Daf 30a (דַּף ל׳ ע״א)

It is written (Bereshit 12) “And Pharaoh’s princes saw her, and they praised her to Pharaoh, and the woman was taken into Pharaoh’s house” (כְּתִיב וַיִּרְאוּ אוֹתָהּ שָׂרֵי פַרְעֹה וַיְהַלְלוּ אוֹתָהּ אֶל פַּרְעֹה וַתֻּקַּח הָאִשָּׁה בֵּית פַּרְעֹה). This verse comes for derashah (הַאי קְרָא לִדְּרָשָׁא הוּא דְּאָתָא). Three Pharaohs are mentioned here (תְּלַת פַרְעֹה הָכָא): one in that time (חַד, בְּהַהוּא זִמְנָא), one in the days of Yosef (וְחַד, בְּיוֹמוֹי דְּיוֹסֵף), and one in the days of Moshe, who was struck with leprosy (וְחַד, בְּיוֹמוֹי דְּמֹשֶׁה דְּאַלְקֵי בְּקוֹלְפוֹי). Some say: this verse was not fulfilled in the first Pharaoh, but only later… and this verse was fulfilled (ס״א: הַאי קְרָא כֻּלָּא לָא אִתְקַיֵּים בְּפַרְעֹה קַדְמָאָה, אֲבָל בִּשְׁעָתָא וְגו׳ וְהַאי קְרָא אִתְקַיֵּים).

The first Pharaoh-at the time when Sarah was brought to him (פַּרְעֹה קַדְמָאָה, בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְּאִתְנְסִיבַת שָׂרָה לְגַבֵּיהּ) hinted to his craftsmen (רָמַז לְאוּמָנִין), and they painted that likeness in his chambers (וְצִיְּירוּ הַהוּא דִּיּוּקְנָא בְּאִדָּרֵיהּ), upon his bed and on the wall (עַל עַרְסֵיהּ בְּכוֹתָלָא). He had no rest until they sculpted a carving of Sarah in stone (לָא נָח דַּעְתֵּיהּ עַד דְּעָבְדוּ דִּיּוּקְנָא דְּשָׂרָה בִּנְסִירוּ), and when he ascended to his bed, it ascended with him (וְכַד סָלִיק לְעַרְסֵיהּ, סָלִיק לָהּ עִמֵּיהּ).

Every king who came after him would see that image painted as a portrait (כָּל מַלְכָּא דְּאָתָא אֲבַתְרֵיהּ, הֲוָה חָמֵי הַהוּא דִּיּוּקְנָא מְצַיְּירָא צִיּוּרָא), and would enter before it with delight (וַהֲווּ עָאלִין קָמֵיהּ בְּדִיחִין). When he lay down in his bed, he would delight in that image (כַּד סָלִיק לְעַרְסֵיהּ, הֲוָה אִתְהֲנֵי בְּהַהוּא צִיּוּר). And because of this, that king was stricken more than all (בְּגִין כַּךְ, מַלְכָּא אַלְקֵי הָכָא יַתִּיר מִכֹּלָּא). Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי): this is what is written (הַיְינוּ דִּכְתִּיב), “and into your chamber and upon your bed” (וּבַחֲדַר מִשְׁכָּבְךָ וְעַל מִטָּתְךָ). But afterwards: “and into the house of your servants, and upon your people” (וּלְבָתַר, וּבְבֵית עֲבָדֶיךָ וּבְעַמֶּךָ), and for all of them it is not written “upon their beds,” only for him alone (וּבְכֻלְּהוּ לָא כְּתִיב עַל מִטָּתָם, אֶלָּא לֵיהּ בִּלְחוֹדֵיהּ).

Rabbi Abba opened (ר׳ אַבָּא פָּתַח), “All the rivers go to the sea, and the sea is not full; to the place where the rivers go, there they return to go” (Ecclesiastes 1) (כָּל הַנְּחָלִים הוֹלְכִים אֶל הַיָּם וְהַיָּם אֵינֶנּוּ מָלֵא אֶל מָקוֹם שֶׁהַנְּחָלִים הוֹלְכִים שָׁם הֵם שָׁבִים לָלָכֶת). This verse has been taught, and the friends said of it (הַאי קְרָא אִתְּמַר, וְאַמְרֵי לֵיהּ חַבְרַיָּיא). But come and see (אֲבָל תָּא חֲזֵי): when those rivers enter into the sea (כַּד אִינּוּן נָחֲלִין עָאלִין לְגוֹ יַמָּא), the sea receives them (וְיַמָּא נָקִיט לוֹן), and absorbs them into itself (וְשָׁאִיב לוֹן בְּגַוֵּיהּ), because water is compressed within the sea (בְּגִין דְּקָפָאן מַיָּא בְּגוֹ יַמָּא), and that frozen mass absorbs all water that enters it (וְהַהוּא גְלִידִי שָׁאִיב כָּל מַיָּא דְּעָאלִין בֵּיהּ). Afterwards, water emerges with the strength of the south (וּלְבָתַר נָפְקִין מַיָּא בְּתּוּקְפָא דְּדָרוֹם), and gives drink to all the creatures of the field (וְאַשְׁקֵי יַת כָּל חֵיוַת בָּרָא), as it is said (Psalms 104) “They give drink to every beast of the field” (כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר יַשְׁקוּ כָּל חַיְתוֹ שָׂדָי). This is the one referenced here (זֶהוּ הַנִּזְכָּר הֲכָא).

Come and see (וְתָא חֲזֵי): the sea that is frozen absorbs all water (יַמָּא דְּקָפָא שָׁאִיב כָּל מַיָּא), and it is released with the power of the south (וְאִשְׁתְּרֵי בְּתּוּקְפָא דְּדָרוֹם), as it has been said (כְּמָה דְּאִתְּמַר), and for this reason it is not full (וּבְגִין כַּךְ אֵינֶנּוּ מָלֵא), and it has been said (וְאִתְּמַר). And the friends were aroused over it (וְהָא אִתְּעָרוּ בֵּיהּ חַבְרַיָּיא): “To the place where the rivers go, there they return to go” (אֶל מָקוֹם שֶׁהַנְּחָלִים הוֹלְכִים שָׁם הֵם שָׁבִים לָלָכֶת). Why do they return? (מַאי טַעֲמָא הֵם שָׁבִים).

Because that river which flows and emerges from Eden never ceases forever (בְּגִין דְּהַהוּא נָהָר דְּנָגִיד וְנָפִיק מֵעֵדֶן לָא פָּסִיק לְעָלְמִין), and it constantly brings forth water to the sea (וְהוּא אַפִּיק תָּדִיר מַיָּא לְיַמָּא). And because of this, waters return to go (וְעַל דָּא, מַיִין שָׁבִין לָלֶכֶת), and they return and go and return and go, and they never cease forever (וְתָבִין, וְאַזְלִין וְתָבִין, וְלָא פָּסְקִין לְעָלְמִין). And when it returns to go (וְכַד אִיהוּ תָּב לָלֶכֶת), it is to go and give drink to all (בְּגִין לְמֵהַךְ לְאַשְׁקָאָה לְכֹלָּא). And the northern wind comes (וְאָתֵי רוּחַ צָפוֹן) and freezes the water (וְקָפֵי מַיָּא), and the southern wind, which is warm (וְרוּחָא דְּדָרוֹם דְּאִיהוּ חֲמִימָא), some say: releases it (ס״א: שַׁרֵי), sends it to go in every direction (שָׁדֵּי לוֹן לְמֵהַךְ לְכָל סְטָר). And for this reason (וְעַל דָּא), this sea sits between these two directions (הַאי יַמָּא יָתִיב בֵּין תְּרֵי סִטְרֵי אִלֵּין), and by them it exists (וּבְגִינַיְיהוּ קַיְּימָא), and clouds go and take from it in every direction (וְאַרְבִין אַזְלִין וְנַטְלִין לְכָל סְטָר).

Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי): when the King comes to His couch (כַּד מַלְכָּא אָתֵי לְעַרְסֵיהּ), at the time when night divides (בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְּאִתְפְּלִיג לֵילְיָא), the northern wind is aroused (רוּחָא דְּצָפוֹן אִתְּעַר), which arouses love toward the Matronita (דְּאִיהוּ אִתְעַר חֲבִיבוּתָא לְגַבֵּי מַטְרוֹנִיתָא). For if not for the arousal of the north (דְּאִלְמָלֵא אִתְעָרוּתָא דְּצָפוֹן), the King would not unite with her (לָא אִתְחֲבָּר מַלְכָּא בַּהֲדָהּ), because the north initiates affection (בְּגִין דְּצָפוֹן שָׁארֵי חֲבִיבוּתָא), as it is said (Song of Songs 2) “His left is under my head” (כְּמָה דְּאִתְּמַר שְׂמֹאלוֹ תַּחַת לְרֹאשִׁי). And the south embraces in love, as it is written (וְדָרוֹם חָבִיק בִּרְחִימוּ דִּכְתִּיב): “And His right shall embrace me” (וִימִינוֹ תְּחַבְּקֵנִי). Then many delights are awakened in song (כְּדֵין כַּמָּה בְּדִיחִין מִתְעָרִין שִׁירָתָא), until morning arrives, as it is written (Job 38) “When the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of Elohim shouted for joy” (דִּכְתִּיב בְּרָן יַחַד כּוֹכְבֵי בֹּקֶר וַיָּרִיעוּ כָּל בְּנֵי אֱלֹהִים). And when morning comes (וְכַד אָתֵי צַפְרָא), all those above and below utter song (כֻּלְּהוּ עִלָּאֵי וְתַתָּאֵי אַמְרֵי שִׁירָתָא), and Yisrael below likewise, as it is written (וְיִשְׂרָאֵל כְּגַוְונָא דָּא לְתַתָּא דִּכְתִּיב) (Isaiah 62) “You who remind Hashem, do not be silent” (הַמַּזְכִּירִים אֶת יְיָ אַל דֳּמִי לָכֶם). “Do not be silent”-below precisely (אַל דֳּמִי לָכֶם לְתַתָּא דַּיְיקָא).

At night, when night divides (כַּד אִתְפְּלִיג לֵילְיָא), those whose desire is to remember Kudsha Berikh Hu continually (אִינּוּן דְּתִיאוּבְתָּא דִּילְהוֹן לְאַדְכְּרָא תָּדִיר לְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא), they do not give rest to their heart (לָא יָהֲבֵי שְׁכִיבוּ לְלִבָּא), and they stand to remember Kudsha Berikh Hu (וְקַיְימִין לְאַדְכְּרָא לֵיהּ לְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא). When dawn rises, they rise early to the Beit Knesset (כַּד סָלִיק צַפְרָא מַקְדִּימִין לְבֵי כְּנִישְׁתָּא), and praise Kudsha Berikh Hu (וּמְשַׁבְּחָאן לֵיהּ לְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא). And likewise at midday (וְכֵן בָּתַר פַּלְגּוּת יוֹמָא), and likewise at night, when darkness falls and night cleaves to shadow and sunset (וְכֵן בְּלֵילְיָא, כַּד אִתְחֲשָׁךְ וְאִתְדְּבַק לֵילְיָא בְּחָשׁוֹכָא וּבַת שִׁמְשָׁא). Of them it is written: “You who remind Hashem, do not be silent” (עַל אִלֵּין כְּתִיב הַמַּזְכִּירִים אֶת יְיָ אַל דֳּמִי לָכֶם). And this is the holy people, Yisrael (וְדָא עַמָּא קַדִּישָׁא דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל).

And for this reason (וְעַל דָּא), Kudsha Berikh Hu remembered them in Egypt (אַדְכַּר לוֹן קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא בְּמִצְרַיִם), and rose up against Pharaoh (וְסָלִיק עַל פַּרְעֹה), these who are never forgotten day or night (אִלֵּין דְּלָא מִשְׁתַּכְכֵי יְמָמָא וְלֵילְיָא). And who are they? (וּמַאן אִינּוּן). The frogs (אוּרְדְּעַנְיָא), whose voice is never silenced (דְּקַלֵהוֹן לָא מִשְׁתְּכַךְ תָּדִיר), because they resemble the holy people (בְּגִין דְּאַתְקִיף בְּעַמָּא קַדִּישָׁא), who are never silent day or night (דְּלָא מִשְׁתַּכְכֵי יְמָמָא וְלֵילֵי), in order to praise Kudsha Berikh Hu (לְשַׁבְּחָא לֵיהּ לְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא). And there was no man in Egypt who could speak to his neighbor (וְלָא הֲוָה בַּר נָשׁ בְּמִצְרַיִם דְּיָכִיל לְמִשְׁתָּעֵי בַּהֲדֵי הֲדָדֵי). And from them the land was corrupted (וּמִנַּיְיהוּ אִתְחַבְּלָת אַרְעָא), and from their voices children and infants died (וּמִקַּלֵּהוֹן הֲווֹ יְנוֹקִין וְרַבְיָין מֵתִין). And if you say: why couldn’t they kill them? (וְאִי תֵּימָא הֵיךְ לָא יַכְלִין לְקָטְלָא לוֹן). Rather, if a man raised a stick or a stone to kill even one (אֶלָּא, אִי אֲרִים בַּר נָשׁ חוּטְרָא אוֹ אֲבָנָא לְקָטְלָא חֲדָא), it would burst (אִתְבַקְעַת), and six would come out of it (וְנָפְקִין שִׁית מִינָהּ), from within its belly (מִגּוֹ מְעָהָא), and go leaping in the land (וְאַזְלֵי וְטַרְטָשֵׁי בְּאַרְעָא), until it was impossible to approach them (עַד דְּהַוִי מִתְמַנָע לְמִקְרָב בְּהוּ).