Daf 102b (דַּף ק״ב ע״ב)

Come and see, it is written (תָּא חֲזֵי כְּתִיב): “a man who shall not be pure by reason of a nocturnal emission,” etc. (אִישׁ אֲשֶׁר לֹא יִהְיֶה טָהוֹר מִקְרֶה לַיְלָה וְגו׳). What is his rectification (מַאי תַּקַנְתֵּיהּ), “and it shall be toward evening he shall wash in water” (וְהָיָה לִפְנוֹת עֶרֶב יִרְחַץ בַּמָּיִם). If another impurity occurs in him, such as a discharge or (some say: confinement or a menstruant) (אִעֲרַע בֵּיהּ טֻמְאָה אָחֳרָא כְּגוֹן זִיבָה אוֹ (נ״א סְגִירוּ אוֹ נִדָּה), a confinement of a menstruant, which are two impurities (סְגִירַת נִדָּה דְּהֲווּ תְּרִי מְסָאֲבוּ), it is not sufficient for him with that immersion (לָא סַגְיָא לֵיהּ בְּהַהִיא טְבִילָה), whether the emission occurred in him before he received the other impurity or whether it occurred afterward (בֵּין דְּאִעֲרַע בֵּיהּ קֶרִי קֹדֶם דְּקַבִּיל טֻמְאָה אָחֳרָא בֵּין דְּאִעֲרַע בֵּיהּ לְבָתָר).

And Avraham and Sarah were preparing immersion for all (וְאַבְרָהָם וְשָׂרָה הֲווּ מְתַקְּנֵי טְבִילָה לְכֻלְהוּ), he for the men and she for the women (אִיהוּ לְגַבְרֵי וְאִיהִי לְנַשֵּׁי). What is the reason Avraham engaged to purify people (מַאי טַעְמָא אִעֲסַק אַבְרָהָם לְדַכָּאָה לִבְנִי נָשָׁא), because he is pure and is called pure (בְּגִין דְּאִיהוּ טָהוֹר וְאִקְרֵי טָהוֹר), as it is written (דִּכְתִיב): “who can bring a pure one out of an impure, is it not One” (מִי יִתֵּן טָהוֹר מִטָּמֵא לֹא אֶחָד) (Job 14:4), “pure”—this is Avraham who emerged from Terach (טָהוֹר דָּא אַבְרָהָם דְּנָפַק מִתֶּרַח).

Rabbi Shimon said (רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן אָמַר), in order to establish that level of Avraham (בְּגִין לְתַקָּנָא הַהוּא דַּרְגָּא דְּאַבְרָהָם), and who is it (וּמַאן אִיהוּ), water (מַיִם). Therefore he established to purify the inhabitants of the world with water (בְּגִין כָּךְ אַתְקִין לְדַכָּאָה בְּנֵי עָלְמָא בְּמַיָא). And at the time that he invited the angels, the beginning of his words—what is written (וּבְשַׁעֲתָא דְּאַזְמִין לַמַּלְאָכִין שֵׁירוּתָא דְּמִלּוֹי מַה כְּתִיב): “let a little water be taken” (יוּקַח נָא מְעַט מַיִם), in order to be strengthened in that level in which water dwells (בְּגִין לְאִתְתַּקְּפָא בְּהַהוּא דַּרְגָּא דְמַיִין שָׁרָאן בָּהּ). And therefore he would purify all people from everything (וּבְגִינֵי כָךְ הֲוָה מְדַכֵּי לְכָל בְּנֵי נָשָׁא מִכֹּלָּא), he purified them from the side of idolatry and purified them from the side of impurity (מְדַכֵּי לוֹן מִסִּטְרָא דְּעֲבוֹדָה זָרָה וּמְדַכֵּי לוֹן מִסִּטְרָא דִּמְסָאֳבָא), and just as he purified the men so too Sarah purified the women (וְכַמָּה דְּאִיהוּ מְדַכֵּי לְגוּבְרִין הָכִי נָמֵי שָׂרָה מְדַכַּאת לְנָשִׁין), and all who came to them were found purified from everything (וְאִשְׁתַּכָּחוּ כֻּלְהוּ דְּאַתְיָין לְגַבַּיְיהוּ דָּכְיָין מִכֹּלָּא).

Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי), a tree Avraham planted in every place that he dwelt there (אִילָנָא נָטַע אַבְרָהָם בְּכָל אֲתַר דְּדִיּוּרֵיהּ תַּמָּן), and it did not succeed in every place as was fitting (וְלָא הֲוָה סָלִיק בְּכָל אֲתַר כְּדְקָא יְאוּת), except when he dwelt in the land of Canaan (בַּר בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְּדִיוּרֵיהּ בְּאַרְעָא דִּכְנָעַן), and in that tree he would know who is attached to Kudsha Berikh Hu and who is attached to idolatry (וּבְהַהוּא אִילָנָא הֲוָה יָדַע מַאן דְּאִתְאַחִיד בֵּיהּ בְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא וּמַאן דְּאִתְאַחִיד בְּעֲבוֹדָה זָרָה).

One who was attached to Kudsha Berikh Hu, the tree would spread its branches and cover his head and make a pleasant shade over him (מַאן דְּאִתְאַחִיד בְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא אִילָנָא הֲוָה פָּרִישׂ עַנְפּוֹי וְחֲפֵי עַל רֵישֵׁיהּ וְעֲבִיד עֲלֵיהּ צִלָּא יָאֶה), and one who was attached to the side of idolatry, that tree would withdraw and its branches would rise upward (וּמַאן דְּאִתְאַחִיד בְּסִטְרָא דְּעֲבוֹדָה זָרָה הַהוּא אִילָנָא הֲוָה אִסְתַּלַּק וְעַנְפּוֹי הֲווּ סְלִיקִין לְעֵילָא). Then Avraham would know and warn him, and he would not leave him from there until he became attached in the faith of Kudsha Berikh Hu (כְּדֵין הֲוָה יָדַע אַבְרָהָם וְאַזְהִיר לֵיהּ וְלָא אַעֲדֵי מִתַּמָּן עַד דְּאִתְאַחִיד בִּמְהֵימְנוּתָא דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא), and thus one who is pure the tree receives him, and one who is impure it does not receive him (וְהָכִי מַאן דְּאִיהוּ דַּכְיָא מְקַבֵּל לֵיהּ אִילָנָא מַאן דְּאִיהוּ מְסָאַב לָא מְקַבֵּל לֵיהּ), then Avraham would know and purify them with water (כְּדֵין יָדַע אַבְרָהָם וּמְדַכֵּי לוֹן בְּמַיָא).

And a spring of water flowed beneath that tree (וּמַעֲיָינָא דְמַיָּא הֲוָה תְּחוֹת הַהוּא אִילָנָא), and anyone needing immersion-immediately the water would rise toward him (וּמַאן דְּצָרִיךְ טְבִילָה מִיָּד מַיִּין סָלְקִין לְגַבֵּיהּ), and the tree’s branches would lift up (וְאִילָנָא אִסְתַּלְּקִין עַנְפּוֹי); then Avraham would know that he was impure and required immersion immediately (כְּדֵין יָדַע אַבְרָהָם דְּאִיהוּ מְסָאָבָא וּבָעֵי טְבִילָה מִיָּד), and if not, the waters remained still (וְאִם לָאו מַיָּא נְגִיבָן), then he would know that he required impurity and guarding seven days (כְּדֵין יָדַע דְּבָעֵי לְאִסְתָּאֳבָא וּלְאִסְתַּמְרָא שִׁבְעָה יוֹמִין).

Come and see: even at the time that he invited the angels, he said to them “and recline beneath the tree” (תָּא חֲזֵי דְּאֲפִילוּ בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְּאַזְמִין לוֹן לְמַלְאָכִין אָמַר לוֹן וְהִשָּׁעֲנוּ תַּחַת הָעֵץ), in order to see and to examine them (בְּגִין לְמֶחֱמֵי וּלְמִבְדַּק בְּהוּ), for that tree tested all people (וּבְהַהוּא אִילָנָא הֲוָה בָּדִיק לְכָל בְּנֵי עָלְמָא). And the secret is: because Kudsha Berikh Hu (וְרָזָא בְּגִין קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא), He is the tree of life for all (אָמַר דְּאִיהוּ אִילָנָא דְּחַיֵּי לְכֹלָּא); and therefore: “recline beneath the tree,” and not beneath idolatry (וּבְגִין כָּךְ וְהִשָּׁעֲנוּ תַּחַת הָעֵץ, וְלֹא תַּחַת עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה).

And come and see (וְתָּא חֲזֵי): when Adam sinned, it was through the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil that he sinned (כַּד חָב אָדָם, בְּעֵץ הַדַּעַת טוֹב וָרָע חָב), as it is written: “but of the Tree of the Knowledge…” etc. (דִּכְתִיב: וּמֵעֵץ הַדַּעַת וְגו׳), and it was through that that he sinned and caused death to the world (וְאִיהוּ בֵּיהּ חָב וְגָרַם מוֹתָא לְעָלְמָא). What is written? “And now, lest he put forth his hand and take also from the Tree of Life…” (Bereshit 3) (מַה כְּתִיב: וְעַתָּה פֶּן יִשְׁלַח יָדוֹ וְלָקַח גַּם מֵעֵץ הַחַיִּים וְגו׳). And he caused death for all the children of the world (וְגָרַם מוֹתָא לְכָל בְּנֵי עָלְמָא). And when Avraham came, he stood by another tree and repaired the world (וְכַד אֲתָא אַבְרָהָם בְּאִילָנָא אָחֳרָא אַתְקִין עָלְמָא), which is the Tree of Life (דְּהוּא אִילָנָא דְּחַיֵּי), and made faith known to all people of the world (וְאוֹדַע מְהֵימְנוּתָא לְכָל בְּנֵי עָלְמָא). “And he said: I shall surely return to you at the time of life” (וַיֹּאמֶר: שׁוֹב אָשׁוּב אֵלֶיךָ כָּעֵת חַיָּה).

Rabbi Yitzchak said (אָמַר רַבִּי יִצְחָק): ‘I will surely return’ (Shov Ashuv)—it should have said, ‘He will surely return’ (Shov Yashuv). (שׁוֹב אָשׁוּב-שׁוֹב יָשׁוּב מִבָּעֵי לֵיהּ), for this key-to open the wombs of the barren-is in the hand of Kudsha Berikh Hu, and not in the hand of any other messenger (דְּהָא מַפְתְּחָא דָּא לְמִפְקַד עֲקָרוֹת בִּידָא דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא אִיהוּ וְלָא בִּידָא דִּשְׁלִיחָא אָחֳרָא). As we have learned: there are three keys that were not handed over to the hand of a messenger (כְּמָה דְּתָנִינָן: תְּלַת מַפְתְּחָן אִנּוּן דְּלָא אִתְמְסָרוּ בִּידָא דִּשְׁלִיחָא)-that of life, the resurrection of the dead, and rain (דְּחַיָּה וּתְחִיַּת הַמֵּתִים וּגְשָׁמִים). And since it was not given into the hand of a messenger, why is it written 'I will surely return' (וְהוֹאִיל דְּלָא אִתְמְסָרוּ בִּידָא דִשְׁלִיחָא, אַמַּאי כְּתִיב: שׁוֹב אָשׁוּב)? Rather, certainly it was Kudsha Berikh Hu who stood upon them and spoke the word (אֶלָּא וַדַּאי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא דְּהֲוָה קָאֵים עֲלַיְיהוּ אָמַר לֵיהּ מִלָּה); therefore, it is written: “And he said: I shall return to you” (בְּגִין כָּךְ כְּתִיב: וַיֹּאמֶר שׁוֹב אָשׁוּב אֵלֶיךָ).