Daf 18a (דַּף י״ח ע״א)

Rabbi Yehudah came to Rabbi El'azar (רִבִּי יְהוּדָה עָאַל לְגַבֵּיהּ דְּרִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר), and found him sitting with his hand on his mouth, and he was distressed (אַשְׁכָּחֵיהּ דְּהֲוָה יָתִיב, וִידֵיהּ בְּפוּמֵיהּ, וַהֲוָה עֲצִיב). He said to him: What is our master engaged in? (אָמַר לֵיהּ: בְּמָאי קָא עָסִיק מֹר) He said to him: It is written (Proverbs 16) “In the light of the King's face is life” (אָמַר לֵיהּ: דִּכְתִּיב: בְּאוֹר פְּנֵי מֶלֶךְ חַיִּים). If the officer is distressed and weeping, how much more the attendants-what shall they do? (אִי טַרְנָא עֲצִיב, וְכָל שֶׁכֵּן דְּגָעֵי וּבָכֵי, שַׁמָּשׁוֹי מַאי עַבְדֵי) This is what is written (הֲדָא הוּא דִּכְתִּיב) (Isaiah 33) “Behold, their mighty ones cry without” (הֵן אֶרְאֶלָּם צָעֲקוּ חוּצָה).

What is “without”? (מַאי: חוּצָה) Their Master is within, and they are without (מָרֵיהוֹן בְּגוֹ, וְאִינּוּן לְבַר) their Master is in the inner chambers, and they are in the outer chambers (מָרֵיהוֹן בְּבָתֵּי גָּוָאִי, וְאִינּוּן בְּבָתֵּי בָּרָאִי). What are the inner chambers? (בָּתֵּי גָּוָאִי מַאי אִינּוּן) Rabbi Yitzḥak said: They are the ten crowns of the King (אָמַר רִבִּי יִצְחָק: אִינּוּן מֵעֲשָׂרָה כִּתְרֵי מַלְכָּא). The angels of peace-why should they weep? (מַלְאֲכֵי שָׁלוֹם מַאי יִבְכָּיוּן) Are there angels who are not of peace? (וְכִי יֵשׁ מַלְאָכִים שֶׁאֵינָם שֶׁל שָׁלוֹם) He said to him: Yes (אָמַר לֵיהּ: אִין).

Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי): there are masters of harsh judgment (אִית מָארֵי דְּדִינָא קַשְׁיָא), and there are masters of judgment that is not harsh (וְאִית מָארֵי דְּדִינָא דְּלָא קַשְׁיָא), and there are masters of judgment and mercy (וְאִית מָארֵי דִּינָא וְרַחֲמָנוּתָא), and there are masters of mercy in whom there is no judgment at all (וְאִית מָארֵי דְּרַחֲמָנוּתָא דְּלֵית בְּהוּ דִּינָא כְּלָל). And these are called “angels of peace” (וְאִלֵּין אִתְקְרוּן מַלְאֲכֵי שָׁלוֹם). And regarding those below, it is written (Isaiah 50) “I clothe the heavens with blackness and sackcloth I make their covering” (וְעַל אִינּוּן דִּלְתַּתָּא כְּתִיב: אַלְבִּישׁ שָׁמַיִם קַדְרוּת וְשַׂק אָשִׂים כְּסוּתָם). And it is written (Isaiah 34) “And all the host of the heavens shall waste away” (וּכְתִיב: וְנָמַקּוּ כָּל צְבָא הַשָּׁמַיִם). If so, then all those ruling appointees over the other nations-when they see their Master in sorrow, why do they set up partitions for their children? (אִי הָכִי, כָּל אִינּוּן שׁוּלְטָנִין דִּמְמָנָן עַל שְׁאָר עַמִּין, כַּד חָמָאן לְמָרֵיהוֹן עָצִיב, לְמָאי עַבְדִּין פָּרוֹכָא לִבְנוֹהִי) Rabbi El‘azar said: They only do what they are commanded, and they fulfill the will of their Master (אָמַר רִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר: לָא עַבְדִּי אֶלָּא מַאי דְּאִתְפְּקָדוּ, וּרְעוּתָא דְּמָרֵיהוֹן עַבְדִּין).p5-38

Rabbi Dosta’i said: At the time when the children of Kudsha Berikh Hu are handed over to the dominions of the nations (ר׳ דּוֹסְתָּאִי אָמַר: בְּעִדָּנָא דְּאִתְמַסְּרָן בְּנוֹי דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לְשׁוּלְטָנֵי עֲמָמִין), twelve courts of judgment gather (מִתְכַּנְּפִין תְּרֵיסַר בָּתֵּי דִּינִין), and they are submerged into the Great Abyss (וּמִשְׁתַּקְּעָן גּוֹ תְּהוֹמָא רַבָּה). The governor bellows (גָּעֵי טַרְנָא), they cry out, and shields (Some say: sentinels) run and descend (גָּעִין, וּרְהִיטָן [נ״א: תְּרִיסִין] וְנַחְתִּין), two tears fall into the depth of the Great Sea (תְּרֵין דִּמְעִין לִשְׁקִיעָא דְּיַמָּא רַבָּה) this is what is written (Psalms 36) “Your judgments are a great deep” (הֲדָא הוּא דִּכְתִּיב: מִשְׁפָּטֶיךָ תְּהוֹם רַבָּה). And the upper ones roll down to the lower (וּמִתְגַּלְגְּלָן עִלָּאִין לְתַּתָּא), the lower ones split (אִתְבַּקְּעָן תַּתָּאִין), and descend two hundred and forty degrees (וְנַחְתִּין מָאתַן וְאַרְבְּעִין דַּרְגִּין) this is what is written (Amos 3) “The lion has roared-who shall not fear?” (הֲדָא הוּא דִּכְתִּיב: אַרְיֵה שָׁאָג מִי לֹא יִירָא). It is taught (תַּנָּא): At the moment that Kudsha Berikh Hu handed over Yisrael to the minister of Egypt (בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְּמָסַר קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לְיִשְׂרָאֵל לְשַׂרָא דְּמִצְרָאֵי), He decreed upon them seven decrees (גָּזַר עֲלַיְיהוּ ז' גְּזֵרוֹת), that the Egyptians should enslave them (שֶׁיְשַׁעֲבְּדוּ בְּהוֹן מִצְרָאֵי). This is what is written (Exodus 1) “And they made their lives bitter with hard labor in mortar and in bricks…” (הֲדָא הוּא דִּכְתִּיב: וַיְמָרְרוּ אֶת חַיֵּיהֶם בַּעֲבוֹדָה קָשָׁה בְּחֹמֶר וּבִלְבֵנִים וְגוֹ'). And in response to them, seven blessings were set for Yisrael: “And the children of Yisrael were fruitful, and swarmed, and multiplied, and became very very strong, and the land was filled with them” (וְלָקֳבְלֵיהוֹן שִׁבְעָה לְטָב: וּבְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל פָּרוּ וַיִּשְׁרְצוּ וַיִּרְבּוּ וַיַּעַצְמוּ בִּמְאֹד מְאֹד וַתִּמָּלֵא הָאָרֶץ אֹתָם). (Exodus 1) “Come, let us deal wisely with him” (הָבָה נִתְחַכְּמָה לוֹ). Rabbi Yosei said: “Havah” is always a term of invoking or preparing judgment (רִבִּי יוֹסֵי אָמַר: אֵין הָבָה אֶלָּא לָשׁוֹן הַזְמָנָה לְמֶעְבַּד דִּינָא), as it is said (Bereshit 11) “Come, let us descend…” (כְּמָה דְּאַתְּ אָמֵר: הָבָה נֵרְדָה), and (I Samuel 14) “Come, let us draw near” (הָבָה תָּמִים). Rabbi Yoḥanan said: Every “Havah” is a term of agreement and readiness (אָמַר רִבִּי יוֹחָנָן: הָבָה כֻּלָּם לָשׁוֹן הַסְכָּמָה וְהַזְמָנָה), like (Bereshit 11) “Come, let us build ourselves a city” (כְּמוֹ: הָבָה נִבְנֶה לָנוּ עִיר), and (Judges 20) “Present your counsel” (הָבוּ לָכֶם עֵצָה), and (Psalms 29) “Ascribe to Hashem, sons of the mighty” (הָבוּ לַיי בְּנֵי אֵלִים).

Rabbi Yitzḥak said: “Come, let us deal wisely with him”-means let us establish judgment and deliberation against him (רִבִּי יִצְחָק אָמַר: הָבָה נִתְחַכְּמָה לוֹ – נְהוֵי בְּהַסְכָּמַת דִּינָא לְגַבֵּיהּ). “Lest he multiply”-but the Holy Spirit says: “Yes, he shall multiply, and yes, he shall burst forth” (פֶּן יִרְבֶּה – וְרוּחַ הַקֹּדֶשׁ אוֹמֶרֶת: כֵּן יִרְבֶּה וְכֵן יִפְרוֹץ). And the ministering angels became like thorns and briers to them-this is what is written: “And they were distressed because of the children of Yisrael” (וּמַלְאֲכֵי הַשָּׁרֵת הֲווֹ לְהוּ לְשִׂכִּים וְלִצְנִינִים, הֲדָא הוּא דִּכְתִּיב: וַיָּקֻצוּ מִפְּנֵי בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל) they were pricked by the ministering angels like men pricked by thorns (דַּהֲווֹ מִתְעַקְּצֵי מִמַלְאֲכֵי הַשָּׁרֵת, כְּהָנֵי קוֹצֵי דְּמִתְעַקְּצֵי בְּהוּ אִינְשֵׁי).

Rabbi Yehudai said in the name of Rabbi Yitzḥak (אָמַר רִבִּי יוּדָאִי אָמַר רִבִּי יִצְחָק): What was the thought of the Egyptians to prevent Yisrael from being fruitful and multiplying? (מַה הֲוָה מַחֲשַׁבְתְּהוֹן דְּמִצְרָאֵי דְּמִמְנַע מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל פִּרְיָה וּרְבִיָּה) And the dominion of the appointee over them was what implanted that thought in their hearts (וְשֻׁלְטָנָא דִּמְמָנָא עֲלֵיהוֹן דְּאָעִיל בְּלִבְּהוֹן כַּךְ). Rather, he said to them: Know that a certain child is destined to come forth from Yisrael who will enact judgment upon their god through him (אֶלָּא: אָמַר לְהוֹן: הֲווֹ יָדְעִין דְּזַמִּין בְּרָא חֲדָא לְמֵיפַק מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל דְּיִתְעֲבֵיד דִּינָא בֵּאֱלֹהֵיהוֹן עַל יְדֵיהּ).

As Rabbi Yoḥanan said: At the moment that Moshe said (Exodus 12) “And against all the gods of Egypt I shall execute judgments” (דְּאָמַר רִבִּי יוֹחָנָן: בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁאָמַר מֹשֶׁה: וּבְכָל אֱלֹהֵי מִצְרַיִם אֶעֱשֶׂה שְׁפָטִים), Dumah, the minister of Egypt, went four hundred parasangs (הָלַךְ דוּמָה שַׂרוֹ שֶׁל מִצְרַיִם – ד' מֵאוֹת פַּרְסָה). Kudsha Berikh Hu said to him: A decree has already been issued before Me (אָמַר לֵיהּ קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא: גְּזֵרָה נִגְזְרָה לְפָנַי), as it is written (Isaiah 24) “Hashem shall punish the host of the high ones on high…” (דִּכְתִּיב: יִפְקֹד יי עַל צְבָא הַמָּרוֹם בַּמָּרוֹם וְגוֹ'). At that moment rulership was taken from him (בְּאוֹתָה שָׁעָה נִטְּלָה הַשְּׂרָרָה מִמֶּנּוּ), and Dumah was appointed as the minister of Gehinnom (וְנִתְמַנָּה דוּמָה שַׂר שֶׁל גֵּיהִנָּם), to judge there the souls of the wicked (לִידוֹן שָׁם נַפְשׁוֹת הָרְשָׁעִים). And Rabbi Yehudah says: He was appointed over the dead (וְרִבִּי יְהוּדָה אוֹמֵר: עַל הַמֵּתִים נִתְמַנָּה).

Rabbi Ḥanina said: It is written (Numbers 33) “And upon their gods Hashem executed judgments” (אָמַר רִבִּי חֲנִינָא: כְּתִיב: וּבֵאלֹהֵיהֶם עָשָׂה יי שְׁפָטִים). And can there be judgments upon a god of silver or gold, or of wood or stone? (וְכִי בֶאֱלוֹהֵי כֶסֶף, וְשֶׁל זָהָב, וְשֶׁל עֵץ, וְשֶׁל אֶבֶן, יֵשׁ שְׁפָטִים) Rather, Rabbi Yosei said: The silver and gold ones would melt by themselves (אֶלָּא אָמַר רִבִּי יוֹסֵי: שֶׁל כֶסֶף וְשֶׁל זָהָב הָיוּ נִתָּכִים מֵאֲלֵיהֶם), and the wooden ones would decay (וְשֶׁל עֵץ מִתְרַקְּבִין).

Rabbi El‘azar said: The god of Egypt was a lamb p5-39(אָמַר רִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר: אֱלוֹהַּ שֶׁל מִצְרַיִם שֶׂה הָיָה), and the Holy One Blessed Be He commanded to execute judgments upon it (וְצִוָּה הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לַעֲשׂוֹת בּוֹ שְׁפָטִים), to burn it with fire (לִשְׂרוֹף אוֹתוֹ בָּאֵשׁ), as it is said (Deuteronomy 7) “The graven images of their gods you shall burn with fire” (כְּמָה דְּאַתְּ אָמֵר: פְּסִילֵי אֱלֹהֵיהֶם תִּשְׂרְפוּן בָּאֵשׁ) so that its smell would be dispersed (כְּדֵי שֶׁיְּהֵא רֵיחוֹ נוֹדֵף). And furthermore (וְעוֹד), it is written (Exodus 12) “Its head with its legs and with its innards” (רֹאשׁוֹ עַל כְּרָעָיו וְעַל קִרְבּוֹ). And furthermore (וְעוֹד), that its bones were cast into the marketplace (שֶׁעַצְמוֹתָיו מוּשְׁלָכִים בַּשּׁוּק). And this was the most difficult for Egypt of all (וְזֹאת הָיְתָה לְמִצְרַיִם קָשֶׁה מִכֻּלָּן), as it is written: “Judgments” (הֲדָא הוּא דִּכְתִּיב: שְׁפָטִים).

Rabbi Yehudah said: Upon their gods-literally (אָמַר רִבִּי יְהוּדָה: בֵּאלֹהֵיהֶם מַמָּשׁ), and that is their minister (וְזֶהוּ שַׂר שֶׁלָּהֶם), to fulfill the verse (לְקַיֵּים): “Hashem will punish the host of the high ones on high and the kings of the earth on earth” (יִפְקֹד יי עַל צְבָא הַמָּרוֹם בַּמָּרוֹם וְעַל מַלְכֵי הָאֲדָמָה עַל הָאֲדָמָה) (Isaiah 24). And all this was known to the wise men among them (וְכָל זֶה הָיוּ יוֹדְעִים הַחֲכָמִים שֶׁבָּהֶם), and how much more so their minister (וְכָל שֶׁכֵּן שַׂר שֶׁלָּהֶם). Therefore it is written: “Come, let us deal wisely with him” (עַל כֵּן כְּתִיב: הָבָה נִתְחַכְּמָה לוֹ).