Daf 39a (דַּף ל״ט ע״א)

And it was taught (וְתָנָא): he is called by seven names (ז׳ שֵׁמוֹת נִקְרָא): Shlomo (שְׁלֹמֹה), Yedidyah (יְדִידְיָ״ה), Agur (אָגוּר), Ben Yakeh (בִּן יָקֶ״א), Iti'el (אִיתִיאֵ״ל), Lemuel (לְמוֹאֵל), and Kohelet (קֹהֶלֶת). Kohelet corresponds to them all (קֹהֶלֶת כְּנֶגֶד כֻּלָּם), and all of them are named (וְכֻלָּם נִקְרָא) after the likeness of that which is Above (כְּעֵין שֶׁל מַעְלָה). Kohelet is like the holy assembly of ten (קֹהֶלֶת כְּנוּפְיָא קַדִּישָׁא דְּבֵי עֲשָׂרָה), and because of this (בְּגִין כַּךְ), a Kahal [Assembly] is never fewer than ten (קָהָל אֵין פָּחוּת מֵעֲשָׂרָה).

And a Kahal [Assembly] may even consist of one hundred (וְקָהָל אֲפִילּוּ מֵאָה), and Kohelet is the totality of all (וְקֹהֶלֶת כְּלָלָא דְּכֹלָּא), as you say (כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר): “The assembly of Ya'akov” (קְהִלַּת יַעֲקֹב) (Devarim 33:4). And it was taught (וְתָאַנָא): his names were given on account of Chokhmah (שְׁמוֹתָיו עַל שֵׁם הַחָכְמָה אִתְקְרוּן), and because of this (וּבְגִין כַּךְ) he composed three books (ג׳ סִפְרִין עָבֵד): Shir HaShirim (שִׁיר הַשִּׁירִים), Kohelet (קֹהֶלֶת), and Mishlei (מִשְׁלֵי). And all of them serve to complete Chokhmah (וְכֻלְּהוּ לְאַשְׁלְמָא חָכְמְתָא): Shir HaShirim corresponds to Chesed (שִׁיר הַשִּׁירִים לָקֳבֵל דְּחֶסֶד), Kohelet corresponds to Judgment (קֹהֶלֶת לָקֳבֵל דְּדִינָא), Mishlei corresponds to Mercy (מִשְׁלֵי לָקֳבֵל דְּרַחֲמֵי), in order to complete Chokhmah (בְּגִין לְאַשְׁלְמָא חָכְמְתָא). And he did everything that he did (וְהוּא עָבֵד כָּל מַה דְּעָבַד), in order to reveal Chokhmah (בְּגִין לְאַחֲזָאָה חָכְמְתָא), and corresponding to the supernal level—Some say: corresponding to the supernal mystery (וְלָקֳבֵל דַּרְגָּא [נ״א: וְלָקֳבֵל דְּרָזָא] עִלָּאָה), and he said: “In the days of my vanity—vanity of vanities” (בִּימֵי הֶבְלִי הֲבֵל הֲבָלִים).

Rather, the mystery of Hevel [Breath] is precious (אֶלָּא, רָזָא דְּהֶבֶל יַקִּירָא הוּא), and it is the Hevel [Breath] that goes forth from the mouth (וְהוּא הֶבֶל דְּנָפִיק מִפּוּמָא). And the mystery of the Hevel [Breath] that goes forth from the mouth (וְרָזָא דְּהֶבֶל דְּנָפִיק מִפּוּמָא)—a Kala [Voice] is produced from it (קָלָא אִתְעָבִיד מִנֵּיהּ). And it was taught (וְתָאַנָא), the world endures only by the Hevel [Breath] of the mouths of the schoolchildren who have not sinned (אֵין הָעוֹלָם מִתְקַיֵּים אֶלָּא בְּהֶבֶל פִּיהֶם שֶׁל תִּינוֹקוֹת שֶׁל בֵּית רַבָּן שֶׁלֹּא חָטְאוּ). They truly have not sinned (שֶׁלֹּא חָטְאוּ מַמָּשׁ).

And Hevel [Breath] is made from Ruacha [Spirit] and Maya [Water] (וְהֶבֶל אִתְעָבִיד בְּרוּחָא וּמַיָּא), and everything that is made in the world is made through Hevel [Breath] (וְכָל מַה דְּאִתְעָבִיד בְּעָלְמָא בְּהֶבֶל אִתְעָבִיד). And the mystery of this Hevel [Breath] of the schoolchildren becomes a Kala [Voice] (וְרָזָא דְּהַאי הֶבֶל שֶׁל תִּינוֹקוֹת אִתְעָבִיד קָלָא), and it spreads throughout the world (וְאִתְפָּשַּׁט בְּעָלְמָא), and they are the guardians of the world and the guardians of the city (וְאִינּוּן נְטוּרֵי עָלְמָא וּנְטוּרֵי קַרְתָּא). This is what is written (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב): “Unless Hashem guards the city...” (אִם יְיָ׳ לֹא יִשְׁמָר עִיר וגו׳) (Tehillim 127:1).

Come and see (וְתָּא חֲזֵי): he is Hevel [Breath/Abel], he is Kala [Voice] (הוּא הֶבֶל, הוּא קָלָא). What is the difference between this and that? (מַה בֵּין הַאי לְהַאי). Hevel [Breath]—it is a Kala [Voice] (הֶבֶל [הוּא קָלָא]); it stands in the power to bring forth a Kala [Voice] (קָאֵים בְּחֵילָא לְמֵיפַק קָלָא). A Kala [Voice] itself stands in its established state (קָלָא מַמָּשׁ קָאֵים בְּקִיּוּמֵהּ), to bring forth another word (לְאַפָּקָא אַחֲרָא מִלָּה). And that Hevel [Breath/Abel] which was the inheritance of his father (וְהַהוּא הֶבֶל דְּהֲוָה אַחַסַנְתֵּיהּ דַּאֲבוֹי), he called Hevel [Breath/Abel] (קַרְיֵיהּ הֶבֶל), and from it he saw everything that he saw (וּמִנֵּיהּ חָזָא כָּל מַה דְּחָזָא). And even though he had many other assistances from Above (וְאַף עַל גַּב דְּסִיּוּעִין סַגִּיאִין מֵעֵילָּא אַחֲרָנִין הֲווֹ לֵיהּ), and to perceive the matter (וּלְאִשְׁתְּמוֹדְעָא מִלָּה), he said: “In the days of my Hevel [Breath/Vanity]” (אָמַר: בִּימֵי הֶבְלִי), for this matter came from there (דְּמִלָּה דָא מִתַּמָּן אָתָא).

And the mystery of the matter is this (וְרָזָא דְּמִלָּה הַכֹּל): Hevel [Breath/Vanity] (הֶבֶל): “I have seen everything in the days of my Hevel [Breath/Vanity]: there is a Tzaddik who perishes in his righteousness” (אֶת הַכֹּל רָאִיתִי בִּימֵי הֶבְלִי, יֵשׁ צַדִּיק אוֹבֵד בְּצִדְקוֹ) (Kohelet 7:15). This is the mystery of the matter (דָּא הוּא רָזָא דְּמִלָּה), revealed and made known (דְּגַלֵּי וּפַרְסֵם), that everything depends upon “the days of my Hevel [Breath/Vanity]” (דְּכֹלָּא תַּלְיָא בִּימֵי הֶבְלִי), that is (כְּלוֹמַר), at the time when this Hevel [Breath/Vanity] draws from Din [Judgment] (בְּזִמְנָא דְּהַאי הֶבֶל יַנְקָא מִן דִּינָא), in order to execute judgment (בְּגִין לְמֶעְבַּד דִּינָא), “a Tzaddik perishes in his righteousness” (צַדִּיק אוֹבֵד בְּצִדְקוֹ). And at the time when this Hevel [Breath/Vanity] draws from Rachamim [Mercy] (וּבְזִמְנָא דְּהַאי הֶבֶל יַנְקָא מֵרַחֲמֵי), “a wicked man prolongs in his wickedness” (רָשָׁע מַאֲרִיךְ בְּרָעָתוֹ). And both depend upon this Hevel [Breath/Vanity] (וְתַרְוַיְיהוּ תַּלְיָין בְּהַאי הֶבֶל), and because of this it is written (וּבְגִין כָּךְ כְּתִיב): “in the days” (בִּימֵי), and it is not written (וְלָא כְּתִיב): “on the day” (בְּיוֹם), for everything depends upon the days of this Hevel [Breath/Vanity] (וְכֹלָּא תַּלְיָין בִּימֵי הֶבֶל דָּא).

One who is stirred by Din [Judgment] is with Din [Judgment] (מַאן דְּאַעְרַע בְּדִינָא, בְּדִינָא); one who is stirred by Rachamim [Mercy] is with Rachamim [Mercy] (מַאן דְּאַעְרַע בְּרַחֲמֵי, בְּרַחֲמֵי). And if you should say (וְאִי תֵימָא): “There is a Tzaddik who perishes” (יֵשׁ צַדִּיק אוֹבֵד), and it does not say “destroyed” (וְלָא קָאָמַר אָבוּד)—it is indeed so (הָכִי הוּא). He truly perishes (אוֹבֵד מַמָּשׁ), for that Din [Judgment] destroys the Tzaddik from the world and from the generation (דְּהַהוּא דִּינָא אוֹבֵד לַצַּדִּיק מֵעָלְמָא וּמִדָּרָא). And there is a wicked person who prolongs in his wickedness (וְיֵשׁ רָשָׁע מַאֲרִיךְ בְּרָעָתוֹ)—he truly prolongs (מַאֲרִיךְ מַמָּשׁ), for that Din [Judgment]—Some say: Hevel [Breath/Vanity] (דְּהַהוּא דִּינָא [ס״א: הֶבֶל])—when it draws from Rachamim [Mercy] (כַּד יַנְקָא מֵרַחֲמֵי), performs mercy for that wicked person and prolongs his life (עָבִיד רַחֲמֵי לְהַהוּא רָשָׁע, וּמַאֲרִיךְ לֵיהּ).

While they were sitting (עַד דַּהֲווֹ יַתְבֵי), they saw a smoke rising upward and descending downward (חָמוּ קִטוֹרָא דְּהֲוָה סָלִיק לְעֵילָּא וְנָחִית לְתַתָּא). He said: “Adornment has been adorned in the clay of the earth”-Some say: “in the poverty of the earth”-from within to above (אָמַר: אִתְעַטָּרוּתָא אִתְעַטָּר בְּטִינָתָא [נ״א: בְּעָנְיוּתָא] דְּאַרְעָא, מִגּוֹ לְעֵילָּא). Meanwhile (אַדְּהָכִי), that field emitted a fragrance, from all types of perfumes (סָלִיק הַהוּא חַקְלָא רֵיחָא, מִכָּל בּוּסְמִין). He said: “Let us sit here, for the Shekhinta is established with us” (אָמַר: נֵיתִיב הָכָא, דִּשְׁכִינְתָּא גַּבָּן אִתְקְיָים). Because of this, “As the fragrance of a field that Hashem has blessed” (בְּגִין כָּךְ: כְּרֵיחַ שָׂדֶה אֲשֶׁר בֵּרַכוֹ יְיָ') (Bereshit 27).

He opened and said (פָּתַח וְאָמַר): “And he smelled the smell of his garments, and he blessed him, and said, See, the smell of my son, etc.” (וַיָּרַח אֶת רֵיחַ בְּגָדָיו וַיְבָרֲכֵהוּ וַיֹּאמֶר רְאֵה רֵיחַ בְּנִי וְגוֹ') (Bereshit 27). “And he smelled the smell of his garments”-this implies that those garments emitted a good fragrance (וַיָּרַח אֶת רֵיחַ בְּגָדָיו, מַשְׁמַע דְּאִינּוּן לְבוּשִׁין הֲווֹ סַלְּקִין רֵיחָא טָבָא) Some say: that fragrance had not yet faded (ס״א: דְּלָא אִתְעַדֵּי). And afterward that fragrance departed from them (וּלְבַתַּר אִתְעָדֵי מִנְּהוֹן הַהוּא רֵיחָא). Now we must consider (הַשְׁתָּא אִית לְאִסְתַּכְּלָא): it is written, “the smell of his garments,” and it is written, “the smell of my son” (כְּתִיב: רֵיחַ בְּגָדָיו, וּכְתִיב: רֵיחַ בְּנִי), and it does not say “the smell of the garments” (וְלָא אָמַר: רֵיחַ הַבְּגָדִים), but rather “the smell of my son” (אֶלָּא: רֵיחַ בְּנִי). Rather, it was taught (אֶלָּא תָּאנָא): when Ya'akov entered, the Garden of Eden entered with him (כֵּיוָן שֶׁנִּכְנַס יַעֲקֹב, נִכְנַס עִמּוֹ גַּן עֵדֶן).

And it was taught (וְתָאנָא): those garments were the garments of Adam haRishon (אוֹתָן הַבְּגָדִים הָיוּ שֶׁל אָדָם הָרִאשׁוֹן), as it is written: “And Hashem Elohim made for Adam and his wife garments of skin, and clothed them” (דִּכְתִּיב: וַיַּעַש יְיָ' אֱלֹהִים לְאָדָם וּלְאִשְׁתּוֹ כָּתְנוֹת עוֹר וַיַּלְבִּשֵׁם) (Bereshit 3), and He removed them from the Garden of Eden (וְהוֹצִיאָם מִגַּן עֵדֶן). And if you say: but it is written, “And they sewed fig leaves”-were those not the garments? (וְאִי תֵימָא: דִּכְתִּיב וַיִּתְפְּרוּ עֲלֵה תְאֵנָה-דְּאִינּוּן הֲווֹ), if so, why is it written: “And Hashem Elohim made...” (אִי הָכִי, אֲמַאי כְּתִיב: וַיַּעַש יְיָ' אֱלֹהִים)? And it is written: “Garments of skin” (וּכְתִיב: כָּתְנוֹת עוֹר) but were those not fig leaves? (הָא לָא הֲווֹ אֶלָּא עֲלֵה תְאֵנָה)?

Rather, as the Targum renders it: garments of glory, and they emitted fragrance from the perfumes of Eden (אֶלָּא כְּתַרְגּוּמוֹ: לְבוּשִׁין דִּיקָר, וַהֲווּ סַלְּקִין רֵיחִין מִבּוּסְמָא דְּעֵדֶן). And it is taught (וְתַנְיָא), they were made in the full Name (בְּשֵׁם מָלֵא אִתְעֲבִידוּ), as it is written: “And Hashem Elohim made...” (דִּכְתִּיב: וַיַּעַש יְיָ' אֱלֹהִים) that which heaven and earth were not made with (מַה דְּלָא אִתְעֲבִידוּ בֵּיהּ שְׁמַיָּא וְאַרְעָא). And not? But it is written: “In the day that Hashem Elohim made earth and heavens” (וְלָא וְהָא כְּתִיב: בְּיוֹם עֲשׂוֹת יְיָ' אֱלֹהִים אֶרֶץ וְשָׁמָיִם) (Bereshit 2). This is not difficult (לָא קַשְׁיָא): when they were made, they were not made in the full Name (הַאי: כַּד אִתְעֲבִידוּ, לָא אִתְעֲבִידוּ בְּשֵׁם מָלֵא); but when they were established, they were established in the full Name (בַּר כַּד אִתְקַיְּימוּ, בְּשֵׁם מָלֵא אִתְקַיְּימוּ).