Daf 60a (דַּף ס׳ ע״א)

Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי), Noach was seen from the day the world was created to be in the Ark as one unity (נֹחַ אִתְחַזֵּי מִיּוֹמָא דְּאִתְבְּרִי עָלְמָא לְמֶהֱוֵי בְּתֵיבָה בְּחִבּוּרָא חַד), and to enter into it (וּלְמֵיעַל בָּהּ). And until they were joined as one, the world was not properly established (וְעַד לָא אִתְחַבְּרוּ כְּחֲדָא לָא הֲוָה עָלְמָא כְּדְקָא יְאוּת). Afterwards, what is written? (לְבָתַר מַה כְּתִיב) (Bereishit 9): “And from these the whole earth was dispersed” (וּמֵאֵלֶּה נָפְצָה כָּל הָאָרֶץ). What is “was dispersed”? (מַהוּ נָפְצָה) As you say, (Bereishit 2) (כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר): “And from there it separated” (וּמִשָּׁם יִפָּרֵד). For from there emerged separation, and the offspring scattered in all directions (דְּמִתַּמָּן אִשְׁתְּכַח פִּרוּדָא וְאִתְבַּדָּרוּ תּוֹלְדוֹת לְכָל סִטְרִין), yet all is one according to a single likeness (וְכֹלָּא חַד כְּדוּגְמָא חָדָא). For this reason it is written: “These are the generations of Noach” (בְּגִינֵי כָךְ אֵלֶּה תּוֹלְדוֹת נֹחַ). These - truly (אֵלֶּה וַדַּאי), for he is the foundation of the world, who made offspring to sustain the earth (דְּהָא יְסוֹדָא דְעָלְמָא אִיהוּ דְּעָבִיד תּוֹלְדוֹת לְקָיְימָא בְּאַרְעָא). Rabbi Abba came and kissed him (אֲתָא רַבִּי אַבָּא וּנְשָׁקֵיהּ). He said: “A lion in his strength has pierced clay and broken it” (אָמַר: אַרְיָא בְּחֵילֵיהּ טִינָרָא נָקִיב וְתָבַר). So it truly is (כָּךְ הוּא וַדַּאי). And come and see - even from the measure of the ark it is also so (וְתָּא חֲזֵי, מִשִּׁיעוּרָא דְּתֵיבוּתָא אוּף נָמֵי הָכִי הוּא).

Rabbi El'azar opened (רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר פָּתַח): (Tehillim 46): “Come and see the works of Hashem, who has placed desolations in the earth” (לְכוּ חֲזוּ מִפְעֲלוֹת יְיָ אֲשֶׁר שָׂם שַׁמּוֹת בָּאָרֶץ). This verse - behold, it has already been discussed and established (הַאי קְרָא הָא אִתְּמָר וְאוּקְמוּהָ). But “Come and see” - what is “see”? (אֲבָל לְכוּ חֲזוּ, מַאי חֲזוּ) As you say (Yeshayahu 21) (כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר): “A harsh vision was told to me” (חָזוּת קָשֶׁה הוּגַד לִי). In the works of Kudsha Berikh Hu He acted, and a supernal prophecy was revealed to humankind (בְּעוֹבָדוֹי דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא עָבִיד, אִתְגְּלִי נְבוּאָה עִלָּאָה לִבְנֵי נָשָׁא). “Who has placed desolations” - these are surely names (אֲשֶׁר שָׂם שַׁמּוֹת - שֵׁמוֹת וַדַּאי), for a name causes all (דְּהָא שְׁמָא גָּרִים לְכֹלָּא).

It is written: “And he called his name Noach, saying: This one…” (כְּתִיב: וַיִּקְרָא אֶת שְׁמוֹ נֹחַ לֵאמֹר זֶה וְגו׳). Why here is it written “saying”? (אַמַּאי הָכָא: לֵאמֹר) And why “this one”? (וְאַמַּאי: זֶה) Rather - to say, this is the female (אֶלָּא: לֵאמֹר - דָּא אִתְּתָא); “this one” - this is the Tzaddik (זֶה - דָּא צַדִּיק). A hint: just as Kudsha Berikh Hu called him “Noach” - rest of the earth (רֶמֶז: כְּמוֹ דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא קָרָא לֵיהּ נֹחַ - נִיחָא דְּאַרְעָא). “Saying” - what is “saying”? (לֵאמֹר - מַאי לֵאמֹר) Rather, this place called him Noach (אֶלָּא: אֲתַר דָּא קָרֵי לֵיהּ נֹחַ). And who is this? The Holy Earth (וּמַאן אִיהוּ אַרְעָא קַדִּישָׁא). “Saying: This one will comfort us from our work…” (לֵאמֹר: זֶה יְנַחֲמֵנוּ מִמַּעֲשֵׂנוּ וְגו׳). Kudsha Berikh Hu made for below in the likeness of above (עָבִיד לֵיהּ קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לְתַתָּא כְּגוֹנָא עִלָּאָה). Some say: “this one” - this is the Tzaddik, and also Noach - “saying: Noach” - this is the Tzaddik; “saying” - this is the female, because one is not separated from the other (נ״א: זֶה - דָּא צַדִּיק. וְכֵן נֹחַ - לֵאמֹר: נֹחַ - דָּא צַדִּיק. לֵאמֹר - דָּא נוּקְבָא. בְּגִין דְּלָא מִתְפָּרְשָׁן דָּא מִן דָּא). Rabbi Yitzchak said: “Saying” - this is the Holy Earth (אָמַר רַבִּי יִצְחָק: לֵאמֹר - דָּא אַרְעָא קַדִּישָׁא). And this is true (וְזֶה אֱמֶת). It is written here: “This one will comfort us…” (כְּתִיב הָכָא: זֶה יְנַחֲמֵנוּ), and it is written there: “This is Hashem, for whom we hoped” (וּכְתִיב הָתָם : זֶה יְיָ קִוִּינוּ לוֹ). Blessed are the Righteous who are inscribed with the impression of the royal signet (זַכָּאִין אִנּוּן צַדִּיקַיָּא דִּרְשִׁימִין בִּרְשִׁימוּ דְּגוּשְׁפַּנְקָא דְּמַלְכָּא), to be called by His Name inscribed (לְמֶהֱוֵי בִּשְׁמֵיהּ רְשִׁימִין), and He establishes their names in the earth as is fitting (וְאִיהוּ שָׁוֵי שְׁמָהָן בְּאַרְעָא כְּדְקָא יְאוּת).

It is written: “And he called his name Noach” (כְּתִיב: וַיִּקְרָא אֶת שְׁמוֹ נֹחַ). And it is written p2-0(וּכְתִיב): “And he called his name Ya'akov” (וַיִּקְרָא שְׁמוֹ יַעֲקֹב). Why is it not written “et” there? (אַמַּאי לָא כְּתִיב אֶת) Rather, there it is one level (אֶלָּא הָתָם דַּרְגָּא אַחֲרָא) - some say: one (ד״א חַדָא), and here it is another level (וְהָכָא דַּרְגָּא אוֹחֲרָא). Some say: “et” - as you say: “And I saw et Hashem” (נ״א: אֶת, כַּמָּה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר: וָאֶרְאֶה אֶת יי). For it is not written “And I saw Hashem” but “et Hashem” (וָאֶרְאֶה יי לָא כְּתִיב, אֶלָּא: אֶת יי). So also here, with Noach, it is written: “And he called et his name Noach” (אוּף הָכָא בְּנֹחַ: וַיִּקְרָא אֶת שְׁמוֹ נֹחַ). But “And he called his name Ya'akov” is his [own] level (וַיִּקְרָא שְׁמוֹ יַעֲקֹב - דַּרְגָּא דִילֵיהּ). Kudsha Berikh Hu Himself called him Ya'akov (קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא מַמָּשׁ קָרָא לֵיהּ יַעֲקֹב). But here, “et” includes the Shekhinta (אֲבָל הָכָא: אֶת - לְאִתְכְּלָלָא שְׁכִינְתָּא). Some say: it is a different level below (נ״א: דְּהִיא דַּרְגָּא אַחֲרָא לְתַתָּא).

“These are the generations of Noach…” (אֵלֶּה תּוֹלְדוֹת נֹחַ וְגו׳). Rabbi Yehudah opened (רַבִּי יְהוּדָה פָּתַח): (Tehillim 112): “Good is the man who is gracious and lends; he will conduct his affairs with justice” (טוֹב אִישׁ חוֹנֵן וּמַלְוֶה, יְכַלְכֵּל דְּבָרָיו בְּמִשְׁפָּט). “Good is the man” - this is Kudsha Berikh Hu, who is called Good (טוֹב אִישׁ - דָּא קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא דְּאִקְרֵי טוֹב), as it is written: (Tehillim 145) (כְּמָה דִכְתִיב): “Hashem is good to all” (טוֹב יְיָ לַכֹּל). And it is written: (Shemot 15) (וּכְתִיב): “Hashem is a man of war” (יְיָ אִישׁ מִלְחָמָה). To this “all” He is gracious and lends (לְהַאי כֹּל חוֹנֵן וּמַלְוֶה), to the place that has nothing of its own (לְאֲתַר דְּלֵית לֵיהּ מִדִּילֵיהּ). And that place is nourished from Him (וְהַהוּא אֲתַר מִנֵּיהּ אִתְתְּזָן). “He will conduct his affairs with justice” - for that word is not sustained except through justice (יְכַלְכֵּל דְּבָרָיו בְּמִשְׁפָּט, דְּהָא הַהוּא דָּבָר לָא אִתְתְּזָן אֶלָּא בְּמִשְׁפָּט), as it is said: (Tehillim 89) (כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר): “Righteousness and justice are the foundation of Your throne” (צֶדֶק וּמִשְׁפָּט מְכוֹן כִּסְאֶךָ).

Another matter - “Good is the man” - this is the Tzaddik, as it is written (דָּבָר אַחֵר: טוֹב אִישׁ - דָּא צַדִּיק, דִּכְתִיב): (Yeshayahu 3): “Say to the Tzaddik that it is good, for the fruit of their deeds they shall eat” (אִמְרוּ צַדִּיק כִּי־טוֹב, כִּי־פְרִי מַעַלְלֵיהֶם יֹאכֵלוּ). Rabbi Yose said (רַבִּי יוֹסֵי אָמַר): this is Noach, as it is written: “Noach was a righteous man” (דָּא נֹחַ, דִּכְתִיב: נֹחַ אִישׁ צַדִּיק). Rabbi Yitzchak said (רַבִּי יִצְחָק אָמַר): this is the praise of Shabbat, which opens with Tov, as it is written (דָּא שְׁבָחָא דְּשַׁבָּת, דְּבֵיהּ פָּתַח טוֹב): (Tehillim 92): “It is good to give thanks to Hashem” (טוֹב לְהוֹדוֹת לַה׳).

Rabbi Ḥiyya said (רַבִּי חִיָּיא אָמַר): it is all one - they all spoke one word (כֹּלָּא חַד, וְכֻלְהוּ מִלָּה חָדָא אָמְרוּ). And this made offspring in the world (וְדָא עָבִיד תּוֹלְדוֹת בְּעָלְמָא). What are the offspring of the world? (תּוֹלְדוֹת דְּעָלְמָא מָאן אִנּוּן) These are the souls of the Righteous, who are the fruit of the deeds of Kudsha Berikh Hu (אִלֵּין נִשְׁמַתְהוֹן דְּצַדִּיקַיָּא, דְּאִנּוּן אִיבָּא דְּעוֹבָדוֹי דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא). Rabbi Shim‘on said (רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן אָמַר): at the moment when Kudsha Berikh Hu crowns Himself with His crown (בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא מִתְעַטֵּר בְּעִטְרוֹי), He crowns Himself from above and below (מִתְעַטֵּר מֵעֵילָא וּמִתַּתָּא): from above, from the place of the Depth of all (מֵעֵילָא - מֵאֲתַר דְּעֲמִיקָא דְּכֹלָּא); from below - with what? With the souls of the Righteous (מִתַּתָּא - בַּמֶּה בְּנִשְׁמַתְהוֹן דְּצַדִּיקַיָּא). Then life is added from above and below (כְּדֵין אִתּוֹסַף חַיִּים מֵעֵילָא וּמִתַּתָּא), and the place of holiness is completed from all sides (וְאִתְכְּלִיל אֲתַר מַקְדְּשָׁא מִכָּל סִטְרִין), and the well is filled, and the sea is perfected (וּבֵירָא אִתְמַלְיָיא, וְיַמָּא אִשְׁתְּלִים), and then He gives to all (וּכְדֵין יָהַב לְכֹלָּא).