Daf 209b (דַּף ר״ט ע״ב)

What is written? “And it was when Eliyahu heard, he wrapped his face in his mantle, and behold, a voice came to him and said…” (1 Kings 19) (מַה כְּתִיב וַיְהִי כִּשְׁמֹעַ אֵלִיָּהוּ וַיָּלֶט פָּנָיו בַּאֲדַּרְתּוֹ, וְהִנֵּה אֵלָיו קוֹל וַיֹּאמֶר..). “What are you doing here, Eliyahu?” (מַה לְּךָ פֹה אֵלִיָּהוּ) And he said, “I have been very zealous.” (וַיֹּאמֶר: קַנֹּא קִנֵּאתִי).

Kudsha Berikh Hu said to him: “Until when will you be zealous for Me? (אָמַר לֵיהּ קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא: עַד מָתַי אַתָּה מְקַנֵּא לִי) You have closed off the wave that death may never rule over you, (טְרָקַת גַּלָּא דְּלָא יָכִיל לְשַׁלְּטָאָה בָּךְ מוֹתָא לְעָלְמָא) and the world cannot bear you together with My children.” (וְעָלְמָא לָא יָכִיל לְמִסְבַּלָךְ עִם בָּנַי). He said to Him: “For the Children of Yisrael have forsaken Your covenant,” etc. (אָמַר לֵיהּ: כִּי עָזְבוּ בְּרִיתְךָ בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וְגו׳). He said to him: “By your life, in every place where My children maintain a holy existence, (אָמַר לֵיהּ: חַיֶּיךָ, דְּבְכָל אֲתַר דְּבָנַי יְקַיְּימוּ קְיָים קַדִּישָׁא) you will be prepared to be there.” (אַנְתְּ תְּהֵא זַמִּין תַּמָּן). Another matter: And this is what was said-because of this, a throne is prepared for Eliyahu, for he is destined to be there. (ד״א: וְהָא אִתְּמַר, בְּגִין כָּךְ מְתַקְּנִין כּוּרְסְיָא לְאֵלִיָּהוּ, דְּאִיהוּ זְמִין תַּמָּן).

Come and see what that word of Eliyahu caused, as it is written: (תָּא חֲזֵי, מַה גָּרַם הַהִיא מִלָּה דְּאֵלִיָּהוּ, דִּכְתִיב:) “And I have left in Yisrael seven thousand, all the knees that have not bowed to the Baal, and every mouth that has not kissed him.” (1 Kings 19) (וְהִשְׁאַרְתִּי בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל שִׁבְעַת אֲלָפִים כָּל הַבִּרְכַּיִם אֲשֶׁר לֹא כָּרְעוּ לַבַּעַל וְכָל הַפֶּה אֲשֶׁר לֹא נָשַׁק לוֹ).

Kudsha Berikh Hu said to him: “From now on, the world cannot bear you together with My children.” (אָמַר לֵיהּ קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא: מִכָּאן וּלְהָלְאָה, דְּלָא יָכִיל עָלְמָא לְמִסְבַּלָךְ עִם בָּנַי). “And Elisha son of Shafat from Avel Mecholah you shall anoint as prophet in your stead.” (וְאֶת אֱלִישָׁע בֶּן שָׁפָט מֵאָבֵל מְחוֹלָה תִּמְשַׁח לְנָבִיא תַּחְתֶּיךָ). “Let there be another prophet for My children, and you shall be removed to your place.” (יְהֵא נְבִיאָה אֲחֳרָא לְגַבֵּי בָּנַי, וְאַנְתְּ תִּסְתַּלַּק לְאַתְרָךְ).

Come and see: every man who is zealous for Kudsha Berikh Hu, the Angel of Death cannot rule over him as with other men. (וְתָּא חֲזֵי, כָּל הַהוּא בַּר נָשׁ דִּמְקַנֵּי לֵיהּ לְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, לָא יָכִיל מַלְאָכָא דְּמוֹתָא לְשַׁלְּטָאָה בֵּיהּ כִּשְׁאָר בְּנֵי נָשָׁא). And he shall endure in peace, and this has been established. (וְיִתְקַיֵּים בֵּיהּ שְׁלָם, וְהָא אוּקְמוּהָ). As it is said concerning Pinḥas: “Therefore say, Behold I give him My covenant of peace.” (Numbers 25) (כְּמָה דְּאִתְּמַר בְּפִנְחָס לָכֵן אֱמוֹר הִנְנִי נוֹתֵן לוֹ אֶת בְּרִיתִי שָׁלוֹם). “And he fell on the neck of Binyamin his brother and wept, and Binyamin wept on his neck.” (וַיִּפֹּל עַל צַוְּאַרֵי בִּנְיָמִן אָחִיו וַיֵּבְךְּ, וּבִנְיָמִן בָּכָה עַל צַוָּארָיו). Rabbi Yitzḥak said: this has been established, (רִבִּי יִצְחָק אָמַר, הָא אוּקְמוּהָ) that he wept for the First Temple and the Second Temple. (דְּבָכָה עַל מִקְדָּשׁ רִאשׁוֹן וְעַל מִקְדָּשׁ שֵׁנִי).

He opened and said: “Your neck is like the tower of David, built for an armory; a thousand shields hang upon it-all the shields of the mighty.” (Song of Songs 4) (פָּתַח וְאָמַר כְּמִגְדַּל דָּוִיד צַוָּארֵךְ, בָּנוּי לְתַלְפִּיּוֹת, אֶלֶף הַמָּגֵן תָּלוּי עָלָיו, כֹּל שִׁלְטֵי הַגִּבּוֹרִים). “Like the tower of David”-who is the tower of David? (כְּמִגְדַּל דָּוִיד, מַאן מִגְדַּל דָּוִיד) This is truly the tower of David, which David built and rose within Jerusalem. (דָּא מִגְדַּל דָּוִיד וַדַּאי, דְּבָנָה לֵיהּ דָּוִיד, וְסָלִיק לֵיהּ גּוֹ יְרוּשָׁלַיִם).

Rather: “Like the tower of David”-this is the supernal Yerushalayim, of which it is written: “The Name of Hashem is a strong tower; the Tzaddik runs into it and is exalted.” (Proverbs 18) (אֶלָּא: כְּמִגְדַּל דָּוִיד, דָּא יְרוּשָׁלֵם דִּלְעֵילָא, דִּכְתִיב בֵּיהּ מִגְדַּל עֹז שֵׁם ה׳, בּוֹ יָרוּץ צַדִּיק וְנִשְׂגָּב). Who is exalted? That very tower is exalted, because the Tzaddik runs there. (מַאן נִשְׂגָּב אֶלָּא הַהוּא מִגְדַּל נִשְׂגָּב, בְּגִין דְּבֵיהּ יָרוּץ צַדִּיק). “Your neck”-this is the Temple below, (צַוָּארֵךְ, דָּא בֵּית מַקְדְּשָׁא דִּלְתַּתָּא) which stands in perfect form, like the neck to the body. (דְּאִיהוּ קָאֵים בְּתִקּוּנָא דְּשַׁפִּירוּ, כְּצַוָּאר לְגוּפָא). Just as the neck is the beauty of the whole body, (מַה צַּוָּאר, אִיהוּ שַׁפִּירוּ דְּכָל גּוּפָא) so too the Temple is the beauty of the entire world. (הָכִי נָמֵי בֵּי מַקְדְּשָׁא, אִיהוּ שַׁפִּירוּ דְּכָל עַלְמָא). “Built for Talpiyyot”-a hill toward which all the people of the world gaze. (בָּנוּי לְתַלְפִּיּוֹת, תֵּלָא דְּכָל בְּנֵי עַלְמָא הֲווּ מִסְתַּכְּלָן בֵּיהּ). And this has been established: Talpiyyot-a mount to which all mouths of the world turn in praise and prayer. (וְהָכִי אוּקְמוּהָ: תַלְפִּיּוֹת, תֵּל דְּכָל פִּיּוֹת דְּעַלְמָא מְשַׁבְּחָן וּמְצַלְּיָין לְגַבֵּיהּ). “A thousand shields hang upon it”-these are the thousand Tikkunim that are prepared in it as is fitting. (אֶלֶף הַמָּגֵן תָּלוּי עָלָיו, אִלֵּין אֶלֶף תִּקּוּנִין דִּמְתַּקְּנִין בֵּיהּ כְּדְקָא יְאוּת). “All the shields of the mighty”-for all of them come from the side of harsh judgment. (כֹּל שִׁלְטֵי הַגִּבּוֹרִים, דְּכֻלְּהוּ קָא אַתְיָין מִסִּטְרָא דְּדִינָא קַשְׁיָא). Just as the neck-all the adornments of a woman depend on it- (מַה צַּוָּאר, כָּל תִּקּוּנִין דְּאִתְּתָא בֵּיהּ תָּלְיָין) so too with the Temple-all the Tikkunim of the world depend on and rest within it. (כָּךְ בְּמַקְדְּשָׁא, כָּל תִּקּוּנִין דְּעַלְמָא בֵּיהּ תָּלְיָין וְשָׁרְיָין).

And this has been established, as it is written: “Upon our necks we are pursued.” (Lamentations 5) (וְהָא אוּקְמוּהָ, דִּכְתִיב עַל צַּוָּארֵינוּ נִרְדָּפְנוּ) upon the Temple, which is the neck and the beauty of all the world. (עַל בֵּי מַקְדְּשָׁא, דְּאִיהוּ צַּוָּאר וְשַׁפִּירוּ דְּכָל עַלְמָא). “We were pursued”-we toiled to build it twice and were not permitted. (נִרְדָּפְנוּ, יָגַעְנוּ לְמִבְנֵי לֵיהּ תְּרֵין זִמְנִין, וְלֹא הוּנַח לָן). For they did not allow us, and it was destroyed and not rebuilt afterwards. (דְּהָא לָא שָׁבְקוּהָ לָן, וְאִתְחָרַב וְלָא אִתְּבְּנֵי לְבָתַר). Just as the neck-once it is severed, the whole body is severed with it (מַה צַּוָּאר, כֵּיוָן דְּאִשְׁתֵּצֵי, כָּל גּוּפָא אִשְׁתֵּצֵי עִמֵּיהּ) so too the Temple-once it is destroyed and darkened, the whole world is likewise darkened. (הָכִי נָמֵי בֵּי מַקְדְּשָׁא כֵּיוָן דְּאִיהוּ אִשְׁתֵּצֵי וְאִתְחַשַּׁךְ, כָּל עַלְמָא הָכִי נָמֵי אִתְחַשַּׁךְ). And the sun does not shine, nor the heavens and earth and stars. (וְלָא נָהִיר שִׁמְשָׁא, וְלָא שְׁמַיָּא וְאַרְעָא וְכוֹכְבַיָּא).

Because of this, Yosef wept over this. (בְּגִין כָּךְ, בָּכָה יוֹסֵף עַל דָּא). And after he wept over this, he wept over the tribes who were exiled. (וּלְבָתַר דְּבָכָה עַל דָּא, בָּכָה עַל שִׁבְטִין דְּאִתְגָּלוּ). When the Temple was destroyed, all the tribes were immediately exiled, and scattered among the nations. (כַּד אִתְחָרִיב בֵּי מַקְדְּשָׁא, כֻּלְּהוּ שִׁבְטִין אִתְגָּלוּ מִיָּד, וְאִתְבַּדְּרוּ בֵּינֵי עַמְמַיָּא). This is what is written: “And he kissed all his brothers and wept upon them”-upon them indeed. (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב: וַיְנַשֵּׁק לְכָל אֶחָיו וַיֵּבְךְ עֲלֵיהֶם, עֲלֵיהֶם וַדַּאי). Over all of them he wept-for the Temple that was destroyed twice, (עַל כֻּלָּם בָּכָה, עַל בֵּי מַקְדְּשָׁא דְּאִתְחָרִיב תְּרֵין זִמְנִין) and over his ten brothers, the ten tribes, who were exiled and scattered among the nations. (וְעַל אֲחוֹי עֲשֶׂרֶת הַשְּׁבָטִים דְּאִתְגָּלוּ בְּגָלוּתָא וְאִתְבַּדְּרוּן בֵּינֵי עַמְמַיָּא).

And afterwards, “His brothers talked with him”-but it is not written that they wept, (וְאַחֲרֵי כֵן דִּבְּרוּ אֶחָיו אִתּוֹ, וְלָא כְּתִיב וַיִּבְכּוּ) for he wept, since the Holy Spirit stirred within him, (דְּהָא אִיהוּ בָּכָה, דְּנִצְנְצָה בֵּיהּ רוּחָא קַדִּישָׁא) but they did not weep, because the Holy Spirit did not rest upon them. (וְאִינוּן לָא בָּכוּ, דְּלָא שָׁרָא עֲלַיְיהוּ רוּחַ קוּדְשָׁא). “And the voice was heard in Pharaoh’s house.” (וְהַקּוֹל נִשְׁמַע בֵּית פַּרְעֹה). Rabbi El‘azar Abba opened and said: (רִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר אַבָּא פָּתַח וְאָמַר:) “My soul yearns, even faints, for the courts of Hashem; my heart and flesh sing for the Living El.” (Psalms 84) (נִכְסְפָה וְגַם כָּלְתָה נַפְשִׁי לְחַצְרוֹת יי, לִבִּי וּבְשָׂרִי יְרַנְּנוּ אֶל אֵל חָי).

Come and see: every man who prays his prayer and stands before his Master, (תָּא חֲזֵי: כָּל בַּר נָשׁ דְּצַלֵּי צְלוֹתֵיהּ וְקָאֵים קַמֵּי מָארֵיהּ) needs to begin with blessings every single day, (אִצְטְרִיךְ לֵיהּ לְאַקְדָּמָא לֵיהּ בִּרְכָּאן בְּכָל יוֹמָא וְיוֹמָא) and to pray before his Master at the needed time. (וּלְצַלֵּי צְלוֹתֵיהּ קַמֵּי מָארֵיהּ בִּזְמַנָּא דְּאִצְטְרִיךְ). In the morning-to be united with the right side of Kudsha Berikh Hu. (בְּצַפְרָא, לְאַחֲדָא בִּימִינָא דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא).

In the afternoon-to be united with the left. (בְּמִנְחָה, לְאַחֲדָא בִּשְׂמָאלָא). And prayer and supplication are required for man every day in order to cleave to Him. (וּצְלוֹתָא וּבָעוּתָא אִצְטְרִיךְ לֵיהּ לְבַר נָשׁ בְּכָל יוֹמָא וְיוֹמָא בְּגִין לְאִתְאַחֲדָא בֵּיהּ). And we have established: whoever prays his prayer and stands before his Master- (וְאוֹקִימְנָא, מַאן דְּצַלֵּי צְלוֹתֵיהּ וְקָאֵים קַמֵּי מָארֵיהּ) he must not let his voice be heard in his prayer. (אִצְטְרִיךְ לֵיהּ דְּלָא לְמִשְׁמַע קָלֵיהּ בִּצְלוֹתֵיהּ). And whoever makes his voice heard in his prayer, his prayer is not heard. (וּמַאן דְּאַשְׁמַע קָלֵיהּ בִּצְלוֹתֵיהּ, צְלוֹתֵיהּ לָא אִשְׁתְּמַע).