Daf 37a (דַּף ל״ז ע״א)

Rabbi Ḥiyya and Rabbi Yose sat (יָתְבוּ רִבִּי חִיָּיא וְרִבִּי יוֹסֵי). Rabbi Yose said (אָמַר רִבִּי יוֹסֵי): On several occasions I have asked (בְּכַמָּה זִמְנִין שָׁאִילְנָא), this that is written: “And it was at midnight, and Hashem struck every firstborn in the land of Egypt” (הַאי דִּכְתִּיב, וַיְהִי בַּחֲצִי הַלַּיְלָה וַיְיָ הִכָּה כָּל בְּכוֹר בְּאֶרֶץ מִצְרָיִם) - why was it not by day (אֲמַאי לָא הֲוָה בִּימָמָא), that the miracle would be revealed publicly to all (דְּיִתְגְּלֵי לְכָל פִּרְסוּמֵי נִיסָא)? And why did all those weak ones behind the millstones die (וַאֲמַאי מֵיתוּ כָּל אִינּוּן חַלָּשֵׁי דְּבָתַר רֵחַיָּיא), and those little ones born of handmaids (וְאִינּוּן טַלְיָא דִּבְנֵי עָאֲנָא), and the kings and royal captains did not die (וְלָא מֵיתוּ מַלְכֵי וּפַרְדַּשְׁכֵּי), and the men mighty in battle (וְגוּבְרֵי מַגִּיחֵי קְרָבָא), as happened with Sancheriv (כְּמָה דְּהֲוָה בְּסַנְחֵרִיב), as it is written (דִּכְתִּיב) (Melakhim II 19): “And the angel of Hashem went out and struck in the camp of Ashur, etc.” (וַיֵּצֵא מַלְאַךְ יְיָ וַיַּךְ בְּמַחֲנֵה אַשּׁוּר וְגוֹ׳).

And we have learned (וְתָנֵינָן): they were all kings, sons of kings - Rufinus and royal captains (כֻּלְּהוּ מַלְכִין בְּנֵי מַלְכִין רוּפִינוּס וּפַרְדַּשְׁכֵּי). There was revealed there the might of a single emissary of His (הָתָם אִתְחָזֵי גְּבוּרְתָּא דְּחַד שְׁלִיחָא דִּילֵיהּ), more than here (יַתִּיר מֵהַאי), where it would have been more fitting to have been His own (דְּהֲוָה יֵאוֹת לְמֶהֱוֵי דִּילֵיהּ יַתִּיר). He said to him (אָמַר לֵיהּ): You have asked well (יֵאוֹת שָׁאַלְתְּ), but I have not heard anything about this (וַאֲנָא לָא שְׁמַעְנָא מִידִי בְּהַאי), and I shall not say (וְלָא אֵימָא). But behold, we have merited all this (אֲבָל הָא זָכֵינָא לְכָל הַאי), and the path is prepared before us (וְאָרְחָא אִתְתַּקַּן קָמָן).

I have heard that Rabbi Shim‘on ben Yochai (אֲנָא שְׁמַעְנָא דְּרִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן יוֹחָאי) is purifying the marketplaces of Teverya (מַדְכֵּי שְׁוָקִין דִּטְבֶרְיָה); let us go to him (נֵיזִיל גַּבֵּיהּ). They sat (יָתְבוּ), until day began to shine (עַד דְּהֲוָה נָהִיר יְמָמָא). When the light rose (כַּד סָלִיק נְהוֹרָא), they rose and went (קָמוּ וְאַזְלֵי). When they reached him (כַּד מָטוּ גַּבֵּיהּ), they found him sitting (אַשְׁכְּחוּהוּ, דְּהֲוָה יָתִיב), and a book of Aggadah was in his hand (וְסִפְרָא דְּאַגָּדְתָּא בִּידֵיהּ). He opened and said (פָּתַח וְאָמַר), (Isaiah 40): “All the nations are as nothing before Him; from nothing and void they are reckoned to Him” (כָּל הַגּוֹיִם כְּאַיִן נֶגְדּוֹ מֵאֶפֶס וָתֹהוּ נֶחְשְׁבוּ לוֹ).

Once it said (כֵּיוָן דְּאָמַר): “All the nations are as nothing before Him” (כָּל הַגּוֹיִם כְּאַיִן נֶגְדּוֹ) (Isaiah 40:17), why is it written (לָמָּה כְּתִיב): “From nothing and void they are reckoned to Him” (מֵאֶפֶס וָתֹהוּ נֶחְשְׁבוּ לוֹ) (Isaiah 40:17)? Rather, we have learned (אֶלָּא אוֹלִיפְנָא), that the understanding of all the nations of the world (דַּעְתַּיְיהוּ דְּכָל עַמִּין דְּעָלְמָא)—their faith is as nothing (דִּמְהֵימָנוּתָא דִּלְהוֹן הוּא כְּאַיִן), for they are not joined to the supernal ones and the lower ones (דְּלָא אִדְבָּקוּ עִלָּאִין וְתַתָּאִין)—Some say: and to the lower ones (נ״א: וּבְתַתָּאִין)—and they have set before themselves a faith of foolishness (וְשַׁוְיָין לָקָבְלַיְיהוּ מְהֵימָנוּתָא דִּשְׁטוּתָא). But “From nothing and void they are reckoned to Him” (אֲבָל מֵאֶפֶס וָתֹהוּ נֶחְשְׁבוּ לוֹ) (Isaiah 40:17), like that Il'ola [Chaff] (כְּהַאי עִלְעוֹלָא) of thorns (דְּסַחֲרָא)—Some say: flying (ס״א: דְּפָרְחָא)—in the wind (בְּרוּחָא), and it rolls about in the summer in emptiness (וּמִתְגַּלְגְּלָא בְּקָיְטָא בְּרֵיקַנְיָּא). This is what is written (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב): “And all the inhabitants of the earth are reckoned as nothing” (וְכָל דַּיְּירֵי אַרְעָא כְּלָא חֲשִׁיבִין) (Daniel 4:32). He further opened and said (עוֹד פָּתַח וְאָמַר): “In the beginning Elohim created the heavens and the earth” (בְּרֵאשִׁית בָּרָא אֱלֹהִים אֵת הַשָּׁמַיִם וְאֵת הָאָרֶץ) (Bereshit 1:1).

Et (אֵת)—this is the right side of Kudsha Berikh Hu (דָּא יְמִינָא דְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא), and Ve'et (וְאֵת)—this is the left side (דָּא שְׂמָאלָא). We have learned (אוֹלִיפְנָא), that Kudsha Berikh Hu extended His right side (דְּסָטָא קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא יְמִינֵיהּ), and created the heavens (וּבָרָא יַת שְׁמַיָּא), and extended the left side (וְסָטָא שְׂמָאלָא), and created the earth (וּבָרָא יַת אַרְעָא). This is what is written (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב): “Indeed, My hand founded the earth, and My right hand spread out the heavens; when I call to them, they stand together” (אַף יָדִי יָסְדָה אֶרֶץ וִימִינִי טִפְּחָה שָׁמַיִם קוֹרֵא אֲנִי אֲלֵיהֶם יַעַמְדוּ יַחְדָּו) (Isaiah 48:13).

What is meant by: “They stand together” (מַהוּ יַעַמְדוּ יַחְדָּו)? Would you presume that the heavens and the earth do not stand together? (סַלְקָא דַעְתָּךְ שְׁמַיָּא וְאַרְעָא לָאו הָכִי). Some say: “From the heavens I call to them,” but the earth is not so (נ״א: מֵהַשָּׁמַיִם קוֹרֵא אֲנִי אֲלֵיהֶם וְהָאָרֶץ לָאו הָכִי). Rather (אֶלָּא), it is the right and the left (יְמִינָא וּשְׂמָאלָא), which are Et and Ve'et (דְּאִינּוּן אֵ״ת וְאֵ״ת), and how do they stand together? (וְהֵיאַךְ יַעַמְדוּ יַחְדָּו). Through Zot [This] (בְּזֹאת הַהִיא), which rules at midnight (דְּשַׁלְטָא בְּפַלְגוּת לֵילְיָא), in which Et is included within Zot [This] (דִּכְלִילָא אֵ״ת בְּזֹאת). And we have learned (וְתָנִינָן): “He has made everything beautiful in its time” (אֶת הַכֹּל עָשָׂה יָפֶה בְּעִתּוֹ) (Kohelet 3:11). Et (אֶ״ת)—this is what we have said (הָא דְּאָמַרָן). “The whole” (הַכֹּל)—as you have said (כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר): “And Hashem blessed Avraham with everything” (וַה׳ בֵּרַךְ אֶת אַבְרָהָם בַּכֹּל) (Bereshit 24:1).

And the Tanna taught (וְתָאַנָא), that this is the Keter called Zot [This] (דְּהִיא כִּתְרָא דְאִתְקְרֵי זֹא״ת), which is comprised of Et and Ve'et (דִּכְלִילָא מֵאֵ״ת וְאֵ״ת), and it rules at midnight (וְשַׁלְטָא בְּפַלְגוּת לֵילְיָא), in two directions (בִּתְרֵין סִטְרוֹי), with mercy and judgment (בְּרַחֲמֵי וְדִינָא): mercy for Yisrael (רַחֲמֵי לְיִשְׂרָאֵל), and judgment for the nations who worship stars and constellations (וְדִינָא לְעַמִּין עוֹבְדֵי כּוֹכָבִים וּמַזָּלוֹת).

Rabbi Ḥiyya opened and said (פָּתַח ר׳ חִיָּיא וְאָמַר), “If it pleases the Master (אִי נִיחָא קָמֵיהּ דְּמוֹר), let us say one word concerning the matter for which we have come” (דְּנֵימָא חַד מִלָּה, עַל מַה דְּאָתֵינָא). It is written: “And it came to pass at midnight that Hashem struck every firstborn in the land of Egypt” (Exodus 12) (כְּתִיב, וַיְהִי בַּחֲצִי הַלַּיְלָה וַיְיָ׳ הִכָּה כָּל בְּכוֹר בְּאֶרֶץ מִצְרָיִם). And from what the Master has said, it is understood that this verse came in that word (וּמֵהַאי דְּאָמַר מוֹר, אִשְׁתְּמַע דְּהַאי פְּסוּקָא בְּהַהוּא מִלָּה אָתָא), and we have arranged our path before you (וַאֲנַן אוֹרְחָא אִתְתַּקְּנָא קַמָּךְ), to come and ask before you (לְמֵיתֵי לְמִשְׁאֵל קַמָּךְ).

Rabbi Shim‘on opened and said (פָּתַח רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן וְאָמַר), “Who is like Hashem our Elohim, enthroned on high…” (Psalms 113) (מִי כַיְיָ׳ אֱלֹהֵינוּ הַמַּגְבִּיהִי לָשֶׁבֶת וְגו׳). “Who is like Hashem our Elohim” (מִי כַיְיָ׳ אֱלֹהֵינוּ), Who ascends and is crowned to dwell in the Supernal Holy Keter (דְּסָלִיק וְאִתְעַטָּר לְאִתְיַשְּׁבָא בְּכִתְרָא עִלָּאָה קַדִּישָׁא), radiance upon all sparks that illumine crowns and diadems (נְהִירוּ עַל כָּל בּוּצִינִי דְּנָהֲרוּ כִּתְרִין וְעִטְּרִין). “Who lowers Himself to look” (הַמַּשְׁפִּילִי לִרְאוֹת) - Who descends through His crowns (דְּנָחִית בְּכִתְרוֹי), from crown to crown (מִכִּתְרָא לְכִתְרָא), from diadem to diadem (מִנִּזְרָא לְנִזְרָא), from radiance to radiance (מִנְּהִירוּ לִנְהִירוּ), from spark to spark (מִבּוּצִינָא לְבוּצִינָא), to gaze upon the supernal and the lower realms (לְאַשְׁגְּחָא בְּעִלָּאִין וְתַתָּאִין). This is what is written (הֲדָא הוּא דִּכְתִיב), “Hashem looked down from heaven upon the children of man…” (Psalms 14) (יָי׳ מִשָּׁמַיִם הִשְׁקִיף עַל בְּנֵי אָדָם וְגו׳).

Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי), it is written: “And it came to pass at midnight” (וַיְהִי בַּחֲצִי הַלַּיְלָה). It should have said: like midnight (כַּחֲצִי מִבָּעֵי לֵיהּ), or around midnight, in the manner that Moshe said (אוֹ כַּחֲצוֹת, כְּגַוְונָא דְּאָמַר מֹשֶׁה). And if it is as our friends said (וְאִי כְּמָה דְּאַמְרֵי חַבְרָנָא), that the astrologers of Pharaoh would not accuse him (דְּלָא יִימְרוּן אִצְטַגְנִינֵי פַרְעֹה), [then] Moshe surely meant it (מֹשֶׁה בַּדַּאי הוּא). Still, the difficulty remains in its place (הָא קוּשְׁיָא בְּאַתְרֵיהּ קַיְּימָא), in three aspects (בִּג׳ גַּוְונֵי), for even Yisrael could say thus (דְּאֲפִילּוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל יֵימְרוּן הָכִי).

First, if so, he should have said, “And Moshe said: around midnight” (חַד, דְּאִי הָכִי הֲוָה לֵיהּ לְמֵימַר וַיֹּאמֶר מֹשֶׁה כַּחֲצוֹת הַלַּיְלָה). Why did he say, “Thus says Hashem…” (אֲמַאי קָאָמַר, כֹּה אָמַר יְיָ׳ וְגו׳)? [It is] because the hour was not precise (כְּמָה דְּלָא אִתְכְּוָון שַׁעֲתָא), so they would not seize upon Moshe (דְּהָא לָא יִתָּפְסוּן בְּמֹשֶׁה), but on the Patron, for he said, “Thus says Hashem…” (אֶלָּא בְּפַטְרוֹנָא, בְּגִין דְּאָמַר כֹּה אָמַר יְיָ׳ וְגו׳).

Second (תְּרֵי), for Moshe said: “Until the firstborn of the maidservant behind the millstone” (דְּהָא מֹשֶׁה אָמַר, עַד בְּכוֹר הַשִּׁפְחָה אֲשֶׁר אַחַר הָרֵחָיִם), and it was not so - rather: “Until the firstborn of the captive who was in the dungeon” (וְלָא הֲוָה הָכִי, אֶלָּא עַד בְּכוֹר הַשְּׁבִי אֲשֶׁר בְּבֵית הַבּוֹר). In any case, even Yisrael would say thus (עַל כָּל פָּנִים אֲפִילּוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל נַמֵי יִימְרוּן הָכִי), for the words were not clarified (דְּהָא לָא אִתְבַּרְרוּן מִלֵּי).

Third (תְּלַת), that he said in the name of the Patron “around midnight” (דְּאִיהוּ אָמַר מִשְׁמָא דְּפַטְרוֹנָא כַּחֲצוֹת), but it is written: “And it came to pass at midnight” (וּכְתִיב: וַיְהִי בַּחֲצִי הַלַּיְלָה).