"To Him who alone does great wonders"

Synopsis

We learn first of a miracle that God had performed in the past by saving some Jews, including Rabbi Pinchas, from robbers. Rabbi Pinchas marvels that such a wonder was done for him, when he did not even know about it. He says we have no way of knowing how often God performs miracles for people because no one knows about them except God Himself. Next the Arabs, who told Rabbi Pinchas about the miracle, tell him about another, how they have just now seen a flock of birds circling around to make shade for five people sitting together. The rabbis know that Rabbi Shimon is among this group of five, and they wonder how to find him. They leave the she-mule to find the path on its own and it takes them straight to Rabbi Shimon and his disciples. Rabbi Shimon opens by saying that "A psalm. O sing to Hashem a new song, for He has done marvellous things" was chanted by the cows, who mooed the song to all who came out to welcome the ark.

Daughter Donkeys Fire Flame Merit

293. Rabbi Pinchas was going to see his daughter, the wife of Rabbi Shimon, who was ill. The friends joined along with him and he was riding on his donkey. While still walking along on their journey, they met up with two Arabs. He asked them if any sound stirred in this field from ancient days. They said, From times past, we do not know. From our times, we do know, because one day, robbers spread out over the roads in that field and assaulted Jews, and intended to destroy them. From the distance, the voice of this donkey ON WHICH YOU RIDE was heard in this field. It brayed twice. A flame of fire came along with that sound and burned them and these Jews were saved. He said to them, Arabs, Arabs, IN THE MERIT of this episode that you related to me, you will be saved today from the other robbers that are awaiting you along the road.

293. רִבִּי פִּנְחָס הֲוָה אָזִיל לְמֵחֱמֵי בְּרָתֵּיהּ, אִנְתּוּ דְּר' שִׁמְעוֹן, דַּהֲוַת בְּמַרְעָא. וַהֲווֹ אָזְלֵי עִמֵּיהּ חַבְרַיָּיא, וְהוּא הֲוָה רָכִיב בְּחַמְרֵיהּ. עַד דַּהֲוָה אָזִיל בְּאָרְחָא, פָּגַע בִּתְרֵין עַרְבָאֵי, אָמַר לוֹן, בַּחֲקָל דָּא אִתְּעַר קָלָא מִיּוֹמִין דְּעָלְמָא. אָמְרוּ לֵיהּ, מִיּוֹמִין דְּעָלְמָא לֵית אֲנָן יַדְעִין. מִיּוֹמִין דִּילָן, אֲנָן יַדְעִין. דְּהָא יוֹמָא חַד, הֲווֹ אִינּוּן לִסְטִין מְקַפְּחֵי אָרְחִין דְּגוּבְרִין בְּהַהוּא חַקְלָא, וּפַגְעוּ בְּאִינּוּן יוּדָאֵי, וְאָתוּ לְקַפְּחָא לוֹן. וְאִשְׁתְּמַע מֵרָחִיק בְּהַאי חֲקַל, קַל דַּחֲמָרָא דָּא, דְּנָהַק תְּרֵי זִמְנֵי, וְאָתָא שַׁלְהוֹבָא דְּאֶשָּׁא בְּהַהוּא קָלָא וְאוֹקִיד לוֹן. וְאִשְׁתְּזִיבוּ אִינּוּן יוּדָאֵי. אָ"ל. עַרְבָאֵי, בְּמִלָּה דָּא דְּקָא אֲמַרְתּוּן לִי, תִּשְׁתֵּזְבוּן יוֹמָא דָּא מִלִּסְטִין אַחֲרָנִין, דְּקָא מְחַכָּן לְכוּ בְּאָרְחָא.

Head Love Miracle Morning Serpent

294. Rabbi Pinchas wept and said, Master of the Universe, this miracle You performed for my sake; these Jews were saved, and I did not even know. He opened the discussion with the verse: "To Him who alone does great wonders: for His steadfast love endures forever" (Tehilim 136:4). How much good does the Holy One, blessed be He, do for people, and how many miracles does He perform for them every day. No one knows except He alone. A person gets up in the morning and a snake comes to kill him. The person places his foot on his head, WITHOUT INTENTION, and kills him. No one is aware of that except the Holy One, blessed be He, alone. "To Him who alone does great wonders:" A person walks along the road and robbers lie in wait to kill him. Another one comes along and pays ransom instead for him, and he is saved. None knows of the kindness that the Holy One, blessed be He, did with him and the miracle that just occurred to him, but the Holy One, blessed be He, Himself. "To Him who alone does great wonders:" He by Himself made it andknows, and no one else is even knows it.

294. בָּכָה ר' פִּנְחָס, אָמַר, מָארֵיהּ דְּעָלְמָא רַחֲשָׁא דְּנִיסָא דָּא עַבְדַת בְּגִינֵי, וְאִשְׁתֵּזְבוּן אִינּוּן יוּדָאֵי, וְלָא יְדַעְנָא. פָּתַח וְאָמַר, לְעוֹשֵׂה נִפְלָאוֹת גְּדוֹלוֹת לְבַדּוֹ כִּי לְעוֹלָם חַסְדּוֹ. כַּמָה טִיבוּ עָבֵיד קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא עִם בְּנֵי נָשָׁא, וְכַמָּה נִסִּין אַרְחִישׁ לוֹן בְּכָל יוֹמָא, וְלָא יָדַע אֶלָּא אִיהוּ בִּלְחוֹדוֹי. ב"נ קָם בְּצַפְרָא, וְחִוְיָא אָתֵי לְקָטְלָא לֵיהּ, וּב"נ שַׁוֵּי רַגְלֵיהּ עַל רֵישֵׁיהּ, וְקָטִיל לֵיהּ, וְלָא יָדַע בֵּיהּ בַּר קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא בִּלְחוֹדוֹי, הֲוֵי, לְעוֹשֵׂה נִפְלָאוֹת גְּדוֹלוֹת לְבַדּוֹ. ב"נ אָזִיל בְּאָרְחָא, וְלִסְטִין מְחַכָּאן לְמִקְטְלֵיהּ, אָתָא אַחֲרָא וְאִתְיְיהִב כּוּפְרָא תְּחוֹתֵיהּ, וְהוּא אִשְׁתְּזִיב. לָא יָדַע טִיבוּ דְּעָבֵד לֵיהּ קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, וְנִסָא דְּאַרְחִישׁ לֵיהּ, בַּר אִיהוּ בִּלְחוֹדוֹי, הֲוֵי, לְעוֹשֶׂה נִפְלָאוֹת גְּדוֹלוֹת לְבַדּוֹ. לְבַדּוֹ עָבֵיד וְיָדַע. וְאַחֲרָא לָא יָדַע.

Miracle Mountains Torah

295. He said to his friends, Friends, what I inquired of these Arabs who are always present in the field WAS if they heard the voices of the friends who study and deal with the Torah. Rabbi Shimon and Rabbi Elazar, his son, and the rest of the friends are traveling in front of us and are not aware of us, and I inquired of those Arabs about them, since I know that Rabbi Shimon's voice shakes up the fields and the mountains. They told me something I did not know of, MEANING THAT MIRACLE.

295. אָמַר לְחַבְרַיָּיא, חַבְרַיָּיא מַה דְּשָׁאִילְנָא לְהָנֵי עַרְבָאֵי, דְּמִשְׁתַּכְּחֵי תָּדִיר בְּחַקְלֵי, אִי קָלָא דְּחַבְרַיָיא, דְּאִינּוּן מִשְׁתַּדְּלֵי בְּאוֹרַיְיתָא שָׁמְעוּ. דְּהָא ר' שִׁמְעוֹן וְר' אֶלְעָזָר בְּרֵיהּ, וּשְׁאַר חַבְרַיָּיא, אַזְלִין לְקַמָּן, וְלָא יַדְעִין מִנָן, וְשָׁאִילְנָא לְהָנֵי עַרְבָאֵי עָלַיְיהוּ. דְּיָדַעְנָא דְּקַלֵיהּ דְּר"ש יַרְגִּיז חַקְלִין וְטוּרִין, וְאִינּוּן גָּלוּ לִי מַה דְּלָא יְדַעְנָא.

Birds Head Shadow

296. While still traveling, these Arabs returned to them. They said to him, Old man, you asked us if A VOICE WAS STIRRED IN THE FIELD from days gone by. But you have not asked us about this day. We noticed, TODAY, a wonderful marvel. We saw five people sitting together and an old man was with them. We saw birds gathering and extending their wings over their heads, some going and some returning, so the shadow did not pass away from over their heads. This old man raised his voice to them, and they listened.

296. עַד דַּהֲווֹ אָזְלִין, אִינּוּן עַרְבָאֵי אָהַדְרוּ לְגַבֵּיהּ. אָמְרוּ לֵיהּ, סָבָא סָבָא אַנְתְּ שָׁאִילְתָּא לָן מִן יוֹמִין דְּעָלְמָא, וְלָא שָׁאִילְתָּא עַל יוֹמָא דָּא, דַּחֲמֵינָא תַּוְּוהָא עַל תַּוְּוהָא, חֲמֵינָא חַמְשָׁא בְּנֵי נָשָׁא יַתְבִין, וְחַד סָבָא בַּהֲדַיְיהוּ, וַחֲמֵינָא עוֹפֵי מִתְכַּנְּפֵי וְקָא פַּרְשִׂין גַּדְפִּין עַל רֵישַׁיְיהוּ, אִלֵּין אַזְלִין, וְאִלֵּין תָּבִין, וְטוּלָא לָא אִתְעֲבָר מֵעַל רֵישַׁיְיהוּ. וְהַהוּא סָבָא אָרִים קַלֵיהּ עָלַיְיהוּ, וְאִינּוּן שַׁמְעִין.

Beasts Donkeys

297. He said, It is about this that I inquired. Arabs, Arabs, go and this road should be ready for you with whatever you wish. You have told me two things that make me glad. They left. The friends said, How are we going to find where Rabbi Shimon is? He said to them, Leave that to the one who has dominion over the footsteps of the beasts. He will direct their steps towards that place. He did not lead his donkey yet his donkey, on its own, took a detour from the road about two miles, and went there.

297. אָמַר עַל דָּא שָׁאִילְנָא. עַרְבָאֵי עַרְבָאֵי תֶּהֱכוּן, וְאָרְחָא דָּא תְּהֵא מְתֻקָּנָא קַמַּיְיכוּ, בְּכָל מַה דְּתִבְעוּן. תְּרֵין מִלִּין אֲמַרְתּוּן לִי, דַּחֲדֵינָא בְּהוּ. אַזְלוּ. אָמְרוּ לו חַבְרַיָּיא, הַהוּא אֲתָר דְּר"ש שָׁארִי בֵּיהּ, הֵיךְ אֲנָן יַדְעִין. אָמַר לוֹן שְׁבוֹקוּ לְמָארֵי פְּסִיעָן דִּבְעִירֵי, דְּהוּא יַדְרִיךְ פְּסִיעוֹי לְתַמָן. לָא הֲוֵי טָעִין חֲמָרֵיהּ, וַחֲמָרֵיהּ סָאטֵי מֵאָרְחָא תְּרֵין מִלִּין, וְאָזַל לְתַמָן.

Atik-Yomin Donkeys Face Shechinah

298. שָׁארִי נָהִיק תְּלַת זִמְנִין, נָחַת ר' פִּנְחָס, אָמַר לְחַבְרַיָּיא, נִתְתָּקַן לְקַבְּלָא סְבַר אַפֵּי יוֹמִין, דְּהַשְׁתָּא יִפְּקוּן לְגַבָּן אַנְפֵּי רַבְרְבֵי וְאַנְפֵּי זוּטְרֵי. שָׁמַע ר"ש נָהִיקוּ דַּחֲמָרָא, אָמַר לְחַבְרַיָּיא, נֵיקוּם דְּהָא קָלָא דְּחַמְרָא דְּסָבָא חֲסִידָא אִתְּעַר לְגַבָּן. קָם ר' שִׁמְעוֹן וְקָמוּ חַבְרַיָּיא.

Ark Chariot Cows Crowns Grades Head Singing

299. Rabbi Shimon opened the discussion with the verse: "A psalm. O sing to Hashem a new song; for He has done marvelous things" (Tehilim 98:1). OVER THE WORD "A psalm," there is a vertical musical note, WHICH IS THE CANTILATION MARK CALLED 'PAZER.' HE ASKS: Why? HE REPLIES: This note is indicative of a great reason, because this psalm comes and gets adorned with a supernal crown above its head. THEREFORE, it receives ABOVE IT a vertical NOTE THAT IS THE MUSICAL NOTE PAZER. Who chanted this song? The cows, who mooed: "O sing to Hashem a new song." HE ASKS: To whom did they say this "sing?" HE REPLIES: To the many Chariots, many appointees, for the many levels that came by there and went out to welcome the ark. To them, they used to say "SING."

299. פָּתַח ר' שִׁמְעוֹן וְאָמַר, מִזְמוֹר שִׁירוּ לַיְיָ' שִׁיר חָדָשׁ כִּי נִפְלָאוֹת עָשָׂה וְגוֹ.' מִזְמוֹר זָקִיף טַעֲמָא לְעֵילָּא. אֲמַאי. אֶלָּא רָשִׁים טַעֲמָא רַבָּא, דְּהָא אָתֵי הַהוּא מִזְמוֹר, מִתְעַטְּרָא בְּעִטְרָא עִלָּאָה לְעֵילָּא עַל רֵישֵׁיהּ וְאָתֵי זָקִיף. מַאן הֲוָה אָמַר שִׁירָה דָּא. אִינּוּן פָּרוֹת, בְּאִינּוּן גּוֹעִין דַּהֲווֹ גָּעָאן. שִׁירוּ לַיְיָ' שִׁיר חָדָשׁ. לְמַאן הֲווֹ אַמְרִין שִׁירוּ. לְכַמָּה רְתִיכִין, לְכַמָּה מְמָנָן, לְכַמָּה דַּרְגִּין, דַּהֲווֹ אָתָאן תַּמָּן וְנַפְקוּ לְקַבְּלָא לֵיהּ לַאֲרוֹנָא, וּלְהוֹן הֲווֹ אַמְרֵי.