Daf 87b (דַּף פ״ז ע״ב)

Rabbi Abba said: it is written here, “You shall not make for yourself a graven image nor any likeness” (Exodus 20) (אָמַר רַבִּי אַבָּא, כְּתִיב הָכָא, לֹא תַעֲשֶׂה לְךָ פֶסֶל וְכָל תְּמוּנָה), and it is written there, “Carve for yourself two stone tablets” (Exodus 34) (וּכְתִיב הָתָם, פְּסָל לְךָ שְׁנֵי לֻחוֹת אֲבָנִים). That is to say: “You shall not make for yourself a graven image”-do not create for yourself another Orayta which you do not understand, and which your teacher did not teach you (כְּלוֹמַר, לֹא תַעֲשֶׂה לְךָ פֶסֶל, לָא תַּעְבֵּד לְךָ אוֹרַיְיתָא אַחֲרָא דְּלָא יַדְעַת, וְלָא אָמַר לָךְ רַבָּךְ). Why? Because “I am Hashem your God, a jealous God” (Exodus 20) (מַאי טַעֲמָא. כִּי אָנֹכִי יְיָ אֱלֹהֶיךָ אֵל קַנָּא) I am the One who is destined to take retribution from you in the world to come (אֲנָא הוּא דְּזַמִּין לְאִתְפָּרְעָא מִינָךְ בְּעָלְמָא דְּאָתֵי), at the time when the soul seeks to enter before Me, and many accuse it of falsehood and cast it into Gehinnom (בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְּנִשְׁמְתָא בַּעְיָא לְמֵיעָאל קַמָּאי, כַּמָּה זְמִינִין לְשַׁקְרָא בָּהּ, וּלְעַיְּילָא לָהּ גּוֹ גֵּיהִנָּם).

It was taught (תַּנְיָא): Rabbi Yitzchak said (אָמַר רַבִּי יִצְחָק), “You shall not make for yourself...” (לֹא תַעֲשֶׂה לְךָ וְגוֹ׳)—a person must not lie in the Name of Kudsha Berikh Hu (דְּבָעֵי בַּר נָשׁ דְּלָא לְשַׁקְרָא בִּשְׁמָא דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא). Some say: Another matter (ס״א: דָּבָר אַחֵר): “You shall not make for yourself a graven image...” (לֹא תַעֲשֶׂה לְךָ פֶסֶל וְגוֹ׳)—a person must not lie in His Name (דְּבָעֵי בַּר נָשׁ דְּלָא לְשַׁקְרָא בִּשְׁמֵיהּ דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא). And what is it? (וּמַאי אִיהוּ). This is the Brit [Covenant], the holy sign (דָּא בְּרִית אִתְקַיֵּימָא קַדִּישָׁא), for whoever lies regarding this Brit [Covenant] lies regarding the Name of Kudsha Berikh Hu (דְּמַאן דְּמְשַׁקֵּר בְּהַאי בְּרִית, מְשַׁקֵּר בִּשְׁמֵיהּ דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא). For this is the primordial bond (דְּקִשְׁרָא קַדְמָאָה), by which Yisrael were bound to Kudsha Berikh Hu when they were circumcised (דְּאִתְקְשָׁרוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, כַּד אִתְגְּזָרוּ). And this is the original foundation of everything (וְדָא הוּא קִיּוּמָא קַדְמָאָה דְּכֹלָּא): to enter into the Brit [Covenant] of Avraham (לְמֵיעָאל בִּבְרִית דְּאַבְרָהָם), which is the bond of the Shekhinta (דְּהוּא קִשְׁרָא דִּשְׁכִינְתָּא). And a person must not lie regarding this Brit [Covenant] (וּבָעֵי בַּר נָשׁ דְּלָא לְשַׁקְּרָא בְּהַאי בְּרִית), for whoever lies regarding this Brit [Covenant] lies regarding Kudsha Berikh Hu (דְּמַאן דִּמְשַׁקֵּר בְּהַאי בְּרִית, מְשַׁקֵּר בְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא). What is the lie? (מַאי שִׁקְרָא הוּא). That this Brit [Covenant] should not be brought into another domain (דְּלָא יֵיעוּל הַאי בְּרִית בִּרְשׁוּתָא אַחֲרָא), as you say (כְּמָה דְּאַתְּ אָמַר): “And he married the daughter of a foreign god” (וּבָעַל בַּת אֵל נֵכָר) (Malakhi 2:11).

Rabbi Yehudah said from here: “They have dealt treacherously with Hashem, for they have begotten foreign children” (Hosea 5) (רַבִּי יְהוּדָה אָמַר מֵהָכָא, בַּיְיָ בָּגָדוּ, כִּי בָּנִים זָרִים יָלָדוּ). One who lies in this covenant lies in Kudsha Berikh Hu (מַאן דִּמְשַׁקֵּר בְּהַאי בְּרִית, מְשַׁקֵּר בְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא), for this covenant is bound to Kudsha Berikh Hu (מִשּׁוּם דְּהַאי בְּרִית בְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא אֲחִידָא). And it is written, “You shall not make for yourself a graven image or any likeness that is in the heavens above…” (Exodus 20) (וּכְתִיב, לֹא תַעֲשֶׂה לְךָ פֶסֶל וְכָל תְּמוּנָה אֲשֶׁר בַּשָּׁמַיִם מִמַּעַל וְגוֹ׳). “You shall not bow to them nor serve them” (ibid). (לֹא תִשְׁתַּחֲוֶה לָהֶם וְלֹא תָעָבְדֵם).

Rabbi El'azar was walking on the road, and Rabbi Ḥiyya was with him (רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר הֲוָה אָזִיל בְּאָרְחָא, וַהֲוָה רַבִּי חִיָּיא עִמֵּיהּ). Rabbi Ḥiyya said, “It is written, ‘And you shall see among the captives a woman of beautiful form…’” (Deuteronomy 21) (אָמַר רַבִּי חִיָּיא, כְּתִיב, וְרָאִיתָ בַּשִּׁבְיָה אֵשֶׁת יְפַת תֹּאַר וְגוֹ׳). What is the reason? For it is written, “You shall not intermarry with them” (Deuteronomy 7) (מַאי טַעֲמָא וְהָא כְּתִיב, לֹא תִתְחַתֵּן בָּם). He said to him: this is only while they are still in their domain (אָמַר לֵיהּ, בְּעוֹד דְּבִרְשׁוּתַיְיהוּ קַיְימֵי). And come and see: there is no woman among the nations who serve stars and constellations who is fit in proper appearance (וְתָא חֲזִי, לֵית לָךְ אִנְתּוּ בְּעַמִּין עוֹבְדֵי עֲבוֹדַת כּוֹכָבִים וּמַזָּלוֹת כְּשֵׁרָה כַּדְקָא חֲזִי). For we have learned: why was this section placed adjacent to the case of “A rebellious and defiant son”? (דְּתָנֵינָן, אֲמַאי אַסְמִיךְ פַּרְשְׁתָּא דָּא לְבֶן סוֹרֵר וּמוֹרֶה). Rather, certainly: one who marries this woman will beget from her “A rebellious and defiant son” (אֶלָּא בְּוַדַּאי, מַאן דְּנָסִיב הַאי אִתְּתָא, בֶּן סוֹרֵר וּמוֹרֶה יָרִית מִינָהּ). Why is that? Because it is difficult to remove the impurity from her (מַאי טַעֲמָא. מִשּׁוּם דְּקָשֶׁה לְמֶעְבַּר זוּהֲמָא מִינָהּ), and all the more so a woman who was previously married-who was bound in judgment with judgment and defiled thereby (וְכָל שֶׁכֵּן הַהִיא דְּאִתְנְסִיבַת בְּקַדְמִיתָא, דְּדִינָא בְּדִינָא אִתְדְּבַק, וְאִסְתְּאָבָת בָּהּ), and the impurity is difficult to remove from her (וְקַשְׁיָא זוּהֲמָא לְמֶעְבַּר מִינָהּ). And this is what Moshe said concerning the women of Midyan: “Every woman who has known a man by lying with him-kill her” (Numbers 31) (וְהַיְינוּ דְּאָמַר מֹשֶׁה בִּנְשֵׁי מִדְיָן, וְכָל אִשָּׁה יֹדַעַת אִישׁ לְמִשְׁכַּב זָכָר הֲרֹגוּ).

Happy is the portion of the one who inherits this inheritance and guards it (זַכָּאָה חוּלָקֵיהּ, דְּהַהוּא בַּר נָשׁ דְּיָרִית אַחֲסַנְתָּא דָּא, וְנָטִיר לָהּ). For in this holy inheritance, a person cleaves to Kudsha Berikh Hu (דִּבְהַהוּא אַחֲסָנָא קַדִּישָׁא אִתְדָּבַּק בַּר נָשׁ בְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא) all the more so if he merits to fulfill the commandments of the Orayta (כָּל שֶׁכֵּן אִי זָכֵי בְּפִקּוּדֵי אוֹרַיְיתָא). For the King stretches forth His right hand to receive him, and he cleaves to the holy body (דְּהָא פָּשִׁיט מַלְכָּא יְמִינֵיהּ לָקֳבְלֵיהּ, וְאִתְדְּבַק בְּגוּפָא קַדִּישָׁא). And concerning this it is written of Yisrael: “But you who cleave to Hashem your Elohim…” (Deuteronomy 4) (וְעַל דָּא כְּתִיב בְּהוּ בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל, וְאַתֶּם הַדְּבֵקִים בַּיְיָ אֱלֹהֵיכֶם). And it is written, “You are children to Hashem” (Deuteronomy 14) (וּכְתִיב, בָּנִים אַתֶּם לַיְיָ׳). You are children-literally (בָּנִים אַתֶּם מַמָּשׁ), as it is written, “My firstborn son is Yisrael” (Exodus 4) (דִּכְתִּיב, בְּנִי בְכוֹרִי יִשְׂרָאֵל), and it is written, “Yisrael, in whom I am glorified” (Isaiah 49) (וּכְתִיב, יִשְׂרָאֵל אֲשֶׁר בְּךָ אֶתְפָּאָר). “You shall not bear the Name…” (Exodus 20) (לֹא תִשָּׂא אֶת שֵׁם וְגוֹ׳).

Rabbi Shimon opened: “And Elisha said to her: What shall I do for you? Tell me, what do you have in the house?” (2 Kings 4) (ר׳ שִׁמְעוֹן פָּתַח, וַיֹּאמֶר אֵלֶיהָ אֱלִישָׁע, מָה אֶעֱשֶׂה לָךְ, הַגִּידִי לִי מַה יֵשׁ לָךְ בַּבָּיִת). Elisha said to her: Do you have anything upon which the blessing of Kudsha Berikh Hu may rest? (אָמַר לָהּ אֱלִישָׁע, כְּלוּם אִית לָךְ עַל מַה דְּתִשְׁרֵי בִּרְכָתָא דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא). For we have learned: it is forbidden for a person to bless upon an empty table (דְּתָנֵינָן, אָסוּר לֵיהּ לְבַר נָשׁ לְבָרְכָא עַל פָּתוֹרָא רֵיקָנַיָּא). Why? Because the blessing from above does not rest in an empty place (מַאי טַעֲמָא-מִשּׁוּם דְּבִרְכָּתָא דִּלְעֵילָּא לָא שַׁרְיָא בַּאֲתָר רֵיקָנַיָּא). And because of this, a person must prepare upon his table one loaf of bread, or more, to bless upon (וּבְגִינֵי כַּךְ, בָּעֵי בַּר נָשׁ לְסַדְּרָא עַל פָּתוֹרֵיהּ, חַד נַהֲמָא, אוֹ יַתִּיר, לְבָרְכָא עֲלוֹי). And if he cannot, he must leave over from the food he has eaten something upon which to bless (וְאִי לָא יָכִיל, בָּעֵי לְשַׁיְּירָא מֵהַהוּא מְזוֹנָא דְּאָכַל, עַל מַה דִּיבָרֵךְ), so that it not be found that he blesses upon emptiness (וְלָא יִשְׁתְּכַּח דִּיבָרֵךְ בְּרֵיקַנְיָּא). Once she said, “Your maidservant has nothing in the house except a flask of oil” (2 Kings 4) (כֵּיוָן דְּאָמְרָה, אֵין לְשִׁפְחָתְךָ כֹּל בַּבַּיִת, כִּי אִם אָסוּךְ שָׁמֶן), he said, “Surely the complete blessing is in this,” as it is written, “Better is a name than good oil” (Ecclesiastes 7) (אָמַר, וַדַּאי הָא בִּרְכָתָא שְׁלֵימָתָא בְּהַאי, דִּכְתִיב, טוֹב שֵׁם מִשֶּׁמֶן טוֹב). For the holy Name emerges from oil, to bring blessing, to kindle the Holy Luminarys (דִּשְׁמָא קַדִּישָׁא מִשֶּׁמֶן נָפְקָא, לְאִתְבָּרְכָא, לְאַדְלְקָא בּוּצִינִין קַדִּישִׁין). What is shemen (oil)? (מַאי שֶׁמֶן דָּא). As it says, “And a river flowed from Eden to water the garden…” (Bereshit 2) (כְּמָה דְּאַתְּ אָמַר, וְנָהָר יֹצֵא מֵעֵדֶן לְהַשְׁקוֹת אֶת הַגָּן). Rabbi Yitzchak said: as it says, “Like the good oil upon the head…” (Psalms 133) (רַבִּי יִצְחָק אָמַר, כְּמָה דְּאַתְּ אָמֵר, כַּשֶּׁמֶן הַטּוֹב עַל הָרֹאשׁ וְגוֹ׳). Rabbi El'azar said: these are the mountains of pure afars'mona (רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר אוֹמֵר, אִלֵּין טוּרֵי דְּאֲפַרְסְמוֹנָא דַּכְיָא).

Rabbi Shimon said: “A good name”—how good is the supernal Name (אָמַר רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן, טוֹב שֵׁם-כַּמָּה טָבָא שְׁמָא עִלָּאָה), for the supernal holy luminaries (דְּבוּצִינִין עִלָּאִין קַדִּישִׁין), when all of them shine from good oil (כַּד כֻּלְּהוּ נַהֲרִין מִשֶּׁמֶן טוֹב), as we have said (כְּמָה דַּאֲמֵינָא). And it is forbidden for a person to mention the Name of Kudsha Berikh Hu in vain (וְאָסִיר לֵיהּ לְבַר נָשׁ לְאַדְכְּרָא שְׁמֵיהּ דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא בְּרֵיקַנְיָּא). For whoever mentions the name of Kudsha Berikh Hu in vain-it would be better if he had never been created (דְּכָל מַאן דְּאִדְכַּר שְׁמָא דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא בְּרֵיקַנְיָּא, טָב לֵיהּ דְּלָא אִתְבְּרֵי).