AND THE LORD CALLED UNTO HIM OUT OF THE MOUNTAIN, SAYING, THUS SHALT THOU SAY TO THE HOUSE OF JACOB, AND TELL THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL. R. Isaac referred in this connection to the verse: “Blessed is the man whom thou choosest, and causest to approach unto thee, that he may dwell in thy courts” (Ps. 65, 5). ‘Blessed is the man’, he said, ‘whom the Holy One befriends and brings near to him to dwell in the holy Palace! He who is united with Him in worship has on him a sign inscribed from above to make it known that he is one who has been chosen by the Holy King to dwell in His courts. A man who has upon him such a sign can pass through all the supernal gates without let or hindrance.’
R. Judah said: ‘Blessed was Moses, concerning whom that verse was written! Of him we read: “And Moses drew near unto the thick darkness where God was” (Ex. 20, 21); and also, “Moses alone came nigh to the Lord, but they did not” (Ibid. 24, 2).’ THUS SHALT THOU SAY TO THE HOUSE OF JACOB: this refers to the females; AND TELL THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL: this means the males.
R. Simeon connected the “thus” (Koh) in this verse with the “thus” in the ordinance of the priestly benediction: “Thus (Koh) shall ye bless” (Num. 6, 23); also with, “Thy saints bless Thee” (yebarakukah), which last word can be separated into two words: yebaraku Koh, “they bless with Koh” (i.e. the Sephirah Malkuth); “Saying” indicates the side of Justice (Severity), while “telling” indicates the side of Mercy, as in the verse: “And he declared (wa-yagged) unto you his covenant (mercy)” (Deut. 4, 13), and also in the declaration made by the Israelite on bringing the basket of firstfruits to the priest: “I proclaim (higgadti) this day unto the Lord thy God” (Ibid. 26, 3).
Said R. Jose: ‘As we have mentioned this verse, I should like to ask why it says “to the Lord thy God” instead of “the Lord our God”?’ R. Simeon replied: ‘This is not the only case where “thy” is used instead of “our”. For instance: “the Lord thy God will bring thee into a good land” (Ibid. 8, 7); “for the Lord thy God is a consuming fire” (Ibid. 4, 23).
Moses himself, who used this expression, could not say “our” God, because, according to our dictum, “he who lives outside the Land of Israel is, as it were, without God.” So he said to the children of Israel, who were going to settle in the Holy Land and to receive the Shekinah there, “thy God”, but he could not well say “our God”, since he was not to enter himself into the Holy Land.’
‘But’, retorted R. Jose, ‘why did the Israelites have to say “thy God”, seeing that they were already in the land?’ R. Simeon’s reply was that they had to proclaim that it was due to the Supernal Grace that they were so favoured by God and blessed with so many good things. All this they said to the priest who, as such, is connected with the attribute of Grace (forgiveness of sin and mediatorship).
“Say to the house of Jacob” is the form fitting for them, “and tell the children of Israel” is the more perfect form fitting for them. For Jacob and Israel represent two grades (Malkuth and Tifereth), and though they unite into one, yet the complete product is termed Israel. Hence “thou shalt tell the children of Israel”, to reveal to them wisdom, and to tell them in the spirit of wisdom the grace and the truth which the Holy One, blessed be He, has shown to them.
R. Jose once told the following story: ‘It chanced one day when I was out walking, accompanied by my son, R. Hiya, that we came upon a man collecting medicinal herbs. As we drew near to him I asked: “Tell us what these bundles of herbs are for?” He gave no reply, and did not even raise his head. Said I to R. Hiya, my son: “Certainly this man is either deaf or mad, or very wise.” So we sat down near to him. When he had collected all the herbs and made them into bundles and covered each bundle with vine leaves, even to the last bundle of all,
he turned to us, and said: “I see that ye are Jews, and it is said that the Jews are clever people. Yet, if I did not have pity on you, you would from henceforth have to shun the company of your fellows, for you become as lepers; because, as I perceive, the odour of one of these herbs has entered into your body, and it will cause you to be outcasts for three days. But now eat this garlic and you will be healed.”
We did as we were bid, and fell into a deep sleep. I awakened to find myself bathed in perspiration. Then the man said: “Now your God is with you indeed, for He has ordered it that you should find me and that the cure of your bodies should be accomplished through me.”
11
עַד דַּהֲוֵינָא אַזְלִין, אָמַר לַן, כָּל בַּר נָשׁ בָּעֵי לְאִשְׁתְּעֵי בְּבַר נָשׁ אַחֲרָא, כְּפוּם אָרְחוֹי, דְּהָא לְנוּקְבָּא כְּפוּם אָרְחוֹי. לְגַבְרָא כְּפוּם אָרְחוֹי. לְגַבְרָא דְּגַבְרֵי כְּפוּם אָרְחוֹי. אֲמֵינָא לְרַבִּי חִיָּיא בְּרִי, הַיְינוּ דִּכְתִּיב, כֹּה תֹאמַר לְבֵית יַעֲקֹב וְתַגֵּיד לִבְנִי יִשְׂרָאֵל. (ס"א כה תאמר לבית יעקב בההוא אתר דאתחזי להו. ותגיד לבני ישראל בההוא אתר שלים דאתחזי להו. דהא יעקב וישראל תרין דרגין אינון ובדרגא חד סלקין אלא ישראל שלימותא דבלא אקרי)
As we went along he said to us: “Every person must converse with his fellows according to the sex and class to which they belong.” I was struck by this remark, and said to R. Hiya, my son: “This accords with the Scriptural verse: ‘Thus shalt thou say to the house of Jacob, and tell the children of Israel.’ ”
Then the man said: “You probably wondered why I did not speak to you or pay you any apparent heed when you addressed me first. The reason is that my father was the greatest expert in herbs and their properties, and from him I learnt the powers and uses of every plant with healing properties, and I spend the whole year among them.
Now with regard to the herb which ye saw me bind into bundles and cover with vine leaves. In a northern corner of my dwelling there is a place in which stands a millstone, from the hole of which a man emerges from time to time, and this man has two heads and carries a sharp sword in his hand. He strikes terror into the hearts of all who behold him, and, indeed, is the bane of our lives. On account of him I gathered this herb. Now follow me, and you shall see what virtue there is in it, and what the supreme God has revealed in the world, and how even the wise cannot surmise or fathom all His mysteries.”
So we followed him. On the way to his house we passed a hole in the ground in which the man deposited some of the herb. When he had done so, a serpent with an enormous head issued from the hole. The man took from his girdle a piece of cloth and bound the serpent as though it were a little lamb. We were much afraid, but the man said: “Follow me until we come to his abode”; and we followed him.
Presently we reached his house, and there we saw the place of which he had spoken: in the dark, behind a wall. He took a candle and kindled a fire around the place where the millstone was set; then he said to us: “Do not be frightened at what ye see, and keep silence.”
As he said this he loosened the serpent’s bonds and set him free, then ground some of the herb to powder and sprinkled this upon the serpent’s head. Immediately the serpent descended into the opening of the millstone, and we suddenly heard a voice which made the whole place shake. We wanted to run away, being sore afraid, but the man took hold of our hands, saying: “Fear not, come close to me.”
Presently the serpent reappeared and we saw that it was dripping blood. Again it entered the opening of the millstone. After a short time a man with two heads issued from the opening, with the serpent wound about his neck. Three times he entered the opening of the millstone and emerged again, saying: “Chameleon, chameleon, woe to his mother who brought him there!”
Then the millstone was torn from its place and man and serpent together were hurled out at our feet, where they fell down and died. We were terrified, but the man who had brought us there said: “Thus is manifested the power of the herb which I collected in your presence! This was the reason why I did not look up at you or speak even a word.
If men but knew the wisdom of all that the Holy One, blessed be He, has planted in the earth, and the power of all that is to be found in the world, they would proclaim the power of their Lord in His great wisdom. But the Holy One has purposely hidden this wisdom from men, in order that they should not turn from His way by trusting in that wisdom alone, forgetting Him.”
When I afterwards recounted the happenings of that day to R. Simeon, he said: “Surely, that was a wise man! For it is indeed as he said. Mark this! There is no grass or herb that grows in which God’s wisdom is not greatly manifested and which cannot exert great influence in heaven. We may see this from the hyssop. Whenever the Holy One desires that men should purify themselves from defilement, he orders that hyssop be used as a means of purification. Now why is this? In order that the power above which is represented by that herb should be roused to exterminate the spirit of impurity, that the defiled one may be cleansed. And as to thee, I say: Blessed be the Merciful One who delivered thee.”’
וַיִּקְרָא אֵלָיו יְיָ' מִן הָהָר לֵאמֹר כֹּה תֹאמַר לְבֵית יַעֲקֹב וְגוֹ'. ר' יִצְחָק פָּתַח, (תהילים ס״ה:ה׳) אַשְׁרֵי תִּבְחַר וּתְקָרֵב יִשְׁכּוֹן חֲצֵרֶיךָ, זַכָּאָה חוּלָקֵיהּ דְּהַהוּא בַּר נָשׁ, דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא אִתְרְעֵי בֵּיהּ, וְקָרִיב לֵיהּ, לְמִשְׁרֵי בְּגוֹ הֵיכָלָא קַדִּישָׁא, דְּכָל מַאן דְּאִיהוּ אִתְרְעֵי בֵּיהּ לְפוּלְחָנֵיהּ, רָשִׁים הוּא מֵרְשִׁימִין דִּלְעֵילָּא, לְמִנְדַּע דְּהָא הוּא אִתְבָּחַר מִקַּמֵיהּ דְּמַלְכָּא קַדִּישָׁא עִלָּאָה, לְמִשְׁרֵי בִּמְדוֹרוֹי. וְכָל מַאן דְּאִשְׁתְּכַח בֵּיהּ הַהוּא רְשִׁימָא, אַעְבַּר בְּכָל תַּרְעִין דִּלְעֵילָּא, וְלֵית דְּיִמְחֵי בִּידוֹי.
AND THE LORD CALLED UNTO HIM OUT OF THE MOUNTAIN, SAYING, THUS SHALT THOU SAY TO THE HOUSE OF JACOB, AND TELL THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL. R. Isaac referred in this connection to the verse: “Blessed is the man whom thou choosest, and causest to approach unto thee, that he may dwell in thy courts” (Ps. 65, 5). ‘Blessed is the man’, he said, ‘whom the Holy One befriends and brings near to him to dwell in the holy Palace! He who is united with Him in worship has on him a sign inscribed from above to make it known that he is one who has been chosen by the Holy King to dwell in His courts. A man who has upon him such a sign can pass through all the supernal gates without let or hindrance.’
ר' יְהוּדָה אָמַר, זַכָּאָה חוּלָקֵיהּ דְּמֹשֶׁה, דְּעָלֵיהּ כְּתִיב אַשְׁרֵי תִּבְחַר וּתְקָרֵב, וּכְתִיב בֵּיהּ (שמות כ״ד:ב׳) וּמֹשֶׁה נִגַּשׁ אֶל הָעֲרָפֶל וְנִגַּשׁ מֹשֶׁה לְבַדּוֹ אֶל יְיָ' וְהֵם לא יִגָשׁוּ. כֹּה תֹאמַר לְבֵית יַעֲקֹב: אִלֵּין נוּקְבֵי, וְתַגֵּיד לִבְנִי יִשְׂרָאֵל: אִלֵּין דּוּכְרִין.
R. Judah said: ‘Blessed was Moses, concerning whom that verse was written! Of him we read: “And Moses drew near unto the thick darkness where God was” (Ex. 20, 21); and also, “Moses alone came nigh to the Lord, but they did not” (Ibid. 24, 2).’ THUS SHALT THOU SAY TO THE HOUSE OF JACOB: this refers to the females; AND TELL THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL: this means the males.
ר' שִׁמְעוֹן אָמַר, כֹּה תֹאמַר, כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר (במדבר ו׳:כ״ג) כֹּה תְבָרַכוּ. וּכְתִיב, (תהילים קמ״ה:י׳) וַחֲסִידֶיךָ יְבָרַכוּכָה, כְּלוֹמַר יְבָרְכוּ כֹּה. כֹּה תֹאמַר לְבֵית יַעֲקֹב, בַּאֲמִירָה. וְהַיְינוּ מִסִּטְרָא דְּדִינָא. וְתַגֵּיד לִבְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל, כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר, (דברים ד׳:י״ג) וַיַּגֵּד לָכֶם אֶת בְּרִיתוֹ. וּכְתִיב (דברים כ״ו:ג׳) הִגַּדְתִּי הַיּוֹם לַיְיָ' אֱלהֶיךָ. לִבְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל, דּוּכְרִין, דְּאָתוּ מִסִּטְרָא דְּרַחֲמֵי.
R. Simeon connected the “thus” (Koh) in this verse with the “thus” in the ordinance of the priestly benediction: “Thus (Koh) shall ye bless” (Num. 6, 23); also with, “Thy saints bless Thee” (yebarakukah), which last word can be separated into two words: yebaraku Koh, “they bless with Koh” (i.e. the Sephirah Malkuth); “Saying” indicates the side of Justice (Severity), while “telling” indicates the side of Mercy, as in the verse: “And he declared (wa-yagged) unto you his covenant (mercy)” (Deut. 4, 13), and also in the declaration made by the Israelite on bringing the basket of firstfruits to the priest: “I proclaim (higgadti) this day unto the Lord thy God” (Ibid. 26, 3).
אָמַר רִבִּי יִצְחָק, (ס"א יוסי) הוֹאִיל וַאֲתֵינָא לְהַאי, מַה הוּא הִגַּדְתִּי הַיּוֹם לַיְיָ' אֱלֹהֶיךָ. לַיְיָ' אֱלֹהֵינוּ, מִבָּעֵי לֵיהּ. אָמַר לֵיהּ ר' שִׁמְעוֹן, וְכִי הַאי בִּלְחוֹדוֹי הוּא. וְהָא כְּתִיב (דברים ח׳:ז׳) כִּי יְיָ' אֱלהֶיךָ מְבִיאֲךָ אֶל אֶרֶץ טוֹבָה וְגוֹ'. (דברים ז׳:ט״ז) אֲשֶׁר יְיָ' אֱלהֶיךָ נוֹתֵן לָךְ. (דברים ד׳:כ״ד) כִּי יְיָ' אֱלהֶיךָ אֵשׁ אוֹכְלָה הוּא, וְכֻלְּהוּ הָכִי.
Said R. Jose: ‘As we have mentioned this verse, I should like to ask why it says “to the Lord thy God” instead of “the Lord our God”?’ R. Simeon replied: ‘This is not the only case where “thy” is used instead of “our”. For instance: “the Lord thy God will bring thee into a good land” (Ibid. 8, 7); “for the Lord thy God is a consuming fire” (Ibid. 4, 23).
אֶלָּא הָכִי תָּנֵינָן, כָּל הַדָּר בְּאֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל דּוֹמֶה כְּמִי שֶׁיֵּשׁ לוֹ אֱלוֹהַּ. וְכָל הַדָּר בְּחוּצָה לָאָרֶץ דּוֹמֶה כְּמִי שֶׁאֵין לוֹ אֱלוֹהַּ. מַאי טַעֲמָא. מִשּׁוּם דְּזַרְעָא קַדִּישָׁא, לְאַרְעָא קַדִּישָׁא סַלְּקָא. וּשְׁכִינְתָּא בְּאַתְרָה יָתְבָא. וְהַאי בְּהַאי תַּלְיָא. וּמֹשֶׁה לָא קָאָמַר אֱלֹהֶיךָ, אֶלָּא לְאִינוּן דַּהֲווֹ זְמִינִין לְמֵיעַל לְאַרְעָא קַדִּישָׁא, וּלְקַבְּלָא אַפֵּי שְׁכִינְתָּא. וּמַה דְּלָא אָמַר אֱלהֵינוּ, מִשּׁוּם דְּהָא מֹשֶׁה לָא זָכָה לְמֵיעַל לְאַרְעָא, וּבְגִינִי כַּךְ, אֱלֹהֶיךָ וַדַּאי בְּכָל אֲתָר, מִשּׁוּם דְּאִינּוּן הֲווֹ זְמִינִין לְמֵיעַל תַּמָּן.
Moses himself, who used this expression, could not say “our” God, because, according to our dictum, “he who lives outside the Land of Israel is, as it were, without God.” So he said to the children of Israel, who were going to settle in the Holy Land and to receive the Shekinah there, “thy God”, but he could not well say “our God”, since he was not to enter himself into the Holy Land.’
אֲמַר לֵיהּ ודַּאי הָכִי הוּא. אֲבָל הָכָא כְּתִיב, (דברים כ״ו:ג׳) וּבְאָת אֶל הַכֹּהֵן אֲשֶׁר יִהְיֶה בַּיָּמִים הָהֵם וְאָמַרְתָּ אֵלָיו הִגַּדְתִּי הַיּוֹם לַיְיָ' אֱלהֶיךָ, וְהָא אִינּוּן בְּאַרְעָא שַׁרְיָין, מַאי טַעֲמָא אֱלֹהֶיךָ, וְלֹא אֱלהֵינוּ. אֶלָּא אִינּוּן בַּעְיָין לְאַחֲזָאָה וּלְאוֹדָאָה, דִּבְגִינֵי דְּחֶסֶד עִלָּאָה, זָכָאן לְכָל הַאי, וְשַׁרְיָין בְּאַרְעָא, וְעָאֲלָן לְהַהִיא אַרְעָא, וְעָבִיד עִמְּהוֹן כָּל אִינּוּן טָבָאן, וּבְגִינֵי כַּךְ, הֲווֹ אַמְרִי מִלִּין אִלֵּין לַכֹּהֵן, (ולא לבר נש אחרא) דִּכְתִּיב הִגַּדְתִּי הַיּוֹם לַיְיָ' אֱלהֶיךָ, (והכי הוא ודאי) מִשּׁוּם דְּאָתֵי מִסִּטְרָא דְּחֶסֶד.
‘But’, retorted R. Jose, ‘why did the Israelites have to say “thy God”, seeing that they were already in the land?’ R. Simeon’s reply was that they had to proclaim that it was due to the Supernal Grace that they were so favoured by God and blessed with so many good things. All this they said to the priest who, as such, is connected with the attribute of Grace (forgiveness of sin and mediatorship).
כֹּה תֹאמַר לְבֵית יַעֲקֹב, לְהַהוּא אֲתָר דְּאִתְחָזֵי לְהוּ. וְתַגֵּיד לִבְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל, בְּהַהוּא אֲתָר שְׁלִים דְּאִתְחָזֵי לְהוּ, דְּהָא יַעֲקֹב וְיִשְׂרָאֵל, תְּרֵין דַּרְגִּין אִסְתָּלָקוּ, וּבְדַרְגָּא חַד סַלְּקִין, אֶלָּא יִשְׂרָאֵל שְׁלֵימוּתָא דְּכֹלָּא אִקְרֵי. וְתַגֵּיד לִבְנִי יִשְׂרָאֵל, לְאַחֲזָאָה חָכְמְתָא, וּלְאִשְׁתָּעֵי בְּרוּחַ חָכְמְתָא, טִיבוּ וּקְשׁוֹט דְּעָבַד לוֹן קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, דִּכְתִּיב וַיַּגֵּד לָכֶם אֶת בְּרִיתוֹ.
“Say to the house of Jacob” is the form fitting for them, “and tell the children of Israel” is the more perfect form fitting for them. For Jacob and Israel represent two grades (Malkuth and Tifereth), and though they unite into one, yet the complete product is termed Israel. Hence “thou shalt tell the children of Israel”, to reveal to them wisdom, and to tell them in the spirit of wisdom the grace and the truth which the Holy One, blessed be He, has shown to them.
תַּנְיָא, אָמַר ר' יוֹסִי, זִמְנָא חֲדָא הֲוֵינָא אָזִיל בְּאָרְחָא, וַהֲוָה ר' חִיָּיא בְּרִי עִמִּי. עַד דַּהֲוֵינָא אַזְלִין, אַשְׁכַּחְנָא חַד גְּבָר, דְּהֲוָה לָקִיט בְּחַקְלָא, עֲשָׂבִין לְאַסְוָותָא. קָרִיבְנָא לְגַבֵּיהּ, אֲמֵינָא לֵיהּ, בַּר נָשׁ, קוּטְרָא דְּקוּטְרֵי דַּעֲשָׂבִין לָמָּה. לָא זָקִיף רֵישֵׁיהּ, וְלָא אָמַר מִידִי. אַהֲדַרְנָא זִמְנָא אַחֲרָא וַאֲמֵינָא הַאי, וְלָא אָמַר מִידִי. אֲמֵינָא לֵיהּ לְרַבִּי חִיָּיא בְּרִי, אוֹ הַאי בַּר נָשׁ אָטִים אוּדְנִין, אוֹ שַׁטְיָא, אוֹ חַכִּימָא. יָתִיבְנָא גַּבּוֹי. לְבָתַר לָקִיט אִינּוּן עֲשָׂבִין, וְאָחִיד לוֹן, וְחָפָא עֲלֵיהוֹן טַרְפֵּי גּוּפְנִין.
R. Jose once told the following story: ‘It chanced one day when I was out walking, accompanied by my son, R. Hiya, that we came upon a man collecting medicinal herbs. As we drew near to him I asked: “Tell us what these bundles of herbs are for?” He gave no reply, and did not even raise his head. Said I to R. Hiya, my son: “Certainly this man is either deaf or mad, or very wise.” So we sat down near to him. When he had collected all the herbs and made them into bundles and covered each bundle with vine leaves, even to the last bundle of all,
אָמַר לָן, אֲנָא חֲמֵינָא דְּיוּדָאִין אָתוּן, וְיוּדָאִין אַמְרֵי עָלַיְיהוּ, דְּאִינּוּן חַכִּימִין, אִי לָא דְּחַיִּיסְנָא עָלַיְיכוּ הַשְׁתָּא, תֶּהֱווֹן רְחִיקִן מִבְּנֵי נָשָׁא כִּסְגִירָא דָּא, דְּמַרְחִקִין לֵיהּ מִכֹּלָּא, דְּהָא אֲנָא חֲמֵינָא, דְּרֵיחָא דְּחָד עִשְׂבָּא דְּהֲוָה קָרִיב גַּבֵּיכוֹן, עָאל בְּגוּפַיְיכוּ, וְתֶהֱווֹן רְחִיקִין תְּלָתָא יוֹמִין. אֶלָּא אֲכִילוּ אִלֵּין תּוּמֵי בָּרָא וְתִתְסוּן,
he turned to us, and said: “I see that ye are Jews, and it is said that the Jews are clever people. Yet, if I did not have pity on you, you would from henceforth have to shun the company of your fellows, for you become as lepers; because, as I perceive, the odour of one of these herbs has entered into your body, and it will cause you to be outcasts for three days. But now eat this garlic and you will be healed.”
אֲכַלְנָא מִנַּיְיהוּ דַּהֲווֹ שְׁכִיחִין קַמָּן, וְאַדְמַכְנָא, וְאִתְקָטַרְנָא בְּזֵיעָא, עַד עִידָּן סַגִּי. לְבָתַר אִתְּעַרְנָא, אָמַר לָן הַהוּא גַּבְרָא, הַשְׁתָּא אֱלָהֲכוֹן עִמְּכוֹן, דְּאַשְׁכַּחְתּוּן לִי, דְּהָא אַסְוָותָא דְּגוּפֵיכוֹן עַל יְדִי אִשְׁתְּלִים.
We did as we were bid, and fell into a deep sleep. I awakened to find myself bathed in perspiration. Then the man said: “Now your God is with you indeed, for He has ordered it that you should find me and that the cure of your bodies should be accomplished through me.”
עַד דַּהֲוֵינָא אַזְלִין, אָמַר לַן, כָּל בַּר נָשׁ בָּעֵי לְאִשְׁתְּעֵי בְּבַר נָשׁ אַחֲרָא, כְּפוּם אָרְחוֹי, דְּהָא לְנוּקְבָּא כְּפוּם אָרְחוֹי. לְגַבְרָא כְּפוּם אָרְחוֹי. לְגַבְרָא דְּגַבְרֵי כְּפוּם אָרְחוֹי. אֲמֵינָא לְרַבִּי חִיָּיא בְּרִי, הַיְינוּ דִּכְתִּיב, כֹּה תֹאמַר לְבֵית יַעֲקֹב וְתַגֵּיד לִבְנִי יִשְׂרָאֵל. (ס"א כה תאמר לבית יעקב בההוא אתר דאתחזי להו. ותגיד לבני ישראל בההוא אתר שלים דאתחזי להו. דהא יעקב וישראל תרין דרגין אינון ובדרגא חד סלקין אלא ישראל שלימותא דבלא אקרי)
As we went along he said to us: “Every person must converse with his fellows according to the sex and class to which they belong.” I was struck by this remark, and said to R. Hiya, my son: “This accords with the Scriptural verse: ‘Thus shalt thou say to the house of Jacob, and tell the children of Israel.’ ”
אָמַר לָן, חֲמִיתוּן דְּלָא זָקִיפְנָא רֵישָׁאי, וְלָא אִשְׁתָּעֵינָא בַּהֲדַיְיכוּ, מִשּׁוּם דְּאַבָּא, חַכִּימָא בַּעֲשָׂבִין מִכָּל בְּנִי דָּרָא הֲוָה. וְאוֹלִיפְנָא מֵאַבָּא אָרְחוֹי דְּכָל עֲשָׂבִין, דִּבְּהוֹן קְשׁוֹט, וַאֲנָא בְּכָל שַׁתָּא מָדוֹרָאי בֵּינַיְיהוּ.
Then the man said: “You probably wondered why I did not speak to you or pay you any apparent heed when you addressed me first. The reason is that my father was the greatest expert in herbs and their properties, and from him I learnt the powers and uses of every plant with healing properties, and I spend the whole year among them.
וְהַאי עִשְׂבָּא דַּחֲמִיתוּן, דַּחֲפֵינָא לֵיהּ בְּטַרְפֵּי דְּגוּפְנִין אִלֵּין, בְּבֵיתָאי אִית אֲתָר חַד, וְהוּא לִסְטַר צָפוֹן, וּבְהַהוּא אֲתָר נָעִיץ חַד רֵיחַיָּא, וּמֵעֵינָא דְּהַהוּא רֵיחַיָּא, נָפִיק חַד גְּבַר בִּתְרֵין רֵישִׁין, וְחַרְבָּא שִׁינָנָא בִּידֵיהּ וּבְכָל יוֹמָא קָא מְצַעֵר לָן. וַאֲנָא לָקִיטְנָא הַאי עִשְׂבָּא, וְזִילוּ אֲבַתְרָאי, וְתֶחמוּן חֵילֵיהּ דְּהַאי עִשְׂבָּא, וּמַה דִּי אֱלָהָא עִלָּאָה גַּלֵּי בְּעָלְמָא, וְלֵית מַאן דְּיֵדַע אָרְחוֹי בְּכֹלָּא.
Now with regard to the herb which ye saw me bind into bundles and cover with vine leaves. In a northern corner of my dwelling there is a place in which stands a millstone, from the hole of which a man emerges from time to time, and this man has two heads and carries a sharp sword in his hand. He strikes terror into the hearts of all who behold him, and, indeed, is the bane of our lives. On account of him I gathered this herb. Now follow me, and you shall see what virtue there is in it, and what the supreme God has revealed in the world, and how even the wise cannot surmise or fathom all His mysteries.”
אֲזִילְנָא אֲבַתְרֵיהּ, עַד דַּהֲוֵינָא אַזְלֵי בְּאָרְחָא, מָאִיךְ לְחַד נוּקְבָּא בְּעַפְרָא, וְשַׁוֵּי מֵהַהוּא עִשְׂבָּא בְּנוּקְבָא, נָפַק חַד חִוְיָא וְרֵישָׁא דִּילֵיהּ סַגִּי. נָטַל חַד סַנְטִירָא, (נ"א סודרא) וְקָטִיר לֵיהּ כְּחַד גַּדְיָא. דָּחִילְנָא. אָמַר לוֹן זִילוּ אֲבַתְרָאי.
So we followed him. On the way to his house we passed a hole in the ground in which the man deposited some of the herb. When he had done so, a serpent with an enormous head issued from the hole. The man took from his girdle a piece of cloth and bound the serpent as though it were a little lamb. We were much afraid, but the man said: “Follow me until we come to his abode”; and we followed him.
עַד דְּמָטֵינָא לְבֵיתֵיהּ. חֲמֵינָא הַהוּא אֲתָר בְּחָשׁוֹכָא, בָּתַר חַד כּוֹתָלָא. נָטַל חַד שַׁרְגָּא וְדָלִיק דְּלֵיקָא סַחֲרָנִיהּ דְּהַהוּא אֲתָר דְּרֵיחַיָּא. אָמַר לוֹן, מִמַּה דְּתֶחֱמוּן, לָא תִּדְחָלוּן וְלָא תִּשְׁתָּעוּן מִידִי.
Presently we reached his house, and there we saw the place of which he had spoken: in the dark, behind a wall. He took a candle and kindled a fire around the place where the millstone was set; then he said to us: “Do not be frightened at what ye see, and keep silence.”
אַדְהָכִי, שָׁרֵי חִוְיָא מִקִּטְרוֹי, וְכָתַשׁ בְּקִיסְטָא מֵהַהוּא עִשְׂבָּא. וְשַׁוֵּי בְּרֵישֵׁיהּ דְּחִוְיָא. עָאל חִוְיָא בְּהַהוּא עֵינָא דְּרֵחַיָּיא, וּשְׁמַעְנָא קָלָא דְּכָל אֲתָר מִזְדַּעְזְעָא. בָּעֵינָן לְמֵיפַק, אָחִיד בִּידָנָא הַהוּא גַּבְרָא, אָמַר, לָא תִּדְחָלוּן קְרִיבוּ גַּבָּאי.
As he said this he loosened the serpent’s bonds and set him free, then ground some of the herb to powder and sprinkled this upon the serpent’s head. Immediately the serpent descended into the opening of the millstone, and we suddenly heard a voice which made the whole place shake. We wanted to run away, being sore afraid, but the man took hold of our hands, saying: “Fear not, come close to me.”
אַדְהָכִי, נָפַק חִוְיָא שָׁתִית דָּמָא, נָקִיט הַהוּא גַּבְרָא מֵהַהוּא עִשְׂבָּא, וְשַׁוֵּי בְּרֵישֵׁיהּ כִּבְקַדְמֵיתָא. עָאל בְּהַהוּא עֵינָא דְּרֵחַיָּא. לְשַׁעֲתָא זְעִירָא, חֲמֵינָא, דְּנָפִיק מֵהַהוּא עֵינָא חַד גַּבְרָא בִּתְרֵין רֵישִׁין, וְחִוְיָא שַׁרְיָיא סַחֲרָנֵיהּ דְּקִדְלוֹי. עָאל בְּהַהוּא עֵינָא דְּרֵחַיָּא וְנָפַק תְּלַת זִמְנֵי. הָוָה אָמַר, זְקִיטָא זְקִיטָא, וַוי לְאִימֵיהּ דִּלְהַהוּא אֲתָר אוֹבִיל לֵיהּ.
Presently the serpent reappeared and we saw that it was dripping blood. Again it entered the opening of the millstone. After a short time a man with two heads issued from the opening, with the serpent wound about his neck. Three times he entered the opening of the millstone and emerged again, saying: “Chameleon, chameleon, woe to his mother who brought him there!”
אַדְהָכִי, אִתְּעֲקָר רֵיחַיָּא מֵאַתְרֵיהּ, וְנַפְקוּ, גַּבְרָא וְחִוְיָא, וְנָפְלוּ וּמִיתוּ תַּרְוַויְיהוּ. וַאֲנָן דָּחִילְנָא סַגִּי. אָמַר לָן הַהוּא גַּבְרָא, דָּא הוּא חֵילָא דְּעִשְׂבָּא דַּאֲנָא לָקִיטְנָא קָמַיְיכוּ, וּבְגִינֵי כַּךְ לָא אִשְׁתָּעֵינָא בַּהֲדַיְיכוּ, וְלָא זָקִיפְנָא רֵישָׁאי, בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְּקַרִיבְתּוּן גַּבָּאי.
Then the millstone was torn from its place and man and serpent together were hurled out at our feet, where they fell down and died. We were terrified, but the man who had brought us there said: “Thus is manifested the power of the herb which I collected in your presence! This was the reason why I did not look up at you or speak even a word.
אָמַר לוֹן אִילוּ יַדְעִין בְּנֵי נָשָׁא חָכְמְתָא, דְּכָל מַה דְּנָטַע קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא בְּאַרְעָא, וְחֵילָא דְּכָל מַה דְּאִשְׁתְּכַח בְּעָלְמָא, יִשְׁתְּמוֹדְעוּן חֵילָא דְּמָארֵיהוֹן, בְּחָכְמָתֵיהּ סַגִּיאָה. אֲבָל לָא טָמִיר קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא חָכְמְתָא דָּא מִבְּנֵי נָשָׁא, אֶלָּא בְּגִין דְּלָא יִסְטוּן מֵאָרְחוֹי, וְלָא יִתְרְחִיצוּ בְּהַהִיא חָכְמְתָא וְיִנְשׁוּן לֵיהּ.
If men but knew the wisdom of all that the Holy One, blessed be He, has planted in the earth, and the power of all that is to be found in the world, they would proclaim the power of their Lord in His great wisdom. But the Holy One has purposely hidden this wisdom from men, in order that they should not turn from His way by trusting in that wisdom alone, forgetting Him.”
כַּד אֲתֵינָא, וַאֲמֵינָא הָנֵי מִלֵּי קָמֵיהּ דְּרַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן, אָמַר וַדַּאי חַכִּימָא הֲוָה. וְתָּא חֲזֵי, לֵית עִשְׂבָּא וְעִשְׂבָּא דְּאִתְיְילִיד בְּאַרְעָא, דְּלָא הֲוָה בֵּיהּ חָכְמְתָא סַגִּיאָה, וְחֵילֵיהּ בִּשְׁמַיָּא סַגְיָא. תָּא חֲזֵי, מִן אֵזוֹבָא. דִּבְכָל אֲתָר דְּבָעֵי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לְדַכְּאָה לְבַּר נָשׁ, (ויחי ר"נ ע"א) בְּאֵזוֹבָא מִתְדָּכֵי. מַאי טַעְמָא. מִשּׁוּם דְּיִתְּעַר חֵילֵיהּ דִּלְעֵילָּא דְּאִתְפָּקְּדָא עֲלוֹי, דְּהָא הַהוּא חֵילָא דְּאִתְפָּקְּדָא עֲלוֹי כַּד אִתְּעָרָא, מְבָעֲרָא רוּחַ מְסָאֲבָא, וְאִתְדַכֵּי בַּר נָשׁ. וְעָלָךְ אֲמֵינָא בְּרִיךְ רַחֲמָנָא דְּשֵׁזְבָךְ.
When I afterwards recounted the happenings of that day to R. Simeon, he said: “Surely, that was a wise man! For it is indeed as he said. Mark this! There is no grass or herb that grows in which God’s wisdom is not greatly manifested and which cannot exert great influence in heaven. We may see this from the hyssop. Whenever the Holy One desires that men should purify themselves from defilement, he orders that hyssop be used as a means of purification. Now why is this? In order that the power above which is represented by that herb should be roused to exterminate the spirit of impurity, that the defiled one may be cleansed. And as to thee, I say: Blessed be the Merciful One who delivered thee.”’