אֲזַלוּ טְשׁוֹ בִּמְעָרְתָּא. אִיתְרְחִישׁ נִיסָּא אִיבְּרִי לְהוּ חָרוּבָא וְעֵינָא דְמַיָּא, וַהֲווֹ מַשְׁלְחִי מָנַיְיהוּ וַהֲווֹ יָתְבִי עַד צַוְּארַיְיהוּ בְּחָלָא. כּוּלֵּי יוֹמָא גָּרְסִי. בְּעִידָּן צַלּוֹיֵי לָבְשִׁי מִיכַּסּוּ וּמְצַלּוּ, וַהֲדַר מַשְׁלְחִי מָנַיְיהוּ כִּי הֵיכִי דְּלָא לִיבְלוּ. אִיתִּיבוּ תְּרֵיסַר שְׁנֵי בִּמְעָרְתָּא. אֲתָא אֵלִיָּהוּ וְקָם אַפִּיתְחָא דִמְעָרְתָּא, אֲמַר: מַאן לוֹדְעֵיהּ לְבַר יוֹחַי דְּמִית קֵיסָר וּבְטִיל גְּזֵירְתֵיהּ. נְפַקוּ, חֲזוֹ אִינָשֵׁי דְּקָא כָּרְבִי וְזָרְעִי, אָמְרִין: מַנִּיחִין חַיֵּי עוֹלָם וְעוֹסְקִין בְּחַיֵּי שָׁעָה. כׇּל מָקוֹם שֶׁנּוֹתְנִין עֵינֵיהֶן מִיָּד נִשְׂרָף. יָצְתָה בַּת קוֹל וְאָמְרָה לָהֶם: לְהַחֲרִיב עוֹלָמִי יְצָאתֶם?! חִיזְרוּ לִמְעָרַתְכֶם! הֲדוּר אֲזוּל אִיתִּיבוּ תְּרֵיסַר יַרְחֵי שַׁתָּא. אָמְרִי: מִשְׁפַּט רְשָׁעִים בְּגֵיהִנָּם שְׁנֵים עָשָׂר חֹדֶשׁ. יָצְתָה בַּת קוֹל וְאָמְרָה: צְאוּ מִמְּעָרַתְכֶם! נְפַקוּ. כָּל הֵיכָא דַּהֲוָה מָחֵי רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר, הֲוָה מַסֵּי רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן. אָמַר לוֹ: בְּנִי, דַּי לָעוֹלָם אֲנִי וְאַתָּה.
Rabbi Shimon bar Yoḥai and his son, Rabbi Elazar...They went and they hid in a cave. A miracle occurred and a carob tree was created for them as well as a spring of water. They would remove their clothes and sit covered in sand up to their necks. They would study Torah all day in that manner. At the time of prayer, they would dress, cover themselves, and pray, and they would again remove their clothes afterward so that they would not become tattered. They sat in the cave for twelve years. Elijah the Prophet came and stood at the entrance to the cave and said: Who will inform bar Yoḥai that the emperor died and his decree has been abrogated? They emerged from the cave, and saw people who were plowing and sowing. Rabbi Shimon bar Yoḥai said: These people abandon eternal life of Torah study and engage in temporal life for their own sustenance. The Gemara relates that every place that Rabbi Shimon and his son Rabbi Elazar directed their eyes was immediately burned. A Divine Voice emerged and said to them: Did you emerge from the cave in order to destroy My world? Return to your cave. They again went and sat there for twelve months. They said: The judgment of the wicked in Gehenna lasts for twelve months. Surely their sin was atoned in that time. A Divine Voice emerged and said to them: Emerge from your cave. They emerged. Everywhere that Rabbi Elazar would strike, Rabbi Shimon would heal. Rabbi Shimon said to Rabbi Elazar: My son, you and I suffice for the entire world, as the two of us are engaged in the proper study of Torah.
(ב) כָּל הַנִּכְנָסִין לְהַר הַבַּיִת נִכְנָסִין דֶּרֶךְ יָמִין וּמַקִּיפִין וְיוֹצְאִין דֶּרֶךְ שְׂמֹאל, חוּץ מִמִּי שֶׁאֵרְעוֹ דָבָר, שֶׁהוּא מַקִּיף לִשְׂמֹאל. מַה לְּךָ מַקִּיף לִשְׂמֹאל, שֶׁאֲנִי אָבֵל, הַשּׁוֹכֵן בַּבַּיִת הַזֶּה יְנַחֲמֶךָּ. שֶׁאֲנִי מְנֻדֶּה, הַשּׁוֹכֵן בַּבַּיִת הַזֶּה יִתֵּן בְּלִבָּם וִיקָרְבוּךָ, דִּבְרֵי רַבִּי מֵאִיר. אָמַר לוֹ רַבִּי יוֹסֵי, עֲשִׂיתָן כְּאִלּוּ עָבְרוּ עָלָיו אֶת הַדִּין. אֶלָּא, הַשּׁוֹכֵן בַּבַּיִת הַזֶּה יִתֵּן בְּלִבְּךָ וְתִשְׁמַע לְדִבְרֵי חֲבֵרֶיךָ וִיקָרְבוּךָ:
(2) All who entered the Temple Mount entered by the right and went round [to the right] and went out by the left, save for one to whom something had happened, who entered and went round to the left. [He was asked]: “Why do you go round to the left?” [If he answered] “Because I am a mourner,” [they said to him], “May the One who dwells in this house comfort you.” [If he answered] “Because I am excommunicated” [they said]: “May the One who dwells in this house inspire them to draw you near again,” the words of Rabbi Meir. Rabbi Yose to him: you make it seem as if they treated him unjustly. Rather [they should say]: “May the One who dwells in this house inspire you to listen to the words of your colleagues so that they may draw you near again.”
ביום ראשון וביום שני אין נכנס להר הבית ובשלישי נכנס ומקיף בדרך שמאל אלו שמקיפין דרך שמאל אבל ומנודה (בה) ומי שיש לו חולה בתוך ביתו ומי שאבד לו אבדה מהלך מקיף על שמאל אבל שהוא אומר לו השוכן בבית הזה ינחמך שאני מנודה השוכן בבית הזה יתן בלבם ויקרבוך דברי רבי מאיר אמר לו רבי יוסי עשית כאילו עברו עליו את הדין אלא השוכן בבית הזה יתן בלבך (ותשמח) [ותשמע] את דברי חביריך ויקרבוך מי שיש לו חולה בתוך ביתו אומר לו השוכן בבית הזה ירחם עליו (ואם היה בן של קיימא ירחם עליו) מיד מעשה באשה אחת שחלתה בתה ועלתה (זו) והקיפה ולא זזה משם עד שבאו ואמרו לה נתרפתה מי שאבד אבדה אומר לו השוכן בבית הזה יתן בלב מי שמצאה ויחזירה לך מיד
On the first and second day [of mourning] he may not enter the Temple Mount; on the third day he may enter but must go round to the left. These are they who must go round to the left: a mourner, an excommunicated person, one who has a sick person in his house, and one who lost an object. [When asked,] ‘Why do you go round to the left?’ [he answers,] ‘Because I am a mourner’. They reply, ‘May the One Who dwells in this House comfort you’. [If he says,] ‘Because I am under a ban’, [they reply,] ‘May the One Who dwells in this House put it into their heart to draw you near’; so said R. Meir. R. Jose said to him, ‘You make out as if they [who banned] passed a wrong judgment on him; but [what they say is,] “May the One Who dwells in this house put it into your heart to hearken to the words of your colleagues so that they may draw you near” ’. To one who has a sick person in his house they say, ‘May the One Who dwells in this House have mercy upon him’; and if he is barely living [they say,] ‘May the One have mercy upon him immediately’. It is related of a certain woman whose daughter was ill that she ascended the Temple Mount and went round it, and did not move from there until they came and told her, ‘She is cured’.
To one who lost some object they say, ‘May the One Who dwells in this House put it into the heart of the finder to return it to you at once’.
ככלי אובד – וסתם כלי לאחר י"ב חדש משתכח מן הלב דיאוש בעלים לאחר י"ב חדש...
And a vessel that has been lost for more than twelve months is forgotten by its owners, because they despair of finding it after twelve months...
(א) הָרוֹאֶה אֶת חֲבֵרוֹ לְאַחַר שְׁלֹשִׁים יוֹם מְבָרֵךְ שֶׁהֶחֱיָנוּ. לְאַחַר שְׁנֵים עָשָׂר חֹדֶשׁ מְבָרֵךְ מְחַיֶּה הַמֵּתִים: (ג) ...שֶׁמֹּשֶׁה רַבֵּנוּ מִתְלַבֵּשׁ בְּכָל אֶחָד מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל. וְעַל-כֵּן גָּדוֹל הַשָּׁלוֹם וְאַהֲבָה שֶׁבֵּין יִשְׂרָאֵל, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב וְאָהַבְתָּ לְרֵעֲךָ כָמוֹךָ וְאָמַר רַבִּי עֲקִיבָא זֶה כְּלָל גָּדוֹל בַּתּוֹרָה... וְעַל-כֵּן עִקַּר הַחִיּוּת עַל-יְדֵי הַשָּׁלוֹם וְהָאַהֲבָה שֶׁבֵּין יִשְׂרָאֵל שֶׁהוּא בְּחִינַת רוֹאִין זֶה אֶת זֶה... שֶׁעַל-יְדֵי זֶה זוֹכִין לִבְחִינַת חַיִּים נִצְחִיִּים בְּחִינַת תְּחִיַּת הַמֵּתִים כַּנַּ"ל. וְזֶה בְּחִינַת מַה שֶּׁאָמְרוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה אוֹ חַבְרוּתָא אוֹ מִיתוּתָא. כִּי עִקַּר הַחִיּוּת הוּא עַל-יְדֵי אַהֲבַת הַחֲבֵרִים. שֶׁעַל-יְדֵי זֶה מְאִירִין זֶה בָּזֶה וּמִתְנוֹצֵץ הַמֹּחַ שֶׁזֶּה עִקַּר הַחִיּוּת בְּחִינַת תְּחִיַּת הַמֵּתִים, כִּי עִקַּר הַחִיּוּת הוּא אַהֲבָה וְשָׁלוֹם. וְזֶהוּ אוֹ חַבְרוּתָא אוֹ מִיתוּתָא, כִּי כְּשֶׁאֵין אַהֲבָה וְיֵשׁ פֵּרוּד אִי אֶפְשָׁר לְקַבֵּל חִיּוּת וְהוּא בְּחִינַת מִיתָה, בְּחִינַת כִּי הַמָּוֶת יַפְרִיד, כִּי הַפֵּרוּד שֶׁבֵּין אִישׁ לְרֵעֵהוּ זֶה בְּחִינַת מִיתָה וְכַנַּ"ל'... כִּי עִקַּר הַחִיּוּת הוּא מֵאַהֲבָה וְהַשָּׁלוֹם כַּנַּ"ל, כִּי עַל-יְדֵי הָאַהֲבָה שֶׁרוֹאִין זֶה אֶת זֶה כִּי זֶה עִקַּר הָאַהֲבָה כַּנַּ"ל... וְעַל-כֵּן כְּשֶׁאֵינוֹ רוֹאֶה אֶת חֲבֵרוֹ עַד לְאַחַר שְׁנֵים עָשָׂר חֹדֶשׁ, צָרִיךְ לְבָרֵךְ מְחַיֶּה הַמֵּתִים, כִּי צְרִיכִין עַכְשָׁו לְהַמְשִׁיךְ חִיּוּת חָדָשׁ בְּחִינַת תְּחִיַּת הַמֵּתִים, מֵאַחַר שֶׁלֹּא רָאוּ זֶה אֶת זֶה שְׁנֵים עָשָׂר חֹדֶשׁ.... וְעַל-כֵּן כְּשֶׁאֵינוֹ רוֹאֶה אֶת חֲבֵרוֹ עַד לְאַחַר שְׁנֵים עָשָׂר חֹדֶשׁ מְבָרֵךְ מְחַיֶּה הַמֵּתִים, כִּי זֶה בְּחִינַת תְּחִיַּת הַמֵּתִים מַמָּשׁ, כִּי עִקַּר הַחִיּוּת עַל-יְדֵי הָרְאִיָּה שֶׁרוֹאִין זֶה אֶת זֶה שֶׁעַל-יְדֵי זֶה נִמְשָׁךְ בְּחִינַת תְּחִיַּת הַמֵּתִים כַּנַּ"ל:
[long section about love between friends...]
The essence of "aliveness" is peace and love between friends...Seeing each other is like "reviving the dead"...like the Rabbis say "Hevruta or death!" because the love of friends is the essence of aliveness...When one is distanced, they are separated from "aliveness" and it's like "death"...so when friends see each other after 12 months, they bless "Who revives the dead."
(thanks to Rabbi Tali Adler of Hadar for pointing me to this text)
As it is written: “They who go down to the sea in ships, who do business in great waters; they see the works of the Lord” (Psalms 107:23–24).
And it says: “For He commands and raises the stormy wind which lifts up the waves thereof.
They mount up to the heaven, they go down again to the depths: their soul is melted because of trouble” (Psalms 107:25–26).
And it says: “They reel to and fro, and stagger like a drunken man, and are at their wits’ end.”
And it says immediately thereafter: “Then they cry unto the Lord in their trouble, and He brings them out of their distress” (Psalms 107:28).
And it says: “He makes the storm calm, so the waves thereof are still” (Psalms 107:29),
and it says: “Then are they glad because they be quiet; so He brings them unto their desired haven” (Psalms 107:30),
and it says: “They are grateful to God for His loving-kindness and His wonders for mankind” (Psalms 107:31). The Gemara asks: From where do we derive that those who walk in the desert are required to thank God? The Gemara answers:
As it is written in the same psalm:
“They wandered in the wilderness in a solitary way; they found no city in which to dwell” (Psalms 107:4),
“And then they cried unto the Lord in their trouble, and He delivered them out of their distresses.
And He led them forth by the right way” (Psalms 107:6–7).
After God guides them on the right way, it is said: “They are grateful to God for His goodness” (Psalms 107:8). That one who was ill and recovered must offer thanks is derived, as it is written:
“Fools, because of their transgression and because of their iniquities, are afflicted.
Their soul abhors all manner of food and they draw near unto the gates of death” (Psalms 107:17–18),
and: “Then they cry unto the Lord in their trouble, and He saves them from their distress” (Psalms 107:19),
and then: “He sent His word and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions” (Psalms 107:20).
After they are healed: “They are grateful to God for His goodness” (Psalms 107:21). From where do we derive that one who was incarcerated in prison must offer thanks?
As it is written: “Such as sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, bound in affliction and iron.
Because they rebelled against the words of God and scorned the counsel of the most High” (Psalms 107:10–11).
And it says: “Therefore He brought down their heart with labor; they fell down, and there was none to help” (Psalms 107:12),
and it says: “Then they cried unto the Lord in their trouble, and He saved them from their distresses” (Psalms 107:13),
and it says: “He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death,
and broke their shackles” (Psalms 107:14).
And after God takes them out from that darkness and shadow of death, it says: “They are grateful to God for His goodness.” The Gemara asks: What blessing does he recite? Rav Yehuda said: Blessed is…Who bestows acts of loving-kindness. Abaye said: And he must offer thanks before ten people, as it is written in the same chapter: “Let them exalt Him also in the congregation of the people and praise Him in the assembly of the elders” (Psalms 107:32), and congregation indicates a group of at least ten. Mar Zutra said: Two of them must be Sages, as it is stated there: “And praise Him in the assembly of elders.” These elders are the Sages, and the use of the plural indicates a minimum of two. Rav Ashi strongly objects to this: Say that all of them must be Sages. The Gemara rejects this: Is it written: In the congregation of elders? In the congregation of the people is written; and the Sages are among them. Yet there is still room to object: Say that ten are from the rest of the people, and in addition there must be two Sages. No satisfactory answer was found, and the question remains difficult, although the halakha was not rejected. The Gemara relates: Rav Yehuda fell sick and recovered, Rav Ḥana of Baghdad and the Sages entered to visit him. They said to him: Blessed is God Who gave you to us and did not give you to the dust. He said to them: You have exempted me from offering thanks, as your statement fulfilled my obligation to recite a blessing. The Gemara asks: But didn’t Abaye say that one must offer thanks before ten? The Gemara answers: There were ten people there when the Sages blessed God in Rav Yehuda’s presence. The Gemara raises another difficulty: But Rav Yehuda did not offer thanks himself; others offered thanks on his behalf. The Gemara answers: He did not need to recite it himself as he answered amen after their blessing. Answering amen after a blessing is tantamount to reciting the blessing himself.
(א) אַרְבָּעָה צְרִיכִים לְהוֹדוֹת. יוֹרְדֵי הַיָּם כְּשֶׁיַּגִּיעוּ לִמְחוֹז חֶפְצָם, וְכֵן הוֹלְכֵי מִדְבָּרִיּוֹת אוֹ בִּשְׁאָר דֶּרֶךְ שֶׁמֻּחְזָק שֶׁיֶּשׁ בּוֹ סַכָּנָה, כְּשֶׁיַּגִּיעוּ לִמְחוֹז חֶפְצָם, וּבִכְלָל זֶה גַּם מִי שֶׁהָיָה בְּסַכָּנָה אַחֶרֶת וְנִצֹּל הֵימֶנָּה, כְּגוֹן שֶׁנָּפַל עָלָיו כֹּתֶל אוֹ נְגָחוֹ שׁוֹר אוֹ שֶׁבָּאוּ עָלָיו לִסְטִים בַּדֶּרֶךְ וְשׁוֹדְדֵי לַיְלָה וְנִצַּל מֵהֶם וְכַדּוֹמֶה, וּמִי שֶׁהָיָה חוֹלֶה שֶׁיֵּשׁ בּוֹ סַכָּנָה, כְּגוֹן מַכָּה שֶׁל חָלָל, אוֹ שֶׁהָיָה מוּטָל בַּמִּטָּה שְׁלשָׁה יָמִים מֵחֲמַת הַחֹלִי וְנִתְרַפֵּא וְהוֹלֵךְ עַל בָּרְיוֹ. וּמִי שֶהָיָה חָבוּשׁ בְּבֵית הָאֲסוּרִים, אֲפִלּוּ רַק עַל עִסְקֵי מָמוֹן וְיָצָא. וְסִימָנְךָ וְכָל הַחַיִּי"ם יוֹדוּךָ סֶלָה, חוֹלֶה, יִסּוּרִים, יָם, מִדְבָּר. מַה מְבָרֵךְ. בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה ה' אֱלֹקֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם, הַגּוֹמֵל לַחַיָּבִים טוֹבוֹת שֶׁגְּמָלַנִי כָּל טוֹב. וְהַשּׁוֹמְעִים אוֹמְרִים, מִי שֶׁגּמָלְךָ טוֹב הוּא יִגְמָלְךָ כָּל טוֹב סֶלָה.
(1) On four [occasions] a person must thank God [for God's goodness]; 1] after crossing the ocean and reaching his destination; 2] after crossing the desert or any other dangerous road and reaching his destination; included in this rule is also one who was saved from any other peril, as when a wall caved in on him or an ox lunged at him, ready to gore him, or robbers attacked him on the road, or thieves at night and he was saved from them, or from similar perils; 3] one who suffered from serious illness or a serious injury or he was confined to bed for [at least] three days due to an illness and he recovered, his health restored; 4] one who was in prison even if [he was in prison] only because of monetary matters and he was released. [The following phrase may serve as] a mnemonic device: "All those who are alive thank you, selah." [The word chayim—חיים — forms the acronym of] choleh—a sick person, yisurim —a person suffering [in prison], yam—(crossing the) ocean, midbar—(crossing the) desert. What berachah should they say? Baruch ata Adonoy Elokeinu melech ha'olam hagomeil lechayavim tovot shegemalani kol tov, [Blessed are You, Hashem, our God, Ruler of the universe, Who bestows good things upon the guilty, Who has bestowed every goodness upon me]. The listeners should respond: mi shegemalecha tov hu yigmalecha kol tov selah, [May The One Who has bestowed goodness upon you continue to bestow every goodness upon you forever].