Daf 50b (דַּף נ׳ ע״ב)

And because of this, Kudsha Berikh Hu had pity upon Yisrael (וּבְגִין כַּךְ, קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא חָס עָלַיְיהוּ דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל), for they do not know the matter regarding all those houses (דְּאִינּוּן לָא יַדְעִין מִלָּה בְּכָל אִינּוּן בָּתֵי). And He said: “You do not know — I know, and I shall mark them with a plague” (וְהוּא אָמַר, אַתּוּן לָא יַדְעִין, אֲנָא יְדַעְנָא, וְאַרְשִׁימְנָא לוֹן בְּנֶגַע). A plague that dwells in the house — behold another harsh plague (נֶגַע דָּיִיר בְּבֵיתָא, הָא נֶגַע אָחֳרָא תַּקִּיפָא), He shall bring upon him and remove him from the world (דְּיָפִּיק לֵיהּ, וְיַעֲבַּר לֵיהּ מִן עָלְמָא). And then: “He shall tear down the house, its stones and its timber” (Leviticus 14) (וּכְדֵין וְנָתַץ אֶת הַבַּיִת אֶת אֲבָנָיו וְאֶת עֵצָיו).

Once he has departed, why is it written: “And he shall tear down the house”? (כֵּיוָן דְּאָזִיל לֵיהּ, מַאי טַעֲמָא וְנָתַץ אֶת הַבַּיִת). Rather, so long as that building remains, it is his, and it can return (אֶלָּא בְּכָל זִמְנָא דְּהַהוּא בִּנְיָן לִהֱוִי קַיָּים, דִּילֵיהּ הוּא, וְיָכִיל לְאָהַדְּרָא). This is in the Holy Land — all the more so in another land, where a defiled spirit is more prepared, and a man can be harmed (הַאי בְּאַרְעָא קַדִּישָׁא, כָּל שֶׁכֵּן בְּאַרְעָא אָחֳרָא, דִּזְמִינָא רוּחַ מִסְאֲבָא יַתִּיר, וְיָכִיל בַּר נָשׁ לְאִתְזְקָא).

Rabbi El'azar said (אָמַר רִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר): All the more so if it is called by the shells of other companions, that it may be found there (וְכָּל שֶׁכֵּן דְּאִקְרֵי בִּקְלִפּוֹי דְּחַבְרוֹי אָחֳרָנִין, לְאִשְׁתַּכְּחָא תַּמָּן), and not even coverings of silver will remove it from that house (וַאֲפִילּוּ טוּרְפֵי דְּקַסְפְּתָא לָא מַעְבְּרָן לֵיהּ מֵהַהוּא בֵּיתָא). And because of this, this verse proclaims and says: “Woe to him who builds his house without righteousness” (Jeremiah 22) (וּבְגִין כָּךְ הַאי קְרָא אַכְרִיז וְאָמַר הוֹי בּוֹנֶה בֵיתוֹ בְּלֹא צֶדֶק). Surely “woe,” it is said every day upon that house (הוֹי וַדַּאי קָאַמְרֵי כָּל יוֹמָא בְּהַהוּא בֵּיתָא).

Rabbi Yosei entered one day into a certain house (רִבִּי יוֹסֵי עָאל חַד יוֹמָא בְּחַד בֵּיתָא). When he reached the threshold — some say: when he wearied himself at the step (מָטָא בַּסִּפְתָא [ס״א: אַטְרַח בְּטִיפְסָא]) — he entered inside (עָאל לְגוֹ). He heard a voice that said (שָׁמַע חַד קָלָא דְּאָמַר): “Gather together, enter, behold one of our company. Surround him and harm him before he goes out” (אִתְכְּנָשׁוּ עוּלוּ, הָא חַד פְּלוּגְתָּא דִּילָן. סִיפְתוּ וְנָנְזִיק לֵיהּ עַד לָא יִנְפּוֹק). They said: “Let us not harm him, except if his dwelling is here” (אָמְרוּ, לָא נֵיכוּל אֶלָּא אִי דִּיּוּרֵיהּ הָכָא). Rabbi Yosei went out and was afraid (נָפַק רִבִּי יוֹסֵי וְדָחִיל). He said: Surely whoever transgresses the words of the companions is guilty with his soul (אָמַר, וַדַּאי מַאן דְּאַעְבָּר עַל מִלּוֹי דְּחַבְרַיָּיא, אִתְחַיָּיב בְּנַפְשֵׁיהּ).

Rabbi Ḥiyya said to him (אָמַר לֵיהּ רִבִּי חִיָיא): But behold the nations and the other sons of man who dwell in it, and they are complete (וְהָא גּוֹיִם וּשְׁאָר בְּנֵי נָשָׁא דַּיְּירֵי בְּגַוִּיהּ, וְאִשְׁתְּלִימוּ). He said to him (אָמַר לֵיהּ): They come from their own side (אִינּוּן מִסִּטְרַיְיהוּ קָא אַתְיָין), but one who fears sin can be harmed (אֲבָל מַאן דְּדָחִיל חַטָּאָה, יָכִיל לְאַתְזְקָא). And even they, if they delay their dwellings in it, they shall not leave in peace (וַאֲפִילּוּ אִינּוּן, אִי יְעַכְּבוּ דִּיּוּרֵיהוֹן בֵּיהּ, לָא יִפְקוּן בִּשְׁלָם).

He said to him (אָמַר לֵיהּ): But behold it is written: “Their houses are safe from fear” (Job 21) (וְהָא כְּתִיב בָּתֵּיהֶם שָׁלוֹם מִפָּחַד). He said to him (אָמַר לֵיהּ): Such as when it came afterwards, and was built with righteousness (כְּגוֹן דְּהֲוָה מֵאָחֳרָא, וְאִתְבְּנֵי מִצֶּדֶק). And the verse is thus (וְקְרָא הָכִי הוּא): “Their houses are safe from fear” (Job 21) (בָּתֵּיהֶם שָׁלוֹם מִפָּחַד) — when their houses are safe from fear, the rod of Eloah does not dwell upon them (כְּשֶׁבָּתֵּיהֶם שָׁלוֹם מִפָּחַד, שֵׁבֶט אֱלוֹהַּ לָא שַׁרְיָא עֲלֵיהֶם). “And the one to whom the house belongs shall come and tell…” (Leviticus 14) (וּבָא אֲשֶׁר לוֹ הַבַּיִת, וְהִגִּיד וְגוֹ׳). “And tell” — it should have said “and say,” or “and speak” (וְהִגִּיד, וַיֹּאמֶר מִבָּעֵי לֵיהּ, אוֹ וַיְדַבֵּר). What is “and tell”? (מַהוּ וְהִגִּיד). Rather, everywhere “and tell” is a word of wisdom, and this has been established (אֶלָּא בְּכָל אֲתַר מִלָּה דְּחָכְמְתָא הוּא, וְהָא אוּקְמוּהָ). “As a plague it seems to me in the house” (Leviticus 14) (כְּנֶגַע נִרְאָה לִי בַּבַּיִת). “As a plague” — it should have said “a plague” (כְּנֶגַע, נֶגַע מִבָּעֵי לֵיהּ). “Seems to me” — it should have said “there is to me” (נִרְאָה לִי, יֵשׁ לִי מִבָּעֵי לֵיהּ). For it is written: “And I shall put a plague of leprosy in a house of the land of your possession” (Leviticus 14) (דְּהָא כְּתִיב, וְנָתַתִּי נֶגַע צָרַעַת בְּבֵית אֶרֶץ אֲחֻזַתְכֶם) — that it is visible to all (דְּיִתְחֲזֵי לְכֹלָּא). Why then, “as a plague it seems to me”? (אֲמַאי כְּנֶגַע נִרְאָה לִי).

Rather, at the time that this enters, another is revealed, and one accuses this one against that one (אֶלָּא בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְּהַאי עַיִּיל, אָחֳרָא אִתְגַּלְיָא. וּמְקַטְרְגָא דָּא בְּדָא). And concerning this it says “seems to me” (וְעַל דָּא נִרְאָה לִי): that which was hidden is revealed, and that which is revealed is hidden (הַהוּא דְּאִתְכַּסֵּי אִתְגַּלְיָא, וּדְאִתְגַּלְיָא אִתְכַּסֵּי). And afterwards it is shown to him in the likeness of that plague of the house, and another is concealed (וּלְבָתַר מִתְחֲזֵי לֵיהּ בְּדִיּוּקְנָא דְּהַהוּא נֶגַע דְּבֵיתָא, וְאִתְכַּסְּיָא אָחֳרָא). And because of this it is written: “And he shall tell the Kohen” — for it is a word of wisdom (וְעַל דָּא וְהִגִּיד לַכֹּהֵן, דְּמִלָּה דְּחָכְמְתָא הִיא). And then the Kohen comes, and they demolish the house, and they tear down its stones and its wood and all of it (וּכְדֵין אָתֵי כַּהֲנָא, וְיִרְמוּן בֵּיתָא, וְיִנְתְּצוּן לֵיהּ אֲבָנִין וְאָעִין וְכֹלָּא). Once it has been torn down and all has been purified, they are blessed (כֵּיוָן דְּאִנְתְּצָן וְאִתְדָּכָן כֹּלָּא, מִתְבָּרְכָאן). Then it is written: “And good houses you shall build and dwell in them” (Deuteronomy 8) (כְּדֵין כְּתִיב וּבָתִּים טוֹבִים תִּבְנֶה וְיָשָׁבְתָּ). These are called “good” (אִלֵּין אִקְרוּן טוֹבִים), for the first ones were not good, nor included in holiness and purity (דְּהָא קַדְמָאֵי לָאו אִינּוּן טוֹבִים, וְלָאו בִּכְלָלָא דִּקְדוּשָּׁה וְדַכְיוּ נִינְהוּ).

Rabbi Yehudah said (אָמַר רִבִּי יְהוּדָה): If so, how do we establish the verse that is written: “And houses full of all good things which you did not fill” (Deuteronomy 6) (אִי הָכִי בְּמַאי מוּקְמֵינָן קְרָא דִּכְתִיב וּבָתִּים מְלֵאִים כָּל טוּב אֲשֶׁר לֹא מִלֵּאתָ). If a defiled spirit dwells within them, how are they “full of all good”? (אִי רוּחַ מִסְאֲבָא שַׁרְיָא בְּגַוַויְיהוּ, הֵיךְ מְלֵאִים כָּל טוּב). Rabbi El'azar said (אָמַר רִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר): “Full of all good” means with wealth, with silver, with gold, and with everything (מְלֵאִים כָּל טוּב, בְּמָמוֹנָא, בְּכַסְפָּא, וּבְדַהֲבָא, וּבְכֹלָּא). As you say: “For the best of all the land of Egypt is yours” (Bereshit 45) (כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר כִּי טוּב כָּל אֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם).

And Rabbi Yehuda said (וְאָמַר רִבִּי יְהוּדָה): But behold all the houses of Egypt were filled with sorceries and abominations (וְהָא כָּל בָּתֵּי דְּמִצְרָאֵי, מַלְּיָין חַרְשִׁין וְטַעֲוָון הֲווֹ). Rather, it was said because of the wealth of the land (אֶלָּא בְּגִין עוּתְרָא דְּאַרְעָא אִתְּמַר). So also here, it is said because of wealth and money (אוּף הָכָא, בְּגִין עוּתְרָא וּמָמוֹנָא הוּא) Two kinds of wealth Yisrael took (תְּרֵין עוּתְרִין נַטְלוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל): one when they went out from the exile of Egypt (חַד כַּד נָפְקוּ מִגָּלוּתָא דְּמִצְרַיִם), and one when they entered the Land (וְחַד כַּד עָאלוּ לְאַרְעָא).

Rabbi Shim‘on said (רִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן אָמַר): All this was certainly to sanctify the Land and to remove the defiled spirit from the Land and from Yisrael (כָּל דָּא וַדַּאי הֲוָה לְאִתְקַדְשָׁא אַרְעָא, וּלְאַעְבְּרָא רוּחַ מִסְאֲבָא מֵאַרְעָא, וּמִגּוֹ יִשְׂרָאֵל). And when a house was torn down, there would be found within it wealth, to rebuild it and to fill his house, so that he not be pained for the house, and that they dwell in a holy dwelling (וְכַד בֵּיתָא הֲוָה נָתִיץ, הֲוָה אִשְׁתְּכַח בָּהּ מָמוֹנָא, לְמִבְנֵי לֵיהּ, וּלְמַלְיָא בֵּיתֵיהּ, בְּגִין דְּלָא יִצְטָעֵר עַל בֵּיתָא, וְיִשְׁרוּן בְּדִיּוּרָא דִּקְדוּשָּׁה). “And if a man or woman shall have in the skin of their flesh bright spots…” (Leviticus 13) (וְאִישׁ אוֹ אִשָּׁה כִּי יִהְיֶה בְעוֹר בְּשָׂרָם בֶּהָרוֹת וְגוֹ׳).

Rabbi Yosei said (רִבִּי יוֹסֵי אָמַר): The foolishness of one who is surrounded with a strong bright spot — appearance is one sign, and by appearance he is judged, in those colors (כְּסִילְתָּא דְּמוֹקְפֵי בְּבַהֶרֶת עַזָּה, חֵיזוֹ תָּנֵינָא, וּבְחֵיזוֹ אִתְּדָּן, בְּאִינּוּן גַּוְונִין). Rabbi Yitzḥak said (אָמַר רִבִּי יִצְחָק): Three reasons — some say four — there are that are studied in a strong bright spot (ש׳ טַעְמֵי אִית מַאן דְּגָרִיס בְּבַהֶרֶת עַזָּה). And all we learned from Abba: bar Ḥizur (Ḥivor) one elder, one witness (וְכֻלְּהוּ אוֹלִיפְנָא מֵאַבָּא, בַּר חֵיזוּר [חִיוֹר], חַד סָאִיב, סָהֲדָא חַד). Two — two witnesses, and it is pure (תְּרֵין, תְּרֵי סַהֲדֵי, וְדָכֵי). From here and further, even if there are a hundred like two, and two like a hundred (מִכָּאן וּלְהָלְאָה, אֲפִילּוּ מֵאָה כִּתְרֵי, וּתְרֵי כְּמֵאָה). And this we learned afterwards, as it is written: “One witness shall not rise up against a man… by the mouth of two witnesses” (Deuteronomy 19) (וְדָא אוֹלִיפְנָא לְבָתַר, דִּכְתִיב לֹא יָקוּם עֵד אֶחָד בְּאִישׁ וְגוֹ׳, עַל פִּי שְׁנַיִם עֵדִים וְגוֹ׳).

Rabbi Ḥizkiyah was sitting before Rabbi Shim‘on (רִבִּי חִזְקִיָּה הֲוָה יָתִיב קַמֵּיהּ דְּרִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן). He said (אָמַר): It is written: “A white reddish plague” (Leviticus 13) (כְּתִיב נֶגַע לָבָן אֲדַמְדָּם). Then it is a plague, for white does not stand by itself (כְּדֵין הוּא נֶגַע, דְּהָא חִוָּורָא לָא קָאִים בְּעֵינֵיהּ).

Rabbi Shim‘on opened and said (פָּתַח רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן וְאָמַר): It is written: “Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow” (Isaiah 1) (כְּתִיב אִם יִהְיוּ חֲטָאֵיכֶם כַּשָּׁנִים וְגוֹ׳). Blessed are Yisrael, that Kudsha Berikh Hu desires to purify them in all things (זַכָּאִין אִינּוּן יִשְׂרָאֵל, דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא בָּעֵי לְדַכְּאָה לוֹן בְּכֹלָּא), so that they not be found in judgment before Him (בְּגִין דְּלָא יִשְׁתַּכְּחוּן בְּדִינָא קַמֵּיהּ). And the masters of judgment shall not rule over them (וּמָארֵיהוֹן דְּדִינָא לָא יִשְׁלְטוּן בְּהוֹן). For all goes after its kind: red to red, white to white, right to right, and left to left (דְּהָא כֹּלָּא אָזִיל בָּתַר זִינֵיהּ: סוּמָקָא לְסוּמָקָא, וְחִוָּורָא לְחִוָּורָא, יְמִינָא לִימִינָא, וּשְׂמָאלָא לִשְׂמָאלָא).