Daf 209a (דַּף ר״ט ע״א)

And if you say that evil is not done to a man from Kudsha Berikh Hu- (וְאִי תֵימָא דְּרַע לָא אִתְעֲבִיד לְבַר נָשׁ מֵעִם קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא) come and see: at a time when a man goes to the right side, the guarding of Kudsha Berikh Hu is constantly upon him, (תָּא חֲזֵי, בְּזִמְנָא דְּבַר נָשׁ אָזִיל לִימִינָא, נְטִירוּ דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא תָּדִיר לְגַבֵּיהּ) and the other side cannot rule over him. (וְלָא יָכִיל סִטְרָא אָחֳרָא לְשַׁלְּטָאָה עֲלֵיהּ). And this evil is subdued before him, and cannot rule. (וְהַאי רָע אִתְכַּפְיָא קַמֵּיהּ, וְלָא יָכִיל לְשַׁלְּטָאָה). But once the guarding of Kudsha Berikh Hu departs from him-because he cleaved to evil- (וְכֵיוָן דְּנְטִירָא דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא אִתְעַבְרָא מִנֵּיהּ, בְּגִין דְּאִיהוּ אִתְדַּבַּק בְּרָע) then that evil, seeing he is no longer guarded, rules over him, (כְּדֵין הַהוּא רָע, כֵּיוָן דְּחָמֵי דְּלָאו עִמֵּיהּ נְטִירוּ, כְּדֵין שַׁלִּיט עֲלֵיהּ) comes to accuse him, then permission is given to it, and it takes his Neshama. (וְאָתֵי לְשֵׁיצָאָה לֵיהּ, וּכְדֵין אִתְיְהִיב לֵיהּ רְשׁוּ, וְנָטִיל נִשְׁמָתֵיהּ).

Moshe said, “Why have You done evil?” because permission was given to the evil side to rule over Yisrael, to be in its dominion. (מֹשֶׁה אָמַר, לָמָּה הֲרֵעוֹתָ, דְּאִתְיְהִיב לֵיהּ רְשׁוּ לְסִטְרָא דְּרַע לְמִשְׁלַט עֲלֵיהוּ דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל, לְמֶהֱוֵי בְּשִׁעְבּוּדָא דִילֵיהּ). Another matter: “Why have You done evil?”-he saw how many among them were dying, and given over to the evil side. (דָּבָר אַחֵר: לָמָּה הֲרֵעוֹתָ, דְּחָמָא כַּמָּה מִנְּהוֹן דְּהֲווּ מֵתִין, וְאִתְמְסָרוּ בְּסִטְרָא דְּרַע).

Come and see: at the time when good is aroused, which is the right side- (תָּא חֲזֵי, בְּשַׁעְתָּא דְּטוֹב אִתְעַר, דְּאִיהוּ יְמִינָא) all joy, all goodness, all blessings are found. (כָּל חֵידוּ, וְכָל טִיבוּ, וְכָל בִּרְכָּאן מִשְׁתַּכְּחָן). And all is in concealment, (וְכֹלָּא בַּחֲשָׁאי אִיהוּ) as we have established- (כְּמָה דְּאוּקְמוּהָ) “Blessed be the Name of the glory of His kingdom forever and ever” is said in a whisper. (דְּאָמְרֵי: בָּרוּךְ שֵׁם כְּבוֹד מַלְכוּתוֹ לְעוֹלָם וָעֶד בַּחֲשָׁאי). And this secret is because- (וְרָזָא דָּא) alternate version: because this is the Union- (ס״א: דְּהַאי אִיהוּ יִחוּדָא) then it is the Union as it ought to be. (דְּאִיהוּ כְּדֵין יִחוּדָא כְּדְקָא חָזֵי).

Rabbi Ḥiyya said, “And Eliyahu, since he decreed, and Kudsha Berikh Hu fulfills- (אָמַר רִבִּי חִיָּיא, וְכִי אֵלִיָּהוּ, כֵּיוָן דְּאִיהוּ גָּזַר, וּקְדוּשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא מְקַיֵּים) and he decreed upon the heavens that neither rain nor dew should fall, (וְאִיהוּ גָּזִיר עַל שְׁמַיָּא דְּלָא לַאֲחָתָא מִטְרָא וְטַלָּא) how could he be afraid of Izevel, who sent after him?” (הֵיךְ דָּחִיל אִיהוּ מֵאִיזֶבֶל דְּשַׁדְּרַת לֵיהּ) As it is written: “As your soul lives, tomorrow I shall make your life as the life of one of them.” (1 Kings 19) (דִּכְתִיב כִּי כָעֵת מָחָר אָשִׂים אֶת נַפְשְׁךָ כְּנֶפֶשׁ אַחַד מֵהֶם) and immediately he feared and fled for his life. (וּמִיָּד דָּחִיל וְעָרַק עַל נַפְשֵׁיהּ).

Rabbi Yosei said to him, “But it has been established: that the Righteous do not want to trouble their Master in a place where danger is revealed to the eye. (אָמַר לֵיהּ רִבִּי יוֹסֵי, הָא אוּקְמוּהָ דְּצַדִּיקַיָּיא לָא בָּעָאן לְאַטְרָחָא לְמָארֵיהוֹן בְּאֲתַר דְּנִזְקָא אִשְׁתַּכַּח לְעֵינָא). As in the case of Shmuel, as it is written: ‘How shall I go? Shaul will hear and kill me.’” (1 Samuel 16) (כְּגַוְונָא דִּשְׁמוּאֵל דִּכְתִיב אֵיךְ אֵלֵךְ וְשָׁמַע שָׁאוּל וַהֲרָגָנִי) He said to him: “Take a heifer in your hand.” (אָמַר לֵיהּ: עֶגְלַת בָּקָר תִּקַּח בְּיָדֶךָ). For the Righteous do not want to trouble their Master in a place where danger is present. (בְּגִין דְּצַדִּיקַיָּיא לָא בָּעָאן לְאַטְרָחָא לְמָארֵיהוֹן בְּאֲתַר דְּנִזְקָא אִשְׁתַּכַּח). So too with Eliyahu-when he saw that danger was present, he did not want to trouble his Master. (אוּף הָכִי אֵלִיָּהוּ, כֵּיוָן דְּחָמָא דְּנִזְקָא אִשְׁתַּכַּח, לָא בָּעֵי לְאַטְרָחָא לְמָארֵיהּ).

He said to him, “I heard another matter: (אָמַר לֵיהּ, אֲנָא מִלָּה שְׁמַעְנָא) for regarding Eliyahu it does not say, ‘He was afraid and went for his life,’ but rather- (דְּהָא בְּאֵלִיָּהוּ לָא כְּתִיב בֵּיהּ: וַיִּירָא וַיֵּלֶךְ אֶל נַפְשׁוֹ, אֶלָּא) “And he saw.” (1 Kings 19) (וַיַּרְא). He saw a vision. (רְאִיָּה חָמָא). And what did he see? Rather, he saw that many years the Angel of Death had followed after him and was not delivered into his hand. (וּמַה חָמָא אֶלָּא חָמָא דְּהָא מִכַּמָּה שְׁנִין אֲזַל בַּתְרֵיהּ מַלְאַךְ הַמָּוֶת, וְלָא אִתְמְסַר בִּידֵיהּ). And now, “He went for his life”-what does that mean? He went to preserve the soul- (וְהַשְׁתָּא: וַיֵּלֶךְ אֶל נַפְשׁוֹ-מַאי וַיֵּלֶךְ אֶל נַפְשׁוֹ אֲזַל לְקִיּוּמָא דְּנַפְשָׁא) and who is that? The Tree of Life, to be attached there. (וּמַאן אִיהוּ אִילָנָא דְּחַיֵּי לְאִתְדַּבְּקָא תַּמָּן).

Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי), all of them it is written “his soul” (כֻּלְּהוּ כְּתִיב אֶת נַפְשׁוֹ), and here it is written “to his soul” (וְהָכָא כְּתִיב אֶל נַפְשׁוֹ). And this secret I have heard, as Rabbi Shim‘on said: (וְרָזָא דָּא שְׁמַעְנָא, דְּאָמַר רִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן) all Neshamot of the world go out from that river that flows and goes forth. (כָּל נִשְׁמָתִין דְּעַלְמָא, כֻּלְּהוּ נָפְקֵי מֵהַהוּא נָהָר דְּנָגִיד וְנָפִיק) And all of them are held in that bundle of life. (וְכֻּלְּהוּ נָקִיט לוֹן הַהוּא צְרוֹרָא דְּחַיֵּי). And when the female becomes pregnant from the male, (וְכַד נוּקְבָא אִתְעַבְּרַת מִן דְּכוּרָא) all are in the desire of both sides, (כֻּלְּהוּ בִּתְּאוּבְתָּא דִּתְרֵין סִטְרִין) in the desire of the female toward the male. (בִּתְּאוּבְתָּא דְּנוּקְבָא לְגַבֵּי דְּכוּרָא). And when the desire of the male comes forth in Desire, then those Neshamot are in stronger existence, (וְכַד תִּיאוּבְתָּא דִּדְּכוּרָא נָפְקָא בִּרְעוּתָא, כְּדֵין אִינוּן נִשְׁמָתִין בְּקִיּוּמָא יַתִּיר) because all is in the desire and will of the Tree of Life. (בְּגִין דְּכֹּלָּא בִּתְּאוּבְתָּא וּרְעוּ דְּאִילָנָא דְּחַיֵּי). And Eliyahu, because he was from that Desire more than any other man, he endured. (וְאֵלִיָּהוּ, בְּגִין דְּהֲוָה מֵהַהוּא רְעוּתָא יַתִּיר מִבַּר נָשׁ אָחֳרָא, אִתְקַיֵּים).

And for this reason it says el nafsho and not et nafsho, (וּבְגִין כָּךְ אֶל נַפְשׁוֹ כְּתִיב, וְלָא כְּתִיב אֶת נַפְשׁוֹ). For et nafsho-that is female, (דְּהָא אֶת נַפְשׁוֹ דָּא הִיא נוּקְבָא). And if you say: “And to the woman He said”-this is the generality of male and female when she is within the male, then it says “to the woman.” (וְאִי תֵימָא: וְאֶל הָאִשָּׁה אָמַר, כְּלָלָא דִּדְּכַר וְנוּקְבָא, כַּד הִיא בְּגוֹ דְּכוּרָא, כְּדֵין וְאֶל הָאִשָּׁה אָמַר). “The woman” — the female alone and not the male (אֶת הָאִשָּׁה, נוּקְבָא בִּלְחוּדָהָא וְלָא דִּדְּכוּרָא). In this manner: “to his soul” — the male alone; “his soul” — the female alone, and not the inclusion of the male (כְּגַוְונָא דָּא: אֶל נַפְשׁוֹ, דָּכָר בִּלְחוֹדוֹי; אֶת נַפְשׁוֹ, נוּקְבָא בִּלְחוּדָהָא, וְלָא כְּלִילוּ דִּדְּכוּרָא). And because he was from the side of male more than all men of the world, he endured in his existence more, (וּבְגִין דְּאִיהוּ מִסִּטְרָא דִּדְּכוּרָא יַתִּיר מִכָּל בְּנֵי עַלְמָא, אִתְקַיֵּים בְּקִיּוּמֵיהּ יַתִּיר) and he did not die like other men of the world. (וְלָא מֵית כִּשְׁאָר בְּנֵי עַלְמָא). Because all of him was from the Tree of Life and not from the dust. (בְּגִין דְּכֹּלָּא אִיהוּ מֵאִילָנָא דְּחַיֵּי, וְלָא מִגּוֹ עַפְרָא). And for this reason he ascended above and did not die as is the way of all men of the world. (וּבְגִין דָּא אִסְתַּלַּק לְעֵילָא, וְלָא מֵית כְּאֹרַח כָּל בְּנֵי עַלְמָא). As it is written: “And Eliyahu went up in a storm to the heavens.” (2 Kings 2) (דִּכְתִיב וַיַּעַל אֵלִיָּהוּ בַּסְּעָרָה הַשָּׁמַיִם).

Come and see: what is written? “And behold, a chariot of fire and horses of fire,” etc. (2 Kings 2) (תָּא חֲזֵי, מַה כְּתִיב: וְהִנֵּה רֶכֶב אֵשׁ וְסוּסֵי אֵשׁ וְגו׳) for then the body was divested from the spirit, (דְּהָא כְּדֵין אִתְפַּשַּׁט גּוּפָא מִן רוּחָא) and ascended not like the way of other men of the world. (וְאִסְתַּלַּק דְּלָא כִּשְׁאָר אוֹרַח בְּנֵי עַלְמָא). And there remained a holy angel, (וְאִשְׁתָּאַר מַלְאָכָא קַדִּישָׁא) like the rest of the supernal holy ones, (כִּשְׁאָר קַדִּישֵׁי עֶלְיוֹנִין) and he performed missions in the world. (וְעָבִיד שְׁלִיחוּתָא בְּעָלְמָא). And this has been established, that the miracles that Kudsha Berikh Hu performs in the world are done through him. (וְהָא אוּקְמוּהָ, דְּנִסִּין דְּעָבַד קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא בְּעָלְמָא, עַל יְדֵיהּ אִתְעֲבִידָן). And come and see what is written: “And he requested for his soul.” (1 Kings 19) (וְתָּא חֲזֵי, מַה כְּתִיב: וַיִּשְׁאַל אֶת נַפְשׁוֹ). Previously, “he went to his soul,” as it is said-into sustenance. (בְּקַדְמִיתָא: וַיֵּלֶךְ אֶל נַפְשׁוֹ, כְּמָה דְּאִתְּמָר בְּקִיּוּמָא). And here: “his soul to die” — the tree in which death dwells (וְהָכָא: אֶת נַפְשׁוֹ לָמוּת, אִילָנָא דְּבֵיהּ שַׁרְיָא מוֹתָא). And there, Kudsha Berikh Hu revealed Himself to him, as it is written: “Go out and stand on the mountain.” (וְתַמָּן אִתְגְּלִי עֲלֵיהּ קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, כְּמָה דִּכְתִיב: צֵא וְעָמַדְתָּ בָּהָר). What is written after it? “And after the earthquake, a fire; Hashem was not in the fire. And after the fire-a still, small voice.” (1 Kings 19) (מַה כְּתִיב בַּתְרֵיהּ: וְאַחַר הָרַעַשׁ אֵשׁ-לֹא בָאֵשׁ ה׳; וְאַחַר הָאֵשׁ, קוֹל דְּמָמָה דַקָּה). This is the innermost place of all, from which all lights emerge. (דָּא הוּא אֲתַר פְּנִימָאָה דְּכֹּלָּא, דְּמִנֵּיהּ נָפְקִין כָּל נְהוֹרִין).