Daf 30b (דַּף ל׳ ע״ב)

Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי), how many rivers, how many streams, emerge from the supernal sea (כַּמָּה נָהֲרִין, כַּמָּה יְאוֹרִין, נַפְקָא מִגּוֹ יַמָּא עִלָּאָה), when water is drawn and released (כַּד אִתְמַשְּׁכָן וּמִשְׁתְּרָן מַיָּא), and they divide into many rivers (וּמִתְפַּלְגִין כַּמָּה נְחָלִין), into many directions, into many streams, into many rivers (לְכַמָּה סִטְרִין, לְכַמָּה יְאוֹרִין, לְכַמָּה נָהֲרִין). And the portion appointed for the side of Egypt are these waters (וְחוּלָקָא דִּמְמָנָא דְּסִטְרָא דְּמִצְרַיִם אִינּוּן מַיִין), which stir up those who emerge from the sea (מְרַחֲשָׁן אִלֵּין), For there are no waters that go forth from the sea that do not bring forth fish according to their kinds (דְּלֵית לָךְ מַיִין דְּנָפְקִין מִגּוֹ יַמָּא, דְּלָא מַפְקֵי נוּנִין לְזִינִין). Who are these fish? (מַאן אִינּוּן נוּנִין)

These are messengers in the world (אִינּוּן שְׁלִיחָן בְּעָלְמָא), appointed to perform the will of their Master (מְמָנָן לְמֶעְבַּד רְעוּתָא דְּמָארֵיהוֹן), appointed by the spirit of Chokhmah (מְמָנָן בְּרוּחָא דְּחָכְמְתָא). And concerning this we have learned (וְעַל דָּא תָּנֵינָן): there are waters that produce sages (אִית מַיִין מְגַדְּלִין חַכִּימִין), and there are waters that produce fools (וְאִית מַיִין מְגַדְּלִין טִפְּשִׁין), according to the rivers that divide in every direction (לְפוּם אִינּוּן נָהֲרִין דְּמִתְחַלְּקִין לְכָל סִטְרִין). And here the rivers of Egypt produce masters of sorcery (וְהָכָא נַהֲרֵי דְּמִצְרָאֵי, מְגַדְּלִין מָארֵי דְּחָרָשִׁין), fish in ranks (נוּנִין בְּסִיטִין), attached to the ten levels of sorcery (קְפִיטִין בְּעֶשֶׂר דַּרְגִּין דְּחָרָשִׁין), As it is written (דִּכְתִּיב), one who practices divination (קוֹסֵם קְסָמִים), one who soothsays (מְעוֹנֵן), and one who divines by omens (וּמְנַחֵשׁ), and a sorcerer (וּמְכַשֵּׁף), and one who binds a spell (וְחוֹבֵר חָבֶר), and one who inquires of a ghost (וְשׁוֹאֵל אוֹב), and a familiar spirit (וְיִדְּעוֹנִי), and one who seeks the dead (וְדוֹרֵשׁ אֶל הַמֵּתִים). These are ten types of sorcerous Chokhmah (הָא עֶשֶׂר זִינִין דְּחָכְמְתָא דְּחָרָשַׁיָּא). And at that time Kudsha Berikh Hu stretched forth His finger (וּבְהַהוּא זִמְנָא, אוֹשִׁיט קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא אֶצְבְּעָא דִּידֵיהּ), and confused those rivers of Egypt (וּבַלְבֵּל אִינּוּן נְחָלִין נַהֲרִין דְּמִצְרָאֵי), and those Nunin of their Chokhmah were impeded (וְאִתְמְנָעוּ אִינּוּן נוּנֵי דְּחָכְמְתָא דִּילְהוֹן). One was turned to blood (חַד אִתְהַפַּךְ לְדָמָא), and one the nunin rose in sound (וְחַד דְּסָלִיקוּ נוּנֵי קָלִין), and all the Nunin depended upon this (דְּכּוּלְּהוּ נוּנִין תַּלְיֵין), but without effect (בְּלֹא תּוֹעַלְתָּא), and no spirit came upon them from that Chokhmah (וְלָא אָתֵי עָלַיְיהוּ רוּחָא דְּאִינּוּן חָכְמְתָן).

Arov (Mixture): in this manner, their categories of Chokhmah were confused (עָרוֹב: כִּי הַאי גַּוְונָא, דְּעִרְבֵּב לוֹן זִינֵי דְּחָכְמְתָא דִּילְהוֹן), and they could not bond (וְלָא יַכְלִין לְאִתְדַּבְּקָא). And not only that (וְלא עוֹד), but even those that were found in the land harmed them in the land (אֶלָּא אֲפִילּוּ דְּהָנֵי דְּאִשְׁתְּכָחוּ בְּאַרְעָא, מְחַבְּלָן לוֹן בְּאַרְעָא), and damaged their paths (וּמְחַבְּלָן אוֹרְחַיְיהוּ). What is Arov? A mixture (עָרוֹב, מַאי עָרוֹב. עִרְבּוּבְיָא), as it is said (Leviticus 19) “and a garment of mixed fabric” (כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר וּבֶגֶד כִּלְאַיִם). And “you shall not sow your field with mixed seed” (עִרוּבִין: שָׂדְךָ לֹא תִּזְרַע כִּלְאָיִם). Many kinds within the reach of the hand (זִינִין סַגִּיאִין בְּאָרָמוּת יְדָא).

Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי): how many forces were aroused above as one (כַּמָּה חֵילִין אִתְעָרוּ לְעֵילָּא כְּחַד), and Kudsha Berikh Hu confused them all together (וּבַלְבֵּל לוֹן קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא כַּחֲדָא), in order to confound their power above (בְּגִין לְבַלְבְּלָא חֵיילַיְיהוּ תַּקִּיפָא לְעֵילָּא). And all the mighty acts that Kudsha Berikh Hu performed in Egypt were with one hand (וְכָל אִינּוּן גְּבוּרָן דְּעָבַד קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא בְּמִצְרַיִם, בִּידָא חֲדָא הֲוָה), for He raised His hand over them above and below (דְּאָרִים יְדֵיהּ עָלַיְיהוּ, לְעֵילָּא וְתַתָּא), and from there the wisdom of Egypt was destroyed (וּמִתַּמָּן אִתְאֲבִידַת חָכְמְתָא דְּמִצְרַיִם), as it is written (Isaiah 29) “And the wisdom of their wise men shall perish, and the understanding of their prudent men shall be hidden” (דִּכְתִּיב וְאָבְדָה חָכְמַת חֲכָמָיו וּבִינַת נְבוֹנָיו תִּסְתַּתָּר). And come and see (וְתָא חֲזֵי), it is written (Isaiah 19) “And I will stir up Egypt against Egypt” (כְּתִיב וְסִכְסַכְתִּי מִצְרַיִם בְּמִצְרַיִם). Egypt above (מִצְרַיִם לְעֵילָּא), against Egypt below (בְּמִצְרַיִם לְתַתָּא). For those forces above are appointed over the lower ones (בְּגִין דְּאִינּוּן חֵילִין לְעֵילָּא, מְמָנָן עַל חֵילִין דִּלְתַתָּא), and all became confused (וְאִתְעָרְבוּ כֻּלְּהוּ). They were mixed above (אִתְעָרְבוּ לְעֵילָּא), so that the Egyptians could no longer bind through their sorceries (דְּלָא הֲווֹ מִצְרָאֵי יַכְלֵי לְאִתְקַשְּׁרָא בְּחָרָשַׁיְיהוּ), in those places that they were previously able to do so (בְּאִינּוּן דּוּכְתֵּי דַּהֲווֹ מִתְקַשְּׁרֵי בְּקַדְמִיתָא), for they were confounded (דְּהָא אִתְבַּלְבָּלוּ). And for this reason He brought upon them Arov (וְעַל דָּא אַיְיתֵי עָלַיְיהוּ עָרוֹב), creatures that were mixed with one another (חִיוָון דַּהֲווֹ מִתְעָרְבֵי דָּא בְּדָא).

Lice-these arise from the dust of the earth (כִּנִּים, דְּסַלְּקָא עַפְרָא דְּאַרְעָא). And come and see (וְתָא חֲזֵי): everything that arises in the earth, comes from the power above, from the appointed force that is sown upon it (כָּל אִיבָא דְּאִתְיְלִידַת בְּאַרְעָא, מֵחֵילָא דִּלְעֵילָּא מְמָנָא דְּאִזְדְּרַע עָלָה אִיהוּ), and all is in the likeness of above (וְכֹלָּא הֲוָה כְּגַוְונָא דִּלְעֵילָּא). And come and see (וְתָא חֲזֵי), seven firmaments Kudsha Berikh Hu made (שִׁבְעָה רְקִיעִין עָבֵד קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא), in the likeness of this: seven earths (כְּגַוְונָא דָּא שִׁבְעָה אַרְעָאן). And these are domains that are divided in their places (וְאִינּוּן תְּחוּמִין דְּמִתְפָּרְשָׁן בְּדוּכְתַּיְיהוּ). Seven firmaments above (ז' רְקִיעִין לְעֵילָּא), and seven domains of the earth above (שִׁבְעָה תְּחוּמֵי אַרְעָא לְעֵילָּא), in this manner they are divided below in levels (כְּהַאי גַּוְונָא לְתַתָּא מִתְפָּרְשָׁן דַּרְגִּין), seven firmaments and seven domains of the earth (ז' רְקִיעִין וְז' תְּחוּמֵי אַרְעָא).

And the friends have already established this (וְהָא אוּקְמוּהוּ חַבְרַיָּיא), in the seven earths as sefufah, layer upon layer (בְּז' אַרְעִין כְּסוּפְטָא דָּא עַל דָּא). And those seven domains of the earth above (וְאִינּוּן ז' תְּחוּמֵי אַרְעָא לְעֵילָּא), each and every one divides into ten (כָּל חַד וְחַד מִתְפָּרְשָׁן לְעֶשֶׂר), and they divide into seventy appointed ones (וְאִינּוּן מִתְפָּלְּגָאן לְע' מְמָנָן), who are appointed over seventy nations p5-56(דִּמְמָנָן עַל שִׁבְעִין עַמִּין). And that land (וְהַהוּא אַרְעָא), the domain of each and every nation (תְּחוּמָא דְּכָל עַמָּא וְעַמָּא), is a wall surrounding the holy land of Yisrael (סַחֲרָא לְאַרְעָא קַדִּישָׁא דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל), as it is said (Song of Songs 3) “Behold the bed of Shlomo: sixty mighty ones surround it, of the mighty ones of Yisrael” (כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר הִנֵּה מִטָּתוֹ שֶׁלִּשְׁלֹמֹה שִׁשִּׁים גִּבּוֹרִים סָבִיב לָהּ מִגִּבּוֹרֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל). And ten within are hidden (וַעֲשָׂרָה בְּגַוַויְיהוּ טְמִירִין), and they are the seventy who surround the holy land (וְאִינּוּן ע' דְּסַחֲרָן אַרְעָא קַדִּישָׁא). And this is above, in the likeness of that which is below (וְדָא הוּא לְעֵילָּא, כְּגַוְונָא דָּא לְתַתָּא).

And Come and see (וְתָּא חֲזֵי), that land, the domain of the portion of Egypt (הַהוּא אַרְעָא, תְּחוּמָא דְּחוּלָקָא דְּמִצְרָאֵי), at that time Kudsha Berikh Hu stretched forth His finger (בְּהַהוּא זִמְנָא, אוֹשִׁיט קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא אֶצְבְּעָא דִּילֵיהּ), and maggots were generated in that domain (וְאִתְיְלִידוּ טַפְסִירִין בְּהַהוּא תְּחוּמָא), and all those moist regions that held water were dried up (וְאִתְיְבָשׁוּ כָּל אִינּוּן תְּחוּמִין דְּרַכִּיכוּ מַיָּא). And every moistness of water that was bubbling up (וְכָל יְרוֹקָא דְּמַיִין דְּנַבְעִין), was then below seen as decay rising from the dust of the earth (כְּדֵין לְתַתָּא, אִתְחֲזִיאוּ קִלְמִין מֵעַפְרָא דְּאַרְעָא). And it has been taught that Aharon was the one who struck (וְהָא אִתְּמַר דְּאַהֲרֹן הֲוָה מָחֵי). But it was because of this that Aharon struck (אֲבָל בְּגִין דָּא אַהֲרֹן הֲוָה מָחֵי), to show the right hand of Kudsha Berikh Hu that crushed the enemies (לְאַחֲזָאָה דִּימִינָא דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא תָּבַר לְשַׂנְאִין), as it is said (Exodus 15) “Your right hand, Hashem, shatters the enemy” (כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר יְמִינְךָ יי תִּרְעַץ אוֹיֵב). In this manner, Kudsha Berikh Hu is destined to come upon the great city of Rome (כְּגַוְונָא דָּא, זָמִין קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לְאַיְיתָאָה עַל קַרְתָּא דְּרוֹמִי רַבְּתָא), as it is written (Isaiah 34) “And her rivers shall be turned into pitch, and her dust into brimstone” (דִּכְתִּיב וְנֶהֶפְכוּ נְחָלֶיהָ לְזֶפֶת וַעֲפָרָהּ לְגָפְרִית). And concerning this, “all the dust of the land became lice throughout the land of Egypt” (וְעַל דָּא, כָּל עֲפַר הָאָרֶץ הָיָה כִנִּים בְּכָל אֶרֶץ מִצְרָיִם).