Daf 191a (דַּף קצ״א ע״א)

When he saw the sign in their faces, he said to them thus (כֵּיוָן דְּחָמָא סִימָן בְּאַנְפַּיְיהוּ, וְאָמַר לוֹן הָכִי). They said to him: Surely a spirit of prophecy rests upon the Holy Luminary (אָמְרוּ לֵיהּ וַדַּאי רוּחַ נְבוּאָה שָׁרָא עַל בּוּצִינָא קַדִּישָׁא), and thus we needed to know (וְהָכִי אִצְטְרִיךְ לָן לְמִנְדַּע). Rabbi Shimon wept and said (בָּכָה רִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן וְאָמַר): One word from those words whispered to me from the head of the Academy of the Garden of Eden (חַד מִלָּה מֵאִינּוּן מִלִּין דִּלְחִישׁוּ לִי מִגּוֹ רֵישׁ מְתִיבְתָּא דְּגִּנְתָּא דְּעֵדֶן), that they never spoke openly (דְּלָא אָמְרוּ בְּאִתְגַּלְּיָא), for this word is a hidden matter (מִלָּה דָּא סִתְרָא אִיהִי).

And I will tell you, My beloved children, My beloved children of My soul (וְאֵימָא לְכוּ בָּנַי רְחִימָאי, בָּנַי רְחִימִין דְּנַפְשָׁאי): What shall I do (מָה אַעֲבִיד)? They said to me in whisper (אֲמַרוּ לִי בִּלְחִישָׁא), and I say it openly (וַאֲנָא אֵימָא בְּאִתְגַּלְּיָיא). And at the time that face is comforted with face (וּלְזִמְנָא דְּנֶחמֵי אַנְפִּין בְּאַנְפִּין), all faces are supported by this (כָּל אַנְפִּין יִסְתַּמְּכוּן בְּדָא).

My sons, the sin that they did — the mixed multitude, the people outside (בָּנַי. חוֹבָא דְּעָבְדוּ עַם דִּלְבַר עֵרֶב רַב). And the holy people joined in it (וְאִשְׁתָּתָּפוּ בֵּיהּ עַמָּא קַדִּישָׁא). In Imma they sinned (בְּאִמָּא חָאבוּ), as it is written: “Rise, make for us gods” (דִּכְתִּיב קוּם עֲשֵׂה לָנוּ אֱלֹהִים) — truly Elohim (אֱלֹהִים וַדַּאי). The Glory of Yisrael — this is what rested upon them as a mother upon children (כְּבוֹד יִשְׂרָאֵל דָּא, אִיהוּ דְּשַׁרְיָא עָלַיְיהוּ כְּאִמָּא עַל בְּנִין). And this is the secret of that which is written: “And they exchanged their Glory for the image of an ox” (וְדָא הוּא רָזָא דִּכְתִּיב, וַיָּמִירוּ אֶת כְּבוֹדָם בְּתַבְנִית שׁוֹר) (Psalms 106). This is their Glory, the Imma that is theirs (דָּא כְּבוֹדָם דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל, אִמָּא דִּלְהוֹן). And this is what is written: “The Glory has departed” (וְדָא הוּא דִּכְתִּיב, גָּלָה כָבוֹד) (I Samuel 4). For they caused the Shekhinta to be revealed in exile with them (דְּגָרְמוּ לִשְׁכִינְתָּא דְּאִתְגְּלֵי בְּגָלוּתָא עִמְּהוֹן). And concerning this: “They exchanged their Glory” — with what? With the image of an ox (וְעַל דָּא וַיָּמִירוּ אֶת כְּבוֹדָם, בְּמָה בְּתַבְנִית שׁוֹר).

Here is the secret of the matter (הָכָא אִיהוּ רָזָא דְּמִלָּה). Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי): Below, within the dregs of wine, the evil lees (לְתַתָּא גּוֹ שְׁמָרִים דְּחַמְרָא, דּוּרְדְיָין בִּישִׁין), goes forth one arousal, a prosecutor, the first destroyer (נָפַק חַד עִרְעוּרָא, מְקַטְרְגָא, מַזִיקָא קַדְמָאָה), and it is in the mystery of the likeness of man (וְאִיהוּ בְּרָזָא דִּיּוּקְנָא דְּאָדָם). When it comes near to the holy (כַּד קָרִיב לְגוֹ קֻדְשָׁא), then when it passes from there, desiring to descend below (כֵּיוָן דְּאִתְעֲבָר מִתַּמָּן, וּבָעֵי לְנַחְתָּא לְתַתָּא), it desires to be clothed in a garment to bring harm to the world (בָּעֵי לְאִתְלַבְּשָׁא בִּלְבוּשָׁא, לְנַזְקָא עָלְמָא). And it descends — it and its wrath (וְנָחִית הוּא וּרְתִיכוֹי). And the first garment that it takes is the likeness of an ox (וּלְבוּשָׁא קַדְמָאָה דְּקָא נָקִיט, תַּבְנִית שׁוֹר), the image of an ox (דִּיּוּקְנָא דְּשׁוֹר). And the first of the harms from those four — the ox it is (וְקַדְמָאָה לַנְּזִיקִין מֵאִינּוּן אַרְבַּע, שׁוֹר אִיהוּ). And those four are the fathers of damages to the world (וְאִינּוּן אַרְבַּע אָבוֹת לְנַזְקָא עָלְמָא). And all three other categories of damages are contained within the ox (וְכֻלְּהוּ תְּלָתָא דְּאָבוֹת נְזִיקִין בַּר שׁוֹר, כֻּלְּהוּ דִּילֵיהּ). And concerning this it is written: “They exchanged their Glory for the image of an ox” (וְעַל דָּא כְּתִיב, וַיָּמִירוּ אֶת כְּבוֹדָם בְּתַבְנִית שׁוֹר).

What is “eating grass”? (מַהוּ אוֹכֵל עֵשֶׂב) — behold, we have already expounded upon it (הָא דַּרְשִׁינָן בֵּיהּ). But the root of the matter (אֲבָל עִקָּרָא דְּמִלָּה): from the extract of bread and the seven species of grain, it has no portion (מִתַּמְצִית דְּלֶחֶם וְשִׁבְעָה זִינֵי דָּגָן, לֵית לֵיהּ בְּהוּ חוּלָקָא). And because of this, Imma was not there, nor was it fitting for Her to be there (וּבְגִינֵי כַּךְ, אִימָּא לָא הֲוַת תַּמָּן, וְלָא יֵאוֹת לָהּ לְמֶהוֵי תַּמָּן). And because Abba knew the compassion of Imma and Her way (וּבְגִין דְּאַבָּא הֲוָה יָדַע רָחֲמָנוּ דְּאִמָּא וְאָרְחָא דִּילָהּ), he said to Moshe: My beloved son (אָמַר לְמֹשֶׁה, בְּנִי רְחִימָאי), be careful with both of them always (עֵיטָא בְּתַרְוַויְיהוּ בְּדָא תָּדִיר). And this is what they whispered to me in whisper (וְדָא הוּא דִּלְחִישׁוּ לִי בִּלְחִישׁוּ), that is not to be revealed (דְּלָא חֲזֵי לְגַלָּאָה), that the son of man should not know (דִּבְּרָא לָא יִנְדַּע), and should see that the strap is restored, and fear always (וְיֶחְמֵי דְּהָא רְצוּעָה אִתְתַּקְנַת, וְיִדְחַל תָּדִיר). But both of them together are always in awe, as one (אֲבָל תַּרְוַיְיהוּ בְּעֵיטָא דָּא, וּבְעֵיטָא חֲדָא).

Come and see, it is written (תָּא חֲזֵי כְּתִיב): “And the people saw that Moshe delayed” (וַיַּרְא הָעָם כִּי בֹשֵׁשׁ מֹשֶׁה) (Exodus 32). Who is “the people” (מַאן הָעָם)? These are the Erev rav (אִינּוּן עֵרֶב רַב). Who are the Erev rav (מַאן עֵרֶב רַב)? And were they Ludim and Cushim and Kaftorim and Tugarmim, that they are called “mixed multitude” (Erev rav) ? (וְכִי לּוּדִים וְכוּשִׁים וְכַפְתּוֹרִים וְתוּגַרְמִים הֲווֹ, דְּקָרָאן לוֹן עֵרֶב רַב) — but were they not Egyptians (וַהֲלֹא מִצְרִיִּים הֲווֹ), and from Egypt they were taken (וּמִמִּצְרַיִם נַטְלוּ)? And if they were a mixture of many nations, then it should have been written, “a mixed multitude went up with them,” according to their mixture (וְאִלּוּ הֲווֹ עִרְבּוּבְיָא דְּעַמִּין סַגִּיאִין, הָכִי הֲוָה לֵיהּ לְמִכְתַּב, עֵרֶב רַב עָלוּ אִתָּם לְפִי עִרְבּוּבְיָא דִּלְהוֹן). But rather: “And a mixed multitude went up with them” (אֶלָּא עֵרֶב רַב עָלָה אִתָּם) (Exodus 12). It was one people, and one language (עַמָּא חַד הֲוָה, וְלִישָׁן חַד), but they were all the sorcerers of Egypt and all their magicians (אֲבָל כָּל חֲרָשֵׁי מִצְרַיִם, וְכָל חַרְטוּמֵי דִּלְהוֹן הֲווֹ). As it is written of them (דִּכְתִּיב בְּהוּ): “And the magicians of Egypt did so also” (וַיַּעֲשׂוּ גַּם הֵם חַרְטֻמֵּי מִצְרַיִם) (Exodus 7). They desired to stand against the wonders of Kudsha Berikh Hu (דְּבָעוּ לְמֵיקָם לָקֳבֵל פְּלִיאָן דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא). When they saw the miracles and wonders that Moshe did in Egypt (כֵּיוָן דְּחָמוּ נִסִּין וּפְלִיאָן דְּעֲבַד מֹשֶׁה בְּמִצְרַיִם), they returned to Moshe (אָהַדְרוּ לְגַבֵּי מֹשֶׁה). Kudsha Berikh Hu said to Moshe (אֲמַר לֵיהּ קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לְמֹשֶׁה): Do not accept them (לָא תְּקַבֵּל לוֹן). Moshe said (אָמַר מֹשֶׁה): Master of the world (מָארֵיהּ דְּעָלְמָא), since they have seen Your power, they desire to convert (כֵּיוָן דְּחָמוּ גְּבוּרְתָּא דִּילָךְ, בָּעָאן לְאִתְגַּיְּירָא). Let them see Your power every day, and let them know that there is no God besides You (יֶחמוּן גְּבוּרְתָּךְ בְּכָל יוֹמָא, וְיִנְדְּעוּן דְּלֵית אֱלָהָא בַּר מִנָךְ). And Moshe accepted them (וְקַבִּל לוֹן מֹשֶׁה).

Why are they called the mixed multitude (Erev rav)? (אֲמַאי קָרָא לוֹן עֵרֶב רַב) Rather, they were all the sorcerers of Egypt (אֶלָּא כָּל חֲרָשִׁין דְּמִצְרַיִם הֲווֹ), and at their head (וּבְרֵישֵׁיהוֹן) were Yonos and Yimbrus p1-64(יוֹנוֹס וְיִמְבְּרוּס). And during the hours of the day they constantly performed their sorceries (וּבְשַׁעֲתֵּי דְּיוֹמָא הֲווֹ עַבְדֵי תָּדִיר חֲרָשַׁיְיהוּ). And all these upper sorcerers would gaze (וְכָל אִלֵּין חֲרָשִׁין עִלָּאִין הֲווֹ מִסְתַּכְּלֵי) from the setting of the sun (מִכִּי נָטֵי שִׁמְשָׁא), from the segment of the sixth hour and a half (מִשֵּׁירוּתָא דְּשִׁית שָׁעוֹת וּמֶחְצָה), until the segment of nine and a half hours (עַד שֵׁירוּתָא דְּתֵשַׁע וּמֶחְצָה). This is the great evening (דְּהַיְינוּ עֵרֶב רַבְרְבָא). All those lesser sorcerers (כָּל אִינּוּן חֲרָשִׁין זְעִירִין) [gazed] from the segment of nine and a half hours (מִשֵּׁירוּתָא דְּתֵשַׁע וּמֶחְצָה), until midnight (עַד פַּלְגוּת לֵילְיָא).