347. Rabbi Aba said, When the Holy One, blessed be He, executes judgment upon the ministers above, it is written, "For my sword is sated in heavens" (Yeshayah 34:5). AND HE ASKS, Does Hashem have a sword? Rabbi Yitzchak said, He does have a sword, as it is written, "The sword of Hashem is full of blood" (Ibid. 6) and, "And with His sword, upon all flesh..." (Ibid. 66:16).

348. Rabbi Aba said, With this sword Hashem accomplishes the Judgment that He performs, as is written, "And saw the angel of Hashem standing between the earth and the heaven, with a drawn sword in his hand" (I Divrei Hayamim 21:16). AND HE ASKS, Was there a drawn sword in the hand of the angel? AND HE ANSWERS, Rather, it means he was granted permission to execute punishment, AND THIS PERMISSION IS TERMED "SWORD."

349. HE RAISES A DIFFICULTY. For Rabbi Yehoshua bar Levi, said, The Angel of Death told me, 'Were it not for my consideration for the honor of creatures, I would reveal the place of slaughter (the slit in the neck) just like in an animal.' SO IT APPEARS THAT THERE IS AN ACTUAL SWORD IN THE HANDS OF THE ANGEL OF DEATH. Rabbi Aba said, Everything, MEANING WHEREVER IT IS WRITTEN "SWORD" BY THE SUPERNAL ONES, IMPLIES permission was granted to him to execute judgment, AND NOT THE ACTUAL USING OF A SWORD. "AND I WILL REVEAL THEIR PLACE OF SLAUGHTER," MEANS THAT HE WILL REVEAL THE CAUSE OF DEATH, MEANING THE SIN, WHICH IS LIKE A PLACE OF SLAUGHTER, WHICH IS THE CAUSE OF DEATH OF THE ANIMAL. It is written, "With his sword drawn in his hand" (Yehoshua 5:13), as permission was given to him to execute judgment. HE ASKS, If so, what is the meaning of the passage, "And he put up his sword again into its sheath" (I Divrei Hayamim 21:27)? Rabbi Aba said, IT MEANS that the Judgment was returned to the Judge, and the permission TO EXECUTE JUDGMENT WAS RETURNED to the one who possesses the permission, MEANING TO HASHEM.