Daf 61a (דַּף ס״א ע״א)

Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי), if a human had brought forth offspring from the Garden of Eden (אִלּוּ אַפִּיק אָדָם תּוֹלְדוֹת מִגִּנְתָּא דְעֵדֶן), they would not have ceased for generations of generations (לָא יִשְׁתֵּצוּן לְדָרֵי דָרִין). And the light of the moon would not have darkened forever (וְלָא אִתְחַשַּׁךְ נְהוֹרָא דְסִיהֲרָא לְעָלְמִין). And all of them would have remained forever (וְכֻלְהוּ הֲווּ קָיְימִין לְעָלְמִין). And even the supernal angels could not have stood before them (וְאֲפִילּוּ מַלְאֲכֵי עִלָּאִי לָא קָיְימֵי קָמַיְיהוּ) in light and radiance and wisdom (בִּנְהוֹרָא וְזִיוָא וְחָכְמְתָא). As you say: “In the image of Elohim He created him” (כְּמָא דְאַתְּ אָמֵר בְּצֶלֶם אֱלֹהִים בָּרָא אוֹתוֹ). But once he brought sin (אֲבָל כֵּיוָן דְּגָרִים חֶטְאָה), and he went out from the Garden of Eden (וְנָפַק אִיהוּ מִגִּנְתָּא דְעֵדֶן), and produced offspring outside (וְעֲבַד תּוֹלְדוֹת לְבַר), they did not endure in the world (לָא אִתְקָיְימוּ בְּעָלְמָא), and it was not as it should have been (וְלָא הֲוִי כְּדְקָא חָזֵי).

Rabbi Ḥizkiyah said (אָמַר רַבִּי חִזְקִיָּה), and how could they have produced offspring there (וְכֵי הֵיךְ יָכְלִין לְמֶעְבַּד תּוֹלְדוֹת תַּמָּן), for if the evil impulse had not been drawn upon him (דְּהָא אִלְּמָלֵא לָא אִתְמְשִׁיךְ עֲלֵיהּ יֵצֶר הָרָע), and he had not sinned (וְחָטָא), he would have endured in the world alone (אִתְקְיַּים אִיהוּ בְּעָלְמָא בִּלְחוֹדוֹי), and would not have made offspring (וְלָא יַעֲבִיד תּוֹלְדוֹת). In this manner: had Yisrael not sinned with the calf (כְּגַוְונָא דָא אִלְּמָלֵא דְּחָבוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּעֶגְלָא), and drawn upon themselves the evil impulse (וְאַמְשִׁיכוּ עֲלַיְיהוּ יֵצֶר הָרָע), they would not have produced offspring forever (לָא עֲבָדוּ תּוֹלְדוֹת לְעָלְמִין), and no other generations would have come into the world (וְלָא יֵיתוּן דָּרִין אָחֳרָנִין לְעָלְמָא).

He said to him (אָמַר לֵיהּ), had Adam not sinned (אִלְמָלֵא לֹא חָטָא אָדָם), he would not have produced offspring in this manner, from the side of the evil impulse (לָא עָבִיד תּוֹלְדוֹת כְּגַוְונָא דָא מִסִּטְרָא דְּיֵצֶר הָרָע). But he would have produced offspring from the side of the holy spirit (אֲבָל עָבִיד תּוֹלְדוֹת מִסִּטְרָא דְּרוּחָא קַדִּישָׁא). For now he produces offspring only from the side of the evil impulse (דְּהַשְׁתָּא לָא עָבִיד תּוֹלְדוֹת אֶלָּא מִסִּטְרָא דְּיֵצֶר הָרָע). And because all offspring of human beings come from the side of the evil impulse (וּבְגִין דְּכָל תּוֹלְדוֹת דִּבְנֵי נָשָׁא כֻּלְהוּ מִסִּטְרָא דְּיֵצֶר הָרָע), therefore they have no endurance (בְּגִין כָּךְ לֵית לוֹן קִיּוּם). And it is impossible for them to endure (וְאִי אֶפְשָׁר לוֹן לְאִתְקָיְימָא), for the Sitra achra is intermixed in them (דְּסִטְרָא אָחֳרָא אִתְעָרַב בְּהוּ). (some read: and it is possible for them from the Sitra achra) (ז״ח ל״ג ואפשר לון בסטרא אחרא). But had Adam not sinned and not been expelled from the Garden of Eden (אֲבָל אִלְּמָלֵא לֹא חָטָא אָדָם וְלָא אִתְתָּרַךְ מִגִּנְתָּא דְעֵדֶן), he would have produced offspring from the side of the holy spirit (הֲוָה עָבִיד תּוֹלְדוֹת מִסִּטְרָא דְּרוּחַ קוּדְשָׁא), holy like the supernal angels (דְּקַדִּישִׁין כְּמַלְאֲכֵי עִלָּאִין), who stand for generations of generations in the manner above (קָיְימִין לְדָרֵי דָרִין כְּגַוְונָא דִלְעֵילָא). Once he sinned and begot children outside the Garden of Eden (כֵיוָן דְּחָטָא וְאוֹלִיד בְּנִין לְבַר מִגִּנְתָּא דְעֵדֶן), and did not merit to bring them forth from the Garden (וְלָא זָכָה לְאַפָּקָא לוֹן מִגִּנְתָּא), they did not endure, not even to take root in this world (לָא אִתְקָיְימוּ אֲפִלּוּ לְאִשְׁתְּרָשָׁא בְּעָלְמָא דָא). Until Noach came, who was a Tzaddik (עַד דְּאָתָא נֹחַ דְּאִיהוּ צַדִּיק), and entered the Ark (וְעָאל בַּתֵּבָה). And from the Ark emerged all the generations of the world (וּמִן תֵּבָה נָפְקוּ כָּל דָּרִין דְּעָלְמָא). And from there they were scattered to all four directions of the world (וּמִתַּמָּן אִתְבַּדְּרוּ לְכָל אַרְבַּע רוּחֵי עָלְמָא). “And Elohim saw the earth, and behold it was corrupted” (וַיַּרְא אֱלֹהִים אֶת הָאָרֶץ וְהִנֵּה נִשְׁחָתָה). Why was it corrupted? (אַמַּאי נִשְׁחָתָה) Because all flesh had corrupted its way (בְּגִין כִּי הִשְׁחִית כָּל בָּשָׂר אֶת דַּרְכּוֹ), as it is said (כְּמָה דְּאִתְּמָר). Rabbi Ḥiyya opened the verse and said (רַבִּי חִיָּיא פָּתַח קְרָא וְאָמַר): “And Elohim saw their deeds, that they had turned from their evil way” (וַיַּרְא אֱלֹהִים אֶת מַעֲשֵׂיהֶם כִּי שָׁבוּ מִדַּרְכָּם הָרָעָה) (Yonah 3).

Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי), at the time when human beings are meritorious and guard the commandments of the Orayta (בְּשַׁעֲתָא דִּבְנֵי נָשָׁא זָכָאן וְנָטְרֵי פִּקּוּדֵי דְאוֹרַיִּיתָא), then the earth is strengthened (כְּדֵין אַרְעָא אִתְתַּקְפַת), and all joy is found within it (וְכָל חֵידוּ אִשְׁתַּכְּחַת בָּהּ). What is the reason? Because the Shekhinta rests upon the earth (מַאי טַעְמָא בְּגִין דִּשְׁכִינְתָּא שָׁרְיָא עַל אַרְעָא). And then all, above and below, are in joy (וּכְדֵין כֹּלָּא עִלָּאֵי וְתַתָּאֵי בְּחֶדְוָה). But when human beings corrupt their ways and do not guard the commandments of the Orayta (וְכַד בְּנֵי נָשָׁא מְחַבְּלָן אָרְחַיְיהוּ וְלָא נָטְרֵי פְּקוּדֵי אוֹרַיִּיתָא), and sin before their Master (וְחָטָאן קַמֵּי מָארִיהוֹן), then, as it were, they drive away the Shekhinta from the world (וּכְדֵין כִּבְיָכוֹל דַּחְיָין לָהּ לִשְׁכִינְתָּא מֵעָלְמָא), and the earth is left in destruction (וְאִשְׁתְּאָרַת אַרְעָא מְחַבְּלָא). For the Shekhinta is repelled and does not dwell upon it (דְּהָא שְׁכִינְתָּא אִתְדַּחְיָיא וְלָא שָׁרְיָא עֲלָהּ), and then it is corrupted (וּכְדֵין אִתְחַבְּלַת). What is the reason it is corrupted? Because another spirit rests upon it, one that destroys the world (מַאי טַעֲמָא אִתְחַבְּלַת. בְּגִין דְּשַׁרְיָא רוּחָא אָחֳרָא עֲלָהּ דִּמְחַבְּלָא עָלְמָא). And on this account we say that Yisrael gives strength to Elohim, for they sustain the world (וְעַל דָּא אַמְרִינָן דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל יָהֲבֵי עוֹז לֵאֱלֹהִים דִּמְקַיְּימִין עָלְמָא). Elohim - this is the Shekhinta (אֱלֹהִים דָּא שְׁכִינְתָּא). And if, Heaven forbid, Yisrael are found guilty (וְאִם חַס וְשָׁלוֹם אִי יִשְׂרָאֵל יִשְׁתַּכְּחוּ חַיָּיבִין), what is written? “Exalt Yourself above the heavens, Elohim…” (רוּמָה עַל הַשָּׁמַיִם אֱלֹהִים) (Tehillim 6), “for a net they prepared for my steps” (מִשּׁוּם דֶּרֶשֶׁת הֵכִינוּ לִפְעָמַי). My soul was bent down due to the burden of violence and baseless hatred (כָּפַף נַפְשִׁי בְּסִיבַּת חָמָס וְשִׂנְאַת חִנָּם). “They dug before me a pit…” (כָּרוּ לְפָנַי שׁוּחָה וְגו׳), in the manner of the generation of the flood (כְּגַוְונָא דְּדוֹר הַמַּבּוּל), for because of the violence that was between them (דִּבְגִין חָמָס דְּהֲוַת בֵּינֵיהוֹן), there was hatred and destruction among them (הֲוָה בֵּינֵיהוֹן שִׂנְאָה וּדְבָבוּ). It could be so even in the land of Yisrael (יָכוֹל אַף בְּאַרְעָא דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל כֵּן). But behold, we have learned: the land of Yisrael does not permit another spirit to dwell upon it (וְהָא תָּנִינָן אַרְעָא דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל לָא שַׁרְיָא עֲלָהּ רוּחָא אָחֳרָא), nor any appointee but Kudsha Berikh Hu alone (וְלָא מְמַנָּא אָחֳרָא בַּר קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא בִּלְחוֹדוֹי).

Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי), that the land of Yisrael is such that no appointee and no emissary rests upon it (דְּאַרְעָא דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל הָכִי הוּא דְּלָא שַׁרְיָא עֲלָהּ), but only Kudsha Berikh Hu Himself (מְמַנָּא וְלָא שְׁלִיחָא אָחֳרָא בַּר קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא בִּלְחוֹדוֹי). But at one moment it was permitted upon it to bring destruction to human beings (אֲבָל שַׁעֲתָא חָדָא שַׁרְיָא עֲלָהּ לְחַבְּלָא בְּנִי נָשָׁא). From where do we learn it? From David, as it is written (מְנָלָן מִדָּוִד דִּכְתִיב) “And David saw the angel of Hashem, and his sword drawn in his hand, stretched out over Yerushalayim…” (וַיַּרְא דָּוִד אֶת מַלְאַךְ יְיָ וְחַרְבּוֹ שְׁלוּפָה בְּיָדוֹ נְטוּיָה עַל יְרוּשָׁלַ֫יִם) (Divrei HaYamim I 21), and then the earth was corrupted (וּכְדֵין אִתְחַבָּלַת אַרְעָא).

Rabbi El'azar said (אָמַר רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר), even at that very moment, Kudsha Berikh Hu was there (אֲפִלּוּ בְּהַהִיא שַׁעֲתָא קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא הֲוָה). It is written here: “The angel of Hashem” (כְּתִיב הָכָא מַלְאַךְ יְיָ), and it is written there: “The angel who redeems me…” (וּכְתִיב הָתָם הַמַּלְאָךְ הַגֹּאֵל אֹתִי) (Bereishit 48), and it is written: “And the angel of the Elohim journeyed…” (וּכְתִיב וַיִּסַּע מַלְאַךְ הָאֱלֹהִים) (Shemot 14). Whether for good or for harm, Kudsha Berikh Hu rules over it (הֵן לְטַב וְהֵן לְבִישׁ קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא שַׁלִּיט עֲלָהּ). For good - because it was not given under the authority of other appointees (לְטַב בְּגִין דְּלָא אִתְמַסְּרָא תְּחוֹת שְׁאָר מְמַנָּן), and all the inhabitants of the world yearn for His deeds (וְכָל דַּיְירֵי עָלְמָא יִכְסְפוּן מִן עוֹבָדַיְיהוּ). For harm - because those [appointees] were not authorized to rule over it (לְבִישׁ בְּגִין דְּלָא יֶחֱדוּן אִנּוּן לְשַׁלְטָאָה עֲלָהּ). And if you say (וְאִי תֵּימָא), “But is it not written…” (וְהָא כְּתִיב), “For she saw the nations enter her sanctuary…” (כִּי רָאֲתָה גוֹיִם בָּאוּ מִקְדָשָׁהּ) (Eikhah 1), and “they destroyed the House,” and “if not that they had dominion, the Temple would not have been destroyed” (וְחָרִיבוּ בֵּיתָא וְאִי לָאו שָׁלְטִין אִנּוּן מְמַנָּן לָא אִתְחָרַב מַקְדְּשָׁא).

Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי), it is written: “For You have done it…” (כִּי אַתָּה עָשִׂיתָ), and it is written: “Hashem has done what He planned” (וּכְתִיב עָשָׂה יְיָ אֵת אֲשֶׁר זָמָם). Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי), it is written: “And Elohim saw the earth, and behold it was corrupted” (וַיַּרְא אֱלֹהִים אֶת הָאָרֶץ וְהִנֵּה נִשְׁחָתָה) (Bereishit 6). Corrupted indeed - just as it is said (נִשְׁחָתָה וַדַּאי כְּמָה דְּאִתְּמַר). So too it is written: “And Elohim saw their deeds, that they turned from their evil way” (הָכִי נָמֵי וַיַּרְא אֱלֹהִים אֶת מַעֲשֵׂיהֶם כִּי שָׁבוּ מִדַּרְכָּם הָרָעָה) (Yonah 3). For then the earth lifted herself above and ascended upward, refining her face (דְּהָא כְּדֵין אַרְעָא קָרָאת לְעֵילָא וְסָלְקָא בִּסְלִיקוּ עִלָּאָה וּמְקַשְׁטָא אַנְפָּהָא), like a female who adorns herself before the male (כְּנוּקְבָא דִּמְקַשְׁטָא לְגַבֵּי דְּכוּרָא). So too is the earth (הָכִי נָמֵי אַרְעָא), for she raises worthy children for the King (דְּהָא גְּדִילַת בְּנִין זַכָּאִין לְמַלְכָּא).