סימן קי"ז

📋 Translator's Summary — Siman 112 (Tzohar Ta'aseh LaTevah) The matter of the difficulty of sleeping on Motza'ei Shabbas.

The matter of the difficulty of sleeping on Motza'ei Shabbas. "Eliyahu comes only to distance those drawn close by force." And so on. — meaning: to distance falsehood and draw close truth. And so on. I heard: that once a gathering of great Tzaddikim were assembled together — and among them was the Rav — the Gaon — the Tzaddik — of Shipitovke — of blessed memory. And he raised the difficulty on what the Sages said: "let it be placed until Eliyahu comes" — and the explanation is: until Eliyahu comes and says to whom the maneh belongs and to whom the two hundred [maneh]. But — Eliyahu is only a single witness. And the Torah said: "on the testimony of two witnesses shall a matter be established." [And this difficulty has already been raised in Sefer HaKaneh, p. 79b — and on p. 80b — see there what he resolved through the secret. And perhaps the above Rav also raised this in the name of Sefer HaKaneh.] And they all fell silent and answered nothing. And Rabbainu was also sitting among them at that time — and was as if silent. But the expression of his countenance testified about him that the difficulty was not acceptable in his view. And they pressed him greatly until he replied to them — as if offhandedly: "but the Sages already said: 'Eliyahu comes only to draw close those distanced'" — and so on — meaning: to distance falsehood and draw close truth. For the Sages already said: "falsehood's letters are close together — truth's letters are spread apart." And so on — as elaborated in the discourse. It follows: that when Eliyahu comes and draws the world close to the attribute of truth — then automatically they need no testimony at all. For the liar himself will confess the truth — that the maneh belongs to this one — and the two hundred to his companion. And they all answered and said: well said. [And see Zohar Vayakhel, p. 197a — on the matter of Yonah ben Amitai — where it is explained that Amitai is Eliyahu — from the name of: "and the word of Haveye'ah in your mouth is truth."] And the words still require clarification — for I did not hear them from the members of our community — only the general public relates this in the name of Rabbainu. "Eliyahu comes only to distance those drawn close by force." And so on. [Eduyos, Chapter 8] — meaning: to distance falsehood and draw close truth. And so on. I heard: that once a gathering of great Tzaddikim were assembled together — and among them was the Rav — the Gaon — the Tzaddik — of Shipitovke — of blessed memory. And he raised the difficulty on what the Sages said: [Bava Metzia 23] "let it be placed until Eliyahu comes" — and the explanation is: until Eliyahu comes and says to whom the maneh belongs and to whom the two hundred [maneh]. But — Eliyahu is only a single witness. And the Torah said: [Deuteronomy 19] "on the testimony of two witnesses shall a matter be established." [And this difficulty has already been raised in Sefer HaKaneh, p. 79b — and on p. 80b — see there what he resolved through the secret. And perhaps the above Rav also raised this in the name of Sefer HaKaneh.] And they all fell silent and answered nothing. And Rabbainu was also sitting among them at that time — and was as if silent. But the expression of his countenance testified about him that the difficulty was not acceptable in his view. And they pressed him greatly until he replied to them — as if offhandedly: "but the Sages already said: [Eduyos 8] 'Eliyahu comes only to draw close those distanced'" — and so on — meaning: to distance falsehood and draw close truth. For the Sages already said: [Shabbas 104] "falsehood's letters are close together — truth's letters are spread apart." And so on — as elaborated in the discourse. It follows: that when Eliyahu comes and draws the world close to the attribute of truth — then automatically they need no testimony at all. For the liar himself will confess the truth — that the maneh belongs to this one — and the two hundred to his companion. And they all answered and said: well said. [And see Zohar Vayakhel, p. 197a — on the matter of Yonah ben Amitai — where it is explained that Amitai is Eliyahu — from the name of: [1 Kings 17] "and the word of Haveye'ah in your mouth is truth."] And the words still require clarification — for I did not hear them from the members of our community — only the general public relates this in the name of Rabbainu. Regarding what is elaborated there: that a slave [eved] is from the aspect of the serpent — the aspect of falsehood. See Bava Metzia, p. 87: "there is no trust in servants [leis hemnutah b'avdei]."