Daf 167a (דַּף קס״ז ע״א)

Concerning a man who was traveling on a road (לְבַר נָשׁ דְּהֲוָה אָזִיל בְּאָרְחָא), while traveling, he heard about a certain robber who was ahead on the road (עַד דְּהֲוָה אָזִיל שָׁמַע עַל חַד לִסְטִים דְּהֲוָה כָּמַן בְּאָרְחָא). Another man encountered him (פָּגַע בֵּיהּ בַר נָשׁ אָחֳרָא). He said to him, "Whom do you belong to?" (אָמַר לֵיהּ מִמָּאן אַנְתְּ). He replied, "I belong to such-and-such a Legion" (אָמַר לֵיהּ מִפְּלוֹנִי לִגְיוֹן אֲנָא). He said to him, "Keep away from me, for whoever approaches me, I bring forth a certain snake, and it kills him" (אָמַר לֵיהּ סְטֵי לָךְ מִגַּבָּאי דְּכָל מַאן דְּקָרִיב בַּהֲדָאי חַד חִוְיָא אֲנָא מַיְיתֵי וְקָטִיל לֵיהּ). That man went to the Legion and said, "A certain man is coming, and whoever approaches him is bitten by a snake that he brings, and he dies" (אֲזַל הַהוּא בַר נָשׁ לְהַהוּא לִגְיוֹן, אָמַר לֵיהּ חַד בַר נָשׁ אָתֵי וְכָל מַאן דִּי קָרִיב בַּהֲדֵיהּ נָשְׁכֵיהּ חַד חִוְיָא דְּהוּא מַיְיתֵי וּמַיֵית).

When the Legion heard this, he became afraid (שָׁמַע הַהוּא לִגְיוֹן וְדָחִיל). He said, "It is best that I go out toward him and reconcile with him" (אָמַר יָאוֹת דְּאֵזִיל לְקֳבְלֵיהּ וְאִתְפַּיֵיס בַּהֲדֵיהּ). As soon as that first man saw him, he said, "Woe! Now the Legion will surely kill me!" (עַד דְּחָמָא לֵיהּ הַהוּא בַר נָשׁ, אָמַר, וַוי דְּהַשְׁתָּא יִקְטְלֵינֵיהּ הַהוּא לִגְיוֹן). Immediately, he began to bow and prostrate himself before him (שָׁארֵי סָגִיד וְכָרַע לְקֳבְלֵיהּ).

The Legion said, "If he truly had a snake capable of killing me, he would not bow so greatly before me" (אָמַר הַהוּא לִגְיוֹן, אִלְמָלֵא הֲוָה לֵיהּ בִּידֵיהּ חִוְיָא לְקָטְלָא, לָא סְגִיד כּוּלַי הַאי לְקֳבְלִי). Thus, the Legion became arrogant and said, "Since he has humbled himself so much before me, I will not kill him" (שָׁארֵי לִגְיוֹנָאָה לְאִתְגָּאָה, אָמַר, הוֹאִיל וְכָל כָּךְ כָּרַע לְקִבְלִי לָא אֶקְטְלִינֵיהּ). Similarly, Ya'akov said, "I have lived with Lavan and delayed until now" (כָּךָ אָמַר יַעֲקֹב עִם לָבָן גַּרְתִּי וָאֵחַר עַד עָתָּה). "I delayed with him for twenty years, and I bring with me a snake capable of killing people" (עֶשְׂרִין שְׁנִין אִתְאֲחָרִית עִמֵּיהּ וְאֲנָא מַיְיתֵי חִוְיָא לְקָטְלָא בְּנִי נָשָׁא). When Esav heard this, he said, "Woe! Who can stand before him?" (שְׁמַע עֵשָׂו, אָמַר, וַוי מַאן יָקוּם קַמֵּיהּ). "Now Ya'akov will surely kill me with his words alone!" (דְּהַשְׁתָּא יִקְטְלִינֵיהּ יַעֲקֹב בְּפוּמֵיהּ). Therefore, Esav immediately went forth to meet him and reconcile with him (שָׁארֵי נָפִיק לָקֳדָמוּתֵיהּ לְאִתְפַּיְיסָא עִמֵּיהּ). When Ya'akov saw him, what is written? "And Ya'akov was very afraid and distressed" (Bereshit 32) (כֵּיוָן דְּחָמָא לֵיהּ מַה כְּתִיב וַיִּירָא יַעֲקֹב מְאֹד וַיֵּצֶר לוֹ). When Esav approached him, he began bowing and prostrating himself before him (כֵּיוָן דְּקָרִיב בַּהֲדֵיהּ שָׁארֵי כָּרַע וְסָגִיד לְקֳבְלֵיהּ). This is what is written, "He bowed himself to the ground seven times until he approached his brother" (Bereshit 33) (הֲדָא הוּא דִּכְתִיב וַיִּשְׁתַּחוּ אַרְצָה שֶׁבַע פְּעָמִים עַד גִּשְׁתּוֹ עַד אָחִיו). Esav said, "If Ya'akov truly had all this power with him, he would never bow before me like this" (אָמַר עֵשָׂו אִלְמָלֵא כָּל כָּךְ הֲוָה עִמֵּיהּ, לָא סְגִיד לְקִבְלִי). So Esav began to feel arrogant (שָׁארֵי לְאִתְגָּאָה).

Come and see: What is written concerning Bil'am? "And Hashem came to Bil'am at night" (Bamidbar 22) (תָּא חֲזֵי, מַה כְּתִיב בְּבִלְעָם וַיָּבֹא אֱלֹהִים אֶל בִּלְעָם לַיְלָה). Regarding Lavan, it is written: "And Hashem came to Lavan the Aramean in a dream by night, and said to him, 'Guard yourself, lest you speak with Ya'akov from good…'" (Bereshit 31) (בְּלָבָן כְּתִיב וַיָּבֹא אֱלהִים אֶל לָבָן הָאֲרַמִּי בַּחֲלוֹם הַלַּיְלָה וַיֹּאמֶר לוֹ הִשָּׁמֶר לְךָ פֶּן תְּדַבֵּר עִם יַעֲקֹב מִטּוֹב וְגו'). "Lest you speak"? It should have said, "Lest you do harm to Ya'akov" (פֶּן תְּדַבֵּר, פֶּן תַּעֲשֶׂה לְיַעֲקֹב רָעָה מִבָּעֵי לֵיהּ). However, Lavan did not pursue Ya'akov with a force of men intending physical warfare (אֶלָּא לָבָן לָא רָדַף אֲבַתְרֵיהּ דְּיַעֲקֹב בְּחֵילָא דְגוּבְרִין לַאֲגָחָא בֵּיהּ קְרָבָא), because the strength of Ya'akov and his sons was greater than his own (דְּהָא חֵילָא דְּיַעֲקֹב וּבְנוֹי רַב מִנֵּיהּ). Rather, he intended to destroy Ya'akov with his mouth (i.e., sorcery) and uproot everything (אֶלָּא לְמִקְטְלֵיהּ בְּפוּמֵיהּ וּלְשֵׁיצָאָה כֹּלָּא). This is as it is written, "An Aramean attempted to destroy my father" (Devarim 26) (הֲדָא הוּא דִּכְתִיב אֲרַמִּי אוֹבֵד אָבִי).

Therefore, it says, "lest you speak," not "lest you do" (וּבְגִין כָּךְ פֶּן תְּדַבֵּר, וְלָא כְּתִיב פֶּן תַּעֲשֶׂה). And yet Lavan said, "It is within the power of my hand to do harm" (וּכְתִיב יֵשׁ לְאֵל יָדִי לַעֲשׂוֹת). How did he know he had such power? (מִנַּיִן הֲוָה יָדַע דִּיְכֹלְתָּא הֲוָה בִּידֵיהּ). Only because, as it says, "The God of your father spoke to me last night…" (Bereshit 31) (אֶלָּא כְּמָה דְאִתְּמָר אֱלֹהֵי אֲבִיכֶם אֱמֶשׁ אָמַר אֵלַי וְגו'). This is the testimony that Kudsha Berikh Hu commanded us to recount (וְדָא הוּא סַהֲדוּתָא, דְּפָּקִּיד קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לְאַסְהָדָא), as written, "And you shall answer and say before Hashem your God, 'An Aramean attempted to destroy my father…'" (Devarim 26) (דִּכְתִיב וְעָנִיתָ וְאָמַרְתָּ לִפְנֵי יְיָ אֱלֹהֶיךָ אֲרַמִּי אוֹבֵד אָבִי וְגו'). "And you shall answer," as in the sense of testimony, similar to, "You shall not bear false testimony against your neighbor" (Shemot 20) (וְעָנִיתָ, כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר לֹא תַעֲנֶה בְרֵעֲךָ), and also, "to testify falsely against his brother" (Devarim 19) (עָנָה בְאָחִיו).

Regarding Bil'am, it says: "And he did not go as at other times to meet with enchantments" (Bamidbar 24) (כְּתִיב בֵּיהּ בְּבִלְעָם וְלֹא הָלַךְ כְּפַעַם בְּפַעַם לִקְרַאת נְחָשִׁים). For this was his practice, he used divination (דְּהָכִי הוּא אָרְחֵיהּ דְּאִיהוּ הֲוָה מְנַחֵשׁ). And regarding Lavan, it is written, "I have divined" (Bereshit 30) (בְּלָבָן כְּתִיב נִחַשְׁתִּי), meaning he looked into his enchantments and divinations regarding Ya'akov’s affairs (דְּאַשְׁגַּח בַּחֲרָשׁוֹי וּבִקְסָמוֹי בְּעִסְקָא דְיַעֲקֹב). When he wanted to destroy Ya'akov with his sorcery and enchantments (וְכַד בָּעָא לְאוֹבָדָא לְיַעֲקֹב בִּנְחָשָׁא וּבַחֲרָשָׁא דִּילֵיהּ בָּעָא לְאוֹבָדֵיהּ), Kudsha Berikh Hu did not allow him (וְלָא שַׁבְקֵיהּ קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא). And this is what Bil'am, the descendant (grandson) said (Bamidbar 23), "For there is no enchantment in Ya'akov, nor divination in Yisrael" (וְהַיְינוּ דְּאָמַר בִּלְעָם בַּר בְּרֵיהּ כִּי לֹא נַחַשׁ בְּיַעֲקֹב וְלֹא קֶסֶם בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל). Who can prevail against them? (מַאן יָכִיל לְהוֹן). For their grandfather [Lavan] sought to destroy their father [Ya'akov] with his enchantments and divinations, yet it did not succeed for him (דְּהָא סָבָאי בָּעָא לְאוֹבָדָא לַאֲבוּהוֹן בִּנְחָשִׁים וּבִקְסָמִים דִּילֵיהּ וְלָא סְלִיקָא בִּידוֹי), since he was not permitted to harm him (דְּלָא שַׁבְקֵיהּ לְלַטְיָא). This is what is written, "For there is no enchantment in Ya'akov, nor divination in Yisrael" (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב כִּי לֹא נַחַשׁ בְּיַעֲקֹב וְלֹא קֶסֶם בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל). With all ten kinds of sorcery and divination of the lower crowns, Lavan attempted against Ya'akov but could not prevail (וּבְכֻלְּהוּ עֲשָׂרָה זִינֵי חֳרָשִׁין וְקוֹסְמִין דְּקוּזְטְפֵי דְּכִתְרִין תַּתָּאִין עֲבַד לָבָן לְקֳבְלֵיהּ דְּיַעֲקֹב וְלָא יָכִיל). As it is written (Bereshit 31), "And you changed my wages ten times" (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב וַתַּחְלֵף אֶת מַשְׂכֻּרְתִּי עֲשֶׂרֶת מוֹנִים). All of these methods Lavan employed against him, yet he did not succeed to harm him (דְּכֻלְּהוּ עֲבַד לָבָן לְקֳבְלֵיהּ וְלָא סְלִיקוּ בִּידוֹי לְאַבְאָשָׁא לֵיהּ). As written, "And he changed my wages ten times, but Hashem did not allow him to harm me" (Bereshit 31) (דִּכְתִיב וְהֶחֱלִיף אֶת מַשְׂכֻּרְתִּי עֲשֶׂרֶת מוֹנִים וְלֹא נְתָנוֹ אֱלֹהִים לְהָרַע עִמָּדִי). What is "monim"? It translates as "times," but as it says (Vayikra 17), "unto the demons (se'irim) after whom they stray," it implies "kinds," or "varieties" literally (מַאי מוֹנִים, כְּתַרְגּוּם זִינִין, וּכְתִיב לַשְּׂעִירִים אֲשֶׁר הֵם זוֹנִים אַחֲרֵיהֶם. מוֹנִים, מִינִים כְּמַשְׁמָעוֹ). These were the ten kinds of sorcery and divination within the lower crowns, all employed against him (וַעֲשָׂרָה זִינִין אִינוּן דְּחֲרָשִׁין וְקוֹסְמִין בְּכִתְרִין תַּתָּאִין וְכֻלְּהוּ עֲבַד לְקֳבְלֵיהּ). These ten kinds are written explicitly (עֲשָׂרָה זִינִין אִינוּן, דִּכְתִיב), "one who practices divination" (קוֹסֵם קְסָמִים), "soothsaying" (מְעוֹנֵן), "interpreting omens" (וּמְנַחֵשׁ), "sorcery" (וּמְכַשֵּׁף), "conjuring spells" (וְחוֹבֵר חָבֶר), "consulting ghosts" (וְשׁוֹאֵל אוֹב), "or familiar spirits" (וְיִדְעוֹנִי), "and inquiring of the dead" (וְדֹרֵשׁ אֶל הַמֵּתִים). Behold, these are ten (הָא עֲשָׂרָה אִינוּן). (Devarim 18)

Rabbi Yosei said (אָמַר רִבִּי יוֹסֵי): "Divination and enchantment (נַחַשׁ וְקֶסֶם), are two distinct kinds (תְּרֵי זִינֵי אִינוּן), yet they ascend on a single level (וּבְדַרְגָּא חַד סָלְקִין). When Bil'am came, he employed enchantment against Yisrael (וְכַד אֲתָא בִּלְעָם בְּקֶסֶם עֲבַד לְקִבְלֵיהוֹן דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל). This is as it is written (Bamidbar 22), 'With enchantments in their hands' (וְהַיְינוּ דִכְתִיב וּקְסָמִים בְּיָדָם). And Lavan came against Ya'akov with divination (וּלְקֳבְלֵיהּ דְּיַעֲקֹב אֲתָא לָבָן בְּנַחַשׁ). Neither this one nor that one succeeded (הַאי וְהַאי לָא סְלִיקוּ בִּידַיְיהוּ). This is as it is written (Bamidbar 23), 'For there is no divination in Ya'akov and no enchantment in Yisrael' (הֲדָא הוּא דִּכְתִיב כִּי לא נַחַשׁ בְּיַעֲקֹב וְלא קֶסֶם בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל). 'For there is no divination in Ya'akov'—initially, in the days of Lavan (כִּי לא נַחַשׁ בְּיַעֲקֹב בְּקַדְמִיתָא בְּיוֹמוֹי דְלָבָן); 'nor enchantment in Yisrael'—afterwards, in the days of Bil'am (וְלא קֶסֶם בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל לְבָתַר בְּיוֹמוֹי דְבִלְעָם)." Bil'am said to Balak (אָמַר בִּלְעָם לְבָלָק), "Come and see, who can overcome them?" (תָּא חֲזֵי, מַאן יָכִיל לְהוֹן). For all sorceries and enchantments that are in our crowns are adorned from the fragment of the supernal kingship (דְּכָל קְסָמִין וַחֲרָשִׁין דִּבְכִתְרִין דִּילָן, מִקִּיזְפָא דְמַלְכוּתָא דִּלְעֵילָא (וְתַתָּא) מִתְעַטְּרָן (דְּהָא)), and he was bound with them, as it is written, “Hashem his God is with him, and the shout of a King is in him” (וְהוּא אִתְקַשַּׁר בְּהוּ, דִּכְתִיב יְיָ אֱלֹהָיו עִמּוֹ וּתְרוּעַת מֶלֶךְ בּוֹ).