Daf 199a (דַּף קצ״ט ע״א)

On the fourth day, He created the sun and the moon (בְּיוֹמָא רְבִיעָאָה, בָּרָא שִׁמְשָׁא וְסִיהֲרָא), as it is written: “Let there be lights in the firmament of the heavens” (Bereshit 1) (דִּכְתִּיב יְהִי מְאֹרֹת בִּרְקִיעַ הַשָּׁמַיִם), and He made a condition with the sun (וְאַתְנֵי עִם שִׁמְשָׁא), that it should stand in the middle of the heavens in the days of Yehoshua (לְמֶהוֵי קָאִים בְּפַלְגּוּ שְׁמַיָּא בְּיוֹמֵי דִּיהוֹשֻׁעַ), as it is written: “And the sun stood still in the middle of the heavens” (Joshua 10) (דִּכְתִּיב, וַיַּעֲמוֹד הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ בַּחֲצִי הַשָּׁמַיִם). He made a condition with the stars to fight in the battle of Sisera (אַתְנִי בְּכֹכָבַיָּא לְמֶעְבַּד קְרָבָא בְּסִיסְרָא), as it is written: “The stars in their courses fought against Sisera” (Judges 5) (דִּכְתִּיב, הַכֹּכָבִים מִמְּסִלּוֹתָם נִלְחַמוּ עִם סִיסְרָא).

On the fifth day, He created the fish of the sea and the birds of the heavens (בְּיוֹמָא חֲמִישָׁאָה בָּרָא נוּנֵי יַמָּא, וְעוֹפֵי דִּשְׁמַיָּא), and He made a condition with the birds to feed ravens to Eliyahu (וְאַתְנִי בְּעוֹפֵי לְמֵיזָן עוֹרְבִים לְאֵלִיָּהוּ), in the time when He closed the heavens (בְּזִמְנָא דְּעָצַר לִשְׁמַיָּא), as it is written: “And the ravens I have commanded to sustain you there” (1 Kings 17) (דִּכְתִּיב, וְאֶת הָעוֹרְבִים צִוִּיתִי לְכַלְכְּלְךָ שָׁם). “I have commanded”—precisely (צִוִּיתִי דַּיְיקָא). And He made a condition with the fish of the sea that a certain fish should be prepared to swallow Yonah and cast him out again (וְאַתְנֵי בְּנוּנֵי יַמָּא לְאִזְדַּמְּנָא נוּנָא חַד, לְמִבְלַע לֵיהּ לְיוֹנָה, וּלְאַשְׁדָּאָה לֵיהּ לְבַר).

On the sixth day, He created man (בְּיוֹמָא שְׁתִּיתָאָה בָּרָא לְאָדָם), and He made a condition with him (וְאַתְנֵי עִמֵּיהּ), that from him should come forth a woman who would sustain Eliyahu (דְּתִפּוֹק מִנֵּיהּ אִתְּתָא, דְּתֵיזוּן לְאֵלִיָּהוּ), as it is written: “Behold, I have commanded there a widow woman to sustain you” (1 Kings 17) (דִּכְתִּיב, הִנֵּה צִוִּיתִי שָׁם אִשָׁה אַלְמָנָה לְכַלְכְּלֶךָ). “Behold, I have commanded”—from the day the world was created (הִנֵּה צִוִּיתִי, מִיּוֹמָא דְּאִתְבְּרֵי עָלְמָא). And likewise in every deed that was renewed in the world (וְכֵן בְּכָל עוֹבָדָא וְעוֹבָדָא דְּאִתְחַדֵּשׁ בְּעָלְמָא), Kudsha Berikh Hu commanded that deed from the day the world was created (קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא פָּקִיד הַהוּא עוֹבָדָא מִיּוֹמָא דְּאִתְבְּרֵי עָלְמָא). So too here: “And Hashem spoke to the fish” (Jonah 2) (אוּף הָכָא, וַיֹּאמֶר יְיָ' לַדָּג). “And He spoke”—He had already said to it from the six days of Bereshit (וַיֹּאמֶר, מִשִּׁית יוֹמִין דִּבְרִאשִׁית קָאָמַר לֵיהּ).

Here we have a resemblance in the world (הָכָא אִית לָן סֶמֶךְ בְּעָלְמָא), concerning the actions of human beings in this world (עַל עוֹבָדִין דִּבְנֵי נָשָׁא בְּהַאי עָלְמָא). Yonah who went down into the ship (יוֹנָה דְּנָחַת לַסְּפִינָה), that is the soul of man (דָּא אִיהִי נִשְׁמְתָא דְּבַר נָשׁ), that descends into this world to be within the body of man (דְּנַחְתָּא לְהַאי עָלְמָא לְמֶהֱוֵי בְּגוּפָא דְּבַּר נָשׁ). Why is it called Yonah? (אֲמַאי אִתְקְרֵי יוֹנָה) Because once it is joined with the body (בְּגִין דְּכֵיוָן דְּאִשְׁתְּתָּפַת בְּגוּפָא), then it is “Yonah” in this world (כְּדֵין אִיהִי יוֹנָה בְּהַאי עָלְמָא), as it is said: “You shall not oppress one another” (Leviticus 25) (כְּמָה דְּאִתְּמַר, וְלָא תוֹנוּ אִישׁ אֶת עֲמִיתוֹ). And then man goes in this world like a ship in the great sea (וּכְדֵין בַּר נָשׁ אָזִיל בְּהַאי עָלְמָא, כַּסְּפִינָה בְּגוֹ יַמָּא רַבָּא), which is at risk of being broken (דַּחֲשִׁיבַת לְאִתָּבְּרָא), as it is said: “And the ship thought to break apart” (Jonah 1) (כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר, וְהָאֳנִיָּה חִשְּׁבָה לְהִשָּׁבֵר). And when a human being sins in this world (וּבַר נָשׁ כַּד אִיהוּ בְּהַאי עָלְמָא חָטֵי), and he thinks that he has escaped from before his Master (וְחָשִׁיב דְּעָרַק מִקַּמֵּי מָארֵיהּ), and that He does not pay attention in that world (וְלָא אַשְׁגַּח בְּהַהוּא עָלְמָא), then Kudsha Berikh Hu casts a mighty storm wind (וּכְדֵין אַטִּיל קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא רוּחַ סְעָרָה תַּקִּיפָא). This is the decree of judgment (דָּא אִיהִי גְּזֵירַת דִּינָא), which always stands before Kudsha Berikh Hu (דְּקַיְּימָא תָּדִיר קָמֵי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא). And it seeks the judgment of the human being before Him (וּבָעָאת דִּינָא דְּבַר נָשׁ מִקַּמֵּיהּ), and this is what reaches the ship (וְדָא אִיהוּ דְּקָא מָטֵי לַסְּפִינָה), and reminds the sins of the man to seize him (וְאַדְכַּר חוֹבוֹי דְּבַר נָשׁ לְאִתָּפְסָא לֵיהּ).

Once the man is seized by the hand of that storm in the house of his Master (כֵּיוָן דְּאִתְפַּס בַּר נָשׁ עַל יְדָא דְּהַהִיא סְעָרָה בְּבֵי מַרְעֵיהּ), what is written? “And Yonah went down into the recesses of the ship and lay down and fell fast asleep” (Jonah 1) (מַה כְּתִיב וְיוֹנָה יָרַד אֶל יַרְכְּתֵי הַסְּפִינָה וַיִּשְׁכַּב וַיֵּרָדַם).

Even though the man is in the house of his Master (אַף עַל גַּב דְּבַר נָשׁ בְּבֵי מַרְעֵיהּ), the soul is not awakened to return before his Master (נִשְׁמְתָא לָא אִתְּעָרַת לְאָתָבָא קַמֵּי מָארֵיהּ), to repair his sins (לְמִפְרַק חוֹבוֹי). What is written? “And the captain approached him” (Jonah 1) (מָה כְּתִיב, וַיִּקְרַב אֵלָיו רַב הַחוֹבֵל). Who is the captain? (מַאן רַב הַחוֹבֵל). This is the good inclination (דָּא יֵצֶר טוֹב), which governs all (דְּאִיהוּ מַנְהִיג כֹּלָּא). “And he said to him: What are you doing, sleeping? Arise, call to your God…” (Jonah 1) (וַיֹּאמֶר לוֹ מַה לְךָ נִרְדָּם קוּם קְרָא אֶל אֱלֹהֶיךָ וְגוֹ'). This is not the time to sleep (לָאו שַׁעֲתָא הוּא לְמִדְּמָךְ), for behold, you are being brought up to judgment (דְּהָא סַלְּקִין לָךְ לְדִינָא), for all that you have done in this world (עַל כָּל מָה דְּעַבְדַּת בְּהַאי עָלְמָא). Repent from your sin (תוּב מֵחוֹבָךְ).

Contemplate these words, and repent before your Master (אִסְתָּכָּל בְּמִלִּין אִלֵּין, וְתוּב לְמָארָךְ). What is your occupation with which you have engaged in this world? (מָה מְלַאכְתֶּךָ דְּאַתְּ עַסְקַת בָּהּ בְּהַאי עָלְמָא), and confess it before your Master (וְאוֹדֵי עָלָהּ קָמֵי מָארָךְ). And from where do you come? (וּמֵאַיִן תָּבֹא), contemplate from where you have come (אִסְתָּכַּל מֵאַיִן בְּאָת), from a putrid drop (מִטִּפָּה סְרוּחָה), and do not boast before Him (וְלָא תִּתְגָּאֵי קַמֵּיהּ). What is your land? (מָה אַרְצֶךָ), consider that you were created from the earth (אִסְתָּכַּל דְּהָא מֵאַרְעָא אִתְבְּרִיאַת), and to the earth you shall return (וּלְאַרְעָא תִּיתוּב). And if from this people you are (וְאִי מִזֶּה עַם אָתָּה), examine whether you have the merit of the Patriarchs (אִסְתָּכַּל אִי אִית לָךְ זְכוּ דַּאֲבָהָן), who may intercede for you (דְּיָגִין עָלָךְ).

Once they bring him up to judgment (כֵּיוָן דְּסַלְּקִין לֵיהּ לְדִינָא), in the supernal court of judgment (בְּבֵי דִּינָא דִּלְעֵילָּא), that storm (הַהִיא סְעָרָה), which is the decree of judgment (דְּאִיהִי גְּזֵירַת דִּינָא), that storms upon that man (דְּסָעִיר עָלֵיהּ דְּבַר נָשׁ), demands from the King to prosecute those seized of the King (תַּבְעַת מִן מַלְכָּא לְמֵידָן אִינּוּן תְּפִיסִין דְּמַלְכָּא), and all of them come one by one before Him (וְכֻלְּהוּ אַתְיָין חַד חַד קָמֵיהּ).

In that moment, the court is convened (בֵּיהּ שַׁעֲתָא אִתְקְרִיבוּ בֵּי דִּינָא). Some of them open in merit (אִית מִנְּהוֹן דְּפַתְחֵי בִּזְכוּת), and some of them open in guilt (וְאִית מִנְּהוֹן דְּפַתְחֵי בְּחוֹבָה), and the decree of judgment demands judgment (וּגְזֵירַת דִּינָא תַּבְעַת דִּינָא). And if that man is not found meritorious in judgment (וְאִי הַהוּא בַּר נָשׁ לָא זָכֵי בְּדִינָא), what is written? “And the men rowed to return to dry land, but they could not” (Jonah 1) (מַה כְּתִיב. וַיַחְתְּרוּ הָאֲנָשִׁים לְהָשִׁיב אֶל הַיַּבָּשָׁה וְלֹא יָכֹלוּ). Those who aroused his merits are striving (מִשְׁתַּדְּלִין אִינּוּן דְּאוֹרוּ זְכוּתֵיהּ), to return him to this world (לְאָתָבָא לֵיהּ לְהַאי עָלְמָא), but they could not (וְלָא יָכֹלוּ). What is the reason? (מַאי טַעֲמָא). “For the sea was raging more and more against them” (Jonah 1) (כִּי הַיָּם הוֹלֵךְ וְסוֹעֵר עֲלֵיהֶם), the decree of judgment (גְּזֵרָה דְּדִינָא), goes and storms upon the guilt of the man (אָזִיל וְסָעִיר בְּחוֹבוֹי דְּבַר נָשׁ), and prevails over them (וְאִתְגַּבָּר עָלַיְיהוּ).

Then three appointed messengers descend upon him (כְּדֵין נַחְתִּין עָלֵיהּ תְּלַת שְׁלִיחָן מְמָנָן): one, who records all merits and all sins that a man did in this world (חַד, דִּכְתִיב כָּל זַכְוָון, וְכָל חוֹבִין, דְּעָבַד בַּר נָשׁ בְּהַאי עָלְמָא); and one who accounts the number of his days (וְחַד דְּעָבִיד חוּשְׁבָּן יוֹמוֹי); and one who accompanied him when he was in his mother’s womb (וְחַד דְּהֲוָה אָזִיל עִמֵּיהּ, כַּד הֲוָה בִּמְעֵי אִמֵּיהּ). And we have already established (וְהָא אוֹקִימְנָא), that the decree of judgment does not forget (דִּגְזֵרַת דִּינָא לָא שָׁכִיךְ), until that moment of which it is written (עַד הַהוּא זִמְנָא דִּכְתִּיב): “And they lifted Yonah” (Jonah 1) (וַיִּשְׂאוּ אֶת יוֹנָה). “And they lifted” — when they lifted him from his house to the house of graves (וַיִּשְׂאוּ: כַּד נַטְלֵי לֵיהּ מִבֵּיתֵיהּ, לְבֵי קִבְרֵי).