Parashat Bo

Daf 32b (דַּף ל״ב ע״ב)

“And Hashem said to Moshe: Come to Pharaoh, for I have hardened his heart…” (Exodus 10) (וַיֹּאמֶר יְיָ אֶל מֹשֶׁה בֹּא אֶל פַּרְעֹה כִּי אֲנִי הִכְבַּדְתִּי אֶת לִבּוֹ וְגו׳). Rabbi Yehuda opened and said (רִבִּי יְהוּדָה פָּתַח וְאָמַר): (Psalms 89) “Happy is the people that knows the shout; Hashem, in the light of Your countenance shall they walk” (אַשְׁרֵי הָעָם יוֹדְעֵי תְרוּעָה יְיָ בְּאוֹר פָּנֶיךָ יְהַלֵּכוּן). How necessary it is for human beings (כַּמָּה אִצְטְרִיכוּ בְּנֵי נָשָׁא), to go in the ways of Kudsha Berikh Hu (לְמֵהַךְ בְּאָרְחֵי דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא), and to guard the commandments of the Orayta (וּלְמִטַר פִּקּוּדֵי אוֹרַיְיתָא), so that they merit the World to Come (בְּגִין דְּיִזְכּוּן בָּהּ לְעָלְמָא דְּאָתֵי), and be saved from all accusers above and below (וּלְשֵׁזָבָא לוֹן מִכָּל קִטְרוּגִין דִּלְעֵילָּא וְתַתָּא). For just as there are found accusers in this world below (בְּגִין, דְּהָא כְּמָה דְּאִשְׁתְּכָחוּ מְקַטְרְגִין בְּעָלְמָא לְתַתָּא), so too are found accusers above (הָכִי נָמֵי אִשְׁתְּכָחוּ מְקַטְרְגִין לְעֵילָּא), who stand over human beings (דְּקַיְימֵי עָלַיְיהוּ דִּבְנֵי נָשָׁא). Those who fulfill the commandments of the Orayta (אִינּוּן דְּעַבְדִין פִּקּוּדֵי אוֹרַיְיתָא), and walk in the straight path with awe of their Master (וְאַזְלֵי בְּאוֹרַח מֵישָׁר, בִּדְחֲלָא דְּמָארֵיהוֹן), how many defenders stand over them above (כַּמָּה אִינּוּן סַנֵּיגוֹרִין דְּקַיְימִין עָלַיְיהוּ לְעֵילָּא), as it is said (Job 33) “If there is for him a single defending angel from a thousand…” (כְּמָה דְּאַתְּ אָמַר אִם יֵשׁ עָלָיו מַלְאָךְ מֵלִיץ אֶחָד מִנִּי אָלֶף וְגו׳), and it is written: “Then He will be gracious to him, and He will say, Deliver him from going down to the pit; I have found a ransom” (וּכְתִיב: וַיְחֻנֶּנּוּ וַיֹּאמֶר פְּדָעֵהוּ מֵרֶדֶת שַׁחַת מָצָאתִי כֹפֶר). Because of this, happy is he who guards the commandments of the Orayta (בְּגִין כַּךְ, זַכָּאָה אִיהוּ מַאן דְּנָטִיר פִּקּוּדֵי אוֹרַיְיתָא).

Rabbi Ḥiyya said to him (אָמַר לֵיהּ רִבִּי חִיָּיא): if so, why is it necessary here for an angel to be a defender over a person? (אִי הָכִי, אֲמַאי אִצְטְרִיךְ הָכָא מַלְאָךְ דְּלֶיהֱוִי סַנֵּיגוֹרָא עָלֵיהּ דְּבַר נָשׁ). After all, it is written (Proverbs 3) “For Hashem will be your confidence, and will guard your foot from being caught” (כִּי יְיָ יִהְיֶה בְּכִסְלֶךָ וְשָׁמַר רַגְלְךָ מִלָּכֶד), and it is written (וּכְתִיב) (Psalms 121): “Hashem shall protect you from all evil” (יְיָ יִשְׁמָרְךָ מִכָּל רָע). For behold, Kudsha Berikh Hu sees everything that a person does in the world (דְּהָא חָמֵי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, כָּל מַה דְּבַר נָשׁ עָבִיד בְּעָלְמָא), whether good or bad (הֵן טָב הֵן בִּישׁ), and so it is said (Jeremiah 23) “Can a man hide himself in secret places so that I do not see him? says Hashem” (אִם יִסָּתֵר אִישׁ בַּמִּסְתָּרִים וַאֲנִי לֹא אֶרְאֶנּוּ נְאֻם יְיָ).

Rabbi Yehudah said to him (אָמַר לֵיהּ רִבִּי יְהוּדָה): all this is certainly so (כֹּלָּא הָכִי הוּא וַדַּאי). But behold, it is written (אֲבָל הָא כְּתִיב) (Job 2) “Touch his bone and his flesh” (וְגַע אֶל עַצְמוֹ וְאֶל בְּשָׂרוֹ), and it is written: “You incited Me against him to destroy him without cause” (וַתְּסִיתֵנִי בוֹ לְבַלְּעוֹ חִנָּם). To show that permission is given to the Sitra achra to accuse (לְאַחֲזָאָה דְּהָא רְשׁוּ אִתְמְסָר לְסִטְרָא אַחֲרָא לְקַטְרְגָא), some say: the permission was granted (נ״א: וְרְשׁוּ אִתְמְסַר), over the matters of the world, to one who did not need it (עַל מִלִּין דְּעָלְמָא, לְמַאן דְּלָא אִצְטְרִיךְ), and to be delivered into his hands (וּלְאִתְמַסְּרָא בִּידוֹי). And all these are hidden paths before Kudsha Berikh Hu (וְכָל אִלֵּין אָרְחִין טְמִירִין קָמֵי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא), and you are not worthy to walk after them (וְלֵית אַנְתְּ כְּדַאי לְמֵהַךְ אֲבַתְרַיְיהוּ), because they are the statutes of Kudsha Berikh Hu (בְּגִין דְּאִינּוּן נִמּוּסִין דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא), and human beings are not permitted to investigate them (וּבְנֵי נָשָׁא לָאו אִינּוּן רַשָּׁאִין לְדַקְדְּקָא אֲבַתְרַיְיהוּ), except for those righteous and upright who know the secrets of the Orayta (בַּר אִינּוּן זַכָּאֵי קְשׁוֹט דְּיַדְעִין רָזֵי אוֹרַיְיתָא), and walk in the path of Chokhmah to know the hidden matters of Orayta (וְאָזְלִין בְּאָרְחָא דְּחָכְמְתָא לְמִנְדַּע אִינּוּן מִלִּין סְתִימִין דְּאוֹרַיְיתָא).

Rabbi El'azar opened (רִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר פָּתַח): (Job 1) “And it was on the day, and the sons of HaElohim came to stand before Hashem, and the Accuser also came among them” (וַיְהִי הַיּוֹם וַיָּבֹאוּ בְּנֵי הָאֱלֹהִים לְהִתְיַצֵּב עַל יְיָ, וַיָּבוֹא גַּם הַשָּׂטָן בְּתוֹכָם).

“And it came to pass on that day” (וַיְהִי הַיּוֹם)—this is Rosh HaShanah (דָּא רֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה), when Kudsha Berikh Hu stands to judge the world (דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא קָאִים לְמֵידָן עָלְמָא). In like manner (כְּגַוְונָא דָּא): “And it came to pass on that day, that he came there” (וַיְהִי הַיּוֹם וַיָּבֹא שָׁמָּה) (II Kings 4:8). That day was the Yom Tov [Festival] of Rosh HaShanah (הַהוּא יוֹמָא יוֹם טוֹב דְּרֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה הֲוָה).

“And the sons of Elohim came” (וַיָּבֹאוּ בְּנֵי הָאֱלֹהִים), these are the great appointed beings, messengers in the world (אִלֵּין רַבְרְבִין מְמָנָן שְׁלִיחָן בְּעָלְמָא), to oversee the deeds of humanity (לְאַשְׁגְּחָא בְּעוֹבָדִין דִּבְנֵי נָשָׁא). “To stand over Hashem” (לְהִתְיַצֵּב עַל ה') as it is said (1 Kings 22) “And all the host of the heavens standing by Him on His right and on His left” (וְכָל צְבָא הַשָּׁמַיִם עֹמְדִים עָלָיו מִימִינוֹ וּמִשְּׂמֹאלוֹ). But in this verse “to stand over Hashem” (בְּהַאי קְרָא לְהִתְיַצֵּב עַל ה') we find the expression of the compassion of Kudsha Berikh Hu for Yisrael (רְחִימוּתָא דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא עָלַיְיהוּ דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל). For these messengers, who are appointed to oversee the deeds of humanity (דְּהָנֵי שְׁלִיחָן דְּאִינּוּן מְמָנָן לְאַשְׁגָּחָא עַל עוֹבָדִין דִּבְנֵי נָשָׁא), go and roam and collect all these deeds (אַזְלִין וְשָׁאטִין וְנַטְלִין אִינּוּן עוֹבָדִין כֻּלְּהוּ), and on the day when judgment is set to stand (וּבְיוֹמָא דְּקָאֵי דִּינָא לְמֵיקָם), to judge the world (לְמֵידָן עָלְמָא), they become accusers to stand over the deeds of humanity (אִתְעָבִידוּ קַטֵיגוֹרִין לְמֵיקָם עָלַיְיהוּ דִּבְנֵי נָשָׁא).

Come and see (וְתָא חֲזֵי): from all the nations of the world, they do not stand to oversee their deeds, only over Yisrael alone (מִכָּל עַמִּין דְּעָלְמָא לָא קַיְימִין לְאַשְׁגָּחָא בְּעוֹבָדֵיהוֹן, בַּר בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל בִּלְחוֹדַיְיהוּ), because they are the children of Kudsha Berikh Hu (בְּגִין דְּאִלֵּין בְּנִין לְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא). And when the deeds of Yisrael are not as they should be (וְכַד לָא אִשְׁתְּכָחוּ עוֹבָדִין דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל כְּדְקָא יֵאוֹת), then, so to speak, those appointed messengers (כִּבְיָכוֹל אִינּוּן מְמָנָן שְׁלִיחָן), when they come to stand over those deeds of Yisrael (כַּד בָּעָאן לְקַיְּימָא עַל אִינּוּן עוֹבָדִין דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל), they are indeed standing over Hashem (עַל יְיָ וַדַּאי קַיְימִין), for when Yisrael performs deeds that are not proper (דְּהָא כַּד יִשְׂרָאֵל עַבְדִין עוֹבָדִין דְּלָא כַּשְׁרָן), they weaken the strength of Kudsha Berikh Hu (כִּבְיָכוֹל מַתִּישִׁין חֵילָא דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא).

And when they perform righteous deeds (וְכַד עַבְדִין עוֹבָדִין דְּכַשְׁרָן), they give might and strength to Kudsha Berikh Hu (יַהֲבִין תּוּקְפָּא וְחֵילָא לְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא). And on this it is written (Psalms 68) “Give strength to Elohim” (תְּנוּ עֹז לֵאלֹהִים). How? Through righteous deeds (בְּמָה. בְּעוֹבָדִין דְּכַשְׁרָן). Therefore, on that day (וְעַל דָּא, בְּהַהוּא יוֹמָא), all the great appointed ones are gathered “against Hashem” (כֻּלְּהוּ רַבְרְבָן מְמָנָן אִתְכָּנָשׁוּ עַל יְיָ). “Against Hashem” indeed (עַל יְיָ וַדַּאי), for since they are gathered over Yisrael, they are gathered over Him (דְּהָא כֵּיוָן דְּעַל יִשְׂרָאֵל אִתְכָּנָשׁוּ, עָלֵיהּ אִתְכָּנָשׁוּ).