Daf 202a (דַּף ר״ב ע״א)

Woe for that day (וַוֵי לְהַהוּא יוֹמָא), the day of wrath and rebuke is that day (יוֹמָא דְרוּגְזָא וּנְאִיצוּ הַהוּא יוֹמָא). Therefore, it is necessary for a man (בְּגִין כָּךְ אִבָּעֵי לֵיהּ לְבַר נָשׁ), to stir his impulse every day (לְאַרְגְּזָא יִצְרֵיהּ כָּל יוֹמָא), to recall before him that day (לְאַדְכָּרָא קַמֵּיהּ הַהוּא יוֹמָא), when he will stand in the judgment of the King (דְּיֵיקוּם בְּדִינָא דְּמַלְכָּא), when they will bring him beneath the earth to rot (דְּקָא עָאלִין לֵיהּ תַּחוֹת אַרְעָא לְאִתְרַקְּבָא), and the Neshamah will separate from him (וְנִשְׁמָתָא אִתְפָּרְשָׁא מִנֵּיהּ). And it was taught (וּתְנַן): a man should always incite the Good inclination against the Evil inclination (לְעוֹלָם יַרְגִּיז אָדָם יֵצֶר טוֹב עַל יֵצֶר הָרָע), and strive after it (וְיִשְׁתַּדֵּל אֲבַתְרֵיהּ). If it goes from him-good (אִי אָזִיל מִנֵּיהּ, יָאוֹת). And if not, let him engage in Orayta (וְאִי לָאו, יִשְׁתַּדַּל בְּאוֹרַיְּיתָא).

For there is nothing that breaks the Evil inclination except Orayta (דְּהָא לֵית לָךְ מִלָּה לְתַבְּרָא יֵצֶר הָרָע אֶלָּא אוֹרַיְּיתָא). If it departs-good (אִי אָזִיל, מוּטָב). And if not, let him recall the day of death, to break it (וְאִי לָאו, יַדְכַּר לֵיהּ יוֹמָא דְּמוֹתָא, בְּגִין לְתַבְּרָא לֵיהּ). Here one must contemplate (הָכָא אִית לְאִסְתַּכָּלָא), for this is the Evil inclination and this is the Angel of Death (דְּהָא דָּא הוּא יֵצֶר הָרָע, וְדָא הוּא מַלְאַךְ הַמָּוֶת). And does the Angel of Death break before the day of death? (וְכִי מַלְאַךְ הַמָּוֶת מִתְבַּר מִקַּמֵּי יוֹמָא דְּמוֹתָא). For behold, he is the slayer of men (וְהָא אִיהוּ קָטוֹלָא דִּבְנֵי נָשָׁא הֲוֵי), and it is known that joy is his (וְאִשְׁתְּמַע דְּחֶדְוָה הוּא דִילֵיהּ). And because of this, he constantly seduces men, to draw them toward him (וּבְגִין כָּךְ אַסְטֵי לוֹן לִבְנֵי נָשָׁא תָּדִיר, בְּגִין לְאַמְשַׁכָּא לוֹן לְדָא).

But truly as it was said (אֶלָּא וַדַּאי מַה דְּאִתְּמַר): let a man remember the day of death (דְּיִדְכּוֹר לֵיהּ בַּר נָשׁ הַהוּא יוֹמָא דְּמוֹתָא). Indeed so it is (וַדַּאי הָכִי הוּא), for it subdues the heart of man (בְּגִין דְּמִתְבַּר לִבָּא דְּבַר נָשָׁא). For the Evil inclination does not dwell except in a place of wine-joy and arrogance of spirit (דְּהָא יֵצֶר הָרָע לָא שַׁרְיָא אֶלָּא בַּאֲתַר דְּאִשְׁתַּכַּח חֶדְוָה דְּחַמְרָא, וְגַסּוּתָא דְּרוּחָא). And when a broken spirit is found, then it departs from him and does not dwell with him (וְכַד אִשְׁתַּכַּח רוּחָא תְּבִירָא, כְּדֵין אִתְּפְרַשׁ מִנֵּיהּ, וְלָא שַׁרְיָא בַּהֲדֵיהּ). And therefore, one must recall the day of death, and the body will be subdued, and it will depart from him (וּבְגִין כָּךְ בָּעֵי לְאַדְכָּרָא לֵיהּ יוֹמָא דְּמוֹתָא, וְיִתְּבַּר גּוּפֵיהּ, וְאִיהוּ אָזִיל לֵיהּ).

Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי), the Good inclination seeks the joy of the Orayta (יֵצֶר טוֹב בָּעֵי חֶדְוָה דְאוֹרַיְּיתָא), and the Evil inclination [seeks] the joy of wine (וְיֵצֶר רָע חֶדְוָה דְחַמְרָא), and adulteries and arrogance of spirit (וְנִיאוּפִין וְגַסּוּתָא דְרוּחָא). And therefore, a person must constantly tremble (וּבְגִין כָּךְ בָּעֵי בַּר נָשׁ לְאַרְגָּזָא תָּדִיר), from that great day (מֵהַהוּא יוֹמָא רַבָּא), the day of judgment (יוֹמָא דְדִינָא), the day of reckoning (יוֹמָא דְחוּשְׁבְּנָא). For a person has no one to protect him (דְּלֵית לֵיהּ לְבַר נָשׁ לַאֲגָנָא עֲלֵיהּ), except his worthy deeds (אֶלָּא עוֹבָדוֹי דְכַשְׁרָן), that he performed in this world (דְּאִיהוּ עָבִיד בְּהַאי עַלְמָא), so that they may shield him at that time (בְּגִין דְּיָגִינוּ עֲלֵיהּ בְּהַהִיא שַׁעְתָּא).

Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי), “And the men were afraid because they were brought to the house of Yosef” (וַיִּירְאוּ הָאֲנָשִׁים כִּי הוּבְאוּ בֵּית יוֹסֵף) (Bereshit 43). And although they were all mighty men (וּמַה כֻּלְּהוּ הֲווּ גִּבָּרִין), all of them powerful (כֻּלְּהוּ תַקִּיפִין), and a single youth brought them to the house of Yosef (וְחַד עוּלֵימָא דְּאַיְיתֵי לוֹן לְבֵיתָא דְיוֹסֵף), they were afraid (דַּחֲלוּ). When Kudsha Berikh Hu comes to bring judgment upon a person (כַּד יֵיתֵי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לְמִתְבַּע לֵיהּ לְדִינָא לְבַר נָשׁ), how much more so [is there cause for fear] (עַל אַחַת כַּמָּה וְכַמָּה). Therefore a person must be vigilant in this world (בְּגִין כָּךְ בָּעֵי לֵיהּ לְבַר נָשׁ, לְאִזְדַּהֲרָא בְּהַאי עַלְמָא), to strengthen himself in Kudsha Berikh Hu (לְאִתְתַּקְפָא בֵּיהּ בְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא), and to align his will with Him (וְיַשְׁוֵי בֵּיהּ רוֹחֲצָנֵיהּ).

For even though he has sinned (דְּאַף עַל גַּב דְּאִיהוּ חָטֵי), if he returns from it in complete teshuvah (אִי יֶהדַר מִנֵּיהּ בִּתְיוּבְתָּא שְׁלֵימָתָא), behold, he is strong (הָא תַקִּיף אִיהוּ), and he shall be strengthened in Kudsha Berikh Hu (וְיִתְתַּקַּף בֵּיהּ בְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא), as if he had not sinned (כְּאִילּוּ לָא חָטָא). For the tribes, because they sinned in the sale of Yosef (דְּהָא שִׁבְטִין, בְּגִין דְּחָטוּ עַל גְּנֵיבַת יוֹסֵף), were afraid (הֲווּ דַּחֲלִין). For had they not sinned (דְּאִלְּמָלֵא לָא חָטוּ), they would not have feared at all (לָא הֲווּ דָּחֲלִין כְּלַל). Because the sins of a person break his heart (בְּגִין דְּחוֹבוֹי דְּבַר נָשׁ מְתַבְּרִין לִבֵּיהּ), and he has no strength at all (וְלֵית לֵיהּ חֵילָא כְּלַל). What is the reason? (מַאי טַעְמָא), because the Good inclination is broken within him (דְּהָא הַהוּא יֵצֶר הַטּוֹב אִתְבַּר עִמֵּיהּ), and he has no strength to overcome that Evil inclination (וְלֵית לֵיהּ חֵילָא לְאִתְתַּקְּפָא עַל הַהוּא יֵצֶר הָרָע). And concerning this it is written (וְעַל דָּא כְּתִיב), “Who is the man who is fearful and fainthearted” (מִי הָאִישׁ הַיָּרֵא וְרַךְ הַלֵּבָב) (Deuteronomy 20), the fearful one (הַיָּרֵא), [that is] who is fearful from confessed sins (דיראה דא מֵחוֹבִין דְּבִידוֹי), for they are the brokenness of a person’s heart (דְּאִינוּן תְּבִירָא דְּלִבָּא דְּבַר נָשׁ).

And come and see (וְתָּא חֲזֵי), how many generations Kudsha Berikh Hu collected punishment (לְכַמָּה דָרִין אִתְפְּרַע קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא), for the sins of the tribes (מֵאִינוּן חוֹבִין דְּשִׁבְטִין), for nothing is ever lost before Kudsha Berikh Hu (דְּהָא לָא אִתְאֲבִיד מִקַּמֵּיהּ דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא כְּלוּם). And the punishment was exacted from generation to generation (וְאִתְפְּרַע מִדָּרָא לְדָרָא), and judgment stands before Him continually (וְדִינָא קָיְימָא קַמֵּיהּ תָּדִיר), until it is exacted (עַד דְּאִתְפְּרַע), and judgment rests in the place where it is required (וְשָׁרֵי דִּינָא בְּאֲתַר דְּאִצְטְרִיךְ).

From where do we know this? From Chizkiyahu (מְנָלָן, מֵחִזְקִיָּהוּ). Chizkiyahu committed that sin (חִזְקִיָּהוּ חָב הַהוּא חוֹבָא), by revealing the secrets of Kudsha Berikh Hu (דְּגָלֵי סְתִירִין דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא), to the other nations, idolaters and astrologers (לִשְׁאָר עַמִּין עוֹבְדֵי עֲבוֹדַת כּוֹכָבִים וּמַזָּלוֹת), which he ought not to have revealed (דְּלָא הֲוָה אִצְטְרִיךְ לְגַלָּאָה). And Kudsha Berikh Hu sent Yeshayahu to him (וְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא שַׁדַּר לֵיהּ לִישַׁעְיָהוּ), and said to him (וְאָמַר לֵיהּ): “Behold, days are coming, and all that is in your house and that which your fathers have stored until this day shall be carried away…” (הִנֵּה יָמִים בָּאִים וְנִשָּׂא כָּל אֲשֶׁר בְּבֵיתֶךָ וַאֲשֶׁר אָצְרוּ אֲבוֹתֶיךָ עַד הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה) (Isaiah 39).

Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי), how much harm that sin caused (כַּמָּה גָּרִים הַהוּא חוֹבָא), because he revealed that which was hidden (בְּגִין דְּגַלֵּי מַה דְּהֲוָה סָתִים). For since it was revealed (דְּכֵיוָן דְּאִתְגְּלֵי), it gave place to another domain (אִתְיְהִיב דּוּכְתָּא לְאֲתַר אָחֳרָא), which ought not to have had dominion over it (דְּלָא אִצְטְרִיךְ), to rule over it (לְשַׁלְּטָאָה עֲלֵיהּ). Therefore, blessing does not dwell (בְּגִין כָּךְ לָאו בְּרָכָה שַׁרְיָא), except in a hidden place (אֶלָּא בְּאֲתַר סָתִים). And they established this teaching (וְאוּקְמוּהָ): that which is hidden (מַה דְּאִיהוּ סָתִים), upon it blessing rests (בְּרָכָה שַׁרְיָא עֲלוֹי); once it is revealed (כֵּיוָן דְּאִתְגְּלֵי), it gives place (אִתְיְהִיב דּוּכְתָּא), to another domain to dominate over it (לְאֲתַר אָחֳרָא לְשַׁלְטָאָה עֲלוֹי). It is written (כְּתִיב): “All who honored her despised her, for they saw her nakedness” (כָּל מְכַבְּדֶיהָ הִזִּילוּהָ כִּי רָאוּ עֶרְוָתָהּ) (Lamentations 1). And they established this (וְאוּקְמוּהָ): but “all who honored her despised her” (אֲבָל כָּל מְכַבְּדֶיהָ הִזִּילוּהָ), this refers to the kingdom of Babylon (דָּא הוּא מַלְכוּת בָּבֶל), for from there a gift was sent to Yerushalayim (דְּהָא מִתַּמָּן אִשְׁתַּדַּר דּוֹרוֹן לִירוּשָׁלֵם). As it is written (דִּכְתִיב): “At that time Merodach-Baladan son of Baladan king of Babylon sent letters and a gift to Chizkiyahu” (בָּעֵת הַהִיא שָׁלַח מְרוֹדַךְ בַּלְאֲדָן בֶּן בַּלְאֲדָן מֶלֶךְ בָּבֶל סְפָרִים וּמִנְחָה אֶל חִזְקִיָּהוּ) (Isaiah 39).