R. Isaac was once going to his father’s home when he saw a man turning aside from the road with a load on his shoulders. He said to him: ‘What is that bundle you have on your shoulders?’ but the man gave him no answer. So he followed him till he saw him enter a cave. He went in after him and saw a cloud of smoke ascend from beneath the ground, while the man went into a hole and he lost sight of him. R. Isaac then left the cave in great fear. They then left the spot.
As he was sitting there, R. Judah and R. Hizkiah passed by. He went up to them and told them what had happened. Said R. Judah: ‘Thank God for delivering you. That cave is where the lepers of Sarunia are, and all the inhabitants of that town are magicians and go into the desert to get black snakes ten years old or more, and through not being careful of them they become leprous, and all their magic arts are in that cave.’
On their way they came across a man who had with him a sick child tied to an ass. They asked him why the boy was tied. He replied: ‘I live in a town of the Arameans, and my son here used to learn the T orah every day, and when he came home used to go over what he had learnt. Three years I lived in the same house and observed nothing wrong, but now one day when my son went into the house to repeat his lesson an evil spirit passed before him and distorted his eyes and his mouth and his hands, so that he is not able to speak. So I am going to the cave of the lepers of Sarunia to see if they can show me how to cure him.’
R. Judah said to him: ‘Do you know of any other person having come to harm in that house before?’ He replied: ‘I know that a long time ago a man did come to harm there, but people said that it was just an illness, while others said that it was the evil spirit of the house. Since then many people have been in the house without suffering any harm.’ They said: ‘This proves the truth of what the Companions said. Woe to those who disregard their words.’
Said R. Judah: ‘It is written, “Woe to him that buildeth his house without righteousness” (Jer. 22, 13), because wherever there is righteousness all evil spirits fly from before it. Yet withal, whichever comes first to the place takes possession of it.’ Said R. Hizkiah: ‘If so, the holy Name is merely on a level with the unclean spirit?’
He replied: ‘Not so. If the holy spirit is there first, no evil spirits can appear there, much less approach. But if the evil spirit is there first, the holy Name does not rest upon it.’
Now when the plague of leprosy came, one had to purify the place and drive out the unclean spirit, and afterwards the house was taken down and built up again in holiness with the mention of the holy Name; and still other mortar had to be used and the foundation was removed two handbreadths.
Nowadays, however, that the plague does not appear, there being thus no one able to drive out the evil spirit, what is the remedy? The best thing is to remove from the house, but if this cannot be done, it should be rebuilt with fresh wood and stones, and a little away from the previous spot, with the mention of the holy Name.’
R. Isaac said to him: ‘Why should one take all this trouble in these days, since it is written: “That which is crooked cannot be made straight” (Eccl. 1, 15)? Since the destruction of the Temple there is no remedy; hence a man should be very careful.’
They said: ‘Let us go along with this man and see.’ Said R. Isaac: ‘We may not. If we were going to a great and God-fearing man, like Naaman to Elisha, we could accompany him. But as he is going to such abandoned and godless people we must not.’ ‘But’, said R. Judah, ‘we have learnt that for healing sickness anything may be used save the wood of an Asherah?‘1v. Deut. 16, 21. He replied: ‘This too is idolatry.’
So they went on their way. The man then entered the cave with his son, and left him there while he went out to tether his ass. Meanwhile a cloud of smoke came out and struck the boy on the head and killed him. When the father went in, he found him dead, so he took him and his ass, and on the next day came up with R. Isaac and R. Judah and R. Hizkiah. With many tears he related to them what had happened. Said R. Isaac: ‘Did I not tell you many times that it was forbidden to enter there? Blessed are the righteous who walk in the way of truth in this world and in the next.’
R. Eleazar said: ‘In all his actions a man should have in mind the holy Name and declare that all is for the service of God, so that the “other side” should not rest on him, for this is ever lying in wait for man. Therefore it was that the warp and the woof used to become unclean and the “other side” rested on them.’
רִבִּי יִצְחָק הֲוָה אָזִיל לְקַטְפוּרֵי דַּאֲבוֹי. חָמָא חַד בַּר נָשׁ, דְּסַאטֵי בְּקוּטְרָא דְּמָטוּלָא אֲכַתְפוֹי. אָמַר לֵיהּ, שׁוּרְטָא דְּקִישְׁטָא בְּכַתְפָךְ אֲמַאי, לָא אָמַר לֵיהּ מִדִי. אָזַל אֲבַתְרֵיהּ, חָמָא דְּעַיִּיל בִּמְעַרְתָּא חֲדָא, עָאל אֲבַתְרֵיהּ, חָמָא קְטוּרָא דִּתְנָנָא דְּהֲוָה סָלִיק מִתְּחוֹת אַרְעָא, וְעָאל הַהוּא בַּר נָשׁ בְּנוּקְבָּא חַד, וְאִתְכַּסְיָא מִנֵּיהּ. דָּחִיל רִבִּי יִצְחָק, וְנָפַק לְפוּם מְעַרְתָּא.
R. Isaac was once going to his father’s home when he saw a man turning aside from the road with a load on his shoulders. He said to him: ‘What is that bundle you have on your shoulders?’ but the man gave him no answer. So he followed him till he saw him enter a cave. He went in after him and saw a cloud of smoke ascend from beneath the ground, while the man went into a hole and he lost sight of him. R. Isaac then left the cave in great fear. They then left the spot.
עַד דְּהֲוָה יָתִיב, אַעְבְּרוּ רִבִּי יְהוּדָה וְרִבִּי חִזְקִיָּה, חָמָא לוֹן, וְקָרִיב גַּבֵּיהוֹן, סַח לוֹן עוֹבָדָא. אָמַר רִבִּי יְהוּדָה, בְּרִיךְ רַחֲמָנָא דְּשֵׁזְבָךְ. הַאי מְעַרְתָּא דְּסָגִיר, דִּסְרוֹנְיָא הִיא, וְכָל יַתְבֵי הַהִיא קַרְתָּא, חַרְשִׁין אִינּוּן, וְאַתְיָין לְמַדְבְּרָא לְחִוְויָין אוּכָמִין, דְּאִינּוּן בְּנֵי עֶשֶׂר שְׁנִין, אוֹ יַתִּיר, לְמֶעְבַּד חַרְשִׁין, וְלָא מְנַטְרָא מִנַּיְיהוּ, וְאִתְעָבִידוּ סְגִירִין וְכָל זַיְינֵי חַרְשִׁין דִּלְהוֹן בְּהַאי מְעַרְתָּא אִינּוּן.
As he was sitting there, R. Judah and R. Hizkiah passed by. He went up to them and told them what had happened. Said R. Judah: ‘Thank God for delivering you. That cave is where the lepers of Sarunia are, and all the inhabitants of that town are magicians and go into the desert to get black snakes ten years old or more, and through not being careful of them they become leprous, and all their magic arts are in that cave.’
אָזְלוּ, עַד דַּהֲווֹ אָזְלֵי, אִעְרָעְרוּ בְּחַד בַּר נָשׁ דְּהֲוָה אָתֵי, וּבְרֵיהּ דְּהֲוָה מְרַע, קָטִיר עַל חֲמָרָא. אָמְרוּ לֵיהּ מַאן אַתְּ. אָמַר לְהוֹ יוּדָאי, וְדָא הוּא בְּרִי דְּאִיהוּ קָטִיר עַל חֲמָרָא. אָמְרוּ לֵיהּ, אֲמַאי הוּא קָטִיר. אָמַר לוֹן דִּיוּרִי הוּא בְּחַד כְּפַר, דְּאִיהוּ מִבְּנֵי רוֹמָאֵי, וְהַאי בְּרִי הֲוָה אוֹלִיף אוֹרַיְיתָא בְּכָל יוֹמָא, וַהֲוָה אַהְדָּר לְבֵיתָא, וְלָעֵי לוֹן לְאִינּוּן מִלִּין. וְג' שְׁנִין הֲוָה דִּיוּרִי בְּהַהוּא בֵּיתָא, וְלָא חֲמֵינָא מִדִי. וְהַשְׁתָּא יוֹמָא חַד עָאל בְּרִי לְבֵיתָא לְאָהַדְּרָא מִלִּין, אַעְבָּר חַד רוּחָא קָמֵיהּ, וְנָזִיק לֵיהּ, אַעֲקָם פּוּמֵיהּ וְעֵינוֹי, וִידוֹי אִתְעַקָמוּ, וְלָא יָכִיל לְמַלְּלָא. וַאֲתֵינָא לְגַבֵּי מְעַרְתָּא דִּסְגִירוּ דִּסְרוֹנְיָא דִּלְמָא יִלְּפוּן לִי מִלָּה דְּאַסוּותָא.
On their way they came across a man who had with him a sick child tied to an ass. They asked him why the boy was tied. He replied: ‘I live in a town of the Arameans, and my son here used to learn the T orah every day, and when he came home used to go over what he had learnt. Three years I lived in the same house and observed nothing wrong, but now one day when my son went into the house to repeat his lesson an evil spirit passed before him and distorted his eyes and his mouth and his hands, so that he is not able to speak. So I am going to the cave of the lepers of Sarunia to see if they can show me how to cure him.’
אָמַר לֵיהּ רִבִּי יְהוּדָה, וּבְהַהוּא בֵּיתָא יַדְעַת מִן קַדְמַת דְּנָא, דְּאִתְנְזַק בֵּיהּ בַּר נָשׁ אָחֳרָא. אָמַר לֵיהּ יְדַעְנָא, דְּהָא מִכַּמָּה יוֹמִין אִתְנְזַק בֵּיהּ חַד בַּר נָשׁ, וַהֲווּ אַמְרֵי דְּמַרְעָא הֲוָה, וּמִנַּיְיהוּ אַמְרֵי דְּרוּחָא דְּבֵיתָא, וּלְבָתַר עָאלוּ בֵּיהּ כַּמָה בְּנֵי נָשָׁא, וְלָא אִתְנְזִיקוּ. אָמְרוּ, הַיְינוּ דְּאַמְרֵי חַבְרַיָּיא, וַוי לְאִינוּן דְּעַבְרִין עַל מִלַּיְיהוּ.
R. Judah said to him: ‘Do you know of any other person having come to harm in that house before?’ He replied: ‘I know that a long time ago a man did come to harm there, but people said that it was just an illness, while others said that it was the evil spirit of the house. Since then many people have been in the house without suffering any harm.’ They said: ‘This proves the truth of what the Companions said. Woe to those who disregard their words.’
פָּתַח רִבִּי יְהוּדָה וְאָמַר, (ירמיהו כ״ב:י״ג) הוֹי בּוֹנֶה בֵיתוֹ בְּלֹא צֶדֶק, דְּהָא בְּכָל אֲתַר דְּאִשְׁתְּכַח בֵּיהּ צֶדֶק, כָּל רוּחִין וְכָל מַזִּיקֵי עָלְמָא עַרְקֵי מִנֵּיהּ, וְלָא מִשְׁתַּכְּחֵי קַמֵּיהּ. וְעִם כָּל דָּא, מַאן דְּאַקְדִים וְנָטִיל אֲתַר, אָחִיד בֵּיהּ. אָמַר לֵיהּ רִבִּי חִזְקִיָּה, אִי הָכִי שָׁקִיל שְׁמָא קַדִּישָׁא כְּרוּחַ מִסְאֲבָא.
Said R. Judah: ‘It is written, “Woe to him that buildeth his house without righteousness” (Jer. 22, 13), because wherever there is righteousness all evil spirits fly from before it. Yet withal, whichever comes first to the place takes possession of it.’ Said R. Hizkiah: ‘If so, the holy Name is merely on a level with the unclean spirit?’
אָמַר לֵיהּ, לָאו הָכִי, אֶלָּא שְׁמָא קַדִּישָׁא לָא שַׁרְיָא בַּאֲתַר מִסְאֲבָא, וּבְגִין כַּךְ, אִי שְׁמָא קַדִּישָׁא נָטִיל אֲתַר מִקַּדְמַת דְּנָא, כָּל רוּחִין וְכָל מַזִּיקִין דְּעָלְמָא לָא יַכְלִין לְאִתְחֲזָאָה בֵּיהּ, כָּל שֶׁכֵּן לְקָרְבָא בַּהֲדֵיהּ. אִי רוּחַ מִסְאֲבָא קָדִים, נָטִיל אֲתַר. שְׁמָא קַדִּישָׁא לָא שַׁרְיָא בֵּיהּ, דְּהָא לָאו אַתְרֵיהּ.
He replied: ‘Not so. If the holy spirit is there first, no evil spirits can appear there, much less approach. But if the evil spirit is there first, the holy Name does not rest upon it.’
וְכַד הֲוָה נָחִית נֶגַע צָרַעַת, הֲוָה מַדְכֵּי אַתְרָא, וְאַפִּיק לְרוּחַ מִסְאֲבָא מֵאַתְרֵיהּ, וּלְבָתַר מְנַתְּצֵי בֵּיתָא, אֲבָנִין וְאָעִין וְכֹלָּא, וּבָנֵי לָהּ כְּמִלְּקַדְּמִין, בִּסְטָר קַדִּישָׁא בְּצֶדֶק, דְּדָכִיר לֵיהּ לִשְׁמָא קַדִּישָׁא, וְלִשְׁרֵי עָלֵיהּ קְדוּשָּׁה, וְעִם כָּל דָּא בְּעַפְרָא אָחֳרָא, וְיַרְחִיק בֵּיתָא מֵאַתְרֵיהּ, מִיְּסוֹדָא קַדְמָאָה תְּרֵי טְפָחִים.
Now when the plague of leprosy came, one had to purify the place and drive out the unclean spirit, and afterwards the house was taken down and built up again in holiness with the mention of the holy Name; and still other mortar had to be used and the foundation was removed two handbreadths.
הַשְׁתָּא דְּלָא אִתְחֲזֵי, וְלָא נָחִית מַאן דִּמְקַטְרֵג בֵּיהּ בְּהַהוּא רוּחַ מִסְאֲבָא, לְאַפָּקָא לֵיהּ מֵאַתְרֵיהּ, מַאי תָּקַנְתֵּיה. אִי יָכִיל לְנָפְקָא מֵהַאי בֵּיתָא שַׁפִּיר. וְאִי לָאו יִבְנֶה לֵיהּ כְּמִלְּקַדְּמִין, בַּאֲבָנִין אָחֳרָנִין, וְאָעִין וְכֹלָּא, וְיַפִּיק וְיַרְחִיק לֵיהּ מֵאֲתַר קַדְמָאָה, וְיִבְנֵי לֵיהּ עַל שְׁמָא קַדִּישָׁא.
Nowadays, however, that the plague does not appear, there being thus no one able to drive out the evil spirit, what is the remedy? The best thing is to remove from the house, but if this cannot be done, it should be rebuilt with fresh wood and stones, and a little away from the previous spot, with the mention of the holy Name.’
וְעִם כָּל דָּא, לָא נָפִיק הַהוּא רוּחָא מִן אֲתַר קַדְמָאָה, בְּגִין דִּקְדוּשָּׁה לָא שַׁרְיָא עַל אֲתַר מִסְאֲבָא. אָמַר רִבִּי יִצְחָק לָמָּה לֵיהּ לְאַטְרְחָא כּוּלֵי הַאי, בְּזִמְנָא דָּא כְּתִיב, (קהלת א׳:ט״ו) מְעֻוָּות לֹא יוּכַל לִתְקוֹן וְגוֹ'. מִיּוֹמָא דְּאִתְחָרַב בֵּי מַקְדְּשָׁא, לָא אִשְׁתְּכַח אַסוּותָא בְּעָלְמָא, בְּגִינֵי כַּךְ בָּעֵי בַּר נָשׁ לְאִזְדַּהֲרָא, כִּי הֵיכִי דְּלִהֱוִי נָטִיר.
R. Isaac said to him: ‘Why should one take all this trouble in these days, since it is written: “That which is crooked cannot be made straight” (Eccl. 1, 15)? Since the destruction of the Temple there is no remedy; hence a man should be very careful.’
אַמְרֵי נְזִיל בַּהֲדֵי הַאי בַּר נָשׁ וְנֶחֱמֵי. אָמַר רִבִּי יִצְחָק, אָסִיר לָן. אִי הֲוָה אָזִיל לְגַבֵּי גַּבְרָא רַבָּא דָּחִיל חַטָּאָה, כְּגוֹן נַעֲמָן לְגַבֵּי אֱלִישָׁע, נֵזִיל אֲבַתְרֵיהּ. הַשְׁתָּא דְּאִיהוּ אָזִיל לְגַבֵּי רְחִיקֵי עָלְמָא, רְחִיקֵי אוֹרַיְיתָא, גַּעֲלֵי מִכֹּלָּא, אָסִיר לָן לְאִתְחֲזָאָה קָמַיְיהוּ. בְּרִיךְ רַחֲמָנָא דִּי שֵׁזִיב לָן מִנַּיְיהוּ. וְהַאי בַּר נָשׁ אָסִיר לֵיהּ. אָמַר רִבִּי יְהוּדָה, וְהָא תָּנֵינָן בַּכֹּל מִתְרַפְּאִין, חוּץ מֵעֲצֵי אֲשֵׁרָה וְכוּ'. אָמַר לֵיהּ, וְדָא עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה אִיהוּ, וְלָא עוֹד, אֶלָּא דְּהָא כְּתִיב (דברים י״ח:י׳) לֹא יִמָּצֵא בְךָ מַעֲבִיר בְּנוֹ וּבִתּוֹ בָּאֵשׁ וְגוֹ'. אַזְלוּ לְאָרְחַיְיהוּ.
They said: ‘Let us go along with this man and see.’ Said R. Isaac: ‘We may not. If we were going to a great and God-fearing man, like Naaman to Elisha, we could accompany him. But as he is going to such abandoned and godless people we must not.’ ‘But’, said R. Judah, ‘we have learnt that for healing sickness anything may be used save the wood of an Asherah?‘1v. Deut. 16, 21. He replied: ‘This too is idolatry.’
אָזַל הַהוּא בַּר נָשׁ לְהַהִיא מְעַרְתָּא, הוּא וּבְרֵיהּ, שָׁרֵי לֵיהּ בִּמְעַרְתָּא. עַד דְּנָפַק אֲבוֹי לְקַטְרָא לַחֲמָרֵיהּ, נָפַק קִיטוּרָא דְּאֶשָּׁא, וּמָחָא לֵיהּ בְּרֵישָׁא, וְקַטְלֵיהּ. אַדְּהָכִי עָאל אֲבוֹי, וְאַשְׁכְּחֵיהּ מִית. נָטַל לֵיהּ וְלַחֲמָרֵיהּ, וְאָזַל לֵיהּ. וְאַשְׁכַּח לְהוּ לְבָתַר יוֹמָא חַד, לְרִבִּי יִצְחָק, וּלְרִבִּי יְהוּדָה, וְרִבִּי חִזְקִיָּה, דַּהֲווֹ אַזְלֵי. בָּכָה קָמַיְיהוּ, וְסָח לוֹן עוֹבָדָא. אָמַר רִבִּי יִצְחָק, וְלָא זִמְנִין סַגִּיאִין אֲמֵינָא לָךְ, דְּאָסִיר לְמֵיהַךְ תַּמָּן. בְּרִיךְ רַחֲמָנָא, (דניאל ד׳:ל״ד) דִּי כָל מַעֲבָדוֹהִי קְשׁוֹט, וְאֹרְחָתֵיהּ דִּין. זַכָּאִין אִינּוּן צַדִּיקַיָּיא, דְּאַזְלִין בְּאֹרַח קְשׁוֹט, בְּעָלְמָא דֵּין, וּבְעָלְמָא דְּאָתֵי, וְעָלַיְיהוּ כְּתִיב, (משלי ד׳:י״ח) וְאֹרַח צַדִּיקִים כְּאוֹר נֹגַהּ וְגוֹ'.
So they went on their way. The man then entered the cave with his son, and left him there while he went out to tether his ass. Meanwhile a cloud of smoke came out and struck the boy on the head and killed him. When the father went in, he found him dead, so he took him and his ass, and on the next day came up with R. Isaac and R. Judah and R. Hizkiah. With many tears he related to them what had happened. Said R. Isaac: ‘Did I not tell you many times that it was forbidden to enter there? Blessed are the righteous who walk in the way of truth in this world and in the next.’
אָמַר רִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר, בְּכָל עוֹבָדוֹי דְּבַּר נָשׁ, לִבְעֵי לֵיהּ דְּלִהֱווֹן כֻּלְּהוּ לִשְׁמָא קַדִּישָׁא. מַאי לִשְׁמָא קַדִּישָׁא. לְאַדְכְּרָא בְּפוּמֵיהּ שְׁמָא קַדִּישָׁא עַל כָּל מַה דְּאִיהוּ עָבִיד, דְּכֹלָּא הוּא לְפוּלְחָנֵיהּ, וְלָא יִשְׁרֵי עֲלוֹי סִטְרָא אָחֳרָא. בְּגִין דְּאִיהוּ זַמִּין תְּדִירָא לְגַבֵּי בְּנֵי נָשָׁא, וְיָכִיל לְאַשְׁרָאָה עַל הַהוּא עֲבִידְתָּא. וְעַל דָּא, הַשְּׁתִּי אוֹ הָעֵרֶב הֲוָה אִסְתְּאַב, וְשַׁרְיָא עָלֵיהּ רוּחַ מִסְאֲבָא. וּמַה בְּהַאי כַּךְ, מַאן דְּפָקִיד מִלּוֹי לְסִטְרָא אָחֳרָא דְּלָא אִצְטְרִיךְ, עַל אַחַת כַּמָּה וְכַמָּה. וּבְגִין כָּךְ כְּתִיב (דברים כ״ג:י׳) וְנִשְׁמַרְתָּ מִכָּל דָּבָר רָע.
R. Eleazar said: ‘In all his actions a man should have in mind the holy Name and declare that all is for the service of God, so that the “other side” should not rest on him, for this is ever lying in wait for man. Therefore it was that the warp and the woof used to become unclean and the “other side” rested on them.’