Daf 50a (דַּף נ׳ ע״א)

And because of this, evil afflictions rest upon the sons of man (וְעַל דָּא שַׁרְיָין מַכְתְּשִׁין בִּישִׁין בִּבְנֵי נָשָׁא), and they are testified upon in their faces, by their insolence, to show that Kudsha Berikh Hu despises them and His Da‘at is not upon them (וְאַסְהִידוּ בְּאַנְפַּיְיהוּ בַּחֲצִיפוּתָא דִּלְהוֹן, לְאַחֲזָאָה דְּהָא קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא מָאִיס בְּהוּ, וְלָאו דַּעְתֵּיהּ בְּהוֹן), until they merit and prepare their deeds as before, and they are blessed — some say: and purified (עַד דְּאִינּוּן זַכָּאן וּמַכְשְׁרָאן עוֹבָדַיְיהוּ כְּמִלְּקַדְּמִין, וּמִתְבָּרְכָן [ס״א: וּמִתְדַּכְּאן]). And because of this the afflictions are made known to the Kohen (וְעַל דָּא אִשְׁתְּמוֹדְעָן מַכְתְּשִׁין לְגַבֵּי כַּהֲנָא): those that come from the side of defilement and those that come from another side (אִינּוּן דְּאַתְיָין מִסִּטְרָא דִּמְסָאֲבָא, וְאִינּוּן דְּאַתְיָין מִסִּטְרָא אָחֳרָא).

In this manner it is written: “When you come into the land of Canaan… and I put the plague of leprosy in a house of the land of your possession” (Leviticus 14) (כְּגַוְונָא דָּא כְּתִיב, כִּי תָבֹאוּ אֶל אֶרֶץ כְּנַעַן וְגוֹ׳, וְנָתַתִּי נֶגַע צָרַעַת בְּבֵית אֶרֶץ אֲחוּזַּתְכֶם). And is this good news, that it be found in those who merited to enter the land? (וְכִי אֲגָר טַב הוּא, דְּיִשְׁתְּכַח בְּאִינּוּן דְּזַכָּאן לְמֵיעָל בְּאַרְעָא). Rather, it has already been established, to discover the treasures hidden in their houses, and to benefit Yisrael (אֶלָּא הָא אוּקְמוּהָ, לְאַשְׁכְּחָא מַטְמוֹנִין דְּאַטְמְרָן בְּבֵיתַיְיהוּ, וּלְאַהֲנָאָה לוֹן לְיִשְׂרָאֵל). But come and see (אֲבָל תָּא חֲזֵי): Blessed are Yisrael, who cleave to Kudsha Berikh Hu (זַכָּאִין אִינּוּן יִשְׂרָאֵל, דְּאִינּוּן מִתְדַּבְּקָן בֵּיהּ בְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא), and Kudsha Berikh Hu loves them (וְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא רָחִים לְהוּ), as it is written: “I have loved you, says Hashem” (Malachi 1) (דִּכְתִיב אָהַבְתִּי אֶתְכֶם אָמַר יְיָ׳). And from His love, He brought them into the Holy Land, to cause His Shekhinah to dwell among them and to make His habitation with them, and that Yisrael be found holy above all the peoples of the world (וּמִגּוֹ רְחִימוּתָא דִּילֵיהּ, אָעִיל לְהוּ לְאַרְעָא קַדִּישָׁא, לְאַשְׁרָאָה שְׁכִינְתֵּיהּ בֵּינַיְיהוּ, וּלְמֶהֱוִי דִּיּוּרֵיהּ עִמְּהוֹן, וְיִשְׂרָאֵל דְּיִשְׁתַּכְּחוּן קַדִּישִׁין עַל כָּל בְּנֵי עָלְמָא).

Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי): It is written, “And all the women whose hearts lifted them up…” (Exodus 35) (כְּתִיב וְכָל הַנָּשִׁים אֲשֶׁר נָשָׂא לִבָּן וְגוֹ׳). At the time that they were making the work, they would say: “This is for the Mikdash, this is for the Mishkan, this is for the veil” (בְּשַׁעֲתָא דַּהֲווֹ עַבְדִּין עֲבִידְתָּא, הֲווֹ אַמְרֵי, דָּא לְמַקְדְּשָׁא, דָּא לְמַשְׁכְּנָא, דָּא לְפָרוֹכְתָּא). And likewise all the craftsmen, in order that holiness dwell upon their hands, and that that work be sanctified (וְכֵן כָּל אִינּוּן אוּמְנִין, בְּגִין דְּיִשְׁרֵי קְדוּשָּׁה עַל יְדַיְיהוּ, וְאִתְקַדַּשׁ הַהוּא עֲבִידְתָּא). And when it ascended to its place, it ascended in holiness (וְכַד סָלִיק לְאַתְרֵיהּ, בִּקְדוּשָּׁה סָלִיק).

In this manner, one who makes a work for idolatry or for the Sitra achra that is not holy (כְּגַוְונָא דָּא מַאן דְּעָבִיד עֲבִידְתָּא לְעֲבוֹדָה זָרָה, אוֹ לְסִטְרָא אָחֳרָא, דְּלָא קַדִּישָׁא), once it is mentioned upon that work, behold a defiled spirit rests upon him (כֵּיוָן דְּאִדְכַּר לֵיהּ עַל הַהוּא עֲבִידְתָּא, הָא רוּחַ מִסְאֲבָא שַׁרְיָא עֲלוֹי). And when that work ascends, it ascends in defilement (וְכַד סָלִיק עֲבִידְתָּא, בִּמְסָאֲבָא סָלִיק). The Canaanites, they served idolatry (כְּנַעֲנִיִם פַּלְחֵי לְעֲבוֹדָה זָרָה אִינְהוּ), and they all cleaved as one in the defiled spirit of idolatry (וּמִתְדַּבְּקָן כֻּלְּהוּ כַּחֲדָא בְּרוּחַ מִסְאֲבָא בְּעֲבוֹדָה זָרָה). And they were a building, a structure for their forms — some say: for their defilements (וַהֲווּ בִּנְיָין בָּנִין לְפַרְצוּפַיְיהוּ [ס״א: לְטֻנּוּפַיְיהוּ]) — and for their abominations to the defiled side of idolatry (וּלְגִעוּלַיְיהוּ לִסְטַר מִסְאֲבָא לְעֲבוֹדָה זָרָה). And when they began to build, they would say a word, and once it was mentioned in their mouths, the defiled spirit ascended upon it (וְכַד שָׁרָאן לְמִבְנֵי, הֲווֹ אַמְרֵי מִלָּה, וְכֵיוָן דְּאִתְדְּכָר בְּפוּמַיְיהוּ, סָלִיק עָלֵיהּ רוּחַ מִסְאֲבָא). And when that work was completed, it was completed in defiled spirit (כַּד אִסְתָּלִיק עֲבִידְתָּא, בְּרוּחַ מִסְאֲבָא אִסְתָּלִיק).

Once Yisrael entered the Land (כֵּיוָן דְּעָאלוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל לְאַרְעָא), Kudsha Berikh Hu desired to purify them and sanctify the Land for them (בָּעָא קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לְדַכְּאָה לוֹן, וּלְקַדְּשָׁא לוֹן אַרְעָא), and to clear the place for the Shekhinah, that the Shekhinah not dwell in defilement (וּלְאַפְנָאָה אֲתַר לִשְׁכִינְתָּא, דְּלָא תִּשְׁרֵי שְׁכִינְתָּא גּוֹ מִסְאֲבָא). And because of this, in that plague of tzara‘at they would tear down the buildings of wood and stone that were made in defilement (וְעַל דָּא בְּהַהוּא נֶגַע צָרַעַת, הֲווֹ סָתְרִין בִּנְיָינִין דְּאָעִין וַאֲבָנִין דְּאִתְעָבֵידוּ בִּמְסָאֲבוּ).

Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי): If this act were only to discover hidden treasures, then they would replace the stones back to their place as before, and the dust to its place (אִי עוֹבָדָא דָּא הֲוָה לְאַשְׁכְּחָא מַטְמוֹנִין בִּלְחוֹדוֹי, יְהַדְרוּן אֲבָנִין לְבָתַר כְּמָה דְּאִינּוּן לְאַתְרַיְיהוּ, וְעַפְרָא לְאַתְרֵיהּ). But the verse is written: “And they shall take out the stones” (Leviticus 14) (אֲבָל קְרָא כְּתִיב, וְחִלְּצוּ אֶת הָאֲבָנִים). And it is written: “And they shall take other dust” (Leviticus 14) (וּכְתִיב וְעָפָר אַחֵר יִקַּח). So that the defiled spirit be removed, and the place be emptied and sanctified now as before (בְּגִין דְּיִתְעַבָּר רוּחַ מִסְאֲבָא, וְיִתְפְּנֵי וְיִתְקַדַּשׁ הַשְׁתָּא כְּמִלְּקַדְּמִין). And Yisrael be found in holiness and in a holy dwelling, for the Shekhinta to dwell among them (וְיִשְׁתְּכָחוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל בִּקְדוּשָּׁה, וּבְדִיּוּרָא קַדִּישָׁא, לְמִשְׁרֵי בֵּינַיְיהוּ שְׁכִינְתָּא). And because of this, one who builds a building, when he begins to build, he must mention with his mouth: “Behold, for the service of Kudsha Berikh Hu I build” (וְעַל דָּא מַאן דְּבָנֵי בִּנְיָן, כַּד שָׁארֵי לְמִבְנֵי, בָּעֵי לְאַדְכְּרָא בְּפוּמֵיהּ, דְּהָא לְפוּלְחָנָא דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא הוּא בָּנֵי). Because it is written: “Woe to him who builds his house without righteousness…” (Jeremiah 22) (בְּגִין דִּכְתִיב הוֹי בּוֹנֶה בֵיתוֹ בְּלֹא צֶדֶק וְגוֹ׳). Then assistance from Heaven rests upon him (וּכְדֵין סִיַּיעְתָּא דִּשְׁמַיָּא שָׁארֵי עֲלוֹי), and Kudsha Berikh Hu appoints holiness upon him (וְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא זַמִּין עָלֵיהּ קְדוּשָּׁתָא), and calls upon him “Peace,” as it is written: “And you shall know that your tent is in peace…” (Job 5) (וְקָארִי עָלֵיהּ שָׁלוֹם, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב וְיָדַעְתָּ כִּי שָׁלוֹם אָהֳלֶךָ וְגוֹ׳). What is “And you shall visit your habitation” (Job 5) (מַהוּ וּפָקַדְתָּ נָוְךָ)? Behold, it has been established (הָא אוּקְמוּהָ). But “you shall visit” means to appoint a word with the mouth when he builds (אֲבָל וּפָקַדְתָּ, לְאַפְקְדָא מִלָּה בְּפוּמָא כַּד אִיהוּ בָּנֵי). Then it is written: “And you shall not sin” (Job 5) (וּכְדֵין וְלֹא תֶחֱטָא כְּתִיב). And if not, the Other Side is prepared for his house (וְאִי לָאו, הָא זַמִּין לְבֵיתֵיהּ סִטְרָא אָחֳרָא).

All the more so, one who builds and his will is in another manner, since he designates the house for the Sitra achra, for defilement to be in it (כָּל שֶׁכֵּן, מַאן דְּבָנֵי וּרְעוּתֵיהּ בְּגַוְונָא אָחֳרָא, בְּגִין דִּמְיַחֵד בֵּיתָא לְסִטְרָא אָחֳרָא, לְאִסְתַּאֲבָא בֵּיהּ). Surely a defiled spirit rests in it (הָא וַדַּאי שַׁרְיָא בֵּיהּ רוּחַ מִסְאֲבָא), and that man does not depart from the world until he is punished in that house (וְלָא נָפִיק הַהוּא בַּר נָשׁ מֵעָלְמָא, עַד דְּאִתְעֲנָשׁ בְּהַהוּא בֵּיתָא). And whoever dwells in it may be harmed (וּמַאן דְּדָיִיר בֵּיהּ, יָכִיל לְאַתְזְקָא), for behold in that dwelling a defiled spirit rests, and harms whoever is found in it (דְּהָא הַהוּא דִּירָה רוּחַ מִסְאֲבָא שַׁרְיָא בֵּיהּ, וְאָזִיק מַאן דְּאִשְׁתְּכַח בֵּיהּ). And if you should say, by what is it known? (וְאִי תֵּימָא, בְּמַה יְדִיעַ). Such as when he is harmed in that house, either the one who built it, or the members of his household, or by afflictions of the body, or by afflictions of property — he and two others after him (כְּגוֹן דְּאִתְּזַק בְּהַהוּא בֵּיתָא, הַהוּא דְּבָנֵי לָהּ, אוֹ אַנְשֵׁי בֵּיתֵיהּ, אוֹ בְּנִזְקֵי דְּגוּפָא, אוֹ בְּנִזְקֵי מָמוֹנָא, הוּא וּתְרֵין אָחֳרָנִין אֲבַתְרֵיהּ). Surely then a man should flee to the mountain and not dwell in it (הָא וַדַּאי יַעֲרוֹק בַּר נָשׁ לְטוּרָא, וְלָא יָדוּר בֵּיהּ). Better to dwell in a mound of dust and not dwell in it (יָדוּר בְּטִיחֲלָא דְּעַפְרָא, וְלָא יָדוּר בֵּיהּ).