Daf 19b (דַּף י״ט ע״ב)

Rabbi El'azar said: Come and see the compassion of the Holy One Blessed Be He (אָמַר רִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר: בֹּא וּרְאֵה רַחֲמָנוּתוֹ שֶׁל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא). When He has compassion on Yisrael, He subdues the attribute of judgment and lowers it, and has mercy upon them (כְּשֶׁהוּא מְרַחֵם עַל יִשְׂרָאֵל, כּוֹפֶה לְמִדַּת הַדִּין, וּמוֹרִידָהּ, וּמְרַחֵם עֲלֵיהֶם). And this is what is taught: that the Holy One Blessed Be He lets fall two tears into the Great Sea (וְהַיְינוּ דִּתְנָן: שֶׁהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מוֹרִיד שְׁתֵּי דְּמָעוֹת לַיָּם הַגָּדוֹל).

Who are these two tears? (מַאן אִינּוּן שְׁתֵּי דְּמָעוֹת) Rabbi Yosei said: It is not a clear matter, for he said it to Oba the impure one, who is false, and his words are false (אָמַר רִבִּי יוֹסֵי: לָאו מִלָּא בְּרִירָא הִיא, דְּהָא אֲמַר לֵיהּ לְאוֹבָא טַמְיָא, דְּהוּא כָּדִיב, וּמִלֵּיה כְּדִיבָן). Rabbi El'azar said: We do not follow Oba the impure one; it is a clear matter (אָמַר רִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר: לָאו בָּתַר אוֹבָא טַמְיָא אַזְלִינָן, דִּבְרִירָא דְּמִלָּה הוּא). For it is taught: Among the ten crowns of the King, there are two tears to Kudsha Berikh Hu (דִּתְנָן: בַּעֲשָׂרָה כִּתְרֵי מַלְכָּא, אִית תְּרֵין דִּמְעִין לְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא). And these are two attributes of judgment, from which judgment comes (וְהֵן שְׁתֵּי מִדּוֹת דִּין, שֶׁהַדִּין בָּא מִשְּׁתֵּיהֶן), as it is said (Isaiah 51) “Two are calling you” (כְּמָה דְּאַתְּ אָמֵר: שְׁתַּיִם הִנֵּה קוֹרְאוֹתַיִךְ). And when the Holy One Blessed Be He remembers His children (וּכְשֶׁהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא זוֹכֵר אֶת בָּנָיו), He lets them fall into the Great Sea, which is (Leviticus 137b) the Sea of Wisdom, to sweeten them (הוּא יָם הַחָכְמָה לְהַמְתִּיקָן), and He transforms the attribute of judgment into the attribute of mercy and has compassion upon them (וְהוֹפֵךְ מִדַּת הַדִּין לְמִדַּת רַחֲמִים, וּמְרַחֵם עֲלֵיהֶם).

Rabbi Yehudah said: These two tears, from them come all tears, and from them comes judgment (אָמַר רִבִּי יְהוּדָה: שְׁתֵּי דְּמָעוֹת, שֶׁמֵּהֶם בָּאִים הַדְּמָעוֹת, מֵהֶם בָּא הַדִּין).

Rabbi Yehudah said: It is written (Exodus 14) “And behold, Egypt was journeying after them” (אָמַר רִבִּי יְהוּדָה: כְּתִיב: וְהִנֵּה מִצְרַיִם נוֹסֵעַ אַחֲרֵיהֶם). Rabbi Yosei said: This refers to the minister of Egypt (וְאָמַר רִבִּי יוֹסֵי: זֶה שַׂר שֶׁל מִצְרַיִם הוּא). And you said, “And the king of Egypt died”-this is the minister of Egypt (וְאַתְּ אָמַרְתְּ: וַיָּמָת מֶלֶךְ מִצְרַיִם – זֶה שַׂר שֶׁל מִצְרַיִם).

Rabbi Yitzḥak said: This statement supports the one above (אָמַר רִבִּי יִצְחָק: הַאי מִלָּה קָא מְסַיֵּיעַ לְהַהוּא דִּלְעֵילָּא). It is written here: “And behold, Egypt…” and there: “And the king of Egypt died” (כְּתִיב הָכָא: וְהִנֵּה מִצְרַיִם, וּכְתִיב הָתָם: וַיָּמָת מֶלֶךְ מִצְרַיִם). This teaches that now there was no king, for he was brought down from his greatness (מְלַמֵּד דְּעַכְשָׁו לָא הָיָה מֶלֶךְ, דְּהוֹרִידוּהוּ מִגְּדוּלָתוֹ). Therefore it is written: “And behold, Egypt,” and not “the king of Egypt” (וּלְפִיכָךְ כְּתִיב: וְהִנֵּה מִצְרַיִם, וְלֹא כְּתִיב: מֶלֶךְ מִצְרַיִם). And what does it mean “he died”? Like it says (Exodus 4) “For all the men who sought your life have died” (וּמַה דְּאָמַר: וַיָּמָת – כְּמָה דְּאַתְּ אָמֵר: כִּי מֵתוּ כָּל הָאֲנָשִׁים הַמְבַקְּשִׁים אֶת נַפְשֶׁךָ).

Rabbi Yitzḥak said in the name of Rabbi Yehoshua: Come and see (אָמַר רִבִּי יִצְחָק אָמַר רִבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ: בּוֹא וּרְאֵה): All kings of Egypt are named Pharaoh (כָּל מַלְכֵי מִצְרַיִם פַּרְעֹה שְׁמָם), but here it only says “king of Egypt”-plainly (וּבְכָאן לֹא נֶאֱמַר אֶלָּא מֶלֶךְ מִצְרַיִם סְתָם). Elsewhere it says Pharaoh, and it really was Pharaoh (וּבִמְקוֹמוֹ פַּרְעֹה, וְהוּא פַּרְעֹה מַמָּשׁ).

Come and see: When there is sovereignty Above, there is sovereignty below (תָּא חֲזֵי: בְּעוֹד דְּאִית שׁוּלְטָנוּתָא דִּלְעֵילָּא – אִית שׁוּלְטָנוּתָא בַּעַמָּא דִּלְתַּתָּא), and when sovereignty Above is removed, sovereignty below is removed (אִתְעָדֵי שׁוּלְטָנוּתָא דִּלְעֵילָּא, אִתְעָדֵי שׁוּלְטָנוּתָא דִּלְתַּתָּא).

Rabbi Yosei said: It is written (Zechariah 14) “Behold, a day is coming for Hashem…” and (Zechariah 14) “And it shall be one day, known to Hashem…” (אָמַר רִבִּי יוֹסֵי: כְּתִיב: הִנֵּה יוֹם בָּא לַיי… וְהָיָה יוֹם אֶחָד הוּא יִוָּדַע לַיי). And are not all days His? (וְכִי שְׁאָר יוֹמִין לָאו אִינּוּן דִּילֵיהּ) Rather, Rabbi Abba said: This teaches that all other days are given to ministers, but that day is not for the ministers but only for the Holy One Blessed Be He (אֶלָּא אָמַר רִבִּי אַבָּא: מְלַמֵּד שֶׁשְּׁאָר הַיָּמִים נִתָּנִים לְשָׂרִים, וְאוֹתוֹ יוֹם אֵינוֹ שֶׁל הַשָּׂרִים, אֶלָּא שֶׁל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא) in order to judge idolatry and astrology (כְּדֵי לַעֲשׂוֹת דִּין בַּעֲבוֹדַת כּוֹכָבִים וּמַזָּלוֹת). For on that day all the ministers will fall from their positions (מִפְּנֵי שֶׁבְּאוֹתוֹ יוֹם יִפְּלוּ כָּל הַשָּׂרִים מִמַּעֲלָתָם). And concerning this it is written (Isaiah 2) “And Hashem alone shall be exalted on that day” (וְעַל דָּא כְּתִיב: וְנִשְׂגַּב יי לְבַדּוֹ בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא) for on that day there will be no exaltation for the ministers (שֶׁאוֹתוֹ יוֹם לֹא יִהְיֶה מַעֲלָה לַשָּׂרִים).

Rabbi Abba said: When the Holy One Blessed Be He executes judgment upon the supernal ministers (אָמַר רִבִּי אַבָּא: כְּשֶׁהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא עוֹשֶׂה דִּין בַּשָּׂרִים שֶׁל מַעְלָה), what is written? (מַה כְּתִיב) (Isaiah 34) “For My sword is sated in the heavens…” (כִּי רִוְּתָה בַשָּׁמַיִם חַרְבִּי). And does Hashem have a sword? (וְכִי חֶרֶב אִית לַיי) Rather, Rabbi Yitzḥak said: Yes, He has a sword, as it is written (Isaiah 34) “A sword for Hashem is full of blood…” (אֶלָּא אָמַר רִבִּי יִצְחָק: חֶרֶב אִית לֵיהּ, דִּכְתִּיב: חֶרֶב לַיי מָלְאָה דָּם). And it is written (Isaiah 66) “And by His sword upon all flesh…” (וּכְתִיב: וּבְחַרְבּוֹ אֶת כָּל בָּשָׂר).

Rabbi Abba said: This sword is the judgment that He performs (אָמַר רִבִּי אַבָּא: הַחֶרֶב הַזֶּה הוּא הַדִּין שֶׁעוֹשֶׂה), as it is written (I Chronicles 21) “And David saw the angel of Hashem standing between the earth and the heavens, and his sword drawn in his hand” (דִּכְתִּיב: וַיַּרְא [דָּוִד] אֶת מַלְאַךְ יי עוֹמֵד בֵּין הָאָרֶץ וּבֵין הַשָּׁמַיִם, וְחַרְבּוֹ שְׁלוּפָה בְּיָדוֹ). Was it truly a drawn sword in the angel’s hand? Rather, permission had been given into his hand to execute judgment (וְכִי חֶרֶב שְׁלוּפָה הָיְתָה בְּיַד הַמַּלְאָךְ אֶלָּא שֶׁהָיְתָה הָרְשׁוּת נְתוּנָה בְּיָדוֹ לַעֲשׂוֹת דִּין). And Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said: The Angel of Death said to me, “If not that I have awe of the dignity of the creatures, I would exact payment from them with the slaughtering blade like animals” (וְהָא אָמַר רִבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בֶּן לֵוִי: אָמַר לִי מַלְאַךְ הַמָּוֶת: אִי לָאו דְּחֵיֵיסְנָא לִיקָרָא דְּבִרְיָתָא, פָּרַעְנָא לְהוּ בֵּית הַשְּׁחִיטָה כַּבְּהֵמָה).

Rabbi Abba said: All this is because permission is given into his hand to execute final judgment (אָמַר רִבִּי אַבָּא: כֹּלָּא מִשּׁוּם דְּאִתְיְהִיב רְשׁוּתָא בִּידֵיהּ לְמֶעְבַּד גְּמַר דִּינָא). This is what is written (Joshua 5) “And his sword drawn in his hand” (הֲדָא הוּא דִּכְתִּיב: וְחַרְבּוֹ שְׁלוּפָה בְּיָדוֹ) permission was given to him to execute judgment (הָרְשׁוּת נְתוּנָה בְּיָדוֹ לַעֲשׂוֹת דִּין). If so, what is (I Chronicles 21) “And he returned his sword to its sheath” (אִי הָכִי מַאי: וַיָּשֶׁב חַרְבּוֹ אֶל נְדָנָהּ)? Rabbi Abba said: The judgment returned to the Master of Judgment, and the authority to the One to Whom authority belongs (אָמַר רִבִּי אַבָּא: שֶׁנֶּחֱזַר הַדִּין לְבַעַל הַדִּין, וְהָרְשׁוּת לְמִי שֶׁהָרְשׁוּת שֶׁלּוֹ). “And the children of Yisrael groaned…”-it does not say “and they caused themselves to groan” but “they groaned” (וַיֵּאָנְחוּ בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל – וַיִּתְאַנְּחוּ לָא כְּתִיב, אֶלָּא וַיֵּאָנְחוּ), meaning, the groaning was made for them Above (כְּלוֹמַר: נִתְאַנְּחוּ לוֹ לְמַעְלָה), for the groaning was on their behalf Above (שֶׁהָאֲנָחָה הָיְתָה בִּשְׁבִילָם לְמַעְלָה).

R’ Berekhyah said, the children of Yisrael were of Above (ר׳ בְּרֶכְיָה אָמַר, בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל דִּלְעֵילָּא הֲווֹ), and who are the children of Yisrael? (וּמַאן אִינּוּן בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל) They are those called the Sons of Service (אִינּוּן דְּאִתְקְרוּן בְּנֵי פּוּלְחָנָא), that is, those who are from the service Above (כְּלוֹמַר, אוֹתָם שֶׁהֵם מִן הָעֲבוֹדָה שֶׁל מַעְלָה). “And their cry ascended unto Elohim”-that until that moment, their cry had not ascended before Him (וַתַּעַל שַׁוְעָתָם אֶל הָאֱלהִים, שֶׁעַד אוֹתָהּ שָׁעָה לָא עָלְתָה שַׁוְעָתָם לְפָנָיו).

Rabbi Yitzḥak said: When Kudsha Berikh Hu executes judgment in the celestial court (אָמַר רִבִּי יִצְחָק, כַּד עָבִיד קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא דִּינָא בְּפָמַלְיָיא שֶׁל מַעְלָה), what is the nature of that judgment? (הַהוּא דִּינָא מַאי הֲוֵי) Rabbi El'azar said: He passes them through the River Dinur and strips them of their dominion, and appoints other ministers over the rest of the nations (אָמַר רִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר, מַעְבַּר לְהוּ בְּהַהוּא נְהַר דִּינוּר, וְאַעְבַּר לוֹן מִשּׁוּלְטָנֵיהוֹן, וּמָנֵי שׁוּלְטָנִין אַחֲרָנִין דִּשְׁאַר עַמִּין). He said to him: But is it not written (Psalms 104) “His ministers are a flaming fire”? (אֲמַר לֵיהּ, וְהָא כְּתִיב: מְשָׁרְתָיו אֵשׁ לוֹהֵט) He said to him: There is fire stronger than fire, and there is fire that repels fire (אֲמַר לֵיהּ, אִית אֶשָּׁא קַשְׁיָא מֵאֶשָּׁא, וְאִית אֶשָּׁא דְּדַחְיָא אֶשָּׁא).

Rabbi Yitzḥak said (אָמַר רִבִּי יִצְחָק): There are three expressions here: Anakhah [Groaning], Tze'akah [Outcry], and Shav'ah [Wailing] (תְּלַת עִנְיָינֵי הָכָא: אֲנָחָה, שַׁוְעָה, צְעָקָה), and each one is explained differently (וְכָל חַד מִתְפָּרְשָׁא מְאַחֲרָא). Anakhah [Groaning] (אֲנָחָה): as it is written (כְּתִיב): “And the Children of Yisrael groaned” (וַיֵּאָנְחוּ בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל) (Exodus 2:23). Tze'akah [Outcry] (צְעָקָה): as it is written (דִּכְתִּיב): “And they cried out” (וַיִּצְעָקוּ) (Exodus 2:23). Shav'ah [Wailing] (שַׁוְעָה): as it is written (דִּכְתִּיב): “And their cry ascended” (וַתַּעַל שַׁוְעָתָם) (Exodus 2:23). Each one is explained separately (וְכָל חַד בִּלְחוֹדוֹי מִתְפָּרְשָׁא), and Yisrael performed them all (וְכֻלְּהוּ עָבְדוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל).

Rabbi Yehudah said (אָמַר רִבִּי יְהוּדָה): They performed Tze'akah [Outcry] and Shav'ah [Wailing] (צְעָקָה וְשַׁוְעָה עָבְדוּ), but they did not perform Anakhah [Groaning] (אֲנָחָה לָא עָבְדוּ), as is implied by what is written (מַשְׁמַע מִדִּכְתִּיב): “And they groaned” (וַיֵּאָנְחוּ) (Exodus 2:23), for the Anakhah [Groaning] was Above on their behalf (וּלְמַעְלָה הָיְתָה הָאֲנָחָה בִּשְׁבִילָם).