Daf 18a (דַּף י״ח ע״א)

Rabbi Yitzḥak said: “If the anointed priest shall sin” (Leviticus 4) (רִבִּי יִצְחָק אָמַר, אִם הַכֹּהֵן הַמָּשִׁיחַ יֶחֱטָא), this is the priest below (דָּא כֹּהֵן דִּלְתַתָּא), who was established for service (דְּאִתְתְּקַן לַעֲבוֹדָה), and if sin is found in him (וְאִשְׁתְּכַח בֵּיהּ חַטָּאָה), it is surely for the guilt of the people (לְאַשְׁמַת הָעָם הוּא דַּהֲוִי וַדַּאי). Woe to those who depend on him (וַוי לְאִינּוּן דְּסַמִיכִין עָלֵיהּ), just as in the case of a messenger of the community in whom sin is found (כְּגַוְונָא דָּא, שְׁלִיחָא דְּצִּבּוּרָא דְּאִשְׁתְּכַח בֵּיהּ חַטָּאָה), Some say: because the people are not found worthy before Kudsha Berikh Hu (נ״א: בגין דעמא לא אשתכחו זכאין קמיה קודשא בריך הוא). Woe to those who depend on him (וַוי לְאִינּוּן דְּסַמְכִין עָלֵיהּ). Rabbi Yehuda said: How much more so a priest (אָמַר רִבִּי יְהוּדָה, וְכָּל שֶׁכֵּן כַּהֲנָא), for all Yisrael, the upper and lower, all are bound (דְּכָל יִשְׂרָאֵל, וְעִלָּאִין וְתַתָּאִין כֻּלְּהוּ אֲחִידָן), Some say: awaiting (נ״א: מחכאן), and expect to be blessed through him (וּמְצַפָּאן לְאִתְבָּרְכָא עַל יְדוֹי).

For we have learned (דְּהָא תָּנֵינָן): At the time when the priest begins to direct words and to bring the supernal offering (בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְּכַהֲנָא שָׁארֵי לְכַוְּונָא מִלִּין, וּלְקָרְבָא קָרְבְּנָא עִלָּאָה), all is found in blessing and in joy (כֹּלָּא אִשְׁתְּכָחוּ בְּבִרְכָתָא וּבְחֶדְוָותָא). The right side begins to awaken (יְמִינָא, שָׁארֵי לְאִתְּעָרָא). The left is included in the right (שְׂמָאלָא אִתְכְּלִיל בִּימִינָא). And all is joined and bound, one with the other (וְכֹלָּא אִתְאֲחִיד וְאִתְקְשַׁר דָּא בְּדָא), and all are blessed as one (וְאִתְבָּרְכוּן כֻּלְּהוּ כַּחֲדָא). It is found, that through the hand of the priest, both upper and lower are blessed (אִשְׁתְּכַח, דְּעַל יְדָא דְּכַהֲנָא, מִתְבָּרְכָאן עִלָּאֵי וְתַתָּאֵי), and this we have already established (וְהָא אוֹקְמוּהָ). And for this reason, it is necessary to bring an offering for him, so that his sin may be atoned (וּבְגִין כַּךְ בָּעֵי לְקָרְבָא קָרְבְּנָא עָלֵיהּ, בְּגִין דְּיִתְכַּפֵּר חוֹבֵיהּ).

Rabbi Yose said: We have learned, that through the hand of the priest the sin of a man is atoned, when he brings an offering (אָמַר רִבִּי יוֹסֵי, הָא תָּנֵינָן, דְּעַל יְדָא דְּכַהֲנָא אִתְכַּפָּר חוֹבָא דְּבַּר נָשׁ, כַּד קָרִיב קָרְבְּנָא). Now that he has sinned, who shall offer for him, and who shall atone for him? (הַשְׁתָּא דְּאִיהוּ חָטֵי, מַאן מַקְרִיב עָלֵיהּ, וּמַאן יְכַפֵּר עָלֵיהּ). If you say that he himself shall offer for his soul (אִי תֵּימָא דְּאִיהוּ מַקְרִיב עַל נַפְשֵׁיהּ), behold, he is corrupted (הָא אִיהוּ אִתְקַלְקָל), and he is not worthy that through him the upper and lower should be blessed (וְלָאו אִיהוּ כְּדַאי דְּיִתְבָּרְכוּן עָלֵיהּ עִלָּאֵי וְתַתָּאֵי). If the lower are not blessed through him, how much less the upper (תַּתָּאֵי לָא יִתְבָּרְכוּן עַל יְדֵיהּ, כָּל שֶׁכֵּן עִלָּאֵי). Rabbi Yehuda said: Not so (אָמַר רִבִּי יְהוּדָה, וְלָא). For it is written: “And he shall make atonement for himself and for his house” (Leviticus 16) (וְהָא כְּתִיב וְכִפֶּר בַּעֲדוֹ וּבְעַד בֵּיתוֹ). Why does he require atonement for himself? (אֲמַאי בַּעְיָא לְכַפְּרָא עָלֵיהּ). Because he is guilty, he must atone for himself (בְּגִין דְּאִיהוּ חָב יְכַפֵּר עַל גַּרְמֵיהּ), as it is written: “And he shall make atonement for himself” (וְכִפֶּר בַּעֲדוֹ).

Rabbi Ḥiyya said: It is known in which place the High Priest is bound (אָמַר רִבִּי חִיָּיא, הָא יְדִיעַ בְּאָן אֲתַר אִתְקְשַׁר כַּהֲנָא רַבָּא). And in which place another priest is bound (וּבְאָן אֲתַר אִתְקְשַׁר כַּהֲנָא אָחֳרָא), and the one who is called the deputy is known (וְהַהוּא דְּאִקְרֵי סְגָן יְדִיעָא). Therefore, another priest offers his offerings at first (בְּגִין כַּךְ, כֹּהֵן אָחֳרָא קָא מַקְרִיב קָרְבָּנֵיהּ בְּקַדְמִיתָא), and raises him to that place where he is bound (וְסָלִיק לֵיהּ עַד הַהוּא אֲתַר דְּאִתְקְשָׁר בֵּיהּ). After the priest ascends to that place, they do not prevent him from ascending to his own place and atoning for his sin (בָּתַר דְּכַהֲנָא סָלִיק לְהַהוּא אֲתַר, לָא מְעַכְּבִין לֵיהּ לְסַלְּקָא לְאַתְרֵיהּ, וּלְאִתְכַּפְּרָא חוֹבֵיהּ).

And therefore, another offers his offerings for him (וְעַל דָּא, אָחֳרָא קָא מַקְרִיב עָלֵיהּ קָרְבָּנֵיהּ). Since another offers them, and they are not sufficiently supplied through him, afterwards he offers, and those Above all join to atone for his sin, and the Holy King is established through them (כֵיוָן דְּאָחֳרָא הוּא מַקְרִיב, וְלָא מִסְתַּפְּקִין כָּל כַּךְ עַל יְדֵיהּ, לְבָתַר אִיהוּ מַקְרִיב, וְאִינּוּן עִלָּאִין, כֻּלְּהוּ מִתְחַבְּרָן לְכַפְּרָא חוֹבֵיהּ. וּמַלְכָּא קַדִּישָׁא אִסְתְּכַּם עַל יְדַיְיהוּ). Similarly, one who prays and errs, another stands in his place (כְּגַוונָא דָּא, הַמִתְפַּלֵל וטָעָה יַעֲמוֹד אַחֵר תַּחְתָּיו).

Rabbi El'azar and Rabbi Abba were sitting (רִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר וְרִבִּי אַבָּא הֲווֹ יַתְבֵי). Rabbi El'azar said: I saw my father on the days of Rosh haShanah and Yom haKippurim (אָמַר רִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר, חֲמֵינָא לְאַבָּא בְּיוֹמֵי דְּרֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה וְיוֹם הַכִּפּוּרִים), that he did not wish to hear the prayer of any man, unless he stood over him for three days before, to purify him (דְּלָא בָּעֵי לְמִשְׁמַע צְלוֹתָא מִכָּל בַּר נָשׁ, אֶלָּא אִי קָאִים עָלֵיהּ תְּלָתָא יוֹמִין קוֹדֶם, לְדַכְּאָה לֵיהּ).

For Rabbi Shimon used to say thus: With the prayer of this man, which I purify, the world is atoned (דְּרִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן הֲוָה אָמַר הָכִי, בִּצְלוֹתָא דְּהַאי בַּר נָשׁ דַּאֲנָא מַדְכֵּינָא, אִתְכְּפָר עָלְמָא). How much more with the blast of the shofar, for he would not accept the blast of a man who did not know how to blow in the secret of the blast (וְכָל שֶׁכֵּן בִּתְקִיעָה דְּשׁוֹפָר, דְּלָא מְקַבֵּל תְּקִיעָתָא דְּבַּר נָשׁ דְּלָאו אִיהוּ חַכִּים לְמִתְקַע בְּרָזָא דִּתְקִיעָה).

For we have learned (דְּתָנֵינָן), Rabbi Yisa Sava said (רִבִּי יֵיסָא סָבָא אָמַר): These blasts are in their order (הָנֵי תְּקִיעָתָא כְּסִדְרָן).

The first is inclusive of all (קַדְמָאָה, כְּלִילָא מִכֹּלָּא). The second, one like this order and one like that order, a great strength of Gevurah between them (תִּנְיָינָא, חֲדָא כְּסִדְרָא וַחֲדָא כְּסִדְרָא, גְּבוּרָה גְּדוֹלָה בֵּינַיְיהוּ).

The third, one here and one here, a Gevurah between them (תְּלִיתָאָה, חַד הָכָא וְחַד הָכָא גְּבוּרָה בֵּינַיְיהוּ). The gap rises, the staff descends (פּוּסְקָא סַלְּקָא, ל קוּמַטְרָא נַחְתָּא). One strong and one weak (חַד תַּקִּיפָא וְחַד רַפְיָא).

And this has already been established (וְהָא אוּקְמוּהָ). And they are ten, and they are nine—one is the general of all (וְאִינּוּן עֲשָׂרָה. וְאִינּוּן תֵּשַׁע. חַד כְּלָלָא דְּכֹלָּא). On this day, Yitzchak is crowned (וּבְהַאי יוֹמָא מִתְעַטְּרָא יִצְחָק), and he is the head of the Patriarchs (וְהוּא רֵישָׁא לַאֲבָהָן).

On this day it is written (Isaiah 33) (בְּהַאי יוֹמָא כְּתִיב, פָּחֲדוּ בְצִיּוֹן חַטָּאִים). On this day Yitzchak was bound (בְּהַאי יוֹמָא יִצְחָק אִתְעֲקָד), and all was bound with him (וְעָקִיד כֹּלָּא), and Sarah cried aloud (וְשָׂרָה מַלִּילַת) — Some say: Sarah wailed (נ״א: מיללת), and the sound of the shofar resounded strongly together (וְקוֹל שׁוֹפְרָא תַּקִּיף לַחֲדָּא). Fortunate is his portion (זַכָּאָה חוּלָקֵיהּ), he who passes between them (מַאן דְּעָבַר בֵּינַיְיהוּ), and is delivered from them (וְאִשְׁתְּזִיב מִנַּיְיהוּ). Rabbi Abba said (אָמַר רִבִּי אַבָּא), for this reason we read the portion of Yitzchak on this day (בְּגִין כָּךְ קָרֵינָן פַּרְשְׁתָּא דְּיִצְחָק בְּהַאי יוֹמָא), for on this day Yitzchak was bound below (דִּבְהַאי יוֹמָא אִתְעֲקָד יִצְחָק לְתַתָּא), and was joined with that which is above (ואִתְקְשַׁר בְּהַהוּא דִּלְעֵילָּא). Some say: with Avraham (נ״א: באברהם). When was he joined? (אֵימָתַי אִתְקְשַׁר). At the time when it is written (Bereshit 22) (בְּשַׁעֲתָא דִּכְתִּיב, וַיַּעֲקוֹד אֶת יִצְחָק בְּנוֹ וְגוֹ').

Rabbi El'azar said (אָמַר רִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר), on this day Yitzchak crowned Avraham (בְּהַאי יוֹמָא אַעְטָּר יִצְחָק לְאַבְרָהָם), as it is written (Bereshit 22) (דִּכְתִּיב, וְהָאֱלהִים נִסָּה אֶת אַבְרָהָם). What is “tested” (מַאי נִסָּה)? As it is said (Isaiah 49) (כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר, וְאֶל עַמִּים אָרִים נִסִּי). (Exodus 17) (וַיִקְרָא שְׁמוֹ יְיָ' נִסִּי). What does this teach us? (מַאי קָא מַשְׁמַע לָן). Because the right side was perfected and completed (בְּגִין דְּאִשְׁתָּכְלִיל יְמִינָא וְאִשְׁתְּלִים). This is what is written (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב) “And Elohim tested Avraham” (וְהָאֱלֹהִים נִסָּה אֶת אַבְרָהָם). “And Elohim” precisely (והָאֱלהִים דַּיְיקָא), and this is (ודָא הוּא) “the Fear of Yitzchak” (Bereshit 31) (וּפַחַד יִצְחָק).

Rabbi Abba said (רִבִּי אַבָּא אָמַר), it is written (Psalms 75) (כְּתִיב, כִּי אֱלֹהִים שׁוֹפֵט זֶה יַשְׁפִּיל וְזֶה יָרִים). “For Elohim is Judge” (כִּי אֱלהִים שׁוֹפֵט), if not that the judgment of Yitzchak passed over (אִלְמָלֵא דְּאַעְבָר דִּינָא דְּיִצְחָק), to the place where Yaakov dwelled (בַּאֲתַר דְּיַעֲקֹב שָׁארֵי), and was concealed there — Some say: was covered (נ״א: ואתסי), Some say: was hidden (נ״א: ואתסחי), Some say: was sweetened (נ״א: ואתבסם) — woe to the world that would have been corrupted because of it (וַוי לְעָלְמָא דְּיֶעְרַע בְּגִינֵיהּ). And the secret of the matter is (וְרָזָא דְּמִלָּה), as it is written (Isaiah 66) (כִּי בָאֵשׁ יְיָ' נִשְׁפָּט). And this is the sweetening of the world (וְדָא הוּא אִתְבַּסְמוּתָא דְּעָלְמָא).