How many messengers the Holy One, blessed be He, has

Synopsis

We learn that God uses even the beasts of the fields as His messengers to fulfill His mission. He also sets the righteous to punish the wicked, but no wicked person of Yisrael punishes another except by accident. When God gives quietness to a man, no one is authorized to injure or malign him. When men's actions are virtuous God arranges for many Protectors to guard him, but when they are not virtuous then judgment is awakened upon them and those of the left become messengers to harm them. Rabbi Elazar tells us that God is unwilling that sinners of Yisrael should punish other sinners of Yisrael, because they do not come from the left side. The children of Yisrael are to the right and the idolatrous nations are to the left.

Beasts Earth Holiness (Kedushah) Kedushah (Holiness) Righteous Serpent

15. Rabbi Elazar said: Why is the Holy One, blessed be He, so particular with the righteous? He replied: Verily, He is and He takes note of all their errors, for He desires to raise their Holiness. This donkey did not guard my Holiness; THEREFORE, it was hurt and this snake is a messenger. How many messengers the Holy One, blessed be He, has! And He sends all of them, even the beasts of the field, to fulfill His mission, as it is written: "I will also send wild beasts among you, which shall rob you of your children" (Vayikra 26:19), and even the heathen nations "Hashem shall bring a nation against you from far away, from the very ends of the earth" (Devarim 28:49).

15. אָמַר ר' אֶלְעָזָר, וּמַה כ"כ מְדַקְדֵק קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא בְּצַדִּיקַיָּיא. אָמַר לֵיהּ, וַדַּאי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא מְדַקְדֵק בְּהוּ בְּצַדִּיקַיָּיא, וְנָטִיר לוֹן, וּבָעָא לְאוֹסְפָא לוֹן קְדוּשָּׁה עַל קְדוּשָּׁתַיְיהוּ וְהַשְׁתָּא הַאי חֲמָרָא, עַל דְּלָא נָטַר קְדוּשָּׁתָא דִּילִי אִצְטָעַר. וְדָא חִוְיָא שְׁלִיחָא הַוְיָא, וְכַמָּה שְׁלוּחִין אִית לֵיהּ לקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא וּבְכֻלְּהוּ עָבֵיד שְׁלִיחוּתֵיהּ, וַאֲפִילּוּ בְּחַיוֹת בָּרָא. הה"ד וְשָׁלַחְתִּי בָּכֶם אֶת חַיַּת הַשָּׂדֶה וְשִׁכְּלָה אֶתְכֶם. וַאֲפִילּוּ בְּיַד גּוֹי, הה"ד, יִשָּׂא יְיָ' עָלֶיךָ גּוֹי מֵרָחוֹק מִקְצֵה הָאָרֶץ.

Righteous Wicked Wickedness

16. Rabbi Elazar ASKED: Does THE HOLY ONE, BLESSED BE HE, make Yisrael His messengers TOO? He replied: Yes, He sets the righteous to punish the wicked; but not one wicked person from Yisrael is set to punish another - except for the time when one of them does so accidentally, as it is written: "And if a man did not lie in wait, then Elohim permitted it to happen..." (Shemot 21:13). "Did not lie in wait," is precise, for he did not INTEND to kill him, but "Elohim permits it to happen" in order to punish both of them, both THE KILLER AND THE ONE BEING KILLED.

16. א"ר אֶלְעָזָר, וּבִידָא דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל עָבֵיד שְׁלִיחוּתָא. אָמַר לֵיהּ, אִין. כְּגוֹן רָשָׁע בִּידָא דְּצַדִּיק. אֲבָל רָשָׁע בִּידָא דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל רָשָׁע אָחֳרָא, לָא עָבֵיד בֵּיהּ שְׁלִיחוּתָא, אֶלָּא בְּזִמְנָא דְּאִיהוּ לָא מְכַוְּון בֵּיהּ. הה"ד, וַאֲשֶׁר לֹא צָדָה וְהָאֱלֹהִים אִנָּה לְיָדוֹ. וַאֲשֶׁר לֹא צָדָה דַּיְיקָא, דְּלָא לְקַטָלָא לֵיהּ. דָּא, וְהָאֱלֹהִים אִנָּה לְיָדוֹ, בְּגִין לְאַעְנְשָׁא לְתַרְוַויְּיהוּ.

Face Job

18. He opened the discussion, saying: "When He is quiet, who then can condemn?" (Iyov 34:29). "When He is quiet," means that when the Holy One, blessed be He, gives quietness to a man, no one is authorized to injure or malign him. "And when He hides his face, who then can behold Him?" (Ibid.) means that when He withdraws His watchful providence from him, who can keep watch over him to protect him. THEN THOSE MESSENGERS COME AND INJURE HIM. The ways of the Holy One, blessed be He, are "unto a man or a nation alike," MEANING the same for the world as they are for a people, or for an individual.

18. פָּתַח וְאָמַר, וְהוּא יַשְׁקִיט וּמִי יַרְשִׁיעַ וְגוֹ.' וְהוּא יַשְׁקִיט, בְּזִמְנָא דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא יָהִיב שְׁקִיטוּ וְשַׁלְוָה לב"נ, מַאן הוּא רַשַּׁאי לְאַבְאָשָׁא לֵיהּ, וּלְמֶעְבַּד לֵיהּ קַטֵיגוֹרְיָא. וְיַסְתֵּר פָּנִים וּמִי יְשׁוּרֶנּוּ. וּבְזִמְנָא דְּאִיהוּ אַסְתִּיר עֵינֵיהּ מִלְּאַשְׁגְּחָא עָלֵיהּ, מַאן הוּא דְּיִשְׁגַּח עָלֵיהּ, לְנַטְרָא לֵיהּ, וּלְמֶעְבַּד לֵיהּ נְטִירוּ. וְאוֹרְחוֹי דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא בְּדָא, עַל גּוֹי, וְעַל אָדָם יַחַד. בֵּין לְעָלְמָא כֹּלָּא, בֵּין לְעַמָּא חַד, בֵּין לְחָד בִּלְחוֹדוֹי.

Face Hands Judgment Torah

19. HE EXPLAINS HIS WORDS: Come and behold. When men's actions are virtuous below, the right hand of the Holy One, blessed be He, is active for them above. Many loving ones, many Protectors of the world and Protectors of men, come forward on the right and left, TO GUARD HIM FROM THE SIDE OF CHESED AND FROM THE SIDE OF GVURAH. Then, the left side is subdued and cannot gain control. But when men's actions are not virtuous below, then the left side, WHICH IS JUDGMENT, is awakened upon them, and those who come from the side of the left are all aroused and become messengers to harm men. All who transgress the laws of the Torah receive a mark on their faces through which they are recognized by those who rise up from the side of the left.

19. תָּא חֲזֵי, בְּזִמְנָא דִּבְנֵי נָשָׁא מִתְכַּשְּׁרָן עוֹבָדִין לְתַתָּא, אִתְּעַר לְגַבַּיְיהוּ לְעֵילָּא יְמִינָא דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא. כְּדֵין מִתְעָרִין כַּמָה רְחִימִין, כַּמָה נְטוּרֵי עָלְמָא, כַּמָה נְטוּרֵי דְּבַר נָשׁ, מִימִינָא וּמִשְּׂמָאלָא. וּכְדֵין אִתְכַּפְיָא שְׂמָאלָא, וְלָא יַכְלָא לְשַׁלְּטָאָה. וּבְזִמְנָא דִּבְנֵי אֱנָשָׁא לָא מִתְכַּשְּׁרָן עוֹבָדִין לְתַתָּא, שְׂמָאלָא אִתְּעַר, וְכָל אִינּוּן דְּאָתוּ מִסִּטְרָא דִּשְׂמָאלָא, כֻּלְּהוּ אִתְּעֲרוּ, וְכֻלְּהוּ אִתְעָבֵידוּ שְׁלוּחִין לְאַבְאָשָׁא לְגַבַּיְיהוּ דִּבְנֵי נָשָׁא. דְּהָא אִינּוּן דְּעָבְרוּ עַל פִּתְגָּמֵי אוֹרַיְיתָא, כֻּלְּהוּ רְשִׁימִין בְּאַנְפַּיְיהוּ, וְאִשְׁתְּמוֹדְעָן לְגַבֵּי אִינּוּן דְּמִתְּעֲרֵי מִסִּטְרָא דִּשְׂמָאלָא.

Beasts Evil Face Hands Wicked Wickedness

20. Therefore, the beasts and idolaters, and all those who come from the left side, are called 'messengers' - with regard to those who bear this mark ON THEIR FACES - and they rise up against them. Although the actions of Yisrael are not virtuous, all of them come from the right side. The right is subdued as a result of the EVIL actions OF THOSE WHO HAVE THE MARK ON THEIR FACES; THEREFORE, the left has power over them, and over all those who come from the left side. Therefore, the mission is in the hands of the beasts and idolaters, and all those who are like them, being from the left side. It is not in the hands of one of Yisrael, for although a man may be wicked, he still comes from the right side, WHICH IS SUBDUED BY THEIR OWN ACTIONS.

20. ובג"כ, חֵיוָותָא ועע"ז, וְכָל אִינּוּן דְּאָתוּ מִסִּטְרָא דִּשְׂמָאלָא, כֻּלְּהוּ אִקְרוּן שְׁלוּחִין, לְגַבֵּי אִינּוּן רְשִׁימִין דְּמִתְּעֲרֵי לְהוּ. וְיִשְׂרָאֵל, אע"ג דְּלָא מְכַשְׁרָן עוֹבָדִין, כֻּלְּהוּ מִן סִטְרָא דִּימִינָא קָא אַתְיָין. וּבְגִין דְּאִתְכַּפְיָיא יְמִינָא בְּעוֹבָדַיְיהוּ, שַׁלְטָא עָלַיְיהוּ שְׂמָאלָא, וְכָל אִינּוּן דְּאָתוּ מִסִּטְרָא דִּשְׂמָאלָא, וְעַל דָּא, שְׁלִיחוּתָא בִּידָא דְּחֵיוָותָא וְגוֹי, וְכָל דְּדָמֵי לוֹן, דְּאִינּוּן מִסִּטְרָא דִּשְׂמָאלָא, וְלָא בִּידָא דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל, דאע"ג דְּחַיָּיבָא אִיהוּ, מִסִּטְרָא דִּימִינָא קָא אָתֵי.

Children Hands Purification Wicked Wickedness

21. A sinful Yisrael can fall into the hand of another sinner of Yisrael ONLY at the time when THE WICKED PERSON has no intention OF KILLING HIM, SINCE THEN HE DOES NOT COME AS A MESSENGER - BUT both of them must be punished and purified by their punishment. Rabbi Elazar asked: Whence do we learn all this? He replied: They are from the right and do not cleave to the left, and are never mingled with it, FOR BOTH OF THEM ARE THE CHILDREN OF YISRAEL. THEREFORE, NEITHER OF THEM CAN BE A MESSENGER OF THE LEFT TO PUNISH THE OTHER. And thus, at another time WHEN THE WICKED OF YISRAEL INTEND TO KILL, they are removed FROM THE WORLD.

21. וְיִשְׂרָאֵל חַיָּיבָא, דְּנָפַל בִּידָא דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל חַיָּיבָא אָחֳרָא, בְּזִמְנָא דְּלָא אִתְכַּוָּון בֵּיהּ, בְּגִין דְּיִתְעֲנְשׁוּ תַּרְוַויְיהוּ, וִיקַבְּלוּן עוֹנְשָׁא לְדַכְּאָה לוֹן. א"ר אֶלְעָזָר, מְנָלָן. אָ"ל אִינּוּן בִּימִינָא. וְלָא אִתְדְּבָקוּ בִּשְׂמָאלָא, וְלָא אִתְעָרְבוּ בַּהֲדָהּ לְעָלְמִין, וְעַל דָּא, לְזִמְנָא אָחֳרָא אִתְעָבְרוּ.

Beasts Likenesses Righteous Wicked Wickedness

22. Rabbi Elazar asked: Whence do we learn that IF THE WICKED OF YISRAEL INTEND TO KILL, THEY PASS AWAY? He answers: Come and behold. Think of the incident of the concubine in Giveah. Although those WHO LIVED IN GIVEAH were sinners, the Holy One, blessed be He, was unwilling that other sinners of Yisrael SHOULD PUNISH THEM. Therefore, numbers of them fell time after time, IN THE FIRST BATTLES, until all the sinners who came to punish them perished, and only those more righteous were left - for they executed the work more appropriately. Even though they are righteous at a time when the worlds are considered to be one - when the lower world CONDUCTS ITSELF like the upper one - permission is given only to some, MEANING THOSE WHO COME FROM THE LEFT, WHO ARE THE BEASTS AND IDOLATERS. FOR WHEN THE LOWER WORLD BEHAVES AS THE UPPER ONE, THE BRANCHES OF THE RIGHT ARE NOT ABLE TO BE THE MESSENGERS OF THE LEFT'S ACTIONS - NAMELY, TO KILL AND TO PUNISH. FOR SUCH MISSIONS ABOVE ARE NEVER CHANGED. At the time OF THE BATTLES OF THE CONCUBINE IN GIVEAH, the worlds were not balanced - THE ONE IN THE LIKENESS OF THE OTHER. THEREFORE, THE RIGHTEOUS COULD KILL AND PUNISH, ALTHOUGH SUCH A THING NEVER HAPPENS ABOVE.

22. אָמַר רִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר, מְנָא לָן. אָמַר לֵיהּ, תָּא חֲזֵי מִן פִּלֶּגֶשׁ בַּגִּבְעָה, דְּאַף עַל גַּב דְּחַיָּיבֵי נִינְהוּ, לָא בָּעָא קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא דְּיִתְעָרוּן גַּבַּיְיהוּ חַיָּיבֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל אָחֳרָנִין. וְעַל דָּא מִיתוּ כָּל אִינּוּן זִמְנִין דְּמִיתוּ. עַד דְּכֻלְּהוּ חַיָּיבִין דְּאִתְעֲרוּ לְגַבַּיְיהוּ, מִיתוּ וְאִתְאֲבִידוּ, וְאִשְׁתָּאָרוּ אִינּוּן זַכָּאִין יַתִּיר, דְּיַעַבְדוּן מִלָּה בְּאֹרַח קְשׁוֹט. ואע"ג דְּזַכָּאִין אִינּוּן, לָא אִתְיְיהִיב מִלָּה, אֶלָּא לְאִינּוּן דְּאִתְיְיהִיב. כַּד שְׁקִילָן עָלְמִין כַּחֲדָא, עָלְמָא תַּתָּאָה כְּגַוְונָא דְּעָלְמָא עִלָּאָה, וְהַהוּא זִמְנָא, לָא אִשְׁתְּכָחוּ עָלְמִין שְׁקִילָן כַּחֲדָא.

Staff

23. Therefore, the sinners of Yisrael are not the messengers of the King to punish other sinners of Yisrael, because they do not come from the left side. As in the parable of certain men having offended the king, an officer was charged to arrest and punish them. One clever fellow among them went and mixed himself with the staff of an officer. The officer detected him and said: Who said you could join us? Are you not one of those who have offended against the king? You shall be punished first! Then they took him and killed him.

23. וְעַל דָּא, חַיָּיבִין דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל לְגַבַּיְיהוּ דְּחַיָּיבִין אָחֳרָנִין, לָאו אִינּוּן שְׁלוּחֵי מַלְכָּא, דְּהָא לָא אַתְיָין מִסִּטְרָא דִּשְׂמָאלָא. מְתַל לִבְנֵי נָשָׁא דְּחָבוּ לְמַלְכָּא, אִתְּעַר סַנְטִירָא לְגַבַּיְיהוּ, לְתַפְשָׂא לוֹן, וּלְאַעְנְשָׁא לוֹן, לְאִינּוּן דְּחָבוּ לְמַלְכָּא. קָם חַכִּים חַד מִנַּיְיהוּ, וְאִתְעֲרַב בַּהֲדֵי בְּנֵי סַנְטִירָא, זָקַף סַנְטִירָא עֵינוֹי וְחָמָא לֵיהּ. אָ"ל מַאן יָהֲבָךְ לְגַבָּן, וְלָאו אַנְתְּ מֵאִינּוּן דְּחָבוּ לְמַלְכָּא, הָא אַנְתְּ אִתְעַנָּשׁ בְּקַדְמֵיתָא, שְׁקִילוּ לֵיהּ וְקַטְלוּהוּ.

Sin Wicked Wickedness

24. So Yisrael comes from the right side and never cleaves to or mingles with the left. When THE WICKED subdue the right by their sins, and the left and all those who come from it are awakened TO PUNISH THEM, then if one of Yisrael from the right tries to situate himself among them, they recognize him and say to him: Are you not one of those who come from the right side, who is subdued because of the sins of the wicked? Are you not one of those who have sinned against the King? Who allowed you to come among us? So he is punished first. King Solomon cried to them: "There is a time when a man rules over another to his own hurt" (Kohelet 8:9). "To his own hurt," assuredly, because he is not the messenger of the King and does not come from that side - NAMELY, FROM THE LEFT.

24. כַּךְ יִשְׂרָאֵל מִסִּטְרָא דִּימִינָא קָא אַתְיָין, וְלָא אִתְדָּבָקוּ בִּשְׂמָאלָא, וְלָא אִתְעָרְבוּ בַּהֲדָהּ לְעָלְמִין. וְכַד אִינּוּן גַּרְמִין בְּחוֹבַיְיהוּ, דְּאִתְכַּפְיָא יְמִינָא, וְאִתְּעַר שְׂמָאלָא וְכָל אִינּוּן דְּאָתוּ מִסִּטְרֵיהּ, אִי חַד מִיִשְׂרָאֵל קָם לְאִתְעָרְבָא בַּהֲדַיְיהוּ, אִשְׁתְּמוֹדְעָן בֵּיהּ, אַמְרֵי לֵיהּ לָאו אַנְתְּ מֵאִינּוּן דְּקָא אַתְיָין מִסִּטְרָא דִּימִינָא, דְּאִתְכַּפְיָא מֵחוֹבַיְיהוּ, וְלָאו אַנְתְּ מֵאִינּוּן דְּחָבוּ לְמַלְכָּא מַאן יָהֲבָךְ לְגַבָּן. אִשְׁתְּכַח דְּאִיהוּ אִתְעַנָּשׁ בְּקַדְמֵיתָא. וּשְׁלֹמֹה מַלְכָּא צָוַוח לָקֳבְלַיְיהוּ, וְאָמַר עֵת אֲשֶׁר שָׁלַט הָאָדָם בְּאָדָם לְרַע לוֹ. לְרַע לוֹ וַדַּאי, בְּגִין דְּלָאו שְׁלִיחָא דְּמַלְכָּא אִיהוּ, וְלָא אָתֵי מֵהַהוּא סִטְרָא.

Crowns Hands Judgment Mercy Sin

25. Rabbi Elazar said: Assuredly, it is so. We have learned that there is a right and there is a left, WHICH ARE Mercy and Judgment. Yisrael are to the right and the idolaterous nations to the left. Although Yisrael sin and are subdued, they belong to the right and neither cleave to the left nor ever mingle with it. Therefore, it is written: "Save with Your right hand and answer me" (Tehilim 60:5), since when the right hand is exalted, Yisrael that cleave to it are exalted and crowned through it. Then, the left side and all those who come from its side are subdued, as is written: "Your right hand, Hashem, has dashed the enemy in pieces" (Shemot 15:6).

25. אָמַר רִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר וַדַּאי הָכִי הוּא, דְּהָא תָּנֵינָן, דְּאִית יְמִינָא וְאִית שְׂמָאלָא, רַחֲמֵי וְדִינָא, יִשְׂרָאֵל לִימִינָא, ועע"ז לִשְׂמָאלָא. יִשְׂרָאֵל אע"ג דְּחַיָּיבֵי נִינְהוּ, וְאִתְכַּפְיָין, אִינּוּן בִּימִינָא, וְלָא אִתְדַּבְּקָן בִּשְׂמָאלָא, וְלָא אִתְעָרְבוּן בַּהֲדָהּ לְעָלְמִין. ובג"כ כְּתִיב, הוֹשִׁיעָה יְמִינְךָ וַעֲנֵנִי. דְּכַד אִסְתַּלָּק יְמִינָא יִשְׂרָאֵל דְּאִתְדַבְּקוּן בַּהֲדֵיהּ, יִסְתַּלְּקוּן וְיִתְעַטְּרוּן בֵּיהּ. כְּדֵין אִתְכַּפְיָא שְׂמָאלָא, וְכָל אִינּוּן דְּאָתוּ מִסִּטְרֵיהּ, הה"ד יְמִינְךָ יְיָ' תִּרְעַץ אוֹיֵב.