1the first 13 lines of the Hebrew text are not translated.R. Abba and R. Jose once rose at midnight to study the Torah. As they were sitting they saw a shadow hovering over them and going to and fro in the house, and they marvelled greatly. Said R. Abba: ‘Jose, my son, I will tell you what once happened to me with the Sacred Lamp. Once we were walking in the Valley of Ono, studying the Torah. To escape the heat of the sun we sat down in the hollow of a rock,
I said to him; Why is it that whenever sinners multiply in the world and punishment impends over the world, the virtuous among them are smitten for them, as we have learnt, that for the guilt of the generation the holy and righteous are seized upon? Why should this be? If because they do not reprove mankind for their evil deeds, how many are there who do reprove but are not listened to (though the righteous do humble themselves before them)? If it is in order that there may be no one to shield them, let them not die and let them not be seized for their sins, since it is a satisfaction to the righteous to see their destruction,
He replied; It is true that for the guilt of the generation the righteous are seized upon, but we may explain this on the analogy of the limbs of the body, When all the limbs are in pain and suffering from sickness one limb has to be smitten in order that all may be healed, Which is the one? The arm, The arm is smitten and blood is drawn from it, and this is healing for all the limbs of the body,
So men are like limbs of one body, When God desires to give healing to the world He smites one righteous man among them with disease and suffering, and through him gives healing to all, as it is written, “But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities… and with his stripes we are healed” (Isa, LIII, 5),
A righteous man is never afflicted save to bring healing to his generation and to make atonement for it, for the “other side” prefers that punishment should light upon the virtuous man rather than on any other, for then it cares not for the whole world on account of the joy it finds in having power over him, Yet withal another virtuous man may attain to dominion in this world and the next; he is “righteous and it is well with him”, because God does not care to make atonement with him for the world. I said to him: If all suffered alike, I could understand, but we see a righteous man in one place who is sick and suffering, and a righteous man in another who enjoys all the good things of the world. He replied: One or two of them are enough, since God does not desire to smite all of them, just as it is sufficient to let blood from one arm; only if the sickness becomes very severe is it necessary to let blood from two arms, and so here, if the world becomes very sinful all the virtuous are smitten to heal all the generation, but otherwise one is smitten and the rest are left in peace When the people are healed the righteous are healed with them, but sometimes all their days are passed in suffering to protect the people, and when they die all are healed.
I said to him: If all suffered alike, I could understand, but we see a righteous man in one place who is sick and suffering, and a righteous man in another who enjoys all the good things of the world. He replied: One or two of them are enough, since God does not desire to smite all of them, just as it is sufficient to let blood from one arm;
only if the sickness becomes very severe is it necessary to let blood from two arms, and so here, if the world becomes very sinful all the virtuous are smitten to heal all the generation, but otherwise one is smitten and the rest are left in peace. When the people are healed the righteous are healed with them, but sometimes all their days are passed in suffering to protect the people, and when they die all are healed.
אָמַר לוֹן, רַבָּנָן דְּכָל דָּרָא הֲוִיתוּ בִּזְמַנֵּיהוֹן, כָּל שֶׁכֵּן בּוּצִּינָא קַדִּישָׁא, דְּנָהִיר חָכְמָתֵיהּ בְּכָל דָּרִין דַּהֲווֹ אֲבַּתְרֵיהּ, אַל תִּתְּנוּ דֳּמִי לְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא בְּאוֹרַיְיתָא, עַד יֵעָרֶה עָלֵינוּ רוּחַ קֻדְשָׁא (לגבי שכינתיה) דְּהָא לָא אִית רְשׁוּ לְאִשְׁתַּמְּשָׁא בִּמְטַטְרוֹ"ן שַׂר הַפָּנִים אֶלָּא לָךְ, דְּאַתְוָון דִּילֵיהּ רְמִיזִין בִּשְׁמָךְ.
וּכְעַן צָּרִיךְ אַסְיָא, לְמִנְדַּע בְּכַמָּה דַּרְגִּין אִסְתָּלַּק דְּפִיקוּ דְּהַהוּא חוֹלֶה בְּגָלוּתָא דֶּאֱדוֹם, דְּאִתְּמַר עָלֵיהּ (שיר השירים ה׳:ח׳) שֶׁחוֹלַת אַהֲבָה אָנִי. דְּהָא כַּמָה אַסְיָין אִתְכְּנָשׁוּ עָלֵיהּ, לְמִנְדַּע קֵץ דְּמַרְעָא דִּילֵיהּ, בְּאִלֵּין דְּפִיקִין, וְלָא הֲוָה חַד מִנַּיְיהוּ דְּאִשְׁתְּמוֹדַע בְּהוֹן, דִּדְפִיקוּ דְּהַהוּא חוֹלֶה, לָא כָּל אַסְיָא בָּקִי לְאִשְׁתְּמוֹדַע בֵּיהּ, דְּאִית דְּפִיקִין דקשר"ק קש"ק קר"ק, דְּאָמַר נָבִיא עָלַיְיהוּ (ישעיהו כ״ו:י״ז) כְּמוֹ הָרָה תַּקְרִיב לָלֶדֶת תָּחִיל תִּזְעַק בַּחֲבָלֶיהָ.
וְכֻלְּהוּ עֶשֶׂר שׁוֹפָרוֹת, כְּלִילָן בִּתְלַת, דְּאִינּוּן סִימַן קש"ר, דְּאִיהוּ תְּקִיעָה שְׁבָרִים תְּרוּעָה. וּתְקִיעָה אַחְזִי אֲרִיכוּ דְּגָלוּתָא, שְׁבָרִים קְרִיבוּ דְּגָלוּתָא. תְּרוּעָה בֵּיהּ יֵיתֵי פּוּרְקָנָא, דְּאַחְזֵי דּוֹחֲקָא בָּתַר דּוֹחֲקָא, וְלֵית רְוָוחָא בֵּין דָּא לְדָא, דְּוַדַּאי כֵּיוָן דִּשְׁאַר עַמִּין מְעַכְּבִין לוֹן לְיִשְׂרָאֵל בְּגָלוּתָא, דּוֹחֲקָא דִּלְהוֹן מְקָרֵב לוֹן פּוּרְקָנָא. אוּף הָכִי מְהִירוּ דִּדְפִיקוּ דָּא בָתֶר דָּא, בֵּיהּ נָפִיק נַפְשָׁא דְּבַּר נָשׁ, בָּתַר דְּלֵית רֶיוַח בֵּין דָּא לְדָא.
קשר"ק קש"ק קר"ק, אִיהוּ דְּשַׁוִּי קש"ר, תְּקִיעָה שְׁבָרִים תְּרוּעָה. דְּאִתְעַבָּר בֵּיהּ שֶׁקֶר מִן עָלְמָא, דְּבֵיהּ אוֹמָאָה, (שמות י״ז:ט״ז) מִלְחָמָה לַיְיָ בַּעֲמָלֵק. יִתְּעַר בְּעָלְמָא. שִׁיר פָּשׁוּט, וְכָפוּל, וּמְשׁוּלָשׁ, וּמְרוּבָּע. דְּאִיהוּ סָלִיק אַתְוָון דִּילֵיהּ, י', י"ה, יה"ו, יהו"ה, ע"ב. בְּהַהוּא זִמְנָא, וּבְכֵן צַּדִּיקִים יִרְאוּ וְיִשְׂמָחוּ וִישָׁרִים יַעֲלוֹזוּ וַחֲסִידִים בְּרִנָּה יָגִילוּ. ו' תּוֹסֶפֶת, אֶלֶף שְׁתִיתָאָה. קוֹדֶם דִּילֵיהּ עָקֵ"ב, חָרַב בֵּי מַקְדְּשָׁא, וּלְבָתַר דִּילֵיהּ, עַד תַּשְׁלוּם רָעָב, יִהְיֶה עֶרֶב. הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב, (שמות ט״ז:ו׳) עֶרֶב וידַעְתֶּם כִּי יְיָ הוֹצִּיא אֶתְכֶם וְגוֹ'. (בראשית מ״ד:ל״ב) כִּי עַבְדֶּךָ עָרַב אֶת הַנַּעַר וְגוֹ'. (ע"כ רעיא מהימנא)
עַד דַּהֲווֹ יַתְבֵי, חָמוּ חַד טוּלָא דְּקַיְימָא עָלַיְיהוּ, אַזְלָא וְאַתְיָא, אַזְלָא וְאַתְיָא, בְּגוֹ בֵּיתָא. תַּוְוהוּ. אָמַר רִבִּי אַבָּא, יוֹסֵי בְּנִי, אֵימָא לָךְ מַה דְּהֲוָה לִי עִם בּוּצִינָא קַדִּישָׁא. יוֹמָא חַד הֲוִינָן אַזְלִינָן בְּבִקְעָתָא דְּאוֹנוֹ, וַהֲוִינָן לָעָאן בְּאוֹרַיְיתָא, כָּל הַהוּא יוֹמָא, וּמִגּוֹ תּוּקְפָּא דְּשִׁמְשָׁא אוֹתְבֵנָין גַּבֵּי חַד טִינָרָא, בְּגוֹ נוּקְבָּא חֲדָא.
1the first 13 lines of the Hebrew text are not translated.R. Abba and R. Jose once rose at midnight to study the Torah. As they were sitting they saw a shadow hovering over them and going to and fro in the house, and they marvelled greatly. Said R. Abba: ‘Jose, my son, I will tell you what once happened to me with the Sacred Lamp. Once we were walking in the Valley of Ono, studying the Torah. To escape the heat of the sun we sat down in the hollow of a rock,
אֲמֵינָא לֵיהּ, מַאי הַאי, דִּבְכָל שַׁעֲתָא דְּחַיָּיבִין אַסְגִּיאוּ בְּעָלְמָא, וְדִינָא שַׁרְיָיא בְּעָלְמָא, זַכָּאִין דִּבְּהוֹן לָקָאן עָלַיְיהוּ. דְּהָכִי תָּנֵינָן, בְּחוֹבָא דְּדָרָא, קַדִּישַׁיָּיא וְצַדִּיקַיָּיא יִתָּפְסוּן. אֲמַאי, אִי בְּגִין דְּאִינּוּן דְּלָא מוֹכִיחִין לְעָלְמָא עַל עוֹבָדַיְיהוּ, כַּמָּה אִינּוּן דְּמוֹכִיחִין, וְלָא מְקַבְּלֵי מִנַּיְיהוּ, וְצַדִּיקַיָּיא אִתְכַּפְיָין קַמַּיְיהוּ. וְאִי בְּגִין דְּלָא הֲוִי מַאן דְּיָגִין עַל עָלְמָא, לָא יֵהוֹן מֵתִין, וְלָא יִתָּפְסוּן בְּחוֹבַיְיהוּ, דְּהָא חֶדְוָוה אִיהוּ לְצַדִּיקַיָּיא בְּאִבּוּדָא דִּלְהוֹן.
I said to him; Why is it that whenever sinners multiply in the world and punishment impends over the world, the virtuous among them are smitten for them, as we have learnt, that for the guilt of the generation the holy and righteous are seized upon? Why should this be? If because they do not reprove mankind for their evil deeds, how many are there who do reprove but are not listened to (though the righteous do humble themselves before them)? If it is in order that there may be no one to shield them, let them not die and let them not be seized for their sins, since it is a satisfaction to the righteous to see their destruction,
אָמַר לֵיהּ, בְּחוֹבָה דְּדָרָא וַדַּאי מִתָּפְסִין צַדִּיקַיָּיא, וְהָא אוֹקִימְנָא הָנֵי מִילֵי. אֲבָל בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְּיִתָּפְסוּן צַדִּיקַיָּיא בְּמַרְעִין, אוֹ בְּמַכְתְּשִׁין, בְּגִין לְכַפְּרָא עַל עָלְמָא הֲוִי, כְּדֵין יִתְכַּפְּרוּן כָּל חוֹבֵי דָּרָא, מְנָלָן. מִכָּל שַׁיְיפֵי גּוּפָא, בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְּכָל שַׁיְיפִין בְּעָאקוּ, וּמְרָע סַגֵּי שַׁרְיָיא עָלַיְיהוּ, שַׁיְיפָא חֲדָא אִצְטְרִיךְ לְאַלְקָאָה, בְּגִין דְּיִתְסּוּן כֻּלְּהוּ, וּמַנוּ. דְּרוֹעָא. דְּרוֹעָא אַלְקֵי וְאַפִּיקוּ מִינֵּיהּ דָּמָא, כְּדֵין הָא אַסְוָותָא לְכָל שַׁיְיפֵי גּוּפָא.
He replied; It is true that for the guilt of the generation the righteous are seized upon, but we may explain this on the analogy of the limbs of the body, When all the limbs are in pain and suffering from sickness one limb has to be smitten in order that all may be healed, Which is the one? The arm, The arm is smitten and blood is drawn from it, and this is healing for all the limbs of the body,
אוּף הָכִי בְּנֵי עָלְמָא אִינּוּן שַׁיְיפִין דָּא עִם דָּא. בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְּבָעֵי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לְמֵיהַב אַסְוָותָא לְעָלְמָא, אַלְקֵי לְחַד צַדִּיקָא בֵּינַיְיהוּ, בְּמַרְעִין וּבְמַכְתְּשִׁין, וּבְגִינֵיהּ יָהִיב אַסְוָותָא לְכֹלָּא. מְנָלָן. דִּכְתִּיב, (ישעיהו נ״ג:ה׳) וְהוּא מְחוֹלָל מִפְּשָׁעֵינוּ מְדוּכָּא מֵעֲוֹנוֹתֵינוּ וְגוֹ'. וּבַחֲבוּרָתוֹ נִרְפָּא לָנוּ. וּבַחֲבוּרָתוֹ, אֲקָזוּתָא דְּדָמָא, כְּמַאן דְּאָקִיז דְּרוֹעָא, וּבְהַהוּא חַבּוּרָא נִרְפָא לָנוּ, אַסְוָותָא הוּא לָנָא לְכָל שַׁיְיפִין דְּגוּפָא.
So men are like limbs of one body, When God desires to give healing to the world He smites one righteous man among them with disease and suffering, and through him gives healing to all, as it is written, “But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities… and with his stripes we are healed” (Isa, LIII, 5),
וּלְעוֹלָם לָא אַלְקֵי צַדִּיקָא, אֶלָּא לְמֵיהַב אַסְוָותָא לְדָרָא, וּלְכַפְּרָא עָלַיְיהוּ. (ורזא דא צדיק ורע לו) דְּהָא נִיחָא לְסִטְרָא אַחֲרָא דְּדִינָא שַׁלְטָא (לשלטאה) עַל זַכָּאָה יַתִּיר מִכֹּלָּא, דְּלָא חָיִישׁ כְּדֵין לְכָל עָלְמָא, וְלָא אַשְׁגַּח בְּהוּ, מֵחֶדְוָה דְּשַׁלִּיט עָלֵיהּ. וְהַהוּא זַכָּאָה זָכֵי לְשׁוּלְטָנָא עִלָּאָה, בְּהַאי עָלְמָא, וּבְעָלְמָא דְּאָתֵי. צַדִּיק וְטוֹב לוֹ, דְּלָא חָיִישׁ קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לְכַפְּרָא עַל עָלְמָא.
A righteous man is never afflicted save to bring healing to his generation and to make atonement for it, for the “other side” prefers that punishment should light upon the virtuous man rather than on any other, for then it cares not for the whole world on account of the joy it finds in having power over him, Yet withal another virtuous man may attain to dominion in this world and the next; he is “righteous and it is well with him”, because God does not care to make atonement with him for the world. I said to him: If all suffered alike, I could understand, but we see a righteous man in one place who is sick and suffering, and a righteous man in another who enjoys all the good things of the world. He replied: One or two of them are enough, since God does not desire to smite all of them, just as it is sufficient to let blood from one arm; only if the sickness becomes very severe is it necessary to let blood from two arms, and so here, if the world becomes very sinful all the virtuous are smitten to heal all the generation, but otherwise one is smitten and the rest are left in peace When the people are healed the righteous are healed with them, but sometimes all their days are passed in suffering to protect the people, and when they die all are healed.
אֲמֵינָא לֵיהּ, אִלּוּ לָא הֲווֹ בְּחַד זִמְנָא, יָאוּת. אֲבָל אִית צַדִּיק הָכָא, וְאִית צַדִּיק הָכָא, לְדָא אִית מַרְעִין וּמַכְתְּשִׁין, וּלְדָא אִית כָּל טִיבוּ דְּעָלְמָא. אָמַר לִי, בְּחַד מִנַּיְיהוּ אוֹ תְּרֵין סַגֵּי, דְּלָא בָּעָא קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לְאַלְקָאָה כֹּלָּא, (ס"א כל דמה) כְּמָה דְּלָא אִצְטְרִיךְ אֶלָּא דְּרוֹעָא חֲדָא, לְאַלְקָאָה וּלְאָקָזָאָה לְמֵיהַב אַסְוָותָא לְכָל שַׁיְיפִין. אוּף הָכָא, בְּחַד צַדִּיקָא סַגֵּי.
I said to him: If all suffered alike, I could understand, but we see a righteous man in one place who is sick and suffering, and a righteous man in another who enjoys all the good things of the world. He replied: One or two of them are enough, since God does not desire to smite all of them, just as it is sufficient to let blood from one arm;
וְאִי אִתְּקַף (ס"א אתייקר) בֵּיהּ מְרָע, עַל כָּל שַׁיְיפִין, כְּדֵין אִצְטְרִיךְ תְּרֵין דְּרוֹעִין לְאָקָזָאָה. אוּף הָכִי, אִי אַסְגִּיאוּ חוֹבִין יַקִּירִין עַל עָלְמָא, כְּדֵין כָּל זַכָּאִין אַלְקוּן, לְמֵיהַב אַסְוָותָא עַל כָּל דָּרָא. אֲבָל בִּזְמַן דְּלָא אַסְגִּיאוּ כָּל כַּךְ, כְּדֵין חַד זַכָּאָה אַלְקֵי, וּשְׁאַר צַדִּיקַיָּא בִּשְׁלָם, דְּהָא לָא אִצְטְרִיךְ עָלְמָא דְּיִלְקוּן כֻּלְּהוּ. אִתְסִיאוּ עַמָּא. אִתְסִיאוּ צַדִּיקַיָּיא. וּלְזִמְנִין דְּכָל יוֹמֵיהוֹן קַיְימִין בְּמַרְעִין, לְאַגָּנָא עַל דָּרָא. מִיתוּ, הָא אַתְּסֵי כֹּלָּא, וְאִתְכְּפַּר. לְזִמְנִין דְּחוֹבִין אִינּוּן יַקִּירִין יַתִּיר.
only if the sickness becomes very severe is it necessary to let blood from two arms, and so here, if the world becomes very sinful all the virtuous are smitten to heal all the generation, but otherwise one is smitten and the rest are left in peace. When the people are healed the righteous are healed with them, but sometimes all their days are passed in suffering to protect the people, and when they die all are healed.