Daf 32a (דַּף ל״ב ע״א)

And on this day, Gevurot must be for water (וּבְהַאי יוֹמָא גְּבוּרוֹת בָּעֵינָן לְמַיָּא), and to finish them afterwards (וּלְסַיְימָא לוֹן לְבָתַר), for on this day judgment is finished (דְּהָא בְּהַאי יוֹמָא מִסְתַּיְּימֵי דִּינָא). And because of this, we must strike them on the earth (וּבְגִין כָּךְ בָּעֵינָן לְבַטְּשָׁא לוֹן בְּאַרְעָא), and to finish them that they not be found (וּלְסַיְימָא לוֹן דְּלָא מִשְׁתַּכְחוּ), for this day is arousal and completion (דְּהַאי יוֹמָא אִתְּעָרוּתָא וְסִיּוּמָא הוּא). And because of this, arousal and completion is what we do with the willows of the brook (וְעַל דָּא אִתְּעָרוּתָא וְסִיּוּמָא הוּא דְּעַבְדִינָן בְּעַרְבֵי נַחַל).

Rabbi Ḥiyya said (אָמַר רִבִּי חִיָּיא): Surely so it is, and well (וַדַּאי הָכִי הוּא, וְשַׁפִּיר). And the willows of the brook, from the side of the brook, the Gevurot go forth (וְעַרְבֵי נַחַל, מִסִּטְרָא דְּנַחַל, נַפְקֵי גְּבוּרָאן). And on this day they are aroused and completed (וּבְהַאי יוֹמָא מִתְעָרֵי וּמְסַיְּימֵי). On this day it is written: “And Yitzḥak returned and dug the wells of water” (בְּהַאי יוֹמָא כְּתִיב וַיָּשָׁב יִצְחָק וַיַחְפּוֹר אֶת בְּאֵרֹת הַמַּיִם) (Bereshit 26). “Be’erot” is written deficient (בְּאֵרֹת כְּתִיב חָסֵר). “And he returned” — what is “and he returned” (וַיָּשָׁב, מַהוּ וַיָּשָׁב)? But the first day of the month (אֶלָּא יוֹמָא קַדְמָאָה דְּיַרְחָא), servitude of judgment was in all the world (שֵׁירוּתָא דְּדִינָא הַוָה בְּכָל עָלְמָא). And Yitzḥak stands upon the throne to judge the world (וְיִצְחָק קַיְּימָא לְכוּרְסְיָיא לְמֵידָן עָלְמָא). On this day, “And Yitzḥak returned” to arouse judgments and to finish judgments (בְּהַאי יוֹמָא וַיָּשָׁב יִצְחָק לְאִתְּעָרָא דִּינִין וּלְסַיְימָא דִּינִין). “And he dug the wells of water” — to draw Gevurot to Knesset Yisrael (וַיַחְפּוֹר אֶת בְּאֵרֹת הַמַּיִם, לְאַרְקָא גְּבוּרָן לִכְנֶסֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל), to arouse for water (לְאִתְּעָרָא לְמַיָּא). For water in Gevurot descend to the world (דְּהָא מַיָּא בִּגְבוּרָן נַחְתָּן לְעָלְמָא). And because these Gevurot do not descend except in cloud (וּבְגִין דְּאִלֵּין גְּבוּרָן, לָא נַחְתִּין אֶלָּא בְּעִיבָא), and the day of cloud is not rest for the spirits that uphold the world (וְיוֹמָא דְּעִיבָא לָא נַיְיחָא רוּחֵיהוֹן דְּקַיְימֵי עָלְמָא), but only because the world needs them (אֶלָּא בְּגִין דְּעָלְמָא אִצְטְרִיךְ לְהוּ). What is the reason (מַאי טַעֲמָא)? Because the world was created in judgment (בְּגִין דְּעָלְמָא בְּדִינָא אִתְבְּרֵי), and all is required so (וְכֹלָּא בַּעְיָא הָכִי). Therefore all depends upon the deed (בְּגִין כָּךְ כֹּלָּא בְּעוֹבָדָא תַּלְיָא מִלְּתָא). And because of this, the Kohen with the deed and the repair that he does below (וְעַל דָּא, כַּהֲנָא בְּעוֹבָדָא וְתִקּוּנָא דְּאִיהוּ עָבִיד לְתַתָּא), the supernals and the lower ones are aroused to be repaired, and they are repaired through him (אִתְּעֲרוּ עִלָּאִין וְתַתָּאִין לְתַקְּנָא לוֹן, וּמִתְתַּקְנֵי עַל יְדוֹי).

Rabbi Yose said (אָמַר רִבִּי יוֹסֵי): Behold, we have learned (הָא תָּנֵינָן): the willow which resembles the lip (הַעֲרָבָה דְּדַמְיָא לְשִׂפְוָון), on this day, and what is it (בְּהַאי יוֹמָא, וּמַאי הִיא)? Rabbi Ḥiyya said (אָמַר רִבִּי חִיָּיא): Even though it comes for derasha (אַף עַל גַּב דְּלִדְרָשָׁא הוּא דְּאָתֵי), so it is surely (הָכִי הוּא וַדַּאי). For on this day it depends upon the lip (דְּהָא בְּהַאי יוֹמָא בְּשִׂפְוָון תַּלְיָא). On this day the King commands to give decrees to the officer (בְּהַאי יוֹמָא פָּקִיד מַלְכָּא לְמֵיהַב פִּתְקִין לְסַנְטִירָא). And the judgments are completed (וּמִסְתַּיְּימֵי דִּינִין). And the evil tongue is stopped from the world (וְאַסְתִּים לִישָׁנָא בִּישָׁא מֵעָלְמָא). On the first day of the month there is servitude of judgment (בְּיוֹמָא קַדְמָאָה דְּיַרְחָא שֵׁירוּתָא דְּדִינָא הוּא), and its completion is on this day (וְסִיּוּמָא הוּא בְּהַאי יוֹמָא). And this has already been said (וְהָא אִתְּמַר).

Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי): On this day the nations, worshippers of idolatry, finish and complete their blessings, and they remain in judgment (בְּיוֹמָא דָּא שְׁלֵמִין וּמְסַיְּימֵי עַמִּין עוֹבְדֵי עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה בִּרְכָאן דִּלְהוֹן, וְשָׁרָאן בְּדִינָא). And Yisrael, on this day, complete their judgments and remain in blessing (וְיִשְׂרָאֵל בְּיוֹמָא דָּא מְסַיְּימֵי דִּינִין דִּלְהוֹן וְשָׁרָאן בְּבִרְכָתָא). For on the next day they are invited to delight with the King, to take from Him blessing for the whole year (דְּהָא לְיוֹמָא אָחֳרָא זְמִינִין לְאִשְׁתַּעְשְׁעָא בְּמַלְכָּא, לְנַטְלָא מִינֵיהּ בִּרְכָאן לְכָל שַׁתָּא). And in that joy none are found with the King except Yisrael alone (וּבְהַהוּא חֶדְוָותָא לָא מִשְׁתַּכְּחֵי בְּמַלְכָּא אֶלָּא יִשְׂרָאֵל בִּלְחוֹדַיְיהוּ). And whoever sits with the King, and takes from Him alone, whatever he asks he asks, and it is given to him (וּמַאן דְּיָתִיב עִם מַלְכָּא, וְנָטַל לֵיהּ בִּלְחוֹדֵיהּ, כָּל מַה דְּבָעֵי שָׁאִיל, וְיָהִיב לֵיהּ). And because of this Yisrael remain, and the nations worshippers of idolatry complete (וְעַל דָּא יִשְׂרָאֵל שָׁרָאן, וְעַמִּין עוֹבְדֵי עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה מְסַיְּימֵי). And because of this it is written: “I have loved you, says Hashem” (וְעַל דָּא כְּתִיב אָהַבְתִּי אֶתְכֶם אָמַר יְיָ׳ וְגוֹ׳) (Malachi 1).

He said to him (אָמַר לֵיהּ): Behold, I have seen Esav in tranquility, in Molcho, in supernal wrappings, and ruling over the world (הָא חֲמֵינָא לֵיהּ לְעֵשָׂו בְּשַׁלְוָה, בְּמַלְכוּ, בִּכְרִיכָן עִלָּאִין, וְשָׁלִיט עַל עָלְמָא). And you say: “And I have made his mountains desolate” (וְאַתְּ אָמַר וָאָשִׂים אֶת הָרָיו שְׁמָמָה). He said to him (אָמַר לֵיהּ): In every place it is so (בְּכָל אֲתַר הָכִי הוּא). Once the Holy King decrees a decree, and places that decree in His decree-scroll, the verse bears witness as it was done (כֵּיוָן דְּמַלְכָּא קַדִּישָׁא גָּזַר גְּזֵרָה, וְשַׁוִּי הַהִיא גְּזֵרָה בְּפִתְקֵיהּ, קְרָא אַסְהִיד כְּמָה דְּאִתְעָבִיד). And because of this: “And I have made his mountains desolate” — behold, I have placed it in My decree-scroll (וְעַל דָּא וָאָשִׂים אֶת הָרָיו שְׁמָמָה, הָא שִׁוִיתִי בְּפִתְקָא דִּילִי). And so too all those good things that He decrees upon Yisrael, as it is written: “I am Hashem, I have spoken and I have done” (וְכֵן כָּל אִינּוּן טָבָן דְּגָזַר עָלַיְיהוּ דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל, דִּכְתִיב אֲנִי יְיָ׳ דִּבַּרְתִּי וְעָשִׂיתִי) (Ezekiel 17). “And this is the Torah of the guilt offering, and this is the Torah of the meal offering, and this is the Torah of the sacrifice of peace offerings, this is the Torah of the sin offering” (וְזֹאת תּוֹרַת הָאָשָׁם וְזֹאת תּוֹרַת הַמִּנְחָה וְזֹאת תּוֹרַת זֶבַח הַשְּׁלָמִים זֹאת תּוֹרַת הַחַטָּאת) (Leviticus 7).

Rabbi Yitzḥak said (רִבִּי יִצְחָק אָמַר): Behold, they have established — if below, this is in all (הָא אוּקְמוּהָ אִי לְתַתָּא דָּא בְּכֹלָּא). If above, this is in all (אִי לְעֵילָּא דָּא בְּכֹלָּא). And whoever toils in Orayta (וּמַאן דְּאִשְׁתְּדַל בְּאוֹרַיְיתָא), he takes his portion in all (נָטְלָא לְחוּלָקֵיהּ בְּכֹלָּא). And he is bound in all sides (וְאִתְאֲחִיד בְּכָל סִטְרִין). And he does not need to bring a sacrifice for himself (וְלָא בָּעֵי לְקָרְבָא קָרְבְּנָא עַל נַפְשֵׁיהּ). And this has already been said (וְהָא אִתְּמַר).

Rabbi Yitzḥak opened (רִבִּי יִצְחָק פָּתַח): “The kohanim did not say: Where is Hashem? and those who grasp the Torah did not know Me, and the shepherds transgressed against Me” (כְּתִיב הַכֹּהֲנִים לֹא אָמְרוּ אַיֵה יְיָ׳ וְתוֹפְשֵׂי הַתּוֹרָה לֹא יְדָעוּנִי וְהָרוֹעִים פָּשְׁעוּ בִי) (Jeremiah 2). “The kohanim” (הַכֹּהֲנִים), these are the kohanim who serve in the great priesthood (אִלֵּין כֹּהֲנִים דִּמְשַׁמְּשִׁין בִּכְהוּנָה גְּדוֹלָה), and who bring holy words to their place (וּמְקָרְבִין מִלִּין קַדִּישִׁין לְאַתְרַיְיהוּ), and who unite the union, each one as is fitting (וּמְיַיחֲדִין יִחוּדָא כָּל חַד וְחַד כַּדְקָא חֲזֵי). “And those who grasp the Torah” (וְתוֹפְשֵׂי הַתּוֹרָה) — who are those who grasp the Torah (מַאן אִינּוּן תּוֹפְשֵׂי הַתּוֹרָה)? And are the kohanim not those who grasp the Torah (וְכִי כַּהֲנֵי לָאו תּוֹפְשֵׂי הַתּוֹרָה נִינְהוּ)? Rather, these are the Levi’im (אֶלָּא, אִלֵּין אִינּוּן לֵיוָאֵי), who grasp the harps (דְּתַפְשֵׂי בְּכִנּוֹרוֹת), who come from the side of Orayta (דְּאַתְיָין מִסִּטְרָא דְּאוֹרַיְיתָא). And the Orayta is given from their side (וְאִתְיְיהִיבַת מִסִּטְרָא דִּלְהוֹן אוֹרַיְיתָא). And they are appointed over the praise of the glorification of the Holy King (וְאִינּוּן מְמָנָן עַל שְׁבָחָא דְּתוּשְׁבַּחְתָּא דְּמַלְכָּא קַדִּישָׁא), to unite Him in complete union as is fitting (לְיַחֲדָא לֵיהּ יִחוּדָא שְׁלִים כְּדְקָא יֵאוֹת). “And the shepherds transgressed against Me” (וְהָרוֹעִים פָּשְׁעוּ בִי) — these are the great ones of the people (אִלֵּין אִינּוּן רַבְרְבֵי עַמָּא), who are shepherds of the people (דְּאִינּוּן רַעְיָין לְעַמָּא), like the shepherd of the wilderness who tends his flock (כְּרַעְיָא דְּמַדְבַּר עָאנֵיהּ).