Daf 80a (דַּף פ׳ ע״א)

“So shall you say to the House of Ya'akov” (כֹּה תֹאמַר לְבֵית יַעֲקֹב): to that place which was revealed to them (לְהַהוּא אֲתָר דְּאִתְחָזֵי לְהוּ). “And tell the Children of Yisrael” (וְתַגֵּיד לִבְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל): in that perfected place which was revealed to them (בְּהַהוּא אֲתַר שְׁלִים דְּאִתְחָזֵי לְהוּ), for Ya'akov and Yisrael-two levels ascended (דְּהָא יַעֲקֹב וְיִשְׂרָאֵל תְּרֵין דַּרְגִּין אִסְתַּלְּקוּ), and in one level they ascended (וּבְדַרְגָּא חַד סַלְּקִין), except that Yisrael is called the completeness of all (אֶלָּא יִשְׂרָאֵל שְׁלֵימוּתָא דְּכֹלָּא אִקְרֵי). “And tell the Children of Yisrael” (וְתַגֵּיד לִבְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל): to reveal Chokhmah (לְאַחֲזָאָה חָכְמְתָא), and to speak in the spirit of Chokhmah (וּלְאִשְׁתָּעֵי בְּרוּחַ חָכְמְתָא), the goodness and truth that Kudsha Berikh Hu did for them (טִיבוּ וּקְשׁוֹט דְּעָבַד לוֹן קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא), as it is written (דִּכְתִּיב): “And He told you His covenant” (וַיַּגֵּד לָכֶם אֶת בְּרִיתוֹ).

It was taught (תַּנְיָא): Rabbi Yosi said (אָמַר ר' יוֹסִי), One time I was walking along the road (זִמְנָא חֲדָא הֲוֵינָא אָזִיל בְּאָרְחָא),p6-10 and Rabbi Chiyya, my son, was with me (וַהֲוָה ר' חִיָּיא בְּרִי עִמִּי). As we were walking (עַד דַּהֲוֵינָא אַזְלִין), we found a man (אַשְׁכַּחְנָא חַד גְּבַר), who was gathering herbs in the field for healing (דְּהֲוָה לָקִיט בְּחַקְלָא עֲשָׂבִין לְאַסְוָותָא). We approached him (קָרִיבְנָא לְגַבֵּיהּ), and I said to him (אֲמֵינָא לֵיהּ): “Man, why is there smoke of herbs?” (בַּר נָשׁ קוּטְרָא דְּקוּטְרֵי דַּעֲשָׂבִין לָמָּה). He did not lift his head, and did not say anything (לָא זָקִיף רֵישֵׁיהּ וְלָא אָמַר מִידִי). I returned again and said the same (אַהֲדַרְנָא זִמְנָא אַחֲרָא וַאֲמֵינָא הַאי), and he said nothing (וְלָא אָמַר מִידִי). I said to Rabbi Chiyya, my son (אֲמֵינָא לֵיהּ לְרַבִּי חִיָּיא בְּרִי): “Either this man is deaf, or he is insane, or he is a sage” (אוֹ הַאי בַּר נָשׁ אָטִים אוּדְנִין אוֹ שַׁטְיָא אוֹ חַכִּימָא). We sat near him (יָתִיבְנָא גַּבּוֹי). Afterwards, he gathered those herbs (לְבָתַר לָקִיט אִינוּן עֲשָׂבִין), held them (וְאָחִיד לוֹן), and covered them with grape leaves (וְחָפָא עֲלֵיהוֹן טַרְפֵּי גּוּפְנִין).

He said to us (אָמַר לָן): I see that you are Judean (אֲנָא חֲמֵינָא דְּיוּדָאִין אָתוּן), and the Judeans would say about them (וְיוּדָאִין אַמְרֵי עָלַיְיהוּ): that they are wise (דְּאִינוּן חַכִּימִין). If I did not have compassion for you now (אִי לָא דְּחַיִּיסְנָא עָלַיְיכוּ הַשְׁתָּא), you would be distanced from mankind (תֶּהֱווֹן רְחִיקִין מִבְּנֵי נָשָׁא) like this leper (כִּסְגִירָא דָּא), who is distanced from all (דְּמַרְחִיקִין לֵיהּ מִכֹּלָּא). For I saw that the scent of one herb (דְּהָא אֲנָא חֲמֵינָא דְּרֵיחָא דְּחַד עִשְׂבָּא), which was near you (דְּהֲוָה קָרִיב גַּבֵּיכוֹן), entered into your bodies (עָאל בְּגוּפַּיְיכוּ), and you would have been distanced three days (וְתֶהֱווֹן רְחִיקִין תְּלָתָא יוֹמִין). But eat these wild garlics (אֶלָּא אֲכִילוּ אִלֵּין תּוּמֵי בָּרָא) and be healed (וְתִתְסוּן). We ate of them, those that were with us (אֲכַלְנָא מִנַּיְיהוּ דַּהֲווֹ שְׁכִיחִין קַמָּן), and I fell asleep (וְאַדְמַכְנָא), and I sweated with fever (וְאִתְקָטַרְנָא בְּזֵיעָא), for a long time (עַד עִידָּן סַגִּי).

Afterward I awoke (לְבָתַר אִתְּעַרְנָא), and that man said to us (אָמַר לָן הַהוּא גַּבְרָא): Now your God is with you (הַשְׁתָּא אֱלָהֲכוֹן עִמְּכוֹן), for you have found me (דְּאַשְׁכַּחְתּוּן לִי), for the healing of your bodies was completed by my hand (דְּהָא אַסְוָותָא דְּגוּפֵיכוֹן עַל יְדִי אִשְׁתְּלִים). As we were walking (עַד דַּהֲוֵינָא אַזְלִין), he said to us (אָמַר לַן): Every person who wishes to speak with another person must do so according to that person’s way p6-11(כָּל בַּר נָשׁ בָּעֵי לְאִשְׁתָּעֵי בְּבַר נָשׁ אַחֲרָא כְּפוּם אָרְחוֹי), for with a woman-according to her way (דְּהָא לְנוּקְבָּא כְּפוּם אָרְחוֹי), with a man-according to his way (לְגַבְרָא כְּפוּם אָרְחוֹי), with a man of men-according to his way (לְגַבְרָא דְּגַבְרֵי כְּפוּם אָרְחוֹי). I said to Rabbi Chiyya my son (אֲמֵינָא לְרַבִּי חִיָּיא בְּרִי): This is what is written: “So shall you say to the House of Ya'akov, and tell the Children of Yisrael” (הַיְינוּ דִּכְתִּיב כֹּה תֹאמַר לְבֵית יַעֲקֹב וְתַגֵּיד לִבְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל). Some say: “Thus you shall say to the house of Ya'akov” (ס״א: כֹּה תֹאמַר לְבֵית יַעֲקֹב), in that place where it was revealed to them (בְּהַהוּא אֲתַר דְּאִתְחָזֵי לְהוּ). “And declare to the children of Yisrael” (וְתַגֵּיד לִבְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל), in that perfected place where it was revealed to them (בְּהַהוּא אֲתַר שְׁלִים דְּאִתְחָזֵי לְהוּ). For Ya'akov and Yisrael are two levels (דְּהָא יַעֲקֹב וְיִשְׂרָאֵל תְּרֵין דַּרְגִּין אִינוּן), and in one level they ascend (וּבְדַרְגָּא חַד סַלְקִין), but Yisrael is the wholeness which alone is called (אֶלָּא יִשְׂרָאֵל שְׁלֵימוּתָא דְּבְלָא אִקְרֵי).

He said to us (אָמַר לָן): Did you see that I did not lift my head, and did not speak with you? (חֲמִיתוּן דְּלָא זָקִיפְנָא רֵישָׁאי וְלָא אִשְׁתָּעֵינָא בַהֲדַיְיכוּ), because my father was a sage in herbs, greater than all the people of the generation (מִשּׁוּם דְּאַבָּא חַכִּימָא בַּעֲשָׂבִין מִכָּל בְּנֵי דָּרָא הֲוָה), and I learned from my father the path of all the herbs, in which there is truth (וְאוֹלִיפְנָא מֵאַבָּא אָרְחוֹי דְּכָל עֲשָׂבִין דִּבְּהוֹן קְשׁוֹט), and every year I dwell among them (וַאֲנָא בְּכָל שַׁתָּא מָדוֹרָאי בֵּינַיְיהוּ). And this herb that you saw, which I covered with these grape leaves (וְהַאי עִשְׂבָּא דַּחֲמִיתוּן דַּחֲפֵינָא לֵיהּ בְּטַרְפֵּי דְּגוּפְנִין אִלֵּין), in my house there is one place, and it is on the northern side (בְּבֵיתָאִי אִית אֲתַר חַד וְהוּא לִסְטַר צָפוֹן), and in that place a certain millstone is planted (וּבְהַהוּא אֲתַר נָעִיץ חַד רֵיחַיָּא), and from the spring of that millstone, there comes forth a man with two heads (וּמֵעֵינָא דְּהַהוּא רֵיחַיָּא נָפִיק חַד גְּבַר בִּתְרֵין רֵישִׁין), and a sharpened sword is in his hand (וְחַרְבָּא שִׁינָנָא בִּידֵיהּ), and every day he causes us distress (וּבְכָל יוֹמָא קָא מְצַעֵר לָן). And I gathered this herb (וַאֲנָא לָקִיטְנָא הַאי עִשְׂבָּא), so follow after me (וְזִילוּ אֲבַתְרָאַי), and you will see the power of this herb (וְתֶחֱמוּן חֵילֵיהּ דְּהַאי עִשְׂבָּא), and what the supernal God has revealed in the world (וּמַה דִּי אֱלָהָא עִלָּאָה גַּלֵּי בְּעָלְמָא), and there is no one who knows His path in all things (וְלֵית מַאן דְּיֵדַע אָרְחוֹי בְּכֹלָּא).

I went after him (אֲזִילְנָא אֲבַתְרֵיהּ), and as we were going on the road (עַד דַּהֲוֵינָא אַזְלֵי בְּאָרְחָא), he dug a hole in the dust for a female (מָאִיךְ לְחַד נוּקְבָּא בְּעַפְרָא), and placed in the hole that herb (וְשַׁוֵּי מֵהַהוּא עִשְׂבָּא בְּנוּקְבָא). A serpent emerged (נָפַק חַד חִוְיָא), and its head was large (וְרֵישָׁא דִּילֵיהּ סַגִּי). He took a cloth-Some say: a scarf (נָטַל חַד סַנְטִירָא, נ״א: סוּדְרָא) and tied it like one would tie a young goat (וְקָטִיר לֵיהּ כְּחַד גַּדְיָא). I was afraid (דָּחִילְנָא). He said to them (אָמַר לוֹן): Follow after me (זִילוּ אֲבַתְרָאַי).

Until we arrived at his house (עַד דְּמָטֵינָא לְבֵיתֵיהּ). I saw that place in darkness (חֲמֵינָא הַהוּא אֲתַר בְּחָשׁוֹכָא), beyond one wall (בָּתַר חַד כּוֹתָלָא). He took a certain lamp (נָטַל חַד שַׁרְגָּא), and kindled a flame (וְדָלִיק דְּלֵיקָא), surrounding that place of the millstone (סַחֲרָנִיהּ דְּהַהוּא אֲתַר דְּרֵיחַיָּא). He said to them (אָמַר לוֹן): From what you will see, do not be afraid and do not speak anything (מִמַּה דְּתֶחֱמוּן לָא תִּדְחָלוּן וְלָא תִּשְׁתָּעוּן מִידִי).

Meanwhile (אַדְהָכִי), the serpent loosened from its binding (שָׁרֵי חִוְיָא מִקִּטְרוֹי), and he crushed with a pestle from that herb (וְכָתַשׁ בְּקִיסְטָא מֵהַהוּא עִשְׂבָּא), and placed it upon the head of the serpent (וְשַׁוֵּי בְּרֵישֵׁיהּ דְּחִוְיָא). The serpent entered into that spring of the millstone (עָאל חִוְיָא בְּהַהוּא עֵינָא דְּרֵחַיָּיא), and I heard a sound that made the entire place tremble (וּשְׁמַעְנָא קָלָא דְּכָל אֲתַר מִזְדַּעְזְעָא). We wanted to flee (בָּעֵינָן לְמֵיפַק), but that man held my hand (אָחִיד בִּידָנָא הַהוּא גַּבְרָא), and said (אָמַר): Do not fear-draw near to me (לָא תִּדְחָלוּן קְרִיבוּ גַּבָּאִי).

Meanwhile (אַדְהָכִי), the serpent emerged, dripping blood (נָפַק חִוְיָא שָׁתִית דָּמָא). That man took from that herb (נָקִיט הַהוּא גַּבְרָא מֵהַהוּא עִשְׂבָּא), and placed it again upon its head as before (וְשַׁוֵּי בְּרֵישֵׁיהּ כִּבְקַדְמֵיתָא). It entered into that spring of the millstone (עָאל בְּהַהוּא עֵינָא דְּרֵחַיָּא). After a short while (לְשַׁעֲתָא זְעִירָא), I saw that there emerged from that spring a man with two heads (חֲמֵינָא דְּנָפִיק מֵהַהוּא עֵינָא חַד גַּבְרָא בִּתְרֵין רֵישִׁין), and a serpent was coiled around the ends of his curls (וְחִוְיָא שַׁרְיָיא סַחֲרָנֵיהּ דְּקִדְלוֹי). He entered into that spring of the millstone (עָאל בְּהַהוּא עֵינָא דְּרֵחַיָּא), and emerged three times (וְנָפַק תְּלַת זִמְנֵי). He was saying (הָוָה אָמַר): Zakita, Zakita-woe to the mother of that place who bore him! (זְקִיטָא זְקִיטָא, וַוֵי לְאִימֵיהּ דִּלְהַהוּא אֲתַר אוֹבִיל לֵיהּ).

Meanwhile (אַדְהָכִי), the millstone was uprooted from its place (אִתְּעֲקָר רֵיחַיָּא מֵאַתְרֵיהּ), and emerged-the man and the serpent (וְנַפְקוּ גַּבְרָא וְחִוְיָא), and they fell and both died (וְנָפְלוּ וּמִיתוּ תַּרְוַויְיהוּ). And we were exceedingly afraid (וַאֲנָן דָּחִילְנָא סַגִּי). That man said to us (אָמַר לָן הַהוּא גַּבְרָא): This is the power of the herb that I gathered before you (דָּא הוּא חֵילָא דְּעִשְׂבָּא דַּאֲנָא לָקִיטְנָא קָמַיְיכוּ), and for that reason I did not speak with you, and did not lift my head when you approached me (וּבְגִינֵי כַּךְ לָא אִשְׁתָּעֵינָא בַּהֲדַיְיכוּ, וְלָא זָקִיפְנָא רֵישֵׁי בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְּקַרִיבְתּוּן גַּבָּאי).