Daf 228b (דַּף רכ״ח ע״ב)

Rabbi Yehuda opened and said (רִבִּי יְהוּדָה פָּתַח וְאָמַר), “And Ḥizkiyahu turned his face to the wall and prayed to Hashem” [Yeshayahu 38] (וַיַּסֵּב חִזְקִיָּהוּ פָּנָיו אֶל הַקִּיר וַיִּתְפַּלֵּל אֶל ה׳). This has been established (הָא אוּקְמוּהָ), that a person should only pray close to a wall (דְּלָא לִצְלֵי בַּר נָשׁ אֶלָּא סָמוּךְ לְכוֹתְלָא), and there should be no barrier between him and the wall (וְלָא יְהֵא מִלָּה חָצִיץ בֵּינֵיהּ לְבֵין כּוֹתְלָא), as it is written: “And Ḥizkiyahu turned his face to the wall” (דִּכְתִיב וַיַּסֵּב חִזְקִיָּהוּ פָּנָיו אֶל הַקִּיר). Why is this different from all other places where prayer is mentioned (מַאי שְׁנָא בְּכֻלְּהוּ דְּצַלֵּי צְלוֹתָא), that it does not say there: “he turned his face to the wall” (דְּלָא כְּתִיב בְּהוּ וַיַּסֵּב פָּנָיו אֶל הַקִּיר)?

Is it not sufficient to say: “and he prayed to Hashem” (דְּהָא דַי לֵיהּ דְּיֵימָא וְיִתְפַּלֵּל אֶל ה׳)? For one who prays, his mind must be properly directed (דְּהָא מַאן דְּמַצְלֵי צְלוֹתָא, אִיהוּ כִּוֵּן דַּעְתֵּיהּ כְּדְקָא יְאוּת), as it is written by Moshe (דְּהָא כְּתִיב בְּמשֶׁה): “And Moshe prayed to Hashem” [Bamidbar 11] (וַיִּתְפַּלֵּל משֶׁה אֶל ה׳), and “Moshe cried out to Hashem” [Shemot 11] (וַיִּצְעַק משֶׁה אֶל ה׳), and it does not say: “he turned his face” (וְלָא כְּתִיב וַיַּסֵּב פָּנָיו). Here with Ḥizkiyahu, why is it written: “And Ḥizkiyahu turned his face to the wall,” and only afterwards “and he prayed”? (הָכָא בְּחִזְקִיָּהוּ, מַאי טַעְמָא וַיַּסֵּב חִזְקִיָּהוּ פָּנָיו אֶל הַקִּיר, וּלְבָתַר וַיִּתְפַּלֵּל) Rather, it is a secret matter (אֶלָּא רָזָא דְּמִלָּה אִיהוּ).

For we have learned (דְּתָנִינָן): Ḥizkiyahu at that time was not married (חִזְקִיָּה בְּהַהוּא זִמְנָא לָא הֲוָה נָסִיב), and he did not have a wife (וְלָא הֲוָה לֵיהּ אִנְתּוּ), and he had not fathered children (וְלָא אוֹלִיד בְּנִין). What is written? “And Yeshayahu came to him… you shall die and not live” [Yeshayahu 38] (מַה כְּתִיב: וַיָּבֹא אֵלָיו וְגו׳ כִּי מֵת אַתָּה וְלֹא תִחְיֶה). And we have learned: “you shall die” in this world, “and not live” in the World to Come (וְתָנִינָן: כִּי מֵת אַתָּה בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה, וְלֹא תִחְיֶה בָּעוֹלָם הַבָּא). Why? Because he did not father children (מַאי טַעְמָא בְּגִין דְּלָא אוֹלִיד בְּנִין). For anyone who does not strive to bring children into this world (דְּכָל מַאן דְּלָא אִשְׁתַּדַּל לְאוֹלָדָא בְּנִין בְּהַאי עַלְמָא), does not endure in the World to Come (לָא מִתְקַיֵּים בְּעַלְמָא דְאָתֵי), and he will have no portion in that world (וְלָא יְהֵא לֵיהּ חוּלָקָא בְּהַהוּא עַלְמָא). And his Neshamah is expelled in the World to Come (וְאִתְתָּרְכַת נִשְׁמָתֵיהּ בְּעַלְמָא דְאָתֵי), and finds no rest in the place of that world (וְלָא אַשְׁכָּחַת נַיְיחָא בְּאֲתַר דְּעַלְמָא). And this is the punishment written in the Orayta (וְדָא הוּא עוֹנָשָׁא דִּכְתִיב בְּאוֹרַיְּיתָא): “They shall die childless” [Vayikra 20] (עֲרִירִים יָמוּתוּ), and we translate this as: without offspring (וּמְתַרְגְּמִינָן בְּלָא וְלָד). For one who is without children (בְּגִין דְּמַאן דְּאִיהוּ בְּלָא וְלַד), when he goes to that world, he dies there (כַּד אָזִיל בְּהַהוּא עַלְמָא, מֵית הוּא תַּמָּן) he dies both in this world and in the next (מֵית בְּעַלְמָא דֵין, וּבְעַלְמָא דְאָתֵי).

And concerning this it is written: “You shall die and not live” (וְעַל דָּא כְּתִיב: כִּי מֵת אַתָּה וְלֹא תִחְיֶה). And not only this, but the Shekhinta does not rest upon him at all (וְלֹא עוֹד, אֶלָּא דִּשְׁכִינְתָּא לָא שַׁרְיָא עֲלוֹי כְּלָל), as it is written: “And Ḥizkiyahu turned his face to the wall” (כְּדֵין כְּתִיב: וַיַּסֵּב חִזְקִיָּהוּ פָּנָיו אֶל הַקִּיר). We learn from this that he arranged his thoughts (אוֹלִיפְנָא דְּשַׁוֵּי רַעֲיוֹנוֹי), and turned his face to take a wife (וְכַוֵּון אַנְפּוֹהִי לְמֵיסַב אִתְּתָא), so that the Shekhinta would dwell upon him (בְּגִין דְּתִשְׁרֵי עֲלוֹי שְׁכִינְתָּא) this is the secret of “the wall” (רָזָא דְקִיר).

And because of this it is written afterwards: “And he prayed to Hashem” (וּבְגִין כָּךְ כְּתִיב לְבָתַר: וַיִּתְפַּלֵּל אֶל ה׳). From here we learn (מִכָּאן אוֹלִיפְנָא) that one who bears guilt (דְּמַאן דְּאִית בֵּיהּ חוֹבָא), and seeks mercy upon himself (וּבָעֵי לְמִבְעֵי רַחֲמֵי עֲלוֹי), should first align his face and thoughts (יְכַוֵּין אַנְפּוֹי וְרַעֲיוֹנוֹי), to correct himself from that sin (לְאַתְקָנָא גַּרְמֵיהּ מֵהַהוּא חוֹבָא), and afterwards pray (וּלְבָתַר יִבְעֵי צְלוֹתָא). As you say: “Let us search and examine our ways” [Eikhah 3] (נַחְפְּשָׂה דְרָכֵינוּ וְנַחְקוֹרָה) first, and then: “and return” (וּלְבָתַר: וְנָשׁוּבָה).

So too here (אוּף הָכָא): once Ḥizkiyahu knew his sin (כֵּיוָן דְּיָדַע חִזְקִיָּהוּ חוֹבֵיהּ), what is written? “And Ḥizkiyahu turned his face to the wall” (מַה כְּתִיב: וַיַּסֵּב חִזְקִיָּהוּ פָּנָיו אֶל הַקִּיר) he aligned his face to repair his connection to the Shekhinta (שַׁוֵּי אַנְפּוֹי לְאַתְקָנָא לְגַבֵּי שְׁכִינְתָּא), for toward that place he had sinned (דְּהָא לְגַבֵּי אֲתַר דָּא חָב). Because the Shekhinta-all the female aspects of the world-exist in Her domain (בְּגִין דִּשְׁכִינְתָּא כָּל נוּקְבֵי דְעַלְמָא קַיְימִין בְּסִתְרָהָא). One who has a female, She dwells with him (מַאן דְּאִית לֵיהּ נוּקְבָא, שַׁרְיָא אִיהִי לְגַבֵּיהּ), but one who does not-She does not dwell with him (וּמַאן דְּלֵית לֵיהּ, לָא שַׁרְיָא לְגַבֵּיהּ). And therefore he prepared himself for Her, for repair (וְעַל דָּא אַתְקִין גַּרְמֵיהּ לְגַבָּהּ לְאַתְקָנָא), and resolved upon himself to be married (וְשַׁוֵּי עֲלֵיהּ לְאִתְנַסְּבָא), and afterward prayed to Hashem (וּלְבָתַר וְיִתְפַּלֵּל אֶל יְיָ).

Kir [Wall]—this is the Master of all the earth (קִיר, דָּא הוּא אֲדוֹן כָּל הָאָרֶץ), and this is the Shekhinta (וְדָא שְׁכִינְתָּא), as it is said (כְּמָא דְאַתְּ אָמֵר): “Behold, the Ark of the Covenant of the Master of all the earth” (הִנֵּה אֲרוֹן הַבְּרִית אֲדוֹן כָּל הָאָרֶץ) (Yehoshua 3:11). Kir [Wall], as it is said (כְּמָא דְאַתְּ אָמֵר): “A battering against the wall, and a cry” (מְקַרְקַר קִיר וְשׁוֹעַ) (Yeshayahu 22:5)—the battering and the wailing of the Wall (קִרְקוּרָא וּנְהִימָא דְקִיר), who is the Master (דְּאִיהוּ אָדוֹן), when the Beit HaMikdash was destroyed (כַּד אִתְחָרִיב בֵּי מַקְדְּשָׁא), as it is said (כְּמָא דְאַתְּ אָמֵר): “Rachel weeps for her children” (רָחֵל מְבַכָּה עַל בָּנֶיהָ) (Yirmeyahu 31:14), and we have already established this (וְהָא אוֹקִימְנָא). And for this reason (וּבְגִין כָּךְ): “Ḥizkiyahu turned his face toward the wall” (וַיַּסֵּב חִזְקִיָּהוּ פָּנָיו אֶל הַקִּיר) (Yeshayahu 38:2).

Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי): in his prayer, what is written? “Please, Hashem, remember how I have walked before You” [Yeshayahu 38] (בִּצְלוֹתָא מַה כְּתִיב: אָנָא יְיָ זְכָר נָא אֶת אֲשֶׁר הִתְהַלַּכְתִּי לְפָנֶיךָ) he hinted here that he had guarded the Holy Berit (רָמַז הָכָא, דְּנָטַר בְּרִית קַדִּישָׁא), and did not defile it (וְלָא סָאִיב לֵיהּ), and guarded it properly (וְנָטַר לֵיהּ כְּדְקָא יְאוּת). It is written here: “I walked before You” (כְּתִיב הָכָא: הִתְהַלַּכְתִּי לְפָנֶיךָ), and it is written there: “Walk before Me and be perfect, and I will establish My covenant with you” [Bereishit 17] (וּכְתִיב הָתָם: הִתְהַלֵּךְ לְפָנַי וֶהְיֵה תָמִים וְאֶתְנָה בְּרִיתִי בֵּינִי וּבֵינֶיךָ) meaning he had preserved the Holy Berit properly (דְּנָטַר בְּרִית קַדִּישָׁא כְּדְקָא יְאוּת). “In truth and with a complete heart” (בֶּאֱמֶת וּבְלֵב שָׁלֵם) he intended with all the secrets of faith that are encompassed in Emet (דְּאִתְכַּוֵּון בְּכָל אִינוּן רָזֵי מְהֵימְנוּתָא דִּכְלִילָן בֶּאֱמֶת). “And that which is good in Your eyes I have done” (וְהַטּוֹב בְּעֵינֶיךָ עָשִׂיתִי) he referred to placing Ge’ulah adjacent to prayer (דְּסָמַךְ גְּאוּלָה לִתְפִלָּה), and this has been established (וְהָא אוֹקִימְנָא). And the Friends have established (וְהָא אוּקְמוּהָ חַבְרַיָּיא), that he intended to unify the Union properly (דְּאִתְכַּוֵּון לְיַחֲדָא יִחוּדָא כְּדְקָא יְאוּת). And for this reason (וּבְגִין כָּךְ), “Ḥizkiyahu wept a great weeping” (וַיֵּבְךְ חִזְקִיָּהוּ בְּכִי גָּדוֹל) for there is no gate that stands before tears (דְּלֵית תַּרְעָא דְּקָיְימָא קַמֵּי דִּמְעִין). Ge’ulah-this is the “angel who redeems,” (גְּאוּלָה, דָּא הוּא מַלְאָךְ הַגּוֹאֵל), who is found in every redemption of the world (דְּדָא אִיהוּ דְּאִשְׁתַּכַּח בְּכָל פֵּרוֹקָא דְּעַלְמָא), and this too has been established (וְהָא אוֹקִימְנָא). “The angel who redeems me from all evil…” (הַמַּלְאָךְ הַגּוֹאֵל אוֹתִי מִכָּל רָע) Rabbi El‘azar said (רִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר אָמַר), once Ya'akov blessed and directed himself from below to above (כֵּיוָן דְּבָרֵיךְ יַעֲקֹב וְאִתְכַּוֵּון מִתַּתָּא לְעֵילָא), then he drew down from above to below (כְּדֵין אַמְשִׁיךְ מֵעֵילָא לְתַתָּא), as it is written: “Elohim who shepherds me…” (דִּכְתִיב: הָאֱלֹהִים הָרוֹעֶה אוֹתִי). Once he received (כֵּיוָן דְּאִיהוּ נָטִיל), he gave blessing to that place (יָהִיב בִּרְכָאן לְהַאי אֲתַר); once he drew blessing to that place (כֵּיוָן דְּאַמְטֵי בִּרְכָאן לְהַאי אֲתַר), then he opened and said: “The angel who redeems me…” (כְּדֵין פָּתַח וְאָמַר: הַמַּלְאָךְ הַגּוֹאֵל וְגו׳). He opened and said (פָּתַח וְאָמַר), “For the Keruvim spread wings over the place of the Ark…” [Melakhim I 8] (כִּי הַכְּרוּבִים פּוֹרְשֵׂי כְּנָפַיִם אֶל מְקוֹם הָאָרוֹן וְגו׳).

Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי): the Keruvim stood with a sign and a miracle (כְּרוּבִים בְּאָת וּבְנִיסָא הֲווּ קָיְימֵי), three times a day they would spread their wings (תְּלַת זִמְנִין בְּיוֹמָא הֲווּ פָּרְשֵׂי גַדְפֵיהוֹן), and cover the Ark below (וְסָכְכֵי עַל אֲרוֹנָא לְתַתָּא), as it is written: “spreading wings” (דִּכְתִיב פּוֹרְשֵׂי כְנָפַיִם). It does not say perushei in the past tense, but porshei in the present (פְּרוּשֵׂי לָא כְּתִיב, אֶלָּא פּוֹרְשֵׂי). And come and see (וְתָּא חֲזֵי), Kudsha Berikh Hu arranged below according to the pattern above (קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא עָבִיד לְתַתָּא כְּגַוְונָא דִּלְעֵילָא) Keruvim, whose form was like that of children (כְּרוּבִים, דִּיוּקְנָא דִילְהוֹן כְּחֵיזוּ רַבְיָין), and they stood beneath this place (וְקָיְימִין תְּחוֹת הַאי אֲתַר), on the right and on the left (מִימִינָא וּמִשְׂמְאָלָא). And these were blessed first from those blessings that flow from above (וְאִלֵּין אִתְבָּרְכָן בְּקַדְמִיתָא מֵהַנְהוּ בִּרְכָאן דְּנָגְדָן מֵעֵילָא), and from there blessings flow downward (וּמֵהָכָא נַגְדֵי בִּרְכָאן לְתַתָּא). And about this it is written (וְעַל דָּא כְּתִיב):