Daf 67a (דַּף ס״ז ע״א)

Rabbi Shim'on said (אָמַר רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן): There is nothing in the world that Kudsha Berikh Hu is as zealous over as the sin of the covenant (לֵית לָךְ מִלָּה בְּעָלְמָא דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא קַנֵּי לָהּ כְּמוֹ חוֹבָא דִּבְרִית), as it is said: “A sword that avenges the vengeance of the covenant” (כְּמָא דְּאַתְּ אָמֵר: חֶרֶב נֹקֶמֶת נְקַם בְּרִית) [Vayikra 26:25].

Come and see (וְתָּא חֲזֵי), the sin of the generation of the flood was not completed except on account of their corruption of the covenant upon the earth (לָא אִשְׁתְּלִים חוֹבָא דְּדָרָא דְּטוֹפָנָא, אֶלָּא בְּגִין דְּחָבוּ בְּחַבִּילוּ דְאַרְחֵיהוֹ עַל אַרְעָא). And even though they were robbing one another, as it is written: “And the earth was filled with violence” (וְאַף עַל גַּב דְּהֲווּ מְקַפְּחֵי דָּא לְדָא, כְּדִכְתִיב: וַתִּמָּלֵא הָאָרֶץ חָמָס) [Bereishit 6:11], and “For the earth is filled with violence because of them” (וּכְתִיב: כִּי מָלְאָה הָאָרֶץ חָמָס מִפְּנֵיהֶם) [Bereishit 6:13]-still, above all, “And the earth was corrupted before the Elohim” (מִכָּל מָקוֹם: וַתִּשָּׁחֵת הָאָרֶץ לִפְנֵי הָאֱלֹהִים) [Bereishit 6:11]. “And behold, I will destroy them”-measure for measure (וְהִנְנִי מַשְׁחִיתָם-מִדָּה כְּנֶגֶד מִדָּה), “Behold, I will destroy them through the sin of destruction” (הִנְנִי מַשְׁחִיתָם בְּחוֹבָא דְּחַבָּלוּתָא). And some say (וְאִית דְּאָמְרֵי): their judgment was not sealed except through the sin of robbery (דְּלָא אִשְׁתְּלִים קִסְטַיְיהוּ אֶלָּא בְּחוֹבָא דְּחָמָס), for they robbed one another, and were wicked toward heaven and toward the creatures (דְּהֲווּ מְקַפְּחִין דָּא לְדָא, דְּהֲווּ בִּישִׁין לַשָּׁמַיִם וְלַבְּרִיּוֹת).

Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי), how many appointed messengers above are commanded over those who hand over judgment upon their fellows for what they did to them (כַּמָּה אִנּוּן מְמַנָּן מִלְּעֵילָא דְּאִתְפָּקְדָן עַל קָלֵי דְּאִנּוּן דְּמָסְרֵי דִינָא עַל חַבְרֵיהוֹן עַל מַה דְּעָבְדֵי לוֹן). And concerning this it is written: “For the earth is filled with violence because of them” (וְעַל דָּא כְּתִיב: כִּי מָלְאָה הָאָרֶץ חָמָס מִפְּנֵיהֶם) [Bereishit 6:13]. And because of this, it is written: “Behold, I will destroy them with the earth” (וּבְגִין כָּךְ כְּתִיב: וְהִנְנִי מַשְׁחִיתָם אֶת־הָאָרֶץ) [Bereishit 6:13].

“And Hashem said to Noach: Come, you and all your house” (וַיֹּאמֶר יְיָ לְנֹחַ: בֹּא אַתָּה וְכָל בֵּיתְךָ) [Bereishit 7:1]. Rabbi Shim'on said (אָמַר רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן): Why in all these [verses] is it Elohim, and here it is Hashem? (אַמַּאי בְּכוּלְּהוּ [ד״א: ל״ג] אֱלֹהִים, וְהָכָא יְיָ) Why here does it say Hashem, the supernal Name of Mercy? (מַאי שָׁנָא הָכָא דְּאִתְּמַר יְיָ-שְׁמָא עִלָּאָה דְּרַחֲמֵי) Rather, this is a secret which we have learned (אֶלָּא רָזָא אִיהוּ דְּאוֹלִיפְנָא): It is not the way of the world for a guest to enter a house with a woman unless with permission from her husband (לָאו אוֹרַח אַרְעָא לְקַבָּלָא אִתְּתָא אוּשְׁפִּיזָא בַּהֲדָהּ אֶלָּא בִּרְשׁוּ דְּבַעֲלָהּ). So too (אוּף הָכִי), Noach came to enter the ark in order to be united with her (נֹחַ בָּעָא לְאַעָלָא בְּתֵיבוּתָא לְאִתְחַבְּרָא בַּהֲדָהּ). But it was not fitting for him (וְלָאו הֲוָה לֵיהּ יָאוֹת) until the master of the ark gave him permission to enter with her (עַד דְּבַעֲלָהּ דְּתֵיבָה יָהַב לֵיהּ רְשׁוּ לְאַעֲלָאָה בַּהֲדָהּ), as it is written: “Come, you and all your household, into the ark” (דִּכְתִיב: בֹּא אַתָּה וְכָל בֵּיתְךָ אֶל הַתֵּבָה) [Bereishit 7:1]. And because of this, He is called here “Hashem,” the master of the ark (וּבְגִין כָּךְ אִקְרֵי הָכָא יְיָ-בַּעֲלָהּ דְּתֵיבָה). And then Noach entered and was united with her (וּכְדֵין עָאל נֹחַ וְאִתְחַבַּר בַּהֲדָהּ). And so we learn (וְכֵן אוֹלִיפְנָא): a guest may not enter a house except with permission from the master, the owner of the house (דְּלֵית לֵיהּ רְשׁוּ לְאוּשְׁפִּיזָא לְמֵיעָאל לְבֵיתָא אֶלָּא בִּרְשׁוּ בַּעֲלָהּ-מָארֵיהּ דְּבֵיתָא); and this is what is written afterward: “And Noach came in…” (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב לְבָתַר: וַיָּבֹא נֹחַ וְגו׳) [Bereishit 7:7].

Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי), what is written: “For you I have seen as righteous before Me in this generation” (מַה כְּתִיב: כִּי אֹתְךָ רָאִיתִי צַדִּיק לְפָנַי בַּדּוֹר הַזֶּה) [Bereishit 7:1]. From here we learn (מִכָּאן אוֹלִיפְנָא) that a person should not receive a guest into his house if he is suspected of being guilty (דְּלָא יְקַבֵּל בַּר נָשׁ אוּשְׁפִּיזָא בְּבֵיתֵיהּ אִי אִיהוּ חָשִׁיד בֵּיהּ דְּאִיהוּ חַיָּיבָא), but only if he is seen as righteous and not suspected at all (אֶלָּא אִי קָאֵים בְּעֵינוֹי לְזַכָּאָה דְּלָא חָשִׁיד בְּעֵינוֹי כְּלָל). This is what is written: “Come, you and all your household into the ark” (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב: בֹּא אַתָּה וְכָל בֵּיתְךָ אֶל הַתֵּבָה); why?-because “You I have seen as righteous before Me in this generation” (מַאי טַעְמָא בְּגִין: כִּי אֹתְךָ רָאִיתִי צַדִּיק לְפָנַי בַּדּוֹר הַזֶּה) [Bereishit 7:1]. And we also learn (וְאוֹלִיפְנָא) that if permission is given to him alone but not to all who are with him (דְּאִי יָהִיב לֵיהּ רְשׁוּ בִּלְחוֹדוֹי וְלָא יָהִיב רְשׁוּ לְכָל אִנּוּן דְּאַתְיָין עִמֵּיהּ), they may not enter the house (לָא יֵיעוּל לוֹן לְבֵיתָא). This is what is written: “Come, you and all your household into the ark” (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב: בֹּא אַתָּה וְכָל בֵּיתְךָ אֶל הַתֵּבָה)-to all, permission was given to enter (לְכֹלָא יָהִיב רְשׁוּתָא לְמֵיעַל). And from this verse we learn a secret of the customs of the world (וּמִקְרָא דָּא אוֹלִיפְנָא רָזָא דְּאָרְחוֹי דְאַרְעָא) [Some say: “Come, you and all your household into the ark,” etc. (ד״א: ל״ג בֹּא אַתָּה וְכָל בֵּיתְךָ אֶל הַתֵּבָה וְגו׳)].

Rabbi Yehudah opened (רַבִּי יְהוּדָה פָּתַח): “A Psalm of David: To Hashem is the earth and its fullness, the world and those who dwell in it” (לְדָוִד מִזְמוֹר לַי־יָ הָאָרֶץ וּמְלוֹאָהּ תֵּבֵל וְיוֹשְׁבֵי בָהּ) [Tehillim 24:1]. We have learned (הָא תָּנִינָן): “Of David, a Psalm”-that he first recited the song, and afterward the holy spirit rested upon him (לְדָוִד מִזְמוֹר-דְּאָמַר שִׁירָתָא וּלְבָתַר שָׁאַרַת עֲלֵיהּ רוּחַ קַדִּישָׁא); whereas “A Psalm of David”-the holy spirit first rested upon him and afterward he said the song (מִזְמוֹר לְדָוִד-דְּשָׁאַרַת עֲלֵיהּ רוּחַ קַדִּישָׁא וּלְבָתַר אָמַר שִׁירָתָא).

“To Hashem is the earth and its fullness” (לַי־יָ הָאָרֶץ וּמְלוֹאָהּ)-this verse refers to the Land of Yisrael, which is the holy land (הַאי קְרָא עַל אַרְעָא דְיִשְׂרָאֵל אִתְּמַר, דְּאִיהִי אַרְעָא קַדִּישָׁא). “And its fullness”-this is the Shekhinta (וּמְלוֹאָהּ דָּא שְׁכִינְתָּא), as it is said: “For the glory of Hashem filled the house of Hashem” (כְּמָא דְּאַתְּ אָמֵר: כִּי מָלֵא כְבוֹד י־יָ אֶת בֵּית י־יָ) [Divrei HaYamim II 5:14], and it is written: “And the glory of Hashem filled the Mishkan” (וּכְתִיב: וּכְבוֹד י־יָ מָלֵא אֶת הַמִּשְׁכָּן) [Shemot 40:34].

What is “filled” (מַאי מָלֵא)? Why not “He filled” (וְלֹא מִילָּא)? Rather, “filled” truly (אֶלָּא מָלֵא וַדַּאי): it became filled with everything (דְּאִתְמַלְיָיא מִכֹּלָּא). It became filled from the sun (דְּאִתְמַלְיָיא מִן שִׁמְשָׁא), and the moon was perfected on all sides (סִיהֲרָא שְׁלִים בְּכָל סִטְרִין). Filled from all the supernal goodness (מָלֵא מִכָּל טוּבָא דִּלְעֵילָא), like a threshold filled with all the bounty of the world (כְּאִסְקוֹפָא דָא דְּאִתְמַלְיָיא מִכָּל טוּבָא דְּעָלְמָא). And because of this, it is written: “To Hashem is the earth and its fullness” (וְעַל דָּא כְּתִיב: לַי־יָ הָאָרֶץ וּמְלוֹאָהּ). “The world and those who dwell in it”-this refers to the rest of the lands (תֵּבֵל וְיוֹשְׁבֵי בָהּ-דָּא שְׁאָר אַרְעָאן).

Another matter (דָּבָר אַחֵר): “To Hashem is the earth and its fullness”-this is the supernal holy land, in which Kudsha Berikh Hu delights (לַי־יָ הָאָרֶץ וּמְלוֹאָהּ-דָּא אַרְעָא קַדִּישָׁא עִלָּאָה דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא אִתְרָעֵי בָהּ). “And its fullness”-these are the souls of the Righteous (וּמְלוֹאָהּ-אִלֵּין נִשְׁמַתְהוֹן דְּצַדִּיקַיָּיא). [Some say: that all of them fill her (ד״א: דְּכֻלְּהוֹן מַלְּיֵין לָהּ)]-she is filled from them (אִתְמַלְיָיא מִנַּיְיהוּ), from the strength of the one pillar upon which the world stands (מֵחֵילָא דְּעַמּוּדָא חַד, דְּעָלְמָא קָיְימָא עֲלֵיהּ). And if you say the world stands upon one alone (וְאִי תֵימָא: עַל חַד קָיְימָא)...

Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי), what is written: “For He founded it upon the seas” (מַה כְּתִיב: כִּי הוּא עַל יַמִּים יְסָדָהּ) [Tehillim 24:2]. “Upon the seas He founded her” (עַל יַמִּים יְסָדָהּ) [Tehillim 24:2]-these are the sages of Yisrael, the great ones, who founded the Orayta and the wisdom which is called “the Great Sea” (אִלֵּין חַכִּימִין דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל רַבְרְבַיָּא דְּיָסְדוּן אוֹרַיְיתָא וְחָכְמְתָּא דְּאִתְקְרִיָּאת הַיָּם הַגָּדוֹל). And likewise it says (וְכֵן הוּא אוֹמֵר): “And upon rivers…” these are the disciples, who are streams flowing from the river (וְעַל נְהָרוֹת-אִלֵּין תַּלְמִידָיָּיא דְּאִינוּן רַבְרְבִין מִן נַהֲרָא). And the master is greater than the disciples (וְכֵן: הָרַב גָּדוֹל מִן הַתַּלְמִידִים), and they sharpen the master with their questions (וְאִינוּן מְחַדְּדִין אֶת הָרַב בְּקוּשְׁיוֹתֵיהֶן), and he answers them all and is not diminished (וְהוּא מְתָרֵץ לוֹן כָּל הַקּוּשְׁיוֹת וְאֵינוֹ מִתְרָשֵׁל), like the rivers that flow into the sea, and it is not filled (כְּמוֹ הַנְּהָרוֹת שֶׁנִּמְשָׁכִין לַיָּם וְאֵינוֹ מָלֵא), as it is said: “All the rivers go to the sea” (כָּל הַנְּחָלִים הוֹלְכִים אֶל הַיָּם) [Kohelet 1:7]. And the proof is what they said afterward: “Who shall ascend the mountain of Hashem?” (וְהָרְאָיָּה: אָמְרוּ אַחֲרֵי כֵן: מִי יַעֲלֶה בְּהַר י־יָ) [Tehillim 24:3], for there is no deed without wisdom (כִּי אֵין מַעֲשֶׂה בְּלֹא חָכְמָה), for study leads to action (כִּי הַתַּלְמוּד מֵבִיא לִידֵי מַעֲשֶׂה). “For He (Hu)…”-who is He (Hu)? This is Kudsha Berikh Hu (כִּי הוּא-מַאן הוּא דָּא קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא), as it is said: “He (Hu) has made us” (כְּמָא דְּאַתְּ אָמֵר: הוּא עָשָׂנוּ) [Tehillim 100:3]. And it is written: “For He looks to the ends of the earth” (וּכְתִיב: כִּי־הוּא לִקְצוֹת הָאָרֶץ יַבִּיט) [Job 28:24].

“Upon the seas He founded her, and upon the rivers He established her” (עַל יַמִּים יְסָדָהּ וְעַל נְהָרוֹת יְכוֹנְנֶהָ)-these are the seven pillars upon which the land stands and from which she is filled (אִלֵּין שִׁבְעָה עַמּוּדִים דְּקָיְימָא עֲלַיְיהוּ וּמַלְיָין לָהּ). She is filled from them (הִיא אִתְמַלְיָיא מִנַּיְיהוּ). How is she filled from them? (הֵיךְ אִתְמַלְיָיא מִנַּיְיהוּ) At the time when the righteous increase in the world (בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְּאַסְגִּיאוּ זַכָּאִין בְּעָלְמָא), then this land produces fruit and is filled with everything (כְּדֵין אַרְעָא דָּא עָבְדַת פֵּירִין וְאִתְמַלְיָיא מִכֹּלָּא). But at the time when the guilty increase in the world (וּבְשַׁעֲתָא דְּאַסְגִּיאוּ חַיָּיבִין בְּעָלְמָא), then it is written: “The waters will vanish from the sea, and the river will dry up and be parched” (כְּדֵין כְּתִיב: אָזְלוּ מַיִם מִנִּי יָם וְנָהָר יֶחֱרָב וְיָבֵשׁ) [Job 14:11]. “The waters will vanish from the sea”-this is the Holy Land we spoke of, which is emptied of its supernal flow (אָזְלוּ מַיִם מִנִּי יָם-דָּא אַרְעָא קַדִּישָׁא דְּאֲמָרָן, דְּאִשְׁתַּקְיָא מִשַּׁקְיוּ עִלָּאָה). “And the river will dry up and be parched”-this refers to that one pillar upon which she stands to be irrigated from it (וְנָהָר יֶחֱרָב וְיָבֵשׁ-הַהוּא עַמּוּדָא חַד דְּקָאֵים עֲלָהּ לְאִתְנַהֲרָא מִנֵּיהּ). “The river will dry up and be parched”-as it is said: “The righteous perish” (וְנָהָר יֶחֱרָב וְיָבֵשׁ-כְּמָא דְּאַתְּ אָמֵר: הַצַּדִּיק אָבַד) [Yeshayahu 57:1]. And Rabbi Yehudah said (וְאָמַר רַבִּי יְהוּדָה): at that time when the wicked are removed from the world (בְּהַהוּא זִמְנָא דְּאִתְאַבִּידוּ אִנּוּן חַיָּיבִין מֵעָלְמָא), Kudsha Berikh Hu (קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא) [was pained (נ״א: הִסְתַּכַּל)-He looked upon the world and found no one to plead on its behalf (אִשְׁתַּדַּל עַל עָלְמָא וְלָא חָמָא מַאן דְּאָגִין עוֹלָה). And if you say, “But Noach?”-he was concerned only for himself (וְאִי תֵימָא: הָא נֹחַ), for he sought to save only himself and to bring forth offspring from himself for the world (דְּהֲוָה לֵיהּ לְאַגָּנָא עַל גַּרְמֵיהּ וּלְאַפָּקָא מִנֵּיהּ תּוֹלָדִין לְעָלְמָא). This is what is written: “For you I have seen as righteous before Me in this generation” (הֲדָא הוּא דִּכְתִיב: כִּי אֹתְךָ רָאִיתִי צַדִּיק לְפָנַי בַּדּוֹר הַזֶּה) [Bereishit 7:1]-“in this generation” precisely (בַּדּוֹר הַזֶּה-דַּיֵּיקָא).