Daf 112b (דַּף קי״ב ע״ב)

It is written: “You shall fear Hashem your God; Him you shall serve; and to Him you shall cleave; and in His Name you shall swear” (Deuteronomy 10:20) (כְּתִיב: אֶת יְיָ אֱלֹהֶיךָ תִּירָא, אוֹתוֹ תַעֲבֹד, וּבוֹ תִדְבָּק, וּבִשְׁמוֹ תִשָּׁבֵעַ). This verse has been explained (הַאי קְרָא אוּקְמוּהָ). But come and see (אֲבָל תָּא חֲזֵי): You shall fear Hashem [to Hashem] your God” is not written; rather: “Et Hashem” (לַיְיָ אֱלֹהֶיךָ תִּירָא לָא כְּתִיב, אֶלָּא: אֶת יְיָ). What is “Et”? This is the primordial level, the place of dread of Kudsha Berikh Hu (מַאי אֶת דָּא דַּרְגָּא קַדְמָאָה, אֲתַר דַּחֲלָא דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא), and because of this it is written “you shall fear”, for there a person must tremble before his Master, Kudsha Berikh Hu (וּבְגִין כָּךְ כְּתִיב: תִּירָא, דְּתַמָּן בָּעֵי בַּר נָשׁ לְדַחֲלָא קַמֵּי מָארֵיהּ, קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא), for He is [in] judgment (דְּאִיהוּ בִּי דִּינָא). “And Him [oto] you shall serve” (וְאוֹתוֹ תַּעֲבֹד)-this is a supernal level that stands above that lower level (דָּא דַּרְגָּא עִלָּאָה דְּקָיְימָא עַל הַאי דַּרְגָּא תַּתָּאָה), and they are never separated, Et and Oto (וְלָא מִתְפָּרְשָׁאן לְעָלְמִין: אֶת וְאוֹתוֹ), this one and that one cleave together and do not separate (דָּא בְּדָא דְּבֵקִין וְלָא אִתְפָּרְשָׁן). What is “VeOto”? This is the place of the Holy Covenant, a sign [ot] for all generations (מַאי וְאוֹתוֹ דָּא אֲתַר בְּרִית קַדִּישָׁא, אוֹת לְעָלְמִין). For worship does not dwell in Et, which is only for fear, but worship itself is above (דְּהָא פּוּלְחָנָא לָא שַׁרְיָא בְּאֶת, וְלָאו אִיהוּ לְמִפְלַח-אֶלָּא לְמִדְחַל. אֲבָל פּוּלְחָנָא אִיהוּ לְעֵילָא). And because of this: “and Him [oto] you shall serve” (וּבְגִין כָּךְ: וְאוֹתוֹ תַעֲבֹד). “And to Him you shall cleave” (וּבוֹ תִדְבָּק)-in the place that is D'vequt, for cleaving, which is the body that resides in the middle (בְּאֲתַר דְּאִיהוּ דְּבֵקוּתָא לְאִתְדַּבְּקָא, דְּאִיהוּ גוּפָא דְּשָׁרֵי בְּאֶמְצָעִיתָא). “And in His Name you shall swear” (וּבִשְׁמוֹ תִּשָּׁבֵעַ)-this is the seventh level of the degrees (אֲתַר שְׁבִיעָאָה דְּדַרְגִּין). And your sign is: “And David their king whom I will raise up for them” (Jeremiah 30:9) (וְסִימָנִיךְ: וְאֵת דָּוִד מַלְכָּם אֲשֶׁר אָקִים לָהֶם). Therefore Avraham cleaved to faith when he descended to Egypt and when he went to the land of the Philistines (בְּגִין כָּךְ אִתְדָּבַּק אַבְרָהָם בִּמְהֵימְנוּתָא, כַּד נָחַת לְמִצְרַיִם וְכַד אֲזַל לְאַרְעָא דִּפְלִשְׁתִּים).

Like a man who wishes to descend into a deep pit (לְבַר נָשׁ דְּבָעָא לְנָחֲתָא גּוֹ גּוּבָא עֲמִיקָא), and fears he may not be able to ascend from the pit (דָּחִיל דְּלָא יָכִיל לְסַלְקָא מִגּוֹ גּוֹבָא), what does he do? He ties a cord above the pit (מָה עֲבַד קָשַׁר חַד קִשְׁרָא דְּחֶבֶל לְעֵילָא מִן גּוֹבָא), and says: since I have tied this cord here, from this point onward I will descend (אָמַר: הוֹאִיל דְּקָשִׁירְנָא קִשְׁרָא דָא מִכָּאן וּלְהָלְאָה אִיעוּל תַּמָּן). So too Avraham, when he wished to descend to Egypt (כָּךְ אַבְרָהָם, בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְּבָעָא לְנַחֲתָא לְמִצְרַיִם), before entering there he first tied the bond of faith, so that it would be strengthened in him, and only afterwards did he descend (עַד לָא יֵיחוּת תַּמָּן, קְשַׁר קִשְׁרָא דִּמְהֵימְנוּתָא בְּקַדְמִיתָא לְאִתְתַּקְּפָא בֵּיהּ, וּלְבָתַר נָחַת). So too, when he entered the land of the Philistines (אוּף הָכִי נָמֵי, כַּד עָאל לְאַרְעָא דִּפְלִשְׁתִּים). Because of this it is written: “The lip of truth is established forever” (Proverbs 12:19) (בְּגִין כָּךְ: שְׂפַת אֱמֶת תִּכּוֹן לָעַד). And “until the lying tongue”-this is Avimelekh (וְעַד אַרְגִּיעָה לְשׁוֹן שָׁקֶר: דָּא אֲבִימֶלֶךְ), who said: “In the innocence of my heart and the purity of my hands” (דְּאָמַר: בְּתוֹם לְבָבִי וּבְנִקְיוֹן כַּפָּי). And when it was returned to him, what is written? “Also I know that you did this with a pure heart” (Bereshit 20:6) (וְכַד אֲהַדְּרוּ לֵיהּ: מַה כְּתִיב: גַּם אָנֹכִי יָדַעְתִּי כִּי בְּתָם לְבָבְךָ עָשִׂיתָ זֹאת)-but “purity of hands” is not written (וְלֹא כְּתִיב: נִקְיוֹן כַּפַּיִם). “And now, return the man's wife, for he is a prophet…” (וְעַתָּה הָשֵׁב אֵשֶׁת הָאִישׁ כִּי נָבִיא הוּא) (Bereshit 20:7).

Rabbi Yehudah opened and said (רַבִּי יְהוּדָה פָּתַח וְאָמַר): “The feet of His pious ones He guards…” (1 Samuel 2:9) (רַגְלֵי חֲסִידָיו יִשְׁמֹר וְגו׳). “His pious one” is written — one (חֲסִידוֹ כְּתִיב חַד)-this is Avraham (וְדָא אַבְרָהָם), whom Kudsha Berikh Hu guards constantly and never removes His guarding from him for eternity (דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא נָטִיר לֵיהּ תָּדִיר, וְלָא אַעֲדֵי נְטִירוּ מִנֵּיהּ לְעָלְמִין). And “His feet” this is his wife (וּמַה דְּאָמַר: רַגְלֵי, דָּא אִתְּתֵיהּ), for Kudsha Berikh Hu sent His Shekhinta with her and guarded her constantly (דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא שַׁדַּר שְׁכִינְתֵּיהּ עִמָּהּ, וְנָטַר לָהּ תָּדִיר). Another matter: “The feet of His pious ones He guards” (1 Samuel 2:9) (דָּבָר אַחֵר: רַגְלֵי חֲסִידָיו יִשְׁמֹר) one is this: Avraham, for Kudsha Berikh Hu went with him constantly so that no harm could touch him (חַד: דָּא אַבְרָהָם, דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא אָזִיל עִמֵּיהּ תָּדִיר, בְּגִין דְּלָא יֵיכְלוּן לְנָזְקָא לֵיהּ). “But the wicked in darkness shall be silenced”-these are the kings whom Kudsha Berikh Hu killed on that night when He pursued after them (וּרְשָׁעִים בַּחֹשֶׁךְ יִדָּמּוּ: אִלֵּין אִנּוּן מַלְכִין דַּקַּטֵּל קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא בְּהַהוּא לֵילְיָא דְּרָדַף בַּתְרַיְיהוּ). This is what is written: “In darkness they shall be silenced” this is the night that was bound in darkness, and He killed them (הֲדָא הוּא דִּכְתִיב: בַּחֹשֶׁךְ יִדָּמּוּ-דָּא לֵילְיָא דְּאִתְקַשַּׁר בַּחֲשׁוֹכָא, וְקָטַל לוֹן). And Avraham pursued, and the night killed them (וְאַבְרָהָם רָדִיף, וְלֵילְיָא קָטִיל לוֹן). This is what is written: “And he divided against them at night, he and his servants, and struck them” (Bereshit 14:15) (הֲדָא הוּא דִּכְתִיב: וַיֵּחָלֵק עֲלֵיהֶם לַיְלָה הוּא וַעֲבָדָיו וַיַּכֵּם). “He divided against them at night”-this is Kudsha Berikh Hu, who separated mercy from judgment in order to enact vengeance for Avraham (וַיֵּחָלֵק עֲלֵיהֶם לַיְלָה-דָּא קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא דְּפָלִיג רַחֲמֵי מִן דִּינָא בְּגִין לְמֶעְבַּד נוּקְמִין לְאַבְרָהָם), and therefore “the wicked in darkness shall be silenced” (וּבְגִין כָּךְ: וּרְשָׁעִים בַּחֹשֶׁךְ יִדָּמּוּ). “And he struck them” it should have said “they struck them” (וַיַּכֵּם-וַיַּכּוּם מִבָּעֵי לֵיהּ), but rather, this refers to Kudsha Berikh Hu (אֶלָּא: דָּא קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא). For “not by might shall man prevail” (1 Samuel 2:9) (כִּי לֹא בְּכֹחַ יִגְבַּר אִישׁ) for it was only he and Eliezer alone (דְּאִיהוּ וְאֱלִיעֶזֶר הֲווּ בִּלְחוֹדַיְיהוּ).

Rabbi Yitzchak said (רַבִּי יִצְחָק אָמַר): But haven’t we learned: in a place where danger is present, one must not rely on miracles? (וְהָא תָּנִינָן: בְּאֲתַר דְּנִזְקָא שְׁכִיחַ, לָא יִסְמֹךְ בַּר נָשׁ עַל נִיסָא). And there was no more dangerous place than this-that Avraham pursued after five kings to do battle with them (וְלָא הֲוָה אֲתַר דְּנִזְקָא אִשְׁתְּכַח כְּהַאי, דְּאַבְרָהָם אָזִיל בָּתַר חֲמִשָּׁה מַלְכִין לְמִרְדָּף בַּתְרַיְיהוּ וְלַאֲגָחָא קְרָבָא).

Rabbi Yehudah said (אָמַר רַבִּי יְהוּדָה): When Avraham went to this, it was not to wage war (כַּד אָזִיל אַבְרָהָם לְהַאי, לָא אֲזַל לַאֲגָחָא קְרָבָא), and he did not rely on a miracle (וְלָא סָמַךְ עַל נִיסָא), but the anguish of Lot drove him from his house (אֶלָּא צַעֲרָא דְלוֹט אַפְקֵיהּ מִבֵּיתֵיהּ), and he took wealth to redeem him (וְנָטִיל מָמוֹנָא לְמִפְרַק לֵיהּ), for if not for the image of himself in that captivity… (וְאִי לָאו דִּימוּת בַּהֲדֵיהּ גּוֹ שִׁבְיָהּ).

Once he went out, he saw the Shekhinta shining before him, and many hosts surrounding him (כֵּיוָן דְּנָפַק, חָמָא שְׁכִינְתָּא דְּנָהֲרָא קַמֵּיהּ, וְכַמָּה חֵילִין סָחֲרָנֵיהּ). At that moment, he pursued after them, and Kudsha Berikh Hu killed them (בְּהַהִיא שַׁעֲתָא רָדַף בַּתְרַיְיהוּ, וְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא קָטִיל לוֹן). This is what is written: “And the wicked in darkness shall be silenced” (הֲדָא הוּא דִּכְתִיב: וּרְשָׁעִים בַּחֹשֶׁךְ יִדָּמּוּ).

Rabbi Shim‘on said (רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן אָמַר): This is a secret-“The feet of His pious one He guards”-this is Avraham (רָזָא אִיהוּ: רַגְלֵי חֲסִידָו יִשְׁמֹר: דָּא אַבְרָהָם). And when he went out, Yitzchak was joined with him, and they fell before him (וְכַד נָפַק, אִשְׁתַּתַּף יִצְחָק בַּהֲדֵיהּ, וְנָפְלוּ קַמֵּיהּ). And if Yitzchak had not joined with Avraham, they would not have been defeated (וְאִי לָאו דְּאִשְׁתַּתַּף יִצְחָק בַּהֲדֵיהּ דְּאַבְרָהָם, לָא אִשְׁתֵּצִיאוּ). This is what is written: “And the wicked in darkness shall be silenced” (הֲדָא הוּא דִּכְתִיב: וּרְשָׁעִים בַּחֹשֶׁךְ יִדָּמּוּ), “For not by strength shall man prevail” (כִּי לֹא בְּכֹחַ יִגְבַּר אִישׁ). Even though dread is constantly found on the right side (אַף עַל גַּב דְּחֵילָא אִשְׁתְּכַּח תָּדִיר בְּיָמִינָא), if the left side were not present, they would not have fallen before him (אִי לָא הֲוָה בְּסִטְרָא דִּשְׂמָאלָא, לָא אִתְדַּחְיָין קַמֵּיהּ). Another matter (דָּבָר אַחֵר): “The feet of His pious ones He guards”-at the time when a person loves Kudsha Berikh Hu (בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְבַּר נָשׁ רָחִים לֵיהּ לְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא), Kudsha Berikh Hu loves him in all that he does and guards his paths (קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא רָחִים לֵיהּ בְּכָל מַה דְּאִיהוּ עָבִיד, וְנָטִיר אָרְחוֹי), as it is said: “Hashem will guard your going out and your coming in from now and forever” (Psalms 121:8) (כְּמָא דְאַתְּ אָמֵר: יְיָ יִשְׁמֹר צֵאתְךָ וּבוֹאֶךָ מֵעַתָּה וְעַד עוֹלָם).