Daf 57b (דַּף נ״ז ע״ב)

Rabbi Shimon said (אָמַר רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן): It is written (Yeshayahu 57), “The Tzaddik has perished” (הַצַּדִּיק אָבָד). And we have already established this teaching (וְהָא אוֹקִימְנָא מִלֵּי): it does not say “the Tzaddik was lost” (הַצַּדִּיק נֶאֱבַד לָא כְּתִיב), rather, “the Tzaddik has perished” (אֶלָּא הַצַּדִּיק אָבָד). Of all the faces of the King (מִכָּל אִינּוּן אַנְפֵּי מַלְכָּא), it is not found that any perished except the Tzaddik (לָא אִשְׁתְּכַח דְּאָבַד, אֶלָּא צַדִּיק). He perished in two ways (אָבַד בִּתְרֵי סִטְרֵי): one, that no blessings rest upon him as at first (חַד, דְּלָא שָׁרְיָאן בֵּיהּ בִּרְכָּאן כַּד בְּקַדְמִיתָא), and two, that his mate-who is Knesset Yisrael-was distanced from him (וְחַד, דְּאִתְרְחִיקַת מִנֵּיהּ בַּת זוּגֵיהּ דְּהִיא כְּנֶסֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל). It is found, then, that the Tzaddik has perished more than all (אִשְׁתְּכַח, דְּצַדִּיק אָבַד יַתִּיר מִכֹּלָּא).

And in the time to come, it is written (וּלְזִמְנָא דְּאָתֵי כְּתִיב): (Zekhariah 9) “Rejoice greatly, daughter of Zion; shout, daughter of Yerushalayim behold, your King will come to you, Tzaddik and delivered is He” (גִּילִי מְאֹד בַּת צִיּוֹן, הָרִיעִי בַּת יְרוּשָׁלַ͏יִם, הִנֵּה מַלְכֵּךְ יָבוֹא לָךְ צַדִּיק וְנוֹשָׁע הוּא). It does not say “Tzaddik and a deliverer” (צַדִּיק וּמוֹשִׁיעַ לָא כְּתִיב), rather “Tzaddik and delivered is He” (אֶלָּא צַדִּיק וְנוֹשָׁע הוּא). He is delivered-certainly (הוּא נוֹשָׁע וַדַּאי). And this has been taught (וְהָא אִתְּמַר): (Shemot 15) “Your right hand, Hashem, is glorious in power” (יְמִינְךָ יְיָ' נֶאְדָּרִי בַּכֹּחַ). What [is the meaning of] Ne’dari [Glorious in the feminine]? It should have said Ne’dar [in the masculine] (מַאי נֶאְדָּרִי, נֶאְדָּר מִבָּעֵי לֵיהּ). Rather, at the moment that the left comes to unite with the right (אֶלָּא, בְּשַׁעֲתָא דִּשְׂמָאלָא אַתְיָא לְאִזְדַּוְּוגָא בִּימִינָא), then it is written Ne’dari [Glorious] (כְּדֵין כְּתִיב נֶאְדָּרִי) - Some say: in power, in two, and forever, etc. (ס״א: בַּכֹּחַ, תְּרֵי, וּלְעוֹלָם וְגוֹ') - for the left is found within the right and is included in it (בְּגִין דְּשְׂמָאלָא אִשְׁתְּכַח בִּימִינָא וְאִתְכְּלִיל בֵּיהּ).

Rabbi Shimon said (אָמַר רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן): As we have established, so it is (כְּמָה דְּאוֹקִימְנָא הָכִי הוּא), that a person is found to be separated (דְּבַר נָשׁ אִשְׁתְּכַח דְּאִתְפְּלַג). Why is that? (מַאי טַעְמָא) In order to receive his mate (בְּגִין לְקַבְּלָא עִמֵּיהּ בַּת זוּגֵיהּ), that they may become one actual body (דְּיִתְעֲבִידוּ חַד גּוּפָא מַמָּשׁ). Just as “Your right hand”-it is found to be divided (כַּד יְמִינְךָ, אִשְׁתְּכַח דְּאִתְפְּלַג). Why is that? (מַאי טַעְמָא) In order to receive the left with it (בְּגִין לְקַבְּלָא עִמֵּיהּ שְׂמָאלָא). And so it is with all-one with one (וְהָכִי הוּא כֹּלָּא, חַד בְּחַד). And for this reason, with one He strikes and with one He heals (וְעַל דָּא, בְּחַד מָחֵי וּמַסֵּי). This is what is written: “Your right hand, Hashem, will crush the enemy” (הֲדָא הוּא דִּכְתִיב: יְמִינְךָ יְיָ' תִּרְעַץ אוֹיֵב).

Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי): This song was spoken (שִׁירָתָא דָּא אִתְּמַר) about that time (עַל הַהוּא זִמְנָא), and about the time to come (וְעַל זִמְנָא דְּאָתֵי), in the days when the King Mashiach shall awaken (בְּיוֹמֵי דְּיִתְּעַר מַלְכָּא מְשִׁיחָא), as it is written: “Your right hand, Hashem, will crush the enemy” (דִּכְתִּיב: יְמִינְךָ יְיָ' תִּרְעַץ אוֹיֵב). Ratzat (past tense) is not written (רָעַצְתְּ לָא כְּתִיב), but Tir‘atz-“will crush” (אֶלָּא תִּרְעַץ). What is written previously? (מַה כְּתִיב בְּקַדְמִיתָא): (Eikhah 1) “He turned back His right hand before the enemy” (הֵשִׁיב אָחוֹר יְמִינוֹ מִפְּנֵי אוֹיֵב). At that time (בְּהַהוּא זִמְנָא), it-[the right hand]-will crush the enemy in the time to come (הִיא תִּרְעַץ אוֹיֵב לְזִמְנָא דְּאָתֵי).

And it is all like this (וְכֹּלָּא הָכִי הוּא): “You will demolish those who rise against You” (תַּהֲרוֹס קָמֶיךָ), it is not written harasta "You destroyed" (הָרַסְתָּ לָא כְּתִיב), but taharos “You will demolish” (אֶלָּא תַּהֲרוֹס). “You send forth Your wrath, it consumes them like stubble” (תְּשַׁלַּח חֲרוֹנְךָ יוֹאכְלֵמוֹ כַּקַּשׁ) all of it is for the time to come (כֹּלָּא לְזִמְנָא דְּאָתֵי). “Your right hand, Hashem, is glorious in power”-that is this present time, in this world (יְמִינְךָ יְיָ' נֶאְדָּרִי בַּכֹּחַ, בְּזִמְנָא דָּא, בְּעָלְמָא דֵּין). “Your right hand, Hashem, will crush the enemy” that is in the time of King Mashiach (יְמִינְךָ יְיָ' תִּרְעַץ אוֹיֵב, בְּזִמְנָא דְּמַלְכָּא מְשִׁיחָא). “And in the greatness of Your majesty You will demolish those who rise against You”-for the coming of Gog and Magog (וּבְרֹב גְּאוֹנְךָ תַּהֲרוֹס קָמֶיךָ, לְבִיאַת גּוֹג וּמָגוֹג). “You send forth Your wrath, it consumes them like stubble”-for the resurrection of the dead (תְּשַׁלַּח חֲרוֹנְךָ יוֹאכְלֵמוֹ כַּקַּשׁ, לִתְחִיַּית הַמֵּתִים). As it is written (דִּכְתִּיב): (Daniel 12) “And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awaken-these to everlasting life, and these to shame and everlasting contempt” (וְרַבִּים מִיְּשֵׁנֵי אַדְמַת עָפָר יָקִיצוּ, אֵלֶּה לְחַיֵּי עוֹלָם וְאֵלֶּה לַחֲרָפוֹת וּלְדִרְאוֹן עוֹלָם). At that time (בְּהַהוּא זִמְנָא), Rabbi Shimon said (אָמַר רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן): Blessed are those who remain in the world (זַכָּאִין אִינּוּן דְּיִשְׁתַּאֲרוּן בְּעָלְמָא). And who are they? (וּמַאן אִינּוּן)

Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי): no one will remain from the people of the world except those who are decreed (לָא יִשְׁתְּאַר מִבְּנֵי עָלְמָא, בַּר אִינּוּן גְּזִירִין), who have received the sign of the sacred covenant (דְּקַבְּלוּ אוֹת קַיָּימָא קַדִּישָׁא), and entered into the sacred covenant (וְעָאלוּ בְּקַיְּימָא קַדִּישָׁא), in those two divisions, as we have established (בְּאִינּוּן תְּרֵין חוּלָקִין, כְּמָה דְּאוֹקִימְנָא). And he guards that covenant (וְהוּא נָטִיר לֵיהּ לְהַהוּא קַיָּים), and does not enter into an unworthy place (וְלָא עַיֵּילֵיהּ בְּאֲתַר דְּלָא אִצְטְרִיךְ) these are the ones who will remain (אִלֵּין אִינּוּן דְּיִשְׁתַּאֲרוּן), and will be written for everlasting life (וְיִכָּתְבוּן לְחַיֵּי עָלְמָא). From where [do we know this]? (מְנָלָן) For it is written: (Yeshayahu 4) “And it shall be, the one who remains in Zion and the one who is left in Yerushalayim shall be called holy-everyone who is written for life in Yerushalayim” (וְהָיָה הַנִּשְׁאָר בְּצִיּוֹן וְהַנּוֹתָר בִּירוּשָׁלַ͏יִם קָדוֹשׁ יֵאָמֵר לוֹ כָּל הַכָּתוּב לְחַיִּים בִּירוּשָׁלַ͏יִם).

The implication is: the one who remains in Zion and the one who is left in Yerushalayim (מַשְׁמַע: הַנִּשְׁאָר בְּצִיּוֹן וְהַנּוֹתָר בִּירוּשָׁלַ͏יִם), that all who are decreed have entered into these two levels (דְּכָל מַאן דְּאִתְגְּזַר, בְּאִילֵּין תְּרֵין דַּרְגִּין עָאל). And if he guards that covenant properly (וְאִי נָטִיר לְהַהוּא קַיָּם כַּדְקָא חֲזֵי), and is careful with it (וְיִזְדְּהַר בֵּיהּ), about him it is written: “the one who remains in Zion and the one who is left in Yerushalayim” (עָלֵיהּ כְּתִיב: הַנִּשְׁאָר בְּצִיּוֹן וְהַנּוֹתָר בִּירוּשָׁלַ͏יִם). These will remain in that time (אִילֵּין יִשְׁתַּאֲרוּן בְּהַהוּא זִמְנָא), and then Kudsha Berikh Hu is destined to renew the world with them and to rejoice in them (וָבֹהוּ זַמִּין קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לְחָדְתָּא עָלְמָא וּלְמֵחֲדֵי בְּהוּ). About that time it is written: (Tehillim 104) “May the glory of Hashem be forever, may Hashem rejoice in His works” (יְהִי כְבוֹד יְיָ' לְעוֹלָם, יִשְׂמַח יְיָ' בְּמַעֲשָׂיו).

Rabbi Chiyya was going to Rabbi El'azar (רִבִּי חִיָּיא הֲוָה אָזִיל לְגַבֵּי רִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר), and he found him sitting with Rabbi Yose son of Rabbi Shimon ben Lakunya his father-in-law (אַשְׁכָּחֵיהּ דְּהֲוָה יָתִיב לְגַבֵּיהּ דְּרִבִּי יוֹסֵי בְּרַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן לָקוּנְיָיא חָמוּי). As he lifted his head (עַד דְּזָקִיף רֵישֵׁיהּ), he saw Rabbi Chiyya (חָמָא לֵיהּ לְרִבִּי חִיָּיא), and he said: (Yeshayahu 19) “On that day Yisrael will be a third with Egypt and Ashur, a blessing in the midst of the land, whom Hashem Tzevaot will bless, saying: Blessed is My people Egypt, and the work of My hands Ashur, and My inheritance Yisrael” (בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא יִהְיֶה יִשְׂרָאֵל שְׁלִישִׁיָּה לְמִצְרַיִם וּלְאַשּׁוּר בְּרָכָה בְּקֶרֶב הָאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר בֵּרַכוֹ יְיָ' צְבָאוֹת לֵאמֹר בָּרוּךְ עַמִּי מִצְרַיִם וּמַעֲשֵׂה יָדַי אַשּׁוּר וְנַחֲלָתִי יִשְׂרָאֵל).

And is Egypt and Ashur close to Kudsha Berikh Hu? (וְכִי אַשּׁוּר וּמִצְרַיִם קְרִיבִין אִינּוּן לְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא) Rather, it was said regarding the exile from Egypt and from Ashur (אֶלָּא, עַל גָּלוּתָא דִּיסְקוּן מִמִּצְרַיִם וּמֵאַשּׁוּר אִתְּמַר), and if it was said regarding Egypt and Ashur, [it is] about their righteous ones (וְאִי אִתְּמַר עַל מִצְרַיִם וְעַל אַשּׁוּר, עַל אִינּוּן חֲסִידִין דִּלְהוֹן), who returned in repentance (דְּאַהַדְרוּ בְּתִיּוּבְתָּא), and remained to serve Yisrael and King Mashiach (וְאִשְׁתַּאֲרוּן לְמִפְלַח לְיִשְׂרָאֵל וּלְמַלְכָּא מְשִׁיחָא), as it is written (דִּכְתִּיב): (Tehillim 72) “All kings shall bow to him” (וְיִשְׁתַּחֲווּ לוֹ כָּל מְלָכִים), and it is written (וּכְתִיב): (Yeshayahu 49) “And kings shall be your foster-fathers…” (וְהָיוּ מְלָכִים אוֹמְנַיִךְ וְגוֹ'). He said to him: What is [the meaning of] that which is written: (Mishlei 3) “Her ways are ways of pleasantness” (מַאי דִּכְתִּיב: דְּרָכֶיהָ דַּרְכֵי נֹעַם)? He said to him: How many fools there are (אָמַר לֵיהּ: כַּמָּה טִפְּשִׁין כו׳), among the people of the world (בְּנֵי עָלְמָא), who neither know nor consider the words of the Orayta (דְּלָא יַדְּעִין וְלָא מַשְׁגִּיחִין בְּמִלּוֹי דְּאוֹרַיְּיתָא) for the words of the Orayta (דְּהָא מִלִּין דְּאוֹרַיְּיתָא) - Some say: how many supernal secrets they contain (נ״א: כַּמָּה רָזִין עִלָּאִין אִית בְּהוֹן) - are the paths by which to merit the No‘am Hashem (אִינּוּן אָרְחָא לְמִזְכֵּי בְּהַהוּא נֹעַם יְיָ'), as it is written: “Her ways are ways of pleasantness and all her paths are peace” (דִּכְתִּיב: דְּרָכֶיהָ דַּרְכֵי נֹעַם וְכָל נְתִיבוֹתֶיהָ שָׁלוֹם).

Ways of pleasantness-certainly (דַּרְכֵי נֹעַם וַדַּאי). What is No‘am? (מַאי נֹעַם) As it is written: (Tehillim 27) “To behold the pleasantness of Hashem” (כְּמָה דִּכְתִּיב: לַחֲזוֹת בְּנֹעַם יְיָ'), and this has been established (וְהָא אוּקְמוּהָ), because - Some say: “thus” (נ״א: כָּךְ) - the Orayta and its ways come from that No‘am (דְּאוֹרַיְּיתָא וְאָרְחוֹי, מֵהַהוּא נֹעַם אָתְיָין), and those paths are separated within it (וְאִינּוּן אָרְחִין פְּרִישָׁן בֵּיהּ). And on account of this: “Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths peace” (וְעַל דָּא: דְּרָכֶיהָ דַּרְכֵי נֹעַם וְכָל נְתִיבוֹתֶיהָ שָׁלוֹם).