Daf 32a (דַּף ל״ב ע״א)

Rabbi Yosei and Rabbi Ḥiyya were walking on the road (רִבִּי יוֹסֵי וְרִבִּי חִיָּיא הֲווֹ אַזְלֵי בְּאוֹרְחָא). Rabbi Yosei said to Rabbi Ḥiyya (אָמַר רִבִּי יוֹסֵי לְרִבִּי חִיָּיא): why are you silent? (אֲמַאי אַתְּ שָׁתִיק), for the road is only rectified through words of Orayta (הָא אוֹרְחָא לָא אִתְתְּקַן, אֶלָּא בְּמִלֵּי דְּאוֹרַיְיתָא). Rabbi Ḥiyya was moved, and he wept (אִתְנְגִיד רִבִּי חִיָּיא, וּבָכָה). He opened and said (פָּתַח וְאָמַר) (Bereshit 11) “And Sarai was barren, she had no child” (וַתְּהִי שָׂרַי עֲקָרָה אֵין לָהּ וָלָד) woe for this! (וַוֵי עַל דָּא), woe for that moment when Hagar bore Yishma‘el (וַוֵי עַל הַהוּא זִמְנָא דְּאוֹלִידַת הָגָר לְיִשְׁמָעֵאל).

Rabbi Abba opened and said (פָּתַח רַבִּי אַבָּא וְאָמַר) (Zephaniah 3) “For then I will transform the nations to a pure speech, to call all of them in the name of Hashem, to serve Him with one accord” (כִּי אָז אֶהְפֹּךְ אֶל עַמִּים שָׂפָה בְרוּרָה לִקְרֹא כֻּלָּם בְּשֵׁם יי לְעָבְדוֹ שְׁכֶם אֶחָד), and it is written (Zechariah 14) “And Hashem shall be king…” (וְהָיָה יי לְמֶלֶךְ וְגו׳), “on that day Hashem will be One and His Name One” (בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא יִהְיֶה יי אֶחָד וּשְׁמוֹ אֶחָד).

Rabbi Yosei said to him (אֲמַר לֵיהּ רִבִּי יוֹסֵי): why? After all, she gave birth later and had a son, the holy root (אֲמַאי. וְהָא אוֹלִידַת לְבָתַר, וַהֲוָה לָהּ בְּרָא גִּזְעָא קַדִּישָׁא). He said to him: you see one thing, and I see another (אֲמַר לֵיהּ: אַתְּ חָמֵי, וַאֲנָא חֲמֵינָא), and thus I heard a word from the mouth of Rabbi Shimon (וְהָכִי שְׁמַעְנָא מִפּוּמוֹי דְּרַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן מִלָּה), and I wept. Some say: he said to him-what is it? He said to him: woe… (ס״א: אָמַר לֵיהּ מַאי הִיא, אָמַר לֵיהּ: וַוֵי וְכו׳) Woe for that moment (וַוֵי עַל הַהוּא זִמְנָא), for because Sarah was delayed (דִּבְגִין דְּשָׂרָה אִתְעַכְּבַת), it is written (Bereshit 16) “And Sarai said to Avram… please come to my maidservant…” (כְּתִיב וַתֹּאמֶר שָׂרַי אֶל אַבְרָם וְגו׳ בֹּא נָא אֶל שִׁפְחָתִי וְגו׳).

And because of this, the moment stood for Hagar to rise over her mistress Sarai (וְעַל דָּא, קַיְּימָא שַׁעֲתָא לְהָגָר לְמֵירַת לְשָׂרָה גְּבִירְתָּהּ), and she had a son from Avraham (וַהֲוָה לָהּ בְּרָא מֵאַבְרָהָם). And Avraham said (וְאַבְרָהָם אָמַר) (Bereshit 17) “Would that Yishma‘el might live before You!” (לוּ יִשְׁמָעֵאל יִחְיֶה לְפָנֶיךָ). And even though Kudsha Berikh Hu was promising him about Yitzḥak (וְאַף עַל גַּב דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא הֲוָה מְבַשֵּׂר לֵיהּ עַל יִצְחָק), Avraham clung to Yishma‘el (אִתְדְּבַק אַבְרָהָם בְּיִשְׁמָעֵאל), until Kudsha Berikh Hu set him in his place (עַד דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא אָתִיב לֵיהּ), (Bereshit 17) “As for Yishma‘el, I have heard you…” (וּלְיִשְׁמָעֵאל שְׁמַעְתִּיךָ וְגו׳). Afterwards he was circumcised and entered into the holy covenant (לְבָתַר אִתְגְּזַר, וְעָאל בְּקַיְּימָא קַדִּישָׁא), before Yitzḥak emerged into the world (עַד לָא יִפּוּק יִצְחָק לְעָלְמָא).

And come and see (וְתָּא חֲזֵי), for four hundred years the governance of the children of Yishma‘el stood (אַרְבַּע מְאָה שְׁנִין, קַיְּימָא הַהוּא מְמָנָא דִּבְנֵי יִשְׁמָעֵאל), and it came before Kudsha Berikh Hu (וּבָעָא קָמֵי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא). He said to Him: one who is circumcised has a portion in Your Name (אֲמַר לֵיהּ, מַאן דְּאִתְגְּזַר אִית לֵיהּ חוּלָקָא בִּשְׁמָךְ). He said to him: yes (אֲמַר לֵיהּ, אִין). He said to Him: behold, Yishma‘el who was circumcised-some say: and not only that, but he was circumcised at thirteen years (וְהָא יִשְׁמָעֵאל דְּאִתְגְּזַר, נ״א: וְלֹא עוֹד אֶלָּא דְּאִתְגְּזַר בַּר תְּלַיסַר שְׁנִין) why does he not have a portion in You like Yitzḥak? (אֲמַאי לֵית לֵיהּ חוּלָקָא בָּךְ כְּמוֹ יִצְחָק). He said to him: this one was circumcised properly and in its proper form (אֲמַר לֵיהּ, דָּא אִתְגְּזַר כְּדְקָא יֵאוֹת וּכְתִיקּוּנוֹי), and this one was not so (וְדָא לָאו הָכִי). And not only that (וְלֹא עוֹד), but these cling to Me properly at eight days (אֶלָּא דְּאִלֵּין מִתְדַּבְּקִין בִּי כְּדְקָא יֵאוֹת, לִתְמַנְיָא יוֹמִין), and these are distant from Me for many days (וְאִלֵּין רְחִיקִין מִנִּי עַד כַּמָּה יָמִין).

He said to Him: and still, since he was circumcised, shall he not have a good reward on account of it? (אֲמַר לֵיהּ, וְעִם כָּל דָּא, כֵּיוָן דְּאִתְגְּזַר לָא יְהֵא לֵיהּ אֲגָר טָב בְּגִינֵיהּ). Woe for that time (וַוֵי עַל הַהוּא זִמְנָא), that Yishma‘el was born into the world and was circumcised (דְּאִתְיְלִיד יִשְׁמָעֵאל בְּעָלְמָא, וְאִתְגְּזַר). What did Kudsha Berikh Hu do? (מַה עָבֵד קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא). He distanced the children of Yishma‘el from the supernal bond (אַרְחִיק לְהוּ לִבְנֵי יִשְׁמָעֵאל, מִדְּבֵקוּתָא דִּלְעֵילָּא), and gave them a portion below in the holy land (וְיָהַב לְהוּ חוּלָקָא לְתַתָּא בְּאַרְעָא קַדִּישָׁא), because of that circumcision of theirs (בְּגִין הַהוּא גְּזִירוּ דִּבְהוֹן).

And the children of Yishma‘el are destined to rule over the holy land (וּזְמִינִין בְּנֵי יִשְׁמָעֵאל, לְמִשְׁלָט בְּאַרְעָא קַדִּישָׁא), when it is empty of everything (כַּד אִיהִי רֵיקַנְיָא מִכֹּלָּא), for a long time (זִמְנָא סַגִּי), as their circumcision is empty and not complete (כְּמָה דִּגְזִירוּ דִּלְהוֹן בְּרֵיקַנְיָּא בְּלָא שְׁלִימוּ). And they will hinder the children of Yisrael from returning to their place (וְאִינּוּן יְעַכְּבוּן לְהוֹן לִבְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל לְאָתָבָא לְדוּכְתַיְיהוּ), until the merit of the children of Yishma‘el is completed (עַד דְּאִשְׁתְּלִים הַהוּא זְכוּתָא דִּבְנֵי יִשְׁמָעֵאל). And the children of Yishma‘el are destined to arouse great and mighty wars in the world (וּזְמִינִין בְּנֵי יִשְׁמָעֵאל לְאַתְעֲרָא קְרָבִין תַּקִּיפִין בְּעָלְמָא), and the children of Edom will gather against them (וּלְאִתְכַּנְּשָׁא בְּנֵי אֱדוֹם עָלַיְיהוּ), and wars will be stirred among them-one at sea, one on land, and one near Yerushalayim (וְיִתְעָרוּן קְרָבָא בְּהוּ, חַד עַל יַמָּא, וְחַד עַל יַבֶּשְׁתָּא, וְחַד סָמוּךְ לִירוּשְׁלֵם). These shall prevail over those (וְיִשְׁלְטוּן אִלֵּין בְּאִלֵּין), but the holy land shall not be delivered into the hands of the children of Edom (וְאַרְעָא קַדִּישָׁא לָא יִתְמְסָר לִבְנֵי אֱדוֹם).

At that time, a nation from the ends of the earth will be aroused against wicked Rome (בְּהַהוּא זִמְנָא, יִתְּעַר עַמָּא חַד מִסַּיְיפֵי עָלְמָא עַל רוֹמִי חַיָּיבָא), and a battle shall rage there for three months (וְיִגַּח בָּהּ קְרָבָא תְּלַת יַרְחִין), and nations shall be gathered there (וְיִתְכַּנְּשׁוּן תַּמָּן עַמַּמְיָּא), and they shall fall by their hands (וְיִפְּלוּן בִּידַיְיהוּ), until all the children of Edom are gathered above from all ends of the earth (עַד דְּיִתְכַּנְּשׁוּן כָּל בְּנֵי אֱדוֹם עָלָּה מִכָּל סַיְיפֵי עָלְמָא). And then Kudsha Berikh Hu will rouse Himself against them (וּכְדֵין יִתְּעַר קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא עָלַיְיהוּ), This is what is written (הֲדָא הוּא דִּכְתִּיב) (Isaiah 34) “For Hashem has a slaughter in Batzrah…” (כִּי זֶבַח לַיי בְּבָצְרָה וְגו׳).

And afterwards what is written? “To seize the corners of the earth…” (Job 38) (וּלְבָתַר דָּא מַה כְּתִיב: לֶאֱחוֹז בְּכַנְפוֹת הָאָרֶץ וְגו׳), and He will remove the children of Yishma‘el from it (וְיִשֵׁיצֵי לִבְנֵי יִשְׁמָעֵאל מִינָהּ), and every supernal power will be broken (וְיִתְבַּר כָּל חֵילִין דִּלְעֵילָּא), and there will not remain any strength above over the people of the world except the strength of Yisrael alone (וְלֹא יִשְׁתְּאַר חֵילָא לְעֵילָּא עַל עַמָּא דְּעָלְמָא, אֶלָּא חֵילָא דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל בִּלְחוֹדוֹי). This is what is written (הֲדָא הוּא דִּכְתִּיב) (Psalms 121) “Hashem is your shade at your right hand” (יְי צִלְּךָ עַל יַד יְמִינֶךָ).

Because the holy Name is in the right (בְּגִין דִּשְׁמָא קַדִּישָׁא בִּימִינָא), and Orayta is in the right (וְאוֹרַיְיתָא בִּימִינָא), and upon this the right sustains everything (וְעַל דָּא בִּימִינָא תַּלְיָא כֹּלָּא). And we have learned: one must raise the right over the left (וְתָנֵינָן, דְּבָעֵי לְזַקְפָא יְמִינָא עַל שְׂמָאלָא), as has been established (כְּמָה דְּאוּקְמוּהָ), as it is written (דִּכְתִּיב) (Deuteronomy 33) “From His right hand, a fiery law for them” (מִימִינוֹ אֵשׁ דָּת לָמוֹ). And in that time it is written (Psalms 60) “Save with Your right hand and answer me” (בְּזִמְנָא דְּאָתֵי, הוֹשִׁיעָה יְמִינְךָ וַעֲנֵנִי). And in that time it is written (Zephaniah 3) “For then I will transform the peoples to a pure language to call all of them in the Name of Hashem to serve Him with one accord” (כִּי אָז אֶהְפּוֹךְ אֶל עַמִּים שָׂפָה בְרוּרָה לִקְרֹא כֻלָּם בְּשֵׁם יְי לְעָבְדוֹ שְׁכֶם אֶחָד). And it is written (וּכְתִיב) (Zechariah 14) “On that day Hashem will be One and His Name One” (בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא יִהְיֶה יי אֶחָד וּשְׁמוֹ אֶחָד).

Blessed is Hashem forever, amen and amen (בָּרוּךְ יְי לְעוֹלָם אָמֵן וְאָמֵן)