"If there an angel over him, an interpreter"

Synopsis

Rabbi Yehuda tells us that people who study Torah and observe its commandments have an Advocate stand up for them before God rather than an Accuser, for just as there are accusers in the world below, there are adversaries above as well. Rabbi Chiya wonders why if someone keeps the commandments it is necessary to have an angel intercede for him. Rabbi Yehuda answers that it is true that God sees everything, but He gave permission to the Other Side to accuse people in this world.

Angels Light Merit Moses Pharaoh, The Shofar Torah World to Come, The

1. "And Hashem said to Moses, 'Go in to Pharaoh, for I have hardened his heart...'" (Shemot 10:1). Rabbi Yehuda opened the discussion, saying: "Happy are the people that know the joyful note; they shall walk, Hashem, in the light of Your countenance" (Tehilim 89:16). How much should people walk in the ways of the Holy One, blessed be He, and observe the commandments of the Torah in order to merit the World to Come, and that they may be delivered from all Accusers above and below. For as there are Accusers in the world below, so there are Adversaries above whose function is to ACCUSE people.

1. וַיֹּאמֶר יְיָ אֶל מֹשֶׁה בֹּא אֶל פַּרְעֹה כִּי אֲנִי הִכְבַּדְתִּי אֶת לִבּוֹ וְגוֹ.' רִבִּי יְהוּדָה פָּתַח וְאָמַר, אַשְׁרֵי הָעָם יוֹדְעֵי תְרוּעָה יְיָ' בְּאוֹר פָּנֶיךָ יְהַלֵּכוּן. כַּמָּה אִצְטְרִיכוּ בְּנֵי נָשָׁא, לְמֵהַךְ בְּאָרְחֵי דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, וּלְמִטַר פִּקּוּדֵי אוֹרַיְיתָא, בְּגִין דְּיִזְכּוּן בָּהּ לְעָלְמָא דְּאָתֵי, וּלְשֵׁזָבָא לוֹן מִכָּל קִטְרוּגִין דִּלְעֵילָּא וְתַתָּא. בְּגִין, דְּהָא כְּמָה דְּאִשְׁתְּכָחוּ מְקַטְרְגִין בְּעָלְמָא לְתַתָּא, הָכִי נָמֵי אִשְׁתְּכָחוּ מְקַטְרְגִין לְעֵילָּא דְּקַיְימֵי עָלַיְיהוּ דִּבְנֵי נָשָׁא.

Angels Fear Torah

2. אִינּוּן דְּעַבְדִין פִּקּוּדֵי אוֹרַיְיתָא, וְאַזְלֵי בְּאוֹרַח מֵישָׁר, בִּדְחֲלָא דְּמָארֵיהוֹן, כַּמָּה אִינּוּן סַנֵּיגוֹרִין דְּקַיְימִין עָלַיְיהוּ לְעֵילָּא, כְּמָה דְּאַתְּ אָמַר אִם יֵשׁ עָלָיו מַלְאָךְ מֵלִיץ אֶחָד מִנִּי אָלֶף וְגוֹ.' וּכְתִיב וַיְחֻנֶּנּוּ וַיֹּאמֶר פְּדָעֵהוּ מֵרֶדֶת שַׁחַת מָצָאתִי כֹפֶר. בְּגִין כַּךְ, זַכָּאָה אִיהוּ מַאן דְּנָטִיר פִּקּוּדֵי אוֹרַיְיתָא.

Angels Evil Jeremiah

3. Rabbi Chiya said to him, If so, why is it necessary to have an angel to intercede for the person, seeing it is written, "For Hashem will be your confidence and will keep your foot from being caught" (Mishlei 3:26). "Hashem will guard you from all evil" (Tehilim 121:7). For the Holy One, blessed be He, sees everything that a man does in the world, both good and evil. And so He says, "'can any hide himself in secret places that I shall not see him?' Says Hashem" (Yirmeyah 23:24). IF THIS IS SO, WHY DO WE NEED AN ANGEL TO INTERCEDE OR ACCUSE?

3. אָמַר לֵיהּ רִבִּי חִיָּיא, אִי הָכִי, אֲמַאי אִצְטְרִיךְ הָכָא מַלְאָךְ דְּלֶיהֱוִי סַנֵּיגוֹרָא עָלֵיהּ דְּבַר נָשׁ וְהָא כְּתִיב כִּי יְיָ' יִהְיֶה בְּכִסְלֶךָ וְשָׁמַר רַגְלְךָ מִלָּכֶד, וּכְתִיב יְיָ' יִשְׁמָרְךָ מִכָּל רָע. דְּהָא חָמֵי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, כָּל מַה דְּבַר נָשׁ עָבֵיד בְּעָלְמָא, הֵן טָב הֵן בִּישׁ. וְכֵן הוּא אוֹמֵר, אִם יִסָּתֵר אִישׁ בַּמִּסְתָּרִים וַאֲנִי לֹא אֶרְאֶנּוּ נְאֻם יְיָ.'

Bone Evil Flesh Other Side Pharaoh, The Righteous Torah Wisdom

4. Rabbi Yehuda said, Certainly it is so THAT THE HOLY ONE, BLESSED BE HE, SEES EVERYTHING. But it is written, "And touch his bone and his flesh" (Iyov 2:5), and "although you did move me against him to destroy him without cause" (Ibid. 3). This shows that permission was granted to the Other Side to accuse in worldly matters, and they should be given into his hands. All these things are to stay concealed before the Holy One, blessed be He, and you have no right to follow them TO INVESTIGATE THEM, because they are the statutes of the Holy One, blessed be He. Humans are not permitted to be particular about them except for those truly Righteous who know the secrets of the Torah and go in the way of wisdom to know these hidden things in the Torah. THIS IS THE MEANING OF, "HAPPY ARE THE PEOPLE THAT KNOW THE JOYFUL NOTE (LIT. 'TRUAH')" (TEHILIM 89:16), THAT IS, THEY KNOW THE WAYS OF BLESSED HASHEM, AND THAT HE BRINGS EVIL AND GOOD THROUGH MESSENGERS, ALTHOUGH HE CAN DO IT HIMSELF. SO IN THE PASSAGE, "GO IN TO PHARAOH," THE HOLY ONE, BLESSED BE HE, WANTED PHARAOH TO LET THE CHILDREN OF YISRAEL GO, EVEN THOUGH HE WAS ABLE TO TAKE THEM OUT AGAINST HIS WILL.

4. אָמַר לֵיהּ רִבִּי יְהוּדָה, כֹּלָּא הָכִי הוּא וַדַּאי. אֲבָל הָא כְּתִיב, וְגַע אֶל עַצְמוֹ וְאֶל בְּשָׂרוֹ. וּכְתִיב, וַתְּסִיתֵנִי בוֹ לְבַלְּעוֹ חִנָּם. לְאַחֲזָאָה דְּהָא רְשׁוּ אִתְמְסָר לְסִטְרָא אַחֲרָא לְקַטְרְגָא, עַל מִלִּין דְּעָלְמָא, וּלְאִתְמַסְּרָא בִּידוֹי. וְכָל אִלֵּין אָרְחִין טְמִירִין קָמֵי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, וְלֵית אַנְתְּ כְּדַאי לְמֵהַךְ אֲבַתְרַיְיהוּ, בְּגִין דְּאִינּוּן נִמּוּסִין דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, וּבְנֵי נָשָׁא לָאו אִינּוּן רַשָּׁאִין לְדַקְדְּקָא אֲבַתְרַיְיהוּ, בַּר אִינּוּן זַכָּאֵי קְשׁוֹט דְּיַדְעִין רָזֵי אוֹרַיְיתָא, וְאָזְלִין בְּאָרְחָא דְּחָכְמְתָא לְמִנְדַּע אִינּוּן מִלִּין סְתִימִין דְּאוֹרַיְיתָא.