אָמַר רַבִּי יִצְחָק, מַאי דִּכְתִיב: ״גַּם כִּי אֵלֵךְ בְּגֵיא צַלְמָוֶת לֹא אִירָא רָע כִּי אַתָּה עִמָּדִי״ — זֶה הַיָּשֵׁן בְּצֵל דֶּקֶל יְחִידִי, וּבְצֵל לְבָנָה. וּבְצֵל דֶּקֶל יְחִידִי — לָא אֲמַרַן אֶלָּא דְּלָא נָפֵיל טוּלָּא דְחַבְרֵיהּ עִילָּוֵיהּ, אֲבָל נָפֵל טוּלָּא דְחַבְרֵיהּ עִילָּוֵיהּ — לֵית לַן בַּהּ. אֶלָּא הָא דְּתַנְיָא: הַיָּשֵׁן בְּצֵל דֶּקֶל יְחִידִי בֶּחָצֵר, וְהַיָּשֵׁן בְּצֵל לְבָנָה — דָּמוֹ בְּרֹאשׁוֹ, הֵיכִי דָמֵי? אִי לֵימָא דְּלָא נָפֵל טוּלָּא דְּחַבְרֵיהּ עִילָּוֵיהּ, אֲפִילּוּ בַּשָּׂדֶה נָמֵי! אֶלָּא לָאו שְׁמַע מִינַּהּ: בְּחָצֵר אַף עַל גַּב דְּנָפֵיל טוּלָּא דְּחַבְרֵיהּ עִילָּוֵיהּ. שְׁמַע מִינַּהּ. וּבְצִילָּהּ שֶׁל לְבָנָה — לָא אֲמַרַן אֶלָּא בְּמַעְרְבָה, אֲבָל בְּמַדִּינְחֲתָא — לֵית לַן בַּהּ. הַאי מַאן דְּמִפְּנֵי אַגִּירְדָּא דְּדִיקְלָא — אָחֲדָא לֵיהּ לְדִידֵיהּ רוּחַ פַּלְגָא. וְהַאי מַאן דְּמַצְלֵי רֵישֵׁיהּ אַגִּירְדָּא דְּדִיקְלָא — אָחֲדָא לֵיהּ רוּחַ צְרָדָא. הַאי מַאן דְּפָסְעִי אַדִּיקְלָא, אִי מִיקְּטַל — קְטִיל, אִי אִיעֲקַר — מִיעֲקַר וּמָיֵית. הָנֵי מִילֵּי דְּלָא מַנַּח כַּרְעֵיהּ עִילָּוֵיהּ, אֲבָל מַנַּח כַּרְעֵיהּ — עִילָּוֵיהּ לֵית לַן בַּהּ. חֲמִשָּׁה טוּלֵּי הָוֵי: טוּלָּא דְּדִיקְלָא יְחִידָא, טוּלָּא דְכִנָּדָא, טוּלָּא דְפִרְחָא, טוּלָּא דְזַרְדְּתָא. אִיכָּא דְּאָמְרִי: אַף טוּלָּא דְאַרְבָּא, וְטוּלָּא דַעֲרַבְתָּא. כְּלָלָא דְּמִילְּתָא: כֹּל דִּנְפִישׁ עַנְפֵיהּ — קְשֵׁי טוּלֵּיהּ, וְכֹל דִּקְשֵׁי סִילְוֵיהּ — קְשֵׁי טוּלֵּיהּ, לְבַר מִכְּרוּ מְשָׁא, אַף עַל גַּב דִּקְשֵׁי סִילְוֵיהּ — לָא קְשֵׁי טוּלֵּיהּ, דַּאֲמַרָה לֵהּ שֵׁידָא לִבְרַהּ: פִּירְחִי נַפְשָׁיךְ מִכְּרוּ מְשָׁא, דְּאִיהוּ הוּא דְּקָטֵיל לַאֲבוּךְ, וְקָטֵיל לְדִידֵיהּ. אָמַר רַב אָשֵׁי: חֲזֵינָא לְרַב כָּהֲנָא דְּפָרֵישׁ מִכּוּלְּהוּ טוּלֵּי. בֵּי פִרְחֵי — רוּחֵי. דְּבֵי זַרְדְּתָא — שֵׁידָא. דְּבֵי אִיגָּרֵי — רִישְׁפֵּי. לְמַאי נָפְקָא מִינַּהּ? לִקְמִיעָא. דְּבֵי פִרְחֵי — בְּרִיָּה שֶׁאֵין לָהּ עֵינַיִם. לְמַאי נָפְקָא מִינַּהּ — לְגַזּוֹזֵי לַהּ. זִימְנָא חֲדָא הֲוָה אָזֵיל צוּרְבָּא מֵרַבָּנַן לְאִפְּנוֹיֵי לְבֵי פִרְחֵי, שְׁמַע דְּקָא אָתָא עִילָּוֵיהּ, וְגַזִּי לַהּ. כִּי אָזְלָא, חַבְּקַיהּ לְדִיקְלָא — צְוַוח דִּיקְלָא וּפְקַעָה הִיא. פִּרְחָא דְּבֵי זַרְדְּתָא — שֵׁידֵי. הָא זַרְדְּתָא דִּסְמִיכָה לְמָתָא — לָא פָּחֲתָא מִשִּׁיתִּין שֵׁידֵי. לְמַאי נָפְקָא מִינַּהּ? לְמִיכְתַּב לַהּ קְמִיעָא. הָהוּא בַּר קַשָּׁא דְּמָתָא דְּאָזֵיל וְקָאֵי גַּבֵּי זַרְדְּתָא, דַּהֲוָה סְמִיךְ לְמָתָא, עַלּוּ בֵּיהּ שִׁיתִּין שֵׁידֵי וְאִיסְתַּכַּן. אֲתָא לְהָהוּא מֵרַבָּנַן דְּלָא יְדַע דְּזַרְדְּתָא דְּשִׁיתִּין שֵׁידֵי הִיא, כְּתַב לַהּ קְמִיעַ לַחֲדָא שֵׁידָא. שְׁמַע דְּתָלוּ חִינְגָּא בְּגַוֵּויהּ, וְקָא מְשָׁרוּ הָכִי: סוּדָרֵיהּ דְּמָר כִּי צוּרְבָּא מֵרַבָּנַן, בָּדֵיקְנָא בֵּיהּ בְּמָר דְּלָא יָדַע ״בָּרוּךְ״. אֲתָא הָהוּא מֵרַבָּנַן דִּידַע דְּזַרְדְּתָא שִׁיתִּין שֵׁידֵי הֲוָה, כְּתַב לַהּ קְמִיעָא דְּשִׁיתִּין שֵׁידֵי, שְׁמַע דְּקָא אָמְרוּ: פַּנּוּ מָנַיְיכוּ מֵהָכָא.
Rav Yitzḥak said: What is the meaning of that which is written: “Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for You are with me” (Psalms 23:4)? This is a person who sleeps in the shadow of a single palm tree, and in the shadow of the moon. Despite his dangerous position, he trusts God and is not afraid. The Gemara qualifies the previous statement: And with regard to one who sleeps in the shadow of a single palm tree, we said he is in danger only if the shadow of another palm tree does not fall upon him. However, if the shadow of another palm tree falls upon him, we have no problem with it. The Gemara asks: But what about that which was taught in a baraita: With regard to one who sleeps in the shadow of a single palm tree in a courtyard and one who sleeps in the shadow of the moon, his blood is upon his own head. What are the circumstances? If we say that the shadow of another palm tree does not fall on him, he would also be harmed if he were in a field. Rather, must one not conclude from this baraita that if one is in a courtyard, even if the shadow of another tree fell on him, it remains dangerous? The Gemara concludes: Indeed, learn from it that this is so. The Gemara adds: And with regard to the shadow of the moon, we said it is dangerous to sleep there only at the end of the month when the moon shines in the east, and therefore its shadow is in the west. However, at the start of the month, when the moon shines in the west and its shadow is in the east, we have no problem with it. The Gemara continues to discuss harmful spirits. One who relieves himself on the stump of a palm tree will be seized by a spirit of sickness, and one who places his head on the stump of a palm tree will be seized by a spirit of a headache of half his head, i.e., a migraine. One who walks over a palm tree, if the tree is cut down, he too will be killed. If that tree is uprooted, he will also be uprooted and will die. The Gemara comments: This statement applies only if he does not place his legs upon it; however, if he places his legs upon it, we have no problem with it. The Gemara cites another statement with regard to shadows. There are five types of dangerous shadows: The shadow of a single palm tree, the shadow of a tree called kanda, the shadow of a caper-bush, and the shadow of the sorb tree. Some say: Also the shadow of a ship and the shadow of a willow. The general rule of the matter is: Whatever has many branches, its shadow is dangerous. And any tree whose wood is hard, its shadow is dangerous, except for the tree called kero masa. Although its wood is hard, its shadow is not dangerous, as the demon said to her son: Leave the kero masa tree alone, as it was that tree that killed your father. And the tree later killed the son too. The kero masa tree is harmful to demons. Rav Ashi said: I saw that Rav Kahana avoided all types of shadows. The Gemara comments: The demons near the caper-bush are called ruḥei. A demon found near the sorb trees is called shida. The demons found on roofs are called rishfei. The Gemara asks: What is the practical difference of these definitions? It makes a difference for writing an amulet on behalf of one who has been harmed. It is necessary to know the name of the demon who caused the damage. The Gemara further comments: The demon found near the caper-bush is a creature with no eyes. What is the practical halakhic difference of this observation? It is relevant with regard to fleeing from it. The Gemara relates: Once a Torah scholar went to relieve himself near a caper-bush. He heard the demon coming and fled from it. When this evil spirit went, it grabbed a palm tree and got stuck there. The palm tree dried out and the demon burst. It was stated above that the demons found near the sorb tree are called sheidei. The Gemara comments: This sorb tree that is close to the city contains no less than sixty demons. The Gemara asks: What is the practical difference of this statement? The Gemara answers: It is relevant for writing an amulet for this number. The Gemara relates: A certain ruler of a city walked and stood by a sorb tree that was near a city. Sixty sheidei demons came upon him and he was in danger. One of the Sages who did not know that it was a sorb tree of sixty sheidei came and wrote him an amulet for one shida demon. That man heard that there was a celebration inside the tree, and the demons were singing: The scarf of the Master is like that of a Torah scholar, but we checked the Master and he does not know how to say barukh, the blessing when donning a scarf. The demons were mocking him and saying that he did not know how to write an amulet. Another one of the Sages, who knew that it was a sorb tree of sixty sheidei, came and wrote an amulet against sixty demons. He heard them saying: Clear your items away from here.
וכל שיח השדה. היה ראוי לומר וכל עצי השדה, אבל אמר שיח מלשון לשוח בשדה שדרשוהו רבותינו ז"ל לשון תפלה ובא לרמוז כי כל האילנות והצמחים משבחין ומקלסין להקב"ה, כענין שדרשו רבותינו ז"ל בפסוק (תהלים סה יד) יתרועעו אף ישירו שהשבלים אומרים שירה ושירתן זהו קלוסן כי רצה הקב"ה להיות קלוסו עולה מכל המינים ואפילו מבעלי נפש הצומחת.
וכל שיח השדה “and all the trees of the field, etc.” The Torah should really have written the words עצי השדה instead of שיח השדה, “shrubs of the field.” The reason the Torah chose the expression שיח is connected with Genesis 24,63 ויצא יצחק לשוח השדה, Yitzchak went out to the field to pray.” The expression שיח refers to prayer. The Torah hints by the use of this word that all the trees and plants pray to G-d, i.e. praise Him and acknowledge Him. Our sages have also based this on Psalms 65,14 יתרועעו אף ישירו, “they raise a shout and break out in song.” David had been speaking about pastureland in that Psalm. The “song” attributed to the plants is their praise of G-d. G-d had wanted that all is creatures including the plants praise Him.
וְכֹל שִׂיחַ הַשָּׂדֶה טֶרֶם יִהְיֶה בָאָרֶץ (בראשית ב, ה), הָכָא אַתְּ אָמַר וְכֹל שִׂיחַ הַשָּׂדֶה, וּלְהַלָּן אַתְּ אָמַר (בראשית ב, ט): וַיַּצְמַח ה' אֱלֹהִים מִן הָאֲדָמָה, אָמַר רַבִּי חֲנִינָא לְהַלָּן לְגַן עֵדֶן, וְכָאן לְיִשּׁוּבוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם. תָּנֵי רַבִּי חִיָּיא אֵלּוּ וְאֵלּוּ לֹא צָמְחוּ עַד שֶׁיָּרְדוּ עֲלֵיהֶם גְּשָׁמִים. וְכֹל שִׂיחַ הַשָּׂדֶה, כָּל הָאִילָנוֹת כְּאִלּוּ מְשִׂיחִין אֵלּוּ עִם אֵלּוּ. כָּל הָאִילָנוֹת כְּאִלּוּ מְשִׂיחִין עִם הַבְּרִיּוֹת. כָּל הָאִילָנוֹת לַהֲנָאָתָן שֶׁל בְּרִיּוֹת נִבְרְאוּ. מַעֲשֶׂה בְּאֶחָד שֶׁבָּצַר אֶת כַּרְמוֹ וְלָן בְּתוֹכוֹ וּבָאת הָרוּחַ וּפְגָעַתּוּ. כָּל שִׂיחָתָן שֶׁל בְּרִיּוֹת אֵינָהּ אֶלָּא עַל הָאָרֶץ, עָבְדַּת אַרְעָא, לָא עָבְדַּת. וְכָל תְּפִלָּתָן שֶׁל בְּרִיּוֹת אֵינָהּ אֶלָּא עַל הָאָרֶץ, מָרֵי תַּעֲבֵד אַרְעָא, מָרֵי תַּצְלִיחַ אַרְעָא. כָּל תְּפִלָּתָן שֶׁל יִשְׂרָאֵל אֵינוֹ אֶלָּא עַל בֵּית הַמִּקְדָּשׁ, מָרֵי יִתְבְּנֵי בֵּית מַקְדְּשָׁא, מָרֵי מָתַי יִתְבְּנֵי בֵּית מַקְדְּשָׁא.
Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai Said: Three things are of equal importance, and these are them: earth, humankind, and rain. Rabbi Levi Bar Hiyya said: And these three are from three letters, to teach you that if there's no earth there's no rain, and if there's no rain there's no earth, and without either of them there's no humankind. And every growth/si’ach of the field” [Gn 2:5]—All the trees as it were /k’ilu are conversing/m’sichin, these with these. All the trees as it were are conversing with the creatures / `im hab’riyot.All the treeswere createdtogivepleasure tothe creatures . . . All the conversations of the creatures are about nothing except the land . . . and all the prayers of the creatures are about nothing except the land . . . All the prayers of Israel are about nothing except the Temple/ beyt hamiqdash.
אשכחיה רבה בר אבוה לאליהו דקאי בבית הקברות של עובדי כוכבים א"ל מהו שיסדרו בב"ח א"ל גמר מיכה מיכה מערכין גבי ערכין כתיב ואם מך הוא מערכך גבי ב"ח כתיב (ויקרא כה, לה) וכי ימוך אחיך מנין לערום שלא יתרום דכתיב (דברים כג, טו) ולא יראה בך ערות דבר אמר ליה לאו כהן הוא מר מאי טעמא קאי מר בבית הקברות א"ל לא מתני מר טהרות דתניא ר"ש בן יוחי אומר קבריהן של עובדי כוכבים אין מטמאין שנאמר (יחזקאל לד, לא) ואתן צאני צאן מרעיתי אדם אתם אתם קרויין אדם ואין עובדי כוכבים קרויין אדם אמר ליה בארבעה לא מצינא בשיתא מצינא א"ל ואמאי אמר ליה דחיקא לי מילתא דבריה ועייליה לגן עדן אמר ליה פשוט גלימך ספי שקול מהני טרפי ספא שקל כי הוה נפיק שמע דקאמר מאן קא אכיל לעלמיה כרבה בר אבוה נפץ שדנהו אפילו הכי אתייה לגלימיה סחט גלימא ריחא זבניה בתריסר אלפי דינרי פלגינהו לחתנוותיה
§ The Gemara relates: Rabba bar Avuh found Elijah standing in a graveyard of gentiles. Rabba bar Avuh said to him: What is the halakha with regard to making arrangements for the debtor? Elijah said to him: A verbal analogy is derived from the usage of the term “poor” written in the context of a debtor and the term “poor” written in the context of valuations. With regard to valuations, it is written: “But if he is too poor [makh] for your valuation” (Leviticus 27:8), and with regard to a creditor, it is written: “But if your brother be poor [yamukh]” (Leviticus 25:35). Rabba bar Avuh now asks Elijah another question: From where is it derived with regard to a naked person that he may not separate teruma? He replied: As it is written: “And He see no unseemly thing in you” (Deuteronomy 23:15). This verse indicates that one may not recite any words of sanctity, including the blessing upon separating teruma, in front of one who is naked. The amora proceeded to ask Elijah a different question and said to him: Is not the Master a priest? What is the reason that the Master is standing in a cemetery? Elijah said to him: Has the Master not studied the mishnaic order of Teharot? As it is taught in a baraita: Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai says that the graves of gentiles do not render one impure, as it is stated: “And you, My sheep, the sheep of My pasture, are man” (Ezekiel 34:31), which teaches that you, i.e., the Jewish people, are called “man,” but gentiles are not called “man.” Since the Torah states with regard to ritual impurity imparted in a tent: “If a man dies in a tent” (Numbers 19:14), evidently impurity imparted by a tent does not apply to gentiles. Rabba bar Avuh said to him: How could I be familiar with that baraita? If I cannot be proficient in the more commonly studied four orders of the Mishna, can I be knowledgeable in all six? Elijah said to him: Why are you not learned in them all? Rabba bar Avuh said to him: The matter of a livelihood is pressing for me, and I am therefore unable to study properly. Elijah led him and brought him into the Garden of Eden and said to him: Remove your cloak, gather up and take some of these leaves lying around. Rabba Bar Avuh gathered them up and took them. When he was exiting, he heard a voice that declared: Who else consumes his World-to-Come like Rabba bar Avuh, who takes his merit of the next world for his use in the present one? He spread out his cloak and threw away the leaves. Even so, when he brought his cloak back, he discovered that the cloak had absorbed such a good scent from those leaves that he sold it for twelve thousand dinars. Since he knew that this was taken from his portion in the World-to-Come, he did not want to benefit from it himself, and he therefore divided the sum among his sons-in-law.
וְהָא דַּאֲמַרַן עֲשָׂרָה, תְּמָנְיָא, שִׁיתָּא, אַרְבְּעָה אֵין בָּהֶן מִשּׁוּם זוּגֵי, לָא אֲמַרַן אֶלָּא לְעִנְיַן מַזִּיקִין. אֲבָל לְעִנְיַן כְּשָׁפִים — אֲפִילּוּ טוּבָא נָמֵי חָיְישִׁינַן. כִּי הָא דְּהָהוּא גַּבְרָא דְּגָרְשַׁהּ לִדְבֵיתְהוּ. (אֲזִיל) אִינַּסְבָה לְחַנְוָאָה. כׇּל יוֹמָא הֲוָה אָזֵיל וְשָׁתֵי חַמְרָא. הֲוָה קָא עָבְדָא לֵיהּ כְּשָׁפִים וְלָא קָא מַהְנְיָא לַהּ בֵּיהּ, מִשּׁוּם דַּהֲוָה מִזְדְּהַר בְּנַפְשֵׁיהּ בְּזוּגָא. יוֹמָא חַד אִשְׁתִּי טוּבָא, וְלָא הֲוָה יָדַע כַּמָּה שָׁתֵי. עַד שִׁיתְּסַר הֲוָה צְיִיל וְאִיזְדְּהַר בְּנַפְשֵׁיהּ, מִכָּאן וְאֵילָךְ לָא הֲוָה צְיִיל וְלָא אִיזְדְּהַר בְּנַפְשֵׁיהּ, אַפֵּיקְתֵּיהּ בְּזוּגָא. כִּי הֲוָה אָזֵיל, גָּס בֵּיהּ הָהוּא טַיָּיעָא, אֲמַר לֵיהּ: גַּבְרָא קְטִילָא הוּא דְּאָזֵיל הָכָא. אָזֵיל חַבְּקֵיהּ לְדִיקְלָא, צְוַוח דִּיקְלָא וּפְקַע הוּא.
And the Gemara notes that that which we said above, that the numbers ten, eight, six, and four do not cause the danger associated with pairs, we said only with regard to harmful spirits. However, with regard to witchcraft, we are concerned even with regard to one who performed an activity a greater number of times. This is like that incident involving a certain man who divorced his wife. She went and married a shopkeeper who sold wine in his store. Every day, the first husband would go and drink wine in that shop. His ex-wife would perform witchcraft upon him, and it would not be effective for her in her attempts to harm him because he was careful with regard to pairs. One day he drank a lot, and he did not know how much he drank. Until he drank sixteen cups, he was lucid and was careful with regard to himself, to keep track of how many cups he had drunk. From here onward he was not lucid and was not careful to watch himself, and she caused him to leave after having consumed a pair, i.e., an even number of cups. As he walked, a certain Arab met him and, noticing that he was bewitched, said to him: It is a dead man who walks here. He went and hugged a palm tree for support; the palm tree dried out due to the witchcraft, and he burst.
והרמב"ן ז"ל פירש סר צלם מעליהם, שהוסר הצל מעל ראשם, ממה שידוע כי בליל החותם הגדול של הושענא רבה, הוא יום כ"ו לבריאת העולם, לא ימצא צל לראש מי שעתיד למות באותה שנה, וזה כאלו אמר כבר נגזרה עליהם מיתה. זאת כוונתו ואע"פ שאינו לשונו. ונראה כי זאת כוונת הכתוב שאמר (שם ב) עד שיפוח היום ונסו הצללים, יאמר כי כשהגיע הזמן שיפוח האדם ויצא הרוח מפיו אז יסתלק צלו ויתקרב לצל של השם הרשום בד' התיבות שכתוב בו (תהלים קכא) ה' צלך. ולפי זה היה יכול לומר ונס הצל, אבל אמר ונסו הצללים כי הם שנים באדם, בבואה ובבואה דבבואה.
Nachmanides explains the words: “their shadow has departed from them,” to mean that their shadow had been removed from their heads. He refers to a kabbalistic tradition that on the night of Hoshanah Rabbah, the 21st of Tishrey when the seal is attached to the fate of the individuals for the coming year, anyone whose shadow cannot be seen in the moonlight is slated to die during the course of that year. That calendar date corresponds to the 26th day after G’d commenced creating the universe. Calev meant to say that death had been decreed for these people already on the previous 21st of Tishrey. Although Calev did not spell this out in so many words, this is what he alluded to. This is also the allusion contained in Song of Songs 2,17: “until the day blows past and the shadows have fled.” Solomon meant that when a person’s “day,” i.e. his lifetime on earth, approaches its end this is signaled by his shadow departing from him first. This “shadow” comes closer to the Lord (the Ineffable Name י-ה-ו-ה whose numerical value is 26, corresponding to the 26th day after commencement of the creation). When David writes this “name” it also is described as ה' צלך, “the Lord is your shadow” (Psalms 121,5). Actually it would have been sufficient to refer to ונס הצל, “the shadow (sing.) departed, fled.” The reason Solomon spoke about צללים, “shadows” in the plural, is that every human being has two shadows (compare Yevamot 122). The regular shadow is the one visible when the sun shines. The “secondary” shadow is the one visible at night. [The Talmud distinguishes between the ability of demons to cast a shadow, suggesting that they can cast a shadow when impersonating persons by day, but cannot do so at night. Ed.]