Daf 22a (דַּף כ״ב ע״א)

They are those attached to the fragments of the shattered vessels (הֵם הַדְּבוּקִים בְּשִׁבְרֵי כֵּלִים אַחֲרֵיהֶם), and they acquire movement through the mystery of the abundance of power coming upon them from above by means of the angels (וְקוֹנִים תְּנוּעָה בְּסוֹד שֶׁפַע כֹּחַ הַבָּא עֲלֵיהֶם מִלְמַעְלָה ע״י הַמַּלְאָכִים), who also go and sing (אֲשֶׁר גַּם הֵם הוֹלְכִים וּמְנַגְּנִים), and this is the meaning of, “And through their song they go after them” (וְזֶהוּ אוֹמְרוֹ וּבְנִיגוּנָא בְּהוֹן אָזְלִין אַבְתַרַיְיהוּ). Its explanation is: all the letters go after the angels (פֵּרוּשׁ כָּל הָאוֹתִיּוֹת הוֹלְכִים אַחַר הַמַּלְאָכִים), and after the souls of those slain by the kingdom (וְאַחַר נִשְׁמוֹת שֶׁל הֲרוּגֵי מַלְכוּת), they are the ones gathering the Nitzotzin [Sparks] and the souls from the prince of Edom (הֵם הַמְלַקְּטִים נִיצוֹצִים וּנְשָׁמוֹת מִשַּׂר אֱדוֹם), which is the Kelipah [Husk] (הִיא הַקְּלִיפָּה), and the mystery of the vocalization marks is the abundance descending from above to move the letter (וְסוֹד הַנִּיקּוּד הוּא הַשֶּׁפַע הַבָּא מִלְמַעְלָה לְהִתְנוֹעֵעַ בָּהֶם הָאוֹת), which remained attached to the walls of the shattered vessels and has no power to ascend (אֲשֶׁר נִשְׁאַר דָּבוּק בְּדָפְנֵי מָאנִין תְּבִירִין וְאֵין לוֹ כֹּחַ לַעֲלוֹת), therefore he said, “The body is the letters” (וְלָכֵן אָמַר גּוּפָא אַתְוָון), for they are like a body to the soul, which are the vocalization marks (שֶׁהֵם כְּמוֹ גּוּף לַנְּשָׁמָה שֶׁהֵם הַנִּקּוּדוֹת), and this is the meaning of, “And the spirit is the vocalization marks” (וְזֶהוּ אוֹמְרוֹ וְרוּחָא נִיקּוּדֵי), it is the abundance of Atika and Abba and Imma (הוּא הַשֶּׁפַע שֶׁל עַתִּיקָא וְאַבָּא וְאִימָא), breathing into them the spirit of life to elevate them by means of the angels (הַנּוֹשְׁבִים בָּהֶם רוּחַ חַיִּים לְהַעֲלוֹתָם ע״י הַמַּלְאָכִים), in the mystery of Shi"R [Song] (בְּסוֹד שי״ר), and including them upon themselves (וְכוֹלְלִים אוֹתָם עֲלֵיהֶם), [to them, and bringing them to the holy Heikhalot [Palaces] ever higher] (<אֲלֵיהֶם וּמְבִיאִים אוֹתָם לְהֵיכָלוֹת הַקְּדוֹשִׁים עַד מַעְלָה מַעְלָה), and they continue going and ascending until Atika (וְהוֹלְכִים וְעוֹלִים עַד עַתִּיקָא), where they are not permitted to ascend any higher (אֲשֶׁר אֵינָם רַשָּׁאִים לַעֲלוֹת יוֹתֵר), and there they are called those who stand (וְשָׁם נִקְרָאִים עוֹמְדִים), and He joins and refines them through the mystery of the Zivug [Union] of Abba and Imma, which are the mystery of His two hands forever (וְהוּא מְחַבֵּר וּמְבָרֵר אוֹתָם בְּסוֹד הַזִּוּוּג שֶׁל אַבָּא וְאִימָא שֶׁבָּם סוֹד שְׁתֵּי יָדָיו לְעוֹלָם), therefore he says, “All of them take up their burdens” (וְלָכֵן אוֹמֵר כֻּלְּהוֹן נָטְלֵי בְּמַטְלָנַיְיהוֹן). Its explanation is: the letters journey on their journeys after the movement (פֵּרוּשׁ הָאוֹתִיּוֹת נוֹסְעִים מַסְעוֹתָם בָּתַר תְּנוּעֵי אַחַר הַתְּנוּעָה), in the mystery of the Name of A"B (בְּסוֹד שֵׁם שֶׁל ע״ב), which is the mystery of “And journeyed” (שֶׁהוּא סוֹד וַיִּסַּע) (Exodus 14:19), and its Targum is “and took up” (וְתַרְגּוּמוֹ וּנְטִיל), and in Atika they stand in their established state (וּבְעַתִּיקָא קַיְּימֵי בְּקִיּוּמַיְיהוֹן), and there the food is refined from the refuse and they are sweetened (וְשָׁם נִתְבָּרֵר אֹכֶל מִתּוֹךְ הַפְּסֹלֶת וְנִמְתָּקִים), and the enlightened ones shall illuminate the letters and the vocalization marks (וְהַמַּשְׂכִּילִים יַזְהִירוּ אַתְוָון וְנִיקּוּדֵי).

Its explanation is: the enlightened ones are the letters and the vocalization marks (פֵּרוּשׁ הַמַּשְׂכִּילִים הֵם הָאוֹתִיּוֹת וְהַנְּקֻדּוֹת), they shall shine like the radiance of the melody of the cantillation marks (יַזְהִירוּ כְּזֹהַר נִגּוּנָא דְּטַעֲמֵי), of the Zarka [Throwing Accent] (שֶׁל הַזַּרְקָא), which is the abundance of Atika illuminating them (שֶׁהוּא שֶׁפַע עַתִּיקָא הַמַּזְהִירָם), and giving them strength to cleave to the angels in order to ascend above (וְנוֹתֵן בָּהֶם כֹּחַ לְהִדָּבֵק בַּמַּלְאָכִים לַעֲלוֹת לְמַעְלָה), and the angels together with the letters of Mayin Nukvin [Feminine Waters] cleave to Ze'ir Anpin and His Nukvah (וְהַמַּלְאָכִים עִם הָאוֹתִיּוֹת שֶׁל מַיִין נוּקְבִין מִתְדַּבְּקִים בִּזְעֵיר וְנוּקְבֵיהּ), who are designated by the name HaRakia [the Firmament] (הַמְכוּנֶה בְּשֵׁם הָרָקִיעַ), for the plain meaning of Rakia [Firmament] is Ze'ir Anpin (כִּי רָקִיעַ פְּשׁוּטוֹ הוּא זְעֵיר), and the word HaRakia [the Firmament] equals Shekhinah in numerical value (וּמִלַּת הָרָקִיעַ עוֹלָה בְּגִי׳ שְׁכִינָה), namely Ze'ir Anpin and His Nukvah (הַיְינוּ זְעֵיר וְנוּקְבֵיהּ), within whom are included the angels and the vocalization marks (שֶׁבָּהֶם נִכְלָלִים הַמַּלְאָכִים וְהַנְּקֻדּוֹת), and Ze'ir Anpin has expansion and growth of His limbs (וּזְעֵיר יֵשׁ לוֹ הִתְפַּשְׁטוּת וְגִדּוּל אֵיבָרָיו), and at that time He receives Mochin [Mentalities] from Abba and Imma (וּמְקַבֵּל מוֹחִין בְּאוֹתָהּ שָׁעָה מֵאַבָּא וְאִימָא), as is known, that they give Him Mochin [Mentalities] for the Zivug [Union] (כַּנּוֹדָע שֶׁנּוֹתְנִים לוֹ מוֹחִין לַזִּוּוּג), and these are the Upper Waters (וְהֵם הַמַּיִם הָעֶלְיוֹנִים), to enlarge their Kelim [Vessels] (לְהַגְדִּיל כְּלֵיהֶם).