Daf 80b (דַּף פ׳ ע״ב)

He said to them (אָמַר לוֹן): If people knew the Chokhmah (אִילּוּ יַדְעִין בְּנֵי נָשָׁא חָכְמְתָא), that everything which Kudsha Berikh Hu planted in the earth, and the power of everything that is found in the world, they would comprehend the might of their Master, with His immense Chokhmah (דְּכָל מַה דְּנָטַע קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא בְּאַרְעָא, וְחֵילָא דְּכָל מַה דְּאִשְׁתְּכַח בְּעָלְמָא, יִשְׁתְּמוֹדְעוּן חֵילָא דְּמָארֵיהוֹן בְּחָכְמָתֵיהּ סַגִּיאָה). But Kudsha Berikh Hu did not conceal this Chokhmah from mankind (אֲבָל לָא טָמִיר קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא חָכְמְתָא דָּא מִבְּנֵי נָשָׁא), except in order that they not stray from His path, and not disgrace that Chokhmah and forget Him (אֶלָּא בְּגִין דְּלָא יִסְטוּן מֵאָרְחוֹי, וְלָא יִתְרְחִיצוּ בְּהַהִיא חָכְמְתָא וְיִנְשׁוּן לֵיהּ).

When I arrived and spoke these words before Rabbi Shimon (כַּד אֲתֵינָא וַאֲמֵינָא הָנֵי מִלֵּי קָמֵיהּ דְּרַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן), he said (אָמַר): Indeed, he was a sage (וַדַּאי חַכִּימָא הֲוָה). Come and see: there is no herb that sprouts from the earth that does not possess abundant Chokhmah, and its power is abundant in the heavens (וְתָא חֲזֵי לֵית עִשְׂבָּא וְעִשְׂבָּא דְּאִתְיְילִיד בְּאַרְעָא דְּלָא הֲוָה בֵיהּ חָכְמְתָא סַגִּיאָה, וְחֵילֵיהּ בִּשְׁמַיָּא סַגְיָא).

Come and see, from the hyssop (תָּא חֲזֵי מִן אֵזוֹבָא), for in every place that Kudsha Berikh Hu desires to purify a person (דִּבְכָל אֲתַר דְּבָעֵי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לְדַכָּאָה לְבַר נָשׁ), it is with hyssop that he is purified (בְּאֵזוֹבָא מִתְדָּכֵי). What is the reason? (מַה טַעֲמָא) Because it arouses the supernal force appointed over it (מִשּׁוּם דְּיִתְּעַר חֵילֵיהּ דִּלְעֵילָּא דְּאִתְפָּקְּדָא עֲלוֹי), for that force which is appointed over it-when it is aroused-burns away impure spirit, and the person is purified (דְּהָא הַהוּא חֵילָא דְּאִתְפָּקְּדָא עֲלוֹי כַּד אִתְּעָרָא, מְבָעֲרָא רוּחַ מְסָאֲבָא, וְאִתְדַּכֵּי בַּר נָשׁ). And concerning this I say (וְעָלָךְ אֲמֵינָא): Blessed is the Merciful One who has saved you (בָּרוּךְ רַחֲמָנָא דְּשֵׁזְבָךְ).

(Shemot 19) “You have seen what I did to Egypt, and I bore you on eagles’ wings” (אַתֶּם רְאִיתֶם אֲשֶׁר עָשִׂיתִי לְמִצְרַיִם וָאֶשָּׂא אֶתְכֶם עַל כַּנְפֵי נְשָׁרִים). What are eagles’ wings? (מַהִי כַּנְפֵי נְשָׁרִים) Rabbi Yehudah said (אָמַר רִבִּי יְהוּדָה): With mercy (בְּרַחֲמֵי). As it is written (דִּכְתִּיב): (Devarim 32) “As an eagle rouses its nest…” (כְּנֶשֶׁר יָעִיר קִנּוֹ וְגוֹ'). And this is the Secret that Rabbi Shimon said (וְהַיְינוּ רָזָא דְּאָמַר ר' שִׁמְעוֹן): (Mishlei 30) “The way of the eagle in the heavens” (דֶּרֶךְ הַנֶּשֶׁר בַּשָּׁמַיִם). What is “in the heavens”? (מַהִי בַּשָּׁמַיִם) With mercy (בְּרַחֲמֵי). Just as the eagle is found with mercy toward its young, and with Din toward others (מַה נֶּשֶׁר אִשְׁתְּכַח בְּרַחֲמֵי עַל בְּנוֹי וְדִינָא לְגַבֵּי אֲחֲרָנִין), so too Kudsha Berikh Hu is found in mercy toward Yisrael, and in Din toward the nations who serve the stars and constellations (כָּךְ קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא אִשְׁתְּכַח בְּרַחֲמֵי לְגַבֵּי יִשְׂרָאֵל, וְדִינָא לְגַבֵּי עַמִּין עוֹבְדֵי עֲבוֹדַת כּוֹכָבִים וּמַזָּלוֹת).

Rabbi El'azar was going from Kappotkiya to Lud (ר' אֶלְעָזָר הֲוָה אָזִיל מִקַּפּוּטְקִיָּא לְלוּד), and Rabbi Yosi and Rabbi Chiyya were going with him (וַהֲוָה אָזִיל ר' יוֹסֵי וְר' חִיָּיא עִמֵּיהּ). They rose by morning light, when the day shone brightly, and they were going (קָמוּ בִּנְהוֹרָא כַּד נָהִיר יְמָמָא וַהֲווּ אַזְלֵי). Rabbi Chiyya said (אָמַר ר' חִיָּיא): I see that verse which is written (חֲמֵינָא הַאי קְרָא דִּכְתִּיב): (Yechezkel 1) “The face of a lion on the right side of the four of them, and the face of an ox on the left side of the four of them, and the face of an eagle for all four” (וּפְנֵי אַרְיֵה אֶל הַיָּמִין לְאַרְבַּעְתָּן וּפְנֵי שׁוֹר מֵהַשְּׂמֹאל לְאַרְבַּעְתָּן וּפְנֵי נֶשֶׁר לְאַרְבַּעְתָּן). Behold: lion on the right, ox on the left (הָא אַרְיֵה בִּימִינָא שׁוֹר מִשְּׂמָאלָא), the eagle-where is its proper place? (נֶשֶׁר בְּאָן אֲתַר דּוּכְתֵּיהּ).

Rabbi El'azar said to him (אָמַר לֵיהּ ר' אֶלְעָזָר): In the place-Some say: “of Ya'akov” (בְּאַתְרָא נ״א: דְּיַעֲקֹב) where the nursing dwells (דְּיָנִיקָא שַׁרְיָא). What is the reason? (מַה טַעֲמָא) Because the eagle is found in everything compassion for its young, judgment toward others (מִשּׁוּם דְּנֶשֶׁר בְּכֹלָּא אִשְׁתְּכַח, רַחֲמֵי לִבְנוֹי, דִּינָא לְגַבֵּי אַחֲרָנִין). So too Kudsha Berikh Hu leads Yisrael with compassion, and with Din toward others (כָּךְ קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא אוֹבִיל לוֹן לְיִשְׂרָאֵל בְּרַחֲמֵי, וּבְדִינָא לְגַבֵּי אַחֲרָנִין). For it is written (דִּכְתִּיב): (Shemot 19) “And I bore you on eagles’ wings” (וָאֶשָּׂא אֶתְכֶם עַל כַּנְפֵי נְשָׁרִים), and it is written (וּכְתִיב): (Devarim 32) “As an eagle stirs its nest…” (כְּנֶשֶׁר יָעִיר קִנּוֹ). From where do we know that the eagle is called compassion? (מְנָלָן דְּנֶשֶׁר רַחֲמֵי אִקְרֵי) For it is written (דִּכְתִּיב): (Mishlei 30) “The way of the eagle in the heavens” (דֶּרֶךְ הַנֶּשֶׁר בַּשָּׁמַיִם). “In the heavens” literally (בַּשָּׁמַיִם מַמָּשׁ). And for this reason (וּבְגִינֵי כַךְ): lion is to the right, ox to the left, eagle in between holding them all (אַרְיֵה לִימִינָא שׁוֹר לִשְׂמָאלָא נֶשֶׁר בֵּינַיְיהוּ וְאָחִיד לוֹן). The figure of the Adam includes all of them, and all are encompassed within him (אָדָם כָּלִיל כֻּלְּהוּ, וְכֹלָּא אִתְּכְּלִילָן בֵּיהּ), as it is written (דִּכְתִּיב): (Yechezkel 1) “And upon the likeness of the throne was the likeness of the appearance of a Man upon it from above” (וְעַל דְּמוּת הַכִּסֵּא דְּמוּת כְּמַרְאֵה אָדָם עָלָיו מִלְּמַעְלָה).

“And it was on the third day…” (וַיְהִי בַּיּוֹם הַשְּׁלִישִׁי וְגוֹ'). Rabbi Abba opened (ר' אַבָּא פָּתַח): (Shir HaShirim 8) “We have a little sister, and she has no breasts; what shall we do for our sister on the day she shall be spoken for?” (אָחוֹת לָנוּ קְטַנָּה וְשָׁדַיִם אֵין לָהּ מַה נַּעֲשֶׂה לַאֲחוֹתֵנוּ בַּיּוֹם שֶׁיְּדֻבַּר בָּהּ). “We have a little sister” (אָחוֹת לָנוּ קְטַנָּה), this is Kenesset Yisrael (דָּא כְּנֶסֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל), who is called “sister” to Kudsha Berikh Hu (דְּאִקְרֵי אָחוֹת לְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא). “And she has no breasts” (וְשָׁדַיִם אֵין לָהּ) this is as we have learned (הַיְינוּ דְּתָנֵינָן): at the time Yisrael approached Mount Sinai (בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְּקָרִיבוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל לְטוּרָא דְּסִינַי), they had no merits or good deeds (לָא הֲוָה בְּהוֹן זַכְוָון וְעוֹבָדִין טָבִין) to be adorned with (לְאַגָּנָא עֲלַיְיהוּ), as it is written (דִּכְתִּיב): “And she has no breasts” (וְשָׁדַיִם אֵין לָהּ). For these are the adornment and beauty of a woman (דְּהָא אִינּוּן תִּקּוּנָא וּשְׁפִירוּ דְּאִתְּתָא), and there is no beauty of a woman but these (וְלֵית שַׁפִּירוּ דְּאִתְּתָא אֶלָּא אִינּוּן). “What shall we do for our sister…” (מַה נַּעֲשֶׂה לַאֲחוֹתֵנוּ): what can be made of her (מַה יִתְעֲבִיד מִינָהּ), at the moment that Kudsha Berikh Hu will reveal Himself on Mount Sinai (בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא יִתְגְּלֵי בְּטוּרָא דְּסִינַי), to speak the words of Orayta (לְמַלְּלָא בְּפִתְגָּמֵי אוֹרַיְיתָא), and their souls will fly from them (וְיִפְרַח נִשְׁמָתְהוֹן מִנַּיְיהוּ).

Rabbi Yosi said (אָמַר ר' יוֹסֵי): At that moment that Yisrael approached Mount Sinai, on that night and into the dawn (בְּהַהוּא שַׁעֲתָא דְּקָרִיבוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל לְטוּרָא דְּסִינַי בְּהַהוּא לֵילְיָא וְנַגְהֵי), they had gone three days without relations with their wives (תְּלָתָא יוֹמִין דְּלָא אִזְדַּוְּגוּ לְאִנְתְּתַיְיהוּ). Supernal angels came and received Yisrael in brotherhood (אָתוּ מַלְאָכִין עִלָּאִין וְקַבְּילוּ לְיִשְׂרָאֵל בְּאַחְוָותָא). Those angels above (אִינּוּן מַלְאָכִין לְעֵילָּא), and Yisrael were angels below (וְיִשְׂרָאֵל מַלְאָכִין לְתַתָּא).

Those sanctify the supernal Name above (אִינּוּן מְקַדְּשִׁין שְׁמָא עִלָּאָה לְעֵילָּא), and Yisrael sanctify the supernal Name below (וְיִשְׂרָאֵל מְקַדְּשִׁין שְׁמָא עִלָּאָה לְתַתָּא). And Yisrael were crowned with seventy crowns on that night (וְאִתְעַטְּרוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּשִׁבְעִין כִּתְרִין בְּהַהוּא לֵילְיָא). And the supernal angels said (וּמַלְאֲכֵי עִלָּאֵי הֲווֹ אַמְרֵי): “We have a little sister, and she has no breasts” (אָחוֹת לָנוּ קְטַנָּה וְשָׁדַיִם אֵין לָהּ), for they had no merits and good deeds (דְּלֵית בְּהוּ זַכְוָון וְעוֹבָדִין טָבִין). “What shall we do for our sister” (מַה נַּעֲשֶׂה לַאֲחוֹתֵנוּ) that is (כְּלוֹמַר): What honor and greatness shall we bestow upon this sister on the day that Kudsha Berikh Hu will reveal Himself on Mount Sinai to give them the Orayta? (מַה יְקָר וּרְבוּ נַּעֲבִיד לְאַחֲתָנָא דָּא בְּיוֹמָא דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא יִתְגְּלֵי בְּטוּרָא דְּסִינַי לְמֵיהַב לְהוּ אוֹרַיְיתָא).