(AND THEY PUT HIM IN WARD.) R. Isaac said: Besides insulting his mother, he mentioned that his father was the man whom Moses had slain with the Holy Name, and therefore it was that “they brought him to Moses”, since Moses was concerned in the matter.
WHOEVER CURSETH HIS GOD SHALL BEAR HIS SIN. R. Isaac quoted here the verse: “There shall no strange god be in thee, neither shalt thou worship any strange god” (Ps. 81, 9). ‘The “strange god” ‘, he said, ‘mentioned in the first clause refers to the evil prompting, for if a man links himself with this, a “strange god” enters into him, for straightway he breaks the commandments of the Torah, and so he comes to abandon the faith in the Holy Name and to bow down to false gods. Hence the verse tells us that “if there is no strange god in thee, through the evil prompting, then thou shalt not come to bow down to a strange god”.
Hence if a man only “curses his god”, in which case he may plead that he is referring only to that evil prompting which abides in him, and we do not know whether he is speaking truly or not, he shall merely “bear his iniquity”; but “he that uttereth the name of the Lord shall be put to death”.’
Said R. Judah: ‘If that is so, it should say, “his sin shall be forgiven”, not “he shall bear his sin”.’ He replied: ‘We must suppose him to say “my god”, without specifying.’ Said R. Hiya: ‘Certainly in that case he shall bear his iniquity, but if he pronounces the name of the Lord he shall be put to death, because on this all faith depends and he can make no excuse.’
R. Jose said: ‘Assuredly it is so, that this name is the basis of the faith of higher and lower, and all worlds are established on it. On one tiny letter are suspended thousands of thousands and myriads of myriads of delectable worlds, as we have learnt that these letters are linked with one another, and thousands and myriads of celestials depend on each one, and there is wrapped in them that which is not grasped by higher or lower.’
R. Hizkiah cited the verse: “No hand shall touch it, for he shall surely be stoned or shot through”, etc. (Ex. 19, 13). ‘Now if, he said, ‘this was to be the penalty for touching a mere mountain like Sinai because the glory of the Holy King was revealed on it, what must happen to one who touches the King? And if this was to happen to one who touched the mountain, even respectfully, what must happen to one who touches the King insultingly?’
R. Jesse cited the verse: “Draw not nigh hither, put off thy shoes from off thy feet”, etc. (Ex. 3, 5). ‘If, he said, ‘this could be said to Moses, from whom the holy halo never departed from the day that he was born, and who drew near in reverence and holiness, what would be said to one who draws near to the King insultingly?’
R. Abba said: ‘When Israel were in Egypt, they were acquainted with the Chieftains who are appointed over the various nations of the world, and each of them feared one or other of them. When they were linked with the bond of faith and God brought them near to His service, they abandoned those powers for the higher faith. Therefore they were commanded, “Whoever curseth his god”, etc., as much as to say: Although the service of these is strange worship, yet I have appointed them to control the world, and therefore whoever curses or insults them must bear his iniquity. But “he that blasphemeth the name of the Lord shall be put to death”.’
R. Simeon was once going along accompanied by R. Eleazar, R. Abba, R. Hiya, R. Jose, and R. Judah. They came to a certain watercourse, and R. Jose slipped down in his clothes into the water. He said: according to that to which they clave. Said the Holy One, blessed be He: Man, thou hast abandoned life and clung to death; verily death is before thee. Therefore death was decreed for him and for all the world. Now if Adam sinned, what was the sin of the rest of the world? For it cannot be said that all creatures came and ate of the forbidden tree. No. What happened was that when man stood upright, all creatures saw him and feared him and followed him like slaves. So when he said to them, “Come, let us bow down to the Lord who made us”, they all went after him. And when they saw man bowing down to the other place and cleaving to it, they again followed him, and thus he brought death on himself and all the world. Thus Adam alternated between various colours, good and bad, commotion and rest, judgement and mercy, life and death: never constant in one, through the influence of that place, which is therefore called “the flame of a sword which turns every way”, from this side to that, from good to evil, from mercy to judgement, from peace to ‘I wish this water channel had never been here.’ Said R. Simeon to him: ‘You must not say that. This is for the service of the world, and it is forbidden to revile a ministrant of the Holy One, blessed be He, especially those loyal servants of his. They are appointed by Providence.
It is written that “God saw all that he had made, and behold it was very good” (Gen. 1, 31), even serpents and scorpions and fleas and all things that appear to be pests-all these are for the service of the world, though men know it not.’1s. T. B. Shabbath, 77b.
As they went along, they saw a snake crawling in front of them. Said R. Simeon: Assuredly this creature is there to perform some miracle for us. The snake quickly crept in front of them and wound itself round a basilisk in the middle of the path. They then struggled together until both were killed. When they came up to them they found them lying dead in the road and R. Simeon said: ‘Blessed be God for performing for us this miracle, for if anyone had looked upon this creature while it was alive, or had been looked upon by it, he would not have escaped harm, much less if he had approached it. Thus God makes all things His agents and we must not revile anything that He has made.’
(ויקרא כ״ד:ט״ו) וְאֶל בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל תְּדַבֵּר לֵאמֹר אִישׁ אִישׁ כִּי יְקַלֵּל אֱלֹהָיו וְנָשָׂא חֶטְאוֹ. רִבִּי יְהוּדָה אָמַר, הָא אוּקְמוּהָ. אֲבָל כִּי יְקַלֵּל אֱלֹהָיו סָתִים. וּבְגִין דְּאָמַר אֱלֹהָיו סְתָם, לְכַךְ וְנָשָׂא חֶטְאוֹ. דְּהָא לָא יַדְעֵינָן מַאן הוּא אֱלֹהָיו, מַאן דַּחֲלָא דִּילֵיהּ, אִי אֶחָד מִן הַשָּׂרִים, אוֹ חַד מִן כֹּכְבַיָּיא, אוֹ חַד מִדַּבַרֵי עָלְמָא.
אָמַר רִבִּי יוֹסֵי, אִי צַדִּיק גָּמוּר הוּא, לָא יִתְעַר (ס"א מלה) חֵילֵיהוֹן, וְכֵיוָן דְּאִתְעַר מִלָּה דָּא, חַיְישִׁינָן מִינוּת אִזְדְּרִיקַת בֵּיהּ, וְלָא יְמוּת (ס"א אמר רבי יוסי, אפילו צדיק גמור לא ימות) עַל דָּא, בְּגִין דְּאִיהוּ מִלָּה סָתִים.
רִבִּי יְהוּדָה אָמַר, דָּאִין לֵיהּ לְטָב בְּהָא, דְּאִי אָמַר אֱלֹהַי, יָכִיל לְמִטְעָן אֱלֹהַי דְּהֲוָה עַד הַשְּׁתָּא, דְּאִתְמַשְׁכְּנָא אֲבַתְרֵיהּ בְּלִבָּאִי, וְהַשְׁתָּא אַהֲדַרְנָא לָקֳבְלָא מְהֵימְנוּתָא עִלָּאָה. אֲבָל אִי אָמַר יְיָ' אֱלֹהִים, אוֹ יְיָ', וְנָקִיב לֵיהּ בִּשְׁמָא, הַאי לֵית לֵיהּ לְמִטְעָן בְּהַאי, בְּגִין דְּדָא הוּא מְהֵימְנוּתָא דְּכֹלָּא, וְכָל אָת וְאָת (צ"ב ע"ב) דִּשְׁמָא קַדִּישָׁא דָּא, סַלְּקָא לִשְׁמָא שְׁלֵימָא. (ס"א לשבחא)
דָּבָר אַחֵר וַיִּקּוֹב בֶּן הָאִשָּׁה הַיִּשְׂרְאֵלִית אֶת הַשֵּׁם וַיְקַלֵּל. רִבִּי יִצְחָק אָמַר, וַיִּקּוֹב בֶּן הָאִשָּׁה, אֲמַאי. אֶלָּא כְּמָה דְּאוּקְמוּהָ. אֲבָל הָאִישׁ הַיִּשְׂרְאֵלִי, בַּעְלָהּ דִּשְׁלוֹמִית הֲוָה. רִבִּי יְהוּדָה אָמַר, בְּרֵיהּ דְּבַעְלָהּ דִּשְׁלוֹמִית מֵאִנְתּוּ אָחֳרָא הֲוָה. אָמַר רִבִּי יִצְחָק, נָצוּ כַּחֲדָא, וְאָמַר לֵיהּ מִלָּה מֵאִימֵיהּ, וְכִי אֲבוֹי הֲוָה דְּאִתְקְטָל בִּשְׁמָא קַדִישָׁא, כְּמָה דְּאוּקְמוּהָ דִּכְתִיב (שמות ב׳:י״ד) הַלְהָרְגֵנִי אַתָּה אוֹמֵר, דְּהָא בִּשְׁמָא קַדִּישָׁא, קָטִיל לֵיהּ מֹשֶׁה, וְעַל דָּא אוֹשִׁיט מִלָּה לָקֳבְלֵיהּ.
(AND THEY PUT HIM IN WARD.) R. Isaac said: Besides insulting his mother, he mentioned that his father was the man whom Moses had slain with the Holy Name, and therefore it was that “they brought him to Moses”, since Moses was concerned in the matter.
וְדָא הוּא דִּכְתִּיב, וַיִּקּוֹב בֶּן הָאִשָּׁה הַיִּשְׂרְאֵלִית אֶת הַשֵּׁם וַיְקַלֵּל וַיָּבִיאוּ אוֹתוֹ אֶל מֹשֶׁה. אֲמַאי. (ס"א לגביה דמשה בגין דקטיל לאבוהי וכו') בְּגִין דְּמָטָא לְגַּבֵּיהּ דְּמֹשֶׁה, עַל דְּקָטִיל לַאֲבוּהִי בִּשְׁמָא קַדִישָׁא. בְּגִין כַּךְ וַיָּבִיאוּ אוֹתוֹ אֶל מֹשֶׁה. כֵּיוָן דְּחָמָא מֹשֶׁה, מִיַּד וַיַּנִּיחוּהוּ בַּמִּשְׁמָר, וְאַבָּא וּבְרָא נָפְלוּ בִּידָא דְּמֹשֶׁה.
When Moses perceived who it was, straightway “they put him in ward”, and so both father and son fell by the hand of Moses.’
(ויקרא כ״ד:ט״ו) אִישׁ אִישׁ כִּי יְקַלֵּל אֱלֹהָיו וְנָשָׂא חֶטְאוֹ. רִבִּי יִצְחָק פָּתַח, (תהילים פ״א:ט׳-י׳) שְׁמַע עַמִּי וְאָעִידָה בָּךְ יִשְׂרָאֵל אִם תִּשְׁמַע לִי לֹא יִהְיֶה בְךָ אֵל זָר וְלֹא תִשְׁתַּחֲוְה לְאֵל נֵכָר, כֵּיוָן דִּכְתִיב לֹא יִהְיֶה בְךָ אֵל זָר, מַאי וְלֹא תִשְׁתַּחֲוְה לְאֵל נֵכָר. אֶלָּא לֹא יִהְיֶה בְךָ אֵל זָר, דְּלָא יֵיעוּל בַּר נָשׁ לְיֵצֶר הָרָע בְּגַוִיהּ, דְּכָל מַאן דְּאָתֵי לְאִתְחַבְּרָא בֵּיהּ, אֵל זָר שַׁרְיָא בְּגַוִיהּ, דְּהָא כַּד אִתְחַבָּר בַּר נָשׁ בֵּיהּ מִיַּד אָתֵי לְאַעְבְּרָא עַל פִּתְגָּמֵי אוֹרַיְיתָא, אָתֵי לְאַעְבְּרָא עַל מְהֵימְנוּתָא דִּשְׁמָא קַדִּישָׁא, וְאָתֵי לְבָתַר לְמִסְגַּד לְטַעֲוָון אָחֳרָן, וְעַל דָּא כְּתִיב, לֹא יִהְיֶה בְךָ אֵל זָר, כֵּיוָן דְּלָא יִהְיֶה בְךָ אֵל זָר, לָא תֵּיתֵי לְמִסְגַּד לְטַעֲוָון אָחֳרָן, וּלְמֶעְבַּר עַל מְהֵימְנוּתָא דִּשְׁמָא קַדִּישָׁא. הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב, וְלֹא תִשְׁתַּחֲוְה לְאֵל נֵכָר, וּמְהֵימְנוּתָא בִּישָׁא דְּבַּר נָשׁ דָּא הוּא.
WHOEVER CURSETH HIS GOD SHALL BEAR HIS SIN. R. Isaac quoted here the verse: “There shall no strange god be in thee, neither shalt thou worship any strange god” (Ps. 81, 9). ‘The “strange god” ‘, he said, ‘mentioned in the first clause refers to the evil prompting, for if a man links himself with this, a “strange god” enters into him, for straightway he breaks the commandments of the Torah, and so he comes to abandon the faith in the Holy Name and to bow down to false gods. Hence the verse tells us that “if there is no strange god in thee, through the evil prompting, then thou shalt not come to bow down to a strange god”.
וְעַל דָּא כִּי יְקַלֵּל אֱלֹהָיו, דְּיָכִיל לְמִטְעָן דְּהוּא לָיִיט לְהַהוּא אֵל זָר, יִצְרָא בִּישָׁא דְּשַׁרְיָא עָלֵיהּ לְזִמְנִין, וַאֲנָן לָא יַדְעִינָן מִלּוֹי אִי קְשׁוֹט אוֹ לָאו. וְעַל דָּא, וְנָשָׂא חֶטְאוֹ. אֲבָל וְנוֹקֵב שֵׁם יְיָ' מוֹת יוּמָת.
Hence if a man only “curses his god”, in which case he may plead that he is referring only to that evil prompting which abides in him, and we do not know whether he is speaking truly or not, he shall merely “bear his iniquity”; but “he that uttereth the name of the Lord shall be put to death”.’
אָמַר רִבִּי יְהוּדָה, אִי הָכִי, אֲמַאי וְנָשָׂא חֶטְאוֹ, וְנִסְלַח חֶטְאוֹ מִבָּעֵי לֵיהּ. (ס"א אלא) אָמַר לֵיהּ, כְּגוֹן דְּאָמַר אֱלֹהַי כְּמָה דְּאוֹקִימְנָא סְתָם, וְלָא פָּרִישׁ. רִבִּי חִיָּיא אָמַר, כִּי יְקַלֵּל אֱלֹהָיו סְתָם, וְלָא פֵּירַשׁ, וְהָא וַדַּאי וְנָשָׂא חֶטְאוֹ. אֲבָל וְנוֹקֵב שֵׁם יְיָ' מוֹת יוּמָת, דְּהָא הָכָא תַּלְיָיא מְהֵימְנוּתָא דְּכֹלָּא, וְלֵית לֵיהּ רְשׁוּ לְמִטְעָן עָלֵיהּ כְּלָל.
Said R. Judah: ‘If that is so, it should say, “his sin shall be forgiven”, not “he shall bear his sin”.’ He replied: ‘We must suppose him to say “my god”, without specifying.’ Said R. Hiya: ‘Certainly in that case he shall bear his iniquity, but if he pronounces the name of the Lord he shall be put to death, because on this all faith depends and he can make no excuse.’
אָמַר רִבִּי יוֹסֵי, הָכִי הוּא וַדַּאי, דְּהָא שְׁמָא דָּא מְהֵימְנוּתָא דְּעִלָּאֵי וְתַתָּאֵי. וְעַל דָּא קַיְימִין עָלְמִין כֻּלְּהוּ, בְּאָת חַד זְעֵירָא, תַּלְיָין אֶלֶף אַלְפִין וְרִבּוֹא רִבְבָן עָלְמִין דְּכִסּוּפִין, וְעַל דָּא תָּנֵינָן, אַתְוָון אִלֵּין, קְשִׁירִין אִלֵּין בְּאִלֵּין, וְכַמָּה אֶלֶף רִבְבָן עִלָּאִין (ס"א עלמין), תַּלְיָין בְּכָל אָת וְאָת, וְאִסְתְּלִיקוּ וְאִתְקַשָּׁרוּ בִּמְהֵימְנוּתָא (באתגלייא) וְסָתִים בְּהוּ, מַה דְּלָא אִתְדָּבָקוּ עִלָּאִין וְתַתָּאִין, אוֹרַיְיתָא בְּהוּ תַּלְיָיא, עָלְמָא דֵּין וְעָלְמָא דְּאָתֵי, הוּא וּשְׁמֵיהּ חַד. וְעַל דָּא כְּתִיב, (תהילים ל״ט:ב׳) אָמַרְתִּי אֶשְׁמְרָה דְּרָכַי מֵחֲטוֹא בִלְשׁוֹנִי. וּכְתִּיב (קהלת ה׳:ה׳) אַל תִּתֵּן אֶת פִּיךָ לַחֲטִיא אֶת בְּשָׂרֶךָ.
R. Jose said: ‘Assuredly it is so, that this name is the basis of the faith of higher and lower, and all worlds are established on it. On one tiny letter are suspended thousands of thousands and myriads of myriads of delectable worlds, as we have learnt that these letters are linked with one another, and thousands and myriads of celestials depend on each one, and there is wrapped in them that which is not grasped by higher or lower.’
רִבִּי חִזְקִיָּה פָּתַח, (שמות י״ט:י״ג) לֹא תִגַּע בּוֹ יָד כִּי סָקוֹל יִסָּקֵל אוֹ יָרֹה יִיָּרֶה אִם בְּהֵמָה אִם אִישׁ לֹא יִחְיֶה בִּמְשׁוֹךְ הַיּוֹבֵל. וּמַה טוּרָא דְּסִינַי, דְּאִיהוּ טוּרָא כִּשְׁאָר טוּרֵי עָלְמָא, בְּגִין דְּאִתְחֲזֵי עָלֵיהּ יְקָרָא דְּמַלְכָּא קַדִּישָׁא, כְּתִיב לֹא תִגַּע בּוֹ יָד כִּי סָקוֹל יִסָּקֵל אוֹ יָרֹה יִיָּרֶה, מַאן דְּקָרִיב לְמַלְכָּא לָא כָּל שֶׁכֵּן. וּמַה טוּרָא דְּסִינַי דְּיָכִיל בַּר נָשׁ לְאוֹשִׁיט בֵּיהּ יַדָא אֹרַח יְקָר בִּדְחִילוּ, כְּתִיב לֹא תִגַּע בּוֹ יַד סְתָם, וַאֲפִילּוּ בְּאֹרַח יְקָר. מַאן דְּאוֹשִׁיט יְדֵיהּ בְּאֹרַח קְלָנָא לָקֳבֵיל מַלְכָּא, לָא כָּל שֶׁכֵּן.
R. Hizkiah cited the verse: “No hand shall touch it, for he shall surely be stoned or shot through”, etc. (Ex. 19, 13). ‘Now if, he said, ‘this was to be the penalty for touching a mere mountain like Sinai because the glory of the Holy King was revealed on it, what must happen to one who touches the King? And if this was to happen to one who touched the mountain, even respectfully, what must happen to one who touches the King insultingly?’
רִבִּי יֵיסָא פָּתַח וְאָמַר, (שמות ג׳:ה׳) אַל תִּקְרַב הֲלוֹם שַׁל נְעָלֶיךָ מֵעַל רַגְלֶיךָ כִּי הַמָּקוֹם אֲשֶׁר אַתָּה עוֹמֵד עָלָיו אַדְמַת קֹדֶשׁ הוּא. וּמַה מֹשֶׁה, דְּמִן יוֹמָא דְּאִתְיְלִיד זִיהֲרָא קַדִישָׁא עִלָּאָה לָא אַעְדֵּי מִנֵּיהּ, כְּתִיב בֵּיהּ אַל תִקְרַב הֲלוֹם. אָמַר לֵיהּ, מֹשֶׁה, עַד כָּאן לָא אַנְתְּ כְּדַאי לְאִשְׁתַּמְּשָׁא בִּיקָרִי, שַׁל נְעָלֶיךָ. וּמַה מֹשֶׁה כַּךְ, דְּהֲוָה קָרִיב בִּדְחִילוּ בִּקְדוּשָּׁה כְּתִיב בֵּיהּ הָכִי. מַאן דְּקָרִיב בְּאֹרַח קְלָנָא לְגַבֵּי מַלְכָּא, עַל אַחַת כַּמָּה וְכַמָּה.
R. Jesse cited the verse: “Draw not nigh hither, put off thy shoes from off thy feet”, etc. (Ex. 3, 5). ‘If, he said, ‘this could be said to Moses, from whom the holy halo never departed from the day that he was born, and who drew near in reverence and holiness, what would be said to one who draws near to the King insultingly?’
רִבִּי אַבָּא אָמַר, אִישׁ אִישׁ כִּי יְקַלֵּל אֱלֹהָיו וְנָשָׂא חֶטְאוֹ. תָּא חֲזֵי, כַּד הֲווֹ יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּמִצְרַיִם, הֲווֹ יַדְעֵי בְּאִינּוּן רַבְרְבֵי עָלְמָא, דִּמְמָנָן עַל שְׁאָר עַמִּין, וְכָל חַד וְחַד הֲוָה לֵיהּ דַּחֲלָא בִּלְחוֹדוֹי מִנַּיְיהוּ. כֵּיוָן דְּאִתְקְשָׁרוּ בְּקִשְׁרָא דִּמְהֵימְנוּתָא, וְקָרִיב לוֹן קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לְפוּלְחָנֵיהּ, אִתְפְּרָשׁוּ מִנַּיְיהוּ וּקָרִיבוּ לְגַבֵּי מְהֵימְנוּתָא עִלָּאָה קַדִּישָׁא. וּבְגִין כָּךְ כְּתִיב, אִישׁ אִישׁ כִּי יְקַלֵּל אֱלֹהָיו, וְאַף עַל גַּב דְּפוּלְחָנָא נוּכְרָאָה הוּא, כֵּיוָן דַּאֲנָא פָּקִידַת לוֹן מְמָנָא לְדַבְּרָא עָלְמָא מַאן דְּלָיִיט וּמְבַזֵּי לוֹן, וְנָשָׂא חֶטְאוֹ וַדַּאי, דְּהָא בִּרְשׁוּתִי קַיְימִין וְאַזְלֵי וּמַדְבְּרִין בְּנֵי עָלְמָא. אֲבָל וְנוֹקֵב שֵׁם יְיָ' מוֹת יוּמָת, לָאו וְנָשָׂא חֶטְאוֹ כְּמָה לְאִלֵּין, אֶלָּא מוֹת יוּמָת. מוֹת בְּעָלְמָא דֵּין, יוּמָת בְּעָלְמָא דְּאָתֵי. לְאִלֵּין וְנָשָׂא חֶטְאוֹ, בְּגִין דִּמְבַזֵּי עוֹבָדֵי יְדוֹי, מְבַזֵּי לְשַׁמָּשַׁי דַּאֲנָא פָּקִידִית, וְאָסִיר הוּא, אֲבָל מִיתָה לָא אִתְחַיָּיב בְּהוּ.
R. Abba said: ‘When Israel were in Egypt, they were acquainted with the Chieftains who are appointed over the various nations of the world, and each of them feared one or other of them. When they were linked with the bond of faith and God brought them near to His service, they abandoned those powers for the higher faith. Therefore they were commanded, “Whoever curseth his god”, etc., as much as to say: Although the service of these is strange worship, yet I have appointed them to control the world, and therefore whoever curses or insults them must bear his iniquity. But “he that blasphemeth the name of the Lord shall be put to death”.’
רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן הֲוָה אָזִיל בְּאָרְחָא, וַהֲוָה עִמֵּיהּ רִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר וְרִבִּי אַבָּא וְרִבִּי חִיָּיא וְרִבִּי יוֹסֵי וְרִבִּי יְהוּדָה מָטוּ לְחָד טִיקְלֵי דְּמַיָא, פּוּסְקְרָא רִבִּי יוֹסֵי בְּקַטְפּוֹי לְגוֹ מַיָּא, אָמַר קוּטְרָא דְּקוּסְטֵי דְּמַיָּא וּלְוַאי לָא שְׁכִיחַ. אָמַר לֵיהּ רִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן, אָסִיר לָךְ. שַׁמְשָׁא דְּעָלְמָא הוּא, וְאָסִיר לְאַנְהָגָא קְלָנָא בְּשַׁמְשָׁא דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא וְכָל שֶׁכֵּן דְּאִינּוּן עוֹבַדֵי קְשׁוֹט, בְּנִימוּסֵי דְּקִסְטִירָא עִלָּאָה שְׁכִיחֵי.
R. Simeon was once going along accompanied by R. Eleazar, R. Abba, R. Hiya, R. Jose, and R. Judah. They came to a certain watercourse, and R. Jose slipped down in his clothes into the water. He said: according to that to which they clave. Said the Holy One, blessed be He: Man, thou hast abandoned life and clung to death; verily death is before thee. Therefore death was decreed for him and for all the world. Now if Adam sinned, what was the sin of the rest of the world? For it cannot be said that all creatures came and ate of the forbidden tree. No. What happened was that when man stood upright, all creatures saw him and feared him and followed him like slaves. So when he said to them, “Come, let us bow down to the Lord who made us”, they all went after him. And when they saw man bowing down to the other place and cleaving to it, they again followed him, and thus he brought death on himself and all the world. Thus Adam alternated between various colours, good and bad, commotion and rest, judgement and mercy, life and death: never constant in one, through the influence of that place, which is therefore called “the flame of a sword which turns every way”, from this side to that, from good to evil, from mercy to judgement, from peace to ‘I wish this water channel had never been here.’ Said R. Simeon to him: ‘You must not say that. This is for the service of the world, and it is forbidden to revile a ministrant of the Holy One, blessed be He, especially those loyal servants of his. They are appointed by Providence.
פָּתַח וְאָמַר, (בראשית א׳:ל״א) וַיַּרְא אֱלֹהִים אֶת כָּל אֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה וְהִנֵּה טוֹב מְאֹד. וַיַּרְא אֱלֹהִים אֶת כָּל אֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה, סְתָם, אֲפִילּוּ נְחָשִׁים וְעַקְרַבִּים וִיתּוּשִׁים, וַאֲפִילּוּ אִינּוּן דְּאִתְחָזוּן מְחַבְּלֵי עָלְמָא, בְּכֻלְּהוּ כְּתִיב וְהִנֵּה טוֹב מְאֹד כֻּלְּהוּ שַׁמָּשֵׁי עָלְמָא, מַדְבְּרֵי עָלְמָא, וּבְנֵי נָשָׁא לָא יַדְעֵי.
It is written that “God saw all that he had made, and behold it was very good” (Gen. 1, 31), even serpents and scorpions and fleas and all things that appear to be pests-all these are for the service of the world, though men know it not.’1s. T. B. Shabbath, 77b.
עַד דַּהֲווֹ אָזְלֵי, חָמוּ חַד חִוְיָא מַדְבָּר קָמַּיְיהוּ, אָמַר רִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן, וַדַּאי דָּא אָזִיל לְאַרְחֲשָׁא לָן נִיסָא, רָהַט הַהוּא חִוְיָא קַמַּיְיהוּ, וְקָטַר בְּחַד אֶפְעֶה בְּקִיטְרָא דְּאוֹרְחָא סַטוּן (ס"א נצן) חַד בְּחַד וּמִיתוּ. כַּד מָטוּן, חָמוּ לוֹן לְתַרְוַויְּיהוּ שְׁכִיבִין בְּאָרְחָא. אָמַר רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן, בְּרִיךְ רַחֲמָנָא דְּרָחִישׁ לָן נִיסָא. דְּהָא כָּל מַאן דְּאִסְתָּכַּל בְּהַאי, כַּד אִיהוּ בְּקִיּוּמֵיהּ, אוֹ אִיהוּ יִסְתָּכַּל בְּבַּר נָשׁ, לָא יִשְׁתְּזִיב וַדַּאי, כָּל שֶׁכֵּן אִי יִקְרַב בַּהֲדֵיהּ. קָרָא עָלֵיהּ, (תהילים צ״א:י׳) לֹא תְאוּנֶּה אֵלֶיךָ רָעָה וְנֶגַע לֹא יִקְרַב בְּאָהֳלֶךָ. וּבְכֹלָּא עָבִיד קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא שְׁלִיחוּתָא דִּילֵיהּ, וְלֵית לָן לְאַנְהָגָא קְלָנָא בְּכָל מַה דְּאִיהוּ עָבֵד. וְעַל דָּא כְּתִיב, (תהילים קמ״ה:ט׳-י׳) טוֹב יְיָ' לַכֹּל וְרַחֲמָיו עַל כָּל מַעֲשָׂיו, וּכְתִיב, יוֹדוּךָ יְיָ' כָּל מַעֲשֶׂיךָ. (נדפס ויחי רכ"א)
As they went along, they saw a snake crawling in front of them. Said R. Simeon: Assuredly this creature is there to perform some miracle for us. The snake quickly crept in front of them and wound itself round a basilisk in the middle of the path. They then struggled together until both were killed. When they came up to them they found them lying dead in the road and R. Simeon said: ‘Blessed be God for performing for us this miracle, for if anyone had looked upon this creature while it was alive, or had been looked upon by it, he would not have escaped harm, much less if he had approached it. Thus God makes all things His agents and we must not revile anything that He has made.’