Daf 18b (דַּף י״ח ע״ב)

And when it entered the place of Ya’akov (וְכֵיוָן דְּעָאל בְּאַתְרָא דְּיַעֲקֹב), and Ya’akov grasped it (וְיַעֲקֹב אָחִיד בֵּיהּ), then the fire was extinguished (כְּדֵין שָׁכִיךְ אֶשָּׁא), and its coals were cooled (וְאִצְטְנָנוּ גּוּמְרֵיהּ). Like a man who was angry (לְבַּר נָשׁ, דְּהֲוָה רָגִיז), and girded his loins with weapons (וְחָגַר וְזָיִין גַּרְמֵיהּ), and went forth in his wrath to kill people (וְנָפַק בְּרוּגְזֵיהּ לְקָטְלָא לִבְנֵי נָשָׁא). A certain wise man stood at the doorway (חַד חַכִּימָא קָם עַל פִּתְחָא), and seized him (וְאָחִיד בֵּיהּ). He said: if he had not seized me and restrained me (אָמַר אִלְמָלֵא לָא אָחִיד בִּי וְאִתְתְּקַף בִּי), behold, the slaughter of people would have been found (הָא קָטוּלָא בִּבְנֵי נָשָׁא אִשְׁתְּכַח).

While they were struggling, this one with that one (בְּעוֹד דְּאִתְתָּקָפוּ דָּא בְּדָא), and this one grasped that one (וְאָחִיד דָּא בְּדָא), his wrath was cooled from going out to kill (אִצְטְנָן רוּגְזִיהּ עַל דְּנָפַק לְקָטְלָא). He went out and rebuked: who can bear the wrath and might of the judgment of that man? (נָפַק לְאוֹכָחָא, מַאן סָבִיל רוּגְזָא וְתּוּקְפָּא דְּדִינָא דְּהַהוּא בַּר נָשׁ). It must be said: the one who stood at the doorway (הֱוִי אֵימָא, דָּא דְּקָאִים אֲפִּתְחָא). So too Kudsha Berikh Hu said to Yisrael (כַּךָ אָמַר קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לְיִשְׂרָאֵל): My children, do not fear (בָּנַי, לָא תִּדְחָלוּן), for behold, I stand at the doorway (הָא אֲנָא קָאִים עַל פִּתְחָא).

But strengthen yourselves on this day and give Me strength (אֲבָל אִזְדְּרָזוּ בְּהַאי יוֹמָא וְהָבוּ לִי חֵילָא). And with what? With the shofar (וּבְמָּה. בְּשּׁוֹפָר). For if the sound of the shofar is made as it should be (דְּאִי אִשְׁתְּכַח קוֹל שׁוֹפָר כְּדְקָא יֵאוֹת), and directed below (וּמְכַוְּונֵי בֵּיהּ לְתַתָּא), that sound ascends (הַהוּא קָלָא סָלִיק), and by it the Patriarchs are crowned (וּבֵיהּ מִתְעַטְּרֵי אֲבָהָן), and they stand in the dwelling of Yaakov (וְקַיְימֵי בְּמִשְׁכְּנֵיהּ דְּיַעֲקֹב).

Therefore it is necessary to take care with the shofar (וְעַל דָּא בָּעֵי לְאִזְדַּהֲרָא בְּשׁוֹפָרָא), and to know that sound and direct oneself in it (וּלְמִנְדַּע בְּהַהוּא קָלָא וּלְכַוְּונָא ביה). And there is no sound of the shofar (וְלֵית לָךָ קָלָא בְּשׁוֹפָרָא) that does not ascend to one firmament (דְּלָא סָלִיק רְקִיעָא חַד). And all the hosts of that firmament (וְכָל אִינּוּן אוֹכְלוֹסִין דְּהַהוּא רְקִיעָא) give place to that sound (יָהֲבִין אֲתַר לְהַהוּא קָלָא), and what do they say? (וּמַאי קָא אָמְרֵי). “And Hashem uttered His voice before His army, etc.” (Joel 2) (וַיְיָ' נָתַן קוֹלוֹ לִפְנִי חֵילוֹ וְגוֹ').

And that sound stands in that firmament (וְקָאִים הַהוּא קָלָא בְּהַהוּא רָקִיעַ), until another sound comes (עַד דְּאָתֵי קָלָא אָחֳרָא), and they are joined together — Some say: awakened together (ואִתְעַתְּדוּ [נ״א: ואתערו] כַּחֲדָא), and they ascend in union to another firmament (וְסַלְּקִין בְּזִוּוּגָא לִרְקִיעָא אָחֳרָא).

And therefore we have learned (וְעַל דָּא תָּנֵינָן): there is a sound that ascends with another sound (אִית קוֹל דְּסָלִיק קוֹל). And what is it? (וּמַאי אִיהוּ). It is that sound of the blast of Yisrael below (הַהוּא קָלָא דִּתְקִיעָתָא דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל דְּתַתָּא). And when all those sounds below are joined together (וְכֵיוָן דְּמִתְחַבְּרָן כָּל אִינּוּן קָלִין דִּלְתַתָּא), and they ascend to that supernal firmament wherein the Holy King abides (וְסַלְּקִין לְהַהוּא רְקִיעָא עִלָּאָה דְּמַלְכָּא קַדִּישָׁא שָׁארֵי בֵּיהּ), all are crowned — Some say: all are arrayed (מִתְעַטְּרָן [ס״א מתעתדן]) — before the King (כֻּלְּהוּ קָמֵי מַלְכָּא). And then the thrones are set down (וּכְדֵין כּוּרְסְוָון רְמִיוּ), and the other throne of Ya’akov stands and is established (וְכוּרְסְיָיא אָחֳרָא דְּיַעֲקֹב קָאִים וְאִתְתָּקַּן).

Therefore we find in the book of Rav Hamnuna Sava (עַל דָּא אַשְׁכַּחְנָא בְּסִפְרָא דְּרַב הַמְנוּנָא סָבָא), concerning the prayers of Rosh Hashanah (בְּאִינּוּן צְלוֹתֵי דְּרֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה), that he would say: the prayer and the sound of the shofar (דְּהֲוָה אָמַר, צְלוֹתָא וְקֹל שׁוֹפָרָא), that voice which goes forth (דְּאַפִּיק הַהוּא קוֹל) from the righteous one (דְּאַפִּיק הַהוּא זַכָּאָה), who brings it forth from his spirit and from his soul in that shofar (דְּאִשְׁתְּכַח מִרוּחֵיהּ וּמִנַפְשֵׁיהּ בְּהַהוּא שׁוֹפָרָא), that sound ascends above (דְּהַהוּא קוֹל סָלִיק לְעֵילָּא). And on that day prosecutors are standing and found above (וּבְהַהוּא יוֹמָא קַיְימִין וּמִשְׁתַּכְחֵי מְקַטְרְגִין לְעֵילָּא). And when that sound of the shofar ascends (וְכַד סָלִיק הַהוּא קָלָא דְּשׁוֹפָרָא), all of them are driven away before it (כֻּלְּהוּ אִתְדַּחְיָין קָמֵיהּ), and they cannot endure (וְלָא יַכְלִין לְקַיְּימָא). Blessed is the portion of the Righteous (זַכָּאָה חוּלָקֵיהוֹן דְּצַדִּיקַיָּיא), who know how to direct their will before their Master (דְּיַדְעִין לְכַוְּונָא רְעוּתָא לְקָמֵי מָארֵיהוֹן), and who know how to rectify the world on this day with the sound of the shofar (וְיַדְעִין לְתַקְּנָא עָלְמָא בְּהַאי יוֹמָא, בְּקָל שׁוֹפָרָא). And upon this it is written: “Happy is the people who know the teruah” (Psalms 89) (וְעַל דָּא כְּתִיב, אַשְׁרֵי הָעָם יוֹדְעֵי תְרוּעָה). “Who know” — and not merely “who blow” (יוֹדְעֵי, וְלָא תּוֹקְעֵי).

On this day, the people must look upon a man who is whole in every way (בְּהַאי יוֹמָא, בָּעֵי עַמָּא לְאִסְתַּכְּלָא בְּבַּר נָשׁ שְׁלִים מִכֹּלָּא), who knows the paths of the Holy King (דְּיָדַע אָרְחוֹי דְּמַלְכָּא קַדִּישָׁא), who knows the glory of the King (דְּיָדַע בִּיקָרָא דְּמַלְכָּא), that upon him the plea is placed on this day (דְּיִבְעֵי עָלַיְיהוּ בָּעוּתָא בְּהַאי יוֹמָא). And at the time when the sound of the shofar is heard in all the worlds (וּלְזִמְנָא קָל שׁוֹפָרָא בְּכֻלְּהוּ עָלְמִין), with the intention of the heart, in wisdom, in will, in completeness (בְּכַוָונָה דְּלִבָּא, בְּחָכְמְתָא, בִּרְעוּתָא, בִּשְׁלִימוּ), so that judgment may be removed through him from the world (בְּגִין דְּיִסְתָּלַק דִּינָא עַל יְדוֹי מִן עָלְמָא).

Woe to those whose emissary is not found fitting (וַוי לְאִינּוּן דִּשְׁלִיחָא דִּלְהוֹן לָא אִשְׁתְּכַח כְּדְקָא יֵאוֹת), for the sins of the people come to remembrance because of him (דְּהָא חוֹבֵי עָלְמָא אַתְיָין לְאַדְכְּרָא בְּגִינֵיהּ). This is what is written: “If the anointed priest shall sin” (Leviticus 4) (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב, אִם הַכֹּהֵן הַמָּשִׁיחַ יֶחטָא), for he is the emissary of all Yisrael (דְּהוּא שְׁלִיחָא דְּכָל יִשְׂרָאֵל); it is for the guilt of the people (לְאַשְׁמַת הָעָם הוּא), since judgment rests upon them (בְּגִין דְּדִינָא שַׁרְיָא עָלַיְיהוּ). And when the emissary is righteous and fitting (וכַד שְׁלִיחָא הוּא זַכָּאָה כְּדְקָא יֵאוֹת), fortunate are the people (זַכָּאִין אִינּוּן עַמָּא), for all judgments are removed from them through him (דְּכָל דִּינִין מִסְתַּלְּקִין מִנַּיְיהוּ עַל יְדֵיהּ); how much more so with the priest (כָּל שֶׁכֵּן כַּהֲנָא), upon whom the supernal and lower worlds are blessed (דְּעָלֵיהּ מִתְבָּרְכָאן עִלָּאֵי וְתַתָּאֵי).

Rabbi El'azar said (אָמַר רִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר): therefore, before a Kohen or a Levi ascends to the service (וְעַל דָּא, כֹּהֵן וְלֵוִי עַד לָא יִסְלַּק לְפוּלְחָנָא), they examine him (בַּדְקִין אֲבַתְרֵיהּ) and know his ways and his deeds (וְיַדְעִין אָרְחוֹי וְעוֹבָדוֹי), and if not, he shall not ascend to the service (וְאִי לָא, לָא סָלִיק לְפוּלְחָנָא). So too with the Sanhedrin in judging judgment (וְכֵן בְּסַנְהֶדְרִין לְמֵידָן דִּינָא).