Daf 24a (דַּף כ״ד ע״א)

And if you say (וְאִי תֵּימָא): David, who would rise at midnight (דָּוִד, דְּהֲוָה קָם בְּפַלְגּוּ לֵילְיָא), why then was judgment aroused against him? (אֲמַאי אַתְּעֲרוּ עָלֵיהּ בְּדִינָא). Rather (אֶלָּא), David was different (שָׁאנִי דָּוִד), for he transgressed in that to which he was bound (דְּאִיהוּ עָבַר בְּמָּה דְּאִתְקְשַׁר), and therefore required judgment (וּבָעָא דִּינָא). In that very matter in which he transgressed, he was judged (וּבְמָּה דְּעָבַר אִתְּדָּן). He sinned with respect to the Holy Malkhuta [Kingship] (הוּא חָטָא לָקֳבְלֵיהּ דְּמַלְכוּתָא קַדִּישָׁא) and with respect to the Holy Yerushalayim (וּלְגַבֵּי יְרוּשָׁלַיִם קַדִּישָׁא). Therefore (וּבְגִין דָּא), he was driven out from Yerushalayim (אִתְתָּרַךְ מִיְרוּשָׁלַיִם), and the Malkhuta [Kingship] was taken from him (וּמַלְכוּתָא אַעְדִּיוּ מִנֵּיהּ), until he was properly rectified (עַד דְּאִתְתְּקַן כְּדְקָא יֵאוֹת). And he was punished (וְאִתְעֲנִישׁ).

Rabbi Yehudah said (אָמַר רִבִּי יְהוּדָה): What is this, that Kudsha Berikh Hu punished David by the hand of his son? (מַהוּ דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא אַעְנִישׁ לֵיהּ לְדָוִד עַל יְדָא דִּבְרֵיהּ). As it is written: “Behold, I will raise up evil against you from your own house.” (דִּכְתִיב: הִנְנִי מֵקִים עָלֶיךָ רָעָה מִבֵּיתֶךָ) (II Samuel 12). Rabbi Yosei said (אָמַר רִבִּי יוֹסֵי): Behold, we have established (הָא אוֹקִימְנָא), because if another man had risen against him, he would not have had mercy on him (בְּגִין דְּאִי יְקוּם עָלֵיהּ בַּר נָשׁ אָחֳרָא, לָא יְרַחֵם עָלֵיהּ).

He said to him (אָמַר לֵיהּ): But behold, Avshalom sought to kill his father with many evil plots against him (וְהָא אַבְשָׁלוֹם בָּעָא לְקָטְלָא לְאָבוּי בְּכַמָּה עֵיטִין בִּישִׁין עָלֵיהּ), more so than another man (יַתִּיר מִבַּר נָשׁ אָחֳרָא). He said to him: I did not hear it so (אָמַר לֵיהּ: לָא שְׁמַעְנָא).

He said to him (אָמַר לֵיהּ): I have heard (אֲנָא שְׁמַעְנָא): David sinned with Batsheva in secret (דָּוִד חָטָא בְּבַת שֶׁבַע סְתָם). Kudsha Berikh Hu said (אָמַר קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא): Let there come the son of a beautiful captive woman, and let him take vengeance (לֵיתֵי בְּרָא דְּבַת אֵל נִכָר, וְיִנְקוֹם נוּקְמָתָא). And who is he? This is Avshalom, whose mother was a woman of beautiful form from captivity (וּמַאן אִיהוּ. דָּא אַבְשָׁלוֹם, דִּבְרָהּ דִּיְפַת תּוֹאַר הֲוָה, מִקְּרָבָא). From here we learn (מִכָּאן אוֹלִיפְנָא): Whoever takes a woman from among the captives, and covets her, in the end will produce from her a son rebellious and wayward (מַאן דְּנָטִיל אִתְּתָא דָּא בִּקְרָבָא, וְחָמִיד בָּהּ, לְסוֹף נָפִיק מִנָּהּ בֵּן סוֹרֵר וּמוֹרֶה). What is the reason? Because until now the filth has not ceased from her (מַאי טַעְמָא. בְּגִין דְּעַד כְּעַן, לָא פָּסְקָא מִנָּהּ זוּהֲמָא). And this has already been established (וְהָא אוּקְמוּהָ).

Rabbi Yosei opened and said (רִבִּי יוֹסֵי פָּתַח וְאָמַר): “Hashem has sworn by His right hand and by the arm of His strength.” (נִשְׁבַּע יְיָ בִּימִינוֹ וּבִזְרוֹעַ עֻזּוֹ) (Isaiah 62). This verse has been established (הַאי קְרָא אוּקְמוּהָ). But come and see (אֲבָל תָּא חֲזֵי): Whenever a man sins before Kudsha Berikh Hu (כָּל זִמְנָא דְּבַּר נָשׁ חָטֵי קַמֵּי דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא), there is a level that is known above to receive that sin, to judge that man (אִית דַּרְגָּא דְּאִשְׁתְּמוֹדְעָא לְעֵילָּא לָקֳבְלֵי הַאי חַטָּאָה, לְדַיְּינָא לֵיהּ לְבַּר נָשׁ). And it is examined upon him (וְאִסְתָּכַּל [ס״א וְאִסְתְּכֵן] עָלֵיהּ). If he returns in complete Teshuvah before his Master (אִי תָּב בִּתְיוּבְתָּא שְׁלֵימָתָא קָמֵי מָארֵיהּ), his sins are removed and judgment does not rule over him, and does not reach him (אִתְעֲבָר חוֹבֵיהּ, וְדִינָא לָא שַׁלְטָא עֲלוֹי, וְלָא מָאטֵי עֲלוֹי). But if he does not return, that sin is inscribed by that level (אִי לָא תָּב, אִתְרְשִׁים הַהוּא חַטָּאָה לְגַבֵּי הַהוּא דַּרְגָּא). If he adds to sin, another level is prepared against him, and joins with the first level, then it requires greater Teshuvah (אוֹסִיף לְמֶחטֵי, הָא דַּרְגָּא אָחֳרָא אִזְדְּמַן לְקָבְלֵיהּ, וְאִסְתְּכַּם בְּדַרְגָּא קַדְמָאָה, כְּדֵין בַּעְיָא תְּשׁוּבָה יַתִּיר). And if he does not return and continues to sin, he adds level upon level, until they are completed into five levels (וְאִי אוֹסִיף לְמֶחֱטֵי, אוֹסִיף דַּרְגָּא עַל דַּרְגָּא, עַד דְּאַשְׁלִים לַחֲמִשָׁה דַּרְגִּין). When the right side is prepared against him and set upon him (כֵּיוָן דְּאִתְתְּקַן יְמִינָא לָקֳבְלֵיהּ, וְאִסְתְּכַּם עָלֵיהּ), then the left side is ready to join with the right and to be included within it (הָא שְׂמָאלָא זְמִינָא, לְאַסְכְּמָא בִּימִינָא, וּלְאִתְכַּלְּלָא בֵּיהּ). When the left joins with the right, then it no longer depends on Teshuvah (כֵּיוָן דִּשְׂמָאלָא אִסְתְּכַּם בִּימִינָא, כְּדֵין לָא תַּלְיָא בִּתְשׁוּבָה). And this has already been established (וְהָא אוּקְמוּהָ). Then all combine upon him in judgment, and judgment rests upon him (וּכְדֵין כֹּלָּא אִסְתְכָּמוּ עָלֵיהּ בְּדִינָא, וְדִינָא שַׁרְיָא עָלֵיהּ). And when judgment is completed and rests upon a man (וכַד דִּינָא אִשְׁתְּלִים וְשַׁרְיָא עָלֵיהּ דְּבַּר נָשׁ), then the fingers are joined, five within five — the right with the left — to show that all are joined against him in that judgment (כְּדֵין אִסְתָּיָים וְאִתְתְּקָנוּ אֶצְבְּעָן, חָמֵשׁ בְּגוֹ חָמֵשׁ, יְמִינָא בִּשְׂמָאלָא, לְאַחֲזָאָה דְּהָא כֹּלָּא אִסְתְּכָמוּ עָלֵיהּ בְּהַהוּא דִּינָא). And his hands are straightened, to show the matter — without the man’s intention or awareness (וְיָדוֹי מִתְיַשְּׁרָן, לְאַחֲזָאָה מִלָּה בְּלָא כַּוָונָה דְּבַּר נָשׁ, וְלָא יִתְכְּוּון בֵּיהּ). And because of this it is written: “Your right hand, Hashem, glorious in power; Your right hand, Hashem, crushes the enemy.” (וְעַל דָּא כְּתִיב: יְמִינְךָ יְיָ נֶאְדָּרִי בַּכֹּחַ, יְמִינְךָ יְיָ תִּרְעַץ אוֹיֵב) (Exodus 15) — for the left is included in the right, judgment is completed, and then all is established (לְאִתְכַּלְּלָא שְׂמָאלָא בִּימִינָא, וְאַשְׁלִים דִּינָא, וּכְדֵין הוּא קַיָּימָא דְּכֹלָּא). And because of this, when Kudsha Berikh Hu desires to establish all, it is written: “Hashem has sworn by His right hand and by the arm of His strength…” (וְעַל דָּא, כַּד בָּעָא קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לְקַיְּימָא כֹּלָּא, כְּתִיב: נִשְׁבַּע יְיָ בִּימִינוֹ וּבִזְרוֹעַ עֻזּוֹ וגו׳) (Isaiah 62).

Rabbi Yehudah opened and said (רִבִּי יְהוּדָה פָּתַח): It is written: “The fruit of a beautiful tree, branches of palm trees.” (פְּרִי עֵץ הָדָר כַּפֹּת תְּמָרִים) (Leviticus 23). The fruit of a beautiful tree — who is it? This is the etrog (פְּרִי עֵץ הָדָר, מַאן הוּא. דָּא אֶתְרוֹג). But is the etrog from a beautiful tree? Behold, many thorns are around it, from this side and from that side, and yet you say: “The fruit of a beautiful tree.” (וְכִי אֶתְרוֹג מֵעֵץ הָדָר הוּא, וְהָא כַּמָה קוֹצִין אִית סַחֲרָנֵיהּ, מִכָּאן וּמִכָּאן, וְאַת אַמְרַת פְּרִי עֵץ הָדָר).

Rather, the secret of the matter: It is written (אֶלָּא רָזָא דְּמִלָּה, דִּכְתִּיב): “And Hashem Elohim built the side which He had taken from the man into a woman, and He brought her unto the man.” (וַיִּבֶן יְיָ אֱלֹהִים אֶת הַצֵּלָע אֲשֶׁר לָקַח מִן הָאָדָם לְאִשָּׁה וַיְבִיאֶהָ אֶל הָאָדָם) (Bereshit 2). And it is written: “Bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh.” (וּכְתִיב: עֶצֶם מֵעֲצָמַי וּבָשָׂר מִבְּשָׂרִי) (Bereshit 2). And this is the fruit of a beautiful tree (וְדָא הוּא פְּרִי עֵץ הָדָר).

From where do we learn that man is called a tree? For it is written: “For man is the tree of the field.” (מְנָלָן דְּאָדָם עֵץ אִקְרֵי. דִּכְתִּיב: כִּי הָאָדָם עֵץ הַשָּׂדֶה) (Deuteronomy 20). Branches of palm trees — that rise up to seventy years, and within them are included seventy supernal years (כַּפֹּת תְּמָרִים, דְּסָלִיק לְשִׁבְעִין שְׁנִין, וּבֵיהּ אִשְׁתָּכְלָלוּ שִׁבְעִין שְׁנִין עִלָּאִין). And this joins and is bound above and below (וְדָא אַכְפָּת וְאִתְקְשַׁר לְעֵילָּא וְתַתָּא). And for this reason it is called branches (וְעַל דָּא אִקְרֵי כַּפּוֹת), as you say a tie (כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר: כְּפִיתוּ), which joins here and there (דְּסָלִיק לְהָכָא וּלְהָכָא). This is what is written: “For all that is in the heavens and in the earth.” (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב: כִּי כֹל בַּשָּׁמַיִם וּבָאָרֶץ) (I Chronicles 29).

Rabbi Yosei said (רִבִּי יוֹסֵי אָמַר): The fruit of a beautiful tree — this is the altar (פְּרִי עֵץ הָדָר דָּא מִזְבֵּחַ), which produces fruits (דְּעָבִיד פֵּירִין), and stones ascend to every side (וְסָלִיק אֵבִין לְכָל סִטְרִין). Why? Because for seventy years it is given a portion, and it is blessed from all of them (מַאי טַעֲמָא. בְּגִין דְּכָל ע׳ שְׁנִין, יָהֲבִין לָהּ חוּלָקָא, וְאִתְבָּרְכָא מִכֻּלְּהוּ). What is this teaching? (מַאי קָא מַיְירֵי).

Because whoever sins against the altar, sins against all (בְּגִין דְּמַאן דְּחָטֵי לְגַבֵּי מִזְבֵּחַ, בְּכֹלָּא חָטֵי). For he opposes that which is tied above (דְּהָא כָּפִית לָקֳבְלֵי הַהוּא דְּכָפִית לְעֵילָּא). And for this reason this one is bound with that one: the fruit of a beautiful tree, branches of palm trees — and it is not written and branches of palm trees (וְעַל דָּא אִתְקְשַׁר דָּא בְּדָא, פְּרִי עֵץ הָדָר כַּפֹּת תְּמָרִים, וְלָא כְּתִיב וְכַפֹּת תְּמָרִים).

It is written: “This is the anointing of Aharon and the anointing of his sons.” (כְּתִיב: זֹאת מִשְׁחַת אַהֲרֹן וּמִשְׁחַת בָּנָיו) (Leviticus 7). What is this teaching? (מַאי קָא מַיְירֵי). Rather, this — this is the altar, which was anointed by the hand of Aharon (אֶלָּא, זֹאת: דָּא מִזְבֵּחַ, דְּאִתְמְשַׁח עַל יְדָא דְּאַהֲרֹן). As it is written: “And you shall anoint the altar of burnt offering and all its vessels.” (דִּכְתִיב: וּמָשַׁחְתָּ אֶת מִזְבַּח הָעוֹלָה וְאֶת כָּל כֵּלָיו) (Exodus 40). And the anointing of his sons — for all of them were anointed, and multiplied, and blessed, and purified (וּמִשְׁחַת בָּנָיו, דְּהָא מְכֻּלְּהוּ אִתְמְשַׁח, וְאִתְרַבֵּי, וְאִתְבָּרְכָא, וְאִתְדַכָּא).