Daf 299b (דַּף רצ״ט ע״ב)

Because Kudsha Berikh Hu desires (בְּגִין דְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא בָּעֵי), that even though that man is in the prison of the King (דְּאַף עַל גַּב דְּהַהוּא בַּר נַשׁ אִיהוּ בְּבֵי אֲסִירֵי דְּמַלְכָּא), and he is bound in the prison (וְאִיהוּ אָסִיר בְּבֵי אֲסִירֵי), yet a man should strive for him (דְּיִשְׁתְּדַּל בַּר נָשׁ עָלֵיהּ), and help him to bring him out of prison (וִיסַיֵּיעַ לֵיהּ לְאַפָּקָא לֵיהּ מִבֵּי אֲסִירֵי). And it was thus said (וַהֲוָה אָמַר הָכִי): Kudsha Berikh Hu judges the judgments of the children of the world above (קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא דָּן דִּינִין דִּבְנֵי עָלְמָא לְעֵילָּא)-whether for death (הֵן לַמָּוֶת), or for uprooting (הֵן לְשָׁרוּשֵׁי), or for removing (הֵן לַעֲקוֹר), or for punishing with property, or with imprisonment (הֵן לַעֲנוֹשׁ נְכָסִין, וּלְאָסוּרִין).

Whoever is sentenced to punishment through property (מַאן דְּאִתְחֲזֵי לַעֲנוֹשׁ נְכָסִין), falls into the house of his master (נָפַל בְּבֵי מַרְעֵיהּ), and he is not healed (וְלָא יִתְסֵּי) until he pays everything that was decreed upon him (עַד דְּיִתֵּן כָּל מַה דְּאִתְגְּזַר עָלֵיהּ). Once he is punished with his money, and gives all that was decreed upon him (כֵּיוָן דְּאִתְעֲנָשׁ בְּמָמוֹנֵיהּ, וְיָהִיב כָּל מַה דְּאִתְגְּזַר עָלֵיהּ), he is healed and goes out of prison (אִתְּסֵי, וְנָפַק מִבֵּי אֲסִירֵי). And therefore one must strive for him, that he may pay his punishment and go free (וְעַל דָּא אִצְטְרִיךְ לְאִשְׁתַּדְּלָא עָלֵיהּ דְּיִתֵּן עוֹנְשֵׁיהּ וְיִפּוּק).

Whoever is sentenced to uprooting (מַאן דְּיִתְחֲזֵי לְשָׁרוּשֵׁי), they seize him and place him in prison (יִתְפְסוּן לֵיהּ, וְיָהֲבֵי לֵיהּ בְּבֵי אֲסִירֵי) until he is uprooted from all (עַד דְּיִשְׁתְּרַשׁ מִכֹּלָּא). And sometimes he is uprooted from his possessions, or from one of them, and afterward they release him from prison (וּלְזִמְנִין דְּיִשְׁתְּרַשׁ מִשַּׁיְיפֵי, אוֹ מֵחַד מִנַּיְיהוּ, וּלְבָתַר יַפְּקוּן לֵיהּ מִבֵּי אֲסִירֵי). Whoever is sentenced to death (מַאן דְּיִתְחֲזֵי לַמָוֶת), thus it is (הָכִי הוּא), that even if he gives all ransom, and all the wealth of the world, he will not be delivered (דְּאִילּוּ יִתֵּן כָּל כּוּפְרָא, וְכָל מָמוֹנָא דְּעָלְמָא לָא יִשְׁתְּזִיב). And therefore a wise physician is needed (וְעַל דָּא אִצְטְרִיךְ לְאַסְיָא חַכִּים), to strive for him (לְאִשְׁתַּדְּלָא עָלֵיהּ). If he can give him healing of the body, it is fitting (אִי יָכִיל לְמֵיהַב לֵיהּ אַסְוָותָא מִן גּוּפָא, יָאוּת). And if not, he should give him healing for the Neshamah, and strive for the healing of the Neshamah (וְאִי לָאו, יִתֵּן לֵיהּ אַסְוָותָא לְנִשְׁמָתֵיהּ, וְיִשְׁתְּדַל עַל אַסְוָותָא דְּנִשְׁמְתָא). And this is the physician that Kudsha Berikh Hu Himself strives for, in this world and in the World to Come (וְדָא הוּא אַסְיָא דְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא יִשְׁתְּדַל עָלֵיהּ בְּהַאי עָלְמָא וּבְעָלְמָא דְּאָתֵי).

Rabbi El'azar said (אָמַר רִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר): Until now I had not heard about this physician and from this book (עַד הַשְׁתָּא לָא שְׁמַעְנָא מֵאַסְיָא דָּא, וּמִסִּפְרָא דָּא), except one time (בַּר מִזִּמְנָא חֲדָא), when one Arab said to me (דְּאָמַר לִי טַיְּיעָא חֲדָא), that he heard from his father (דְּשָׁמַע לַאֲבוֹי), that there was a physician in his days (דְּאַסְיָא חַד הֲוָה בְּיוֹמוֹי). When he looked at a man who was in the house of his master (דְּכַד הֲוָה מִסְתְּכַּל בְּבַּר נָשׁ, כַּד אִיהוּ בְּבֵי מַרְעֵיהּ), he would say: This one lives, and this one dies (הֲוָה אָמַר, דָּא חַי וְדָא מֵת). And they would say about him (וַהֲווּ אַמְרִין עָלֵיהּ), that he was truly righteous (דְּהוּא זַכָּאָה קְשׁוֹט), and feared sin (דְּחִיל חַטָּאָה). And whatever he could not obtain that was needed (וְכָל מַה דְּלָא יָכִיל לְמִדְבַּק מַה דְּאִצְטְרִיךְ), he would purchase and give from his own (אִיהוּ הֲוָה קָנֵי, וְיָהִיב מִדִּילֵיהּ). They would say (הֲוָה אַמְרִין): There is no wise man in the world like him (דְּלֵית חַכִּים בְּעָלְמָא כְּגִינֵיהּ). And through his prayer he would do more than through his hands (וּבִצְלוֹתֵיהּ הֲוָה עָבִיד יַתִּיר, מִמָּה דְּהֲוָה עָבִיד בִּידוֹי). And it seems to us that this was that physician (וּכְדְדָמֵי לָן, דָּא הֲוָה הַהוּא אַסְיָא).

That Arab said (אָמַר הַהוּא טַיְּיעָא): Surely his book is in my possession (וַדַּאי סִפְרָא דִּילֵיהּ בִּידִי אִיהוּ), which I inherited from my father’s father (דְּקָא יָרִיתְנָא מֵאָבִי אַבָּא). And all the words of that book (וְכָל מִלּוֹי דְּהַהוּא סִפְרָא), they were all founded upon the secrets of the Orayta (כֻּלְּהוּ אִתְיַיסְּדוּן עַל רָזִין דְּאוֹרַיְיתָא). And hidden secrets I found in it (וְרָזִין סְתִימִין אַשְׁכַּחְנָא בֵּיהּ), and many words of healing (וּמִלִּין דְּאַסְוָּותָא סַגִּיאִין). And he said (דְּאִיהוּ אָמַר): They are not fitting to perform, except for one who fears sin (דְּלָא יָאוּת לְמִפְעַל לוֹן, בַּר אִיהוּ דְּחִיל חַטָּאָה). And they were from what Balaam did (וְאִינּוּן מִמַּה דְּהֲוָה עָבִיד בִּלְעָם), who would whisper incantations against illness (דְּהֲוָה לָחִישׁ לְחִישִׁין עַל מְרָע), and he would speak them with his mouth, and it would be healed immediately (וַהֲוָה אָמַר בְּפוּמוֹי וְאִתְסֵּי מִיַּד). And all of them were clarified in that book (וְכֻלְּהוּ בָּרִיר לוֹן בְּהַהוּא סִפְרָא). And he said (וְאָמַר): This is forbidden, and this is permitted-for one who fears sin (דָּא אָסוּר, וְדָא מוּתָּר לְמַאן דִּדְחִיל חַטָּאָה). Because of many illnesses he said (בְּגִין דְּמַרְעִין סַגִּיאִין אָמַר), that their healing depends upon the whisper of the mouth (דְּתַלְיָיא אַסְוָותָא דִּלְהוֹן, בִּלְחִישׁוּ דְּפוּמָא). And they are from the side of the serpent (וְאִינּוּן מִסִּטְרָא דְּנָחָשׁ), and from them, from the side of sorcery (וּמִנְּהוֹן מִסִּטְרָא דְּקֶסֶם). And all those things that are forbidden to say with the mouth, and forbidden to do in action (וְכָל אִינּוּן דְּאָסוּר לוֹמַר בְּפוּמָא, וְאָסוּר לְמֶעְבַּד בְּעוֹבָדָא), he said (הֲוָה אָמַר). Until I found concerning known illnesses, that it was necessary to say so (עַד דְּאַשְׁכַּחְנָא עַל מַרְעִין יְדִיעָאן דְּאִצְטְרִיךְ לוֹמַר כַּךְ). And to excommunicate with niddui and shamata that illness (וּלְנַדּוּיֵי בְּנִדּוּי וּבְשַׁמָתָא עַל הַהוּא מְרָע). And he had much desire toward us (וְאִיהוּ תַּוָּוהָא סַגִּי לְגַבָּן).

Rabbi El'azar rejoiced (חַדֵי רִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר), and my friends rejoiced (וְחַדוּ חַבְרַיָּיא). Rabbi El'azar said (אָמַר רִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר): If that book were with us, we would see what it said (אִי הַהוּא סִפְרָא הֲוָה לְגַבָּן, נֶחְמֵי מַה אִיהוּ אָמַר). I would transmit it with transmission, on condition to show to the Holy Luminary (אֲנָא אִמְסַר בִּמְסִירָה, עַל מְנַת לְאַחְזָאָה לְבוּצִינָא קַדִּישָׁא). And we have learned (וְתָנֵינָן): Rabbi El'azar said (אָמַר רִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר): That book was in my possession for twelve months (הַהוּא סִפְרָא הֲוָה בִּידִי תְּרֵיסָר יַרְחֵי), and I found in it supernal and precious lights (וְאַשְׁכַּחְנָא בֵּיהּ נְהוֹרִין עִלָּאִין וְיַקִירִין). When I reached those secrets that were from Balaam, I erred (כַּד מָטֵינָא לְאִינּוּן רָזִין דְּהֲוָה מִבִּלְעָם, תַּוַּוהְנָא). One day I whispered in one place (יוֹמָא חַד לָחִישְׁנָא בַּאֲתָר חַד), and the letters were ascending and descending (וַהֲווּ אַתְוָון סַלְקָן וְנַחְתָּן), until I saw in a dream (עַד דַּחֲמֵינָא בְּחֶלְמָא), and it said to me (וְאָמַר לִּי): What have you to enter a boundary that is not yours, and not required for you? (מַה לָךְ לְמֵיעַל בִּתְחוּמָא דְּלָא דִּילָךְ, וְלָא אִצְטְרִיךְ לָךְ). I awoke, and was ashamed before them (אִתְּעַרְנָא, וְאַבְאִישׁ קַמָּאי), concerning the hidden secrets that were there (עַל רָזִין סְתִימִין דַּהֲווֹ תַּמָּן). I sent it to that Jew, Rabbi Yose the son of Rabbi Yehudah by name (שָׁדַרְנָא לְהַהוּא יוּדָאִי, וְרִבִּי יוֹסֵי בַּרִבִּי יְהוּדָה שְׁמֵיהּ), and I gave him the book (וְיָהִיבְנָא לֵיהּ סִפְרָא). And in the secrets of Balaam I found (וּבְרָזִין דְּבִלְעָם אַשְׁכַּחְנָא), from those names of angels that Balak sent to him (מֵאִינּוּן שְׁמָהָן דְּמַלְאָכִין דְּשָׁדַר לֵיהּ בָּלָק), and they were not arranged in their proper order of tikkunim (וְלָא הֲווֹ מִסְתַּדְּרָן עַל תִּקּוּנַיְיהוּ כַּדְּקָא יָאוּת). But many kinds of remedies I found in it (אֲבָל כַּמָה זִינֵי אַסְוָותָא אַשְׁכַּחְנָא בֵּיהּ), that are rectified upon the tikkunim of the Orayta (דְּקָא מִתְתַּקְּנֵי עַל תִּקּוּנֵי אוֹרַיְיתָא), and its hidden secrets (וְרָזִין סְתִימִין דִּילָהּ). And I saw that they were in piety (וַחֲמֵינָא דְּאִינּוּן בַּחֲסִידוּתָא), and prayers and supplications to Kudsha Berikh Hu (וּצְלוֹתִין וּבָעוּתִין לְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא). And if you should say (וְאִי תֵּימָא), that he made remedies with verses of the Orayta, or with secrets of the Orayta (דְּהֲוָה עָבִיד אַסְוָותָא בִּפְסוּקֵי אוֹרַיְיתָא, אוֹ בְּרָזִין דְּאוֹרַיְיתָא)-Heaven forbid (חַס וְשָׁלוֹם). Rather, he would say secrets of the Orayta (אֶלָּא הֲוָה אָמַר רָזִין דְּאוֹרַיְיתָא), and upon that secrets he brought forth secrets of remedies (וְעַל הַהוּא רָזָא אַפִּיק רָזִין דְּאַסְוָּותָא), such as I have never seen in the world in that manner (דְּלָא חֲמֵינָא כְּהַהוּא גַּוְונָא לְעָלְמִין). I said: Blessed is the Merciful One (אֲמֵינָא בְּרִיךְ רַחֲמָנָא), who gives wisdom to human beings from the supernal wisdom (דְּאַחְכִּים לִבְנֵי נָשָׁא מֵחָכְמָתָא דִּלְעֵילָּא). And from those words of Balaam I took (וּמֵאִינּוּן מִלִּין דְּבִלְעָם נָסִיבְנָא), and I saw in them that there was no one in the world as wise in sorceries as he (וַחֲמֵינָא בְּהוּ דְּלָא הֲוָה בְּעָלְמָא חַכִּים בַּחֲרָשִׁין כְּגִינֵיהּ). I said: Blessed is the Merciful One (אֲמֵינָא, בְּרִיךְ רַחֲמָנָא), who abolished sorceries from the world (דְּבִטֵּל מֵעָלְמָא חַרְשִׁין), so that the children of men should not be led astray from after the awe of Kudsha Berikh Hu, blessed and exalted is His Name, Amen (דְּלָא יִטְעוּן בְּנֵי נָשָׁא מִבָּתַר דַּחַלְתָּא דְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא יִתְבָּרַךְ וְיִתְעַלֶּה שְׁמוֹ אָמֵן).

“Blessed is Hashem forever, Amen and Amen” בָּרוּךְ יְיָ לְעוֹלָם אָמֵן וְאָמֵן

“Hashem shall reign forever, Amen and Amen” יִמְלוֹךְ יְיָ לְעוֹלָם אָמֵן וְאָמֵן