Daf 37b (דַּף ל״ז ע״ב)

And furthermore, your question (וְעוֹד, שְׁאֵלְתָּא דִּילְכוֹן), is greater than what a beast is able to bear (יַתִּיר עַל מָטוּל דְּלָא יָכִיל בְּעִירָא לְמִסְבַּל). Why did it occur at midnight, and not during the day? (אֲמַאי הֲוָה בְּפַלְגוּת לֵילְיָא, וְלָא בִּימָמָא). And why did all those weak ones behind the millstones die? (וַאֲמַאי מִיתוּ כָּל אִינּוּן חַלָּשִׁין דְּבָתַר רֵחַיָּא). Rather, all of it is a supernal secret (אֶלָּא כֹּלָּא רָזָא עִלָּאָה הוּא), among the reapers of the field (בֵּין מְחַצְּדֵי חַקְלָא), and everything was bound in faithful prophecy (וְכֹלָּא אִתְכְּשַׁר בִּנְבִיאָה מְהֵימָנָא). Some say: it was announced in faithful prophecy (נ״א: אִתְבַּשַּׂר בִּנְבִיאָה מְהֵימָנָא).

Fortunate is the portion of Moshe (זַכָּאָה חוּלָקֵיהּ דְּמֹשֶׁה), of whom it is written (Psalms 45) “You are fairer than the children of men; grace is poured upon your lips; therefore Elohim has blessed you forever” (יָפְיָפִיתָ מִבְּנֵי אָדָם, הוּצַק חֵן בִּשְׂפְתוֹתֶיךָ, עַל כֵּן בֵּרַכְךָ אֱלֹהִים לְעוֹלָם). “You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness; therefore Elohim, your Elohim, has anointed you with the oil of gladness more than your friends” (אָהַבְתָּ צֶדֶק וַתִּשְׂנָא רֶשַׁע, עַל כֵּן מְשָׁחֲךָ אֱלֹהִים אֱלֹהֶיךָ שֶׁמֶן שָׂשׂוֹן מֵחֲבֵרֶיךָ). “You are fairer than the children of men” - from Shet and Enoch (יָפְיָפִיתָ מִבְּנֵי אָדָם: מִשֵּׁת וַחֲנוֹךְ). “Grace is poured upon your lips” - from Noach and his sons (הוּצַק חֵן בִּשְׂפְתוֹתֶיךָ: מִנֹּחַ וּבָנָיו). “Therefore Elohim, your Elohim, has anointed you” - from Avraham and Yitzchak (עַל כֵּן מְשָׁחֲךָ אֱלֹהִים אֱלֹהֶיךָ: מֵאַבְרָהָם וְיִצְחָק). “The oil of gladness” - from Ya‘akov (שֶׁמֶן שָׂשׂוֹן: מִיַּעֲקֹב). “More than your friends” - from the rest of the prophets (מֵחֲבֵרֶיךָ: מִשְּׁאָר נְבִיאֵי). And if a man ascends into supernal levels that no other human being has ascended, he does not know what he says (וְכִי גֶּבֶר דְּסָלִיק בְּדַרְגִּין עִלָּאִין דְּלָא סָלִיק בַּר נָשׁ אַחֲרָא, לָא יָדַע מַה דְּאָמַר).

Rather, thus we have learned (אֶלָּא הָכִי תָּנֵינָן): this Keter called Zot [This] (הַאי כִּתְרָא דְּאִקְרֵי זֹא״ת) is called Ishah [Woman] (אִתְקְרֵי אִשָּׁ״ה), as it is said: “This shall be called Ishah [Woman]” (לְזֹאת יִקָּרֵא אִשָּׁה) (Bereshit 2:23). Why? (אֲמַאי). Because “from Ish [Man] was Zot [This] taken” (מִשּׁוּם כִּי מֵאִישׁ לֻקְּחָה זֹאת). Who is this Ish [Man]? (מַאן הוּא אִישׁ). That which is called Zeh [This] (הַהוּא דְּאִקְרֵי זֶה). And this is the masculine Ish [Man] (וְדָא הוּא אִישׁ דְּכָר), as it is said: “For this Moshe, the man” (כִּי זֶה מֹשֶׁה הָאִישׁ) (Exodus 32:1): “this man” (הָאִישׁ הַזֶּה). And he is called Ish Zeh [Man This], and Zeh Ish [This Man] (וְאִקְרֵי אִישׁ זֶה, וְזֶה אִישׁ). And Zot [This] was taken from Zeh [This], who is called male (וְזֹאת אִתְנְסִיבַת מִזֶּה דְּאִקְרֵי זָכָר). And because of this (וּבְגִין דָּא), she is Tamar [Date Palm], male and female (אִיהִי תָּמָר דְּכָר וְנוּקְבָּא), for this one does not ascend without that one (דְּלָא סָלִיק דָּא בְּלֹא דָּא).

Tamar, as it is said (Song of Songs 3) “like columns of smoke” (תָּמָר: כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר, כְּתִמְרוֹת עָשָׁן). What is smoke? It rises white and black (מַה עָשָׁן, סָלִיק חִוָּור וְאוּכָם). So too here, all is included within her at midnight (אוּף הָכָא, כֹּלָּא כָּלִיל בָּהּ בְּפַלְגוּת לֵילְיָא), to perform judgment at one moment (לְמֶעְבַּד נִימוּסוֹי בְּחַד שַׁעֲתָא), white for Yisrael (חִוָּור לְיִשְׂרָאֵל), and black for the idol-worshipping nations (וְאוּכָם לְעוֹבְדֵי עֲבוֹדַת כּוֹכָבִים וּמַזָּלוֹת). And furthermore, if this night had not been divided, it would not perform judgment (וְעוֹד דְּהַאי לֵילְיָא לָא אִתְפְּלַג, לָא עָבִיד נִימוּסוֹי).

From where do we learn this? From Avraham (מְנָא לָן. מֵאַבְרָהָם). As it is written (Bereshit 14) “and he divided himself against them by night” (דִּכְתִּיב, וַיֵּחָלֵק עֲלֵיהֶם לַיְלָה), meaning the night was divided to carry out judgment (דְּאִתְפְּלַג לְמֶעְבַּד נִימוּסוֹי). What is “about midnight”? (מַהוּ כַּחֲצוֹת), as you say (כַּמָּה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר), “at the time of the offering’s ascent” (1 Kings 18) (כַּעֲלוֹת הַמִּנְחָה), “at the time of the heap’s ascent” (Ruth 3) (כַּעֲלוֹת גָּדִישׁ), so too here, “about midnight” means like a division (אוּף הָכָא כַּחֲצוֹת כְּמִפְלַג). For Moshe knew that it would not perform judgment until it had been divided (דְּמֹשֶׁה יָדַע דְּלָא יַעְבֵּיד נִימוּסוֹי, עַד דְּאִתְפְּלַג). And so it was, that the night did not perform judgment until it was divided (וְהָכִי הֲוָה, דְּלָא עָבִיד לֵילְיָא נִימוּסוֹי, עַד דְּאִתְפְּלַג).

In the latter half it performed its judgment (בְּפַלְגוּת בַּתְרָאָה, עָבֵד נִימוּסוֹי). This is what is written: “And it came to pass at midnight” (Exodus 12) (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב וַיְהִי בַּחֲצִי הַלַּיְלָה). What is at midnight? In the latter half (מַהוּ בַּחֲצִי. בְּפַלְגוּת בַּתְרָאָה), at the time when she rules (בְּזִמְנָא דְּאִיהִי שַׁלְטָא), and this “Zot” is found to carry out continual judgments (וְאִשְׁתְּכַח הַאי זֹאת, לְמֶעְבַּד נִמּוּסִין תָּדִירָא). And every judgment that is performed at night is done in the latter half (וְכָל נִימוּסָא דְּאִתְעָבִיד בְּלֵילְיָא, בְּפַלְגוּתָא בַּתְרָאָה אִתְעָבִיד). “And Hashem struck every firstborn” - Hashem, He and His court (וַיְיָ׳ הִכָּה כָּל בְּכוֹר, וַיְיָ׳: הוּא וּבֵית דִּינוֹ). Hashem, He and His judgment (וַיְיָ׳: הוּא וְנִימוּסוֹי). “Struck every firstborn” - struck (הִכָּה כָּל בְּכוֹר, הִכָּה). Moshe did not say except “and he died…” (מֹשֶׁה לֹא אָמַר אֶלָּא וּמֵת וְגוֹ׳). What is “he struck”? (מַהוּ הִכָּה).

Rather (אֶלָּא), that Koh [Thus] was aroused (דְּאִתְּעַר כֹּה), as Moshe had proclaimed (כְּמָה דְּאַגְזִים מֹשֶׁה). As it is written (דִּכְתִּיב): “Behold, you have not listened until Koh [Thus]” (וְהִנֵּה לֹא שָׁמַעְתָּ עַד כֹּה) (Exodus 7:16). And it is taught (וְתָאנָא), Pharaoh was wiser than all his magicians (פַּרְעֹה חַכִּים הֲוָה מִכָּל חֲרָשׁוֹי), and he contemplated this Zot [This] (וְאִסְתַּכַּל בְּהַאי זֹאת), through which judgment would be executed upon him (דְּיַעֲבֵיד בֵּיהּ דִּינָא), and he prepared his land for destruction (וְזַמִּין לְחָרְבָּא אַרְעֵיהּ), as Moshe said (כְּמָה דְּאָמַר מֹשֶׁה): “By Zot [This] you shall know that I am Hashem” (בְּזֹאת תֵּדַע כִּי אֲנִי יְיָ׳) (Exodus 7:17). And regarding him, what is written? (וּבְאִיהוּ מַה כְּתִיב): “And Pharaoh turned” (וַיִּפֶן פַּרְעֹה) (Exodus 7:23). What is “And he turned”? (מַהוּ וַיִּפֶן). That he turned his heart away from this contemplation (דְּאַפְנֵי לִבֵּיהּ מֵהִרְהוּרָא דָּא), as you say (כְּמָה דְּאַתְּ אָמֵר): “And Aharon turned” (וַיִּפֶן אַהֲרֹן) (Numbers 12:10). “And he came to his house, and did not take even Zot [This] to heart” (וַיָּבוֹא אֶל בֵּיתוֹ וְלֹא שָׁת לִבּוֹ גַּם לְזֹאת) (Exodus 7:23).

Gam [Also]—to include this matter (גַּם לְרַבּוֹת הַאי), that he had prepared his land for destruction (דִּזְמִינָא לְחָרְבָּא אַרְעֵיהּ), yet he did not set his heart to receive this Zot [This] (וְלָא שָׁוֵי לִבֵּיהּ לָקֳבְלֵיהּ דְּזֹא״ת). “Every firstborn” (כָּל בְּכוֹר)—even the upper and lower levels were broken from their dominion (אֲפִילּוּ דַּרְגִּין עִלָּאִין וְתַתָּאִין אִתְּבָּרוּ מִשּׁוּלְטָנֵהוֹן). Some say: from their chain of transmission (ס״א: מִשִּׁלְשׁוּלֵיהוֹן). All those who rule by their own Chokhmah (כָּל אִינּוּן דְּשַׁלְטִין בְּחָכְמְתָּא דִּלְהוֹן), as it is written (דִּכְתִּיב): “in the land of Egypt” (בְּאֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם) (Exodus 11:5). And all the levels, upper and lower, that were broken from their dominion (וְכֻלְּהוּ דַּרְגִּין עִלָּאִין וְתַתָּאִין דְּאִתְּבָּרוּ מִשּׁוּלְטָנֵהוֹן). Some say: from their chain of influence (ס״א: מִשִּׁלְשׁוּלֵיהוֹן). All of them are seen in the verse (כֻּלְּהוּ בִּפְסוּקָא אִתְחָזוּן). Some say: all were hinted at (ס״א: אִתְרַמִּיזוּ), as it is written (דִּכְתִּיב): “from the firstborn of Pharaoh who sits on his throne, to the firstborn of the maidservant who is behind the millstone, and all firstborn of beasts” (מִבְּכוֹר פַּרְעֹה הַיּוֹשֵׁב עַל כִּסְאוֹ עַד בְּכוֹר הַשִּׁפְחָה אֲשֶׁר אַחַר הָרֵחָיִם וְכֹל בְּכוֹר בְּהֵמָה) (Exodus 11:5). Behold, all are seen in the verse (הָא כֻּלְּהוּ אִתְחָזוּן בִּפְסוּקָא).

The plain meaning of the matter - “from the firstborn of Pharaoh who sits on his throne” - this is the lower Keter of the cosmic configuration of the supernal kingship (סְתָמָא דְּמִלָּה, מִבְּכוֹר פַּרְעֹה הַיּוֹשֵׁב עַל כִּסְאוֹ: כִּתְרָא תַתָּאָה דְּקוּזְמִיטָא דְּמַלְכוּתָא). Some say: of the kingship (נ״א: מִמַּלְכוּתָא) above (דִּלְעֵילָּא). “To the firstborn of the maidservant” - this is the left Keter, the lowest from her (עַד בְּכוֹר הַשִּׁפְחָה: כִּתְרָא שְׂמָאלָא תַתָּאָה מִינָהּ), from the cosmic structure following the four millstones (דְּקוּזְמִיטָא מִבָּתַר אַרְבַּע רְחַיִּין). Some say: from a different configuration (נ״א: מִכִּתְרָא אַחַר). Four levels of crushing (אַרְבַּע מַשִּׁירְיָין). The implication is because it says: “behind the millstone” (מִשּׁוּם דִּכְתִּיב אַחַר הָרֵחָיִם). And not from the millstone itself (וְלֹא מִן הָרֵחָיִם). “And all firstborn of beasts” - the lowest of the lowest (וְכֹל בְּכוֹר בְּהֵמָה: תַּתָּאִין מִתַּתָּאִין), female from female (נוּקְבָּא מִנּוּקְבְתָּא), that are found in female donkeys, oxen and asses (דְּאִשְׁתְּכַחוּ בְּאָתָנֵי בִּבְעִירֵי וַחֲמָרֵי), among the great and the small (בְּרַבְרְבֵי בְּזוּטְרֵי), and males and females receive from them (וּמְקַבְּלִין מִנְּהוֹן גּוּבְרִין וְנוּקְבִין). “To the firstborn of the captive who is in the dungeon” - these are those who come from the maidservant (עַד בְּכוֹר הַשְּׁבִי אֲשֶׁר בְּבֵית הַבּוֹר: אִינּוּן דְּנָפְקִין מִשִּׁפְחָה). Who are made for prisoners (דִּי בְּהוֹן עַבְדִּין לַאֲסִירֵי), that are enslaved forever and will never go free (דְּיִשְׁתַּעְבְּדוּן בְּהוֹן לְעָלְמִין, וְלָא יִפְקוּן לְחֵירוּ).