterward He made all the klipot serve Him (וַדַּאי לְבָתַר עָבֵד לְכָל אִינּוּן קְלִיפִין, דִּיהוֹן כֻּלְּהוּ מִשְׁתַּעְבְּדִין לֵיהּ). Until here it was written in that book of Kartana the Physician (עַד הָכָא הֲוָה כְּתִיב בְּהַהוּא סִפְרָא, דְּקָרְטָנָא אַסְיָא). Afterward it was inscribed in this verse (לְבָתַר הֲוָה רָשִׁים בְּהַאי קְרָא): that every guard that is needed (כָל נְטוּרָא דְּאִצְטְרִיךְ), the wise physician should do (אַסְיָא חַכִּים לְמֶעְבַּד), for the sick one who lies in the house of his master (לִמְרַע דְּשָׁכִיב בְּבֵי מַרְעֵיהּ), the house of the prisoners of the King (בֵּי אֲסִירֵי דְּמַלְכָּא), to serve the Master of the world (לְמִפְלַח לְמָארֵי עָלְמָא).

When the wise physician goes to him (דְּכַד אָזִיל אַסְיָא חַכִּים לְגַבֵּיהּ), “He found him in a desert land, and in the wasteland of howling wilderness” (Devarim 32) (יִמְצָאֵהוּ בְּאֶרֶץ מִדְבָּר וּבְתֹהוּ יְלֵיל יְשִׁימוֹן). The illnesses that rest upon him (מַרְעִין דְּשַׁרְיָין עָלֵיהּ), he found him in the imprisonment of the King (אַשְׁכַּח לֵיהּ בַּאֲסִירוּ דְּמַלְכָּא). If you should say (אִי תֵּימָא): Since Kudsha Berikh Hu commanded (ס״א: הוֹאִיל וְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא פקיד) to take hold of him, a man should not strive after him (יִפְקוֹד לְתַפְשָׂא לֵיהּ, דְּלָא יִשְׁתְּדַל בַּר נָשׁ אֲבַּתְרֵיהּ)-not so (לָאו הָכִי). For David said (דְּהָא דָּוִד אָמַר): “Happy is he who considers the poor…” (Tehillim 41) (אַשְׁרֵי מַשְׂכִּיל אֶל דָּל וְגוֹ').

The poor one is he who lies in the house of his master (דָּל הַהוּא דְּשָׁכִיב בְּבֵי מַרְעֵיהּ). And if the physician is wise (וְאִי אַסְיָא חַכִּים הוּא), Kudsha Berikh Hu will give him blessing (קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא יָהִיב לֵיהּ בִּרְכָאן), for that one in whom he strives (לְהַהוּא דְּיִשְׁתְּדַּל בֵּיהּ). And that physician (וְהַהוּא אַסְיָא): “He found him in a desert land” (יִמְצָאֵהוּ בְּאֶרֶץ מִדְבָּר)-he lies in the house of his master (בְּבֵי מַרְעֵיהּ שְׁכִיב). “And in the wasteland of howling wilderness” (וּבְתֹהוּ יְלֵיל יְשִׁימוֹן)-these are the illnesses that oppress him (דְּאִינּוּן מַרְעִין דַּחֲקִין לֵיהּ). What is required for him to do? (מַאי אִצְטְרִיךְ לֵיהּ לְמֶעְבַּד). “He surrounded him” (יְסוֹבְבֶנְהוּ)-he should surround with protections (יְסוֹבֵב סִבּוֹת), and bring remedies (וְיֵיתֵי עִלּוֹת), in order to prevent from him those matters that harm him (בְּגִין דְּיִמְנַע מִנֵּיהּ אִינּוּן מִלִּין דְּנַזְקִין לֵיהּ). He should let blood, and remove from him the evil blood (יַקִּיז לֵיהּ, וְיַפִּיק מִנֵּיהּ דָּמָא בִּישָׁא). “He instructed him” (יְבוֹנֵנֶהוּ)-he should look and understand that illness, from what it came (יִסְתְּכַּל וְיָבִין הַהוּא מַרְעָא מִמָּה הֲוֵי). And he should examine so that it does not increase upon him, and weaken it (וְיִסְתְּכַּל בְּגִין דְּלָא יִתְרַבֵּי עֲלוֹי, וְיַמְאִךְ לֵיהּ). Afterward, “He preserved him as the pupil of His eye” (לְבָתַר יִצְּרֶנְהוּ כְּאִישׁוֹן עֵינוֹ)-so that he should guard properly (בְּגִין דִיְהֵא נָטִיר כַּדְּקָא יָאוּת), with those drinks, with those medicines that are required for him (בְּאִינּוּן מַשְׁקֵי, בְּאִינּוּן אַסְוָותָא דְּאִצְטְרִיכוּ לֵיהּ). And he should not err among them (וְלָא יִטְעֵי ס״א: מִינַיְיהוּ בֵּינַיְיהוּ). For if he should err, even in one matter (דְּאִלְמָלֵי יִטְעֵי, אֲפִילּוּ בְּמִלָּה חַד), Kudsha Berikh Hu reckons concerning that physician as though he had shed blood and killed him (קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא חָשִׁיב עַל הַהוּא אַסְיָא כְּאִלּוּ שָׁפִיךְ דָּמָא וְקַטְלֵיהּ).