Daf 58b (דַּף נ״ח ע״ב)

For this is what is written (דְּהָא הוּא דִּכְתִּיב): (Yirmeyahu 9) “Why has the land perished?” etc. (עַל מָה אָבְדָה הָאָרֶץ וְגוֹ'), and Hashem said: “Because they have forsaken My Torah” (וַיֹּאמֶר יְיָ': עַל עָזְבָם אֶת תּוֹרָתִי). For whenever Yisrael strive in Orayta (דְּהָא כָּל זִמְנָא דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל יִשְׁתַּדְּלוּן בְּאוֹרַיְּיתָא), the power and might of all idol worshippers is broken (אִתְּבַּר חֵילָא וְתוּקְפָּא דְּכָל עוֹבְדֵי עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה). This is what is written: “Your right hand, Hashem, will crush the enemy” (הֲדָא הוּא דִּכְתִּיב: יְמִינְךָ יְיָ' תִּרְעַץ אוֹיֵב).

Rabbi El'azar said (אָמַר רִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר): Certainly so (וַדַּאי הָכִי הוּא), for whenever the voice of Yisrael is heard in synagogues and houses of study (דְּכָל זִמְנָא דְּקָלֵיהוֹן דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל אִשְׁתְּמַע בְּבָתֵּי כְּנֵסִיּוֹת וּבְבָתֵּי מִדְרָשׁוֹת וְכוּ׳), as we have learned: (Bereshit 27) “The voice is the voice of Ya'akov” (הַקּוֹל קוֹל יַעֲקֹב), and if not-“the hands are the hands of Esav” (וְאִי לָאו: הַיָּדַיִם יְדֵי עֵשָׂו). And we have established this (וְהָא אוֹקִימְנָא): (Shemot 15) “And in the greatness of Your majesty, You will overthrow those who rise against You” (וּבְרֹב גְּאוֹנְךָ תַּהֲרוֹס קָמֶיךָ).

Rabbi Chizkiyah opened and said (רִבִּי חִזְקִיָּה פָּתַח וְאָמַר): (Tehillim 10) “Why, Hashem, do You stand afar? Why do You conceal Yourself at times of distress?” (לָמָּה יְיָ' תַּעֲמוֹד בְּרָחוֹק תַּעְלִים לְעִתּוֹת בַּצָּרָה). At the time when the sins of the world cause it (בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְּחוֹבֵי עָלְמָא גָּרְמוּ), Kudsha Berikh Hu ascends higher and higher (קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא סָלִיק לְעֵילָּא לְעֵילָּא), and human beings cry and pour tears (וּבְנֵי נָשָׁא צַוְחִין וְנַחְתִּין דִּמְעִין), and there is none who pays attention to them (וְלֵית מַאן דְּיִשְׁגַּח עֲלַיְיהוּ). Why is this? (מַאי טַעְמָא) Because He has ascended higher and higher (בְּגִין דְּאִיהוּ סָלִיק לְעֵילָּא לְעֵילָּא), and Teshuvah is withheld from them (וּתְשׁוּבָה אִתְמַנַּע מִנַּיְיהוּ). Then it is written: “And in the greatness of Your majesty You will overthrow those who rise against You” (כְּדֵין כְּתִיב: וּבְרֹב גְּאוֹנְךָ תַּהֲרוֹס קָמֶיךָ).

Rabbi Yitzchak said (רִבִּי יִצְחָק אָמַר): This verse (הַאי קְרָא) at the time that Kudsha Berikh Hu clothes Himself in majesty (בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְּאִתְלַבַּשׁ קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא גָּאוּתָא) [it is] against the nations that will gather against Him (עַל עַמַּמְיָא דְּיִתְכַּנְּשׁוּן עָלֵיהּ), as it is written (דִּכְתִּיב): (Tehillim 2) “And rulers take counsel together against Hashem and against His Mashiach” (וְרוֹזְנִים נוֹסְדוּ יַחַד עַל יְיָ' וְעַל מְשִׁיחוֹ). And it is taught (וְתָּאַנָא): Seventy commanders from all directions are destined to gather in that time (זְמִינִין אִינוּן שִׁבְעִין קַסְטוֹרִין מִכָּל עִיבָר) (Some say: nations (נ״א: עַמִּין) with the multitudes of all the world (לְאִתְכַּנְּשָׁא בְּהַהוּא זִמְנָא בְּאוֹכְלוֹסִין דְּכָל עָלְמָא), to wage war against Yerushalayim, the Holy City (וּלְמֶעֱבַד קְרָבָא עַל יְרוּשָׁלַ͏יִם קַרְתָּא קַדִּישָׁא), and to take counsel against Kudsha Berikh Hu (וּלְאַחֲדָא עֵיטִין עָלֵיהּ דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא).

And what do they say? (וּמַאי אַמְרֵי) “Let us strike the Patron first, and afterward His people and His Temple” (נוֹקִים עַל פַּטְרוֹנָא בְּקַדְמִיתָא, וּלְבָתַר עַל עַמֵּיהּ וְעַל הֵיכָלֵיהּ). Then Kudsha Berikh Hu will be ready to laugh at them (כְּדֵין זָמִין קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לְחַיֵּיכָא עֲלַיְיהוּ), as it is written (דִּכְתִּיב): (Tehillim 2) “He who sits in the heavens will laugh, Hashem will mock them” (יוֹשֵׁב בַּשָּׁמַיִם יִשְׂחָק, יְיָ' יִלְעַג לָמוֹ). At that time, Kudsha Berikh Hu will clothe Himself in majesty against them (בְּהַהוּא זִמְנָא יִלְבַּשׁ קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא גָּאוּותָא עֲלַיְיהוּ), and He will cast them out from the world (וִישֵׁיצִינוּן מִן עָלְמָא), as it is written (כְּמָה דִּכְתִּיב): (Zekhariah 14) “And this shall be the plague with which Hashem will smite all the peoples who warred against Yerushalayim: their flesh shall rot while they stand on their feet…” (וְזֹאת תִּהְיֶה הַמַּגֵּפָה אֲשֶׁר יִגֹּף יְיָ' אֵת כָּל הָעַמִּים אֲשֶׁר צָבְאוּ עַל יְרוּשָׁלַ͏יִם, הָמֵק בְּשָׂרוֹ וְהוּא עוֹמֵד עַל רַגְלָיו).

Rabbi Abba said in the name of Rav Yisa Sava (רִבִּי אַבָּא אָמַר מִשְּׁמֵיהּ דְּרַב יֵיסָא סָבָא), and so said Rabbi Shimon (וְהָכִי אָמַר רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן): Kudsha Berikh Hu is destined to resurrect all those kings who oppressed Yisrael and Yerushalayim (זָמִין קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לְאַחֲיָיא לְכָל אִינּוּן מַלְכִין דְּעָקוּ לְיִשְׂרָאֵל וּלִירוּשָׁלַ͏יִם): Hadrianus (לְאַנְדְּרִיאָנוּס), Lufinus (לְלוּפִינוֹס), Nevukhadnetzar (וּנְבוּכַדְנֶצַּר), Sancheriv (וּלְסַנְחֵרִיב), and all the other kings of the nations who destroyed His house (וּלְכָל שְׁאַר מַלְכֵי עַמִּין דְּחָרִיבוּ בֵּיתֵיהּ), and He will restore them to rulership as before (וּלְשַׁלְּטָאָה לוֹן כְּקַדְמִיתָא), and the other nations will gather with them (וְיִתְכַּנְּשׁוּן עִמְּהוֹן שְׁאַר עַמִּין).

And Kudsha Berikh Hu is destined to execute vengeance upon them in full view (וְזָמִין קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לְאִתְפָּרְעָא מִנַּיְיהוּ בְּאִתְגַּלְיָיא), those who laid siege to Yerushalayim (סַחֲרָנֵי יְרוּשָׁלַ͏יִם).p5-96 This is what is written: “And this shall be the plague with which Hashem will strike all the peoples who besieged Yerushalayim” (הֲדָא הוּא דִּכְתִּיב: וְזֹאת תִּהְיֶה הַמַּגֵּפָה אֲשֶׁר יִגֹּף יְיָ' אֶת כָּל הָעַמִּים אֲשֶׁר צָבְאוּ עַל יְרוּשָׁלַ͏יִם).

It does not say “who will besiege” (אֲשֶׁר יִצְבְּאוּ לָא כְּתִיב), but “who besieged” (אֶלָּא אֲשֶׁר צָבְאוּ) past tense. Then it is written: “And in the greatness of Your majesty You will overthrow those who rise against You” (כְּדֵין כְּתִיב: וּבְרֹב גְּאוֹנְךָ תַּהֲרוֹס קָמֶיךָ). And this refers to the time when Mashiach comes (וְדָא לְזִמְנָא דְּאָתָא מְשִׁיחָא).

It is written, and this Song is the song of all worlds p5-97(כְּתִיב, וְשִׁירָתָא דָּא שִׁירָתָא דְּעָלְמִין הִיא): (Shemot 15) “And with the breath of Your nostrils the waters were heaped up” (וּבְרוּחַ אַפֶּיךָ נֶעֶרְמוּ מַיִם) this will be in that time (בְּהַהוּא זִמְנָא).p5-98 And therefore this is for that time, and for the time of King Mashiach (וּבְגִין כַּךְ אִית בְּהַהוּא זִמְנָא וּלְזִמְנָא דְּמַלְכָּא מְשִׁיחָא), and for the time of Gog and Magog (וּלְזִמְנָא דְּגוֹג וּמָגוֹג). “They stood up like a heap”-that is for the time of the World to Come (נִצְּבוּ כְּמוֹ נֵד, לְזִמְנָא דְּעָלְמָא דְּאָתֵי), which is the joy of all worlds (דְּאִיהוּ חֶדְוָותָא דְּכָל עָלְמִין). (Shemot 15) “The enemy said, I will pursue, I will overtake, I will divide the spoil” (אָמַר אוֹיֵב: אֶרְדֹּף, אַשִּׂיג, אֲחַלֵּק שָׁלָל). “The enemy said”-this is that great appointed officer over Egypt (אָמַר אוֹיֵב: דָּא הַהוּא מְמָנָא רַבְרְבָא עַל מִצְרָאֵי), at the time when he was given authority over Yisrael (בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְּאִתְיְהִיב לֵיהּ שֻׁלְטָנוּתָא עַל יִשְׂרָאֵל), he thought to subjugate them under his dominion (חָשִׁיב דְּיֵשֵׁיצִינוּן תַּחוֹת שֻׁלְטָנֵיהּ).

But Kudsha Berikh Hu remembered the mountains of the world, which shield them (אֶלָּא דְּדָכַר קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא טוּרֵי עָלְמָא דַהֲווֹ מְגִינִּין עֲלַיְיהוּ). And do not say this only of him (וְלָא תֵימָא דָּא בִּלְחוֹדוֹי), but of all those mighty ones who are appointed over all the idolaters and star-worshippers (אֶלָּא כָּל אִינּוּן רַבְרְבִין דְּמְמָנָן עַל כָּל עוֹבְדֵי עֲבוֹדַת כּוֹכָבִים וּמַזָּלוֹת), and when they are given permission and dominion over Yisrael (וְכַד אִתְיְהִיב לְהוּ רְשׁוּתָא וְשֻׁלְטָנוּתָא עַל יִשְׂרָאֵל), they all seek to subjugate Yisrael beneath them (כֻּלְּהוּ בָּעָאן דְּיִשֵׁיצוּן יִשְׂרָאֵל תַּחוֹתַיְיהוּ). And for this reason (וְעַל דָּא), those nations that are under the dominion of those appointed rulers (אִינּוּן עַמִּין דִּתְּחוֹת שׁוּלְטָנֵיהוֹן דְּאִינּוּן מְמָנָן), all decree harsh decrees to subjugate them (כֻּלְּהוּ גָּזְירִין גְּזִירִין לְשֵׁיצָאָה לוֹן), but Kudsha Berikh Hu remembers the mountains of the world (אֶלָּא דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא דְּכַר טוּרֵי עָלְמָא), and they protect them (וְאָגִין עֲלַיְיהוּ). And when Moshe saw this (וְכַד חָמָא מֹשֶׁה דָּא), he began to praise Kudsha Berikh Hu (שָׁרָא לְשַׁבְּחָא לְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא), and said: “Who is like You among the mighty, Hashem?” (וְאָמַר: מִי כָּמוֹכָה בָּאֵלִים יְיָ') (Shemot 15).

Rabbi Shimon said (אָמַר רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן): One supernal, mighty tree (אִילָנָא חַד רַבְרְבָא עִלָּאָה), powerful (תַּקִּיפָא), from which are sustained the upper and lower worlds (בֵּיהּ אִתְּזָנוּ עִלָּאִין וְתַּתָּאִין). And it is encompassed within twelve boundaries (וְהוּא אִתְחַם בִּתְרֵיסַר תְּחוּמִין), and strengthened through the four directions of the world (אִתְּתַּקַּף בְּאַרְבַּע סִטְרֵי עָלְמָא), which revolve (Some say: are joined) together in their places (דְּאִסְתָּחֲרָאן [נ״א: דְּאִתְחַבְּרוּן] בְּדוּכְתַּיְיהוּ). Seventy branches ascend within it (שִׁבְעִין עֲנָפִין סַלְּקִין בְּגַוֵּיהּ), and are sustained from it (וְאִתְּזָנוּ מִנֵּיהּ); at the root of its foundation draw those who encircle it (בְּעִקַּר שָׁרְשׁוֹי יַנְקִין אִינּוּן סַחֲרָנֵיהּ), and those branches that are found in the tree (וְאִינּוּן עֲנָפִין דְּמִשְׁתַּכְּחִין בְּאִילָנָא).