Daf 3b (דַּף ג׳ ע״ב)

Three there are who drive the Shekhinta from the world (תְּלָתָא אִינּוּן דְּדַחְיָין שְׁכִינְתָּא מֵעָלְמָא), and cause that the dwelling of Kudsha Berikh Hu is not in the world (וְגַרְמִין דְּדִיוּרֵיהּ דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לָא הֲוֵי בְּעָלְמָא), and that men cry out but their voice is not heard (וּבְנֵי נָשָׁא צַוְוחִין וְלָא אִשְׁתְּמַע קַלֵּיהוֹן). And these are they (וְאִלֵּין אִינּוּן): one who lies with a menstruant (מַאן דְּשָׁכִיב בַּנִּדָּה), for there is no defilement stronger in the world than the defilement of a menstruant (בְּגִין דְּלֵית מִסְאֲבוּ תַּקִּיף בְּעָלְמָא בַּר מִסְאֲבוּ דְּנִדָּה). The defilement of a menstruant is more severe than any defilement in the world (מִסְאֲבוּ דְּנִדָּה קַשְׁיָא מִכָּל מִסְאֲבוּ דְּעָלְמָא); he is defiled (אִסְתְּאַב אִיהוּ), and all who draw near to him are defiled with him (וְכָל דְּמִתְקָרְבִין בַּהֲדֵיהּ יִסְתַּאֲבוּן עִמֵּיהּ). In every place they go, the Shekhinta is repelled from before them (בְּכָל אֲתָר דְּאַזְלִין אִתְדַּחְיָיא שְׁכִינְתָּא מִן קַמַּיְיהוּ).

And not only this, but he brings evil afflictions upon himself (וְלֹא עוֹד אֶלָּא דְּגָרִים מַרְעִין בִּישִׁין עַל גַּרְמֵיהּ), and upon the offspring he produces (וְעַל הַהוּא זַרְעָא דְּיוֹלִיד). For once a man draws near to a menstruant (דְּכֵיוָן דְּיִקְרַב בַּר נָשׁ לְגַבֵּי נִדָּה), that defilement leaps upon him (הַהוּא מִסְאֲבוּ דָּלִיג עֲלוֹי), and remains in all his limbs (וְיִשְׁתָּאַר בְּכָל שַׁיְיפִין דִּילֵיהּ). The offspring he produces at that moment (זַרְעָא דְּיוֹלִיד בְּהַהוּא שַׁעֲתָא) a spirit of defilement rests upon him (מַשְׁכִין עֲלוֹי רוּחַ מִסְאֲבוּ). And all his days shall be in defilement (וְכָל יוֹמוֹי יְהֵא בִּמְסָאֲבוּ), for his structure and foundation are in intense and strong defilement (דְּהָא בִּנְיָנָא וִיסוֹדָא דִילֵיהּ אִיהוּ בִּמְסָאֲבוּ רַב וְתַקִּיף מִכָּל מְסַאֲבָא דְּעָלְמָא). From the moment a man draws near to a menstruant (דְּמִיָּד דְּקָרִיב בַּר נָשׁ לְגַבֵּי נִדָּה), that defilement leaps upon him (הַהוּא מִסְאֲבוּ דָּלִיג עֲלוֹי), as it is written (דִּכְתִיב): “And her impurity shall be upon him” (וּתְהִי נִדָּתָהּ עָלָיו) (Leviticus 15).

One who lies with the daughter of a foreign god (מַאן דְּשָׁכִיב בְּבַת אֵל נֵכָר), who brings the holy covenant and the living sign into foreign domain (דְּאָעִיל בְּרִית קוֹדֶשׁ וְאָת קַיָּימָא בִּרְשׁוּ אַחֲרָא), as it is written (דִּכְתִיב): “And he is husband to the daughter of a foreign god” (וּבָעַל בַּת אֵל נֵכָר) (Malachi 2). And we have learned (וְתָנֵינָן): there is no jealousy before Kudsha Berikh Hu (לֵית קִנְאָה קָמֵי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא), except for the jealousy of the holy covenant (בַּר קִנְאָה דִּבְרִית קַדִּישָׁא), for it is the sustainer of the Holy Name (דְּאִיהוּ קַיָּימָא דִּשְׁמָא קַדִּישָׁא), and the mystery of faith (וְרָזָא דִּמְהֵימָנוּתָא). What is written? (מָה כְּתִיב): “And the people began to commit harlotry with the daughters of Moav, and the wrath of Hashem was kindled against Yisrael” (וַיָּחֶל הָעָם לִזְנוֹת אֶל בְּנוֹת מוֹאָב… מִיַּד וַיִּחַר אַף ה' בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל) (Numbers 25).

The leaders of the people who knew and did not protest with their hands (רֵישֵׁי עַמָּא דְּיָדְעוּ וְלֹא מִחוּ בִּידַיְיהוּ), were punished first (אִתְעַנְשׁוּ בְּקַדְמִיתָא), as it is written (דִּכְתִיב) (Bamidbar 25) “Take all the heads of the people and hang them for Hashem opposite the sun” (קַח אֶת כָּל רָאשֵׁי הָעָם וְהוֹקַע אוֹתָם לַיי נֶגֶד הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ). Rabbi Abba said (רִבִּי אַבָּא אָמַר): What is ‘opposite the sun’ (מַאי נֶגֶד הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ)? Opposite the berit which is called shemesh (נֶגֶד הַבְּרִית דְּאִקְרֵי שֶׁמֶשׁ), and concerning it, it is said (Tehillim 84) “For a sun and shield is Hashem Elohim” (כִּי שֶׁמֶשׁ וּמָגֵן יי אֱלֹהִים). “Sun and shield” (שֶׁמֶשׁ וּמָגֵן) this is the Holy Covenant (דָּא בְּרִית קַדִּישָׁא). Just as the sun radiates and illumines the world (מַה שֶׁמֶשׁ זָרַח וְאַנְהִיר עַל עָלְמָא), so too does the Holy covenant radiate and illumine the body of a man (אוּף הָכִי בְּרִית קַדִּישָׁא זָרַח וְאַנְהִיר גּוּפָא דְּבַר נָשׁ). “Shield”: just as a shield protects a man (מָגֵן: מַה מָגֵן אִיהוּ לְאַגָּנָא עֲלֵיהּ דְּבַר נָשׁ), so too the Holy covenant shields a man (אוּף הָכִי בְּרִית קַדִּישָׁא מָגֵן עֲלֵיהּ דְּבַר נָשׁ), and one who guards it-no harm in the world can approach him (וּמַאן דְּנָטִיר לֵיהּ, לֵית נִזְקָא בְּעָלְמָא, דְּיָכִיל לְמִקְרַב בַּהֲדֵיהּ), and this is “opposite the sun” (וְדָא הוּא נֶגֶד הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ).

The leaders of the people are seized in every generation with this sin (רֵישֵׁי עַמָּא יִתָּפְסוּן בְּכָל דָּרָא וְדָרָא בְּחוֹבָא דָּא), if they know and do not act with zeal against it (אִי יָדְעִין וְלָא מְקַנְאִין לֵיהּ). For this sin is upon them (בְּגִין דְּחוֹבָא דָּא עָלַיְיהוּ), to be zealous for Kudsha Berikh Hu regarding this covenant (לְקַנָאָה לֵיהּ לְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא בְּהַאי בְּרִית). Whoever brings this holiness into a foreign domain (מַאן דְּאָעִיל קְדוּשָׁה דָּא בִּרְשׁוּתָא אַחֲרָא), about him it is written (עֲלֵיהּ כְּתִיב): “You shall have no other gods before Me” (לֹא יִהְיֶה לְךָ אֱלֹהִים אֲחֵרִים עַל פָּנָי) (Exodus 20). “You shall not bow to them nor serve them, for I, Hashem your God, am a jealous God” (לֹא תִשְׁתַּחֲוֶה לָהֶם וְלֹא תָעָבְדֵם כִּי אָנֹכִי יְיָ אֱלֹהֶיךָ אֵל קַנָּא), and all is one jealousy (וְכֹלָּא קִנְאָה חֲדָא). And because of this, the Shekhinta is repelled from before him (וְעַל דָּא אִתְדַּחְיָיא שְׁכִינְתָּא מִקָּמֵיהּ). One who betrays the holy covenant that is sealed in the flesh of man (מַאן דִּמְשַׁקֵּר בִּבְרִית קַדִּישָׁא דְחָתִים בִּבְשָׂרֵיהּ דְּבַר נָשׁ), it is as if he lies in the Name of Kudsha Berikh Hu (כְּאִילּוּ מְשַׁקֵּר בִּשְׁמָא דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא). One who lies in the King’s seal (מַאן דִּמְשַׁקֵּר חוֹתָמָא דְּמַלְכָּא), lies in the King Himself (מְשַׁקֵּר בֵּיהּ בְּמַלְכָּא), and he has no share in the God of Yisrael (לֵית לֵיהּ חוּלָקָא בֶּאֱלָהָא דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל), unless with the power of constant repentance (אִי לָא בְּחֵילָא דְּתִיוּבְתָּא תָּדִיר) [Some say: greater (ס״א: יְתִיר)].

Rabbi Yosi opened and said (ר׳ יוֹסֵי פָּתַח וְאָמַר): “And they forgot Hashem their God…” (1 Samuel 12) ("וַיִּשְׁכְּחוּ אֶת ה' אֱלֹהֵיהֶם וגוֹ'"), “and they forsook Hashem” ("וַיַעֲזְבוּ אֶת ה'"). What is [meant by] “they forgot” and “they forsook”? (מַאי וַיִּשְׁכְּחוּ וַיַעֲזְבוּ). That they cast off from themselves the holy enduring covenant (דְּדָחוּ מִנַּיְיהוּ בְּרִית קַיָימָא קַדִּישָׁא), they would perform circumcision and not uncover [the corona] (הֲווֹ גַּזְרִין וְלָא פַּרְעִין), until Devorah came, and she devoted herself for all Yisrael (עַד דְּאָתַת דְּבוֹרָה וּנְדִיבַת בְּהַאי לְכָל יִשְׂרָאֵל), as it is written (כְּמָּה דִּכְתִיב) (Judges 5): “When breaches were breached in Yisrael, when the people offered themselves willingly, bless Hashem” ("בִּפְרוֹעַ פְּרָעוֹת בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל בְּהִתְנַדֵּב עָם בָּרַכוּ ה).

One who kills his children (מַאן דְּקָטִיל בְּנוֹי)—that fetus with which his wife is impregnated (הַהוּא עוֹבָּרָא דְּמִתְעַבְּרָא אִתְּתֵיהּ), and he causes it to be killed in her womb (וְגָרִים לְקַטָלָא לֵיהּ בִּמְעָהָא), he destroys the structure of the Kudsha Berikh Hu and His craftsmanship (דְּסָתִיר בִּנְיָינָא דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא וְאוּמָנוּתָא דִּילֵיהּ). There is one who kills a person (אִית מַאן דְּקָטִיל בַּר נָשׁ), and this one kills his children (וְהַאי קַטִּיל בְּנוֹי). He performs three evil acts that the whole world cannot bear (תְּלָתָא בִּישִׁין עָבִיד דְּכָל עָלְמָא לָא יָכִיל לְמִסְבַּל), and on account of this the world withers little by little (וְעַל דָּא עָלְמָא מִתְמוֹגְגָא זְעֵיר זְעֵיר), and it is not known (וְלֹא יְדִיעַ), and the Kudsha Berikh Hu departs from the world (וְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא אִסְתָּלִק מֵעָלְמָא), and sword and famine and pestilence come upon the world (וְחַרְבָּא וְכַפְנָא וּמוֹתָנָא אַתְיָין עַל עָלְמָא). And these are they: One who kills his children (וְאִלֵּין אִינּוּן: קָטִיל בְּנוֹי), one who destroys the structure of the King (סָתִיר בִּנְיָינָא דְּמַלְכָּא), one who banishes the Shekhinta (דָּחֵיא שְׁכִינְתָּא), Who goes and wanders through the world (דְּאַזְלָא וּמְשַׁטְּטָא בְּעָלְמָא), and does not find rest (וְלָא אַשְׁכָּחַת נַיְיחָא). And on account of these, the spirit (some say: spirits) of holiness weep (וְעַל דָּא אִלֵּין, רוּחָא [נ״א: רוּחִין] דְּקוּדְשָׁא בָּכְיָה), and the world is judged with all these judgments (וְעָלְמָא אִתְדָּן בְּכָל הָנֵי דִּינִין). Woe to that person (וַוי לְהַהוּא בַּר נָשׁ), woe to him (וַוי לֵיהּ), better for him had he not been created in the world (טָב לֵיהּ דְּלָא יִתְבְּרֵי בְּעָלְמָא).

Happy are Yisrael (זַכָּאִין אִינּוּן יִשְׂרָאֵל), for even though they were in the exile of Egypt (דְאַף עַל גַּב דַּהֲווּ בְּגָלוּתָא דְּמִצְרַיִם), they guarded themselves from all these three [sins] (אִסְתָּמָרוּ מִכָּל הָנֵי תְּלָתָא): from niddah (מִנִּדָּה), from a daughter of a foreign god (וּמִבַּת אֵל נִכָר), and from the destruction of seed (וּמִקְּטוֹל זַרְעָא), and they exerted themselves publicly in being fruitful and multiplying (וְאִשְׁתָּדָּלוּ בְּפַרְהֶסְיָא בְּפִרְיָה וּרְבִיָּה). For even though the decree had been issued (דְּאַף עַל גַּב דִּגְזֵרָה אִתְגַּזְרָת), as it is written (Exodus 1): “Every male born you shall throw into the river” (כָּל הַבֵּן הַיִּלּוֹד הַיְאוֹרָה תַּשְׁלִיכוּהוּ), there was not found among them anyone who killed a fetus in the womb of a woman (לָא אִשְׁתְּכַח בֵּינֵיהוֹן מַאן דְּקָטִיל עוּבָּרָא בִּמְעָהָא דְּאִתְּתָא), all the more so afterwards (כָּל שֶׁכֵּן לְבָתַר). And in the merit of this, Yisrael went out from exile (וּבִזְכוּתָא דָּא נָפְקוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל מִן גָּלוּתָא).