Daf 188b (דַּף קפ״ח ע״ב)

He said to him, “I see in you that you are wise in the Orayta” (אֲמַר לֵיהּ, חֲמֵינָא בָּךְ דְּאַנְתְּ חַכִּים בְּאוֹרַיְיתָא). May the spirit of that man burst forth (תִּפַּח רוּחֵיהּ דְּהַהוּא גַּבְרָא). If the verse had said, “You have established the lip of truth forever” (אִלּוּ אָמַר קְרָא, שְׂפַת אֱמֶת כּוֹנַנְתָּ לָעַד), it would be as we have said (הֲוָה כִּדְקַאמְרָן), but it is not written except “shall be established” (אֲבָל לָא כְּתִיב אֶלָּא תִּכּוֹן)—a time when the lip of truth shall be established (זְמִינָא שְׂפַת אֱמֶת דְּתִכּוֹן), which is not the case now (מַה דְּלָאו הָכִי הַשְׁתָּא), for now the lip of falsehood stands (דְּהַשְׁתָּא שְׂפַת שֶׁקֶר קַיְימָא), and the lip of truth lies in the dust (וּשְׂפַת אֱמֶת שְׁכִיבָא לְעַפְרָא). And at that time when truth shall arise upon its foundation (וּבְהַהוּא זִמְנָא דֶּאֱמֶת יְקוּם עַל קִיוּמֵיהּ), and shall sprout from the earth (וּמִגּוֹ אֶרֶץ תִּצְמַח), then “the lip of truth shall be established forever…” (כְּדֵין שְׂפַת אֱמֶת תִּכּוֹן לָעַד וְגוֹ').

That officer said to him, “You are meritorious” (אֲמַר לֵיהּ הַהוּא הֶגְמוֹן, זַכָּאָה אַנְתְּ), and “Meritorious is the people who inherit the Orayta of truth” (וְזַכָּאָה עַמָּא דְּאוֹרַיְיתָא דִּקְשׁוֹט יָרְתִין). After some days, I heard that he converted (בָּתַר יוֹמִין שְׁמַעְנָא דְּאִתְגְּיַיר). They went and arrived at a certain field (אָזְלוּ, מָטוּ חַד בֵּי חֲקָל), and prayed their prayers (וְצַלּוּ צְלוֹתֵהוֹן). Once they prayed their prayers (כֵּיוָן דְּצַלּוּ צְלוֹתֵיהוֹן), they said, “From here onward, let us be joined with the Shekhinta (אָמְרוּ מִכָּאן וּלְהָלְאָה נִתְחַבֵּר בִּשְׁכִינְתָּא), and let us go and occupy ourselves with the Orayta” (וְנֵזִיל וְנִתְעַסֵּק בְּאוֹרַיְיתָא).

Rabbi Yosei opened and said (פָּתַח רִבִּי יוֹסֵי וְאָמַר), “Behold, they shall be ashamed and humiliated, all who rage against you…” (הֵן יֵבוֹשׁוּ וְיִכָּלְמוּ כֹּל הַנֶּחֱרִים בָּךְ וְגוֹ') (Isaiah 41). Kudsha Berikh Hu is destined to do for Yisrael all those good things (זַמִין קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לְמֶעְבַּד לְיִשְׂרָאֵל, כָּל אִינּוּן טָבָאן), which He spoke through the prophets of truth (דְּקָאָמַר עַל יְדֵי נְבִיאֵי קְשׁוֹט), and Yisrael endured them—how many evils in their exile (וְיִשְׂרָאֵל סָבְלוּ עֲלֵיהוֹן, כְּמָה בִּישִׁין בְּגָלְוּתְהוֹן). And if not for all those good things which they hope for and see written in the Orayta (וְאִלְמָלֵא כָּל אִינּוּן טָבָאן דְּקָא מְחַכָּאן וְחָמָאן כְּתִיבִין בְּאוֹרַיְיתָא), they would not be able to endure and bear the exile (לָא הֲווֹ יַכְלִין לְמֵיקָם וּלְמִסְבַּל גָּלוּתָא). But they go to the study halls (אֲבָל אַזְלִין לְבֵי מִדְרָשׁוֹת), open the books (פַּתְחִין סִפְרִין), and they see all those good things which they await (וְחָמָאן כָּל אִינּוּן טָבָאן דְּקָא מְחַכָּן), and they see them written in the Orayta (וְחָמָאן כְּתִיבִין בְּאוֹרַיְיתָא), that Kudsha Berikh Hu promised to them (דְּאַבְטַח לוֹן קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא עָלַיְיהוּ), and they are comforted in their exile (וּמִתְנַחֲמִין בְּגָלְוּתְהוֹן).

And the rest of the nations mock and blaspheme them (וּשְׁאַר עַמִין מְחָרְפִין וּמְגַּדְפִין לוֹן), and say: “Where is your god? Where are those good things you say are destined for you?” (וְאַמְרֵי אָן הוּא אֱלָהֲכוֹן, אָן אִינּוּן טָבָאן דְּאַתּוּן אַמְרִין דִּזְמִינִין לְכוֹן), “Shall all the nations of the world be humbled before you?” (וְכִי כָּל עַמִּין דְּעָלְמָא יִכְסְפוּן מִנַּיְיכוּ). This is what is written (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב): “Hear the word of Hashem, you who tremble at His word. Your brothers who hate you said…” (שִׁמְעוּ דְּבַר יְיָ הַחֲרֵדִים אֶל דְּבָרוֹ אָמְרוּ אֲחֵיכֶם שׂוֹנְאֵיכֶם וְגוֹ') (Isaiah 66). What are ‘those who tremble at His word’? (מַאי הַחֲרֵדִים אֶל דְּבָרוֹ) These are those who endured many evils (אִינּוּן דְּסַבְלוּ כַּמָה בִּישִׁין), how many reports they heard (כַמָה שְׁמוּעוֹת שַׁמְעֵי), these upon those, and those after these (אִלֵּין עַל אִלֵּין, וְאִלֵּין בָּתַר אִלֵּין), and they tremble over them (וְחַרִידָן עֲלֵיהוֹן), as it is said: “For we have heard a voice of trembling, fear, and there is no peace…” (כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר כִּי וְגוֹ' קוֹל חֲרָדָה שָׁמַעְנוּ פַּחַד וְאֵין שָׁלוֹם וְגוֹ') (Jeremiah 30).

These are the ones who constantly tremble at His word when judgment is enacted (אִינּוּן חַרֵדִים תָּדִיר אֶל דְּבָרוֹ כַּד אִתְעָבִיד דִּינָא). They said: “Your brothers who hate you” (אָמְרוּ אֲחֵיכֶם שׂוֹנְאֵיכֶם), these are your brothers the children of Esav (אִלֵּין אִינּוּן אֲחוּכוֹן בְּנֵי עֵשָׂו). “Who cast you out” (מְנַדֵּיכֶם), as it is said (Lamentations 4) (כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר) “Depart! Unclean! they called to them” (סוּרוּ טָמֵא קָרְאוּ לָמוֹ) (Lamentations 4). There is no nation that disgraces them publicly and spits in their faces like the children of Edom do to Yisrael (דְּלֵית עַמָּא דְּקָא מְבַזִּין לוֹן בְּאַנְפֵּי, וּמְרַקְּקִין בְּאַנְפַּיְיהוּ לְיִשְׂרָאֵל כִּבְנֵי אֱדוֹם). And they say: “They are all defiled like a menstruant” (וְאַמְרֵי כֻּלְּהוּ מִסְאֲבִין כַּנִּדָּה), and this is “Who cast you out” (וְדָא אִיהוּ מְנַדֵּיכֶם). “For the sake of My Name, Hashem shall be glorified” (לְמַעַן שְׁמִי יִכְבַּד יְיָ'), we are (who say): the children of the Living God (אֲנָן (דאמרין) בְּנוֹי דְּאֵל חַי).

For through the son the Name is honored (דִּי בָּן יִתְיָיקָר שְׁמֵיהּ). We rule over the world because of the One called Great (אֲנָן שַׁלְטָנִין עַל עָלְמָא בְּגִין הַהוּא דְּאִקְרֵי גָּדוֹל). “Esav, his elder son” (עֵשָׂו בְּנוֹ הַגָּדוֹל) (Bereshit 27). And by this Name Kudsha Berikh Hu is called “Great” (וּבִשְׁמָא דָּא אִקְרֵי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא גָּדוֹל), “Great is Hashem and exceedingly praised” (גָּדוֹל יְיָ וּמְהֻלָּל מְאֹד) (Psalms 145). We are the children of the Great One, and He is Great (אֲנָן בְּנֵי הַגָּדוֹל, וְאִיהוּ גָּדוֹל). Surely, “For the sake of My Name, Hashem shall be glorified” (וַדַּאי לְמַעַן שְׁמִי יִכְבַּד יְיָ'). But you are smaller than all (אֲבָל אַתּוּן זְעִירִין מִכֹּלָּא), “Ya'akov, her younger son” (יַעֲקֹב בְּנָהּ הַקָּטָן כְּתִיב) (Bereshit 27). Where is your god? (אָן הוּא אֱלָהֲכוֹן). Where are those good things you say are destined for you (אָן הוּא אִינּוּן טָבָאן), that all nations shall long for your joy? (דְּיִכְסְפוּן כָּל עֲמַמְיָא מֵחֶדְוָה דִּלְכוֹן). Who will give and we shall see your joy, as you say? (מַאן יִתֵּן וְנִרְאֶה בְשִׂמְחַתְכֶם כְּמָה דְּאַתּוּן אַמְרִין). And they shall be ashamed (וְהֵם יֵבוֹשׁוּ), the spirit of holiness says: “they shall be ashamed” (רוּחַ הַקֹּדֶשׁ אוֹמֵר: וְהֵם יֵבוֹשׁוּ). Some say: again like one who hangs a curse on another (ס״א תו כְּמַאן דְּתָלֵי קִלְלָתָא בְּאַחֲרָא), because you say: “Then they shall be ashamed and humiliated” (בְּגִין דְּאַתּוּן אַמְרִין דִּכְדֵין יֵבוֹשׁוּ וְיִכָּלְמוּ), therefore the spirit of holiness said the word in this way (וּבְגִין דָּא רוּחַ קֻדְשָׁא הֲוָה אָמַר מִלָּה הָכִי), and for this: “Behold, all those who raged against you shall be ashamed and humiliated” (וְעַל דָּא, הֵן יֵבוֹשׁוּ וְיִכָּלְמוּ כֹּל הַנֶּחרִים בָּךְ). What is “all those who raged against you”? (מַאי כֹּל הַנֶּחֱרִים בָּךְ) Those whose nostrils flared in anger against you in this exile (דְּאִתְקָפוּ נְחִירֵיהוֹן בְּרוּגְזָא עֲלָךְ בְּגָלוּתָא דָּא). At that time they shall be ashamed and humiliated from all the goodness they shall see done for Yisrael (בְּהַהוּא זִמְנָא, יֵבוֹשׁוּ וְיִכָּלְמוּ מִכָּל טָבִין דִּיֶחמוּן לְהוֹן לְיִשְׂרָאֵל).

Rabbi Ḥiyya said: “This is surely so” (אָמַר רִבִּי חִיָּיא: הָכִי הוּא וַדַּאי), “but we see, and so too have the mighty ones of the world seen, that this exile has been prolonged, and still the son of David has not come” (אֲבָל חֲמֵינָן וְהָכִי חָמוּ תַּקִיפֵי עָלְמָא, דְּהָא גָּלוּתָא אִתְמְשָׁךְ וַעֲדַיִין בְּרֵיהּ דְּדָוִד לָא אָתֵי). Rabbi Yosei said: “And all this is so” (אָמַר רִבִּי יוֹסֵי, וְכָל דָּא הָכִי הוּא), “but who enables Yisrael to endure this exile? All those promises that Kudsha Berikh Hu promised them” (אֲבָל מַאן עָבִיד דְּיִסְבְּלוּן יִשְׂרָאֵל גָּלוּתָא דָּא, כָּל אִינּוּן הַבְטָחוֹת דְּאַבְטַח לוֹן קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא). And behold it was stated: they enter synagogues and study halls (וְהָא אִתְּמַר, דְּעָאלִין לְבָתֵּי כְנֵסִיּוֹת וּלְבָתֵי מִדְרָשׁוֹת), and they see all those consolations (וְחָמָאן כָּל אִינּוּן נֶחָמוֹת), and they rejoice in their hearts to endure whatever comes upon them (וְחָדָאן בְּלִבַּיְיהוּ לְמִסְבַּל כָּל מַה דְּיֵיתֵי עָלַיְיהוּ), and were it not for this, they would not be able to endure (וְאִלְמָלֵא דָּא לָא יַכְלִין לְמִסְבַּל).