Daf 164a (דַּף קס״ד ע״א)

Once the Temple was destroyed (כֵּיוָן דְּאִתְחָרַב בֵּי מַקְדְּשָׁא), what is written? (מַה כְּתִיב) “He turned His right hand backward before the enemy” (הֵשִׁיב אָחוֹר יְמִינוֹ מִפְּנֵי אוֹיֵב) (Lamentations 2). And because of this it is written (וּבְגִין כָּךְ כְּתִיב), “Save with Your right hand and answer me” (הוֹשִׁיעָה יְמִינְךָ וַעֲנֵנִי) (Psalms 60). And the left side grew strong (וּשְׂמָאלָא אִתְגַּבַּר), and the force of defilement became dominant (וּמְסָאֲבָא אִתְתַּקַּף), until Kudsha Berikh Hu builds the Temple (עַד דְּיִבְנִי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא בֵּי מַקְדְּשָׁא), and restores the world upon its proper Tikkun (וְיַתְקִין עַלְמָא עַל תִּקּוּנוֹי), and His words will return as they properly should (וִיהַדְּרוּן מִלֵּיהּ כְּדְקָא יְאוּת), and the defiled side will be removed from the world (וְיִתְעֲבַר סִטְרָא מְסָאֲבָא מִן עָלְמָא). And behold, it is stated (וְהָא אִתְּמָר), as it is written (דִּכְתִיב), “And I will remove the spirit of impurity from the land” (וְאֶת רוּחַ הַטֻּמְאָה אַעֲבִיר מִן הָאָרֶץ) (Zechariah 3), and it is written (וּכְתִיב), “He will swallow up death forever” (בִּלַּע הַמָּוֶת לָנֶצַח) (Isaiah 25). And Kudsha Berikh Hu alone shall remain (וְיִשְׁתָּאַר קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא בִּלְחוֹדוֹי), as it is written (כְּמָה דִכְתִיב), “And the idols shall utterly pass away” (וְהָאֱלִילִים כָּלִיל יַחֲלֹף) (Isaiah 2), and it is written (וּכְתִיב), “And Hashem alone shall be exalted on that day” (וְנִשְׂגָּב יְיָ לְבַדּוֹ בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא) (ibid).

He alone (הוּא בִּלְחוֹדוֹי), as it is written (כְּמָה דִכְתִיב), “And no strange god is with Him” (וְאֵין עִמּוֹ אֵל נֵכָר) (Devarim 32), because the defiled force will be uprooted from the world (בְּגִין דְּיִשְׁתְּצֵי חֵילָא מְסָאֲבָא מֵעַלְמָא), and nothing will remain above or below (וְלָא יִשְׁתָּאַר לְעֵילָא וְתַתָּא), but only Kudsha Berikh Hu alone (אֶלָּא קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא בִּלְחוֹדוֹי), and Yisrael for His service (וְיִשְׂרָאֵל לְפוּלְחָנֵיהּ), a holy people (עַם קַדִּישׁ), and they shall be called holy (וְיִתְקְרֵי קַדִּישׁ), as it is written (דִּכְתִיב), “And it shall be that the one who is left in Zion and the one who remains in Yerushalayim shall be called holy, everyone written for life in Yerushalayim” (וְהָיָה הַנִּשְׁאָר בְּצִיּוֹן וְהַנּוֹתָר בִּירוּשָׁלַם קָדוֹשׁ יֵאָמֶר לוֹ כָּל הַכָּתוּב לַחַיִּים בִּירוּשָׁלַםִ) (Isaiah 4). Then there will be a singular King (וּכְדֵין יְהֵא מַלְכָּא יְחִידָאָי), above and below (לְעֵילָא וְתַתָּא), and a singular people for His service (וְעַמָּא יְחִידָאָה לְפוּלְחָנֵיהּ), as it is written (כְּמָה דִּכְתִיב), “And who is like Your people Yisrael, one nation on earth?” (וּמִי כְעַמְךָ יִשְׂרָאֵל גּוֹי אֶחָד בָּאָרֶץ) (Divrei HaYamim I 17).

Rabbi Yitzḥak and Rabbi Yesa were walking along the way (רִבִּי יִצְחָק וְרַבִּי יֵיסָא, הֲווּ אָזְלֵי בְּאָרְחָא), Rabbi Yesa said (אָמַר רִבִּי יֵיסָא), the Shekhinta is with us, let us engage in words of Orayta (הָא שְׁכִינְתָּא לְגַבָּן נִתְעַסַּק בְּמִלֵּי דְּאוֹרַיְיתָא), for whoever engages in words of Orayta and strives in them (דְּכָל מַאן דְּעָסִיק בְּמִלֵּי דְּאוֹרַיְיתָא וְיִשְׁתַּדַּל בָּהּ), merits to draw Her to himself (זָכֵי לְאַמְשָׁכָא לֵיהּ בַּהֲדֵיהּ).

Rabbi Yitzḥak opened and said (פָּתַח רִבִּי יִצְחָק וְאָמַר), “Hashem lives, and blessed is my rock, and exalted is the God of my salvation” (חַי יְיָ וּבָרוּךְ צוּרִי וְיָרוּם אֱלֹהֵי יִשְׁעִי) (Psalms 18). This verse is a mystery (הַאי קְרָא אִיהוּ רָזָא). “Hashem lives” (חַי יְיָ), do we not already know that Kudsha Berikh Hu is called “Living”? (וְכִי לָא יְדַעְנָא דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא אִקְרֵי חַי)? Rather, even a Tzaddik is called “living” (אֶלָּא אֲפִלּוּ צַדִּיק אִיהוּ אִקְרֵי חַי), for “living”—Tzaddik is called that both above and below (דְּהָא חַי, צַדִּיק אִיהוּ לְעֵילָא וְצַדִּיק אִיהוּ לְתַתָּא). Above, Kudsha Berikh Hu is called “Living” (לְעֵילָא קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא אִקְרֵי חַי), below, a Tzaddik is called “Living” (לְתַתָּא צַדִּיק אִקְרֵי חַי), as it is written (דִּכְתִיב), “And Benaiah son of Yehoyada, the son of a living man” (וּבְנָיָהוּ בֶּן יְהוֹיָדָע בֶּן אִישׁ חָי) (II Samuel 23). Why is he called “living”? (אַמַּאי אִקְרֵי חַי) Because he is a Tzaddik (בְּגִין דְּאִיהוּ צַדִּיק), for a Tzaddik is called “living” (דְּהָא צַדִּיק חַי אִקְרֵי), the “Living of the Worlds” (חַי הָעוֹלָמִים). “And blessed is my rock” (וּבָרוּךְ צוּרִי), it is all one (כֹּלָּא חַד), “Living” and “Blessed” (חַי וּבָרוּךְ), for they are never separated from one another (דְּלָא מִתְפָּרְשֵׁי מֵהַדָּדֵי), for when they are joined together as one (דְּכַד מִתְחַבְּרִין כְּחֲדָא), it is called (אִקְרֵי), “A well of living waters” (בְּאֵר מַיִם חַיִּים) (Shir haShirim 4) this one flows inward (דָּא נְבִיעַ לְגוֹ), and that one is filled from it (וְדָא אִתְמַלְיָיא מִנֵּיהּ). “And exalted is the God of my salvation” (וְיָרוּם אֱלֹהֵי יִשְׁעִי)—this is the supernal world (דָּא עַלְמָא עִלָּאָה), which is exalted and uplifted (דְּאִיהוּ רָם וְנִשָּׂא), exalted above all (רָם עַל כֹּלָּא), for from there comes all (דְּהָא מִינֵיהּ נָפִיק כֹּלָּא)—from a source that never ceases (מְקוֹרָא דְּלָא פָסִיק), and every flow that flows is in order to fill the well appropriately (וְכָל נְבִיעוּ דִּנְבִּיעַ, לְאִתְמַלְיָיא בֵּירָא כְּדְקָא יְאוּת), and from there it is blessed (וּמִתַּמָּן אִתְבָּרְכָא), to illuminate to all those below (לְאַנְהָרָא לְכָל אִינוּן דִּלְתַּתָּא). And when this one is filled (וְכַד אִתְמַלְיָיא), everything is as it should be (כֹּלָּא כְּדְקָא יְאוּת)—then “And exalted is the God of my salvation” (כְּדֵין: וְיָרוּם אֱלֹהֵי יִשְׁעִי).

Rabbi Yesa opened and said (פָּתַח רִבִּי יֵיסָא וְאָמַר), “He does not remove His eyes from the Tzaddik, but sets them with kings upon the throne, and exalts them forever” (לֹא יִגְרַע מִצַּדִּיק עֵינָיו, וְאֶת מְלָכִים לַכִּסֵּא וַיָּשִׁיבֵם לָנֶצַח וַיְגַבְּהוּ) (Job 36). Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי): when the guilty no longer rule in the world and are removed from it (כַּד חַיָּיבַיָּא לָא שָׁלְטִין בְּעָלְמָא וְאִתְאַבִּידוּ מִינֵּיהּ), then the Tzaddik rules in the world (כְּדֵין צַדִּיק אִיהוּ שַׁלִּיט בְּעָלְמָא), as it is written (הֲדָא הוּא דִּכְתִיב), “He does not let the wicked live, and grants justice to the poor” (לֹא יְחַיֶּה רָשָׁע וּמִשְׁפַּט עֲנִיִּים יִתֵּן) (Job 36). What is written next? (מַה כְּתִיב בַּתְרֵיהּ), “He does not remove His eyes from the Tzaddik” (לֹא יִגְרַע מִצַּדִּיק עֵינָיו).

What are His eyes? (מַהוּ עֵינָיו), as you say (כְּמָה דְּאַתְּ אָמֵר), “The eyes of Hashem are upon the Tzaddikim” (עֵינֵי יְיָ אֶל צַדִּיקִים) (Psalms 35). “And [He seats] kings on the throne” (וְאֶת מְלָכִים לַכִּסֵּא), these are the kings who rule and are joined to the throne (אִלֵּין אִינוּן מְלָכִין שַׁלִּיטִין, דְּאִתְאַחֲדָן לַכִּסֵּא). “And He establishes them forever” (וַיָּשִׁיבֵם לָנֶצַח), that they may endure on the throne in perfect establishment (דְּאִתְקַיְּימוּ בְּכוּרְסְיָיא, בְּקִיּוּמָא שְׁלִים). “And He exalts them” (וַיְגַבְּהוּ)—why does He exalt them? (אַמַּאי וַיְגַבְּהוּ) To rule in the world (לְשַׁלְטָאָה בְּעָלְמָא), and to establish the throne upon their support (וְיִתְקַיֵּים כוּרְסְיָיא עַל סַמְכוֹהִי). Another matter: “And He exalts them” (דָּבָר אַחֵר: וַיְגַבְּהוּ), that they carry the throne and raise it upward (דְּנָטְלֵי כוּרְסְיָיא, וְזָקְפִין לָהּ לְעֵילָא), to be united in its place properly (לְאִתְאַחֲדָא בְּאַתְרֵיהּ כְּדְקָא יְאוּת), and then all becomes one unity (וּכְדֵין כֹּלָּא יִחוּדָא חָדָא). While they were still going (עַד דְּהֲווּ אָזְלֵי), they saw a certain man (חָמוּ חַד בַּר נָשׁ), who was coming with a certain child with him (דְּהֲוָה אָתֵי וְחַד יְנוּקָא עִמֵּיהּ), riding on his shoulders (רָכִיב עַל כִּתְפֵיהּ). Rabbi Yitzḥak said (אָמַר רִבִּי יִצְחָק), surely this man is a Jew (וַדַּאי הַאי בַּר נָשׁ יְהוּדָאִי אִיהוּ), and he comes to bring merit to mankind (וּבְגִין לְזַכָּאָה לִבְנֵי נָשָׁא קָא אָתֵי).

Rabbi Yesa said (אָמַר רִבִּי יֵיסָא), let us merit before him first (נִזְכֶּה אֲנַן בְּקַדְמִיתָא בֵּיהּ). When he came near to them (כַּד מָטָא לְגַבַּיְיהוּ), Rabbi Yesa said (אָמַר רִבִּי יֵיסָא): “I am a flask of pressed figs in the bundle of the way” (אָן קִיסְתָּא דִּטְרִימָא בְּקִירְטוֹי דְּאוֹרְחָא) (Some say: a flask of sheaves) (ס״א: קִיסְתָּא דְּעֲמִירָא). He said: It is so that men may gain merit (אָמַר: בְּגִין דְּיִזְכּוּן בְּנֵי נְשָׁא). For I had two sons (דְּהָא תְּרֵין בְּנִין אִית לִי), and a storm came and destroyed them (וְאָתָא טוּרָנָא לְמַתָּא, וְאִשְׁתַּבּוּ). And now I go (וְהָאִידְנָא אָזִילְנָא), so that men may gain merit through them (בְּגִין דְּיִזְכּוּן בְּהוּ בְּנֵי נָשָׁא). They merited with him (זָכוּ בַּהֲדֵיהּ), and they gave him to eat (וְיַהֲבוּ לֵיהּ לְמֵיכַל).

Meanwhile, that Jew opened and said (אַדְהָכִי פָּתַח הַהוּא יְהוּדָאִי וְאָמַר): “My offering, My bread for My fires…” (אֶת קָרְבָּנִי לַחְמִי לְאִשָּׁי) (Bamidbar 28). The offering of Kudsha Berikh Hu each day (קָרְבָּנָא דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא בְּכָל יוֹמָא), is in order to nourish the world (בְּגִין לְמֵיזַן עַלְמָא), and to provide sustenance both above and below (וּלְמֵיהַב סִפּוּקָא לְעֵילָא וְתַתָּא), for through awakening from below, above is awakened (דְּהָא בְּאִתְעֲרוּתָא דִּלְתַּתָּא אִתְעַר לְעֵילָא), and in this way each one is sustained as is fitting (וּבְדָא מִסְתַּפְּקִין כָּל חַד וְחַד כְּדְקָא יְאוּת). “My offering, My bread” (אֶת קָרְבָּנִי לַחְמִי)—this is as it is written: “I have eaten My honeycomb with My honey; I have drunk My wine with My milk” (אָכַלְתִּי יַעֲרִי עִם דִּבְשִׁי שָׁתִיתִי יֵינִי עִם חֲלָבִי) (Shir haShirim 5). “For My fires” (לְאִשָּׁי)—this is as it is written: “Eat, O friends…” (אִכְלוּ רֵעִים וְגו׳) (ibid). And what Kudsha Berikh Hu commanded: to awaken sustenance above in order to awaken sustenance below from that very sustenance (וּמַה קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא פַּקִּיד לְאִתְעָרָא מְזוֹנָא לְעֵילָא בְּגִין לְאִתְעָרָא מְזוֹנָא לְתַּתָּא מֵהַהוּא מְזוֹנָא). One who provides sustenance to support a soul (מַאן דְּיָהִיב מְזוֹנָא לְקַיְּימָא נַפְשָׁא), how much more so does Kudsha Berikh Hu bless him (עַל אַחַת כַּמָּה וְכַמָּה דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא בָּרִיךְ לֵיהּ), and awakens for him supernal sustenance (וְיִתְעַר לֵיהּ מְזוֹנָא דִּלְעֵילָא), and the world is blessed because of him (וְיִתְבָּרַךְ עַלְמָא בְּגִינֵיהּ).

Rabbi Yitzḥak said (אָמַר רִבִּי יִצְחָק), surely this mystery is proper and he speaks well (וַדַּאי רָזָא דָּא כְּדְקָא חָזֵי, וְשַׁפִּיר קָאֲמַר). Rabbi Yesa said (אָמַר רִבִּי יֵיסָא), surely concerning this they said (וַדַּאי עַל דָּא אֲמְרוּ), that one should not disgrace any person in the world (דְּלָא יְזַלְזֵל בַּר נָשׁ לְשׂוּם בַּר נָשׁ אֲחֲרָא בְּעָלְמָא), for in two ways we merited with this man (בִּתְרֵי גַוְונִי זָכִינָא לְהַאי בַּר נָשׁ).