Daf 50a (דַּף נ׳ ע״א)

He opened and said (פָּתַח וְאָמַר), “Happy is the man who finds wisdom” (Proverbs 3) (אַשְׁרֵי אָדָם מָצָא חָכְמָה). “Happy is the man”-such as we, who have found you (אַשְׁרֵי אָדָם, כְּגוֹן אֲנָן, דְּאַשְׁכַּחְנָא לָךְ), and have learned from you a word of wisdom (וְיָדַעְנָא מִינָךְ מִלָּה דְּחָכְמְתָא). “And a man brings forth understanding”-such as we, who have been guided to join with you (וְאָדָם יָפִיק תְּבוּנָה, כְּגוֹן אֲנָן, דְּאוֹרִיכְנָא לָךְ לְאִתְחַבְּרָא בַּהֲדָךְ). And this is the man whom Kudsha Berikh Hu has stationed upon the way (וְדָא הוּא בַּר נָשׁ דְּזַמִּין לֵיהּ קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא נְבִזְבְּזָא בְּאָרְחָא), the face of the Shekhinta (אַנְפּוֹי דִּשְׁכִינְתָּא). And regarding this it is written, “And the path of the righteous is like the light of dawn” (Proverbs 4) (וְעַל דָּא כְּתִיב, וְאֹרַח צַדִּיקִים כְּאוֹר נֹגַהּ). They went on (אָזְלוּ).

That man opened and said (פָּתַח הַהוּא גַּבְרָא וְאָמַר), “Of David, a psalm. To Hashem is the earth and its fullness…” (Psalms 24) (לְדָוִד מִזְמוֹר לַיְיָ׳ הָאָרֶץ וּמְלוֹאָהּ וְגו׳). “Of David, a psalm” appears in one place, and elsewhere “a psalm of David”-what is the difference between this and that (לְדָוִד מִזְמוֹר בַּאֲתָר חַד, וּבַאֲתַר אַחֲרָא מִזְמוֹר לְדָוִד, מַה בֵּין הַאי לְהַאי)? Rather, “Of David, a psalm”-a song that David said about Knesset Yisrael (אֶלָּא לְדָוִד מִזְמוֹר, שִׁירָתָא דְּקָאָמַר דָּוִד עַל כְּנֶסֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל).

“A psalm of David”-a song that David said about himself (מִזְמוֹר לְדָוִד, שִׁירָתָא דְּקָאָמַר דָּוִד עַל גַּרְמֵיהּ). “To Hashem is the earth and its fullness” (לַיְיָ׳ הָאָרֶץ וּמְלוֹאָהּ) (Daf 22b). “To Hashem”-this is Kudsha Berikh Hu (לַיְיָ׳: דָּא קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא). “The earth and its fullness”-this is Knesset Yisrael (הָאָרֶץ וּמְלוֹאָהּ: דָּא כְּנֶסֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל), and all her multitudes (וְכָל אוּכְלוֹסִין דִּילָהּ), who are joined with her (דְּמִתְחַבְּרָן בַּהֲדָהּ), and are surely called her fullness (וְאִקְרוּן מְלוֹאָהּ וַדַּאי הוּא). As it is said (כְּמָה דְּאַתְּ אָמֵר): “The whole earth is full of His glory” (Isaiah 6) (מְלֹא כָל הָאָרֶץ כְּבוֹדוֹ). “

“Tevel [World] and those who dwell in it” (תֵּבֵל וְיוֹשְׁבֵי בָהּ)—this is the lower earth (דָּא הוּא אַרְעָא דִּלְתַתָּא), which is called Tevel [World] (דְּאִקְרֵי תֵּבֵל), and it is held by the judgment of the supernal world (וַאֲחִידַת בְּדִינָא דִּלְעֵילָּא). This is what is written (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב): “And He shall judge Tevel [World] with righteousness” (וְהוּא יִשְׁפּוֹט תֵּבֵל בְּצֶדֶק) (Tehillim 9:9), whether one individual (בֵּין לְחָד), or one nation (בֵּין לְעַמָּא חַד), or the entire world (בֵּין לְכָל עָלְמָא), from this judgment they are judged (מֵהַאי דִּינָא הוּא אִתְּדָן).

Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי), Pharaoh drew sustenance from this judgment (פַּרְעֹה מֵהַאי דִּינָא יָנִיק), until he and all his people were destroyed (עַד דְּאִתְאֲבִידוּ הוּא וְכָל עַמֵּיהּ). Once this judgment was aroused upon him (כֵּיוָן דְּהַאי דִּינָא אִתְּעַר עָלֵיהּ), that appointed officer who was set over them in dominion (הַהוּא מְמָנָא דְּאִתְמָנָא עֲלַיְיהוּ בְּשֻׁלְטָנוּתָא), withdrew and was removed (אִתְעָדֵי וְאִתְעֲבָר), then all those below were destroyed (כְּדֵין כֻּלְּהוּ דִּלְתַתָּא אִתְאֲבִידוּ), as it is written (דִּכְתִּיב): “He removed the wheels of their chariots” (וַיָּסַר אֶת אוֹפַן מַרְכְּבוֹתָיו) (Exodus 14). What is ‘the wheels of his chariots’? (מַאי אוֹפַן מַרְכְּבוֹתָיו) His chariots, Pharaoh’s (מַרְכְּבוֹתָיו דְּפַרְעֹה). And who is that wheel of theirs? (וּמַאן אִיהוּ הַהוּא אוֹפַן דִּלְהוֹן), That officer who rules over them (הַהוּא מְמָנָא דְּשָׁלִיט עֲלַיְיהוּ).

And because of this, they all perished in the sea (וְעַל דָּא מִיתוּ כֻּלְּהוּ בְּיַמָּא). Why in the sea? (אֲמַאי בְּיַמָּא) Rather, the Supernal Sea was aroused against them (אֶלָּא יַמָּא עִלָּאָה אִתְּעַר עֲלַיְיהוּ), and they were erased (וְאִתְמְחוּ) - Some say: and they were delivered (נ״א: וְאֵתְמַסְּרוּ) - into its hands (בִּידָהָא). And for this reason it is written: “They were drowned in the Sea of Reeds” (וּבְגִין כַּךְ טֻבְּעוּ בַּיָּם סוֹף כְּתִיב) (Exodus 15). Rabbi Yosi said (אָמַר רִבִּי יוֹסֵי): Certainly it is so (וַדַּאי הָכִי הוּא), and concerning this it is written: “They were drowned in the Sea of Reeds” (וְעַל דָּא כְּתִיב, טֻבְּעוּ בְּיַם סוּף), the end of levels (סוֹפָא דְּדַרְגִּין).

Rabbi Ḥiyya said (רִבִּי חִיָּיא אָמַר): “And He led him with heaviness” (וַיְנַהֲגֵהוּ בִּכְבֵדוּת) - what is ‘with heaviness’? (בִּכְבֵדוּת מַהוּ) Rather, from here we learn (אֶלָּא מִכָּאן אוֹלִיפְנָא), that through that very speech in which a person is spoken to (דִּבְהַהוּא דַּבְּרוּתָא דְּאִתְדָּבַּר בֵּיהּ בַּר נָשׁ מְדַבְּרִין לֵיהּ), it is written regarding Pharaoh (בְּפַרְעֹה כְּתִיב): “And Pharaoh’s heart was hardened” (וַיִּכְבַּד לֵב פַּרְעֹה) (Exodus 9). With that very word (בְּהַהוּא מִלָּה), Kudsha Berikh Hu spoke to him (דָּבַר לֵיהּ קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא), with actual heaviness (בִּכְבֵדוּת מַמָּשׁ). Kudsha Berikh Hu said to him (אָמַר לֵיהּ קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא): “Wicked one, you have hardened your heart” (רָשָׁע, אַתְּ אוֹקִיר לִבָּךְ), I will speak to you with this (אֲנָא אַדְבַּר לָךְ בְּהַאי). Concerning this it is written: “And He led him with heaviness” (עַל דָּא וַיְנַהֲגֵהוּ בִּכְבֵדוּת). “And Egypt said: Let me flee from before Yisrael” (וַיֹּאמֶר מִצְרַיִם אָנוּסָה מִפְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל) (Exodus 14), “And Egypt said” (וַיֹּאמֶר מִצְרַיִם), this is the officer appointed over Egypt (דָּא מְמָנָא דְּאִתְמְנֵי עַל מִצְרָאֵי). Rabbi Yosi said (אָמַר רִבִּי יוֹסֵי): This matter is difficult (הַאי מִלָּה קַשְׁיָא), for since dominion was removed from him (כֵּיוָן דְּאַעְבְּרוּ לֵיהּ מִשּׁוּלְטָנוּתֵיהּ), how could he pursue after Yisrael? (הֵיךְ יָכִיל הוּא לְמִרְדַּף אֲבַתְרַיְיהוּ דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל) Rather, certainly it is so (אֶלָּא וַדַּאי הָכִי הוּא).

But this verse “And Egypt said” (אֲבָל דָּא וַיֹּאמֶר מִצְרַיִם), refers to the lower Egypt (מִצְרַיִם דִּלְתַתָּא). “For Hashem fought for them against Egypt” (כִּי יי׳ נִלְחָם לָהֶם בְּמִצְרָיִם) (Exodus 14), this is the higher Egypt (מִצְרַיִם דִּלְעֵילָּא). For once their strength above was broken (דְּכֵיוָן דְּאִתְבַּר חֵילֵיהוֹן מִלְּעֵילָּא), then the power and force below was also broken (כְּדֵין אִתְּבַּר חֵילָא וּתְקוּפָּא דִּילְהוֹן לְתַתָּא). This is what is written: “For Hashem fought for them against Egypt” (הֲדָא הוּא דִּכְתִּיב כִּי יי׳ נִלְחָם לָהֶם בְּמִצְרַיִם). In Egypt - precisely (בְּמִצְרַיִם דַּיְקָא), this is their supernal might (דָּא הוּא תּוּקְפָּא דִּילְהוֹן דִּלְעֵילָּא). And this is what was established: “The king of Egypt” - unspecified (וְדָא הוּא דְּאוּקְמוּהָ מֶלֶךְ מִצְרַיִם סְתָם). Here it says, “And Egypt said: Let me flee from before Yisrael” (הָכָא, וַיֹּאמֶר מִצְרַיִם אָנוּסָה מִפְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל), for they saw that their strength and power had been broken - above (דְּחָמוּ דְּהָא אִתְּבַּר חֵילֵיהוֹן וּתְקוּפָּא דִּילְהוֹן דִּלְעֵילָּא). Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי), when Knesset Yisrael was aroused (כַּד אִתְעָרַת הַאי כְּנֶסֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל), all were aroused (אִתְעֲרוּ כָּל־)…

Tosefta

Above all of them (לְעֵילָּא מִכֻּלְּהוּ), for they are those who receive it within the body of the Tree (דְּהָא אִינּוּן נַטְלֵי לָהּ בְּגוּפָא דְּאִילָנָא), and this has already been established (וְהָא אוּקְמוּהָ). And because of this, Yisrael are bound to it (וּבְגִינֵי כַּךְ יִשְׂרָאֵל אֲחִידָן בָּהּ), more than all worshippers of stars and constellations (יַתִּיר מִכָּל עוֹבְדֵי כּוֹכָבִים וּמַזָּלוֹת). And when they are aroused (וְכַד אִינּוּן מִתְעָרִין), all the nations - idol worshippers (worshippers of stars and constellations) p5-83(כָּל עַמִּים עַכּו״ם) - their strength is broken (אִתְּבַר תּוּקְפֵיהוֹן) from those who rule over them (מֵאִינּוּן דְּשַׁלְטֵי עָלַיְיהוּ).

Come and see (תָּא חֲזִי), this appointed authority of Egypt (הַאי מְמָנָא שֻׁלְטָנָא דְּמִצְרָאֵי), oppressed Yisrael with many subjugations (דָּחִיק לוֹן לְיִשְׂרָאֵל בְּכַמָּה שִׁעְבּוּדִין), just as has been established (כְּמָה דְּאוּקְמוּהָ). After he was broken at first (לְבָתַר דְּאִתְּבַר הוּא בְּקַדְמִיתָא), those kingdoms were broken (אִתְּבָּרוּ אִינּוּן מַלְכְּוָותָא), some say: those dominions (נ״א: מִלְּתְּתָא). This is that which is written: “For Hashem fought for them against Egypt” (Exodus 14) (כִּי יְיָ נִלְחָם לָהֶם בְּמִצְרַיִם). Indeed, He fought for them (נִלְחָם לָהֶם וְדַאי).

Tosefta