Daf 93b (דַּף צ״ג ע״ב)

And there are shells of desire, which are Tohu, Vohu, Darkness, and Tehom (וְאִית קְלִיפִין דְּאִיבָּא דְּאִינוּן תֹּהוּ וָבֹהוּ וְחֹשֶׁךְ וּתְהוֹם). These shells are evil (דִּקְלִיפִין אִלֵּין אִינוּן רָע), the brain within is good (מוֹחָא מִלְּגָאו טוֹב). The Tree of Life-its shells are fair, and its brain is fair (אִילָנָא דְחַיֵּי קְלִיפִין דִּילֵיהּ שַׁפִּירִין וּמוֹחָא דִילֵיהּ שַׁפִּיר). And this is “its foliage beautiful, and its fruit abundant” (Daniel 4) (וְדָא אִיהוּ עָפְיֵיהּ שַׁפִּיר וְאִנְבֵּיהּ שַׂגִּיא). And there is a tree that is entirely evil, its brain and its shell all bitter, and its waters bitter (וְאִית אִילָנָא דְכוּלֵיהּ בִּישׁ, מוֹחָא וּקְלִיפָה כֻּלְּהוּ מְרִירָן, וּמַיִּין דִּלְהוֹן מְרִירָן). This is what is written: “And they came to Marah, and could not drink of the waters of Marah, for they were bitter… and Hashem showed him a tree… and the waters were sweetened” (Exodus 15) (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב וַיָּבֹאוּ מָרָתָה וְלֹא יָכְלוּ לִשְׁתּוֹת מַיִם מִמָּרָה כִּי מָרִים הֵם וְגוֹ׳, וַיּוֹרֵהוּ יהו״ה עֵץ וְגוֹ׳, וּבֵיהּ וַיִּמְתְּקוּ הַמָּיִם). A sweet tree, from which go forth branches and roots (עֵץ מָתוֹק דְּמִנֵּיהּ נָפְקִין עַנְפִין וְשָׁרָשִׁין), of which it is said: “And sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb” (Psalms 19) (דְּאִתְּמַר בְּהוֹן וּמְתוּקִים מִדְּבַשׁ וְנֹפֶת צוּפִים). And because of this there is a tree whose branches are sweet, and a tree whose branches are bitter (וּבְגִין דָּא אִית עֵץ דְּעַנְפִין דִּילֵיהּ מְתִיקָן, וְעֵץ דְּעַנְפִין דִּילֵיהּ מְרִירָן). And there are sweet waters, and bitter waters (וְאִית מַיִּין מְתִיקָן וּמַיִּין מְרִירָן). This against that has Kudsha Berikh Hu made (דְּדָא לָקֳבֵל דָּא עָבַד קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא). And there is one that is half sweet and half bitter (וְאִית דְּאִיהוּ פַּלְגוּ דִילֵיהּ מְתִיקָא וּפַלְגוּ דִילֵיהּ מְרִירָא). And this is the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil (וְדָא עֵץ הַדַּעַת טוֹב וָרָע), like silver mixed with lead (כְּגַוְונָא דְכַסְפָּא מְעוּרָב בְּעוֹפָרֶת). And there is a tree whose shells are evil on the outside, but its brain is sweet within (וְאִית אִילָנָא דִקְלִיפִין דִּילֵיהּ בִּישִׁין מִלְּבָר וּמוֹחָא מְתִיקָא מִלְּגָאו). So you will find a man who is evil in the words of his mouth, but good in his heart within (הָכִי תִשְׁכַּח בַּר נַשׁ בִּישׁ בְּמִלֵּי פוּמוֹי; נ״א וּבְפוּמוֹי מַפִיק בִּישׁ מִלְּבָר, וְטַב בְּלִבֵּיהּ מִלְּגָאו). And there is one whose mouth is good, but his heart is evil (וְאִית מִפִּימוֹי טַב וְלִבֵּיהּ בִּישׁ). This is the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil (הַאי אִיהוּ עֵץ הַדַּעַת טוֹב וָרָע). Here the deceitful serpent dwells (הָכָא מְקַנֵּן נָחָשׁ רַמַּאי). So it is with man: you will find a man whose body is fair, and all his features are fair, and his soul is a living Nefesh within (הָכִי אִיהוּ בַּר נַשׁ דְּתִשְׁכַּח לֵיהּ גּוּפֵיהּ שַׁפִּיר, וְסִימָנִין דִּילֵיהּ כֻּלְּהוּ שַׁפִּירָן, וְנִשְׁמָתֵיהּ נֶפֶשׁ חַיָּיבָא מִלְּגָאו). And you will find a man whose body is evil in all his features, and his soul within is fair (וְתִשְׁכַּח בַּר נַשׁ גּוּפֵיהּ בִּישׁ בְּכָל סִימָנִין דִּילֵיהּ, וְנִשְׁמָתֵיהּ מִלְּגָאו שַׁפִּירָא). This is the one who is a righteous man to whom it is evil (דָּא אִיהוּ צַדִּיק וְרַע לוֹ). But one who is good outwardly and evil inwardly is the wicked man to whom it is good (אֲבָל מָאן דְּאִיהוּ טַב מִלְּבָר וְרַע מִלְּגָאו, אִיהוּ רָשָׁע וְטוֹב לוֹ), because he shall have no portion in the World to Come (בְּגִין דְּלָא יְהֵא לֵיהּ חוּלָקָא בְעָלְמָא דְאָתֵי). Good outwardly and inwardly is the righteous man to whom it is good (טוֹב מִלְּבָר וּמִלְּגָאו צַדִּיק וְטוֹב לוֹ). Evil inwardly and outwardly is the wicked man to whom it is evil (בִּישׁ מִלְּגָאו וּמִלְּבָר רָשָׁע וְרַע לוֹ).

And this has already been established (וְהָא אוּקְמוּהָ). Good inwardly but his garment evil, this is the poor one, riding upon a donkey (Zechariah 9) (טַב מִלְּגָאו וּלְבוּשָׁא דִילֵיהּ בִּישׁ, דָּא אִיהוּ עָנִי וְרוֹכֵב עַל חֲמוֹר). Evil inwardly but his garment fair outwardly, of him it is said: “I have seen servants upon horses” (Ecclesiastes 10) (רַע מִלְּגָאו וּלְבוּשָׁא דִילֵיהּ שַׁפִּיר מִלְּבָר, עַל הַאי אִתְּמַר רָאִיתִי עֲבָדִים עַל סוּסִים). And all is made known through the deeds of man (וְכֹלָּא אִשְׁתְּמוֹדָע בְּעוֹבָדוֹי דְבַר נַשׁ). He who is inward (מָאן דְּאִיהוּ מִלְּגָאו). And not to disparage did the ancients establish, “Not the learning is the essential, but the deed is the essential” (וְלַאו לְמַגָּנָא אוּקְמוּ קַדְמָאִין לֹא הַמֶּדְרָשׁ הוּא הָעִקָּר אֶלָּא הַמַּעֲשֶׂה הוּא הָעִקָּר). For fools look at the body, which is the garment (דְּשַׁטְיָין מִסְתַּכְּלִין בְּגוּפָא דְאִיהוּ לְבוּשָׁא). This is what is written: “Skin and flesh You clothed me with” (Job 10) (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב עוֹר וּבָשָׂר תַּלְבִּישֵׁנִי). But the righteous are known by good deeds (וְצַדִּיקַיָּא בְעוֹבָדִין טָבִין).

“And Hashem showed him a tree” (Exodus 15) (וְעוֹד וַיּוֹרֵהוּ יהו״ה עֵץ), this is the staff of Moshe (דָּא מַטֶּה דְמֹשֶׁה), which would turn from a staff into a serpent and from a serpent into a staff (דַהֲוָה מִתְהַפֵּךְ מִמַּטֶּה לְנָחָשׁ וּמִנָּחָשׁ לְמַטֶּה), like the flaming sword that turned every way (Bereshit 3) (כְּגוֹן לַהַט הַחֶרֶב הַמִּתְהַפֶּכֶת). And this is Metatron (וְדָא מטטרו״ן), by whom Moshe Rabbenu was served (דְּבֵיהּ הֲוָה מִשְׁתַּמֵּשׁ מֹשֶׁה רַבֵּינוּ), like the middle pillar by which he is served (כְּגַוְונָא דְעַמּוּדָא דְאֶמְצָעִיתָא דְהוּא מִשְׁתַּמֵּשׁ בֵּיהּ), and by it he guided the lower beings (וַהֲוָה מַנְהִיג תַּתָּאִין בֵּיהּ). Likewise, Moshe, who was in his likeness, used the staff (אוּף הָכִי מֹשֶׁה דַהֲוָה כְּגַוְונָא דִילֵיהּ, הֲוָה מִשְׁתַּמֵּשׁ בְּמַטֶּה). And why is Metatron called a staff? (וְאַמַּאי אִתְקְרֵי מטטרו״ן מַטֶּה) Because at times it inclines toward merit for the Righteous, and at times it inclines toward liability for the wicked (דִלְזִמְנִין מַטֶּה כְּלַפֵּי זְכוּ לַצַּדִּיקַיָּא, וּלְזִמְנִין מַטֶּה כְּלַפֵּי חוֹבָא לְרַשִּׁיעַיָּא). And because of this it turned from staff into serpent, to strike the wicked with it (וּבְגִין דָּא אִתְהַפַּךְ מִמַּטֶּה לְנָחָשׁ לְרַשִּׁיעַיָּא לְאַלְקָאָה לוֹן בֵּיהּ), and from serpent into staff for the righteous, to give them reward with it (וּמִנָּחָשׁ לַמַּטֶּה לַצַּדִּיקַיָּא לְמֵיהַב לוֹן בֵּיהּ אַגְרָא).

For thus it is: over this angel, Kudsha Berikh Hu presides (דְּהָכִי אִיהוּ עַל הַאי מַלְאָכָא קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא), like the soul riding upon the body (כְּגַוְונָא דְנִשְׁמָתָא דְרָכִיב עַל גּוּפָא). And of the Tzaddik it is said: “The righteous rules in the fear of Elohim” (2 Samuel 23) (וְצַדִּיק בְּהַאי אֲתַר אִתְּמַר בֵּיהּ צַדִּיק מוֹשֵׁל יִרְאַת אֱלֹהִים), because he turns judgment into mercy (בְּגִין דְּאִיהוּ מְהַפֵּךְ דִּינָא לְרַחֲמֵי). And in this place a change of deed is required, in order that it be turned from judgment to mercy (וּבְהַאי אֲתַר צָרִיךְ שִׁנּוּי מַעֲשֶׂה, בְּגִין דְּיִתְהַפַּךְ מִדִּינָא לְרַחֲמֵי), and a change of name and a change of place (וְשִׁנּוּי הַשֵּׁם וְשִׁנּוּי מָקוֹם). But Kudsha Berikh Hu, who is inward, of Him it is said: “I, Hashem, do not change” (Malachi 3) (וְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא דְאִיהוּ מִלְּגָאו, אִתְּמַר בֵּיהּ אֲנִי יהו״ה לֹא שָׁנִיתִי), for He is merciful and gracious, in Him there is no judgment at all and no changes (דְּאִיהוּ רַחוּם וְחַנּוּן, לֵית בֵּיהּ דִּינָא כְלָל וְלָא שִׁנּוּיִין). And when man rules over his inclination, the serpent is turned into a staff (וְכַד בַּר נַשׁ שַׁלִּיט עַל יִצְרֵיהּ, נֶהְפַּךְ נָחָשׁ לַמַּטֶּה). But if his inclination rules over him, it is turned from staff into serpent (וְאִם יִצְרֵיהּ שַׁלִּיט עֲלֵיהּ, נֶהְפַּךְ מִמַּטֶּה לְנָחָשׁ). And immediately “Moshe fled from before it” (Exodus 4) (וּמִיָּד וַיָּנָס מֹשֶׁה מִפָּנָיו). What is “and he fled”? Rather, here is hinted a change of place, for he fled from his place and from before it (מַאי וַיָּנָס, אֶלָּא הָכִי רְמִיז שִׁנּוּי מָקוֹם, דְּבָרַח מֵאַתְרֵיהּ וּמִקַּמֵּיהּ). And this is the secret: “And the eyes of both of them were opened” (Bereshit 3) (וְדָא אִיהוּ רָזָא וַתִּפָּקַחְנָה עֵינֵי שְׁנֵיהֶם). And in what were they opened? To know good and evil (וּבְמַאי אִתְפַּקְחוּ, לְמִנְדַּע טוֹב וָרָע). For it is the staff that includes both (דְּאִיהוּ מַטֶּה כְלִיל מִתַּרְוַיְיהוּ). When it turned from serpent to staff, it was said of him: “a righteous man to whom it is good” (כַּד אִתְהַפַּךְ מִנָּחָשׁ לַמַּטֶּה אִתְּמַר בֵּיהּ צַדִּיק וְטוֹב לוֹ). And when it turned from staff to serpent, it was said of him: “a wicked man to whom it is good” (וְכַד אִתְהַפַּךְ מִמַּטֶּה לְנָחָשׁ אִתְּמַר בֵּיהּ רָשָׁע וְטוֹב לוֹ).