Daf 237a (דַּף רל״ז ע״א)

What is the reason he became defiled? (מַאי טַעְמָא אִסְתְּאַב). Because the calf went out (בְּגִין דְּנָפַק עֵגֶל), which is from the side of the left (דְּאִיהוּ מִסִּטְרָא דִּשְׂמָאלָא), which is the ox (דְּאִיהוּ שׁוֹר), and from its right, the calf (וּמִימִינֵיהּ עֵגֶל). And it is the left (וְאִיהוּ שְׂמָאלָא), as it is said (כְּמָה דְּאִתְּמַר): “And the face of the ox on the left side of the four” (דִּכְתִיב וּפְנֵי שׁוֹר מֵהַשְּׂמֹאל לְאַרְבַּעְתָּן) (Ezekiel 1). And Aharon, who is the right (וְאַהֲרֹן דְּאִיהוּ יְמִינָא), was included in him, the left (אִתְכְּלִיל בֵּיהּ שְׂמָאלָא), and it went out by his hand (וְנָפַק עַל יְדֵיהּ). And upon this, the calf was given to him (וְעַל דָּא, אִתְיְיהִיב לֵיהּ עֵגֶל), as he had caused (כְּמָה דְּאִיהוּ גָּרִים).

And because of this, when this impure spirit was strengthened (וּבְגִין כָּךְ, כַּד הַאי רוּחָא מְסַאֲבָא אִתְתָּקַּף), it ruled again over the world as before (וְשָׁלִיט כְּמִלְּקַדְּמִין עַל עָלְמָא). For at the time Yisrael sinned (דְּהָא בְּזִמְנָא דְּחָאבוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל), they drew upon themselves that evil inclination as before (אַמְשִׁיכוּ עָלַיְיהוּ הַהוּא יֵצֶר הָרָע כְּמִלְּקַדְּמִין).

When Yisrael were purified (כַּד אִתְדָּכוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל), and sought to be purified (וּבָעוּ לְאִתְדַכָּאָה), they needed to bring a goat (אִצְטְרִיכוּ לְקָרְבָא שָׂעִיר). Because the goat is the portion of that evil inclination (בְּגִין דְּשָׂעִיר אִיהוּ חוּלָקָא דְּהַהוּא יֵצֶר הָרָע), that impure spirit, as we have said (הַהוּא רוּחַ מְסַאֲבָא כִּדְקַאמְרָן). It is written: “And they exchanged their glory for the likeness of an ox that eats grass” (כְּתִיב וַיָּמִירוּ אֶת כְּבוֹדָם בְּתַבְנִית שׁוֹר אוֹכֵל עֵשֶׂב) (Psalms 106). What is “the likeness of an ox”? (מַאי תַּבְנִית שׁוֹר).

This is the calf (דָּא עֵגֶל). The ox is from the side of the left (שׁוֹר מִסִּטְרָא דִּשְׂמָאלָא), Aharon is the right (אַהֲרֹן יְמִינָא). The left was included in him (אִתְכְּלִיל שְׂמָאלָא בֵּיהּ), and it was strengthened in him (וְאִתְתָּקַף בֵּיהּ), and it went out by his hand (וְנָפַק עַל יְדֵיהּ).

Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי): “And they exchanged their glory” (וַיָּמִירוּ אֶת כְּבוֹדָם) — this is the Shekhinta (דָּא שְׁכִינְתָּא), which went before them (דְּאַזְלַת קָמַיְיהוּ). And they exchanged her for a place of defilement, another god (וְאַחְלְפוּ לָהּ בְּדוּכְתָּא מְסַאֲבָא, אֵל אַחֲרָא). And because of this, this defilement was not removed from the world (וּבְגִין כָּךְ לָא אִתְעַבָּר זוּהֲמָא דָּא מֵעָלְמָא), until that time when Kudsha Berikh Hu will remove it from the world (עַד הַהוּא זִמְנָא דִּיְעָבַר לֵיהּ קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא מֵעָלְמָא), as you say: “And the spirit of impurity I will remove from the earth” (כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר, וְאֶת רוּחַ הַטּוּמְאָה אַעֲבִיר מִן הָאָרֶץ) (Zechariah 13). And behold, we have established (וְהָא אוֹקִימְנָא).

It is written: “And he made it a molten calf” (כְּתִיב וַיַעֲשֵׂהוּ עֵגֶל מַסֵּכָה) (Exodus 32). And it is written: “And I cast it into the fire, and this calf came out” (וּכְתִיב וָאַשְׁלִיכֵהוּ בָאֵשׁ וַיֵּצֵא הָעֵגֶּל הַזֶּה) (Exodus 32). This implies that he did not make it (מַשְׁמַע דְּלָא עָבֵד לֵיהּ). If so, what is “he made it”? (אִי הָכִי מַאי וַיַּעֲשֵׂהוּ). But surely, as we have established (אֶלָּא וַדַּאי כְּמָה דְּאוֹקִימְנָא): for if not for Aharon, the impure spirit would not have been strengthened to be included in the gold (דְּאִלְמָלֵא אַהֲרֹן, לָא אִתְתָּקַּף רוּחָא מְסַאֲבָא לְאִתְכַּלְּלָא בְּדַהֲבָא). But all the preparation that was needed (אֲבָל כָּל תִּקּוּנָא דְּאִצְטְרִיךְ), was found to be built (אַשְׁכַּח לְאִתְבְּנָאָה). Some say: to be delayed (ס״א לְאַתְרוַואָה).

Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי): there are some who perform sorceries and succeed in their hands (אִית מַאן דְּעָבִיד חַרְשִׁין וְאַצְלַח בִּידוֹי). And there are some who perform them in the same manner and do not succeed in their hands (וְאִית מַאן דְּעָבִיד לוֹן כְּהַהוּא גַּוְונָא מַמָּשׁ, וְלָא אַצְלַח בִּידוֹי). For to do these works, a man who is fitting is required (דְּהָא לְעוֹבָדִין אִלֵּין גַּבְרָא מְתֻקְּנָא אִצְטְרִיךְ).

Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי): from Bil‘am (מִבִּלְעָם), who was prepared (דְּאִיהוּ הֲוָה מְתֻקְּנָא) for those sorceries of his to succeed in his hands (לְאִינּוּן חַרְשִׁין דִּילֵיהּ לְאַצְלְחָא בִּידוֹי). Because it is written: “The saying of the man with the closed eye” (בְּגִין דִּכְתִּיב, וּנְאֻם הַגֶּבֶר שְׁתֻם הָעָיִן) (Numbers 24). Whose eye is open [shetum ha-ayin] (שְׁתוּם הָעָיִן) Whose eye is closed [setum ha-ayin] (סְתוּם הָעַיִן), all is one (כֹּלָּא חַד) — that one eye was always closed (דְּחָד עֵינָא סָתִים תָּדִיר), and the vision of his eye was not straight (וְחֵיזוּ דְּעֵינוֹי לָא הֲוָה בְּאוֹרַח מֵישָׁר). A blemish was in his eye (מוּמָא הֲוָה בֵּיהּ בְּעֵינוֹי). It is written: “And he shall send it by the hand of a designated man” (כְּתִיב וְשִׁלַּח בְּיַד אִישׁ עִתִּי) (Leviticus 16). Appointed in all (זַמִּין בְּכֹלָּא). Look: his eyes were not joined (חֲזוּ דְּעֵינוֹי דְּלָא יִתְכְּשַׁר).

But regarding The Holy Spirit (וְרוּחַ קוּדְשָׁא), what is written of one who uses it? (מַאן דְּיִשְׁתַּמֵּשׁ בַּהֲדֵיהּ מַה כְּתִיב). “Any man in whom there is a blemish shall not come near — a blind man or a lame man” (כָּל אִישׁ אֲשֶׁר בּוֹ מוּם לֹא יִקְרָב, אִישׁ עִוֵּר אוֹ פִּסֵּחַ) (Leviticus 21). And here (וְהָכָא), all was prepared for the impure spirit (כֹּלָּא אִתְקַּן לְרוּחָא מְסַאֲבָא), to give it a place to rule (לְמֵיהַב לֵיהּ דּוּכְתָּא לְשַׁלְּטָאָה). It found the wilderness, which is more desolate than all (אַשְׁכַּח מַדְבְּרָא דְּאִיהוּ חָרוּב מִכֹּלָּא), as it is written: “A serpent, a fiery serpent, and a scorpion…” (כְּמָה דִּכְתִיב נָחָשׁ שָׂרָף וְעַקְרָב וְגוֹ׳) (Deuteronomy 8). From there is its dominion (דְּמִתַּמָּן אִיהוּ שׁוּלְטָנוּתָא דִּילֵיהּ). It found gold of proper measure (אַשְׁכַּח דַּהֲבָא סִפּוּקָא כְּדְּקָא יֵאוֹת). It found Aharon (אַשְׁכַּח אַהֲרֹן), to be strengthened in the right (לְאִתַּתְקְפָא בִּימִינָא), and to be included in it (וּלְאִתְכַּלְלָא בֵּיהּ).

Then it completed its place as was fitting (כְּדֵין אַשְׁלִים דּוּכְתֵּיהּ כַּדְּקָא יֵאוֹת), and it went out and the deed was completed (וְנָפִיק וְאִשְׁתָּלִים עוּבָדָּא). And from where do we know that it was an impure spirit? (וּמְנָלָן דְּרוּחַ מְסַאֲבָא הֲוָה). Because it is written: “I beseech You, this people has sinned a great sin” (דִּכְתִּיב אָנָא חָטָא הָעָם הַזֶּה חַטָאָה גְּדוֹלָה) (Exodus 32). This is the impure spirit (דָּא רוּחַ מְסַאֲבָא), the primordial serpent (נָחָשׁ קַדְמָאָה), as we have said in many places (כִּדְקַאמְרָן בְּכַמָּה דּוּכְתִּין). And at the time when Aharon wished to be purified (וּבְזִמְנָא דְּבָעָא אַהֲרֹן לְאִתְדַכְּאָה), he brought near a calf from that side (אַקְרִיב עֵגֶל מֵהַהוּא סִטְרָא), to make judgment with it (לְמֶעְבַּד בֵּיהּ דִּינָא). At first he made it to rule (בְּקַדְמִיתָא עָבֵד לֵיהּ לְשַׁלְּטָאָה). And now that he made judgment with it (וְהַשְׁתָּא דְּיַעֲבֵיד בֵּיהּ דִּינָא), to subdue it (לְאַכְפְּיָיא לֵיהּ). For when judgment is done on this side (דְּהָא כַּד אִתְעָבִיד דִּינָא בְּסִטְרָא דָּא), all those who rule from its side are subdued (אִתְכַּפְיָין כָּל אִינּוּן דְּשַׁלְטִין מִסִּטְרֵיהּ).

Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי): in Egypt (בְּמִצְרַיִם), regarding their side it is written (בְּהַהוּא סִטְרָא דִּלְהוֹן כְּתִיב): “Do not eat of it raw…” (אַל תֹאכְלוּ מִמֶּנּוּ נָא וְגוֹ׳) (Exodus 12). Roasted with fire (צְלִי אֵשׁ), so that its odor spreads forth (בְּגִין דְּיִסְלַק רֵיחוֹ נוֹדֵף). “Its head with its legs” (רֹאשׁוֹ עַל כְּרָעָיו), to break it and subdue it (לְתַּבְרָא לֵיהּ וּלְאַכְפְּיָיא לֵיהּ). And then all those that come from its side do not rule (וּכְדֵין כָּל אִינּוּן דְּאַתְיָין מִסִּטְרֵיהּ לָא שַׁלְטֵי). In this manner (כְּגַוְונָא דָּא): “A red heifer, perfect…” (פָרָה אֲדוּמָּה תְּמִימָה וְגוֹ׳) (Numbers 19), to subdue all those sides of defilement, so that they not rule (בְּגִין לְאַכְפְּיָיא כָּל אִינּוּן סִטְרֵי מִסְאַבָא, דְּלָא יִשְׁלְטוּן).

Rabbi Abba said to him (אֲמַר לֵיהּ רִבִּי אַבָּא): but the heifer is holy (וְהָא פָּרָה קַדִּישָׁא אִיהִי), it is pure (דַּכְיָא אִיהִי) — and why so? (וַאֲמַאי). He said to him (אָמַר לֵיהּ): so it is (הָכִי הוּא). And behold it has been established (וְהָא אוּקְמוּהָ): it was the totality of the four kingdoms (כְּלָלָא דְּאַרְבַּע מַלְכְּוָון הֲוַת). “Heifer” (פָּרָה): as you say, “For Yisrael is stubborn, like a stubborn heifer” (כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר כִּי כְּפָרָה סוֹרֵרָה סָרַר יִשְׂרָאֵל) (Hosea 4). “Red” (אֲדוּמָּה): this is the kingdom of Bavel (דָּא מַלְכוּת בָּבֶל), as it is written: “You are the head of gold” (דִּכְתִיב אַנְתְּ הוּא רֵישָׁא דִּי דַּהֲבָא) (Daniel 2). “Perfect” (תְּמִימָה): this is the kingdom of Madai (דָּא מַלְכוּת מָדַי). “Wherein is no blemish” (אֲשֶׁר אֵין בָּהּ מוּם): this is the kingdom of Yavan [Greece] (דָּא מַלְכוּת יָוָן) — these are those who draw near to the paths of faith (דְּאִינּוּן קְרִיבִין לְאוֹרְחֵי מְהֵימְנוּתָא). “Upon which never came a yoke” (אֲשֶׁר לֹא עָלָה עָלֶיהָ עוֹל): this is the kingdom of Edom [Rome] (דָּא מַלְכוּת אֱדוֹם), upon which no yoke has gone up (דְּלָא סָלִיק עָלֵיהּ עוֹל). And the secret of the matter is this (וְרָזָא דְּמִלָּה דָּא): even though many words have been given to expound these verses (אַף עַל גַּב דְּכַמָּה מִלִּין אִתְיְיהִיבוּ לְמִדְרָשׁ בַּקְּרָאֵי), all are one (כֻּלְּהוּ חַד).