Daf 69b (דַּף ס״ט ע״ב)

Another matter: “They passed over”-they transgressed the command (דָּבָר אַחֵר: עָבְרוּ-עָבְרוּ פִּקּוּדָא), Some say: the command of their Master (נ״א: דְּמָארֵיהוֹן)-and were punished (וְנֶעֱנָשׁוּ). Another matter: “The cunning one saw evil and hid”-this is Noach (דָּבָר אַחֵר: עָרוּם רָאָה רָעָה וְנִסְתָּר-דָּא נֹחַ), and “the fools passed and were punished”-these are the people of his generation (וּפְתָאִים עָבְרוּ וְנֶעֱנָשׁוּ-אִלֵּין בְּנֵי דָרֵיהּ), who were punished (וְנֶעֱנְשׁוּ), once he had hidden and remained there all that time (כֵּיוָן דְּאִסְתַּתַּר וְאִשְׁתָּהֵי תַמָּן כָּל הַהוּא זִמְנָא). Afterwards: “And Elohim remembered Noach” (לְבָתַר: וַיִּזְכֹּר אֱלֹהִים אֶת נֹחַ) [Bereishit 8:1].

Rabbi Shim'on said: “And Elohim remembered Noach”-come and see: at the time that judgment is executed, there is no mention of remembrance (אָמַר רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן: וַיִּזְכֹּר אֱלֹהִים אֶת נֹחַ-תָּא חֲזֵי: בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְּדִינָא אִתְעֲבִיד, לָא כְּתִיב בֵּיהּ זְכִירָה). But once judgment was completed, and the guilty of the world destroyed, then remembrance is written (כֵּיוָן דְּאִתְעֲבִיד בֵּיהּ דִּינָא וְאִתְאֲבִידוּ חַיָּיבֵי עָלְמָא, כְּדֵין כְּתִיב בֵּיהּ זְכִירָה). For when judgment rests upon the world, there is no unification, and the destroyer rules over the world (דְּהָא כַּד דִּינָא שַׁרְיָא בְּעָלְמָא, אִתְחַבְּרוּתָא לָא אִשְׁתְּכַח, וּמְחַבְּלָא שַׁרְיָא עַל עָלְמָא). Once judgment passes and wrath is withdrawn, all returns to its place (כֵּיוָן דְּאִתְעֲבַר דִּינָא וְאִשְׁתַּכִּיךְ רוּגְזָא, תָּב כֹּלָּא לְאַתְרֵיהּ). And because of this, it is written here: “And Elohim remembered Noach” (וּבְגִין כָּךְ כְּתִיב הָכָא: וַיִּזְכֹּר אֱלֹהִים אֶת נֹחַ)-for upon him rested remembrance (דְּבֵיהּ שַׁרְיָא זָכוֹר), for regarding Noach it is written: “Noach, a righteous man” (דְּנֹחַ אִישׁ צַדִּיק-כְּתִיב בֵּיהּ).

It is written: “You rule over the pride of the sea; when its waves rise, You still them” (כְּתִיב: אַתָּה מוֹשֵׁל בְּגֵאוּת הַיָּם; בְּשׂוֹא גַלָּיו אַתָּה תְשַׁבְּחֵם) [Tehillim 89:10]. At the time the sea swells with waves and the deeps rise and fall (בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְּיַמָּא קָפִיץ בְּגַלְגּוּלֵי וּתְהוֹמֵי סָלְקֵי וְנָחֲתֵי), Kudsha Berikh Hu sends forth one cord from the side of the right and draws in its waves and silences its fury, and no one knows how (קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא שָׁדַר חַד חוּטָא מִסִּטְרָא דְּיָמִינָא, וּמָשִׁיךְ גַּלְגְּלוֹי וְשָׁכִיךְ זַעְפֵּיהּ, וְלֵית מַאן דְּיָדַע לֵיהּ).

Yonah descended into the sea, and that great fish was prepared and swallowed him (יוֹנָה נָחַת לְיַמָּא, וְאִזְדַּמַּן לֵיהּ הַהוּא נוּנָא וּבָלַע לֵיהּ). Why did his Neshamah not leave him, nor fly out immediately? (הֵיךְ לָא נָפְקַת נִשְׁמְתֵיהּ מִנֵּיהּ, וְלָא פָּרְחָא מִיָּד) Because Kudsha Berikh Hu ruled over that storm of the sea (אֶלָּא בְּגִין דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא שַׁלִּיט בְּהַהוּא גֵּאוּתָא דְּיַמָּא). And that sea's rising was one cord from the left which rose up to the sea and in it was suspended (וְהַהוּא גֵּאוּתָא דְּיַמָּא-הוּא חַד חוּטָא דִּשְׂמָאלָא דְּסָלִיק לֵיהּ לְיַמָּא לְעֵילָא, וּבֵיהּ אִסְתַּלַּק). And were it not for that cord reaching it from the right side, it would not ascend ever (וְאִי לָאו הַהוּא חוּטָא דְּמָטֵי לֵיהּ מִסִּטְרָא דְּיָמִינָא, לָא סָלְקָא לְעָלְמִין). For when that cord descends to the sea and the sea unites with it, then its waves awaken and roar to devour prey (דְּכַד הַהוּא חוּטָא נָחִית לְיַמָּא וְיַמָּא אִתְאַחִיד בָּהּ, כְּדֵין אִתְעָרִין גַּלְגְּלוֹי וְשַׁאֲגָן לְמִטְרַף טַרְפָּא), until Kudsha Berikh Hu restrains them and returns them to their place (עַד דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא אָתִיב לוֹן לְאֲחוֹרָא וְתָבִין לְאַתְרַיְיהוּ).

This is what is written: “When its waves rise, You still them” (הֲדָא הוּא דִּכְתִיב: בְּשׂוֹא גַלָּיו אַתָּה תְּשַׁבְּחֵם) [Tehillim 89:10]. “You still them”-those are the waves of the sea (תְּשַׁבְּחֵם-לְאִנּוּן גַּלֵּי יַמָּא). “You still them”-You break them to cause them to return to their place (תְּשַׁבְּחֵם-תְּתַבַּר לוֹן לְאַתָּבָא לְאַתְרַיְיהוּ). Another matter: “You still them”-truly, it is praise to them, because they rise in longing to behold (דָּבָר אַחֵר: תְּשַׁבְּחֵם-מַמָּשׁ שְׁבָחָא הוּא לוֹן בְּגִין דְּסָלְקִין בִּתְּאִוּבְתָּא לְמֶחֱמֵי). From here we learn: whoever longs to gaze and to know-even though he cannot, Some say: and even though he is not granted permission (נ״א: וְלָא יְהַבִּין לֵיהּ רְשׁוּתָא)-it is a praise to him, and all praise him (שְׁבָחָא אִיהוּ דִּילֵיהּ, וְכֹּלָּא מְשַׁבְּחִין לֵיהּ).

Rabbi Yehudah said: Noach, when he was in the ark, was afraid that Kudsha Berikh Hu would not remember him ever (אָמַר רַבִּי יְהוּדָה: נֹחַ כַּד הֲוָה בַּתֵּיבָה, דָּחִיל הֲוָה דְּלָא יִדְכַּר לֵיהּ קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לְעָלְמִין). But once judgment was completed and the guilty of the world were passed away, what is written? “And Elohim remembered Noach” (וְכֵיוָן דְּאִתְעֲבִיד דִּינָא וְאִתְעֲבָרוּ חַיָּיבֵי עָלְמָא, מַה כְּתִיב וַיִּזְכֹּר אֱלֹהִים אֶת נֹחַ) [Bereishit 8:1].

Rabbi El'azar said: Come and see, at the time that judgment rests in the world, one should not mention his name above before Kudsha Berikh Hu in the world (רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר אָמַר: תָּא חֲזֵי-בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְּדִינָא שַׁרְיָא בְּעָלְמָא, לָא לִיבָּעֵי לֵיהּ לְאֵינָשׁ דְּיִדְכַּר שְׁמֵיהּ לְעֵילָא [קַמֵּיהּ דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא בְּעָלְמָא]). For if his name is mentioned, his sins will be recalled, and they will come to scrutinize him (דְּהָא אִי אַדְכַּר שְׁמֵיהּ, יִדְכְּרוּן חוֹבוֹי [כּוּלְּהוּ] וְיֵיתוּן לְאַשְׁגָּחָא בֵּיהּ). From where do we know this? From the Shunammitess (מְנָלָן מִשּׁוּנַמִּית), for that day was the Yom Tov of Rosh HaShanah, and Kudsha Berikh Hu was judging the world (דְּהַהוּא יוֹמָא-יוֹם טוֹב דְּרֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה הֲוָה, וּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא דָּאִין עָלְמָא). And then Elisha said to her: “Shall I speak for you to the king?”-this is Kudsha Berikh Hu (וּכְדֵין אָמַר לֵיהּ אֱלִישָׁע: הֲיֵשׁ לְדַבֵּר לָךְ אֶל הַמֶּלֶךְ-דָּא קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא), for at that moment He is called King-The Holy King, The King of Judgment (דִּכְדֵין אִקְרֵי מֶלֶךְ: מֶלֶךְ הַקָּדוֹשׁ, מֶלֶךְ הַמִּשְׁפָּט). And she said: “I dwell among my people”-I do not wish to be remembered or scrutinized, but rather among my people (וַתֹּאמֶר: בְּתוֹךְ עַמִּי אָנֹכִי יוֹשָׁבֶת-לָא בָּעֵינָא דְּיִדְכְּרוּן לִי וְיִשְׁגְּחוּן בִּי, אֶלָּא בְּתוֹךְ עַמִּי). One who hides himself within the people will not be noticed or judged harshly (מַאן דְּעַיֵּיל רֵישֵׁיהּ בֵּין עַמָּא [כּוֹלָּא], לָא יִשְׁגְּחוּן עֲלֵיהּ לְמֵידַן לֵיהּ לְבִישׁ); for this she said: “Among my people I dwell” (בְּגִינֵי כָּךְ אָמְרָה: בְּתוֹךְ עַמִּי).

Come and see: Noach, at the time that wrath was upon the world, was not remembered (תָּא חֲזֵי: נֹחַ-בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְּרוּגְזָא שַׁרְיָא בְּעָלְמָא, לָא אִדְכַּר). But once judgment passed, what is written? “And Elohim remembered Noach”-now his name was recalled (כֵּיוָן דְּדִּינָא אִתְעֲבַר, מַה כְּתִיב וַיִּזְכֹּר אֱלֹהִים אֶת נֹחַ-הַשְּׁתָּא אִדְכַּר שְׁמֵיהּ). Another matter: “And Elohim remembered Noach”-as it is said: “And I will remember My covenant” (דָּבָר אַחֵר: וַיִּזְכֹּר אֱלֹהִים אֶת נֹחַ-כְּמָה דְּאַתְּ אָמֵר: וְזָכַרְתִּי אֶת בְּרִיתִי) [Shemot 6:5].

Rabbi Ḥizkiyah was going from Kappotkiya to Lod (רַבִּי חִזְקִיָּה הֲוָה אָזִיל מִקַּפּוֹטְקִיָּא לְלוּד). He encountered Rabbi Yisa (פָּגַע בֵּיהּ רַבִּי יֵיסָא). He said to him: I am amazed at you for going alone (אָמַר לֵיהּ: תְּוַהְנָא עֲלָךְ דְּאַתְּ בִּלְחוֹדָךְ), for we have learned that a person should not go alone on the road (דְּהָא תָּנִינָן: דְּלָא יִפּוּק בַּר נָשׁ יְחִידָאֵי בְּאָרְחָא). He said to him: a boy walks with me, and he comes after me (אָמַר לֵיהּ: רַבְיָא חַד אָזִיל בַּהֲדָאִי, וְאִיהוּ אָתֵי אֲבַתְרָאי). He said to him: and for this I am amazed, how can one walk with you if you don’t discuss words of Orayta with him? (אָמַר לֵיהּ: וְעַל דָּא תְּוַהְנָא-אֵיךְ אָזִיל בַּהֲדָךְ מַאן דְּלָא תִשְׁתָּעֵי בֵּיהּ מִילֵי דְּאוֹרַיְיתָא). For we have learned: whoever goes on the road and words of Orayta are not with him endangers his life (דְּהָא תָּנִינָן: כָּל מַאן דְּאָזִיל בְּאָרְחָא וְלָאו עִמֵּיהּ מִילֵי דְּאוֹרַיְיתָא, אִסְתַּכַּן בְּנַפְשֵׁיהּ). He said to him: so it is, indeed (אָמַר לֵיהּ: הָכִי הוּא וַדַּאי).

While they were speaking, that boy arrived (אַדְהָכִי מָטָא הַהוּא רַבְיָא). Rabbi Yisa said to him: my son, from where are you? (אָמַר לֵיהּ רַבִּי יֵיסָא: בְּרִי, מֵאָן אֲתַר אַנְתְּ) He said to him: from the town of Lod, and I heard that this wise man was going there, and I prepared myself to serve him and walk with him (אָמַר לֵיהּ: מִקַּרְתָּא דְלוּד, וְשָׁמַעְנָא דְּהַאי בַּר נָשׁ חַכִּים אָזִיל תַּמָּן, וְזַמִּינָא גַרְמָאי לְפוּלְחָנֵיהּ וּלְמֵהַךְ בַּהֲדֵיהּ). He said to him: my son, do you know words of Orayta? (אָמַר לֵיהּ: בְּרִי, יָדַעְתְּ מִילֵי דְּאוֹרַיְיתָא) He said to him: I know, for my father would teach me the parashah of offerings, and I inclined my ears to what he would say together with my brother, who is older than I (אָמַר לֵיהּ: יָדְעַנָא, דְּהָא אַבָּא הֲוָה אוֹלִיף לִי בְּפָרָשַׁת קָרְבָּנוֹת, וְאַרְכִינָא אוּדְנָאי לְמַה דְּהֲוָה אָמַר עִם אָחִי, דְּאִיהוּ קְשִׁישָׁא מִנָּאי). Rabbi Yisa said to him: my son, tell me (אָמַר לֵיהּ רַבִּי יֵיסָא: בְּרִי, אֵימָא לִי).