Daf 106a (דַּף ק״ו ע״א)

And because of this, all the people of the world were forgotten from foot (וְעַל דָּא כֻּלְהוּ בְּנֵי עָלְמָא הֲווּ נִשְׁכָּחִים מִנִּי רָגֶל), meaning they withheld their feet from entering there (דְּמָנְעֵי רַגְלַיְיהוּ דְּלָא לְמֵיעַל תַּמָּן). And whoever did enter, they dwindled from mankind and wandered - for they were famished in body, and none would give them to eat or to drink (וּמַאן דְּעָאל, דַּלּוּ מֵאֱנוֹשׁ נָעוּ, דְּהֲווּ דָּלֵי גוּפָא בְּכַפְנָא, לָא הֲווּ יַהֲבֵי לֵיהּ לְמֵיכַל וּלְמִשְׁתֵּי), [As a result] their appearance changed [they no longer looked like human beings] (וְאִשְׁתַּנֵּי דִּיוּקְנֵיהּ מִשְּׁאָר בְּנֵי עָלְמָא). For it is written: they dwindled from mankind, they wandered (דִּכְתִיב: דַּלּוּ מֵאֱנוֹשׁ נָעוּ). And it is written here: “they wandered” (וּכְתִיב הָכָא: נָעוּ), and it is written there: “her paths wandered” (וּכְתִיב הָתָם: נָעוּ מַעְגְּלֹתֶיהָ). So too (הָכִי נָמֵי): they were blocking the paths and the roads so that one would not enter there (הֲווּ סָטָאן מַעֲגָלִין וְאָרְחִין דְּלָא לְמֵיעַל תַּמָּן). Even the birds of the heavens were withheld from entering there, as it is written (Job 28): The path no bird of prey knows… (וְאֲפִילוּ עוֹפֵי שְׁמַיָּא הֲווּ מָנְעֵי לְמֵיעַל תַּמָּן, דִּכְתִיב: נְתִיב לֹא יָדְעוּ עַיִט וְגו׳). And because of this, the whole world cried out against Sedom and Amora and all their cities - for they were all of the same nature (וּבְגִינֵי כָךְ כֻּלֵּי עָלְמָא הֲווּ צָוְוחִין עַל סְדוֹם וְעַל עֲמוֹרָה וְעַל כֻּלְהוּ קַרְתֵּי, דְּכֻלְהוּ כְּגַוְונָא חָדָא הֲווּ).

The cry of Sedom and Amora is great (זַעֲקַת סְדוֹם וַעֲמוֹרָה כִּי רַבָּה). Avraham said to Him: Why? (אָמַר לֵיהּ אַבְרָהָם: אַמַּאי) He said to him: And their sin is very heavy (אָמַר לֵיהּ: וְחַטָּאתָם כִּי כָבְדָה מְאֹד). For this reason, I will go down now and see whether her outcry… (בְּגִינֵי כָךְ: אֵרְדָה נָא וְאֶרְאֶה, הַכְּצַעֲקָתָהּ). It should have said: whether their outcry (הַכְּצַעֲקָתָם מִבָּעֵי לֵיהּ), for it says: the cry of Sedom and Amora - and they are two cities. Why then her outcry? (דְּהָא כְּתִיב: זַעֲקַת סְדוֹם וַעֲמוֹרָה, וּתְרֵי קַרְתֵּי הֲווּ - אַמַּאי: הַכְּצַעֲקָתָהּ) But this has been explained (אֶלָּא הָא אוּקְמוּהָ).

Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי): from the side beneath, all voices of judgment ascend through vaporous smoke - all of them gather on one shoulder and concentrate into a single drip (בְּסִטְרָא דְּתוּתֵי קָלָא דְּבַרְדָּא סָלְקִין קוּטְרֵי, כֻּלְהוּ בְּכַתְּפָא מִתְכַּנְשֵׁי בְּחַד טִיף), and they enter the openings of the Great Deep (וְעָאלִין בְּגוֹ נוּקְבֵי דִּתְּהוֹמָא רַבָּא), becoming five in one (אִתְעֲבִידוּ חָמֵשׁ בְּחַד). One is like soft echoes (חַד אִיהוּ כַּד צְלִילִין קָלִין), delicate reverberations, and they all become one (אִיכָּא צְלִילִין קָלִין דְּכֻלְהוּ אִתְעֲבִידוּ חַד). A voice that rises from below enters among them and is drawn into unity (קָלָא דְּסָלִיק מִתַּתָּא, עָאל בֵּינַיְיהוּ וְאִתְמַשְּׁכוּ כְּחַד), and that voice ascends and descends, demanding judgment to be drawn downward (וְהַהוּא קָלָא סָלְקָא וְנַחֲתָא, תָּבְעָא דִּינָא לְאִתְמַשְּׁכָא לְתַתָּא). When that voice ascends to demand judgment, then Kudsha Berikh Hu reveals Himself to oversee in judgment (כַּד הַאי קָלָא סָלְקָא לְמִתְבַּע דִּינָא, כְּדֵין אִתְגְּלִי לְאַשְׁגָּחָא קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא בְּדִינָא).

Rabbi Shim‘on said: “whether her outcry” (אָמַר רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן: הַכְּצַעֲקָתָהּ). What is her outcry? This is the decree of judgment that demands justice every day (מַאן הַכְּצַעֲקָתָהּ - דָּא גְּזֵרַת דִּינָא דְּתָבְעָא דִינָא כָּל יוֹמָא). For so we have learned: how many years did the decree of judgment stand and cry out before Kudsha Berikh Hu concerning the sale of Yosef by his brothers? (דְּהָכִי תָּנִינָן: כַּמָּה שְׁנִין קָיְימָא גְּזֵרַת דִּינָא וְתָבְעָא מִקַּמֵּי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא עַל דְּזַבִּינוּ אֲחוּי דְּיוֹסֵף לְיוֹסֵף). Because the decree of judgment cries out for justice (בְּגִין דִּגְזֵרַת דִּינָא צוֹוְחַת עַל דִּינָא), And concerning this: “according to her outcry that has come to Me” (וְעַל דָּא: הַכְּצַעֲקָתָהּ הַבָּאָה אֵלַי). What is “has come to Me”? This is a secret, as you say (מַאי: הַבָּאָה אֵלַי - דָּא הוּא רָזָא, כְּמָא דְּאַתְּ אָמֵר): (Esther 2): “In the evening she came, and in the morning she returned” (בָּעֶרֶב הִיא בָאָה וּבַבֹּקֶר הִיא שָׁבָה). And this is “has come to Me” - that comes constantly (וְדָא הוּא: הַבָּאָה אֵלַי - תָּדִיר). In this manner too it is written: (Bereshit 6): “The end of all flesh has come before Me” - and this has already been explained (כְּגַוְונָא דָא: קֵץ כָּל בָּשָׂר בָּא לְפָנַי, וְהָא אִתְּמַר). They have acted completely - this too has already been explained (עָשׂוּ כָּלָה - הָא אִתְּמַר). And Avraham approached and said: Will You indeed destroy the righteous with the wicked? (וַיִּגַּשׁ אַבְרָהָם וַיֹּאמַר: הַאַף תִּסְפֶּה צַדִּיק עִם רָשָׁע).

Rabbi Yehudah said: Who ever saw a father of compassion like Avraham? (אָמַר רַבִּי יְהוּדָה: מַאן חָמָא אַבָּא דְּרַחֲמָנוּתָא כְּאַבְרָהָם) Come and see: regarding Noach it is written: (Bereshit 6): “Elohim said to Noach: The end of all flesh has come before Me… make for yourself an ark of gopher wood” (תָּא חֲזֵי: בְּנֹחַ כְּתִיב: וַיֹּאמֶר אֱלֹהִים לְנֹחַ: קֵץ כָּל בָּשָׂר בָּא לְפָנַי וגו׳ - עֲשֵׂה לְךָ תֵּבַת עֲצֵי גֹפֶר), and he was silent and said nothing, and did not seek mercy (וְאִשְׁתִּיק וְלָא אָמַר לֵיהּ מִידִי, וְלָא בָּעָא רַחֲמֵי). But Avraham, at the moment Kudsha Berikh Hu said to him: The outcry of Sedom and Amora is great… I will go down and see… - immediately it is written: And Avraham approached and said: Will You indeed destroy the righteous with the wicked? (אֲבָל אַבְרָהָם, בִּשְׁעָתָא דְּאָמַר לֵיהּ קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא: זַעֲקַת סְדוֹם וַעֲמוֹרָה כִּי רַבָּה וגו׳, אֵרְדָה נָא וְאֶרְאֶה וגו׳ - מִיַּד כְּתִיב: וַיִּגַּשׁ אַבְרָהָם וַיֹּאמַר: הַאַף תִּסְפֶּה צַדִּיק עִם רָשָׁע).

Rabbi El'azar said: Even Avraham did not act completely as was fitting (אָמַר רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר: אוּף אַבְרָהָם לָא עָבַד שְׁלִימוּ כְּדְקָא יְאוּת). Noach did nothing - neither one nor the other (נֹחַ לָא עֲבִיד מִידִי - לָא הַאי וְלָא הַאי). Avraham sought judgment as was proper - that the innocent should not die with the guilty (אַבְרָהָם תָּבַע דִּינָא כְּדְקָא יְאוּת, דְּלָא יְמוּת זַכָּאָה עִם חַיָּיבָא). And from fifty down to ten, he argued but did not complete (וְשָׁאַרֵי מֵחֲמִשִּׁים עַד עֲשָׂרָה - עָבַד וְלָא אַשְׁלִים), for he did not seek mercy in-between (דְּלָא בָּעָא רַחֲמֵי בֵּין כָּךְ וּבֵין כָּךְ), as if to say: Avraham said, “I do not wish to seek reward for my deeds” (דְּאָמַר אַבְרָהָם: לָא בָּעִינָא לְמִתְבַּע אֲגַר עוֹבָדוֹי). But who acted with completion as is fitting? That was Moshe (אֲבָל מַאן עָבַד שְׁלִימוּ כְּדְקָא יְאוּת - דָּא מֹשֶׁה). For once Kudsha Berikh Hu said (Shemot 32): They have quickly turned aside from the way… they made for themselves a molten calf and bowed to it (דְּכֵיוָן דְּאָמַר קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא: סָרוּ מַהֵר מִן הַדֶּרֶךְ וְגו', עָשׂוּ לָהֶם עֵגֶל מַסֵּכָה וַיִּשְׁתַּחֲווּ לוֹ), immediately what is written? And Moshe pleaded before Hashem his God… (מִיָּד מַה כְּתִיב: וַיְחַל מֹשֶׁה אֶת פְּנֵי יְיָ אֱלֹהָיו וְגו׳). Until he said: Now, if You bear their sin - good, and if not, erase me please from Your book that You have written (עַד דְּאָמַר: וְעַתָּה אִם תִּשָּׂא חַטָּאתָם - וְאִם אַיִן, מְחֵנִי נָא מִסִּפְרְךָ אֲשֶׁר כָּתָבְתָּ). And even though they had all sinned, he did not move from there until He said to him: I have forgiven according to your word (וְאַף עַל גַּב דְּכֻלְּהוּ חָטוּ, לָא זָז מִתַּמָּן עַד דְּאָמַר לֵיהּ: סָלַחְתִּי כִּדְבָרֶךָ). But Avraham paid no attention unless the righteous were found among them - and if not, then not (אֲבָל אַבְרָהָם לָא אַשְׁגַּח אֶלָּא אִי אִשְׁתְּכַח בְּהוּ זַכָּאָי, וְאִם לָאו - לָא). And because of this, there was no man in the world who grieved over his generation like Moshe, for he was Ra‘aya Meheimna (וְעַל דָּא לָא הֲוָה בְּעָלְמָא בַּר נָשׁ דְּיָגִין עַל דָּרֵיהּ כְּמֹשֶׁה - דְּאִיהוּ רַעֲיָא מְהֵימְנָא). And Avraham approached and said - he prepared himself to seek this (וַיִּגַּשׁ אַבְרָהָם וַיֹּאמַר - אַתְקִין גַּרְמֵיהּ לְמִתְבַּע דָּא). Perhaps there will be fifty found there… He began from fifty, which is the beginning of understanding (אוּלַי יִמָּצְאוּ שָׁם חֲמִשִּׁים - שָׁרָא מֵחֲמִשִּׁים, דְּאִיהוּ שֵׁירוּתָא לְמִנְדַּע), down to ten, which is the tenth and final level of all gradations (עַד עֲשָׂרָה, דְּאִיהוּ עֲשִׂירָאָה - סוֹפָא דְּכָל דַּרְגִּין).

Rabbi Yitzchak said: Up to ten - these are the ten days between Rosh HaShanah and Yom haKippurim (אָמַר רַבִּי יִצְחָק: עַד עֲשָׂרָה - אִלֵּין עֲשָׂרָה יוֹמִין דְּבֵין רֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה לְיוֹם הַכִּפּוּרִים). For this reason he began from fifty and went down to ten (בְּגִין כָּךְ שָׁרָא מֵחֲמִשִּׁים עַד עֲשָׂרָה). Completion from the omissions (section eighteen) (הַשְׁלָמָה מֵהַהַשְׁמָטוֹת סִימָן י״ח).

That is the beginning, down to ten - which is the final of the gradations (דְּאִיהוּ שֵׁירוּתָא עַד עֲשָׂרָה, דְּאִיהוּ עֲשָׂרָה סוֹפָא דְּדַרְגִּין). And once he reached ten, he said: From here and below, it is not a place to be sustained through Teshuvah (וְכֵיוָן דְּמָטָא עַד עֲשָׂרָה, אָמַר: מִכָּאן וּלְתַתָּא לָאו אֲתַר לְקַיְּימָא בִּתְשׁוּבָה). He turned back and said: Forty - in order to save four cities (וְתָב וְאָמַר אַרְבָּעִים, בְּגִין דְּיִשְׁתַּזְּבוּן ד׳ קִרְיָין). He turned back and said: Thirty - in order to save three cities (וְתָב וְאָמַר שְׁלֹשִׁים, בְּגִין דְּיִשְׁתַּזְּבוּן ג׳ קִרְיָין). He turned back and said: Twenty - in order to save two cities (וְתָב וְאָמַר עֶשְׂרִים, בְּגִין דְּיִשְׁתַּזְּבוּן תְּרֵין קִרְיָין). He turned back and said: Ten - in order to save one city of the five (וְתָב וְאָמַר עֲשָׂרָה, בְּגִין דְּיִשְׁתֵּזִיב קַרְתָּא חֲדָא מֵאִינוּן חֲמִשָּׁה). For this reason, he did not descend lower than ten (בְּגִינֵי כָךְ לָא נָחִית לְתַתָּא מִן עֲשָׂרָה). Until here, from the omissions (עַד כָּאן מֵהַהַשְׁמָטוֹת).

And once he reached ten, he said: From here and below is not a place that can endure through Teshuvah - for this reason he did not descend below ten (וְכֵיוָן דְּמָטָא לַעֲשָׂרָה, אָמַר: מִכָּאן וּלְתַתָּא לָאו הוּא אֲתַר דְּקָיְימָא בִּתְשׁוּבָה - בְּגִינֵי כָךְ לָא נָחַת לְתַתָּא מֵעֲשָׂרָה).