Daf 61b (דַּף ס״א ע״ב)

And here, where the generation of the flood did not repent (וְהָכָא דְּלָא תָבוּ דָרָא דְּטוֹפָנָא), what is written? “And Elohim saw the earth and behold, it was corrupted…” (מַה כְּתִיב וַיַּרְא אֱלֹהִים אֶת הָאָרֶץ וְהִנֵּה נִשְׁחָתָה וְגו׳) (Bereishit 6), like a woman who has become defiled and conceals her face from her husband (כְּאִתְּתָא דְּאִסְתָּאֲבַת וְאַסְתִּירַת אַנְפָּהָא מִבַּעֲלָהּ). And at the time when the sins of human beings increase publicly (וּבְזִמְנָא דְּאַסְגִיאוּ חוֹבֵי בְּנִי נָשָׁא בְּאִתְגַּלְּיָא), the earth displays her face (אַרְעָא שַׁוִּיתָא אַנְפָּהָא), like a female who has no shame whatsoever (כְּנוּקְבָא דְּלֵית לָהּ כִּסּוּפָא מִכֹּלָּא), as you say: “And the earth is polluted beneath its inhabitants” (כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר: וְהָאָרֶץ חָנְפָה תַּחַת יוֹשְׁבֶיהָ) (Yeshayahu 22). And concerning this: “And He saw that it was corrupted” - indeed (וְעַל דָּא וַיַּרְא כִּי נִשְׁחָתָה וַדַּאי). What is the reason? Because “all flesh had corrupted its way upon the earth” (מַאי טַעֲמָא בְּגִין כִּי הִשְׁחִית כָּל בָּשָׂר אֶת דַּרְכּוֹ עַל הָאָרֶץ) (Bereishit 6).

Rabbi El'azar went to Rabbi Yosei son of Rabbi Shim'on ben Lakonya, his father-in-law (רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר אֲזַל לְגַבֵּיהּ דְּרַבִּי יוֹסֵי בְּרַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן לָקוֹנְיָא חָמוֹי). When he saw him, he prepared for him a cushion (כֵּיוָן דְּחָמָא לֵיהּ אַתְקִין לֵיהּ תּוּפְסִיתָא), some say: Tufsisisa (נ״א: טוּפְסִיסָא), of priestly leather in a bark covering (דְּקוּמְרָא בְּמָטוּן דְּקוּלְפָא), and they sat (וִיתִיבוּ). His father-in-law said to him (אָמַר לֵיהּ חָמוֹי): Is it possible that you heard from your father this verse: “Hashem has done what He devised; He tore His word which He commanded from days of old” (אֶפְשָׁר דְּשָׁמַעְתְּ מֵאָבוּךְ הַאי דִכְתִיב: עָשָׂה יְיָ אֲשֶׁר זָמַם בִּצַּע אֶמְרָתוֹ אֲשֶׁר צִוָּה מִימֵי קֶדֶם) (Eikhah 2).

He said to him (אָמַר לֵיהּ): Behold, the friends have already established this (הָא אוּקְמוּהָ חַבְרַיָא). “He tore His word” (בִּצַּע אֶמְרָתוֹ), that He tore His royal cloak (דְּבָזַע פּוֹרְפִּירָא דִּילֵיהּ). “Which He commanded from days of old” (אֲשֶׁר צִוָּה מִימֵי קֶדֶם), for this royal cloak was entrusted from those supernal primordial days (דְּהָא פּוֹרְפִּירָא פָּקִיד לָהּ מֵאִנּוּן יוֹמֵי קַדְמָאֵי עִלָּאֵי), and on the day the Temple was destroyed, it was torn (וּבְיוֹמָא דְּאִתְחָרִיב בֵּי מַקְדְּשָׁא בָּזַע לָהּ). For this royal cloak is His glory and His Tikkun, and He tore it (בְּגִין דְּהַאי פּוֹרְפִּירָא אִיהִי יְקָרָא דִילֵיהּ וְתִיקּוּנָא דִילֵיהּ וּבָזַע לֵיהּ).

He said to him (אָמַר לֵיהּ): “Hashem has done what He devised” (עָשָׂה יְיָ אֲשֶׁר זָמַם). And is it the way of a king to plan punishment for his children before they sin? (וְכִי מַלְכָּא חָשִׁיב לְאַבְאָשָׁא לִבְנוֹי עַד לָא יֵיתוּן לְמֶחְטֵי). He said to him (אָמַר לֵיהּ): A king who had a precious vessel (לְמַלְכָּא דְּהֲוָה לֵיהּ מָאן יְקָר), and every day he feared it would be broken (וּבְכָל יוֹמָא הֲוָה דָּחִיל עֲלֵיהּ דְּלָא יִתְבַּר), and he would look at it and inspect it carefully (וְהֲוָה מִסְתַּכֵּל בֵּיהּ וְתַקִּין בְּעֵינוֹי). In time, his son came and angered the king (לְיוֹמִין אֲתָא בְּרֵיהּ וְאַרְגִּיז לֵיהּ לְמַלְכָּא), and the king took that precious vessel and broke it (נְטַל מַלְכָּא הַהוּא מָאן יְקָר וּתְבַר לֵיהּ). This is what is written: “Hashem has done what He devised” (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב: עָשָׂה יְיָ אֲשֶׁר זָמַם).

Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי), from the day the Temple was built (מִן יוֹמָא דְּאִתְבְּנֵי בֵּי מַקְדְּשָׁא), Kudsha Berikh Hu would gaze upon it (הֲוָה קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא מִסְתַּכֵּל בֵּיהּ), and it was exceedingly beloved to Him (וְחֲבִיב עֲלֵיהּ סַגֵּי), and He feared for Yisrael lest they sin and the Temple be destroyed (וְהֲוָה דָּחִיל עֲלַיְיהוּ דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל דְּיֶחטוּן וִיחָרֵב בֵּי מַקְדְּשָׁא). And thus, every time He came toward the Temple (וְכֵן בְּכָל זִמְנָא דְּהֲוָה אָתֵי לְגַבֵּי בֵּי מַקְדְּשָׁא), He would wear that royal cloak (הֲוָה לָבִישׁ הַהוּא פּוֹרְפִּירָא). After the sins accumulated and provoked the King (לְבָתַר דְּגָרְמוּ חוֹבִין וְאַרְגִּיזוּ קַמֵּי מַלְכָּא), the Temple was destroyed and that purple garment was torn (אִתְחָרַב בֵּי מַקְדְּשָׁא וּבָזַע הַהוּא פּוֹרְפִּירָא), some say: that purple garment was torn and the Temple was destroyed (ד״א: גְּרִיס הַהוּא פּוֹרְפִּירָא וְאִתְחָרֵב בֵּי מַקְדְּשָׁא). This is what is written: “Hashem has done what He devised” (הַיְנוּ דִכְתִיב: עָשָׂה יְיָ אֲשֶׁר זָמַם) (Eikhah 2).

“He tore His word…” (בִּצַּע אִמְרָתוֹ וְגו׳), this “His word” at first sat at the head of His utterance (הַאי אִמְרָתוֹ בְּקַדְמִיתָא יָתְבָא בְּרֵאשׁ אֲמִיר), and behold, it was crowned with a crown upon its head and was a beautiful tree before Him (וְהָא אִתְעַטְּרוּ עַטְרָא לְרֵישָׁא וְאִילָן נָאָה לְפָנָיו). And it truly is from days of old (וְאִיהִי מִימֵי קֶדֶם וַדַּאי). And then He was saddened before them in the outer courts (וְכַדֵּין עֲצִיבוּ קֳמֵיהּ בְּבָתֵּי בְּרָאֵי וַדַּאי), as it is said: “The angels cried out outside” (וְהֵן: אֲרֵאֵלִים צָעֲקוּ חוּצָה) (Yeshayahu 33), and: “Hashem, Lord of Hosts, called on that day…” (וַיִּקְרָא יְיָ צְבָאוֹת בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא וְגו׳) (Yeshayahu 22). That refers to the time when the Temple was destroyed (הַיְנוּ בְּזִמְנָא דְּאִתְחָרִיב בֵּי מַקְדְּשָׁא). But at another time (אֲבָל בְּזִמְנָא אֳחָרָא), there is no joy before Kudsha Berikh Hu (לֵית חֶדְוָה קַמֵּי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא) like the time when the wicked of the world are destroyed (כְּזִמְנָא דְּאִתְאַבִּידוּ חַיָּיבֵי עָלְמָא), those who provoked Him (וְאִנּוּן דְּאַרְגִּיזוּ קַמֵּיהּ). This is what is written: “When the wicked perish, there is joyful song” (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב: וּבַאֲבוֹד רְשָׁעִים רִנָּה) (Mishlei 11). And so too in every generation wherein He executes judgment upon the wicked of the world (וְכֵן בְּכָל דָּרָא וְדָרָא דְּעָבִיד דִּינָא בְּחַיָּיבֵי עָלְמָא), there is joy and praise before Kudsha Berikh Hu (חֶדְוָה וּתְשׁוּבְחָתָא קַמֵּי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא). And if you say (וְאִי תֵימָא), have we not learned that there is no joy before Kudsha Berikh Hu when He executes judgment on the guilty? (הָא תָּנִינָן דְּלֵית חֶדְוָה קַמֵּי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא כַּד אִיהוּ עָבִיד דִּינָא בְּחַיָּיבַיָא). Rather, come and see (אֶלָּא תָּא חֲזֵי), at the time when judgment is executed on the guilty (בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְּאִתְעֲבִיד דִּינָא בְּחַיָּיבַיָא), there is joy and praise before Him because they were removed from the world (חֶדְוָון וְתוּשְׁבְּחָן קַמֵּיהּ עַל דְּאִתְאֲבִידוּ מֵעָלְמָא). And these words apply when that time arrives (וְהָנֵּי מִילֵי כַּד מָטָא הַהוּא זִמְנָא), when they were given time and did not return to Him from their sins (דְּאוֹרִיךְ לוֹן וְלָא תָאבָן לְגַבֵּיהּ מֵחוֹבַיְיהוּ). But if judgment was executed on them before their time arrived (אֲבָל אִי אִתְעֲבִיד בְּהוּ דִּינָא עַד לָא מָטָא זִמְנַיְיהוּ), and before their sins were completed (וְעַד דְּלָא אִשְׁתַּלֵּם חוֹבַיְיהוּ), as it is said: “For the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet full” (כְּמָה דְּאַתְּ אָמֵר: כִּי לֹא שָׁלֵם עֲוֹן הָאֱמוֹרִי עַד הֵנָּה) (Bereishit 15), then there is no joy before Him and it is bitter before Him that they were destroyed (כְּדֵין לֵית חֶדְוָה קַמֵיהּ וּבָאִישׁ קַמֵּיהּ עַל דְּאִתְאֲבִידוּ). And if you say (וְאִי תֵימָא), if their time had not yet come, why did He execute judgment upon them? (אִיהוּ עַד לָא מָטוּ זִמְנַיְיהוּ אַמַּאי עָבִיד בְּהוּ דִּינָא). Rather, they brought evil upon themselves (אֶלָּא אִנּוּן גָּרְמִין בִּישָׁא לְגַרְמַיְיהוּ). For Kudsha Berikh Hu does not execute judgment upon them until their time has arrived (דְּהָא קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לָא עָבִיד בְּהוּ דִּינָא עַד לָא מָטָא זִמְנַיְיהוּ). But because they join with Yisrael’s enemies to oppress them (אֶלָּא בְּגִין דְּמִשְׁתַּתְּפֵי בַּהֲדַיְיהוּ דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל לְאַבְאָשָׁא לוֹן), therefore He executes judgment on them and removes them from the world before their time (וּבְגִין כָּךְ עָבִיד בְּהוּ דִּינָא וְאוֹבִיד לוֹן מֵעָלְמָא בְּלָא זִמְנָא). And this is what is bitter before Him (וְדָא הוּא דְּאַבְאִישׁ קַמֵּיהּ). And for this reason He drowned the Egyptians in the sea (וּבְגִין כָּךְ אַטְבַּע מִצְרָאֵי בְּיַמָּא), and destroyed the enemies of Yisrael in the days of Yehoshafat (וְאוֹבִיד שַׂנְאֵיהוֹן דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל בִּימֵי יְהוֹשָׁפָט). And so too all of them (וְכֵן כֻּלְהוּ). For on account of Yisrael they were destroyed before their time (דְּהָא בְּגִינֵיהוֹן דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל אִתְאֲבִידוּ בְּלָא זִמְנָא). But when the allotted time was completed, and they were given opportunity yet did not repent (אֲבָל כַּד אִשְׁתְּלִים זִמְנָא דְּאוֹרִיךְ לוֹן וְלָא תָבוּ), then there is joy and praise before Him because they were removed from the world (כְּדֵין חֶדְוָה וְתוּשְׁבַּחְתָּא קַמֵּיהּ עַל דְּאִתְאֲבִידוּ מֵעָלְמָא). Except at the time when the Temple was destroyed (בַּר בְּזִמְנָא דְּאִתְחָרִיב בֵּי מַקְדְּשָׁא), for even though their allotted time had been completed and they had provoked before Him (דְּאַף עַל גַּב דְּאִשְׁתְּלִים זִמְנָא דִּלְהוֹן דְּאַרְגִּיזוּ קַמֵּיהּ), there was no joy before Him (לָא הֲוָה חֶדְוָה קַמֵּיהּ). And from that moment there has been no joy above or below (וּמֵהַהוּא זִמְנָא לָא הֲוָה חֶדְוָה לְעֵילָא וְתַתָּא).

“For in yet seven days, I will cause it to rain upon the earth forty days and forty nights…” (כִּי לְיָמִים עוֹד שִׁבְעָה אָנֹכִי מַמְטִיר עַל הָאָרֶץ אַרְבָּעִים יוֹם וְאַרְבָּעִים לָיְלָה וְגו׳) (Bereishit 7). Rabbi Yehudah said (רַבִּי יְהוּדָה אָמַר): These forty days and forty nights - what is their function? (הָנִי אַרְבָּעִים יוֹם וְאַרְבָּעִים לָיְלָה מַאי עֲבִידְתַּיְיהוּ). Rather, forty days were to strike the wicked of the world (אֶלָּא אַרְבָּעִים יוֹם לְאַלְקָאָה חַיָּיבֵי עָלְמָא), and it is written: “Forty he shall strike him, and no more” (וּכְתִיב: אַרְבָּעִים יַכֶּנּוּ לֹא יוֹסִיף) (Devarim 25), corresponding to the four directions of the world, ten for each one (לָקֳבֵל אַרְבַּע סִטְרֵי עָלְמָא לְכָל חַד עֲשָׂרָה). For man was created from the four directions of the world (בְּגִין דְּבַר נָשׁ מֵאַרְבַּע סִטְרֵי עָלְמָא אִתְבְּרֵי). And concerning this it is written: “And I will destroy all existence” (וְעַל דָּא: וּמָחִיתִי אֶת כָּל הַיְקוּם) (Bereishit 7). And forty were needed to strike and to erase the world (וְאִצְטְרִיךְ אַרְבָּעִים לְאַלְקָאָה וּלְאִתְמְחֵי עָלְמָא).