Daf 6b (דַּף ו׳ ע״ב)

And all of them did not receive power except because of Yisrael (וְכֻלְּהוּ לָא נַטְלוּ תּוּקְפָּא אֶלָּא בְּגִינֵיהוֹן דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל). For when Yisrael are in exile, immediately they are strengthened over all the other nations of the world (דְּכַד יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּגָלוּתְהוֹן, מִיַּד מִתְתַּקְפֵי עַל כָּל שְׁאַר עַמִּין דְּעָלְמָא). Why is this so? Because Yisrael alone are set against all the nations of the world (מַאי טַעְמָא, בְּגִין דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל אִינּוּן בִּלְחוֹדַיְיהוּ, לָקֳבֵל כָּל עַמִּין דְּעָלְמָא). When Yisrael entered into the exile of Egypt (כַּד עָאלוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּגָלוּתָא דְּמִצְרַיִם), immediately there was rising for Egypt (מִיָּד הֲוָה קִימָה לְמִצְרַיִם), and their rulership was strengthened above all the other nations (וְאִתְתַּקַף שׁוּלְטָנוּתָא דִּילְהוֹן לְעֵילָּא עַל כָּל שְׁאַר עַמִּין), as it is written (דִּכְתִיב): “And there arose a new king over Egypt” (וַיָּקָם מֶלֶךְ חָדָשׁ עַל מִצְרָיִם). “And there arose” - there was a rising for them (וַיָּקָם: קִימָה הֲוָה לוֹן), for that ruling minister of Egypt was strengthened and arose (דְּאִתְתַּקַף וְקָם הַהוּא מְמָנָא שׁוּלְטָנָא דְּמִצְרַיִם), and power and dominion were given to him (וְאִתְיְהִיב לֵיהּ תּוּקְפָּא וְשֻׁלְטָנוּתָא) over all the ministers of the other nations (עַל כָּל מְמָנָן דִּשְׁאַר עַמִּין). For at first, rulership belonged to that upper minister (דְּהָא בְּקַדְמִיתָא אִית שׁוּלְטָנוּתָא לְהַהוּא מְמָנָא דִּלְעֵילָּא), and afterward to his people below (וּלְבָתַר לְעַמָּא דִּילֵיהּ דִּלְתַתָּא).

And for this reason, “And there arose a new king over Egypt” (וּבְגִין כָּךְ: וַיָּקָם מֶלֶךְ חָדָשׁ עַל מִצְרָיִם). This is their minister (דָּא הוּא מְמָנָא דִּלְהוֹן), he was new (חָדָשׁ הֲוָה), for until that day he had no dominion over the other nations (דְּעַד יוֹמָא הָדֵין לָא הֲוָה לֵיהּ שׁוּלְטָנָא עַל שְׁאַר עַמִּין), and now he arose to rule over all the nations of the world (וְהַשְּׁתָּא אִתְּקַם לְשַׁלְטָאָה עַל כָּל שְׁאַר עַמִּין דְּעָלְמָא). And then was fulfilled (Proverbs 30) “Under three things the earth quakes… under a slave when he becomes king” (וּכְדֵין אִתְקַיָּים: תַּחַת שָׁלֹשׁ רָגְזָה אֶרֶץ… תַּחַת עֶבֶד כִּי יִמְלוֹךְ).

Rabbi Ḥiyya said (ר׳ חִיָּיא אָמַר): Thirty days before power comes to a people in the world (תְּלָתִין יוֹמִין עַד לָא יֵיתֵי תּוּקְפָּא לְעַמָּא בְּאַרְעָא), or before destruction comes upon a people in the world (אוֹ עַד לָא תֵיתֵי תְּבִירוּ לְעַמָּא בְּאַרְעָא), that word is proclaimed in the world (מַכְרִיזֵי בְּעָלְמָא הַהוּא מִלָּה), and sometimes that word is handed over into the mouth of a child (וּלְזִמְנִין דְּאִתְתְּמְסַר הַהוּא מִלָּה בְּפוּמָא דְּרַבְיֵיא), and sometimes to men who have no understanding (וּלְזִמְנִין לְאִינוּן בְּנֵי נָשָׁא דְּלֵית בְּהוּ דַּעְתָּא), and sometimes that word is given into the mouth of birds (וּלְזִמְנִין מָסַר הַהוּא מִלָּה אִתְמְסַר בְּפוּמָא דְּעוֹפֵי), and they proclaim it in the world (וּמַכְרִיזֵי בְּעָלְמָא), and there is no one who pays attention to them (וְלֵית מַאן דְּיִשְׁגַּח בְּהוּ). When the people are meritorious (כַּד עַמָּא זַכָּאִין), that word is handed over to those righteous heads of the world (אִתְמְסַר הַהוּא מִלָּה לְאִינוּן רֵאשִׁין זַכָּאִין דְּעָלְמָא), so that they may inform them and they may repent before their Master (בְּגִין דְּיוֹדִיעוּ לוֹן, וִיתוּבוּן לְמָארֵיהוֹן). And when they are not meritorious (וְכַד לָאו אִינּוּן זַכָּאִין), it is as we have said (הֲוֵי כִּדְקָאמְרַן).

Rabbi El‘azar was sitting one day at the gate of Lod (ר׳ אֶלְעָזָר הֲוָה יָתִיב יוֹמָא חַד אַתַּרְעָא דְלוּד), and with him were Rabbi Abba, Rabbi Yehudah, and Rabbi Yose (וַהֲוָה יָתִיב עִמֵּיהּ רִבִּי אַבָּא, וְרִבִּי יְהוּדָה, וְרִבִּי יוֹסֵי). Rabbi Yose said (אָמַר רִבִּי יוֹסֵי): Let me tell you what I saw this day (אֵימָא לְכוּ, מַה דְּחָמִית יוֹמָא דָּא). In the morning, before the light (בְּצַפְרָא קָמֵית בִּנְהוֹרָא), I saw a certain bird (חָמִית חַד עוֹפָא), that was flying and rose upward three times (דְּהֲוָה טָאִיס זָקַף לְעֵילָּא תְּלַת זִמְנֵי), and bowed once (וּמָאִיךְ חַד), and it was saying (וַהֲוָה אָמַר): “Above, above, on this day fly the heavens” (עִלָּאֵי עִלָּאֵי, בְּיוֹמָא דָּא טָסֵי), Some say: the thin heavens (ס״א דַּקִּיקִין), Some say: the heavens to the right (ס״א רְקִיעִין לִימִינָא), three ministers are rising who rule over the earth (תְּלַת מְמָנָן זַקְפִין שָׁלְטָנִין עַל אַרְעָא). One sits who is not fit to sit (חָד יָתִיב דְּלָא יָתִיב), pass him through a fire that burns (אַעְבְּרוּ לֵיהּ בְּנוּרָא דְּדָלִיק), they pass through his days, they pass through his dominion (מְעַבְּרִין קַיָּימֵיהּ, מְעַבְּרִין שֻׁלְטָנֵיהּ), three supports, supernal rulers, stand over the world (תְּלַת סַמְכִין שַׁלִּיטִין עִלָּאִין, קַיְימִין עַל עָלְמָא).

I threw toward that bird a sound (רָמֵינָא לְהַהוּא עוֹפָא קַלָּא), and I said to it (אֲמֵינָא לֵיהּ): “Bird, bird, tell me the three ministers who stand, and the one whose dominion is removed” (עוֹפָא עוֹפָא, אֵימָא לִי תְּלַת דְּקַיְימִין מְמָנָן, וְחַד דְּמְעַבְּרִין שֻׁלְטָנֵיהּ, מַאן אִינּוּן). It cast toward me three arrows from the right wing (רָמָא לִי תְּלַת גִּירִין אִלֵּין מִגַּדְפָא יְמִינָא), and one from the left (וְדֵין חַד מִשְּׂמָאלָא), Some say: from the left wing, one (ס״א וּמִגַּדְפָא שְׂמָאלָא חַד), and I did not know what it meant (וְלָא יָדַעְנָא מַאי רְמִיזָא).

Rabbi El‘azar took them (נָסִיב לְהוּ רִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר), and placed them near his nostrils (נָחֵית לְהוֹ לִנְחִירוֹי), and blood came out from his nose (נָפַק דָּמָא מִנְּחִירוֹי). He said (אָמַר): Surely three rulers of the nations stand in Rome upon the earth (וַדַּאי תְּלַת שָׁלְטָנֵי עֲמָמִין קַיְימִין בְּרוֹמִי בְּאַרְעָא), and they are prepared to decree evil upon Yisrael, from the Roman side (וּזְמִינִין לְמֶעְבַּד גִּזְרִין בִּישִׁין לְיִשְׂרָאֵל, מִסִּטְרָא דְּרוֹמָאֵי). He took that arrow from the left wing (נָסִיב הַהוּא גִּירָא דְּמִגַּדְפָא שְׂמָאלָא), smelled it (אָרַח), and black vapor came out from it (וְנָפַק אֶשָּׁתָא אוּכָמָא מִנֵּיהּ). He said (אָמַר): “The dominion of Egypt they have bypassed, and a Roman king is prepared to pass through the entire land” (שֻׁלְטָנָא דְּמִצְרָאֵי אַעְדִּיאוּ, וְזַמִּין חַד מַלְכָּא דְּרוֹמָאֵי, לְאַעְבְּרָא בְּכָל אַרְעָא), Some say: of Egypt (ס״א דְּמִצְרַיִם), Some say: and a certain king from among those three mentioned is prepared to rule over it, and destroy what was built, and rebuild the ruin (ס״א: וְזַמִּין חַד מַלְכָּא מֵאִינוּן תְּלָת דְּקָאָמְרַן לְמִשְׁלָט בָּהּ, וּסְתִיר בִּנְיָנָא, וּבְנֵי בָּהּ בִּנְיָנָא).

Rabbi El‘azar cast them to the ground (רָמָא לוֹן ר׳ אֶלְעָזָר לְאַרְעָא), and these three fell upon one from the left side (נַפְלוּ אִלֵּין תְּלַת עַל חַד דְּמִסְטְרָא שְׂמָאלָא). While they were still sitting (עַד דְּהֲווּ יַתְבֵי), a certain Yenuka passed by (אַעְבַּר חַד יְנוֹקָא), and he was reciting (וַהֲוָה קָארֵי): “The burden of Egypt: behold, Hashem is riding on a swift cloud and comes to Egypt” (Isaiah 19) (מַשָּׂא מִצְרָיִם הִנֵּה יְיָ רֹכֵב עַל עָב קַל וּבָא מִצְרָיִם). Another passed, his friend (אַעְבַּר תִּנְיָינָא חַבְרֵיהּ), and said: “And the land of Egypt shall be desolate” (וְאָמַר: וְאֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם תִּהְיֶה שְׁמָמָה). A third passed, his friend (אַעְבַּר תְּלִיתָאָה חַבְרֵיהּ), and said: “And the wisdom of Egypt is lost” (וְאָמַר: וְאָבְדָה חָכְמַת מִצְרָיִם). They saw that the arrow from the left wing had ignited (חָמוּ הַהוּא גִּירָא דְּגַדְפָא שְׂמָאלָא דְּאִתּוֹקַד), but the other three that were upon it had not ignited (וּתְלַת אַחֲרָנִין דְּהֲווּ עָלֵיהּ לָא אִתּוֹקְדָן).

Rabbi El‘azar said (אָמַר רִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר): This bird and these children - all of it is one (הַאי דְעוֹפָא, וְהַאי דְּדַרְדְּקֵי, כֹּלָּא הוּא חַד), and all of it is supernal prophecy (וְכֹלָּא נְבוּאָה עִלָּאָה הוּא), Some say: it is all within the mystery of wisdom (ס״א: כְּלָא אִיהוּ בְּרָזָא דְּחָכְמְתָא). And Kudsha Berikh Hu wanted to show us the supernal secrets that He performs (וּבָעָא קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לְאַחֲזָאָה לָן סִתְרֵי עִלָּאֵי דְּהוּא עָבִיד). This is what is written (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב) (Amos 3) “For the Lord Hashem does nothing without revealing His secret to His servants the prophets” (כִּי לֹא יַעֲשֶׂה יְיָ אֱלֹהִים דָּבָר כִּי אִם גָּלָה סוֹדוֹ אֶל עֲבָדָיו הַנְּבִיאִים). And sages are superior to prophets in every time (וְחַכִּימֵי עֲדִיפֵי מִנְּבִיאֵי בְּכָל זְמָן), for upon the prophets at times rests the spirit of holiness, and at times not (דְּהָא לִנְבִיאֵי לְזִמְנִין שָׁרַת עָלַיְיהוּ רוּחַ קוּדְשָׁא, וּלְזִמְנִין לָא), but the sages - the spirit of holiness never departs from them, not even for one moment (וְחַכִּימִין לָא אַעְדֵּי מִנְּהוֹן רוּחַ קוּדְשָׁא אֲפִילוּ רִגְעָא חֲדָא), even the slightest (זָעִיר), for they know what is above and below (דְּיַדְעִין מַה דִּי לְעֵילָּא וְתַתָּא), and they do not wish to reveal (וְלָא בָּעוּ לְגַלָּאָה).

Rabbi Yose said (אָמַר רִבִּי יוֹסֵי), Some say: Rabbi Yehudah (נ״א: יְהוּדָה): all of it is wisdom (כֹּלָּא חָכְמְתָא), and the wisdom of Rabbi El‘azar is greater than all (וְחָכְמְתָא דְּרַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר יַתִּיר מִכֻּלְּהוּ). Rabbi Abba said (רִבִּי אַבָּא אָמַר): If there were no Sages, mankind would not know what the Orayta is (אִלְמָלֵא לָא הֲווֹ חַכִּימִין, לָא הֲווֹ יַדְּעִין בְּנֵי נָשָׁא, מַהוּ אוֹרַיְיתָא), and what are the commandments of the Master of the World (וּמַה פִּקּוּדוֹי דְּמָארֵי עָלְמָא), and the spirit of man would not have been distinguished from the spirit of the beast (וְלָא אִתְפָּרְשָׁא רוּחָא דִּבְנֵי נָשָׁא מֵרוּחָא דִּבְעִירָא).

Rabbi Yitzchak said (אָמַר רִבִּי יִצְחָק), when Kudsha Berikh Hu brings judgment upon the people (כַּד אַיְיתֵי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא דִּינָא עַל עַמָּא), at first He performs judgment (בְּקַדְמִיתָא עָבִיד דִּינָא), on that appointed minister who is appointed over them above (בְּהַהוּא מְמָנָא דְּמְמָנָא עָלַיְיהוּ לְעֵילָּא), as it is written (דִּכְתִּיב): “Hashem will punish the host of the high ones on high, and the kings of the earth upon the earth” (Isaiah 24) (יִפְקוֹד ה' עַל צְבָא הַמָּרוֹם בַּמָּרוֹם וְעַל מַלְכֵי הָאֲדָמָה עַל הָאֲדָמָה).