Daf 54a (דַּף נ״ד ע״א)

And because of this, everything that is required from the house of the King he takes, and there is none who protests against him (וּבְגִין כָּךְ כָּל מַה דְּאִצְטְרִיךְ מִבֵּי מַלְכָּא, נָטִיל, וְלֵית מַאן דְּיִמְחֵי בִּידֵיהּ). And therefore he stands to purify all those who enter the house of the Matronita, so that no defilement be found among the sons of the palace (וְעַל דָּא הוּא קָאִים לְדַכְּאָה לְכָל אִינּוּן דְּעָאלִין לְבֵי מַטְרוֹנִיתָא, בְּגִין דְּלָא יִשְׁתְּכַּח מִסְאֲבָא בְּאִינּוּן בְּנֵי הֵיכָלָא). And because of this it is written: “And he shall take for the one to be purified two birds…” (Leviticus 14) (וּבְגִין כָּךְ כְּתִיב, וְלָקַח לַמִּטַּהֵר שְׁתֵּי צִפֳּרִים וְגוֹ׳).

Rabbi Yehudah opened and said (רִבִּי יְהוּדָה פָּתַח וְאָמַר): “He who sits in the heavens shall laugh, Hashem shall mock them” (Psalms 2) (יוֹשֵׁב בַּשָּׁמַיִם יִשְׂחָק, יְיָ׳ יִלְעַג לָמוֹ). “He who sits in the heavens shall laugh” — this is Yitzḥak, who comes from the side of wine, bright at first, and laughing, and afterwards wrathful and prolonging (יוֹשֵׁב בַּשָּׁמַיִם יִשְׂחָק, דָּא יִצְחָק דְּאָתֵי מִסִּטְרָא דְּחַמְרָא, נָהִיר בְּקַדְמִיתָא, וְחַיִיךְ, וּלְבָתַר זָעִים וְתָרִיךְ). This is what is written (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב): “He who sits in the heavens” (יוֹשֵׁב בַּשָּׁמַיִם) (Tehillim 2:4), and it is not written: “He who sits heaven” (וְלָא כְּתִיב יוֹשֵׁב שָׁמַיִם). “Yitzḥak [He will laugh]” (יִשְׂחָק) signifies shining and laughing (נָהִיר וְחַיִיךְ). Therefore judgment shines and laughs at the wicked (וְעַל דָּא דִּינָא נָהִיר וְחַיִיךְ לְהוּ לְרַשִׁיעַיָּיא). Afterwards, what is written? (וּלְבָתַר מַה כְּתִיב). “Then He will speak to them in His wrath, and terrify them in His burning anger” (אָז יְדַבֵּר אֵלֵימוֹ בְאַפּוֹ וּבַחֲרוֹנוֹ יְבַהַלֵמוֹ) (Tehillim 2:5). So too is the way of the wicked (וְכַךְ אָרְחֵי דְּחַיָּיבַיָּא): Kudsha Berikh Hu first shines upon them in this world (קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא נָהִיר לְהוּ בְּהַאי עָלְמָא), and His face shines toward them like wine (וְנָהִיר לוֹן אַנְפִּין כְּחַמְרָא), which first glows brightly (דְּנָהִיר בְּקַדְמִיתָא), but afterward He becomes wrathful and slays (וּלְבָתַר זָעִים וְקָטִיל). Kudsha Berikh Hu draws the wicked toward Himself (וְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא מָשִׁיךְ לוֹן לְחַיָּיבַיָּא): if they return to Him, it is well (אִי יְהַדְרוּן לָקֳבְלֵיהּ, יָאוּת); but if not (וְאִי לָא), He destroys them from that World to Come (שָׁצֵי לוֹן מֵהַהוּא עָלְמָא דְּאָתֵי), they have no portion in it (וְלֵית לוֹן בֵּיהּ חוּלָקָא), and they are cut off from everything (וְיִשְׁתֵּצוּן מִכֹּלָּא). But if they come to purify themselves (אַתּוּן לְאִתְדַכְּאָה), they are helped (מְסַיְּיעִין לוֹן). Kudsha Berikh Hu purifies them (וְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא מְדַכֵּי לוֹן), brings them near to Himself (וְקָרִיב לוֹן לְגַבֵּיהּ), and proclaims over them: “Peace” (וְקָארִי עָלַיְיהוּ שָׁלוֹם). This is what is written (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב): “Peace, peace to him that is far and to him that is near, says Hashem…” (שָׁלוֹם שָׁלוֹם לָרָחוֹק וְלַקָּרוֹב וְגוֹ׳) (Yeshayahu 57:19). “And a woman, if the flow of her blood continues many days outside the time of her Niddah [Menstrual Separation]…” (וְאִשָּׁה כִּי יָזוּב זוֹב דָּמָהּ יָמִים רַבִּים בְּלֹא עֶת נִדָּתָהּ וְגוֹ׳) (Vayikra 15:25).

Rabbi Ḥiyya opened and said (רִבִּי חִיָּיא פָּתַח וְאָמַר): “Behold, the day of Hashem comes, and your spoil shall be divided in your midst” (הִנֵּה יוֹם בָּא לַיְיָ׳ וְחֻלַּק שְׁלָלֵךְ בְּקִרְבֵּךְ) (Zechariah 14:1). This verse ought to have said: “Behold, a day shall come” (הַאי קְרָא הָכִי מִבָּעֵי לֵיהּ, הִנֵּה יוֹם יָבֹא). Why then does it say, “Behold, the day comes”? (מַאי, הִנֵּה יוֹם בָּא). Rather (אֶלָּא), it has already come (שֶׁכְּבָר בָּא), before the world was created (עַד לָא אִבְרֵי עָלְמָא), and it is the day on which He will execute judgment upon the wicked (וְהוּא יוֹם דְּבֵיהּ יַעְבִיד דִּינָא לְחַיָּיבַיָּא).

And it is the day on which Kudsha Berikh Hu will exact punishment from those who oppressed Yisrael (וְהוּא יוֹם דְּבֵיהּ יִתְפְּרַע קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא מֵאִינּוּן דְּעָקוּן לוֹן לְיִשְׂרָאֵל). This day comes and stands before Kudsha Berikh Hu (הַאי יוֹם בָּא וְקָאִים קָמֵי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא), and demands of Him that He execute judgment (וְתָבַע מִנֵּיהּ לְמֶעְבַּד דִּינָא), and destroy Avodat Kokhavim uMazzalot [Idolatry and Star-Worship] (וּלְשֵׁצָאָה עֲבוֹדַת כּוֹכָבִים וּמַזָּלוֹת). Permission is then granted to it (וְאִתְיְהִיב לֵיהּ רְשׁוּ), as it is said: “And I will gather all the nations against Jerusalem to battle...” (וְאָסַפְתִּי אֶת כָּל הַגּוֹיִם אֶל יְרוּשָׁלַם לַמִּלְחָמָה וְגוֹ׳) (Zechariah 14:2).

Rabbi Yitzḥak said (רִבִּי יִצְחָק אָמַר): There are two Days belonging to Kudsha Berikh Hu (תְּרֵין יוֹמִין אִינּוּן לְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא): one remains with Him (חַד שָׁארֵי עִמֵּיהּ), and one comes before Him (וְחַד אָתֵי לְקַמֵּיהּ). With these Days, Kudsha Berikh Hu wages war in all realms (וּבְאִלֵּין עָבִיד קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא קְרָבִין בְּכֹלָּא). And when that Day comes to wage war (וְכַד הַאי יוֹמָא אָתֵי לְאַגָּחָא קְרָבָא), it joins with that other Day (אִזְדְּוַּוג בְּהַהוּא יוֹמָא אָחֳרָא), takes weapons upon its weapons (וְנָטִיל זַיְינִין עַל זַיְינֵיהּ), and wages war in every realm (וְאָגַח קְרָבָא בְּכֹלָּא), against the exalted and the lowly alike (בְּאִינּוּן רָאמִין וּנְמוּכִין). This is what is written (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב): “For the day of Hashem of Hosts shall be upon everyone that is proud and lofty, and upon everyone that is lifted up—and he shall be brought low” (כִּי יוֹם לַיְיָ׳ צְבָאוֹת עַל כָּל גֵּאֶה וָרָם וְעַל כָּל נִשָּׂא וְשָׁפֵל) (Yeshayahu 2:12).

Rabbi Shim'on said (רִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן אָמַר): “And a woman, when the flow of her blood issues forth...” (וְאִשָּׁה כִּי יָזוּב זוֹב דָּמָהּ וְגוֹ׳) (Vayikra 15:25). This is what is written (הַיְינוּ דִכְתִיב): “The sword of Hashem is filled with blood” (חֶרֶב לַיְיָ׳ מָלְאָה דָם) (Yeshayahu 34:6). “Filled with blood” (מָלְאָה דָם) indeed, as it is written: “When the flow of her blood continues many days” (כִּי יָזוּב זוֹב דָּמָהּ יָמִים רַבִּים) (Vayikra 15:25). “Not at the time of her separation” (בְּלֹא עֶת נִדָּתָהּ)—this is what is written: “And Hashem watched over the evil and brought it upon us” (וַיִּשְׁקוֹד יְיָ׳ עַל הָרָעָה וַיְבִיאֶהָ עָלֵינוּ) (Daniel 9:14).

For we have learned (דְּתָנֵינָן): Kudsha Berikh Hu prepares punishment in advance for the world (קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא אַקְדִּים פּוּרְעָנוּתָא לְעָלְמָא); the wicked hasten that punishment through their sins (חַיָּיבַיָּא מְקַדְּמִין פּוּרְעָנוּתָא בְּחוֹבֵיהוֹן), bringing it upon the world (לְמֵיתֵי לְעָלְמָא), “or when she flows upon her separation” (אוֹ כִּי תָזוּב עַל נִדָּתָהּ) (Vayikra 15:25). This is the meaning of: “And I will add to chastise you” (וְיָסַפְתִּי לְיַסְּרָה אֶתְכֶם) (Vayikra 26:18). What is the meaning of “And I will add to chastise”? (מַהוּ וְיָסַפְתִּי לְיַסְּרָה). It means: I will add judgment upon judgment (אוֹסִיף דִּינָא עַל דִּינָא), and place blood upon blood (וְאֶתֵּן דָּמָא עַל דָּמָא), beyond what is already contained in that “sword of Hashem filled with blood” (יַתִּיר עַל מַה דְּאִית בְּהַהוּא חֶרֶב לַיְיָ׳ מָלְאָה דָם). It is written (כְּתִיב): “I will not again curse the ground any more for man's sake” (לֹא אוֹסִיף לְקַלֵּל עוֹד אֶת הָאֲדָמָה בַּעֲבוּר הָאָדָם) (Bereshit 8:21).

What is “I will not again”? But: I will not again give increase to that sword, except in the manner that the world can endure (מַהוּ לֹא אוֹסִיף. אֶלָּא, לָא אֶתֵּן עוֹד תּוֹסֶפֶת לְהַהוּא חֶרֶב, אֶלָּא כְּגַוְונָא דְּיָכִיל עָלְמָא לְמִסְבַּל). But it is written: “And I will add” (Leviticus 26) (וְהָא כְּתִיב וְיָסַפְתִּי). But there it is written “to chastise,” and not to destroy (אֶלָּא לְיַסְּרָה כְּתִיב, וְלָא לְשֵׁיצָאָה). This is what is written: “Or when she flows upon her separation” (Leviticus 15) (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב, אוֹ כִּי תָזוּב עַל נִדָּתָהּ). “All the days of the issue of her impurity” (Leviticus 15) (כָּל יְמֵי זוֹב טוּמְאָתָהּ). What is “all the days of the issue of her impurity”? (מַהוּ כָּל יְמֵי זוֹב טוּמְאָתָהּ).

Rather, the guilty defile themselves with their sins, and they defile another place, as it is said: “For he has defiled the sanctuary of Hashem” (Numbers 19) (אֶלָּא חַיָּיבַיָּא מְסָאֲבִין בְּחוֹבֵיהוֹן לְגַרְמֵיהוֹן, וּמְסָאֲבִין לַאֲתַר אָחֳרָא, כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר, כִּי אֶת מִקְדַּשׁ יְיָ׳ טִמֵּא). And a defiled spirit is aroused upon them (וְאִתְּעַר רוּחַ מִסְאֲבָא עָלַיְיהוּ). And at the time to come, Kudsha Berikh Hu will purify Israel and remove that defiled spirit from the world (וּלְזִמְנָא דְּאָתֵי, זַמִּין קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לְדַכְּאָה לְהוּ לְיִשְׂרָאֵל וּלְאַעְבְּרָא לְהַהוּא רוּחָא מִסְאֲבָא מֵעָלְמָא). As it is written: “No more shall the uncircumcised and the defiled come into you” (Isaiah 52) (דִּכְתִיב, לֹא יוֹסִיף יָבֹא בָךְ עוֹד עָרֵל וְטָמֵא). And it is written: “And I will remove the spirit of impurity from the earth” (Zechariah 13) (וּכְתִיב, וְאֶת רוּחַ הַטּוּמְאָה אַעֲבִיר מִן הָאָרֶץ). From the earth indeed (מִן הָאָרֶץ וַדַּאי). Some say: One who comes to defile, they surely defile him (מָאן דְּאָתֵי לְאִסְתַּאֲבָא מְסָאֲבִין לֵיהּ וַדַּאי).

Rabbi Ḥizkiyah was sitting before Rabbi El'azar (רִבִּי חִזְקִיָּה הֲוָה יָתִיב קַמֵּיהּ דְּרִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר). One night they arose at midnight to study the Orayta (לֵילְיָא חַד קָמוּ בְּפַלְגוּת לֵילְיָא לְמִלְעֵי בְּאוֹרַיְיתָא). Rabbi El'azar opened and said (פָּתַח רִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר וְאָמַר): “In the day of good, be in good; and in the day of adversity, consider; this also has Elohim made one opposite the other” (בְּיוֹם טוֹבָה הֱיֵה בְטוֹב וְגוֹ׳ גַּם אֶת זֶה לְעוּמַּת זֶה עָשָׂה הָאֱלֹהִים וְגוֹ׳) (Kohelet 7:14). “In the day of good, be in good” (בְּיוֹם טוֹבָה הֱיֵה בְטוֹב)—when Kudsha Berikh Hu increases Chesed [Lovingkindness] in the world (בְּזִמְנָא דְּאַסְגֵּי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא חֶסֶד בְּעָלְמָא), a person should walk openly in the marketplaces and be seen before everyone (בָּעֵי בַּר נָשׁ לְמֵיהַךְ בְּשׁוּקֵי וּלְאִתְחֲזָאָה קָמֵי כֹּלָּא), for when the goodness of Kudsha Berikh Hu rests upon the world (דְּהָא כַּד שָׁארֵי טִיבוּתָא דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא בְּעָלְמָא), it rests upon all (בְּכֹלָּא שָׁארֵי), He does good to all (וּבְכֹלָּא עָבִיד טִיבוּ), and increases goodness in the world (וְאַסְגֵּי לֵיהּ בְּעָלְמָא). Therefore (וּבְגִין כָּךְ), a person should appear openly in the marketplaces (יִתְחֲזֵי בַּר נָשׁ בְּאִתְגַּלְיָא בְּשׁוּקֵי), and perform acts of goodness (וְיַעְבִיד טִיבוּ), so that additional goodness may rest upon him (דְּלִשְׁרֵי עָלֵיהּ טִיבוּ אָחֳרָא). This is what is written (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב): “In the day of good, be in good” (בְּיוֹם טוֹבָה הֱיֵה בְטוֹב) (Kohelet 7:14). Be in good indeed (הֱיֵה בְטוֹב וַדַּאי).