Daf 33a (דַּף ל״ג ע״א)

“And also the Satan came among them” (וַיָּבֹא גַּם הַשָּׂטָן בְּתוֹכָם) - “also” (gam) to add upon them (גַּם, לְאַסְגָּאָה עָלַיְיהוּ), for all of them came to be accusers upon Yisrael (דְּכֻלְּהוּ אַתְיָין לְמֶהֱוֵי קַטֵיגוֹרִין עָלַיְיהוּ דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל), and this one added upon them (וְדָא אִתּוֹסָף עָלַיְיהוּ), because he is the greatest slanderer of all (בְּגִין דְּאִיהוּ דַּיְלְטוֹרָא רַבְרְבָא מִכֻּלְּהוּ), the greatest accuser among all (קַטֵיגוֹרָא מִכֻּלְּהוּ). Once Kudsha Berikh Hu saw that they had all come to accuse (כֵּיוָן דְּחָמָא קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, דְּכֻלְּהוּ אַתְיָין לְקַטְרְגָא), immediately it is written: “And Hashem said to the Satan: From where do you come?” (וַיֹּאמֶר יְיָ אֶל הַשָּׂטָן מֵאַיִן תָּבֹא). And does Kudsha Berikh Hu not know from where he comes? (וְכִי לָא הֲוָה יָדַע קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא מֵאָן הֲוָה אָתֵי), rather, it is to draw him into a matter according to His will (אֶלָּא לְאַיְיתָאָה עוֹבָדָא לִרְעוּתֵיהּ). “And the Satan answered Hashem and said: From roaming the earth…” (וַיַּעַן הַשָּׂטָן אֶת יְיָ וַיֹּאמַר מִשּׁוּט בָּאָרֶץ). From here we learn (מִכָּאן אוֹלִיפְנָא), that the inhabited places of the earth are given over to other sides (דְּיִשּׁוּבָא דְּאַרְעָא אִתְמְסָר לְסִטְרִין אַחֲרָנִין), except for the land of Yisrael alone (בַּר אַרְעָא דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל בִּלְחוֹדָהּ). Once he said “from roaming the earth” (כֵּיוָן דְּאָמַר מִשּׁוּט בָּאָרֶץ), Kudsha Berikh Hu observed (אַשְׁגַּח קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא), that he desired to be a slanderer over Yisrael (דְּבָעֵי לְמֶהֱוֵי דַּיְלְטוֹרָא עָלַיְיהוּ דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל). Immediately: “And Hashem said to the Satan: Have you set your heart upon My servant Job, that there is none like him on earth?” (וַיֹּאמֶר יְיָ אֶל הַשָּׂטָן הֲשַׂמְתָּ לִבְּךָ עַל עַבְדִּי אִיּוֹב כִּי אֵין כָּמוֹהוּ בָּאָרֶץ) (Job 1).

He saw the time to give him a portion (חָמָא שַׁעֲתָא לְמֵיהַב לֵיהּ חוּלָקָא), with what to occupy himself (בְּמָה דְּיִתְעֲסַק), and to separate him from Yisrael (וְיִתְפְּרַשׁ מִנַּיְיהוּ דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל). And it has already been established (וְהָא אוּקְמוּהָ), as a proof that he sought to cross a river with his flock etc. (לְרַעְיָא דְּבָעָא לְמֶעְבַּר עָאנֵיהּ בְּחַד נַהֲרָא וְכוּ׳), immediately that Satan was occupied with him (מִיַּד אִתְעַסַּק בֵּיהּ הַהוּא שָׂטָן), and he did not accuse Yisrael (וְלֹא קִטְרֵג עָלַיְיהוּ דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל). “And the Satan also came among them” (וַיָּבֹא גַּם הַשָּׂטָן בְּתוֹכָם), also-to intensify accusation upon them (גַּם, לְאַסְגָּאָה עָלַיְיהוּ), for all came to be accusers against Yisrael (דְּכֻלְּהוּ אַתְיָין לְמֶהֱוֵי קַטֵיגוֹרִין עָלַיְיהוּ דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל), and this one was added upon them (וְדָא אִתּוֹסָף עָלַיְיהוּ), because he is the great slanderer of all (בְּגִין דְּאִיהוּ דַּלְטוֹרָא רַבְרְבָא מִכֻּלְּהוּ), the accuser above them all (קַטֵיגוֹרָא מִכֻּלְּהוּ).

When Kudsha Berikh Hu saw that all had come to accuse (כֵּיוָן דְּחָמָא קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, דְּכֻלְּהוּ אַתְיָין לְקַטְרְגָא), immediately: “And Hashem said to the Satan: From where do you come?” (מִיָּד וַיֹּאמֶר יְיָ אֶל הַשָּׂטָן מֵאַיִן תָּבֹא). But did Kudsha Berikh Hu not know from where he came? (וְכִי לֹא הֲוָה יָדַע קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא מֵאָן הֲוָה אָתֵי), rather, it was to draw out a deed according to His will (אֶלָּא לְאַיְיתָאָה עוֹבָדָא לִרְעוּתֵיהּ). “And the Satan answered Hashem and said: from roaming the earth” (וַיַּעַן הַשָּׂטָן אֶת יְיָ וַיֹּאמַר מִשּׁוּט בָּאָרֶץ). From here we learn (מִכָּאן אוֹלִיפְנָא) that the habitation of the earth is given over to other forces (דְּיִשּׁוּבָא דְּאַרְעָא אִתְמְסָר לְסִטְרִין אַחֲרָנִין), except for the land of Yisrael alone (בַּר אַרְעָא דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל בִּלְחוֹדָהָא). Once he said “from roaming the earth” (כֵּיוָן דְּאָמַר מִשּׁוּט בָּאָרֶץ), Kudsha Berikh Hu perceived that he intended to slander Yisrael (אַשְׁגַּח קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, דְּבָעֵי לְמֶהֱוֵי דַּלְטוֹרָא עָלַיְיהוּ דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל). Immediately: “And Hashem said to the Satan: Have you set your heart upon My servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth?” (מִיָּד, וַיֹּאמֶר יְיָ אֶל הַשָּׂטָן הֲשַׂמְתָּ לִבְּךָ עַל עַבְדִּי אִיּוֹב כִּי אֵין כָּמוֹהוּ בָּאָרֶץ).

He saw the moment to give him a portion (חָמָא שַׁעֲתָא לְמֵיהַב לֵיהּ חוּלָקָא), in something that would engage him (בְּמָה דְּיִתְעֲסַק), so that he would withdraw from Yisrael (וְיִתְפְּרַשׁ מִנַּיְיהוּ דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל). And this was already explained (וְהָא אוּקְמוּהָ), by the parable of a shepherd who wished to bring his flock across a river, etc. (לְרַעְיָא דְּבָעָא לְמֶעְבַּר עָאנֵיהּ בְּחַד נַהֲרָא וְכוּ׳). Immediately the Satan became occupied with Job (מִיַּד אִתְעַסַּק בֵּיהּ הַהוּא שָׂטָן), and did not accuse Yisrael (וְלֹא קִטְרֵג עָלַיְיהוּ דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל). And all came by judgment (וְכֹלָּא בְּדִינָא אָתָא). Some say: regarding him (נ״א: לְגַבֵּיהּ). As he judged (כְּמָה דְּאִיהוּ דָּן), so was he judged (הָכִי אִתְּדָן). For Job was among the advisers of Pharaoh (בְּגִין דְּאִיּוֹב מִקְּרִיבֵי עֵיטָא דְּפַרְעֹה הֲוָה), and when Pharaoh rose up against Yisrael (וְכַד קָם פַּרְעֹה עֲלַיְיהוּ דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל), he sought to kill them (בָּעָא לְקָטְלָא לוֹן). He said to him: No (אָמַר לֵיהּ לָא), rather take their wealth and rule over their bodies (אֶלָּא טוֹל מָמוֹנֵיהוֹן וּשְׁלוֹט עַל גּוּפֵיהוֹן), with harsh labor (בְּפוּלְחָנָא קַשְׁיָא), and do not kill them (וְלָא תִּקְטוֹל לוֹן). Kudsha Berikh Hu said to him (אָמַר לֵיהּ קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא): By your life (חַיֶּיךָ), in that very judgment, you shall be judged (בְּהַהוּא דִּינָא מַמָּשׁ תְּהֵא דָאִין). What is written? (מַה כְּתִיב) “However, stretch out now Your hand and touch his bone and his flesh...” (אוּלָם שְׁלַח נָא יָדְךָ וְגַע אֶל עַצְמוֹ וְאֶל בְּשָׂרוֹ וְגו׳) (Job 2). In what he judged (בְּמָה דְּאִיהוּ דָּן), so was he judged (הָכִי אִתְּדָן). And even though in all else he feared Kudsha Berikh Hu (וְאַף עַל גַּב דִּבְכָל שְׁאַר הֲוָה דָּחִיל לְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא).

Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי), what is written? “Only spare his soul” (מַה כְּתִיב אַךְ אֶת נַפְשׁוֹ שְׁמוֹר). And permission was given to him to rule over the flesh (וְאִתְיְהִיב לֵיהּ רְשׁוּ לְמִשְׁלַט עַל בִּשְׂרָא), because of the secret of what is written (בְּגִין רָזָא דִּכְתִּיב): “The end of all flesh has come before Me” (קֵץ כָּל בָּשָׂר בָּא לְפָנַי) (Bereshit 6), and it was established (וְאוּקְמוּהָ): “has come before Me” - indeed (בָּא לְפָנַי וַדַּאי). And this is “the end of all flesh” p5-57(וְדָא אִיהוּ קֵץ כָּל בָּשָׂר) and not the spirit (וְלֹא רוּחָא). And it was said (וְאִיתְּמַר), that this is the end that comes from the side of darkness (דְּאִיהוּ קֵץ דְּאָתֵי מִסִּטְרָא דְּחֹשֶׁךְ), as you say (כְּמָה דְּאַתְּ אָמֵר): “He set an end to darkness, and to every limit He investigates” (קֵץ שָׂם לַחֹשֶׁךְ וּלְכָל תַּכְלִית הוּא חוֹקֵר) (Job 28). And to all flesh (וּלְכָל בִּשְׂרָא), because there is another end (בְּגִין דְּאִית קֵץ אֲחֲרָא), and it is called (וְאִקְרֵי): “the end of the right” (קֵץ הַיָּמִין) (Daniel 12), and this is the other end (וְדָא אִיהוּ קֵץ אֲחֲרָא), from the left side (מִסִּטְרָא דִּשְׂמָאלָא), which is darkness (דְּאִיהוּ חֹשֶׁךְ). And because of this, permission was given to him over his bone and his flesh (וְעַל דָּא אִתְיְהִיב לֵיהּ רְשׁוּ בְּעַצְמוֹ וּבִשְׂרוֹ). “You incited Me against him to swallow him” (וַתְּסִיתֵנִי בוֹ לְבַלְּעוֹ). If so, was it not by judgment? (אִי הָכִי לָאו בְּדִינָא הֲוָה) Rather, by the word of that accuser (אֶלָּא בְּמֵימַר הַהוּא מְקַטְרְגָא), who incited him and misled him (דְּאָסִית לֵיהּ וְאַסְטֵי לֵיהּ). Rather, all was by judgment (אֶלָּא כֹּלָּא בְּדִינָא הֲוָה). And thus said Elihu to him (וְהָכִי אָמַר לוֹ אֱלִיהוּא): “For the deed of a man He will repay him, and according to a man’s path He will bring it upon him” (כִּי פֹעַל אָדָם יְשַׁלֶּם לוֹ וּכְאֹרַח אִישׁ יַמְצִיאֶנּוּ) (Job 34). And so it was (וְהָכִי הֲוָה), as it is said (כְּמָה דְּאִתְּמַר): As he decreed (כְּמָה דְּאִיהוּ גָּזַר), so it was decreed upon him (הָכִי אִתְּגְּזַר עָלֵיהּ).