Daf 107b (דַּף ק״ז ע״ב)

Another matter: “Behold, the Day of Hashem is coming” (דָּבָר אַחֵר: הִנֵּה יוֹם יְיָ בָּא), this is the Destroyer below when he takes the soul (דָּא הוּא מְחַבְּלָא לְתַתָּא כַּד נָטִיל נִשְׁמָתָא), therefore it is cruel and full of wrath (בְּגִינֵי כָּךְ אַכְזָרִי וְעֶבְרָה). “To make the land a desolation”-this is Sedom and Amorah (לָשׂוּם הָאָרֶץ לְשַׁמָּה, דָּא סְדוֹם וַעֲמוֹרָה), “And He shall destroy its sinners from it” (וְחַטָּאֶיהָ יַשְׁמִיד מִמֶּנָּהּ) (דף קז ע״ב): these are those who dwell upon the earth (אִלֵּין יַתְבֵי אַרְעָא). What is written afterwards? “For the stars of the heavens and its constellations…” (מַה כְּתִיב בַּתְרֵיהּ: כִּי כּוֹכְבֵי הַשָּׁמַיִם וּכְסִילֵיהֶם וְגו׳). For from heaven He rained fire upon them (דְּהָא מִן שְׁמַיָּא אַמְטַר עֲלֵיהוֹן אֶשָּׁא), and removed them from the world (וְאַעֲבַר לוֹן מִן עָלְמָא). Afterwards what is written? “I will make man rarer than fine gold…” (לְבָתַר מַה כְּתִיב: אוֹקִיר אֱנוֹשׁ מִפָּז וְגו׳): this is Avraham, whom Kudsha Berikh Hu exalted above all the people of the world (דָּא אַבְרָהָם דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא סָלִיק לֵיהּ עַל כָּל בְּנֵי עָלְמָא).

Rabbi Yehudah applied these verses to the day the Beit HaMikdash was destroyed (רַבִּי יְהוּדָה אוֹקִים לוֹן לְהַנֵּי קְרָאֵי בְּיוֹמָא דְּאִתְחָרַב בֵּי מַקְדְּשָׁא), for on that day the upper and lower realms were darkened (דִּבְּהַהוּא יוֹמָא אִתְחַשְׁכוּ עִלָּאֵי וְתַתָּאֵי), and the heavens and stars became darkened (וְאִתְחַשְׁכָּן שְׁמַיָּא וְכוֹכְבַיָּא). Rabbi El'azar interpreted these verses regarding the day Kudsha Berikh Hu will raise Kenesset Yisrael from the dust (רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר מוֹקִים לְהַנֵּי קְרָאֵי בְּיוֹמָא דְּיוֹקִים קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לִכְנֶסֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל מֵעַפְרָא), and that day will be known above and below (וְהַהוּא יוֹמָא יִתְיְדַּע לְעֵילָא וּלְתַתָּא), as it is written: “And it shall be one day, it shall be known to Hashem…” (Zechariah 14) (דִּכְתִיב: וְהָיָה יוֹם אֶחָד הוּא יִוָּדַע לַיְיָ). And that day is the day of vengeance (וְהַהוּא יוֹמָא יוֹמָא דְּנוֹקְמָא אִיהוּ), when Kudsha Berikh Hu is destined to take vengeance upon the other nations who serve idolatry and astrology (דְּזַמִּין קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לְנָקְמָא מִשְּׁאָר עַמִּין עוֹבְדֵי עֲבוֹדַת כּוֹכָבִים וּמַזָּלוֹת). And when Kudsha Berikh Hu executes vengeance on those nations who worship the stars and constellations (וְכַד קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא יַעֲבִיד נוּקְמִין בִּשְׁאָר עַמִּין עוֹבְדֵי עֲבוֹדַת כּוֹכָבִים וּמַזָּלוֹת), then “I will make man more precious than fine gold” (כְּדֵין אוֹקִיר אֱנוֹשׁ מִפָּז): this is the King Mashiach (דָּא מַלְכָּא מְשִׁיחָא), who will be revealed and exalted above all the inhabitants of the world (דְּיִסְתַּלַּק וְיִתְיָיקַר עַל כָּל בְּנֵי עָלְמָא). And all the people of the world will serve and bow before him (וְכָל בְּנֵי עָלְמָא יִפְלְחוּן וְיִסְגְּדוּן קַמֵּיהּ), as it is written: “Before him shall bow down the desert dwellers… kings of Tarshish…” (Psalms 72) (דִּכְתִיב: לְפָנָיו יִכְרְעוּ צִיִּים וְגו׳ מַלְכֵי תַרְשִׁישׁ וְגו׳).

Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי): Even though this prophecy was spoken regarding Bavel (Isaiah 13) (אַף עַל גַּב דְּנְבוּאָה דָּא אִתְּמָר עַל בָּבֶל), it was said in a general manner (בְּכוֹלָּא אִתְּמָר). For we see in this same portion (דְּהָא חָמֵינָן בְּהַאי פַּרְשָׁתָא)-that is, next to the portion above where it is written “I will make man more precious than fine gold” (ר״ל סָמוּךְ לְפָרָשָׁה שֶׁלְּמַעְלָה שֶׁכְּתִיב בָּהּ אוֹקִיר אֱנוֹשׁ וְגו׳)p2-52, For Hashem shall have compassion upon Ya'akov” (Isaiah 14) (כִּי יְרַחֵם יְיָ אֶת יַעֲקֹב), and it is written: “And nations shall take them and bring them to their place” (וּכְתִיב: וּלְקָחוּם עַמִּים וְהֱבִיאוּם אֶל מְקוֹמָם).

And Hashem [V-YHVH] rained upon Sedom (וַיְיָ הִמְטִיר עַל סְדוֹם): this [V-YHVH] is the level of the lower judgment which receives permission from above (דָּא דַּרְגָּא דְּבֵי דִּינָא לְתַתָּא דְּנָטִיל רְשׁוּ מֵעֵילָא). Rabbi Yitzchak said (רַבִּי יִצְחָק אָמַר): He executes judgment with mercy (דְּעֲבִיד דִּינָא בְּרַחֲמֵי), as it is written (דִּכְתִיב): “From Hashem, from the heavens” (מֵאֵת יְיָ מִן הַשָּׁמַיִם), to make it known that judgment is mingled with mercy (בְּגִין לְאִשְׁתַּכָּחָא דִּינָא בְּרַחֲמֵי). And if you ask: What mercy is there here? (וְאִי תֵימָא מַאי רַחֲמֵי הָכָא), as it is written: “And it came to pass, when Elohim destroyed the cities of the plain, Elohim remembered Avraham…” (Bereshit 19) (דִּכְתִיב: וַיְהִי בְּשַׁחֵת אֱלֹהִים אֶת עָרֵי הַכִּכָּר וַיִּזְכֹּר אֱלֹהִים אֶת אַבְרָהָם וְגו׳). And afterwards came forth from him two complete nations (וּלְבָתַר נָפְקוּ מִנֵּיהּ תְּרֵין אוּמִין שְׁלֵמִין), and merited that from him descended David and King Shlomo (וְזָכָה דְּנָפִיק מִנֵּיהּ דָּוִד וּשְׁלֹמֹה מַלְכָּא). See what is written (חֲמֵי מַה כְּתִיב): “And it came to pass, when they had brought them outside, he said…” (Bereshit 19) (וַיְהִי כְּהוֹצִיאָם אוֹתָם הַחוּצָה וַיֹּאמֶר וְגו׳).

Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי): at the time when judgment rules in the world (בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְּדִינָא שָׁרֵי בְּעָלְמָא), it has been taught that a person should not be found in the street (הָא אִתְּמַר דְּלָא לִבָּעֵי לְבַר נָשׁ לְאִשְׁתַּכָּחָא בִּשּׁוּקָא), because once judgment is unleashed (בְּגִין דְּכֵיוָן דְּשָׁרְיָא דִּינָא), it does not distinguish between the righteous and the guilty (לָא אַשְׁגַּח בֵּין זַכָּאָה וְחַיָּיבָא), and one should not be seen there (וְלָא בָּעֵי לְאִשְׁתַּכָּחָא תַּמָּן). And it has been taught that for this reason Noach was closed in the ark (וְהָא אִתְּמַר דִּבְּגִין כָּךְ אִסְתִּים נֹחַ בַּתֵּיבָה), and did not show himself in the world when judgment was being executed (וְלָא יִשְׁגַּח בְּעָלְמָא בִּשַּׁעֲתָא דְּדִינָא יִתְעֲבִיד). And it is written (וּכְתִיב): “And none of you shall go out from the entrance of his house until the morning” (Exodus 12) (וְאַתֶּם לֹא תֵצְאוּ אִישׁ מִפֶּתַח בֵּיתוֹ עַד בֹּקֶר), until the judgment is completed (עַד דְּיִתְעֲבִיד דִּינָא). And therefore it is written (וּבְגִין כָּךְ): “Escape for your life, do not look behind you…” (Bereshit 19) (וַיֹּאמֶר הִמָּלֵט עַל נַפְשְׁךָ אַל תַּבִּיט אַחֲרֶיךָ וְגו׳).

Rabbi Yitzchak and Rabbi Yehudah were walking on the road (רַבִּי יִצְחָק וְרַבִּי יְהוּדָה הֲווּ אָזְלֵי בְּאָרְחָא). Rabbi Yehudah said to Rabbi Yitzchak (אָמַר רַבִּי יְהוּדָה לְרַבִּי יִצְחָק): The judgment which Kudsha Berikh Hu carried out in the Flood and the judgment of Sedom (דִּינָא דְּעֲבִיד קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא בַּמַּבּוּל וְדִּינָא דִּסְדוֹם), both are judgments of Gehinnom (תַּרְוַיְיהוּ דִּינִין דְּגֵיהִנֹּם הֲווּ), for the guilty of Gehinnom were judged by water and by fire (בְּגִין דְּחַיָּיבֵי גֵיהִנֹּם אִתְדָּנוּ בְּמַיָּא וּבְאֶשָּׁא).

Rabbi Yitzchak said (אָמַר רַבִּי יִצְחָק): Sedom was judged with the judgment of Gehinom (סְדוֹם בְּדִינָא דְּגֵיהִנֹּם אִתְדָּן), as it is written (דִּכְתִיב): “And Hashem caused it to rain upon Sedom and upon Amorah brimstone and fire from Hashem from the heavens” (Bereshit 19:24) (וַי־יָ הִמְטִיר עַל סְדוֹם וְעַל עֲמוֹרָה גָּפְרִית וָאֵשׁ מֵאֵת יהוה מִן הַשָּׁמָיִם). This was from the side of water (דָּא מִסִּטְרָא דְּמַיָּא), and that (וְדָא])-was from the side of fire (מִסִּטְרָא דְּאֶשָּׁא). This and that together are the judgment of Gehinom (דָּא וְדָא הוּא דִּינָא דְּגֵיהִנֹּם), and the guilty of Gehinom are judged by these two judgments (וְחַיָּיבִין דְּגֵיהִנֹּם בִּתְרֵין דִּינִין אִלֵּין אִתְדָּנוּ).