Daf 44b (דַּף מ״ד ע״ב)

Rabbi Ḥiyya and Rabbi Aḥa were sitting one night before Rabbi Abba (רִבִּי חִיָּיא וְרִבִּי אֲחָא הֲווֹ יַתְבֵי לֵילְיָא חַד קַמֵּיהּ דְּרִבִּי אַבָּא). They rose at midnight to speak words of Orayta (קָמוּ בְּפַלְגוּת לֵילְיָא לְמִלְעֵי בְּאוֹרַיְיתָא). Until they went outside, they saw one star that struck three times against another star and closed its light (עַד דְּנָפְקוּ לְבַר, חָמוּ חַד כֹּכָבָא דְּהֲוָה בָּטַשׁ ג׳ זִמְנֵי בְּכֹכָבָא אָחֳרָא וְסָתִים נְהוֹרֵיהּ). Meanwhile they heard two voices from two sides—one voice from the side of the north above, and one voice below (אַדְהָכִי שָׁמְעוּ תְּרֵי קָלֵי בִּתְרֵי סִטְרֵי, קָלָא חַד לִסְטַר צָפוֹן לְעֵילָּא, וְקָלָא חַד לְתַתָּא). And that Voice proclaimed and said (וְהַהוּא קָלָא אַכְרִיז וְאָמַר): “Enter and gather yourselves into your places (עוּלוּ וְאִתְכְּנִישׁוּ לְאַתְרַיְיכוּ).

Now the guardianship of the Nukvah has been opened (הַשְׁתָּא אִסְתַּמְרוּתָא דְּנוּקְבָּא פְּתִיחָא). Kudsha Berikh Hu has entered to stroll in the Ginta [Garden] (קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא עָאל לְטַיְילָא בְּגִנְתָא), to delight Himself with the Tzaddikim [Righteous] who are in the Ginta [Garden] (לְאִשְׁתַּעְשְׁעָא בְּצַדִּיקַיָּיא דִּי בְּגִנְתָא). Then that voice passed and was quiet (אַעְבָר הַהוּא קָלָא וְשָׁכִיךְ).

Rabbi Aḥa and Rabbi Ḥiyya returned and said (אָהַדְרוּ רִבִּי אֲחָא וְרִבִּי חִיָּיא, אָמְרוּ): This is surely a time of favor, when Knesset Yisrael is aroused to be joined with the Holy King (הָא וַדַּאי עִדָּן רְעוּתָא, דְּאִתְעָרוּתָא דְּכְּנֶסֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל הוּא לְאִתְחַבְּרָא בְּמַלְכָּא קַדִּישָׁא). Rabbi Aḥa said (אָמַר רִבִּי אֲחָא): Surely, Knesset Yisrael is not joined with Kudsha Berikh Hu except through song, through her praise to Him (וַדַּאי, לָא אִתְחַבְּרַת לָהּ כְּנֶסֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא אֶלָּא מִגּוֹ שִׁירָתָא, מִגּוֹ שְׁבָחָא דִּילָהּ לְגַבֵּיהּ). Until the morning came, and the King stretched forth to her a thread of Chesed (עַד דְּאָתֵי צַפְרָא, וְאוֹשִׁיט לָהּ מַלְכָּא חוּטָא דְּחֶסֶד). And the secret of the matter is as we have said: And the King extended to Esther the golden scepter that was in his hand, etc. (וְרָזָא דְּמִלָּה כְּמָה דְּאַמְרִינָן: וַיּוֹשֶׁט הַמֶּלֶךְ לְאֶסְתֵּר אֶת שַׁרְבִיט הַזָּהָב אֲשֶׁר בְּיָדוֹ וְגוֹ') (Esther 5). And do not say that only to her did the King extend this (וְלָא תֵּימָא דְּלָהּ בִּלְחוֹדָהּ אוֹשִׁיט לָהּ מַלְכָּא דָּא), but rather to her and to all those who are joined with her (אֶלָּא לָהּ, וּלְכָל אִינּוּן דְּמִתְחַבְּרָן בָּהּ). Come, let us join together as one (תָּא וְנִתְחַבֵּר כַּחֲדָא). And they sat (יָתְבוּ).

Rabbi Aḥa opened and said (פָּתַח רִבִּי אֲחָא וְאָמַר): And Hashem Elohim said: It is not good for the man to be alone, etc. (וַיֹּאמֶר יְיָ אֱלֹהִים לֹא טוֹב הֱיוֹת הָאָדָם לְבַדּוֹ וְגוֹ') (Bereshit 2). Why did the verse open thus? (אֲמַאי פָּתַח קְרָא הָכִי). Rather, it has been said, that because of this it is not written that it was good on the second day, since man was destined to be separated (אֶלָּא הָא אִתְּמַר, דְּעַל דָּא לָא כְּתִיב, כִּי טוֹב בַּשֵּׁנִי, בְּגִין דְּזַמִּין אָדָם לְאִתְפָּרְשָׁא). And it is written: It is not good for the man to be alone (וּכְתִיב, לֹא טוֹב הֱיוֹת הָאָדָם לְבַדּוֹ). And was he alone? (וְכִי לְבַדּוֹ הֲוָה). But it is written: Male and female He created them (וְהָא כְּתִיב, זָכָר וּנְקֵבָה בְּרָאָם) (Bereshit 5). And we have learned: Adam was created two-faced (וְתָנֵינָן אָדָם דּוּ פַּרְצוּפִין אִתְבְּרֵי). And you say: It is not good for the man to be alone? (וְאַתְּ אַמְרַת, לֹא טוֹב הֱיוֹת הָאָדָם לְבַדּוֹ). But rather, because he did not strive with his female, and she was not to him a support opposite him—for she was at his side, and they were as one back-to-back—and then the man was alone (אֶלָּא דְּלָא אִשְׁתְּדַּל בְּנוּקְבֵיהּ, וְלָא הַוַת לֵיהּ, סֶמֶךְ לָקֳבְלֵיהּ, בְּגִין דְּהֲוַת בְּסִטְרוֹי, וַהֲווּ כַּחֲדָא מֵאֲחוֹרָא, וּכְדֵין הֲוָה הָאָדָם לְבַדּוֹ).

I will make him a help opposite him (אֶעֱשֶׂה לּוֹ עֵזֶר כְּנֶגְדּוֹ). What is opposite him? To face him, that this one cleave to that one, face to face (מַהוּ כְּנֶגְדּוֹ, לָקֳבֵל אַנְפּוֹי, לְאִתְדַּבְּקָא דָּא בְּדָא אַנְפִּין בְּאַנְפִּין). What did Kudsha Berikh Hu do? He separated him and took the female from him (מָה עֲבַד קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, נָסַר לֵיהּ וְנָטִיל נוּקְבָּא מִנֵּיהּ). This is what is written: And He took one of his side (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב, וַיִּקַּח אַחַת מִצַּלְעוֹתָיו) (Bereshit 2). What is one? This is his female (מַהוּ אַחַת. דָּא נוּקְבָּא דִּילֵיהּ). As you say: One is my dove, my perfect one (כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר, אַחַת הִיא יוֹנָתִי תַמָּתִי) (Song of Songs 6). And He brought her to the man—He prepared her as a bride and brought her to be before him, shining, face to face (וַיְבִיאֶהָ אֶל הָאָדָם, אַתְקִין לָהּ כְּכַלָּה וְאַיְיתֵי לָהּ לְמֶהֱוִי לָקֳבֵיל אַנְפּוֹי, נְהִירִין אַנְפִּין בְּאַנְפִּין). And while the female was joined at his side, then the man was alone (וּבְעוֹד דְּהֲוָה מִתְדַּבְּקָא נוּקְבָּא בְּסִטְרוֹי, הֲוָה הָאָדָם לְבַדּוֹ). Afterwards, the two rose, and seven stood as one (לְבָתַר, סְלִיקוּ תְּרֵין, וְקָמוּ שֶׁבַע כַּחֲדָא).

Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי): At the time when she was joined—Some say: when she was established—to Adam (בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְּאִתְכְּנָשׁ – ס״א דְּאִתְתַּקְּנַת – לְגַבֵּי אָדָם), Kudsha Berikh Hu blessed them (קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא בְּרִיךְ לוֹן). This is what is written: And Elohim blessed them (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב, וַיְבָרֶךְ אוֹתָם אֱלֹהִים) (Bereshit 1). Like a cantor who blesses the bride with seven blessings (כְּחַזָּן דִּמְבָרֵךְ לְכַלָּה בְּשֶׁבַע בְּרָכוֹת). From here we learn: bridegroom and bride—once they are blessed with seven blessings, they cleave together as one, after the likeness above (מִכָּאן אוֹלִיפְנָא, חָתָן וְכַלָּה, כֵּיוָן דְּאִתְבָּרְכָן בְּשֶׁבַע בְּרָכוֹת, אִתְדַּבְּקָן כַּחֲדָא, כְּדוּגְמָא דִּלְעֵילָּא). And because of this, whoever comes to be joined with another woman, he blemishes the Zivug (וְעַל דָּא מַאן דְּאָתֵי לְאִתְחַבְּרָא בְּאִנְתּוּ דְּאָחֳרָא, הָא פָּגִים זִוּוּגָא), as if he makes, so to speak, two authorities above (כְּבִיָּכוֹל עֲבִיד ב׳ רְשׁוּיוֹת לְעֵילָּא). For the Zivug of Knesset Yisrael is only with Kudsha Berikh Hu, at the time when He is in mercy, and at the time when He is in judgment (דְּהָא זִוּוּגָא דְּכְּנֶסֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל, בֵּיהּ בְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא בִּלְחוֹדוֹי, בְּזִמְנָא דְּאִיהוּ בְּרַחֲמֵי, וּבְזִמְנָא דְּאִיהוּ בְּדִינָא).

Come and see, whoever joins with another woman, it is as though he lies against Kudsha Berikh Hu and against Knesset Yisrael (תָּא חֲזֵי, מַאן דְּמִתְחַבָּר בְּאִנְתּוּ דְּאָחֳרָא, כְּאִילּוּ מְשַׁקֵּר בֵּיהּ בְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא וּבִּכְּנֶסֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל). And because of this, Kudsha Berikh Hu does not atone for him through repentance, and repentance is suspended until he departs from the world (וְעַל דָּא קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לָא מְכַפֵּר לֵיהּ בִּתְשׁוּבָה, וּתְשׁוּבָה תַּלְיָא עַד דְּיִסְתָּלַק מֵעָלְמָא). This is what is written: Surely this iniquity shall not be atoned for you until you die (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב: אִם יְכוּפַּר הֶעָוֹן הַזֶּה לָכֶם עַד תְּמוּתוּן) (Isaiah 22). And when? At the time when he enters repentance in that world, and he has to receive punishment (וְאֵימָתַי, בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְּעָאל בִּתְשׁוּבָה לְהַהוּא עָלְמָא, וְאִית לֵיהּ לְקַבְּלָא עוֹנְשָׁא).

Rabbi El'azar said (רִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר אָמַר): Whoever lies against Knesset Yisrael will not be received in repentance until he is judged in the judgment of Gehinnom (מַאן דִּמְשַׁקֵּר בִּכְּנֶסֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל, לָא יִתְקָבַּל בִּתְשׁוּבָה, עַד דְּיִתְדָּן בְּדִינָא דְּגֵיהִנָּם). How much more so one who lies against Knesset Yisrael and against Kudsha Berikh Hu (כָּל שֶׁכֵּן, מַאן דִּמְשַׁקֵּר בִּכְּנֶסֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל וּבְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא). And how much more so if he burdens Kudsha Berikh Hu to fashion the form of a mamzer with another woman, thereby disgracing the King’s countenance (וְכָּל שֶׁכֵּן אִי אַטְרַח לֵיהּ לְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לְמֶעְבַּד דִּיּוּקְנָא דְּמַמְזֵר בְּאִנְתּוּ דְּאָחֳרָא, וְאַכְחִישׁ פּוּמְבִּי דְּמַלְכָּא).

Rabbi Ḥiyya opened and said (רִבִּי חִיָּיא פָּתַח וְאָמַר): He who robs his father and his mother, etc. (גּוֹזֵל אָבִיו וְאִמּוֹ וְגוֹ') (Proverbs 28). His father—this is Kudsha Berikh Hu (אָבִיו, דָּא קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא). His mother—this is Knesset Yisrael (אִמּוֹ, דָּא כְּנֶסֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל). What is robs? As you say: The spoil of the poor is in your houses (מַאי גּוֹזֵל. כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר: גְּזֵלַת הֶעָנִי בְּבָתֵּיכֶם) (Isaiah 3). And who is he? One who covets another woman who is not his mate (וּמַאן אִיהוּ, מַאן דְּחָמִיד אִתְּתָא אָחֳרָא דְּלָאו אִיהִי בַּת זוּגֵיהּ).