Daf 87a (דַּף פ״ז ע״א)

He said to them (אָמַר לוֹן): By your lives (חַיֵּיכוֹן), it is all one matter (כֹּלָּא חַד מִלָּה הִיא), and it ascends in one Darga [Level] (וּבְחַד דַּרְגָּא סַלְּקָא). It was taught (תָּאנָא): how many Panim [Faces] are there to Kudsha Berikh Hu? (כַּמָּה פָּנִים לַפָּנִים, אִית לֵיהּ לְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא). Panim [Faces] that shine (פָּנִים דְּנַהֲרִין), Panim [Faces] that do not shine (פָּנִים דְּלָא נַהֲרִין), lower Panim [Faces] (פָּנִים תַּתָּאִין), distant Panim [Faces] (פָּנִים רְחִיקִין), near Panim [Faces] (פָּנִים קְרִיבִין), inner Panim [Faces] (פָּנִים דִּלְגוֹ), outer Panim [Faces] (פָּנִים דִּלְבַר), right-side Panim [Faces] (פָּנִים דִּימִינָא), and left-side Panim [Faces] (פָּנִים דִּשְׂמָאלָא).

Come and see (תָּא חֲזִי): happy are Yisrael before Kudsha Berikh Hu, for they are attached to the supernal Anpin [Faces] of the King (זַכָּאִין אִינּוּן יִשְׂרָאֵל קָמֵיהּ דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, דַּאֲחִידָן בְּאַנְפִּין עִלָּאִין דְּמַלְכָּא), to those Panim [Faces] in which He and His Name are bound (בְּאִינּוּן פָּנִים דְּהוּא וּשְׁמֵיהּ אֲחִידָן בְּהוּ), and He and His Name are one (וְאִינּוּן וּשְׁמֵיהּ חַד הוּא). But the other nations are attached to those distant Panim [Faces], to those lower Panim [Faces] (וּשְׁאַר עַמִּין אֲחִידָן בְּאִינּוּן פָּנִים רְחִיקִין, בְּאִינּוּן פָּנִים תַּתָּאִין). And because of this (וּבְגִינִי כַּךְ), they are distant from the body of the King (אִינּוּן רְחִיקִין מִגּוּפָא דְּמַלְכָּא). For I have seen all those of Egypt (דְּהָא חֲמֵינָא כָּל אִינּוּן דְּמִצְרַיִם), the relatives of Yishma'el (קְרִיבוֹי דְּיִשְׁמָעֵאל), how closely related they were to him (כְּמָה אַחִין וּקְרִיבִין הֲווֹ לֵיהּ), and all of them were in lower Panim [Faces], in those distant Panim [Faces] (וְכֻלְּהוּ הֲווֹ בְּאַנְפִּין תַּתָּאִין, בְּאִינּוּן פָּנִים רְחִיקִין). And for the sake of Avraham (וּבְגִינֵיהּ דְּאַבְרָהָם), when Yishma'el was circumcised (כַּד אִתְגְּזַר יִשְׁמָעֵאל), he merited that his dwelling and his portion were established in the domain that rules over all those distant and lower Panim [Faces], over all the Panim [Faces] of the other nations (זָכָה, דְּשַׁוֵּי מָדוֹרֵיהּ וְחוּלָקֵיהּ בַּאֲתַר דְּשָׁלִיטָא עַל כָּל אִינּוּן פָּנִים רְחִיקִין וְתַתָּאִין, עַל כָּל אִינּוּן פָּנִים דִּשְׁאַר עַמִּין). This is what is written (הֲדָא הוּא דִּכְתִּיב): “His hand is in Kol [All]” (יָדוֹ בַכֹּל) (Bereshit 16:12). And because of this (וּבְגִינֵי כַּךְ): “He shall dwell opposite all his brothers” (עַל פְּנֵי כָל אֶחָיו יִשְׁכּוֹן) (Bereshit 16:12), that is (כְּלוֹמַר), he established his dwelling and his portion above all of them (יְשַׁוֵּי מָדוֹרֵיהּ וְחוּלָקֵיהּ לְעֵילָּא מִכֻּלְּהוּ), as it is written (דִּכְתִּיב): “His hand is in Kol [All]” (יָדוֹ בַכֹּל), for he rules over all the other lower Panim [Faces] (דְּשַׁלְטָא עַל כָּל שְׁאַר פָּנִים דִּלְתַּתָּא). And because of this (וּבְגִין כָּךְ): “Opposite all his brothers,” indeed (עַל פְּנֵי כָל אֶחָיו וַדַּאי), for they did not merit as he did (דְּלָא זָכוּ כְּוָותֵיהּ).

Rabbi Yehudah and Rabbi Ḥizkiyah came and kissed his hands (אָתוּ רַבִּי יְהוּדָה וְר׳ חִזְקִיָּה, וְנָשְׁקוּ יְדוֹי). Rabbi Yehudah said: this is what people mean when they say, “Wine at the bottom of the dregs, and prophecy in the granary-was crowned in the crown of the Emperor” (אָמַר רִבִּי יְהוּדָה, הַיְינוּ דְּאַמְרִי אִינְשֵׁי, חֲמָרָא בְּדֻרְדְיָא, וּנְבִיעָא דְּבֵירָא, בִּקְטִירָא דְּקִיזְרָא אִתְעַטָּר). Woe to the world when the Master departs from it (וַוֵי לְעָלְמָא, כַּד יִסְתַּלַּק מוֹר מִנֵּיהּ). Woe to the generation that will fall into that time (וַוֵי לְדָרָא, דְּיִתְּעָרַע בְּהַהוּא זִמְנָא). Happy is the generation that knows its Master (זַכָּאָה דָּרָא, דְּאִשְׁתְּמוֹדְעוּן לֵיהּ לְמֹר). Happy is the generation within whom He dwells (זַכָּאָה דָּרָא, דְּאִיהוּ שָׁרֵי בְּגַוֵּיהּ).

Rabbi Ḥizkiyah said: this is what we have learned-that a convert, once circumcised, is called a Ger Tzedek (Righteous Convert), but no more (אָמַר רַבִּי חִזְקִיָּה, הָא תָּנֵינָן, גִּיּוֹרָא כַּד אִתְגְּזַר, אִקְרֵי גֵּר צֶדֶק, וְלָא יַתִּיר). But here, our master said, “his hand is in everything” (וְהָכָא אָמַר מוֹר, יָדוֹ בַכֹּל).

Rabbi Shimon said: all is bound as one (אָמַר רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן, כֹּלָּא אִתְקְשָׁר בְּחַד). But as for a Ger (Convert), we have learned differently-Yishma‘el is different, for he is not a convert (אֲבָל גִּיּוֹרָא תָּנֵינָן. שָׁאנֵי יִשְׁמָעֵאל, דְּלָאו גִּיּוֹרָא הוּא). He was the son of Avraham, the son of the holy one (בְּרֵיהּ דְּאַבְרָהָם הֲוָה, בְּרֵיהּ דְּקַדִּישָׁא הֲוָה). And it is written of Yishma‘el, “Behold, I have blessed him” (Bereshit 17) (וּכְתִיב בֵּיהּ בְּיִשְׁמָעֵאל, הִנֵּה בֵּרַכְתִּי אוֹתוֹ). It is written here, “I have blessed him,” and it is written there, “And Hashem blessed Avraham in everything” (Bereshit 24) (כְּתִיב הָכָא, בֵּרַכְתִּי אוֹתוֹ, וּכְתִיב הָתָם, וַיְיָ בֵּרַךְ אֶת אַבְרָהָם בַּכֹּל).p6-16 And for this reason it is written, “his hand is in everything” (וְעַל כַּךְ כְּתִיב, יָדוֹ בַכֹּל). And because of this it is written, “he shall dwell opposite all his brothers” (וּבְגִינֵי כַּךְ כְּתִיב, עַל פְּנֵי כָל אֶחָיו יִשְׁכּוֹן). p6-17

For if his other relatives had been circumcised (some say: had converted) they would be called Righteous Converts, but nothing more (דְּאִי שְׁאַר קְרִיבוֹי אִתְגְּזָרוּ (ס״א: אִתְגַּיְּרוּ) אִקְרוּן גֵּירֵי צֶדֶק, וְלָא יַתִּיר), but he is more and higher than all of them (וְהוּא יַתִּיר וְעִלָּאָה מִכֻּלְּהוּ). All the more so those who were not circumcised, who remain in those distant faces, in those lower faces (כָּל שֶׁכֵּן אִינּוּן דְּלָא אִתְגְּזָרוּ, דְּקַיְימִין בְּאִינּוּן אַפִּין רְחִיקִין, בְּאִינּוּן אַפִּין תַּתָּאִין). But he-his dwelling is above all their faces, and above all the faces of the nations who serve stars and constellations (וְאִיהוּ, מָדוֹרֵיהּ לְעֵילָּא מִכָּל פָּנִים דִּידְהוּ, וּמִכָּל פָּנִים דְּעַמִּין עוֹבְדֵי עֲבוֹדַת כּוֹכָבִים וּמַזָּלוֹת). This is what is written: “he shall dwell opposite all his brothers” (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִּיב, עַל פְּנֵי כָל אֶחָיו יִשְׁכּוֹן).

Rabbi Yehudah said: Kudsha Berikh Hu, for this reason, proclaimed and said, “You shall have no other gods before Me”-this is His faith (Exodus 20) p6-18(אָמַר רִבִּי יְהוּדָה, קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, בְּגִין כַּךְ אַכְרִיז וְאָמַר, לֹא יִהְיֶה לְךָ אֱלֹהִים אֲחֵרִים עַל פָּנָי, דְּדָא הוּא מְהֵימָנוּתָא דִּילֵיהּ). “You shall not make for yourself a graven image nor any likeness” (Exodus 20) (לֹא תַעֲשֶׂה לְךָ פֶסֶל וְכָל תְּמוּנָה) this has already been explained (הָא אִתְּמַר). And Rabbi Yose said: all faces are permitted-except the face of Adam, for this face rules over all (וְאָמַר רַבִּי יוֹסֵי, כָּל פַּרְצוּפִין שָׁרֵי, בַּר מִפַּרְצוּפָא דְּאָדָם, דְּהָא הַאי פַּרְצוּפָא שָׁלִיט בְּכֹלָּא).

Another matter: “You shall not make for yourself a graven image nor any likeness” (Exodus 20) (דָּבָר אַחֵר, לֹא תַעֲשֶׂה לְךָ פֶסֶל וְכָל תְּמוּנָה). Rabbi Yitzchak opened, “Do not allow your mouth to cause your flesh to sin” (Ecclesiastes 5) (רַבִּי יִצְחָק פָּתַח, אַל תִּתֵּן אֶת פִּיךָ לַחֲטִיא אֶת בְּשָׂרֶךָ). How careful must a person be with the words of the Orayta! (כַּמָּה אִית לֵיהּ לְבַר נָשׁ לְאִזְדַּהֲרָא עַל פִּתְגָּמֵי אוֹרַיְיתָא), how much he must be careful not to err in them, and not to speak from Orayta that which he does not know, and has not received from his teacher (כַּמָּה אִית לֵיהּ לְאִזְדַּהֲרָא דְּלָא יִטְעֵי בְּהוּ, וְלָא יָפִיק מֵאוֹרַיְיתָא מַה דְּלָא יָדַע, וְלָא קַבִּיל מֵרַבֵּיהּ). For anyone who says something of Orayta that he does not know, and did not receive from his teacher-concerning him it is written, “You shall not make for yourself a graven image nor any likeness” (וְכָל מַאן דְּאָמַר בְּמִלֵּי דְּאוֹרַיְיתָא מַה דְּלָא יָדַע, וְלָא קַבִּיל מֵרַבֵּיהּ, עָלֵיהּ כְּתִיב לֹא תַעֲשֶׂה לְךָ פֶסֶל וְכָל תְּמוּנָה). And Kudsha Berikh Hu is destined to take retribution from him in the world to come (וְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא זַמִּין לְאִתְפָּרְעָא מִנֵּיהּ בְּעָלְמָא דְּאָתֵי), at the time when his soul seeks to enter its place-and they drive it outside, and it is expelled from the place bound in the bundle of life with the rest of the souls (בְּזִמְנָא דְּנִשְׁמָתֵיהּ בַּעְיָא לְמֵיעָאל לְדוּכְתָּא, דַּחְיָין לָהּ לְבַר, וְתִשְׁתְּצֵי מֵהַהוּא אֲתָר דִּצְרוֹרָא בִּצְרוֹרָא דְּחַיֵּי דִּשְׁאַר נִשְׁמָתִין). Rabbi Yehudah says from here (נ״א: רַבִּי יְהוּדָה אוֹמֵר מֵהָכָא): “Why should Elohim be angry at your voice?” (Ecclesiastes 5) (כְּמָה דְּתָנֵינָן, לָמָּה יִקְצֹף הָאֱלֹהִים עַל קוֹלֶךָ). Your voice-this is the soul of the person (קוֹלֶךָ: דָּא הִיא נִשְׁמָתֵיהּ דְּבַר נָשׁ).

Rabbi Ḥiyya said: regarding this it is written, “For Hashem your Elohim is a jealous El” (Deuteronomy 4) (אָמַר רַבִּי חִיָּיא, עַל דָּא כְּתִיב, כִּי יְיָ אֱלֹהֶיךָ אֵל קַנָּא). Why? Because He is zealous for His Name in everything (מַאי טַעְמָא-מִשּׁוּם דְּקַנִּי לִשְׁמֵיהּ בְּכֹלָּא). Whether it be over faces-He is zealous for His Name, because one lies in His Name (אִי בְּגִין פַּרְצוּפִין מְקַנִּי לִשְׁמֵיהּ, מִשּׁוּם דִּמְשַׁקֵּר בִּשְׁמֵיהּ), or whether it be over the Orayta.

We have learned: the Orayta-all of it is the Holy Name (תָּנֵינָן, אוֹרַיְיתָא כֹּלָּא שְׁמָא קַדִּישָׁא הִיא), for there is not a single word in the Orayta that is not included in the Holy Name (דְּלֵית לָךְ מִלָּה בְּאוֹרַיְיתָא דְּלָא כָּלִיל בִּשְׁמָא קַדִּישָׁא). And for this reason one must be exceedingly careful, so as not to err in the Holy Name and not to lie in it (וּבְגִינִי כַּךְ, בָּעֵי לְאִזְדַּהֲרָא, בְּגִין דְּלָא יִטְעֵי בִּשְׁמֵיהּ קַדִּישָׁא, וְלָא יְשַׁקֵּר בֵּיהּ). And one who lies in the supernal King-he is not admitted into the palace of the King, and is expelled from the world to come (וּמַאן דִּמְשַׁקֵּר בְּמַלְכָּא עִלָּאָה, לָא עָאלִין לֵיהּ לִפַלְטְרוֹי דְּמַלְכָּא, וְיִשְׁתְּצֵי מֵעָלְמָא דְּאָתֵי).