Daf 76a (דַּף ע״ו ע״א)

He gave supernal Chokhmah to Adam HaRishon (יָהַב חָכְמְתָא עִלָּאָה לְאָדָם הָרִאשׁוֹן), and with that Chokhmah (וּבְהַהִיא חָכְמָה), as was revealed to him (דְּאִתְגְּלֵי לֵיהּ), he knew the levels (יָדַע דַּרְגִּין), and cleaved to the evil inclination (וְאִתְדְּבַק בְּיֵצֶר הָרָע), until the wellsprings of Chokhmah departed from him (עַד דְּאִסְתַּלְּקוּ מִנֵּיהּ מַבּוּעֵי דְחָכְמְתָא). And afterward he repented before his Master (וּלְבָתַר תָּב קַמֵּי מָארֵיהּ), and they were revealed to him again, but not as originally (וְאִתְגַּלְּיָין לֵיהּ מִנַּיְיהוּ וְלָא כְּקַדְמִיתָא). Afterward, through that book of his [the book Raziel gave him], he knew Chokhmah (לְבָתַר בְּהַהוּא סִפְרָא דִילֵיהּ יָדַע חָכְמָאן). And afterward, the sons of men came and provoked before Him (וּלְבָתַר אָתוּ בְּנֵי נָשָׁא וְאַרְגִּיזוּ קַמֵּיהּ).

He gave Chokhmah to Noach, and he served through it Kudsha Berikh Hu (יָהַב חָכְמְתָא לְנֹחַ וּפְלַח בָּהּ לְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא). Afterward, what is written? “And he drank of the wine, and became drunk, and uncovered himself…” (לְבָתַר מַה כְּתִיב: וַיֵּשְׁתְּ מִן הַיַּיִן וַיִּשְׁכָּר וַיִּתְגַּל). As it is said (כְּמָה דְּאִתְּמָר).

He gave Chokhmah to Avraham, and he served through it Kudsha Berikh Hu (יָהַב חָכְמְתָא לְאַבְרָהָם וּפְלַח בָּהּ לְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא). Afterward, Yishma‘el emerged from him, who angered before Kudsha Berikh Hu (לְבָתַר נָפַק מִנֵּיהּ יִשְׁמָעֵאל דְּאַרְגִּיז קַמֵּי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא). And likewise Yitzchak-Esav came forth from him (וְכֵן יִצְחָק נָפַק מִנֵּיהּ עֵשָׂו). Ya‘akov took two sisters (יַעֲקֹב נְסַב תְּרֵין אֲחָתָן).

He gave Chokhmah to Moshe-what is written about him? “In all My house he is faithful” (במדבר יב: בְּכָל בֵּיתִי נֶאֱמָן הוּא). And there was none like Moshe (וְלָא הֲוָה כְּמשֶׁה), a faithful servant in all the levels (שַׁמָּשׁ מְהֵימָן בְּכֻלְהוּ דַּרְגִּין), and his heart did not turn aside in desire for even one of them (וְלָא סָטָא לִבֵּיהּ בְּתִיאוּבְתָּא דְּחַד מִנַּיְיהוּ), but he stood in supernal faith as fitting (אֶלָּא קָאִים בִּמְהֵימְנוּתָא עִלָּאָה כְּדְקָא יְאוּת).

He gave supernal Chokhmah to King Shlomo (יָהַב חָכְמְתָא עִלָּאָה לִשְׁלֹמֹה מַלְכָּא). Afterward, what is written about him? “The Proverbs of Shlomo” (Mishlei 1) (לְבָתַר מַה כְּתִיב בֵּיהּ: מִשְׁלֵי שְׁלֹמֹה) and “The oracle-the word of the man to Iti’el, to Iti’el and Ukhal” (Mishlei 30) (משלי ל: הַמַּשָּׂא נְאֻם הַגֶּבֶר לְאִיתִיאֵל לְאִיתִיאֵל וְאוּכָל). Shlomo said: “With me is El,” and the Chokhmah is his (אָמַר שְׁלֹמֹה: אִתִּי אֵל וְחָכְמְתָא דִילֵיהּ הוּא), and I am able, and I can to do my will (וְאוּכָל וְאֵיכוּל לְמֶעְבַּד רְעוּתִי). Afterward, “And Hashem raised a satan against Shlomo…” (Melakhim I 11) (לְבָתַר: וַיָּקֶם יְיָ שָׂטָן לִשְׁלֹמֹה וְגו׳).

Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי), with the small amount of wisdom that these [the generation of the tower of Babel] found from that wisdom of the ancients (בְּגִין זְעִירוּ דְּחָכְמְתָא דְּאַשְׁכָּחוּ אִלֵּין מֵהַהוּא חָכְמָה דְּקַדְמָאֵי), they provoked Kudsha Berikh Hu (אִתְגָּרוּ בֵּיהּ בְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא), and built a tower and did all that they did (וּבָנוּ מִגְדָּל וְעֲבָדוּ כָּל מַה דְּעֲבָדוּ), until they were scattered from upon the face of the earth (עַד דְּאִתְבַּדָּרוּ מֵאַנְפֵּי אַרְעָא), and no wsidom remained among them to do anything (וְלָא אִשְׁתָּאַר בְּהוּ חָכְמָה לְמֶעְבַּד מִידֵּי). But in the time to come, Kudsha Berikh Hu will arouse this wisdom in the world (אֲבָל לְזִמְנָא דְּאָתֵי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא יִתְעַר חָכְמְתָא בְּעָלְמָא), and all shall serve Him with it (וְיִפְלְחוּן לֵיהּ בָּהּ). This is what is written (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב): “And I shall place My spirit within you and I shall act” (Yechezkel 36) (וְאֶת רוּחִי אֶתֵּן בְּקִרְבְּכֶם וְעָשִׂיתִי). Not like the ancients who ruined the world through it (לָאו כְּקַדְמָאֵי דְּחֲבִילוּ בֵּיהּ עָלְמָא), but rather “and I shall act so that you walk in My statutes and you guard My judgments and perform them” (אֶלָּא וְעָשִׂיתִי אֶת אֲשֶׁר בְּחֻקַּי תֵּלֵכוּ וְאֶת מִשְׁפָּטַי תִּשְׁמְרוּ וַעֲשִׂיתֶם).

Rabbi Yosei and Rabbi Ḥiyya were walking on the road (רַבִּי יוֹסֵי וְרַבִּי חִיָּיא הֲווּ אָזְלֵי בְּאָרְחָא). Rabbi Yosei said to Rabbi Ḥiyya (אָמַר לֵיהּ רַבִּי יוֹסֵי לְרַבִּי חִיָּיא): Let us open with Orayta and speak a word (נִפְתַּח בְּאוֹרַיְיתָא וְנֵימָא מִלָּה). Rabbi Yosei opened and said (פָּתַח רַבִּי יוֹסֵי וְאָמַר): “For Hashem your Elohim walks in the midst of your camp, to save you and give your enemies before you; and your camp shall be holy, and He shall not see in you a shameful thing and turn away from behind you” (Devarim 23) (כִּי יְיָ אֱלֹהֶיךָ מִתְהַלֵּךְ בְּקֶרֶב מַחֲנְךָ לְהַצִּילְךָ וְלָתֵת אֹיְבֶיךָ לְפָנֶיךָ וְהָיָה מַחֲנְךָ קָדוֹשׁ וְלֹא יִרְאֶה בְךָ עֶרְוַת דָּבָר וְשָׁב מֵאַחֲרֶיךָ). For “Hashem your God walks about” — it should have said “walks” (active)? (כִּי יְיָ אֱלֹהֶיךָ מִתְהַלֵּךְ – מְהַלֵּךְ מִבָּעֵי לֵיהּ). Rather, as you say (אֶלָּא כְּמָא דְאַתְּ אָמֵר): “walking in the garden at the breeze of the day” (Bereishit 3) (מִתְהַלֵּךְ בַּגָּן לְרוּחַ הַיּוֹם). And this is the tree from which Adam HaRishon ate (וְדָא הוּא אִילָנָא דְּאָכַל מִנֵּיהּ אָדָם הָרִאשׁוֹן). She walks — feminine; he walks — masculine (מִתְהַלֵּךְ נוּקְבָא, מְהַלֵּךְ דְּכַר). And this is what goes before Yisrael when they were going in the wilderness (וְדָא הוּא דְּאָזִיל קַמַּיְיהוּ דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל כַּד הֲווּ אָזְלֵי בְּמַדְבְּרָא), as it is written (שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר): “And Hashem went before them by day…” (Shemot 13) (וַיְיָ הוֹלֵךְ לִפְנֵיהֶם יוֹמָם וְגו׳). This is what goes before a man when he goes on the way (הוּא דְּאָזִיל קַמֵּיהּ דְּבַר נָשׁ כַּד אָזִיל בְּאָרְחָא), as it is written (דִּכְתִיב): “Righteousness shall go before Him, and shall place His footsteps on the path” (Tehillim 85) (צֶדֶק לְפָנָיו יְהַלֵּךְ וְיָשֵׂם לְדֶרֶךְ פְּעָמָיו). And this is what goes before a man at the time when he is worthy (וְדָא הוּא דְּאָזִיל קַמֵּיהּ דְּבַר נָשׁ בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְּאִיהוּ זָכֵי). And why? “To save you and to give your enemies before you” (וְלָמָּה: לְהַצִּילְךָ וְלָתֵת אֹיְבֶיךָ לְפָנֶיךָ), to protect a person on the road and not allow the Sitra achra to rule over him (לְאִשְׁתְּזָבָא בַּר נָשׁ בְּאָרְחָא וְלָא יִשְׁלוֹט בֵּיהּ אָחֳרָא). And because of this, a person must guard himself from his sins and purify himself (וּבְגִין כָּךְ לִבָּעֵי לֵיהּ לְבַר נָשׁ לְאִסְתַּמְּרָא מֵחוֹבוֹי וּלְדַכָּאָה לְגַרְמֵיהּ). What is this purification? (מַאי דַּכְיוּ דָּא). As it is written: “And your camp shall be holy” (Devarim 23) (דִּכְתִיב: וְהָיָה מַחֲנֶיךָ קָדוֹשׁ). (What [is the meaning of] 'Holy' [singular]? It should have said 'Holy ones' [plural] (מַאי קָדוֹשׁ, קְדוֹשִׁים מִבָּעֵי לֵיהּ). Rather, your camp shall be holy-these are the limbs of the body in which the body is joined and rectified (אֶלָּא מַחֲנֶיךָ קָדוֹשׁ – אִלֵּין שַׁיְיפֵי גוּפָא דְּגוּפָא אִתְחַבַּר וְאִתְתַּקַּן בְּהוּ). And because of this: “And your camp shall be holy” (וּבְגִין כָּךְ: וְהָיָה מַחֲנֶיךָ קָדוֹשׁ). And He shall not see in you a shameful thing (וְלֹא יִרְאֶה בְךָ עֶרְוַת דָּבָר).

What is ervat davar? (shameful thing) (מַאי עֶרְוַת דָּבָר). This is a matter of nakedness (דָּא מִלְּתָא עֵרְיָיתָא). For this is a matter that the Holy One, Blessed be He, detests more than anything. (דְּדָא הוּא מִלָּה דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא מָאִיס בָּהּ יַתִּיר מִכֹּלָּא). Since it says: 'And He shall not see in thee the nakedness [ervat]'—why [does the verse then add the word] 'thing' [davar]? (כֵּיוָן דְּאָמַר: וְלֹא יִרְאֶה בְךָ עֶרְוַת, אַמַּאי דָּבָר). Rather, these are the guilty ones of the world (אֶלָּא: הַנִּי חַיָּיבֵי עָלְמָא), who defile and pollute their limbs with their own words that come from their mouths (דְּגָעֲלֵי וּמְסָאֲבֵי גַרְמַיְיהוּ בְּמִלָּה דִילְהוֹן דְּנָפְקֵי מִפּוּמַיְיהוּ), and this is “ervat davar” (shameful thing) (וְהָא אִיהוּ עֶרְוַת דָּבָר). And why all of this? (וְכָל כָּךְ לָמָּה). Because He walks before you (בְּגִין דְּאִיהוּ אָזִיל קַמָּךְ). And if you act thus, then He shall turn away from behind you (וְאִי אַתְּ עָבִיד כְּדֵין, מִיָּד: וְשָׁב מֵאַחֲרֶיךָ)-He will not walk with you, but will turn from you (דְּלָא יֵזִיל בַּהֲדָךְ וְיֵיתוּב מֵאַחֲרֶיךָ). And we-behold, we walk before Him on the road (וְאֲנַן הָא אַזְלִינָן קַמֵּיהּ בְּאָרְחָא); let us engage in matters of Orayta (נִתְעַסֵּק בְּמִלֵּי דְאוֹרַיְיתָא). For Orayta is crowned upon the head of a person (דְּהָא אוֹרַיְיתָא אִתְעַטְּרָא עַל רֵישֵׁיהּ דְּבַר נָשׁ), and the Shekhinta does not separate from him (וּשְׁכִינְתָּא לָא אַעֲדִיאַת מִינֵּיהּ).