A man who had a mark on his face

Synopsis

The rabbis encounter a man with a mark on his face, and they deduce that he has transgressed the Torah through some kind of incest. The man confesses that he did lay with his sister, after which he intervened in an argument and was struck on the forehead. A doctor saved him by giving him spiritual healing, and the doctor was Rabbi Samlai. Because the man repents, Rabbi Aba cures his mark on the spot. The man promises to toil day and night in the Torah from now on. Another time, we hear that same man lecturing on the Torah, saying that evil people are rewarded in this world but that God will obliterate them in the World to Come, where they will be dust under the feet of the righteous. Anyone who transgresses the Torah is marked by the Torah so that the eyes of Hashem recognize him and warn others to stay away from him.

Face Incest Torah

343. Rabbi Aba was going to Cappadocia with Rabbi Yosi. As they were going, they saw a man approaching there who had a mark on his face. Rabbi Aba said: Let us leave this road as this man's face testifies that he transgressed the rules of incest in the Torah. Therefore, his face is marked. Rabbi Yosi replied: If he had this mark since childhood, what incest would be then with him? He replied: I see his face testifying that he transgressed on a sexual misconduct mentioned in the Torah.

343. רִבִּי אַבָּא, הֲוָה אָזִיל לְקַפּוּטְקִיָּא, וַהֲוָה עִמֵּיהּ רִבִּי יוֹסֵי. עַד דַּהֲווֹ אַזְלֵי, חָמוּ חַד בַּר נָשׁ, דַּהֲוָה אָתֵי, וּרְשִׁימָא חַד בְּאַנְפּוֹי. א"ר אַבָּא, נִסְטֵי מֵהַאי אוֹרְחָא, דְּהָא אַנְפּוֹי דְּדֵין אַסְהִידוּ עָלֵיהּ, דְּעָבַר בְּעֶרְיָיתָא דְּאוֹרַיְיתָא, בְּגִינֵי כַּךְ אִתְרְשִׁים בְּאַנְפּוֹי. א"ל רִבִּי יוֹסֵי, אִי הַאי רְשִׁימָא הֲוָה לֵיהּ כַּד הֲוָה יַנוּקָא, מַאי עֶרְיָיתָא אִשְׁתְּכַח בֵּיהּ. א"ל, אֲנָא חֲמֵינָא בְּאַנְפּוֹי, דְּאַסְהִידוּ בְּעֶרְיָיתָא דְּאוֹרַיְיתָא.

Forehead Morning Sin

344. Rabbi Aba called him. He said to him, Tell me this, what is this mark on your face? He replied: Please do not punish anymore this man, as his sins caused this mark. Rabbi Aba said: What happened? He answered: One day my sister and I were traveling, we stayed in one inn and we become intoxicated. All night, I held my sister. In the morning, I awoke and found the innkeeper arguing with another man. I intervened IN ORDER TO SEPARATE THEM. They struck me, one from one side and the other from the other side. This mark has remained on my forehead. I was saved by a doctor who was among us.

344. קָרָא לֵיהּ רִבִּי אַבָּא, א"ל אֵימָא מִלָּה, הַאי רְשִׁימָא דְּאַנְפָּךְ, מַה הוּא. אָמַר לוֹן, בְּמָטוֹתָא מִנַּיְיכוּ, לָא תַּעֲנְשׁוּ יַתִּיר לְהַהוּא בַּר נָשׁ, דְּהָא חוֹבוֹי קָא גָּרְמוּ לֵיהּ. אָמַר רִבִּי אַבָּא מַהוּ אָמַר לֵיהּ. יוֹמָא חַד הֲוֵינָא אָזִיל בְּאָרְחָא אֲנִי וַאֲחֺתִי, שָׁרֵינָא בְּחַד אוֹשְׁפִּיזָא, וְרָוֵינָא חַמְרָא, וְכָל הַהוּא לֵילְיָא אֲחִידְנָא בַּאֲחֺתִי. בְּצַפְרָא קַמְנָא, וְאוּשְׁפִּיזָאִי קָטַט בְּחַד גַּבְרָא, עָיֵילְנָא בֵּינַיְיהוּ, וְקַטְרוּ לִי דָּא מֵהַאי גִּיסָא, וְדָא מֵהַאי גִּיסָא, וּרְשִׁימָא דָּא הֲוָה עָיֵיל לְבֵי מוֹחָא, וְאִשְׁתְּזַבְנָא עַל יְדָא דְּחַד אַסְיָיא דְּאִית בְּגַוָון.

Face Mirror Repentance Sin

345. He said to him: Who is the doctor? He replied: He is Rabbi Samlai. He asked: What cure did he give you? He replied: Spiritual healing. From that day, I returned with repentance. Every day I see my face in the mirror, WITHOUT ANY CHANGE. I have wept before the Holy One, blessed be He, 'ים ןד the Master of the world for that sin. With these tears, I have washed my face. Rabbi Aba said: If repentance would not have been withheld from you, I would have removed the impression on your face, but I will announce upon you, "And your iniquity is taken away, and your sin is purged" (Yeshayah 6:7). He told him to repeat this three times. He said it three times and the mark disappeared.

345. אָמַר לֵיהּ, מַאן הוּא אַסְיָיא. אָמַר לֵיהּ, רִבִּי שַׂמְלָאי הוּא. א"ל מַאי אַסוּותָא יָהַב לְךָ. א"ל אַסוּותָא דְּנַפְשָׁא. וּמֵהַהוּא יוֹמָא אַהֲדַרְנָא בִּתְשׁוּבָה. וּבְכָל יוֹמָא חֲזֵינָא אַנְפָּאִי בְּחַד חֵיזוּ, וּבָכֵינָא קָמֵי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, דְּהוּא רִבּוֹן עָלְמִין עַל הַהוּא חוֹבָה. וּמֵאִינּוּן דִּמְעִין אַסְחֵינָא אַנְפָּאִי. אָמַר רִבִּי אַבָּא, אִי לָאו דְּאִתְמְנַע מִנָךְ תְּשׁוּבָה, אַעְבַרְנָא מֵאַנְפָּךְ הַהוּא רְשִׁימָא. אֲבָל קָרֵינָא עָלָיךְ, וְסָר עֲוֹנֶךָ וְחַטָּאתְך תְּכוּפָּר. אָמַר לֵיהּ, ג' זִמְנִין אֵימָא. אָמַר לֵיהּ ג' זִמְנִין, וְאִתְעֲבָר רְשִׁימָא.

Repentance Torah Vow

346. אָמַר ר' אַבָּא, וַדַּאי מָארָךְ הָא בָּעָא לְאַעְבְּרָא מִנָךְ, דְּוַדַּאי בִּתְשׁוּבָה אִשְׁתְּכַחַת. אָמַר לֵיהּ, נָדַרְנָא מֵהַאי יוֹמָא לְאִתְעַסְּקָא בְּאוֹרַיְיתָא יְמָמָא וְלֵילְיָא. אָמַר לֵיהּ, מַה שְׁמָךְ. אָמַר לֵיהּ אֶלְעָזָר. אָמַר לֵיהּ אֵל עָזַר, וַדַּאי שְׁמָא גָּרִים, דֶּאֱלָהָךְ סִיְּיעָךְ, וַהֲוָה בְּסָעֲדָךְ, שַׁדְרֵיהּ רִבִי אַבָּא וּבַרְכֵיהּ.

Torah

347. Another time, Rabbi Aba went to Rabbi Shimon. He entered his city and found THAT VERY SAME PERSON WHO PREVIOUSLY HAD THE MARK sitting and lecturing, "A brutish man does not know; nor does a fool understand this" (Tehilim 92:7). "A brutish man does not know..." Look how foolish people are, for they do not pay attention, know, nor examine in order to know the ways of the Holy One, blessed be He, for what purpose they are in the world. What blocks them from perceiving their own stupidity? It must be due to their not toiling in the Torah, for if these people would toil in Torah, they would comprehend the ways of the Holy One, blessed be He.

347. לְזִמְנָא אָחֳרָא, הֲוָה רִבִּי אַבָּא אָזִיל לְגַבֵּי ר"ש, עָאל בְּמָאתֵיהּ, אַשְׁכָּחֵיהּ דַּהֲוָה יָתִיב וְדָרִישׁ, אִישׁ בַּעַר לֹא יֵדָע וּכְסִיל לֹא יָבִין אֶת זֺאת. אִישׁ בַּעַר לֹא יֵדָע וְגוֹ,' כַּמָה טִפְּשִׁין אִינּוּן בְּנֵי עָלְמָא, דְּלָא מַשְׁגִּיחִין וְלָא יַדְעִין וְלָא מִסְתַּכְּלִין לְמִנְדַּע אוֹרְחוֹי דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, עַל מַה קַיְימִין בְּעָלְמָא. מַאן מְעַכֵּב לְהוּ לְמִנְדַּע טִפְּשׁוּתָא דִּלְהוֹן. בְּגִין דְּלָא מִשְׁתַּדְּלֵי בְּאוֹרַיְיתָא, דְּאִילּוּ הֲווֹ מִשְׁתַּדְּלֵי בְּאוֹרַיְיתָא יִנְדְּעוּן אוֹרְחוֹי דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא.

David Deeds Judges Judgment Righteous Torah Wicked Wickedness World to Come, The Zot (This, Fem.)

348. "Nor does a fool understand this (Heb. zot)," MEANING they do not look into nor know the practices of "zot," MEANING MALCHUT REFERRED TO AS ZOT, in the world. Even though THE HOLY ONE, BLESSED BE HE, judges the world with His Judgments and PEOPLE see the Judgments of Zot, they come upon the righteous people and do not affect the guilty evildoers who transgress the words of Torah, as it is written, "When the wicked spring like grass..." (Ibid. 8). They inherit this world in all aspects and harsh penalties do not affect them, YET PEOPLE DO NOT KNOW WHY. Unless King David revealed this at the end of the verse, they would not know, as it is said, "That they shall be destroyed forever" (Ibid). HE PAYS THEM REWARD FOR THEIR GOOD DEEDS IN THIS WORLD in order to obliterate them from the World to Come. They will be THERE dust under the feet of the righteous, as it is written, "And you shall tread down the wicked; for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet" (Malachi 3:21).

348. וּכְסִיל לֹא יָבִין אֶת זֺאת, דְּלָא מִסְתָּכַל וְלָא יָדַע נִימוּסֵי דְּזֺאת בְּעָלְמָא. דְּע"ג דְּדָאִין עָלְמָא בְּדִינוֹי וְחַמָאן לְדִינוֹי דְּהַאי זֺאת, דְּמָטָאן עַל בְּנֵי נָשָׁא דְּאִינּוּן זַכָּאִין, וְלָא מָטָאן עַל רַשִׁיעֲיָיא, חַיָּיבִין, דְּעַבְרִין עַל פִּתְגָּמֵי אוֹרַיְיתָא, דִּכְתִּיב בִּפְרוֹחַ רְשָׁעִים כְּמוֹ עֵשֶׂב וְגוֹ.' דְּהַאי עָלְמָא יָרְתִין לֵיהּ בְּכָל סִטְרוֹי, וְדִינִין לָא מָטוּן עָלוֹי בְּהַאי עָלְמָא. וְאִלְמָלֵא דְּדָוִד מַלְכָּא אוֹדְעֵיהּ בְּסוֹפֵיהּ דִּקְרָא, לָא יַדְעֵינָן, דִּכְתִּיב לְהִשָּׁמְדָם עֲדֵי עַד, לְשֵׁיצָאָה לְהוֹן מֵהַהוּא עָלְמָא, וּלְמֶהֱוֵי עַפְרָא תְּחוֹת רַגְלֵיהוֹן דְּצַדִּיקַיָּיא, דִּכְתִּיב וְעַסּוֹתֶם רְשָׁעִים כִּי יִהְיוּ אֵפֶר תַּחַת כַּפּוֹת רַגְלֵיכֶם.

Curse Face Head Job Torah

349. Furthermore, He began to say, "And my leanness rising up against me bears witness to my face" (Iyov 16:8). HE QUESTIONS: What is the verse speaking about? HE ANSWERS: Fortunate is the man who toils in Torah in order to recognize the ways of the Holy One, blessed be He, for whoever toils in the Torah, it is as if he deals in His actual Name. Just as the Name of the Holy One, blessed be He, creates laws IN THE WORLD, so does the Torah. Come and see: One who infringes with matters of Torah, the Torah rises and then descends to make impressions on the face of that person in order that those on high and those below see him. All send their curses upon his head, AND THIS IS THE ESSENCE OF THE VERSE, "AND MY LEANNESS RISING UP AGAINST ME BEARS WITNESS TO MY FACE," MEANING THE MARKS THE TORAH MADE IN HIS FACE.

349. תּוּ פָּתַח וְאָמַר, וַיָּקָם בִּי כַחֲשִׁי בְּפָנַי יַעֲנֶה. בְּמַאי קָא מַיְירֵי. אֶלָּא, זַכָּאָה חוּלָקֵיהּ דְּב"נ דְּאִשְׁתָּדַּל בְּאוֹרַיְיתָא, לְמִנְדַע אוֹרְחוֹי דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא. דְּכָל מַאן דְּאִשְׁתָּדַּל בְּאוֹרַיְיתָא, כְּאִלּוּ אִשְׁתָּדַּל בִּשְׁמֵיהּ מַמָּשׁ. מַה שְׁמֵיהּ דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא עָבֵיד נִימוּסִין. אוּף אוֹרַיְיתָא הָכִי נָמֵי. ת"ח, הַאי מַאן דְּעָבַר עַל פִּתְגָּמֵי אוֹרַיְיתָא, אוֹרַיְיתָא סַלְּקָא וְנַחְתָּא וְעַבְדָא בֵּיהּ בב"נ רְשִׁימִין בְּאַנְפּוֹי, בְּגִין דְּיִסְתַּכְּלוּן בֵּיהּ עִלָּאֵי וְתַתָּאֵי, וְכֻלְּהוּ אוֹשְׁדָן לְוָוטִין עַל רֵישֵׁיהּ.

Angels Eyes Face World to Come, The

350. We have learned that all these eyes of Hashem, THE ANGELS OF PROVIDENCE, go and roam throughout the world to learn of the actions of men. They raise their eyes and all look at the face of that person, see him, and open their mouths: Woe, woe, woe to him in this world and woe to him in the World to Come. Remove yourselves from around him, as his face testifies that the spirit of defilement rests upon him. THIS IS THE ESSENCE OF THE VERSE, "BEARS WITNESS TO MY FACE," AS THE LEANNESS TESTIFIES TO HIS FACE. All these days, that mark testifies on his face. If he begets a son, he draws upon him the spirit of defilement. Such are the evildoers of the world, insolent people, whose Master allows them to stay in this world in order to vanquish them in the World to Come.

350. וְתָאנָא, כָּל אִינּוּן עֵינֵי יְיָ,' דְּאַזְלִין וְשָׁאטִין בְּעָלְמָא לְמִנְדַּע אוֹרְחוֹי דִּבְנֵי נָשָׁא, כֻּלְּהוֹן זַקְפִין עַיְינִין, וּמִסְתַּכְּלִין בְּאַנְפּוֹי דְּהַהוּא ב"נ, וְחָמָאן לְהוּ, וְכֻלְּהוּ פַּתְחִין עָלֵיהּ וַוי' וַוי. וַוי לֵיהּ בְּהַאי עָלְמָא, וַוי לֵיהּ בְּעָלְמָא דְּאָתֵי. אִסְתְּלָקוּ מִסּוֹחֲרָנֵיהּ דִּפְלַנְיָא, דְּהָא סַהֲדוּתָא בְּאַנְפּוֹי, וְרוּחָא דִּמְסָאֲבָא שַׁרְיָא עֲלוֹי. וְכָל אִינּוּן יוֹמִין דְּאִשְׁתְּכַח רְשִׁימוּ בְּאַנְפּוֹי לְסַהֲדוּתָא, אִי אוֹלִיד בַּר, אַשְׁלִיף לֵיהּ רוּחָא מִסִּטְרָא דִּמְסָאֲבָא. וְאִלֵּין אִינּוּן חַיָּיבֵי דָּרָא, תַּקִיפֵי אַנְפִּין, דְּמָארֵיהוֹן שָׁבִיק לוֹן בְּהַאי עָלְמָא, לְשֵׁיצָאָה לְהוּ בְּעָלְמָא דְּאָתֵי.

Face Fear Righteous Soul, The Thread Torah World to Come, The

351. We have learned that the righteous who toils in Torah day and night, the Holy One, blessed be He, draws upon him a thread of grace, which is marked on his face. From that mark, both those on high and those below have fear. Likewise, whoever violates the words of Torah, a spirit of defilement is drawn upon him, which is marked on his face and causes those high and low to flee from before him. They all proclaim: Leave the vicinity of he, who violated the Torah and the commandments of his Master. Woe to him and to his soul, and this person draws the spirit of defilement that is with him and transmits it to his son. In such a man the Holy One, blessed be He has no part, and He spares him in order to destroy him in the World to Come.

351. תָּנֵינָן, הַאי צַדִּיקָא זַכָּאָה דְּאִשְׁתְּדַל בְּאוֹרַיְיתָא יְמָמָא וְלֵילְיָא, קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא מָשִׁיךְ עָלֵיהּ חַד חוּטָא דְּחֶסֶד. וְאִתְרְשִׁים לֵיהּ בְּאַנְפּוֹי, וּמֵהַהוּא רְשִׁימָא דַּחֲלֵי עִלָּאֵי וְתַתָּאֵי. הָכִי נָמֵי מַאן דְּעָבַר עַל פִּתְגָּמֵי אוֹרַיְיתָא, מַשְׁכָאן עָלֵיהּ רוּחָא דִּמְסָאֲבָא, וְאִתְרְשִׁים לֵיהּ בְּאַנְפּוֹי, וּמִנֵּיהּ עַרְקִין עִלָּאֵי וְתַתָּאֵי. וְכֺלָּא מַכְרְזֵי עָלֵיהּ, אִסְתְּלָקוּ מִסָּחֲרָנֵיהּ דִּפְלַנְיָא, דְּעָבַר עַל פִּתְגָּמֵי אוֹרַיְיתָא, וְעַל פִּקּוּדֵי דְּמָארֵיהּ, וַוי לֵיהּ, וַוי לְנַפְשֵׁיהּ. הַאי אַשְׁלִיף רוּחָא דִּמְסָאֲבָא, דְּאִשְׁתְּכַח עִמֵּיהּ, וְאוֹרִית לֵיהּ לִבְרֵיהּ, וְהַאי הוּא דְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לֵית לֵיהּ בֵּיהּ חוּלָקָא, וְשָׁבִיק לֵיהּ, לְשֵׁיצָאָה לֵיהּ לְעָלְמָא דְּאָתֵי.

Evil Face Repentance World to Come, The

352. Rabbi Aba said to him: You have spoken well. Where did you acquire this? He replied: I studied this. I also learned that this evil inheritance OF THE SPIRIT OF DEFILEMENT is acquired by all his children if they do not turn to penance, as nothing can stand in the way before repentance. So have I learned. This cure, NAMELY REPENTANCE, was given me once upon a time, when my face was marked. One day, I was walking and met one meritorious person, and through him was the mark removed from my face. He asked me my name. I replied Elazar. He announced me to be a different Elazar. RABBI ABA said to him: Blessed is the Merciful One that I have met you and deserved to see you accomplishing this. Blessed is your share in this world and the World to Come. It was I who met you.

352. אָמַר לֵיהּ ר' אַבָּא, שַׁפִּיר קָאַמְרַת, מְנָא לָךְ הַאי. אָמַר לֵיהּ הָכִי אוֹלִיפְנָא. וְאוֹלִיפְנָא, דְּהַאי יְרוּתָא בִּישָׁא, אַחֲסִינוּן כֻּלְּהוּ בְּנוֹי, אִי לָא יְתוּבוּן, דְּהָא לֵית מִלָּה קַיְּימָא קָמֵי תְּשׁוּבָה. וַאֲנָא הָכִי אוֹלִיפְנָא, דְּאַסוּותָא דָּא יָהֲבוּ לִי זִמְנָא חֲדָא, דַּהֲוֵינָא רְשִׁים בְּאַנְפָּאי, וְיוֹמָא חַד הֲוֵינָא אָזִיל בְּאוֹרְחָא, וְאִעַרְעָנָא בְּחַד זַכָּאָה, וְעַל יְדוֹי אִתְעַבָּר מִנַּאי הַהוּא רְשִׁימָא. אָמַר לִי, מַה שְׁמָךְ. א"ל אֶלְעָזָר, וְקָרֵי עָלַי אֶלְעָזָר אָחֳרָא. א"ל, בְּרִיךְ רַחֲמָנָא, דַּחֲמֵינָא לָךְ, וְזָכֵינָא לְמֵחֱמֵי לָךְ בְּהַאי. זַכָּאָה חוּלָקָךְ בְּעָלְמָא דֵּין וּבְעָלְמָא דְּאָתֵי, אֲנָא הוּא דְּאִעְרַעְנָא לָךְ.