Daf 105b (דַּף ק״ה ע״ב)

Rabbi Shim‘on said: Come and see (אָמַר רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן: תָּא חֲזֵי), that the Shekhinta did not depart from Avraham at that moment when Kudsha Berikh Hu spoke with him (דִּשְׁכִינְתָּא לָא אַעֲדֵי מִנֵּיהּ דְּאַבְרָהָם בְּהַהִיא שַׁעֲתָא דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא אָמַר לֵיהּ), in that moment when Kudsha Berikh Hu was with him (בְּהַהוּא זִמְנָא דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא עִמֵּיהּ). Rabbi El'azar said to him: But was not the Shekhinta speaking with him? For behold, on that level Kudsha Berikh Hu revealed Himself to him (אָמַר לֵיהּ רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר: וְהָא שְׁכִינְתָּא הֲוָה מַלִּיל עִמֵּיהּ, דְּהָא בְּדַרְגָּא דָּא אִתְגְּלִי עֲלֵיהּ קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא), as it is written (Shemot 6): And I appeared to Avraham, to Yitzchak, and to Ya‘akov by the Name El Shaddai (דִּכְתִיב: וָאֵרָא אֶל אַבְרָהָם אֶל יִצְחָק וְאֶל יַעֲקֹב בְּאֵל שַׁדָּי). He said to him: It is certainly so (אָמַר לֵיהּ: הָכִי הוּא וַדַּאי). And come and see what is written (וְתָּא חֲזֵי מַה כְּתִיב): And Hashem said: The cry of Sedom and Amora is great… (וַיֹּאמֶר יְיָ: זַעֲקַת סְדוֹם וַעֲמֹרָה כִּי רַבָּה). In the beginning it says: And Hashem said (בְּקַדְמִיתָא: וַייָ אָמַר), and in the end: And Hashem said: The cry of Sedom and Amora… (וּלְבַסּוֹף: וַיֹּאמֶר יְיָ זַעֲקַת סְדוֹם וַעֲמֹרָה וְגו׳). This is the supernal level that revealed itself to him through a lower level (דָּא אִיהוּ דַּרְגָּא עִלָּאָה דְּאִתְגְּלֵי לֵיהּ עַל דַּרְגָּא תַּתָּאָה).

I will go down now and see, whether according to her outcry which has come to Me, they have done completely (אֵרְדָה נָא וְאֶרְאֶה הַכְּצַעֲקָתָהּ הַבָּאָה אֵלַי עָשׂוּ כָּלָה). To whom did He say this? (לְמַאן קָאֲמַר) If you say: to the angels - who saw, who spoke with this one, and who commanded that one? (אִי תֵימָא לְאִנּוּן מַלְאָכִין מַאן חָמָא מַלִּיל עִם דָּא וּפַקִּיד לְדָא) Rather, He said it to Avraham, for those places stood under his authority (אֶלָּא לְאַבְרָהָם קָאֲמַר - דְּבִרְשׁוּתֵיהּ קָיְימִין אִנּוּן אַתְרֵי). Another matter: to the angels (דָבָר אַחֵר: לְאִנּוּן מַלְאָכִין), what was said to Avraham - why does it say they have done? It should have said he has done (מַה דְּאִתְּמָר לְאַבְרָהָם: מַה טַעֲמָא - עָשׂוּ עָשָׂה מִבָּעֵי לֵיהּ). What is they have done? Rather, this is Avraham and the Shekhinta, which did not depart from him (מַאי עָשׂוּ אֶלָּא - דָּא אַבְרָהָם וּשְׁכִינְתָּא דְּלָא אַעֲדֵי מִנֵּיהּ). Another matter: they have done - that which was said to the angels, for they were prepared there and were present to execute judgment (דָבָר אַחֵר: עָשׂוּ מַה דְּאִתְּמָר לַמַּלְאָכִין, בְּגִין דְּהֲווּ זְמִינִין תַּמָּן וְהֲווּ מִשְׁתַּכְּחִין לְמֶעְבַּד דִּינָא), and concerning this it says: they have done (וְעַל דָּא: עָשׂוּ).

Another matter: they have done - as its Targum: they acted (דָבָר אַחֵר: עָשׂוּ - כְּתַרְגּוּמוֹ: עַבְדוּ). And did Kudsha Berikh Hu not know, He who said I will go down now and see? But everything is already revealed before Him (וְכִי לָא הֲוָה יָדַע קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא דְּאִיהוּ אָמַר: אֵרְדָה נָא וְאֶרְאֶה וְהָא כֹּלָּא אִתְגְּלִי קַמֵּיהּ). Rather, I will go down now - means: from the level of mercy to the level of judgment (אֶלָּא: אֵרְדָה נָא - מִדַּרְגָּא דְּרַחֲמֵי לְדַרְגָּא דְּדִינָא), and this is what descent means (וְהַיְינוּ הַאי יְרִידָה). And I will see - this seeing is to supervise over them, with whom shall He judge them (וְאֶרְאֶה - רְאִיָּיה דָּא הִיא לְאַשְׁגָּחָא עֲלֵיהוֹן, בְּמַאן דִּינָא יָדִין לוֹן).

We find seeing for good, and we find seeing for evil (אַשְׁכְּחָן רְאִיָּיָה לְטַב, וְאַשְׁכְּחָן רְאִיָּיָה לְבִישׁ). Seeing for good, as it is written (Shemot 2): And Elohim saw the children of Yisrael, and Elohim knew (רְאִיָּיָה לְטַב, דִּכְתִיב: וַיַּרְא אֱלֹהִים אֶת בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וַיֵּדָע). Seeing for evil, as it is written: I will go down now and see… (רְאִיָּיָה לְבִישׁ, דִּכְתִיב: אֵרְדָה נָא וְאֶרְאֶה) - to supervise over them with judgment (לְאַשְׁגָּחָא עֲלַיְיהוּ בְּדִינָא). And about this Kudsha Berikh Hu said: Shall I hide from Avraham...? (וְעַל דָּא אָמַר קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא: הַמְכַסֶּה אֲנִי מֵאַבְרָהָם). And Avraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation (וְאַבְרָהָם הָיוֹ יִהְיֶה לְגוֹי גָּדוֹל וְעָצוּם). What is the reason this blessing appears here? (מַאי טַעְמָא בְּרָכָה דָּא הָכָא) Rather, it is to make known that even at the time when Kudsha Berikh Hu sits in judgment upon the world, He does not change (אֶלָּא בְּגִין לְאוֹדָעָא דְּאֲפִילּוּ בִּשְׁעָתָא דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא יָתִיב בְּדִינָא עַל עָלְמָא לָא אִשְׁתַּנִּי). For He sat in judgment upon this one (דְּהָא יָתִיב בְּדִינָא עַל דָּא) - and in mercy upon that one, and all in one moment and at one time (וּבְרַחֲמֵי עַל דָּא, וְכֹלָּא בִּרְגַע חֲדָא וּבִשְׁעָתָא חֲדָא).

Rabbi Yehudah said: But it is written (Tehillim 69): But as for me, my prayer is to You, Hashem, at a time of favor (אָמַר רַבִּי יְהוּדָה: וְהָא כְּתִיב: וַאֲנִי תְפִלָּתִי לְךָ יְיָ עֵת רָצוֹן). There are times that are a time of favor, and times that are not a time of favor (זִמְנִין דְּאִיהוּ עֵת רָצוֹן, וְזִמְנִין דְּלָאו אִיהוּ עֵת רָצוֹן). Times when He hears, and times when He does not hear (זִמְנִין דְּשָׁמַע, וְזִמְנִין דְּלָא שָׁמַע). Times when He is found, and times when He is not found, as it is written (Yeshayahu 55): Seek Hashem when He is found, call upon Him when He is near (זִמְנִין דְּאִשְׁתְּכַח, וְזִמְנִין דְּלָא אִשְׁתְּכַח, דִּכְתִיב: דִּרְשׁוּ יְיָ בְּהִמָּצְאוֹ קְרָאוּהוּ בִּהְיוֹתוֹ קָרוֹב).

Rabbi El'azar said: Here it refers to an individual, and here to the community (אָמַר רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר: כָּאן לְיָחִיד, כָּאן לְצִבּוּר). Here to one place, and here to the entire world (כָּאן לַאֲתַר חַד, וְכָאן לְכוּלֵּי עָלְמָא). For this reason, Avraham was blessed - for he was considered as the whole world (בְּגִינֵי כָךְ בָּרִיךְ לֵיהּ לְאַבְרָהָם, דְּאִיהוּ שָׁקִיל כְּכָל עָלְמָא), as it is written (Bereshit 2): These are the generations of the heavens and the earth when they were created, and it is taught: in [the name of] Avraham (דִּכְתִיב: אֵלֶּה תּוֹלְדוֹת הַשָּׁמַיִם וְהָאָרֶץ בְּהִבָּרְאָם, וְכְתִיב, וְתָּנִינָן: בְּאַבְרָהָם).

Yihyeh (He will be) (יִהְיֶה) is numerically thirty (יִהְיֶה בְּגִימַטְרִיָּיא שְׁלשִׁים). Thus we have learned (הָכִי תָּנִינָן): Kudsha Berikh Hu appoints thirty Tzaddikim in every generation and generation, for the world (תְּלָתִין צַדִּיקִים אַזְמִין קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא בְּכָל דָּרָא וְדָרָא לְעָלְמָא), just as He appointed for Avraham (כְּמָה דְּאַזְמִין לְאַבְרָהָם). Completion from the omissions (section seventeen) (הַשְׁלָמָה מֵהַהַשְׁמָטוֹת סִימָן י״ז).

To Avraham (לְאַבְרָהָם). One time, Rabbi Shim‘on went out and saw (זִמְנָא חֲדָא נָפַק רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן וְחָמָא), and beheld the world growing dark and dimmed, and its light was withheld (וְחֲזָא עָלְמָא דְּחַשִּׁיךְ וְאֲפִיל וְאִסְתַּתַּם נְהוֹרֵיהּ). He said to Rabbi El'azar: Come, and let us see what Kudsha Berikh Hu seeks to do in the world (אָמַר לֵיהּ לְרַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר: תָּא וְנֶחֱזֵי מָה בָּעֵי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לְמֶעְבָּד בְּעָלְמָא). They went and found one angel, who appeared as a great mountain, and thirty flames of fire came forth from his mouth (אָזְלוּ וְאַשְׁכָּחוּ חַד מַלְאָכָא דְּדָמֵי לְטוּרָא רַבְרְבָא וְאַפִּיק תְּלָתִין שַׁלְהוּבִין דְּנוּרָא מִפֻּמֵּיהּ). Rabbi Shim‘on said to him: What do you seek to do? (אָמַר לֵיהּ רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן: מָה אַתְּ בָּעֵי לְמֵעְבָּד). He said to him (אָמַר לֵיהּ): I desire to destroy the world (בָּעֵינָא לְמֵחַרְבֵּיהּ לְעַלְמָא), because there are not found thirty righteous ones in the generation (בְּגִין דְּלָא שְׁכִיחֵי תְּלָתִין זַכָּאִין בְּדָרָא), for thus decreed Kudsha Berikh Hu upon Avraham (דְּהָכִי גָּזַר קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא עַל אַבְרָהָם), as it is written (דִּכְתִיב): “being he shall be” (הָיוֹ יִהְיֶה) — in gematria thirty (בְּגִימַטְרִיָּא תְּלָתִין).

Rabbi Shim‘on said to him: Please, I entreat you - go before Kudsha Berikh Hu and say to Him: Bar Yochai is present on earth (אָמַר לֵיהּ רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן: בְּמָטוּ מִינָךְ - זִיל קַמֵּיהּ דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא וְאֵימָא לֵיהּ: בַּר יוֹחָאי שָׁכִיחַ בְּאַרְעָא). That angel went before Kudsha Berikh Hu and said to Him: Master of the world - it is known before You what Bar Yochai told me (אֲזַל הַהוּא מַלְאָכָא קַמֵּיהּ דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא וְאָמַר לֵיהּ: מָארֵיהּ דְּעָלְמָא, גָּלֵי קַמָּךְ מָה דְּאָמַר לִי בַּר יוֹחָאי). Kudsha Berikh Hu said to him: Go, destroy the world, and do not regard Bar Yochai (אָמַר לֵיהּ קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא: זִיל אֲחַרְבֵּיהּ לְעַלְמָא, וְלָא תַּשְׁגַּח בְּבַּר יוֹחָאי).

Rabbi Shim‘on saw the angel and said to him: If you do not go, I will decree upon you that you will not enter the heavens, and you shall dwell in the place of Aza and Aza’el (אֲתָא חַזְיֵיהּ רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן לְמַלְאָכָא, אָמַר לֵיהּ: אִי לָא תֵּיזִיל, גּוֹזַרְנָא עֲלָךְ דְּלָא תֵּיעוּל לִשְׁמַיָּא, וּתְהֵוֵי בַּאֲתַר עֲזָא וְעֲזָאֵל). And when you enter before Kudsha Berikh Hu (וְכַד תֵּיעוּל קַמֵּיהּ דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא), say to Him (אֵימָא לֵיהּ): If there are not thirty righteous ones in the world (אִי לֵית תְּלָתִין זַכָּאִין בְּעָלְמָא), let there be twenty (לֵיהֱוֹן עֶשְׂרִין) — for thus it is written (דְּהָכִי כְּתִיב): “I shall not do it for the sake of the twenty” (לֹא אֶעֱשֶׂה בַּעֲבוּר הָעֶשְׂרִים). And if there are not twenty, let there be ten - for thus it is written: I will not destroy for the sake of the ten (וְאִי לֵית עֶשְׂרִים, לִיהֲווֹן עֲשָׂרָה - דְּהָכִי כְּתִיב: לֹא אַשְׁחִית בַּעֲבוּר הָעֲשָׂרָה). And if there are not ten, let there be two - which are I and my son, for thus it is written (Devarim 19): By the mouth of two witnesses shall a matter be established (וְאִי לֵית עֲשָׂרָה, לֵיהֲווֹן תְּרֵין - דְּאִינּוּן: אֲנָא וּבְרִי, דְּהָכִי כְּתִיב: עַל פִּי שְׁנַיִם עֵדִים יָקוּם דָּבָר). And “word” is none other than the world, as it is written (Tehillim 33): By the word of Hashem, the heavens were made (וְאֵין דָּבָר אֶלָּא עוֹלָם, דִּכְתִיב: בִּדְבַר יְיָ שָׁמַיִם נַעֲשׂוּ). And if there are not two - behold, there is one, and I am he, as it is written (Mishlei 10): And the Tzaddik is the foundation of the world (וְאִי לֵית תְּרֵין - הָא אִית חַד, וַאֲנָא הוּא, דְּכְתִיב: וְצַדִּיק יְסוֹד עוֹלָם). At that moment, a voice came forth from heaven and said: Blessed is your portion, Rabbi Shim‘on! (בַּהּ שַׁעְתָּא קָל מִן שְׁמַיָּא נָפַק וְאָמַר: זַכָּאָה חוּלָקָךְ רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן) For Kudsha Berikh Hu decrees above - and you annul below (דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא גָּזַר לְעֵילָא, וְאַתְּ מְבַטֵּל לְתַתָּא)! Indeed, regarding you it is said (Tehillim 145): He will fulfill the desire of those who fear Him (בְּוַדַּאי עֲלָךְ אִתְּמַר: רָצוֹן יְרֵאָיו יַעֲשֶׂה). Until here, from the omissions (עַד כָּאן מֵהַהַשְׁמָטוֹת).

He opened and said (פָּתַח וְאָמַר): (Shemuel Bet 23): “Of the thirty he was more honored, yet to the three he did not come…” (מִן הַשְּׁלֹשִׁים הֲכִי נִכְבָּד וְאֶל הַשְּׁלֹשָׁה לֹא בָּא וְגו׳). “Of the thirty he was more honored” - these are the thirty Tzaddikim that Kudsha Berikh Hu has appointed for the world, and He never nullifies them from it (מִן הַשְּׁלֹשִׁים הֲכִי נִכְבָּד - אִלֵּין אִנּוּן תְּלָתִין צַדִּיקִים דְּאַזְמִין קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לְעָלְמָא וְלָא יְבַטֵּל לוֹן מִנֵּיהּ). And regarding Benayahu ben Yehoyada, it is written: “Of the thirty he was more honored” - he was one of them (וּבְנָיָהוּ בֶן יְהוֹיָדָע כְּתִיב בֵּיהּ: מִן הַשְּׁלֹשִׁים הֲכִי נִכְבָּד - אִיהוּ חַד מִנַּיְיהוּ). “But to the three he did not come” - meaning, he did not attain the level of the other three, upon whom the world stands (וְאֶל הַשְּׁלֹשָׁה לֹא בָּא - דְּלָא שָׁקִיל לִתְּלָתָא אֲחֳרָנִין דְּעָלְמָא קָאֵים עֲלַיְיהוּ). “But to the three he did not come” - to be reckoned as one among them (וְאֶל הַשְּׁלֹשָׁה לֹא בָּא - לְמֶהֱוֵי בְּמִנְיָנָא כְּחַד מִנַּיְיהוּ). In those thirty righteous ones (בְּאִינּוּן תְּלָתִין זַכָּאִין) — he merited to enter into the calculation (זָכָה לְמֵעַל בְּחוּשְׁבְּנָא), but to the three he did not come, for he did not merit to be joined with them in one shared portion (אֲבָל וְאֶל הַשְּׁלֹשָׁה לֹא בָּא - דְּלָא זָכָה לְאִתְחַבְּרָא בְּהוּ וּלְמֶהֱוֵי עִמְּהוֹן בְּחוּלָקָא חֲדָא). Yihyeh (יִהְיֶה), as we have taught, is thirty (יִהְיֶה, כְּמָה דְּתָנִינָן: תְּלָתִין הֲוָה). And for this reason Kudsha Berikh Hu blessed him among those thirty Tzaddikim (וּבְגִין כָּךְ קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא בָּרְכֵיהּ בְּאִינּוּן תְּלָתִין צַדִּיקִים).

Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי): Kudsha Berikh Hu said to Avraham: The cry of Sedom and Amora is great… (אָמַר לֵיהּ קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לְאַבְרָהָם: זַעֲקַת סְדוֹם וַעֲמוֹרָה כִּי רַבָּה), for it has risen before Me what they have done to the whole world (דְּהָא סְלִיקַת קֳדָמַי מַה דְּאִינּוּן עָבְדִין לְכָל עָלְמָא), for the whole world holds back its feet from entering Sedom and Amora, as it is written (Job 28): A stream broke forth from a Ger, forgotten by foot, they withered away from mankind (דְּכָל עָלְמָא מָנְעֵי רַגְלַיְיהוּ דְּלָא לְמֵעַל בִּסְדוֹם וַעֲמוֹרָה, דִּכְתִיב: פָּרַץ נַחַל מֵעִם גָּר, הַנִּשְׁכָּחִים מִנִּי רָגֶל, דָּלּוּ מֵאֱנוֹשׁ נָעוּ). A stream broke forth from a Ger - a breach, a torrent broke open for those people of the world who entered there (פָּרַץ נַחַל מֵעִם גָּר - פִּרְצָה הֲוָה, פָּרִיץ נַחַל לְאִינּוּן בְּנֵי עָלְמָא דְּעָאלוּ לְתַמָּן). Because if any of them saw somebody give food or drink to a [Ger] (דְּכֻלְּהוּ דְּחָמָאן לְמַאן דְּהֲווּ יַהֲבֵי לְמֵיכַל וּלְמִשְׁתֵּי לְבַר נָשׁ אָחֳרָא), they would cast him into the depths that are called in the depths of the river (שַׁדְיָין לֵיהּ בְּנוּקְבֵי דְּנַקְרֵי בְּעוּמְקָא דְּנַהֲרָא), along with the person [who received the food and drink] (וְאִיהוּ דְּנָטִיל לֵיהּ הָכִי נָמֵי).