Daf 15a (דַּף ט״ו ע״א)
And further, this is a secret of the matter (וְעוֹד רָזָא דְּמִלָּה הִיא), for it is taught: with ten utterances the world was created (דִּתְּנַן בַּעֲשָׂרָה מַאֲמָרוֹת נִבְרָא הָעוֹלָם). And when you examine, they are three (וְכַד תִּסְתָּכַּל תְּלָתָא אִינּוּן), and the world was created through them (וְעָלְמָא בְּהוּ אִתְבְּרִי): (Shemot 31) “With wisdom, with understanding, and with knowledge” (בְּחָכְמָה וּבִתְבוּנָה וּבְדַעַת). And the world was not created except for Yisrael (וְעָלְמָא לָא אִתְבְּרֵי אֶלָּא בְּגִינֵיהוֹן דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל).
When He wished to establish the world (כַּד בָּעָא לְקַיְּימָא עָלְמָא), He made Avraham with the secret of Chokhmah (עָבֵד לְאַבְרָהָם בְּרָזָא דְּחָכְמָה), Yitzchak with the secret of Tevunah (לְיִצְחָק בְּרָזָא דִּתְבוּנָה), and Ya'akov with the Secret of Da‘at (לְיַעֲקֹב בְּרָזָא דְדַעַת). And with this it is written (וּבְהַאי אִתְקְרֵי), (Mishlei 24) “And with Da‘at shall the chambers be filled” (וּבְדַעַת חֲדָרִים יִמָּלְאוּ). And in that hour, the whole world was completed (וּבְהַהִיא שַׁעֲתָא אִשְׁתַּכְלַּל כָּל עָלְמָא).
And when twelve tribes were born to Ya'akov (וּמִדְּאִתְיְלִידוּ לְיַעֲקֹב תְּרֵיסַר שְׁבָטִין), all was completed (אִשְׁתָּכְלַּל כֹּלָּא), in the manner of the supernal realm (כְּגַוְונָא דִּלְעֵילָּא). When Kudsha Berikh Hu saw the great joy of this lower world (כַּד חָמָא קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא חֶדְוָותָא סַגִּיאָה דְּהַאי עָלְמָא תַּתָּאָה), that it was completed in the likeness of the upper (דְּאִשְׁתַּכְלַּל כְּגַוְונָא דִּלְעֵילָּא), He said (אָמַר): perhaps, heaven forbid, they will become mingled with the other nations (דִּילְמָא חַס וְשָׁלוֹם יִתְעָרְבוּן בִּשְׁאַר עַמָמִין), and a blemish will remain in all the worlds (וְיִשְׁתְּאַר פְּגִימוּתָא בְּכֻלְּהוּ עָלְמִין). What did Kudsha Berikh Hu do (מַה עָבֵד קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא)?
He moved them all from here to there (טִלְטֵל לְכֻלְּהוּ מֵהָכָא לְהָכָא), until they descended to Egypt (עַד דְּנַחְתּוּ לְמִצְרַיִם), to dwell among a people of stiff-necked skull (לְמֵידָר דִּיּוּרֵיהוֹן בְּעַם קְשֵׁי קְדָל), who scorn their customs (דִּמְבַזִּין נִמּוּסֵיהוֹן), and scorn them so as not to intermarry with them (וּמְבַזִּין לְהוֹן לְאִתְחַתְּנָא בְּהוּ), nor to become mingled with them (וּלְאִתְעָרְבָא בַּהֲדַיְיהוּ), and regard them as slaves (וַחֲשִׁיבוּ לְהוֹן עַבְדִין). Men despise them (גּוּבְרִין גָּעֲלָן בְּהוֹן), women despise them (נוּקְבְתָא גָּעֲלָן בְּהוֹן), until all was perfected in holy seed (עַד דְּאִשְׁתַּכְלָל כֹּלָּא בְזַרְעָא קַדִּישָׁא).
And meanwhile the debt of the other nations was completed (וּבֵין כַּךְ וּבֵין כַּךְ שְׁלִים חוֹבָא דִּשְׁאַר עַמִּין), as it is written (דִּכְתִּיב), (Bereishit 15): “For the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet complete” (כִּי לֹא שָׁלֵם עֲוֹן הָאֱמוֹרִי עַד הֵנָּה). And when they went out (וְכַד נָפְקוּ), they went out righteous and holy (נָפְקוּ זַכָּאִין קַדִּישִׁין), as it is written (דִּכְתִּיב), (Tehillim 122) “The tribes of Yah, a testimony to Yisrael” (שִׁבְטֵי יָהּ עֵדוּת לְיִשְׂרָאֵל).
Rabbi Shimon came and kissed him on his head (אָתָא ר׳ שִׁמְעוֹן וּנְשָׁקֵיהּ בְּרִישֵׁיהּ). He said to him (אֲמַר לֵיהּ): stand firm, my son, in your place (קָאִים בְּרִי בְּקִיּוּמָךְ), for the hour stands for you (דְּשַׁעְתָּא קַיְּימָא לָךְ).
Rabbi Shimon sat (יָתִיב רִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן), and Rabbi El'azar his son was standing and explaining matters of the Secret of Chokhmah (וְרִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר בְּרֵיהּ קָאִים וּמְפָרֵשׁ מִלֵּי דְּרָזֵי דְּחָכְמְתָא), and their faces were shining like the sun (וַהֲווּ אַנְפּוֹי נְהִירִין כְּשִׁמְשָׁא). And the words were scattered and flying in the firmament (וּמִלִּין מִתְבַּדְּרִין וְטָאסִין בִּרְקִיעָא).
They sat for two days without eating or drinking (יָתְבוּ תְּרֵין יוֹמִין דְּלָא אָכְלוּ וְלֹא שָׁתוּ), and they did not know whether it was day or night (וְלָא הֲווֹ יַדְעִין אִי הֲוָה יְמָמָא אוֹ לֵילְיָא). When they came out (כַּד נָפְקוּ), they realized that two days had passed without tasting anything (יָדְעוּ דַּהֲווֹ תְּרֵין יוֹמִין דְּלָא טָעֲמוּ מִידִי).
Rabbi Shimon recited regarding this (קָרָא עַל דָּא רִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן), (Shemot 34) “And he was there with Hashem forty days and forty nights; he did not eat bread…” (וַיְהִי שָׁם עִם יי אַרְבָּעִים יוֹם וְאַרְבָּעִים לַיְלָה לֶחֶם לֹא אָכַל וְגוֹ׳). And if we, in one moment, have such an experience (וּמָה אִי אֲנָן בְּשַׁעֲתָא חֲדָא כַּךְ), then how much more so Moshe (מֹשֶׁה, דִּקְרָא אַסְהִיד בֵּיהּ), about whom it is written (וַיְהִי שָׁם עִם יי אַרְבָּעִים יוֹם וְגוֹ׳), how much more and more (עַל אַחַת כַּמָּה וְכַמָּה). When Rabbi Chiyya came before the Master p5-31(כַּד אָתָא רִבִּי חִיָּיא קָמֵיהּ דְּרִבִּי), and told him the matter (וְסָח לֵיהּ עוֹבָדָא), the Master turned p5-32(תָּוָה רִבִּי), and Rabbi Shimon said to him (וְאָמַר לֵיהּ): Rabbi Shimon ben Gamliel my father said (רִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן גַּמְלִיאֵל אָבוֹי): my son, Rabbi Shimon ben Yochai is a lion (בְּרִי, רִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן יוֹחָאי אַרְיָא), and Rabbi El'azar his son is a lion (וְרִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר בְּרֵיהּ אַרְיָא), and Rabbi Shimon is not like other lions (וְלָאו רִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן כִּשְׁאַר אַרְיְוָותָא). About him it is written (עָלֵיהּ כְּתִיב), (Amos 3): “A lion has roared; who shall not fear…” (אַרְיֵה שָׁאָג מִי לֹא יִירָא וְגוֹ׳). If the worlds above tremble from him (וּמָה עָלְמִין דִּלְעֵילָּא מִזְדַּעְזְעִין מִינֵּיהּ), how much more we (אֲנָן עַל אַחַת כַּמָּה וְכַמָּה).
A man who never declared a fast upon that which he requested (גַּבְרָא דְּלָא גָּזַר תַּעֲנִיתָא לְעָלְמִין עַל מַה דְּשָׁאִיל וּבָעֵי), but he decrees, and Kudsha Berikh Hu fulfills (אֶלָּא הוּא גּוֹזֵר קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא מְקַיֵּים). Kudsha Berikh Hu decrees, and he cancels (קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא גּוֹזֵר וְאִיהוּ מְבַטֵּל). And this is what is taught (וְהַיְינוּ דִּתְנָן): what is written (מַאי דִּכְתִּיב), (Shmuel II 23) “A ruler over men shall be a righteous ruler, a ruler in the fear of God” (מוֹשֵׁל בָּאָדָם צַדִּיק מוֹשֵׁל יִרְאַת אֱלֹהִים). The Holy One, blessed be He, rules over man (הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מוֹשֵׁל בָּאָדָם), and who rules over the Holy One, blessed be He (וּמִי מוֹשֵׁל בְּהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא)? The Tzaddik (צַדִּיק), for he decrees a decree and the Tzaddik annuls it (דְּאִיהוּ גּוֹזֵר גְּזֵרָה וְהַצַּדִּיק מְבַטְּלָהּ).
It is taught (תְּנָן): Rabbi Yehudah said (אָמַר ר׳ יְהוּדָה): there is nothing as beloved before Kudsha Berikh Hu as the prayer of the Tzaddikim (אֵין לָךְ דָּבָר בַּחֲבִיבוּתָא קָמֵי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא כְּמוֹ תְּפִלָּתָן שֶׁל צַדִּיקִים). And even though it is favorable to Him (וְאַף עַל גַּב דְּנִיחָא לֵיהּ), sometimes He performs their request (זִמְנִין דְּעָבִיד בָּעוּתְהוֹן), and sometimes He does not (זִמְנִין דְּלָא עָבִיד).
The Rabbis taught (תָּנוּ רַבָּנָן): once the world needed rain (זִמְנָא חֲדָא הֲוָה עָלְמָא צְרִיכָא לְמִטְרָא). Rabbi Eliezer came and decreed forty fasts (אָתָא רִבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר וְגָזַר אַרְבְּעִין תַּעֲנִיתָא), and rain did not come (וְלָא אָתָא מִטְרָא). He prayed (צַלֵּי צְלוֹתָא), and rain did not come (וְלָא אָתָא מִטְרָא).
Rabbi Akiva came (אָתָא רִבִּי עֲקִיבָא), and stood and prayed (וְקָם וְצַלֵּי). He said: 'Who makes the wind blow. (אָמַר מַשִּׁיב הָרוּחַ), and a wind blew (וְנָשַׁב זִיקָא); He said: 'And He brings down the rain. (אָמַר וּמוֹרִיד הַגֶּשֶׁם), and rain came (וְאָתָא מִטְרָא). The mind of Rabbi Eliezer was weakened (חָלַשׁ דַּעְתֵּיהּ דְּרִבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר). Rabbi Akiva looked at his face (אִסְתָּכָּל רִבִּי עֲקִיבָא בְּאַנְפּוֹי).
Rabbi Akiva arose before the people and said (קָם רִבִּי עֲקִיבָא קָמֵי עַמָּא וְאָמַר): I will offer you a parable (אֶמְשׁוֹל לָכֶם מָשָׁל), to what is the matter comparable (לְמַה הַדָּבָר דּוֹמֶה)? Rabbi Eliezer is like the beloved of the King (רִבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר דָּמֵי לִרְחִימָא דְּמַלְכָּא), who is beloved more than all (דְּרָחִים לֵיהּ יַתִּיר), and when he comes before the King (וְכַד עָאל קָמֵי מַלְכָּא), it is pleasing to Him (נִיחָא לֵיהּ), but He does not wish to grant him his request quickly (וְלָא בָּעֵי לְמַיתָן לֵיהּ בָּעוּתֵיהּ בִּבְהִילוּ), so that He not separate from him (כִּי הֵיכִי דְּלָא לִיתְפְּרַשׁ מִנֵּיהּ), for it is pleasing to Him to converse with him (דְּנִיחָא לֵיהּ דְּלִישְׁתְּעֵי בַּהֲדֵיהּ).
And I am like the servant of the King (וַאֲנָא דָּמֵי לְעַבְדָּא דְּמַלְכָּא), who asks his request before Him (דְּבָעָא בָּעוּתֵיהּ קָמֵיהּ), and the King does not wish to let him enter the gates of the palace (וְלָא בָּעֵי מַלְכָּא דְּלֵיעוּל לְתַרְעֵי פַּלְטֵרִין), and certainly not to converse with him (וְכָל שֶׁכֵּן דְּלִישְׁתְּעֵי בַּהֲדֵיהּ). The King says: give him his request quickly, and do not let him come in here (אָמַר מַלְכָּא, הָבוּ לֵיהּ בָּעוּתֵיהּ בִּבְהִילוּ, וְלָא לֵיעוּל הָכָא). So it is with Rabbi Eliezer (כַּךְ רִבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר): he is the beloved of the King (אִיהוּ רְחִימָא דְּמַלְכָּא), and I am a servant (וַאֲנָא עַבְדָּא). And the King wishes to converse with him every day (וּבָעֵי מַלְכָּא לְאִשְׁתְּעֵי בַּהֲדֵיהּ כָּל יוֹמָא), and not to separate from him (וְלָא יִתְפְּרִישׁ מִנֵּיהּ). But I-the King does not want me to enter the gates of the palace (וַאֲנָא, לָא בָּעֵי מַלְכָּא דְּאִיעוּל תַּרְעֵי דְּפַלְטֵרִין).
The mind of Rabbi Eliezer was appeased (נָח דַּעְתֵּיהּ דְּרִבִּי אֱלִיעֶזְרִ). He said to him (אָמַר לֵיהּ): Akiva, come and I will tell you a matter (עֲקִיבָא, תָּא וְאֵימָא לָךְ מִלְּתָא), for this verse appeared to me in a dream (דְּאִתְחַזְיָא לִי בְּחֶלְמָא הַאי פְּסוּקָא), as it is written (דִּכְתִּיב), (Yirmeyahu 7) “And you, do not pray on behalf of this people, and do not raise for them song or prayer, and do not intercede with Me” (וְאַתָּה אַל תִּתְפַּלֵּל בְּעַד הָעָם הַזֶּה וְאַל תִּשָּׂא בַעֲדָם רִנָּה וּתְפִלָּה וְאַל תִּפְגַּע בִּי).
Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי): twelve mountains of pure balsam (תְּרֵיסַר טוּרֵי אֲפַרְסְמוֹנָא דְּכִיא) were entered by the one who wore the breastplate and ephod (עָאל הַהוּא דְּלָבִישׁ חוֹשְׁנָא וְאֵפוֹדָא), and he petitioned Kudsha Berikh Hu to have mercy on the world (וּבָעָא מִן קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לְמֵיחָס עַל עָלְמָא), and until now he is still suspended (וְעַד הָאִידָנָא תָּלֵי אִיהוּ). If so, why was the mind of Rabbi Eliezer distressed (אִי הָכִי אֲמַאי חָלַשׁ דַּעְתֵּיהּ דְּרִבִּי אֱלִיעֶזְרִ)? Because of people who do not know this (מִשּׁוּם בְּנֵי נָשָׁא דְּלָא יַדְעִין בְּהַאי).
Notes
Ohr HaChammah on Zohar: “Rabbi Chiya came before Rabbi” (אֲתָא רַבִּי חִיָּיא קַמֵּי דְּרַבִּי): “this is a scribal error” (טָעוּת סוֹפְרִים כָּאן), “for after Rabbi Shimon passed away, the father of Rabbi was still alive” (שֶׁהֲרֵי אַחַר שֶׁנִּפְטַר רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן הָיָה אָבִיו שֶׁל רַבִּי קַיָּים), “as they said, ‘one who has a father shall live,’ and so forth” (כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמְרוּ מִי שֶׁיֵּשׁ לוֹ אָב יִחְיֶה וְגוֹ׳), “as is proven in Bava Metzia” (כִּדְמוּכָח בִּמְצִיעָא), “if so, how could Rabbi Chiya be before Rabbi” (אִם כֵּן אֵיךְ הָיָה רַבִּי חִיָּיא לִפְנֵי רַבִּי), “and Rabbi was still a student sitting on the ground before the sages” (וַעֲדַיִן רַבִּי תַּלְמִיד לִפְנֵי הַחֲכָמִים יוֹשֵׁב בַּקַּרְקַע). “A righteous one rules in the fear of God” (צַדִּיק מוֹשֵׁל בְּיִרְאַת אֱלֹהִים): “the Malchut governs the world” (הַמַּלְכוּת מַנְהֶגֶת הָעוֹלָם), “and it is clothed in judgment” (וְהִיא מִתְלַבֶּשֶׁת בְּדִין), “and the lower righteous is a chariot for the upper righteous” (וְצַדִּיק תַּחְתּוֹן מֶרְכָּבָה לְצַדִּיק עֶלְיוֹן), “who rules over it and transforms it to mercy through his attribute in the secret of the unification” (מוֹשֵׁל עָלֶיהָ שֶׁמַּהֲפֵךְ אוֹתָהּ לְרַחֲמִים עַל יְדֵי מִדָּתוֹ בְּסוֹד הַיִּחוּד). “The prayers of the righteous unify prayer, Malchut, above” (תְּפִלָּתָן שֶׁל צַדִּיקִים מְיַחֲדִים תְּפִלָּה מַלְכוּת לְמַעְלָה), “and the Holy One Blessed be He unifies it according to their will” (וְהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מְיַחֲדָהּ כִּרְצוֹנָם), “and He does not grant below their request” (וְאֵינוֹ נוֹתֵן לְמַטָּה שְׁאֵלָתָם). “Behold it is written: ‘and you,’ and so forth” (הָא כְּתִיב וְאַתָּה וְגוֹ׳): “and not that the prayer of Rabbi Eliezer did not enter” (וְלֹא שֶׁלֹּא הָיְתָה תְּפִלַּת רַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר נִכְנֶסֶת), “but rather that because of the sin of the generation he was not answered” (אֶלָּא שֶׁבַּעֲוֹן הַדּוֹר לֹא הָיָה נַעֲנֶה), “similar to Jeremiah” (דּוּמְיָא דְּיִרְמְיָהוּ), “and even that which Rabbi Akiva was answered” (וַאֲפִלּוּ מַה שֶּׁנַּעֲנָה רַבִּי עֲקִיבָא), “he was not answered except through the prayer of Rabbi Eliezer” (לֹא נַעֲנָה אֶלָּא מִתּוֹךְ תְּפִלָּתוֹ שֶׁל רַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר), “for the matter depended upon the supernal court” (שֶׁהָיָה הַדָּבָר תָּלוּי בְּבֵית דִּין עֶלְיוֹן), “and they did not wish to fulfill their request until that time” (וְלֹא רָצוּ לְמַלּוֹת בַּקָּשָׁתָם עַד הַהִיא שָׁעָתָא), “and it is found that the prayer of Rabbi Eliezer caused it” (וְנִמְצָא שֶׁתְּפִלַּת רַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר גָּרְמָה), “and this is what is meant by ‘and until now it was dependent’” (וְזֶה שֶׁאָמַר וְעַד הָאִידָּנָא הֲוָה תָּלֵי).
Sulam: “When Rabbi Chiya came, and so forth” (כַּד אֲתָא רַבִּי חִיָּיא וְכוּ׳): “when Rabbi Chiya came before Rabbi and told him the incident” (כְּשֶׁבָּא רַבִּי חִיָּיא לִפְנֵי רַבִּי וְסִפֵּר לוֹ הַמַּעֲשֶׂה), “Rabbi was astonished” (תָּמַהּ רַבִּי). “And Rabbi Shimon ben Gamliel his father said to him” (וְאָמַר לוֹ רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן גַּמְלִיאֵל אָבִיו), “my son, Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai is a lion” (בְּנִי רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בַּר יוֹחַאי הוּא אַרְיֵה), “and Rabbi Elazar his son is a lion” (וְרַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר בְּנוֹ אַרְיֵה), “and Rabbi Shimon is not like other lions” (וְאֵין רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן כִּשְׁאָר אֲרָיוֹת), “about him it is written: ‘a lion has roared, who will not fear,’ and so forth” (עָלָיו כָּתוּב אַרְיֵה שָׁאַג מִי לֹא יִירָא וְגוֹ׳) (Amos 3). “And just as the supernal worlds tremble before him” (וּמַה הָעוֹלָמוֹת שֶׁל מַעְלָה מִזְדַּעְזְעִים מִמֶּנּוּ), “we all the more so” (אָנוּ עַל אַחַת כַּמָּה וְכַמָּה). “He is a man who never decreed a fast for anything he requested and prayed” (הוּא אִישׁ שֶׁלֹּא גָּזַר תַּעֲנִית מֵעוֹלָם עַל מַה שֶּׁשָּׁאַל וְהִתְפַּלֵּל), “rather he decrees and the Holy One Blessed be He fulfills” (אֶלָּא הוּא גּוֹזֵר וְהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מְקַיֵּים). “The Holy One Blessed be He decrees, and he annuls” (הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא גּוֹזֵר וְהוּא מְבַטֵּל). “And this is what we have learned” (וְהַיְינוּ שֶׁלָּמַדְנוּ), “what is written: ‘He who rules over man is righteous, he rules in the fear of God’” (מַה שֶּׁכָּתוּב מוֹשֵׁל בָּאָדָם צַדִּיק מוֹשֵׁל יִרְאַת אֱלֹהִים), “that the Holy One Blessed be He rules over man” (הוּא כִּי הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מוֹשֵׁל בָּאָדָם), “and who rules over the Holy One Blessed be He? The righteous” (וּמִי מוֹשֵׁל בְּהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא צַדִּיק), “for He decrees a decree, and the righteous annuls it” (שֶׁהוּא גּוֹזֵר גְּזֵרָה וְהַצַּדִּיק מְבַטְּלָהּ).