Daf 60b (דַּף ס׳ ע״ב)

It is written, (Mishlei 5 (כְּתִיב): “Drink water from your cistern, and flowing from within your well” (שְׁתֵה מַיִם מִבּוֹרְךָ וְנוֹזְלִים מִתּוֹךְ בְּאֵרְךָ). Why here does it first say “cistern” and afterward “well”? (אַמַּאי בּוֹרְךָ בְּקַדְמִיתָא וּלְבָתַר בְּאֵרְךָ) For a bor (pit) is only called so when it is empty and not flowing (דְּהָא בּוֹר לָא אִקְרֵי אֶלָּא רֵיקַנְיָא דְּלָא נְבִיעַ); a be’er (well) is flowing water (בְּאֵר מַיִין דְּנָבְעִין). Rather, it is all one place (אֶלָּא כֹּלָא אֲתַר חַד הוּא). But the place where the poor - some say: poverty - cling is called a pit (אֶלָּא אֲתַר דְּמִסְכְּנֵי [נ״א: דְּמִסְכְּנוּתָא] אֲחִידָן בֵּיהּ אִקְרֵי בּוֹר), for it has nothing of its own except what is given into it (דְּלֵית לֵיהּ מִדִּילֵיהּ אֶלָּא מַה דְּיַהֲבִין בְּגַוֵּיהּ). And who is this? The letter Dalet (וּמַאן אִיהוּ דַּלֵ״ת). Afterwards it becomes a be’er (well), which is flowing and full (לְבָתַר אִתְעֲבִיד בְּאֵר דְּאִיהוּ נְבִיעַ וּמַלְיָא), some say: filled (ד״א: דְּמַלְיָא) from all sides (מִכָּל סִטְרִין). And who is this? The letter Heh (וּמַאן אִיהוּ הֵ״א), which is filled from above and flows from below (אִתְמַלְיָיא מֵעֵילָא וּנְבִיעַ מִתַּתָּא). It is filled from above - as we have said (אִתְמַלְיָיא מֵעֵילָא כְּמָה דְאֲמָרָן), and flows from below - from the souls of the Righteous (וּנְבִיעַ מִתַּתָּא מִנִּשְׁמַתְהוֹן דְּצַדִּיקַיָּא).

Another matter: “Drink water from your cistern” - this is King David (דָּבָר אַחֵר: שְׁתֵה מַיִם מִבּוֹרְךָ, דָּא דָּוִד מַלְכָּא), as it is written of him (II Shmuel 23) (דִּכְתִיב בֵּיהּ): “Who will give me to drink water from the well of Beit Leḥem?” (מִי יַשְׁקֵנִי מַיִם מִבּוֹר בֵּית לֶחֶם). There is one who says (אִית מָאן דְּיֵימַר): “And flowing” - this is Yitzchak (וְנוֹזְלִים - דָּא יִצְחָק); “from within” - this is Moshe, who is in the middle (מִתּוֹךְ - דָּא מֹשֶׁה דְּאִיהוּ בְּאֶמְצָעִיתָא); “your well” - this is Aharon, who is called a well of living waters (בְּאֵרְךָ - דָּא אַהֲרֹן דְּאִתְקְרֵי בְּאֵר מַיִם חַיִּים); and King David who is joined with them (וְדָּוִד מַלְכָּא דְּאִתְחַבַּר עִמְהוֹן). “And flowing” - this is Avraham (וְנוֹזְלִים - דָּא אַבְרָהָם); “from within” - this is Ya'akov, who is in the center (מִתּוֹךְ - דָּא יַעֲקֹב דְּאִיהוּ בְּאֶמְצָעִיתָא); “your well” - this is Yitzchak, who is called a well of living waters (בְּאֵרְךָ - דָּא יִצְחָק דְּאִקְרֵי בְּאֵר מַיִם חַיִּים). So in this verse is found the supernal holy chariot from the Patriarchs (הָא בְּהַאי קְרָא אִשְׁתְּכַח רְתִיכָא קַדִּישָׁא עִלָּאָה מֵאֲבָהָן), and King David is joined with them (וְדָוִד מַלְכָּא אִתְחַבַּר עִמְהוֹן). The yearning of the female toward the Male is only when a spirit enters into her (תִּיאוּבְתָּא דְּנוּקְבָא לְגַבֵּי דְּכוּרָא לָאו אִיהוּ אֶלָּא כַּד עֲיִּיל רוּחָא בָהּ), and she casts forth water to receive the upper male waters (וְאַשְׁדַּת מַיָּיא לְקִבְלָא מַיִּין עִלָּאִין דְּכוּרִין). So too, Knesset Yisrael is not aroused with yearning toward Kudsha Berikh Hu except with the spirit of the Righteous who enter into her (כָּךְ כְּנֶסֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל לָא אִתְעָרַת תִּיאוּבְתָּא לְגַבֵּי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא אֶלָּא בְּרוּחָא דְּצַדִּיקַיָּא דְּעָאלִין בְּגַוָּוהּ). And then waters flow from within her to receive the waters of the male (וּכְדֵין נָבְעִין מַיָּיא מִגַּוָּוהּ לְקִבְלָא מַיִּין דִּדְכוּרָא), and all becomes one yearning (וְכֹלָּא אִתְעֲבִיד תִּיאוּבְתָּא חָדָא) Some say: and one community (ס״א: וְצִבּוּרָא חָדָא), one bundle, and one binding (וּצְרוֹרָא חָדָא, וְקִשּׁוּרָא חָדָא). And this is the desire of all (וְדָא הוּא רַעֲוָא דְּכֹלָּא), and the delight in which Kudsha Berikh Hu delights in the souls of the Righteous (וְטִיּוּלָא דִּמְטַיֵּיל קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא בְּנִשְׁמַתְהוֹן דְּצַדִּיקַיָּיא).

Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי), all those offspring of the Garden of Eden do not emerge except from the Tzaddik (כָּל אִנּוּן תּוֹלְדוֹת דְּגִנְתָּא דְעֵדֶן לָא נָפְקִין מִצַּדִּיק), but only when he enters into this Ark in a single union (אֶלָּא כַּד עֲיִּיל בְּהַאי תֵּיבָה בְּחִבּוּרָא חָדָא), and all things are concealed within it (וְכֹלָּא גְּנִיזִין בָּהּ), and afterward emerge from it (וּלְבָתַר מִינָהּ נָפְקִין). So too here, Noach the Ish Tzaddik did not produce offspring to be fruitful in the world until he entered the Ark (אוּף הָכָא נֹחַ אִישׁ צַדִּיק לָא אַפִּיק תּוֹלְדוֹת לְמִפְרֵי בְּעָלְמָא עַד דְּעָאל לַתֵּיבָה), and all was gathered into it (וְאִתְכְּנַשׁ כֹּלָּא בָּהּ), and they were concealed in it (וְהֲווּ גְנִיזִין בָּהּ), and afterward they emerged from it to be fruitful in the world and to be established in the earth (וּלְבָתַר מִנָּהּ נָפְקוּ לְמִפְרֵי בְּעָלְמָא וּלְאִתְקָיְימָא בְּאַרְעָא). And were it not that they came out from within the Ark, they would not have been sustained in the world (וְאִלְמָלֵא דְּנָפְקוּ מִגּוֹ תֵּיבָה לָא אִתְקַיְּימוּ בְּעָלְמָא). And all this is in likeness of above (וְכֹלָּא כְּגַוְונָא דִלְעֵילָא): from within the Ark emerge above (מִגּוֹ תֵּיבָה נָפְקֵי לְעֵילָא), and from within the Ark emerge below (מִגּוֹ תֵּיבָה נָפְקֵי לְתַתָּא) - this corresponding to that (דָּא כְּגַוְונָא דָּא). And here the world was sustained - and not from before this (וְהָכָא אִתְקְיַּים עָלְמָא וְלָא מִקַּדְמַת דְּנָא). For this reason it is written: “And flowing from within your well” (דִּבְגִינֵי כָךְ כְּתִיב: וְנוֹזְלִים מִתּוֹךְ בְּאֵרְךָ). And it is written: “And Noach begot three sons” (וּכְתִיב: וַיּוֹלֶד נֹחַ שְׁלשָׁה בָנִים).

“And the earth was corrupted before the Elohim” (וַתִּשָּׁחֵת הָאָרֶץ לִפְנֵי הָאֱלֹהִים). Rabbi Yehudah said (אָמַר רַבִּי יְהוּדָה): since it is written “the earth was corrupted,” why [add] “before the Elohim”? (כֵּיוָן דִּכְתִיב: וַתִּשָּׁחֵת הָאָרֶץ, אַמַּאי: לִפְנֵי הָאֱלֹהִים) Rather, because they committed their sins openly before the eyes of all (אֶלָּא כֵּיוָן דְּעֲבָדוּ חוֹבֵיהוֹן בְּאִתְגַּלְּיָא לְעֵינֵיהוֹן דְּכֹלָּא), therefore it is written: “before the Elohim” (כְּדֵין: לִפְנֵי הָאֱלֹהִים כְּתִיב).

Rabbi Yose said (רַבִּי יוֹסֵי אָמַר): I say the reverse (אֲנָא אִפְכָא אֲמָרִית): “The earth was corrupted before the Elohim” - at first, it was before the Elohim [alone], for they did not commit their deeds publicly (וַתִּשָּׁחֵת הָאָרֶץ לִפְנֵי הָאֱלֹהִים - בְּקַדְמִיתָא: לִפְנֵי הָאֱלֹהִים, דְּלָא הֲווּ עָבְדֵי בְּאִתְגַּלְּיָיא), they acted before the Elohim and not before human beings (לִפְנֵי הָאֱלֹהִים עֲבָדוּ, וְלָא לִפְנֵי בְּנֵי נְשָׁא). But in the end, they did everything openly (וּלְבַסוֹף עֲבָדוּ בְּאִתְגַּלְּיָא). This is what is written: “And the earth was filled with violence” (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב: וַתִּמָּלֵא הָאָרֶץ חָמָס), for there was no place on earth where it was not openly done (דְּלָא הֲוָה אֲתַר בְּכָל אַרְעָא דְּלָא הֲוָה בְּאִתְגַּלְּיָא). And therefore the verse speaks in two modes (וּבְגִין כָּךְ בִּתְרֵי גַּוְונֵי אָמַר קְרָא).

“These are the generations of Noach” (אֵלֶּה תּוֹלְדוֹת נֹחַ). Rabbi Abba said (רַבִּי אַבָּא אָמַר): From the day that Adam transgressed the command of his Master (מִיּוֹמָא דְּעֲבַר אָדָם עַל פְּקוּדָא דְּמָרֵיהּ), all people born after that were called “sons of Adam” (כָּל בְּנֵי עָלְמָא דְּאִתְיַלִּידוּ לְבָתַר אִקְרוּן בְּנֵי הָאָדָם), and they were not called that as praise (וְלָא לִשְׁבָחָא אִקְרוּן הָכִי), but as one would say: the offspring of he who transgressed the command of his Master (אֶלָּא כְּמַאן דְּאָמַר: בְּנוֹי דְּהַהוּא דְּעֲבַר עַל פְּקוּדָא דְמָרֵיהּ). Once Noach came (כֵּיוָן דְּאָתָא נֹחַ), the people of the world were called by his name (אִקְרוּן בְּנֵי עָלְמָא עַל שְׁמֵיהּ דְּנֹחַ). offspring of Noach - for praise (תּוֹלְדוֹת נֹחַ לְשִׁבְחָא), for they endure in the world (דְּקָאִים לוֹן בְּעָלְמָא), and not the offspring of Adam, who caused them to be removed from the world and brought death to all (וְלָא תּוֹלְדוֹת דְּאָדָם דְּאַעֲבוּר לוֹן מֵעָלְמָא וְגָרִים מוֹתָא לְכֻלְהוּ).

Rabbi Yose said to him (אָמַר לֵיהּ רַבִּי יוֹסֵי): If so, behold, it is written later: “And Hashem descended to see the city and the tower that the sons of Adam built” (אִי הָכִי, הָא כְּתִיב לְבָתַר: וַיֵּרֶד יְיָ לִרְאוֹת אֶת הָעִיר וְאֶת הַמִּגְדָּל אֲשֶׁר בָּנוּ בְּנֵי הָאָדָם). It is written Benei haAdam, and not Benei Noach (בְּנֵי הָאָדָם כְּתִיב, וְלָא כְּתִיב בְּנֵי נֹחַ). He said to him (אָמַר לֵיהּ): Because Adam sinned (Some say: the sin) before his Master (בְּגִין דְּאָדָם דְּחַטָּ [ד״א: חֵטְא] קַמֵּי מָרֵיהּ), it would have been better for him not to have been created, and not that this verse be written concerning him (טַב לֵיהּ דְּלָא אִבְרֵי וְלָא יִכְתּוֹב עֲלֵיהּ הַאי קְרָא). Rather, come and see (אֶלָּא תָּא חֲזֵי): it is written (Mishlei 10) (כְּתִיב): “A wise son makes his father glad” (בֵּן חָכָם יְשַׂמַּח אָב). When a son is good, all people remember his father for good (כַּד בְּרָא טַב, כָּל בְּנֵי עָלְמָא דָּכְרִין לֵיהּ לְאֲבוֹי לְטַב); and when he is wicked, all remember his father for evil (וְכַד אִיהוּ בִּישׁ, כֹּלָּא דָּכְרִין לֵיהּ לְאֲבוֹי לְבִישׁ). Adam, because he sinned and transgressed the command of his Master (אָדָם בְּגִין דְּחָטָא וְעָבַר עַל פְּקוּדָא דְּמָרֵיהּ), when those came who rebelled against their Master (כַּד אָתוּ אִנּוּן דְּמָרְדוּ בְּמָרֵיהוֹן), what is written? “Which the sons of Adam built” - the offspring (מַה כְּתִיב אֲשֶׁר בָּנוּ בְּנֵי הָאָדָם - בְּנוֹי), the offspring of Adam Kadma’ah who rebelled against his Master and transgressed His command (דְּאָדָם קַדְמָאָה דְּמָרַד בְּמָרֵיהּ וְעֲבַר עַל פְּקוּדֵיהּ). And for this reason (וּבְגִינֵי כָךְ): “These are the generations of Noach” - these and not the former ones (אֵלֶּה תּוֹלְדוֹת נֹחַ - אֵלֶּה וְלָא קַדְמָאֵי), these who went into and came out of the Ark (אֵלֶּה דְּנָפְקוּ וְעָאלוּ גּוֹ תֵּיבָה), and brought forth generations for the world (וְאַפִּיקוּ תּוֹלְדִין לְעָלְמִין), and not the offspring of Adam who left the Garden of Eden and did not bring them out from there (וְלָא תּוֹלְדוֹת אָדָם דְּנָפַק מִגִּנְתָּא דְעֵדֶן וְלָא אַפִּיק לוֹן מִתַּמָּן).