Daf 20b (דַּף כ׳ ע״ב)

In this manner (כְּגַוְנָא דָּא), one who petitions his prayer to the King (מַאן דְּיִתְבַּע בָּעוּתֵיהּ לְמַלְכָּא), must unify the Holy Name with his desire (בָּעֵי לְיַחֲדָא שְׁמָא קַדִּישָׁא בִּרְעוּתֵיהּ), from below to above and from above to below (מִתַּתָּא לְעֵילָּא וּמֵעֵילָּא לְתַתָּא), and to bind all as one in a single bond (וּלְקַשְּׁרָא כֹּלָּא בְּחַד קִשְׁרָא), and in that bond his prayer is found (וּבְהַהוּא קִשּׁוּרָא אִשְׁתְּכַח בָּעוּתֵיהּ).

Rabbi Yosei said (אָמַר רִבִּי יוֹסֵי): Who is the wise one (מַאן הוּא חַכִּימָא), who will seek his prayer like King David (לְמִתְבַּע בָּעוּתֵיהּ כְּדָוִד מַלְכָּא), who guarded the gate of the King (דְּהוּא הֲוָה נָטִיר פִּתְחָא דְּמַלְכָּא)? Rabbi Ḥiyya said to him (אָמַר לֵיהּ רִבִּי חִיָּיא): Certainly it is so (וְדַאי הָכִי הוּא). And for this reason, the Orayta teaches us (וְעַל דָּא אוֹרַיְיתָא אוֹלִיף לָן), the ways of the Holy King (אָרְחֵי דְּמַלְכָּא קַדִּישָׁא), so that we might know how to follow after Him (בְּגִין דְּנִנְדַּע לְמֵיהַךְ אַבַּתְרֵיהּ), as it is said: “After Hashem your Elohim you shall walk…” (Deuteronomy 13) (כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר אַחֲרֵי יְיָ אֱלֹהֵיכֶם תֵּלֵכוּ וגו׳) (Deuteronomy 13).

Rabbi Yosei opened and said (רִבִּי יוֹסֵי פָּתַח וְאָמַר): “Thus says Hashem: A voice is heard in Ramah, lamentation and bitter weeping…” (Jeremiah 31) (כֹּה אָמַר יְיָ: קוֹל בְּרָמָה נִשְׁמָע נְהִי בְּכִי וגו׳) (Jeremiah 31). “Thus says Hashem” — this has already been established (כֹּה אָמַר יְיָ, הָא אוּקְמוּהָ), that in every place a prophet begins to speak (בְּכָל אֲתַר דִּנְבִיאָה שָׁרֵי לְמַלְּלָא), the words are made known (הֲווֹ מִלּוֹי אִשְׁתְּמוֹדְעָן). And here, “Thus says Hashem” refers to Kudsha Berikh Hu (וְהָכָא הַאי כֹּה אָמַר יְיָ — קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא). And what did He say? “A voice is heard in Ramah” (וּמַה אָמַר, קוֹל בְּרָמָה נִשְׁמָע).

So we have learned (הָכִי תָּנֵינָן), that on that day when the lower Beit Mikdash was destroyed (דִּבְהַהוּא יוֹמָא דְּאִתְחָרַב בֵּי מַקְדְשָׁא לְתַתָּא), and Yisrael went into exile (וְיִשְׂרָאֵל אַזְלוּ בְּגָלוּתָא), millstones were upon their necks (רֵיחַיִין עַל צַוָּארֵיהוֹן), and their hands were bound behind them (וִידֵיהוֹן מְהַדְּקָן לַאֲחוֹרָא). And Knesset Yisrael departed from the House of the King to go after them (וּכְנֶסֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל אִתְתְּרָכַת מִבֵּית מַלְכָּא לְמֵיהַךְ בַּתְרֵיהוֹן). At the moment she descended (בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְּנַחְתַּת), she said: Where shall I go first? I will weep over my dwelling (אַמְרַת: אֵיהָךְ בְּקַדְמִיתָא, וְאֶבְכֶּה עַל מָדוֹרָאי), and over my children, and over my husband (וְעַל בָּנַי, וְעַל בַּעֲלִי). When she descended (כַּד נַחְתַּת), she saw the place destroyed (חָמַת אַתְרָהָא חָרִיב), and how much blood of the pious had been spilled within it (וְכַמָּה דָּמָא דְּחֲסִידֵי אִתּוֹשַׁד בְּגַוָּוהּ), and the Holy palace and the House consumed by fire (וְהֵיכָלָא קַדִּישָׁא וּבֵיתָא אִתּוֹקַד בְּאֵשָּׁא).

Then she raised her voice (כְּדֵין אֲרִימַת קָלָא), and upper and lower worlds trembled (וְאִתְרְגִישׁוּ עִלָּאֵי וְתַתָּאֵי), and the voice reached above (וּמָטָא קָלָא לְעֵילָּא), until the place where the King abides (עַד אֲתַר דְּמַלְכָּא שָׁרֵי בֵיהּ). And the King desired to return the world to tohu va-vohu (וּבָעָא מַלְכָּא לְאָהַדְרָא עָלְמָא לְתֹהוּ וָבֹהוּ), until many hosts and legions descended before Her (עַד דְּנַחְתוּ כַּמָּה אוֹכְלוֹסִין וְכַמָּה מַשִּׁרְיָין לָקוֳבְלָהּ), and she would not receive consolation from them (וְלָא קִבְּלָה תַּנְחוּמִין מִנַּיְיהוּ). This is what is written: “A voice is heard in Ramah, lamentation and bitter weeping — Rachel weeping for her children, she refuses to be comforted for her children…” (Jeremiah 31) (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב: קוֹל בְּרָמָה נִשְׁמָע נְהִי בְּכִי תַמְרוּרִים רָחֵל מְבַכָּה עַל בָּנֶיהָ מֵאֲנָה לְהִנָּחֵם עַל בָּנֶיהָ), for she did not receive consolation from them (דְּלָא קִבְּלָה מִנַּיְיהוּ תַּנְחוּמִים), “for he is not” (כִּי אֵינֶנּוּ) — for the Holy King had ascended above and beyond (בְּגִין דְּמַלְכָּא קַדִּישָׁא הֲוָה סָלִיק לְעֵילָּא לְעֵילָּא), and was not found within it (וְלָא אִשְׁתְּכַח בְּגַוָּוהּ). This is what is written: “For he is not” (כִּי אֵינֶנּוּ), and it is not written: “For they are not” (וְלָא כְּתִיב כִּי אֵינָם).

Rabbi Ḥiyya said to him (אָמַר לֵיהּ רִבִּי חִיָּיא), what is “Rachel weeping for her children”? (מַאי רָחֵל מְבַכָּה עַל בָּנֶיהָ). He said to him (אָמַר לֵיהּ), I have learned (אוֹלִיפְנָא), that she is Knesset Yisrael (דְּהִיא כְּנֶסֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל). And this is surely the wife of Yaakov (וְדָא אִנְתּוּ דְּיַעֲקֹב ודַאי), as it is written: “And Yaakov loved Rachel” (Bereshit 29) (דִּכְתִיב: וַיֶּאֱהַב יַעֲקֹב אֶת רָחֵל) (Bereshit 29). And it is written: “And Rachel was barren” (וּכְתִיב: וְרָחֵל עֲקָרָה). And it is written there: “He causes the barren woman to dwell in the house, a joyful mother of children” (Psalms 113) (וּכְתִיב הָתָם: מוֹשִׁיבִי עֲקֶרֶת הַבַּיִת אֵם הַבָּנִים שְׂמֵחָה) (Psalms 113).

Another matter: “For he is not” (דָּבָר אַחֵר: כִּי אֵינֶנּוּ), as it is said: “There is none greater in the house…” (Bereshit 39) (כְּמָה דְאִתְּמַר: אֵינֶנּוּ גָּדוֹל בַּבַּיִת וגו׳) (Bereshit 39). “He is not” — for He ascended above and was removed from all (אֵינֶנּוּ: דְּהָא אִסְתָּלִיק לְעֵילָּא וְאִתְרְחִיק מִכֹּלָּא). “He is not” — in Zivug with her (אֵינֶנּוּ: בְּזִוּוּגָא בָּהּ). “He is not” — to be found (אֵינֶנּוּ: לְאִשְׁתַּכְּחָא) — Some say: His Great Name (נ״א: שְׁמֵיהּ רַבָּא).

Rabbi Ḥiyya said (אָמַר רִבִּי חִיָּיא), from where does she dwell to be revealed? (מֵאָן אֲתַר שַׁרְיָא לְאִתְגַלָּאָה). He said to him (אָמַר לֵיהּ): from the Beit Mikdash (מִבֵּי מַקְדְשָׁא), for there she dwelled (דְּתַמָּן שַׁרְיָא), and afterward she wandered through all the land of Yisrael (וּלְבָתַר אַסְחָרַת כָּל אַרְעָא דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל). Afterward, when she went out from the land (לְבָתַר כַּד נַפְקַת מִן אַרְעָא), she stood over the wilderness and sat there three days (קָמַת עַל מַדְבְּרָא וְיָתִיבַת תַּמָּן תְּלַת יוֹמִין). She led her hosts and legions (דַּבְּרַת אוּכְלוּסָהָא וּמַשִּׁירְיָיהָא) — Some say: and her academy (ס״א: וּמְתִיבְתָּהּ) — and she sat apart from the House of the King (וְיַתְבָהָא מִבֵּי מַלְכָּא), and proclaimed upon her: “How does she sit alone…” (Lamentations 1) (וְקָרָאתָ עָלָהּ: אֵיכָה יָשְׁבָה בָדָד וגו׳) (Lamentations 1). Rabbi Ḥiyya and Rabbi Yosei wept (בָּכוּ רִבִּי חִיָּיא וְרִבִּי יוֹסֵי).

Rabbi Yosei said (אָמַר רִבִּי יוֹסֵי), Yisrael were not exiled from the land (לָא גָּלוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל מֵאַרְעָא), and the Beit Mikdash was not destroyed (וְלָא אִתְחָרַב בֵּי מַקְדְּשָׁא), until Yisrael were all found guilty before the King (עַד דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל כֻּלְּהוּ אִשְׁתְּכָחוּ בְּחִיוּבָא קָמֵי מַלְכָּא), and until the leaders of the world were guilty from the start (וְעַד דְּדַבְּרֵי עָלְמָא אִשְׁתְּכָחוּ בְּחִיוּבָא בְּקַדְמִיתָא). This is what is written: “My people—your leaders cause you to err, and destroy the way of your paths.” (Isaiah 3) (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב: עַמִּי מְאַשְּׁרֶיךָ מַתְעִים וְדֶרֶךְ אוֹרְחוֹתֶיךָ בִּלֵּעוּ) (Isaiah 3). For once the heads of the people go astray (דְּכֵיוָן דְּרֵישֵׁי עַמָּא אַזְלִין בְּחִיוּבָא), the whole people are drawn after them (כָּל עַמָּא אִתְמְשָׁכוּ אֲבַתְרַיְיהוּ).

Rabbi Ḥiyya said from here (רִבִּי חִיָּיא אָמַר מֵהָכָא): “And if the entire congregation of Yisrael errs…” — what does that mean? (וְאִם כָּל עֲדַת יִשְׂרָאֵל יִשְׁגּוּ, בְּמַאי הֲוִי). Because “a matter was hidden from the eyes of the assembly” (בְּגִין: וְנֶעְלַּם דָּבָר מֵעֵינֵי הַקָּהָל) — the eyes of the people are their heads (דְּעֵינֵי עַמָּא אִינּוּן רֵישַׁיְיהוּ), for the entire people are drawn after them (דְּכָל עַמָּא אִתְמַשְּׁכָן אֲבַתְרַיְיהוּ).

They went (אַזְלוּ). As they were going (עַד דַּהֲווֹ אָזְלֵי), they saw a place lush with grasses (חָמוּ חַד אֲתַר מְדֻשָּׁנָא בַּעֲשָׂבִין), and a river of water flowing through it (וּנְהַר מַיָּא דְּהֲוָה נָגִיד בֵּיהּ). They sat (יָתְבוּ). As they were sitting (עַד דַּהֲווֹ יַתְבֵי), a bird flew by and chirped before them (פָּרַח חַד עוֹפָא וְרָחִישׁ קָמַיְיהוּ).

Rabbi Ḥiyya said (אָמַר רִבִּי חִיָּיא), let us rise from here (נִיקוּם מֵהָכָא), for surely mountain bandits are found here (דְּוַדַּאי נַגְרֵי טוּרַיָּא הָכָא מִשְׁתַּכְּחִין). They arose and went (קָמוּ וְאַזְלוּ). When they turned their heads (עַד דְּאָהַדְרוּ רֵישַׁיְיהוּ), they saw those bandits running after them (חָמוּ אִינּוּן לִסְטִין דְּרָהֲטִין אֲבַתְרַיְיהוּ). A miracle occurred for them (אִתְרְחִישׁ לוֹן נִיסָא), and they found before them a clay mound (וְאַשְׁכָּחוּ קָמַיְיהוּ חַד טִינָרָא), and a cave within it (וְחַד מְעַרְתָּא בֵּיהּ). They entered there and sat (עָאלוּ תַּמָּן יָתְבוּ), all that day and all that night (כָּל הַהוּא יוֹמָא וְכָל לֵילְיָא).

Rabbi Ḥiyya opened and said (פָּתַח רִבִּי חִיָּיא וְאָמַר), “And you, fear not, My servant Yaakov… for behold, I will save you from afar.” (וְאַתָּה אַל תִּירָא עַבְדִּי יַעֲקֹב וגו׳ כִּי הִנְנִי מוֹשִׁיעֲךָ מֵרָחוֹק) (Jeremiah 30). From afar? It should have said from near (מֵרָחוֹק, מִקָּרוֹב מִבָּעֵי לֵיהּ). And this verse has already been explained (וְהָא אוּקְמוּהָ הַאי קְרָא), from afar, like that which is said: “And they shall return from a distant land” (כְּמָה דְּאַתְּ אָמֵר: וְשָׁבוּ מֵאֶרֶץ מֶרְחָק). But from afar — as in the verse: “From afar Hashem appeared to me” (אֲבָל מֵרָחוֹק, כְּהַהוּא דִּכְתִּיב: מֵרָחוֹק יְיָ נִרְאָה לִי) (Jeremiah 31). And it is written: “She brings her bread from afar” (וּכְתִיב: מִמֶּרְחָק תָּבִיא לַחְמָהּ) (Proverbs 31). And who is she? (וּמַאן הִיא) — The deep of the riverbed (עֲמִיקָא דְּנַחֲלָא), the place from which that river flows and emerges p1-2(אֲתַר דְּהַהוּא נָהָר נָגִיד וְנָפִיק). And Ya’akov shall return — since it is written “Fear not, My servant Ya’akov”, what is meant by “And Yaakov shall return”? (וְשָׁב יַעֲקֹב, כֵּיוָן דִּכְתִּיב אַל תִּירָא עַבְדִּי יַעֲקֹב, מַהוּ וְשָׁב יַעֲקֹב).

Rather, as we have learned (אֶלָּא כְּמָה דְּתָנֵינָן), Kudsha Berikh Hu ascended far above, beyond all (קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא סָלִיק לְעֵילָּא לְעֵילָּא), as it is written: “Why, Hashem, do You stand afar off?” (כְּמָה דִּכְתִּיב: לָמָה יְיָ תַּעֲמוֹד בְּרָחוֹק) (Psalms 10). And from that distant place: “Behold, I will save you” (וּמֵהַהוּא אֲתַר רָחוֹק: הִנְנִי מוֹשִׁיעֲךָ).