Daf 77b (דַּף ע״ז ע״ב)

Woe to those who sleep the sleep of slumber in their hollows (וַוי לְאִנּוּן דְּנַיְימֵי שֵׁנְתָא בְּחוֹרֵיהוֹן), who neither know nor look to see how they will stand in the judgment of reckoning that is commanded (לָא יָדְעֵי וְלָא מִסְתַּכְּלָאן אֵיךְ יְקוּמוּן בְּדִינָא דְּחוּשְׁבַּן אִתְפַּקַד), when the body is consumed (כַּד אִסְתָּאַב גּוּפָא), and the Neshamah floats over the surface of the pure air (וְנִשְׁמָתָא שַׁטְיָא עַל אַנְפֵּי דְּאֲוִירָא דְּטִיהֲרָא), ascending and descending (וְסָלְקָא וְנַחֲתָא), and the gates are not opened (וְתַרְעִין לָא מִתְפַּתְּחָן), they roll like stones within the hollow of a sling (מִתְגַּלְגְּלָן כְּאַבְנִין בְּגוֹ קוּסְפִיתָא). Woe to them-who will demand from them? (וַוי לוֹן מַאן יִתְבַּע לוֹן), for they shall not rise at this time in the place of delight of the Righteous (דְּלָא יְקוּמוּן בְּעִדּוּנָא דָא בְּגוֹ דוּכְתֵּי דְעִנּוּגֵי דְצַדִּיקַיָּא), their places have been reassigned (אִתְפַּקְדּוּן דּוּכְתַּיְיהוּ), they have been handed over to the hand of Dumah (אִתְמַסְּרוּן בִּידָא דְדוּמָה), descending and not ascending (נַחֲתֵי וְלָא סַלְקֵי). Concerning them it is written (Job 7) (עֲלַיְיהוּ כְּתִיב): The cloud vanishes and goes, so one who descends to Sheol shall not rise (כָּלָה עָנָן וַיֵּלַךְ כֵּן יוֹרֵד שְׁאוֹל לֹא יַעֲלֶה). At that moment, a certain flame is aroused from the northern direction (בְּהַהִיא שַׁעֲתָא אִתְעַר שַׁלְהוֹבָא חַד מִסְּטַר צָפוֹן), and it bursts into the four directions of the world (וּבָטַשׁ בְּאַרְבַּע סִטְרֵי עָלְמָא), and it descends and reaches between the wings of the rooster (וְנָחִית וּמָטֵי בֵּין גַּדְפֵי דְתַרְנְגוֹלָא), and that flame is aroused in him and he cries out (וְאִתְעַר הַהוּא שַׁלְהוֹבָא בֵּיהּ וְקָרֵי). And there is no one who is aroused except those righteous ones of truth who stand and are aroused in Orayta (וְלֵית מַאן דְּאִתְעַר בַּר אִנּוּן זַכָּאֵי קְשׁוֹט דְּקָיְימֵי וְאִתְעָרוּ בְּאוֹרַיְתָּא). Then Kudsha Berikh Hu and all the Righteous in the Garden of Eden listen to their voices (וּכְדֵין קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא וְכָל אִנּוּן צַדִּיקַיָּיא דִּבְגוֹ גִנְתָא דְעֵדֶן צַיְיתֵי לְקָלֵיהוֹן), as it is said (Shir haShirim 8) (כְּמָא דְאַתְּ אָמֵר]): She who sits in the gardens, companions are listening to your voice; let me hear it (הַיּוֹשֶׁבֶת בַּגַּנִּים חֲבֵרִים מַקְשִׁיבִים לְקוֹלֵךְ הַשְּׁמִיעִנִי). And Hashem said to Avram (וַיֹּאמֶר יְיָ אֶל אַבְרָם), what is written above (Bereishit 11) (מַה כְּתִיב לְעֵילָא)? And Haran died before Terach his father, etc. (וַיָּמָת הָרָן עַל פְּנֵי תֶרַח אָבִיו וְגו׳). Why is it stated here? (מַאי אִירְיָא הָכָא), Rather, until that day no man had ever died during his father’s lifetime (אֶלָּא עַד הַהוּא יוֹמָא לָא הֲוָה בַּר נָשׁ דְּמִית בְּחַיֵּי אֲבוֹי בַּר דָּא), and when Avram was cast into the fire, Haran was killed (וְכַד אִתְרְמֵי אַבְרָם לְנוּרָא אִתְקְטִיל הָרָן), and because of this, those who emerged from there asked: Who killed Haran? (וּבְגִין דָּא נָפְקוּ מִתַּמָּן מַאן קָטִיל לוֹן לְהָרָן). Rather, once they cast Avraham into the fire of the Chaldeans (אֶלָּא כֵּיוָן דְּרָמוּ אַבְרָהָם לְנוּרָא דְּכַשְׂדָּאֵי), Kudsha Berikh Hu was revealed upon him and rescued him (אִתְגְּלִי עֲלֵיהּ קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא וּשֵׁזָבֵיהּ), and Haran was standing behind (וְהֲוָה הָרָן אֲחוּי קָאֵי תַּמָּן).

The Chaldeans said: In the merit of Haran he was saved (אָמְרוּ כַשְׂדָּאֵי בְּגִין זְכוּתֵיהּ דְּהָרָן אִשְׁתְּזִיב), and immediately a flame of fire came out and consumed Haran (מִיָּד נָפַק שַׁלְהוֹבָא דְּאֶשָּׁא וְאוֹקְדֵיהּ לְהָרָן), as it is written: And Haran died before Terach his father (הֲדָא הוּא דִּכְתִיב וַיָּמָת הָרָן עַל פְּנֵי תֶרַח אָבִיו). And some say: The seed of Terach was such that fire did not rule over it (וְאִית דְּאָמְרֵי זַרְעָא דְּתֶרַח לֵית אֶשָּׁא שָׁלְטָא בֵיהּ), but let us cast Haran into the fire (אֲבָל נְּרָמֵי לְהָרָן לְנוּרָא), and if he is not burned, we will know for certain that fire does not rule over his seed (וְאִי לָא אִיתּוֹקַד נֵדַע בְּוַדַּאי דְּלָא שָׁלְטָא נוּרָא בְּזַרְעֵיהּ). Immediately they cast Haran into the fire, and he was consumed (מִיָּד רָמִי לֵיהּ לְהָרָן לְנוּרָא וְאִתּוֹקְד), and Terach his father was standing there (וְהֲוָה תֶרַח אֲבוֹי קָאֵים תַּמָּן), as it is written: And Haran died before Terach his father (הֲדָא הוּא דִּכְתִיב וַיָּמָת הָרָן עַל פְּנֵי תֶרַח אָבִיו). On that day, all nations and tongues knew (בְּהַהוּא יוֹמָא יָדְעוּ כָּל אוּמַיָּא וְלִישְׁנַיָּא) that it was not anyone else who saved Avraham, but Kudsha Berikh Hu, who is the Unique One of the world (דְּלָא שֵׁיזְבֵיהּ לְאַבְרָהָם אֶלָּא קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא דְּאִיהוּ יְחִידָאִי דְּעָלְמָא). And they would bring their children to the dwelling of Avraham and say to him (וְהֲווּ מַיְיתֵין בְּנַיְיהוּ לְמִשְׁכְּנֵיהּ דְּאַבְרָהָם וְאָמְרִין לֵיהּ): We see that you cleave to Kudsha Berikh Hu, who is Master of the world (חָמִינָן לָךְ, דְּאַתְּ רָחִיץ בְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא דְּאִיהוּ רִבּוֹנֵיהּ דְּעָלְמָא), teach our children from your path that you know (אוֹלִיף לְּבָנָנָא מֵאוֹרְחָךְ דְּאַתְּ יֵדַע). And regarding them, the verse says (Tehillim 47) (וְעֲלַיְיהוּ אָמַר קְרָא): The nobles of the peoples have gathered, the people of the God of Avraham (נְדִיבֵי עַמִּים נֶאֶסָפוּ עַם אֱלֹהֵי אַבְרָהָם).

Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי), what is written: And Terach took Avram his son and Lot the son of Haran, etc. (מַה כְּתִיב: וַיִּקַּח תֶּרַח אֶת אַבְרָם בְּנוֹ וְאֶת לוֹט בֶּן הָרָן וְגו׳), and they went out with them from Ur Kasdim (וַיֵּצְאוּ אִתָּם מֵאוּר כַּשְׂדִים). “With them” (אִתָּם) should have said “with him” (אִתּוֹ מִבָּעֵי לֵיהּ), for it is written that Terach took them (דְּהָא כְּתִיב וַיִּקַּח תֶּרַח וְגו׳). Why then they went out with them? (מַאי וַיֵּצְאוּ אִתָּם) Rather, Terach and Lot went out with Avraham and Sarah (אֶלָּא תֶּרַח וְלוֹט עִם אַבְרָהָם וְשָׂרָה נַפְקוּ), for they were the essence of the departure from among those who were guilty (דְּאִנּוּן הֲווּ עִקְּרָא לְמֵיפַק מִגּוֹ אִנּוּן חַיָּיבַיָּא). For once Terach saw that Avraham his son had been saved from the fire (דְּכֵיוָן דְּחָמָא תֶּרַח דְּאַבְרָהָם בְּרֵיהּ אִשְׁתְּזִיב מִגּוֹ נוּרָא), he returned to follow the will of Avraham (אִתְהַדַּר לְמֶעְבַּד רְעוּתֵיהּ דְּאַבְרָהָם), and because of this it says they went out with them, Terach and Lot (וּבְגִין כָּךְ וַיֵּצְאוּ אִתָּם תֶּרַח וְלוֹט). And at the time they departed, what is written? To go to the land of Canaan (וּבְשַׁעֲתָא דְּנַפְקוּ מַה כְּתִיב: לָלֶכֶת אַרְצָה כְּנַעַן)-for their desire was to go there (דִּרְעוּתָא דִלְהוֹן הֲוָה לְמֵיהַךְ תַּמָּן). From here we learn (מִכָּאן אוֹלִיפְנָא) that whoever is aroused to purify themselves is aided (כָּל מַאן דְּאִתְעַר לְאִתְדַּכָּאָה מְסַיְּיעִין לֵיהּ). Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי), for so it is: once it says to go to the land of Canaan, immediately it is written And Hashem said to Avram, Go forth for yourself (דְּהָכִי הוּא דְּכֵיוָן דִּכְתִיב לָלֶכֶת אַרְצָה כְּנַעַן, מִיָּד וַיֹּאמֶר יְיָ אֶל אַבְרָם לֶךְ לְךָ). But before he was first aroused, it does not say Lekh Lekha [Go forth for yourself] (וְעַד דְּאִיהוּ אִתְעַר בְּקַדְמִיתָא לָא כְּתִיב לֶךְ לְךָ).

Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי), a matter above is not aroused until a stirring from below takes place first (מִלָּה דִּלְעֵילָא לָא אִתְעַר עַד דְּאִתְעַר לְתַתָּא בְּקַדְמִיתָא), for that which is above to dwell upon it (עַל מַה דְּתִשְׁרֵי הַהִיא דִּלְעֵילָא). And the secret of the matter is: a black light is not unified with white light until it is first stirred (וְרָזָא דְּמִלָּה, נְהוֹרָא אוּכְמָא לָא אִתְאַחִיד בִּנְהוֹרָא חִוָּורָא עַד דְּאִיהִי אִתְעָרִית בְּקַדְמִיתָא). Once it is stirred first, immediately the white light rests upon it (כֵּיוָן דְּאִיהִי אִתְעָרִית בְּקַדְמִיתָא, מִיָּד נְהוֹרָא חִוְּרָא שַׁרְיָיא עֲלָהּ). And because of this it is written (Tehillim 83) (וְעַל דָּא כְּתִיב): O God, do not be silent, do not hold Your peace, and do not be still, O El (אֱלֹהִים אַל דָּמִי לָךְ אַל תֶּחֱרָשׁ וְאַל תִּשְׁקֹט אֵל) so that the white light should never be withheld from the world forever (בְּגִין דְּלָא יִתְפְּסַק נְהוֹרָא חִוָּרָא מֵעָלְמָא לְעָלְמִין). And similarly (Yeshayahu 62) (וְכֵן): You who remind Hashem, do not be silent (הַמַּזְכִּירִים אֶת יְיָ אַל דֳּמִי לָכֶם), in order to arouse below through which the stirring above will dwell (בְּגִין לְאַתְעָרָא לְתַתָּא בְּמָה דְּיִשְׁרֵי אִתְעֲרוּתָא דִּלְעֵילָא). And so, once a person stirs with initial arousal, then the arousal from above is stirred (וְכֵן כֵּיוָן דְּאִתְעַר בַּר נָשׁ אִתְעֲרוּתָא בְּקַדְמִיתָא, כְּדֵין אִתְעַר אִתְעֲרוּתָא דִּלְעֵילָא). Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי): once it is written they went out with them from Ur Kasdim, etc. (כֵּיוָן דִּכְתִיב וַיֵּצְאוּ אִתָּם מֵאוּר כַּשְׂדִים וְגו׳), immediately it follows: And Hashem said to Avram, etc. (מִיָּד וַיֹּאמֶר יְיָ אֶל אַבְרָם וְגו׳).