Daf 65b (דַּף ס״ה ע״ב)

Another matter—“There is a grievous evil” (דָּבָר אַחֵר: יֵשׁ רָעָה חוֹלָה)—this refers to one who dwells in a good portion, in the house of his father (הַאי מַאן דְּיָתִיב בְּחוּלָקָא טָבָא, בְּבֵית אֲבוֹי), and he goes against his father, with arrogance of words (וְהוּא אָזִיל לָקוּבֵל אֲבוֹי, בְּתַסְקוּפֵי מִילִּין). Behold, he clings to that grievous evil (הָא אִתְדָּבַּק בְּהַהוּא רָעָה חוֹלָה), like a man lying sick whose every way is with force (כְּבַר נָשׁ שָׁכִיב מֵרַע דְּכָל אָרְחוֹי בְּתַסְקוּפָא)—this he wants, and this he does not want (דָּא בְּעֵינָא, וְדָא לָא בְּעֵינָא). And because of this wealth, the man cleaves to grievous evil (וּבְגִין הַאי עוּתְרָא אִתְדָּבַּק בַּר נָשׁ בְּרָעָה חוֹלָה), and he is punished in this world and in the World to Come (וְאִתְעֲנַשׁ בְּהַאי עָלְמָא, וּבְעָלְמָא דְּאָתֵי). And this is: “Riches kept for their owner to his harm” (וְדָא הוּא: עֹשֶׁר שָׁמוּר לִבְעָלָיו לְרָעָתוֹ) (Ecclesiastes 5).

So too Yisrael (כָּךְ יִשְׂרָאֵל): Kudsha Berikh Hu carried them upon the wings of eagles (קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא נָטִיל לוֹן עַל גַּדְפֵי נִשְׁרִין), sheltered them with clouds of glory (אַסְחַר לוֹן בַּעֲנָנֵי יְקָרָא), placed His Shekhinta before them (שְׁכִינְתֵּיהּ נָטִיל קָמַיְיהוּ), brought down for them manna to eat (נָחַת לוֹן מָנָא לְמֵיכַל), brought forth for them sweet waters (אַפִּיק לוֹן מַיָּא מְתוּקִין), and they walked with arrogance (וְאִינּוּן הֲווֹ אַזְלִין עִמֵּיהּ בְּתַסְקוּפִין). Immediately: “And Amalek came” (מִיָּד: וַיָּבֹא עֲמָלֵק) (Exodus 17). “And Amalek came”—Rabbi Shimon said (וַיָּבֹא עֲמָלֵק, אָמַר רִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן): this is a Secret of Chokhmah (רָזָא דְּחָכְמְתָא הָכָא), from the decree of harsh judgment this battle comes (מִגִּזְרַת דִּינָא קַשְׁיָא קָא אַתְיָא קְרָבָא דָּא). And this battle is found Above and below (וּקְרָבָא דָּא אִשְׁתְּכַח לְעֵילָּא וְתַתָּא). And there is nothing in the Orayta that does not contain supernal secrets of Chokhmah, which are bound in the Holy Name (וְלֵית לָךְ מִלָּה בְּאוֹרַיְּתָא דְּלָא אִית בָּהּ רָזִין עִלָּאִין דְּחָכְמְתָא, דְּמִתְקַשְּׁרִין בִּשְׁמָא קַדִּישָׁא). As it were, Kudsha Berikh Hu said (כִּבְיָכוֹל, אָמַר קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא): when Yisrael are meritorious below, My strength overcomes all (כַּד יִשְׂרָאֵל אִינּוּן זַכָּאִין לְתַתָּא, אִתְגַּבַּר חֵילָא דִּילִי עַל כֹּלָּא). And when they are not meritorious, as it were, the supernal strength is weakened (וְכַד לָא אִשְׁתְּכָחוּ זַכָּאִין, כִּבְיָכוֹל, מַתִּישִׁין חֵילָא דִּלְעֵילָּא), and the strength of harsh judgment is empowered (וְאִתְגַּבַּר חֵילָא דְּדִינָא קַשְׁיָא).

Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי): at the moment that Yisrael sinned below, what is written? “And Amalek came and fought with Yisrael” (בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְּחָבוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל לְתַתָּא, מַה כְּתִיב: וַיָּבֹא עֲמָלֵק וַיִּלָּחֶם עִם יִשְׂרָאֵל). The accuser came to mix judgment into mercy (אָתָא לְקַטְרְגָא דִּינָא בְּרַחֲמֵי), for all is found Above and below (דְּכֹלָּא אִשְׁתְּכַח לְעֵילָּא וְתַתָּא). “At Rephidim”—that is, in loosened hands (בִּרְפִידִים: בְּרָפוּי יָדַיִם), for they had loosened their hands from the Orayta of Kudsha Berikh Hu (דְּרָפוּ יְדֵיהוֹן מֵאוֹרַיְּתָא דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא), as we have established (כְּמָה דְּאוֹקִימְנָא).

Rabbi Yehudah said (אָמַר ר׳ יְהוּדָה): twice Amalek waged war against Yisrael (תְּרֵי זִמְנֵי אַגָּח קְרָבָא עֲמָלֵק בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל)—once here (חַד הָכָא), and once, as it is written (וְחַד דִּכְתִּיב): (Numbers 14) “And the Amalekite and the Canaanite came down…” (וַיֵּרֶד הָעֲמָלֵקִי וְהַכְּנַעֲנִי וְגוֹ').

Rabbi Shimon said (אָמַר ר׳ שִׁמְעוֹן), above and below (לְעֵילָּא וְתַתָּא): the accusation was with Kudsha Berikh Hu above (קִטְרוּגָא דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא הֲוָה לְעֵילָּא), as it is said (כְּמָה דְּאִתְּמַר). Below, it was with Kudsha Berikh Hu (לְתַתָּא בְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא הֲוָה), for they took upon themselves men and decreed upon them circumcision (or removed) the sign of the holy covenant (דַּהֲווֹ נַסְבֵּי לְגַבְרֵי, וְגַזְרֵי לוֹן עָרְלָתָא), Some say: they came (נ״א: אֲתָא), the imprint of the holy sign (דִּרְשִׁימָא קַדִּישָׁא), and they took it from them and cast it upward (וְנַטְּלֵי לְהוּ וְאַרְמוּ לוֹן לְעֵילָּא), and said: Take for Yourself what You desired (וְאַמְרֵי: טוֹל לָךְ מַה דְּאִתְרְעִית). And in every regard, it was Kudsha Berikh Hu who bore the entire complaint (וְעַל כָּל פָּנִים דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא הֲוָה, כָּל קֻבְּלָנָא כָּלָּא) Some say: the entire accusation (נ״א: קַבְּלָא). (Exodus 17) “And Moshe said to Yehoshua: Choose for us men and go wage war with Amalek” (וַיֹּאמֶר מֹשֶׁה אֶל יְהוֹשֻׁעַ: בָּחַר לָנוּ אֲנָשִׁים וְצֵא הִלָּחֵם בַּעֲמָלֵק). And what did Moshe see, that he removed himself from this lower battle which Kudsha Berikh Hu had appointed? (וְכִי מַה חָמָא מֹשֶׁה, דְּסָלִיק גַּרְמֵיהּ מֵהַאי קְרָבָא תַּתָּאָה דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא פָּקִיד)? Rather, Moshe—fortunate is his portion (אֶלָּא: מֹשֶׁה, זַכָּאָה חוּלָקֵיהּ), for he gazed and knew the essence of the matter (דְּאִסְתַּכַּל וְיָדַע עִקָּרָא דְּמִלָּה). Moshe said: I will prepare myself for the upper battle (אָמַר מֹשֶׁה: אֲנָא אַזְמִין גַּרְמִי לְהַהוּא קְרָבָא דִּלְעֵילָּא), and you, Yehoshua, prepare yourself for the lower battle (וְאַנְתְּ יְהוֹשֻׁעַ זַמִּין גַּרְמָךְ לְקָרְבָּא דִּלְתַּתָּא). And this is what is written: “And it came to pass when Moshe raised his hand, Yisrael prevailed” (וְהַיְינוּ דִּכְתִּיב: וְהָיָה כַּאֲשֶׁר יָרִים מֹשֶׁה יָדוֹ, וְגָבַר יִשְׂרָאֵל) (Exodus 17) Yisrael above (יִשְׂרָאֵל דִּלְעֵילָּא). And for this reason, Moshe removed himself from the lower battle (וּבְגִין כַּךְ סָלִיק מֹשֶׁה גַּרְמֵיהּ מִקְּרָבָא דִּלְתַּתָּא), in order to hasten the upper battle (בְּגִין לְאִזְדַּרְזָא בִּקְרָבָא דִּלְעֵילָּא), and that victory be achieved through his hands (וְיִתְנְצַח עַל יְדוֹי).

Rabbi Shimon said (אָמַר ר׳ שִׁמְעוֹן): and do you consider this battle of Amalek to be light in your eyes? (וְכִי קַלָּה הִיא בְּעֵינֶיךָ קְרָבָא דָּא דַּעֲמָלֵק) Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי): from the day the world was created until that time, and from that time until the coming of the King Mashiach (מִן יוֹמָא דְּאִתְּבְּרֵי עָלְמָא עַד הַהוּא זִמְנָא, וּמֵהַהוּא זִמְנָא עַד דְּיֵיתֵי מַלְכָּא מְשִׁיחָא), and even in the days of Gog and Magog (וַאֲפִלּוּ בְּיוֹמוֹי דְּגוֹג וּמָגוֹג), there is none like it (לָא יִשְׁתְּכַּח כְּוָותֵיהּ). Not because of strong and many warriors (לָאו בִּגִין חַיָּילִין תַּקִּיפִין וְסַגִּיאִין), but because in all aspects, it was against Kudsha Berikh Hu (אֶלָּא בְּגִין דְּבְכָל סִטְרִין דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא הֲוָה). “And Moshe said to Yehoshua…” (וַיֹּאמֶר מֹשֶׁה אֶל יְהוֹשֻׁעַ) (Exodus 17) why to Yehoshua, and not to another? (אֲמַאי לִיהוֹשֻׁעַ, וְלֹא לְאָחֳרָא)

And behold, at that time he was still a youth, as it is written (וְהָא בְּהַהוּא זִמְנָא רַבְיָא הֲוָה, דִּכְתִּיב): “And Yehoshua son of Nun, a youth…” (וִיהוֹשֻׁעַ בִּן נוּן נַעַר) (Exodus 33). And how many were there among Yisrael more powerful than him? (וְכַמָּה הֲווֹ בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל תַּקִּיפִין מִנֵּיהּ) Rather, Moshe, in wisdom, gazed and knew (אֶלָּא מֹשֶׁה בְּחָכְמְתָא אִסְתַּכַּל וְיָדַע). What did he see? (מַאי חָמָא)He saw Samael, who was descending from the supernal side (חָמָא לְסַמָּאֵל דְּהֲוָה נָחִית מִסִּטְרָא דִּלְעֵילָּא), to aid Amalek below (לְסַיְּעָא לַעֲמָלֵק לְתַתָּא). Moshe said: surely this battle now appears fierce (אָמַר מֹשֶׁה: וַדַּאי קְרָבָא הָכָא תַּקִּיפָא אִתְחָזִי). Yehoshua at that time was found in a higher level (יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בְּהַהוּא זִמְנָא בְּדַרְגָּא עִלָּאָה יַתִּיר אִשְׁתְּכַח).

And if you say he was with the Shekhinta at that time, not so (אִי תֵימָא דִּבְשְׁכִינְתָּא אִשְׁתְּכַח בְּהַהוּא זִמְנָא—לָאו הָכִי), for with Moshe it was joined and unified (דְּהָא בְּמֹשֶׁה אִתְנְסִיבַת וְאִתְאַחֲדַת), and Yehoshua was joined below from her (אִשְׁתְּכַח יְהוֹשֻׁעַ דְּאִתְאַחֲד לְתַתָּא מִינָּהּ). And by what merit? Rabbi Shimon said (וּבַמֶּה אָמַר ר׳ שִׁמְעוֹן): in that place which is called na‘ar (בְּהַהוּא אֲתָר דְּאִתְקְרֵי נַעַ״ר).