Daf 63a (דַּף ס״ג ע״א)

At another time, when the sins of human beings increase (בְּזִמְנָא אַחֲרָא כַּד סָגִי חוֹבֵי בְּנֵי נָשָׁא), this Accuser in the hour of judgment is aroused upon the sins of the world (הַאי דַלְטוּרָא בְּשַׁעְתָּא דְּדִינָא אִתְעָר עַל חוֹבֵי עַלְמָא). Then he comes and is found before Kudsha Berikh Hu (כְּדֵין אִיהוּ אָתֵי וְאִשְׁתְּכַּח דַלְטוּרָא קַמֵי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא), and he defiles the Sanctuary (וְיִסְתָּאַב מַקְדְּשָׁא), and all faces are saddened and judgment is found (וְכָל אַנְפִּין עֲצִיבִין וְדִינָא אִשְׁתְּכַח). And concerning this it is written: “The end of all flesh has come before Me” (וְעַל דָּא: קֵץ כָּל בָּשָׂר בָּא לְפָנַי) (Bereishit 6) - has come before Me indeed, to bring the sins of the world to account (בָּא לְפָנַי וַדָּאִי, לְמִתְבַּע חוֹבֵי עַלְמָא), because they caused it (בְּגִין דְּאִינּוּן גָּרְמוּ). (We return now to the earlier phrase: "The end of all flesh has come before Me"-indeed, because they caused it) (אַהֲדְרָנָא לְמִלָּה קַדְמָאָה: קֵץ כָּל בָּשָׂר בָּא לְפָנַי, בָּא לְפָנַי וַדָּאִי, בְּגִין דְּאִנּוּן גָּרְמוּ).

Rabbi Yehudah opened (רַבִּי יְהוּדָה פָּתַח): “Make me know, Hashem, my end, and the measure of my days-what it is; let me know how frail I am” (הוֹדִיעֵנִי יְיָ קִצִּי וּמִדַּת יָמַי מָה הִיא, אֵדְעָה מֶה חָדֵל אָנִי) (Tehillim 39). He said (אָמַר): David said before Kudsha Berikh Hu (דָּוִד קַמֵי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא): two ends there are (תְּרֵין קִצִּין אִנּוּן), one to the right and one to the left (חַד לְיָמִינָא וְחַד לִשְׂמָאלָא), and these are the two paths through which people go to that world (וְאִנּוּן תְּרֵין אוֹרְחִין לְמֵיהַךְ בְּהוּ בְּנֵי נָשָׁא לְהַהוּא עָלְמָא). The end to the right, as it is written: “to the end of days” (קֵץ לְיָמִינָא דִּכְתִיב: לְקֵץ הַיָּמִין) (Daniel 12); and the end to the left, as it is written: “He set an end to darkness, and to every extremity He investigates…” (וְקֵץ לִשְׂמָאלָא דִּכְתִיב: קֵץ שָׂם לַחֹשֶׁךְ, וּלְכָל תַּכְלִית הוּא חוֹקֵר) (Job 28). What is “and to every extremity He investigates”? Who is it that investigates? (מַאי: וּלְכָל תַּכְלִית הוּא חוֹקֵר מַאן הוּא חוֹקֵר) Rather, that is the end on the left, which darkens the faces of created beings (אֶלָּא: הַהוּא קֵץ לִשְׂמָאלָא דְּמַחֲשִׁיךְ אַפֵּיהוֹן דְּבְּרִיָּתָא). What is “and to every extremity”? In the time when judgment rests upon the world, to cast out stone of gloom and shadow of death (מַאי: וּלְכָל תַּכְלִית בְּזִמְנָא דְּדִינָא שָׁרְיָא עַל עָלְמָא, לְשֵׁיצָאָה אֶבֶן אוֹפֶל וְצַלְמָוֶת). “He set an end to darkness”-this is the Angel of Death (קֵץ שָׂם לַחֹשֶׁךְ-דָּא מַלְאַךְ הַמָּוֶת), this is the serpent (דָּא נָחָשׁ), “the end of all flesh” (קֵץ כָּל בָּשָׂר), “He set an end to darkness”-for he comes from the side of the innerness of gold (קֵץ שָׂם לַחֹשֶׁךְ, דְּהָא מִסִּטְרָא דְּהִתּוּכָא דְּדַהֲבָא קָאָתֵי). “And to every extremity”-in the time when judgment rests upon the world, he investigates to become an accuser against the world, to darken the faces of the creatures, and so on (וּלְכָל תַּכְלִית-בְּזִמְנָא דְּדִינָא שָׁרְיָא עַל עָלְמָא, הוּא חוֹקֵר לְמֶהֱוֵי קַטֵיגוֹרְיָא לְעָלְמָא, לְאַחְשָׁכָא אַפֵּיהוֹן דִּבְּרַיְיתָא וְכוּ׳). The end to the right, as was said above, as it is written: “to the end of days” (קֵץ לְיָמִינָא, כִּדְקָאָמְרָן, דִּכְתִיב: לְקֵץ הַיָּמִין) (Daniel 12).

Kudsha Berikh Hu said to Daniel: “And you, go to the end and rest.” (אָמַר לֵיהּ קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לְדָנִיֵּאל: וְאַתָּה לֵךְ לַקֵּץ וְתָנוּחַ) (Daniel 12). He said to Him: “Rest in this world or in the World to Come?” (אָמַר לֵיהּ: מְנוּחָה בְּהַאי עָלְמָא אוֹ בְּהַהוּא עָלְמָא). He said to him: “In that world,” as it is said: “They shall rest on their beds.” (אָמַר לֵיהּ: בְּהַהוּא עָלְמָא, כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר: יָנוּחוּ עַל מִשְׁכְּבוֹתָם). He said to Him: “At the time when they arise from the dust, shall I arise among them or not?” (אָמַר לֵיהּ: בְּזִמְנָא דִּיקוּמוּן מֵעַפְרָא, אֵיקוּם בֵּינַיְיהוּ אוֹ לָאו). He said to him: “And you shall stand.” (אָמַר לֵיהּ: וְתַעֲמֹד). He said to Him: “Now I know that they will arise in groups-some are truly meritorious, and some are the guilty of the world-and I do not know with whom I will arise.” (אָמַר לֵיהּ: הָא יְדַעְנָא דִּי יְקוּמוּן כִּתּוֹת כִּתּוֹת, מִנְּהוֹן דְּזַכָּאֵי קְשׁוֹט, וּמִנְּהוֹן דְּחַיָּיבֵי עָלְמָא, וְלָא יְדַעְנָא עִם מָאן מִנְּהוֹן אֵיקוּם). He said to him: “To your lot.” (אָמַר לֵיהּ: לְגוֹרָלְךָ). He said to Him: “But You said, ‘And you, go to the end.’ There is an end of the right and an end of the left, and I do not know to which end- to the end of days or to the end of judgment?” (אָמַר לֵיהּ: הָא אֲמַרְתְּ: וְאַתָּה לֵךְ לַקֵּץ. אִית קֵץ לְיָמִינָא, וְאִית קֵץ לִשְׂמָאלָא, וְלָא יְדַעְנָא לְאָן קֵץ - לְקֵץ הַיָּמִין אוֹ לְקֵץ הַיָּמִים). He said to him: “To the end of the right.” (אָמַר לֵיהּ: לְקֵץ הַיָּמִין). So too here, David said to Kudsha Berikh Hu: “Make me know, Hashem, my end…” (אוּף הָכָא דָּוִד אָמַר לֵיהּ לְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא: הוֹדִיעֵנִי יְיָ קִצִּי) (Tehillim 39). What is my portion in Your closeness? (מָה אִיהוּ חוּלַק עַדְבִי). And his mind did not rest until it was made known to him that he would be to the right, as it is written: “Sit at My right.” (וְלָא נָח דַּעְתֵּיהּ עַד דְּאִתְבַּשַּׂר דְּיֶהֱוֵי לְיָמִינָא, דִּכְתִיב: שֵׁב לִימִינִי) (Tehillim 110).

Come and see: Kudsha Berikh Hu also said to Noach: “The end of all flesh has come before Me.” (תָּא חֲזֵי: אוּף קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא אָמַר לְנֹחַ: קֵץ כָּל בָּשָׂר בָּא לְפָנַי) (Bereishit 6). Who is this? This is the End that darkens the faces of created beings-He is the End of All Flesh that has come before Me (מָאן אִיהוּ דָּא קֵץ דְּאַחְשַׁךְ אַפַּיְיהוּ דִּבְרִיָּתָא - דְּאִיהוּ קֵץ כָּל בָּשָׂר בָּא לְפָנַי). From here we learn: the guilty of the world precede and draw him upon themselves to darken them (מִכָּאן אוֹלִיפְנָא: חַיָּיבֵי עָלְמָא מַקְדִּימִין לֵיהּ וּמָשְׁכָן לֵיהּ עֲלַיְיהוּ לְאַחְשָׁכָא לוֹן). For when he is given permission, he takes the Neshama (דְּכֵיוָן דְּיָהֲבֵי לֵיהּ רְשׁוּתָא, נָטִיל נִשְׁמָתָא), and he does not take until permission is granted him (וְלָא נָטִיל עַד דְּיָהֲבֵי לֵיהּ רְשׁוּתָא). And because of this it says, “has come before Me”-to receive permission to darken the faces of the people of the world (וְעַל דָּא: בָּא לְפָנַי, לְמֵיטַל רְשׁוּ לְאַחְשָׁכָא אַפַּיְיהוּ דִּבְּנֵי עָלְמָא). And for this reason: “Behold, I will destroy them with the earth” (וּבְגִינֵי כָךְ: וְהִנְנִי מַשְׁחִיתָם אֶת הָאָרֶץ) (Bereishit 6). And thus: “Make for yourself an ark of gopher wood,” in order that you be saved, and he shall not be able to rule over you (וְעַל דָּא: עֲשֵׂה לְךָ תֵּבַת עֲצֵי גֹפֶר - בְּגִין לְאִשְׁתְּזָבָא, וְלָא יָכִיל לְשַׁלְטָאָה עֲלָךְ).

Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי), we have learned: at a time when death is in the city or in the world (תָּנִינָן: בְּזִמְנָא דְּמוֹתָא אִית בְּמָתָא אוֹ בְּעָלְמָא), some say: when permission is granted to the Angel of Death to destroy (נ״א: דְּאִתְיְהֵיב רְשׁוּ לְמַלְאַךְ הַמָּוֶת לְחַבָּלָא), no man should be seen in the street (לָא יִתְחֲזֵי בַּר נָשׁ בְּשׁוּקָא), because he has permission to destroy everything (בְּגִין דְּאִית לֵיהּ רְשׁוּ לִמְחַבְּלָא לְחַבָּלָא כֹּלָּא). Therefore Kudsha Berikh Hu said: “You must conceal yourself and not show yourself before the destroyer, so that he not have power over you” (בְּגִינֵי כָךְ אָמַר לֵיהּ קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא: בָּעֵי לָךְ לְאִסְתַּמְרָא וְלָא תֶחֱזֵי גַרְמָךְ קַמֵּי דְּמְחַבְּלָא, דְּלָא יִשְׁלוֹט עֲלָךְ). And if you say: “Who gave here the power to the destroyer?” (וְאִי תֵימָא: מָאן יָהִיב הָכָא מְחַבְּלָא), behold, it was water-and it strengthened (דְּהָא מַיָּא הֲווּ וְאִתְגַּבָּרוּ).

Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי): there is no judgment in the world, whether it is revealed or whether the world is given over to judgment, in which this destroyer is not found acting within the judgments executed in the world (לֵית לָךְ דִּינָא בְּעָלְמָא, אוֹ כַּד אִתְמַחֵי אוֹ כַּד אִתְמָסַר עָלְמָא בְּדִינָא, דְּלָא אִשְׁתְּכַח הַהוּא מְחַבְּלָא דְּאָזִיל בְּגוֹ אִנּוּן דִּינִין דְּאִתְעֲבִידוּ בְּעָלְמָא). So too here-there was a flood, and the destroyer went within the flood (אוּף הָכִי הָכָא: טוֹפָנָא הֲוָה, וּמְחַבְּלָא אָזִיל בְּגוֹ טוֹפָנָא), and he is called thus, for he was included in that name (וְאִיהוּ אִקְרֵי הָכִי, דְּאִתְכְּלִיל בִּשְׁמָא דָּא). And concerning this, Kudsha Berikh Hu said to Noach to conceal himself and not be seen in the world (וְעַל דָּא אָמַר קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לְנֹחַ לְטַמְרָא גַרְמֵיהּ וְלָא יִתְחֲזֵי בְּעָלְמָא). And if you say: “Was this ark seen in this world, and the destroyer entered into it?” (וְאִי תֵימָא: הַאי תֵּיבוּתָא אִתְחֲזֵי בְּגוֹ הַאי עָלְמָא, וּמְחַבְּלָא אָזִיל בְּגַוֵּיהּ), [know:] as long as the face of man is not seen before the destroyer, he cannot have dominion over him (כָּל זִמְנָא דְּלָא יִתְחֲזֵי אַפֵּי דְּבַר נָשׁ קַמֵּי מְחַבְּלָא, לָא יָכִיל לְשַׁלְטָאָה עֲלֵיהּ). From where do we know this? From Egypt, as it is written: “And you shall not go out, any man, from the entrance of his house until the morning” (מְנָלָן מִמִּצְרַיִם, דִּכְתִיב: וְאַתֶּם לֹא תֵצְאוּ אִישׁ מִפֶּתַח בֵּיתוֹ עַד בֹּקֶר) (Shemot 12). What is the reason? Because he is found, and he is able to destroy (מַאי טַעְמָא בְּגִין דְּאִיהוּ אִשְׁתְּכַח, וְיָכִיל הוּא לְחַבְּלָא), and he does not need to appear before him (וְלֹא אִצְטְרִיךְ לְאִתְחַזָּאָה קַמֵּיהּ). Therefore Noach and all who were with him were hidden in the ark (בְּגִין כָּךְ הֲוָה גָנִיז נֹחַ וְכָל אִנּוּן דְּעִמֵּיהּ בְּתֵיבוּתָא), and the destroyer was not able to rule over them (וּמְחַבְּלָא לָא יָכִיל לְשַׁלְטָאָה עֲלַיְיהוּ).

Rabbi Ḥiyya and Rabbi Yosei were walking on the road (רַבִּי חִיָּיא וְרַבִּי יוֹסֵי הֲווּ אָזְלֵי בְּאָרְחָא). They happened upon the mountains of Kardu (אִעָרַע בְּהַנֵּי טוּרֵי דְּקַרְדוּ), and they saw markings-clefts in the path that were from the days of the flood (חָמוּ רְשִׁימִין בְּקִיעִין בְּאָרְחָא דְּהֲווּ מִן יוֹמֵי דְטוֹפָנָא). Rabbi Ḥiyya said to Rabbi Yosei (אָמַר לֵיהּ רַבִּי חִיָּיא לְרַבִּי יוֹסֵי): These clefts were from the days of the flood (הַנֵּי בְּקִיעִין דְּהֲווּ מִיּוֹמוֹי דְטוֹפָנָא), and Kudsha Berikh Hu left them for generations of generations, so that the sins of the wicked should not be erased from before Him (וְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא שָׁבִיק לוֹן לְדָרֵי דָרִין בְּגִין דְּלָא יִתְמַחֵי חוֹבֵיהוֹן דְּרַשִּׁיעַיָיא קַמֵּיהּ). For such is the way of Kudsha Berikh Hu (דְּכָךְ אָרְחוֹי דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא): For the meritorious who fulfill His will, He desires that they be remembered above and below, and that their remembrance not be forgotten for generations, for good (לְזַכָּאִין דְּעָבְדִין רְעוּתֵיהּ, בָּעֵי דְּיִדְכְּרוּן לְהוּ לְעֵילָא וְתַתָּא, וְלָא יִתְנְשֵׁי דּוּכְרָנֵיהוֹן לְדָרֵי דָרִין לְטַב). In this manner, for the wicked who do not fulfill His will (כְּגַוְונָא דָא לְרַשִּׁיעַיָיא דְּלָא עָבְדִין רְעוּתֵיהּ), it is so that their sins not be forgotten and to recall their punishments and their evil remembrance for generations (בְּגִין דְּלָא יִתְנְשֵׁי חוֹבַיְיהוּ, וּלְאַדְכָּרָא עָנְשַׁיְיהוּ וְדָכְרָנֵיהוֹן לְבִישׁ לְדָרֵי דָרִין). This is as it is written: “Your iniquity is sealed before Me…” (הַיְינוּ דִכְתִיב: נִכְתַּם עֲוֹנֵךְ לְפָנַי) (Yirmeyahu 2).

Rabbi Yosei opened and said (פָּתַח רַבִּי יוֹסֵי וְאָמַר): “Lift your voice, O daughter of Galim, listen, O poor lioness, Anathoth…” (צַהֲלִי קוֹלֵךְ בַּת גַּלִּים, הַקְשִׁיבִי לַיְשָׁה עֲנִיָּה עֲנָתוֹת) (Yeshayahu 10). This verse was already established by the friends (הַאי קְרָא אוּקְמוּהָ חַבְרַיָא), but this verse was said regarding Kenesset Yisrael (אֲבָל הַאי קְרָא עַל כְּנֶסֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל אִתְּמָר). “Lift your voice, O daughter of Galim”-daughter of Avraham Avinu (צַהֲלִי קוֹלֵךְ בַּת גַּלִּים, בְּרַתֵּיהּ דְּאַבְרָהָם אָבִינוּ). Thus it was established (הָכִי אוּקְמוּהָ). “Bat Galim,” as it is written: “A locked garden” (בַּת גַּלִּים, כְּדִכְתִיב: גַּל נָעוּל) (Shir haShirim 4). “Galim” are the lights that are gathered and flow and enter within her and fill her (גַּלִּים אִנּוּן נְהוֹרִין דְּמִתְכַּנְשֵׁי וְאָזְלִי וְעָאלִין לְגַוָּוהּ וּמַלְיָין לָהּ), as it is written: “Your shoots are a pomegranate orchard” (כְּדִכְתִיב: שְׁלָחַיִךְ פַּרְדֵּס רִמּוֹנִים) (Shir haShirim 4).