Daf 6a (דַּף ו׳ ע״א)

The thought of man is the beginning of all (מַחֲשָׁבָה דְּבַּר נָשׁ, הִיא רֵישָׁא דְּכֹלָּא), and from that thought pathways and channels extend (וּמֵהַהִיא מַחֲשָׁבָה, אִתְפְּשָּׁטוּ אָרְחִין וּשְׁבִילִין), to corrupt his ways in this world and in the world to come (לְאַסְטָאָה אוֹרְחוֹי, בְּהַאי עָלְמָא, וּבְעָלְמָא דְּאָתֵי). And from that thought comes forth the pollution of the evil inclination (וּמֵהַהִיא מַחֲשָׁבָה, אִתְנְגִיד וְנָפִיק זוּהֲמָא דְּיֵצֶר הָרָע), to defile him and all (לְאַבְאָשָׁא לֵיהּ וּלְכֹלָּא). And from that thought are found sins, transgressions, and iniquities (וּמֵהַהִיא מַחֲשָׁבָה, אִשְׁתְּכָחוּ עֲבֵירוֹת חֲטָאוֹת וּזְדוֹנוֹת), idolatry, sexual immorality, and bloodshed (עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה, גִּלוּי עֲרָיוֹת וּשְׁפִיכוּת דָּמִים). And concerning this it is written: “For My thoughts are not your thoughts” (Isaiah 55) (וְעַל דָּא, כִּי לֹא מַחְשְׁבֹתַי מַחְשְׁבֹתֵיכֶם). And therefore it is written at the head of all: “If his offering is a burnt offering” (Lev. 1) (וּבְגִין כָּךְ, רֵישָׁא דְּכֹלָּא כְּתִיב, אִם עוֹלָה קָרְבָּנוֹ). From the cattle, and not “the cattle” (מִן הַבָּקָר, וְלָא בָּקָר). And who is this? It is a bull, the son of cattle, which is male (וּמַאן אִיהוּ. פַּר בֶּן בָּקָר אִיהוּ, דְּאִיהוּ דְּכַר).

Rabbi Yitzchak said: From “the cattle” unspecified (רִבִּי יִצְחָק אָמַר, מִן הַבָּקָר סְתָם), and afterward he specified: “a male without blemish shall he bring it” (Lev. 1) (וְחָזַר וּפֵירַשׁ זָכָר תָּמִים יַקְרִיבֶנּוּ), a male and not a female (זָכָר וְלָא נְקֵבָה). For the male is recognized above, and the female is recognized below (דְּהָא דְּכַר אִשְׁתְּמוֹדַע לְעֵילָּא, וְנוּקְבָּא אִשְׁתְּמוֹדְעָא לְתַתָּא). And so it is from the flock, from the sheep and from the goats (וְכֵן מִן הַצֹּאן מִן הַכְּבָשִׂים וּמִן הָעִזִּים). Whoever comes for an olah, all are male and not female (מַאן דְּאָתֵי לְעוֹלָה, כֻּלְּהוּ דְּכַר, וְלָא נוּקְבָּא), because the olah ascends upon the heart (בְּגִין דְּעוֹלָה עוֹלָה עַל הַלֵּב), surely upon the heart (עַל הַלֵּב ודַּאי). And it is known who stands upon the heart (וְאִשְׁתְּמוֹדַע מַאן דְּקָאִים עַל הַלֵּב). And therefore it ascends above, and all are males (וּבְגִין כָּךְ סַלְּקָא לְעֵילָּא, וְכֻלְּהוּ דִּכְרִין). And concerning this, the verse opens first with the olah, more than all the other offerings (וְעַל דָּא פָּתַח קְרָא בְּרֵישָׁא בָּעוֹלָה יַתִּיר מִכָּל שְׁאָר קָרְבָּנִין), for thought is the beginning of all (דְּהָא מַחֲשָׁבָה רֵישָׁא דְּכֹלָּא).

Rabbi Yehudah said: If so, in the place of thought above it should be offered, why more below? (אָמַר רִבִּי יְהוּדָה, אִי הָכִי בַּאֲתַר דְּמַחֲשָׁבָה דִּלְעֵילָּא בַּעְיָא לְקָרְבָא, אֲמַאי לְתַתָּא יַתִּיר). It was not in his hand (לָא הֲוָה בִּידֵיהּ). He came before Rabbi Shimon (אָתָא לְקָמֵיהּ דְּרִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן). He said to him: The beginning of all is thought (אָמַר לֵיהּ, רֵישָׁא דְּכֹלָּא מַחֲשָׁבָה הוּא), and the end of that thought is the place called “morning” (וְסִיּוּמָא דְּהַהִיא מַחֲשָׁבָה אֲתַר דְּאִקְרֵי בֹּקֶר), and what is it? (וּמַאי אִיהוּ). That end of the body, which sweetens to the female (הַהוּא סִיּוּמָא דְּגוּפָא, דִּמְבַסֵּם לְנוּקְבָּא). So too the thought of man is the beginning of all (כַּךְ מַחֲשָׁבָה דְּבַּר נָשׁ, רֵישָׁא דְּכֹלָּא). The end of that thought is when the deed is done (סִיּוּמָא דְּהַהִיא מַחֲשָׁבָה, כַּד אִתְעָבִיד עוֹבָדָא). When? In the morning (אֵימָתַי. בַּבֹּקֶר). As it is written: “Woe to those who devise iniquity and work evil upon their beds; in the light of the morning they do it” (Micah 2) (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב, הוֹי חוֹשְׁבֵי אָוֶן וּפוֹעֲלֵי רָע, אֵימָתַי, עַל מִשְׁכְּבוֹתָם בְּאוֹר הַבֹּקֶר יַעֲשׂוּהָ). And therefore to that place of thought, the thought ascends (וְעַל דָּא לְהַהוּא אֲתַר דְּמַחֲשָׁבָה, מַחֲשָׁבָה אִסְתְּלִיק). And the deed is offered to the completion of the thought, indeed (וְעוֹבָדָא מִתְקָרְבָא לְסִיּוּמָא דְּמַחֲשָׁבָה ודַּאי).

Rabbi Aḥa was going on the road, and with him was Rabbi Yehudah (רִבִּי אֲחָא הֲוָה אָזִיל בְּאָרְחָא, והֲוָה עִמֵּיהּ רִבִּי יְהוּדָה). As they went, Rabbi Yehudah said (עַד דַּהֲווֹ אַזְלֵי, אָמַר רִבִּי יְהוּדָה): That which we learned, “the virgin of Yisrael” (הָא דְּתָנֵינָן בְּתוּלַת יִשְׂרָאֵל), a virgin blessed from seven (בְּתוּלָה דְּאִתְבָּרְכָא מִן שֶׁבַע), some say from Yisrael (ס״א מישראל), who is called “Bat Sheva” (דְּאִקְרֵי בַּת שֶׁבַע). And it was established in several places (ואוּקְמוּהָ בְּכַמָּה אֲתַר). And the virgin below inherited seven blessings on her account (וּבְתוּלָה לְתַתָּא, יָרְתָא ז' בְּרָכוֹת בְּגִינָהּ). And behold it is written: “And you, son of man, take up a lamentation upon the virgin of Yisrael” (Ezekiel 19) (וְהָא כְּתִיב וְאַתָּה בֶּן אָדָם שָׂא קִינָה עַל בְּתוּלַת יִשְׂרָאֵל). Surely upon her it is said—upon Knesset Yisrael (ודַּאי עָלָהּ אִתְּמַר, עַל כְּנֶסֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל). And this is the most difficult of all (ודָא קַשְׁיָא מִכֹּלָּא), for it is written: “She has fallen, she shall rise no more, the virgin of Yisrael” (Amos 5) (דִּכְתִיב נָפְלָה לֹא תוֹסִיף קוּם בְּתוּלַת יִשְׂרָאֵל). And that which all my companions say in this matter is fitting (וְהַאי דְּקָא אַמְרֵי כֻּלְּהוּ חַבְרַיָּיא בְּמִלָּה דָּא שַׁפִּיר הוּא). But if you explain it, it is said in the manner of consolation (אֲבָל אִי פַּרְשְׁתָּא אִתְּמַר בְּאֹרַח נְחָמָה). Thus we would say it (הֲוִינָן אַמְרֵי הָכִי). But here it is said as lamentation (אֲבָל בְּהַאי קִינָה אִתְּמַר). And the verse proves so (וְהָא קְרָא אוֹכַח הָכִי). He said to him: Surely so it is (אָמַר לֵיהּ ודַּאי הָכִי הוּא).

And behold, that word was more difficult to me than all (וְהָא הֲוָה קַשְׁיָא לִי הַהוּא מִלָּה יַתִּיר מִכֹּלָּא). And we came before Rabbi Shimon, in the darkness of countenance (וְאֲתֵינָן לְגַבֵּי דְּרִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן, בַּחֲשׁוֹכָן דְּאַנְפִּין). He said to me: From the vision of your face it is known what is in your heart (אָמַר לִי, מֵחֵיזוּ דְּאַנְפָּךְ, אִשְׁתְּמוֹדַע מַה דִּבְלִבָּךְ). I said to him: Surely, my face and my heart are alike (אֲמֵינָא לֵיהּ ודַּאי, דְּאַנְפִּי וְלִבִּי שָׁוִין). He said to me: Speak your word (אָמַר לִי אֵימָּא לִי מִלָךְ). I said to him: It is written, “She has fallen, she shall rise no more, the virgin of Yisrael” (Amos 5) (אֲמֵינָא לֵיהּ, כְּתִיב נָפְלָה לא תוֹסִיף קוּם בְּתוּלַת יִשְׂרָאֵל). One who has anger with his wife, and she has departed from him, she shall not return forever (מַאן דְּאִית לֵיהּ רוּגְזָא בִּדְבִיתְהוּ, וְנָפְקָא מִנֵּיהּ, לָא תֵּהָדַר לְעָלְמִין). If so, woe to the children who were compelled with her (אִי הָכִי וַוי לִבְנִין דְּאִתְתְּרָכוּ עִמָּהּ). He said to me: Is it not enough for you what all my companions said? (אָמַר לִי, וְלָא סַגֵּי לָךְ מַה דְּאָמְרוּ כֻּלְּהוּ חַבְרַיָּיא). I said: Behold, I heard their words, which were with mercy, but they do not rest in my heart (אֲמֵינָא, הָא שְׁמַעְנָא מִלַּיְיהוּ, דְּהַוִה מֵרַחֲמֵי, וְלָא מִתְיַשְּׁבָן בְּלִבָּאי). He said: All that my companions said is proper and fitting (אָמַר, כָּל מַה דְּאָמְרוּ חַבְרַיָּיא כֹּלָּא שַׁפִּיר וְיָאוּת). But woe to the generation when shepherds are not found (אֲבָל ווי לְדָרָא כַּד רַעְיָין לָא מִשְׁתַּכְּחִין). And Satan answers, and they go, and they do not know to which place they go, neither to the right nor to the left (וְעָנָא סָאטָן וְאַזְלִין, וְלָא יַדְעִין לְאָן אֲתַר אַזְלֵי, לָא לִימִינָא וְלָא לִשְׂמָאלָא). Surely this verse requires to be known (וַדַּאי הַאי קְרָא בַּעְיָא לְמִנְדַּע). And all is revealed to those who see in the path of Orayta in the straight path (וְכֻלְּהוּ גַּלְיָין לְאִינּוּן דְּחָמָאן בְּאָרְחָא דְּאוֹרַיְיתָא בְּאֹרַח קְשׁוֹט).

Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי), in all the exiles that Yisrael were exiled (בְּכֻלְּהוּ גַּלְוָותָא דְּגָלוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל), for all of them there was set a time and an end (לְכֻלְּהוּ שַׁוִּי זִמְנָא וְקִצָא). And in all of them Yisrael repented before Kudsha Berikh Hu (וּבְכֻלְּהוּ הֲווֹ יִשְׂרָאֵל תַּיְיבִין לְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא), and the Virgin of Yisrael returned to her place (וּבְתוּלַת יִשְׂרָאֵל הֲוָה תָּבַת לְאַתְרָהָא), in that time that was decreed upon her (בְּהַהוּא זִמְנָא דְּגָזַר עָלָהּ). But now, in this last exile, it is not so (וְהַשְׁתָּא בְּגָלוּתָא דָּא בַּתְרָאָה לָאו הָכִי), for she will not return thus as in the other times (דְּהָא הִיא לָא תִּיתוּב הָכִי כְּזִמְנִין אָחֳרָנִין). And this verse proves it (וְהַאי קְרָא אוֹכַח), as it is written: “She has fallen, she shall rise no more, the Virgin of Yisrael” (Amos 5) (דִּכְתִּיב נָפְלָה לא תוֹסִיף קוּם בְּתוּלַת יִשְׂרָאֵל). “She has fallen and I will not raise her again” it is not written (נָפְלָה וְלֹא אוֹסִיף לַהֲקִימָה לָא כְּתִיב).

It is like a King who was angry with the Matronita (מְתַל לְמַלְכָּא דְּרָגַז עַל מַטְרוֹנִיתָא), and cast her from his palace for a known time (וְאַשְׁדֵּי לָהּ מֵהֵיכָלֵיהּ, לְזִמְנָא יְדִיעָא). When that time arrived (כַּד הֲוָה מָטֵי הַהוּא זִמְנָא), immediately the Matronita entered and returned before the King (מִיַּד מַטְרוֹנִיתָא הֲוָת עָאלַת וְתָבַת קָמֵי מַלְכָּא). And so once, and twice, and three times (וְכֵן זִמְנָא חַד, וּתְרֵין, וּתְלַת זִמְנִין). At the last time (לְזִמְנָא בַּתְרַיְיתָא), she was distanced from the King’s palace (אִתְרַחֲקַת מֵהֵיכָלָא דְּמַלְכָּא), and the King cast her from His palace for a long time (וְאַשְׁדֵּי לָהּ מַלְכָּא מֵהֵיכָלֵיהּ לְזִמְנָא רְחִיקָא). The King said (אָמַר מַלְכָּא), this time is not like the other times when she would come before Me thus (הַאי זִמְנָא לָאו הוּא כִּשְׁאָר זִמְנִין דְּהִיא תֵּיתֵי קָמַאי הָכִי). Rather, I Myself shall go with all the sons of My palace and pursue after her (אֶלָּא אֲנָא אֵיזִיל עִם כָּל בְּנִי הֵיכָלִי ואַתְבַּע עָלָהּ).