Daf 197a (דַּף קצ״ז ע״א)

Rabbi Shim‘on opened and said (פָּתַח רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן וְאָמַר): And Hashem said to Noach, “Come you and all your house into the ark” (וַיֹּאמֶר יְיָ אֶל נֹחַ בֹּא אַתָּה וְכָל בֵּיתְךָ אֶל הַתֵּבָה) (Bereshit 7). This verse has been established (הַאי קְרָא אוֹקִימְנָא), but come and see (אֲבָל תָּא חֲזֵי): could not Kudsha Berikh Hu protect Noach in one place in the world (וְכִי לָא יָכִיל קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לְנַטְרָא לֵיהּ לְנֹחַ בְּאֲתָר חַד בְּעָלְמָא), so that there be a flood in the entire world but not in that place (דִּיְהֵא מַבּוּל בְּכָל עָלְמָא וְלָא יְהֵא בְּהַהוּא אֲתָר), as it is written regarding Gideon: and there was dew only on the fleece (כְּמָה דִּכְתִיב בְּגִדְעוֹן וַיְהִי חוֹרֶב אֶל הַגִּזָּה לְבַדָּהּ) (Judges 6).

Or to protect him in the land of Yisrael (אוֹ לְנַטְרָא לֵיהּ בְּאַרְעָא דְיִשְׂרָאֵל), of which it is written: It was not rained upon in the day of wrath (דִּכְתִיב בָּהּ לָא גֻשְׁמָהּ בְּיוֹם זָעַם) (Ezekiel 22), for upon it no storm rain descended (דְּלָא נַחְתוּ עָלָהּ מִי טוֹפָנָא). Rather (אֶלָּא), once the destroyer descends to the world (כֵּיוָן דִּמְחַבְּלָא נָחַת לְעָלְמָא), whoever does not conceal himself (מַאן דְּלָא סָגִיר גַּרְמֵיהּ), and is found before him openly (וְאִשְׁתְּכַח קָמֵיהּ בְּאִתְגַּלְיָיא), is liable for his soul (אִתְחַיֵּיב בְּנַפְשֵׁיהּ), for he kills himself (דְּאִיהוּ קָטִיל גַּרְמֵיהּ). From where do we learn this? From Lot (מְנָא לָן מִלוֹט), as it is written: Escape for your life, do not look behind you (דִּכְתִיב הִמָּלֵט עַל נַפְשְׁךָ אַל תַּבִּיט אַחֲרֶיךָ) (Bereshit 19).

What is the reason for “do not look behind you”? (מַאי טַעֲמָא אַל תַּבִּיט אַחֲרֶיךָ) Because the destroyer follows behind him (בְּגִין דִּמְחַבְּלָא אָזִיל בָּתַר כַּתְּפוֹי), and if he turns his head and looks at him face to face (וְאִי אָהֲדַר רֵישֵׁיהּ וְאִסְתַּכַּל בֵּיהּ אַנְפִּין בְּאַנְפִּין), he can be harmed by him (יָכִיל לְנַזְקָא לֵיהּ). And because of this it is written: And Hashem shut him in (וְעַל דָּא כְּתִיב וַיִּסְגֹּר יְיָ בַּעֲדוֹ) (Bereshit 7), so that he would not be seen by the destroyer (דְּלָא יִתְחָזֵי קַמֵּי מְחַבְּלָא), and that the Angel of Death should not rule over him (וְלֹא יִשְׁלוֹט עָלֵיהּ מַלְאַךְ הַמָּוֶת).

And while they were hidden, thirteen men died in the city (וְעַד דְּהֲווּ טְמִירִין מִיתוּ תְּלֵיסָר גּוּבְרִין בְּמָתָא). Rabbi Shim‘on said: Blessed is the Merciful One, that the Angel of Death did not look upon your likenesses (אָמַר רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בָּרוּךְ רַחֲמָנָא דְּלָא אִסְתַּכַּל בְּדִיּוּקְנַיְיכוּ מַלְאַךְ הַמָּוֶת). And Moshe assembled, etc. (וַיַּקְהֵל מֹשֶׁה וְגוֹ') (Exodus 35). He returned them as at first to the work of the Mishkan (אָהֲדַר לוֹן כְּמִלְּקַדְּמִין עוֹבָדָא דְּמַשְׁכְּנָא).

Rabbi Ḥiyya said: All is as has been said (אָמַר רַבִּי חִיָּיא כֹּלָּא כְּמָה דְּאִתְּמַר). And the work of the Mishkan was done only by Yisrael alone (וְעוֹבָדָא דְּמַשְׁכְּנָא לָא אִתְּעֲבִיד אֶלָּא מִיִשְׂרָאֵל בִּלְחוֹדַיְיהוּ), and not from those of the Erev Rav (וְלָא מֵאִינּוּן עֵרֶב רַב), because it was the Erev Rav who drew the Angel of Death down into the world (בְּגִין דְּאִינּוּן עֵרֶב רַב אַמְשִׁיכוּ לֵיהּ לְמַלְאַךְ הַמָּוֶת לְנַחְתָּא לְעָלְמָא). When Moshe saw this (כֵּיוָן דְּאִסְתַּכַּל מֹשֶׁה בֵּיהּ), he cast the Erev Rav aside (אַשְׁדֵּי לְאִינּוּן עֵרֶב רַב לְבַר), and gathered Yisrael alone (וְכָנִישׁ לוֹן לְיִשְׂרָאֵל בִּלְחוֹדַיְיהוּ). This is what is written: And Moshe assembled, etc. (הֲדָא הוּא דִּכְתִיב וַיַּקְהֵל מֹשֶׁה וְגוֹ').

Rabbi Shim‘on opened and said (רִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן פָּתַח וְאָמַר): Who ascended to heaven and descended, who gathered the wind in His fists, who bound the waters in a garment, who established all the ends of the earth? What is His name and what is His son’s name, if you know? (מִי עָלָה שָׁמַיִם וַיֵּרַד מִי אָסַף רוּחַ בְּחָפְנָיו מִי צָרַר מַיִם בַּשִּׂמְלָה מִי הֵקִים כָּל אַפְסֵי אָרֶץ מַה שְּׁמוֹ וּמַה שֵּׁם בְּנוֹ כִּי תֵדָע) (Proverbs 30). This verse has already been explained (הַאי קְרָא הָא אוֹקִימְנָא), and how many secrets are contained within it (וְכַמָּה סַמְכִין אִית בֵּיהּ). And all of it refers to Kudsha Berikh Hu, for He is all (וְכֹלָּא בְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא אִתְּמַר דְּאִיהוּ כֹּלָּא). And it is said: What is His name and what is His son’s name, if you know? (וְאִתְּמַר מָה שְּׁמוֹ וּמַה שֵּׁם בְּנוֹ כִּי תֵדָע), this refers to Kudsha Berikh Hu (דָּא קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא).

What is His name? YHVH (מָה שְּׁמוֹ יהוה). And what is His son’s name? Yisrael, as it is written: My son, My firstborn, Yisrael (וּמַה שֵּׁם בְּנוֹ יִשְׂרָאֵל דִּכְתִּיב בְּנִי בְּכֹרִי יִשְׂרָאֵל) (Exodus 4), and this has already been established (וְהָא אוֹקִימְנָא). Who ascended to heaven? This has already been explained (מִי עָלָה שָׁמַיִם הָא אוּקְמוּהָ), this is Moshe, as it is written: And He said to Moshe, “Come up to Hashem” (דָּא מֹשֶׁה דִּכְתִּיב וְאֶל מֹשֶׁה אָמַר עֲלֵה אֶל יְיָ) (Exodus 24). Another matter: Who ascended to heaven? This is Eliyahu (דָּבָר אַחֵר מִי עָלָה שָׁמַיִם דָּא אֵלִיָּהוּ), as it is written: And Eliyahu ascended in the storm to heaven (דִּכְתִּיב וַיַּעַל אֵלִיָּהוּ בַּסֳּעָרָה הַשָּׁמָיִם) (II Kings 2). And how could Eliyahu ascend to heaven? (וְכִי הֵיךְ יָכִיל אֵלִיָּהוּ לְסַלְּקָא לַשָּׁמַיִם), for all the heavens cannot tolerate even a mustard seed from this world (וְהָא כֻּלְּהוּ שָׁמַיִם לָא יַכְלִין לְמִסְבַּל אֲפִילוּ גַרְעִינָא כְּחַרְדַּל מִגּוּפָא דְּהַאי עָלְמָא), and you say Eliyahu ascended to heaven in a storm? (וְאַתְּ אַמָרְתָּ וַיַּעַל אֵלִיָּהוּ בַּסֳּעָרָה הַשָּׁמַיִם).

Rather, as it is written: And Hashem descended upon Mount Sinai (אֶלָּא כְּמָה דְּאַתְּ אָמַר וַיֵּרֶד יְיָ עַל הַר סִינַי) (Exodus 19). And it is written: And Moshe came into the cloud and ascended the mountain (וּכְתִיב וַיָּבֹא מֹשֶׁה בְּתוֹךְ הֶעָנָן וַיַּעַל אֶל הָהָר) (Exodus 24). And although Kudsha Berikh Hu was on Mount Sinai, and it is written: And the appearance of the glory of Hashem was like a devouring fire on the top of the mountain (וּכְתִּיב וּמַרְאֵה כְּבוֹד יְיָ כָּאֵשׁ אוֹכֶלֶת בְּרֹאשׁ הָהָר) (Exodus 24), how could Moshe ascend to Him? (אֵיךְ יָכִיל מֹשֶׁה לְסַלְּקָא לְגַבֵּיהּ).

Rather, with Moshe it is written: And Moshe came into the cloud and ascended the mountain (אֶלָּא בְּמֹשֶׁה כְּתִיב וַיָּבֹא מֹשֶׁה בְּתוֹךְ הֶעָנָן וַיַּעַל אֶל הָהָר), meaning he entered the cloud like one who is clothed in a garment (דְּעָאל גּוֹ עֲנָנָא כְּמַאן דְּאִתְלָבַּשׁ בִּלְבוּשָׁא). So too here, he clothed himself in the cloud and entered into it (הָכִי נָמֵי אִתְלָבָּשׁ בַּעֲנָנָא וְעָאל בְּגַוֵּיהּ), and through the cloud approached the fire, and could draw near (וּבְעֲנָנָא אִתְקְרִיב לְגַבֵּי אֶשָּׁא וְיָכִיל לְמִקְרָב). So too Eliyahu, as it is written: And Eliyahu ascended in the storm to heaven (אוּף הָכִי אֵלִיָּהוּ דִּכְתִּיב וַיַּעַל אֵלִיָּהוּ בַּסֳּעָרָה הַשָּׁמָיִם), he entered into that storm and clothed himself in it (דְּעָאל בְּהַהִיא סְעָרָה וְאִתְלָבַּשׁ בֵּיהּ בְּהַהִיא סְעָרָה), and ascended above (וְסָלִיק לְעֵילָּא).

And a mystery I found (וְרָזָא אַשְׁכַּחְנָא), in the Book of Adam Kadma’ah (בְּסִפְרָא דְּאָדָם קַדְמָאָה), which said regarding the generations of the world (דְּאָמַר בְּאִינּוּן תּוֹלְדוֹת דְּעָלְמָא): one spirit shall descend into the world upon the earth (רוּחָא חֲדָא יְהֵא דְּיֵחוֹת לְעָלְמָא בְּאַרְעָא), and it shall clothe itself in a body (וְיִתְלַבָּשׁ בְּגוּפָא), and his name shall be Eliyahu (וְאֵלִיָּהוּ שְׁמֵיהּ). And in that body he shall ascend (וּבְהַהוּא גּוּפָא יִסְתָּלַק), and he shall be divested from his body (וְאִשְׁתְּלִיל מִגוּפֵיהּ), and he shall remain in the storm (וְיִשְׁתְּאַר בַּסֳּעָרָה).

And another body of luminous nature shall be prepared for him (וְגוּפָא דִּנְהוֹרָא אַחֲרָא יִזְדָּמַן לֵיהּ), to be among the angels (לְמֶהוֵי גּוֹ מַלְאֲכֵי). And when he descends (וְכַד יֵחוּת), he shall clothe himself in that body (יִתְלַבָּשׁ בְּהַהוּא גּוּפָא), which remained in that world (דְּיִשְׁתְּאַר בְּהַהוּא עָלְמָא), and in that body he shall appear below (וּבְהַהוּא גּוּפָא יִתְחָזֵי לְתַתָּא), and in the other body he shall appear above (וּבְגוּפָא אַחֲרָא יִתְחָזֵי לְעֵילָּא).

And this is the mystery of: Who has ascended to heaven and descended (וְדָא אִיהוּ רָזָא דְּמִי עָלָה שָׁמַיִם וַיֵּרַד) (Proverbs 30). There was no man whose spirit ascended to heaven and afterward descended below (לָא הֲוָה בַּר נָשׁ דְּסָלִיק לִשְׁמַיָּא רוּחָא דִּילֵיהּ וְנָחִית לְבָתַר לְתַתָּא), except Eliyahu (בַּר אֵלִיָּהוּ), who ascended above and descended below (דְּאִיהוּ סָלִיק לְעֵילָּא וְנָחִית לְתַתָּא). Another matter: Who ascended to heaven? This is Eliyahu (דָּבָר אַחֵר מִי עָלָה שָׁמַיִם דָּא אֵלִיָּהוּ). And descended? This is Yonah (וַיֵּרַד דָּא יוֹנָה), for the fish brought him down into the depths (דְּנָחַת לֵיהּ נוּנָא גּוֹ תְּהוֹמֵי), to the depths of the sea (לְעִמְקֵי יַמָּא). Yonah came from the strength of Eliyahu (יוֹנָה מֵחֵילָא דְּאֵלִיָּהוּ קָא אָתָא); Eliyahu ascended (אֵלִיָּהוּ סָלִיק), Yonah descended (יוֹנָה נָחִית); this one requested death, and that one requested death (דָּא שָׁאִיל נַפְשֵׁיהּ לְמֵימַת וְדָא שָׁאִיל נַפְשֵׁיהּ לְמֵימַת). And because of this, he is called the son of Amitai (וּבְגִין כַּךְ אִקְרֵי בֶּן אֲמִתַּי), and it is written: And the word of Hashem in your mouth is truth (וּכְתִיב וּדְבַר יְיָ בְּפִיךָ אֱמֶת) (I Kings 17).