Life is full of misery, loneliness, and suffering - and it's all over much too soon.
She sent them on their way, and they left; and she tied the crimson cord to the window.
ืึทืชึผึดืฆึฐืคึผึฐื ืึน ืึตืฉื ืึดืงึฐืจึธืืึนืช ืึฐืึทืึผึฐืจึดืื ืขึทื ืึธืจึทืึผึดืื ืึผึฐืึธืึดืื, ืึฐืคึดื ืฉืึถืึผึดืืึฒืจึธื ืึผึฐืึทืึฐืึธื ึธืชึธื ืึผืึฐืึธืงืึนื ืฆึทืจ, ืึผึฐืึดืืึผืึผ ืึธืึธื ืึฐืึดืืึดื, ืึผืึดืึฐืจึทืฉื ืึทืึผึธืึทืช ืชึผึทื ึฐืืึผืึธื ืึตืฉื (ืฉืื ื): ืคึผึดื ึฐืึธืก ืึฐืึธืึตื ืึธืืึผ, ืึผืคึดื ึฐืึธืก ืขึธืึทื ืึดืคึฐื ึตืืึถื ืึฐืึนื ืจึธืืึผืืึผ ืึฐืคึดื ืฉืึถืึธืึธื ืึผึฐืึทืึฐืึธืึฐ.
And she hid them. There are scriptural verses that speak of the plural as if it were singular. Since she was in a hurry to hide them and she hid them in a narrow place it was as though they were one person. The Midrash of Rabbi Tanchuma states โThat these two men were Pinchos and Caleiv, and Pinchos stood before them but they did not see him because he was [invisible] like an angel.โ
...ืฉืึถืึตืื ืึฐืึธ ืึธืึดืื ืึดืคึฐื ึตื ืึทืงึผึธืืึนืฉื ืึผึธืจืึผืึฐ ืืึผื ืึผึฐืฉืึธืึดืืึท ืฉืึถืึผึดืฉืึฐืชึผึทืึผึตืึท ืึทืขึฒืฉืืึนืช ืึดืฆึฐืึธื ืึฐื ืึนืชึตื ื ึทืคึฐืฉืืึน ืึผึฐืึตื ืฉืึถืึผึดืฆึฐืึทื ืึผึดืฉืึฐืึดืืืึผืชืึน, ืึฐืึตืื ืึฐืึธ ืึผึฐื ึตื ืึธืึธื ืฉืึถื ึผึดืฉืึฐืชึผึทืึผึฐืืึผ ืึทืขึฒืฉืืึนืช ืึดืฆึฐืึธื ืึฐื ืึนืชึฐื ึดืื ื ึทืคึฐืฉืึธื ืึฐืึทืฆึฐืึดืืึท ืึผึดืฉืึฐืึดืืืึผืชึธื ืึผึฐืืึนืชึธื ืฉืึฐื ึทืึดื ืฉืึถืฉึผืึธืึทื ืึฐืืึนืฉืึปืขึท ืึผึดื ื ืึผื, ืฉืึถื ึผึถืึฑืึทืจ (ืืืืฉืข ื, ื): ืึทืึผึดืฉืึฐืึทื ืึฐืืึนืฉืึปืขึท ืึผึดื ื ืึผื ืึดื ืึทืฉึผืึดืึผึดืื ืฉืึฐื ึทืึดื, ืึดื ืึธืืึผ, ืฉืึธื ืึผ ืจึทืึผืึนืชึตืื ืึผ ืึตืึผืึผ ืคึผึดืื ึฐืึธืก ืึฐืึธืึตื, ืึฐืึธืึฐืืึผ ืึฐื ึธืชึฐื ืึผ ื ึทืคึฐืฉืึธื ืึฐืึดืฆึฐืึดืืืึผ ืึผึดืฉืึฐืึดืืืึผืชึธื
ืืืืจืฉ ืฉืืืื ืืฆืื ืฉื ืืชื ืื ื ืคืฉื ืืฉืืืืืชื...
...ืื"ืฉ ืืฉืืืื ืืืืฉืข ืืจืฉ ืฉืขืฉื ืขืฆืื ืงืืจืื ืื'. ืืฉืืขืชื ืืืื"ื ื"ื ืฉืืืื ืฉืืืื ืืืฉื ืืื ื ืืืฆืจืื ืืืื ืืืจืืฉ ืฉืืื ืืืื ืืจืฉ ืื'
ืชึผึธื ืึผ ืจึทืึผึธื ึทื: ืึทืจึฐืึผึทืข ื ึธืฉืึดืื ืึฐืคึตืืคึดืึผืึนืช ืึธืืึผ ืึผึธืขืึนืึธื: ืฉืึธืจึธื (ืึทืึฒืึดืืึทืึดื, ืจึธืึธื) ืึฐืึถืกึฐืชึผึตืจ, ืึผืึฐืึทืื ืึผึฐืึธืึทืจ ืึถืกึฐืชึผึตืจ ืึฐืจึทืงึฐืจืึนืงึถืช ืึธืึฐืชึธื โ ืึทืคึผึตืืง ืึถืกึฐืชึผึตืจ ืึผืึฐืขึทืึผึตืื ืึทืฉืึฐืชึผึดื.
ืชึผึธื ืึผ ืจึทืึผึธื ึทื: ืจึธืึธื ืึผึดืฉืึฐืึธืึผ ืึดืื ึผึฐืชึธื, ืึธืขึตื โ ืึผึฐืงืึนืึธืึผ, ืึฒืึดืืึทืึดื โ ืึผึดืึฐืึดืืจึธืชึธืึผ, ืึดืืึทื ืึผึทืช ืฉืึธืืึผื โ ืึผึดืจึฐืึดืึผึธืืชึธืึผ. ืึธืึทืจ ืจึทืึผึดื ืึดืฆึฐืึธืง: ืึผืื ืึธืืึนืึตืจ ืดืจึธืึธืืด ืดืจึธืึธืืด โ ืึดืึผึธื ื ึดืืงึฐืจึตื. ืึธืึทืจ ืึตืืึผ ืจึทื ื ึทืึฐืึธื: ืึฒื ึธื ืึธืึตืื ึธื ืดืจึธืึธืืด ืดืจึธืึธืืด ืึฐืึธื ืึดืืึฐืคึผึทืช ืึดื! ืึฒืึทืจ ืึตืืึผ: ืึผึดื ืงึธืึธืึตืื ึธื ืึผึฐืืึนืึฐืขึธืึผ ืึผืึฐืึทืึผึดืืจึธืึผ.
To complete the discussion about the prophetesses, the Gemara cites a baraita in which the Sages taught: There were four women of extraordinary beauty in the world: Sarah, and Abigail, Rahab, and Esther. And according to the one who said that Esther was greenish in color, lacking natural beauty, only that a cord of divine grace was strung around her, remove Esther from the list and insert Vashti in her place, for she was indeed beautiful.
The Sages taught in a baraita: Rahab aroused impure thoughts by her name, i.e., the mere mention of her name would inspire lust for her; Yael, by her voice; Abigail, by remembering her; Michal, the daughter of Saul, by her appearance. Similarly, Rabbi Yitzแธฅak said: Anyone who says Rahab, Rahab, immediately experiences a seminal emission due to the arousal of desire caused by Rahabโs great beauty. Rav Naแธฅman said to him: I say: Rahab, Rahab, and it does not affect me. Rabbi Yitzchak said to Rav Naแธฅman: When I said this, I was specifically referring to one who knows her personally and recognizes her beauty. Only for one who has met Rahab in person is the mere mention of her name capable of arousing lust.
ืึฐืึตืฉื ืืึนืึฐืจึดืื ืฉืึถืฉึผืึธืจึฐืชึธื ืขึธืึถืืึธ ืจืึผืึท ืึทืงึผึนืึถืฉื ืขึทื ืฉืึถืึนื ื ึดืึฐื ึฐืกืึผ ืึดืฉืึฐืจึธืึตื ืึธืึธืจึถืฅ, ืึฐืึดื ืึตืึตืืึธื ืึธืึฐืชึธื ืืึนืึทืขึทืช ืฉืึถืืึนืึฐืจึดืื ืึดืฉืึฐืืฉืึถืช ืึธืึดืื, ืึดืึผึธื ืฉืึถืฉึผืึธืจึฐืชึธื ืขึธืึถืืึธ ืจืึผืึท ืึทืงึผึนืึถืฉื...
...ืึดืึผึธืื ืึธืึฐืจืึผ ืขึฒืฉืึธืจึธื ืึผึนืึฒื ึดืื ื ึฐืึดืืึดืื ืขึธืึฐืืึผ ืึตืจึธืึธื ืึทืึผืึนื ึธื: ืึดืจึฐืึฐืึธื, ืึดืึฐืงึดืึผึธื, ืฉืึฐืจึธืึธื, ืึทืึฐืกึตืึธื, ืึฒื ึทืึฐืึตื, ืฉืึทืึผืึผื, ืึผึธืจืึผืึฐ, ื ึตืจึดืึธื, ืึฐืึถืึฐืงึตืื, ืึผืึผืึดื. ืึฐืึตืฉื ืืึนืึฐืจึดืื ืึทืฃ ืึปืึฐืึผึธื ืึทื ึผึฐืึดืืึธื ืึดืึผึฐื ึตื ืึธื ึถืืึธ ืฉืึถื ืจึธืึธื ืึทืึผืึนื ึธื ืึธืึฐืชึธื.
ืจ"ื ืืืืจ ืงืจืืขืช ืื ืกืืฃ ืฉืืข ืืื ืฉื ื' (ืืืืฉืข ื, ื) ืืืื ืืฉืืืข ืื ืืืื ืืืืืจื ืืืฃ ืจืื ืืืื ื ืืืจื ืืฉืืืื ืืืืฉืข (ืืืืฉืข ื, ื) ืื ืฉืืขื ื ืืช ืืฉืจ ืืืืืฉ ื' ืืช ืื ืื ืกืืฃ
ืืื ืฉื ื ืืชื ืืืืจ (ืืื) (ืืืืฉืข ื, ื) ืืื ืืื ืื ืขืื ืจืื ืื"ืฉ ืืื ืืงืืืจ (ืืืืฉืข ื, ืื) ืืื ืงืื ืขืื ืจืื ืืืืฉ ืืืคืืื ืืงืฉืืื ื ืื ืื ืืงืฉื ืืื ื ืืืขื ืืืืจ ืืจ ืืื ืื ืื ืฉืจ ืื ืืื ืฉืื ืื ืขื ืจืื ืืืื ื
The Gemara offers another explanation of what Yitro heard: Rabbi Eliezer says: He heard about the splitting of the Red Sea and came, as it is stated in a similar context with regard to the splitting of the Jordan in the days of Joshua: โAnd it came to pass, when all the kings of the Amorites, that were beyond the Jordan westward, and all the kings of the Canaanites, that were by the sea, heard how that the Lord had dried up the waters of the Jordan from before the children of Israel, until they were passed over, that their heart melted, neither was there spirit in them anymore, because of the children of Israelโ (Joshua 5:1). And even Rahab the prostitute said to Joshuaโs messengers: โFor we have heard how the Lord dried up the water of the Red Sea before youโ (Joshua 2:10). The Gemara asks: What is different there, i.e., with regard to the splitting of the Jordan, where the verse states: โNeither was there spirit in them anymore,โ and what is different here, i.e., in the statement of Rahab, where the verse states: โNeither did there remain [kama] any more spirit in any manโ (Joshua 2:11)? The Gemara replies that Rahab used this phrase euphemistically, to say that their fear was so great that their male organs were not even able to become erect, as โkamaโ also means rise. The Gemara asks: And how did Rahab know this? The Gemara replies: As the Master said: You do not have any prince or ruler at that time who did not engage in intercourse with Rahab the prostitute.
ืืื ืืขืื ืคื ืืก ืืืื ืฉืืื ืืืช ืจืื ืืืื ื ืฉืื' ืืืืช ื' ืจืืช ืืืืืื ืืื ืืืืืจ ืจืื ืจืื ืืื ื ืงืจื, ืืืชืื ืืืงืืืืื ืฉืืืชื ืืืืืช ืืจืฉืขื, ืื ืืืืื ืืืืชื ืืงืืืฉื ืืชืืจื ืฉืืื ื ืืชืงื ืืืืืจื ืื ืกืื ืืืืฉืข
Illusion is the first of all pleasures.
ืื ืืงืืืืืจื ืืืื ืืช ืื ืืื ืืื ืขื ืืกืื ืื ืืืืื. ืืืื ืืืจืฉืช ืืืจืื ืืืืืื ืฉื ืขืื ืืชืจืืืช ืืืืืืื ืืื ืืืืื, ืฉืืื ื ืืื ืืชืคืชืืืช ืืืืคื ืืืืคื ื ืืคืืขื ืืืฆืืืจ ืืขืฉื. ืืืื ืืืฉืชืืื ืื ืืืืื, ืืขืื ืืฉืชืืืืื ืืืืขืื ืืืขืฉืืื ืืื ืกืืื ืืื, ืืขื ืคื ืขืืืชื ืฉื ืื ืืืืื ืืชืคืืกืชื ืืช ืืืืื ืืกืชืืง ืืืืจ ืืฉืืื, ืืคื ื ืฉืืืฉื ืืขืืื ืืืื ืฉืื ืืืืฉืจ ืชืืื ืืคืชืืื ืฉื ืื ืืืืื. ืืื ืืืืืื ืืขื ืื ืื ืืืืจืื, ืขื ืฉืฉืจืืจื ืืฉืื ืฉืืจืื ืืืืื ืืืืืื ืืช ืื ืื ืืืืืื ืื ืขืชืงืื ืื ืื ืืืืื. ืืืืืฆืื ืืืืกืคืจืื, ืืืจืืชืืจืืื ืืื ืืขืืกืงืื ืืืื ืืืช ืืืคืืช ื ืืืืื ืืงืื ืืจืืฉ ืืชืจืืืช, ืืืคืืืืกืืคืื ืคืืกืืช ืืฆืืืขืช ืืืื ืื ืืขืื ืืคื ื ืฉืืฉืื ืื ืงื ืืืื ืืืกืชืืง. ืืคื ืกืืืงื ืฉื ืืฉืื ืืจืื ืืืืื ืื ืืืฆืคื ืืกืื ืืืืืช ืกืืคืจืื ืชืกืจื ืืจืื ืืื ืืืืกื ืืืืืช ืชืื ื ืขืืจืช ืืคื ื ืืืืจ ืืคื ื ืืืื, ืืืชื ืืขืืื ืืช ืืคื ืืืืช, ืืืื ืืจืื ืืืืื, ืืืืืช ืื ืืืื, ืืฉืืืคื ืืจืืื ืืืช ืืืฆืืืืช, ืืืืงืืช ืืืืืช, ืืขืืื ืืขืืืื, ืืืื ืืืืกืจ, ืืจืื ืืืจืชื, ืืฆืืืจื ืืืืฉืืืืช ืืฆื ืขืฆืื ืื ืฆืืืืชื, ื ืขืฉืืช ืืืื ืืงืจ
ืืข โ ืื ืืืืชืช ืื ืืืื ืืืืืชื ืืื ืฉืคืข ืฉืืคืข ืืืช ืืืืื ืืชืณ ืืืชืณ ืืืืฆืขืืช ืืฉืื ืืคืืขื, ืขื ืืื ืืืืจื ืชืืื, ืืืืจ ืื ืืฉืคืข ืขื ืืื ืืืืื.
PROPHECY is, in truth and reality, an emanation sent forth by the Divine Being through the medium of the Active Intellect, in the first instance to manโs rational faculty, and then to his imaginative faculty;
For I granted many visions,
And spoke parables through the prophets.
โGrief ... gives life a permanently provisional feeling. It doesn't seem worth starting anything. I can't settle down. I yawn, I fidget, I smoke too much. Up till this I always had too little time. Now there is nothing but time. Almost pure time, empty successiveness.โ
โ C.S. Lewis, A Grief Observed
ืืืจ"ืจ ืืืื ืืื"ื ืืื"ื ืืชื ืืืขื ืฉืืงื ืืืืฉืข ืืช ืจืื ืืืื ื, ืื ืืื ืืืืืชื ืืืืื ืืืกืฃ, ืืื ืฉืื ืืงื ืืฉืช ืืืื ืื, ืืงื ืขืชื ืืืืืช ืฉืืืชื ืืืืืื ืจืื, ืืืืืืชื ืืืืื ืช ืืจื ืืื ืืื ืืืจืืื:
Gilgulei Neshamot 40/10