Daf 16b (דַּף ט״ז ע״ב)

Rabbi Yehudah son of Shalom was walking on the way (רַבִּי יְהוּדָה בַּר שָׁלוֹם הַוָה אָזִיל בְּאֹרְחָא) and Rabbi Abba was with him (וְרַבִּי אַבָּא הַוָה עִמֵּיהּ). They entered a certain place (עֲלוּ לְחַד אֲתְרָא) and lodged there (וּבַתוּ תָּמָן). They ate, and when they wanted to lie down (אָכְלוּ כַּד בָּעוּ לְמִשְׁכָּב), they laid their heads on that mound of earth (שָׁווּ רֵישֵׁיהוֹן בְּהַהוּא תִּלָּא דְאַרְעָא) where there was a grave there (דְּהָוָה חַד קִבְרָא תָּמָן). Before they fell asleep (עַד לָא דְמִיכוּ), a certain voice called out from the grave (קָרָא חַד קָלָא מִן קִבְרָא), saying: seed to the earth has gone (אָמַר: זָרְעָא לְאַרְעָא אַזְלָא). Twelve years I have not been aroused (תְּרֵיסַר שְׁנִין הֲוָה דְּלָא אִתְעֲרִית), until now, because of the face of my son whom I see here (בַּר הָאִידָּנָא דְּפַרְצוּפָא דְּבְרִי חֲמִינָא הָכָא).

Rabbi Yehudah said: Who are you? (אָמַר רִבִּי יְהוּדָה: מַאן אַתְּ) He said to him: I am a Jew (אֲמַר לֵיהּ: יוּדָאִי אֲנָא), and I am sitting in excommunication (וַאֲנָא יָתִיב נְזִיפָא), for I am not able to enter (דַּאֲנָא לָא יָכִילְנָא לְמֵיעַל), because of the suffering of my son (בְּגִין הַהוּא צַעֲרָא דִּבְרִי), For he stole that idolatry and the worship of the stars and constellations (דְּגַנְבֵיהּ הַהוּא עֲבוֹדַת כּוֹכָבִים וּמַזָּלוֹת), when he was a little child (כַּד אִיהוּ הֲוָה זְעֵירָא), and every day he would bow to it (וְאַלְקֵי לֵיהּ כָּל יוֹמָא). His suffering repels me from entering my place (וְצַעֲרָא דִּילֵיהּ דָּחֵי לִי לְמֵיעָאל בְּדוּכְתָּאי), and in this place I have not been aroused (וּבְהַאי אֲתְרָא לָא אִתְּעָרִית), until now (בַּר הָאִידָּנָא).

He said to him: And you all know the suffering of the living? (אָמַר לֵיהּ: וְאַתּוּן יַדְּעִין בְּצַעֲרָא דְּחַיֵּי) He said to him: My grave has permission-(אֲמַר לֵיהּ: שָׂרֵי קִבְרִי), if not for our prayers for the living (אִי לָאו בָּעוּתָא דִּילָן עַל חַיֵּי), half the day would not be sustained (לָא יִתְקַיְּימוּן פַלְגוּת יוֹמָא). Some say: in the world (נ"א: בַּעַלְמָא). And now I have been aroused here (וְהָאִידָּנָא אִתְעָרִית הָכָא), for they would say to me every day (דַּהֲווֹ אַמְרִין לִי כָּל יוֹמָא), that for the wagon my son would come here (דִּלְעֲגָלָא יֵיתִי בְּרִי הָכָא), and I do not know whether in life or in death (וְלָא יָדַעְנָא אִי בְּחַיֵּי אִי בְּמוֹתָא).

Rabbi Yehudah said to him: What do you do in that world? (אֲמַר לֵיהּ רִבִּי יְהוּדָה, מַאי עֲבִידְתַיְיכוּ בְּהַהוּא עָלְמָא). The grave stirred (אִתְרְגִישׁ קִבְרָא), and said: Go, arise! (וְאָמַר, אַזִילוּ קוּמוּ), for now they seek my son (דְּהָאִידָּנָא יִלְקוּן לִבְרִי). They erred (תַּוְהוּ), and fled from there half a mil (וְעָרְקוּ מִתַּמָּן כְּפַלְגוּת מִיל), they sat until the morning light (יָתְבוּ עַד דְּנָהִיר צַפְרָא). They rose to go (קָמוּ לְמֵיזַל), and they saw a certain man (חָמוּ חַד בַּר נָשׁ), who was running and fleeing (דְּהֲוָה רָהִיט וְעָרַק), and blood was dripping from his shoulders (וַהֲוָה שָׁתִית דָּמָא אֲכַתְפוֹי). They seized him (אַחְדוּ בֵּיהּ), and he told them the story (וְסָח לְהוֹ עוֹבָדָא). They said to him: What is your name? (אָמְרוּ לֵיהּ: מַה שְּׁמֶךָ) He said to them: 'The bread of the son of the Levites' (אָמַר לְהוּ: לַחְמָא בַּר לֵיוָאֵי). They said: and what, was that one a son of Levi, a son of Lechem, that he was dead? (אָמְרוּ: וּמַה (בַּר) לֵיוָאֵי בַּר לַחְמָא הֲוָה הַהוּא מֵיתָא). And I am afraid to speak further with him (וּמִסְתָּפֵינָא לְאִשְׁתַּעוּיֵי יַתִּיר בַּהֲדֵיהּ). They did not answer (לָא אֲהַדְרוּ). Rabbi Abba said: This is what they say-that the prayers of the dead protect the living (אָמַר רִבִּי אַבָּא: הַאי דְּאָמְרוּ, דִּצְלוֹתְהוֹן דְּמֵתַיָּיא מְגִינָן עַל חַיֵּי). From where do we know this? (מְנָלָן) As it is written (דִּכְתִּיב): “And they ascended by the south and came as far as Chevron” (וַיַּעֲלוּ בַנֶּגֶב וַיָּבֹא עַד חֶבְרוֹן) (Numbers 13).

Rabbi Yehudah said: Come and see, two vows did Kudsha Berikh Hu vow to Ya'akov (אָמַר רִבִּי יְהוּדָה: תָּא חֲזֵי, תְּרֵין נְדָרִין נָדַר קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לְיַעֲקֹב). One, that He would be united with him to dwell with him in exile (חַד, דְּיֵחוּת עִמֵּיהּ לְמֵידָר עִמֵּיהּ בְּגָלוּתָא); and one, that He would raise him from his grave to behold the joy of the holy company dwelling with his sons (וְחַד דְּיֵסְקִינֵיהּ מִקִּבְרֵיהּ לְמֵחֱמֵי חֶדְוָותָא דְּסִיַּיעְתָּא קַדִּישָׁא דְּדַיְירֵי עִם בְּנוֹהִי). This is what is written: “I will go down with you into Egypt” (אָנֹכִי אֵרֵד עִמְּךָ מִצְרָיְמָה) - “I will go down with you into exile” (אָנֹכִי אֵרֵד עִמְּךָ בְּגָלוּתָא). “And I will surely bring you up again” (וְאָנֹכִי אַעַלְךָ גַּם עָלֶה), as it is said: “And I will open your graves, My people” (כְּמָה דְּאַתְּ אָמֵר: וְהַעֲלֵיתִי אֶתְכֶם מִקִּבְרוֹתֵיכֶם עַמִּי) (Ezekiel 37). And it is written: “There the tribes went up…” (וּכְתִיב: שָׁם עָלוּ שְׁבָטִים וְגוֹ') (Psalms 122).

Another matter (Exodus 1) “And a new king arose over Egypt” (דָּבָר אַחֵר וַיָּקָם מֶלֶךְ חָדָשׁ עַל מִצְרַיִם וְגוֹ'). Rabbi Shim‘on said (אָמַר רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן): on that day, permission was given to the ministering prince of Egypt (בְּהַהוּא יוֹמָא אִתְיְהִיב לֵיהּ רְשׁוּתָא לְשָׂרוֹ שֶׁל מִצְרַיִם), over all the other nations (עַל כָּל שְׁאַר עַמִּין). For it is taught (דְּתָנָא): until Yosef died, dominion was not granted to the dominion of Egypt over Yisrael (עַד דְּלָא מֵית יוֹסֵף, לָא אִתְיְהִיב שֻׁלְטָנוּ לְשֻׁלְטָנָא דְּמִצְרַיִם עַל יִשְׂרָאֵל). Once Yosef died (כֵּיוָן דְּמִית יוֹסֵף), then “a new king arose over Egypt” (כְּדֵין וַיָּקָם מֶלֶךְ חָדָשׁ עַל מִצְרַיִם). “Arose”-as one who was bent and stood up (וַיָּקָם: כְּמַאן דְּהֲוָה מָאִיךְ וְקָם). “And a new king arose, etc.” (וַיָּקָם מֶלֶךְ חָדָשׁ וְגוֹ').

Rabbi Yitzḥak opened: (Song of Songs 1) “While the King was still at His table, my nard gave its fragrance” (רִבִּי יִצְחָק פָּתַח, עַד שֶׁהַמֶּלֶךְ בִּמְסִבּוֹ נִרְדִּי נָתַן רֵיחוֹ). “While the King”-this is Kudsha Berikh Hu (עַד שֶׁהַמֶּלֶךְ: דָּא קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא). As it is written (Isaiah 44) “Thus said Hashem, King of Yisrael” (הֲדָא הוּא דִּכְתִּיב, כֹּה אָמַר יי מֶלֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵל), and it is written (Deuteronomy 33) “And there was a king in Yeshurun” (וּכְתִיב, וַיְהִי בִּישֻׁרוּן מֶלֶךְ). “At His table”-between the wings of the Keruvim (בִּמְסִבּוֹ: בֵּין כַּנְפֵי הַכְּרוּבִים). “My nard gave its fragrance”-they caused it to depart from among them (נִרְדִּי נָתַן רֵיחוֹ, דְּגָרְמוּ לְאִסְתַּלְּקָא מִבֵּינֵיהוֹן).

Another matter: “While the King was still at His table” (דָּבָר אַחֵר, עַד שֶׁהַמֶּלֶךְ בִּמְסִבּוֹ) while Kudsha Berikh Hu was giving the Orayta to Yisrael (בְּעוֹד דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא הֲוָה יָהִיב אוֹרַיְּיתָא לְיִשְׂרָאֵל), as it is written (דִּכְתִּיב) (Exodus 34) “And he was there with Hashem forty days and forty nights; bread he did not eat…” (דִּכְתִּיב, וַיְהִי שָׁם עִם יי אַרְבָּעִים יוֹם וְאַרְבָּעִים לַיְלָה לֶחֶם לֹא אָכַל וְגוֹ'). While He was writing the Orayta for Yisrael (בְּעוֹד דְּהֲוָה כָּתִיב אוֹרַיְּיתָא לְיִשְׂרָאֵל), they forsook their good fragrance (שָׁבְקוּ רֵיחֵיהוֹן טָב), and said: “These are your gods, O Yisrael” (וְאָמְרוּ אֵלֶּה אֱלֹהֶיךָ יִשְׂרָאֵל).

Another matter: “While the King was still at His table” (דָּבָר אַחֵר עַד שֶׁהַמֶּלֶךְ בִּמְסִבּוֹ) while Kudsha Berikh Hu was descending upon Mount Sinai to give the Orayta to Yisrael (בְּעוֹד דְּהֲוָה קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא נָחִית עַל טוּרָא דְּסִינַי לְמִיהַב אוֹרַיְּיתָא לְיִשְׂרָאֵל), “my nard gave its fragrance” as it is written (Exodus 24) “We will do and we will hear” (נִרְדִּי נָתַן רֵיחוֹ, דִּכְתִּיב, נַעֲשֶׂה וְנִשְׁמָע).

Rabbi Tanchum said: Every nation and nation has a minister above (רִבִּי תַנְחוּם אָמַר, כָּל אוּמָה וְאוּמָה אִית לָהּ שַׂר לְעֵילָּא), and when Kudsha Berikh Hu gives authority to this one, He lowers that one (וְכַד קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא יָהִיב שֻׁלְטָנוּתָא לְדֵין, אַנְחִית לְדֵין). And when He gives authority to that minister, he has no dominion except for the sake of Yisrael (וְכַד יָהִיב שֻׁלְטָנוּתָא לְהַהוּא שַׂר, לֵית לֵיהּ שֻׁלְטָנוּתָא אֶלָּא בְּגִין יִשְׂרָאֵל). This is what is written: “Her enemies have become the head” p5-33(הֲדָא הוּא דִּכְתִּיב, הָיוּ צָרֶיהָ לְרֹאשׁ) (Lamentations 1).

Rabbi Yitzḥak said: Yisrael correspond to all the other nations of the world (רִבִּי יִצְחָק אָמַר, יִשְׂרָאֵל אִינּוּן לָקֳבֵיל כָּל שְׁאָר אוּמִין דְּעָלְמָא).p5-34 Just as the other nations are seventy, so too Yisrael are seventy (מַה שְׁאָר עַמִּין אִינּוּן שִׁבְעִים, אוּף יִשְׂרָאֵל אִינּוּן שִׁבְעִים). As it is written (Bereshit 46) “All the souls of the house of Ya'akov who came to Egypt were seventy” (הֲדָא הוּא דִּכְתִּיב, כָּל הַנֶּפֶשׁ לְבֵית יַעֲקֹב הַבָּאָה מִצְרַיְמָה שִׁבְעִים). And whoever rules over Yisrael, it is as though he rules over the entire world (וּמַאן דְּשָׁלִיט עַל יִשְׂרָאֵל, כְּאִילּוּ שָׁלִיט עַל כָּל עָלְמָא).

Rabbi Abba said from here: “And the children of Yisrael were fruitful and swarmed…” (רִבִּי אַבָּא אָמַר מֵהָכָא: וּבְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל פָּרוּ וַיִּשְׁרְצוּ וְגוֹ'). That is seven (הָא שִׁבְעָה). And each level (Some say: it ascends) is multiplied by ten, that is seventy (וְכָל דַּרְגָּא (נ"א סַלְקָא) לַעֲשָׂרָה, הָא שִׁבְעִים). What is written afterward? “And a new king arose over Egypt” (מַה כְּתִיב בַּתְרֵיהּ, וַיָּקָם מֶלֶךְ חָדָשׁ עַל מִצְרַיִם).

Rav Huna said: Why were Yisrael enslaved among all the nations? (אָמַר רַב הוּנָא, אֲמַאי אִשְׁתַּעֲבִידוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּכָל הָאוּמִין) So that the world might endure through them (בְּגִין דְּיִשְׁתְּאַר בְּהוֹן עָלְמָא). For they correspond to the whole world (דְּאִינּוּן לָקֳבֵיל כָּל עָלְמָא), and it is written (Zechariah 14) “On that day, Hashem will be One and His Name One” (וּכְתִיב: בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא יִהְיֶה יי אֶחָד וּשְׁמוֹ אֶחָד). And just as He is One, so too Yisrael are One (וּמַה הוּא חַד, אוּף יִשְׂרָאֵל חַד), as it is written (II Samuel 7) “One nation in the earth” (דִּכְתִּיב, גּוֹי אֶחָד בָּאָרֶץ). Just as His Name is One but divided into seventy (מַה שְּׁמֵיהּ חַד, וּנִתְפְּרַשׁ בְּע'), so too Yisrael are One and divided into seventy (אוּף יִשְׂרָאֵל חַד, וּנִתְפְּרַשׁ בְּשִׁבְעִין).