Daf 21a (דַּף כ״א ע״א)

And Yaakov shall return — to his place (וְשָׁב יַעֲקֹב, לְאַתְרֵיהּ), to unite in Zivug with Knesset Yisrael (לְאִזְדַּוְּוגָא בִּכְנֶסֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל). And shall be quiet — this is Yesod (וְשָׁקַט: דָּא יְסוֹד). And tranquil — to rest His dwelling within her (וְשַׁאֲנַן: לְמִשְׁרֵי דִּיוּרֵיהּ בָּהּ). And none shall make him afraid — from Yitzḥak (וְאֵין מַחֲרִיד: מִיִּצְחָק), as it is said: “And Yitzḥak trembled a very great trembling…” (כְּמָה דְּאַתְּ אָמֵר: וַיֶּחֱרַד יִצְחָק חֲרָדָה גְּדוֹלָה) (Bereshit 27).

And therefore it is written: “And the Fear of Yitzḥak” (וְעַל דָּא: וּפַחַד יִצְחָק כְּתִיב) (Bereshit 31). And when that Fear is awakened (וְהַהוּא פַּחַד כַּד אִתְּעַר), Yesod is removed to another place (אִסְתַּלָּק יְסוֹד לַאֲתַר אָחֳרָא), as it is written: “Sinners in Tziyon are afraid” (הֲדָא הוּא דִּכְתִיב: פָּחֲדוּ בְצִיּוֹן חַטָּאִים) (Isaiah 33). In Tziyon — precisely (בְּצִיּוֹן דַּיְיקָא). And for this reason: “And none shall make him afraid” (וְעַל דָּא: וְאֵין מַחֲרִיד).

And now Kudsha Berikh Hu has delivered us from afar (וְהַשְׁתָּא קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא שֵׁזִיב לָן מֵרָחִיק), and has concealed us in this place (וְאַסְתִּיר לָן בְּהַאי אֲתַר), in quiet and in peace (בְּהַשְׁקֵט וּבְשַׁלְוָה), and none shall make us afraid from anything (וְאֵין מַחֲרִיד מִכֹּלָּא). For when Kudsha Berikh Hu performs a miracle, He performs it completely (דְּכַד קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא עָבִיד נִיסָא, בְּכֹלָּא עָבִיד).

Rabbi Yosei opened (רִבִּי יוֹסֵי פָּתַח): “And Barak said to her: If you will go with me, then I will go…” (וַיֹּאמֶר אֵלֶיהָ בָּרָק אִם תֵּלְכִי עִמִּי וְהָלָכְתִּי וגו׳) (Judges 4). What is he showing here? (מַאי קָא מַיְירֵי) Rather, Barak said: Since the Holy spirit rests upon her (אֶלָּא אָמַר בָּרָק: הוֹאִיל וְרוּחַ קַדִּישָׁא שַׁרְיָא עָלָהּ), through her merit I shall be saved (בִּזְכוּתָהּ אִשְׁתְּזִיב), and harm will not dwell upon me (וְלָא לִישְׁרֵי עָלַי נִזְקָא). And if Barak relied on a woman to be saved through her (וּמַה בָּרָק סָמִיךְ עַל אִתְּתָא לְאִשְׁתְּזָבָא בְּגִינָהּ), we, who have the Orayta with us (אֲנַן דְּאוֹרַיְיתָא עִמָּנָא), which is the Name of the Holy King (דְּהִיא שְׁמֵיהּ דְּמַלְכָּא קַדִּישָׁא), how much more so! (עַל אַחַת כַּמָּה וְכַמָּה)

They sat inside that cave all that day (יָתְבוּ גּוֹ הַהוּא מְעַרְתָּא כָּל הַהוּא יוֹמָא). When night fell (כַּד רָמַשׁ לֵילְיָא), the moonlight illuminated the cave (אִתְנְהִיר סִיהֲרָא בִּמְעַרְתָּא). Two wayfarers passed by (עָבְרוּ תְּרֵי טַיָּיעֵי), and their donkeys were loaded with wine and provisions (וַחֲמָרֵיהוֹן טְעִינִין מֵחַמְרָא וּמֵיכְלָא), for their own use during travel (לְגַרְמַיְיהוּ).

They left it outside by the dew (שָׁאַרֵי עַל מָטוּלָא). One said to the other (אָמְרֵי הַאי לְהַאי): Let us rest here (נָבִית הָכָא), eat food and give the donkeys wine (נִיהַב מֵיכְלָא וּמִשְׁתְּיָיא לַחֲמָרֵי), and we will enter this cave (וַאֲנַן נָעוּל לִמְעַרְתָּא דָּא). His companion said to him (אָמַר לֵיהּ חַבְרֵיהּ): Before we enter, say this verse that does not sit well with me (עַד לָא נִיעוּל, תֵּימָא הַאי קְרָא דְּלָא מִתְיַישְּׁבָא).

He said to him: What is it? (אָמַר לֵיהּ מַאי הוּא). He said to him: One word, as it is written (אָמַר לֵיהּ מִלָּה חַד, דִּכְתִּיב): “I will thank You forever, for You have done…” (אוֹדְךָ לְעוֹלָם כִּי עָשִׂיתָ וגו׳) (Psalms 52). What is “for You have done” (מַהוּ כִּי עָשִׂיתָ), and it does not say what? (וְלָא כְּתִיב מָה). And it is written: “For it is good before Your devout ones” (וּכְתִיב כִּי טוֹב נֶגֶד חֲסִידֶיךָ). And is it then for others not good? (וְכִי לְגַבֵּי אָחֳרָא לָאו אִיהוּ טוֹב). Was it not in His power? (לָא הֲוָה בִּידֵיהּ). He said: Woe to the one who strays, that we forsook Kudsha Berikh Hu on his account (אָמַר: וַוֹי לְטִיוּעָנָא, דְּשָׁבַקְנָא לְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא בְּגִינֵיהּ).

Rabbi Ḥiyya and Rabbi Yosei, who were sitting together in the cave (רִבִּי חִיָּיא וְרִבִּי יוֹסֵי דַּהֲווֹ יַתְבֵי בִּמְעַרְתָּא חֲדוּ), Rabbi Ḥiyya said to Rabbi Yosei (אָמַר רִבִּי חִיָּיא לְרִבִּי יוֹסֵי): Did I not tell you, that when Kudsha Berikh Hu performs a miracle (וְלָא אֲמָרִית לְךָ דְּכַד עָבִיד קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא נִיסָא), He performs it in completeness? (בְּכֹלָּא עָבִיד). They went out (נַפְקוּ). When they went out, Rabbi Ḥiyya went first and opened (כַּד נַפְקוּ אַקְדִּים רִבִּי חִיָּיא וּפָתַח): “Peace, peace to the far…” (שָׁלוֹם שָׁלוֹם לָרָחוֹק) (Isaiah 57). Two shaloms are mentioned here (תְּרֵי שְׁלָמָא הָכָא): one to the far, and one to the near, and all is one (חַד לָרָחוֹק, וְחַד לַקָּרוֹב, וְכֹלָּא חַד). To the far — who has become near (לָרָחוֹק, דְּאִתְעָבִיד קָרוֹב). To the far — this is the master of Teshuvah (תוּ לָרָחוֹק, דָּא הוּא מָארֵיהּ דִּתְשׁוּבָה); once he was far, and now he is near (קוֹדֶם הֲוָה רָחוֹק, וְהַשְׁתָּא אִיהוּ קָרוֹב).

Furthermore, far — when a man distances himself from the Orayta (תוּ רָחוֹק, כַּד בַּר נָשׁ אִתְרְחִיק מֵאוֹרַיְּיתָא), he is far from Kudsha Berikh Hu (רָחִיק הוּא מִקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא). But one who draws close to the Orayta (וּמַאן דְּקָרִיב לְאוֹרַיְּיתָא), Kudsha Berikh Hu draws near to him and is with him (קָרִיב לֵיהּ קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא בַּהֲדֵיהּ). And now they joined with us (וְהַשְׁתָּא אִתְחַבָּרוּ עִמָּנָא), and entered the cave (וְעוּלוּ לִמְעַרְתָּא). Those travelers arrived (אָתוּ אִינּוּן טַיָּיעִין), and joined with them (וְאִשְׁתָּתָּפוּ עִמְּהוֹן). They unloaded their donkeys (אִשְׁתֶּנְקָלוּ לַחֲמָרַיְיהוּ), and prepared to eat (וְאַתְקִינוּ לְמֵיכַל). They all went out to the mouth of the cave (נַפְקוּ כֻּלְּהוּ לְפוּם מְעַרְתָּא).

One of the travelers said (אָמַר חַד מִן טַיָּיעָן): Let us ask the masters of Orayta (נֵימְרוּ לָן מָארֵי דְּאוֹרַיְּיתָא), concerning this verse: “I will thank You forever, for You have done, and I will hope…” (הַאי קְרָא: אוֹדְךָ לְעוֹלָם כִּי עָשִׂיתָ וַאֲקַוֶּה וגו׳). For You have done — what is for You have done, and why is what not written? (כִּי עָשִׂיתָ, מַהוּ כִּי עָשִׂיתָ, וְלָא כְּתִיב מָה). And it is written: “For it is good before Your devout ones” (וּכְתִיב כִּי טוֹב נֶגֶד חֲסִידֶיךָ), and is it then for another not good? (וְכִי לְגַבֵּי אָחֳרָא לָאו הוּא טוֹב).

Rabbi Ḥiyya said (אָמַר רִבִּי חִיָּיא): “For You have done” — indeed (כִּי עָשִׂיתָ ודַּאי), and what You have done — forever (וּמַה עָשִׂיתָ. לְעוֹלָם). For because of this world, which Kudsha Berikh Hu has made and established (דִּבְגִין הַאי עוֹלָם, דַּעֲבַד קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא וְאַתְּקַן לֵיהּ), a man should give thanks to Kudsha Berikh Hu every day (אוֹדֵי בַּר נָשׁ לְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא בְּכָל יוֹמָא). “And I will hope for Your Name, for it is good before Your devout ones” (וַאֲקַוֵּה שִׁמְךָ כִּי טוֹב נֶגֶד חֲסִידֶיךָ), so it is indeed (הָכִי הוּא ודַּאי): toward the righteous the Name of Kudsha Berikh Hu is good (לָקֳבֵל אִינּוּן זַכָּאִין, שְׁמָא דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא טוֹב), but not toward the guilty who disgrace Him every day and do not labor in the Orayta (וְלָא לָקֳבְלֵי חַיָּיבַיָּא, דִּמְבַזִּין לֵיהּ בְּכָל יוֹמָא וְלָא מִשְׁתַּדְּלֵי בְּאוֹרַיְּיתָא). He said to him: It is fitting (אָמַר לֵיהּ, יֵאוֹת הוּא). But I heard a word from behind a wall (אֲבָל מִלָּה שְׁמַעְנָא מִבָּתַר כּוֹתָלָא), and I am afraid to reveal it (וּמִסְתָּפֵינָא לְגַלָּאָה).

Rabbi Ḥiyya and Rabbi Yosei said to him (אָמְרוּ לֵיהּ רִבִּי חִיָּיא וְרִבִּי יוֹסֵי): Speak your word, for the Orayta is not the inheritance of one place alone (אֵימָא מִילָּךְ, דְּאוֹרַיְּיתָא לָאו אִיהוּ יְרוּתָא לַאֲתַר חַד). He said to them (אָמַר לוֹן): One day I was going to Lud (יוֹמָא חַד הֲוִינָא אָזִיל לְלוּד).

I entered the city (עָאלָנָא לְמָתָא), and I leaned myself against a wall (וְאִסְמַכְנָא גַּרְמָאי בָּתַר כּוֹתָלָא חַד), and Rabbi Shim‘on ben Yochai was in that house (וְרַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן יוֹחָאי הֲוָה בְּהַהוּא בֵּיתָא). And I heard from his mouth this verse (וְשָׁמַעְנָא מִפּוּמֵיהּ הַאי קְרָא): “I will thank You forever, for You have done.” (אוֹדְךָ לְעוֹלָם כִּי עָשִׂיתָ). “I will thank You” — King David, peace be upon him, said it (אוֹדְךָ, דָּוִד הַמֶּלֶךְ עָלָיו הַשָּׁלוֹם אֲמָרוֹ), concerning that future world (עַל הַהוּא עוֹלָם בַּתְרָאָה), which Kudsha Berikh Hu has made (דְּאִיהוּ עֲבַד), that King David holds onto in that world (דְּדָוִד מַלְכָּא אָחִיד בֵּיהּ בְּהַהוּא עוֹלָם), and in it he inherits kingship (וּבֵיהּ יָרִית מַלְכוּתָא). “And I will hope for Your Name, for it is good” (וַאֲקַוֵּה שִׁמְךָ כִּי טוֹב) — this is Kudsha Berikh Hu (דָּא קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא), in the union of this world which is called good (בְּיִחוּדָא דְּהַאי עָלְמָא דְּאִקְרֵי טוֹב).

When is it called good? (אֵימָתַי אִקְרֵי טוֹב). Before Your devout ones (נֶגֶד חֲסִידֶיךָ). Who are Your devout ones? (מַאן אִינּוּן חֲסִידֶיךָ). Rather, there is Chesed and there is Chesed (אֶלָּא אִית חֶסֶד וְאִית חֶסֶד). And these are called the faithful kindnesses of David (וְאִלֵּין אִקְרוּן חַסְדֵי דָּוִד הַנֶּאֱמָנִים). And when these kindnesses of David are filled from that goodness which flows from Atika Kadisha (וְכַד אִלֵּין חַסְדֵּי דָּוִד אִתְמַלְּיָין מֵהַהוּא טִיבוּ דִּנְגִידוּ דְּעַתִּיקָא קַדִּישָׁא), then Yesod is called good (כְּדֵין אִקְרֵי יְסוֹד טוֹב). Then good is found for them (כְּדֵין אִשְׁתְּכַח טוֹב לְגַבַּיְיהוּ).

For — some say: as much as it is found within it (דְּהָא ס״א כְּד אִשְׁתְּכַח כַּמָּה דְּאִיהוּ בֵּיהּ) — so it is that he sweetens this future world (הָכִי אִיהוּ מְבַסָּם לְהַאי עָלְמָא בַּתְרָאָה). And all is found in blessing (וְכֹלָּא אִשְׁתְּכַח בִּבְרָכָה). And for this David awaited this level (וְעַל דָּא דָּוִד הֲוָה מְחַכֶּה לְהַאי דַּרְגָּא), which illumines this world to which he holds (דְּנָהִיר לְהַאי עוֹלָם דְּאִיהוּ אָחִיד בֵּיהּ).