Daf 71b (דַּף ע״א ע״ב)

They rose, Rabbi Ḥizkiyah and Rabbi Yisa, and went (קָמוּ רִבִּי חִזְקִיָּה וְרִבִּי יֵיסָא וְאַזְלוּ). They said (אַמְרֵי): surely, when the meritorious are not found in the world (וַדַּאי בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְּזַכָּאִין לָא אִשְׁתְּכָחוּ בְּעָלְמָא), the world is sustained only through the dead (עָלְמָא לָא מִתְקַיְּימָא אֶלָּא בְּגִינֵיהוֹן דְּמֵתַיָּיא). Rabbi Yissa said (אָמַר רִבִּי יֵיסָא): at the time when the world needs rain (בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְּאִצְטְרִיךְ עָלְמָא לְמִטְרָא), why do we go to the dead? (אֲמַאי אַזְלֵינָן לְגַבֵּיהוֹן דְּמֵתַיָּיא). For it is written: “‘And one who inquires of the dead’ — forbidden” (וְהָא כְּתִיב וְדוֹרֵשׁ אֶל הַמֵּתִים וְאָסִיר) (Deuteronomy 18). He said to him (אָמַר לֵיהּ): until now you have not seen the wing of the bird of Eden (עַד כָּאן לָא חֲמֵיתָא גַּדְפָּא דְּצִפָּרָא דְּעֵדֶן). “‘And one who inquires of the dead’” — of the dead, precisely (וְדוֹרֵשׁ אֶל הַמֵּתִים, אֶל הַמֵּתִים דַּיְיקָא).

These are the guilty of the world (דְּאִינּוּן חַיָּיבֵי עָלְמָא), who are from among the nations, worshippers of idolatry (דְּאִינּוּן מֵעַמִּין עוֹבְדֵי עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה), who are always found dead (דְּאִשְׁתְּכָחוּ תָּדִיר מֵתִים). But Yisrael, who are truly meritorious (אֲבָל יִשְׂרָאֵל דְּאִינּוּן זַכָּאֵי קְשׁוֹט), concerning them Shlomo said (שְׁלֹמֹה קְרָא עָלַיְיהוּ): “And I praised the dead who have already died” (וְשַׁבֵּחַ אֲנִי אֶת הַמֵּתִים שֶׁכְּבָר מֵתוּ) (Ecclesiastes 4:2), at another time, but not now (בְּזִמְנָא אָחֳרָא וְלָא הַשְׁתָּא). “Who have already died” (שֶׁכְּבָר מֵתוּ)—but now they are alive (וְהַשְׁתָּא אִינּוּן חַיִּין). And furthermore (וְעוֹד): the rest of the nations, when they come to their dead (דִּשְׁאָר עַמִּין כַּד אָתָאן לִמְתֵיהוֹן), come with sorceries (אַתְיָין בְּחַרְשִׁין), to arouse over them evil kinds (לְאִתְּעָרָא עָלַיְיהוּ זִינִין בִּישִׁין). But when Yisrael come to their dead (וְכַד יִשְׂרָאֵל אָתָאן לִמְתֵיהוֹן), they come with abundant Teshuvah [Repentance] before Kudsha Berikh Hu (אַתְיָין בְּכַמָּה תְּשׁוּבָה לְקַמֵּי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא), with brokenness of heart (בִּתְבִירוּ דְּלִבָּא), with fasting before Him (בְּתַעֲנִיתָא לָקֳבְלֵיהּ), and all this so that the holy Neshamot [Souls] will seek mercy before Kudsha Berikh Hu on their behalf (וְכֹלָּא בְּגִין דְּנִשְׁמָתִין קַדִּישִׁין יִבְעוּן רַחֲמֵי לְקַמֵּי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא עָלַיְיהוֹן), and Kudsha Berikh Hu has mercy upon the world because of them (וְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא חָיִיס עַל עָלְמָא בְּגִינֵיהוֹן).

And concerning this we have learned (וְעַל דָּא תָּנֵינָן): The Tzaddik [Righteous One], even though he has departed from this world (צַדִּיקָא אַף עַל גַּב דְּאִתְפְּטָר מֵהַאי עָלְמָא), has neither departed nor been lost from all the worlds (לָא אִסְתַּלָּק וְלָא אִתְאֲבִיד מְכֻּלְּהוּ עָלְמִין). For behold (דְּהָא), throughout all the worlds he is found more than during his lifetime (בְּכֻלְּהוּ עָלְמִין אִשְׁתְּכַח יַתִּיר מֵחַיּוֹי). For during his lifetime he was found only in this world (דִּבְחַיּוֹי אִשְׁתְּכַח בְּהַאי עָלְמָא בִּלְחוֹדוֹי), but afterwards he is found in three worlds (וּלְבָתַר אִשְׁתְּכַח בִּתְלַת עָלְמִין), and is destined for them (וְזַמִּין לְגַבַּיְיהוּ), as it is written (דִּכְתִּיב): “Alamot [Maidens] love You” (עֲלָמוֹת אֲהֵבוּךָ), do not read “Alamot [Maidens]” (עֲלָמוֹת), but rather “Olamot [Worlds]” (עוֹלָמוֹת). Happy is their portion! (זַכָּאָה חוּלָקֵיהוֹן) (Song of Songs 1:3).

It was taught (תָּאנָא): it is written, “‘And the soul of my lord shall be bound in the bundle of life’” (כְּתִיב וְהָיְתָה נֶפֶשׁ אֲדוֹנִי צְרוּרָה בִּצְרוֹר הַחַיִּים) (I Samuel 25). “‘And the soul of my lord’” — it should have said: “‘the Neshamah of my lord’” (וְהָיְתָה נֶפֶשׁ אֲדוֹנִי, נִשְׁמַת אֲדוֹנִי מִבָּעֵי לֵיהּ). Rather, as we have said (אֶלָּא כְּמָה דְּאַמָרָן): happy is the portion of the Righteous, that all is bound, this with that — Nefesh with Ruach, Ruach with Neshamah, and Neshamah with Kudsha Berikh Hu (דְּזַכָּאָה חוּלָקֵיהוֹן דְּצַדִּיקַיָּיא דְּכֹלָּא אִתְקְשַׁר דָּא בְּדָא, נֶפֶשׁ בְּרוּחַ, וְרוּחַ בִּנְשָׁמָה, וּנְשָׁמָה בְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא). It is found that the Nefesh is bound in the bundle of life (אִשְׁתְּכַח דְּנֶפֶשׁ צְרוּרָה בִּצְרוֹר הַחַיִּים).

Rabbi El‘azar said (אָמַר רִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר): that which the Friends said — the exile of a Sefer Torah, even from one synagogue to another, is forbidden (הַאי דְּאָמְרוּ חַבְרַיָּיא, גָּלוּתָא דְסֵפֶר תּוֹרָה אֲפִילּוּ מִבֵּי כְּנִישְׁתָּא לְבֵי כְּנִישְׁתָּא אָחֳרָא אָסִיר). And all the more so to the street (וְכָּל שֶׁכֵּן לְבֵי רְחוֹב). Why to the street? (אֲמַאי לְבֵי רְחוֹב). Rabbi Yehudah said (אָמַר רִבִּי יְהוּדָה): as we have said, in order that they be aroused upon it and request mercy upon the world (כְּמָה דְּאַמָרָן, בְּגִין דְּיִתְעָרוּן עָלֵיהּ וְיִתְבְּעוּן רַחֲמֵי עַל עָלְמָא).

Rabbi Abba said (אָמַר רִבִּי אַבָּא): Shekhinta, when revealed, likewise moves from place to place (שְׁכִינְתָּא כַּד אִתְגַּלְיָיא הָכִי נָמֵי מֵאֲתַר לַאֲתַר), until she said: “‘Oh, that I were in the wilderness, a lodging place of wayfaring men, etc.’” (עַד דְּאָמְרָה מִי יִתְּנֵנִי בַמִּדְבָּר מְלוֹן אוֹרְחִים וְגוֹ׳) (Jeremiah 9). So too here: at first from synagogue to synagogue, afterwards to the street, and afterwards into the wilderness lodging of wayfarers (אוּף הָכָא בְּקַדְמִיתָא מִבֵּי כְּנִישְׁתָּא לְבֵי כְּנִישְׁתָּא, לְבָתַר לְבֵי רְחוֹב, לְבָתַר בַּמִּדְבָּר מְלוֹן אוֹרְחִים). Rabbi Yehuda said (אָמַר רִבִּי יְהוּדָה): the sons of Bavel feared, and did not move it even from one synagogue to another — how much more so this (בְּנֵי בָּבֶל מִסְתָּפוּ וְלָא קָא עַבְרֵי אֲפִילּוּ מִבֵּי כְּנִישְׁתָּא לְבֵי כְּנִישְׁתָּא, כָּל שֶׁכֵּן הַאי).

It was taught (תַּנְיָא): Rabbi Shim‘on said to the Friends (אָמַר לְהוּ רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן לְחַבְרַיָּא): in my days the sons of the world will not need this (בְּיוֹמַאי לָא יִצְטָרְכוּן בְּנֵי עָלְמָא לְהַאי). Rabbi Yose said (אָמַר לֵיהּ רִבִּי יוֹסֵי): the Righteous protect the world in their lifetimes, and in their death even more than in their lifetime (צַדִּיקַיָּיא מְגִינִּין עַל עָלְמָא בְּחַיֵּיהוֹן, וּבְמִיתָתְהוֹן יוֹתֵר מֵחַיֵּיהוֹן). This is what is written: “‘And I will defend this city to save it, for my sake and for the sake of David my servant’” (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב וְגַנּוֹתִי עַל הָעִיר הַזֹאת לְהוֹשִׁיעָהּ לְמַעֲנִי וּלְמַעַן דָּוִד עַבְדִּי) (Isaiah 37). And in his lifetime it is not written (וְאִילּוּ בְּחַיּיוֹהִי לָא כְּתִיב).

Rabbi Yehudah said (אָמַר רִבִּי יְהוּדָה): what is the difference here, that it is written, “for my sake and for the sake of David my servant” — that this is joined to that? (מַאי שְׁנָא הָכָא דִּכְתִיב לְמַעֲנִי וּלְמַעַן דָּוִד עַבְדִּי, דְּשָׁקִיל הַאי לְגַבֵּי הַאי). Rather, because David merited to be bound in the holy chariot of the Patriarchs (אֶלָּא, בְּגִין דְּדָוִד זָכָה לְאִתְקַשְּׁרָא בִּרְתִּיכָא קַדִּישָׁא דַּאֲבָהָתָא), and because of this all is one (וּבְגִין כָּךְ כֹּלָּא חַד), blessed is He forever and unto all generations (בְּרִיךְ הוּא לְעָלַם וּלְעָלְמֵי עָלְמַיָּא). “‘As the deeds of the land of Egypt, wherein you dwelt, you shall not do’” (כְּמַעֲשֵׂה אֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם אֲשֶׁר יְשַׁבְתֶּם בָּהּ לֹא תַעֲשׂוּ) (Leviticus 18).

Rabbi Yitzḥak opened (רִבִּי יִצְחָק פָּתַח): “‘To declare in Zion the Name of Hashem, and His praise in Jerusalem’” (לְסַפֵּר בְּצִיּוֹן שֵׁם יְיָ׳ וּתְהִלָּתוֹ בִּירוּשָׁלִָם) (Psalms 102). There we have learned (תַּמָּן תָּנֵינָן): the Holy Name is concealed and revealed (שְׁמָא קַדִּישָׁא סָתִים וְגַלְיָא). And the Orayta, which is the supernal Holy Name, is concealed and revealed (וְאוֹרַיְיתָא דְּהִיא שְׁמָא קַדִּישָׁא עִלָּאָה, סָתִים וְגַלְיָא). And every verse of the Orayta, and every parasha of the Orayta, is concealed and revealed (וְכָל קְרָא דִּבְאוֹרַיְיתָא, וְכָל פַּרְשְׁתָא דְּאוֹרַיְיתָא, סָתִים וְגַלְיָא). For it was taught (דְּתַנְיָא): Rabbi Yehudah said (אָמַר רִבִּי יְהוּדָה): from the brazenness of one righteous woman (מֵחֲצִיפוּתָא דְּצַדֶּקֶת חֲדָא), so many good things came forth to the world (נַפְקָן כְּמָה טָבָאן לְעָלְמָא). And who is she? (וּמַאן הִיא). Tamar (תָּמָר). As it is written: “‘And she sat in the opening of ‘Einayim’” (דִּכְתִּיב וַתֵּשֶׁב בְּפֶתַח עֵינַיִם) (Bereshit 38).

Rabbi Abba said (אָמַר רִבִּי אַבָּא): this parasha proves that the Orayta is concealed and revealed (פַּרְשְׁתָּא דָּא מוֹכַח, דְּאוֹרַיְיתָא סָתִים וְגַלְיָא). For behold, we have looked through the whole Orayta (וְהָא אִסְתַּכַּלְנָא בְּאוֹרַיְיתָא כֻּלָּא), and we did not find a place called 'The Opening of the Eyes' (וְלָא אַשְׁכַּחְנָא אֲתַר דְּאִקְרֵי פֶּתַח עֵינַיִם), but rather all is concealed, and it is the mystery of mysteries (אֶלָּא כֹּלָּא סָתִים, וְרָזָא דְּרָזִין הוּא). And it was taught (וְתַנְיָא): what did this righteous woman see in this act? (מַאי חָמָאת צַדֶּקֶת זוֹ לְעוֹבָדָא דָּא). Rather, she knew in the house of her father-in-law the ways of Kudsha Berikh Hu, how this world speaks with mankind (אֶלָּא יַדְעַת בְּבֵיתָא דַּחֲמוֹהִי אָרְחוֹי דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, הֵיךְ מַדְבֵּר הַאי עָלְמָא עִם בְּנֵי נָשָׁא). And because she knew (וּבְגִין דְּהִיא יַדְעַת), Kudsha Berikh Hu established this matter through her (קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא אוֹקִים מִלָּה עַל יְדָהָא). And thus it went, as we have learned (וְאַזְלָא הָא כְּמָה דְּתָנֵינָן): Batsheva was prepared from the six days of Creation to be the mother of King Shlomo (אִזְדַּמְּנַת הֲוַת בַּת שֶׁבַע מו׳ יְמֵי בְּרֵאשִׁית לְמֶהֱוִי אִמֵּיהּ דִּשְׁלָמָא מַלְכָּא). So too here Tamar was prepared for this from the day the world was created (אוּף הָכָא אִזְדַּמְּנַת הֲוַת תָּמָר לְדָא, מִיּוֹמָא דְּאִתְבְּרֵי עָלְמָא).