Daf 225b (דַּף רכ״ה ע״ב)

Rabbi Abba, and Rabbi Aḥa, and Rabbi Yosei, were going from Tiberias to Tzippori (רִבִּי אַבָּא, וְרִבִּי אֲחָא, וְרִבִּי יוֹסֵי, הֲווֹ אַזְלֵי מִטְּבֶרְיָה לְצִפּוֹרִי). As they were going (עַד דַּהֲווֹ אָזְלֵי), they saw Rabbi El‘azar coming, and Rabbi Ḥiyya with him (חָמוּ לֵיהּ לְרִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר דְּהֲוָה אָתֵי, וְרִבִּי חִיָּיא עִמֵּיהּ). Rabbi Abba said (אָמַר רִבִּי אַבָּא), surely the Shekhinta is joined with them (וַדַּאי נִשְׁתַּתֵּף בַּהֲדֵי שְׁכִינְתָּא).

They hurried toward them, until they reached them (אוֹרִיכוּ לְהוּ, עַד דְּמָטוּ לְגַבַּיְיהוּ). When they reached them (כֵּיוָן דְּמָטוּ גַּבַּיְיהוּ), Rabbi El‘azar said (אָמַר רִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר): It is written, “The eyes of Hashem are toward the righteous, and His ears toward their cry” (כְּתִיב: עֵינֵי יְיָ׳ אֶל צַדִּיקִים, וְאָזְנָיו אֶל שַׁוְעָתָם) (Psalms 35). This verse is difficult (הַאי קְרָא קַשְׁיָא). What is “the eyes of Hashem are toward the righteous”? (מַאי עֵינֵי יְיָ׳ אֶל צַדִּיקִים). If it means the providence of Kudsha Berikh Hu is upon them to do them good in this world (אִי בְּגִין דְּאַשְׁגָּחוּתָא דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא עָלַיְיהוּ לְאוֹטָבָא לוֹן בְּהַאי עָלְמָא), behold, we see that many who are righteous in this world (הָא חֲמֵינָן, כַּמָה זַכָּאִין אִינּוּן בְּהַאי עָלְמָא), yet even sustenance they cannot attach as do the ravens of the field (וַאֲפִילוּ מְזוֹנָא כְּעוֹרְבֵי בָּרָא לָא יַכְלִין לְאַדְבְּקָא). If so, what is “the eyes of Hashem are toward the righteous”? (אִי הָכִי, מַאי עֵינֵי יְיָ׳ אֶל צַדִּיקִים). Rather, the secret here is this (אֶלָּא רָזָא הָכָא).

Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי): all the creatures of the world are made known above (כָּל אִינּוּן בִּרְיָין דְּעָלְמָא, כֻּלְּהוּ אִשְׁתְּמוֹדְעָאן לְעֵילָּא), both to this side and to that side (בֵּין לְסִטְרָא דָּא, וּבֵין לְסִטְרָא דָּא). Those of the side of holiness are made known above toward Him (אִינּוּן דִּלְסִטְרָא דִּקְדוּשָּׁה, אִשְׁתְּמוֹדְעָאן לְעֵילָּא לְגַבֵּיהּ), and His providence is always upon them (וְאַשְׁגָחוּתָא דִּילֵיהּ תָּדִיר עָלַיְיהוּ). And those of the side of defilement are also made known toward Him (וְאִינּוּן דִּלְסִטְרָא מִסְאֲבָא, אִשְׁתְּמוֹדְעָאן לְגַבֵּיהּ), and His providence is always upon them (וְאַשְׁגָחוּתָא דִּילֵיהּ תָּדִיר עָלַיְיהוּ).

But in the place where that providence of the side of holiness rules (וּבַאֲתָר דְּשַׁלְטָא הַהִיא אַשְׁגָּחוּתָא דְּסִטְרָא דִּקְדוּשָּׁה), the Sitra Achra does not watch over it (לָא אַשְׁגַּח עָלֵיהּ סִטְרָא אַחֲרָא), nor can it ever approach it (וְלָא יִקְרַב לְגַבֵּיהּ לְעָלְמִין), nor can it drive it away from its place (וְלָא יָכִיל לְדַחְיָיא לֵיהּ מֵאַתְרֵיהּ), in all things that he does (בְּכֹלָּא, בְּכָל מַה דְּאִיהוּ עָבִיד). And for this reason it is written: “The eyes of Hashem are toward the righteous…” (וְעַל דָּא, עֵינֵי יְיָ׳ אֶל צַדִּיקִים וְגוֹ׳), because the Sitra Achra cannot rule over them (בְּגִין דָּא סִטְרָא אַחֲרָא לָא יָכִיל לְשַׁלְּטָאָה עָלֵיהּ). And now, the help of Heaven is here (וְהַשְׁתָּא סִיַּיעְתָּא דִּשְׁמַיָּא הָכָא), and all good providence from above is here (וְכָל אַשְׁגָּחוּתָא טָבָא דִּלְעֵילָּא הָכָא), and all Sitra Achra and all evil word cannot rule over you (וְכָל סִטְרָא אַחֲרָא, וְכָל מִלָּה בִּישָׁא, לָא יָכִיל לְשַׁלְּטָאָה עָלַיְיכוּ).

Rabbi Abba said (אָמַר רִבִּי אַבָּא): I have learned (הָא אוֹלִיפְנָא) that in every place where the side of holiness rests upon it (דִּבְכָל אֲתָר דְּסִטְרָא דִּקְדוּשָּׁה שַׁרְיָא עֲלוֹי), even though it stands in calculation (אַף עַל גַּב דְּקַיְּימָא בְּחוּשְׁבָּנָא), blessing is not withheld from there (בִּרְכָתָא לָא אִתְמְנַּע מִתַּמָּן). Rabbi El‘azar said (אָמַר רִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר): Surely it is so (וַדַּאי הָכִי הוּא). He said to him (אָמַר לֵיהּ): Behold, Yisrael are holy (הָא יִשְׂרָאֵל אִינּוּן קֹדֶשׁ), and they come from the side of holiness (וְאַתְיָין מִסִּטְרָא דְּקֹדֶשׁ), as it is written: “Yisrael is holy to Hashem” (דִּכְתִיב: קֹדֶשׁ יִשְׂרָאֵל לַיְיָ׳) (Jeremiah 2), and it is written: “You shall be holy, for I, Hashem, am holy” (וּכְתִיב: וִהְיִיתֶם קְדוֹשִׁים כִּי קָדוֹשׁ אֲנִי) (Leviticus 20). Why then, when David made a reckoning of Yisrael, was there mortality among them? (אֲמַאי כַּד עָבֵד דָּוִד חוּשְׁבָּנָא לְיִשְׂרָאֵל, הֲוָה בְּהוֹן מוֹתָנָא). As it is written: “And Hashem sent a pestilence upon Yisrael from the morning until the appointed time” (דִּכְתִיב: וַיִתֵּן יְיָ׳ דֶּבֶר בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל מִן הַבֹּקֶר וְעַד עֵת מוֹעֵד) (II Samuel 24).

He said to him (אֲמַר לֵיהּ), because he did not take from them the Shekalim, which are the redemption (בְּגִין דְּלָא נָטַל מִנַּיְיהוּ שְׁקָלִים, דְּאִיהוּ פּוּרְקָנָא). As it is written: “And they shall give every man a ransom for his soul unto Hashem, when you number them, that there be no plague among them when you number them” (דִּכְתִּיב: וְנָתְנוּ אִישׁ כֹפֶר נַפְשׁוֹ לַיְיָ' בִּפְקוֹד אוֹתָם וְלֹא יִהְיֶה בָהֶם נֶגֶף בִּפְקוֹד אוֹתָם) (Exodus 30). Because holiness was required (בְּגִין דְּאִצְטְרִיךְ קֹדֶשׁ), which is revealed (דְּאִיהוּ בְּאִתְגַּלְיָיא), to give the redemption of holiness (לְמֵיהַב פּוּרְקָנָא דְּקֹדֶשׁ), and that redemption of holiness was not taken from them (וְהַהִיא פּוּרְקָנָא דְּקֹדֶשׁ לָא אִתְנְטִיל מִנַּיְיהוּ).

Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי), Yisrael are holiness (יִשְׂרָאֵל אִיהוּ קֹדֶשׁ), which stand without calculation (דְּקַיְּימָא בְּלָא חוּשְׁבָּנָא) (some say: by themselves דְּגַרְמֵיהוּ). And for this reason, redemption needed to be taken from them (וְעַל דָּא אִצְטְרִיךְ פּוּרְקָנָא דִּיתְנְטִיל מִנַּיְיהוּ). And that redemption stands in calculation (וְהַהוּא פּוּרְקָנָא קַיְּימָא בְּחוּשְׁבָּנָא), while they do not stand in calculation (וְאִינּוּן לָא קַיְימוּ בְּחוּשְׁבָּנָא). What is the reason? (מַאי טַעְמָא). Because holiness is the supernal secret above all levels (בְּגִין דְּקֹדֶשׁ אִיהוּ רָזָא עִלָּאָה דְּכָל דַּרְגִּין). Just as that holiness is above all (מַה הַהוּא קֹדֶשׁ אִיהוּ סָלִיק עַל כֹּלָּא), and there is another holiness below that stands beneath it (וְאִית לֵיהּ לְבַר קֹדֶשׁ אַחֲרָא לְתַתָּא דְּקַיְּימָא תְּחוֹתֵיהּ), and that one stands in calculation and in number (וְקָאִים בְּחוּשְׁבָּנָא וּבְמִנְיָין). So too Yisrael are holiness (אוּף הָכִי יִשְׂרָאֵל אִינּוּן קֹדֶשׁ), as it is written: “Yisrael is holiness to Hashem” (דִּכְתִּיב: קֹדֶשׁ יִשְׂרָאֵל לַיְיָ') (Jeremiah 2). And they give another holiness, their redemption (וְאִינּוּן יַהֲבֵי קֹדֶשׁ אַחֲרָא, פּוּרְקָן דִּלְהוֹן), which stands in calculation (דְּקַיְּימֵי בְּחוּשְׁבָּנָא). And this is the secret (וְרָזָא דָּא): Yisrael are the tree that stands within (יִשְׂרָאֵל אִינּוּן אִילָנָא דְּקַיְּימָא לְגוֹ), and the redemption (some say: holiness) stands outside (פּוּרְקָנָא (נ״א קַדִּישׁ) אַחֲרָא קַיְּימָא לְבַר), and enters into calculation (וְסָלִיק לְחוּשְׁבָּנָא). And this one shelters that one (וְאָגִין דָּא עַל דָּא). They went on (אָזְלוּ).

Rabbi El‘azar opened and said (פָּתַח רִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר וְאָמַר): “And it shall be that the number of the children of Yisrael shall be as the sand of the sea, which cannot be measured nor counted…” (וְהָיָה מִסְפַּר בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל כְּחוֹל הַיָּם אֲשֶׁר לֹא יִמַּד וְלֹא יִסָּפֵר וְגוֹ') (Hosea 2). What is “as the sand of the sea”? (מַהוּ כְּחוֹל הַיָּם). There are two aspects here (תְּרֵין גַּוְונִין אִינּוּן הָכָא). One: like the sand of the sea, because when the sea rises in wrath and anger (חֲדָא כְּחוֹל הַיָּם, בְּגִין דְּיַמָּא כַּד סַלְּקִין גַּלוֹי בְּזַעְפָּא וְרוּגְזָא), and those waves rise up to flood the world (וְאִינּוּן גַּלִּין סַלְּקָאן לְשַׁטְּפָא עָלְמָא), when they reach and see the sand of the sea (כַּד מָטָאן וְחָמָאן חוֹלָא דְּיַמָּא), immediately they are broken and return backward (מִיַּד אִתְבָּרוּ וְתָבִין לַאֲחוֹרָא), and it is found that they cannot rule nor flood the world (וְאִשְׁתְּכָכֵי, וְלָא יַכְלִין לְשַׁלְטָאָה וּלְשַׁטְפָא עָלְמָא).

In this manner (כְּגַוְונָא דָּא), Yisrael are the sand of the sea (יִשְׂרָאֵל אִינּוּן חוֹלָא דְּיַמָּא). And when the other nations, who are the waves of the sea—masters of wrath and masters of harsh judgments (וְכַד שְׁאַר עַמִּין דְּאִינּוּן גַּלֵּי יַמָּא, מָארֵי דְּרוּגְזָא, מָארֵי דְּדִינִין קָשִׁין)—seek to rule and flood the world (בָּעָאן לְשַׁלְטָאָה וּלְשַׁטְפָא עָלְמָא), they see Yisrael, who are bound with Kudsha Berikh Hu (חָמָאן לְהוּ לְיִשְׂרָאֵל דְּאִינּוּן מִתְקַשְּׁרָאן בְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא), and they return and are broken before them (וְתָבִין וְאִתְבָּרוּ קַמַּיְיהוּ), and they cannot rule in the world (וְלָא יַכְלִין לְשַׁלְטָאָה בְּעָלְמָא). Another aspect (גַּוְונָא אַחֲרָא): because the sand of the sea has no calculation and does not stand in calculation or in measurement (בְּגִין דְּחוֹלָא דְּיַמָּא לֵית לֵיהּ חוּשְׁבָּנָא, וְלָא קַיְּימָא בְּחוּשְׁבָּנָא, וְלָא בִּמְדִּידוּ). As it is written: “Which cannot be measured nor counted” (דִּכְתִּיב: אֲשֶׁר לֹא יִמַּד וְלֹא יִסָּפֵר). So too Yisrael have no calculation and do not stand in calculation (אוּף הָכִי, יִשְׂרָאֵל לֵית לְהוּ חוּשְׁבָּנָא, וְלָא קַיְּימִין בְּחוּשְׁבָּנָא).

Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי): there is a measurement that is hidden and concealed (אִית מְדִידוּ טָמִיר וְגָנִיז), and there is a calculation that stands in concealment hidden and concealed (וְאִית חוּשְׁבָּן דְּקַיְּימָא בִּגְנִיזוּ טָמִיר וְגָנִיז). This one stands in measurement (וְהַאי קַיְּימָא בִּמְדִּידוּ), and this one stands in calculation (וְהַאי קַיְּימָא בְּחוּשְׁבָּן). And this is the secret and existence of all above and below (וְדָא אִיהוּ רָזָא וְקִיּוּמָא דְּכֹלָּא דִּלְעֵילָּא וְתַתָּא). Because that measurement will never be known (בְּגִין דְּהַהוּא מְדִידוּ לָא אִתְיְידַע לְעָלְמִין): upon what stands the secret of that measurement? (עַל מַה קַיְּימָא רָזָא דְּהַהוּא מְדִידוּ). And upon what stands the secret of that calculation? (וְעַל מַה קַיְּימָא רָזָא דְּהַהוּא חוּשְׁבָּנָא). And this is the secret of the faith of all (וְדָא אִיהוּ רָזָא דִּמְהֵימְנוּתָא דְּכֹלָּא).