Daf 41b (דַּף מ״א ע״ב)

Rabbi El'azar said (אָמַר רִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר): This is the living creature which you shall eat from all the beasts (זֹאת הַחַיָּה אֲשֶׁר תֹּאכְלוּ מִכָּל הַבְּהֵמָה) (Leviticus 11). From all those that are held from this side, it is permitted to you to eat (מִכָּל אִינּוּן דַּאֲחִידָן מִן סְטָר דָּא, שָׁארֵי לְכוּ לְמֵיכַל), and all those that do not come from this side are forbidden to you to eat (וְכָל אִינּוּן דְּלָא אַתְיָין מִסִּטְרָא דָּא, אָסִיר לְכוּ לְמֵיכַל). Because there are of the animals that come from this side, and there are that come from another defiled side (בְּגִין דְּאִית בְּעִירָן דְּאַתְיָין מִסִּטְרָא דָּא, וְאִית דְּאַתְיָין מִסִּטְרָא אָחֳרָא מִסְאֲבָא). And their sign is written: any that has a split hoof (וְסִימָנָא דִּלְהוֹן דִּכְתִּיב, כֹּל מַפְרֶסֶת פַּרְסָה). And we learn that all are inscribed, and the verse marks them all (וְגַמְרִינָן כֻּלְּהוּ רְשִׁימָן, וְכֻלְּהוּ אַרְשִׁים לְהוּ קְרָא). And because of this, whoever eats from those that come from the defiled side is defiled in them (וּבְגִין כַּךְ, כָּל מַאן דְּאָכִיל מֵאִינּוּן דְּאַתְיָין מִסִּטְרָא דָּא מִסְאֲבָא, אִסְתְּאַב בְּהוּ), and soils his soul that comes from the pure side (וְסָאִיב לְנַפְשֵׁיהּ דְּאַתְיָא מִסִּטְרָא דַּכְיָא).

Rabbi Shim‘on said (רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן אָמַר): The general rule is as above: just as there are ten crowns of faith above (כְּלַל כֹּלָּא, כְּמָה דְּאִית עֶשֶׂר כִּתְרִין דִּמְהֵימְנוּתָא לְעֵילָּא), so there are ten crowns of sorcerers defiled below (כַּךְ אִית עֶשֶׂר כִּתְרֵי דְּחָרָשֵׁי מֵסָאֲבֵי לְתַתָּא). And everything in the earth, some are held from this side, and some are held from the other side (וְכָל מַה דִּי בְּאַרְעָא, מִנַּיְיהוּ אֲחִידָן בְּסִטְרָא דָּא, וּמִנַּיְיהוּ אֲחִידָן בְּסִטְרָא אָחֳרָא). And if you say: this goat, upon which a spirit of defilement dwells? (וְאִי תֵּימָא: הַאי עֵז, דְּשַׁרְיָא עָלֵיהּ רוּחַ מִסְאֲבָא). Not so (לָאו הָכֵי). For if a spirit of defilement truly dwelled in it, it would be forbidden to us to eat (דְּאִי רוּחַ מִסְאֲבָא שַׁרְיָא בֵּיהּ, אָסִיר לָן לְמֵיכַל). Rather, they pass through them, and appear before them, but do not dwell to remain in them (אֶלָּא אַעְבְּרָן בְּגַוַויְיהוּ, וְיִתְחֲזוּן לָקֳבְלֵיהוֹן, וְלָא שַׁרְיָא לְדַיְּירָא בְּהוּ). For when they dwell, another spirit passes over them and separates them from their essence (דְּכַד אִינּוּן שַׁרְיָין, רוּחַ אָחֳרָא אַעְבָּר עָלַיְיהוּ, וּפְרִישָׁן מִגַּרְמַיְיהוּ). And because of this they are seen before them and accuse within them (וּבְגִין כַּךְ אִתְחָזוּן לָקֳבְלַיְיהוֹן, וּמְקַטְרְגֵי בְּגַוַויְיהוּ), but they do not rule over them in their essence (וְלָא שַׁלְטֵי בְּהוּ בְּגַרְמַיְיהוּ). And therefore it is permitted for us to eat them (וְעַל דָּא שָׁרִי לָן לְמֵיכַל).

Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי): when they come to rule in them, a spirit passes, lifting up the eyes, and they see their marks, and they are separated from them (כֵּיוָן דְּאַתְיָין לְשַׁלְּטָאָה בְּהוּ, אַעֲבַר רוּחָא חֲדָא, זַקְפָן עַיְינִין וְחָמָאן רְשִׁימִין דִּלְהוֹן, וְאִתְפָּרְשָׁן מִנַּיְיהוּ). But they still appear before them, yet they are not forbidden to us to eat (אֲבָל אִתְחֲזוֹ לָקֳבְלֵיהוֹן, וְלָא אֲסִירֵי לָן לְמֵיכַל). Whether among domesticated animals (בֵּין בִּבְעִירֵי), or among wild animals (בֵּין בְּחֵיוָותָא), or among birds (בֵּין בְּעוֹפֵי), or among the fish of the sea (בֵּין בְּנוּנֵי יַמָּא), in all of them right and left appear—compassion and judgment (בְּכֻלְּהוּ אִתְחָזוּן יְמִינָא וּשְׂמָאלָא – רַחֲמֵי וְדִינָא). And whoever comes from the side of the right, the side of compassion, is permitted for us to eat (וְכָל מַאן דְּאָתֵי מִסִּטְרָא דִּימִינָא – מִסִּטְרָא דְּרַחֲמֵי – שָׁארֵי לָן לְמֵיכַל). And all those that come from the side of the left, the side of judgment, all are forbidden for us to eat (וְכָל אִינּוּן דְּאַתְיָין מִסִּטְרָא דִּשְׂמָאלָא – מִסִּטְרָא דְּדִינָא – כֻּלְּהוּ אָסִיר לָן לְמֵיכַל). Because the grade (some say: the cause) of them all is defiled, and they are all defiled, and the spirit of defilement dwells in them and abides in them (בְּגִין דְּדַרְגָּא – ס״א דְּגַרְמָא – דְּכֻלְּהוּ מִסְאֲבָא, וְכֻלְּהוּ מִסְאֲבִין, וְרוּחַ מִסְאֲבָא שַׁרְיָא בְּגַוַויְיהוּ, וְדָרֵי בְּהוּ). And because of this, the holy spirit of Yisrael is not to be mingled in them, and not to be defiled in them, so that they be found holy and known above and below (וְעַל דָּא רוּחָא קַדִּישָׁא דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל, לָא יִתְעָרַב בְּהוּ, וְלָא יִסְתְּאָב בְּהוּ, בְּגִין דְּיִשְׁתַּכְּחוּן קַדִּישִׁין, וְיִשְׁתְּמוֹדְעוּן לְעֵילָּא וְתַתָּא). Fortunate is the portion of Yisrael, for the Holy King is pleased with them, and seeks to purify them and sanctify them above all, because they are bound in Him (זַכָּאָה חוּלָקֵיהוֹן דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל, דְּמַלְכָּא קַדִּישָׁא אִתְרְעֵי בְּהוּ, וּבָעֵי לְדַכְּאָה לְהוּ, וּלְקַדְּשָׁא לְהוּ עַל כֹּלָּא, בְּגִין דַּאֲחִידָן בֵּיהּ).

Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי): it is written, Yisrael in whom I will be glorified (כְּתִיב: יִשְׂרָאֵל אֲשֶׁר בְּךָ אֶתְפָּאָר) (Isaiah 49). If Kudsha Berikh Hu is glorified in Yisrael, how could they come to be defiled and to cleave to the defiled side? (אִי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא מִתְפָּאַר בְּהוּ בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל, הֵיךְ אַתְיָין לְאִסְתַּאֲבָא וּלְאִתְדַּבְּקָא בְּסִטְרָא מִסְאֲבָא). And because of this it is written: Sanctify yourselves and be holy, for I am holy, and do not make yourselves abominable, etc. (וְעַל דָּא כְּתִיב: וְהִתְקַדִּשְׁתֶּם וִהְיִיתֶם קְדוֹשִׁים כִּי קָדוֹשׁ אָנִי, וְלֹא תְשַׁקְּצוּ אֶת נַפְשׁוֹתֵיכֶם וְגוֹ') (Leviticus 11). Whoever is in the image of the King must not separate from the ways of the King (מַאן דְּאִיהוּ בְּדִיּוּקְנָא דְּמַלְכָּא, לָא לִבְעֵי לֵיהּ לְאַפְרְשָׁא מֵאוֹרְחוֹי דְּמַלְכָּא). And because of this, Kudsha Berikh Hu has marked for Yisrael all those that come from this side, and all those that come from the other side (וּבְגִין כַּךְ רָשִׁים לְהוּ קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לְיִשְׂרָאֵל, כָּל אִינּוּן דְּאַתְיָין מִסִּטְרָא דָּא, וְכָל אִינּוּן דְּאַתְיָין מִסִּטְרָא אָחֳרָא). Fortunate is the portion of Yisrael, of whom it is written: All that see them shall recognize them, that they are the seed which Hashem has blessed (זַכָּאָה חוּלָקֵיהוֹן דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל, דִּכְתִיב בְּהוּ: כָּל רוֹאֵיהֶם יַכִּירוּם כִּי הֵם זֶרַע בֵּרַךְ יְיָ') (Isaiah 61)—truly the seed blessed of Hashem, blessed of Hashem in all (בֵּרַךְ יְיָ' מַמָּשׁ, בֵּרַךְ יְיָ' בְּכֹלָּא). And come and see: whoever eats from those forbidden foods (וְתָּא חֲזֵי, כָּל מַאן דְּאָכִיל מֵאִינּוּן מַאֲכָלֵי דַּאֲסִירֵי), cleaves to the other side (אִתְדְּבַק בְּסִטְרָא אָחֳרָא), and pollutes his soul and his body (וְגָעִיל נַפְשֵׁיהּ וְגַרְמֵיהּ), and a defiled spirit dwells upon him (וְרוּחַ מְסָאָב שַׁרְיָא עָלֵיהּ). And he shows himself as one who has no portion in the Supernal God (וְאַחְזֵי גַּרְמֵיהּ דְּלֵית לֵיהּ חוּלָקָא בֶּאֱלָהָא עִלָּאָה), and does not come from His side (וְלָא אָתֵי מִסִּטְרֵיהּ), and does not cleave to Him (וְלָא אִתְדְּבַק בֵּיהּ). And if he leaves this world in such a state (וְאִי יִפּוּק הָכִי מֵהַאי עָלְמָא), all those who cling to the defiled side—some say: that come from the defiled side—grasp him (אֲחִידָן בֵּיהּ כָּל אִינּוּן דַּאֲחִידָן בִּסְטָר — ס״א דְּאַתְיָין מִסִּטְרָא — דִּמְסָאֲבָא), and defile him and judge him (וּמְסָאֲבִין לֵיהּ וְדַיְינִין לֵיהּ), like a man who is a loathing to his Master (כְּבַּר נָשׁ דְּאִיהוּ גַּעֲלָא דְּמָארֵיהּ)—a loathing in this world, and a loathing in the World to Come (גַּעֲלָא בְּהַאי עָלְמָא, וְגַעֲלָא בְּעָלְמָא דְּאָתֵי). And because of this it is written: And you shall be defiled by them—spelled without an alef (וְעַל דָּא כְּתִיב, וְנִטְמֵתֶם בָּם בְּלָא א׳) (Leviticus 11), meaning that no healing is found for his pollution, and he will not depart from his defilement forever (דְּלָא אִשְׁתְּכַח אַסוּותָא לְגִעוּלֵיהּ, וְלָא נָפִיק מִמְּסָאֲבוּתֵיהּ לְעָלְמִין). Woe to them, woe to their souls, who will not cleave in the bundle of life forever, for they are defiled (וַוי לוֹן, וַוי לְנַפְשַׁיְיהוּ, דְּלָא יִתְדַבְּקוּן בִּצְרוֹרָא דְּחַיֵּי לְעָלְמִין, דְּהָא אִסְתְּאָבוּ). Woe to their bodies—for them it is written: For their worm shall not die… and they shall be an abhorrence to all flesh (וַוי לְגַרְמַיְיהוּ, עָלַיְיהוּ כְּתִיב: כִּי תוֹלַעְתָּם לֹא תָמוּת וְגוֹ׳, וְהָיוּ דֵרָאוֹן לְכָל בָּשָׂר) (Isaiah 66). What is shame? A stench (מַאי דֵּרָאוֹן סִרְחוֹנָא). Who caused it for him? That side to which he clung (מַאן גָּרִים לֵיהּ הַהוּא סְטָר דְּאִתְדַּבָּק בֵּיהּ).

Yisrael come from the side of the right (יִשְׂרָאֵל אַתְיָין מִסִּטְרָא דִּימִינָא). If they cleave to the side of the left, they blemish that side (אִי אִתְדַּבְּקָן בִּסְטָר שְׂמָאלָא, הָא פַּגְמִין לִסְטַר דָּא), and blemish themselves (וּפַגְמִין לְגַרְמַיְיהוּ), and blemish their souls (וּפַגְמִין לְנַפְשַׁיְיהוּ)—blemished in this world, and blemished in the World to Come (פְּגִימִין בְּעָלְמָא דֵּין, וּפְגִימִין בְּעָלְמָא דְּאָתֵי). All the more so, one who cleaves to the side of defilement, for everything is bound one in another (כָּל שֶׁכֵּן מַאן דְּאִתְדַּבָּק בִּסְטָר דִּמְסָאֲבָא, דְּכֹלָּא אָחִיד דָּא בְּדָא). And it is written: For you are a holy people to Hashem your Elohim, etc. (וּכְתִיב: כִּי עַם קָדוֹשׁ אַתָּה לַיְיָ אֱלֹהֶיךָ וְגוֹ׳) (Deuteronomy 14).