## Chagigah Daf 13b

###### Chagigah 13b:1
[Chagigah 13b:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Chagigah/r/13b:1)

חַיּוֹת אֵשׁ מְמַלְּלוֹת. בְּמַתְנִיתָא תָּנָא: עִתִּים חָשׁוֹת, עִתִּים מְמַלְּלוֹת. בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁהַדִּיבּוּר יוֹצֵא מִפִּי הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא — חָשׁוֹת, וּבְשָׁעָה שֶׁאֵין הַדִּיבּוּר יוֹצֵא מִפִּי הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא — מְמַלְּלוֹת.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
It refers to **speaking animals of fire.** Electrum [*ḥashmal*] is an acrostic of this phrase [***ḥayyot esh memallelot***]. **It was taught in a *baraita*: At times they are silent; at times they speak. When the divine speech emerges from the mouth of the Holy One, Blessed be He, they are silent; and when the divine speech does not emerge from the mouth of the Holy One, Blessed be He, they speak.**


###### Chagigah 13b:2
[Chagigah 13b:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Chagigah/r/13b:2)

״וְהַחַיּוֹת רָצוֹא וָשׁוֹב כְּמַרְאֵה הַבָּזָק״. מַאי ״רָצוֹא וָשׁוֹב״? אָמַר רַב יְהוּדָה: כְּאוּר הַיּוֹצֵא מִפִּי הַכִּבְשָׁן. מַאי ״כְּמַרְאֵה הַבָּזָק״? אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹסֵי בַּר חֲנִינָא: כְּאוּר הַיּוֹצֵא מִבֵּין הַחֲרָסִים.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
§ The verse states: **“And the divine creatures ran and returned like the appearance of a flash of lightning [*bazak*]”** (Ezekiel 1:14). **What is** the meaning of **“ran and returned”? Rav Yehuda said: Like fire that is emitted from a furnace,** whose flame is continuously bursting out and withdrawing. **What is** the meaning of **“like the appearance of a flash of lightning”? Rabbi Yosei bar Ḥanina said: Like the fire that is emitted** from **between** pieces of **earthenware** used for refining gold, as an additional meaning ascribed to the word *bazak* is shards of earthenware.


###### Chagigah 13b:3
[Chagigah 13b:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Chagigah/r/13b:3)

״וָאֵרֶא וְהִנֵּה רוּחַ סְעָרָה בָּאָה מִן הַצָּפוֹן עָנָן גָּדוֹל וְאֵשׁ מִתְלַקַּחַת וְנוֹגַהּ לוֹ סָבִיב וּמִתּוֹכָהּ כְּעֵין הַחַשְׁמַל מִתּוֹךְ הָאֵשׁ״. לְהֵיכָן אֲזַל? אֲמַר רַב יְהוּדָה אָמַר רַב: שֶׁהָלַךְ לִכְבּוֹשׁ אֶת כָּל הָעוֹלָם כּוּלּוֹ תַּחַת נְבוּכַדְנֶצַּר הָרָשָׁע. וְכׇל כָּךְ לָמָּה? שֶׁלֹּא יֹאמְרוּ אוּמּוֹת הָעוֹלָם: בְּיַד אוּמָּה שְׁפָלָה מָסַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא אֶת בָּנָיו. אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא: מִי גָּרַם לִי שֶׁאֶהְיֶה שַׁמָּשׁ לְעוֹבְדֵי פְסִילִים — עֲוֹנוֹתֵיהֶן שֶׁל יִשְׂרָאֵל הֵן גָּרְמוּ לִי.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The verse states: **“And I looked and, behold, a stormy wind came out of the north, a great cloud, with a fire flashing up, so that a brightness was round about it; and out of its midst was like the color of electrum, out of the midst of the fire”** (Ezekiel 1:4). The Gemara poses a question: **Where did** that wind **go? Rav Yehuda said** that **Rav said: It went to conquer the entire world under the wicked Nebuchadnezzar. And why was all of this necessary?** Why was it necessary that the entire world be subjected to his dominion? **So that the nations of the world would not say: The Holy One, Blessed be He, delivered His children into the hands of a lowly nation.** Since it was already decreed that the kingdom of Israel would fall into the hands of Nebuchadnezzar, God made him into a great conqueror, so that Israel would not be ashamed of being defeated by him. **The Holy One, Blessed be He, said** with regard to this: **Who caused Me to be an attendant to worshippers of molten images,** forcing Me to wage their wars? **It was the sins of Israel that led Me** to do so.


###### Chagigah 13b:4
[Chagigah 13b:4](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Chagigah/r/13b:4)

״וָאֵרֶא הַחַיּוֹת וְהִנֵּה אוֹפַן אֶחָד בָּאָרֶץ אֵצֶל הַחַיּוֹת״, אָמַר רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר: מַלְאָךְ אֶחָד שֶׁהוּא עוֹמֵד בָּאָרֶץ, וְרֹאשׁוֹ מַגִּיעַ אֵצֶל הַחַיּוֹת. בְּמַתְנִיתָא תָּנָא: סַנְדַּלְפוֹן שְׁמוֹ, הַגָּבוֹהַּ מֵחֲבֵרוֹ מַהֲלַךְ חֲמֵשׁ מֵאוֹת שָׁנָה. וְעוֹמֵד אֲחוֹרֵי הַמֶּרְכָּבָה וְקוֹשֵׁר כְּתָרִים לְקוֹנוֹ. אִינִי? וְהָכְתִיב: ״בָּרוּךְ כְּבוֹד ה׳ מִמְּקוֹמוֹ״, מִכְּלָל דִּמְקוֹמוֹ לֵיכָּא דְּיָדַע לֵיהּ! דְּאָמַר שֵׁם אַתָּגָא וְאָזֵל וְיָתֵיב בְּרֵישֵׁיהּ.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
Another verse in the same chapter states: **“Now as I beheld the divine creatures, behold, one wheel [*ofan*] was upon the earth near the divine creatures”** (Ezekiel 1:15). **Rabbi Elazar said:** This wheel is **a certain angel who stands on the earth and its head reaches the divine creatures. It was taught in a *baraita*:** This angel **is named Sandalfon, who is taller than his colleague by a distance of five hundred years, and he stands behind the** Divine **Chariot and weaves crowns for his Maker.** The Gemara asks: **Is that so?** Can crowns be woven for God? **But isn’t it written: “Blessed be the Lord’s glory from His place”** (Ezekiel 3:12), which proves **by inference** that **no one knows His place?** Therefore, how can crowns be woven for Him? Rather, it can be done **by saying a name for the crown, and** then the crown **goes and sits on** God’s **head** of its own accord.


###### Chagigah 13b:5
[Chagigah 13b:5](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Chagigah/r/13b:5)

אָמַר רָבָא: כׇּל שֶׁרָאָה יְחֶזְקֵאל, רָאָה יְשַׁעְיָה. לְמָה יְחֶזְקֵאל דּוֹמֶה — לְבֶן כְּפָר שֶׁרָאָה אֶת הַמֶּלֶךְ, וּלְמָה יְשַׁעְיָה דּוֹמֶה — לְבֶן כְּרַךְ שֶׁרָאָה אֶת הַמֶּלֶךְ. אָמַר רֵישׁ לָקִישׁ: מַאי דִּכְתִיב: ״אָשִׁירָה לַה׳ כִּי גָאֹה גָּאָה״ — שִׁירָה לְמִי שֶׁמִּתְגָּאֶה עַל הַגֵּאִים. דְּאָמַר מָר: מֶלֶךְ שֶׁבַּחַיּוֹת — אֲרִי, מֶלֶךְ שֶׁבַּבְּהֵמוֹת — שׁוֹר, מֶלֶךְ שֶׁבָּעוֹפוֹת — נֶשֶׁר, וְאָדָם מִתְגָּאֶה עֲלֵיהֶן, וְהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מִתְגָּאֶה עַל כּוּלָּן וְעַל כׇּל הָעוֹלָם כּוּלּוֹ.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
§ **Rava said: All that Ezekiel saw,** the prophet **Isaiah saw** as well, but the latter did not find it necessary to describe his vision in such detail. **To what may Ezekiel be compared? To a villager who saw the king** and is excited by all the extravagances of the king’s palace and everything it contains, as he is unaccustomed to them. **And to what may Isaiah be compared? To a city dweller who saw the king.** Such an individual focuses on the encounter with the king, and is oblivious to all the distractions. **Reish Lakish said: What is** the meaning of that **which is written: “I will sing to the Lord, for He is highly exalted”** (Exodus 15:1)? It is fitting to **sing to He Who is exalted above the exalted. As the Master said: The king of the beasts** is **the lion, the king of the domestic animals** is **the ox, the king of the birds** is **the eagle, and man is exalted** and lords **over them, but the Holy One, Blessed be He, is exalted above all of them and above the entire world,** as the creatures that appear in the Divine Chariot are the ox, the lion, the eagle, and man.


###### Chagigah 13b:6
[Chagigah 13b:6](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Chagigah/r/13b:6)

כָּתוּב אֶחָד אוֹמֵר: ״וּדְמוּת פְּנֵיהֶם פְּנֵי אָדָם וּפְנֵי אַרְיֵה אֶל הַיָּמִין לְאַרְבַּעְתָּם וּפְנֵי שׁוֹר מֵהַשְּׂמֹאל לְאַרְבַּעְתָּן וְגוֹ׳״, וּכְתִיב: ״וְאַרְבָּעָה פָנִים לְאֶחָד פְּנֵי הָאֶחָד פְּנֵי הַכְּרוּב וּפְנֵי הַשֵּׁנִי פְּנֵי אָדָם וְהַשְּׁלִישִׁי פְּנֵי אַרְיֵה וְהָרְבִיעִי פְּנֵי נָשֶׁר״, וְאִילּוּ שׁוֹר לָא קָא חָשֵׁיב! אָמַר רֵישׁ לָקִישׁ: יְחֶזְקֵאל בִּיקֵּשׁ עָלָיו רַחֲמִים, וַהֲפָכוֹ לִכְרוּב. אָמַר לְפָנָיו: רִבּוֹנוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם! קָטֵיגוֹר יֵעָשֶׂה סָנֵיגוֹר?

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara poses a question with regard to the animals of the Divine Chariot: **One verse states: “As for the likeness of their faces, they had the face of a man; and the four had the face of a lion on the right side; and the four had the face of an ox on the left side”** (Ezekiel 1:10). **And it is** also **written: “And each one had four faces: The first face was the face of the cherub, and the second face was the face of a man, and the third the face of a lion, and the fourth the face of an eagle”** (Ezekiel 10:14), **but it does not include** the face of **an ox** in this second list. **Reish Lakish said: Ezekiel requested mercy** with regard to **it,** i.e., the face of the ox, **and had it turned into a cherub. He said before Him** as follows: **Master of the Universe.** Shall **an accuser [*kateigor*] become a defender [*saneigor*]?** As the face of an ox recalls Israel’s sin of the Golden Calf, it would be preferable for there to be a different face on the Divine Chariot.


###### Chagigah 13b:7
[Chagigah 13b:7](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Chagigah/r/13b:7)

מַאי ״כְּרוּב״? אָמַר רַבִּי אֲבָהוּ: כְּרָבְיָא, שֶׁכֵּן בְּבָבֶל קוֹרִין לְיָנוֹקָא רָבְיָא. אֲמַר לֵיהּ רַב פָּפָּא לְאַבָּיֵי: אֶלָּא מֵעַתָּה, דִּכְתִיב: ״פְּנֵי הָאֶחָד פְּנֵי הַכְּרוּב וּפְנֵי הַשֵּׁנִי פְּנֵי אָדָם וְהַשְּׁלִישִׁי פְּנֵי אַרְיֵה וְהָרְבִיעִי פְּנֵי נָשֶׁר״, הַיְינוּ פְּנֵי כְרוּב הַיְינוּ פְּנֵי אָדָם? אַפֵּי רַבְרְבֵי וְאַפֵּי זוּטְרֵי.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara asks: **What is** the meaning of **“cherub”? Rabbi Abbahu said: Like a baby** [***keravya***], **for in Babylonia they call a baby *ravya*. Rav Pappa said to Abaye: However, if that is so, what is** the meaning of **that which is written: “The first face was the face of the cherub, and the second face was the face of a man, and the third the face of a lion, and the fourth the face of an eagle”? The face of a cherub is** the same as **the face of a man;** what is the difference between them? He replied: The difference is that the face of a man is referring to **a large face,** whereas the face of a cherub means the **small face** of a baby.


###### Chagigah 13b:8
[Chagigah 13b:8](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Chagigah/r/13b:8)

כָּתוּב אֶחָד אוֹמֵר: ״שֵׁשׁ כְּנָפַיִם שֵׁשׁ כְּנָפַיִם לְאֶחָד״, וְכָתוּב אֶחָד אוֹמֵר: ״וְאַרְבָּעָה פָנִים לְאֶחָת וְאַרְבַּע כְּנָפַיִם לְאַחַת לָהֶם״? לָא קַשְׁיָא: כָּאן בִּזְמַן שֶׁבֵּית הַמִּקְדָּשׁ קַיָּים, כָּאן בִּזְמַן שֶׁאֵין בֵּית הַמִּקְדָּשׁ קַיָּים. כִּבְיָכוֹל, שֶׁנִּתְמַעֲטוּ כַּנְפֵי הַחַיּוֹת.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara asks another question: **One verse states: “Each one had six wings;** with two it covered its face and with two it covered its feet, and with two it flew” (Isaiah 6:2), **and another verse states: “And every one had four faces, and every one of them had four wings”** (Ezekiel 1:6). The Gemara answers: This is **not difficult,** as **here,** when the verse states they each had six wings, it is referring **to the time when the Temple is standing,** while **there,** where four wings are described, it is referring **to the time when the Temple is not standing,** for **it is as if** the number of **the wings of the animals were diminished** so that they now have only four.


###### Chagigah 13b:9
[Chagigah 13b:9](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Chagigah/r/13b:9)

הֵי מִינַּיְיהוּ אִימַּעוּט? אָמַר רַב חֲנַנְאֵל אָמַר רַב: אוֹתָן שֶׁאוֹמְרוֹת שִׁירָה בָּהֶן. כְּתִיב הָכָא: ״וּבִשְׁתַּיִם יְעוֹפֵף וְקָרָא זֶה אֶל זֶה וְאָמַר״, וּכְתִיב: ״הֲתָעִיף עֵינֶיךָ בּוֹ וְאֵינֶנּוּ״.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara asks: **Which of** the wings **were diminished? Rav Ḥananel said** that **Rav said: Those with which they recite song.** The proof is that **it is written here: “And with two it flew** [***yeofef***]. **And one called to the other and said”** (Isaiah 6:2–3), **and it is written: “Will you set** [***hata’if*] your eyes upon it? It is gone”** (Proverbs 23:5), implying that the flight of these wings had ceased.


###### Chagigah 13b:10
[Chagigah 13b:10](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Chagigah/r/13b:10)

וְרַבָּנַן אָמְרִי: אוֹתָן שֶׁמְּכַסּוֹת בָּהֶן רַגְלֵיהֶם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וְרַגְלֵיהֶם רֶגֶל יְשָׁרָה״, וְאִי לָאו דְּאִימַּעוּט — מְנָא הֲוָה יָדַע? דִּלְמָא דְּאִיגַּלַּאי וְחַזְיָא לֵיהּ. דְּאִי לָא תֵּימָא הָכִי, ״וּדְמוּת פְּנֵיהֶם פְּנֵי אָדָם״, הָכִי נָמֵי דְּאִימַּעוּט?! אֶלָּא דְּאִיגַּלַּאי וְחַזְיָא לֵיהּ, הָכָא נָמֵי — דְּאִיגַּלַּאי וְחַזְיָא לֵיהּ.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**And the Rabbis say** that the wings they lost are **those with which they cover their feet, for it is stated: “And their feet were straight feet”** (Ezekiel 1:7). **Now if** these wings **had not been diminished, how would he know** what their feet looked like? Clearly their feet were no longer covered. The Gemara rejects this: This is no proof, for **perhaps they were** momentarily **revealed,** allowing him to **see them. Because if you do not say so,** that he saw them for a moment, then with regard to the verse: **“And the likeness of their faces, they had the face of a man”** (Ezekiel 1:10), **so too** will you say **that these** the wings covering their faces **were diminished** as well? **Rather,** it must be **that they were revealed and he saw them. Here too, they were revealed and he saw them.**


###### Chagigah 13b:11
[Chagigah 13b:11](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Chagigah/r/13b:11)

הָכִי הַשְׁתָּא?! בִּשְׁלָמָא אַפֵּיהּ — אוֹרַח אַרְעָא לְגַלּוֹיֵי קַמֵּיהּ רַבֵּיהּ. כַּרְעֵיהּ — לָאו אוֹרַח אַרְעָא לְגַלּוֹיֵי קַמֵּיהּ רַבֵּיהּ.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara refutes this: **How can** these cases **be compared? Granted,** it is logical that **his face** was revealed, as **it is proper conduct** for an angel **to reveal** his face **before his Master,** and therefore it is possible that they would have revealed their faces at certain times; but with regard to **his feet,** it is **not proper conduct to reveal** them **before his Master.** Therefore, they must have lacked wings to cover their feet.


###### Chagigah 13b:12
[Chagigah 13b:12](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Chagigah/r/13b:12)

כָּתוּב אֶחָד אוֹמֵר: ״אֶלֶף אַלְפִין יְשַׁמְּשׁוּנֵּיהּ וְרִבּוֹ רִבְבָן קָדָמוֹהִי יְקוּמוּן״, וְכָתוּב אֶחָד אוֹמֵר: ״הֲיֵשׁ מִסְפָּר לִגְדוּדָיו״! לָא קַשְׁיָא: כָּאן בִּזְמַן שֶׁבֵּית הַמִּקְדָּשׁ קַיָּים, כָּאן בִּזְמַן שֶׁאֵין בֵּית הַמִּקְדָּשׁ קַיָּים, כִּבְיָכוֹל שֶׁנִּתְמַעֲטָה פָּמַלְיָא שֶׁל מַעְלָה.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
§ The Gemara continues to address apparent contradictions between verses concerning similar matters: **One verse states: “A thousand thousands ministered to Him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him”** (Daniel 7:10), **and another verse states: “Is there a number to His troops?”** (Job 25:3), implying that they are even more numerous than “ten thousand times ten thousand.” The Gemara answers: This is **not difficult,** for **here,** when they are without number, the verse is referring **to the time when the Temple is standing; there,** the other verse is referring **to the time when the Temple is not standing,** for **it is as though the heavenly entourage [*pamalya*] were diminished.**


###### Chagigah 13b:13
[Chagigah 13b:13](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Chagigah/r/13b:13)

תַּנְיָא, רַבִּי אוֹמֵר מִשּׁוּם אַבָּא יוֹסֵי בֶּן דּוֹסַאי: ״אֶלֶף אַלְפִין יְשַׁמְּשׁוּנֵּיהּ״ — מִסְפַּר גְּדוּד אֶחָד, ״וְלִגְדוּדָיו אֵין מִסְפָּר״. וְרַבִּי יִרְמְיָה בַּר אַבָּא אָמַר: ״אֶלֶף אַלְפִין יְשַׁמְּשׁוּנֵּיהּ״, לִנְהַר דִּינוּר, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״נְהַר דִּינוּר נָגֵד וְנָפֵק מִן קֳדָמוֹהִי אֶלֶף אַלְפִין יְשַׁמְּשׁוּנֵּיהּ וְרִבּוֹ רִבְבָן קָדָמוֹהִי יְקוּמוּן״.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**It is taught** in a *baraita*: **Rabbi** Yehuda HaNasi **says in the name of Abba Yosei ben Dosai: “A thousand thousands ministered to Him”** is referring to the **number** of angels in **a single troop,** but with regard to the number of his troops, it can be said: **“And to his troops, there is no number”. And Rabbi Yirmeya bar Abba said:** There is no contradiction, since with regard to the phrase **“a thousand thousands ministered to Him,”** the pronoun “Him” can be literally translated as: It, referring not to those who serve God Himself, but to those who administer **to the River Dinur, as it is stated: “A fiery [*dinur*] river issued and came forth from before him; a thousand thousands ministered to it, and a myriad myriads stand before it”** (Daniel 7:10). The ministers of God, however, are indeed too numerous to count.


###### Chagigah 13b:14
[Chagigah 13b:14](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Chagigah/r/13b:14)

מֵהֵיכָן נָפֵיק? מִזֵּיעָתָן שֶׁל חַיּוֹת. וּלְהֵיכָן שָׁפֵיךְ? אָמַר רַב זוּטְרָא בַּר טוֹבִיָּה אָמַר רַב: עַל רֹאשׁ רְשָׁעִים בְּגֵיהִנָּם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״הִנֵּה סַעֲרַת ה׳ חֵמָה יָצְאָה וְסַעַר מִתְחוֹלֵל עַל רֹאשׁ רְשָׁעִים יָחוּל״. וְרַב אַחָא בַּר יַעֲקֹב אָמַר: עַל אֲשֶׁר קוּמְּטוּ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״אֲשֶׁר קוּמְּטוּ וְלֹא עֵת נָהָר יוּצַק יְסוֹדָם״. תַּנְיָא, אָמַר רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן הֶחָסִיד: אֵלּוּ תְּשַׁע מֵאוֹת וְשִׁבְעִים וְאַרְבַּע דּוֹרוֹת שֶׁקּוּמְּטוּ לְהִיבָּרְאוֹת

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara asks: **From where does** this river **flow?** The Gemara answers: **From the perspiration of the divine creatures. And where does** it **flow to? Rav Zutra bar Toviya said** that **Rav said: Upon the heads of the wicked in Gehenna, as it is stated: “Behold, a storm of the Lord has gone forth in fury, a whirling storm; it shall whirl upon the head of the wicked”** (Jeremiah 23:19). **And Rav Aḥa bar Ya’akov said:** The river flows **over those who were snatched away,** i.e., the generations that were never created, **as it is stated: “Who were snatched away before their time, whose foundation was poured out as a stream”** (Job 22:16), implying that the River Dinur flows over them. **It is taught** in a *baraita*: **Rabbi Shimon HeḤasid said** in explanation of this verse: **These** people “who were snatched away” are **those nine hundred and seventy-four generations that were snatched away;** they were to have **been created**