Daf 198b (דַּף קצ״ח ע״ב)

Who are the “days of evil”? These are the days that are appointed under that evil one (מַאן אִינוּן יְמֵי רָע, אִלֵּין אִינוּן יוֹמִין דְּאִינוּן אִזְדַּמְּנָן בְּהַהוּא רָע). And who are they? Some say: It is the evil inclination, for he is called “evil” (וּמַאן אִינוּן, (ד״א איהו) דָּא יֵצֶר הָרָע, דְּאִיהוּ אִקְרֵי רָע). And he has known days (וְאִית לֵיהּ יוֹמִין יְדִיעָן), in which permission is given to him in the world (דְּאִתְיְהִיב לֵיהּ רְשׁוּ בְּעַלְמָא), to go astray all those who corrupt their ways (לְאַסְטָאָה לְכָל אִינוּן דִּמְסָאֲבֵי אָרְחַיְיהוּ). For whoever comes to be defiled, he is defiled by him (דְּמַאן דְּאָתֵי לְאִסְתָּאֲבָא, מְסָאֲבֵי לֵיהּ). And these are called “days of evil” (וְאִלֵּין אִינוּן אִקְרוּן יְמֵי רָע), and these are appointed over those sins that men tread under their heels (וְאִלֵּין מְמַנָּן עַל אִינוּן חוֹבִין דְּדָשִׁין בְּהוּ בְּנִי נָשָׁא בַּעֲקֵבַיְיהוּ).

Come and see: all those who corrupt their ways (תָּא חֲזֵי, כָּל אִינוּן דִּמְסָאֲבֵי אָרְחַיְיהוּ), how many pure messengers are prepared against them, and they are made impure by them (כַּמָּה חֲבִילֵי טְהִירִין אִזְדַּמְּנָן לְגַבַּיְיהוּ, וּמְסָאֲבֵי לְהוּ). On the path which a man wants to walk, on that path they lead him exactly (בְּאָרְחָא דְבָעֵי בַּר נָשׁ לְמֵיהַךְ, בְּהַהוּא אָרְחָא מְדַבְּרִין לֵיהּ מַמָּשׁ). If a man comes to purify himself, how many are there who assist him (אָתֵי בַּר נָשׁ לְאִתְדַּכָּאָה, כַּמָּה אִינוּן דִּמְסַיְיעִין לֵיהּ).

Behold, we have learned: when a man arises in the morning, he must wash his hands (הָא תָּנִינָן, דְּכַד בַּר נָשׁ קָם בְּצַפְרָא, בָּעֵי לְאַסְחָאָה יְדוֹי), from within the vessel of water (מִגּוֹ נַטְלָא דְמַיָא), which is the vessel for taking water (דְּאִיהוּ מָאנָא לִיטּוֹל מִנֵּיהּ מַיָא). From within one who first washes his hands, as has been established (מִגּוֹ מַאן דְּאַסְחֵי יְדוֹי בְּקַדְמִיתָא, כְּמָה דְאוּקְמוּהָ). And come and see: because of this vessel, we have established a word (וְתָּא חֲזֵי, בְּגִין נַטְלָא דָא, אוֹקִימְנָא מִלָּה). And furthermore, it is required for a man to wash the right hand with the left hand (וְתוּ, דְּבָעְיָא לֵיהּ לְבַר נָּשׁ, לְנַטְלָא יְדָא יְמִינָא בִּשְׂמָאלָא), in order that the right should dominate over the left (בְּגִין לְשַׁלְטָאָה יְמִינָא עַל שְׂמָאלָא), and the right should be superior to the left (וְיִסְתְּחֵי יְמִינָא מִן שְׂמָאלָא), and for this reason is the washing (וּבְגִין כָּךְ אִיהוּ נְטִילָא). And therefore, one who washes his hands should wash the right hand with the left hand (וְעַל דָּא, מַאן דְּנָטִיל יְדוֹי, יִטּוֹל יְמִינָא בִּשְׂמָאלָא), to cause the right to dominate over the left (לְאַשְׁלָטָא יְמִינָא עַל שְׂמָאלָא), so as not to give place for the evil inclination to rule at all (בְּגִין דְּלָא יָהִיב דּוּכְתָּא לְיֵצֶר הָרָע לְשַׁלְּטָאָה כְּלַל), and this has been established (וְהָא אוֹקִימְנָא).

Come and see: at the time when harsh judgment rules (תָּא חֲזֵי, בְּשַׁעְתָּא דְדִינָא בִּישָׁא שָׁלְטָא), it does not restrain its hand from destruction (לָא אָתִיב יְדֵיהּ מִלְאַבְאָשָׁא). But when the right rules over the nations, idol worshippers and stars (וּבְשַׁעְתָּא דִּימִינָא שָׁלְטָא עַל עַמִין עוֹבְדֵי עֲבוֹדַת כּוֹכָבִים וּמַזָּלוֹת), to break them (לְתַבְרָא לוֹן), Kudsha Berikh Hu has mercy upon them (חָיִיס קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא עֲלַיְיהוּ), and does not abandon them (וְלָא שָׁצֵי לוֹן). And because of this, whoever sins in those sins that a man tramples underfoot (וּבְגִין כָּךְ, כָּל מַאן דְּאִיהוּ חָטֵי, בְּאִינוּן חֶטְאִין דְּדָשׁ בְּהוּ בְּרַגְלוֹי), he does not recognize them, and he is constantly afraid (לָא יָדַע בְּהוּ, וְדָחִיל תְּדִירָא). King David always kept himself from these sins (דָּוִד מַלְכָּא הֲוָה אִסְתַּמַר תָּדִיר מֵחוֹבִין אִלֵּין), and when he would go out to battle, he would search them out (וְכַד הֲוָה נָפִיק לִקְרָבָא, הֲוָה מְפַשְׁפֵּשׁ לוֹן). And therefore he was not afraid to go forth into battle against them (וְעַל דָּא לָא דָחִיל לַאֲגָחָא עִמְּהוֹן קְרָבָא).

And come and see: there were four kings; one who asked for this did not ask for that (וְתָּא חֲזֵי, אַרְבַּע מַלְכִין הֲווּ, מַאן דְּשָׁאִיל דָּא לָא שָׁאִיל דָּא). David said: “I will pursue my enemies and overtake them, and I will not return until they are consumed” (Psalms 18) (דָּוִד אָמַר, אֶרְדּוֹף אוֹיְבַי וְאַשִּׂיגֵם וְלֹא אָשׁוּב עַד כַּלּוֹתָם). What is the reason? Because he kept himself from those sins (מַאי טַעְמָא, בְּגִין דְּהֲוָה אִסְתַּמַּר מֵאִלֵּין חוֹבִין), and he did not give a place for his enemies to rule (וְלָא יָהִיב דּוּכְתָּא לְשַׂנְאוֹי לְשַׁלְּטָאָה). And for this reason he requested to pursue after them constantly (וְעַל דָּא בָּעֵי לְמִרְדַּף אֲבַּתְרַיְיהוּ תָּדִיר), and not let them pursue after him to claim his sins (וְלָא יִרְדְּפוּן אִינוּן אֲבַתְרֵיהּ לְמִתְבַּע חוֹבוֹי), and they should fall into his hands (וְיִפּוֹל בִּידַיְיהוּ).

Asa was exceedingly fearful (אָסָא הֲוָה דָּחִיל יַתִּיר), even though he examined his sins (אַף עַל גַּב דְּהֲוָה מְפַשְׁפֵּשׁ בְּחֶטְאוֹי), but not like King David (וְלָא כְדָוִד מַלְכָּא). He requested to pursue after them, but not to strike them, and that Kudsha Berikh Hu should kill them (אִיהוּ בָּעֵי לְמִרְדַּף אֲבַּתְרַיְיהוּ, וְלָא יַגִּיחַ לוֹן, וְיִקְטוֹל לוֹן קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא), and so it was (וְכָךְ הֲוָה). As it is written: “And Asa and the people that were with him pursued them…” (2 Chronicles 14) (דִּכְתִיב: וַיִּרְדְּפֵם אָסָא וְהָעָם אֲשֶׁר עִמּוֹ וגו׳), and it is written: “And Hashem smote the Cushites before Asa and before Yehudah, and the Cushites fled” (וּכְתִיב: וַיִּגּוֹף יְיָ אֶת הַכּוּשִׁים לִפְנֵי אָסָא וְלִפְנֵי יְהוּדָה וַיָּנוּסוּ הַכּוּשִׁים). And likewise, what is written about David? “And David smote them from the twilight even unto the evening of the next day” (1 Samuel 30) (וְכֵן דָּוִד מַה כְּתִיב בֵּיהּ: וַיַּכֵּם דָּוִד מֵהַנֶּשֶׁף וְעַד הָעֶרֶב לְמָחֳרָתָם). But Asa-he pursued, and Kudsha Berikh Hu struck (אֲבָל אָסָא אִיהוּ רָדִיף וְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא מָחֵי).

Yehoshafat King of Yehudah, likewise also requested (יְהוֹשָׁפָט מֶלֶךְ יְהוּדָה, אוּף הָכִי נָמֵי הֲוָה שָׁאִיל), and said: I cannot pursue, nor kill (וְאֲמַר: לָא יָכִילְנָא לְמִרְדַּף וְלָא לְקָטְלָא), rather I will sing, and You kill them (אֶלָּא אֲנָא אֲזַמֵּר, וְאַתְּ קְטֵיל לוֹן). Because he did not examine himself so greatly as Asa (בְּגִין דְּלָא הֲוָה מְפַשְׁפֵּשׁ כָּל כָּךְ כְּאָסָא), and Kudsha Berikh Hu did so for him (וְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא עֲבַד לֵיהּ הָכִי). As it is written: “And at the time when they began to sing and to praise, Hashem set ambushes against the children of Ammon, Moav, and Mount Seir that came against Yehudah, and they were smitten” (2 Chronicles 20) (דִּכְתִיב: וּבְעֵת הֵחֵלּוּ בְרִנָה וּתְהִלָּה נָתַן יְיָ מְאָרְבִים עַל בְּנִי עַמּוֹן מוֹאָב וְהַר שֵׂעִיר הַבָּאִים לִיהוּדָה וַיִּנָּגֵפוּ).

Chizkiyahu King of Yehudah likewise said (חִזְקִיָּה מֶלֶךְ יְהוּדָה, אוּף הָכִי נָמֵי אָמַר): I cannot-not to sing, not to pursue, and not to go out to battle (אֲנָא לָא יָכִילְנָא, לָא לְזַמָּרָא, וְלָא לְמִרְדַּף, וְלָא לַאֲגָחָא קְרָבָא), because he feared those sins that were mentioned (בְּגִין דְּדָחִיל מֵאִלֵּין חוֹבִין דְּקָאֲמָרָן). What is written? (מַה כְּתִיב): “And it came to pass on that night, that the Angel of Hashem went out and struck in the camp of Assyria one hundred and eighty-five thousand; and when they arose early in the morning, behold, they were all dead corpses” (וַיְהִי בַלַיְלָה הַהוּא וַיֵּצֵא מַלְאַךְ יְיָ וַיַּךְ בְּמַחֲנֵה אַשּׁוּר מֵאָה וּשְׁמוֹנִים וַחֲמִשָּׁה אֶלֶף, וַיַּשְׁכִּימוּ בַבֹּקֶר וְהִנֵּה כֻלָּם פְּגָרִים מֵתִים) (II Kings 19:35; Isaiah 37:36). And Chizkiyahu was sitting in his house and lying on his bed, and Kudsha Berikh Hu killed them (וְחִזְקִיָּה הֲוָה יָתִיב בְּבֵיתֵיהּ וְשָׁכִיב בְּעַרְסֵיהּ, וְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא קָטִיל לוֹן). And if these Tzaddikim were afraid of these sins (וּמַה צַדִּיקִים אִלֵּין הֲווּ דָּחֲלִין מֵאִלֵּין חוֹבִין), how much more so the rest of the inhabitants of the world (שְׁאָר בְּנֵי עַלְמָא עַל אַחַת כַּמָּה וְכַמָּה). Therefore, a man must guard himself from these sins (בְּגִין כָּךְ אִית לֵיהּ לְבַר נָשׁ לְאִסְתַּמְּרָא מֵאִלֵּין חוֹבִין), and to examine them, as has been said (וּלְפַשְׁפְּשָׁא בְּהוֹן כִּדְקָאֲמָרָן), so that those “days of evil” do not rule over him (בְּגִין דְּלָא יִשְׁלְטוּן עֲלוֹי אִינוּן יְמֵי רָע), for they do not have mercy on him (דְּלָא מְרַחֲמֵי עֲלֵיהּ).

Come and see: “And Yosef recognized his brothers” (תָּא חֲזֵי, וַיַּכֶּר יוֹסֵף אֶת אֶחָיו). At the time they fell into his hands, he had compassion on them (בְּשַׁעְתָּא דְּנָפְלוּ בְּיָדֵיהּ, אִיהוּ רָחִים עֲלַיְיהוּ), because he was complete (בְּגִין דְּאִיהוּ שְׁלִים). “But they did not recognize him”-these were Shim‘on and Levi (וְהֵם לֹא הִכִּירוּהוּ, דְּאִינוּן שִׁמְעוֹן וְלֵוִי), who came from the side of harsh judgment (אָתוּ מִסִּטְרָא דְּדִינָא קַשְׁיָא), and therefore they had no mercy on him (וְעַל דָּא לָא רְחִימוּ עֲלֵיהּ). For all those who are masters of harsh judgment (דְּהָא כָּל אִינוּן מָארֵיהוֹן דְּדִינָא קַשְׁיָא), do not have mercy upon men when they fall into their hands (לָא מְרַחֲמֵי עֲלַיְיהוּ דִּבְנֵי נָשָׁא בְּשַׁעְתָּא דְּנָפְלֵי בִּידַיְיהוּ).