Study Chagigah folio 16A with parallel Hebrew-English text, traditional commentary, and modern study tools. Free access to Babylonian Talmud online.
מאי דרש? אמר רבה בר בר חנה אמר רבי יוחנן: ״ואתא מרבבות קדש״ — אות הוא ברבבה שלו.
The Talmud asks: What verse did R' Akiva expound that prevented him from making the same mistake as Aḥer? Rabba bar bar Ḥana said that R' Yoḥanan said: It was the following: “And He came [ve’ata] from the holy myriads” (Deuteronomy 33:2), which he explained in this manner: He, God, is unique [ot] among His myriads of angels. Therefore, he knew that he had merely seen an angel.
ורבי אבהו אמר: ״דגול מרבבה״ — דוגמא הוא ברבבה שלו.
And R' Abbahu said: R' Akiva expounded the verse: “Preeminent above a myriad” (Song of Songs 5:10) to indicate that He is exemplary among His myriad.
וריש לקיש אמר: ״ה׳ צבאות שמו״ — אדון הוא בצבא שלו.
And Reish Lakish said: He expounded the verse: “YHWH of hosts is His name” (Isaiah 48:2); He is the Master in His host.
ורבי חייא בר אבא אמר רבי יוחנן: ״לא ברוח ה׳ ואחר הרוח רעש לא ברעש ה׳. ואחר הרעש אש לא באש ה׳ ואחר האש קול דממה דקה״, ״והנה ה׳ עובר״.
And Rav Ḥiyya bar Abba said that R' Yoḥanan said: He expounded the verses: “But YHWH was not in the wind. And after the wind, an earthquake; YHWH was not in the earthquake. And after the earthquake, fire; but YHWH was not in the fire. And after the fire, a still, small voice,” and it states in that verse: “And behold, YHWH passed by” (I Kings 19:11–12). R' Akiva used this verse in order to recognize the place of His presence and refrain from trespassing there.
תנו רבנן, ששה דברים נאמרו בשדים: שלשה כמלאכי השרת, ושלשה כבני אדם. שלשה כמלאכי השרת — יש להם כנפים כמלאכי השרת, וטסין מסוף העולם ועד סופו כמלאכי השרת, ויודעין מה שעתיד להיות כמלאכי השרת.
§ The Talmud returns to discussing the heavenly beings. A baraita states: 6 statements were said with regard to demons: In 3 ways they are like ministering angels, and in 3 ways they are like humans. The baraita specifies: In 3 ways they are like ministering angels: They have wings like ministering angels; and they fly from one end of the world to the other like ministering angels; and they know what will be in the future like ministering angels.
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