Daf 176a (דַּף קע״ו ע״א)

And if you say, but is it not written: From the four winds come, O spirit? Why then did they not remain, for behold, all of them died again as before? (וְאִי תֵימָא הָא כְּתִיב מֵאַרְבַּע רוּחוֹת בֹּאִי הָרוּחַ אַמַּאי לָא אִתְקַיְימוּ דְּהָא כֻּלְּהוּ מִיתוּ כְּמִלְּקַדְמִין) (Ezekiel 37).

Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי), that time when Kudsha Berikh Hu raised by the hand of Yeḥezkel those dead ones (הַהוּא זִמְנָא דְּאוֹקִים קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא עַל יְדָא דִּיחֶזְקֵאל אִינוּן מֵתַיָיא), that spirit, even though it was from the four winds (הַהוּא רוּחָא אַף עַל גַּב דְּהֲוָה מֵאַרְבַּע רוּחַיָּיא), did not descend to establish them in lasting existence (לָא נָחִית לְקָיְימָא לוֹן בְּקִיּוּמָא), but only to show (אֶלָּא לְאַחֲזָאָה). That Kudsha Berikh Hu is destined to resurrect the dead in that same manner and sustain them with the spirit that is compounded in this configuration. (דְּזַמִּין קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לַאֲחָיָיא מֵתַיָיא בְּהַהוּא גַוְונָא וּלְקַיְימָא לוֹן בְּרוּחָא דְּאִתְכְּלִיל בְּהַאי גַוְונָא). And even though the bones returned to their former state at that time, Kudsha Berikh Hu desired to show to all the world that He is destined to resurrect the dead. (וְאַף עַל גַּב דְּאַהֲדָרוּ גַּרְמִין בְּהַהִיא שַׁעְתָּא כְּמָה דְהֲוָה קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא בָּעָא לְאַחֲזָאָה לְכָל עַלְמָא דְּאִיהוּ זַמִּין לַאֲחָיָיא מֵתַיָיא). What is written? Your dead shall live, my corpses shall rise. (מַה כְּתִיב יִחְיוּ מֵתֶיךָ נְבֵלָתִי יְקוּמוּן) (Isaiah 26). On this rests that spirit that is destined to descend upon the righteous. (עַל דָּא הַהוּא רוּחָא דְּזַמִּין לְנַחֲתָא בְּהוֹן בְּצַדִּיקַיָּא). (Some say: And on this rests that spirit that is destined to descend upon the righteous. What is written? From the four winds come, O spirit—the spirit that is compounded from the four) (נ״א: וְעַל דָּא הַהוּא רוּחָא דְּזַמִּין לְנַחֲתָא בְּהוֹן בְּצַדִּיקַיָּא. מַה כְּתִיב מֵאַרְבַּע רוּחוֹת בֹּאִי הָרוּחַ — רוּחָא דְּאִתְכְּלִילַת בְּאַרְבַּע). Because Kudsha Berikh Hu is destined to sustain them with complete existence in the world as is proper. (בְּגִין דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא זַמִּין לְקַיְימָא לְהוּ קִיּוּמָא שְׁלִים בְּעָלְמָא כְּדְקָא יְאוּת). And those who engage in the Orayta in this world—it stands upon them as a person, and it becomes an advocate before Kudsha Berikh Hu. (וְאִינוּן דְּאִשְׁתַּדְּלוּ בְּאוֹרַיְתָא בְּהַאי עָלְמָא הִיא קָיְימָא עֲלֵיהּ דְּבַר נָשׁ וְאִתְעֲבִידַת סַנִּיגוֹרְיָא קַמֵּי דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא).

Rabbi Shim‘on said: All those words of the Orayta and all that Orayta with which a person engaged in this world—those words and that Orayta stand before Kudsha Berikh Hu and speak before Him. (רִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן אָמַר כָּל אִינוּן מִלִּין דְּאוֹרַיְתָא וְכָל הַהִיא אוֹרַיְתָא דְּאִשְׁתַּדַּל בָּהּ בַּר נָשׁ בְּהַאי עָלְמָא אִינוּן מִלִּין וְהַהִיא אוֹרַיְתָא קָיְימָא קַמֵּי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא וַאֲמָרַת קַמֵיהּ). And she lifts her voice and is not forgotten. (וְהִיא אֲרִימַת קָלִין וְלָא אִשְׁתַּכָּכַת). And at that time she will plead and speak in accordance with the one who was attached to her and engaged in her in this world. (וּלְהַהוּא זִמְנָא אִיהִי תָשִׂיחַ וְתֵימָא כְּפוּם דְּאִתְדָּבַּק בַּר נָשׁ וְאִשְׁתְּדָּל בְּהַאי עָלְמָא). And because of this, they will rise in complete existence for eternal life as we have said. (וְעַל דָּא אִינוּן יְקוּמוּן בְּקִיּוּמָא שְׁלִים לְחַיֵּי עַלְמָא כְּדְקָאֲמָרָן). And because of this it is written: For the ways of Hashem are straight, and the righteous shall walk in them, and the transgressors shall stumble through them. (וּבְגִין כָּךְ כִּי יְשָׁרִים דַּרְכֵי יְיָ וְצַדִּיקִים יֵלְכוּ בָם וּפוֹשְׁעִים יִכָּשְׁלוּ בָם) (Hosea 14).

Rabbi Chiya opened and said (רַבִּי חִיָּיא פָּתַח וְאָמַר): “Now Eli was very old, and he heard all that his sons were doing to all Israel, and how they lay with the women who assembled at the entrance of the Tent of Meeting” (וְעֵלִי זָקֵן מְאֹד, וְשָׁמַע אֵת כָּל אֲשֶׁר יַעֲשׂוּן בָּנָיו לְכָל יִשְׂרָאֵל, וְאֵת אֲשֶׁר יִשְׁכְּבוּן אֶת הַנָּשִׁים הַצֹּבְאוֹת פֶּתַח אֹהֶל מוֹעֵד) (I Samuel 2:22). And can it enter your mind that the priests of Hashem would do such a deed? (וְכִי סַלְקָא דַעְתָּךְ דְּכֹהֲנֵי יְיָ דְּיַעַבְדוּן עֲבִידְתָּא דָּא).

But this has already been stated beforehand, and the withdrawal from Orayta—that was their guilt, as it is written, (1 Samuel 2) “For the men despised the offering of Hashem” (וְהָא מִקַּדְמַת דְּנָא אִתְּמָר, וּפְרִישַׁת אוֹרַיְּיתָא הַהוּא חוֹבָא דִּלְהוֹן, דִּכְתִיב כִּי נִאֲצוּ הָאֲנָשִׁים אֵת מִנְחַת יְיָ). And it is written, “And the practice of the priests with the people was that every man that would sacrifice a slaughter-offering…” and so on (וּכְתִיב, וּמִשְׁפַּט הַכֹּהֲנִים מֵאֵת הָעָם כָּל אִישׁ זוֹבֵחַ זֶבַח וְגו׳). And it is written, “Even before they burned the fat, the priest’s lad would come and say to the man who was slaughtering, ‘Give meat for roasting to the priest…’” and so forth (וּכְתִיב, גַּם בְּטֶרֶם יַקְטִירוּן אֶת הַחֵלֶב, וּבָא נַעַר הַכֹּהֵן, וְאָמַר לָאִישׁ הַזּוֹבֵחַ, תְּנָה לִצְלוֹת לַכֹּהֵן וְגו׳). And it is written, “And he would say to him, ‘Now you shall give, and if not, I will take it by force’” (וּכְתִיב, וְאָמַר לוֹ כִּי עַתָּה תִּתֵּן, וְאִם לֹא לָקַחְתִּי בְּחָזְקָה). And because of this, “The sin of the lads was exceedingly great” and so on (וְעַל דָּא, וַתְּהִי חַטַּאת הַנְּעָרִים גְּדוֹלָה מְאֹד וְגו׳). And all this—they would only take from those portions which were due to the priests to eat from, and because the offering was regarded lightly in their eyes, they were punished (וְכָל דָּא לָא הֲווּ נָטְלִין אֶלָּא מֵאִינוּן חוּלָקִין דְּהֲווּ לְהוֹן לְכַהֲנֵי לְמֵיכַל מִנֵּיהּ, וְעַל דְּהֲוָה קָלִיל קָרְבָּנָא בְּעֵינַיְיהוּ אִתְעֲנָשׁוּ). But here it is said: “How they would lie with the women who assembled” (וְהָכָא אָמַר: אֵת אֲשֶׁר יִשְׁכְּבוּן אֶת הַנָּשִׁים הַצֹּבְאוֹת). Heaven forbid that they committed this transgression! All the more so in that holy place, for then all Yisra’el would rise up and kill them (אֶלָּא, חַס וְשָׁלוֹם דְּהֲווּ עָבְדוּ עֲבֵירָה דָּא, כָּל שֶׁכֵּן בְּאַתְרָא קַדִּישָׁא הַהוּא, דְּלָא יְקוּמוּן כָּל יִשְׂרָאֵל וְיִקְטְלוּן לְהוֹן).

Rather, because they were preventing them from entering the Sanctuary (אֶלָּא, בְּגִין דְּהֲווּ מְעַכְּבֵי לוֹן לְאָעֳלָא לְמַקְדְּשָׁא), and they struck with their hands that they should not enter to pray prayer (וּמָחָאן בִּידֵיהוֹן דְּלָא לְאָעֳלָא לְמִצְלֵי צְלוֹתָא), until the offerings were performed (עַד דְּקוּרְבָּנַיָא אִתְעֲבִידוּ), because they were not bringing offerings to take a portion from them (בְּגִין דְּאִינוּן לָא מַיְיתִין קָרְבָּנִין לְמֵיטַל חוּלָקָא מִנַּיְיהוּ), and because of this they were preventing them (וּבְגִין כָּךְ מְעַכְּבִין לוֹן). And for this reason those women would plead with them to enter there (וּבְגִין כָּךְ אִינוּן נָשִׁים הֲווּ בָּעָאן מִנַּיְיהוּ לְאַעֳלָא תַּמָּן). And concerning this it is written, “how they would lie with the women”—for they delayed them, as we have said (וְעַל דָּא כְּתִיב: אֵת אֲשֶׁר יִשְׁכְּבוּן אֶת הַנָּשִׁים, דִּמְעַכְּבֵי לוֹן כִּדְּקָאֲמָרָן).

In this manner it is written: “and he lay with Bilhah” (Bereshit 35) Heaven forbid that he lay with her! (כְּגַוְונָא דָא, וַיִּשְׁכַּב אֶת בִּלְהָה. חַס וְשָׁלוֹם דְּאִיהוּ שָׁכַב עִמָּהּ). Rather, because he held her back from serving in his father’s service—a service of mitzvah—and this was the confusion of the bed (אֶלָּא, בְּגִין דְּעָכַּב לָהּ לְשַׁמָּשָׁא בַּאֲבוֹי, שִׁמּוּשָׁא דְּמִצְוָה, וְדָא הוּא בִּלְבּוּלָא דְעַרְסָא). And he did this act as against the Shekhinta, for in every place where the service of a mitzvah is found, the Shekhinta rests upon that place and is found there (וְעֲבַד לָקֳבֵיל שְׁכִינְתָּא עֲבִידְתָּא דָּא, דְּבְכָל אֲתַר דְּשִׁמּוּשָׁא דְּמִצְוָה אִשְׁתַּכַּח, שְׁכִינְתָּא שַׁרְיָא עַל הַהוּא אֲתַר וְאִשְׁתַּכַּח תַּמָּן). And one who causes a hindrance to the service of a mitzvah causes the Shekhinta to depart from the world (וּמַאן דְּגָרִים לְעַכָּבָא שִׁמּוּשָׁא דְּמִצְוָה, גָּרִים דְּיִסְתַּלַּק שְׁכִינְתָּא מֵעַלְמָא). And concerning this it is written: “You ascended upon your father’s couch; then you profaned the one who mounts my bed” (Bereshit 49) (וְעַל דָּא כְּתִיב כִּי עָלִיתָ מִשְׁכְּבֵי אָבִיךָ, אָז חִלַּלְתָּ יְצוּעִי עָלָה). And for this reason it is written: “and he lay with Bilhah, his father’s concubine, and Yisra’el heard; now the sons of Ya‘akov were twelve” (וּבְגִין דָּא כְּתִיב, וַיִּשְׁכַּב אֶת בִּלְהָה פִילֶגֶשׁ אָבִיו, וַיִּשְׁמַע יִשְׂרָאֵל, וַיְהִיוּ בְּנֵי יַעֲקֹב שְׁנֵים עָשָׂר). All of them remained in the count, and none lost their merit in any way (כֻּלְּהוּ הֲווּ בְּמִנְיָנָא, וְלָא גָרַע מִזְּכוּתָא דִּלְהוֹן כְּלוּם).

Rabbi El'azar said: What is the reason that at first it says “Yisra’el” and afterward “Ya‘akov”? (רִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר אָמַר, מַאי טַעֲמָא בְּקַדְמִיתָא יִשְׂרָאֵל, וּלְבָתַר יַעֲקֹב). For it is written: “and Yisra’el heard, and the sons of Ya‘akov were twelve” (דִּכְתִיב: וַיִּשְׁמַע יִשְׂרָאֵל, וַיְהִיוּ בְּנֵי יַעֲקֹב שְׁנֵים עָשָׂר). Rather, when Re’uven came and disturbed that bed (אֶלָּא, כַּד אֲתָא רְאוּבֵן וּבִלְבֵּל הַהוּא עַרְסָא), he said (אָמַר): And what? Twelve tribes were for my father to establish in the world and no more (וּמַה תְּרֵיסַר שִׁבְטִין הֲווּ לֵיהּ לְאַבָּא לְקַיְּימָא בְּעַלְמָא וְלָא יַתִּיר), and now he desires to beget sons — perhaps we are blemished (וְהַשְׁתָּא בָּעֵי לְאוֹלָדָא בְּנִין דִּילְמָא אֲנַן פְּגִימִין), for he desires to beget others as before (דְּאִיהוּ בָּעֵי לְאוֹלָדָא אָחֳרָנִין כְּמִלְּקַדְמִין). Immediately he disturbed that bed, and that union was hindered—as if he had brought shame before the Shekhinta that rests upon that bed (מִיָּד בִּלְבֵּל הַהוּא עַרְסָא, וְאִתְעַכַּב הַהוּא שִׁמּוּשָׁא. כְּאִילּוּ עֲבַד קְלָנָא לְגַבֵּי שְׁכִינְתָּא דְּשַׁרְיָא עַל הַהוּא עַרְסָא). And concerning this it is written: “and Yisra’el heard”—for in that name is hinted the mystery of the twelve that are concealed, which are the twelve rivers of pure balsam (וְעַל דָּא כְּתִיב: וַיִּשְׁמַע יִשְׂרָאֵל, דְּהָא בִּשְׁמָא דָא אִסְתַּלַּק גּוֹ תְּרֵיסַר דְּאִתְכַּסְיָין, דְּאִינוּן תְּרֵיסַר נַהֲרִי אֲפַרְסְמוֹנָא דַכְּיָא).