Daf 47b (דַּף מ״ז ע״ב)

Rabbi Ḥiyya said, Rabbi Yitzḥak said (אָמַר רִבִּי חִיָּיא אָמַר רִבִּי יִצְחָק): The will above is not found below (בִּרְעוּתָא דְּכֹלָּא לָא אִשְׁתְּכַח לְתַתָּא), except because it is found above (אֶלָּא בְּגִין דְּאִשְׁתְּכַח לְעֵילָּא). And above it is not found (וּלְעֵילָּא לָא אִשְׁתְּכַח), except when it is found below in the sins of the world (אֶלָּא כַּד אִשְׁתְּכַח לְתַתָּא בְּחוֹבֵי עָלְמָא). For we have learned that all depends one upon the other, and one upon the other (דְּיַלְפֵינָן דְּכֹלָּא תַּלְיָיא הַאי בְּהַאי, וְהַאי בְּהַאי). “And a man, when the hair of his head is fallen…” (Leviticus 13) (וְאִישׁ כִּי יִמָּרֵט רֹאשׁוֹ וְגוֹ׳).

Rabbi Ḥiyya opened and said (רִבִּי חִיָּיא פָּתַח וְאָמַר): “And I saw that wisdom excels folly…” (Ecclesiastes 2) (וְרָאִיתִי אָנִי שֶׁיֵּשׁ יִתְרוֹן לַחָכְמָה מִן הַסִּכְלוּת וְגוֹ׳). In many places we have examined the words of King Shlomo (בְּכַמָּה אֲתַר אִסְתַּכַּלְנָא בְּמִלּוֹי דִּשְׁלֹמֹה מַלְכָּא), and we beheld his abundant wisdom (וְאָשְׁגַּחְנָא בְּחָכְמְתָא סַגִּיאָה דִּילֵיהּ), and his words concealed within, within the Holy Palace (וְאַסְתִּים מִלּוֹי בְּגוֹ, לְגוֹ הֵיכָלָא קַדִּישָׁא). This verse must be examined (הַאי קְרָא אִית לְאִסְתַּכְּלָא בֵּיהּ): Why did he say, “And I saw I myself”? (אֲמַאי אָמַר: וְרָאִיתִי אָנִי). Do not the rest of the people of the world know and see this? (וְכִי שְׁאָר בְּנֵי עָלְמָא לָא יַדְעֵי וְלָא חָמָאן דָּא).

Even one who has not known wisdom all his days, and has not considered it (אֲפִילּוּ מַאן דְּלָא יָדַע חָכְמְתָא מִן יוֹמוֹי וְלָא אַשְׁגַּח בָּהּ), knows this: that there is advantage to wisdom over folly, as the advantage of light over darkness (יָדַע הַאי שֶׁיֵּשׁ יִתְרוֹן לַחָכְמָה מִן הַסִּכְלוּת כִּיתְרוֹן הָאוֹר מִן הַחֹשֶׁךְ). And yet he praised himself and said, “I saw, I myself” (וְהוּא שָׁבַּח גַּרְמֵיהּ וְאָמַר: רָאִיתִי אָנִי). Rather, thus it was taught (אֶלָּא הָכִי תָּאנָא): Who is wise like Shlomo, who in seven grades of wisdom was called in the likeness of above? (מַאן חַכִּים כִּשְׁלֹמֹה דִּבְשִׁבְעָה דַּרְגִּין דְּחָכְמָה אִתְקְרֵי כְּגַוְונָא דִּלְעֵילָּא).

Six days above, and the seventh is supernal over them (שִׁיתָא יוֹמִין לְעֵילָּא, שְׁבִיעָאָה עִלָּאָה עָלַיְיהוּ). Six days below, and the seventh over them (שִׁיתָא יוֹמִין לְתַתָּא, שְׁבִיעָאָה עָלַיְיהוּ). Six grades to the Throne (שִׁיתָא דַּרְגִּין לְכוּרְסְיָיא), and He is upon the Throne (הוּא עַל כּוּרְסְיָיא), as it is written: “And Shlomo sat on the throne of Hashem as king” (I Chronicles 29) (דִּכְתִיב: וַיֵּשֶׁב שְׁלֹמֹה עַל כִּסֵּא יְיָ לְמֶלֶךְ). Seven crowns of days above (שִׁבְעָה כִּתְרִין דְּיוֹמִין לְעֵילָּא), and opposite them seven names for Shlomo (וּכְדֵין לָקֳבְלֵיהוֹן שִׁבְעָה שְׁמָהָן לִשְׁלֹמֹה), to be revealed in him the holy wisdom (לְאִתְחֲזָאָה בֵּיהּ חָכְמְתָא קַדִּישָׁא).

And because of this he was called by seven names (וּבְגִין כָּךְ אִתְקְרֵי שֶׁבַע שְׁמָהָן): Shlomo (שְׁלֹמֹה), Yedidyah (יְדִידְיָה), Agur (אָגוּר), Ben Yakeh (בֶּן יָקֶה), Lemuel (לְמוּאֵל), Ithiel (אִיתִיאֵל), Kohelet (קֹהֶלֶת). And he said seven vanities (וְאָמַר שִׁבְעָה הֲבָלִים). And what he saw no other man saw (וּמַה דְּאִיהוּ חָמָא לָא חָמָא בַּר נָשׁ אָחֳרָא). And when he gathered wisdom and ascended in the grades of wisdom (וְכַד כָּנַשׁ חָכְמְתָא וְאִסְתַּלָּק בְּדַרְגִּין דְּחָכְמְתָא), he was called Kohelet (אִקְרֵי קֹהֶלֶת). And seven vanities he said (וְשִׁבְעָה הֲבָלִין אָמַר), corresponding to the seven crowns above (לָקֳבֵיל ז' כִּתְרִין דִּלְעֵילָּא). And every breath became a sound from it (וְכָל הֶבֶל קָלָא אִתְעָבִיד מִנֵּיהּ), and the world does not endure except by breath (וְעָלְמָא לָא מִתְקַיְּימָא אֶלָּא בַּהֶבֶל). And it was taught in the name of Rabbi Shim‘on (וְתָאנָא מִשְּׁמֵיהּ דְּרַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן): Breath brings forth sound by the spirit and the water within it (הֶבֶל אַפִּיק קָלָא בְּרוּחָא וּמַיָא דְּבֵיהּ), and there is no sound except through breath (וְלֵית קָלָא אֶלָּא בַּהֶבֶל). And it was taught: By seven breaths the supernal and the lower are sustained (וְתָאנָא בְּשִׁבְעָה הֲבָלִין אִתְקַיְּימִין עִלָּאִין וְתַתָּאִין). And Rabbi Yitzḥak taught (וְתָאנֵי רִבִּי יִצְחָק):

Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי), that by breath the world is sustained (דְּעַל הֶבֶל מִתְקַיֵּים עָלְמָא). For if not for the breath that goes forth from the mouth (דְּאִלְמָלֵא לָא הֲוָה הֲבָל דְּנָפִיק מִפּוּמָא), a man would not endure even for one hour (לָא אִתְקַיָּים בַּר נָשׁ אֲפִילּוּ שַׁעֲתָא חֲדָא). In this manner Shlomo spoke his words (כְּגַוְונָא דָּא אָמַר שְׁלֹמֹה מִלּוֹי), that the world is sustained by them (דְּעָלְמָא מִתְקַיְּימָא בְּהוּ). For this breath, by which the world is sustained (דְּהַאי הֶבֶל דְּמִתְקַיֵים בֵּיהּ עָלְמָא), comes from the breaths above (וְהַאי הֶבֶל דְּמִתְקַיֵים בֵּיהּ עָלְמָא, מֵהֲבָלִים דִּלְעֵילָּא קָאֲתֵי).

This is what is written: “Vanity of vanities” (Ecclesiastes 1) (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב הֲבֵל הֲבָלִים), a vanity from the vanities above (הֲבֵל מֵהֲבָלִים דִּלְעֵילָּא). And so it is with all the words (וְכָל מִלּוֹי הָכִי הֲווֹ). And concerning the breaths above it is written: “For by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of Hashem shall man live” (Deuteronomy 8) (וּבַהֲבָלִים דִּלְעֵילָּא כְּתִיב כִּי עַל כָּל מוֹצָא פִי יְיָ יִחְיֶה הָאָדָם). What is “the word that proceeds out of the mouth of Hashem”? (מַאי מוֹצָא פִי יְיָ). These are the breaths above (דָּא הֲבָלִים דִּלְעֵילָּא). And it was taught (וְתַנְיָא): “And I saw that wisdom excels folly” (Ecclesiastes 2) (וְרָאִיתִי אָנִי שֶׁיֵּשׁ יִתְרוֹן לַחָכְמָה מִן הַסִּכְלוּת). From folly itself comes benefit to wisdom (מִן הַסִּכְלוּת מַמָּשׁ, אָתֵי תּוֹעַלְתָּא לְחָכְמְתָא). For if there were no folly in the world (דְּאִלְמָלֵא לָא אִשְׁתְּכַח שְׁטוּתָא בְּעָלְמָא), wisdom and words would not be recognized (לָא אִשְׁתְּמוֹדְעָא חָכְמְתָא וּמִלּוֹי). And it was taught: It is an obligation upon a man who learns wisdom (וְתָאנָא חִיּוּבָא הוּא עַל בַּר נָשׁ דְּאוֹלִיף חָכְמְתָא), to learn a little from folly and to know it (לְמֵילַף זְעֵיר מִן שְׁטוּתָא וּלְמִנְדַּע לָהּ).

For thereby benefit comes to wisdom through it (בְּגִין דְּאָתֵי תּוֹעַלְתָּא לְחָכְמְתָא בְּגִינֵיהּ). Just as benefit comes to light from darkness (כְּמָה דְּאַתְיָא תּוֹעַלְתָּא לִנְהוֹרָא מֵחֲשׁוֹכָא). For if there were no darkness, light would not be recognized (דְּאִלְמָלֵא חֲשׁוֹכָא לָא אִשְׁתְּמוֹדַע נְהוֹרָא). And no benefit is shown to the world through it (וְלָא אַתְיָיא תּוֹעַלְתָּא לְעָלְמָא מִנֵּיהּ). Some say: And no benefit is seen (נ״א: אִתְחֲזִיא).

It was taught: “That there is an advantage to wisdom” (תָּנָא שֶׁיֵּשׁ יִתְרוֹן לַחָכְמָה) — to wisdom plain (לַחָכְמָה סְתָם). Rabbi Shim‘on said to Rabbi Abba (דְּאָמַר רִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן לְרִבִּי אַבָּא): Come and see the secret of the matter (תָּא חֲזֵי רָזָא דְּמִלָּה) — supernal wisdom does not shine, and is not illuminated (לָא נָהִיר חָכְמְתָא דִּלְעֵילָּא וְלָא אִתְנְהִיר), except because folly is aroused from another place (אֶלָּא בְּגִין שְׁטוּתָא דְּאִתְּעַר מֵאֲתַר אָחֳרָא).

And were it not for this, greater radiance and abundance would not be (וְאִלְמָלֵא הַאי, נְהִירוּ וּרְבוּ סַגִיא וְיַתִּיר לָא הֲוָה), and the benefit of wisdom would not be seen (וְלָא אִתְחַזְיָא תּוֹעַלְתָּא דְּחָכְמְתָא). And because of folly, it is illuminated more, and they shine to it more (וּבְגִין שְׁטוּתָא אִתְנְהִיר יַתִּיר, וּנְהִירִין לֵיהּ יַתִּיר). This is what is written: “That there is an advantage to wisdom, to wisdom plain, over folly plain” (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב שֶׁיֵּשׁ יִתְרוֹן לַחָכְמָה, לַחָכְמָה סְתָם, מִן הַסִּכְלוּת סְתָם). And so too below: If there were no folly found in the world (וְכַךְ לְתַתָּא, אִלְמָלֵא לָא הֲוָה שְׁטוּתָא שְׁכִיחַ בְּעָלְמָא), wisdom would not be found in the world (לָא הֲוִי חָכְמְתָא שְׁכִיחַ בְּעָלְמָא).

And this is what Rav Hamnuna Sava said (וְהַיְינוּ דְּרַב הַמְנוּנָא סָבָא): When the companions were learning from him the secrets of wisdom (כַּד הֲווֹ יַלְפִין מִנֵּיהּ חַבְרַיָּיא רָזֵי דְּחָכְמְתָא), he would arrange before them a section of words of folly (הֲוָה מְסַדֵּר קָמַיְיהוּ פִּרְקָא דְּמִלֵּי דִּשְׁטוּתָא), in order that benefit would come to wisdom through it (בְּגִין דְּיֵיתֵי תּוֹעַלְתָּא לְחָכְמְתָא בְּגִינֵיהּ). This is what is written: “Folly is weightier than wisdom and honor, a little” (Ecclesiastes 10) (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב יָקָר מֵחָכְמָה וּמִכָּבוֹד סִכְלוּת מְעַט). Because it is the rectification of wisdom, and the honor of wisdom (מִשּׁוּם דְּהִיא תִּקּוּנָא דְּחָכְמְתָא, וִיקָרָא דְּחָכְמְתָא). And regarding this it is written: “And my heart was conducting itself with wisdom, and to grasp folly” (Ecclesiastes 2) (וְעַל דָּא כְּתִיב וְלִבִּי נוֹהֵג בַּחָכְמָה וְלֶאֱחוֹז בְּסִכְלוּת).

Rabbi Yosei said (רִבִּי יוֹסֵי אָמַר): “Weightier than wisdom and than honor” (יָקָר מֵחָכְמָה וּמִכָּבוֹד) — meaning, the glory of wisdom and its beauty, and the glory of supernal honor (כְּלוֹמַר יְקָרָא דְּחָכְמְתָא וְנוֹי דִּילָהּ, וִיקָרָא דְּכָבוֹד דִּלְעֵילָּא). What is this? (מַאי הִיא). “A little folly” (סִכְלוּת מְעַט). A little folly reveals and discloses the glory of wisdom and the honor above (זְעֵיר דִּשְׁטוּתָא אַחְזֵי וְגַלֵּי יְקָרָא דְּחָכְמְתָא וְכָבוֹד דִּלְעֵילָּא), more than all the other ways of the world (יַתִּיר מִכָּל אָרְחִין דְּעָלְמָא).