Daf 42a (דַּף מ״ב ע״א)

Rabbi Yosei opened and said (רִבִּי יוֹסֵי פָּתַח וְאָמַר): All the labor of man is for his mouth, etc. (כָּל עֲמַל הָאָדָם לְפִיהוּ וְגוֹ') (Ecclesiastes 6). I have looked into the words of King Shlomo, and they are all grasped in supernal wisdom (אִסְתַּכַּלְנָא בְּמִלֵּי דִּשְׁלֹמֹה מַלְכָּא, וְכֻלְּהוּ אֲחִידָן בְּחָכְמָה עִלָּאָה). All the labor of man is for his mouth—this verse, at the time when a man is judged in that world, it is written (כָּל עֲמַל הָאָדָם לְפִיהוּ, הַאי קְרָא, בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְּדַיְינִין לֵיהּ לְבַּר נָשׁ בְּהַהוּא עָלְמָא כְּתִיב), all that judgment and all that he endured in that world, and they take vengeance upon him with the vengeance of the world (כָּל הַהוּא דִּינָא, וְכָל מַאי דְּסָבִיל בְּהַהוּא עָלְמָא, וְנָקְמִין מִנֵּיהּ נִקְמָתָא דְּעָלְמָא).

For his mouth—because of his mouth, which he did not guard, and defiled his soul, and did not cleave to the side of life, the side of the right (לְפִיהוּ: בְּגִין פִּיהוּ, דְּלָא נָטִיר לֵיהּ, וְסָאִיב לֵיהּ לְנַפְשֵׁיהּ, וְלָא אִתְדְּבַק בְּסִטְרָא דְּחַיֵּי, בְּסִטְרָא דִּימִינָא). And also the soul shall not be filled—its judgment is never completed for all eternity (וְגַם הַנֶּפֶשׁ לֹא תִמָלֵא, לָא תִּשְׁתְּלִים דִּינָהָא לְעָלַם וּלְעָלְמֵי עָלְמִין). Another matter: shall not be filled—it will never be completed to ascend to its place for all eternity, because it has been defiled and cleaved to the other side (דָּבָר אַחֵר לֹא תִמָלֵא, לָא תִּשְׁתְּלִים לְסַלְּקָא לְאַתְרָהָא לְעָלְמִין, בְּגִין דְּהָא אִסְתְּאָבַת, וְאִתְדַּבְּקַת בְּסִטְרָא אָחֳרָא).

Rabbi Yitzḥak said (רִבִּי יִצְחָק אָמַר): Whoever is defiled by them, it is as though he worships idolatry (כָּל מַאן דְּאִסְתְּאָב בְּהוּ, כְּאִילּוּ פָּלַח לְעֲבוֹדָה זָרָה), which is an abomination to Hashem (דְּאִיהוּ תּוֹעֲבַת יְיָ') (Deuteronomy 17), and it is written: You shall not eat any abomination (וּכְתִיב: לֹא תֹאכַל כָּל תּוֹעֵבָה). One who serves idolatry departs from the side of life (מַאן דְּפָלַח לְעֲבוֹדָה זָרָה, נָפִיק מִסִּטְרָא דְּחַיֵּי), departs from the holy domain, and enters into another domain (נָפִיק מֵרְשׁוּתָא קַדִּישָׁא, וְעָיִיל בִּרְשׁוּתָא אָחֳרָא). So too, whoever is defiled with these foods departs from the side of life (אוּף מַאן דְּאִסְתְּאָב בְּהָנֵי מֵיכְלֵי, נָפִיק מִסִּטְרָא דְּחַיֵּי), departs from the holy domain, and enters into another domain (וְנָפִיק מֵרְשׁוּ קַדִּישָׁא, וְעָיִיל בִּרְשׁוּתָא אָחֳרָא). And not only this, but he is defiled in this world and in the World to Come (וְלֹא עוֹד, אֶלָּא דְּאִסְתְּאָב בְּהַאי עָלְמָא, וּבְעָלְמָא דְּאָתֵי). And concerning this it is written: And you shall be defiled by them—spelled without an alef (וְעַל דָּא: וְנִטְמֵתֶם בָּם כְּתִיב בְּלָא א׳). And it is written (וּכְתִיב): And you shall not make yourselves abominable with the beast, or with the bird, or with anything that creeps on the ground, which I have separated from you as unclean (וְלֹא תְשַׁקְּצוּ אֶת נַפְשׁוֹתֵיכֶם בַּבְּהֵמָה וּבָעוֹף וּבְכָל אֲשֶׁר תִּרְמוֹשׂ הָאֲדָמָה אֲשֶׁר הִבְדַּלְתִּי אֶתְכֶם לְטַמֵּא) (Leviticus 20). What is as unclean? (מַאי לְטַמֵּא). To render unclean to the nations, idol worshippers (לְטַמֵּא לְעַמִּין עוֹבְדֵי עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה), for they are defiled and they come from the side of defilement (דְּהָא אִינּוּן מִסְאֲבִין, וּמִסִּטְרָא דִּמְסָאֲבָא קָא אַתְיָין). And each one cleaves to its own place (וְכָל חַד אִתְדַּבָּק בְּאַתְרֵיהּ).

Rabbi El'azar was sitting before Rabbi Shim‘on his father (רִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר הֲוָה יָתִיב קָמֵי דְּרִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן אֲבוֹי). He said to him (אָמַר לֵיהּ): That which we have learned—that Kudsha Berikh Hu is destined to purify Yisrael—by what? (הָא דְּתָנֵינָן זַמִּין קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לְדַכָּאָה לְהוּ לְיִשְׂרָאֵל, בְּמָּה). He said to him (אָמַר לֵיהּ): By what is written: And I shall sprinkle upon you pure water, and you shall be purified, etc. (בְּמָּה דִּכְתִיב: וְזָרַקְתִּי עֲלֵיכֶם מַיִם טְהוֹרִים וּטְהַרְתֶּם וְגוֹ') (Ezekiel 36). Once they are purified, they are sanctified (כֵּיוָן דְּאִתְדַכְּאָן מִתְקַדְּשָׁן). And Yisrael, who cleave to Kudsha Berikh Hu, are called holy (וְיִשְׂרָאֵל דְּאִתְדַּבְּקָן בֵּיהּ בְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, קֹדֶשׁ אִקְרוּן), as it is written: Holy is Yisrael to Hashem, the first of His produce (דִּכְתִיב: קֹדֶשׁ יִשְׂרָאֵל לַיְיָ רֵאשִׁית תְּבוּאָתוֹ) (Jeremiah 2). And it is written: And holy men shall you be to Me (וּכְתִיב: וְאַנְשֵׁי קֹדֶשׁ תִּהְיוּן לִי) (Exodus 22). Fortunate are Yisrael (זַכָּאִין אִינּוּן יִשְׂרָאֵל), for Kudsha Berikh Hu has said of them: And you shall be holy, for I Hashem am holy (דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא קָאָמַר עָלַיְיהוּ, וִהְיִיתֶם קְדוֹשִׁים כִּי קָדוֹשׁ אָנִי יְיָ') (Leviticus 11). Because it is written: And you shall cleave to Him (בְּגִין דִּכְתִיב: וּבוֹ תִדְבָּק) (Deuteronomy 10). And it is written: He did not do so for any nation, and His judgments they do not know—HalleluYah (וּכְתִיב: לֹא עָשָׂה כֵן לְכָל גּוֹי וּמִשְׁפָּטִים בַּל יְדָעוּם הַלְלוּיָהּ) (Psalms 147).

Ra‘aya Meheimna

Fish and locusts do not require slaughter p1-12(נִדְפַּס תֵּצֵא רַע״ח ע״ב, דָּגִים וַחֲגָבִים, אֵינָן טְעוּנִין שְׁחִיטָה), but their gathering permits them (אֶלָּא אֲסִיפָתָם הִיא הַמַתֶּרֶת אוֹתָם). So too the masters of the Academy—do not require slaughter (הָכִי מָארֵי מְתִיבְתָּא, אֵין צְּרִיכִין שְׁחִיטָה), but rather it is said of them: And he expired, and was gathered to his people (אֶלָּא דְּאִתְּמַר בְּהוֹן: וַיִּגְוַע וַיֵּאָסֶף אֶל עַמָּיו) (Bereshit 49). Just as the fish of the sea, their life is in the sea (מַה נוּנֵי יַמָּא, חִיוּתָן בְּיַמָּא), so too the disciples—masters of Mishnah— their life is in Orayta (אַף תַּלְמִידֵי – תִּקּוּנֵי נו״ו – חֲכָמִים, מָארֵי מַתְנִיתִין, חִיּוּתַיְיהוּ בְּאוֹרַיְיתָא), and if they separate from her, they immediately die (וְאִי אִתְפָּרְשָׁן מִנָּהּ, מִיַּד מֵתִים). Some say: Tanna’im: we have learned the Mishnah, that by it they multiplied like the fish of the sea (נ״א: תַּנָּאִין, תָּנֵינָן דְּמַתְנִיתִין, דְּבָהּ אִתְרַבּוּ כְּנוּנֵי יַמָּא). And if those of dry land go up into the water, and do not know how to swim, they die (וְאִי אִינּוּן דִּבְיַבֶּשְׁתָּא יַעֲלוּן לְמַיָּא, וְלָא יַדְעִין לְשַׁטְטָא, אִינּוּן מַיְיתִין). But man—these are masters of Kabbalah, who are above all—of him it is said: And let them rule over the fish of the sea and the bird of the heavens (אֲבָל אָדָם – דְּאִינּוּן מָארֵי קַבָּלָה אִינּוּן לְעֵילָּא – דְּאִיהוּ לְעֵילָּא מִכֻּלְּהוּ, אִתְּמַר בֵּיהּ: וְיִרְדּוּ בִדְגַת הַיָּם וּבְעוֹף הַשָּׁמַיִם) (Bereshit 1).

For these are the masters of Mishnah, the Tanin, the Great Dragon (דְּאִינּוּן מָארֵי מַתְנִיתִין תַּנִינַיָּא, הַתַּנִּין הַגָּדוֹל), the fleeing serpent (נָחָשׁ בָּרִיחַ) (Isaiah 27), corresponding to the middle bar within the boards (לָקֳבֵל: וְהַבְּרִיחַ הַתִּיכוֹן בְּתוֹךְ הַקְּרָשִׁים) (Exodus 26). At the time when we recite Mishnah, the masters of Mishnah, and there is dispute among them, and they challenge one another—he swallows his companion (בְּזִמְנָא דְּתַנִּינָן מָארֵי מִשְׁנָה, אִית בְּהוֹן מַחֲלוֹקֶת, וּמַקְשִׁין דָּא לְדָא, בָּלַע לְחַבְרֵיהּ). And this is the small disciple who has not reached the stage of ruling, yet rules—he is liable to death (וְהַאי אִיהוּ תַּלְמִיד זְעֵיר שֶׁלֹּא הִגִּיעַ לְהוֹרָאָה וּמוֹרֶה, חַיָּיב מִיתָה). But if they are equal one to another, and there is dispute and question between them, it is said of them: Et vahev besufa (וְאִי אִינּוּן שָׁוִין דָּא לְדָא, וְאִית בְּהוֹן מַחֲלוֹקֶת, וְקוּשְׁיָא, אִתְּמַר בְּהוֹן: אֶת וָהֵב בְּסוּפָה) (Numbers 21). It has been established: love at the end (אוֹקְמוּהָ: אַהֲבָה בְּסוּפָה). (End Raya Mehemna).

Parashat Tazria

nd Hashem spoke to Moshe, saying: A woman, when she conceives and gives birth to a male, etc. (וַיְדַבֵּר יְיָ' אֶל מֹשֶׁה לֵאמֹר אִשָּׁה כִּי תַזְרִיעַ וְיָלְדָה זָכָר וְגוֹ') (Leviticus 12). Rabbi El'azar opened (רִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר פָּתַח): Upon my bed in the nights I sought him, etc. (עַל מִשְׁכָּבִי בַּלֵּילוֹת בִּקַּשְׁתִּי וְגוֹ') (Song of Songs 3). Upon my bed—it should have said in my bed (עַל מִשְׁכָּבִי, בְּמִשְׁכָּבִי מִבָּעֵי לֵיהּ). What is upon my bed? (מַהוּ עַל מִשְׁכָּבִי).

Rather, Knesset Yisrael said before Kudsha Berikh Hu (אֶלָּא כְּנֶסֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל אָמְרָה קָמֵי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא), and asked of Him concerning the exile (וּבָעָאת מִנֵּיהּ עַל גָּלוּתָא). Because she sits among the other nations with her children (בְּגִין דְּהִיא יָתְבָא בֵּין שְׁאָר עַמִּין עִם בְּנָהָא), and lies down in the dust (וּשְׁכִיבַת לְעַפְרָא).

And because she lies in another defiled land (וְעַל דְּהִיא שְׁכִיבַת בְּאַרְעָא אָחֳרָא מִסְאֲבָא), she said: Upon my bed I seek—for I suffer in exile (אָמְרָה, עַל מִשְׁכָּבִי בָּעֵינָא, דְּכָאִיבְנָא בְּגָלוּתָא). Some say: For I lie in exile (נ״א: דְּשָׁכִיבְנָא בְּגָלוּתָא). And because of this: I sought him whom my soul loves, to bring me out from it (וְעַל דָּא, בִּקַּשְׁתִּי אֵת שֶׁאָהֲבָה נַפְשִׁי וּלְאַפָּקָא לִי מִנֵּיהּ).