Daf 19b (דַּף י״ט ע״ב)

Come and see (תָּא חֲזִי), on that day they were commanded concerning one tree (בְּהַהוּא יוֹמָא אִתְפְּקָדוּ עַל אִילָנָא חַד), and they transgressed the command of their Master (וְעָבְרוּ עַל פִּקּוּדָא דְּמָארֵיהוֹן). And because the woman sinned first (וּבְגִין דְּאִתְּתָא הִיא חָבַת בְּקַדְמִיתָא), that serpent came upon her (וְאָתָא עָלָה הַהוּא נָחָשׁ), as it is written (Bereshit 3) "and he shall rule over you" (כְּתִיב, וְהוּא יִמְשׁוֹל בָּךְ). From here on (מִכָּאן וּלְהָלְאָה), at all times that men are found guilty before Kudsha Berikh Hu (בְּכָל זִמְנִין דְּגוּבְרִין אִשְׁתְּכָחוּ חַיָּיבִין קָמֵי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא), we have established that women (הָא אוֹקִימְנָא דְּאִינּוּן נָשִׁים), from the side of harsh judgment (מִסִּטְרָא דְּדִינָא קַשְׁיָא), are destined to rule over them (זְמִינִין לְשַׁלְּטָאָה עֲלֵיהוֹן), from the side of harsh judgment (מִסִּטְרָא דְּדִינָא קַשְׁיָא).

This is what is written (Isaiah 3) "My people—oppressors are children, and women rule over them" (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב, עַמִּי נוֹגְשָׂיו מְעוֹלֵל וְנָשִׁים מָשְׁלוּ בוֹ). Indeed, women rule over him (נָשִׁים מָשְׁלוּ בוֹ ודַּאי). And these are called "the flame of the turning sword" (וְאִלֵּין אִקְרוּן לַהַט הַחֶרֶב הַמִּתְהַפֶּכֶת), not that they are the sword itself (לָאו דְּאִינּוּן חֶרֶב הַמִּתְהַפֶּכֶת), but the flame from that sword (אֶלָּא לַהַט מֵהַהוּא חֶרֶב), which is called (Leviticus 26) "a sword of vengeance, vengeance of the covenant" (דְּאִקְרֵי חֶרֶב נוֹקֶמֶת נְקַם בְּרִית), and (Isaiah 34) "the sword of Hashem is filled with blood" (חֶרֶב לַיְיָ' מָלְאָה דָם). And that flame of the sword turns (וְהַהוּא לַהַט הַחֶרֶב מִתְהַפֶּכֶת), sometimes male and sometimes female (לְזִמְנִין גּוּבְרִין וּלְזִמְנִין נוּקְבִין), and this we have established (וְהָא אוֹקִימְנָא).

Woe to the world (ווי לְעָלְמָא), when women rule in the world (כַּד אִינּוּן נָשִׁין שַׁלְטָן בְּעָלְמָא). When a prophetess saw that Yisrael turned from their paths (כַּד חָמָא נְבִיאָה, דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל מֵעֲקְמֵי אָרְחַיְיהוּ), and they were found sinful before their Master (וְאִינּוּן אִשְׁתְּכָחוּ בְּחוֹבִין קָמֵי מָארֵיהוֹן), then it is said: "Women that are at ease, how can you be at rest? How can you sit and not be aroused in the world? Arise!" (כְּדֵין אָמַר, נָשִׁים שַׁאֲנַנּוֹת הֵיךְ אַתּוּן שְׁקִיטָאן, הֵיךְ אַתּוּן יַתְבָן דְּלָא לְאִתְּעָרָא בְּעָלְמָא, קוֹמְנָה). And elsewhere (וּבְאֲתַר אָחֳרָא), we have established this verse (אוֹקִימְנָא לְהַאי קְרָא). And this the companions have already explained (וְהָא אוּקְמוּהָ חַבְרַיָּיא). But it was not said except as we find regarding Devorah (אֲבָל לָא אִתְּמַר, אֶלָּא כְּמָה דְּאַשְׁכְּחָן בִּדְבוֹרָה). For it is written (Judges 4) “she judged Yisrael at that time” (דִּכְתִּיב הִיא שׁוֹפְטָה אֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל בָּעֵת הַהִיא). And therefore we have learned (וְעַל דָּא תָּנֵינָן), woe to the man whose bread is blessed by a woman (וַוי לְבַּר נָשׁ דְּאִתְּתָא קָא מְבָרְכָא לֵיהּ לְפָתוֹרָא). So too Devorah, “she judged Yisrael at that time” (כַּךְ דְּבוֹרָה, הִיא שׁוֹפְטָה אֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל בָּעֵת הַהִיא). Woe to the generation in which no man was found to judge the people except one woman (וַוי לְדָרָא דְּלָא אִשְׁתְּכַח בְּהוּ מַאן דְּדָאִין לְעַמָּא, אֶלָּא חַד נוּקְבָּא).

Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי), there are two women who were found in the world (תְּרֵין נָשִׁין אִינּוּן דְּאִשְׁתְּכָחוּ בְּעָלְמָא), who uttered praise of Kudsha Berikh Hu (וְאָמְרֵי תּוּשְׁבַּחְתָּא דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא), such that all the men of the world did not speak so (דְּכָל גּוּבְרִין דְּעָלְמָא לָא יֵימְרוּן הָכֵי). And who were they? (וּמַאן אִינּוּן). Devorah (דְּבוֹרָה) and Channah (וְחַנָּה).

Channah said (חַנָּה אָמְרָה), (I Samuel 2) “There is none holy like Hashem, for there is none besides You” (אֵין קָדוֹשׁ כַּיְיָ' כִּי אֵין בִּלְתֶּךָ), and all the verses that follow (וְכֻלְּהוּ קְרָאֵי). For she opened the gate of faith to the world (דְּהִיא פַּתְחַת פִּתְחָא דִּמְהֵימְנוּתָא לְעָלְמָא). As in the verse (1 Samuel 2) “He raises the poor from the dust, He lifts the needy from the dunghill” (כְּגוֹן מֵקִים מֵעָפָר דָּל מֵאַשְׁפּוֹת יָרִים אֶבְיוֹן). This is the gate of faith (הָא פִּתְחָא דִּמְהֵימְנוּתָא). “To seat them with nobles” (לְהוֹשִׁיבִי עִם נְדִיבִים), this is the faith above (הָא מְהֵימְנוּתָא דִּלְעֵילָּא), in the place where the Patriarchs dwell (בַּאֲתַר דַּאֲבָהָן שַׁרְיָין). And who are the nobles? (מַאן נְדִּיבִים).

These are the Patriarchs (אִלֵּין אֲבָהָן), as it is written (Psalms 47) “the nobles of the peoples are gathered” (כְּדִכְתִיב נְדִיבֵי עַמִּים נֶאֱסָפוּ). Another matter (דָּבָר אַחֵר) of “to seat them with nobles” (לְהוֹשִׁיבִי עִם נְדִיבִים): she prophesied about Shmuel (נִבְּאָה עַל שְׁמוּאֵל), for he was destined to be compared with Moshe and Aharon (דְּאִיהוּ זַמִּין לְאִתְקְשָׁא עִם מֹשֶׁה וְאַהֲרֹן), as it is written (Psalms 99) “Moshe and Aharon among His priests, and Shmuel among those who call upon His name” (דִּכְתִּיב מֹשֶׁה וְאַהֲרֹן בְּכֹהֲנָיו וּשְׁמוּאֵל בְּקוֹרְאֵי שְׁמוֹ). (I Samuel 2) “And He will inherit them a throne of glory” (וְכִסֵּא כָבוֹד יַנְחִילֵם). Who is “He will inherit them”? (מַאן יַנְחִילֵם). This is Shmuel (דָּא שְׁמוּאֵל), who grasped the glory of kingship for two kings (דְּאַחֲסִין יְקָרָא דְּמַלְכוּתָא לִתְרֵין מַלְכִין). Another matter (דָּבָר אַחֵר): “And He will inherit them a throne of glory” refers to Kudsha Berikh Hu (דָּא קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא), who gives His throne to His servants (דְּהוּא אַחֲסִין כּוּרְסְיָיא דִּילֵיהּ לְעַבְדוֹהִי), as it is written “and He will inherit them a throne of glory” (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב וְכִסֵּא כָבוֹד יַנְחִילֵם). Further (עוֹד) (I Samuel 2) “Hashem will break His adversaries” (יְיָ' יֵחַתּוּ מְרִיבָו). It is written “His adversaries” lacking a vav (מְרִיבָו חָסֵר). What does this mean? (מַאי קָא מַיְירֵי).

Rather we have learned “from Riv Vav” (אֶלָּא מְרִיבָו תָּנֵינָן, מֵרִיב ו'), and this is the Holy King (וְדָא מַלְכָּא קַדִּישָׁא), and a secret of Chokhmah is spoken here (וְרָזָא דְּחָכְמְתָא אִתְּמַר הָכָא). At the time when judgments are aroused (בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְּדִינִין מִתְּעָרִין), and harsh powers rule over mercy (וְשַׁלִּיטִין שַׁלְטִין עַל רַחֲמֵי), and mercy is subdued (וְרַחֲמֵי אִתְכַּפְיָין), then when Kudsha Berikh Hu is blessed from the fountain of the stream (וּבְשַׁעֲתָא דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא אִתְבְּרַךְ מִמַּבּוּעָא דְּנַחֲלָא), then men rule as mercy (כְּדֵין גַּבְרִין רַחֲמֵי), and judgments are subdued (וְאִתְכַּפְיָין דִּינֵי). This is what is written (Isaiah 66) “For by fire Hashem shall judge” (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב יְיָ' יֵחַתּוּ מְרִיבָו מֵרִיב ו').

“Upon him in the heavens He thundered” (עָלָיו בַּשָּׁמַיִם יַרְעֵם). Upon him — what is “upon him”? (עָלָיו. מַאי עָלָיו). At the time when the dew of Atika Kadisha rests upon him (בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְּטַלָא דְעַתִּיקָא קַדִּישָׁא שַׁרְיָא עָלֵיהּ), and fills his head (וּמַלְיָא רֵישֵׁיהּ), in that place which is called “Heaven” (בְּהַהוּא אֲתַר דְּאִקְרֵי שָׁמַיִם), then He thunders — breaking the strength and might of the harsh judgments (כְּדֵין יַרְעֵם: יַתְּבַר חֵילֵיהוֹן וְתוּקְפֵיהוֹן דְּדִינִין תַּקִּיפִין). “And He shall give strength to Molcho” — this is Kudsha Berikh Hu (וְיִתֶּן עֹז לְמַלְכּוֹ, דָּא קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא). “And He shall raise the horn of His anointed” — this is Knesset Yisrael, which is called the horn of the Jubilee (וְיָרֵם קֶרֶן מְשִׁיחוֹ, דָּא כְּנֶסֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל דְּאִקְרֵי קֶרֶן הַיּוֹבֵל [ס''א ל''ג: הַיּוֹבֵל]), as we have established (כְּמָה דְּאוֹקִימְנָא). “His anointed,” as you say: “the anointed of the God of Ya’akov” (2 Kings 23) (מְשִׁיחוֹ כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר, מְשִׁיחַ אֱלֹהֵי יַעֲקֹב). Therefore it is written “the horn of His anointed” — and this has already been explained (בְּגִין כָּךְ קֶרֶן מְשִׁיחוֹ, והָא אִתְּמַר).

Devorah, who came to praise the praise of the Holy King (דְּבוֹרָה דְּאָתַת לְשַׁבְּחָא שְׁבָחָא דְּמַלְכָּא קַדִּישָׁא), said: “Hashem, when You went out from Seir, when You marched from the field of Edom” (Judges 5) (יְיָ' בְּצֵאתְךָ מִשֵּׂעִיר בְּצַעְדְּךָ מִשְּׂדֵה אֱדוֹם). This teaches that Kudsha Berikh Hu invited all the other nations to receive the Orayta, and they did not want it (מְלַמֵּד, דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא אַזְמִין לְכָל שְׁאָר עַמִּין לְקַבְּלָא לְאוֹרַיְיתָא, וְלָא בָּעוּ).

And was it not already revealed before Him that they would not want it? Rather, it was so that they would not have an excuse to say: “Had Kudsha Berikh Hu given us the Orayta, we would have kept it” (וְכִי לָא הֲוָה גַּלֵּי קָמֵיהּ דְּלָא בָּעָאן, אֶלָּא דְּלָא יְהֵא לוֹן פִּתְחוֹן פֶּה, דְּאִלְמָלֵא יָהַב לוֹן קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא אוֹרַיְיתָא הֲווֹ נַטְרֵי לָהּ). And all those verses that Devorah spoke are in the secret of wisdom (וְכָל אִינּוּן קְרָאֵי דְּאָמְרָה דְּבוֹרָה, כֻּלְּהוּ בְּרָזָא דְּחָכְמְתָא), until that moment when she praised herself, as it is said: “Until I, Devorah, arose; I arose as a mother in Yisrael” (Judges 5) (עַד הַהִיא שַׁעֲתָא דְּשַׁבְּחַת גַּרְמָהּ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר עַד שַׁקַּמְתִּי דְּבוֹרָה שַׁקַּמְתִּי אֵם בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל). For we have already established that at that point the spirit of prophecy departed from her (דְּהָא אוּקְמוּהָ דְּאִסְתַּלָּק מִנָּהּ רוּחַ נְבוּאָה). And because of this it is said: “Awake, awake, Devorah; awake, awake, utter a song” (Judges 5) (וּבְגִין כָּךְ עוּרִי עוּרִי דְּבוֹרָה עוּרִי עוּרִי דַּבְּרִי שִׁיר).