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Chagigah 13b

חגיגה י״ג ע״ב

Learn Chagigah 13b step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

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Topic

The מרכבה vision: its creatures, angels and wings, contradictions between פסוקים, and the fiery river

Overview

This amud keeps explaining the vision of the Divine Chariot (מרכבה) in ספר יחזקאל. It explains the word חשמל as fiery creatures that speak, or creatures that are silent when God speaks. It describes how the חיות run and return like flickering fire. רב says the stormy wind went to make נבוכדנצר ruler of the world, so ישראל would not be shamed by a lowly nation. A ברייתא names the angel סנדלפון, who ties crowns that rise to God by themselves. רבא says ישעיהו saw the same vision as יחזקאל but described it like a city dweller who is used to the king. The גמרא then settles several contradictions between פסוקים: the ox face that became a כרוב, six wings versus four, and the number of angels. Several of these are answered by the destruction of the בית המקדש, which reduced things in heaven too. Finally it discusses the fiery river, נהר דינור: it comes from the sweat of the חיות and pours onto the wicked, or onto 974 generations that were never created. That last teaching continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

חַיּוֹת אֵשׁ מְמַלְּלוֹת.

Speaking creatures of fire.

בְּמַתְנִיתָא תָּנָא:

It was taught in a baraita:

עִתִּים חָשׁוֹת, עִתִּים מְמַלְּלוֹת.

At times they are silent, at times they speak.

בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁהַדִּיבּוּר יוֹצֵא

When the divine speech goes out

The steps (41)

  1. Statementחשמל means speaking creatures of fire
  2. StatementA ברייתא: the creatures are sometimes silent, sometimes speaking
  3. QuestionWhat does 'ran and returned' mean?
  4. ResponseLike fire bursting out of a furnace
  5. QuestionWhat does 'like a flash of lightning' mean?
  6. ResponseLike fire flashing between clay shards
  7. QuestionWhere did the stormy wind go?
  8. ResponseThe wind went to conquer the world for נבוכדנצר
  9. QuestionWhy was all that needed?
  10. ResponseSo the nations would not mock ישראל
  11. ConclusionThe sins of ישראל made God serve idol worshippers
  12. StatementThe 'one wheel' is a giant angel
  13. StatementA ברייתא names the angel סנדלפון
  14. ChallengeHow can he crown God if no one knows His place?
  15. ResolutionThe crown rises by itself
  16. Statementישעיהו saw everything יחזקאל saw
  17. StatementA song to the One exalted above the exalted
  18. ProofThe kings of the animals, and God above them all
  19. ChallengeWhere did the ox face go?
  20. Resolutionיחזקאל prayed and the ox became a כרוב
  21. QuestionWhat is a cherub?
  22. ResponseA cherub is like a child
  23. ChallengeThen isn't a cherub face just a man's face?
  24. ResolutionA big face and a small face
  25. ChallengeSix wings or four wings?
  26. ResolutionThe wings shrank when the Temple was destroyed
  27. QuestionWhich wings were taken away?
  28. Responseרב: the wings they sang with
  29. ResponseThe רבנן: the wings that covered their feet
  30. RejectionMaybe the feet were only uncovered for a moment
  31. RejectionFaces and feet are not the same
  32. ChallengeCan the angels be counted or not?
  33. ResolutionThe heavenly entourage shrank after the חורבן
  34. ResolutionThe number counts only one troop
  35. ResolutionThe thousand thousands serve the fiery river
  36. QuestionWhere does the fiery river come from?
  37. ResponseFrom the sweat of the חיות
  38. QuestionWhere does the river pour out?
  39. ResponseOnto the heads of the wicked in גיהנם
  40. ResponseOnto those who were snatched away
  41. StatementThe 974 generations that were snatched away