AND THEY SAID ONE TO ANOTHER (lit. one man to his brother). These are Simeon and Levi, who were truly brothers in all respects, both being descended from the side of rigorous judgement; and hence it was that their anger was the anger that causes death in the world, as it says: “Cursed be their anger, for it was fierce, and their wrath, for it was cruel” (Ibid. 49, 7).
For there are two species of anger. There is anger which is blessed on high and below, and is called “blessed” (barukh), as explained in connection with the sentence: “Blessed be Abram of God Most High, Maker of heaven and earth” (Ibid. 14, 19); and there is anger which is accursed on high and is called “cursed” (arur), and regarding this it is written: “Cursed be thou from among all cattle, and from among all beasts of the field” (Ibid. 3, 14), as well as “Cursed be their anger for it was fierce.”
This is the recondite significance of thc two mounts Gerizim and Ebal set aside for the blessing and the curse (Deut. 11, 29), the two mounts corresponding to these two grades; and hence one is called cursed and the other blessed. Simeon and Levi both belonged to the side of severity, from which side, in its extreme manifestation, issues the anger which is under a curse.
All anger issues from the side of rigorous judgement, but in two directions, one referred to as blessed, the other as cursed. Similarly, from the side of Isaac there issued two sons, one of whom was blessed and the other cursed on high and below; the two separated, each going off towards his own side, the one making his abode in the Holy Land, the other on Mount Seir, being as he was “a cunning hunter, a man of the field” (Gen. 25, 27). The latter had his home in the desert, in regions of waste and desolation, while the former “dwelt in tents” (Ibid.), all being fitly ordained.
Hence it is that there are two grades, “blessed” and “cursed”, each ranged on its own side. From the one issue all blessings in the upper and the lower worlds, all beneficence, all light, all deliverance, all redemption; whilst the other is the source of all curses, all wars and bloodshed, all desolation and evil, and all defilement.
R. Simeon said: ‘It is written: I will wash my hands in innocency; so will I compass thine altar, O Lord (Ps. 26, 6). The inner implication of this verse has been explained as follows. Every man has a foretaste of death during the night, because the holy soul then leaves him, and the unclean spirit rests on the body and makes it unclean.
When, however, the soul returns to the body, the pollution disappears, save from the man’s hands, which retain it and thus remain unclean. Hence a man should not pass his hands over his eyes before washing them. When he has washed them, however, he becomes sanctified and is called holy.
For this sanctification two vessels are required, one held above and the other placed beneath, so that he may be sanctified by the water poured on his hands from the vessel above. The lower vessel, then, is the vessel of uncleanness, receiving as it does the water of contamination, whilst the upper vessel is a medium of sanctification. The upper one is to be referred to as “blessed”, the lower as “cursed”. Further, the water of contamination should not be emptied in the house, in order that no one may come near it; for it forms a gathering-place for the elements of the unclean side, and so one may receive injury from the unclean water.
Neither may a man pronounce a benediction before the pollution is removed from his hands. Thus, before he sanctifies his hands of a morning, a man is called unclean, and after that he is called clean. For this reason one should not allow water to be poured over his hands save by a man who has already washed his own hands, in harmony with the precept: “And the clean person shall sprinkle upon the unclean” (Num. 19, 19). We see that the one with his hands washed is the clean person, the other the unclean.
Similarly with the two vessels, the upper and the lower, the one being the holy vessel, the other the unholy. Nor is it permitted to put the polluted water to any use, or even to let it stay overnight in the house, but it must be emptied in a spot where people do not pass, as it is liable to cause harm through the unclean spirit that clings to it. It is quite permissible, however, to let it flow down a slope into the earth.
It must not be given to witches, as by means of it they can do harm to people. One should, then, avoid this water, since it is water of curse, and the Holy One desires to purify Israel so that they may be holy, as it is written: “And I will sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean; from all your uncleannesses, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you” (Ez. 36, 25).’
וְתָא חֲזֵי, מַה כְּתִיב וַיֹּאמְרוּ אִישׁ אֶל אָחִיו, דָּא שִׁמְעוֹן וְלֵוִי דְּאִינוּן הֲווּ אַחִין וַדַּאי בְּכֹלָּא, בְּגִין דְּקָא אָתוּ מִסִּטְרָא דְדִינָא קַשְׁיָא. וּבְגִין כָּךְ רוּגְזָא דִלְהוֹן, אִיהוּ רוּגְזָא דִּקְטָלָא בְּעַלְמָא. כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר (בראשית מ״ט:ז׳) אָרוּר אַפָּם כִּי עָז וְעֶבְרָתָם כִּי קָשָׁתָה.
AND THEY SAID ONE TO ANOTHER (lit. one man to his brother). These are Simeon and Levi, who were truly brothers in all respects, both being descended from the side of rigorous judgement; and hence it was that their anger was the anger that causes death in the world, as it says: “Cursed be their anger, for it was fierce, and their wrath, for it was cruel” (Ibid. 49, 7).
תָּא חֲזֵי, רָזָא דְמִלָּה, אִית רוּגְזָא וְאִית רוּגְזָא. אִית רוּגְזָא דְּאִיהוּ מְבָרְכָא מֵעֵילָא וּמִתַּתָּא, וְאִקְרֵי בָּרוּךְ, כְּמָה דְאִתְּמָר דִּכְתִיב (בראשית י״ד:י״ט) בָּרוּךְ אַבְרָם לְאֵל עֶלְיוֹן קוֹנִה שָׁמַיִם וָאָרֶץ וְהָא אוּקְמוּהָ. וְאִית רוּגְזָא דְּאִיהִי אִתְלַטְיָא לְעֵילָא וְתַתָּא, כְּמָה דְאִתְּמָר דְּאִקְרֵי אָרוּר. דִּכְתִיב, (בראשית ג׳:י״ד) אָרוּר אַתָּה מִכָּל הַבְּהֵמָה וּמִכָּל חַיַּת הַשָּׂדֶה. אָרוּר אַפָּם כִּי עָז.
For there are two species of anger. There is anger which is blessed on high and below, and is called “blessed” (barukh), as explained in connection with the sentence: “Blessed be Abram of God Most High, Maker of heaven and earth” (Ibid. 14, 19); and there is anger which is accursed on high and is called “cursed” (arur), and regarding this it is written: “Cursed be thou from among all cattle, and from among all beasts of the field” (Ibid. 3, 14), as well as “Cursed be their anger for it was fierce.”
וְעַל רָזָא דָא אִית תְּרֵין טוּרִין דִּכְתִיב, (דברים י״א:כ״ט) וְנָתַתָּ אֶת הַבְּרָכָה עַל הַר גְּרִיזִים וְאֶת הַקְּלָלָה עַל הַר עֵיבָל, לָקֳבֵיל אִלֵּין תְּרֵין דַּרְגִּין. וְעַל דָּא, דָּא אִקְרֵי אָרוּר, וְדָא אִקְרֵי בָּרוּךְ. וְשִׁמְעוֹן וְלֵוִי אִינוּן מִסִּטְרָא דְדִינָא קַשְׁיָא, וּמִן סִטְרָא דְדִינָא קַשְׁיָא תַּקִּיפָא, נָפְקַת רוּגְזָא דְאִתְלַטְיָא.
This is the recondite significance of thc two mounts Gerizim and Ebal set aside for the blessing and the curse (Deut. 11, 29), the two mounts corresponding to these two grades; and hence one is called cursed and the other blessed. Simeon and Levi both belonged to the side of severity, from which side, in its extreme manifestation, issues the anger which is under a curse.
וְתָּא חֲזֵי, מִסִּטְרָא דְדִינָא קַשְׁיָא נָפְקֵי רוּגְזָא לִתְרֵי סִטְרִין, חַד דְּאִתְבָּרַךְ, וְחַד דְּאִתְלַטְיָא. חַד בָּרוּךְ וְחַד אָרוּר. כְּגַוְונָא דָא מִסִּטְרָא דְיִצְחָק נָפְקוּ תְּרֵין בְּנִין, חַד מְבוֹרָךְ, וְחַד דְּאִתְלַטְיָא לְעֵילָא וְתַתָּא. דָּא אִתְפָּרַשׁ לְסִטְרֵיהּ, וְדָא אִתְפָּרַשׁ לְסִטְרֵיהּ. דָּא דִּיּוּרֵיהּ בְּאַרְעָא קַדִּישָׁא, וְדָא דִּיּוּרֵיהּ בְּטוּרָא דְשֵׂעִיר. דִּכְתִיב, (בראשית כ״ה:כ״ז) אִישׁ יוֹדֵעַ צַיִד אִישׁ שָׂדֶה. דָּא אַתְרֵיהּ בְּאֲתַר דְּמִדְבָּרָא וְחָרְבָא וּשְׁמָמָה, וְדָא יוֹשֵׁב אֹהָלִים. וְכֹלָּא כְּגַוְונָא דְאִצְטְרִיךְ.
All anger issues from the side of rigorous judgement, but in two directions, one referred to as blessed, the other as cursed. Similarly, from the side of Isaac there issued two sons, one of whom was blessed and the other cursed on high and below; the two separated, each going off towards his own side, the one making his abode in the Holy Land, the other on Mount Seir, being as he was “a cunning hunter, a man of the field” (Gen. 25, 27). The latter had his home in the desert, in regions of waste and desolation, while the former “dwelt in tents” (Ibid.), all being fitly ordained.
וּבְגִין כָּךְ תְּרֵין דַּרְגִּין אִינוּן, בָּרוּךְ וְאָרוּר, דָּא לְסִטְרֵיהּ וְדָא לְסִטְרֵיהּ. מֵהַאי נָפְקִין כָּל בִּרְכָאן דְּעָלְמִין לְעֵילָא וְתַתָּא וְכָל טִיבוּ וְכָל נְהִירוּ וְכָל פּוּרְקָן וְכָל שֵׁזָבוּתָא. וּמֵהַאי נָפְקִין כָּל לְוָוטִין וְכָל חַרְבָּא וְכָל דָּמָא וְכָל שְׁמָמָא וְכָל בִּישִׁין וְכָל מְסָאֲבוּ דְעָלְמָא.
Hence it is that there are two grades, “blessed” and “cursed”, each ranged on its own side. From the one issue all blessings in the upper and the lower worlds, all beneficence, all light, all deliverance, all redemption; whilst the other is the source of all curses, all wars and bloodshed, all desolation and evil, and all defilement.
רִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן פָּתַח וְאֲמַר, (תהילים כ״ו:ו׳) אֶרְחַץ בְּנִקָּיוֹן כַּפָּי וַאֲסוֹבְבָה אֶת מִזְבַּחֲךָ יְיָ, הַאי קְרָא אוּקְמוּהָ. אֲבָל תָּא חֲזֵי, רָזָא דְמִלָּה הָכָא, דְּהָא לֵית לָךְ בַּר נָשׁ בְּעַלְמָא דְּלָא טָעִים טַעְמָא דְמוֹתָא בְּלֵילְיָא, וְרוּחַ מְסָאֲבָא שַׁרְיָא עַל הַהוּא גוּפָא. מַאי טַעְמָא, בְּגִין דְּנִשְׁמָתָא קַדִּישָׁא אִסְתַּלְּקַת מִנֵּיהּ דְּבַר נָשׁ, וְנָפְקַת מִנֵּיהּ. וְעַל דְּנִשְׁמָתָא קַדִּישָׁא נָפְקַת וְאִסְתַּלְּקַת מִנִּיהּ, שַׁרְיָא רוּחָא מְסָאֲבָא עַל הַהוּא גוּפָא וְאִסְתָּאַב.
R. Simeon said: ‘It is written: I will wash my hands in innocency; so will I compass thine altar, O Lord (Ps. 26, 6). The inner implication of this verse has been explained as follows. Every man has a foretaste of death during the night, because the holy soul then leaves him, and the unclean spirit rests on the body and makes it unclean.
וְכַד נִשְׁמָתָא אִתְהַדְּרַת לְגוּפָא, אִתְעֲבַר הַהוּא זוּהֲמָא. וְהָא אִתְּמָר דִּידוֹי דְּבַר נָשׁ זוּהֲמָא דִמְסָאֲבוּ אִשְׁתָּאַר בְּהוּ. וְעַל דָּא לָא יַעֲבָר יְדוֹי עַל עֵינוֹי, בְּגִין דְּהַהוּא רוּחַ מְסָאֲבָא שַׁרְיא עֲלוֹי, עַד דְּנָטִיל לוֹן. וְכַד נָטִיל יְדוֹי כְּדְקָא חָזֵי, כְּדֵין אִתְק3ַדּשׁ וְאִקְרֵי קָדוֹשׁ.
When, however, the soul returns to the body, the pollution disappears, save from the man’s hands, which retain it and thus remain unclean. Hence a man should not pass his hands over his eyes before washing them. When he has washed them, however, he becomes sanctified and is called holy.
וְהֵיךָ בָּעֵי לְאִתְקַדְּשָׁא. בָּעֵי חַד כְּלִי לְתַתָּא וְחַד כְּלִי מִלְּעֵילָא, בְּגִין דְּיִתְקַדַּשׁ מֵהַהוּא דִלְעֵילָא. וְהַהוּא דִלְתַתָּא דְּיָתִיב בְּזוּהֲמָא דִּמְסָאֲבוּ בֵּיהּ. וְדָא כְּלִי לְקַבְּלָא מְסָאֲבוּ, וְדָא לְאִתְקַדְּשָׁא מִנֵּיהּ, דָּא בָּרוּךְ וְדָא אָרוּר. וְלָא בָּעְיָין אִינוּן מַיִין דְּזוּהֲמָא לְאוֹשְׁדָא לוֹן בְּבֵיתָא, דְּלָא יִקְרַב בְּהוּ בַּר נָשׁ. דְּהָא בְּהוּ מִתְכַּנְּשֵׁי סִטְרָא דִלְהוֹן, יָכִיל לְקַבְּלָא נִזְקָא מֵאִינוּן מַיִין מְסָאֲבִין.
For this sanctification two vessels are required, one held above and the other placed beneath, so that he may be sanctified by the water poured on his hands from the vessel above. The lower vessel, then, is the vessel of uncleanness, receiving as it does the water of contamination, whilst the upper vessel is a medium of sanctification. The upper one is to be referred to as “blessed”, the lower as “cursed”. Further, the water of contamination should not be emptied in the house, in order that no one may come near it; for it forms a gathering-place for the elements of the unclean side, and so one may receive injury from the unclean water.
וְעַד דְּיִתְעֲבַר זוּהֲמָא מִן יְדוֹי לָא יְבָרֵךְ, וְאוֹקִימְנָא. וּבְגִין כָּךְ, בַּר נָשׁ עַד לָא יְקַדֵּשׁ יְדוֹי בְּצַפְרָא, אִקְרֵי טָמֵא. כֵּיוָן דְּאִתְקַדַּשׁ אִקְרֵי טָהוֹר. וּבְגִין כָּךְ לָא יִטּוֹל אֶלָּא מִן יְדָא דְּאִדְכֵּי בְּקַדְמִיתָא. דִּכְתִיב, (במדבר י״ט:י״ט) וְהִזָּה הַטָּהוֹר עַל הַטָּמֵא. דָּא אִקְרֵי טָהוֹר, וְדָא אִקְרֵי טָמֵא.
Neither may a man pronounce a benediction before the pollution is removed from his hands. Thus, before he sanctifies his hands of a morning, a man is called unclean, and after that he is called clean. For this reason one should not allow water to be poured over his hands save by a man who has already washed his own hands, in harmony with the precept: “And the clean person shall sprinkle upon the unclean” (Num. 19, 19). We see that the one with his hands washed is the clean person, the other the unclean.
בְּגִין כָּךְ חַד כְּלִי לְעֵילָא וְחַד כְּלִי לְתַתָּא, דָּא קַדִּישָׁא וְדָא מְסָאֲבָא. וּמֵאִינוּן מַיִין אָסִיר לְמֶעְבַּד בְּהוּ מִידִי, אֶלָּא בָּעֵי לְאוֹשְׁדָא לוֹן בְּאֲתַר דִּבְנֵי נָשָׁא לָא עָבְרִין עֲלַיְיהוּ, וְלָא יָבִית לוֹן בְּבֵיתָא. דְּהָא כֵּיוָן דְּאִתּוֹשְׁדָן בְּאַרְעָא, רוּחָא מְסָאֲבָא אִשְׁתַּכַּח תַּמָּן וְיָכִיל לְנַזְקָא. וְאִי חָפַר לוֹן מִדְרוֹן תְּחוֹת אַרְעָא דְּלָא יִתְחֲזוּן שַׁפִּיר.
Similarly with the two vessels, the upper and the lower, the one being the holy vessel, the other the unholy. Nor is it permitted to put the polluted water to any use, or even to let it stay overnight in the house, but it must be emptied in a spot where people do not pass, as it is liable to cause harm through the unclean spirit that clings to it. It is quite permissible, however, to let it flow down a slope into the earth.
וְלָא יָהִיב לוֹן לִנְשֵׁי חֳרָשַׁיָא דְּיִכְלוּן לְאַבְאָשָׁא בְּהוּ לִבְנִי נָשָׁא. בְּגִין דְּאִינוּן מַיִין דְּאִתְלַטְיָין, וְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא בָּעֵי לְדַכָּאָה לוֹן לְיִשְׂרָאֵל וּלְמֶהֱוֵי קַדִּישִׁין. דִּכְתִיב, (יחזקאל ל״ו:כ״ה) וְזָרַקְתִּי עֲלֵיכֶם מַיִם טְהוֹרִים וּטְהַרְתֶּם מִכֹּל טֻמְאוֹתֵיכֶם וּמִכָּל גִּלּוּלֵיכֶם אֲטַהֵר אֶתְכֶם:
It must not be given to witches, as by means of it they can do harm to people. One should, then, avoid this water, since it is water of curse, and the Holy One desires to purify Israel so that they may be holy, as it is written: “And I will sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean; from all your uncleannesses, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you” (Ez. 36, 25).’