Daf 20a (דַּף כ׳ ע״א)

Outcry and wailing-in what are they distinguished? (צְעָקָה וְשַׁוְעָה בְּמַאי אִתְפָּרְשָׁן) Rabbi Yitzḥak said: You have no shav‘ah except in prayer (אָמַר רִבִּי יִצְחָק: אֵין לָךְ שַׁוְעָה אֶלָּא בַּתְּפִלָּה), as it is said (Psalms 39): “Hear my prayer, Hashem, and give ear to my cry” (שְׁמָעָה תְפִלָּתִי יי וְשַׁוְעָתִי הַאֲזִינָה); (Psalms 88): “To You, Hashem, I cried” (אֵלֶיךָ יי שִׁוַּעְתִּי); (Psalms 30) “I cried to You and You healed me” (שִׁוַּעְתִּי אֵלֶיךָ וַתִּרְפָּאֵנִי). A cry (צְעָקָה): one who cries out and does not say anything (שֶׁצוֹעֵק וְאֵינוֹ אוֹמֵר כְּלוּם). Rabbi Yehudah said (אָמַר רִבִּי יְהוּדָה): therefore, a cry is greater than all of them (הִלְכָּךְ גְּדוֹלָה צְעָקָה מִכֻּלָּן), for a cry is in the heart (שֶׁצְּעָקָה הִיא בַלֵּב). This is what is written (Lamentations 2) “Their heart cried out to Hashem” (הֲדָא הוּא דִּכְתִּיב: צָעַק לִבָּם אֶל יי). A cry and an outcry are one single matter (צְעָקָה וּזְעָקָה דָּבָר אֶחָד הוּא), and it is closer to the Holy One Blessed Be He than prayer and groaning (וְזֶה קְרוֹבָה לְהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא יוֹתֵר מִתְּפִלָּה וַאֲנָחָה), as it is written (Exodus 22) “If he cries to Me, I will surely hear his cry” (דִּכְתִּיב: כִּי אִם צָעֹק יִצְעַק אֵלַי, שָׁמֹעַ אֶשְׁמַע צַעֲקָתוֹ).

Rabbi Berekhyah said: At the moment when the Holy One Blessed Be He said to Shmuel (I Samuel 15) “I regret that I made Shaul king,” what is written? “And it grieved Shmuel, and he cried out to Hashem all that night” (אָמַר ר׳ בְּרֶכְיָה: בִּשְׁעָה שֶׁאָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לִשְׁמוּאֵל: נִחַמְתִּי כִּי הִמְלַכְתִּי אֶת שָׁאוּל לְמֶלֶךְ – מַה כְּתִיב: וַיִּחַר לִשְׁמוּאֵל וַיִּצְעַק אֶל יי כָּל הַלַּיְלָה). He set aside everything and took up the cry (tze'akah), because it is nearer to Kudsha Berikh Hu than all (הִנִּיחַ הַכֹּל וְלָקַח צְעָקָה, מִשּׁוּם דְּהִיא קְרוֹבָה לְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא יַתִּיר מִכֻּלְּהוּ), as it is written: “Now behold, the cry of the children of Yisrael has come to Me” (הֲדָא הוּא דִּכְתִּיב: וְעַתָּה הִנֵּה צַעֲקַת בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל בָּאָה אֵלָי).

The Rabbis taught: One who prays and weeps and cries aloud before he is able to form words with his lips-this prayer is whole, for it is in the heart, and it is never returned empty (תָּנוּ רַבָּנָן: הַאי מַאן דְּצַלֵּי וּבָכֵי וְצָעִיק, עַד לָא יָכִיל לְמִרְחַשׁ בְּשִׂפְוָותֵיהּ – הַאי צְלוֹתָא שְׁלֵימָתָא דְּהִיא בְּלִבָּא, וּלְעוֹלָם לָא הַדְרָא רֵיקָנַיָּא).

Rabbi Yehudah said (אָמַר רִבִּי יְהוּדָה): great is a cry (גְּדוֹלָה צְעָקָה), for it tears up a person’s decree of judgment from all his days (שְׁקוֹרֵעַ גְּזַר דִּינוֹ שֶׁל אָדָם מִכָּל יָמָיו). Rabbi Yitzchak said, great is the cry (רִבִּי יִצְחָק אָמַר, גְּדוֹלָה צְעָקָה), that rules over the attribute of judgment above (שֶׁמּוֹשֶׁלֶת עַל מִדַּת הַדִּין שֶׁל מַעְלָה). Rabbi Yose said, great is the cry (רִבִּי יוֹסֵי אָמַר, גְּדוֹלָה צְעָקָה), that rules in this world and in the world to come (שֶׁמּוֹשֶׁלֶת בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה וּבָעוֹלָם הַבָּא). For the sake of a cry a person inherits this world and the world to come (בִּשְׁבִיל צְעָקָה נוֹחֵל הָאָדָם הָעוֹלָם הַזֶּה וּהָעוֹלָם הַבָּא), as it is written (דִּכְתִּיב), (Psalms 107) “Then they cried out to Hashem in their trouble, from their distresses He rescues them” (וַיִּצְעֲקוּ אֶל ה' בַּצַּר לָהֶם מִמְּצוּקוֹתֵיהֶם יַצִּילֵם). (Exodus 3) “And Moshe was shepherding the flock of Yitro his father-in-law, priest of Midyan” (וּמֹשֶׁה הָיָה רוֹעֶה אֶת צֹאן יִתְרוֹ חוֹתְנוֹ כֹּהֵן מִדְיָן).

Rabbi Shimon opened (רִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן פָּתַח), (Song of Songs 2) “My beloved is mine and I am his, he who shepherds among the lilies” (דּוֹדִי לִי וַאֲנִי לוֹ הָרוֹעֶה בַּשּׁוֹשַׁנִּים). Rabbi Shimon said (אָמַר רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן), woe to the creatures (אוֹי לָהֶם לַבְּרִיּוֹת), who do not pay heed and do not know (שֶׁאֵינָם מַשְׁגִּיחִים וְאֵינָם יוֹדְעִים), that at the time it arose in thought before Kudsha Berikh Hu (בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁעָלָה בְּמַחֲשָׁבָה לִפְנִי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא), to create His world (לִבְרוֹא עוֹלָמוֹ), all the worlds arose in one thought (כָּל הָעוֹלָמוֹת עָלוּ בְּמַחֲשָׁבָה אַחַת), and in this thought all were created (וּבְמַחֲשָׁבָה זוּ נִבְרָאוּ כּוּלָּם). This is what is written (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב), (Psalms 104) “All of them You made with Chokhmah” (כֻּלָּם בְּחָכְמָה עָשִׂיתָ). And in this thought, which is Chokhmah (וּבְמַחֲשָׁבָה זוּ, שֶׁהִיא הַחָכְמָה), this world was created and the upper world (נִבְרָא הָעוֹלָם הַזֶּה וְהָעוֹלָם שֶׁל מַעְלָה).

He stretched out His right hand and created the upper world (נָטָה יְמִינוֹ, וּבָרָא הָעוֹלָם שֶׁל מַעְלָה). He stretched out His left hand and created this world (נָטָה שְׂמֹאלוֹ, וּבָרָא הָעוֹלָם הַזֶּה). This is what is written (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב), (Isaiah 48) “Also My hand has founded the earth, and My right hand has spread out the heavens” (אַף יָדִי יָסְדָה אֶרֶץ וִימִינִי טִפְּחָה שָׁמַיִם). “When I call to them, they stand together” (קוֹרֵא אֲנִי אֲלֵיהֶם יַעַמְדוּ יַחְדָּו). And all were created in one instant (וְכֻלָּם בְּרֶגַע אַחַת), and in one hour (וּבְשָׁעָה אַחַת). He made this world corresponding to the upper world (וְעָשָׂה הָעוֹלָם הַזֶּה כְּנֶגֶד הָעוֹלָם שֶׁל מַעְלָה). And everything that exists above, its likeness exists below (וְכָל מַה שֶׁיֵּשׁ לְמַעְלָה, כְּדוּגְמָתוֹ לְמַטָּה). And everything that exists below, its likeness exists in the sea (וְכָל מַה שֶׁיֵּשׁ לְמַטָּה, כְּדוּגְמָתוֹ בַּיָּם). And all is one (וְהַכֹּל אֶחָד). He created among the supernal beings the angels (בָּרָא בָּעֶלְיוֹנִים הַמַּלְאָכִים), He created in this world human beings (בָּרָא בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה בְּנֵי אָדָם), He created in the sea the Leviathan (בָּרָא בַּיָּם לִוְיָתָן), as you say (כְּמָה דְּאַתְּ אָמֵר), (Exodus 36) “To join the tent to become one” (לְחַבֵּר אֶת הָאֹהֶל לִהְיוֹת אֶחָד).

It is written concerning man (כְּתִיב בָּאָדָם), (Bereshit 9) “For in the image of Elohim He made man” (כִּי בְּצֶלֶם אֱלֹהִים עָשָׂה אֶת הָאָדָם). And it is written (וּכְתִיב), (Psalms 8) “Yet You have made him slightly less than Elohim” (וַתְּחַסְּרֵהוּ מְעַט מֵאֱלֹהִים). If human beings were precious in their deeds (אִי בְּנִי נָשָׁא יַקִּירִין בְּעוֹבַדָיְיהוּ), Some say: in their acts (נ״א: בְּעוֹבְדוֹי), all of this (כָּל הַאי), and they are formed (וְאִינּוּן מִתְאַבְּדִין) from a drop (נ״א: מִטִּפָּה) of dust of the pit (מֵעָפָר דְּבֵירָא), with what do they come to draw from it? (בְּמָה אַתְיָין לְשַׁאֲבָא מִנֵּיהּ). And He chose among the supernal ones (וּבָחַר בָּעֶלְיוֹנִים), and He chose Yisrael (וּבָחַר בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל); to the supernal ones He did not call “sons” (לָעֶלְיוֹנִים לֹא קָרָא בָּנִים), but to the lower ones He called “sons” (לַתַּחְתּוֹנִים קָרָא בָּנִים). This is what is written (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב), (Deuteronomy 14) “You are sons to Hashem your Elohim” (בָּנִים אַתֶּם לַה' אֱלֹהֵיכֶם).

He called them “sons” (הוּא קָרָא לָהֶם בָּנִים), and they called Him “Father” (וְהֵם קָרְאוּ לוֹ אָב), as it is written (דִּכְתִּיב), (Isaiah 63) “For You are our Father” (כִּי אַתָּה אָבִינוּ). And it is written (וּכְתִיב), “My beloved is mine and I am His” (דּוֹדִי לִי וַאֲנִי לוֹ). He chose me (הוּא בָּחַר בִּי), and I chose Him (וַאֲנִי בָּחַרְתִּי בּוֹ). The one who shepherds among the lilies (הָרוֹעֶה בַּשּׁוֹשַׁנִּים), He is the one who shepherds among the lilies (הוּא רוֹעֶה בַּשּׁוֹשַׁנִּים), even though thorns surround them (אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁהַקּוֹצִים סָבִיב לָהֶם), and no other is able to shepherd among the lilies like Him (וְאֵין אַחֵר יָכוֹל לִרְעוֹת בַּשּׁוֹשַׁנִּים כְּמוֹתוֹ). Another matter: “Who shepherds among the lilies” (דָּבָר אַחֵר הָרוֹעֶה בַּשּׁוֹשַׁנִּים), just as this lily is red and its waters are white (מַה שׁוּשָׁן זֶה הוּא אָדוֹם, וּמֵימָיו לְבָנִים), so too the Holy One Blessed Be He (כָּךְ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא), leads His world (מַנְהִיג עוֹלָמוֹ), from the attribute of judgment to the attribute of compassion (מִמִּדַּת הַדִּין לְמִדַּת הָרַחֲמִים). And it is written (וּכְתִיב), (Isaiah 1) “If your sins are like scarlet, they will whiten like snow” (אִם יִהְיוּ חֲטָאֵיכֶם כַּשָּׁנִים כַּשֶּׁלֶג יַלְבִּינוּ).

Rabbi Abba was walking on the road (רִבִּי אַבָּא הֲוָה אָזִיל בְּאוֹרְחָא), and with him was Rabbi Yitzchak (וַהֲוָה עִמֵּיהּ רִבִּי יִצְחָק). As they were walking (אַדְהֲווֹ אַזְלֵי), they encountered those myrtles (פָּגַע בְּאִינוּן וְרָדִים). Rabbi Abba took one in his hand and continued walking (נָטַל חַד רִבִּי אַבָּא בִּידוֹי וַהֲוָה אָזִיל).

Rabbi Yose encountered them (פָּגַע בְּהוּ רִבִּי יוֹסֵי), and said: surely the Shekhinta is here (אָמַר וַדַּאי שְׁכִינְתָּא הָכָא), and I saw in the hand of Rabbi Abba (וַאֲנָא חֲמֵינָא בִּידוֹי דְּרִבִּי אַבָּא), to draw forth great Chokhmah (לְמֵילָף חָכְמְתָא סַגִּיאָה). For I know (דְּהָא יָדַעְנָא), that Rabbi Abba did not take that one (דְּרִבִּי אַבָּא לָא נָטַל הַאי), except to bring forth Chokhmah (אֶלָּא לְאַחֲזָאָה חָכְמְתָא).

Rabbi Abba said (אָמַר רִבִּי אַבָּא), sit, my son, sit (תִּיב בְּרִי תִּיב). They sat (יָתְבוּ). Rabbi Abba extended himself upon that myrtle (אָרַח רִבִּי אַבָּא בְּהַהוּא וַרְדָא), and said (אָמַר): surely the world is sustained only through fragrance (וַדַּאי אֵין הָעוֹלָם מִתְקַיֵּים אֶלָּא עַל הָרֵיחַ). For we see (דְּהָא חָזֵינָא), that the soul is sustained only through fragrance (דְּלֵית נַפְשָׁא מִתְקַיְּימָא אֶלָּא עַל רֵיחָא). And for this reason (וְעַל דָּא), [we smell] hadas on Motza’ei Shabbat (הֲדַס בְּמוֹצָאֵי שַׁבָּת).