R. Abba illustrated from the verse: “When the wicked spring up as the grass, and when all the workers of iniquity do blossom; it is that they may be destroyed for ever” (Ps. 92, 8). ‘This verse’, he said, ‘apart from its more obvious meaning, is to be interpreted as follows. When the wicked spring up, it is but as grass, to wit, like grass that is withered in the parched soil, but revives somewhat at the approach of water, and like a felled tree that can still send forth twigs on either side, but can never regain its former foliage. So will the wicked be destroyed for ever and be altogether uprooted.
There is this further truth underlying this verse. It is, that the Holy One, blessed be He, is long-suffering with the wicked in this world, because this world is the portion of the “other side”, whereas the world to come belongs to the side of holiness, is the portion of the righteous for them to abide therein adorned with the crown of the glory of their Master. These two sides are the counterparts of one another, the one the side of holiness, the other that of defilement; the one destined for the righteous, the other for the wicked. Happy are those righteous who have no portion in this world but only in the world to come.
פָּתַח וְאָמַר (תהילים צ״ב:ח׳) בִּפְרֹחַ רְשָׁעִים כְּמוֹ עֵשֶׂב וַיָּצִיצוּ כָּל פּוֹעֲלֵי אָוֶן לְהִשָּׁמְדָם עֲדֵי עַד, הַאי קְרָא אוּקְמוּהָ, אֲבָל תָּא חֲזֵי, בִּפְרֹחַ רְשָׁעִים כְּמוֹ עֵשֶׂב. כְּהַאי עִשְׂבָּא דְּאִיהוּ בִּיבִישׁוּ דְּאַרְעָא, וְאִיהוּ יְבֵישָׁא, כַּד שָׁרָאן בֵּיהּ מַיָּא אַפְרִיחַ, וְהַהוּא יְבִישׁוּ אִתְפְּרַח. וּכְהַאי אִילָנָא קְצִיצָא דְּנָצִיץ, וְלָא סָלִיק אֶלָּא אִינּוּן פְּאֵרוֹת, לִסְטַר דָּא וְלִסְטַר דָּא, דְּאִינּוּן עַנְפִין דְּסַלְּקִין, וּלְעָלְמִין לָא סָלִיק אִילָנָא, כַּד הֲוָה בְּקַדְמִיתָא לְמֶהֱוֵי אִילָנָא. וְכָל דָּא, לְהִשָּׁמְדָם עֲדֵי עַד, לְאַעְקְרָא לוֹן מִשָּׁרָשִׁין וּמִכֹּלָּא.
R. Abba illustrated from the verse: “When the wicked spring up as the grass, and when all the workers of iniquity do blossom; it is that they may be destroyed for ever” (Ps. 92, 8). ‘This verse’, he said, ‘apart from its more obvious meaning, is to be interpreted as follows. When the wicked spring up, it is but as grass, to wit, like grass that is withered in the parched soil, but revives somewhat at the approach of water, and like a felled tree that can still send forth twigs on either side, but can never regain its former foliage. So will the wicked be destroyed for ever and be altogether uprooted.
תּוּ רָזָא אַחֲרָא אִית בְּהַאי, עַל דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא אָרִיךְ רוּגְזֵיהּ בְּחַיָּיבַיָּא בְּהַאי עָלְמָא, בְּגִין דְּהַאי עָלְמָא, אִיהוּ חוּלָקָא דְּסִטְרָא אַחֲרָא. וְעָלְמָא דְּאָתֵי אִיהוּ סִטְרָא דִּקְדוּשָּׁה. וְאִיהוּ חוּלָקָא דְּצַדִּיקַיָּיא, לְמֶהֱוֵי צַדִּיקַיָּיא אִינּוּן בַּעַטָרָא דִּיְקָרָא דְּמָארֵיהוֹן בֵּיהּ. וּתְרֵין סִטְרִין אִלֵּין, קַיְימִין דָּא לָקֳבֵל דָּא. דָּא סִטְרָא דִּקְדוּשָּׁה. וְדָא סִטְרָא אַחֲרָא דִּמְסָאֲבָא. דָּא קַיְּימָא לְצַדִּיקַיָּיא, וְדָא קַיְּימָא לְרַשִׁיעַיָּיא, וְכֹלָּא דָּא לָקֳבֵל דָּא. זַכָּאִין אִינּוּן צַדִּיקַיָּיא, דְּלֵית לוֹן חוּלָקָא בְּהַאי עָלְמָא, אֶלָּא בְּעָלְמָא דְּאָתֵי.
There is this further truth underlying this verse. It is, that the Holy One, blessed be He, is long-suffering with the wicked in this world, because this world is the portion of the “other side”, whereas the world to come belongs to the side of holiness, is the portion of the righteous for them to abide therein adorned with the crown of the glory of their Master. These two sides are the counterparts of one another, the one the side of holiness, the other that of defilement; the one destined for the righteous, the other for the wicked. Happy are those righteous who have no portion in this world but only in the world to come.