Daf 38b (דַּף ל״ח ע״ב)

And at the moment when they went out p5-68(וּבְשַׁעֲתָא דְּנָפְקוּ), all of them were found dead in the marketplaces (אִשְׁתְּכָחוּ כֻּלְּהוֹן מֵתִין בַּשְּׁוָקִין), before the eyes of all (לְעֵינֵיהוֹן דְּכֹלָּא). They sought to bury them, but found not the means p5-69(בַּעְיָין לְאַקְבְרָא לְהוּ וְלָא אַשְׁכָּחוּ), and this pained them more than anything (וְדָא אַקְשֵׁי לְהוּ מִכֹּלָּא). They saw Yisrael going out before their eyes on one side (חָמוּ לְיִשְׂרָאֵל נָפְקִין לְעֵינֵיהוֹן בְּחַד גִּיסָא), and saw their dead on the other side (וְחָמוּ לְמֵיתֵיהוֹן בְּאִידָךְ גִּיסָא). And in all of this there was the publicity of the miracle (וּבְכֹלָּא הֲוָה פִּרְסוּמֵי נִיסָא), for there had never been such a thing since the day the world was created (דְּלָא הֲוָה כְּהַאי מִיּוֹמָא דְּאִתְבְּרֵי עָלְמָא).

Come and see (וְתָּא חֲזֵי), it is written: “It is a night of watching for Hashem, to bring them out, etc.” (כְּתִיב: לֵיל שִׁמוּרִים הוּא לַיְיָ' לְהוֹצִיאָם וְגוֹ') (Exodus 12), and it is written: “This is the night for Hashem, a watching for all the children of Yisrael, etc.” (וּכְתִיב: הוּא הַלַּיְלָה הַזֶּה לַיְיָ' שִׁמוּרִים לְכָל בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וְגוֹ'). This verse is difficult (הַאי פְּסוּקָא קַשְׁיָא): since it says “night” (כֵּיוָן דְּאָמַר לֵיל), what is the meaning of “watchings” in plural (מַהוּ שִׁמוּרִים), and not “watching” in singular? (וְלָא שִׁמּוּר, שִׁמּוּר מִבָּעֵי לֵיהּ). And it is written “This night” (וּכְתִיב: הוּא הַלַּיְלָה הַזֶּה), first it said night (לֵיל קָאָמַר בְּקַדְמִיתָא), and afterward the night (וּבָתַר לַיְלָה). Rather, thus have we learned (אֶלָּא הָכִי תָּנֵינָן): it is written, “If there be a damsel, a virgin” (כְּתִיב: כִּי יִהְיֶה נַעֲרָה בְתוּלָה) (Deuteronomy 22). It is written Na‘ar (נַעַר כְּתִיב) why? (מַאי טַעְמָא) Because as long as she has not received the male, she is called Na‘ar (מִשּׁוּם דְּכָל זְמָן דְּלָא קַבִּילַת דְּכַר, אִתְקְרֵי נַעַר); once she has received the male, she is called Na‘arah (מִדְּקַבִּילַת דְּכַר, אִתְקְרֵי נַעֲרָה). So also here (אוּף הָכָא): night-before it has received the male (לֵיל עַד לָא קַבִּילַת דְּכַר). And even though it is written about it shimurim, in the masculine (וְאַף עַל גַּב דִּכְתִּיב בֵּיהּ שִׁמוּרִים דְּכַר), it was prepared to join with her (הֲוָה זַמִּין לְאִתְחַבְּרָא עִמָּהּ). And at the moment when the male joined with her (וּבְשַׁעֲתָא דְּאִתְחֲבָּר עִמָּהּ דְּכַר), it is written: “This night is for Hashem, shimurim” (כְּתִיב: הוּא הַלַּיְלָה הַזֶּה לַיְיָ' שִׁמוּרִים).

Shimurim: male and female (שִׁמוּרִים: דְּכַר וְנוּקְבָּא). And because of this it is written: this night (וּבְגִינֵי כַּךְ כְּתִיב: הַלַּיְלָה הַזֶּה). And in the place where male and female are found (וּבַאֲתַר דְּאִשְׁתְּכָחוּ דְּכַר וְנוּקְבָּא), there is praise only for the male (לֵית שְׁבָחָא אֶלָּא לִדְכוּרָא). And thus Yisrael praised in their songs (וְהָכִי שַׁבָּחוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּתוּשְׁבַּחְתַּיְיהוּ), to the male and not to the female (לִדְכוּרָא וְלָא לְנוּקְבָּא) this is what is written: “This is my God and I will glorify Him” (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב: זֶה אֵלִי וְאַנְוֵהוּ) (Exodus 15).

For there is no praise in a place where male and female are found (דְּלֵית שְׁבָחָא בְּאֲתָר דִּדְכוּרָא וְנוּקְבָּא אִשְׁתְּכָחוּ), except for the male (אֶלָּא לִדְכוּרָא). And because of this (Some say: and this (וְעַל דָּא (נ"א: וּלְדָא) Yisrael await, as it is written: “This is Hashem, we hoped for Him; we will rejoice and be glad in His salvation” (מְחַכָּאן יִשְׂרָאֵל, דִּכְתִּיב: זֶה יְיָ' קִוִּינוּ לוֹ נָגִילָה וְנִשְׂמְחָה בִּישׁוּעָתוֹ) (Isaiah 12).

Because thus He is prepared to do for them, as it is written: “As in the days of your going forth from the land of Egypt, I will show him wonders” (מִשּׁוּם דְּהָכִי זַמִּין לְמֶעְבַּד לְהוּ, דִּכְתִיב: כִּימֵי צֵאתְךָ מֵאֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם אַרְאֶנּוּ נִפְלָאוֹת) (Micah 7). And this secret is as follows (וְרָזָא דָּא הָכִי הוּא): just as here it is written leil and laylah (כְּגַוְונָא דְּהָכָא לֵיל וְלַיְלָה), so too Kudsha Berikh Hu is prepared to do for them, as it is written: “Watchman, what of the night? Watchman, what of the night?” (כָּךְ זַמִּין קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לְמֶעְבַּד לְהוּ, דִּכְתִיב: שׁוֹמֵר מַה מִּלַּיְלָה שׁוֹמֵר מַה מִלֵּיל) (Isaiah 21). Just as there it is watching and leil (מַה לְּהַלָּן שְׁמִירָה וְלֵיל), so here it is watching and leil (אוּף כָּאן שְׁמִירָה וְלֵיל). Just as there it is watching and laylah (מַה לְּהַלָּן שְׁמִירָה וְלַיְלָה), so here it is watching and laylah (אוּף כָּאן שְׁמִירָה וְלַיְלָה). And laylah is called in regard to the male (וְלַיְלָה אִתְקְרֵי אֲגַב דְּכוּרָא), this is what is written: “Morning has come, and also night” (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב: אָתָא בֹּקֶר וְגַם לַיְלָה) (Isaiah 21). Morning-as you say: “And Avraham rose early in the morning” (בֹּקֶר: כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר: וַיַּשְׁכֵּם אַבְרָהָם בַּבֹּקֶר) (Bereshit 19), which is truly his attribute (דְּהוּא מִדָּתוֹ מַמָּשׁ). And it is written: “Hashem, in the morning You shall hear my voice; in the morning I will direct my prayer to You” (וּכְתִיב: יְיָ' בֹּקֶר תִּשְׁמַע קוֹלִי, בֹּקֶר מַמָּשׁ) (Psalms 5).

Rabbi Ḥiyya and Rabbi Yose sat (יָתְבוּ ר׳ חִיָּיא וְר׳ יוֹסֵי), And he taught them the secret of the Torah of the Kohanim (וְאוֹלִיף לְהוּ רָזָא דְּתוֹרַת כֹּהֲנִים), and they would review it every day and sit before him (וַהֲווּ מְהַדְּרֵי בְּכָל יוֹמָא וְיַתְבֵי קָמֵיהּ). One day Rabbi Shimon went outside (חַד יוֹמָא נָפַק רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן לְבַר), they went with him (אָזְלוּ בַּהֲדֵיהּ), they came to a certain field and sat (מָטוּ לְחַד חַקְלָא, יָתְבוּ).

Rabbi Shimon opened and said (פָּתַח רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן וְאָמַר): Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי), it is written: “I have seen all things in the days of my vanity: there is a righteous man who perishes in his righteousness, and a wicked man who prolongs his life in his wickedness” (כְּתִיב: אֶת הַכֹּל רָאִיתִי בִּימֵי הֶבְלִי יֵשׁ צַדִּיק אוֹבֵד בְּצִדְקוֹ וְיֵשׁ רָשָׁע מַאֲרִיךְ בְּרָעָתוֹ) (Ecclesiastes 7). Shlomo, whose wisdom was greater than all others-Some say: more precious (שְׁלֹמֹה דַּהֲוַת חָכְמְתָא יְתֵירָא [נ"א: יְקִירָא] עַל כֹּלָּא) what did he say in this verse? (מַאי קָאָמַר בְּהַאי קְרָא)? Rather, Shlomo hinted at a Remez of wisdom (אֶלָּא שְׁלֹמֹה רֶמֶז דְּחָכְמְתָא קָא רָמַז), for behold, we see the ways of Kudsha Berikh Hu are not so (דְּהָא חָזֵינָן אוֹרְחוֹי דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא דְּלָאו הָכִי), for it is written: “To give every man according to his ways and the fruit of his deeds” (דְּהָא כְּתִיב: וְלָתֵת לְאִישׁ כִּדְרָכָיו וְכִפְרִי מַעֲלָלָיו) (Jeremiah 17).

Rather, these are two matters (אֶלָּא תְּרֵי עִנְיָינֵי נִינְהוּ) that he hinted at here (דְּקָא רָמַז הָכָא). As we have learned (דְּתָנֵינָן), when the eyes of Kudsha Berikh Hu desire to oversee the world (כַּד עֵינוֹי דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא בָּעָאן לְאַשְׁגָּחָא בְּעָלְמָא), and to look into it (וּלְעַיְינָא בֵּיהּ), as it is written (כְּמָה דִּכְתִּיב) Some say: “The eyes of Hashem, they roam throughout all the earth” (ס״א: עֵינֵי ה׳ הֵמָּה מְשׁוֹטְטִים בְּכָל הָאָרֶץ) (Zechariah 4) and it is written: “For the eyes of Hashem roam throughout all the earth” (וּכְתִיב: כִּי יְיָ' עֵינָיו מְשׁוֹטְטוֹת בְּכָל הָאָרֶץ) (II Chronicles 16), and He finds the guilty in the world (וְאַשְׁכְּחָן חַיָּיבִין בְּעָלְמָא), that Tzaddik who is found in the generation is seized in their sins (הַהוּא צַדִּיקָא דְּאִשְׁתְּכַח בְּדָרָא, אִתְּפַּס בְּחוֹבַיְיהוּ). And the guilty, Kudsha Berikh Hu prolongs His wrath with them until they repent (וְחַיָּיבַיָּא מַאֲרִיךְ קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא רוּגְזֵיהּ עִמְּהוֹן עַד דִּיתוּבוּן). And if not, there would not be found anyone to plead mercy upon them (וְאִי לָאו, לָא יִשְׁתְּכַּח מַאן דְּיִתְּבַּע רַחֲמֵי עֲלֵיהוֹן). This is what is written: “There is a Tzaddik who perishes in his righteousness” (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִּיב: יֵשׁ צַדִּיק אוֹבֵד בְּצִדְקוֹ) (Ecclesiastes 7), because that righteous one was removed from the world (מִשּׁוּם דְּהַהוּא זַכָּאָה, אִסְתַּלָּק מֵעָלְמָא).

Because of this, we have learned (בְּגִינֵי כַּךְ תָּנֵינָן): a person should never dwell except in a place where men of righteous action dwell (לְעוֹלָם אַל יָדוּר אָדָם אֶלָּא בִּמְקוֹם שֶׁאַנְשֵׁי מַעֲשֶׂה דָּרִים בְּתוֹכוֹ). Why? (מַאי טַעֲמָא) Because woe to one whose dwelling is among the guilty (מִשּׁוּם דְּוַוי לְהַאי דְּמָדוֹרֵיהּ בֵּין חַיָּיבַיָּא), for he is seized in their sins (דְּהוּא אִתְּפַּס בְּחוֹבַיְיהוּ). But if his dwelling is among the righteous (וְאִי דִּיוֹרֵיהּ בֵּין זַכָּאִין), they bring him benefit on his behalf (אוֹטִיבִין לֵיהּ בְּגִינֵיהוֹן).

For Rabbi Ḥisda (דְּהָא רַב חַסְדָּא), at first his dwelling was among the Cappadocians (הֲוָה דִּיוֹרֵיהּ בְּקַדְמִיתָא בֵּינֵי קַפּוּטְקָאֵי), and his time was one of difficulty (וַהֲוָה דְּחִיקָא לֵיהּ שַׁעֲתָא), and misfortunes pursued after him (וּמַרְעִין רַדְפִין אֲבַתְרוֹי). He took himself and set his dwelling among the masters of shields of Tzippori (נָטַל וְשַׁוֵּי מָדוֹרֵיהּ בֵּין מָארֵי תְּרִיסִין דְּצִפּוֹרִי), and he ascended (וְסָלִיק), and merited many good things (וְזָכָה לְכַמָּה טָבִין), much wealth (לְכַמָּה עוּתְרָא), much Orayta (לְכַמָּה אוֹרַיְיתָא), and he said (וְאָמַר): All this I have merited (כָּל הַאי זָכֵינָא), because I entered among those whom Kudsha Berikh Hu watches to do good to them (עַל דְּעָאלִית בֵּין אִינּוּן דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא אַשְׁגַּח לְאוֹטָבָא לְהוּ).

Another matter (דָּבָר אַחֵר): “I have seen all things in the days of my vanity” (אֶת הַכֹּל רָאִיתִי בִּימֵי הֶבְלִי) (Ecclesiastes 7). And could it be that Shlomo (וְכִי שְׁלֹמֹה), who possessed the supernal levels of wisdom (דְּדַרְגִּין עִלָּאִין דְּחָכְמְתָא הֲווֹ בֵּיהּ), above all people of the generation (עַל כָּל בְּנֵי דָּרָא), as it is written: “And he was wiser than all men” (דִּכְתִּיב: וַיֶּחְכַּם מִכָּל הָאָדָם) (I Kings 5), and his effort was in Orayta to do goodness and righteousness (וְאִשְׁתַּדְלוּתֵיהּ בְּאוֹרַיְיתָא לְמַעְבַּד טִיבוּ וְקַשְׁטוּ), as it is written: “And Shlomo sat upon the throne of Hashem as king” (דִּכְתִּיב: וַיֵּשֶׁב שְׁלֹמֹה עַל כִּסֵּא יְיָ' לְמֶלֶךְ) (I Chronicles 29), still he said: “in the days of my vanity” (אָמַר: בִּימֵי הֶבְלִי)? And it is written: “Vanity of vanities, said Kohelet” (וּכְתִיב: הֲבֵל הֲבָלִים אָמַר קֹהֶלֶת) (Ecclesiastes 1).