Daf 205a (דַּף ר״ה ע״א)

When he drew near to them (כַּד קָרִיב לְגַבַּיְיהוּ), they gave him greeting (יַהֲבוּ לֵיהּ שְׁלָם), and he did not return it to them (וְלָא אָתִיב לוֹן). Rabbi Ḥiyya said (אָמַר רִבִּי חִיָּיא): This is one of those two things that seemed to be within him, but are not (הָא חַד מֵאִינוּן תְּרֵין, דְּאִתְחַזְּיָין לְמֶהוֵי בֵּיהּ לֵית בֵּיהּ) for he has not prepared himself for gift, and a greeting is included within gift (דְּהָא לָא אַתְקִין גַּרְמֵיהּ לְדוֹרוֹן, וּבְדוֹרוֹן שְׁלָמָא כָּלִיל בֵּיהּ). Rabbi Yosei said (אָמַר רִבִּי יוֹסֵי): Perhaps he was engaged in prayer (דִּילְמָא אִיהוּ מִשְׁתַּדֵּל בִּצְלוֹתֵיהּ), or occupied in his learning, so as not to be interrupted (אוֹ מַרְחִישׁ תַּלְמוּדֵיהּ בְּגִין דְּלָא יְעָקַר לֵיהּ).

They walked together (אַזְלֵי כְּחֲדָא), and that man did not speak with them (וְלָא מַלִּיל הַהוּא בַר נָשׁ בַּהֲדַיְיהוּ). Afterwards, Rabbi Ḥiyya and Rabbi Yosei turned aside and engaged in Orayta (לְבָתַר אִשְׁתְּמִיטוּ רִבִּי חִיָּיא וְרִבִּי יוֹסֵי וְאִשְׁתַּדָּלוּ בְּאוֹרַיְיתָא). When that man saw that they were occupied in Orayta (כֵּיוָן דְּחָמָא הַהוּא בַר נָשׁ דְּהֲווּ מִשְׁתַּדְּלֵי בְּאוֹרַיְיתָא), he approached them and gave them greeting (קָרִיב לְגַבַּיְיהוּ וְיָהִיב לוֹן שְׁלָם). He said to them (אָמַר לוֹן): My masters, what did you suspect of me when you gave me greeting and I did not return it? (רַבּוֹתַי, בְּמָּה חֲשַׁדְתּוּן לִי, כַּד יַהֲבִיתּוּ לִי שְׁלָם, וְלָא אֲתִיבְנָא לְכוּ). Rabbi Yosei said to him (אָמַר לֵיהּ רִבִּי יוֹסֵי): Perhaps you were saying prayer, or engaged in your study (דִּילְמָא צְלוֹתָא הֲוֵית אָמַר, אוֹ מַרְחִישׁ בְּתַלְמוּדָךְ). He said to them (אָמַר לוֹן): May Kudsha Berikh Hu judge you favorably (קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא יָדִין לְכוּ לְכַף זְכוּ). But let me tell you (אֲבָל אֵימָא לְכוּ): One day I was going on the way (יוֹמָא חַד הֲוֵינָא אָזִיל בְּאָרְחָא), and I encountered a certain man (אַשְׁכַּחְנָא חַד בַּר נָשׁ), and I greeted him first (וְאַקְדִימְנָא לֵיהּ שְׁלָם). That man was a bandit (וְהַהוּא גַבְרָא הֲוָה לִסְטִים), and he rose up against me and harmed me (וְקָם עָלַי, וְצִעֵר לִי). Had I not overpowered him (וְאִלְמָלֵא דְּאִתְתַּקַּפְנָא בֵּיהּ), I would have been harmed (אִצְטָעַרְנָא). From that day I vowed (מֵהַהוּא יוֹמָא נָדַרְנָא), never again to greet anyone first (דְּלָא לְאַקְדָּמָא שְׁלָם), except for a righteous man (בַּר לְבַר נָשׁ זַכָּאָה).

Unless I know beforehand (אֶלָּא אִי יְדַעְנָא בֵּיהּ בְּקַדְמִיתָא), that he is capable of harming me and I can overcome him by strength (בְּגִין דְּיָכִיל לְצַעֲרָא לִי, וְיִתַתַּקַּף בִּי בְּחֵילָא). For it is forbidden to greet a wicked person first (בְּגִין דְּאָסִיר לְאַקְדָּמָא שְׁלָם לְבַר נָשׁ חַיָּיבָא), as it is written: “There is no peace, says Hashem, to the wicked” (דִּכְתִיב אֵין שָׁלוֹם אָמַר יְיָ לָרְשָׁעִים) (Isaiah 49). And at that moment that I saw you (וְהַהִיא שַׁעְתָּא דְּחָמֵינָא לְכוּ), and you gave me greeting and I did not return it (וְיַהֲבִיתּוּ לִי שְׁלָם וְלָא אֲתִיבְנָא לְכוּ), I suspected you (חֲשִׁידְנָא לְכוּ). Because I did not see in you a mitzvah that was apparent outwardly (בְּגִין דְּלָא חָמֵינָא בְּכוּ מִצְוָה דְּאִתְחֲזֵי לְבַר). And I too was then reviewing my learning (וַהֲוֵינָא כְּמוֹ כֵן מְהַדַּר תַּלְמוּדָאִי). But now that I see in you that you are meritorious (אֲבָל הַשְׁתָּא דְּחָמֵינָא בְכוּ דְּאַתּוּן זַכָּאִין), behold the path is straightened before me (הָא אָרְחָא מִתְתַּקְּנָא קֳדָמָי). He opened and said (פָּתַח וְאֲמַר), “A psalm of Asaf: Surely God is good to Yisrael, to the pure of heart” (מִזְמוֹר לְאָסָף אַךְ טוֹב לְיִשְׂרָאֵל אֱלֹהִים לְבָרֵי לֵבָב) (Tehillim 73).

Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי): Kudsha Berikh Hu made right and made left (קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא עָבַד יְמִינָא וְעָבַד שְׂמָאלָא), to direct the world (לְאַנְהָגָא עַלְמָא). One is called good and one is called evil (חַד אִקְרֵי טוֹב וְחַד אִקְרֵי רָע). And in these two the human is included (וּבִתְרֵין אִלֵּין אִתְכְּלִיל בַּר נָשׁ), and approaches all (וְאִתְקְרִיב בְּכֹלָּא). And that evil which is left (וְהַהוּא רַע דְּאִיהוּ שְׂמָאלָא), nations who worship stars and constellations are included in it (אִתְכְּלִילוּ בֵּיהּ עַמִּין עוֹבְדֵי עֲבוֹדַת כּוֹכָבִים וּמַזָּלוֹת), and it was given over to their side (וְאִתְיְהִיב בְּסִטְרָא דִּלְהוֹן). Because they are uncircumcised of heart and flesh (בְּגִין דְּאִינוּן עַרְלֵי לִבָּא וְעַרְלֵי בִּשְׂרָא), and to be defiled within it (וּלְאִסְתַּאֲבָא בֵּיהּ). But regarding Yisrael, what is written? “Surely God is good to Yisrael” (אֲבָל בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל מַה כְּתִיב, אַךְ טוֹב לְיִשְׂרָאֵל). And if you say it applies to all-no (וְאִי תֵימָא לְכֻלֵּהוּ, לָאו). Rather, to those who are not defiled with that evil (אֶלָּא לְאִינוּן דְּלָא אִסְתַּאֲבֵי בַּהֲדֵי הַהוּא רָע). As it is written: “To the pure of heart” (דִּכְתִיב, לְבָרֵי לֵבָב). Because this is good and that is evil (בְּגִין דְּדָא טוֹב וְדָא רַע). Good is for Yisrael alone (טוֹב לְיִשְׂרָאֵל בִּלְחוֹדַיְיהוּ), and evil is for the nations who worship stars and constellations (וְרַע לְעַמִּין עוֹבְדֵי עֲבוֹדַת כּוֹכָבִים וּמַזָּלוֹת). “Surely good to Yisrael” (אַךְ טוֹב לְיִשְׂרָאֵל), because of their cleaving to Him (בְּגִין לְאִדְּבָּקָא בֵּיהּ). And through this Yisrael are joined (וּבְהַאי אִתְדַּבְּקוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל), in a supernal secret (בְּרָזָא עִלָּאָה), in the secret of faith (בְּרָזָא דִּמְהֵימְנוּתָא), to be all as one (לְמֶהֱוֵי כֹּלָּא חַד).

Rabbi Yosei said (אָמַר רִבִּי יוֹסֵי): Blessed are we, that we did not err concerning you (זַכָּאִין אֲנַן, דְּלָא שַׁבַּשְׁנָא בָךְ). And behold, Kudsha Berikh Hu sent you to us (וְהָא קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא שַׁדַּרְךָ לְגַבָּן). Rabbi Yosei said (אָמַר רִבִּי יוֹסֵי): Because He is good to Yisrael (בְּגִין דְּטוֹב הוּא לְיִשְׂרָאֵל), Yisrael have a portion in this world and in the world to come (יִשְׂרָאֵל אִית לוֹן חוּלָקָא בְּעָלְמָא דֵין וּבְעָלְמָא דְאָתֵי), to see eye to eye a vision of glory (לְמֶחֱמֵי עֵינָא בְּעֵינָא חֵיזוּ יְקָרָא), as it is written: “For eye to eye they shall see when Hashem returns to Tziyon” (כְּמָה דִּכְתִיב כִּי עַיִן בְּעַיִן יִרְאוּ בְּשׁוּב יְיָ צִיּוֹן) (Isaiah 52).

Blessed is Hashem forever, amen and amen (בָּרוּךְ יְיָ לְעוֹלָם אָמֵן וְאָמֵן)