Parashat Chayyei Sarah

Daf 121a (דַּף קכ״א ע״א)

nd the life of Sarah was one hundred years and twenty years and seven years. (וַיִּהְיוּ חַיֵּי שָׂרָה מֵאָה שָׁנָה וְעֶשְׂרִים שָׁנָה וְשֶׁבַע שָׁנִים) Rabbi Yose opened and said: “And they lifted Yonah and cast him into the sea, and the sea ceased from its raging.” (רַבִּי יוֹסֵי פָּתַח וְאָמַר וַיִּשְׂאוּ אֶת יוֹנָה וַיְטִלֻהוּ אֶל הַיָּם וַיַּעֲמֹד הַיָּם מִזַּעְפּוֹ) Here one must look: why did the sea rage against Yonah, and the earth did not rage against him? (הָכָא אִית לְאִסְתַּכָּלָא, מַאי טַעְמָא אַרְעִישַׁת יַמָּא עֲלֵיהּ דְּיוֹנָה, וְלָא אַרְעִישַׁת עֲלֵיהּ אַרְעָא) Since he was going in order that the Shekhinta would not dwell upon him, why then did the sea hold onto him when he was going? (כֵּיוָן דְּהֲוָה אָזִיל בְּגִין דְּלָא תִּשְׁרֵי עֲלֵיהּ שְׁכִינְתָּא, יַמָּא (עִילָּאָה) אַמַּאי אָחִיד בֵּיהּ כַּד הֲוָה אָזִיל) Rather, certainly, the matter was proper in its place. (אֶלָּא וַדַּאי מִלָּה בְּאַתְרֵיהּ הֲוָה) The sea - it was taught: the sea is likened to the Firmament, and the Firmament to the Throne of Glory, and therefore the sea held him and received him. (יַם, תְּנַן: יַם דַּמְיָא לְרָקִיעַ וְרָקִיעַ לְכִסֵּא הַכָּבוֹד, וּבְגִין כָּךְ יַמָּא אָחִיד בֵּיהּ וְנְטַל לֵיהּ) (Because he had fled) from before the sea he had fled. (בְּגִין דְּהֲוָה עָרִיק מִקַּמֵּי יַמָּא עָרַק) (Some say: And from the presence of the sea, Yirah rests in its place). (נ״א: וּמִקַּמֵּי יַמָּא בֵּיהּ שָׁרְיָא יִרְאָה בְּדוּכְתֵּיהּ) The sea sent forth its hand upon him in his place. (Some say: would send forth its hand in its place) (שָׁדֵי יַמָּא יְדָא בֵּיהּ בְּדוּכְתָּהָא (נ״א: תִּשְׁרֵי יְדָא בְּדוּכְתָּהָא) “And they lifted Yonah and cast him into the sea.” (וַיִּשְׂאוּ אֶת יוֹנָה וַיְטִלֻהוּ אֶל הַיָּם) We learn: when they took him and immersed his thighs in the sea, the sea calmed. (אוֹלִיפְנָא: כַּד הֲווּ נָטְלֵי לֵיהּ וְטָבְעֵי יַרְכוֹי בְּיַמָּא, הֲוָה יַמָּא שָׁכִיךְ) They raised him up, and the sea became agitated. (זָקְפִין לֵיהּ, אִתְרְעִישׁ יַמָּא) However much they immersed him, so the sea was found to be calmed. (כָּל מַה דְּטָבְעֵי לֵיהּ, הָכִי אִשְׁתְּכִיךְ יַמָּא) Until he said: “Lift me up and cast me into the sea” - immediately, “And they lifted Yonah and cast him into the sea.” (עַד דְּאִיהוּ אָמַר: שְׂאוּנִי וְהַטִּילוּנִי אֶל הַיָּם, מִיָּד וַיִּשְׂאוּ אֶת יוֹנָה וַיְטִלֻהוּ אֶל הַיָּם) Once he encountered the sea, his Neshamah flew from him (כֵּיוָן דְּאִתְרַמֵּי בַּיָּם פָּרְחָה מִנֵּיהּ נִשְׁמָתֵיהּ), and it ascended until the Throne of the King (וְסָלְקָא עַד כֻּרְסְיָיא דְמַלְכָּא), and judgment was held before Him (וְאִתְדָּנַת קַמֵּיהּ), and his Neshamah was returned to him (וְאַהֲדָרַת לֵיהּ נִשְׁמָתֵיהּ), and he entered into the mouth of that fish (וְעָאל בְּפוּמָא דְהַהוּא נוּנָא), and the fish died (וּמִית נוּנָא). Afterwards, the fish was revived (לְבָתַר אִתְקְיַּים הַהוּא נוּנָא), and they established it (וְאוּקְמוּהָ).