Talmud Bavli, Hagigah Reader

And Rav Yehudah said in the name of Rav: Ten things were created on the first day, and these are they: the heavens and the earth, formlessness and void, light and darkness, wind and water, the measure of day and the measure of night. The heavens and the earth, as it is written: "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth" (Genesis 1:1). Formlessness and void, as it is written: "And the earth was formless and void" (Genesis 1:2). Light and darkness; darkness, as it is written: "And darkness was upon the face of the deep" (Genesis 1:2); light, as it is written: "And God said, Let there be light" (Genesis 1:3). Wind and water, as it is written: "And the spirit of God hovered over the face of the waters" (Genesis 1:2). The measure of day and the measure of night, as it is written: "And there was evening and there was morning, one day" (Genesis 1:5). And was the light created on the first day? But it is written: "And God set them in the firmament of the heavens" (Genesis 1:17), and it is written: "And there was evening and there was morning, the fourth day" (Genesis 1:19)! This is in accordance with Rabbi Elazar. For Rabbi Elazar said: The light that the Holy One, blessed be He, created on the first day, a person could see by it from one end of the world to the other. When the Holy One, blessed be He, looked upon the generation of the Flood and the generation of the Dispersion and saw that their deeds were corrupt, He arose and hid it from them, as it is said: "And from the wicked their light is withheld" (Job 38:15). And for whom did He hide it? For the righteous in the time to come, as it is said: "And God saw the light, that it was good" (Genesis 1:4), and "good" means nothing other than the righteous, as it is said: "Say of the righteous that it shall be good with him" (Isaiah 3:10). When He saw the light that He had hidden for the righteous, He rejoiced, as it is said: "The light of the righteous rejoices" (Proverbs 13:9).

What is the meaning of "heaven" (shamayim)? Rabbi Yose bar Chanina said: That there is water there (sham mayim) [reading the word as a contraction]. In a baraita it was taught: fire and water (esh u-mayim) [reading the word as a blend of the two], teaching that the Holy One, blessed be He, brought them and mixed them one with the other, and made the firmament from them. And Rav Yehudah said that Rav said: At the time when the Holy One, blessed be He, created the world, it kept expanding and going like two balls of warp thread, until the Holy One, blessed be He, rebuked it and made it stand firm, as it is said: "The pillars of heaven tremble and are astonished at His rebuke" (Job 26:11). And this is what Reish Lakish said: What is the meaning of that which is written: "I am El Shaddai" (Genesis 17:1)? I am He who said to the world "Enough" (dai) [reading the name Shaddai as she-dai, "who said enough"]. Reish Lakish said: At the time when the Holy One, blessed be He, created the sea, it kept expanding and going, until the Holy One, blessed be He, rebuked it and dried it up, as it is said: "He rebukes the sea and dries it up, and makes all the rivers desolate" (Nahum 1:4).

And Rav Yehudah said in the name of Rav: Ten things were created on the first day, and these are they: heaven and earth, formlessness (tohu) and void (vohu), light and darkness, wind and water, the measure of day and the measure of night. It was taught (Tanna): Tohu is a green line that encircles the whole world entirely, from which darkness came forth, as it is said: "He made darkness His hiding-place around Him" (Psalms 18:12). Vohu is the slimy stones sunk in the deep, from which water comes forth, as it is said: "And He shall stretch over it the line of formlessness (tohu) and stones of void (vohu)" (Isaiah 34:11). This is according to Rabbi Elazar. For Rabbi Elazar said: The light that the Holy One, blessed be He, created on the first day, with it a person could gaze from one end of the world to the other. When the Holy One, blessed be He, looked at the generation of the Flood and the generation of the Dispersion and saw that their deeds were corrupt, He arose and hid it from them, as it is said: "And from the wicked their light is withheld" (Job 38:15). And Rav Yehudah said in the name of Rav: At the hour when the Holy One, blessed be He, created the world, it kept expanding and spreading out like two balls of warp-thread, until the Holy One, blessed be He, rebuked it and made it stand still, as it is said: "The pillars of heaven tremble and are astonished at His rebuke" (Job 26:11). And this is what Reish Lakish said: What is the meaning of that which is written, "I am God Almighty (El Shaddai)" (Genesis 17:1)? I am He who said to the world, "Enough!" (dai). Our Rabbis taught: Beit Shammai say: The heavens were created first, and afterward the earth was created, as it is said: "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth" (Genesis 1:1). And Beit Hillel say: The earth was created first, and afterward the heavens, as it is said: "On the day that the LORD God made earth and heaven" (Genesis 2:4). Beit Hillel said to Beit Shammai: According to your words, does a person build the upper story and afterward build the house? As it is said: "He who builds His upper chambers in the heavens and has founded His vault upon the earth" (Amos 9:6). Beit Shammai said to Beit Hillel: According to your words, does a person make a footstool and afterward make a chair? As it is said: "Thus says the LORD: The heavens are My throne and the earth is My footstool" (Isaiah 66:1). And the Sages say: Both this one and that one were created as one, as it is said: "My own hand founded the earth, and My right hand spread out the heavens; when I call to them, they stand together" (Isaiah 48:13). What is the meaning of "heavens" (shamayim)? Rabbi Yose bar Chanina said: That there is water (sham mayim). In a baraita it was taught: Fire and water (esh u-mayim); this teaches that the Holy One, blessed be He, brought them and mingled them one with the other, and made from them the firmament.

The Gemara poses a question: Now that it is derived from the phrase “from one end of the heavens to the other,” why do I need the phrase “since the day that God created man upon the earth”? The Gemara answers that this phrase teaches us something else, according to Rabbi Elazar. As Rabbi Elazar said: The height of Adam the first man reached from the ground to the skies, as it is stated: “Since the day that God created man upon the earth, and from one end of the heavens” (Deuteronomy 4:32). When he sinned, the Holy One, Blessed be He, placed His hand upon him and diminished him, as it is stated: “You fashioned me behind and before, and laid Your hand upon me” (Psalms 139:5). Rav Yehuda said that Rav said: The size of Adam the first man was from one end of the world to the other, as it is stated: “Since the day that God created man upon the earth, and from one end of the heavens to the other,” which indicates that he spanned the entire length of the world. Once he sinned, the Holy One, Blessed be He, placed His hand upon him and diminished him, as it states: “And laid Your hand upon me.” The Gemara asks: If so, the two parts of the verse contradict each other, since one indicates that his height reached the heavens while the other says it reached the end of the earth. The Gemara answers: Both this and that are one, the same, measure. § The Gemara continues to discuss Creation: Rav Yehuda said that Rav said: Ten things were created on the first day of Creation, and they are as follows: Heaven and earth; tohu and vohu, i.e., unformed and void; light and darkness; wind and water; the length of day and the length of night. All of these are derived from the Torah: Heaven and earth, as it is written: “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth” (Genesis 1:1). Tohu and vohu, as it is written: “And the earth was unformed and void [tohu vavohu]” (Genesis 1:2). Light and darkness; darkness, as it is written: “And darkness was upon the face of the deep” (Genesis 1:2); light, as it is written: “And God said: Let there be light” (Genesis 1:3). Wind and water, as it is written: “And the wind of God hovered over the face of the waters” (Genesis 1:2). The length of day and the length of night, as it is written: “And there was evening, and there was morning, one day” (Genesis 1:5). It was taught in the Tosefta: Tohu is a green line that encompasses the entire world, and from which darkness emerges, as it is stated: “He made darkness His hiding place round about Him” (Psalms 18:12), indicating that a line of darkness surrounds the world. Vohu; these are damp stones submerged in the depths, from which water emerges, as it is stated: “And He shall stretch over it the line of tohu and stones of vohu” (Isaiah 34:11), which demonstrates that tohu is a line and that vohu is referring to stones. The Gemara poses a question: And was light created on the first day? But isn’t it written: “And God set them in the firmament of the heaven” (Genesis 1:17), and it is also written: “And there was evening, and there was morning, a fourth day” (Genesis 1:19), indicating that light was created on the fourth day. The Gemara answers: This should be understood in accordance with Rabbi Elazar, as Rabbi Elazar said: The light that the Holy One, Blessed be He, created on the first day was not that of the sun but a different kind of light, through which man could observe from one end of the world to the other. But when the Holy One, Blessed be He, looked upon the generation of the Flood and the generation of the Dispersion and saw that their ways were corrupt and that they might misuse this light for evil, He arose and concealed it from them, as it is stated: “And from the wicked their light is withheld” (Job 38:15). And for whom did He conceal it? For the righteous people in the future, as it is stated: “And God saw the light, that it was good” (Genesis 1:4), and “good” is referring to none other than the righteous, as it is stated: “Say of the righteous that it shall be good for them, for they shall eat the fruit of their actions” (Isaiah 3:10). When the light saw that it had been concealed for the righteous, it rejoiced, as it is stated: “The light for the righteous shall rejoice” (Proverbs 13:9). The Gemara comments: This is like a dispute between tanna’im: The light that the Holy One, Blessed be He, created on the first day was so profound that man could observe through it from one end of the world to the other; this is the statement of Rabbi Ya’akov. And the Rabbis say: This light is the very same as the lights created on the first day, but they were not suspended in their designated places in the firmament until the fourth day. § Rav Zutra bar Tuvya said that Rav said: The world was created through ten attributes: Through wisdom, through understanding, through knowledge, through strength, through rebuke, through might, through righteousness, through justice, through kindness, and through mercy. Scriptural proof is provided for this statement as follows: It was created through wisdom and through understanding, as it is written: “The Lord founded earth with wisdom, and established the heavens with understanding” (Proverbs 3:19); through knowledge, as it is written: “With His knowledge the depths were broken up” (Proverbs 3:20); through strength and through might, as it is written: “Who by Your strength sets fast the mountains, who is girded about with might” (Psalms 65:7); through rebuke, as it is written: “The pillars of heaven tremble and are astonished at His rebuke” (Job 26:11); through righteousness and justice, as it is written: “Righteousness and justice are the foundation of Your throne” (Psalms 89:15); through kindness and mercy, as it is written: “Remember Your mercies, O Lord, and Your kindnesses, for they are from times of old” (Psalms 25:6). And Rav Yehuda said that Rav said, with regard to the same matter: When the Holy One, Blessed be He, created the world, it continued to expand like two balls of a warp, whose cord lengthens as they unravel, until the Holy One, Blessed be He, rebuked it and made it stand still, as it is stated: “The pillars of heaven tremble and are astonished at His rebuke” (Job 26:11). And this is the same as that which Reish Lakish said: What is the meaning of that which is written: “I am the Almighty God [El Shaddai]” (Genesis 17:1)? It means: I am He Who said to the world “enough [dai],” instructing it to stop expanding. Similarly, Reish Lakish said: When the Holy One, Blessed be He, created the sea, it continued to expand until the Holy One, Blessed be He, rebuked it and made it dry, as it is stated: “He rebukes the sea and makes it dry, and desiccates all the rivers” (Nahum 1:4). § Beit Shammai and Beit Hillel dispute the order of Creation, as the Sages taught: Beit Shammai say: The heavens were created first and afterward the earth was created, as it is stated: “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth” (Genesis 1:1), which indicates that heaven came first. And Beit Hillel say: The earth was created first, and heaven after it, as it is stated: “On the day that the Lord God made earth and heaven” (Genesis 2:4). Beit Hillel said to Beit Shammai: According to your words, does a person build a second floor and build the first floor of the house afterward? As it is stated: “It is He Who builds His upper chambers in the heaven, and has founded His vault upon the earth” (Amos 9:6), indicating that the upper floor, heaven, was built above the earth. Beit Shammai said to Beit Hillel: According to your words, does a person make a stool for his feet, and make a seat afterward? As it is stated: “So said the Lord: The heavens are My seat, and the earth My footstool” (Isaiah 66:1). But the Rabbis say: Both this and that were created as one, for it is stated: “Indeed, My hand has laid the foundation of the earth, and My right hand has spread out the heavens; when I call to them, they stand up together” (Isaiah 48:13), implying that they were created as one. The Gemara asks: And the others, Beit Shammai and Beit Hillel, what, in their opinion, is the meaning of “together”? The Gemara responds: It means that they do not separate from each other. In other words, the term “together” is referring not to the moment of their creation but to the manner of their positioning. The Gemara comments: In any case, the verses contradict each other, as heaven is sometimes mentioned first, while on other occasions earth is listed beforehand. Reish Lakish said: When they were created, He first created the heavens and afterward created the earth, but when He spread them out and fixed them in their places, He spread out the earth and afterward He spread out the heavens. Incidental to the above, the Gemara asks: What is the meaning and source of the word “heaven” [shamayim]? Rabbi Yosei bar Ḥanina said: It is an acronym, shesham mayim, meaning: That water is there. It was taught in a baraita: Shamayim means esh umayim, fire and water, which teaches that the Holy One, Blessed be He, brought them both and combined them together, and made the firmament from them. § The Gemara relates: Rabbi Yishmael asked Rabbi Akiva a question when they were walking along the way. He said to him: You who served Naḥum of Gam Zu for twenty-two years, who would expound and learn that every appearance of the word et in the Torah is meant to teach something, what would he expound from the phrase: “The heaven and the earth” [et hashamayim ve’et ha’aretz] (Genesis 1:1)? He said to him: These words should be expounded as follows: Had it stated: In the beginning God created hashamayim veha’aretz, i.e., the heaven and the earth, without the word et, I would have said: Shamayim is the name of the Holy One, Blessed be He, and the same goes for aretz, and the verse would sound as if it meant that God, whose name is Shamayim and Aretz, created the world. Since it states “et hashamayim ve’et ha’aretz,” it is clear that these are created objects and that shamayim means the actual heaven and aretz is the actual earth. It is for this reason that the word et is necessary.

Aravot is the heaven in which there are righteousness, justice, and charity, the treasuries of life and the treasuries of peace and the treasuries of blessing, and the souls of the righteous, and the spirits and souls that are destined to be created, and the dew with which the Holy One, blessed be He, will in the future revive the dead. Righteousness and justice, as it is written, "Righteousness and justice are the foundation of Your throne" (Psalms 89:15). Charity, as it is written, "And He put on charity as a coat of mail" (Isaiah 59:17). The treasuries of life, as it is written, "For with You is the fountain of life" (Psalms 36:10). And the treasuries of peace, as it is written, "And He called it the LORD is peace" (Judges 6:24). And the treasuries of blessing, as it is written, "He shall receive a blessing from the LORD" (Psalms 24:5). The souls of the righteous, as it is written, "And the soul of my lord shall be bound up in the bundle of life with the LORD your God" (1 Samuel 25:29). The spirits and souls that are destined to be created, as it is written, "For the spirit should grow faint before Me, and the souls which I have made" (Isaiah 57:16). And the dew with which the Holy One, blessed be He, will in the future revive the dead, as it is written, "A bountiful rain You poured down, O God; Your inheritance, when it was weary, You established it" (Psalms 68:10). There are the ophanim and the seraphim and the holy living creatures and the ministering angels and the Throne of Glory; the King, the living God, high and exalted, dwells over them in Aravot, as it is said, "Extol Him who rides upon the heavens (aravot), whose name is the LORD" (Psalms 68:5). And from where do we know that it is called "heaven"? It is derived by a verbal analogy between "riding" and "riding": it is written here, "Extol Him who rides upon the aravot," and it is written there, "who rides upon the heaven as your help" (Deuteronomy 33:26). And darkness and cloud and thick gloom surround Him, as it is said, "He made darkness His hiding place, His pavilion round about Him, darkness of waters, thick clouds of the skies" (Psalms 18:12).

It was taught in a baraita: Rabbi Yose says: Woe to the creatures, who see and do not know what they see; who stand and do not know upon what they stand. Upon what does the earth stand? Upon the pillars, as it is said: "He who shakes the earth out of its place, and its pillars tremble" (Job 9:6). The pillars stand upon the waters, as it is said: "To Him who spread out the earth upon the waters" (Psalms 136:6). The waters stand upon the mountains, as it is said: "The waters stood above the mountains" (Psalms 104:6). The mountains stand upon the wind, as it is said: "For behold, He who forms the mountains and creates the wind" (Amos 4:13). The wind stands upon the storm, as it is said: "Stormy wind fulfilling His word" (Psalms 148:8). The storm is suspended upon the arm of the Holy One, blessed be He, as it is said: "And underneath are the everlasting arms" (Deuteronomy 33:27).

It was taught: Rabbi Yose says: Woe to the creatures, who see and do not know what they see; who stand and do not know on what they stand. On what does the earth stand? On the pillars, as it is said: "He who shakes the earth from its place, and its pillars tremble" (Job 9:6). The pillars stand on the waters, as it is said: "To Him who spreads out the earth upon the waters" (Psalms 136:6). The waters stand on the mountains, as it is said: "The waters stood above the mountains" (Psalms 104:6). The mountains stand on the wind, as it is said: "For behold, He who forms the mountains and creates the wind" (Amos 4:13). The wind stands on the storm, as it is said: "Storm wind that fulfills His word" (Psalms 148:8). The storm is suspended on the arm of the Holy One, blessed be He, as it is said: "And underneath are the everlasting arms" (Deuteronomy 33:27). And the Sages say: It stands on twelve pillars, as it is said: "He set the boundaries of the peoples according to the number of the children of Israel" (Deuteronomy 32:8). And some say: Seven pillars, as it is said: "She has hewn her seven pillars" (Proverbs 9:1). Rabbi Eleazar ben Shammua says: On one pillar, and its name is Righteous, as it is said: "And the righteous one is the foundation of the world" (Proverbs 10:25).

Why do I need "the earth" (et ha'aretz)? To place the heavens before the earth. "And the earth was unformed and void" (Genesis 1:2). Now since He began first with the heavens, what is the reason that Scripture reckons the work of the earth? The school of Rabbi Yishmael taught: A parable to a king of flesh and blood who said to his servants: Rise early to my gate. He rose early and found women and men. Whom does he praise? The one whose way it is not to rise early, yet rose early. It was taught: Rabbi Yose says: Woe to the creatures, who see and do not know what they see, who stand and do not know on what they stand. On what does the earth stand? On the pillars, as it is said: "He who shakes the earth from its place, and its pillars tremble" (Job 9:6). The pillars, on the waters, as it is said: "To Him who spread out the earth upon the waters" (Psalms 136:6). The waters, on the mountains, as it is said: "The waters stood above the mountains" (Psalms 104:6). The mountains, on the wind, as it is said: "For behold, He who forms the mountains and creates the wind" (Amos 4:13). The wind, on the storm, as it is said: "stormy wind fulfilling His word" (Psalms 148:8). The storm hangs from the arm of the Holy One, blessed be He, as it is said: "and underneath are the everlasting arms" (Deuteronomy 33:27). And the Sages say: It stands on twelve pillars, as it is said: "He set the borders of the peoples according to the number of the children of Israel" (Deuteronomy 32:8). And some say: seven pillars, as it is said: "She has hewn out her seven pillars" (Proverbs 9:1). Rabbi Elazar ben Shammua says: On a single pillar, and its name is Righteous, as it is said: "And the righteous is the foundation of the world" (Proverbs 10:25). Rav Yehudah said: There are two firmaments, as it is said: "Behold, to the LORD your God belong the heavens and the heaven of heavens" (Deuteronomy 10:14). Resh Lakish said: Seven, and these are they: Vilon, Rakia, Shechakim, Zevul, Maon, Makhon, Aravot. Vilon serves no purpose at all, except that it enters at morning and goes out at evening, and renews each day the work of creation, as it is said: "He who stretches out the heavens like a curtain, and spreads them like a tent to dwell in" (Isaiah 40:22). Rakia is that in which the sun and moon, stars and constellations are fixed, as it is said: "And God set them in the firmament (rakia) of the heavens" (Genesis 1:17). Shechakim is that in which millstones stand and grind manna for the righteous, as it is said: "And He commanded the skies (shechakim) above, and opened the doors of heaven, and rained upon them manna to eat" (Psalms 78:23-24). Zevul is that in which are Jerusalem and the Temple, and an altar is built, and Michael the great prince stands and offers an offering upon it, as it is said: "I have surely built You a house of habitation (zevul), a place for You to dwell in forever" (1 Kings 8:13). And from where do we know that it is called heaven? As it is written: "Look down from heaven and see, from Your holy and glorious habitation (zevul)" (Isaiah 63:15). Maon is that in which are companies of ministering angels, who recite song at night and are silent by day, for the sake of the honor of Israel, as it is said: "By day the LORD commands His lovingkindness, and at night His song is with me" (Psalms 42:9). Resh Lakish said: Anyone who occupies himself with Torah at night, the Holy One, blessed be He, draws over him a thread of lovingkindness by day, as it is said: "By day the LORD commands His lovingkindness." And what is the reason "by day the LORD commands His lovingkindness"? Because of "and at night His song is with me." And there are those who say that Resh Lakish said: Anyone who occupies himself with Torah in this world, which is like night, the Holy One, blessed be He, draws over him a thread of lovingkindness in the World to Come, which is like day, as it is said: "By day the LORD commands His lovingkindness, and at night His song is with me." Rabbi Levi said: Anyone who breaks off from words of Torah and occupies himself with words of idle chatter is fed coals of broom-wood, as it is said: "Who pluck saltwort by the bushes, and the root of the broom-wood for their food" (Job 30:4). And from where do we know that it is called heaven? As it is said: "Look down from Your holy habitation (maon), from heaven" (Deuteronomy 26:15). Makhon is that in which are storehouses of snow and storehouses of hail, and a chamber of harmful dews, and a chamber of drops, and the room of the whirlwind and storm, and the cave of mist. And their doors are of fire, as it is said: "The LORD shall open for you His good storehouse" (Deuteronomy 28:12). Are these in the firmament? These are on the earth! As it is written: "Praise the LORD from the earth, you sea monsters and all deeps, fire and hail, snow and mist, stormy wind fulfilling His word" (Psalms 148:7-8). Rav Yehudah said that Rav said: David sought mercy concerning them, and brought them down to the earth. He said before Him: Master of the Universe, "You are not a God who desires wickedness, evil shall not sojourn with You" (Psalms 5:5). You are righteous, O LORD; evil shall not sojourn in Your dwelling. And from where do we know that it is called heaven? As it is written: "And You shall hear in heaven, the place of Your dwelling (makhon)" (1 Kings 8:39). Aravot is that in which are righteousness, judgment, and charity, the treasuries of life and the treasuries of peace and the treasuries of blessing, and the souls of the righteous, and the spirits and souls destined to be created, and the dew with which the Holy One, blessed be He, will in the future revive the dead. Righteousness and judgment, as it is written: "Righteousness and judgment are the foundation of Your throne" (Psalms 89:15). Charity, as it is written: "And He put on righteousness as a coat of mail" (Isaiah 59:17). The treasuries of life, as it is written: "For with You is the fountain of life" (Psalms 36:10). And the treasuries of peace, as it is written: "And he called it: the LORD is peace" (Judges 6:24). And the treasuries of blessing, as it is written: "He shall receive blessing from the LORD" (Psalms 24:5). The souls of the righteous, as it is written: "And the soul of my lord shall be bound in the bundle of life with the LORD your God" (1 Samuel 25:29). The spirits and souls destined to be created, as it is written: "For the spirit should faint before Me, and the souls which I have made" (Isaiah 57:16). And the dew with which the Holy One, blessed be He, will in the future revive the dead, as it is written: "A bountiful rain You poured down, O God; when Your inheritance was weary, You established it" (Psalms 68:10). There are the wheels (ofanim) and the seraphim and the holy living creatures, and the ministering angels, and the throne of glory; the King, the living God, high and exalted, dwells over them in Aravot, as it is said: "Extol Him who rides upon the clouds (aravot), by His name Yah" (Psalms 68:5). And from where do we know that it is called heaven? It is derived by an analogy of "riding" and "riding": it is written here, "Extol Him who rides upon the clouds (aravot)," and it is written elsewhere, "who rides upon the heavens to your help" (Deuteronomy 33:26). And darkness and cloud and thick darkness surround Him, as it is said: "He made darkness His covering, His pavilion around Him, dark waters and thick clouds of the skies" (Psalms 18:12). But is there darkness before Heaven? Is it not written: "He reveals the deep and hidden things; He knows what is in the darkness, and the light dwells with Him" (Daniel 2:22)! This is no difficulty: this [text uncertain]

Why do I need the words "the earth" (Genesis 1:1)? To put the heavens before the earth. "And the earth was unformed and void" (Genesis 1:2): since He began first with the heavens, what is different that the verse goes on to recount the making of the earth? The school of Rabbi Ishmael taught: A parable of a king of flesh and blood who said to his servants, "Rise early and come to my gate." He rose early and found women and men there. Whom does he praise? The one for whom it is not his custom to rise early and yet he rose early. It was taught: Rabbi Yose says, Woe to the creatures who see and do not know what they see, who stand and do not know on what they stand. On what does the earth stand? On the pillars, as it is said, "He who shakes the earth out of its place, and its pillars tremble" (Job 9:6). The pillars stand on the waters, as it is said, "To Him who spread out the earth above the waters" (Psalms 136:6). The waters stand on the mountains, as it is said, "The waters stood above the mountains" (Psalms 104:6). The mountains stand on the wind, as it is said, "For behold, He who forms the mountains and creates the wind" (Amos 4:13). The wind stands on the storm, as it is said, "Stormy wind fulfilling His word" (Psalms 148:8). The storm hangs upon the arm of the Holy One, blessed be He, as it is said, "And underneath are the everlasting arms" (Deuteronomy 33:27). And the Sages say: It stands on twelve pillars, as it is said, "He set the boundaries of the peoples according to the number of the children of Israel" (Deuteronomy 32:8). And some say: Seven pillars, as it is said, "She has hewn out her seven pillars" (Proverbs 9:1). Rabbi Eleazar ben Shammua says: On a single pillar, and "Righteous One" is its name, as it is said, "And the righteous one is the foundation of the world" (Proverbs 10:25). Rav Yehudah said: There are two firmaments, as it is said, "Behold, to the LORD your God belong the heavens and the heaven of heavens" (Deuteronomy 10:14). Reish Lakish said: There are seven, and these are they: Vilon, Rakia, Shechakim, Zevul, Maon, Makhon, Aravot. Vilon ("Curtain") serves no purpose at all, but enters in the morning and goes out in the evening, and renews each day the work of creation, as it is said, "He who stretches out the heavens like a curtain and spreads them like a tent to dwell in" (Isaiah 40:22). Rakia ("Firmament") is the one in which the sun, the moon, the stars, and the constellations are fixed, as it is said, "And God set them in the firmament of the heavens" (Genesis 1:17). Shechakim ("Skies") is the one in which millstones stand and grind manna for the righteous, as it is said, "And He commanded the skies above and opened the doors of heaven; and He rained down manna upon them to eat" (Psalms 78:23-24). Zevul ("Habitation") is the one in which are Jerusalem and the Temple, and an altar is built there, and Michael the great prince stands and offers up a sacrifice upon it, as it is said, "I have surely built You a house of habitation, a place for You to dwell in forever" (1 Kings 8:13). And from where do we know that it is called "heaven"? As it is written, "Look down from heaven and see from Your holy and glorious habitation" (Isaiah 63:15). Maon ("Dwelling") is the one in which are companies of ministering angels who recite song by night and are silent by day, for the sake of the honor of Israel, as it is said, "By day the LORD commands His lovingkindness, and in the night His song is with me" (Psalms 42:9). Reish Lakish said: Whoever occupies himself with Torah by night, the Holy One, blessed be He, draws over him a thread of lovingkindness by day, as it is said, "By day the LORD commands His lovingkindness." And what is the reason that "by day the LORD commands His lovingkindness"? Because of "in the night His song is with me." And there are those who say that Reish Lakish said: Whoever occupies himself with Torah in this world, which is like night, the Holy One, blessed be He, draws over him a thread of lovingkindness in the world to come, which is like day, as it is said, "By day the LORD commands His lovingkindness, and in the night His song is with me." Rabbi Levi said: Whoever breaks off from words of Torah and occupies himself with words of idle talk is fed with coals of broom-wood, as it is said, "They who pluck saltwort by the bushes, and whose food is the root of the broom-shrub" (Job 30:4). And from where do we know that it is called "heaven"? As it is said, "Look down from Your holy dwelling, from heaven" (Deuteronomy 26:15). Makhon ("Foundation") is the one in which are the storehouses of snow and storehouses of hail, and the upper chamber of harmful dews, and the upper chamber of droplets, and the room of the whirlwind and storm, and the cave of vapor; and their doors are of fire, as it is said, "The LORD will open for you His good storehouse" (Deuteronomy 28:12). Are these in the firmament? These are upon the earth! As it is written, "Praise the LORD from the earth, you sea-monsters and all deeps, fire and hail, snow and vapor, stormy wind fulfilling His word" (Psalms 148:7-8)! Rav Yehudah said in the name of Rav: David asked for mercy concerning them and brought them down to the earth. He said before Him: Master of the universe, "You are not a God who delights in wickedness; no evil shall dwell with You" (Psalms 5:5). You are righteous, O LORD; no evil shall dwell in Your dwelling. And from where do we know that it is called "heaven"? As it is written, "Then You shall hear in heaven, the foundation of Your dwelling place" (1 Kings 8:39). Aravot ("Plains") is the one in which are righteousness, justice, and charity, the storehouses of life, the storehouses of peace, and the storehouses of blessing, and the souls of the righteous, and the spirits and souls that are destined to be created, and the dew with which the Holy One, blessed be He, will in the future revive the dead. Righteousness and justice, as it is written, "Righteousness and justice are the foundation of Your throne" (Psalms 89:15). Charity, as it is written, "And He put on charity as a coat of mail" (Isaiah 59:17). The storehouses of life, as it is written, "For with You is the fountain of life" (Psalms 36:10). And the storehouses of peace, as it is written, "And He called it the LORD is peace" (Judges 6:24). And the storehouses of blessing, as it is written, "He shall receive a blessing from the LORD" (Psalms 24:5). The souls of the righteous, as it is written, "And the soul of my lord shall be bound in the bundle of life with the LORD your God" (1 Samuel 25:29). The spirits and souls that are destined to be created, as it is written, "For the spirit should grow faint before Me, and the souls that I have made" (Isaiah 57:16). And the dew with which the Holy One, blessed be He, will in the future revive the dead, as it is written, "A bountiful rain You poured down, O God; Your inheritance, when it languished, You Yourself established it" (Psalms 68:10). There also are the ophanim and the seraphim and the holy living creatures, and the ministering angels, and the throne of glory; the King, the living God, high and exalted, dwells over them in Aravot, as it is said, "Extol Him who rides upon the plains, by His name the LORD" (Psalms 68:5). And from where do we know that it is called "heaven"? It is derived by a verbal analogy of "riding" and "riding": here it is written, "Extol Him who rides upon the plains," and there it is written, "who rides upon the heaven as your help" (Deuteronomy 33:26). And darkness and cloud and thick gloom surround Him, as it is said, "He made darkness His hiding place, His pavilion around Him, darkness of waters, thick clouds of the skies" (Psalms 18:12). But is there darkness before Heaven? Is it not written, "He reveals the deep and hidden things; He knows what is in the darkness, and the light dwells with Him" (Daniel 2:22)? This is not difficult: this [text uncertain]

Rav Yehuda said: There are two firmaments, as it is said: "Behold, to the LORD your God belong the heavens and the heaven of heavens" (Deuteronomy 10:14). Reish Lakish said: There are seven, and these are they: Vilon, Rakia, Shehakim, Zevul, Maon, Makhon, and Aravot. Aravot is the one in which there are righteousness, justice, and charity, the treasuries of life and the treasuries of peace and the treasuries of blessing, and the souls of the righteous, and the spirits and souls that are destined to be created, and the dew with which the Holy One, blessed be He, will in the future revive the dead. Righteousness and justice, as it is written: "Righteousness and justice are the foundation of Your throne" (Psalms 89:15). Charity, as it is written: "And He put on righteousness as a coat of mail" (Isaiah 59:17). The treasuries of life, as it is written: "For with You is the fountain of life" (Psalms 36:10). And the treasuries of peace, as it is written: "And he called it the LORD is peace" (Judges 6:24). And the treasuries of blessing, as it is written: "He shall receive a blessing from the LORD" (Psalms 24:5). The souls of the righteous, as it is written: "And the soul of my lord shall be bound in the bundle of life with the LORD your God" (1 Samuel 25:29). The spirits and souls that are destined to be created, as it is written: "For the spirit that enwraps itself is from Me, and the souls I have made" (Isaiah 57:16). And the dew with which the Holy One, blessed be He, will in the future revive the dead, as it is written: "A bountiful rain You poured down, O God; when Your inheritance was weary, You sustained it" (Psalms 68:10). There are the ophanim and the seraphim and the holy living creatures, and the ministering angels, and the Throne of Glory; the King, the living God, high and exalted, dwells over them in Aravot, as it is said: "Extol Him who rides upon the heavens, whose name is the LORD" (Psalms 68:5).

Why do I need “and the earth” [et ha’aretz]? To teach that heaven preceded earth in the order of Creation. The next verse states: “And the earth was unformed and void” (Genesis 1:2). The Gemara asks: After all, the Bible began with heaven first; what is different about the second verse? Why does the Bible recount the creation of earth first in the second verse? The Sage of the school of Rabbi Yishmael taught: This can be explained by a parable of a flesh-and-blood king who said to his servants: Rise early and come to my entrance. He arose and found women and men waiting for him. Whom does he praise? Those who are unaccustomed to rising early but yet rose early, the women. The same applies to the earth: Since it is a lowly, physical sphere, we would not have expected it to be created together with heaven. Therefore, it is fitting to discuss it at greater length. § It is taught in a baraita: Rabbi Yosei says: Woe to them, the creations, who see and know not what they see; who stand and know not upon what they stand. He clarifies: Upon what does the earth stand? Upon pillars, as it is stated: “Who shakes the earth out of its place, and its pillars tremble” (Job 9:6). These pillars are positioned upon water, as it is stated: “To Him Who spread forth the earth over the waters” (Psalms 136:6). These waters stand upon mountains, as it is stated: “The waters stood above the mountains” (Psalms 104:6). The mountains are upon the wind, as it is stated: “For behold He forms the mountains and creates the wind” (Amos 4:13). The wind is upon a storm, as it is stated: “Stormy wind, fulfilling His word” (Psalms 148:8). The storm hangs upon the arm of the Holy One, Blessed be He, as it is stated: “And underneath are the everlasting arms” (Deuteronomy 33:27), which demonstrates that the entire world rests upon the arms of the Holy One, Blessed be He. And the Rabbis say: The earth stands on twelve pillars, as it is stated: “He set the borders of the nations according to the number of the children of Israel” (Deuteronomy 32:8). Just as the children of Israel, i.e., the sons of Jacob, are twelve in number, so does the world rest on twelve pillars. And some say: There are seven pillars, as it is stated: “She has hewn out her seven pillars” (Proverbs 9:1). Rabbi Elazar ben Shammua says: The earth rests on one pillar and a righteous person is its name, as it is stated: “But a righteous person is the foundation of the world” (Proverbs 10:25). § Rabbi Yehuda said: There are two firmaments, as it is stated: “Behold, to the Lord your God belongs the heaven and the heaven of heavens” (Deuteronomy 10:14), indicating that there is a heaven above our heaven. Reish Lakish said: There are seven firmaments, and they are as follows: Vilon, Rakia, Sheḥakim, Zevul, Ma’on, Makhon, and Aravot. The Gemara proceeds to explain the role of each firmament: Vilon, curtain, is the firmament that does not contain anything, but enters at morning and departs in the evening, and renews the act of Creation daily, as it is stated: “Who stretches out the heavens as a curtain [Vilon], and spreads them out as a tent to dwell in” (Isaiah 40:22). Rakia, firmament, is the one in which the sun, moon, stars, and zodiac signs are fixed, as it is stated: “And God set them in the firmament [Rakia] of the heaven” (Genesis 1:17). Sheḥakim, heights, is the one in which mills stand and grind manna for the righteous, as it is stated: “And He commanded the heights [Sheḥakim] above, and opened the doors of heaven; and He caused manna to rain upon them for food, and gave them of the corn of heaven” (Psalms 78:23–24). Zevul, abode, is the location of the heavenly Jerusalem and the heavenly Temple, and there the heavenly altar is built, and the angel Michael, the great minister, stands and sacrifices an offering upon it, as it is stated: “I have surely built a house of Zevul for You, a place for You to dwell forever” (I Kings 8:13). And from where do we derive that Zevul is called heaven? As it is written: “Look down from heaven and see, from Your holy and glorious abode [Zevul]” (Isaiah 63:15). Ma’on, habitation, is where there are groups of ministering angels who recite song at night and are silent during the day out of respect for Israel, in order not to compete with their songs, as it is stated: “By day the Lord will command His kindness, and in the night His song is with me” (Psalms 42:9), indicating that the song of the angels is with God only at night. With regard to the aforementioned verse, Reish Lakish said: Whoever occupies himself with Torah at night, the Holy One, Blessed be He, extends a thread of kindness over him by day, as it is stated: “By day, the Lord will command His kindness,” and what is the reason that “by day, the Lord will command His kindness”? Because “and in the night His song,” i.e., the song of Torah, “is with me.” And some say that Reish Lakish said: Whoever occupies himself with Torah in this world, which is comparable to night, the Holy One, Blessed be He, extends a thread of kindness over him in the World-to-Come, which is comparable to day, as it is stated: “By day, the Lord will command His kindness, and in the night His song is with me.” With regard to the same matter, Rabbi Levi said: Anyone who pauses from words of Torah to occupy himself with mundane conversation will be fed with the coals of the broom tree, as it is stated: “They pluck saltwort [maluaḥ] with wormwood [alei siaḥ], and the roots of the broom tree [retamim] are their food” (Job 30:4). The exposition is as follows: Those who pluck, i.e., pause, from learning Torah, which was given upon two tablets, luḥot, which sounds similar to maluaḥ, for the purpose of siaḥ, idle chatter, are punished by having to eat coals made from “the roots of the broom tree.” And from where do we derive that Ma’on is called heaven? As it is stated: “Look forth from Your holy Ma’on, from heaven” (Deuteronomy 26:15). Makhon, dwelling place, is where there are storehouses of snow and storehouses of hail, and the upper chamber of harmful dews, and the upper chamber of drops, and the room of tempests and storms, and the cave of mist. And the doors of all these are made of fire. How do we know that there are storehouses for evil things? For it is stated: “The Lord will open for you His good storehouse, the heavens” (Deuteronomy 28:12), which indicates the existence of a storehouse that contains the opposite of good. The Gemara asks a question: With regard to these things listed above, are they located in heaven? It is obvious that they are located on the earth. As it is written: “Praise the Lord from the earth, sea monsters and all depths, fire and hail, snow and mist, stormy wind, fulfilling His word” (Psalms 148:7–8). The verse seems to indicate that all these things are found on the earth. Rav Yehuda said that Rav said: David requested mercy with regard to them, that they should not remain in heaven, and He brought them down to earth. He said before Him: Master of the Universe, “You are not a God that has pleasure in wickedness, evil shall not sojourn with You” (Psalms 5:5). In other words, You are righteous, O Lord. Nothing evil should sojourn in Your vicinity. Rather, it is better that they remain close to us. And from where do we derive that this place is called “heaven”? As it is written: “And You shall hear in heaven, the Makhon of Your dwelling” (I Kings 8:39). Aravot, skies, is the firmament that contains righteousness; justice; righteousness, i.e., charity; the treasuries of life; the treasuries of peace; the treasuries of blessing; the souls of the righteous; the spirits and souls that are to be created; and the dew that the Holy One, Blessed be He, will use to revive the dead. The Gemara proves this statement: Righteousness and justice are found in heaven, as it is written: “Righteousness and justice are the foundation of Your throne” (Psalms 89:15); righteousness, as it is written: “And He donned righteousness as armor” (Isaiah 59:17); the treasuries of life, as it is written: “For with You is the source of life” (Psalms 36:10). And the treasuries of peace are found in heaven, as it is written: “And he called Him the Lord of peace” (Judges 6:24), implying that peace is God’s name and is therefore found close to Him. And the treasuries of blessing, as it is written: “He shall receive a blessing from the Lord” (Psalms 24:5). The souls of the righteous are found in heaven, as it is written: “And the soul of my master shall be bound in the bundle of life with the Lord, your God” (I Samuel 25:29). Spirits and souls that are to be created are found there, as it is written: “For the spirit that enwraps itself is from Me, and the souls that I have made” (Isaiah 57:16), which indicates that the spirit to be released into the world, wrapped around a body, is located close to God. The dew that the Holy One, Blessed be He, will use to revive the dead is found in heaven, as it is written: “A bountiful rain You will pour down, God; when Your inheritance was weary, You confirmed it” (Psalms 68:10). There, in the firmaments, are the ofanim, the seraphim, the holy divine creatures, and the ministering angels, and the Throne of Glory. The King, God, the living, lofty, exalted One dwells above them in Aravot, as it is stated: “Extol Him Who rides upon the skies [Aravot], Whose name is God” (Psalms 68:5). And from where do we derive that Aravot is called “heaven”? This is learned by using a verbal analogy between two instances of “rides” and “rides”: Here, it is written: “Extol Him Who rides upon the skies [Aravot],” and there, it is written: “Who rides upon the heaven as your help” (Deuteronomy 33:26). And darkness and clouds and fog surround Him, as it is stated: “He made darkness His hiding place, His pavilion round about Him; darkness of waters, thick clouds of the skies” (Psalms 18:12). The Gemara asks: And is there darkness before Heaven, i.e., before God? But isn’t it written: “He reveals deep and secret things, He knows what is in the darkness, and the light dwells with Him” (Daniel 2:22), demonstrating that only light, not darkness, is found with God? The Gemara answers: This is not difficult. This verse, which states that only light dwells with Him, is referring

And Rav Acha bar Yaakov said: There is yet another firmament above the heads of the living creatures, as it is written: "And over the heads of the living creature there was the likeness of a firmament, like the color of the awesome ice" (Ezekiel 1:22). And is it not so that from the earth to the firmament is a journey of five hundred years, and the thickness of the firmament is a journey of five hundred years, and likewise between each and every firmament? Above them are the holy living creatures. The feet of the living creatures correspond to all of them; the ankles of the living creatures correspond to all of them; the shins of the living creatures correspond to all of them; the knees of the living creatures correspond to all of them; the thighs of the living creatures correspond to all of them; the bodies of the living creatures correspond to all of them; the necks of the living creatures correspond to all of them; the heads of the living creatures correspond to all of them; the horns of the living creatures correspond to all of them. Above them is the Throne of Glory. The legs of the Throne of Glory correspond to all of them; the Throne of Glory corresponds to all of them; the King, the living and enduring God, high and exalted, dwells above them.

And Rav Aha bar Yaakov said: There is yet one more firmament above the heads of the living creatures, as it is written: "And over the heads of the living creature there was the likeness of a firmament, like the color of the awesome ice" (Ezekiel 1:22). Up to here you have permission to speak; from here on you do not have permission to speak, for so it is written in the book of Ben Sira: "Into what is too wondrous for you do not inquire, and into what is concealed from you do not search. Concerning what is permitted to you reflect; you have no business with hidden things." And is it not so that from the earth to the firmament is a journey of five hundred years, and the thickness of the firmament is a journey of five hundred years, and likewise between each and every firmament? Above them are the holy living creatures. The feet of the living creatures correspond to all of them; the ankles of the living creatures correspond to all of them; the shins of the living creatures correspond to all of them; the knees of the living creatures correspond to all of them; the thighs of the living creatures correspond to all of them; the bodies of the living creatures correspond to all of them; the necks of the living creatures correspond to all of them; the heads of the living creatures correspond to all of them; the horns of the living creatures correspond to all of them. Above them is the Throne of Glory. The legs of the Throne of Glory correspond to all of them; the Throne of Glory corresponds to all of them; the King, the living and enduring God, high and exalted, dwells above them.

"And I saw the living creatures, and behold one wheel upon the earth beside the living creatures" (Ezekiel 1:15). Rabbi Elazar said: This is one angel who stands upon the earth, and his head reaches up beside the living creatures. It was taught in a baraita: His name is Sandalphon, who is taller than his fellow by a journey of five hundred years. And he stands behind the chariot and binds crowns for his Maker. Is that so? But is it not written: "Blessed be the glory of the LORD from His place" (Ezekiel 3:12), from which it follows that no one knows His place? Rather, he pronounces a name over the crown, and it goes and rests upon His head.

Rav Yehudah said: Truly, that man is remembered for good, and Chananyah ben Chizkiyah is his name. Were it not for him, the book of Ezekiel would have been hidden away, for its words contradicted the words of the Torah. What did he do? They brought up for him three hundred jugs of oil, and he sat in an upper chamber and expounded it. Our Rabbis taught: There was an incident involving a certain child who was reading the book of Ezekiel in the house of his teacher, and he comprehended the meaning of the chashmal, and fire came forth from the chashmal and burned him. And they sought to hide away the book of Ezekiel. Chananyah ben Chizkiyah said to them: If this one is a sage, are all of them sages?

"And I looked, and behold, one wheel upon the earth beside the living creatures" (Ezekiel 1:15). Rabbi Elazar said: There is one angel who stands upon the earth, and his head reaches beside the living creatures. In a baraita it was taught: His name is Sandalphon; he is higher than his fellow by a distance of five hundred years' journey, and he stands behind the chariot and binds crowns for his Maker. Is that so? But is it not written: "Blessed be the glory of the LORD from His place" (Ezekiel 3:12), from which it follows that there is no one who knows His place? Rather, he pronounces the Name over the crown, and it goes and rests upon His head.

It was taught in a baraita: Rabbi says in the name of Abba Yosei ben Dosai: "A thousand thousands ministered to Him" (Daniel 7:10) is the number of a single troop, "and of His troops there is no number" (Job 25:3). And Rabbi Yirmeyah bar Abba said: "A thousand thousands ministered to Him" refers to the river of fire, as it is said: "A river of fire issued and came forth from before Him; a thousand thousands ministered to Him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before Him" (Daniel 7:10). From where does it issue? From the sweat of the holy creatures. And to where does it pour out? Rav Zutra bar Toviyya said in the name of Rav: Upon the head of the wicked in Gehenna, as it is said: "Behold, the storm of the LORD has gone forth in fury, a whirling storm; it shall whirl upon the head of the wicked" (Jeremiah 23:19). Shmuel said to Chiyya bar Rav: Son of a lion! Come, let me tell you one of those excellent matters that your father used to say: Each and every day ministering angels are created from the river of fire, and they recite song and cease to be, as it is said: "They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness" (Lamentations 3:23). And this disagrees with Rabbi Shmuel bar Nachmani. For Rabbi Shmuel bar Nachmani said in the name of Rabbi Yonatan: With each and every utterance that goes forth from the mouth of the Holy One, blessed be He, one angel is created from it, as it is said: "By the word of the LORD the heavens were made, and by the breath of His mouth all their host" (Psalms 33:6).

It refers to speaking animals of fire. Electrum [ḥashmal] is an acrostic of this phrase [ḥayyot esh memallelot]. It was taught in a baraita: At times they are silent; at times they speak. When the divine speech emerges from the mouth of the Holy One, Blessed be He, they are silent; and when the divine speech does not emerge from the mouth of the Holy One, Blessed be He, they speak. § The verse states: “And the divine creatures ran and returned like the appearance of a flash of lightning [bazak]” (Ezekiel 1:14). What is the meaning of “ran and returned”? Rav Yehuda said: Like fire that is emitted from a furnace, whose flame is continuously bursting out and withdrawing. What is the meaning of “like the appearance of a flash of lightning”? Rabbi Yosei bar Ḥanina said: Like the fire that is emitted from between pieces of earthenware used for refining gold, as an additional meaning ascribed to the word bazak is shards of earthenware. The verse states: “And I looked and, behold, a stormy wind came out of the north, a great cloud, with a fire flashing up, so that a brightness was round about it; and out of its midst was like the color of electrum, out of the midst of the fire” (Ezekiel 1:4). The Gemara poses a question: Where did that wind go? Rav Yehuda said that Rav said: It went to conquer the entire world under the wicked Nebuchadnezzar. And why was all of this necessary? Why was it necessary that the entire world be subjected to his dominion? So that the nations of the world would not say: The Holy One, Blessed be He, delivered His children into the hands of a lowly nation. Since it was already decreed that the kingdom of Israel would fall into the hands of Nebuchadnezzar, God made him into a great conqueror, so that Israel would not be ashamed of being defeated by him. The Holy One, Blessed be He, said with regard to this: Who caused Me to be an attendant to worshippers of molten images, forcing Me to wage their wars? It was the sins of Israel that led Me to do so. Another verse in the same chapter states: “Now as I beheld the divine creatures, behold, one wheel [ofan] was upon the earth near the divine creatures” (Ezekiel 1:15). Rabbi Elazar said: This wheel is a certain angel who stands on the earth and its head reaches the divine creatures. It was taught in a baraita: This angel is named Sandalfon, who is taller than his colleague by a distance of five hundred years, and he stands behind the Divine Chariot and weaves crowns for his Maker. The Gemara asks: Is that so? Can crowns be woven for God? But isn’t it written: “Blessed be the Lord’s glory from His place” (Ezekiel 3:12), which proves by inference that no one knows His place? Therefore, how can crowns be woven for Him? Rather, it can be done by saying a name for the crown, and then the crown goes and sits on God’s head of its own accord. § Rava said: All that Ezekiel saw, the prophet Isaiah saw as well, but the latter did not find it necessary to describe his vision in such detail. To what may Ezekiel be compared? To a villager who saw the king and is excited by all the extravagances of the king’s palace and everything it contains, as he is unaccustomed to them. And to what may Isaiah be compared? To a city dweller who saw the king. Such an individual focuses on the encounter with the king, and is oblivious to all the distractions. Reish Lakish said: What is the meaning of that which is written: “I will sing to the Lord, for He is highly exalted” (Exodus 15:1)? It is fitting to sing to He Who is exalted above the exalted. As the Master said: The king of the beasts is the lion, the king of the domestic animals is the ox, the king of the birds is the eagle, and man is exalted and lords over them, but the Holy One, Blessed be He, is exalted above all of them and above the entire world, as the creatures that appear in the Divine Chariot are the ox, the lion, the eagle, and man. The Gemara poses a question with regard to the animals of the Divine Chariot: One verse states: “As for the likeness of their faces, they had the face of a man; and the four had the face of a lion on the right side; and the four had the face of an ox on the left side” (Ezekiel 1:10). And it is also written: “And each one had four faces: The first face was the face of the cherub, and the second face was the face of a man, and the third the face of a lion, and the fourth the face of an eagle” (Ezekiel 10:14), but it does not include the face of an ox in this second list. Reish Lakish said: Ezekiel requested mercy with regard to it, i.e., the face of the ox, and had it turned into a cherub. He said before Him as follows: Master of the Universe. Shall an accuser [kateigor] become a defender [saneigor]? As the face of an ox recalls Israel’s sin of the Golden Calf, it would be preferable for there to be a different face on the Divine Chariot. The Gemara asks: What is the meaning of “cherub”? Rabbi Abbahu said: Like a baby [keravya], for in Babylonia they call a baby ravya. Rav Pappa said to Abaye: However, if that is so, what is the meaning of that which is written: “The first face was the face of the cherub, and the second face was the face of a man, and the third the face of a lion, and the fourth the face of an eagle”? The face of a cherub is the same as the face of a man; what is the difference between them? He replied: The difference is that the face of a man is referring to a large face, whereas the face of a cherub means the small face of a baby. The Gemara asks another question: One verse states: “Each one had six wings; with two it covered its face and with two it covered its feet, and with two it flew” (Isaiah 6:2), and another verse states: “And every one had four faces, and every one of them had four wings” (Ezekiel 1:6). The Gemara answers: This is not difficult, as here, when the verse states they each had six wings, it is referring to the time when the Temple is standing, while there, where four wings are described, it is referring to the time when the Temple is not standing, for it is as if the number of the wings of the animals were diminished so that they now have only four. The Gemara asks: Which of the wings were diminished? Rav Ḥananel said that Rav said: Those with which they recite song. The proof is that it is written here: “And with two it flew [yeofef]. And one called to the other and said” (Isaiah 6:2–3), and it is written: “Will you set [hata’if] your eyes upon it? It is gone” (Proverbs 23:5), implying that the flight of these wings had ceased. And the Rabbis say that the wings they lost are those with which they cover their feet, for it is stated: “And their feet were straight feet” (Ezekiel 1:7). Now if these wings had not been diminished, how would he know what their feet looked like? Clearly their feet were no longer covered. The Gemara rejects this: This is no proof, for perhaps they were momentarily revealed, allowing him to see them. Because if you do not say so, that he saw them for a moment, then with regard to the verse: “And the likeness of their faces, they had the face of a man” (Ezekiel 1:10), so too will you say that these the wings covering their faces were diminished as well? Rather, it must be that they were revealed and he saw them. Here too, they were revealed and he saw them. The Gemara refutes this: How can these cases be compared? Granted, it is logical that his face was revealed, as it is proper conduct for an angel to reveal his face before his Master, and therefore it is possible that they would have revealed their faces at certain times; but with regard to his feet, it is not proper conduct to reveal them before his Master. Therefore, they must have lacked wings to cover their feet. § The Gemara continues to address apparent contradictions between verses concerning similar matters: One verse states: “A thousand thousands ministered to Him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him” (Daniel 7:10), and another verse states: “Is there a number to His troops?” (Job 25:3), implying that they are even more numerous than “ten thousand times ten thousand.” The Gemara answers: This is not difficult, for here, when they are without number, the verse is referring to the time when the Temple is standing; there, the other verse is referring to the time when the Temple is not standing, for it is as though the heavenly entourage [pamalya] were diminished. It is taught in a baraita: Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi says in the name of Abba Yosei ben Dosai: “A thousand thousands ministered to Him” is referring to the number of angels in a single troop, but with regard to the number of his troops, it can be said: “And to his troops, there is no number”. And Rabbi Yirmeya bar Abba said: There is no contradiction, since with regard to the phrase “a thousand thousands ministered to Him,” the pronoun “Him” can be literally translated as: It, referring not to those who serve God Himself, but to those who administer to the River Dinur, as it is stated: “A fiery [dinur] river issued and came forth from before him; a thousand thousands ministered to it, and a myriad myriads stand before it” (Daniel 7:10). The ministers of God, however, are indeed too numerous to count. The Gemara asks: From where does this river flow? The Gemara answers: From the perspiration of the divine creatures. And where does it flow to? Rav Zutra bar Toviya said that Rav said: Upon the heads of the wicked in Gehenna, as it is stated: “Behold, a storm of the Lord has gone forth in fury, a whirling storm; it shall whirl upon the head of the wicked” (Jeremiah 23:19). And Rav Aḥa bar Ya’akov said: The river flows over those who were snatched away, i.e., the generations that were never created, as it is stated: “Who were snatched away before their time, whose foundation was poured out as a stream” (Job 22:16), implying that the River Dinur flows over them. It is taught in a baraita: Rabbi Shimon HeḤasid said in explanation of this verse: These people “who were snatched away” are those nine hundred and seventy-four generations that were snatched away; they were to have been created

Our Rabbis taught: Four entered the orchard, and these are they: Ben Azzai, and Ben Zoma, the Other One, and Rabbi Akiva. Rabbi Akiva said to them: When you reach the stones of pure marble, do not say "Water, water," because it is said: "He who speaks falsehoods shall not be established before My eyes" (Psalms 101:7). Ben Azzai gazed and died. Of him Scripture says: "Precious in the eyes of the LORD is the death of His pious ones" (Psalms 116:15). Ben Zoma gazed and was stricken. Of him Scripture says: "If you have found honey, eat only what is enough for you, lest you become full of it and vomit it" (Proverbs 25:16). The Other One cut down the shoots. Rabbi Akiva departed in peace.

Our Rabbis taught: There was an incident concerning Rabban Yohanan ben Zakkai, who was riding on a donkey and was traveling along the road, and Rabbi Elazar ben Arakh was driving the donkey behind him. He said to him: Rabbi, teach me one chapter in the Account of the Chariot. He said to him: Did I not teach you thus: Nor the Chariot may be expounded by an individual unless he was a sage who understood of his own knowledge? He said to him: Rabbi, permit me to say before you one thing that you taught me. He said to him: Speak. Immediately Rabban Yohanan ben Zakkai descended from the donkey, wrapped himself, and sat upon the stone beneath the olive tree. He said to him: Rabbi, why did you descend from the donkey? He said: Is it possible that you should expound the Account of the Chariot, with the Divine Presence among us and the ministering angels accompanying us, while I ride upon a donkey?! Immediately Rabbi Elazar ben Arakh began to expound the Account of the Chariot and expounded, and fire came down from heaven and surrounded all the trees in the field, and they all opened and uttered song. Our Rabbis taught: Four entered the orchard, and these are they: Ben Azzai, and Ben Zoma, Aher, and Rabbi Akiva. Rabbi Akiva said to them: When you reach the stones of pure marble, do not say "Water, water," because it is said: "He who speaks falsehoods shall not be established before My eyes" (Psalm 101:7). Ben Azzai gazed and died. Of him Scripture says: "Precious in the eyes of the LORD is the death of His pious ones" (Psalm 116:15). Ben Zoma gazed and was stricken. And of him Scripture says: "If you have found honey, eat what is enough for you, lest you become full of it and vomit it up" (Proverbs 25:16). Aher cut down the saplings. Rabbi Akiva departed in peace.

This case is referring to words of Torah, while that case is referring to commerce. With regard to words of Torah, they were trustworthy; with regard to commerce, they were not. § The Gemara returns to the topic of the Design of the Divine Chariot. The Sages taught: An incident occurred involving Rabban Yoḥanan ben Zakkai, who was riding on a donkey and was traveling along the way, and his student, Rabbi Elazar ben Arakh, was riding a donkey behind him. Rabbi Elazar said to him: My teacher, teach me one chapter in the Design of the Divine Chariot. He said to him: Have I not taught you: And one may not expound the Design of the Divine Chariot to an individual, unless he is a Sage who understands on his own accord? Rabbi Elazar said to him: My teacher, allow me to say before you one thing that you taught me. In other words, he humbly requested to recite before him his own understanding of this issue. He said to him: Speak. Immediately, Rabban Yoḥanan ben Zakkai alighted from the donkey, and wrapped his head in his cloak in a manner of reverence, and sat on a stone under an olive tree. Rabbi Elazar said to him: My teacher, for what reason did you alight from the donkey? He said: Is it possible that while you are expounding the Design of the Divine Chariot, and the Divine Presence is with us, and the ministering angels are accompanying us, that I should ride on a donkey? Immediately, Rabbi Elazar ben Arakh began to discuss the Design of the Divine Chariot and expounded, and fire descended from heaven and encircled all the trees in the field, and all the trees began reciting song. What song did they recite? “Praise the Lord from the earth, sea monsters and all depths…fruit trees and all cedars…praise the Lord” (Psalms 148:7–14). An angel responded from the fire, saying: This is the very Design of the Divine Chariot, just as you expounded. Rabban Yoḥanan ben Zakkai stood and kissed Rabbi Elazar ben Arakh on his head, and said: Blessed be God, Lord of Israel, who gave our father Abraham a son like you, who knows how to understand, investigate, and expound the Design of the Divine Chariot. There are some who expound the Torah’s verses well but do not fulfill its imperatives well, and there are some who fulfill its imperatives well but do not expound its verses well, whereas you expound its verses well and fulfill its imperatives well. Happy are you, our father Abraham, that Elazar ben Arakh came from your loins. The Gemara relates: And when these matters, this story involving his colleague Rabbi Elazar ben Arakh, were recounted before Rabbi Yehoshua, he was walking along the way with Rabbi Yosei the Priest. They said: We too shall expound the Design of the Divine Chariot. Rabbi Yehoshua began expounding. And that was the day of the summer solstice, when there are no clouds in the sky. Yet the heavens became filled with clouds, and there was the appearance of a kind of rainbow in a cloud. And ministering angels gathered and came to listen, like people gathering and coming to see the rejoicing of a bridegroom and bride. Rabbi Yosei the Priest went and recited these matters before Rabban Yoḥanan ben Zakkai, who said to him: Happy are all of you, and happy are the mothers who gave birth to you; happy are my eyes that saw this, students such as these. As for you and I, I saw in my dream that we were seated at Mount Sinai, and a Divine Voice came to us from heaven: Ascend here, ascend here, for large halls [teraklin] and pleasant couches are made up for you. You, your students, and the students of your students are invited to the third group, those who will merit to welcome the Divine Presence. The Gemara poses a question: Is that so? But isn’t it taught in a baraita: Rabbi Yosei, son of Rabbi Yehuda, says: There are three lectures. In other words, there are three Sages with regard to whom it states that they delivered lectures on the mystical tradition: Rabbi Yehoshua lectured on these matters before Rabban Yoḥanan ben Zakkai; Rabbi Akiva lectured before Rabbi Yehoshua; and Ḥananya ben Ḥakhinai lectured before Rabbi Akiva. However, Rabbi Elazar ben Arakh was not included in the list, despite the testimony that he lectured before Rabban Yoḥanan. The Gemara explains: Those who lectured and were also lectured to were included; but those who lectured and were not lectured to were not included. The Gemara asks: But wasn’t there Ḥananya ben Ḥakhinai, who was not lectured to, and yet he is included? The Gemara answers: Ḥananya ben Ḥakhinai actually lectured before one who lectured in front of his own rabbi, so he was also included in this list. § The Sages taught: Four entered the orchard [pardes], i.e., dealt with the loftiest secrets of Torah, and they are as follows: Ben Azzai; and ben Zoma; Aḥer, the other, a name for Elisha ben Avuya; and Rabbi Akiva. Rabbi Akiva, the senior among them, said to them: When, upon your arrival in the upper worlds, you reach pure marble stones, do not say: Water, water, although they appear to be water, because it is stated: “He who speaks falsehood shall not be established before My eyes” (Psalms 101:7). The Gemara proceeds to relate what happened to each of them: Ben Azzai glimpsed at the Divine Presence and died. And with regard to him the verse states: “Precious in the eyes of the Lord is the death of His pious ones” (Psalms 116:15). Ben Zoma glimpsed at the Divine Presence and was harmed, i.e., he lost his mind. And with regard to him the verse states: “Have you found honey? Eat as much as is sufficient for you, lest you become full from it and vomit it” (Proverbs 25:16). Aḥer chopped down the shoots of saplings. In other words, he became a heretic. Rabbi Akiva came out safely. The Gemara recounts the greatness of ben Zoma, who was an expert interpreter of the Torah and could find obscure proofs: They asked ben Zoma: What is the halakha with regard to castrating a dog? The prohibition against castration appears alongside the sacrificial blemishes, which may imply that it is permitted to castrate an animal that cannot be sacrificed as an offering. He said to them: The verse states “That which has its testicles bruised, or crushed, or torn, or cut, you shall not offer to God, nor shall you do so in your land” (Leviticus 22:24), from which we learn: With regard to any animal that is in your land, you shall not do such a thing. They also asked ben Zoma: A woman considered to be a virgin who became pregnant, what is the halakha? A High Priest may marry only a virgin; is he permitted to marry her? The answer depends on the following: Are we concerned for the opinion of Shmuel? Shmuel says:

I can engage in intercourse several times without blood. In other words, I can have relations with a woman while leaving her hymen intact. If this is so, it is possible that the assumed virgin had intercourse in this manner and is forbidden to the High Priest. Or, perhaps a person who can act like Shmuel is not common and the halakha is not concerned with this case. He said to them: One like Shmuel is not common, and we are concerned that she may have conceived in a bath. Perhaps she washed in a bath that contained a man’s semen, from which she became impregnated while remaining a virgin. The Gemara asks: How could she possibly become pregnant in such a manner? Didn’t Shmuel say: Any semen that is not shot like an arrow cannot fertilize? The Gemara answers: This does not mean that it must be shot like an arrow at the moment of fertilization. Even if initially, when released from the male, it was shot as an arrow, it can also fertilize a woman at a later moment. With regard to the fate of ben Zoma, the Sages taught: There was once an incident with regard to Rabbi Yehoshua ben Ḥananya, who was standing on a step on the Temple Mount, and ben Zoma saw him and did not stand before him to honor him, as he was deep in thought. Rabbi Yehoshua said to him: From where do you come and where are you going, ben Zoma, i.e., what is on your mind? He said to him: In my thoughts I was looking upon the act of Creation, at the gap between the upper waters and the lower waters, as there is only the breadth of a mere three fingers between them, as it is stated: “And the spirit of God hovered over the face of the waters” (Genesis 1:2), like a dove hovering over its young without touching them. Rabbi Yehoshua said to his students who had overheard this exchange: Ben Zoma is still outside; he has not yet achieved full understanding of these matters. The Gemara explains: Now, this verse: “And the spirit of God hovered over the face of the waters,” when was it stated? On the first day, whereas the division of the waters occurred on the second day, as it is written: “And let it divide the waters from the waters” (Genesis 1:6). How, then, could ben Zoma derive a proof from the former verse? The Gemara asks: And how much, in fact, is the gap between them? Rav Aḥa bar Ya’akov said: Like the thickness of a thread; and the Rabbis said: Like the gap between the boards of a bridge. Mar Zutra, and some say it was Rav Asi, said: Like two robes spread one over the other, with a slight gap in between. And some said: Like two cups placed one upon the other. § The Gemara stated earlier that Aḥer chopped down the saplings, becoming a heretic. With regard to him, the verse states: “Do not let your mouth bring your flesh into guilt” (Ecclesiastes 5:5). The Gemara poses a question: What was it that led him to heresy? He saw the angel Mitatron, who was granted permission to sit and write the merits of Israel. He said: There is a tradition that in the world above there is no sitting; no competition; no turning one’s back before Him, i.e., all face the Divine Presence; and no lethargy. Seeing that someone other than God was seated above, he said: Perhaps, the Gemara here interjects, Heaven forbid, there are two authorities, and there is another source of power in control of the world in addition to God. Such thoughts led Aḥer to heresy. The Gemara relates: They removed Mitatron from his place in heaven and smote him with sixty rods [pulsei] of fire, so that others would not make the mistake that Aḥer made. They said to the angel: What is the reason that when you saw Elisha ben Avuya you did not stand before him? Despite this conduct, since Mitatron was personally involved, he was granted permission to erase the merits of Aḥer and cause him to stumble in any manner. A Divine Voice went forth saying: “Return, rebellious children” (Jeremiah 3:22), apart from Aḥer. Upon hearing this, Elisha ben Avuya said: Since that man, meaning himself, has been banished from that world, let him go out and enjoy this world. Aḥer went astray. He went and found a prostitute and solicited her for intercourse. She said to him: And are you not Elisha ben Avuya? Shall a person of your stature perform such an act? He uprooted a radish from a patch of radishes on Shabbat and gave it to her, to demonstrate that he no longer observed the Torah. The prostitute said: He is other than he was. He is not the same Elisha ben Avuya, he is Aḥer, other. The Gemara relates: Aḥer asked Rabbi Meir a question, after he had gone astray. He said to him: What is the meaning of that which is written: “God has made even the one as well as the other” (Ecclesiastes 7:14)? Rabbi Meir said to him: Everything that the Holy One, Blessed be He, created, He created a similar creation corresponding to it. He created mountains, He created hills; He created seas, He created rivers. Aḥer said to him: Rabbi Akiva, your teacher, did not say so, but explained the verse as follows: Everything has its opposite: He created the righteous, He created the wicked; He created the Garden of Eden, He created Gehenna. Each and every person has two portions, one in the Garden of Eden and one in Gehenna. If he merits it, by becoming righteous, he takes his portion and the portion of his wicked colleague in the Garden of Eden; if he is found culpable by becoming wicked, he takes his portion and the portion of his colleague in Gehenna. Rav Mesharshiyya said: What is the verse from which it is derived? With regard to the righteous, it is stated: “Therefore in their land they shall possess double” (Isaiah 61:7); whereas with regard to the wicked, it is stated: “And destroy them with double destruction” (Jeremiah 17:18); therefore, each receives a double portion. Aḥer asked Rabbi Meir another question, again after he had gone astray. What is the meaning of that which is written: “Gold and glass cannot equal it; neither shall its exchange be vessels of fine gold” (Job 28:17)? If it is referring to the praise and honor of the Torah, it should have compared it only to gold, not to glass. He said to him: This is referring to words of Torah, which are as difficult to acquire as gilded vessels and vessels of fine gold but are as easy to lose as glass vessels. Aḥer said to him: Rabbi Akiva, your teacher, did not say so, but taught as follows: Just as golden vessels and glass vessels have a remedy even when they have broken, as they can be melted down and made into new vessels, so too a Torah scholar, although he has transgressed, has a remedy. Rabbi Meir said to him: If so, you too, return from your ways. He said to him: I have already heard the following declaration behind the dividing curtain, which conceals God from the world: “Return, rebellious children,” (Jeremiah 3:22) apart from Aḥer. The Gemara cites a related story: The Sages taught: There was once an incident involving Aḥer, who was riding on a horse on Shabbat, and Rabbi Meir was walking behind him to learn Torah from him. After a while, Aḥer said to him: Meir, turn back, for I have already estimated and measured according to the steps of my horse that the Shabbat boundary ends here, and you may therefore venture no further. Rabbi Meir said to him: You, too, return to the correct path. He said to him: But have I not already told you that I have already heard behind the dividing curtain: “Return, rebellious children,” apart from Aḥer? Nevertheless, Rabbi Meir took hold of him and brought him to the study hall. Aḥer said to a child, by way of divination: Recite your verse that you studied today to me. He recited the following verse to him: “There is no peace, said the Lord, concerning the wicked” (Isaiah 48:22). He brought him to another study hall. Aḥer said to a child: Recite your verse to me. He recited to him: “For though you wash with niter, and take for you much soap, yet your iniquity is marked before Me” (Jeremiah 2:22). He brought him to another study hall. Aḥer said to

a child: Recite your verse to me. He recited to him: “And you, spoiled one, what are you doing, that you clothe yourself with scarlet, that you deck yourself with ornaments of gold, that you enlarge your eyes with paint? In vain you make yourself fair” (Jeremiah 4:30). He brought him to another synagogue, until he had brought him into thirteen synagogues, where all the children recited to him similar verses that speak of the hopeless situation of the wicked. At the last one, he said to him: Recite your verse to me. He recited to him: “And to the wicked [velerasha] God says, what is it for you to declare My statutes” (Psalms 50:16). The Gemara relates: That child had a stutter, so it sounded as though he were saying to him: Vele’elisha, i.e., and to Elisha, God says. This made Elisha think the child was deliberately insulting him. Some say Aḥer had a knife, and he tore the child apart and sent him to the thirteen synagogues. And others say that Aḥer merely said: Had I a knife, I would have torn him apart. The Gemara relates: When Aḥer passed away, the Heavenly Court declared that he should not be judged, nor brought into the World-to-Come. He should not be judged in a manner befitting his deeds, because he occupied himself with Torah, whose merit protects him. And he should not be brought into the World-to-Come because he sinned. Rabbi Meir said: It is better that he be judged properly and be brought into the World-to-Come. When I die I will request this of Heaven, and I will cause smoke to rise up from his grave, as a sign that he is being sentenced in Gehenna. The Gemara relates: When Rabbi Meir passed away, smoke rose up from the grave of Aḥer, implying that Rabbi Meir’s wish was granted. Rabbi Yoḥanan said: Was this a mighty deed on Rabbi Meir’s part, to burn his teacher? Was this the only remedy available? Can it be that there was one Sage among us who left the path and we cannot save him? If we hold him by the hand, who will remove him from our protection; who? Rabbi Yoḥanan continued and said: When I die I will have the smoke extinguished from his grave, as a sign that he has been released from the sentence of Gehenna and brought to the World-to-Come. Indeed, when Rabbi Yoḥanan passed away, the smoke ceased to rise up from the grave of Aḥer. A certain eulogizer began his eulogy of Rabbi Yoḥanan with the following: Even the guard at the entrance could not stand before you, our rabbi. The guard at the entrance to Gehenna could not prevent Rabbi Yoḥanan from arranging the release of Aḥer. The Gemara relates: The daughter of Aḥer came before Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi and said to him: Rabbi, provide me with sustenance, as she was in need of food. He said to her: Whose daughter are you? She said to him: I am the daughter of Aḥer. He said to her, angrily: Is there still of his seed remaining in the world? But isn’t it stated: “He shall have neither son nor grandson among his people or any remaining in his dwellings” (Job 18:19)? She said to him: Remember his Torah, and do not remember his deeds. Immediately, fire descended and licked Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi’s bench. Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi wept and said: If God protects the honor of those who treat the Torah with contempt in such a manner, as Aḥer despised the Torah and relinquished its teachings, how much more so would He do for those who treat it with honor. The Gemara poses a question: And Rabbi Meir, how could he learn Torah from the mouth of Aḥer? But didn’t Rabba bar bar Ḥana say that Rabbi Yoḥanan said: What is the meaning of that which is written: “For the priest’s lips should keep knowledge, and they should seek Torah from his mouth; for he is an angel of the Lord of hosts” (Malachi 2:7)? The verse teaches: If the rabbi is similar to an angel of the Lord of hosts, perfect in his ways, they should seek Torah from his mouth; but if not, they should not seek Torah from his mouth. Reish Lakish said: Rabbi Meir found a verse and interpreted it homiletically: “Incline your ear, and hear the words of the wise, and apply your heart to My knowledge” (Proverbs 22:17). It does not state “to their knowledge,” but “to My knowledge.” In other words, one must listen to the words of the Sages, despite their flaws, provided that their opinion concurs with that of God. Rav Ḥanina said that one can find support for this idea from here: “Listen, daughter and consider, and incline your ear; forget also your own people and your father’s house” (Psalms 45:11), which likewise indicates that one must listen to the words of a Sage while forgetting, i.e., ignoring, the faulty aspects of his teachings. The Gemara asks: If so, the verses contradict each other, for one source states that one may learn only from a scholar who is perfect in his ways, while the other indicates that it is permitted even to learn from one whose character is flawed. The Gemara answers: This is not difficult. This case, in which it is permitted to learn from a flawed scholar, is referring to an adult; whereas that case, which prohibits doing so, is referring to a minor, who should learn only from a righteous person, so that his ways are not corrupted by a teacher with flawed character. When Rav Dimi came from Eretz Yisrael to Babylonia, he said: In the West, Eretz Yisrael, they say: Rabbi Meir ate a half-ripe date and threw the peel away. In other words, he was able to extract the important content from the inedible shell. Rava taught: What is the meaning of that which is written: “I went down into the garden of nuts, to look at the green plants of the valley” (Song of Songs 6:11)? Why are Torah scholars compared to nuts? To tell you: Just as this nut, despite being soiled with mud and excrement, its content is not made repulsive, as only its shell is soiled; so too a Torah scholar, although he has sinned, his Torah is not made repulsive. The Gemara relates: Rabba bar Sheila found Elijah the prophet, who had appeared to him. He said to Elijah: What is the Holy One, Blessed be He, doing? Elijah said to him: He is stating halakhot transmitted by all of the Sages, but in the name of Rabbi Meir He will not speak. He said to him: Why? He replied: Because he learned halakhot from the mouth of Aḥer. He said to him: Why should he be judged unfavorably for that? Rabbi Meir found a pomegranate and ate its contents while throwing away its peel. He said to him: Indeed, your defense has been heard above. Now God is saying: My son, Meir, says: When a person suffers, e.g., by receiving lashes or the death penalty at the hands of the court, how does the Divine Presence express itself? Woe is Me from My head, woe is Me from My arm, as God empathizes with the sufferer. If the Holy One, Blessed be He, suffers to such an extent over the blood of the wicked, how much more so does He suffer over the blood of the righteous that is spilled. The Gemara relates: Shmuel found Rav Yehuda leaning on the bar of the door, crying. He said to him: Long-toothed one [shinnana], what are you crying for? He said to him: Is it a small matter, that which is written with regard to Sages who have sinned: “Where is he who counted, where is he who weighed? Where is he who counted the towers?” (Isaiah 33:18). He proceeded to explain: “Where is he who counted”; for they would count all the letters of the Torah. “Where is he who weighed”; for they would weigh and compare the minor and major transgressions of the Torah. “Where is he who counted the towers”; for they would teach three hundred halakhot concerning the details of tent impurity involving a wooden closet floating in the air. If they studied a subject so removed from reality in such depths, how much more so did they analyze other issues. And Rabbi Ami said: Doeg asked Ahithophel three hundred questions with regard to a closet floating in the air, as they were both great Torah scholars. And we learned in a mishna (Sanhedrin 90a): Three kings and four commoners have no portion in the World-to-Come, a list that includes Doeg and Ahithophel. If such great Sages could sin and forfeit their share in the World-to-Come, we, who are less knowledgeable than they, what will be of us? He said to him: Long-toothed one, there was mud [tina] in their hearts, i.e., they had certain flaws that prevented their Torah learning from protecting them. The Gemara explains: Aḥer, what was his failing? Greek tunes never ceased from his mouth. He would constantly hum Greek songs, even when he was among the Sages. This shows that from the outset he was drawn to gentile culture and beliefs. Similarly, they said about Aḥer: When he would stand after learning in the study hall, many heretical books, which he had been reading, would fall from his lap. Therefore, he was somewhat unsound even when among the Sages. The gentile philosopher, Nimos HaGardi, asked Rabbi Meir: Does all wool that enters the cauldron to be dyed emerge colored? In other words, do all those who learn Torah emerge as decent and worthy? He said to him: Whoever was clean when he was with his mother, from the outset, will emerge decent and worthy, but all those who were not clean when they were with their mother will not emerge worthy. One who approaches Torah study having been flawed from the outset will not be properly influenced by it. § The Gemara returns to the four who entered the orchard. It is stated above that Rabbi Akiva ascended in safety and descended safely. With regard to him, the verse states: “Draw me, we will run after you; the king has brought me into his chambers” (Song of Songs 1:4). The Gemara relates: And even Rabbi Akiva, the ministering angels sought to push him out of the orchard. The Holy One, Blessed be He, said to them: Leave this Elder, for he is fit to serve My glory.

What did he expound? Rabbah bar bar Hana said in the name of Rabbi Yohanan: "And he came from the myriads of holiness" (Deuteronomy 33:2) means he is a sign [distinguished] among his myriad. And Rabbi Abbahu said: "Distinguished above a myriad" (Song of Songs 5:10) means he is an example [distinguished] among his myriad. And Resh Lakish said: "The LORD of hosts is His name" (Isaiah 48:2) means He is a master among His host. And Rabbi Hiyya bar Abba said in the name of Rabbi Yohanan: "The LORD was not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake. And after the earthquake a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire; and after the fire a still small voice" (1 Kings 19:11-12), and "Behold, the LORD passed by." Our Rabbis taught: Six things were said concerning the demons: in three respects they are like the ministering angels, and in three respects like human beings. In three respects they are like the ministering angels: they have wings like the ministering angels; they fly from one end of the world to the other like the ministering angels; and they know what will be in the future like the ministering angels. Should it enter your mind that they know? Rather, they hear from behind the curtain like the ministering angels. And in three respects they are like human beings: they eat and drink like human beings; they reproduce and multiply like human beings; and they die like human beings. Six things were said concerning human beings: in three respects they are like the ministering angels, in three respects like a beast. In three respects they are like the ministering angels: they have understanding like the ministering angels; they walk upright like the ministering angels; and they speak in the holy tongue like the ministering angels. In three respects they are like a beast: they eat and drink like a beast; they reproduce and multiply like a beast; and they relieve themselves like a beast. Whoever looks at four things, it would have been fitting for him had he not come into the world, and so on. It is well concerning what is above, what is below, what is behind. But concerning what is in front, what was, was? Rabbi Yohanan and Rabbi Elazar both said: This may be compared to a king of flesh and blood who said to his servants: Build me a great palace upon the dunghill. They went and built it for him. It is not the king's wish that the name of the dunghill be mentioned. Whoever has no regard for the honor of his Maker, it would have been fitting for him had he not come into the world. What is this? Rabbi Abba said: This is one who looks at the rainbow. Rav Yosef said: This is one who transgresses a sin in secret. One who looks at the rainbow, as it is written: "As the appearance of the bow that is in the cloud on a day of rain, so was the appearance of the brightness round about. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the LORD" (Ezekiel 1:28). Rav Yosef said: This is one who transgresses a sin in secret, in accordance with Rabbi Yitzhak. For Rabbi Yitzhak said: Whoever transgresses a sin in secret is as though he pressed the feet of the Divine Presence, as it is said: "Thus says the LORD: The heaven is My throne and the earth is My footstool" (Isaiah 66:1). Is that so? But Rabbi Ila the Elder said: If a person sees that his evil inclination is overpowering him, let him go to a place where he is not recognized, and put on black garments and wrap himself in black, and do what his heart desires, but let him not profane the name of Heaven in public! It is no difficulty: this case is where he is able to overcome his inclination, that case is where he is not able to overcome his inclination. Rabbi Yehudah son of Rabbi Nahmani, the interpreter of Resh Lakish, expounded: Whoever looks at three things, his eyes grow dim: at the rainbow, at the prince, and at the priests. At the rainbow, as it is written: "As the appearance of the bow that is in the cloud on a day of rain, this is the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the LORD" (Ezekiel 1:28). At the prince, as it is written: "And you shall put of your honor upon him" (Numbers 27:20). Looking at the priests refers to the time when the Temple was standing, when they would stand on their platform and bless Israel with the explicit Name. Rabbi Yehudah son of Rabbi Nahmani, the interpreter of Resh Lakish, expounded: What is the meaning of that which is written, "Trust not in a friend, put no confidence in a chief" (Micah 7:5)? If the evil inclination says to you, Sin, and the Holy One, blessed be He, will forgive, do not believe it, as it is said: "Trust not in a friend [rea]" and "friend" [rea] here means none other than the evil inclination [rendering rea as ra, the evil inclination], as it is said: "For the inclination of man's heart is evil" (Genesis 8:21). And "chief" [aluf] here means none other than the Holy One, blessed be He, as it is said: "You are the friend [aluf] of my youth" (Jeremiah 3:4). Lest you say, Who will testify against me? The stones of a person's house and the beams of his house testify against him, as it is said: "For a stone shall cry out from the wall, and a beam out of the woodwork shall answer it" (Habakkuk 2:11). And the Sages say: A person's soul testifies against him, as it is said: "From her who lies in your bosom guard the doors of your mouth" (Micah 7:5). What is the thing that rests in a person's bosom? You must say: this is the soul. Rabbi Zerika says: The two ministering angels that accompany him, they testify against him, as it is said: "For He will command His angels concerning you, to guard you in all your ways" (Psalms 91:11). And the Sages say: A person's limbs testify against him, as it is said: "And you are My witnesses, says the LORD, and I am God" (Isaiah 43:12). Mishnah: Yose ben Yoezer says not to lay on hands; Yosef ben Yohanan says to lay on hands. Yehoshua ben Perahyah says not to lay on hands; Nittai the Arbelite says to lay on hands. Yehudah ben Tabbai says not to lay on hands; Shimon ben Shatah says to lay on hands. Shemayah says to lay on hands; Avtalyon says not to lay on hands. Hillel and Menahem did not disagree. Menahem went out, Shammai came in. Shammai says not to lay on hands; Hillel says to lay on hands.

Our Rabbis taught: Six things were said about demons: in three respects they are like the ministering angels, and in three respects they are like human beings. In three respects they are like the ministering angels: they have wings like the ministering angels, and they fly from one end of the world to the other like the ministering angels, and they know what is destined to be like the ministering angels. Can it enter your mind that they know what is destined to be? Rather, they hear from behind the curtain, like the ministering angels. And in three respects they are like human beings: they eat and drink like human beings, they are fruitful and multiply like human beings, and they die like human beings.