English translation — תבא ב

A.

In the commentators of the Torah¹

it is explained,

that the matters of the opposite of blessing in the "Rebuke" in our portion,

are not only rebukes and warnings,

that will come "if you will not listen to the voice of the Lord your God etc."²,

rather these are matters of prophecy which have been fulfilled,

and in the language of the Abarbanel³

: "It is fitting that we know that the curses mentioned in this portion did not come by way of threat and exaggeration to frighten the hearts of men,

but came in a holy spirit of God to tell what will be in their end, for behold all of them have been fulfilled etc.'"

The verses of the portion of the Rebuke speak generally about the punishment of the exile — "And the Lord will scatter you among all the peoples etc."⁴,

and commentators explain in detail how all these matters of the opposite of blessing were fulfilled after the destruction of the Second Temple

(the fourth exile)⁵,

or also after the destruction of the First Temple

(the exile of Babylon etc.)⁶.

It is understood,

that the intention and purpose of the sufferings of the exile etc. of the rebuke is

not⁷

because,

heaven forbid,

vengeance upon Jews or just because of punishing them,

rather this is for their benefit⁸,

and in the language of Rashi⁹

: "and the curses and sufferings sustain you and establish you before Him"¹⁰.

one must understand: the Gemara¹¹

says,

that "the Holy One, blessed be He, regrets four things that He created¹²

and they are: the exile of the Chaldeans and the Ishmaelites¹³

and the evil inclination¹⁴

from this it is implied,

that exile is not a benefit for Jews — because if exile would bring with it a beneficial advantage,

that were it not for the exile one would not have

the beneficial advantage,

why does one "regret" this?

In the Yerushalmi¹⁵

one indeed finds,

that only "three things" are counted,

and "exile" is not mentioned,

But it is very difficult to say that because of the aforementioned difficulty the Yerushalmi does not mention exile,

and that in this there is a dispute between the Bavli and the Yerushalmi — whether the matter of exile has in itself a beneficial benefit or not —

For the aforementioned question is not only regarding exile,

but also regarding the other three particulars "Kasdim, Yishmaelim, and the evil inclination".

And moreover — since that "<b>Everything </b>that the Holy One, blessed be He, created in His world, He created only for His glory"<sup>16</sup>,

<b>Everything </b>that the Most High created — including also "Kasdim, Yishmaelim, and the evil inclination",

are "for His glory" and consequently for a good purpose,

then how is it possible to say also regarding these three matters

(in the Yerushalmi)

that the Holy One, blessed be He, regrets them

(in the language of the Yerushalmi "May their creation be undone")?

2.

And it can be said, and prefacing this principle that we do not increase dispute — if there is only a possibility to interpret

(even with difficulty)

that this is not a dispute¹⁷.

And according to this, it is plausible in our case,

to interpret that there is no dispute between the

Babylonian [Talmud] and the Jerusalem [Talmud],

whether the Most High also regrets the exile¹⁸

Exile is not a thing that comes from itself,

but — as a result of the evil inclination: that one lets oneself be talked into by the evil inclination and one falls through into sins brings it exile: because of our sins we were exiled.

And based on this is also according to the opinion of the Jerusalem Talmud,

since the Most High is "T'hah" upon the evil inclination,

is included in this the matter of the exile,

which is a result of the evil inclination;

And because the Yerushalmi speaks about matters more <b>in general </b>relative to the Bavli — so too in our case — it does not distinguish the effect

(exile)

— and mentions only the cause

(evil inclination).

But not so the Bavli,

which speaks in detail,

it enumerates the evil inclination by itself and exile by itself.

And this is connected with the general difference between the method of study of the Babylonian Talmud and the Jerusalem Talmud:

In many matters — they are discussed in the Jerusalem Talmud briefly and generally,

and they are explained in more detail and at length in the Babylonian Talmud¹⁹.

And simply, the reason for this difference — the study of the Gemara in Babylonia extended for a longer period after the sealing of the Talmud Yerushalmi — the composition and sealing of the Talmud Bavli was "about a hundred years after Rabbi Yochanan composed the Talmud Yerushalmi"²⁰,

So that the Talmud Bavli is in the category of "later ones" relative to the Talmud Yerushalmi,

which is one of the reasons²¹

why the halacha is like the Bavli over the Yerushalmi — because the sages of the Talmud Bavli,

being "later ones",

knew what is stated in the Yerushalmi,

whose sealing was earlier,

as above,

there is indeed a rule that the halacha is like the later ones.

And the difference between the early ones and the later ones also consists in this,

that the later ones are more detailed and explanatory than the early ones²²

; and just as we find this distinction between the language of the Mishnah

(which is a "brief statement encompassing many matters"²³)

and the language of the Gemara in a later time²⁴,

so too is the difference within the Gemara itself between the

(earlier)

Talmud Yerushalmi and the

(later)

Talmud Bavli,

and for this reason the Yerushalmi states only three things

(— in generalities)

and the Bavli enumerates four things

(— in particularities)²⁵.

3.

One can, however, ask on the very principle:

The Gemara says in tractate Taanit²⁶

: "Said Rabbi

Yochanan: Three keys are in the hand of the Holy One, blessed be He, that were not entrusted to an agent, and they are: the key of rains, and the key of life, and the key of the resurrection of the dead,"

and "In the West they said: Also the key of livelihood."

One sees here,

that on the contrary — in the West,

in Eretz Yisrael,

they specify and add a fourth matter

(livelihood),

whereas in the Bavli they include and abbreviate — because livelihood is not a separate matter,

but a detail encompassed by rains,

as the Gemara explains there: "And Rabbi Yochanan, what is the reason he did not count this?

He would say to you: rains are the same as livelihood,"

livelihood is a result of rains "because seeds and fruits grow from them for the sustenance of the world"²⁷.

And the answer is simple: the above rule

(section 2)

regarding Talmud Bavli and Talmud Yerushalmi,

is because the Bavli is later

(in time)

relative to the Yerushalmi; the above opinion

(in tractate Taanit)

of "the West" however was not stated at a time earlier than "said Rabbi Yitzchak",

but <b>on the contrary</b> "they <b>also said</b>",

(at the same time only)

<b>later</b>²⁸.

And to note — the master of the tradition in the Bavli who says "three keys etc.",

is Rabbi Yochanan who "compiled the Talmud Yerushalmi" — which accordingly it is in order: the statement of Rabbi Yochanan is

(in the manner of Talmud Yerushalmi)

— earlier

(abbreviation and general rule)

and afterwards in the West &lt;b&gt;they said also &lt;/b&gt;— later ones relative to R. Yochanan — and therefore more in detail etc.&lt;sup&gt;29&lt;/sup&gt;.

4.

One must, however, understand in the essence of the matter in our subject:

Since there is regret and the negation of the essence and the cause

(evil inclination)

it seemingly has no place to specify the effect

(exile),

which is already negated automatically through the regret over its cause&lt;sup&gt;30&lt;/sup&gt;.

Seemingly one could explain this by adding another question — not smoothness at least: How does exile fit among the things that the Holy One, blessed be He, "regrets &lt;b&gt;that He created them&lt;/b&gt;"?

— Exile is indeed not a creation that the Most High created as an existence in itself,

like the evil inclination and the rest,

but its entire existence is dependent and connected with the conduct of man

(when the evil inclination persuades them to commit sins and they are afterwards not repentant),

it turns out that the entire existence of exile is dependent on the conduct of the children of Israel.

And because of this one would seemingly have to say,

that regret over the creation of exile does not mean — over the creation of punishment in general for their sins,

rather that which the Most High <b>created</b>

(a new thing)

for punishment — exile,

there are indeed "many ways for the Omnipresent" how to punish for sins and iniquities,

and as we find in the rebuke itself several punishments and sufferings may it protect us,

that come upon the lack of observance of Torah and mitzvos³¹.

5.

And based on this one can say that this is the explanation of "Four things the Holy One, blessed be He, regrets having created them"

(in the Babylonian [Talmud])

where exile is counted separately,

for although exile is a result of the evil inclination

(it comes as a punishment for sins whose cause is the evil inclination)

: but exile is not a necessary thing through

(the incitement)

of the evil inclination,

rather it is a creation and innovation in itself³²

that the Most High created as an <b>additional</b> punishment,

and upon this is the regret in itself.

And based on this, it is also answered why the Bavli precedes

(according to the version of the Talmud)

exile before the evil inclination¹⁴

— although in practice exile comes after the evil inclination has wrought its effect — to emphasize,

that that which the Holy One, blessed be He, regrets exile,

does not mean

(only)

regarding the exile in practice

(as a punishment for sins after the domination of the evil inclination,

but primarily)

regarding the very creation of exile

(as a punishment),

as above³³.

6.

Based on this, however, it seemingly emerges that the difference between the Bavli and the Yerushalmi is

(not only in the manner of study — in general or in particular,

but)

a matter of dispute: according to the Yerushalmi, the regret is only regarding exile <b>in practice</b> — because this is included in the regret

(“let it be”)

upon

evil inclination,

but not on the essence of the creation of exile

(since the Yerushalmi does not bring exile),

but not so according to the opinion of the Bavli,

and as above.

Also, the order of matters in the Bavli is still not explained: there is a reason,

as above,

why he precedes exile before evil inclination — but it is not understood why one must place exile as the <b>first</b> of <b>all</b> the four things³⁴

(and so too in the proofs from the verses).

7.

And one can say the explanation in all this:

The Babylonian and the Jerusalemite differ from each other not only in the number of things

(in the Babylonian are counted four things and in the Jerusalemite — three),

rather there is also a difference between them in <b>language </b>and consequently also in matter and content:

The language of the Bavli is: "Four the Holy One, blessed be He, regrets having created them etc.",

and the language of the Yerushalmi is "Three the Holy One, blessed be He, created and would that He had not created them":

D.

E.

In the Bavli it is brought as <b>one</b> matter: the Above has "regret"

(that He created them)

; and in the Yerushalmi are emphasized <b>two</b> matters: a)

That which "the Holy One, blessed be He, created them",

and b)

that which "would that He had not created them".

And this is a difference in content: understood and simple,

that regret above is not as its simple meaning,

heaven forbid,

that He changes His mind and regrets, heaven forbid, about a thing that He did³⁵,

rather with this is brought out that there is a negative aspect in this; on the other hand,

it is understood,

that with that which

one says that this is a thing that "the Holy One, blessed be He, created"³⁶

one emphasizes the good side in this.

It turns out,

that in the Bavli it speaks only about the negative aspect,

about the opposite of the good,

that is present in the four matters,

and in the Yerushalmi, together with this, the positive aspect in them is also emphasized.

This matter

(like every matter)

that is stated in Torah

(in the Written Torah or in the Oral Torah),

is not

(merely)

said simply to relate the conduct and relationship of the Most High

(and certainly not — negative)

toward the creatures that &lt;b&gt;He &lt;/b&gt;created,

but rather it is

(relevant to know the reality of the creatures in order to derive from it)

a directive³⁷

in the service of man to his Maker.

And in this consists the difference whether it is only said that "the Holy One, blessed be He, regrets four things that He created,"

or one precedes that "three the Holy One, blessed be He, created":

"He regrets them" and nothing more — brings out that these four things are not a true reality,

that they will ultimately be nullified,

because "He regrets" — in them there is not the inner will of the Most High.

But when one says as an introduction to the matter "Hashem created",

this emphasizes that in them there exists the creation — and consequently the will — of Hashem,

and consequently they have in themselves a matter of eternality

(from the aspect of the Divine spark within them)

as with all matters which "Hashem created"; only toge-

with this one adds that they contain within themselves also a negative side,

And on the contrary — &lt;b&gt;the &lt;/b&gt;essence in them is not a true reality and will become nullified.

8.

Based on this is understood the reason for the difference between the Bavli and the Yerushalmi:

In the Yerushalmi it speaks about things that have in them an eternality,

because the Most High created them

("created the Holy One, blessed be He"),

and therefore they will have an existence also in the future to come,

it is only that the negative side of them,

the negative aspect will become nullified — "and may be the breaking of them".

And therefore the Yerushalmi omits the detail of exile,

since exile in actuality is entirely a negative matter and will be completely nullified in the future to come; and it counts only three things: "Chaldeans, Ishmaelites, and the evil inclination",

because also in the future to come there will be nations of the world; they will however then be in a manner that not only will they not harm Jews, heaven forbid,

but on the contrary,

they will be transformed for good,

and will even help the Jews,

as it is written³⁸

"And strangers shall stand and pasture your flocks",

and as it is written³⁹

"Then I will turn to the peoples a pure language, that they may all call upon the name of the Lord, to serve Him with one accord",

And so it is also regarding the evil inclination,

that in the future,

the aspect of evil of the evil inclination will be nullified,

but its force and vitality will be transformed to good and will be in the future.

And in the manner as it was before the sin — the great sun⁴⁰.

— And even more,

in the likeness of the advantage that comes through repentance.

that this is not

(only)

because of the benefit and advantage in the evil inclination that through

(overcoming oneself)

him a Jew comes to a higher virtue and level

(for similar to this is also found in exile),

only because of this that the evil inclination itself will be existing in the future to come because it will be transformed to good⁴¹,

and in the manner as it says in the Yerushalmi⁴²

regarding Avraham Avinu "and You found his heart faithful before You"⁴³,

that Avraham Avinu "made the evil inclination <b>good</b>"⁴⁴.

and likewise regarding every Jew in actual practice and for the time being: with all your heart — with both your inclinations⁴⁵.

In the Bavli however he emphasizes the negative aspect of them — "regrets them" — which will ultimately be nullified,

4.

4.

5.

5.

he speaks about the not-good in them that will be nullified;

Therefore the Bavli adds also the fourth detail,

exile,

and for this same reason he places it as first — because the matter of negation and nullification is in exile in a more absolute manner than in the other details: although exile brings Jews to a higher level and perfection

(which were it not for the exile they would not have been able to attain such a revelation of the power of self-sacrifice etc.,

as explained in many places⁴⁶)

— is

This however is a benefit that comes as a <b>result </b>of exile,

but the exile itself,

the reality of exile will <b>entirely </b>be nullified in the future, it is an eternal redemption <b>after which there is </b>no exile⁴⁷.

And with the preface of the exile, the Bavli comes to teach about the remaining three things,

that here it does not speak about the matter of the good among them,

that which "the Holy One, blessed be He, created them"

(which from that aspect they have in themselves a matter of eternity),

but about the negative part among them,

that which has

no true existence and will be entirely nullified.

9.

And it can be said that also <b>the </b>explanation is connected with the general distinction that one finds in many places between the method of the Bavli and the method of the Yerushalmi:

Already spoken several times⁵¹

that according to the method of the Bavli one reckons primarily with the situation as it is in the present,

and according to the method of the Yerushalmi one looks

(primarily)

at the situation in the future

(and this decides and overrides the situation in the present).

And with this is also connected the aforementioned difference,

whether one speaks only about "regrets them" which brings out the nullification

(from the negative side)

of them,

or one speaks also

(and with emphasis)

about the good side of them,

that which "the Holy One, blessed be He, created",

for which they will

<b>In the future to come </b>be transformed to good:

A matter that will be nullified in the future is not a true reality even during its existence in the present

(And they are invalid for the sanctification of the water of purification,

Because they are not "&lt;b&gt;living&lt;/b&gt; waters")&lt;sup&gt;52&lt;/sup&gt;,

Since they will certainly cease in the future,

After seven years,

They are also at the first moment of their existence not considered a true reality].

It turns out,

That the &lt;b&gt;absence of reality &lt;/b&gt;in them is their reality and state &lt;b&gt;in the present &lt;/b&gt;

(Before they become nullified),

Unlike the aspect of good,

That which they will be transformed into good is a wonder,

Contrary to the nature of their reality in this time,

Will only become manifest in the future — a state &lt;b&gt;that is in the future&lt;/b&gt;.

And therefore the Bavli emphasizes the negative aspect of the four things,

because he follows his approach that one reckons with the present.

Yud.

And all this is consistent with the general difference between Bavli and Yerushalmi:

About the Babylonian Talmud it is said: "He placed me in darknesses...

this is the Talmud of Babylonia"⁵³,

that in "Babylonia" there is a state of concealment and hiding,

where one must clarify the light <b>from the darkness</b>; and the Jerusalem [Talmud] is of the aspect of light

this itself is the reason why in

the Jerusalem [Talmud] the topics are discussed concisely and generally,

without many pilpulim and questions-and-answers,

and in the Babylonian Talmud they are discussed in detail and at length with questions-and-answers and difficulties etc.: and as an example⁵⁵,

when one finds oneself in a place where it is light,

one immediately sees the thing that one seeks,

but not so when one finds oneself in darkness,

one must grope and search etc. and it takes an extended time until one finds what one seeks — and so it is also in seeking clarification of a rationale,

a law etc. through intellect]⁵⁶.

And therefore,

when it is a state of light — Talmud Yerushalmi,

it illuminates and one sees with ease

(according to the simple understanding)

the innerness and the truth of the thing which it is as it will be

(in the future)

eternally,

that then it will be transformed for good,

it will be revealed that which "&lt;b&gt;created &lt;/b&gt;the Holy One, blessed be He";

But when it is in a state of darkness in the intellect of man, they must have the manner of study of Talmud Bavli — one does not see the innerness of the matters,

that which will come out after time,

but as the present state,

the negative aspect in this and in a nation they must toil

(in a dark thing opposite of good,

which is not a true existence)

until to discover that it is not a true existence etc.

11.

The lesson that one takes out from all the above:

First and foremost, one must always know and remember that the matter of the exile is

Of the things that the Most High "regrets" about them; exile is not the true state and condition that the Most High wants,

heaven forbid,

that Jews should find themselves there.

And one says this to Jews because among them there must be "dissatisfaction" with exile; exile is a punishment

(because of our sins).

When a Jew feels,

G-d forbid,

differently and says that this is a suitable state for Jews,

he says the opposite of the will of G-d,

which the Holy One, blessed be He, regrets — and the regret is &lt;b&gt;every day&lt;/b&gt; — even on Tisha B'Av and the like — and it is understandable the great darkness of his exile within exile.

On the other hand, however,

this must not be in a manner that one falls into a black melancholy, heaven forbid,

and one must not be overwhelmed by the exile,

knowing that this is not a true reality,

that it will eventually,

very soon,

be nullified.

And especially since we are already in the footsteps of the Messiah and it is required that one be more diligent — I will hasten it — from the end of the exile by increasing in &lt;b&gt;candle&lt;/b&gt; of commandment and Torah &lt;b&gt;light&lt;/b&gt;,

and thereby drive away even more quickly the darkness of exile.

And similarly, from this one can also learn the directive of how one must conduct oneself with the nations of the world

(Chaldeans and Ishmaelites)

: one must not be influenced by them,

they have no strength and reality regarding their opposition to Judaism,

and therefore, also in the time of exile, in all matters of Judaism, one must "speak" to them with the appropriate strength⁵⁷,

And similarly, as related in the Gemara⁵⁸

about the manner in which Geviha ben Pesisa spoke with them.

And this brings that even during the time of exile the conduct of the nations of the world is in the manner of "And kings shall be your nursemaids and their princesses your nurses"⁵⁹,

and as it has already been in actuality several times — until a <b>great actual deed</b>,

which the Most High placed into the Torah⁶⁰

— that it should be a teaching of the Torah of <b>Life</b>,

teaching in life:

Rav Ashi said: Huna bar Natan said to me: One time I was standing before King Izgadar

(king of Persia he was,

Rashi)

and my belt was loose and he brought it to me

(His belt was worn too high,

so "he lowered it

(the king)

downwards to beautify it",

Rashi)

and he said to me: "A kingdom of priests and a holy nation" is written about you

(And you need to conduct yourselves in the splendor of priests,

as it is written about them: "They shall not gird themselves with sweat" — Rashi)

When I came before Amemar, he said to me: "In you is fulfilled 'And kings shall be your nursemaids'" — when a Jew conducts himself so that one sees that he belongs to "a kingdom of priests and a holy nation" — all the kings of the earth say that he must be <b>in splendor</b>⁶¹,

and they come <b>by themselves</b> to help in this and <b>do in this</b>,

and it becomes famous in all ends of the earth

And the Torah is <b>eternal</b>,

and as a <b>luminous</b> guide and <b>instruction</b>⁶²

for every Jew,

who is indeed proud

with the Torah <b>inheritance</b> of the congregation of Jacob,

and it is obvious that he does not bow to gentileness and to gentiles

And together with the service of transforming and overturning the evil inclination,

until the level of "with all your heart, with both your inclinations"⁴⁵,

that already now in the time of "Erev Shabbos" one tastes from every dish and dish⁶³

which will be in the future.

And this hastens the appointed end, set

(the Name)

for darkness⁶⁴,

the nullification of the exile,

and it comes "immediately" the true and complete redemption through Mashiach our righteousness.

(From the talks of Shabbat Parshat Chukat and Shabbat Parshat Balak 5741)