Daf 110a (דַּף ק״י ע״א)

“In his scheme” is written missing a Yod (בְּתַחְבּוּלֹתָו חָסֵר יו״ד), and who is this? This is the lower Beit Din, which is the moist clay (וּמַאן אִיהוּ דָּא בֵּי דִינָא לְתַתָּא דְּאִיהוּ טִקְלָא דְּאִסְתַּחֲרַת קַמֵּיהּ), and because of this, vessels are turned from one to another (וְעַל דָּא מְהַפֵּךְ מָאנִין מִמָּאנָא דָא לְמָאנָא אָחֳרָא). And all this is according to the deeds of human beings (וְכָל דָּא כְּפִי פָּעֳלָם דִּבְנֵי נָשׁ): if people improve their actions (אִי מְטִיבִין בְּנֵי נָשָׁא עוֹבָדֵיהוֹן), that clay of moisture is inclined toward the right (הַהוּא טִקְלָא דְּסַחֲרָא אַסְחָרַת לוֹן לְיָמִינָא), and then deeds are performed in the world for their benefit, as is fitting (וּכְדֵין אִתְעֲבִידוּ עוֹבָדִין בְּעָלְמָא לְאוֹטָבָא לוֹן כְּדְקָא יְאוּת). And the clay remains moist and never dries on that side of the right, and the world revolves through it (וְטִקְלָא אַסְחָרַת תָּדִיר וְלָא שָׁכִיךְ בְּהַהוּא סִטְרָא דְּיָמִינָא, וְעָלְמָא מִתְגַּלְגְּלָא בֵּיהּ). But when people act corruptly (אָתוּ בְּנֵי נָשָׁא לְאַבְאָשָׁא), his cunning plan which was always directed toward the right now shifts by Kudsha Berikh Hu to the side of the left (תַּחְבּוּלָתוֹ דְּאַסְחַר תָּדִיר וְהֲוָה קָיְימָא בְּאַסְחָרוּתָא דְּיָמִינָא, קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא אַסְחַר לֵיהּ בְּסִטְרָא דִּשְׂמָאלָא), and He turns the circuits and the vessels that were at first toward that left side (וּמְהַפֵּךְ מְסִבּוֹת וּמָאנִין דְּהֲווּ בְּקַדְמִיתָא לְהַהוּא סְטַר שְׂמָאלָא). And then the clay dries and deeds are performed in the world to punish them (וּכְדֵין טִקְלָא אַסְחָרָא וְאִתְעֲבִידוּ עוֹבָדִין בְּעָלְמָא לְאַבְאָשָׁא לוֹן לִבְנֵי נָשָׁא), and the clay remains directed to that side until people repent and better their actions (וְטִקְלָא אַסְחַר לְהַהוּא סִטְרָא עַד דִּבְנֵי נָשָׁא תָּיְיבִין לְאוֹטָבָא עוֹבָדֵיהוֹן). The clay stands according to the actions of mankind (וְטִקְלָא קָיְימָא בְּעוֹבָדִין דִּבְנֵי נָשָׁא). And therefore: “With His strategy, for their works” (וְעַל דָּא: בְּתַחְבּוּלָתוֹ לְפָעֳלָם), and it does not remain fixed (וְלָא קָיְימָא תָּדִיר).

Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי): Kudsha Berikh Hu causes circuits and deeds in the world in order to make all things as is proper (קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא גָּרַם סִבּוּבִין וְעוֹבָדִין בְּעָלְמָא בְּגִין לְמֶעְבַּד כֹּלָּא כְּדְקָא יְאוּת). And all things proceed from the root and source above (וְכֹלָּא נָפְקָא מֵעִקָּרָא וְשָׁרְשָׁא דִּלְעֵילָא). Abraham drew near to Him (אַקְרִיב אַבְרָהָם לְגַבֵּיהּ), and Ishmael came forth from him, but Abraham had not yet been circumcised when Ishmael was born (נָפַק מִנֵּיהּ יִשְׁמָעֵאל, דְּלָא הֲוָה אַבְרָהָם גָּזִיר כַּד נָפַק מִנֵּיהּ), for he was still below and not perfected in the sign of the holy covenant (בְּגִין דְּאִיהוּ לְתַתָּא וְלָא אִשְׁתְּלִים בְּאוֹת קְיָימָא קַדִּישָׁא). Afterwards, Kudsha Berikh Hu turned circuits in His strategies (לְבָתַר קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא סִבֵּב סִבּוּבִין בְּתַחְבּוּלוֹתָיו), and Abraham was circumcised, entered the covenant, was perfected in his name, and was called Avraham (וְאִתְגְּזַר אַבְרָהָם, וְעָאל בַּבְּרִית, וְאִשְׁתְּלִים בִּשְׁמֵיהּ, וְאִקְרֵי אַבְרָהָם). And the supernal Heh crowned him with the mystery of water and of spirit (וְה׳ עִלָּאָה אַעֲטָרַת לֵיהּ בְּרָזָא דְּמַיִם מֵרוּחַ). Once the mystery was perfected and he was circumcised (כֵּיוָן דְּרָזָא אִשְׁתְּלִים וְאִתְגְּזַר), Yitzchak came forth from him (נָפַק מִנֵּיהּ יִצְחָק), and he was a holy seed (וְהֲוָה זַרְעָא קַדִּישָׁא), and he was bound above in the mystery of fire from water (וְאִתְקַשַּׁר לְעֵילָא בְּרָזָא דְּאֵשׁ מִמַּיִם). And for this it is written: “And I planted you a noble vine, wholly a true seed” (Jeremiah 2:21) (וְעַל דָּא כְּתִיב: וְאָנֹכִי נְטַעְתִּיךְ שׂוֹרֵק כֻּלָּה זֶרַע אֱמֶת), and he was not bound in that Sitra Achra (וְלָא אִתְקְשַׁר בְּהַהוּא סִטְרָא אָחֳרָא).

Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי): from Lot and his daughters came forth two nations (לוֹט נָפְקוּ מִנֵּיהּ וּמִבְּנָתֵיהּ תְּרִין אוּמִין מִתְפָּרְשָׁן), and they were bound to that side that was fit for them (וְאִתְקְשָׁרוּ בְּהַהוּא סִטְרָא דְּאִתְחֲזֵי לוֹן). And because of this, Kudsha Berikh Hu turns circuits (וְעַל דָּא קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא מְסַבֵּב), turns revolutions and rolls gilgulim in the world (סִבּוּבִין וּמְגַלְגֵּל גִּלְגּוּלִין בְּעָלְמָא), so that all shall be made rightly (דְּיִתְעֲבִיד כֹּלָּא כְּדְקָא יְאוּת) and all shall be bound in its proper place (וְיִתְקַשַּׁר כֹּלָּא בְּאַתְרֵיהּ).

Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי): it was fitting for Lot that Kudsha Berikh Hu would bring forth from him (יָאוֹת הֲוָה לְלוֹט דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא יָפִיק מִנֵּיהּ), and from his daughters and from his wife these two nations (וּמִבְּנָתֵיהּ וּמֵאִתְּתֵיהּ תְּרִין אוּמִין אִלֵּין), but in order that they would be bound in the side that was fit for them (אֶלָּא בְּגִין לְאִתְקַשָּׁרָא בְּאַתְרַיְיהוּ דְּאִתְחֲזֵי לְהוּ). And it was done through wine (וְאִתְעֲבִידוּ מִגּוֹ יֵינָא), and that wine was prepared for them that night in that cave (וְהַהוּא יֵינָא אִזְדַּמַּן לְהוֹן בַּמְּעַרְתָּא הַהִיא לֵילְיָא). And this is the secret that it was done, as it is said: “And he drank of the wine and became drunk” (וְדָא הוּא רָזָא דְּאִתְעֲבִידוּ כְּמָה דְּאַתְּ אָמֵר: וַיֵּשְׁתְּ מִן הַיַּיִן וַיִּשְׁכָּר) (Bereshit 19:33), and this has been stated and established (וְהָא אִתְּמָר וְאוּקְמוּהָ).

Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי): Moav and Ammon-those are the names they were given (מוֹאָב וְעַמּוֹן אִנּוּן קָרָאן לוֹן שְׁמָהָן): Moav, from [my] father (מוֹאָב – מֵאָב). Rabbi Yose said (רַבִּי יוֹסֵי אָמַר): the elder daughter, with brazenness, said Moav, “from father he is” (בְּכִירָה בַּחֲצִיפוּ אָמְרָה מוֹאָב: מֵאַבָּא הוּא). And the younger also bore a son and called his name Ben-Ammi (וְהַצְּעִירָה גַּם הִיא יָלְדָה בֵּן וַתִּקְרָא שְׁמוֹ בֶּן עַמִּי); modestly she said Ben Ammi (בִּצְנִיעוּ אָמְרָה: בֶּן עַמִּי), “son of my people,” and did not say from whom he was (וְלָא אָמְרָה מִמָּאן הֲוָה).

Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי): at first it is written “and he knew not in her lying down and in her arising” (וְלָא יָדַע בְּשִׁכְבָהּ וּבְקוּמָהּ) with a Vav written fully (בְּוא״ו מָלֵא), and the Vav has nikkud (וְנָקוּד עַל וא״ו), because the aid from above was found in that act, since the King Mashiach was destined to come from her (בְּגִין דְּסִיּוּעָא דְּעֵילָא הֲוָה אִשְׁתְּכַח בְּהַהוּא עוֹבָדָא, דְּזַמִּין מַלְכָּא מְשִׁיחָא לְנָפְקָא מִנֵּיהּ). And because of this, it was completed here with Vav (וּבְגִין כָּךְ אִשְׁתְּלִים הָכָא בְּוא״ו). But in the second instance it is written “and in her arising” missing the Vav (וּבְקֻמָּהּ חָסֵר וי״ו), because from her no portion emerged for Kudsha Berikh Hu as the other (בְּגִין דְּלָא נָפַק מִינָּהּ חוּלְקָא לְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא כְּהַאי אָחֳרָא). And therefore, it is written by the elder, “and in her arising” with a full Vav and pointed above it (וְעַל דָּא כְּתִיב בְּהַאי אָחֳרָא קְשִׁישָׁא: וּבְקוּמָהּ בְּוא״ו מָלֵא, וְנָקוּד עֲלָהּ).