Daf 2b (דַּף ב׳ ע״ב)

Rabbi Shimon opened (רִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן פָּתַח), The word of Hashem came again, came again (הָיֹה הָיָה דְּבַר ה׳) (Ezekiel 1). Came again, came again-twice, why? (הָיֹה הָיָה תְּרֵי זִמְנֵי אֲמַאי). And furthermore, there is to ask (וְתוּ אִית לְשָׁאֲלָה), if Ezekiel was a faithful prophet (אִי יְחֶזְקֵאל נְבִיאָה מְהֵימָנָא הֲוָה), why did he reveal everything that he saw (אֲמַאי גַּלֵּי כָּל מַה דְּחָמָא) (Exodus 2:2). One whom the King brings into His palace (מַאן דְּמַלְכָּא אָעִיל לֵיהּ בְּהֵיכָלֵיהּ), does he have permission to reveal the secrets that he saw? (אִית לֵיהּ לְגַלָּאָה רָזִין דְּחָמֵי). Rather, certainly, Ezekiel was a faithful prophet (אֶלָּא וַדַּאי יְחֶזְקֵאל נְבִיאָה מְהֵימָנָא הֲוָה), and everything that he saw was in faith (וְכָל מַה דְּחָמָא בִּמְהֵימָנוּתָא אִיהוּ), and with the permission of Kudsha Berikh Hu, he revealed all that he revealed (וּבִרְשׁוּתָא דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא גַּלֵּי כָּל מַה דְּגַלֵּי), and all was necessary (וְכֹלָּא אִצְטְרִיךְ).

Rabbi Shimon said (אָמַר רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן), one who is accustomed to bearing suffering (מַאן דְּרָגִיל לְמִסְבַּל צַעֲרָא), even if suffering comes to him at the moment (אַף עַל גַּב דְּאָתֵי לְפוּם שַׁעְתָּא צַעֲרָא), he bears his burden and does not break (סָבִיל מַטְלָנוֹי וְלָא חָיִישׁ). But one who is not accustomed to suffering (אֲבָל מַאן דְּלָא רָגִיל בְּצַעַר), and was all his days in pleasures and delights (וַהֲוָה כָּל יוֹמוֹי בְּתַפְנוּקִין וְעִידוּנִין), and suffering comes upon him (וְאָתֵי לֵיהּ צַעֲרָא), that is complete suffering (דָּא אִיהוּ צַעֲרָא שְׁלִים), and for that one must weep (וְעַל דָּא אִצְטְרִיךְ לְמִבְּכֵּי). So too Yisrael (כַּךָ יִשְׂרָאֵל), when they descended to Egypt (כַּד נַחְתוּ לְמִצְרַיִם), they were accustomed to suffering (רְגִילִין בְּצַעֲרָא הֲווֹ), for all the days of that righteous one, their father, were in suffering (דְּהָא כָּל יוֹמוֹי דְּהַהוּא זַכָּאָה אֲבוּהוֹן בְּצַעֲרָא הֲוָה). And therefore they bore the exile properly (וְעַל דָּא סָבְלוּ גָּלוּתָא כְּדְקָא יָאוּת). But the exile of Bavel (אֲבָל גָּלוּתָא דְּבָבֶל), that was complete suffering (הַהוּא הֲוָה צַעֲרָא שְׁלִים), that was suffering of the upper and lower realms pressing upon them (הַהוּא הֲוָה צַעֲרָא דְּעִלָּאִין וְתַתָּאִין בָּכָאן עָלֵיהּ).

The upper ones, as it is written (עִלָּאִין: דִּכְתִּיב), Behold, their angels cry outside etc. (הֵן אֶרְאֶלָּם צָעֲקוּ חוּצָה וְגוֹ׳) (Isaiah 33). The lower ones, as it is written (תַּתָּאִין: דִּכְתִּיב), By the rivers of Bavel, there we sat etc. (עַל נַהֲרוֹת בָּבֶל שָׁם יָשַׁבְנוּ וְגוֹ׳) (Psalms 137). All of them wept over the exile of Bavel (כֻּלְּהוֹן בָּכוּ עַל גָּלוּתָא דְּבָבֶל). What is the reason? (מַאי טַעְמָא). Because they had been in the luxuries of kings (בְּגִין דַּהֲווֹ בְּתַפְנוּקֵי מַלְכִין), as it is written (דִּכְתִּיב), The precious sons of Zion etc. (בְּנֵי צִיּוֹן הַיְקָרִים וְגוֹ׳) (Lamentations 4).

Some say: As it is taught, Rabbi Yitzḥak said: What is that which is written, On the mountains I will lift weeping and lamentation (א״ד״ג דְּתַנְיָא: אָמַר רַבִּי יִצְחָק, מַאי דִּכְתִּיב, עַל הֶהָרִים אֶשָּׂא בְכִי וּנְהִי) (Jeremiah 9). Rather, these are the exalted mountains of the worlds (אֶלָּא, אֵלִּין אִינוּן טוּרַיָּא רָמָיָא דְּעָלְמִין). And who are the exalted mountains? They are the precious sons of Zion, refined as gold (וּמַאן אִינוּן טוּרַיָּא רָמָיָא, אִינוּן: בְּנֵי צִיּוֹן הַיְקָרִים הַמְסֻלָּאִים בַּפָּז). And now they had descended into exile (וְהַשְּׁתָּא הֲווֹ נַחְתִּין בְּגָלוּתָא), with millstones on their shoulders (בְּרֵיחַיָּא עַל קַדְלֵיהוֹן), and their hands bound behind them (וִידֵיהוֹן מְהַדְּקָן לַאֲחוֹרָא).

And when they entered into the exile of Bavel (וְכַד עָאלוּ בְּגָלוּתָא בְּבָבֶל), they thought that they had no existence forever (חָשִׁיבוּ דְּהָא לֵית לְהוּ קִיּוּמָא לְעָלְמִין), for Kudsha Berikh Hu had abandoned them (דְּהָא קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא שָׁבִיק לוֹן), and would never again look upon them (וְלָא יַשְׁגַּח בְּהוֹן לְעָלְמִין). And we have learned (וְתָנֵינָן), Rabbi Shimon said (אָמַר רִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן), at that moment (בְּהַהִיא שַׁעֲתָא), Kudsha Berikh Hu called to all His retinue (קָרָא קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לְכָל פַּמַלְיָא דִילֵיהּ), and all the holy chariots (וְכָל רְתִיכִין קַדִּישִׁין), and all His hosts and His divisions (וְכָל חֵילֵיהּ וּמַשִּׁרְיָיתֵיהּ), and His nobles (וְרַבְרְבָנוֹי), and all the forces of the heavens (וְכָל חֵילָא דִּשְׁמַיָּא).

And He said to them (וְאָמַר לוֹן), What are you doing here (מָה אַתּוּן עַבְדִּין הָכָא), and My beloved children are in the exile of Bavel (וּמַה בְּנֵי רְחִימָאי בְּגָלוּתָא דְּבָבֶל), and you are here? (וְאַתּוּן הָכָא). Arise, descend all of you to Bavel (קוּמוּ חוּתוּ כֻּלְּכוֹן לְבָבֶל), and I am with you (וַאֲנָא עִמְּכוֹן). This is what is written (הֲדָא הוּא דִּכְתִּיב), Thus said Hashem: For your sake I have sent to Bavel etc. (כֹּה אָמַר ה׳ לְמַעַנְכֶם שִׁלַּחְתִּי בָבֶלָה וְגוֹ׳) (Isaiah 43).

For your sake I have sent to Bavel-this is Kudsha Berikh Hu (לְמַעַנְכֶם שִׁלַּחְתִּי בָבֶלָה, דָּא קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא). And I brought down all the bars (וְהוֹרַדְתִּי בָּרִיחִים כוּלָּם), these are all the celestial chariots and hosts (אִלֵּין כָּל רְתִיכִין וּמַשִּׁרְיָין עִלָּאִין). When they descended to Bavel (כַּד נַחְתוּ לְבָבֶל), the heavens opened (אִתְפַּתָּחוּ שְׁמַיָּא), and the Holy Spirit of prophecy rested upon Ezekiel (וְשָׁרָת רוּחַ נְבוּאָה קַדִּישָׁא עַל יְחֶזְקֵאל), and he saw all that he saw (וְחָמָא כָּל מַה דְּחָמָא). And he said to Yisrael (וְאָמַר לוֹן לְיִשְׂרָאֵל), Behold, your Master is here (הָא מָארֵיכוֹן הָכָא), and all the hosts of heaven and the camps (וְכָל חֵילֵי שְׁמַיָּא וּרְתִּיכוּ), who have come to dwell among you (דְּאָתוּ לְמֵידָר בֵּינֵיכוֹן).

They did not believe him (לָא הֵימְנוּהוּ), until he was forced to reveal everything that he saw (עַד דְּאִצְטְרִיךְ לְגַלָּאָה כָּל מַה דְּחָמָא), “and I saw thus, and I saw thus” (וָאֵרֶא כָּךְ, וָאֵרֶא כָּךְ). And if he revealed more, all that he revealed was necessary (וְאִי גַּלֵּי יַתִּיר, מַה דְּגַלֵּי כֹּלָּא אִצְטְרִיךְ). Once Yisrael saw thus (כֵּיוָן דְּחָמוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל כָּךְ), they rejoiced (חַדוּ). And when they heard words from the mouth of Ezekiel (וְכַד שָׁמְעוּ מִלִּין מִפֻּמֵיהּ דִּיחֶזְקֵאל), they did not worry about their exile at all (לָא חַיְּישׁוּ עַל גָּלְוּתְהוֹן כְּלָל), for they knew that Kudsha Berikh Hu had not abandoned them (דְּהָא יָדְעוּ דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לָא שָׁבִיק לוֹן). And everything he revealed, he revealed with permission (וְכָל מַה דְּגַלֵּי בִּרְשׁוּתָא גַּלֵּי). Some say: And Rabbi Shimon said (ל״א: וְאָמַר רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן), at that moment (בֵּיהּ שַׁעֲתָא), Yisrael rejoiced with complete joy (חַדוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל חַדְוָותָא שְׁלֵימְתָּא), through the assistance of their Master who was with them (בִּסְיָיעְתָּא דִּמָארֵיהוֹן דְּהֲוָה עִמְּהוֹן), and each one of them (וְכָל חַד מִנַּיְיהוּ), entered the desire of his heart (עָאל רְעוּתָא דִּלִבֵּיהּ), with great love (בְּרְחִימוּתָא סַגִּיָּא), to give his soul (לְמִסַּר נַפְשֵׁיהּ), for the holiness of their Master (עַל קְדוּשָּׁתָא דִּמָארֵיהוֹן), and for this reason (וּבְגִין כָּךְ), Ezekiel revealed everything that he revealed (גַּלֵּי יְחֶזְקֵאל כָּל מַה דְּגַלֵּי).