Daf 10b (דַּף י׳ ע״ב)

And what did he say (וּמָאי קָא אָמַר)? “My God, My God, why have You forsaken me” (Tehillim 22) (אֵלִי אֵלִי לָמָּה עֲזַבְתָּנִי). For the hind of the dawn had separated from the light of the day (דְּהָא אִתְפְּרַשׁ אַיַּלְתָּא דְּשַׁחְרָא מִנְּהִירוּ דִּימָמָא). While they were walking (עַד דַּהֲווּ אַזְלֵי), the day lit up (נָהִיר יְמָמָא), and the time of prayer arrived (וּמַטָּא עִידָן צְלוֹתָא). Rabbi El'azar said (אָמַר רִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר), let us pray the prayer and then continue (נְצַלֵּי צְלוֹתָא וְנִיזִיל). They sat and prayed (יָתְבוּ וְצַלּוּ). Afterward they arose and went (לְבָתַר קָמוּ וְאָזְלוּ).

Rabbi El'azar opened and said (פָּתַח ר׳ אֶלְעָזָר וְאָמַר): “There is a vanity that is done upon the earth: that there are righteous ones to whom it happens according to the work of the wicked... I said that this too is vanity” (יֵשׁ הֶבֶל אֲשֶׁר נַעֲשָׂה עַל הָאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר יֵשׁ צַדִּיקִים אֲשֶׁר מַגִּיעַ אֲלֵיהֶם כְּמַעֲשֵׂה הָרְשָׁעִים וְגוֹ׳ אָמַרְתִּי שֶׁגַּם זֶה הָבֶל) (Kohelet 8:14). This verse (הַאי קְרָא), they have already established and explained (אוּקְמוּהָ וְאִתְּמַר), but here: “There is a vanity” (אֲבָל יֵשׁ הֶבֶל). King Shlomo composed this book (שְׁלֹמֹה מַלְכָּא עָבֵד סִפְרָא דָּא), and established it upon seven vanities (וְאוֹקִים לֵיהּ עַל שִׁבְעָה הֲבָלִים), upon which the world stands (דְּעָלְמָא קַיְּימָא עָלַיְיהוּ). And these are the seven pillars that support the world (וְאִינּוּן שִׁבְעָה עַמּוּדִין סַמְכִין דְּעָלְמָא), corresponding to the seven firmaments (לָקֳבֵל שִׁבְעָה רְקִיעִים), and these are they (וְאִלֵּין אִינּוּן): Vilon [Curtain] (וִילוֹ״ן), Rakia [Firmament] (רָקִיעַ), Shechakim [Clouds] (שְׁחָקִים), Zevul [Dwelling] (זְבוּ״ל), Ma'on [Habitation] (מָעוֹ״ן), Machon [Foundation] (מָכוֹ״ן), Aravot [Plains] (עֲרָבוֹ״ת). And corresponding to them is: “Vanity of vanities, said Kohelet, vanity of vanities, all is vanity” (הֲבֵל הֲבָלִים אָמַר קֹהֶלֶת הֲבֵל הֲבָלִים הַכֹּל הָבֶל) (Kohelet 1:2).

Just as there are seven Raki'in [Firmaments] (כְּמָה דְּאִינּוּן שִׁבְעָה רְקִיעִין), and there are others that are joined to them (וְאִית אַחֲרָנִין דְּדַבְקֵי בְּהוּ), and they extend and emerge from them (וּמִתְפַּשְּׁטֵי וְנַפְקֵי מִנַּיְיהוּ), so too there are other Hevalim [Vanities] (הָכִי נָמֵי אִית הֲבָלִים אַחֲרָנִין), which extend and emerge from these (דְּמִתְפַּשְּׁטֵי וְנַפְקֵי מֵאִלֵּין), and Shlomo spoke of all of them (וְכֻלְּהוּ אָמַר שְׁלֹמֹה). And here there is a mystery of Chokhmah (וְהָכָא רָזָא דְּחָכְמְתָא אִית בֵּיהּ).

There is a Hevel [Vanity] (יֵשׁ הֶבֶל), which emerges from those supernal Hevalim [Vanities] (דְּנַפְקָא מֵאִינוּן הֲבָלִים עִלָּאִין), upon which the world stands (דְּעָלְמָא קַיְּימָא עָלַיְיהוּ), and this is done upon the earth (וְדָא נַעֲשָׂה עַל הָאָרֶץ), and it endures in its existence (וְאִתְקַיַּים בְּקִיּוּמֵיהּ), and it is strengthened in its power through the deeds of the earth (וְאִתְתַּקַּף בְּתוּקְפֵּיהּ בְּעוֹבְדֵי אַרְעָא), and through the ascent that ascends from the earth (וּבִסְלִיקוּ דְּסַלְּקָא מֵאַרְעָא), and this one is appointed over the earth (וְדָא אִתְמָנָא עַל אַרְעָא).

And all its strength and endurance (וְכָל תּוּקְפָּא וְקִיּוּמָא דִּילֵיהּ), is in those Neshamot of the Righteous (בְּאִינוּן נִשְׁמָתִין דְּצַדִּיקַיָּא), who are gathered from the earth (דְּאִתְלְקִיטוּ מֵאַרְעָא), while they are yet pure (כַּד אִינּוּן זַכָּאִין), before they sinned (עַד לָא סָרְחוּ), while they still gave off a good fragrance (בְּעוֹד דְּיָהֲבֵי רֵיחָא טָב). Like Enoch (כְּגוֹן חֲנוֹךְ), of whom it is written (דִּכְתִּיב בֵּיהּ), (Bereishit 5) “And he was no more, for Elohim took him” (וְאֵינֶנּוּ כִּי לָקַח אוֹתוֹ אֱלֹהִים). And He took him before his time arrived (וְנָטַל לֵיהּ עַד לָא מָטָא זִמְנֵיהּ), and delighted in him (וְאִשְׁתַּעֲשַׁע בֵּיהּ). And so it is with the rest of the righteous of the world (וְכֵן שְׁאַר זַכָּאִין דְּעָלְמָא). For we have learned (דְּתָנֵינָן), concerning two matters (עַל תְּרֵין מִלִּין), the Righteous are taken from the world before their time (צַדִּיקַיָּא מִסְתַּלְּקֵי מֵעָלְמָא עַד לָא יִמְטֵי זִמְנַיְיהוּ).

One, for the sins of the generation (חַד עַל חוֹבֵי דָּרָא), for when the guilty multiply in the world (דְּכַד אַסְגִּיאוּ חַיָּיבַיָּא בְּעָלְמָא), those righteous who are found among them (אִינּוּן זַכָּאִין דְּמִשְׁתַּכְּחֵי בֵּינַיְיהוּ), are seized for their sins (אִתָּפְסוּן בְּחוֹבֵיהוֹן). And one, when it is revealed before Kudsha Berikh Hu that they will sin afterward (וְחַד כַּד אִתְגְּלֵי קָמֵי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא דְּיִסְרְחוּן לְבָתַר), He removes them from the world before their time (סָלִיק לוֹן מֵעָלְמָא עַד לָא מָטָא זִמְנַיְיהוּ). This is what is written (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִּיב), (Kohelet 8) “There are righteous to whom it happens as the deeds of the wicked” (אֲשֶׁר יֵשׁ צַדִּיקִים אֲשֶׁר מַגִּיעַ אֲלֵיהֶם כְּמַעֲשֵׂה הָרְשָׁעִים). The judgment from above reaches them (מָטֵי עָלַיְיהוּ דִּינָא דִּלְעֵילָּא), as if they had done the sins and deeds of the wicked (כְּאִילּוּ עָבְדוּ חוֹבִין וְעוֹבָדִין דְּרַשִׁיעַיָּיא).

For at one time (דְּהָא זִמְנָא חֲדָא), Rabbi Yosi son of Rabbi Ya'akov, a man of Kfar Ono, asked (שָׁאִיל רִבִּי יוֹסִי בֶּן רִבִּי יַעֲקֹב אִישׁ כְּפַר אוֹנוֹ), at the time when Rabbi Akiva and his friends passed from the world (בְּזִמְנָא דְּרִבִּי עֲקִיבָא וְחַבְרוֹי אִסְתָּלָקוּ מֵעָלְמָא), and died in that manner (וּמִיתוּ בְּהַהוּא גַּוְונָא), to Rabbi Meir (לְרִבִּי מֵאִיר), he said to him (אָמַר לֵיהּ), is this written in the whole of the Orayta (וְכִי כְּתִיב דָּא בְּכָל אוֹרַיְיתָא כֻּלָהּ)? He said to him: Is it not (אָמַר לֵיהּ וְלָא)?

Behold, Shlomo said (וְהָא אָמַר שְׁלֹמֹה), “There are righteous to whom it happens as the deeds of the wicked” (אֲשֶׁר יֵשׁ צַדִּיקִים אֲשֶׁר מַגִּיעַ אֲלֵיהֶם כְּמַעֲשֵׂה הָרְשָׁעִים). Upon them comes judgment from above (מָטֵי עָלַיְיהוּ דִּינָא מִלְּעֵילָּא), as if they had committed the sins and deeds of the wicked (כְּאִילּוּ עָבְדוּ חוֹבִין וְעוֹבָדִין דְּרַשִׁיעַיָּיא). And there are wicked to whom it happens as the deeds of the righteous (וְיֵשׁ רְשָׁעִים שֶׁמַּגִּיעַ אֲלֵיהֶם כְּמַעֲשֵׂה הַצַּדִּיקִים), they sit in peace and wholeness in this world (יַתְבֵי בְּשֶׁקֶט וּשְׁלָם בְּהַאי עָלְמָא), and judgment does not reach them (דִינָא לָא מָטָא עָלַיְיהוּ), as if they had performed the deeds of the Righteous (כְּאִילּוּ עָבְדוּ עוֹבָדִין דְּצַדִּיקַיָּיא). Why is this (אֲמַאי)? Either because it has been revealed before Kudsha Berikh Hu that they will return in repentance (אִי בְּגִין דְּאִתְגְלֵי קָמֵי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא דִּיתוּבוּן בְּתִיוּבְתָּא), or that from them will come forth offspring (אוֹ דְּיִפּוֹק מִנַיְיהוּ זַרְעָא), who will be truthful in the world (דִּיְהֵא קְשׁוֹט בְּעָלְמָא). Like Terach, from whom came forth the offspring of truth, Avraham (כְּגוֹן תֶּרַח דְּנָפַק מִנִּיהּ זַרְעָא דִּקְשׁוֹט אַבְרָהָם), or Achaz, from whom came forth Chizkiyahu (אָחָז דְּנָפַק מִנֵּיהּ חִזְקִיָּהוּ), and other guilty ones of the world (וּשְׁאַר חַיָּיבִין דְּעָלְמָא). And for this reason, on this side and that side (וּבְגִין כַּךְ בְּסִטְרָא דָּא וּבְסִטְרָא דָּא), the hevel that we spoke of (הֶבֶל דְּקָאַמְרָן), is made and strengthened upon the earth (נַעֲשָׂה וְאִתְתָּקַף עַל הָאָרֶץ), as we have said (כִּדְקָאמְרַן).

Another matter: “There is a vanity that is done upon the earth” (דָּבָר אַחֵר יֵשׁ הֶבֶל אֲשֶׁר נַעֲשָׂה עַל הָאָרֶץ), as we said, that it is strengthened (כִּדְקָאמְרַן דְּאִתְתָּקַּף), Some say: and it was strengthened (נ״א: וְאִתְתַּקַּף), upon the world (עַל עָלְמָא). In what way (בְּמַאי)? Because there are Tzaddikim to whom it happens as the deeds of the wicked (בְּגִין דְּיֵשׁ צַדִּיקִים אֲשֶׁר מַגִּיעַ אֲלֵיהֶם כְּמַעֲשֵׂה הָרְשָׁעִים), such deeds reach them like the actions of the guilty (מָטָאן לִידַיְיהוּ כְּאִינּוּן עוֹבָדִין דְּחַיָּיבַיָּא). Like the daughter of idol worshippers (כְּגוֹן בַּת עוֹבְדֵי עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה), or one of those actions that are from the deeds of the wicked (אוֹ חַד מֵאִינוּן עוֹבָדִין דְּאִינּוּן מִמַּעֲשֵׂה הָרְשָׁעִים). And they endure in their endurance out of awe of their Master (וְאִינּוּן קַיְימֵי בְּקִיּוּמַיְיהוּ מִדְּחִילוּ דְּמָארֵיהוֹן), and they do not wish to be defiled (וְלָא בָּעָאן לְאִסְתַּאֲבָא).

Like many righteous of truth to whom such actions occurred (כְּגוֹן כַּמָּה זַכָּאֵי קְשׁוֹט דְּמָטוּ לִידַיְיהוּ כְּעוֹבָדִין אִלֵּין), and they were mighty in strength, doing the will of their Master (וְאִינּוּן גִּבּוֹרֵי כֹחַ דְּעַבְדֵי רְעוּתָא דְּמָארֵיהוֹן), and they did not sin (וְלָא חָטְאוּ). And because of this, hevel was made upon the earth and strengthened in its force (וְעַל דָּא הֶבֶל נַעֲשָׂה עַל הָאָרֶץ וְאִתְתָּקַף בְּתוּקְפֵּיהּ). And there are wicked to whom it happens as the deeds of the righteous (וְיֵשׁ רְשָׁעִים שֶׁמַּגִּיעַ אֲלֵיהֶם כְּמַעֲשֵׂה הַצַּדִּיקִים). Something like a mitzvah comes to their hand (מָטֵי לִידַיְיהוּ חַד מִצְוָה), which is an act of the righteous (דְּאִיהוּ עוֹבָדָא דְּצַדִּיקַיָּא), and they merit through it and perform it (וְזַכָּאן בָּהּ וְעַבְדִין יָתָהּ). Like the Jewish highway robber p5-21(כְּגוֹן לִסְטִים), who dwelled in the mountains (מְקַפְּחָא הֲוָה מִשְׁתְּכַח בְּטוּרַיָיא), among those robbers who practiced idolatry (בַּהֲדֵי אִינּוּן לִסְטִים עוֹבְדֵי עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה), and when a jew would pass there (וְכַד הֲוָה יוּדָאי אַעְבַר תַּמָּן), he would save him and guard him from them (הֲוָה מַשְׁזִיב לֵיהּ וְנָטִיר לֵיהּ מִנַּיְיהוּ). And Rabbi Akiva would recite about him (וַהֲוָה קָרֵי עָלֵיהּ רִבִּי עֲקִיבָא): “There are wicked to whom it happens as the deeds of the righteous” (יֵשׁ רְשָׁעִים אֲשֶׁר מַגִּיעַ אֲלֵיהֶם כְּמַעֲשֵׂה הַצַּדִּיקִים).