Daf 68b (דַּף ס״ח ע״ב)

Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי): when a person sins before his Master and draws himself to hide (כַּד בַּר נָשׁ חָטֵי קַמֵּי מָארֵיהּ וְאַמְשִׁיךְ גַּרְמֵיהּ לְאִתְכַּסְיָא), Kudsha Berikh Hu brings judgment upon him openly (קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא עָבִיד בֵּיהּ דִּינָא בְּאִתְגַּלְיָא). But when a person purifies himself (וְכַד בַּר נָשׁ אַדְכֵּי גַרְמֵיהּ), Kudsha Berikh Hu desires to conceal him, that he not be seen on the day of Hashem’s wrath (קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא בָּעֵי לְאַסְתָּרָא לֵיהּ, דְּלָא יִתְחֲזֵי בְּיוֹם אַף י־יָ).

For truly, it is fitting for one not to be seen by the destroyer when it is unleashed upon the world, so that he not set his gaze upon him (דְּוַדַּאי אִבָּעֵי לֵיהּ לְאֵינַשׁ דְּלָא יִתְחֲזֵי קַמֵּי מְחַבְּלָא כַּד שַׁרְיָא עַל עָלְמָא, דְּלָא יִסְתַּכֵּל בֵּיהּ). For anyone who is seen before him, he has permission to destroy (דְּהָא כָּל אִנּוּן דְּיִתְחַזּוּן קַמֵּיהּ-אִית לֵיהּ רְשׁוּ לְחַבָּלָא). And this is what Rabbi Shim'on said (וְהַיְינוּ דְּקָאֲמַר רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן): anyone whose eye is evil, the eye of the destroyer rests upon him (כָּל בַּר נָשׁ דְּעֵינֵיהּ בִּישָׁא-עֵינָא דִּמְחַבְּלָא שַׁרְיָא עֲלוֹי), and he is called the destroyer of the world (וְאִיהוּ מְחַבְּלָא דְּעָלְמָא אִקְרֵי). Therefore, a person should guard himself from him and not draw near to him, lest he be damaged before him (וְלִבְּעֵי לֵיהּ לְאִינֵשׁ לְאִסְתַּמְּרָא מִנֵּיהּ וְלָא לְאִתְקְרָבָא בַּהֲדֵיהּ דְּלָא יִתְּזַק קַמֵּיהּ). And it is forbidden to associate with him openly (וְאָסִיר לְמִקְרַב בַּהֲדֵיהּ בְּאִתְגַּלְיָא). Therefore, one must hide from a man of evil eye-how much more so from the Angel of Death! (וּמִשּׁוּם הָכִי מֵאִישׁ רַע עַיִן בָּעֵי לְאִסְתַּמְּרָא מִנֵּיהּ. מִקַּמֵּי מַלְאַךְ הַמָּוֶת-עַל אַחַת כַּמָּה וְכַמָּה). And because of this, what is written about Bilam? “And the saying of the man whose eye is closed” (וְעַל דָּא: מַה כְּתִיב בְּבִלְעָם וּנְאֻם הַגֶּבֶר שְׁתוּם הָעָיִן) [Bamidbar 24:3]. He had an evil eye, and wherever he would gaze, he would draw upon it the spirit of destruction (דְּעֵינָא בִּישָׁא הֲוָה לֵיהּ, וּבְכָל אֲתַר דְּהֲוָה מִסְתַּכֵּל בֵּיהּ-הֲוָה אַמְשִׁיךְ עֲלֵיהּ רוּחַ מְחַבְּלָא). And for this reason he sought to look upon Yisrael-because he wanted to destroy with every place his eye would gaze upon (וּבְגִין כָּךְ הֲוָה בָּעֵי לְאִסְתַּכָּלָא בְּהוֹ בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל, בְּגִין דְּיִשֵּׁצֵי בְּכָל אֲתַר דְּעֵינֵיהּ הֲוָה מִסְתַּכֵּל). What is written? “And Bilam lifted his eyes…”-he raised one eye and squinted the other, to gaze upon them with the evil eye (מַה כְּתִיב וַיִּשָּׂא בִּלְעָם אֶת עֵינָיו-דְּזָקִיף עֵינָא חַד וּמָאִיךְ עֵינָא חַד, בְּגִין לְאִסְתַּכָּלָא בְּהוֹ בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל בְּעֵינָא בִּישָׁא) [Bamidbar 24:2].

Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי): what is written? “And he saw Yisrael dwelling tribe by tribe” (מַה כְּתִיב וַיַּרְא אֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל שֹׁכֵן לִשְׁבָטָיו) [Bamidbar 24:2]. And he saw that the Shekhinta was hovering upon them and resting above them, arranged in twelve tribes beneath Her (וְחָמָא דִּשְׁכִינְתָּא חַפְיָא עֲלַיְיהוּ, וּרְבִיעָא עֲלַיְיהוּ מִתְתַּקְּנָא בִּתְרֵיסַר שִׁבְטִין תַּחוֹתָהּ). And he was unable to cast his dominion over them through his eye (וְלָא יָכִיל לְשַׁלְטָאָה עֲלַיְיהוּ עֵינֵיהּ). He said: How can I prevail over them, for a supernal Holy Spirit rests upon them and covers them with its wings? (אָמַר: אֵיךְ אֵיכוֹל לְהוֹן דְּהָא רוּחַ קַדִּישָׁא עִלָּאָה רְבִיעָא עֲלַיְיהוּ, וְחָפַת לוֹן בְּגַדְפָּהָא). This is what is written: “He crouched, he lay like a lion, and like a great lion-who shall rouse him?” (הֲדָא הוּא דִּכְתִיב: כָּרַע שָׁכַב כַּאֲרִי וּכְלָבִיא, מִי יְקִימֶנּוּ) [Bamidbar 24:9]. “Who shall rouse him?”-meaning, who can expose them to dominion of the eye, for the eye cannot rule over them while they are revealed (מִי יְקִימֶנּוּ מֵעֲלַיְיהוּ-בְּגִין דְּיִתְגַּלְיָין וְשַׁלְטָא עֵינָא עֲלַיְיהוּ). And for this reason Kudsha Berikh Hu desired to conceal Noach (וְעַל דָּא קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא בָּעָא לְחַפְיָא לְנֹחַ), to be hidden from the eye (לְאִסְתַּתְּרָא מֵעֵינָא), so that the defiling spirit could not rule over him (דְּלָא יָכִיל רוּחַ מְסָאֳבָא לְשַׁלְטָא עֲלֵיהּ), that he not be harmed (בְּגִין דְּלָא יִתְחַבֵּל), and this has been stated (וְהָא אִתְּמָר). “And Noach came in,” as it is said (וַיָּבֹא נֹחַ כְּמָה דְּאִתְּמָר), to be hidden from the eye (לְאִסְתַּתְּרָא מֵעֵינָא), from before the waters of the flood (מִפְּנֵי מֵי הַמַּבּוּל), for the waters pressed upon him (דְּהָא דְּמַיִין דָּחֲקוּ לֵיהּ). Rabbi Yose said (אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹסֵי): he saw the Angel of Death who was coming toward him (חָמָא מַלְאַךְ הַמָּוֶת דְּהֲוָה אָתֵי), and because of this he entered the ark (וּבְגִין כָּךְ עָאַל לְתֵיבוּתָא). And he was hidden in it for twelve months (וְאִסְתַּמַּר בָהּ תְּרֵיסַר יַרְחֵי שַׁתָּא). And why twelve months? (וְאַמַּאי תְּרֵיסַר יַרְחִין). Rabbi Yitzchak and Rabbi Yehudah disagreed on this (פְּלִיגֵי בָּהּ רַבִּי יִצְחָק וְרַבִּי יְהוּדָה): one said-twelve months, for such is the judgment of the guilty (חַד אָמַר: י״ב יַרְחִין דְּכָךְ אִיהוּ דִינָא דְּחַיָיבַיָא), and one said-to complete the Tzaddik in twelve levels (וְחַד אָמַר: לְאַשְׁלָמָא צַדִּיק דַּרְגִּין תְּרֵיסַר), and the remaining levels appeared to bring him out of the ark (וּשְׁאָר דַּרְגִּין דְּאִתְחַזֵּי לְאֲפָקָא מִן תֵּיבָה). Rabbi Yehudah said (רַבִּי יְהוּדָה אָמַר): six months in water and six months in fire (שִׁתָּא יַרְחֵי אִנּוּן בְּמַיָא וְשִׁתָּא יַרְחֵי בְּאֶשָׁא). But here it was water-why twelve months? (וְהָא הָכָא מַיָא הֲווּ אַמַּאי תְּרֵיסַר יַרְחֵי). Rabbi Yose said to him (אָמַר לֵיהּ רַבִּי יוֹסֵי): with two judgments of Gehinnom they were judged-by water and by fire (בִּתְרֵי דִינִין דְּגֵיהִנֹּם אִתְדָּנוּ בְּמַיָא וְאֶשָׁא): with water, for the waters that came down upon them from above were freezing like snow (בְּמַיָא: דְּמַיִין דְּנָחֲתוּ עֲלַיְיהוּ מִלְּעֵילָא הֲווּ צְנִינִין כְּתַלְגָא), and with fire, for the waters that emerged from below were boiling like fire (בְּאֶשָׁא: דְּמַיִין דְּנַפְקֵי מִתַּתָּא הֲווּ רְתִיחָן כְּאֶשָׁא). And for this reason, in the judgment of Gehinnom they were judged with fire and water (וְעַל דָּא בְּדִינָא דְּגֵיהִנֹּם אִתְדָּנוּ בְּאֶשָׁא וּמַיָא); and because of this there were twelve months, as Rabbi El'azar said-judgment of the guilty in Gehinnom is twelve months, and this is established (וּבְגִין כָּךְ תְּרֵיסַר יַרְחֵי הֲווּ, דְּאָמַר רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר דִּינָא דְּחַיָיבַיָא בְּגֵיהִנֹּם תְּרֵיסַר יַרְחֵי הֲווּ, וְהָא אוּקְמוּה), and therefore all the guilty of the world are judged by these two judgments-by water and by fire (וְעַל דָּא כָּל אִנּוּן חַיָּיבֵי עָלְמָא אִתְדָּנוּ בִּתְרֵין דִּינִין אִלֵּין בְּמַיָא וְאֶשָׁא), until they are wiped out from the world (עַד דְּאִשְׁתֵּצִיאוּ מֵעָלְמָא). And Noach was hidden in the ark and concealed from the eye (וְנֹחַ הֲוָה מִסְתַּתֵּר בְּתֵיבוּתָא וְאִתְכַּסֵּי מֵעֵינָא), and the destroyer did not come near him (וּמְחַבְּלָא לָא קָרִיב לְגַבֵּיהּ), and the ark floated upon the face of the waters (וְתֵיבוּתָא אִיהִי הֲוָה שַׁטְיָא עַל אַנְפֵּי מַיָא), as it is said: “And they lifted up the ark, and it rose above the earth” (כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר: וַיִּשְׂאוּ אֶת הַתֵּיבָה וַתָּרָם מֵעַל הָאָרֶץ) [Bereishit 7:17].

Forty days they were struck (אַרְבָּעִים יוֹם לָקוּ), as it is written: “And the flood was forty days upon the earth” (דִּכְתִיב: וַיְהִי הַמַּבּוּל אַרְבָּעִים יוֹם עַל הָאָרֶץ) [Bereishit 7:17], and during all the rest of the time they were wiped out from the world (וְכָל שְׁאָר זִמְנָא אִתְמְחוּן מֵעָלְמָא). This is what is written: “And they were blotted out from the earth” (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב: וַיִּמָּחוּ מִן הָאָרֶץ) [Bereishit 7:23]. Woe to those guilty ones, for they shall not arise to live again in the world, to stand in judgment (וַוֵי לוֹן לְאִנּוּן חַיָּיבַיָּא דְּהָא לָא יְקוּמוּן לְאַחְיָיא בְּעָלְמָא לְמֵיקַם בְּדִינָא), as it is written: “And they were blotted out,” as you say (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב: וַיִּמָּחוּ, כְּמָה דְּאַתְּ אָמֵר), “You blotted out their name forever and ever” (שְׁמָם מָחִיתָ לְעוֹלָם וָעֶד) [Tehillim 9:6]-for even to stand in judgment they shall not arise (דְּאֲפִלּוּ לְמֵיקַם בְּדִינָא לָא יְקוּמוּן).

“And the ark was lifted up and it rose above the earth” (וַיִּשְׂאוּ אֶת הַתֵּיבָה וַתָּרָם מֵעַל הָאָרֶץ) [Bereishit 7:17]. Rabbi Abba opened and said (רַבִּי אַבָּא פָּתַח וְאָמַר): “Be exalted above the heavens, O Elohim; above all the earth, let Your glory be” (רוּמָה עַל הַשָּׁמַיִם אֱלֹהִים עַל כָּל הָאָרֶץ כְּבוֹדֶךָ) [Tehillim 57:6]. Woe to the guilty who sin and provoke their Master daily (וַוֵי לוֹן לְחַיָּיבַיָּא דְּאִנּוּן חָטָאן וּמַרְגִּיזִין לְמָארֵיהוֹן בְּכָל יוֹמָא), and through their sins they repel the Shekhinta from the earth (וּבְחוֹבַיְיהוּ דַּחְיֵין לָהּ לַשְּׁכִינְתָּא מֵאַרְעָא), and cause Her to depart from the world (וְגָרְמִין דְּתִסְתַּלֵּק מֵעָלְמָא). And Shekhinta is called Elohim (וּשְׁכִינְתָּא אִקְרֵי אֱלֹהִים), and of Her it is written: “Be exalted above the heavens, O Elohim” (וְעֲלָהּ כְּתִיב: רוּמָה עַל הַשָּׁמַיִם אֱלֹהִים) [Tehillim 57:6].

Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי): what is written-“And the ark was lifted up”-that it was driven outside (מַה כְּתִיב: וַיִּשְׂאוּ אֶת הַתֵּיבָה-דְּדַּחְיֵין לָהּ לְבַר), “and it rose above the earth,” meaning it no longer dwelled in the world and was removed from it (וַתָּרָם מֵעַל הָאָרֶץ-דְּלָא שַׁרְיָיא בְּעָלְמָא וְאִסְתַּלְקַת מִנָּהּ). And when She is removed from the world, there is no one to watch over the world, and judgment rules over it (וְכַד אִסְתַּלְקַת מֵעָלְמָא, הָא לֵית מַאן דְּיַשְׁגַּח בְּעָלְמָא, וְדִינָא שָׁלְטָא בְּדִינָא כְּדֵין עֲלוֹי). And when the guilty of the world are blotted out and depart from it (וְכַד יִתְמָחוּן חַיָּיבֵי עָלְמָא וְיִסְתַּלְּקוּן מִנֵּיהּ דְּעָלְמָא), then the Shekhinta returns to Her dwelling in the world (שְׁכִינְתָּא אֲהַדְרַת מְדוֹרָהּ בְּעָלְמָא).