R. Isaac cited here the verse: “Ah land of the rustling of wings”, etc. (Isa. 18, 1). ‘When God’, he said, ‘came to create the world and reveal what was hidden in the depths and disclose light out of darkness, they were all wrapped in one another, and therefore light emerged from darkness and from the impenetrable came forth the profound. So, too, from good issues evil and from mercy issues judgement, and all are intertwined, the good impulse and the evil impulse, right and left, Israel and other peoples, white and black-all depend on one another.’
Said R. Isaac in the name of R. Judah: ‘The whole world is like a garland of variegated flowers; when it is tried, it is judged with judgement mingled with mercy; otherwise it could not stand an instant.
We have learnt that when judgement is suspended over the world and righteousness is crowned with its judgements, many winged messengers arise to meet the lords of stern judgement and to obtain sway over the world, and they spread their wings on both sides to overshadow the earth, which is then called “the land of the rustling of wings”.’ R. Judah said: ‘I perceive that all mankind are shameless save the truly virtuous. So, if one may say so, it is throughout: if one commences to purify himself he is supported from above and similarly if he commences to defile himself.1v. T. B. Yoma, 38b.
(ויקרא י״ט:ב׳) קְדוֹשִׁים תִּהְיוּ כִּי קָדוֹשׁ אֲנִי יְיָ'. רִבִּי יִצְחָק פָּתַח, (ישעיהו י״ח:א׳) הוֹי אֶרֶץ צִלְצַל כְּנָפָיִם וְגוֹ'. וְכִי בְּגִין דְּהִיא אֶרֶץ צִלְצַל כְּנָפָיִם, קִנְטוּרָא בֵּיהּ אִשְׁתְּכַח, דִּכְתִּיב הוֹי אֶרֶץ. אֶלָּא אָמַר רִבִּי יִצְחָק, בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא בָּרָא עָלְמָא, וּבָעָא לְגַלָּאָה עֲמִיקְתָא מִגּוֹ מְסַתְּרָתָא, וּנְהוֹרָא מִגּוֹ חֲשׁוֹכָא, הֲווֹ כְּלִילָן דָּא בְּדָא, וּבְגִין כַּךְ, מִגּוֹ חֲשׁוֹכָא נָפַק נְהוֹרָא, וּמִגּוֹ מְסַתְּרָתָא, נָפַק וְאִתְגַּלְיָיא עֲמִיקָא, וְדָא נָפְקָא מִן דָּא. דְּמִגּוֹ טַב, נָפִיק בִּישׁ. וּמִגּוֹ רַחֲמֵי, נָפִיק דִּינָא. וְכֹלָּא אִתְכְּלִיל דָּא בְּדָא. יֵצֶר טוֹב וְיֵצֶר רָע, יְמִינָא וּשְׂמָאלָא, יִשְׂרָאֵל וּשְׁאָר עַמִּין, חִוָּור וְאוּכָם, וְכֹלָּא חַד בְּחַד תַּלְיָא.
R. Isaac cited here the verse: “Ah land of the rustling of wings”, etc. (Isa. 18, 1). ‘When God’, he said, ‘came to create the world and reveal what was hidden in the depths and disclose light out of darkness, they were all wrapped in one another, and therefore light emerged from darkness and from the impenetrable came forth the profound. So, too, from good issues evil and from mercy issues judgement, and all are intertwined, the good impulse and the evil impulse, right and left, Israel and other peoples, white and black-all depend on one another.’
תָּאנָא אָמַר רִבִּי יִצְחָק אָמַר רִבִּי יְהוּדָה, כָּל עָלְמָא כֻּלְּהוּ לָא אִתְחָזֵי, אֶלָּא בְּחַד עֲטִירָא דְּקוּטְפָא (ס"א דקיזטופא) בְּקִיטְרוֹי כַּד אִתְּדָּן עָלְמָא בְּדִינָא כָּלִיל בְּרַחֲמֵי אִתְּדָּן. וְאִי לָאו, לָא יָכִיל עָלְמָא לְקַיְּימָא, אֲפִילּוּ רִגְעָא חֲדָא, וְהָא אוֹקִימְנָא מִלֵּי, כְּמָה דִּכְתִּיב, (ישעיהו כ״ו:ט׳) כִּי כַּאֲשֶׁר מִשְׁפָּטֶיךָ לָאָרֶץ צֶדֶק לָמְדוּ יוֹשְׁבֵי תֵּבֵל.
Said R. Isaac in the name of R. Judah: ‘The whole world is like a garland of variegated flowers; when it is tried, it is judged with judgement mingled with mercy; otherwise it could not stand an instant.
וְתָאנָא בְּהַהוּא זִמְנָא דְּדִינָא תַּלְיָא בְּעָלְמָא, וְצֶדֶק אִתְעַטְּרָא בְּדִינוֹי, כַּמָה מָארֵי דְּגַדְפִּין מִתְעָרֵי, לָקֳבְלֵי מָארֵי דְּדִינָא קַשְׁיָא, לְשַׁלְּטָאָה בְּעָלְמָא. פַּרְסִין גַּדְפִּין מֵהַאי סִטְרָא, וּמֵהַאי סִטְרָא, לְאִשְׁתַּטְּחָא (ס"א לאשגחא) בְּעָלְמָא. כְּדֵין מִתְעָרִין גַּדְפִּין לְמִפְרַס לוֹן, וּלְאִשְׁתַּאֲבָא (נ"א ולאשתתפא) בְּדִינָא קַשְׁיָא, וְשָׁאטִין בְּעָלְמָא לְאַבְאָשָׁא. כְּדֵין כְּתִיב, הוֹי אֶרֶץ צִלְצַל כְּנָפָיִם. אָמַר רִבִּי יְהוּדָה, חַמִינָא בְּנֵי עָלְמָא בְּחַצִיפוּתָא, בַּר אִינוּן זַכָּאִי קְשׁוֹט. וּבְגִין כָּךְ, כִּבְיָכוֹל, כֹּלָא הָכִי אִשְׁתָּכַח, אָתָא לְאִתְדַכָּאָה, מְסַיְיעִין לֵיהּ. אָתָא לְאִסְתָאַבָא, כְּמָה דְאוֹקִימְנָא, וְנִטְמֵתֶם בָּם.
We have learnt that when judgement is suspended over the world and righteousness is crowned with its judgements, many winged messengers arise to meet the lords of stern judgement and to obtain sway over the world, and they spread their wings on both sides to overshadow the earth, which is then called “the land of the rustling of wings”.’ R. Judah said: ‘I perceive that all mankind are shameless save the truly virtuous. So, if one may say so, it is throughout: if one commences to purify himself he is supported from above and similarly if he commences to defile himself.1v. T. B. Yoma, 38b.