Daf 243b (דַּף רמ״ג ע״ב)

“Dan shall judge his people”-first (דָּן יָדִין עַמּוֹ בְּקַדְמִיתָא), and afterward “as one of the tribes of Yisrael” (וּלְבָתַר שִׁבְטֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל כְּאַחַד), corresponding to the Union of the world (כְּיִחוּדוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם), as it was with Shimshon, who was singular and rendered judgment in the world (כְּמָה דְּהֲוָה בְּשִׁמְשׁוֹן, דְּאִיהוּ יְחִידָאָי עָבִיד דִּינָא בְּעָלְמָא), and judged and killed as one, and needed no support (וְדָאִין וְקָטִיל כְּחֲדָא, וְלָא אִצְטְרִיךְ סֶמֶךְ). “Dan shall judge his people.” Rabbi Yitzchak said (רִבִּי יִצְחָק אָמַר): Dan-this is the serpent (chivya) that lies in wait upon roads and paths (דָּן, הַיְינוּ חִוְיָא, כָּמִין עַל אוֹרְחִין וּשְׁבִילִין).

And if you say this refers to Shimshon alone (וְאִי תֵימָא דְּעַל שִׁמְשׁוֹן בִּלְחוֹדוֹי הוּא), it is also so above-this is another soul (Some say: a small serpent) (אֲפִילּוּ כֵּן נָמֵי לְעֵילָא, דָּא הוּא נֶפֶשׁ אָחֳרָא (ס״א: נָחָשׁ זוּטָא), that gathers all camps and lies in wait at the end of the roads, driving them back (מְאַסֵּף לְכָל הַמַּחֲנוֹת, וְכָמִין לְאוֹרְחִין וּשְׁבִילִין, וּבַדַּר לוֹן לַאֲחוֹרָא). Afterward, armies and patrols emerge from here-those who stand before human beings regarding sins, and cast them backward behind their shoulders (לְבָתַר, חֵילִין וּמַשִּׁירְיָין מֵהָכָא נָפְקֵי, אִינוּן דְּכָמָאן לִבְנֵי נָשָׁא עַל חוֹבִין, דְּרָאמִין לוֹן לַאֲחוֹרָא בָּתַר כִּתְפַּיְיהוּ).

Rabbi Chiyya said (אָמַר רִבִּי חִיָּיא): the primordial serpent above does not become sweetened until it is subdued by the wine of joy (נָחָשׁ הַקַּדְמוֹנִי לְעֵילָא, עַד דְּלָא יִתְבַּסַּם בְּחַמְרָא דְּחֵידוּ). “A serpent upon the path” (נָחָשׁ עֲלֵי דֶרֶךְ).

Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי): just as there is a path above, so too is there a path below (כְּמָה דְּאִית דֶּרֶךְ לְעֵילָא, הָכֵי נָמֵי אִית דֶּרֶךְ לְתַתָּא), and the sea branches into many paths in all directions (וּמִתְפָּרְשָׁא יַמָּא לְכַמָּה אוֹרְחִין בְּכָל סְטַר). And there is one path that comes and stirs the sea, and many evil fish for their species (וְאִית אוֹרְחָא חַד דְּאָתֵי וְאַסְגֵּי יַמָּא, וְרַבֵּי נוּנִין בִּישִׁין לִזְנַיְיהוּ), Just as they brought forth waters below, good fish and evil fish, the fish of the river, in this manner evil fish according to their kinds (כְּמָה דְּאַפִּיקוּ מַיִין לְתַתָּא נוּנִין טָבִין-נוּנִין בִּישִׁין, נוּנֵי אוּרְדְּעָנַיָּא, כְּגַוְונָא דָּא נוּנִין בִּישִׁין לִזְנַיְיהוּ). And when they are drawn along the paths of the sea, they are seen riding upon their horses (וְכַד מִשְׁתַּמְּשֵׁי מֵאָרְחָא דְּיַמָּא, אִתְחֲזוּן רָכְבִין עַל סוּסַיְיהוּ). And if not for that serpent, who gathers all patrols, lying in wait at the end of the roads and driving them backward, the world would be devastated (וְאִלְמָלֵא דְּהַאי חִוְיָא דְּאִיהוּ כָּנִישׁ לְכָל מַשִּׁירְיָין, כָּמִין לְסוֹף אָרְחִין, וּבַדַּר לוֹן לַאֲחוֹרָא, הֲווּ מְטַשְׁטְשֵׁי עַלְמָא). From this side go forth all the enchanters to the world (מִסִּטְרָא דְּהַנֵּי נָפְקִין חֳרָשִׁין לְעָלְמָא).

Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי): of Bilam it is written, (Numbers 24) “And he did not go as at other times to meet enchantments,” because they stand to whisper in the sorceries of the world (בְּבִלְעָם כְּתִיב, וְלֹא הָלַךְ כְּפַעַם בְּפַעַם לִקְרַאת נְחָשִׁים, בְּגִין דְּאִינוּן קָיְמִין לְלַחֲשָׁא בַּחֲרָשֵׁי עָלְמָא). See what is written (חֲמֵי מַה כְּתִיב): “Dan shall be a serpent upon the path” (יְהִי דָן נָחָשׁ עֲלֵי דֶרֶךְ) (Bereshit 49). What is “upon the path”? (מַאי עֲלֵי דֶרֶךְ).

Rather, the serpent-whoever follows after it (אֶלָּא נָחָשׁ, מַאן דְּאִשְׁתַּדַּל אֲבַתְרֵיהּ), weakens the celestial retinue (אַכְּחִישׁ פַּמַּלְיָא דִּלְעֵילָא). And what is that?-that supernal path which issues from above (וּמַאי אִיהוּ, הַהוּא דֶּרֶךְ עִלָּאָה דְּנָפַק מִלְּעֵילָא), as you say, (Isaiah 43) “Who makes a path in the sea,” etc. (כְּמָה דְּאַתְּ אָמֵר, הַנּוֹתֵן בַּיָּם דֶּרֶךְ וְגו׳). The serpent-whoever follows after it (נָחָשׁ, מַאן דְּאִשְׁתַּדַּל אֲבַתְרֵיהּ) it is as if he goes upon that supernal path to weaken it (כְּאִילוּ אָזִיל עַל הַהוּא דֶּרֶךְ עִלָּאָה לְאַכְּחָשָׁא לֵיהּ), because upon that path the supernal worlds are sustained (בְּגִין דִּמְהַהוּא דֶּרֶךְ אִתְזָנוּ עַלְמִין עִלָּאֵי).

And if you ask: Dan-why is he upon this level? (וְאִי תֵימָא, דָּן, אַמַּאי אִיהוּ בְּדַרְגָּא דָּא). It is like what is written, (Bereshit 3) “And the flaming sword which turned every way to guard the path to the Tree of Life” (כְּדִכְתִיב, וְאֵת לַהַט הַחֶרֶב הַמִּתְהַפֶּכֶת לִשְׁמוֹר אֶת דֶּרֶךְ עֵץ הַחַיִּים). So too, “he bites the horse’s heels,” etc. (הָכִי נָמֵי הַנּוֹשֵׁךְ עִקְבֵי סוּס וְגו׳), in order to guard all the patrols (בְּגִין לְנַטְרָא לֵיהּ לְכָל מַשִּׁירְיָין). Rabbi Elazar said (אָמַר רִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר): he is the rectification of the throne (תִּקּוּנָא דְּכוּרְסְיָיא אִיהוּ).

Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי): the throne of King Shlomo (כֻּרְסְיָיא דִּשְׁלֹמֹה מַלְכָּא) one serpent hovered in the winding of the rod above the lions (חַד חִוְיָא מְרַפְרֵף בְּקִטּוּרֵי שַׁרְבִּיטָא לְעֵילָא מֵאַרְיְוָתָא). It is written, (Judges 13) “And the spirit of Hashem began to move him in the camp of Dan,” etc. (כְּתִיב, וַתָּחֶל רוּחַ יְיָ לְפַעֲמוֹ בְּמַחֲנֵה דָן וְגו׳). Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי): Shimshon was a nazirite forever (שִׁמְשׁוֹן נְזִיר עוֹלָם הֲוָה), and he was set apart from the world (וּפָרֵישׁ עַלְמָא אִיהוּ), and mighty strength prevailed in him (וְאִתְגַּבַּר בֵּיהּ חֵילָא תַּקִּיפָא). And he was a serpent in this world (וְהוּא הֲוָה חִוְיָא בְּהַאי עָלְמָא), against the nations who served idols and constellations (לָקֳבֵל עַמִּין עוֹבְדֵי עֲבוֹדַת כּוֹכָבִים וּמַזָּלוֹת), for he inherited the portion of blessing of Dan his father, as it is written, “Dan shall be a serpent upon the path,” etc. (דְּהָא אַחְסַנַת חוּלָקָא דְּבִרְכָּתָא דְּדָן אֲבוּהִי יָרִית, דִּכְתִיב: יְהִי דָן נָחָשׁ עֲלֵי דֶרֶךְ וְגו׳). Rabbi Chiyya said (אָמַר רִבִּי חִיָּיא): “Serpent” is known-but what is “Shefifon”? (נָחָשׁ יְדִיעָא, שְׁפִיפוֹן מַאי נִיהוּ). He said to him (אָמַר לֵיהּ): it is the secret of the sorcerer’s art (רָזָא דְּתִקּוּנָא דַּחֲרָשִׁין), for the serpent is Shefifon (דְּנָחָשׁ אִיהוּ שְׁפִיפוֹן). So too that wicked one-Bilam-knew all of it (הָכִי נָמֵי הַהוּא רָשָׁע דְּבִלְעָם, בְּכֹלָּא הֲוָה יָדַע).

Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי): it is written, (Numbers 23) “And he went shefi” (כְּתִיב: וַיֵּלֶךְ שֶׁפִי) sometimes in this way, and sometimes in that way (לְזִמְנִין בְּהַאי, וּלְזִמְנִין בְּהַאי). And if you say that Dan is not on this level (וְאִי תֵימָא דָּן, לָאו דַּרְגֵּיהּ בְּהַאי) so it is, indeed (הָכִי הוּא וַדַּאי). But he was appointed over this level (אֶלָּא אִתְמַנָּא עַל דַּרְגָּא דָּא), to be the last side (לְמֶהֱוֵי סִטְרָא בַּתְרַיְיתָא), and this is his praise (וּשְׁבָחָא אִיהוּ דִילֵיהּ): the appointees of the King are in this, and he appoints over this (מְמַנָּן דְּמַלְכָּא בְּהַאי, וּמְמַנָּא עַל הַאי), and it is honor to all those appointed (וִיקָרָא אִיהוּ לְכָל אִינוּן מְמֻנִּין). And the throne of the King is established in all these appointees (וְכֻרְסְיָיא דְּמַלְכָּא בְּכָל אִינוּן מְמַנָּן אִתְתַּקָּן), and beneath all these appointees are extended pathways and gradations (בְּכָל הַנֵּי מְמַנָּן תְּחוֹתַיְיהוּ מִתְפָּרְשָׁן אוֹרְחִין וְדַרְגִּין) whether for good or for ill (הֵן לְטַב, הֵן לְבִישׁ), And all of them are unified in these rectifications of the Throne (וְכֻלְּהוּ אִתְאַחֲדָן בְּהַנֵּי תִּקּוּנֵי דְּכֻרְסְיָיא). And therefore Dan is at the north side (וּבְגִינֵי כָּךְ דָּן לִסְטַר צָפוֹן), in the Nukva of the great abyss (בְּנוּקְבָא דִּתְּהוֹמָא רַבָּא), for at the northern side are prepared many twisted paths (דִּסְטַר צָפוֹן כַּמָּה חֲבִילֵי טְרִיקִין אִזְדַּמְּנָן תַּמָּן), And all of them are officers of the citadel (fortress) to bring evil upon the world (וְכֻלְּהוּ טַפְסִירָא דְּקִסְטְרָא לְאַבְאָשָׁא עַלְמָא).

Because of this, Ya'akov prayed and said (בְּגִינֵי כָּךְ צַלֵּי יַעֲקֹב וְאָמַר): “For Your salvation do I hope, Hashem” (לִישׁוּעָתְךָ קִוִּיתִי יְיָ) (Bereshit 49). Among all the tribes he did not say “Your salvation” except here (בְּכָל שְׁבָטִים לָא קָאֲמַר לִישׁוּעָתְךָ אֶלָּא בְּהַאי), because he saw the powerful strength of the serpent, whispering judgment to prevail (בְּגִין דְּחָמָא לֵיהּ תּוּקְפָא תַּקִּיפָא דְּחִוְיָא, מְרַחֲשָׁא דִּינָא לְאִתְגַּבְּרָא).

Rabbi Yosi and Rabbi Chizkiyah were going to see Rabbi Shimon in Kaputkiya (רִבִּי יוֹסֵי וְרִבִּי חִזְקִיָּה הֲווּ אָזְלֵי לְמֶחֱמֵי לְרִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בְּקַפּוּטְקִיָּא). Rabbi Chizkiyah said (אָמַר רִבִּי חִזְקִיָּה): this that we say that a man should always arrange the praise of his Master, and afterward pray his prayer (הַאי דְּאַמְרִינָן לְעוֹלָם יְסַדֵּר בַּר נָשׁ שְׁבָחָא דְּמָרֵיהּ, וּלְבָתַר יְצַלֵּי צְלוֹתֵיהּ) if this person’s heart is troubled, and he wants to pray his prayer (הַאי מַאן דְּלִבֵּיהּ טָרִיד, וּבָעֵי לְצַלָּאָה צְלוֹתֵיהּ), and he is in distress and cannot arrange the praise of his Master properly-what is he to do? (וְאִיהוּ בְּעָקוּ, וְלָא יָכִיל לְסַדְּרָא שְׁבָחָא דְּמָרֵיהּ כְּדְקָא יְאוּת, מַאי הוּא).