Daf 28a (דַּף כ״ח ע״א)

And this tree is in the World to Come, which is Binah (וְעֵץ דָּא בְּעָלְמָא דְּאָתֵי, דְּאִיהוּ בִּינָה), all names of judgment are transformed within her-some say: into judgment-into mercy (כָּל שְׁמָהָן דְּדִינָא מִתְהַפְּכִין בָּהּ (לדינא) רַחֲמֵי), for this reason the Rabbis established it: not like this world is the World to Come (בְּגִין דָּא אוּקְמוּהָ רַבָּנָן, לא כְּהָעוֹלָם הַזֶּה הָעוֹלָם הַבָּא). And for this reason, Binah is the flaming sword that turns (וּבְגִין דָּא, בִּינָה, אִיהִי לַהַט הַחֶרֶב הַמִּתְהַפֶּכֶת), that turns from judgment to mercy for the Righteous (דְּמִתְהַפֶּכֶת מִדִּינָא לְרַחֲמֵי לַצַדִּיקִיָּיא), to give them reward in the World to Come (לְמֵיהַב לוֹן אַגְרָא בְּעָלְמָא דְּאָתֵי).

Malkhut-the flaming sword that turns-from mercy to judgment (מַלְכוּת, לַהַט הַחֶרֶב הַמִּתְהַפֶּכֶת, מֵרַחֲמֵי לְדִינָא), to mete out judgment in it upon the wicked in this world (לְמֵידָן בָּהּ לְרַשִׁיעַיָּיא בְּעָלְמָא דֵין). But from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, which is in the likeness of the rod (אֲבָל מֵעֵץ הַדַּעַת טוֹב וָרָע, דְּאִיהוּ כְּגַוְונָא דְּמַטֶּה), at times women are transformed into shedot [female demons], and men into shedim [male demons] (זִמְנִין דְּמִתְהַפְּכִין הַנָּשִׁים לְשֵׁדוֹת, אֲנָשִׁים לְשֵׁדִים). And because of this-“And Ya'akov told Rachel” (Bereshit 29) (וַיַּגֵּד יַעֲקֹב לְרָחֵל). And because of this, the Rabbis established: a man must not cohabit with his wife until he converses with her (וּבְגִין דָּא, אוּקְמוּהָ רַבָּנָן, דְּלֵית לֵיהּ לְבַר נָשׁ לְשַׁמְּשָׁא עִם אִתְּתֵיהּ, עַד דִּמְסַפֵּר עִמָּהּ), lest she be exchanged for a demon (שֶׁמָּא נִתְחַלְּפָה לוֹ בְּשֵׁידָה).

For the flame of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil turns from good to evil p5-54(בְּגִין דְּלַהַט בְּעֵץ הַדַּעַת טוֹב וָרָע, מִתְהַפֶּכֶת מִטּוֹב לָרָע). And if you say: the sorcerers of Pharaoh (וְאִי תֵּימָא דִּמְכַשְּׁפֵי פַּרְעֹה), as it is written: “And the magicians did likewise with their secret arts” (Exodus 7) (דִּכְתִּיב וַיַּעֲשׂוּ כֵן הַחַרְטוּמִּים בְּלָטֵיהֶם), they transformed their rods into serpents (הֲווֹ מְהַפְּכִין אִינּוּן מַטוֹת דִּלְהוֹן לִנְחָשִׁין). And from the side of these transformations, they are able to be transformed (וּמִסִּטְרָא דְּאִלֵּין הִפּוּכָן יַכְלִין לְאִתְהַפְּכָא). (Thus concludes the Tosefta) (ע״כ תוספתא).

And you shall say to Aharon, "Take your rod" (Exodus 7) (וְאָמַרְתָּ אֶל אַהֲרֹן קַח אֶת מַטֵּךָ). Why the rod of Aharon, and not the rod of Moshe? (מַאי טַעֲמָא מַטֵּה אַהֲרֹן, וְלֹא מַטֵּה מֹשֶׁה). Rather, that of Moshe is more holy, for it was engraved in the Supernal Garden with the holy Name (אֶלָּא, הַהוּא דְּמֹשֶׁה אִיהוּ קַדִּישָׁא יַתִּיר, דְּאִתְגַּלִּיף בְּגִנְתָּא עִלָּאָה בִּשְׁמָא קַדִּישָׁא), and the Kudsha Berikh Hu did not desire to defile it with those rods of the sorcerers (וְלָא בָּעֵי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לְסָאֳבָא לֵיהּ בְּאִינּוּן חוּטְרִין דְּחַרְשַׁיָּיא). And not only that (וְלֹא עוֹד), but also to subdue all those who come from the side of the left (אֶלָּא לְאַכְפְּיָיא לוֹן לְכָל אִינּוּן דְּאַתְיָין מִסִּטְרָא דִשְׂמָאלָא), because Aharon came from the right (בְּגִין דְּאַהֲרֹן אָתָא מִימִינָא), and the left is subdued by the right (וּשְׂמָאלָא אִתְכַּפְיָיא בִּימִינָא).

Rabbi Ḥiyya asked Rabbi Yosei: Behold, it was revealed before the Kudsha Berikh Hu that these sorcerers would produce serpents-so what power is there in making a serpent before Pharaoh? (רִבִּי חִיָּיא שָׁאִיל לְרִבִּי יוֹסֵי, הָא גַּלֵּי קָמֵי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, דְּאִינּוּן חֲרָשִׁין יַעַבְדוּן תַּנִּינַיָּיא, מַאי גְּבוּרְתָּא אִיהוּ לְמֶעְבַּד קָמֵי פַרְעֹה תַּנִּינַיָּיא). He said to him: Because from there begins the dominion of striking, and from the dominion of the serpent is released its rulership (אָמַר לֵיהּ, בְּגִין דְּמִתַּמָּן הוּא שֵׁירוּתָא לְאַלְקָאָה, וּמִשֵּׁירוּתָא דְּתַנִּינָא שָׁאַרִי שׁוּלְטָנֵיהּ). Some say: from his rulership and from its dominion is permission released to smite (נ״א: לְשׁוּלְטָנֵיהּ וּמִשֵּׁירוּתָא דְּשׁוּלְטָנֵיהּ שַׁרִי לְאַלְקָאָה).

Then all the sorcerers trembled, for the head of their serpent wisdom was this (כְּדֵין, חֲדוּ כוּלְּהוּ חֲרָשֵׁי, דְּהָא רֵישׁ חָכְמְתָא דְּנָחָשׁ דִּילְהוֹן הָכִי הֲוָה). Immediately, that serpent of Aharon returned to a dry rod, and swallowed them (מִיָּד אִתְהַדַּר הַהוּא תַּנִּינָא דְּאַהֲרֹן לְאָעָא יְבֵישָׁא, וּבָלַע לוֹן). And concerning this they were amazed and knew that a supernal dominion exists on earth-that they thought was below-some say: above (וְעַל דָּא תַּוְוהוּ, וְיָדְעוּ דְּשׁוּלְטָנָא עִלָּאָה אִית בְּאַרְעָא, דְּאִינּוּן חֲשִׁיבוּ, דְּהָא לְתַתָּא, נ״א: לְעֵילָא), aside from them there is no dominion to do anything (בַּר מִנַּיְיהוּ לָא אִית שֻׁלְטָנָא לְמֶעְבַּד מִידִי).

Then-“And the rod of Aharon swallowed”-precisely the rod of Aharon, which returned to a rod and swallowed them (כְּדֵין, וַיִּבְלַע מַטֵּה אַהֲרֹן, מַטֵּה אַהֲרֹן דַּיְיקָא, דְּאִתְהַדַּר לְאָעָא וּבָלַע לוֹן). And therefore Aharon performed two signs: one above, and one below (וְעַל דָּא עָבֵד אַהֲרֹן תְּרֵין אָתִין, חַד לְעֵילָּא, וְחַד לְתַתָּא). One above-the supernal serpent that rules over theirs (חַד לְעֵילָּא, תַּנִּינָא עִלָּאָה דְּשַׁלְטָא עַל אִינּוּן דִּלְהוֹן). One below-that the rod rules over their serpent (חַד לְתַתָּא, דְּשָׁלִיט אָעָא עַל תַּנִּינָא דִּילְהוֹן). And Pharaoh was wiser than all his sorcerers and observed that supernal dominion rules over the earth (וּפַרְעֹה חַכִּים הֲוָה מִכָּל חֲרָשׁוֹי, וְאִסְתַּכַּל דְּשֻׁלְטָנָא עִלָּאָה שָׁלִיט עַל אַרְעָא), ruling above and ruling below (שָׁלִיט לְעֵילָּא שָׁלִיט לְתַתָּא).

Rabbi Yosei said: If you would say that the sorcerers-whatever they did-was only a visual illusion (אָמַר רִבִּי יוֹסֵי, אִי תֵּימָא, חָרָשַׁיָּיא כָּל מַה דְּעַבְדִּין לָאו אִיהוּ אֶלָּא בְּחֵיזוּ דְּעֵינָא), for that is how it appeared, and not more (דְּהָכִי אִתְחָזֵי, וְלָא יַתִּיר), it comes to teach us-“and they became,” precisely (קָא מַשְׁמַע לָן וַיְהִיוּ דַּיְיקָא), as it is written: “And they became serpents” (Exodus 7) (דִּכְתִּיב וַיְהִיוּ לְתַנִּינִים).

And Rabbi Yosei said: Even those serpents of theirs reverted to being rods, and the rod of Aharon swallowed them (וְאָמַר רִבִּי יוֹסֵי, אֲפִלּוּ אִינּוּן תַּנִּינַיָּא דִּילְהוֹן אֲהַדְרוּ לְמֶהֱוֵי אָעִין, וְאָעָא דְּאַהֲרֹן בָּלַע לוֹן). It is written: “Behold, I am against you, Pharaoh king of Egypt, the great serpent that crouches in the midst of his rivers” (Ezekiel 29) (כְּתִיב, הִנְנִי עָלֶיךָ פַרְעֹה מֶלֶךְ מִצְרַיִם הַתַּנִּים הַגָּדוֹל הָרוֹבֵץ בְּתוֹךְ יְאֹרָיו). From there begins the lower dominion of their rule (מִתַּמָּן שֵׁרוּתָא לְתַתָּא בְּשׁוּלְטָנָא דִּילְהוֹן). But their wisdom is lower than all the degrees (אֲבָל חָכְמְתָּא דִּילְהוֹן, לְתַתָּא מִכֻּלְּהוּ דַּרְגִּין אִיהוּ). Some say: they (אִינוּן).

Come and see: their wisdom is in the lower levels (תָּא חֲזֵי, חָכְמְתָּא דִּילְהוֹן בְּדַרְגִּין תַּתָּאִין), to subdue those upper levels, rank by rank (לְאַכְפְּיָין לוֹן לְאִלֵּין דַּרְגִּין בְּדַרְגִּין עִלָּאִין), the heads of their dominion and their root, lower than that serpent (רֵישֵׁי שׁוּלְטָנוּתְהוֹן וְעִקָּרָא דִּילְהוֹן, לְתַתָּא מֵהַהוּא תַּנִּינָא), and they unfold through the serpent (וּמִשְׁתַּלְשְׁלָן בְּתַנִּינָא), for from there they draw strength from their higher level (דְּהָא מִתַּמָּן נָטִיל חֵילָא דַּרְגָּא עִלָּאָה דִּילְהוֹן). As it is implied in that which is written: “that is behind the millstones” (Exodus 11) (מַשְׁמַע דִּכְתִּיב, אֲשֶׁר אַחַר הָרֵחָיִם).

Rabbi Ḥiyya was sitting one day at the gate of the entrance of Usha (רִבִּי חִיָּיא, הֲוָה יָתִיב יוֹמָא חֲדָא, אֲבָבָא דְּתַרְעָא דְּאוּשָׁא). He saw Rabbi El'azar with a young dove fluttering over him (חָמָא לֵיהּ לְרִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר חַד קַטְפִירָא טָאַסָא גַּבֵּיהּ). He said to Rabbi El'azar: It seems that even in your journey, all long to follow after you (אָמַר לֵיהּ לְרִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר, מַשְׁמַע, דְּאֲפִלּוּ בְּאוֹרְחָךְ כֹּלָּא תְּאִיבִין לִמֵהַךְ אֲבַתְרָךְ). He turned his head and saw it (אַהְדַּר רֵישָׁא וְחָמָא לֵיהּ).

He said: Certainly there is a mission upon it (אָמַר, וַדַּאי שְׁלִיחוּתָא אִית גַּבֵּיהּ), for the Kudsha Berikh Hu performs His missions through everything (דְּהָא קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא בְּכֹלָּא עָבִיד שְׁלִיחוּתֵיהּ), and how many agents does the Kudsha Berikh Hu have-not only in things with spirit, but even in those without spirit (וְכַמָּה שְׁלִיחִין אִית לֵיהּ לְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, דְּלָא תֵימָא מִלִּין דְּאִית בְּהוּ רוּחָא בִּלְחוֹדַיְיהוּ, אֶלָּא אֲפִלּוּ אִינּוּן מִלִּין דְּלֵית בְּהוּ רוּחָא). He opened and said: “For the stone shall cry out from the wall, and the beam from the timber shall answer it” (Habakkuk 2) (פָּתַח וְאָמַר, כִּי אֶבֶן מִקִּיר תִּזְעָק וְכָפִיס מֵעֵץ יַעֲנֶנָּה). How much must a person be careful of his sins, not to sin before the Kudsha Berikh Hu (כַּמָּה אִית לֵיהּ לְבַר נָשׁ לְאִזְדַּהֲרָא מֵחוֹבוֹי, דְּלָא יֶחטָא קָמֵי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא).

And if you say: Who will testify against him? behold, the stones of his house and the beams of his house will testify against him (וְאִי יֵימָא מַאן יַסְהִיד בֵּיהּ. הָא אַבְנֵי בֵיתֵיהּ וְאָעֵי בֵיתֵיהּ יַסְהִידוּ בֵּיהּ). And at times the Kudsha Berikh Hu performs missions through them (וּלְזִמְנִין דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא עָבִיד בְּהוּ שְׁלִיחוּתָא). Come and see the rod of Aharon, which was a dry staff (תָּא חֲזֵי חוּטְרָא דְּאַהֲרֹן, דְּאִיהוּ אָעָא יְבֵישָׁא), and the Kudsha Berikh Hu made it an instrument of miracles (קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא שֵׁירוּתָא דְּנִסִּין עָבֵד בֵּיהּ), and two missions were performed through it (וּתְרֵי שְׁלִיחוּתֵי בֵּיהּ אִתְעָבִידוּ): one, that it was a dry rod and swallowed their serpents (חַד דְּאִיהוּ אָעָא יְבֵישָׁא וּבָלַע לְאִינוּן תַּנִּינַיָּיא דִּילְהוֹן), and one, that at that moment it was revived with spirit and became a living creature (וְחַד דְּהָא לְשַׁעֲתָא אִתְהַדַּר בְּרוּחָא וְאִתְעָבִיד בִּרְיָה).