Daf 44b (דַּף מ״ד ע״ב)

Because of this, we needed to observe this day regarding the judgments of the world (בְּגִינֵי כַּךְ, אִצְטְרִיכְנָא לְעַיְּינָא יוֹמָא דָּא בְּדִינִי דְּעָלְמָא), for Kudsha Berikh Hu judges the world on this day (דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא דָּאִין בְּיוֹמָא דָּא לְעָלְמָא), and because we have separated ourselves alone in this place (וּבְגִין דְּאִתְפָּרַשְׁנָא בִּלְחוֹד בַּאֲתָר דָּא), we needed to observe the rage of the world (אִצְטְרִיכְנָא לְאִסְתַּכְּלָא בִּרְגִיזוּ דְּעָלְמָא). (Kings II 4) And what is to be done for you-should one speak for you to the king or to the commander of the army? (וּמַה לַעֲשׂוֹת לָךְ הֲיֵשׁ לְדַבֵּר לָךְ אֶל הַמֶּלֶךְ אוֹ אֶל שַׂר הַצָּבָא).

And is this matter needed for a woman who does not go out, nor walk, nor enter the palace of the king? (וְכִי מִלָּה דָּא לְמָה אִצְטְרִיכָא לְגַבֵּי אִתְּתָא, דְּלָא נַפְקַת וְלָא אַזְלַת וְלָא עָאלַת בְּהֵיכְלָא דְּמַלְכָּא). Rather, it was this day that caused it (אֶלָּא, יוֹמָא דָּא הֲוָה גָּרִים), for all the people of the world sit (Some say: stand) in judgment (דְּכָל בְּנֵי עָלְמָא יַתְבִין [נ״א: קַיְימִין] בְּדִינָא), and on that day Kudsha Berikh Hu is called King (וּבְהַהוּא יוֹמָא אִקְרֵי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא מֶלֶךְ) the King of Judgment (הַמֶּלֶךְ הַמִּשְׁפָּט). He said to her: If you have a need before the Supernal King (אָמַר לָהּ, אִי אַתְּ אִצְטְרִיךְ לָךְ לְגַבֵּי מַלְכָּא עִלָּאָה), concerning the deeds that are in your hands (עַל עוֹבָדִין דִּי בִּידָךְ). And she said: Among my people I dwell (וַתֹּאמֶר בְּתוֹךְ עַמִּי אָנֹכִי יֹשָׁבֶת). What was she saying? (מַאי קָאַמְרַת).

Rather, at the time (Some say: in the season) when judgment hangs over the world (אֶלָּא בְּשַׁעֲתָא [נ״א: בִּזְמַנָּא] דְּדִינָא תַּלְיָא בְּעָלְמָא), no person should separate alone (לָא יִתְפְּרַשׁ בַּר נָשׁ בִּלְחוֹדוֹי), nor be inscribed above alone (וְלָא יִתְרְשִׁים לְעֵילָּא), nor be noticed about alone (וְלָא יִשְׁתְּמוֹדְעוּן בֵּיהּ בִּלְחוֹדוֹי), for at the later (alternative reading: final) time that judgment hangs over the world (דְּהָא בְּזִמְנָא [אַחֲרָא] דְּדִינָא תַּלְיָא בְּעָלְמָא), those who are known and recorded individually, even though they are meritorious (אִינּוּן דְּאִשְׁתְּמוֹדְעוּן וּרְשִׁימִין בִּלְחוֹדַיְיהוּ, אַף עַל גַּב דְּזַכָּאִין אִינּוּן), they are seized first (אִינּוּן אִתָּפְסָן בְּקַדְמִיתָא).

And for this reason, a person should not separate himself from among the people forever (וְעַל דָּא, לָא לִבָעֵי לֵיהּ לְאִינִישׁ, לְאִתְפָּרְשָׁא מִבֵּין עַמָּא לְעָלַם), for at all times the mercy of Kudsha Berikh Hu is upon all the people as one (דִּבְכָל זִמְנָא רַחֲמֵי דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא עַל עַמָּא כֻּלְּהוּ כְּחַד). (And a person should never separate from the people) (וְלֹא לִבָּעֵי לֵיהּ לְאִינִישׁ לְאִתְפָּרְשׁ מִן עַמָּא לְעָלַם). And because of this she said: Among my people I dwell (וּבְגִינֵי כַּךְ אָמְרָה, בְּתוֹךְ עַמִּי אָנֹכִי יֹשָׁבֶת), and I do not wish to separate from them (וְלָא בְּעֵינָא לְאִתְפָּרְשָׁא מִנַּיְיהוּ), as I have acted until this day (כְּמָה דְּעָבֵדְנָא עַד יוֹמָא דֵּין). And Gechazi said: But she has no son, etc. (וַיֹּאמֶר גֵּחֲזִי אֲבָל בֵּן אֵין לָהּ וְגוֹ').

Elisha said to her: Behold, certainly the moment stands ready (אָמַר לָהּ אֱלִישָׁע. הָא וַדַּאי שַׁעֲתָא קַיְּימָא), for the day causes it (דְּהָא יוֹמָא גָּרִים). And he said: At this appointed time, according to the time of life, you will embrace a son (וַיֹּאמֶר לַמּוֹעֵד הַזֶּה כָּעֵת חַיָּה אַתְּ חוֹבֶקֶת בֶּן). And the woman conceived and bore a son at that appointed time, according to the time of life, as Elisha had spoken to her (וַתַּהַר הָאִשָּׁה וַתֵּלֶד בֶּן לַמּוֹעֵד הַזֶּה כָּעֵת חַיָּה אֲשֶׁר דִּבֶּר אֵלֶיהָ אֱלִישָׁע). At the appointed time indeed (לַמּוֹעֵד וַדַּאי). Afterward, he died (לְבָתַר מִית). Why did he die? (מַאי טַעֲמָא מִית). Rather, because he was given to her and not to her husband (אֶלָּא בְּגִין דְּאִתְיְיהִב לָהּ, וְלָא לְבַעְלָהּ), and from the side of the Nukvah it was bound (וּמֵאֲתָר דְּנוּקְבָּא אִתְקָשָּׁר), and whoever is bound to the Nukvah, death is prepared before him (וּמַאן דְּאִתְקָשָּׁר בְּנוּקְבָּא, מוֹתָא אִזְדַּמְּנַת קָמֵיהּ). From where do we know that he was given to her? From that which is written: You will embrace a son (מְנָא לָן דְּלָהּ אִתְיְהִיב, דִּכְתִּיב אַתְּ חוֹבֶקֶת בֵּן).

Come and see: Regarding Avraham, it is written (Bereshit 18) I will surely return to you (תָּא חֲזֵי, בְּאַבְרָהָם כְּתִיב: שׁוֹב אָשׁוּב אֵלֶיךָ), and not to her-to you, certainly (וְלֹא אֵלֶיהָ, אֵלֶיךָ וַדַּאי), in you was it bound, and not in the Nukvah (בָּךְ אִתְקָשָּׁר, וְלָא בְּנוּקְבָא). One who comes from the side of the Nukvah-death precedes at his steps (מַאן דְּאָתֵי מִסִּטְרָא דְּנוּקְבָא, מוֹתָא אַקְדִּים לְרַגְלוֹי). And she went up and laid him on the bed of the man of HaElohim (וַתַּעַל וַתַּשְׁכִּיבֵהוּ עַל מִטַּת אִישׁ הָאֱלֹהִים), because there she had seen supreme holiness above all (בְּגִין דְּתַמָּן חָמַת קְדוּשָׁה עִלָּאָה מִכֹּלָּא). And he said to her: Is it well with you? Is it well with your husband? Is it well with the child? (וַיֹּאמֶר לָהּ הֲשָׁלוֹם לָךְ הֲשָׁלוֹם לְאִישֵׁךְ הֲשָׁלוֹם לַיָּלֶד).

From here-that she was the essence of the house (מִכָּאן, דְּהִיא עִקָרָא דְּבֵיתָא), and not only that, but she went after him, not her husband (וְלֹא עוֹד אֶלָּא דְּאִיהִי אַזְלַת אֲבַתְרֵיהּ, וְלֹא בַּעְלָהּ). And Gechazi approached to push her away-this has already been established (וַיִּגַּשׁ גֵּחֲזִי לְהָדְפָהּ הָא אוּקְמוּהָ). And the man of HaElohim said: Let her alone (וַיֹּאמֶר אִישׁ הָאֱלֹהִים הַרְפֵּה לָהּ). Why is it different here, that it says the man of HaElohim (מַאי שְׁנָא הָכָא דְּאָמַר אִישׁ הָאֱלֹהִים), whereas in other cases it says Elisha? (וְכַד הֲוָה בְּמָתָא אֱלִישָׁע). Rather, here it certainly says the man of HaElohim (אֶלָּא הָכָא וַדַּאי אִישׁ הָאֱלֹהִים), for here (Some say: he) beheld his place (דְּהָכָא [ס"א: הוּא] חַזָא דּוּכְתֵּיהּ), and not in the city (וְלָא בְּמָתָא), and not at the time when the sons of the prophets were before him (וְלָא בְּשַׁעֲתָא דַּהֲווֹ בְּנִי נְבִיאֵי קָמֵיהּ). And Hashem concealed it from me, etc. (וַיְיָ' הֶעְלִים מִמֶּנִּי וְגוֹ'), as you say (כְּמָה דְּאַתְּ אָמֵר), (Bereshit 19) And Hashem rained upon Sodom and upon Amorah (וַיְיָ' הִמְטִיר עַל סְדוֹם וְעַל עֲמוֹרָה) this is the judgment from below (דָּא בֵּי דִּינָא דִּלְתַתָּא). And He did not tell me (וְלֹא הִגִּיד לִי) why did Elisha not know? (מַאי טַעֲמָא לֹא יָדַע אֱלִישָׁע). Rather, Kudsha Berikh Hu said: And what if I kill this one? If I tell him, he will prevent the death, for he is his benefactor (אֶלָּא אָמַר קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, וּמָה אֲנָא קָטִיל לְהַאי, אִי אֵימָא לֵיהּ, לָא יָמוּת, דְּהָא נְבִזְבְּזָא דִּילֵיהּ הוּא).

But surely he must die, for it was already said: You will embrace a son (וַדַּאי אִית לֵיהּ לְמֵימָת, דְּהָא אִתְּמַר, דִּכְתִּיב אַתְּ חוֹבֶקֶת בֵּן), and from the side of the Nukvah comes death (וּמֵאֲתָר דְּנוּקְבָּא גָּרִים מוֹתָא), and because of this He did not tell him (וּבְגִינֵי כַּךְ לָא אָמַר לֵיהּ). And he said to Gechazi: Gird your loins and take my staff in your hand and go (וַיֹּאמֶר לְגֵחֲזִי חֲגוֹר מָתְנֶיךָ וְקַח מִשְׁעַנְתִּי בְיָדְךָ וָלֵךְ). But this was already established, and the miracle departed from him (וְהָא אוּקְמוּהָ וְאִסְתְּלַק נִיסָא מִנֵּיהּ). As Hashem lives and as your soul lives, I will not leave you (חַי יְיָ' וְחֵי נַפְשְׁךָ אִם אֶעֶזְבֶךָּ) why? Since Gechazi was going (אֲמַאי, כֵּיוָן דְּגֵיחֲזִי הֲוָה אָזִיל). Rather, she knew the ways of that wicked one, Gechazi (אֶלָּא הִיא יַדְעַת אָרְחוֹי דְּהַהוּא רָשָׁע דְּגֵיחֲזִי), that he was not worthy for a miracle to be found through his hand (דְּלָאו אִיהוּ כְּדַאי דְּיִשְׁתְּכַח נִיסָא עַל יְדוֹי). And he placed his mouth on his mouth and his eyes on his eyes, etc. (וַיָּשֶׂם פִּיו עַל פִּיו וְעֵינָיו עַל עֵינָיו וְגוֹ').

Why? (אֲמַאי). Rather, because Elisha saw and knew that this place (this woman) caused it (אֶלָּא דְּאַשְׁגַּח אֱלִישָׁע וְיָדַע דְּאַתְרָא [דְאִתְּתָא הוּא] דָּא הוּא דְּגָרִים), for it was bound there now (דְּאִתְקְשָׁר בֵּיהּ הַשְׁתָּא). And he placed his mouth on his mouth, and his eyes on his eyes (וַיָּשֶׂם פִּיו עַל פִּיו וְעֵינָיו עַל עֵינָיו), to bind him to another higher place (לְקַשְּׁרָא לֵיהּ בְּאַתְרָא אָחֳרָא עִלָּאָה), a place where life is found (אֲתָר דְּחַיִּין אִשְׁתְּכָחוּ בֵּיהּ). And he was not able to uproot him from the place to which he had been bound before (וְלָא יָכִיל לְאַעְקְרָא לֵיהּ מֵאֲתָר דְּאִתְקַשָּׁר בֵּיהּ בְּקַדְמִיתָא), until a spirit from above was aroused (אֶלָּא אִתְּעַר רוּחָא חֲדָא מִלְּעֵילָּא), and it was bound to this place (וְאִתְקְשַׁר בְּהַאי אֲתָר), and returned the soul to him (וְאָתִיב לֵיהּ נַפְשֵׁיהּ). For if not for this, he would not have arisen forever (דְּאִי לָאו הָכִי לָא הֲוָה קָאִים לְעָלְמִין). And the boy sneezed seven times (וַיְזוֹרֵר הַנַּעַר עַד שֶׁבַע פְּעָמִים), and no more than that (וְלָא סָלִיק יַתִּיר), as it is said (Psalms 90) The days of our years are seventy years (כְּמָה דְּאַתְּ אָמֵר: יְמֵי שְׁנוֹתֵינוּ בָּהֶם שִׁבְעִים שָׁנָה).