Daf 96b (דַּף צ״ו ע״ב)

He dug it (וַיְעַזְקֵהוּ), like that which is dug and encircled on all sides (כְּהַאי עִזְקָא דְּאִסְתַּחַר לְכָל סִטְרִין). He cleared it of stones (וַיְסַקְלֵהוּ) - that is, He removed from it and from its portion all the mighty ones, all the princes, all the lower crowns (דְּאַעֲדֵי מִנֵּיהּ וּמֵחוּלָקֵיהּ כָּל אִנּוּן רַבְרְבִין, כָּל אִנּוּן תְּרֵיסִין, כָּל אִנּוּן כִּתְרִין תַּתָּאִין). And He took it for His portion, as it is written (Deuteronomy 32): “For Hashem’s portion is His people, Ya'akov the lot of His inheritance” (וְהוּא נָסִיב לֵיהּ לְהַאי כֶּרֶם לְחוּלָקֵיהּ, דִּכְתִיב: כִּי חֵלֶק יְיָ עַמּוֹ, יַעֲקֹב חֶבֶל נַחֲלָתוֹ). He planted it with choice vines (וַיִּטָּעֵהוּ שׂוֹרֵק), as you say (Jeremiah 2): “And I planted you a choice vine, entirely a seed of truth” (כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר: וְאָנֹכִי נְטַעְתִּיךְ שׂוֹרֵק, כֹּלֹּה זֶרַע אֱמֶת). “Koloh” (entirely) is written with a Heh (כל''ה כְּתִיב בְּה״א). From here Avraham begins to give birth above (מִכָּאן שָׁארֵי אַבְרָהָם לְאוֹלָדָא לְעֵילָא), and from this comes forth seed of truth (וּמֵהַאי נָפַק זֶרַע אֱמֶת). Entirely a seed of truth, certainly (כֹּלֹּה זֶרַע אֱמֶת וַדַּאי). This is what is written: “So shall your seed be” (Bereshit 15) (הַיְינוּ דִכְתִיב: כֹּה יִהְיֶה זַרְעֶךָ), and all is one matter (וְכֹלָּא חַד מִלָּה). Fortunate is the portion of Yisrael who inherited this holy inheritance (זַכָּאָה חוּלַקְהוֹן דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל דְּיָרְתוֹי רוּתָא קַדִּישָׁא דָּא). The end of the verse (Isaiah 5): “And He built a tower within it” (סוֹפֵיהּ דִּקְרָא: וַיִּבֶן מִגְדָּל בְּתוֹכוֹ).

What is a tower? As you say (Proverbs 18): “The name of Hashem is a strong tower” (מַהוּ מִגְדָּל, כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר: מִגְדַּל עֹז שֵׁם יְיָ). And it is lofty - in it the Tzaddik will run (וְנִשְׂגָּב, בּוֹ יָרוּץ צַדִּיק) - certainly (וַדַּאי). Also he hewed a winepress in it-this is the Gate of Righteousness, as you say, (וְגַם יֶקֶב חָצֵב בּוֹ דָּא תַּרְעָא דְּצֶדֶק כְּמָא דְאַתְּ אָמֵר), “Open for me the gates of righteousness” (Tehillim 118) (פִּתְחוּ לִי שַׁעֲרֵי צֶדֶק). What is implied? That every son of Yisrael who is circumcised enters through both, and merits both. (מַאי מַשְׁמַע, דְּכָל בַּר יִשְׂרָאֵל דְּאִתְגְּזַר, עֲיֵיל בְּתַרְוַויְיהוּ וְזָכֵי לְתַרְוַויְיהוּ). And one who brings his son for the offering, this one enters into it in the Holy Name, (וּמַאן דְּקָרִיב בְּרֵיהּ לְקָרְבָּנָא דָּא עֲיֵיל לֵיהּ בִּשְׁמָא קַדִּישָׁא), and upon this, heaven and earth are sustained, as it is written, “If not for My covenant by day and night, I would not have set the ordinances of heaven and earth” (Yirmeyahu 33) (אִם לֹא בְּרִיתִי יוֹמָם וָלַיְלָה חֻקּוֹת שָׁמַיִם וָאָרֶץ לֹא שָׂמְתִּי). And this master of this celebration has merited all-to behold Kudsha Berikh Hu face to face on this day. (וְהַאי מָארֵיהּ דְּהִלּוּלָא דָּא זָכָה לְכֹלָּא לְמֶחֱזֵי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא אַנְפִּין בְּאַנְפִּין בְּהַאי יוֹמָא).

Blessed is our portion that we have merited to this day, and blessed is your portion with us, (זַכָּאָה חוּלָקָנָא דְּזָכִּינָא לְהַאי יוֹמָא וְזַכָּאָה חוּלָקָךְ עִמָּנָא), and this son that has been born to you-upon him do I proclaim the verse, “Everyone who is called by My name... I have created him, I have also formed him, yea, I have made him” (Yeshayahu 43) (כָּל הַנִּקְרָא בִשְׁמִי וְגו׳ יְצַרְתִּיו אַף עֲשִׂיתִיו). And it is written, “And all your children shall be taught of Hashem…” (Yeshayahu 54) (וְכָל בָּנַיִךְ לִמּוּדֵי יְיָ וְגו׳). They added to Rabbi Abba three words. (אוֹזְפוּהָ לְרַבִּי אַבָּא תְּלַת מִילִין). They said to him, “This master of the celebration, your guest, has merited all this because he fulfilled the fulfillment of a mitzvah.” (אָמְרוּ לֵיהּ הַאי מָרֵיהּ דְּהִלּוּלָא, אוּשְׁפִּיזָךְ, זָכָה לְכוּלֵי הַאי בְּגִין דְּקִיֵּים קִיּוּמָא דְּמִצְוָה). He said: “What is it?” (אָמַר מַאי הִיא).

That man said: “My wife was the wife of my brother, and he died without children, and I took her. (אָמַר הַהוּא גַבְרָא, דְּבֵיתָאי אִתַּת אָחִי הֲוַות, וּמִית בְּלָא בְּנִין, וְנָסִיבְנָא לָהּ), and this is the first son I have had from her, and I call him by the name of my brother who passed away.” (וְדָא הוּא בְּרָא קַדְמָאָה דְּהֲוָה לִי מִנָּהּ וְקָרֵינָא לֵיהּ בִּשְׁמָא דְּאָחִי דְּאִתְפַּטַּר). He said to him: “From now on, call him Idi, and he shall be Idi son of Ya'akov.” (אָמַר לֵיהּ מִכָּאן וּלְהָלְאָה קְרֵי לֵיהּ אִידִי, וְהַיְינוּ אִידִי בַּר יַעֲקֹב). Rabbi Abba blessed them and went on his way. (בָּרִיךְ לוֹן רַבִּי אַבָּא וְאָזִיל לְאָרְחֵיהּ). When he came, he arranged the words before Rabbi El'azar, but he was afraid to say it to Rabbi Shim‘on. (כַּד אֲתָא סִדֵּר מִלִּין קַמֵּיהּ דְּרַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר, וְדָחִיל לְמֵימַר לְרַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן). One day he was standing before Rabbi Shim‘on. (יוֹמָא חַד הֲוָה קַמֵּיהּ דְּרַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן). And Rabbi Shim‘on said: “What is that which is written: ‘And Avram fell upon his face, and Elohim spoke with him, saying, I-behold My covenant is with you’?” (וְאָמַר רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן מַאי דִּכְתִיב: וַיִּפֹּל אַבְרָם עַל פָּנָיו וַיְדַבֵּר אִתּוֹ אֱלֹהִים לֵאמֹר אֲנִי הִנֵּה בְּרִיתִי אִתָּךְ) (Bereishit 17). It implies that before he was circumcised, he would fall upon his face and speak with Him. (מַשְׁמַע דְּעַד דְּלָא אִתְגְּזַר הֲוָה נְפִיל עַל אַנְפּוֹי וּמַלִּיל עִמֵּיהּ). After he was circumcised, he stood in his existence and was not afraid. (בָּתַר דְּאִתְגְּזַר קָאֵים בְּקִיּוּמֵיהּ וְלָא דָּחִיל). “I-behold My covenant is with you,” for he found himself circumcised. (אֲנִי הִנֵּה בְּרִיתִי אִתָּךְ דְּאַשְׁכַּח גַּרְמֵיהּ גָּזִיר).

Rabbi Abba said to him: “If it is pleasing before the Master that I may say before him some of those exalted words that I heard regarding this…” (אָמַר לֵיהּ רַבִּי אַבָּא אִי נִיחָא קַמֵּיהּ דְּמַר דְּלֵימָא קַמֵּיהּ מֵאִנּוּן מִלֵּי מַעֲלַיְיתָא דְּשְׁמַעְנָא בְּהַאי), he said to him: “Say.” (אָמַר לֵיהּ אֵימָא). He said to him: “I fear lest they be punished because of me.” (אָמַר לֵיהּ דָּחִילְנָא דְּלָא יִתְעַנְּשׁוּ עַל יְדָאִי). He said to him: “Heaven forbid! As it is written: ‘He shall not fear from evil tidings; his heart is steadfast, trusting in Hashem’” (Tehillim 112) (חַס וְשָׁלוֹם… מִשְׁמוּעָה רָעָה לֹא יִירָא נָכוֹן לִבּוֹ בָּטוּחַ בַּיְיָ). He related the story to him and arranged before him all those words. (סָח לֵיהּ עוֹבָדָא וְסִדֵּר קַמֵּיהּ כָּל אִנּוּן מִלִּין). He said to him: “And all these exalted words were hidden within you, and you did not say them?” (אָמַר לֵיהּ וְכִי כָּל הַנֵּי מִלֵּי מַעַלְיָיתָא הֲווּ טְמִירִין גַּבָּךְ וְלָא אֲמַרְתְּ לְהוּ). “I decree upon you: Every thirty days these shall rise up and be forgotten.” (גּוֹזַרְנָא עֲלָךְ דְּכָל תְּלָתִין יוֹמִין אִלֵּין תִּלְעֵי וְתִנְשֵׁי). “Is it not written: ‘Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, when it is in your power to do it’?” (Mishlei 3) (וְלָא כְּתִיב אַל תִּמְנַע טוֹב מִבְּעָלָיו בִּהְיוֹת לְאֵל יָדְךָ לַעֲשׂוֹת). And so it was. (וְכָךְ הֲוָה). He said: “I decree that in this Orayta, they shall be exiled to Bavel” (and they were exiled to Bavel) among the friends. (אָמַר גּוֹזַרְנָא דִּבְאוֹרַיְּיתָא דָּא יִגְלוּן לְבָבֶל [וַיִּגְלוּן בְּבָבֶל] בֵּינֵי חַבְרַיָּיא).

The heart of Rabbi Abba was weakened. One day, Rabbi Shim‘on saw him and said to him: “The scribe of your heart is seen upon your face.” (חָלַשׁ דַּעְתֵּיהּ דְּרַבִּי אַבָּא, יוֹמָא חַד חֲמָא לֵיהּ רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן אָמַר לֵיהּ טוּפְסְרָא דְּלִבָּךְ בְּאַנְפָּךְ שְׁכִיחַ). He said to him: “It is not for myself, but for them.” (אָמַר לֵיהּ לָא עַל דִּידִי הוּא אֶלָּא עַל דִּידְהוּ). He said to him: “Heaven forbid that they were punished, but rather because the words were revealed among them so greatly.” (אָמַר לֵיהּ חַס וְשָׁלוֹם דְּאִתְעַנָּשׁוּ, אֶלָּא בְּגִין דְּמִלִּין אִתְגַלְיָין בֵּינַיְיהוּ כָּל כָּךְ). “They shall be revealed among the friends-they shall learn those ways (and they will rejoice), and the words will be concealed within them.” (יִגְלוּן בֵּינֵי חַבְרַיְּיא יִלְּפוּן אִנּוּן אָרְחִין [וְאִתְבַּסְּמַן] וְאִתְכַּסְיָין מִלִּין בְּגַוַּיְיהוּ). “For words are not revealed except among us, for Kudsha Berikh Hu consented with us, and through our hands were these words revealed.” (דְּהָא מִלִּין לָא אִתְגַּלְיָין אֶלָּא בֵּינָנָא דְּהָא קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא אִסְתַּכִּים עִמָּנָא וְעַל יְדָנָא אִתְגַּלְּיָין מִלִּין).

Rabbi Yose said: It is written, “Then your light shall break forth as the dawn…” (Isaiah 58) (כְּתִיב: אָז יִבָּקַע כַּשַּׁחַר אוֹרֶךָ וְגו׳). In the future, Kudsha Berikh Hu is destined to proclaim concerning His sons (זַמִּין קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לְאַכְרְזָא עַל בְּנוֹי), and He will say (וְיֵימָא): “Then your light shall break forth like the dawn (אָז יִבָּקַע כַּשַּׁחַר אוֹרֶךָ), and your healing shall quickly sprout (וַאֲרוּכָתְךָ מְהֵרָה תִצְמָח), and your righteousness shall go before you (וְהָלַךְ לְפָנֶיךָ צִדְקֶךָ), and the glory of Hashem shall gather you in (וּכְבוֹד יְיָ יַאַסְפֶךָ)” (Isaiah 58:8)